Swimming Pool (Unrated Version)

Starring:Charlotte Rampling, Ludivine Sagnier, Charles Dance, Jean-Marie Lamour, Marc Fayolle, Mireille MossÃ©, Michel Fau, Jean-Claude Lecas, Emilie Gavois-Kahn, Erarde Forestali, Lauren Farrow, Sebastian Harcombe, Frances Cuka, Keith Yeates, Tricia Aileen, Glen Davies
Director: FranÃ§ois Ozon
Studio: Universal Studios
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

In terms of alluring female nudity, Swimming Pool shows a lot, but it's what remains concealed that gives this erotic thriller a potent, voyeuristic charge. With his Hitchcockian handling of secrets and lies, prolific French director François Ozon reunites with his Under the Sand star, Charlotte Rampling, to tell a seductive tale of murder and complicity, beginning when British mystery novelist Sarah Morton (Rampling) seeks peace and relaxation at her publisher's French villa, only to find his brash, sexually liberated daughter Julie (Ludivine Sagnier) arriving shortly thereafter to disrupt her solitary reverie. What begins as mutual annoyance turns into something more sinister and duplicitous, alternating between Julie's predatory sex with men and Sarah's observant, perhaps jealous fascination. These two women, generations apart, share in Ozon's delicate dance of trust, curiosity, and gradual understanding, until a twist ending that forces you to reevaluate everything you've seen. Only then will the mysteries of Swimming Pool be fully and tantalizingly revealed. (Note: The unrated version contains full-frontal nudity that's been edited from the rated version. In both versions, the overall plot is not affected.) --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Intellectual but also alive.......2007-06-20

A truly interesting, beautiful, and thought-provoking film, about desire, revenge, and sisterhood (motherhood? daughterhood?), and the sources of art. The men have no chance in this movie, which turns out to be a good thing; it's not a film about romance, despite the fact that both female protagonists have a soft, sentimental spot for a good "harlequin." If it's a film about sex (and there is plenty of steamy sex in the film), it's about sex as a proxy for something harder and more elemental: the need to be recognized and affirmed. Despite being an intellectual movie, it's also eminently watchable, even gripping. A careful, even brilliant performance on all levels.

Mostly a Waste of Time.......2007-03-07

The movie starts off very slowly, gathers a bit of steam, and then takes a plot turn that is totally inconsistent with the personalities of the two main characters, uptight writer Sarah and free spirit Julie.

I'd quote one of Sarah's lines as she "assists" Julie with a task that they undertake, but it would be too much of a spoiler... in any case, once that line was spoken, I lost all respect for the plot.

Some of the scenery in the movie is pleasing to the eye. For that, I'll give the movie two stars, rather than the one star it would have otherwise deserved.

In any case -- don't waste your time watching "Swimming Pool." You'll drown in the stupidity.

Swimming Pool is a sly, subtle and sexy mystery.......2007-02-12

This movie is a really enjoyable adventure through the eyes of a female mystery writer, Sarah Morton played by Charlotte Rampling. Morton is looking for a new and different kind of story to add to her list of successful mystery novels. As a working retreat, she accepts the use of her publisher's home in Luberon, in the south of France, where she soon encounters the lovely young indolent and insouciant daughter (we think!) of her publisher, played by Ludivine Sagnier in her blossoming youth. What follows is ingenous, keenly interesting and definitely offbeat but fully enjoyable. The nudity of both Rampling and Sagnier is in fine taste (for Europeans) and still gives we old men something to lust over. Great movie, but you have to see it to appreciate it because the ending leaves one slowly becomming aware of the real story.

Quite the little head trip........2007-02-09

Swimming Pool explores some very interesting themes: the differences between youth and age, innocence, sexual awakening, motherhood, solitude, and voyeurism, among others.

The plot is deceivingly simple. Sarah, a writer, is staying at her editor's house in France so she can work on her next novel. She's had a great deal of success as a mystery writer, but seems to have hit a wall. She doesn't want to do another mystery, but she doesn't know what else to write about.

Enter Julie, the editor's daughter. She breezes into the house one night like a force of nature. Her first order of business? She uncovers the swimming pool in the backyard. It's full of leaves, but this doesn't stop her from peeling her clothes off and swimming in it. She also takes to sunbathing topless and having sex in the living room on a nightly basis, with whatever men she can talk into coming home with her.

Sarah is disgusted by all of this behavior at first, but as time goes by, she becomes captivated by it. She creates a 'Julie' file on her computer, and she starts writing again.

But there's a lot more going on under the surface. What is fantasy? What is reality? Is the movie just a product of Sarah's imagination? Are Sarah and Julie linked in some way, and if so, how? What the hell is going on?

Francois Orzon, in an interview with Indie Wire, had this to say:

"I don't want to give you the key. I myself have an opinion about it, obviously -- but I wanted to keep the film open-ended and let every viewer imagine what he wishes. It's a movie that gives viewers the freedom to make their own film."

So essentially the meaning of the movie is left for you to decipher. I'm not sure how I feel about that. It doesn't really seem like good storytelling, and it would be disastrous if every director in the world started doing this. But Orzon isn't every director, and Swimming Pool isn't an ordinary movie. I found myself thinking about it a lot once I had ejected the DVD, turning the facts over in my mind and trying to make them fit into some kind of coherent storyline. It's strangely satisfying to do this, and I seriously suggest that you watch the film so you can do the same.

