Veterans Day Movie Reviews

A child during the era of british cult tv, I was a serious addict. As an adult, most of those shows now seem simply corny. Danger Man/Secret Agent is an exception...it's as good as I remember with nicely choreographed action and fight scenes, lots of attention to detail, intelligent acting, editing and directing, artful background music, and of course McGoohan's unique charisma and wit. No one else ever brought a secret agent character to life as well as McGoohan does in this series. I'm keeping fingers crossed that A&E and Carlton will release the remaining episodes!

Several folks below have complained about the uneven quality of the episodes--and they're right. McGoohan himself has admitted that some are better than others. But when it's good, boy does it put other shows of the same ilk to shame. And even when it's not terribly good, it's always stylish, with a charmingly retro, nostalgic feel.

And if you really, truly want to know why Number Six resigned, watch "Yesterday's Enemies," contained in Set 1.

... I'm the proud owner of set1 of this video which keeps
me glued to the telly whenever the video is played.The theme
music is thrilling and sets the pace for a fast paced episode.
Patrick Mcgoohan aptly fits into the title role.I could only wish
that the full 48 episodes are published and the danger man fans
have a larger collection to play over and over rather than risking damage to their cherished single set.

I thought I would like this more than I did. I guess my only problem with this is the songs are too over played by mtv/radios. I guess Im just burnt out on them. Some of the songs are sleepers also Zzzzzzzzzzz.......

Ever since the Berkeley, CA alternative threesome released their huge breakthrough (and classic) album Dookie in February of 1994, they have gone on to release 16 music videos from four albums. And now, on one very affordable DVD collection, you can have all of them to play whenever you want. "Basket Case" at 3:15 AM? Sure. "Hitchin' A Ride" at 7:45 PM? Yup. "Minority" at...well, you get the idea, any video/time combination you can come up with, it's in your power!

Also worth noting is every time you select an album from which hits' videos you want to watch, they have a little interlude to match the album's theme. For instance, if you select "Dookie", you will be treated to a cartoon dog flying through the air dropping Dookie bombs before the actual video selection comes up. Neato, huh? All of the videos are great and worth watching at least once. These boys not only make great music, they make great videos as well.

All in all, if you like Green Day, then you need this DVD (if you don't have it already). It goes great with your "International Superhits" CD.

A collection of Green Day's videos. What more could you want? Not much else. Well alright, all of Green Day's albums and World Peace. But this is still very very very satisfying. Some of the greatest videos of all time have been made by Green Day. My personal favorite video is Basketcase. I saw the video for this and a short while later my friend lent me his copy of Dookie. Life changing experience? Yes. All of the videos here are fun and well crafted. And most are very colorful!!! It doesn't take much to make me happy. Put on Basketcase on a 24 hour loop and I'll be a good little patient. hehe

I saw this film a couple of times as a kid and never forgot it. It still has the same effect on me. I have a widescreen copy on vhs and recently played it to a friend who is an up and coming film maker. He said it was one of the best movies he'd ever seen and is easily as good, if not better, than anything similar of its type produced today. Personally, I think it would even make a great stage play. It HAS to be seen in widescreen which brings me to the big question for MGM: WHERE IS THE DVD? C'mon, MGM! I hope you guys read these reviews!

Although well directed by John Sturges, this film set immediately after the end of WW II is driven by great performances by a great, great cast. Spencer Tracy's role as the one-armed John J. Macreedy, who has come to Black Rock to deliver a war medal to the father of a Japanese-American hero who died fighting in WW II, is sufficient by itself to have made this a great film. But luckily, it features several other stellar performances, including several of the best tough guys in American film history, Robert Ryan, Lee Marvin, and Ernst Borgnine. The cast is rounded out by the extraordinarily beautiful Anne Francis (a beautiful and not untalented actress who despite a long career never managed a break out role that might have propelled her to stardom), the reliable Dean Jagger, and the great Walter Brennan.

Although John Sturges is known as a great action director--and this film does have some great action sequences near the end--this film is driven by interpersonal conflict and confrontational dialog. Nearly every line spoken by one character to another seems to contain a mystery or a threat. As a result, there is an edge to this film from beginning to end. The script is brilliant, with a good mystery but even better dialog.

