The Hunter

Starring:Steve McQueen, Eli Wallach, Kathryn Harrold, LeVar Burton, Ben Johnson, Richard Venture, Tracey Walter, Thomas Rosales Jr., Teddy Wilson, Ray Bickel, Bobby Bass, Karl Schueneman, Margaret Mary O'Hara, James Spinks, Frank Delfino, Zora Margolis, Poppy Lagos, Dea St. La Mount, Lillian Adams, Thor Nielsen
Director: Buzz Kulik
Studio: Paramount
Product Type: DVD

Finding Nemo (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

DO NOT BE CORRUPTED BY THIS MOVIE!!!
For the kids, mainly
Lighten Up!
Nemo's good, Monsters is better
Nemo

Finding Nemo (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Starring: Eric Bana , Nicholas Bird (II) , Albert Brooks , Willem Dafoe , and Ellen DeGeneres
Director: Stanton, Andrew
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Monsters, Inc. (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Toy Story (10th Anniversary Edition)
The Incredibles (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
A Bug's Life (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Aladdin (Disney Special Platinum Edition)

ASIN: B00005JM02
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Amazon.com

A delightful undersea world unfolds in Pixar's animated adventure Finding Nemo. When his son Nemo is captured by a scuba-diver, a nervous-nellie clownfish named Marlin (voiced by Albert Brooks) sets off into the vast--and astonishingly detailed--ocean to find him. Along the way he hooks up with a scatterbrained blue tang fish named Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), who's both helpful and a hindrance, sometimes at the same time. Faced with sharks, deep-sea anglers, fields of poisonous jellyfish, sea turtles, pelicans, and much more, Marlin rises above his neuroses in this wonderfully funny and nonstop thrill ride--rarely does more than 10 minutes pass without a sequence destined to become a theme park attraction. Pixar continues its run of impeccable artistic and economic success (their movies include Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2, and Monsters, Inc). Also featuring the voices of Willem Dafoe, Geoffrey Rush, and Allison Janney. --Bret Fetzer

Description

From the Academy Award(R)-winning creators of TOY STORY and MONSTERS, INC. (2001, Best Animated Short Film, FOR THE BIRDS), it's FINDING NEMO, a hilarious adventure where you'll meet colorful characters that take you into the breathtaking underwater world of Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Nemo, an adventurous young clownfish, is unexpectedly taken to a dentist's office aquarium. It's up to Marlin (Albert Brooks), his worrisome father, and Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), a friendly but forgetful regal blue tang fish, to make the epic journey to bring Nemo home. Their adventure brings them face-to-face with vegetarian sharks, surfer dude turtles, hypnotic jellyfish, hungry seagulls, and more. Marlin discovers a bravery he never knew, but will he be able to find his son? FINDING NEMO's breakthrough computer animation takes you into a whole new world with this undersea adventure about family, courage, and challenges. Take the plunge into FINDING NEMO, a "spectacularly beautiful animated adventure for everyone" -- David Sheehan, CBS-TV

Customer Reviews:

DO NOT BE CORRUPTED BY THIS MOVIE!!!.......2007-06-05

The movie was a little boring and looked really fake. You could tell it wasn't real and was just a bunch of silly puppets. I hope the kids that watch it don't really think fish can talk. Most of the movie is scientifically inaccurate. At one point there are a lot of "baby" fish. These fish appear, no, not as fry or something else that makes sense, but as slightly smaller versions of the adult. After this, these "baby" fish climb onto the back of a stingray (a predatory animal that should be eating them" who is their "teacher" he swims around and sings songs while the "baby" fish ride on his back. Other associations appear in this movie that I doubt have ever been observed in the wild. At one point, a clown fish is talking to a seahorse and an octopus, two of which only associate with their own kind, and one of which will kill anything to get within several feet of it! Does this happen in the movie? NO!

However, what I find most disturbing is not the numerous scientific inaccuracies, but the fact that most people that view this movie regard it as a documentary on ocean life. I have seen kids at the aquarium pointing at fish and referring to them as a "Nemo" or a "Dori".

Anyway, the stingray teacher manages to lose the baby clown fish (big surprise, what do you expect with a stingray for a teacher, you're lucky he didn't eat the kid!). And the clown fish gets captured and put into an aquarium in a dentists office with, yes more talking fish, but just wait! In this tank, there are also talking shrimp, and even a talking Starfish.

OK, now talking fish is one thing. They may not have lungs or vocal chords to produce speech, and not even close to sufficient cognitive function, but at least they're vertebrates! But having an animal without even a brain talking!? That's just ridiculous! And speaking the same language as the fish!

Now, yes, there have been strange things in Disney movies before. In Alice in wonderland there are talking flowers, and even a talking slug that smokes opium. However, Alice in Wonderland is the delusion of a madman, and does not take place in the natural world. Hence the name "Wonderland". However, does Finding Nemo take place in "Wonderland"? NO! It takes place in the Great Barrier reed, just outside Australia! Did the maker think "Well, nobody that watches this movie has been to Australia, so they won't know that the fish don't talk there"? I don't know what he was thinking, but I wasn't fooled! I personally have been to Australia, and the fish do NOT talk there! this movie makes no sense and is in no way entertaining.

After that, the fish attempt to make their tank dirty by clogging the filter, in which they succeed. However, the maker of this film has obviously never kept saltwater fish before. If he had, he would realise that after living without a filter for more than an hour, every fish in the tank would be dead. Does this happen? NO! The tank just gets really dirty and the fish remain just as alive as ever! I couldn't take it any more. I walked out of the theater after that.

