Grindhouse Presents, Death Proof - Extended and Unrated (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Description

A deranged stuntman stalks his victims from the safety of his killer car, but when he picks on the wrong group of badass babes, all bets are off in an adrenaline-pumping, high speed, white-knuckle automotive duel of epic proportions, where anything can happen.

Customer Reviews:

Review THIS RELEASE, please!.......2007-09-18

I was lucky enough to see a pre-release of this DVD. You will not be disappointed if you consider it ON ITS OWN MERITS. It's a different experience, and strong enough to stand on its own. I won't spoil it for you.

I'd like to remind all the complainers and boycott-hollering yahoos that the theatrical Grindhouse release was seen by about 147 people domestically, and was a financial disaster.
Exactly what would the producers' motivation be to duplicate that for the DVD?
I don't fault them in the slightest for approaching from another angle.
I hope the separate releases sell well enough to justify the release of the double-bill and trailers.
I'll buy that as well.

Wait for the double-feature--just like Masters of Horror.......2007-09-17

Well, it looks like I will be waiting again for the ACTUAL realease of this "double-feature". The alleged reason these two films were released were to bring back the "grindhouse" feel and that includes not only a second feature, but the hilarious trailers. Release like this it's just another movie (and this one is not as good imho).

It took a year, but I waited for the box set of Masters of Horror and wound up paying much less that those who had to have it right away. While I would wholeheartedly recommend this with its other feature I cannot say I would buy it on its own.

Full featured release in 2008? Maybe........2007-09-17

According to VideoETA, "Grindhouse" has a projected release date of June 2008. What exactly this will include isn't mentioned but it adds to the theory that another release isn't far behind.

[...]

I'm a bit peeved that the initial DVD release is two titles and will wait to see what next summer brings. Overall I thought the films were good for their intent, and I even rented some Pam Grier films afterwards for a bit of nostalgia.

Great Fun.......2007-09-17

Death Proof is Quentin Tarantino's homage to the B movie genre form the late 60s, 70s and early 80s. Keep this in mind when you watch this film. Like the original low budget flicks, this film has very bad picture quality and sound, terrible editing, silly dialogue, revealing mistakes and bad acting. Of course, these characteristics were all accidental or due to a lack of talent in the original movies, whereas Tarantino has deliberately added these "mistakes" in order to recreate the feel of the old films. This might be a bit confusing or even annoying during the first half hour or so, because, unlike 30 years ago, this movie is not shown in a Grindhouse but a modern theater and you can't help but notice that the bad editing is deliberate and therefor misses the charm of the old B movies. Also, the fact that the film is set in 2007 but shot in a way that would be below standard even 30 years ago, slightly removes the charm it would have had, had it been set in the 70s. However, this changes about 30 min into the movie when cell phones, MP3 players and Japanese automobiles are replaced by muscle cars, references to cult classics and John Hughes movies, old school car chases, stunts and your typical Quentin Tarantino dialogues and soundtrack. The uncut European version could have done without some of the more boring conversations at the beginning of the film, though, but Kurt Russell more than makes up for this when he uses his old charm to talk Vanessa Ferlito into a lap dance and by the end of the film real life stunt woman Zoe Bell and Tracie Thoms will have you roaring with laughter as they seek to get even with Stuntman Mike. Although Death proof might not be quite as impressive as House of 1000 Corpses or The Devil's Rejects, it definitely is just as much fun.

Death Proof....but where's Planet Terror too!.......2007-09-17

I'm a fan of Tarantino and Rodriguez, but what I have to agree with most of the mediocre reviews about this is what is up with releasing this seperately from the other film, that makes absolutely no sense, or does it? Maybe to rake in the money the studio didn't get on it's theatrical release? Death Proof has a film is brilliantly shot with style, but as some of the reviews had eluded to earlier gets bogged down in boring chick chit-chat about nothing. I literally found myself zoning off and thinking of other things during those scenes. I don't mind a lot of dialogue if you have something to say. These girls didn't, but the movie is saved by the ominous scenes with actor, Kurt Russell. Still a movie worth seeing, but maybe wait until it drops in price or is released with the other grindhouse film, "Planet Terror".

Average customer rating:

Dead Woman Upstages Living Woman
Excellent Snapshot of the Royal Family
Queen
"Duty first, self second"
Very enjoyable

The Queen
Starring: Helen Mirren , Michael Sheen , James Cromwell , Sylvia Syms , and Alex Jennings
Director: Stephen Frears
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005JPAO
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Amazon.com

Helen Mirren reigns supreme in The Queen, a witty and ingenious look at a moment that rocked the house of Windsor: the week that followed the sudden death of Princess Diana in 1997. Diana's death came at just the same time that Prime Minister Tony Blair (played by the bright Michael Sheen) was settling into his new government--and trying to figure out the delicate relationship between 10 Downing Street and Queen Elizabeth II (Mirren). A large portion of the British population was trying to figure out the Windsors that week, as Elizabeth remained stiff-upper-lip and largely mum about the death of the beloved princess. In Peter Morgan's skillful script, we watch as Blair grows increasingly impatient with the Royals, who are sequestered in their Scottish estate while the public demands some show of grief. Prince Philip (James Cromwell, in good form) clumsily decides to take Diana's sons hunting, while a sympathetically-treated Prince Charles (Alex Jennings) displays some frustration with his mother's eerie calm.

None of this conveys how funny the film is, or how deftly it flows from one scene to the next. Director Stephen Frears (Dirty Pretty Things) deserves great credit for that, and for the performances, and for the movie's marvelous sense of well-roundedness; you could see this movie and groan at the cluelessness of the Royals and their outmoded existence, or you might just sympathize with showing reserve in a world that values gross public displays of emotion. But either way, you'll marvel at Mirren, who makes the Queen far more alert and human than one might ever have imagined. --Robert Horton

Beyond The Queen

The British are Coming! Kings & Queens on DVD
Helen Mirren Essential DVDs
The Queen: Music From the Motion Picture by Alexandre Desplat

Stills from The Queen (click for larger image)

Description

Winner of the Academy Award® for Best Actress, Dame Helen Mirren gives a spellbinding performance in THE QUEEN, the provocative story behind one of the most public tragedies of our time — the sudden death of Princess Diana. In the wake of Diana's death, the very private and tradition-bound Queen Elizabeth II (Mirren) finds herself in conflict with the new Prime Minister, the slickly modern and image-conscious Tony Blair. THE QUEEN, also starring Academy Award® Nominee James Cromwell (Best Supporting Actor, BABE, 1995), takes you inside the private chambers of the Royal Family and the British government for a captivating look at a vulnerable human being in her darkest hour, as a nation grieving for its People's Princess waits to see what its leaders will do. Suspenseful, heartfelt and riveting, it's a fascinating story you won't soon forget.