It is impossible to overpraise Spencer Tracy's performance in this one. He is always completely natural in his acting, but no less so in this film playing a one-armed man. He hardly comes across as someone with a handicap, but a tough-as-nails force of nature. As tough as Ryan, Marvin, and the others are in the movie, Tracy can match them grimace-by-grimace.
I'm not sure why this film isn't better known than it is. Given the quality of the performances and the stature of the principle actors, you would think it would be a mainstay on TV and rental shelves. Anyone unfamiliar with this film should do him or herself a favor and get it as soon as they can.

There is a lot more to this movie than most people give it credit for. First and foremost, we have the opening sequence of a train stopping at a very small town [we see no more than a dozen buildings]. Throughout the movie the main character John MacReedy played by Spencer Tracy, is trying to navigate the cold-shouldered xenophobia of an isolated desert town. If you've ever read 'Winesburg, Ohio' by Sherwood Anderson, you'll know that things are different in small towns, they're much more like families. So you have this social psychological factor of the members of the small town avoiding their darker past, along with a deeper mob mentality when dealing with MacReedy. To use a cliché, small towns are icebergs, you see less than there is.

Now that there is some basic foundation to the broader issues touched on in the movie's structure, we can move on to the storyline.

It is expertly played out in the movie, we are given the small town, MacReedy, and his search for a Japanese man. We see but don't understand the threatening behavior of the town folk; slowly it dawns on us and we are left with one man against a town and its secret. I have never encountered a movie quite like this in both execution and style.

It moves quickly, but without the glitz and glam of modern explosion-thons. There is some action, but it is used expertly, and with purpose. The acting is superb, with everyone playing their characters believably.

My favorite scene is when MacReedy gets into a fight with a local townsperson played by Ernest Borgnine. Noting that Tracy's character only has one arm, watching him beat the blazes out of Borgnine is entertaining and pleasing. Borgnine played so many idiotic characters in so many movies, all I could think of as Tracy hit him repeatedly was 'That was for being the idiot in 'Blackhole!'' 'That was for playing the arrogant fool in 'The Poseidon Adventure''.

All in all, I'd recommend this movie to all except teenagers that wouldn't understand it.

I eagerly purchased this movie when I found out that the screenwriter was the same as wrote A&E's Pride and Prejudice (indisputably the best movie ever!) Of course, Hugh Dancy being in this film was also an incentive (he was great in David Copperfield). Anyway, I could not have been more completely and utterly disappointed with this film. The torture of this movie was somewhat akin to that of being stabbed repeatedly in the eye with a sharp stick! You think I exaggerate, well, perhaps just a bit (a very little bit mind you.)

I know a lot of people review movies and give credit for great performances and directing and scenery and such- to them I say, "WHO CARES!" What does it matter if the actors did a great job portraying their characters if the characters where wandering around aimlessly searching for a plot and some sense of purpose (for over 3 hours!) Unfortunately I had to give this movie 1 star (sadly Amazon does not allow ratings of 0 or negative stars... otherwise I would have rated this movie -5 stars!)

I don't understand how the other reviews for this movie are so high. I read them all before purchasing the DVD and was excited because it had such positive reviews. Please, do not make the same mistake I did! I'm trying to warn you and save you some money and time! Of course, you might be one of those people who enjoy watching a movie with no plot, main characters that you can't stand (and main characters that you want to like but don't ever really get to know), and of course that end stupidly- Well, it didn't end as stupidly as it could have I suppose but the whole last third of the movie derails into this Jewish plot and the secret behind Daniel's real mother- that was just incredibly painful.

All in all the best part of the movie was when someone died (and the second best thing was when it ended!!!)

The marvelous BBC mini-series "Daniel Deronda" is based on the George Eliot novel. "Daniel Deronda" is a weighty, problematic novel, and it is not considered to be Eliot's best. The BBC adaptation is excellent, well-paced, and truly elegant. The Victorian, multi-plot novel is far better suited to the series format--there's just too much plot to expect the story to squeeze into a standard 90-120 minute film. If someone tried to squash the novel "Daniel Deronda" into a film, it simply wouldn't work as effectively.