Do not regard this movie as factual! Do not take your children to see this movie! This is one of the WORST places to get information about fish. Do not be fooled by this movie or the numerous other positive reviews!

For the kids, mainly.......2007-06-05

Adults usually write the reviews here so from an adult perspective, this film is not as rich as Monsters nor the Toy Story films. Those had many in jokes and adult themed gags. I would say that Nemo is entertaining enough to see once, maybe twice, but adults will tire of it soon.
Kids are another matter. It is cute, colorful, and entertaining. My only caution is that my son didn't like the lost mom and separation from dad plots. Most of us grew up on Disney films which always had lost parents though. I don't expect it to cause any major trauma, but more sensitive kids will be sad during those parts. The humor is gentle and okay for tots.

Lighten Up!.......2007-06-04

As far as this sounds, I read the bad reviews. "Finding Nemo" IS NOT as bad as the others who watched it say it is. Let me show some advice. So, Dory has "short-termed-memory-loss," so, Nemo has the "lucky fin," so, Marlin is an over-protective, cowardly clownfish, SO, WHAT?! Everybody likes this movie just the way it is. Try to find this movie in a good way. I did.

Nemo's good, Monsters is better.......2007-06-01

Finding Nemo is a cute movie for sure. Ellen Degeneress lends her voice and makes is a funny movie. Nemo is vivid with beautiful colors, and again, is cute, but lacks some of the creativity of Toy Story, and Monsters, Inc. The story does have an underlying deep meaning which I can totally appreciate.

Nemo.......2007-05-29

This movie will work well with my Spanish students. It is a story they may know and one they will enjoy. It provides a good listening to the target language experience for them. Product was in great shape.

Average customer rating:

Phenominal
MORE GIVE ME MORE!
A Pretty Good Film
The Best Sci-Fi movie you've never seen!
SciFi Western

Serenity (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Morena Baccarin , Adam Baldwin , Chiwetel Ejiofor , Raphael Feldman , and Yan Feldman
Manufacturer: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Firefly - The Complete Series
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Firefly (Original Television Soundtrack)

ASIN: B000BW7QWW
Release Date: 2005-12-20

Amazon.com

Serenity offers perfect proof that Firefly deserved a better fate than premature TV cancellation. Joss Whedon's acclaimed sci-fi Western hybrid series was ideally suited (in Browncoats, of course) for a big-screen conversion, and this action-packed adventure allows Whedon to fill in the Firefly backstory, especially the history and mystery of the spaceship Serenity's volatile and traumatized stowaway, River Tam (Summer Glau). Her lethal skills as a programmed "weapon" makes her a coveted prize for the power-hungry planetary Alliance, represented here by an Operative (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who'll stop at nothing to retrieve River from Serenity's protective crew. We still get all the quip-filled dialogue and ass-kicking action that we've come to expect from the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but Whedon goes a talented step further here, blessing his established ensemble cast with a more fully-developed dynamic of endearing relationships. Serenity's cast is led with well-balanced depth and humor by Nathan Fillion as Captain Mal Reynolds, whose maverick spirit is matched by his devotion to crewmates Wash (Alan Tudyk), Zoe (Gina Torres), fun-loving fighter Jayne (Adam Baldwin), engineer Kaylee (Jewel Staite), doctor Simon (Sean Maher), and Mal's former flame Inara (Morena Baccarin), who plays a pivotal role in Whedon's briskly-paced plot. As many critics agreed, Serenity offered all the fun and breezy excitement that was missing from George Lucas's latter-day Star Wars epics, and Whedon leaves an opening for a continuing franchise that never feels cheap or commercially opportunistic. With the mega-corporate mysteries of Blue Sun yet to be explored, it's a safe bet we haven't seen the last of the good ship Serenity. --Jeff Shannon

Description

A passenger with a deadly secret. Six rebels on the run. An assassin in pursuit. When the renegade crew of Serenity agrees to hide a fugitive on their ship, they find themselves in an action-packed battle between the relentless military might of a totalitarian regime who will destroy anything - or anyone - to get the girl back and the bloodthirsty creatures who roam the uncharted areas of space. But, the greatest danger of all may be on their ship. From the mind of Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel) comes a new edge-of-your-seat adventure loaded with explosive battles, gripping special effects and fantastic new worlds.

Customer Reviews:

Phenominal.......2007-07-04

This is a MUST have for anyone who is a FAN of the one season show Firefly. If you have seen this movie and wondered if there was more too it, then go buy firefly right away and you will fall in love with the characters as did I.

MORE GIVE ME MORE!.......2007-07-03

It's unfortunate that the series was as short lived as it was. This movie wether familiar with the series or not was a spectacular end to what could have been an even better story. I hope they inted to do a seqeul in the coming years!

A Pretty Good Film.......2007-07-03

This is a pretty good story with pretty good acting. Not great by any means and not as good as an average episode of Battlestar Galactica or Star Trek Deep Space Nine. Shows you how far down the Sci Fi movie franchise has fallen that some people think of this as a classic. Not a waste of money but it wouldn't hurt to wait to see it on cable either.

The Best Sci-Fi movie you've never seen!.......2007-06-28

The thing that many people do not understand is that YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A FAN OF THE SHOW TO LOVE THIS MOVIE. This has everything you wish Lucas had provided in the prequels: great acting, kicking action, moving characters, and a great plot. The feel is gritty but with great heart. He has a message but will not preach to you. Surprises, love and a message about humanity make it complete. If you ever wished you could find a Sci-Fi movie on the big screen that you could love, do yourself a favor and give this movie a try. You will not go away unmoved.

SciFi Western.......2007-06-27

I really liked the series. The movie brought alot of answers that the series left open.