Customer Reviews:

Dead Woman Upstages Living Woman.......2007-09-15

Couldn't help but notice how the movie kept flashing back to Diana who is DEAD, but that's to keep the audience from fully falling asleep.

British Royalty, being the parasites that they are, are completely boring! If no one would pay to come to England to see them, they'd have been phased out last century as the deadwood that they are. They are to be pitied. No jobs, nothing to do all day but go to openings of this or that. Poor Charles even got kicked off his polo ponies because Mumsy thought it was too dangerous.

I haven't watched this movie in one sitting. Too boring. This is one where you watch it in shifts, if I finish it at all. Helen Mirren did an OK job, but frankly, Elizabeth is very easy to impersonate and many others have done this before Helen. Think of the stupid Naked Gun movies.

Excellent Snapshot of the Royal Family.......2007-09-12

There is no doubt that Dame Helen Mirren deserves the Oscar Best Actress award. Her "portrayal" of Queen Elizabeth II gives viewers moments of illusion that she were the queen. But all we can really see is a snapshot of the royal family, because no one can possibly know their private thoughts and conversation behind closed doors. It may be interesting to contrast the royal family's reactions to the public pressure and scandals by looking at the past. Edward & Mrs. Simpson, a 5-star topnotch TV mini-series may provide that opportunity, and Actor Edward Fox's King Edward is as compelling as Helen Mirren's Queen Elizabeth.

Queen.......2007-09-12

A bit slow in spots, but excellent acting, sensitive presention of a controversial subject, respectful presentation of all historica people involved.

"Duty first, self second".......2007-09-03

Helen Mirren won an Academy Award for her performance as Elizabeth II in "The Queen," which depicts the British monarch's reaction to the death of Princess Diana in the summer of 1997. Prime Minister Tony Blair (played brilliantly by Michael Sheen) had just recently been elected at the time of Diana's death, and he was still in the process of determining the best way to forge a successful working relationship with the queen. This film deals with Windsor's fall from grace the week after Diana's death, when the queen refused to follow the prime minister's advice on how to best handle the situation to meet the needs of the grieving British public.

At first the queen refuses to take Blair's advice about making any kind of public statement, preferring to remain silent in hopes that the former Princess of Wales would be laid to rest quickly and quietly, without any fanfare. However, the public's frustration grows and Elizabeth faces opposition from the government as well as from her son Charles (Alex Jennings). Soon it becomes clear that the royal family's inaction may wind up being their ultimate demise, and the queen is forced to come to terms with her own emotions and make one of what was surely many difficult choices during her reign.

I think this film is brilliant. The cast is absolute perfection, and it's very clear why Mirren received an Oscar for her portrayal as a queen struggling to come to terms with her own personal beliefs and the realization that she doesn't always understand the needs of her people. I also appreciated the way the film handled the treatment of Diana herself. Although the plot of the movie revolves around Diana's death, it's handled gracefully and with dignity. Instead of casting an actress to play the princess, the film relied on a steady peppering of news clips showing the real Diana herself, which was thoughtful and effective.

On one hand, "The Queen" depicts a monarchy that is cold and completely out of touch with modern day society. However, although I didn't always agree with Elizabeth's choices, it was easy to sympathize with her position and understand where she was coming from when she made certain decisions. Regardless of her personal feelings toward the late princess, the queen's belief that quiet dignity should be maintained before caving in to public spectacle is a very good point.

I highly recommend this movie to everyone, if for no other reason than that Mirren portrays Elizabeth II with more humanity than most people might believe is possible. This is truly an excellent film.

Very enjoyable.......2007-08-20

The joy of this great piece of cinema is watching the violent collision of two parallel worlds coexisting in the present-day UK, the world of upper-class Victorian privilege and devotion to duty inhabited by the UK Royal Family, complete with its huntin', shootin', fishin', and the everyday world of all the rest of us. This is brilliantly captured in this film, especially with the flashes between the mannered, genteel Royal household and the chaotic, refreshingly normal Blair household.

The scenes in which collision first occurs are priceless; the slightly gauche young Tony Blair, fresh from a landslide General Election victory, confronts his Sovereign whose first Prime Minister was Winston Churchill, the anti-Royalist Cherie Blair sways in an incredibly precarious curtsey and then the Blairs back out of The Presence in the most awkward manner, because nobody turns his or her back on HM ("And it's "Ma'am", as in "ham", not "Marm" as in "farm", as a uniformed flunkey reminds them).

The greater collision was triggered by the death of Diana, and the sudden realisation by the Royals that something more than regal aloofness and stiff upper lips were necessary. Having apparently grown up with an assumption of the right to rule as their due and that the public would soon see things their way, the Windsors were suddenly confronted by the fact that the public saw Diana differently and what it thought of her - and them - mattered very much. In the end, you are left with the impression that Elizabeth Windsor, with the urging of Tony Blair, had learned something - but could perhaps usefully learn a bit more.

This is naturally a work of fiction - the Queen basically adheres very well to the formula of Walter Bagehot, the great 19th century editor of "The Economist", that not too much light should be allowed in for fear of destroying the magic, and so never gives interviews and rarely allows personal glimpses. We therefore have no idea as to what was said and thought. However, I found it all works extremely well. All the actors are excellent, especially Helen Mirren, thoroughly meriting her Oscar and proving that there really is nothing like a Dame. She manages marvellously the complex part of Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Sovereign of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc., etc, etc., with its mixture of absolute devotion to duty, traditional values, conservatism, basic shyness and elitism. James Cromwell does a good job of Prince Philip, whose idea of helping Diana's sons cope with her death is to take them out to shoot things, Sylvia Sims makes a delightful Queen Mother and Charles is given a sympathetic portrayal, although it's a pity that they didn't get someone who looks more like him (but then, who would want to?).

All in all, a very good film which leaves one (this one anyway) wondering why the ordinary British people accept with relatively little complaint this bunch of toffs with virtually nothing in common with them (same number of heads, arms, ears, etc., but that's all) as their rulers. But then, the US public has recently twice voted into its Presidency the US equivalent of royalty, who has nothing in common with them and whose sole interest is lining the pockets of other rich guys. At least the Brits have (genuine) class. Perhaps they really have the right idea.