The major theme of "Daniel Deronda" is the pursuit of the spiritual versus the pursuit of worldly gain, and this theme is worked through the characters, Gwendolen Harleth and Daniel Deronda. Gwendolen Harleth is the eldest daughter of a impoverished widow, and so the hopes of Gwendolen's mother rest upon the chance--slim, though it is, that penniless Gwendolen will make a good marriage and provide for her younger sisters. Gwendolen's mother and uncle promote Gwendolen in society with the idea that she will make a good match, and in fact they consider her a sort of investment. Gwendolen's horse-riding, for example, is encouraged even though the family cannot afford it, but she is indulged as an ultimate pay-off is expected. As a result, Gwendolen becomes an accomplished horsewoman, excelling at many sports, and outshining all the other girls (including the rich ones). But as the product of indulgence, Gwendolen's sense of self worth is grandiose, and her character suffers as a result--she isn't a particularly good friend, and she isn't a particularly nice person.

All of the hopes for an improvement in the Harleth family fortunes seem to bear fruit when Gwendolen catches the eye of the wealthy and arrogant Henleigh Grandcourt. It is with a sort of perverse intensity that Grandcourt drops his interest in a local heiress--Gwendolen is better looking and more accomplished than the heiress--and yet there is something not quite right in Grandcourt's interest. Grandcourt seems to be on his best behaviour when first courting Gwendolen, but it is clear that he is a rather unpleasant fellow. No one likes or respects Grandcourt, but he does have money, prospects and position at his command. There is something quite dark about Grandcourt, and this sense of the unpleasant is not alleviated by the fact that he is always accompanied by his obsequious and equally unpleasant henchman, Lush. Grandcourt desires Gwendolen, but he does not love her. Gwendolen is attracted, at first, to the very unpleasantness of Grandcourt's odd nature, and she prefers him to her other suitors because he isn't as easy to manipulate. She sees him as a challenge and imagines that she will rein him in just as she has controlled other suitors.

Daniel Deronda--the main male character--is the very earnest and serious young man who is rumoured to be the illegitimate son of Lord Mallinger. Daniel is the antithesis of Grandcourt, and some rivalry exists between Grandcourt and Deronda as Grandcourt is Mallinger's heir. Daniel meets Gwendolen when she still has the choice of pursuing material gain above all else. Gwendolen recognizes that Daniel is an unusually good and superior man, but at the time, she lacks a true appreciation of his character. Daniel rescues a young Jewish girl, Mirah Lapidoth, and it is through Daniel's acquaintance with Mirah that the truth of Daniel's past is revealed. Mirah is the antithesis of Gwendolen, for Mirah has experienced and endured terrible hardships. Whereas Gwendolen's nature and character accept luxury at any price, Mirah refuses to sell herself for material gain. Mirah's steadfast character and serious nature are in complete contrast to Gwendolen, and so the two main female characters serve as perfect foils for one another. There are several plot twists and turns--this is, after all, based on a Victorian novel, and as such, one must expect co-incidences and parallel storylines.

The BBC series is broken up into three sections, but the film flows very smoothly. The acting is all quite superb--although Barbara Hershey is a bit out-of-place in her role of Contessa Maria Alcharisi. The development of the characters is the very best part of both the book and the BBC series. Gwendolen Harleth isn't exactly a shallow person, but due to the nature of her social position and the emphasis placed on the desirability of wealth above all else, she fails to gain any moral perspective about herself, her behaviour, or the choices she eventually makes. Adversity is the making of Gwendolen, and through suffering, she becomes a decent human being. If you enjoy BBC costume dramas, or if you are a fan of Victorian literature or George Eliot (one of my very favourite writers), no doubt you will enjoy this excellent adaptation--displacedhuman

The actors portray the characters of George Eliot's Daniel Deronda SO well that one is almost immediately drawn into the story... almost believing that you are watching the lives of real people. And the storyline is poignant and inspiring. I highly recommend this production to anyone who is an incurable romantic and has a fondness for period films. Keep a box of Kleenex handy!

Feeling in the mood for an over-the-top 60s classic? Check out Doris Day, Rock Hudson, and Tony Randall in Send Me No Flowers.