The Incredibles (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Pixar Makes Another Hit!
Among my favorites, animated OR live-action.
Jack Jack Attack
Great Movie
Damaged

The Incredibles (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Starring: Maeve Andrews , Michael Bird (IV) , Wayne Canney , Kimberly Adair Clark , and Spencer Fox (II)
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Animation | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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Toy Story 2 (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B00005JN4W
Release Date: 2005-03-15

Amazon.com essential video

After creating the last great traditionally animated film of the 20th century, The Iron Giant, filmmaker Brad Bird joined top-drawer studio Pixar to create this exciting, completely entertaining computer-animated film. Bird gives us a family of "supers," a brood of five with special powers desperately trying to fit in with the 9-to-5 suburban lifestyle. Of course, in a more innocent world, Bob and Helen Parr were superheroes, Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl. But blasted lawsuits and public disapproval forced them and other supers to go incognito, making it even tougher for their school-age kids, the shy Violet and the aptly named Dash. When a stranger named Mirage (voiced by Elizabeth Pena) secretly recruits Bob for a potential mission, the old glory days spin in his head, even if his body is a bit too plump for his old super suit.

Bird has his cake and eats it, too. He and the Pixar wizards send up superhero and James Bond movies while delivering a thrilling, supercool action movie that rivals Spider-Man 2 for 2004's best onscreen thrills. While it's just as funny as the previous Pixar films, The Incredibles has a far wider-ranging emotional palette (it's Pixar's first PG film). Bird takes several jabs, including some juicy commentary on domestic life ("It's not graduation, he's moving from the fourth to fifth grade!").

The animated Parrs look and act a bit like the actors portraying them, Craig T. Nelson and Holly Hunter. Samuel L. Jackson and Jason Lee also have a grand old time as, respectively, superhero Frozone and bad guy Syndrome. Nearly stealing the show is Bird himself, voicing the eccentric designer of superhero outfits ("No capes!"), Edna Mode.

Nominated for four Oscars, The Incredibles won for Best Animated Film and, in an unprecedented win for non-live-action films, Sound Editing.

The Presentation
This two-disc set is (shall we say it?), incredible. The digital-to-digital transfer pops off the screen and the 5.1 Dolby sound will knock the socks off most systems. But like any superhero, it has an Achilles heel. This marks the first Pixar release that doesn't include both the widescreen and full-screen versions in the same DVD set, which was a great bargaining chip for those cinephiles who still want a full-frame presentation for other family members. With a 2.39:1 widescreen ratio (that's big black bars, folks, à la Dr. Zhivago), a few more viewers may decide to go with the full-frame presentation. Fortunately, Pixar reformats their full-frame presentation so the action remains in frame.

The Extras
The most-repeated segments will be the two animated shorts. Newly created for this DVD is the hilarious "Jack-Jack Attack," filling the gap in the film during which the Parr baby is left with the talkative babysitter, Kari. "Boundin'," which played in front of the film theatrically, was created by Pixar character designer Bud Luckey. This easygoing take on a dancing sheep gets better with multiple viewings (be sure to watch the featurette on the short).

Brad Bird still sounds like a bit of an outsider in his commentary track, recorded before the movie opened. Pixar captain John Lasseter brought him in to shake things up, to make sure the wildly successful studio would not get complacent. And while Bird is certainly likable, he does not exude Lasseter's teddy-bear persona. As one animator states, "He's like strong coffee; I happen to like strong coffee." Besides a resilient stance to be the best, Bird threw in an amazing number of challenges, most of which go unnoticed unless you delve into the 70 minutes of making-of features plus two commentary tracks (Bird with producer John Walker, the other from a dozen animators). We hear about the numerous sets, why you go to "the Spaniards" if you're dealing with animation physics, costume problems (there's a reason why previous Pixar films dealt with single- or uncostumed characters), and horror stories about all that animated hair. Bird's commentary throws out too many names of the animators even after he warns himself not to do so, but it's a lively enough time. The animator commentary is of greatest interest to those interested in the occupation.

There is a 30-minute segment on deleted scenes with temporary vocals and crude drawings, including a new opening (thankfully dropped). The "secret files" contain a "lost" animated short from the superheroes' glory days. This fake cartoon (Frozone and Mr. Incredible are teamed with a pink bunny) wears thin, but play it with the commentary track by the two superheroes and it's another sharp comedy sketch. There are also NSA "files" on the other superheroes alluded to in the film with dossiers and curiously fun sound bits. "Vowellet" is the only footage about the well-known cast (there aren't even any obligatory shots of the cast recording their lines). Author/cast member Sarah Vowell (NPR's This American Life) talks about her first foray into movie voice-overs--daughter Violet--and the unlikelihood of her being a superhero. The feature is unlike anything we've seen on a Disney or Pixar DVD extra, but who else would consider Abe Lincoln an action figure? --Doug Thomas

More Incredibles at Amazon.com

The Incredibles Toy Store
CD Soundtrack
The Art of The Incredibles Book

Game Boy Advance
On VHS
The Essential Guide Book

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Toy Story, 1995
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Toy Story 2, 1999

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The Incredibles, 2004

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The Iron Giant (Writer/Director)
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The Critic (Consultant)

Description

From the Academy Award(R) winning creators of FINDING NEMO (2003 Best Animated Feature Film) comes the action-packed animated adventure about the mundane and incredible lives of a house full of superheroes. Bob Parr and his wife Helen used to be among the world's greatest crime fighters, saving lives and battling evil on a daily basis. Fifteen years later, they have been forced to adopt civilian identities and retreat to the suburbs where they live "normal" lives with their three kids, Violet, Dash, and Jack-Jack. Itching to get back into action, Bob gets his chance when a mysterious communication summons him to a remote island for a top secret assignment. He soon discovers that it will take a super family effort to rescue the world from total destruction. Exploding with fun and featuring an all-new animated short film, this spectacular 2-disc collector's edition DVD is high-flying entertainment for everyone.