My only complaint is that the DVD features were sparse - just a trailer and a few deleted scenes that didn't seem to add much. There wasn't any director's commentary, which irked me to no end. I would have loved to hear Orzon's take on the rather bizarre series of events, but no such luck.

Oh, and should you pick up the unrated version, be prepared for a lot of Ludivine Sagnier's breasts. They should have been given second billing for all their screen time.

Here's A Puzzler: Who's The Most Loathsome Cast Member?.......2007-01-28

I am being generous in giving this film two stars. I saw a trailer for it, and while it looked intriguing, looks can be deceiving, much like the bulk of this would-be psychological potboiler. I think the photography work and acting deserve a minimum of two stars as both were excellent; the general storyline, however, was drivel.

Many reviewers have noted how the film fundamentally makes no sense, and there are parts where I agree wholeheartedly. I don't mind thought-provoking films that leave you wondering what actually happened, but this was mostly in the shallow end from the standpoint of plot construction. It is inconceivable to me how the two female leads (Charlotte Rampling, and Ludivine Sagnier) could tolerate one another; further, it is incomprehensible why Rampling didn't merely leave France when Sagnier started making her life miserable. To believe that Rampling would actually help Sagnier conceal murder is impossible. Yes, I know that the entire character of the daughter is ambiguous by the end, but inasmuch as the character was constructed in Rampling's mind to be a murderess negates charges of cinematic intellectual superiority and holds Rampling's judgment suspect.

The entire movie is filled with characters that are excruciating to watch, and the only real reason for a two star rating is that the actors do an outstanding job in their roles. I considered briefly watching the film a second time to make sure I understood all the nuances, but I just hated it too much the first time to give it a second chance. This is one film that looks positively great as a two minute theatrical trailer, but looks positively awful in the light of day as a hulking 103 minute feature.

I am very open-minded to unusual, imported, and avant-garde films, but while this movie had touches of all three, I was merely relieved when it was over.

Average customer rating:

You can't help but watch
Another Woman's Husband
Nothing
Typical TV Movie
Lisa Rinna & Gail O'Grady share the same man (w/o knowing)!

Another Woman's Husband
Starring: Gail O'Grady , Lisa Rinna , Dale Midkiff , Sally Kirkland , and Charlotte Rae
Director: Noel Nosseck
Manufacturer: Starlight Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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She Fought Alone (True Stories Collection TV Movie)

ASIN: B00005NKT0
Release Date: 2001-09-11

Description

Twenty-five years after she witnesses her brother's drowning death, and despite her successful career as a psychologist, Laurel (Lisa Rinna) turns to a local swimming instructor for help in conquering her paralyzing fear of the water. For Susan (Gail O'Grady), the pool is her salvation, the only place she's ever felt confident and successful.

As Susan helps Laurel tackle her phobia, the two begin developing a bond. As the student learns to swim, the teacher learns to confront her own lifetime of troubles. The two share a special friendship created by trust and openness. They experience the ultimate test in friendship when they find out that they also share something else: the same man. Based on a true story. DRAMA. 91 Minutes.

Customer Reviews:

You can't help but watch.......2006-08-04

Guilty, guilty, the guiltiest of pleasures. I have to admit (and I'm not in any way shape or form proud of this) I love this movie. Yeah, the plot is contrived. The acting, when it isn't over the top is almost painfully stilted and forced but it is just great fun. However, on the up side, Gail O'Grady spends half the movie in a tight fitting swim suit.

Don't expect a masterpiece. This movie is straight off the Lifetime Movie Channel so, of course, the schmuck husband (Midkiff) is a no damn good cheating liar. This guy has almost no redeeming qualities at all. And his stupidly transparent efforts to juggle a clingy wife (O'Grady) and his new girlfriend (Rinna) are so inept you just can't help but get sucked in.

This movie is good fun to watch, especially on a rainy weekend when you have an hour or two to kill.

Another Woman's Husband.......2006-08-03

I love Lisa Rinna. Two best friends find out they are in love with the same man has to be heart breaking. They learned something from one another.

Nothing.......2005-12-31

Bad Movie, Bad action and you don't get to see almoust anything....

tho words : money waisted

Typical TV Movie.......2004-04-26

It is indeed. A boring housewife/swimming instructor, Gail O'Grady, makes friends with a Psychologist, Lisa Rinna (you know, the one with the lips) while teaching her to swim as she tried to come to terms with her brother drowning years before (phew). However, Rinna is dating O'Grady's husband, Dale Midkiff, in his usual husband gone bad role.

O'Grady is very good, Rinna is her usual stilted self and Midkiff plays his part admirably. Not a bad story. Both find out about each other and, in typical feminist style which really belongs to the early 90s, they kick the husband into touch, telling him to hit the highway while they go back to being best chums.

Not bad, but not really worth buying unless you're a bit fan of the three leads. Although saying this, would you kick Dale out of bed for eating potato chips? No, I didn't think so.