Hudson plays George Kimball, a hypochondriac who, on one of his regular visits to the doctor, overhears a conversation that makes him think that he's about to die. He tells his friend and neighbor, Arnold (Randall), his secret, and the two of them begin to plan George's funeral. George decides to shelter his wife, Judy (Day), from the horrible truth, but he also realizes that she won't be able to manage life on her own. So George takes matters into his own hands and begins searching for her second husband. Meanwhile, Judy becomes suspicious of George's actions and starts to suspect him of having an affair.

This movie was filmed in true 60s style. It's bright and colorful -- and silly. It's full of over-exaggerated slapstick comedy. And it's got all kinds of eccentric characters -- like the gossipy milkman, the swinging bachelor, and the over-enthusiastic cemetery plot salesman. It's a simple movie, but the simplicity makes it just that much funnier.

This is a very, very funny movie. I had no idea it would be so good. Written by Julius Epstein, directed by Norman Jewison and starring Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Edward Andrews and Tony Randall with the great Paul Lynde doing a hilarious turn as a funeral home manager. Hypocondriac Hudson overhears his doctor (Andrews) discussing the impending demise of a terminally ill patient and figures that he is the unfortunate person being discussed. He thereby triggers a magnificent comedy of errors, misunderstandings and lies. One of the very few movies that have caused me laugh out loud even when watching it on my own. Usually I find these '60s comedies pleasantly nostalgic and mildly amusing at best but this film is just out and out FUNNY! It reminds me a little of "Guide For The Married Man" in spirit. I LOVE it!! Highly recommended. The dvd has a great anamorphic wide screen picture and the colors are great. Nothing but a trailer in the way of extras (I suppose a commentary from Doris Day and Tony Randall would be too much to ask for) but still worth the money. I'm glad I bought this.

Had the privilege of enjoying all three Hudson/Day comedies at Radio City Music Hall. For those of us who lived that epoch, comedy was enjoyable without being offensive, adult without causing embarrassment, with the sweetness of the previous decades and the spark of the 50-60's stage. Too bad that time is gone, and really great that it has been preserved on DVD for us and many others to enjoy!

I think ¡§My Beautiful Launderette¡¨ is a pretty satiric movie. Back in 1980s, Pakistan people were being discriminated by the British. However in the movie, Nasser, a Pakistan businessman, owned a launderette which earns money from the British instead of the other way round. Satirically, Nasser also has a mistress, named Rachel, who is a British instead of a Pakistan. Tanya, daughter of Nasser who later on found out Rachel , tell Rachel that she does not mind her father having a mistress and use her father¡¦s money.

Omar, niece of Nasser, who worked in the launderette as a manager, met Johnny one night when he was being disturbed by a group of racist gang. Johnny is a British young man who actually belongs to the gang, he knew Omar because they were old school friends. Omar asked Johnny to help in the launderette. The most satiric part of the movie is that Omar and Johnny are homosexual lovers. Homosexuality was considered to be unacceptable in those days. Other than that Omar and Johnny are different in race.

The film shows the audiences two groups of people. First is the people who reject the British community, second is the people who accept the British community. The first group of people have traditional, conservative, and stubborn mind. Omar¡¦s father belongs to this group. He is a journalist and political activist. He thinks that he doesn¡¦t belong to Britain and he hated Britain. He lives in poverty and lie on the bed all day doing nothing.

Nasser and Omar belong to the second group. Nasser adapted himself into the British society and learned to live with it. He then became a successful businessman who owned a launderette and a car cleaning service company. Omar chose to follow Nasser to involve in the business field instead of being what his father wanted him to be, which was to get into college. He convinced Nasser to let him redecorate the launderette and he succeeded in attracting more customers.

I've seen few films with such intensity, humour and heartache all rolled into one. The scenes flowed onto each other seamlessly, the plot complex yet perfectly led, and the Acting was just superb.

Daniel Day Lewis was unforgettable as the rough street punk Johnny, while Gordon Warnecke was equally engaging as Omar, the Pakistani boy with big ambitions. Another stand-out was Roshan Seth, playing a drunken disgruntled Pakistani father, with no hope, no future, and little life left in his alcohol weakened body. Seth stole the scene wherever he appeared, and not just because of the hair, seriously.