Robinson Crusoe on Mars - Criterion Collection

Average customer rating:

The neatest sci-fi of the 60s
Deaf and hard of hearing people once again frozen out of classic cinema
courage in hopeless circumstances
Science in science fiction
Wonderful film for all ages

Robinson Crusoe on Mars - Criterion Collection
Starring: Paul Mantee , Victor Lundin , Adam West , and Mona (XV)
Director: Byron Haskin
Manufacturer: Criterion Collection
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000SFJ4K4
Release Date: 2007-09-18

Description

Special-effects wunderkind and genre master Byron Haskin (The War of the Worlds, The Outer Limits) won a place in the hearts of fantasy-film lovers everywhere with this gorgeously designed journey into the unknown. When his spaceship crash-lands on the barren wastelands of Mars, U.S. astronaut Commander "Kit" Draper (Paul Mantee) must fight for survival, with a pet monkey seemingly his only companion. But is he alone? Shot in vast Techniscope and blazing Technicolor, Robinson Crusoe on Mars is an imaginative and beloved techni-marvel of classic science fiction.

Customer Reviews:

The neatest sci-fi of the 60s.......2007-09-16

I first saw this movie in a theatre as part of double sci-fi (the other movie was the time portal which has been renamed the time travelers) and it caught my attention and it has never left. One of the best sci-fi's ever.

Deaf and hard of hearing people once again frozen out of classic cinema.......2007-09-12

What, no closed captions or English subtitles? For forty bucks, you'd think Paramount/Criterion could afford to make this accessible to the millions of us with hearing impairment.

I saw this film in the theater upon its original release, but it pretty much went by me because of my deafness. I had looked forward to seeing it again, but I'm disappointed to find that even 43 years later, I'm still not going to be able to understand the dialogue (or monologue).

I'd like to give it 4-5 stars based on others' reviews, but as long as Paramount doesn't give a damn about people like me, it's going to have to get a low rating.

courage in hopeless circumstances.......2007-08-23

An astronaut searches for food and water after an orbital mission to Mars crashes on the surface of the planet. Obviously low budget 60s sci-fi rises above the B-grade norm with sympathetic main performance, good pace and signs of intellect in plot.

Science in science fiction.......2007-08-12

Robinson Crusoe put the science in science fiction. There are no "noisey" ships or explosions in a vacuum. Our hero uses telecourses and video before compact portable video cameras were invented. He uses true American ingenuity to design a clock, find oxygen, and remain safe until he is taken back home. This film is truly different than science fantasies like E.T. or Star Wars. The score is magnificent and thrilling. And, best of all, it shows what all kids in the sixties knew--the conquest of space could easily be done with World War II surplus equipment.

Wonderful film for all ages.......2007-08-10

Count me in with the rest of the gang waiting rabidly for this release. I saw this film several times as a child and was totally engrossed in the idea of a trip to Mars and the adventure it could bring. That adventure is grandly represented by this wonderful film, which allowing for a few flaws in the plot, does at least attempt to present the story with some scientific merit and plausible ideas.

The cinematography is excellent! The stark, desolate landscape is both thrilling and chilling in it's magnificent but achingly isolated beauty. The lead actor, Paul Mantee, does a fine job of conveying the loneliness and edge of insanity mindset that comes from being in a situation of despair and solitude.

And best of all, you can watch this one with your kids, grandkids, spouse or preacher, for that matter. Good clean wholesome fun for all ages.

Highly recommended!

Average customer rating:

Premonition (Widescreen Edition)
When Did It Finally End?
stupid movie.
A curse and a blessing.
Not what I expected

Premonition (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Sandra Bullock , Julian McMahon , Shyann McClure , Courtney Taylor Burness , and Nia Long
Director: Mennan Yapo
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000QGDY0G
Release Date: 2007-07-17

Amazon.com

In Premonition, Linda Hanson (Sandra Bullock) is living in the Twilight Zone as she experiences recurring dreams of her husband's car crash, mediated by days in which the tragedy hasn't yet happened. By the time Linda does see her husband Jim's (Julian McMahon) death, one feels relieved instead of grievous. Though Premonition mines fascinating material, investigating the ways women in particular have uncanny psychic abilities to predict impending family dangers, Linda's premonitions are so convoluted, even to her, that it is difficult to determine their reality. Unrealistic scenes involving a sadistic psychiatrist and an unwarranted lithium prescription would lead one to question Linda's sanity, but instead add falseness to the story. Irritating sequences in which Linda confides in a priest at the local church, who tells her that faith will heal all, seem like Christian propaganda that completely eradicates any real witchcraft in the story. For a truly scary film about clairvoyance, see Dario Argento's Phenomena. Premonition is a bogus take on psychic prediction, as tearjerking as Ghost was during Patrick Swayze's heyday. --Trinie Dalton

Product Description

Linda Hanson (Sandra Bullock) has a beautiful house, a loving husband and two adorable daughters. Her life is perfect, until the day she gets the devastating news that her husband Jim (Julian McMahon) has died in a car accident. When she wakes up the next morning to find him alive and well, she assumes it as all a dream. Or was it? Suddenly, her perfect life is turned upside down as she begins a desperate scramble to save her family and uncover the truth. Racing against time and fate, Linda will stop at nothing to discover the true meanings of reality and destiny.

Customer Reviews:

Premonition (Widescreen Edition).......2007-09-16

Premonition (Widescreen Edition)
In this movie Sandra Bullock, attempts at being psychic, are under played. Her attempts to reconcile reality with her visions cause many issues. One never knows wether or not we are in the present or the past, in the middle of a vision, or just a bad a dream. It does not seem that the star is to aware of it either. In attempt to leave clues of what may happen and what has transpired it gets extremely muddy. But one cannot help but feel as though you were on a roller coaster ride without a seat retraint. For what it is worth, fair acting, but just poorly written script.

When Did It Finally End?.......2007-09-11

I was looking forward for this movie to come out on DVD/Comcast OnDemand, but after thirty minutes into the movie I became more puzzled than ever. At the end, I decided to watch it again like was the case of "The Sixth Sense" and other movies because maybe I missed something.

It reminded me of a very old episode of the TV series "Ghost Story" that featured a woman (Carolyn Jones) who relived over and over a time when she killed her husband, but you never knew if she did it yet or not. I think that is where the writer got the idea for this movie--only the Ghost Story episode was much better.

I noticed the bong noise at intervals between scenes which may be indications that she was either going back to reality or back to the Twilight Zone. It was hard to discern this and made me think that there were critical cuts made in the movie that fractured the storyline. The overuse of fading to white (which is normally used to indicate death in film) also made it more confusing.

It was very difficult to keep up with the "premonition" and the real world in this film. Although very well acted and very strange, I thought the audience deserved a better ending. I'm thinking of getting the DVD just to see if there are any extras that explain the mystery of this movie as was done with "The Sixth Sense."