Lisa Rinna & Gail O'Grady share the same man (w/o knowing)!.......2002-04-27

Lisa Rinna and Gail O'Grady become best friends..not realizing that they share the same man! Both women perform very well in this movie...I have been a big fan of both of them since Melrose Place and NYPD Blue. Sally Kirkland also does a great job in this movie as Gail O'Grady's mother. This movie is filled with so many different ingredients: intrigue, lessons on overcoming fears, and it helps one become stronger in believing inside what can truly make your life happy. I've seen it a few times, and enjoy it more each time.

Average customer rating:

Intellectual but also alive
Mostly a Waste of Time
Swimming Pool is a sly, subtle and sexy mystery
Quite the little head trip.
Here's A Puzzler: Who's The Most Loathsome Cast Member?

Swimming Pool (R-Rated Version)
Starring: Charlotte Rampling , Ludivine Sagnier , Charles Dance , Jean-Marie Lamour , and Marc Fayolle
Director: François Ozon
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000YHQNU
Release Date: 2004-01-13

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Intellectual but also alive.......2007-06-20

Mostly a Waste of Time.......2007-03-07

Swimming Pool is a sly, subtle and sexy mystery.......2007-02-12

Quite the little head trip........2007-02-09

Here's A Puzzler: Who's The Most Loathsome Cast Member?.......2007-01-28

Average customer rating:

A French Love Story
A French "Love Story" Featuring A Romantic Lead Only A Masochist Could Love
Something amiss but still worth looking at
Very engaging story
the man i love

The Man I Love
Starring: Véronique Aude , Bruno Bonomo , Marcial Di Fonzo Bo , Nedjib Djebarri , and Jean-Charles Fonti
Manufacturer: Picture This
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Gone, But Not Forgotten
The Trip
Just a Question of Love
Latter Days (Unrated Edition)
The 24th Day

ASIN: B0000CBL9I
Release Date: 2003-11-11

Description

What gay man hasn't sat beside a pool and dreamed of declaring his love to a beautiful straight boy whose Speedo fits just right? How many of us have dared to hope that we might actually get to peel the swimsuit away, or that our love might even be returned? Well, for the irrepressible Martin, just dreaming and hoping are no longer enough. Martin falls for the straight Lucas the moment he sees him leap from the high dive, and decides to take a leap of his own. Within minutes he declares his love to Lucas, who is less than thrilled. No one is more surprised than Martin, then when his seemingly hopeless infatuation ends up bringing him friendship, passion and even true love. The only problem is that, for Martin, it all may have come too late. This tender story of two lovers who find the meaning of life just as one of them is preparing to leave it will both warm your heart and break it, and have you smiling through your tears. Throw in a mother who roars around town in a pink Mercedes with outfits to match, AIDS activists fighting for better treatments, a deaf drag queen who signs his routines instead of lip- synching, a gay wedding and beautiful locations in and around Marseilles, and you have a uniquely French but touchingly universal love story.

Customer Reviews:

A French Love Story.......2007-05-07

In this bittersweet French film, gay boy (Martin) meets straight boy (Lucard),who cuts quite a figure in speedos, falls for him, and confesses his love immediately. Straight boy unfortunately has girl friend so the scene is set for a love triangle. But straight boy (Lucard) with not much coaching goes from straight to bi to gay (?) rather quickly.

The swimming pool scenes are lush as are some of the shots in the French countryside. Although the film is uneven, it certainly has its moments including a demonstration by the French Act-Up organization and a gay wedding orchestrated by Martin's mother, a French Auntie Mame who drives a lavender Mercedes. The film deals with the difficult subject of two lovers, one who is living and the other who is dying.

Another gay-themed film well worth seeing.

A French "Love Story" Featuring A Romantic Lead Only A Masochist Could Love.......2007-02-28

I have to be frank, I'm quite surprised at how well received this small French film has been by many viewers. In no way do I wish to offend anyone--if you found something of value in this film, I'm pleased. However, having really looked forward to "The Man I Love," I recently sat down with a few friends to check out the DVD. This story of forbidden love and AIDS is supposed to be charming and moving, but unanimously--we found it annoying and preposterous. With a lead character so childish, so selfish, so petulant, so borderline obsessive, so disrespectful--let's just say, it's hard to root for this film as any kind of "love story." Instead, I just wished someone would slap this guy around until he had some sense.

OK, I know this sounds harsh--so let's get down to the facts of the matter. "The Man I Love" centers on an HIV+ man named Martin. Working at a local pool, he meets a new lifeguard named Lucas. Lucas, while attractive, is a monosyllabic jerk in this first meeting--he orders Martin around and barely contains a real indifference and disdain for his odd coworker. Guess what? Martin just eats this up--he pesters Lucas on the way home and proclaims his love (within minutes of the initial meeting) for the straight and horrified man who just wants to escape this creepy stalker. However, Martin ends up meeting Lucas's live-in girlfriend, and she is sweet, inviting, and genuinely fond of Martin--this ends up being the key to how Martin and Lucas start spending more time together. "Irrepressible" Martin starts to employ "charming," "hysterical," and "endearing" tactics to win Lucas's thawing heart--and the two, who have no common ground, start to grow close as Lucas realizes there might be an attraction. Knowing that this is both a "love story" and an AIDS drama, I'll leave the rest of the plot to your imagination.