Customer Reviews:

Pixar Makes Another Hit!.......2007-06-14

The Incredibles is a fun story about a family of super heroes and how they try to integrate back into society once super heroes are outlawed due to lawsuits. (Some people just don't want to be saved!) A funny concept! Great characters, a great villian, a great family movie!

Among my favorites, animated OR live-action........2007-05-22

This is, hands down, my favorite animated film. But more than that, it's one of my favorite movies of all time. Not only is the look gorgeous (at once modern and retro), but it has one of the most emotionally complex storylines of any "kids" movie I've seen - dealing with mortality, family dynamics, and more. The filmmakers get a lot of mileage out of an extraordinary family having to deal with ordinary situations, and some of the dialogue to that effect is truly thought-provoking. In addition, for comic book geeks, there are some great bits poking fun at the habits of superheroes and supervillians. All in all, a brilliant, touching, and hilarious movie that most everyone can enjoy on many different levels, though it's not a film I'd recommend for very young kids.

Jack Jack Attack.......2007-04-27

i think the incredibles is a great film, my baby girl has seen it like a hundred times, and i'm still not as sick of it as blues clues.
though the main character, mr incredible, in the beginning of the film, is pompous and perfect, it then reflects the problems with our society as a whole, how we mistreat those who sacrifice themselves for us, how good, honest people, even perfect people, can get screwed and spend 15 years of misery, struggling to survive...subjecting themselves to complete diminishment by other evil and vindictive people, reducing their lives to near nothing...but good people will only let ya push 'em so far...
try to harm their families... and they will fight back, and win.
and i love the adult humor within, like when middle-aged mom sees the reflection of her bottom and then desperately sighs. too funny. :-)

i especially like the short film on the second disc called "jack-jack-attack"....it shows what the babysitter kara had to go through while everyone was away...incredibly funny.
wake.

Great Movie.......2007-04-25

Another great movie that we have watched with our 3 yr old over and over.

Damaged.......2007-04-22

When I played it there were skips and and freezes and read all kinds of errors, pixeles. I am requesting a replacement.

Average customer rating:

Teaching is (or at least should be) a "Wonderful Burden"
Every student should view this movie!
Thought Provoking
Been there done that
Young, entertaining & thought provoking!

Freedom Writers (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Hilary Swank , Patrick Dempsey , Scott Glenn , Imelda Staunton , and April L. Hernandez
Director: Richard LaGravenese
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000NOK1KM
Release Date: 2007-04-17

Amazon.com

Though the "inspirational teacher" theme may feel done to death, Freedom Writers succeeds because it emphasizes the students as much as the teacher. Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby, Boys Don't Cry) comes to a southern California high school bubbling over with naive optimism, but quickly discovers that her unruly classroom isn't easily won over by her good intentions. After a few floundering attempts to connect with her students, Gruwell gives them the assignment of keeping journals about their own lives--an assignment that the class bites into with relish, which eventually bonds them together and pushes racial rivalries aside. This plotline has been made before, sometimes well, sometimes poorly; Freedom Writers, by drawing heavily from the published journals of the students--and thanks to a (mostly) unheroic script, direction that emphasizes individual characters over stereotypes, and rigorous performances from the whole cast--makes the story seem fresh and genuine. Swank does solid work, but the standouts are April L. Hernandez as a girl whose gang wants her to lie and send an innocent boy to jail and Imelda Staunton (Vera Drake) as a teacher who resents Gruwell's offbeat success. Also featuring Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy), Scott Glenn (The Right Stuff), and a plethora of strong young actors. --Bret Fetzer

Beyond Freedom Writers

More Inspirational Teacher Films on DVD
The Freedom Writers Diary
by Erin Gruwell
More DVDs Starring Hilary Swank

Stills from Freedom Writers (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

Teaching is (or at least should be) a "Wonderful Burden".......2007-07-01

Although there is a certain political agenda poured on this film, it can all be forgiven due to its one unique message. Teaching is a calling, not a career. And although there are certain merits in the arguments of the antagonist in the story, about the need to be fair to students who want to learn and succeed, a true master teacher knows that differences are made one student at a time, and as a master teacher taught me in a class on teaching; "They don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care."

So I feel this is an inspiring film for teachers, and would be teachers, in every endeavor, or as the film states, those "blessed with a wonderful burden"

Every student should view this movie!.......2007-06-27

This was an awesome movie! My High School students enjoyed it so much that many of them went out and rented it so that they could view it a second or third time. They have requested to read the "Freedom Writers Diary this next year. Several have been inspired to write their own stories and these are learning disabled kids that hate to read and write.

Thought Provoking.......2007-06-27

I rented this movie the day it was released on DVD, then had to buy it & have already watched in twice more. A powerful movie that represents so many of our youth that are too often forgotten, or considered failed w/o any chances/hope. Definate food for thought & a must see for everyone.

Been there done that.......2007-06-27

There is NOTHING original about this movie. It has been done before and better (Dangerous Minds & Stand and Deliver). It's portrial of the inner city students is watered down and the acting is nothing special. I would not even suggest catching this one on HBO for free.