The fact that this film is partly about the relationship between two men had absolutely no influence on me as an audience. To the people watching, it is as natural to them as it is for the two main characters on the silver screen.

At times, it is heartbreaking to watch the hatred and misunderstanding between two races living on the same land. But what do 2 boys with a beautiful laundrette care anyway, for them, each day is a brand new day isn't it?

People made a huge deal out of this movie because of the gay content. It's really very minimal (two kisses, a lick on the neck and one very tasteful yet erotic scene and another little kiss later) Maybe a total of 3 or 4 minutes of the film (ok, though that turned into a half hour by all the replaying I did of those scenes - and yes, I'm a straight girl and still can't get enough of DDL's passionate kisses) It's very touching because it's so natural and a complete non-issue. No one dies of AIDS, no one makes a big drama scene about coming out of the closet, no one demands attention and acceptance for being gay(though *of course* gay people should be accepted) the film just really goes out of its way to show there's *nothing* deviant or strange to homosexuality. You could even see it as a symbolic point, that it's the one thing Omar and Johnny share that does not fit into either of their cultural equations.

My two other favorite characters were Omar's father and Tanya. This Pakistani family reminded me of my family. I am not Pakistani but the issues are the same. The dad was very poignant in the way he wanted better for his son, how he couldn't let go of his upper class background and how he looked down on the Johnny's sort but was kind and wanted better for him too. He reminded me of my grandparents. And then there was Tanya. I loved how she sort of bonded with Johnny in their way. What a great performance she gave. This film has so many threads and nuances and Omar's character balances it all with so much grace, respecting his culture and keeping close to his family but being true to himself at the same time by staying involved with Johnny.

I *love* Daniel Day Lewis!

YOUNG AT HEART is a decent melodrama intersped with a couple of musical numbers featuring the musical talents of Doris Day and Frank Sinatra. Doris Day's numbers are light and upbeat and Frank Sinatra plays meloncholy blues (as a 'piano man' at bar dives, i.e "One For my Baby-One More for the Road"). The only time they actually sing together is a duet near the end of the picture but its worth the wait because its a great song and a great performance. However, the dramatic scenes they share are just as good as Day and Sinatra have good onscreen chemistry. Its a shame they only made this one film together because they were good friends professionally off screen as well. Day/Laurie Tuttle is one of three musical prodigy daughters to Gregory Tuttle (Robert Keith -Lt. Brannigan in GUYS AND DOLLS). A songwiter, Alex Burke (Gig Young-THEY SHOOT HORSES, DON'T THEY?)charms his way into the family home becoming a border to get inspiration to writing a musical. He becomes the object of affection to the three daughters, but is smitten with Laura immediately. However, when he brings in a piano player, Barney Sloan (Sinatra) to help out, Laura falls for his low self-esteemed but talented musician personality. Sinatra gives a very low-key understated performance as the angry (thinks-he-has-no-talent) piano player and Day is as good as always. The rest of the film is a little predictable, but entertaining and engrossing nontheless as love triangle(s) and misunderstandings arise as part of the drama. Gig Young's character and performance as the charming good guy and lovable songwriter is a bright spot in the film but it is slightly overshadowed by magnitude and presence of the two lead performers. All together, a film with a palusible melodrama plot, great songs, and most notable for the one time pairing of Day and Sinatra who have great on screen presence together. Lastly an overlooked performance by Gig Young. Note: Look for Alan Hale, Jr. (The Skipper of Gilligan's Island)in a supporting role and also,the great Ethel Barrymore (Grand aunt of Drew) as Aunt Jessie.

If you are expecting a DVD that is a big improvement on the video, this will disappoint. But if you absolutely love the film, the DVD is still worth getting. Now, the film itself shows what a terrific chemistry Doris Day and Frank Sinatra had together, and makes one wish they had done more films together, and certainly sang more duets. Doris is superb and Frank deserved an Oscar for his portayal of Barney Sloane, as hip and deep a job of acting as anything James Dean ever did and Dean had made his first film this same year (1954). Sinatra was (and is) so underrated as an actor in the 1950's. Someone put it well, there is no Frank Sinatra in this film, only Barney Sloane.
This movie leaves you wanting more MORE of Day and Sinatra together - that is my only criticism of it! A wonderful film.