I have nothing against the storyline of "The Man I Love," but it's not particularly unique. I have nothing against the actors. Lucas, his girlfriend, and Martin's mother all give solid performances--I was especially impressed with the actor who portrays Lucas. Having to perform the most difficult role, he must convince you to believe in some of the most outlandish scenarios. Being stalked, manipulated and molested by Martin--he still tries to sell that this is a "love story." That brings us to Martin. Oh, I get it. We are supposed to love Martin's free spirit, but there's a reason I've used quotes on the adjectives "irrepressible," "charming," and "endearing." That's how the movie expects us to view Martin's juvenile antics. But his complete disregard for everyone, but himself, is an enormous problem. Throwing dead fish in a public pool and terrorizing clients--"hysterically romantic!" (But we're supposed to view his boss as the villain for having a problem with these things.) He disregards Lucas's feelings constantly and is a monster to Lucas's girlfriend, someone who has specifically reached out to him in friendship. Martin is a truly awful human being who claims he doesn't want to be pitied for being ill, but uses it to manipulate everyone when it serves his purpose. It's offensive.

As you can see, I feel passionately about this misguided movie. Negative stereotypes abound, but again--this film has been embraced by many. If someone who is completely selfish and mean-spirited is an ideal romantic partner for you, then check this movie out and enjoy! For myself, however, I'll find love elsewhere. KGHarris, 02/07.

Something amiss but still worth looking at.......2007-02-11

The Man I Love is an OK movie...it has some positive elements to it. The story follows Martin, who is HIV+. He meets Lucas, a lifeguard and diver at the pool where he works. Lucas is straight, or so the story goes, and living with Lise. Martin begins a quest, of sorts, to get Lucas into bed, and Lucas eventually realizes that he loves Martin and it goes on from there (don't want to spoil the ending). I think there are a lot of people, including myself, who can identify with the idea of loving someone who seems completely unavailable; Martin at least has the guts to go after him.

What I didn't like was the gigantic leap of feelings, from Martin to Lucas to Lucas to Martin. In the span of the first few minutes, we learn that Martin likes Lucas, a lot, but the movie gives the impression that it's a first meeting (love at first sight?). Lucas seems to struggle with his feelings for Martin but turns around and makes one gigantic leap into love. Another issue was the lack of clarity as to why Lucas loves Martin so much, besides the illness. I think the movie could have benefited from being longer so as not to obliterate a sense of realness for falling in love, especially with a character who is questioning as much as Lucas does.

What I did like is that Martin is not a completely sympathetic character. So many movies portray the dying as heroes. Martin doesn't take care of himself and he uses his illness to manipulate, something that many people with terminal illnesses do (been there, done that). I also loved the cinematography; it's absolutely gorgeous. Can't give this movie 4 stars but I like it well enough to recommend that you see it.

Very engaging story.......2006-07-31

The two lead actors are fun to watch, interest, the story is intriguing, and the ending is appropriate. A very enjoyable movie.

the man i love.......2005-10-14

enjoyed this movie. worth watching. not the best i have seen, but ok

Average customer rating:

a must see documentary
Once Were Waterbabies
Excellent, moving, well-made documentary film
Inspiring true story!
Luminous Film about Jewish Athletes in Nazi Vienna

Watermarks
Starring: Elisheva Susz , Ann Marie Pisker , Hanni Lux , Judith Deutsch , and Greta Stanton
Director: Yaron Zilberman
Manufacturer: Kino Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Paper Clips
Shanghai Ghetto
Sugihara - Conspiracy of Kindness
Partisans of Vilna
Protocols of Zion

ASIN: B000BFH2D2
Release Date: 2005-12-06

Customer Reviews:

a must see documentary.......2007-06-27

This is a wonderful film that encompasses topics such as women in sport, antisemitism in Austria in the 30s, and aging.

The filmmaker, Yaron Zilberman, has carefully crafted this work of art, by researching the subject of a Jewish swim club in Vienna in the 30s, "Hakoah" ("the strength"). This club had a number of world class swimmers, who decided to ban the Berlin Olympics in 1936. Mr. Zilberman gently interviews the women, all in their 80s now, about their feelings vis-a-vis their return to Vienna for another swim in the pool they had swam in 60 years ago. The film climaxes in their reunion in Vienna, and the swim at the gorgeous art deco pool.

The film has moments of laughter, sadness, anger, awe, and irony. The choice of music adds another layer to the film a great deal.

I saw the film a number of times, and each time I discovered new layers in it. I highly recommend this film.

Once Were Waterbabies.......2006-11-10

"Watermarks" is a remarkable documentary, as remarkable as the women whose stories it tells. It harkens back to early 20th century Vienna, Austria, a time when the Jewish community was well-settled, prosperous, and largely assimilated, and tells the true story of Hakoah, a Jewish sports club, the largest membership sports club in the world. We mainly learn about the women's swim team: they are charming, intelligent, high-spirited, and as independent as the times allow them to be. These women were athletes, and in the old footage, you can see that they just loved to swim: there's even a lot of footage of their happily diving into the Danube River, which, at that time, must have been as unpleasant an open sewer as most of the world's other major urban rivers.