I give the actors and actresses a high score, but the editing ruined this movie. I think whatever was left on the cutting-room floor should be put back in unless it is worse than what the audience got to see.

stupid movie........2007-09-05

ok i've never given a comment about a movie on amazon so bare with me here.I mean honestly i dont see what's so "good" about this movie.I mean first of all everytime sandra bullock wakes up she looks perfect,i know i know she's got to look great for the camera,and why is she always late at getting up she has 2 kids,where's the alarm clock?? Maybe it's just me i really dont know,but i dont get the whole message,there's a priest in the movie who tells her she needs to decide on what to her is the most important thing in her life,so i'm guessing she chose her kids over her husband....or something? The whole death scene of her husband was down-right hard to believe,who sits in the middle of the road waiting to die.In conclusion,thriller?? by no means is this scary,the only part i saw in this film that they were actually trying to portray as scary was the dead bird.That was hilarious to me she falls onto a dead bird and the entire time she's washing her hands this insane music is playing,wow blood is terrifying isn't it?....Sandra bullock needs better management if you ask me.

A curse and a blessing........2007-09-04

Premonition starring Sandra Bullock is so much better than I thought it would be. There has been so many negative reviews about this movie, I was kinda hesitant to rent it but I am glad I did, Premonition kept me interested and Bullock is outstanding as a sullen but loving wife torn apart by a tradgedy. She plays Linda, she finds out her husband Jim has died in car crash but the next day he is still alive, and then the next day he is dead again, the film goes back and forth and I loved the ending, wow I actually saw an ending that had a message and purpose (those kind of films are hard to find!) I can't understand why everyone hates Premonition but I highly recommend checking this classy and engrossing thriller out. Enjoy!

Not what I expected.......2007-09-04

I was intrigued by the trailer for his film, but I was not able to see it in the theater. The trailer leads you to believe that this movie is a horror film, or at the least, a supernatural thriller.

I'm inclined to catagorize the film with the latter description, although the "supernatural" element remains more or less a mystery and the movie does not focus too much on that point.

It does focus, however, on the phenomenon that Sandra Bullock's character is forced to endure over and over again. This phenomenon is never fully explained, only hinted at, and that one fact left me somewhat disappointed.

However, once you get to the end of the movie and realize it's message, that one element lacking explanation doesn't really seem to matter. The movie has a beautiful message and that message is; every day of life that we have is a miracle.

Bullock delivers an excellent performance, as usual, and it was nice to see Julian McMahon portray a character who was actually a decent (if not troubled and confused) man rather than the megalomaniacal jerks he usually plays (such as his role in Nip/Tuck and Fantastic Four).

I enjoyed this film very much as did my wife. The picture and sound quality are both well-done. We especially enjoyed the gag reel after the film was over. It was helpful to get a few genuine laughs after such a tear-jerker of an ending.

The reviews are pretty mixed on this one, so you might want to try giving this one a rental before you buy. Like me, others may have pre-conceived notions about the nature of this film and could possibly be disappointed. I, for one, was pleasantly surprised.

Average customer rating:

The must-see drama of the year!
Incredible
"Your comments are interesting and tough to answer.",per Sigourney Weaver!
A Gem
DONT MISS THIS ONE

Snow Cake
Starring: Selina Cadell , Kim Cattrall , Jayne Eastwood , David Fox , and Alan Rickman
Manufacturer: Ifc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000R7HY00
Release Date: 2007-09-11

Amazon.com

Alan Rickman and Sigourney Weaver form the quintessential indie-film odd couple in this intimately observed drama that makes a memorable detour from the usual high-concept, special effects-laden studio fare. Rickman is in his element as Alex, a morose, laconic ex-con just released from prison. A tragic twist of fate brings him to a Canadian small town and the doorstep of Linda, a functional autistic woman with a decidedly anti-social personality. Weaver is a wonder in a fiercely committed, vanity-free performance. "I don't like normal people," Linda states, and neither does Snow Cake, the heart of which is clearly with the outcasts and misfits, including Vivienne (Emily Hampshire), Linda's vivacious, hitchhiking daughter, who bums a ride with Alex because he looks lonely ("Lonely people have the best stories," she observes) and Linda's neighbor, Maggie (Carrie-Ann Moss), a nurturing type who is very quick to take damaged soul Alex into her bed. This is a palpably heartfelt project (screenwriter Angela Pell has an autistic daughter) that--the unfortunate title notwithstanding--mostly manages to avoid the cloying or manipulative. The smiling faces pictured on the DVD cover suggest an upbeat romantic comedy, but Snow Cake is a slice of something much more filling. --Donald Liebenson

Description

Sigourney Weaver, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Alan Rickman star in this film about what happens in the aftermath of a young woman's death. Recently released from prison, Alex (Rickman) offers a ride to a hitchhiker, only to have her killed instantly when their car endures a brutal accident. Alex then approaches the girl's mother, and the events that unfold change his life and other around him dramatically.

Customer Reviews:

The must-see drama of the year!.......2007-09-13

This movie was fascinating and full of little surprises that made me laugh and cry alternately. One of the unique aspects of Snow Cake is that the cast is made up of sci-fi/action heavyweights! Sigourney Weaver is all too used to dousing slimy aliens with flamethrowers; Alan Rickman generally chews scenery as the sorcerer Severus Snape; and Carrie-Anne Moss will go down in history as the leather-clad, cool-shades-donning femme fatale of the Matrix trilogy. Yet here we get to see an overwhelmingly tender and subtle side to these actors, who are all absolutely brilliant in a small drama as well as their usual big box office outings. I urge anyone who has an interest in the human condition to watch this movie.

Incredible.......2007-09-08

I absolutely loved this movie. I fell in love with the characters immediately. The plot was amazing. I also work with Autistic children and loved the way the movie was so accurate with the behaviors of people with autism. Heart touching movie everyone should see!

"Your comments are interesting and tough to answer.",per Sigourney Weaver! .......2007-09-06

My name is Andre Jonathan, and I had the pleasure to see the premiere screening with the Cast,Director, and Writer of this movie at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival. In addition, I was chosen from a few to comment, and ask a question to Sigourney Weaver personally during the Q&A. Moreover, my comment and question,along with my presentation I guess,to my surprise, was the only one to get applause and laughter from the audiance;in which Ms. Weaver's response was "that's a tough and interesting question to answer",and then she began elaborating for at least three(3)minuets to my question/comment). I don't quite remember what I said per se, but it had something to do with her advertent and/or inadvertent comedic skills I thought she displayed in a serious character role as an autistic woman! By the way, I thought the movie was touching, moving, serious, semi-provocative, and at times ackwardly funny! Furthermore, the overall CAST was COMPLIMENTRY & GREAT!!