Young, entertaining & thought provoking!.......2007-06-23

If you like the movie Paying it Forward, you will like this movie. This movie is a must see, for it is not only entertaining but most importantly it is thought provoking. See the Freedom Writers movie, it is reminiscent of a dream that a great man had many years ago. He dreamt that all men lived like brothers. Be encouraged to try and make a difference!At My Father's Knee

Average customer rating:

One that you just love
A highly welcome new edition of a unique and marvelous film
A criminally underrated conclusion to a criminally underrated series

Serenity (Collector's Edition)
Starring: Nathan Fillion , Gina Torres , Alan Tudyk , Morena Baccarin , and Adam Baldwin
Director: Joss Whedon
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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

Firefly: The Official Companion: Volume Two
Serenity Found: More Unauthorized Essays on Joss Whedon's Firefly Universe (Smart Pop series)
Heroes - Season 1
Firefly: The Official Companion: Volume One
Done The Impossible: The Fans' Tale of Firefly & Serenity

ASIN: B000Q9IZ5C
Release Date: 2007-08-21

Studio description

Serenity, the action-packed event that delivers thrilling non-stop adventure, incredible battles in dangerous worlds and spectacular visual effects, is now available in a Special 2-Disc Collector's Edition containing all-new bonus content and never-seen-before footage! With over 30 minutes of all-new special features and special collectible packaging, the Serenity - Collector's Edition is a must own for all true Sci-Fi and Joss Whedon fans! All-new 2-disc edition will include 6 completely new bonus elements including cast & filmmaker commentary. Will also include all bonus features from previous release.

All New Bonus Features:
-Extended Scenes (6:45)
-Take A Walk on Serenity (4:00) Cast and Crew take us on a special tour of the Serenity space ship
-A Filmmaker's Journey (19:49) Take A Journey with Joss Whedon from script to the big screen
-The Green Clan (3:03) An expose on Cinematographer Jack Green and his team
-Sci-Fi Inside: Serenity (21:41) Hosted by Adam Baldwin, an in-depth look at the film that was resurrected from a cancelled television show, as well as its supportive culture.
-Session 416 (7:52) These internet pieces document a portion of River's participation in a psychological study and her interactions with her therapist.
-Feature Commentary with Director Joss Whedon and Cast Members Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, Summer Glau, and Ron Glass

Customer Reviews:

One that you just love.......2007-06-28

I saw Serenity on cable and for no apparent reason. It was going to be on, I read a review and so I watched. I'd never seen, nor heard of Firefly at this point in time.

I just loved this movie and I didn't know why. Something about it was just so great. Movies like this come along for people sometimes. It's all about personal taste, and this one suited mine (and many others as well). It became the movie that I would fall asleep to on several nights. Soothing, I guess you could say.

Once I realized that there was a whole season of Serentity out there in a boxed set called Firefly, I bought it right away. Loved that too. Probably even more than the movie.

Anyways. Buy the movie. Buy the Series. Buy everything, and then buy it again for your best friend. If enough people do that, maybe if we're lucky, we'll get another movie or a 2nd chance on the show. If not, well, at least we'll have what we got!

Keep flying

A highly welcome new edition of a unique and marvelous film.......2007-06-23

Despite a lack of box office success at the time of its initial release, SERENITY has gone on to be a consistently strong seller on the DVD market. Much like the DVD of FIREFLY, it never topped the Best Seller lists (except at Amazon.com and other on line sellers), but like the series box set it has continued to sell to both old and new fans, gradually building an audience. I'm aware that some people feel that the film is not intelligible without having seen the series first. I saw the series several times before seeing the film in the theater, so I am unable to address this. I will say that my sister and one of her sons saw the film on DVD and loved it. They then got the FIREFLY set and became big fans of the series as well. My point is that not everyone finds the film hard to follow if they haven't seen the series, but I do believe that the film is best viewed as a wrap up of FIREFLY.

In a way, Joss Whedon has broken a promise. This is a good thing. At the time of the initial DVD release he stated that there would not be a later DVD release. This was in response to complaints that Universal (a studio I have warm feelings for because their logo comes up every time I pop my BATTLESTAR GALACTICA DVDs into my player) is fairly notorious for double-dipping, i.e., releasing a DVD and then a few months later releasing an expanded version of the DVD, perhaps to release an even more expanded or "director's cut" version a few months after that. Many studios engage in this practice, but Universal seems to be the worst of the bunch. But this release comes largely as the result of fan requests. There actually was a two-disc version of SERENITY released in Australia (which I took the effort to track down on eBay, though I can only watch it on my computer using AnyDVD to get past the regional coding) with a different set of extra features available on this new release. I'm delighted that SERENITY is finally getting the 2-disc treatment in the US as well. Fans of the TV show never got all the FIREFLY that we wanted so each additional exposure to Mal and his crew is like water to someone dying of thirst.