During the 1930's,three of these women were ranked the numbers 1-2-3- Austrian swimmers. They had to make a choice about participation in the 1936 Olympics, in Hitler's Germany, and chose not to attend. The Austrian Sports Board thereupon stripped them of their titles. Of course, there was worse to come, but these Viennese women were quite sophisticated enough to recognize that: they,and their families all got out of Austria in time. They follow their motto "Say yes to life," in exile, and prove every bit as remarkable as they were at home. Finally, as part of the making of this documentary, the remaining women who were able to travel reassemble in Vienna, and take one more swim in the great and beautiful sports hall of their youthful triumphs. There's sheer joy as they slip into the water again; and not a dry eye in the house.

Excellent, moving, well-made documentary film.......2006-03-03

For those who have an interest in Jewish life in pre-World War II Vienna, this film is the best source for a glimpse into that world: a burgeoning world where Jews thrived and above all were happy, well-adjusted Viennese.

The women who tell their stories describe their childhoods and parents in early 20th century Vienna and participation in the great Jewish swim team, Hakoah - and the changes in Vienna that took place in the 1930s leading to their emigration to countries all over the world and the rude ending of their competitive swimming careers. The women's courage - and wit - come across beautifully. One sees the side of these women that is still Viennese (reciting Austrian verse by heart in a Mushav in Israel, singing along to songs by Leopoldi) while also seeing them in their homes of 50 years in the United States or Israel - where it becomes apparent that the women have since managed also to become American, Israeli, etc - whereever they ended up after the war. At the end of the film they return to Vienna to swim one more lap in the pool where they once competed.

You will cherish this film as a magnificently made documentary about an extraordinary group of women whose youth was spent in a place (thriving, burgeoning Jewish Vienna) that sadly no longer exists - but should never be forgotten.

Inspiring true story!.......2006-02-24

Very refreshing aand heartening true story that should serve to inspire us all, especially in today's rather sorry world. We need to learn of the bravado and courage that brought others to such heights.

Luminous Film about Jewish Athletes in Nazi Vienna.......2006-02-07

This is a film about remarkable people. In Vienna in the 1930's,
a Jewish sportsclub HAKOAH organized athletes in several categories but the most impressive were the women swimmers. In fact, one of these Jewish athletes was the best female swimmer in Austria. Nevertheless, at great "personal cost" to her, she
refused to go to Hitler's Berlin Oympics in 1936 and all her
records were stricken and she was forbidden to compete. 65 years later, 7 of these swimmers (now in their 80's) are brought together and they swim together, once more, in a famous Vienna pool. The Boston Globe remarked (correctly) that the images of these women in the pool is beautiful and a little bit holy. They move like angels in water. Their stories are fascinating and
the people glow with intelligence, warmth, and goodness. My friend and I both had tears by the end of the film.

Average customer rating:

Bright as a wound and warm-hearted as a fever

La Cienaga
Starring: Mercedes Morán , Graciela Borges , Martín Adjemián , Leonora Balcarce , and Silvia Baylé
Director: Lucrecia Martel
Manufacturer: Homevision
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Holy Girl
Bolivia
En la Puta Vida (Tricky Life)
El Dia Que Me Amen
Kings & Queen

ASIN: B0006Z2NBI
Release Date: 2005-02-01

Description

Mecha (Graciela Borges) is a middle-aged woman with several accident-prone teenagers, a husband who dyes his hair, and the tedious problem of sullen servants. Nothing that a few drinks can't cure. To avoid the uncomfortably hot and humid weather, they spend their summers at a country estate whose glory has long faded, where the swimming pool is filthy, but still offers some relief. Mecha's cousin, Tali (Mercedes Morán), lives in the nearby city La Ciénaga ("The Swamp") and has a crew of small, noisy children and a husband who loves his home, his kids, and hunting. Before long, the crowded, rough-and-tumble domestic situation strains both families' nerves, exposing repressed family mysteries, and tensions that threaten to erupt into violence. Like Luis Buñuel before her, award-winning filmmaker Lucrecia Martel offers an unapologetic peek into the world of Argentina's decadent bourgeoisie.

Customer Reviews:

Bright as a wound and warm-hearted as a fever.......2005-02-08

Lurid colors cover a visual stink that permeates La Cienaga and turns all interaction sinister around the edges. The camera work was queasy and the cuts were brutal--sometimes fatal...I loved it. La Cienaga sticks in the memory like the urban legends the children tell to scare each other. The story is an almost voyeuristic tour of the families of two sisters, Tali and Mecha, one in the city, one in the swamp. We meet Mecha, the rich swamp-dwelling sister, by her filthy swimming pool surrounded by other zombie-esque party-goers, all half passed out in pool chairs from the combined effect of alcohol and the rainforest heat. All of her bored kids are scarred, beat-up, scratched--one is missing an eye. Armed with hunting rifles, the swamp is their main source of entertainment--except for awkward Momi, who spends most of her time clinging to Isabella ("Isa"), the native Argentinean house servant in Mecha's crumbling estate.
Tali's family, living in the city, seems a little more sane, a little more whole, but her kids are smack in the middle of terrifying stages of growing up. Her two hyper-gendered daughters on the verge of puberty wear enough woman's make-up to look like kiddie-porn stars or circus clowns. When they are not being chased by little boys with water balloons, they are taunting their little brother with stories of the African rat-dog.
Some of the only music in the film follows Isa, the native; all else is the constant rumble of thunder, the ice tinkling in the Mecha's drink, and the silence of sullen frustration. Every scene is dangerous in its way, every volatile character was so full of desires gone bad, and all beauty was rotten underneath. Director Lucrecia Martel has created a refreshingly unromantic film in the romantic location of the Argentinean rainforest that leaves you with images as sticky as the heat.