Thanks,
Andre Jonathan
ajonathan1@yahoo.com

A Gem.......2007-06-24

I saw this movie on PPV and had been waiting for it a long time. I initially wanted to see it because of Alan Rickman (Alec). He was wonderful as usual, but his real genius in this film was to sit back and let Sigourney Weaver (Linda) play off of him. Not that Rickman didn't have his moments, but Weaver was really outstanding. In one scene, Alec is sobbing uncontrollably and Linda looks at him quizzically and asks if there is something wrong with the tea. That's just one little gem of a scene.

Don't look for romantic fireworks or a dramatic ending in this movie. It's just the story of three people with their own secrets brought together by a tragic event. I found myself drawn into their lives, as they were drawn into each other's lives.

Once you see this movie, you will understand why I say it was "dalzious."

DONT MISS THIS ONE.......2007-06-18

A long overdue reminder that it all starts with the script, quirky interesting.Nothing like this film will be coming out of Hollywood.Alan Rickman and Sigourney Weaver are both Amazing in there performances.

Average customer rating:

What? Blah Blah Blah. What? Blah Blah Blah.
Forgettable and Far Too Self-Important
A brilliant movie
Worst from Iñarritu
Six degrees

Babel
Starring: Brad Pitt , Cate Blanchett , Mohamed Akhzam , Peter Wight , and Harriet Walter
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000MCH5P4
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Amazon.com

Brilliantly conceived, superbly directed, and beautifully acted, Babel is inarguably one of the best films of 2006. Director Alejandro González Iñárritu and his co-writer, Guillermo Arriaga (the two also collaborated on Amores Perros and 21 Grams) weave together the disparate strands of their story into a finely hewn fabric by focusing on what appear to be several equally incongruent characters: an American (Brad Pitt) touring Morocco with his wife (Cate Blanchett) become the focus of an international incident also involving a hardscrabble Moroccan farmer (Mustapha Rachidi) struggling to keep his two young sons in line and his family together. A San Diego nanny (Adriana Barraza), her employers absent, makes the disastrous decision to take their kids with her to a wedding in Mexico. And a deaf-mute Japanese teen (the extraordinary Rinko Kikuchi) deals with a relationship with her father (Koji Yakusho) and the world in general that's been upended by the death of her mother. It is perhaps not surprising, or particularly original, that a gun is the device that ties these people together. Yet Babel isn't merely about violence and its tragic consequences. It's about communication, and especially the lack of it--both intercultural, raising issues like terrorism and immigration, and intracultural, as basic as husbands talking to their wives and parents understanding their children. Iñárritu's command of his medium, sound and visual alike, is extraordinary; the camera work is by turns kinetic and restrained, the music always well matched to the scenes, the editing deft but not confusing, and the film (which clocks in at a lengthy 143 minutes) is filled with indelible moments. Many of those moments are also pretty stark and grim, and no will claim that all of this leads to a "happy" ending, but there is a sense of reconciliation, perhaps even resolution. "If You Want to be Understood... Listen," goes the tagline. And if you want a movie that will leave you thinking, Babel is it. --Sam Graham

Beyond Babel

Other Interweaving Storylines on DVD
Other DVDs by Director Alejandro González Iñárritu
Why We Love Cate Blanchett

Stills from Babel (click for larger image)

Product Description

In Babel, a tragic incident involving an American couple in Morocco sparks a chain of events for four families in different countries throughout the world. In the struggle to overcome isolation, fear, and displacement, each character discovers that it is family that ultimately provides solace.

In the remote sands of the Moroccan desert, a rifle shot rings out-- detonating a chain of events that will link an American tourist couple's frantic struggle to survive, two Moroccan boys involved in an accidental crime, a nanny illegally crossing into Mexico with two American children, and a Japanese teen rebel whose father is sought by the police in Tokyo. Separated by clashing cultures and sprawling distances, each of these four disparate groups of people are nevertheless hurtling towards a shared destiny of isolation and grief. In the course of just a few days, they will each face the dizzying sensation of becoming profoundly lost - lost in the desert, lost to the world, lost to themselves - as they are pushed to the farthest edges of confusion and fear as well as to the very depths of connection and love.

In this mesmerizing, emotional film that was shot in three continents and four languages - and traverses both the deeply personal and the explosively political -- acclaimed director Alejandro González Iñárritu (21 Grams, Amores Perros) explores with shattering realism the nature of the barriers that seem to separate humankind. In doing so, he evokes the ancient concept of Babel and questions its modern day implications: the mistaken identities, misunderstandings and missed chances for communication that-- though often unseen-- drive our contemporary lives. Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Gael García Bernal, Kôji Yakusho, Adriana Barraza and Rinko Kikuchi lead an international ensemble of actors and non-professional actors from Morocco, Tijuana and Tokyo, who enrich Babel's take on cultural diversity and enhance its powerful examination of the links and frontiers between and within us.

Customer Reviews:

What? Blah Blah Blah. What? Blah Blah Blah. .......2007-09-09

The tower for which this movie was named embodied hubris and grandiosity which culminated in chaos and inability to communicate. Quel coincidence! The good news about Babel is that Brad Pitt is finally starting to look like an adult, and even more surprisingly, a male adult. The bad news is, this voracious turkey vulture of a film consumes 2 hours and 23 minutes of your life that would have been better spent hammering nails into your hand.

Admires of oh-so-trendy crosscut scripting, folks who enjoyed Crash, Short Cuts, and Magnolia, should know better than to fall for this. Those three, though poor, all had worthy moments. Memento and Mulholland Drive used the technique very successfully. But director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu - who is also guilty of writing the screenplay - seems to believe that as long as characters are unified by something - anything - a coherent and meaningful story will emerge. For example, if they all breathe air, or scratch when they itch, or if they have all consumed food in the past month. Indeed, what we have are four incidents - one could never call them stories - connected by a thread so thin no self-respecting spider would cast it. Since there is no meaningful connection, we are left with the events themselves.

As is often the case today - lack of story and purpose is glossed over with splashy cinematography. While the score is at times good enough to hold your interest, there is no character anywhere in this movie who is remotely credible or intriguing. No one interacts in any meaningful way, no relationships develop. Our young Japanese friend is the closest we come, at least we care about her, but to observe this is merely say that - in the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king.

Of course when we see the name Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu we should know we're in for pompous, ponderous art house musk ox oil. He is, after all, the auteur of 21 Grams, which paraded its string of intersecting lives and aha "coincidences" before us ad nauseum - instead of plot or character. One can almost imagine the conversations at Starbucks where men in tweed jackets with leather patches, stroking goatees prattle on and on about the symbolism of communication contained in this film - the deaf girl, the telephone calls to foreign operators, a nervous world where a careless goatherd can spark suspicions of international terrorism. This, of course, is what Mr. Inarritu wants. But he's lost sight of Film School 101 - tell a story, make it a good one, give me characters I can care about, and make sure something happens. Babel never achieves the heights it hoped to reach, and takes a very long time failing.