Needless to say, all Frank Sinatra or Doris Day fans can't afford to miss this heartwarming classic. I'm glad that it's now released on DVD -- okay, a not so great DVD due to lack of extra features, yet quite acceptable to me. The Dolby Surround 2.0 Stereo somehow brings back the magic of so many unforgettable songs like "Young At Heart", "Someone to Watch Over Me", "Make It One For My Baby", "Just One of Those Things", "There's A Rising Moon for Every Falling Star", "Hold Me in Your Arms"..., let alone the fabulous duet "You, My Love". Now I'll have to admit another personal reason to make this movie one of my favorites. I love the scenes of Barney Sloane, while at the piano and on the hospital bed, asking Laurie Tuttle for a cigarette (and she would fumble in her pocket for one). Every time I watch this movie I can't help but asking myself a silly question, since when has smoking become so politically incorrect that Hollywood actors are coerced to avoid smoking on screen? But then again, I am getting personal here. Maybe because I feel so sad about those producers who dare not let a cigarette appear in front of a camera even when they make films depicting life in the sixties or seventies, that is, when smoking was not banned in California or elsewhere.

I will admit, I am one of the most picky film reviewers that has ever lived, and I have only ever given three films in my life a straight five out of five stars, however this film comes out as a four and a half out of five. Defiantly one of the most powerful films I have ever witnessed, and is on my top ten greatest films of all time list. Daniel Day-Lewis, who I have to admit I did not really cared for until I saw this film, gives a powerful tour de force of a performance, that shifts you from tears to joy and back again in only a few short minutes. However Day-Lewis is not the one who shines out above the rest, that is done by Brenda Fricker, in a stunningly beautiful performance, one of the greatest I have ever seen done by a female actor, both Fricker and Day-Lewis did above and beyond in their roles, and most defiantly deserved their Oscars. The direction is also dead on, along with the script, overall the entire film is an experience of a life time, by far the best movies of 1989, and one of the greatest achievement in film of all time.

...First , i have to admitt that i've never ever heared about this movie bofore one night i was just watching the T.v and there it was..and i guess i was lucky...i didn't feel like watching a movie i felt like beeing a witness of that man's life...as if i was a member of his family or even as if i was him....Daniel day lewis' great performance makes you feel all the non-spoken feelings...personally, daniel day lewis became my favourite actor since i've seen that beautifull movie....the movie is about life so it's full of joy as it's full of sadness, you'll smile as you'll tear. very senstive and heart catching....the movie is divided ito chapters..which are the chapters of the autobiography of the writer ..in each a portrait by painting and by words for every one who did impact the writer...the tender mother, the furious father who held unshowed tenderness and more..........if you are browsing to buy it...do it with out thinking.. :))

Admittedly, when I first saw this movie many years ago, I thought that the director had hired an actor with cerebral palsy to play Christy Brown! That's how good Daniel Day-Lewis is in this film. Taking absolutely nothing from the rest of the movie's cast, but I became a fan of this great actor almost from the opening scene. (I read somewhere that during filming, Day-Lewis spent the entire three-month shoot confined to his weelchair - even off camera! Talk about focus, concentration and dedication.)

To say that this film did justice to the life and times of Christy Brown would be an understatement.

I will admit, I am one of the most picky film reviewers that has ever lived, and I have only ever given three films in my life a straight five out of five stars, however this film comes out as a four and a half out of five. Defiantly one of the most powerful films I have ever witnessed, and is on my top ten greatest films of all time list. Daniel Day-Lewis, who I have to admit I did not really cared for until I saw this film, gives a powerful tour de force of a performance, that shifts you from tears to joy and back again in only a few short minutes. However Day-Lewis is not the one who shines out above the rest, that is done by Brenda Fricker, in a stunningly beautiful performance, one of the greatest I have ever seen done by a female actor, both Fricker and Day-Lewis did above and beyond in their roles, and most defiantly deserved their Oscars. The direction is also dead on, along with the script, overall the entire film is an experience of a life time, by far the best movies of 1989, and one of the greatest achievement in film of all time.