FIREFLY/SERENITY will, I believe, be viewed as critical, along with BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, in redefining film and TV Sci-fi. The two shows (and I do think of SERENITY as the final act of FIREFLY) established a new aesthetic for Sci-fi by bringing a new sense of realism along with a rejection of what could be called Magic Science for plot resolution. By Magic Science I am thinking of all those situations in a host of movies and TV episodes (STARGATE SG-1 specialized in this) where a very imaginative physics is utilized to get the heroes out of a dangerous situation. Our heroes might be caught in a time warp that can only be overcome by reversing the polarity of the warp drive engines, or, uh, something. Neither FIREFLY nor BSG engage in such shenanigans. Their solutions to problems always seem very much like the kind of solutions that we would utilize. In other words, both shows eschew scientific gimmicks. The two also refuse to employ that old stock in trade, the alien. There simply are no aliens on either FIREFLY or BSG. The Reavers are very much a human creation, as are the Cylons. Furthermore, both strive for more realistic visuals. Although SERENITY employs more traditional film techniques (thanks to highly regarded cinematographer Jack Green), both these series largely used hand held cameras (especially BSG, which uses exclusively high def video). FIREFLY pioneered the technique, later employed magnificently by BSG, of employing "zoom" in CGI shots. In both shows one will see a spaceship and then the "camera" (which doesn't exist) zooms in, going briefly out of focus while the visual field is adjusted, for a closer look. Not surprisingly, the special effects outfit that originated this for FIREFLY, Zoic, later provided special effects for BSG. (In fact, they couldn't resist putting Serenity into the BSG Miniseries. If you watch the first scene in Caprica City, where the camera first looks up through a skylight and then lowers down into what turns out to be the office of Laura Roslin's doctor, Serenity can be seen as the only ship going from right to left.) And both shows introduced retro elements to provide a unique look. FIREFLY is influenced by a 19th century Old West look in clothing and weaponry, along with a number of Oriental elements, while BSG often uses design from the forties and fifties (e.g., the phones on the show were taken from a WW II submarine). In the past, new Sci-fi TV series set in space basically had to define themselves against the aesthetic of the Star Trek shows. In the future, they are going to define themselves against the recreation of Sci-fi brought about by FIREFLY and BSG.

FIREFLY and SERENITY, as well as BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and ANGEL, can in many ways be viewed as a product of Third Wave feminism. (Anyone doubting the centrality of feminism in everything that Whedon does--and if you doubt it you simply haven't been paying attention--should go to Youtube.com and search "joss whedon equality now speech" and listen to the speech he gave following an award they gave him.) While TV Sci-fi has long been a means for representing nontraditional roles for women, Whedon has been instrumental in taking this to the next level. Buffy Summers was created specifically to be a feminist cultural icon and there is no question that Whedon succeeded. She might not fit the ideal criteria set forward by Second Wave feminism (or, rather, the caricature of the Second Wave feminism--contrary to the stereotype, most of the major Second Wave feminists wore make up and bras, liked men while hating patriarchy, and were heterosexual), but by Third Wave practice (which is generally viewed as more pro-sex, less PC, more experimental, brasher, and less concerned with victimization than with self-assertion) she is perfect. Whedon loves empowered women. While comics have long had female super heroes, until the nineties there were shockingly few genuine female heroes on TV or in movies. We never thought twice about Batman or Superman or Rambo, but we had to wait a long time to see a strong female hero like Ellen Ripley in film and even longer for Dana Scully, Xena, and Buffy on TV. Why were only men allowed to be fantasy heroes? Some seem to find Buffy objectionable without noting that there never has been a super soldier like Rambo. Following Buffy (who seems to have been the influence on future heroic women, rather than Xena) came a host of empowered women. So it is no surprise that in SERENITY we find that Mal Reynolds's second in command is the tough-as-nails and stoic Zoe, who is just as hardened and combat ready as any of the men. Despite decades of films showing women collapsing at the death of men close to them, we aren't surprised when Zoe postpones mourning the death of her husband. There will be time to cry later, right now there is fighting to be done. And River Tam is one of Whedon's most compelling heroines. River's fight is not just against external monsters, but also against the attempt that has been made to turn her into a monster. A genius and child prodigy, River had been programmed and engineered to becoming an assassin, but was freed by her brother Simon. At the heart of SERENITY is the question whether River will become the killing machine they intended her to be or will she become a person. As Mal asks her, "Are you just a weapon?"

One of the things I love about Joss Whedon is how he continually defies our expectations. He does this marvelously with The Operator, played magnificently by Chiwetel Ejiofor. Working for the powers that be, he sees himself as a good man doing difficult but good things. SERENITY is about the monsters that society creates by the elevation of corporate interests above human interests (yeah, it is a Marxist theme, but any close watcher of BUFFY will recall the famous shot from the end of "Ann," the Season Three premiere, where after Buffy liberates workers from a demon factory, where the workers are literally worked to death, she stands with a hammer and a sickle in her hands). The Operator learns that he has unwittingly helps support powers that have created monsters, whether River or the Reavers. His redemption at the end is classic Whedon.

I don't know what the long-term future of SERENITY will be. It does not completely stand on its own like BLADE RUNNER or THE MATRIX. It will forever be tied to FIREFLY. But I believe that this should be seen as a strength rather than a weakness. Knowing the series lends this film a depth lacking in other series. For instance, knowing that Jayne isn't the trustworthiest soul helps understand some of his actions in the film (not to mention knowing he has a remarkably large collection of T-shirts). Or Kaylee's ongoing attraction to Simon and his odd reluctance to open up to her. Or the long, complicated relationship between Mal and Inara (the greatest tragedy of the film is that their relationship, which was incredibly important for the series, received short shrift--Whedon has promised that if there is a sequel to the film, which at present looks unlikely, that this will be rectified). Or what Shepherd Book's background is. All of which is to say that FIREFLY/SERENITY is unique and wonderful. Along with BSG, this series and film completely renewed my interest in TV Sci-fi.