Forgettable and Far Too Self-Important.......2007-09-08

The sweeping shots of mountains are at first awe-inspiring, then soon start to resemble something from a National Geographic special.

There's a lot of "The Ugly American" message in the story (as if there aren't any poor people in America), and the message is delivered in a very heavy-handed, bludgeoning way.

Brad Pitt phones this one in. There's nothing really memorable here; there's no humor to lighten the heavy plot.

"The Constant Gardener" is a much better film. Rent that instead.

A brilliant movie.......2007-09-05

This is definitely not a Hollywoodian movie. How about seeing it as a story about karma, negative karma, action and reaction. If you think of it (provided you have seen this movie), you will realize that the Japanese portion of the story is actually central to all the events, which originate in the Japanese executive. Karma continues to play its devastating role throughout the movie, across all the countries and cultures portrayed.

Having lived for over 10 years in Morocco, I can say that the Moroccan actors did a fabulous job, that the settings were extremely well chosen and looked authentic (I didn't live in the southern Moroccan mountains where this movie was partly shot, so I can't witness to the 100% authenticity of setting).

As for the actors, one of the best roles for Brad Pitt, which he performed perfectly. All of the actors did a superb job. Coming to this movie without any notion of its plot or setting (sorry I was so ignorant!), I was swept off my feet. Highly recommended.

Worst from Iñarritu.......2007-09-04

Boring, senseless, bad paced, predictable. Can't find a positive aspect for this movie, not even the photography or soundtrack was worth the admission fee. One star alone for the cast, yet acting is nothing memorable either.

Six degrees.......2007-09-04

Babel is a `six degrees of separation' film in which a single, small event in Morocco touches lives not only in Morocco but as far away as Japan, Mexico and America. The traumatic stories unfolding at each location are otherwise unrelated to each other and are depicted in the very different styles of film-makers in those locations. The result is like seeing three different, interleaved foreign movies based on the same theme--that horrendous events anywhere have the effect of stripping back the layers of falseness and irrelevance we build into our lives, leaving us with what is true and real. I loved the multi-national backgrounds and thought the acting and direction were superb. However, it's not a film for those looking for an uncomplicated story told in a familiar idiom. It's demanding on several levels--a sophisticated, contemporary movie.

Average customer rating:

This DVD is flwed
Glad it's Mad
It's a funny funny funny funny movie
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad... It's a Must... !
Love the laughs, but I agree the format needs improvement

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Starring: Spencer Tracy , Milton Berle , Sid Caesar , Buddy Hackett , and Ethel Merman
Director: Stanley Kramer
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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Classic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B0000CBY1C
Release Date: 2003-10-07

Amazon.com

Stanley Kramer's sprawling 1963 comedy about a search for buried treasure by at least a dozen people--all played by well-known entertainers of their day--is the kind of mass comedy that Hollywood hasn't made in many years. (Another example from around the same time is Blake Edwards's The Great Race.) After a number of strangers (including Milton Berle, Jonathan Winters, Sid Caesar, Phil Silvers, and others) witness a dying stranger (Jimmy Durante) identify the location of hidden money, a conflict-ridden hunt begins, watched over carefully by a suspicious cop (Spencer Tracy). The ensuing two and a half hours of mayhem has its ups and downs--some bits and performers are certainly funnier than others. But Kramer, who is better known for socially conscious, serious cinema (Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?), is in a mood for broad comic characterization, and some of his jokes are so intentionally obvious (Durante literally kicks a bucket when he dies), they'd have a place in Airplane! Watch for lots of cameo appearances, including Jerry Lewis (who had called Kramer and asked him why he hadn't been invited to participate). --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

This DVD is flwed.......2007-09-01

Like many of you, this is one of my favorite movies of all times. I bought the DVD a couple of years ago, and although it wasn't a 'perfect' copy, it was suitable for my needs. Missing was the overture, color timing, and a number a 'jittering scenes' probably due to the conversion to DVD process. The extra 'behind the scenes' feature is well worth the price of the DVD, however, if you are looking for perfection- you will not find it here. Last week, 8/25/07, Turner Classic Movies Cable Channel did present the "PERFECT" COPY. Why this copy didn't make it to the DVD, I would like to know. This had the overture, intermission & exit music- along with all of the extra scenes that had been chopped out of the movie years ago. Colors in the opening credits were vibrant and changes as when presented in the theater- and is in Wide Screen. And although this was shown on the Cinerama Screens, it was not filmed in Cinerama- but in Ultra-Panavision (which is a different film technology altogether). I 'DVR"ed this copy and plan to transfer it to a DVD soon. If you love this movies as an event, as much as I, make sure you DVR this movie the next time it's on Turner Classic Movies. This is the 2nd time I've seen it so they probably run it again. Please check out this link for more info- and scrool down to VERSIONS:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It's_a_Mad,_Mad,_Mad,_Mad_World#Versions

Glad it's Mad.......2007-08-10

If it isn't already, this is certainly destined to be a cult film.

Some of my favorite scenes:

Jerry Lewis running over Spencer Tracy's hat. Lewis' facial expressions are a delight.

Phil Silvers waving bye-bye in the rear view mirror to Jonathan Winters
after ditching him in the desert.

Jonathan Winters wrecking the service station.

A heavily hung-over Jim Backus on the pool table as Mickey Rooney and Buddy Hackett try to revive him.

And of course, beatniks Dick Shawn and the dead-pan Barrie Chase shakin'
it up to the Shirelles' kooky lyrics:

"Got a baby who can give me 31 flavors,
and we like tutti-frutti best,
I call him Ice Cream Joe,
he is the most delicious boy I know,
everytime his tasty lips are kissing mine,
he gives me 31 flavors,
and we like tutti-frutti best,
I just love him so,
he's my confectionary Ice Cream Joe,
everytime I kiss him I feel mighty fine,
I love his 31 flavors,
and we like tutti-frutti best,
pineapple fruit - coconut and banana, some of the fruit,
chocolate too, and tell him right that when we kiss,
he give me 31 flavors,
and we like tutti-frutty best..."

A truly Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad scene. Gotta love it!

It's a funny funny funny funny movie.......2007-08-09

Think of a huge ensemble of the major comics of the day, throw in Spencer Tracy (in his last - a comical - role), situations that defy the imagination and you've got a great comedy. Never a dull moment and you get to see where some of the greats of the genre came from.

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad... It's a Must... !.......2007-08-04

Although there are a few excellent Comedies made in the fifties and sixties, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" is unbeatable, unforgettable and a remarkable movie production identifying the many traditional American life and family values besides those not so respectable ones. Behavior, Ambition, Consciousness, Cheat & Trick... they are all there. A very funny story made in a very intelligent way. Does it sound too serious? Couldn't be so easy and amusing, yet fast going with something new and unexpected at every second scene!
Undoubtless my favorite movie ever!