Average customer rating:

So so sequel, Good direct to DVD
good sequel
Better than Dracula 3000
best to watch all three
A pale shadow of its predecessor

Dracula II: Ascension
Starring: Jennifer Kroll , Jason Scott Lee , Craig Sheffer , Diane Neal , and Khary Payton
Director: Patrick Lussier
Manufacturer: Dimension
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Dracula 3 - Legacy
Dracula 2000
The Prophecy - Forsaken
The Prophecy - Uprising
From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money

ASIN: B00008DDUZ
Release Date: 2003-06-17

Amazon.com

Did someone say Dracula II? Like there haven't been a few hundred Dracula movies already? Oh well: Dracula II: Ascension is a sequel to Dracula 2000, with the ageless vampire again returning from apparent extinction. The twist is that Dracula's blood will be used by a researcher (baroque performance by Craig Sheffer) to reverse the effects of a crippling disease; Sheffer's assistants (read: vampire fodder) will help. Joining this scientific survey is long-haired vampire slayer Jason Scott Lee, who seems to have stalked in from another picture--but never mind Roy Scheider, whose wizened priest might be onscreen for all of 60 seconds. After a reasonably lively opening half-hour, this cheapie devolves into the usual blood-letting and illogical behavior. Some of the vampire lore is pretty diverting (did you know a vampire must untie every knot he sees?), but Dracula II is strictly for enthusiasts of the genre. --Robert Horton

Description

An ancient evil is once again unleashed in the 21st Century as fright master Wes Craven presents this terrifying and suspenseful sequel to the big-screen hit DRACULA 2000! Featuring screen favorites Jason Scott Lee (RUSSELL MULCAHY'S TALE OF THE MUMMY), Jason London ( OUT COLD, THE RAGE: CARRIE 2), and Craig Sheffer (HELLRAISER: INFERNO, A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT), ASCENSION is the riveting story of a group of medical students who come across the body of the world's most notorious vampire! When a mysterious stranger appears and offers the students $30 million to harvest the body and steal its blood for auction, it's an offer they can hardly refuse! But as the lure of riches collides with unimaginable terror, the students also find themselves relentlessly pursued by a vampire killer from the Vatican! Also starring Roy Scheider (JAWS) and Brande Roderick (TV's BAYWATCH) -- anyone who craves intense suspense can happily sink their teeth into this chilling thriller!

Customer Reviews:

So so sequel, Good direct to DVD.......2007-02-11

I loved Dracula 2000. Not that the director was breaking any new ground but he understood the erotic nature and cruptiontion of the "Soul" that Vampirisim represented. On that foundation I was looking forward to the film and it took a dogs age for it to be released and the third took even longer.
I had to ignore the fact that in the theatrical leg of this trillogy Dracula was taken back to England by Mary Van Helseig. I was thinking that would be the likly jumping off point for the next leg but this is not the case. The Corpse of Dracula is retrieved by the police and taken to the New Orleans Mourge where Elizabeth is working. Dark shadows of future evil and mystery present themselves almost from that point on.
She is wounded by one of the lifeless Counts Cannine teeth while examining and don't think this will not mean something down the line. It was a good device for this film that was almost entirly pushed asside in the second but it is used for great affect in the second. Watching Elizabeth slowly change over the corse of the film is one of the more erotic parts of the DVD.
Toss in her friends including a boyfriend dying of a devilitating illness along with the promise of a multi million dollar reward and the problems that come to a rise when a group of inexperianced science types trying to uncover the mysteries of this Corpse and how a bath in human blood brind it back to life and you have have set the stage for mass distruction and some real gross out moments.
Jason Scott Lee is the Vatican Vampire hunter who dispaches twin Vamp sisters in the opening and is hot on the trail of Dracula in all his forms and he and Dracula have a bloody and Metaphysical discussion to end the DVD.
There are familiuar actors in this film such as Dianne Neil from "Law and Order SVU" and a breif cameo from Roy Schider from "Jaws" and "Marathon Man" to name a few. I would not expect a super great film but I didn't feel like I blew my cash on this DVD and that is a good thing.

good sequel.......2006-12-13

This first sequel to the fun Dracula 2000 is quite enjoyable. Sequels often fail to live up to the original, but Part 2 is interesting and entertaining. I liked it. 4 out of 5 stars!