A criminally underrated conclusion to a criminally underrated series.......2007-06-07

If you're already aquainted with the greatness of Joss Whedon's cult television series "Firefly" then this is a no-brainer. "Serenity" is the best science fiction film since "The Matrix" and for true fans of the series, it is a literal dream come true. Essentially, this film is not so much a stand-alone popcorn affair so much as it is the greatest series finale in history. It's emotional, funny, action-packed, full of quirky characters both familiar and new, and just plain cool to boot. There is also a deep philosophical argument explored as the costs of personal freedom and government control are contrasted in a brilliant manner. Would you choose to live the life of a criminal if it was the only way you could be free? Does a government have the right to take any step necesssary to keep it's citizens under control and happy? "Half of writing history is covering up the truth" is just one of the memorable observations made by our heroes over the course of this journey. The plot centers around insane genius River and her older brother, Simon, who rescued her from a mysterious government facility where she was being experimented on. Part of the genius of the series (and this film) are the insane rantings of River, which begin to make sense if you pay attention. "Old men, covered in blood. It never touched them but they're drowning in it" may seem nonsensical to some, but it is a rather poetic yet eerily accurate representation of both the government officials in her universe, and in ours. The events taking place in this future are vaguely familair as plot devices, but what makes them brilliant is the way they relate to what's happening in our society. Anyhow, back to the plot: River and Simon joined the crew of Serenity, the ship captained by Malcolm Reynolds, a true hero who isn't afraid to break the rules if it means doing the right thing. Serenity's crew includes an endearing assortment of contrasting characters that all get their moments to shine in the film: Jayne the hardcore mercenary, Kailee the loveable mechanic, Mal's old war buddy Zoe, and her pilot/comedian husband Wash are all well represented. Having left Serenity since the original series, Book the minister and Inara -Malcolm's love interest who happens to be a well-respected prostitute (not to mention unbelievably gorgeous)- turn up along the way as well. The style of the universe that our heroes inhabit is still a mix of all of the cultures of "Earth-that-was", primarily american and asian, with cursing in chinese being an amusing device for letting characters express their disapproval realistically and emphatically without getting an "R" rating in the process. If you've never seen "Firefly", do not hesitate; go buy it this very moment and see what you've been missing out on, then I can guarantee that this film will blow you away. If you are just looking for a spectacle like "Star Wars", legendary action sequences like "The Matrix", or just some light sci-fi fare, you will be disappointed. This movie is both epic and personal, hilarious and heart-breaking, deeply thoughtful yet fun. It represents the fulfillment of a promise from it's creator and is a miracle unto itself that came about simply because the fans refused to let his brilliant creation die just because of a bad decision by a television executive who hated science fiction. The story behind the film is almost as uplifting as the film itself and serves to justify those of us who support the things we love, even years after they've "died". Not fitting into any particular established pop culture mold -not unlike the characters themselves-, "Firefly" and "Serenity" may have flown in under the public's radar, but for those of us who know what great entertainment is capable of, this is the stuff we live for seeing and we're happy to keep it our little secret.

Average customer rating:

Amazing movie!
something old, something new
O Brother Where Art Thou
One of my favorites
Worthwhile music, movie falls flat.

O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Starring: Michael Badalucco , George Clooney , Frank Collison , Charles Durning , and Wayne Duvall
Director: Joel Coen
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
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ASIN: B00003CXRM
Release Date: 2001-06-12

Amazon.com

Only Joel and Ethan Coen, the fraternal director and producer team behind art-house hits such as The Big Lebowski and Fargo and masters of quirky and ultra-stylish genre subversion, would dare nick the plot line of Homer's Odyssey for a comic picaresque saga about three cons on the run in 1930s Mississippi. Our wandering hero in this case is one Ulysses Everett McGill, a slick-tongued wise guy with a thing about hair pomade (George Clooney, blithely sending up his own dapper image) who talks his chain-gang buddies (Coen-movie regular John Turturro and newcomer Tim Blake Nelson) into lighting out after some buried loot he claims to know of. En route they come up against a prophetic blind man on a railroad truck, a burly, one-eyed baddie (the ever-magnificent John Goodman), a trio of sexy singing ladies, a blues guitarist who's sold his soul to the devil, a brace of crooked politicos on the stump, a manic-depressive bank robber, and--well, you get the idea. Into this, their most relaxed film yet, the Coens have tossed a beguiling ragbag of inconsequential situations, a wealth of looping, left-field dialogue, and a whole stash of gags both verbal and visual. O Brother (the title's lifted from Preston Sturges's classic 1941 comedy Sullivan's Travels) is furthermore graced with glowing, burnished photography from Roger Deakins and a masterly soundtrack from T-Bone Burnett that pays loving homage to American '30s folk styles--blues, gospel, bluegrass, jazz, and more. And just to prove that the brothers haven't lost their knack for bad-taste humor, we get a Ku Klux Klan rally choreographed like a cross between a Nuremberg rally and a Busby Berkeley musical. --Philip Kemp

Description

Disenchanted with the daily drudge of crushing rocks on a prison farm in Mississippi, the dapper, silver-tongued Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney, THE PERFECT STORM) busts loose. Except he's still shackled to his own chain-mates from the chain gang -- bad-tempered Pete (John Turturro, SUMMER OF SAM), and sweet, dimwitted Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson, HAMLET). With nothing to lose and buried loot to regain -- before it's lost forever in a flood -- the three embark on the adventure of a lifetime in this hilarious offbeat road picture. Populated with strange characters, including a blind prophet, sexy sirens, and a one-eyed Bible salesman (John Goodman, COYOTE UGLY), it's an odyssey filled with chases, close calls, near misses, and betrayal that will leave you laughing at every outrageous and surprising twist and turn.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing movie!.......2007-07-03

This is a classy release of an all-time-favorite classic. George Clooney played Batman, and here he's doing a hillbilly chicken dance in a fake beard. Great writing, great acting, great music. What's not to love? We wore out our VHS copy!

something old, something new.......2007-06-30

Comedies don't get much better than this.

Clooney, Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson are relentlessly hilarious in this loosely Homeric epic of escape from a chain gang in America's early twentieth-century South. You can love this movie without knowing Homer, of course, though it's based on that bard's Oddysey.