Love the laughs, but I agree the format needs improvement.......2007-08-01

I agree with everyone here, this is one of the funniest movies ever made. I'm with the other guy who said there was originally 192 minutes in the 1963 premiere - and the aspect ratio was 2.76:1. I have never seen a video release that was ever done correctly, with this running length and aspect ratio. MGM, let's do a full-on correct release finally of this great classic, with every frame restored and packed with special features. Maybe even a featurette on Cinerama and the overall history of widescreen movies would be a good addition on Disc 2. Hey fellow fans, how do we get a letter-writing campaign started at MGM? It worked for Superman II!

Average customer rating:

Slow Starter - great ending!
Why so negative?
Move along, folks, nothing to see here
Uncrash!
Crash Course

Crash (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Karina Arroyave , Dato Bakhtadze , Sandra Bullock , Don Cheadle , and Art Chudabala
Director: Paul Haggis
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000A3XY5A
Release Date: 2005-09-06

Amazon.com

Movie studios, by and large, avoid controversial subjects like race the way you might avoid a hive of angry bees. So it's remarkable that Crash even got made; that it's a rich, intelligent, and moving exploration of the interlocking lives of a dozen Los Angeles residents--black, white, latino, Asian, and Persian--is downright amazing. A politically nervous district attorney (Brendan Fraser) and his high-strung wife (Sandra Bullock, biting into a welcome change of pace from Miss Congeniality) get car-jacked by an oddly sociological pair of young black men (Larenz Tate and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges); a rich black T.V. director (Terrence Howard) and his wife (Thandie Newton) get pulled over by a white racist cop (Matt Dillon) and his reluctant partner (Ryan Phillipe); a detective (Don Cheadle) and his Latina partner and lover (Jennifer Esposito) investigate a white cop who shot a black cop--these are only three of the interlocking stories that reach up and down class lines. Writer/director Paul Haggis (who wrote the screenplay for Million Dollar Baby) spins every character in unpredictable directions, refusing to let anyone sink into a stereotype. The cast--ranging from the famous names above to lesser-known but just as capable actors like Michael Pena (Buffalo Soldiers) and Loretta Devine (Woman Thou Art Loosed)--meets the strong script head-on, delivering galvanizing performances in short vignettes, brief glimpses that build with gut-wrenching force. This sort of multi-character mosaic is hard to pull off; Crash rivals such classics as Nashville and Short Cuts. A knockout. --Bret Fetzer

Stills from Crash (click for larger image)

Description

They all live in Los Angeles. And in the next 36 hours, they will collide.

Customer Reviews:

Slow Starter - great ending!.......2007-09-16

I kind of bailed on this movie about half way through - my wife kept watching it. I came back and sat down about 3/4 of the way through and it was just getting interesting.

Really points out how our stereotypes and preconceptions can get in the way of us living our life as we should.

Why so negative?.......2007-09-15

Crash is not a terrible film, I think people were just mad this film won best picture at the Academy Awards over Brokeback Mountain (which is the better movie but oh well) I like Crash, it is accurate portrayal of how nasty we treat each other. This movie features in all-star cast including: Matt Dillion, Thandie Newton, Don Cheadle, Brendan Fraiser, Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Espisto, and Ryan Phillipe. But there is one actor who ruins the film for me a bit, Ludarcis! Jeez talk about being a ham! Crash opened my eyes and hopefully it will do the same for others. This is a good film, give it a chance!

Move along, folks, nothing to see here.......2007-09-05

Overrated, underwhelming, hackneyed, workmanlike, insipid dialogue, Cheadle is weak along with most of the cast. What's all the hubbub, bub? Just because Hollywood makes a movie about racial issues doesn't make it good. You'd think the opposite would be true, and you'd be right.
Pass.

Uncrash!.......2007-08-31

The human element, the touch of our lives everyday. The director of Crash did a superb job to bring all of the pain, love, race animosity, ignorance toward indifference and the human attachment and approval what all of us so much desire all into one unforgettable movie.

Crash Course.......2007-08-30

I remember being at an Oscars party here in San Francisco the year this movie won the Academy Award, and the shout of dismay that went through the room when "we" were cheated out of an Oscar for Brokeback Mountain. One fellow explained to me that the Oscars were voted on by a bunch of wealthy white people in Beverly Hills who were scared out of their minds by the prospect of being carjacked by blacks with guns. And that's why CRASH won, out of a superstitious dread reckoning. Then why didn't BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES win, fool--asked I--instead it's been universally reviled as one of the worst movies of all time.

They had plenty of answers to that one, but on the whole I was satisfied with the explanation fed me. But finally I got to see CRASH on DVD and I was pleasantly shocked to find myself enjoying every moment! OK, so it was pretty preposterous, and OK, maybe white people like William Fichtner don't unleash their racial prejudices on black men like Don Cheadle every day of their working lives. I found CRASH an interesting meta-movie, not so much about race as about the whole idea of "interlock" especially as it has become the common language to movies today.

Seems like every other picture you see is all about, picking up the loose ends from act one and resolving them in some unexpected way--and that's all they're about. If a girl gets up in the morning, and the camera shows her choosing between a red dress and a white dress at her closet, and she picks the red dress, by the end of the movie there will be a scene that is supposed to make you cry out, "She should have picked the white dress!" Indeed no image in cinema is photographed without a planned payoff, and that's why US movies are so by the book, even the cleverly juggled ones like PULP FICTION, and now CRASH. When the Persian liquor store owners ask their beautiful, professional daughter what time she has to go to work, and she replies, "Not until ten," there isn't a movie goer alive who doesn't know that-- much later on in the movie--her occupation will be a crucial reveal in the movie. When Don Cheadle's bleary-eyed, Ethel Waters of a mother moans about "Don Cheadle, when are you going to bring home your little brother?" we just know there's going to be more about the brother, and smart moviegoers are taking bets on which character is was going to turn out to be. At first I was sure it was Sandra Bullock, perhaps passing for white to pose as the "wife" of slick DA Brendan Fraser, constantly snappish maybe to conceal the fact that "she" was really a light-skinned black man. I still think that would have been a better ending than the one we got.

But nevertheless did I like this, or Cronenberg's CRASH better, I say this. Both pictures may play equally to the racial fears of white North Americans, but at least this one didn't have James Spader, who must have been busy when they were casting for Brendan Fraser's part, which I consider a break for everyone involved.