Better than Dracula 3000.......2006-02-15

Dracula 2 Ascension although not breaking any new ground is an entertaining enough vampire flick.
Jason Scott Lee played a cool enough vampire hunter, but his character just doesn't make any sense, are we supposed to believe that he just happens to show up at the tail end of events from "Dracula 1"?
And please, no human being alive no matter what the reason or rationale would attempt to revive what they believe to be a "dead" vampire. Yeah sure, dropping the crispy count into the vat of blood was a good idea, but really, you don't try to revive a vampire under any circumstances, sorry, but that's just not credible.

best to watch all three.......2006-02-03

I recently watched all three of these movies (Dracula 2000, Dracula II, Dracula III: Legacy) and liked them all very much.
I'm not sure that II and III can be completely appreciated without seeing the other chapters but they all make for one of the best modern horror movie series.

A pale shadow of its predecessor.......2005-09-23

I saw 'Dracula 2000' (which this movie is the sequel to) and absolutely loved it, so naturally I rushed out to buy this movie, thinking it would be just as good. Boy, was I disappointed! Sadly, this had none of the dramatic tension and unpredictable plot twists of its predecessor. Instead, it was mostly predictable, clicheed and dull. No wonder none of the cast members from the previous movie wanted to sign up to do this one!

To give the cast of this movie credit, they tried hard. Craig Sheffer camped it up nicely as the evil professor, and Jason Scott Lee was impressive in the fight scenes. But given the script they had to work with, it was clearly an uphill battle. There were a few surprises in the script (like bringing up some little known but interesting facts about vampire folklore) but for the most part it was predictable and formulaic, right down to the location where it was filmed--I mean, it was set in an old, deserted gothic mansion. You don't get more clicheed than that in a vampire movie, unless it's actually shot in Transylvania!

I don't think I'll be bothering with seeing the sequel to this movie, the third in the series. My guess is that it'll be worthy of a 'straight to video' tag.

Average customer rating:

star review
For a low budget film with such a big cast, Little Athens pays off
The Dynamics of Small Town Boredom: A Metaphor?
NEED NAME OF MUSIC please
so i'm bored to death, and this town is also bored me to death

Little Athens
Starring: John Patrick Amedori , Erica Leerhsen , Shawn Hatosy , Michelle Horn , and Tory Kittles
Director: Tom Zuber
Manufacturer: Legaci / ThinkFilms
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000HC2OCS
Release Date: 2006-11-21

Customer Reviews:

star review.......2007-03-11

This movie was not to bad , but lacked a meaningful plot .was ok for a rental.

For a low budget film with such a big cast, Little Athens pays off.......2007-01-28

Little Athens is a circuitous look at post-high school life in the small town of Athens, Arizona (although, as the opening scene states: "it could have taken place anywhere"), using a series of loosely interwoven characters to develop more of an apathetic tone rather than a typical plotline. It succeeds in communicating this sense of boredom with its audience, although it does so at the risk of actually being a bit boring at times. But, the characters and their stories are very believable and realistically portrayed, even if they go over the top a few times.

The entire film eventually centers around a party that all the characters happen to attend, in which we see how their various lives are intertwined, and ultimately see how the lifestyles of the bored and lost can result in irreversible damage to multiple lives.

The cinematography is often stunning, although occasionally the low budget filmmaking stands out when the digital camera can't keep up with the action, and this does detract from the film, but only enough to remind you that this movie was made on an extremely low budget, which is more reason to be impressed by the rich colors and scene arrangements.

There is a behind the scens featurette on the DVD, but it's only about five minutes long and doesn't offer much insight you can't gather from watching the film itself.

The Dynamics of Small Town Boredom: A Metaphor?.......2007-01-03

Tom Zuber has great credentials in Law but seems to prefer to dabble in the territory of cinema. Having not seen his debut film LANSDOWN (2001) it is difficult to judge from LITTLE ATHENS (2005) if he is improving with age, but looking at LITTLE ATHENS on its own merits it seems a bit sparse in idea and in production.

Athens, Arizona is the bleak setting of this day in the lives of some fairly bored (and boring) youngsters, ne're-do-wells attempting to infuse sparkle into an otherwise glitterless place. Zuber creates four story lines, spottily interweaves them, and finally connects the dots in the last reel. The main problem is that comedy is funny because we care about the facilitators and here there really aren't any folks in which to invest. The cast tries hard and succeeds in giving us a taste of life in the flatlands of nothingville. D.J. Qualls (a character type who is very good, as in 'Hustle and Flow'), Michael Pena, John Patrick Amedori, Shawn Hatosi, Tory Kittles, Eric Szmanda, Jorge Garcia, Erica Leerhsen, and Michelle Horn are particularly fine and do their best with the material they are given.

Tom Zuber has a style, a sense of non-scripted spontaneity incorporating the gross with the sadsack, and given time he may make a fine little film. This one just misses. Grady Harp, January 07

NEED NAME OF MUSIC please.......2006-12-24

I ask if anyone knows what music is playing at the house of the asian guy when jimmy finds him dead siting in the sofa??
Thanks
The movie is ok.

so i'm bored to death, and this town is also bored me to death.......2006-12-24

if so and so, do you still want to hear me out about my pathetic boredom of my life? if the town in this movie like the small town in santa barbara county where i've lived before is so boring, you still want to hear something about this town and how the young people deal with their suffocating boredom?
what the screenwriter, the director and the production team wanted to deliver here was a dead-beat story with dead-beat people with 4 dead-beat storylines and tried to link them together in vain, and ended up a dead-beat finale. if you think it's worth seeing, then your life might be even more bored than what i've seen in this movie. do you want me to tell you how i became homeless? how i ended up divorcing my wife? how my children hated me to the guts? you really don't want to know, do you? why? because it's so common, so ordinary and it happened everywhere and all over the world. just like what the movie said in the very beginning, it happens everywhere, like: brushing your teeth, dude this, dude that, cursing...whatever. LOSERS' PARADISE

Average customer rating:

Very fun and exciting movie for the whole family!
Kid heros.
Lots of fun!
Message: fun
Fun Kids Movie!!