...First , i have to admitt that i've never ever heared about this movie bofore one night i was just watching the T.v and there it was..and i guess i was lucky...i didn't feel like watching a movie i felt like beeing a witness of that man's life...as if i was a member of his family or even as if i was him....Daniel day lewis' great performance makes you feel all the non-spoken feelings...personally, daniel day lewis became my favourite actor since i've seen that beautifull movie....the movie is about life so it's full of joy as it's full of sadness, you'll smile as you'll tear. very senstive and heart catching....the movie is divided ito chapters..which are the chapters of the autobiography of the writer ..in each a portrait by painting and by words for every one who did impact the writer...the tender mother, the furious father who held unshowed tenderness and more..........if you are browsing to buy it...do it with out thinking.. :))

Admittedly, when I first saw this movie many years ago, I thought that the director had hired an actor with cerebral palsy to play Christy Brown! That's how good Daniel Day-Lewis is in this film. Taking absolutely nothing from the rest of the movie's cast, but I became a fan of this great actor almost from the opening scene. (I read somewhere that during filming, Day-Lewis spent the entire three-month shoot confined to his weelchair - even off camera! Talk about focus, concentration and dedication.)

To say that this film did justice to the life and times of Christy Brown would be an understatement.

Crest of the Stars. I've seen a few anime in my time, but this one is different in several respects from your average anime show. For starters, it's the slowest moving anime I have ever seen. Things that would happen in one episode in another series happen in two or three episodes here. And while there IS action (space battles and shootouts) they are few and far between. Nor is the plot very complex or mind-blowing in nature.

What makes this series engaging is characterization and attention to detail. Many of the characters say and do things that leave you wondering just what they are actually thinking. For instance, the first episodes have everyone saying that Jinto's father sold out his planet and betrayed everyone. Yet, what we see onscreen and what people later say about it suggests the opposite. Was Jinto's father really saving his planet from total destruction? And what of the Abh? Are they ruthless, heartless people of destruction, or a misunderstood race capable of great loyalty and kindness? I don't know. I may have to see this series quite a few times to figure everything out. If you want something to sink your teeth into intellectually, this series is it.

Technically, this is also a very interesting series. The music is a beautiful orchestral masterpiece. The animation ranges from very good to breath-taking. But the English dub of the voices doesn't match the characters very well. And even in the excellent Japanese dub, the lip-synching is ocassionally so far off it becomes distracting. And then there is the Japanese text. At the beginning of the series, it seems like it's everywhere. At times you'll have Japanese text with English text on top, and it feels a bit overwhelming (on tv they put a black blank on top of the Japanese text so it wouldn't distract).

So all in all, I recommend this series to hard-core sci-fi fans and die-hard anime fans looking for something different and having the patience for a show that's isn't full of action and violence, but instead relies on old-fashioned character development. I look forward to the next season.

First word that comes to mind about this series: slow, slow, slow. HOWEVER, it is different from faster paced anime and I appreciate that. It is as though you are watching every minute of Jinto's life, but you're not. This method really captures the obvious differences and misunderstanding of each race. It also seems to let you marinate in the moment. The jumping back in time gets rather choppy, but it does add to the suspense of Jinto's past.
Jinto seems to be a typical anime boy character (young, innocent, humble, reluctant hero, father issues). He does grow on you. The Abh girl, Lafiel has that predictable sweet charm, yet determination to prove herself. I rather enjoyed how they portrayed the sophisticated Abh race. They have an appealing nature about them that leaves you wanting to learn more about them.
The dubbed English is not too bad and the characters are very interesting. The intro is odd, but bearable. Some scenes are a bit painful to watch since everything seems to be going at such a slow pace.
Overall, I found myself intrigued and willing to finish out the series. Highly recommend to someone who wants to broaden their horizons.

This is a nice blend of western mythology and scifi. Genetically engineered space elves rule the universe with an iron fist and a beautiful, ever young face. Lovely animation, well developed characters - a great watch whether you are a Cowboy Bebop newbie or a die-hard Macross otaku.