Average customer rating:

When times were fun.
One of the BEST movies of ALL TIMES
Longing for the good 'ol days
Happy Highways
American Graffiti

American Graffiti (Collector's Edition)
Starring: Richard Dreyfuss , Ron Howard , Paul Le Mat , Charles Martin Smith , and Cindy Williams
Director: George Lucas
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 078322737X
Release Date: 1998-09-16

Amazon.com essential video

Here's how critic Roger Ebert described the unique and lasting value of George Lucas's 1973 box-office hit, American Graffiti: "[It's] not only a great movie but a brilliant work of historical fiction; no sociological treatise could duplicate the movie's success in remembering exactly how it was to be alive at that cultural instant." The time to which Ebert and the film refers is the summer of 1962, and American Graffiti captures the look, feel, and sound of that era by chronicling one memorable night in the lives of several young Californians on the cusp of adulthood. (In essence, Lucas was making a semiautobiographical tribute to his own days as a hot-rod cruiser, and the film's phenomenal success paved the way for Star Wars.) The action is propelled by the music of Wolfman Jack's rock & roll radio show--a soundtrack of pop hits that would become as popular as the film itself. As Lucas develops several character subplots, American Graffiti becomes a flawless time capsule of meticulously re-created memory, as authentic as a documentary and vividly realized through innovative use of cinematography and sound. The once-in-a-lifetime ensemble cast members inhabit their roles so fully that they don't seem like actors at all, comprising a who's who of performers--some of whom went on to stellar careers--including Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, Harrison Ford, Cindy Williams, Mackenzie Phillips, Charles Martin Smith, Candy Clark, and Paul Le Mat. A true American classic, the film ranks No. 77 on the American Film Institute's list of all-time greatest American movies. --Jeff Shannon

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

When times were fun........2007-08-18

I was 8 years old when rock n roll first came on the scene and when young people ask me what it was like when I was a teenager, I tell them to watch the movie American Graffiti. It nails it right on the head. The street rods, cruisers, custom cars, the music, all bring back good memories. Sock hops, car races, going steady, all part of an era in time that will never be duplicated again. All of these things were captured in a fun but very capable and accurate way by the director, producers and and actors. Richard Dreyfuss, Cindy Williams, Ron Howard and the rest were great. What a cast of characters and what a time in history. I loved it and have watched this movie more times than I can count. I highly recommend it to anyone that grew up in that era and to the young who want to see how the "older" generation had fun and enjoyed life. It didn't take much to entertain me or my friends when i was a teen. Give me a car, a girl friend, friends and a few hundred cruises around the circuit on a Friday and Saturday night and there you have it. American Graffiti.

One of the BEST movies of ALL TIMES.......2007-08-08

One, great cast. Two, great music. Three, great story. A must for any movie buff. This is one I watch from time to time and enjoy it every time I watch it

Longing for the good 'ol days.......2007-08-07

I grew up in Northern California and graduated from Fremont High School in the not so small town of Oakland in 1965 (and later from California Polytechnic University in San luis Obispo in 1975, after a short stint in the service). I remember the Mel's drive-in in downtown Oakland, and I remember the 'cruising' on San Leandro Blvd on Friday and Saturday nights (although I couldn't afford to get a car until 1968--a 1961 Volvo PV 544 sedan--(Wow, I wish I had that car back!). I have to say that this movie is truly one of the best nostalgia stirring movies I have ever seen. It tugs at your heart and reminds us babyboomers that there really was a simpler, more carefree time and we lived it! When gas was 23 cents a gallon (or less when the gas wars were on), you loved Casper's Hotdogs, and education costs were almost nothing if you attended Merritt Junior College. When you rode on the back of your friend's Vespa motorbike to San Jose, just because you had never been there, and when you took off in your car on a whim to visit Big Basin to see the redwoods. Talk about a movie that causes you to reminisce!

Happy Highways.......2007-07-09

Into my heart on air that kills
From you far country blows:
What are those blue remembered hills,
What spires, what farms are those?

That is the land of lost content,
I see it shining plain,
The happy highways where I went
And cannot come again.

This verse, from A.E. Housman's "A Shropshire Lad", summarizes everything that I feel for American Graffiti. The movie opened when I was 13 years old. It was my first "R" rated movie and the sold out theater erupted with laughter over and over. Now I'm 47 and I find it almost too sad to watch. Where did my childhood friends go? What lives have they led? The sweet promise of youth: a happy highway where I went and cannot come again.

American Graffiti .......2007-06-27

I didn't care for this movie too much. It might be ok for teenagers but I doubt today's teenager would relate, it may seem kind of nerdy to them.

Average customer rating:

If you liked End of Suburbia, you'll like this
Sad but true...
A real awakening
A good introduction to the subject...
One of the most important films of the decade.

A Crude Awakening - The Oil Crash
Director: Basil Gelpke , and Ray McCormack
Manufacturer: DOCURAMA
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Science & Technology | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

ASIN: B000PY52IG
Release Date: 2007-07-31

Amazon.com

While the previous eco-doc Who Killed the Electric Car? spent some time on the world's oil crisis, A Crude Awakening (formerly OilCrash) builds an entire film around the subject. Swiss journalist Basil Gelpke and Irish filmmaker Ray McCormack have constructed their narrative in a conventional manner, alternating between talking heads, archival footage, and modern-day material, but the addition of several pieces by Phillip Glass is an artful touch (and evokes his work on 1988's The Thin Blue Line). Throughout, a diverse array of experts from the U.S., Azerbaijan, Venezuela, and other countries explain how the 20th century became addicted to "the blood of the dinosaurs," and why contemporary society needs to change course. As attorney/activist Matthew David Savinar puts it, "Oil is our God." As Stanford professor Terry Lynn Karl adds, "More and more oil is going to come from less and less stable places...places that actually challenge the taking of oil in the first place." One of the more chilling revelations concerns the discrepancy between the reserves oil-producing nations claim they possess and the actual amount. These padded estimates allow them to drill with impunity, leading to an abundance of wealth in the short term and cataclysmic consequences once they've depleted their supply of this non-renewable resource. A Crude Awakening isn't exactly a day-brightener, but Gelpke and McCormack are comprehensive and impartial in their inquiry, which makes for an informative examination of a vitally important subject. Extras include extended interviews with four participants and bonus chapter Petrostates. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Product Description

An unforgettable and shocking wake-up call, A CRUDE AWAKENING offers the rock-solid argument that the era of cheap oil is in the past. Relentless and clear-eyed, this intensively-researched film drills deep into the uncomfortable realities of a world that is both addicted to fossil fuels and blissfully unaware of the looming "peak oil" crisis. Drawing on an international cast of maverick energy experts and thinkers, directors Basil Gelpke and Ray McCormack debunk the conventional wisdom that oil production will continue to climb, and instead stare bleakly at a planet facing economic meltdown and