Message in a Cell Phone
Starring: Nick Whitaker , Rick Macy , Jan Broberg Felt , Doug Caputo , and James Laub
Director: Eric Hendershot
Manufacturer: Mti Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000067IZE
Release Date: 2002-08-06

Product Description

At a small desert resort, eleven year old Chase Patterson and his two friends hang out by the pool without a care in the world. Little do they know that Felix, the man snoring next to them, has missed an important cell phone message with the warning to "erase it once he gets it!"

When Felix later discovers that he has left his cell phone poolside he dials it, hoping that someone will pick it up. A curious Chase answers the phone and thinks he hits the jackpot when he is offered five dollars to bring the phone up to Felix's room.

Chase arrives at the room and overhears Felix arguing with another man, followed by a loud crash and a mysterious silence. Unable to convince the resort manager that he has witnessed foul play and still in possession of the cell phone, the three boys set out on a race against time to crack the cell phone's secret code and find out what the message is before danger follows them to their own backyard.

Features:

Interactive Menus

Scene Selection

Trailers

Trivia Game

System Requirements:

Running Time 85 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Very fun and exciting movie for the whole family!.......2007-07-01

This really was a lot of fun to watch for all of us - my husband, 12 year old son, 10 year old daughter and myself! Very exciting and fast paced! They should make a lot more of these type of movies for families to enjoy together. Don't dwell on the acting - you can't on these type of family movies! Just enjoy the fun ride...it's quick and very enjoyable!

Kid heros........2007-02-16

If you like crime movies with kid protagonists (The Window, The Hostage, The Client, Playing Dangerous, Home Alone) this one is about average compared to those. After his cop-father is framed and imprisoned, a boy and his two buds find a cell phone by a hotel swimming pool, and it's owner gets murdered before they can return it. They know there's an important message but have to crack the password to find out what it's about. In the mean time shady characters are calling the phone and trying to get it, gradually getting closer.
It's not as serious or suspenseful as The Window or The Client, but more appropriate for children; yet not as funny as Home Alone - and not meant to be. It's well made with good acting and a story that holds together, resulting in a suspense film for the whole family.

Lots of fun!.......2006-03-25

This movie deserves a lot more attention than it has received. It's one of the best movies I've seen in this genre. The story was exciting and for the most part close to believeable without too much effort put into suspension of disbelief. I mean, sure, there are a few two many coincidences occurring when a kid whose father has been framed and imprisoned winds up unintentionally stumbing on evidence which leads to his father's release and vindication, but the fun tone of the movie makes this easy to accept. The soundtrack and production were very strong. Some of the actors seemed a little inexperienced at times (and strangely enough, I'm talking about the adults in the movie and not the kids!), but overall they pulled it off and made a very fun movie.

Message: fun.......2005-12-16

This movie came as a recommendation from Amazon and while it's rare for me to take those suggestions, I decided I'd try this one. Actually, I am quite pleased. Message was a fun little thrill ride that held my interest throughout, and offered up a nice bit of suspense to boot.
The story is interesting. Boy finds cell phone, tries to return it to it's owner only to hear from outside his door a message being left on a cell phone about a drop and when its to take place and then a short conversation between this man and someone else in the room, then silenced gunshots. Now everyone from DEA agents to bumbling hitmen are out to get this cell phone before the drop takes place, and it's never clear who's who until the end, so the whole time you're rooting for the boy and his 2 friends to overcome all the obstacles in his way. It helps too that theres a correlation of this whole incident with the framing of the boy's ex DEA agent dad, which landed him in jail.
Best scene: when the bad guys find out the boy's name and get to his house. Great suspense and naturally ingenious scene for the young boy.
All in all Message in a Cell Phone is a good example of a kids thriller done right, and wouldn't it be nice if there were more of this type of movie. 3.5 stars

Fun Kids Movie!!.......2004-05-08

This is a fun kids movie about 3 kids who must crack a voice mail code and some desperate men who will do anything to stop it.It's a must see!!

Average customer rating:

Girls Only Pool Party

Girls Only Pool Party
Starring: Lexxi Tyler , Carli Banks , Melissa Jacobs , Nevaeh , and Tanya James
Director: Jim Monroe
Manufacturer: Peach DVD
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Girlfriends: Brazilian Lovers, Vol. 2
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ASIN: B000JBXP1G
Release Date: 2006-11-21

Customer Reviews:

Girls Only Pool Party.......2007-04-28

Decent, not enough nipple sucking for me, but i still liked it. Carli Banks is definitely the highlight with sum fantastic real chesticles. She should've got more girl on girl active though. Worth a look.

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