That's the common touch of both Homer and his erstwhile partners-in-crime, producers Ethan and Joel Coen.

Filming this flick must have been more fun than a body should have. From the blind oracle on the railroad pump-car warning about the 'Ob-stackles of life' to the 'Sigh-REENS' that appear to have 'loved (Pete) up ... and then turned him into a horny toad' to the delicious stares and triumphant penultimate scene where the Soggy Bottom Boys regale a political rally with their irresistable hit 'Man of Constant Sorrows', O BROTHER never falters.

It's a film for watching over and over again, preferably introducing somebody who hasn't seen it each time you do.

Ne'er doubt! Buy O BROTHER WHERE ARE THOU and hold onto it for dear life.

O Brother Where Art Thou.......2007-05-17

O Brother Where Art Thou

Title: O Brother Where Art Thou
Director: Joel Coen
Release Date: 2000

Based on the epic by Homer, this movie takes place at the end of the Great Depression area of 1935. Three men named Everet (George Clooney), Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson), and Pete (John Turino), escape on a chain gang in southern Mississippi. When they escape, they meet a man that is blind from polyps that is similar to Homer. The man tells the three men that they must travel to seek the desire that they want. Everet thinks that the old man was making nonsense, but Delmar and Pete think that the old man was telling the truth in their future. The men do a lot of things in this movie such as getting saved, making a record, helping a thief in a bank robbery, and confronting the KKK. (Klu Klux Klan) This movie is rated PG- 13 so the adults might not want to let their kids want to watch the movie. They also have a great soundtrack that won a Grammy for soundtrack of the year. The movie has funny jokes that make you crack up laughing. George Clooney gives one of his best roles of his career. John Goodman guest stars in the movie as a con man that steals the men's money. The people who like funny country movies, this might be the movie for you. It won't be long until this movie will become apart of your DVD collection.

One of my favorites.......2007-04-10

I've given this movie more repeat views than maybe any other movie ever, for two reasons. Firstly, there is the incredible soundtrack--I was not a bluegrass fan until I fell in love with this movie, and the songs were good enough to win me over. Secondly, the dialogue is hilarious. Every time I watch it, I catch a little bit I may have missed before. Coens at their best. Made me rethink my opinion of George Clooney, as well.

Worthwhile music, movie falls flat........2007-04-07

I think it's odd that the movie announces at the beginning that it's based on Homer's Odyssey, as the storyline barely follows in the theme of The Odyssey at all. The music is awesome and I reccomend the soundtrack, but honestly the movie didn't do it for me. Weak plot, annoying characters, lame ending. I just wasn't impressed at all.

Average customer rating:

Still My All-Time Favorite!
A Favorite Film
Classic
It Moved Me.
Some of Barry's Best Work

Out of Africa
Starring: Meryl Streep , Robert Redford , Klaus Maria Brandauer , Michael Kitchen , and Malick Bowens
Director: Sydney Pollack
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
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ASIN: 0783240171
Release Date: 2000-02-29

Amazon.com essential video

Sydney Pollack's 1985 multiple-Oscar winner is a sumptuous and emotionally satisfying film about the life of Danish writer Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep), better known as Isak Dinesen, who travels to Kenya to be with her German husband (Klaus Maria Brandauer) but falls for an English adventurer (Robert Redford). The film is slow in developing the relationship, but it is rich in beautiful images of Africa and in the romantic tone surrounding Blixen's gradual discovery of her life and voice. One downside: while we may all love Redford, he is as convincingly British as Kevin Costner is in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. --Tom Keogh

Description

The most acclaimed motion picture of 1985 stars Robert Redford and Meryl Streep in one of the screen's great epic romances. Directed by Oscar winner Sydney Pollack, Out of Africa is the fascinating true story of Karen Blixen, a strong-willed woman who, with her philandering husband (Klaus Maria Brandauer), runs a coffee plantation in Kenya, circa 1914. To her astonishment, she soon discovers herself falling in love with the land, its people and a mysterious white hunter (Redford). The masterfully crafted, breathtakingly produced story of love and loss earned Oscars for Best Picture, Director, Screenplay (based on material from another medium), Cinematography, Original Score, Art Direction (Set Decoration) and Sound.

Customer Reviews:

Still My All-Time Favorite!.......2007-07-04

This true story's appeal is for all generations.A movie that intrigues and captivates as it tells of courage and perseverance while maintaining a tension of romance throughout.It is made of everything a great story should be.Meryl Streep and Robert Redford are the perfect actors for these roles.Immerse yourself!

A Favorite Film.......2007-06-09

This is one of my two favorite films of all time. The sweep and grandeur, along with the beautiful human elements makes this film a keeper!

Classic.......2007-06-08

This is one of the great classic films with wonderful actors, beautiful story and great photography. Love It

It Moved Me........2007-06-05

A masterpiece of cinematic beauty. This film is based on Danish writer Karen Blixen's(Isak Dinesen)years in Africa. One of the great performances of Meryl Streep, in a career of many great performances.

The story of a strong, yet very sensitive woman who follows her husband to Kenya to start a Coffee Plantation. His philandering ways soon leaves her with syphilis. Of course their relationship ends, and she is romanced by the Brit' Denys Finch Hatton, played by Robert Redford minus an ascent. One of the few often heard complaints during the film's release. But their chemistry still makes for one of the great screen romances ever.

1985's Best Motion Picture Academy Award winner, a year that saw many superb films. One of my other favorites that year was "The Color Purple", either one of which was worthy of the award in my book. Sydney Pollack also received the Best Director Academy Award for some of his most ingenius work. One of the most beautifully photographed films is magnificently transferred to DVD, though if you've never seen it on the big screen don't miss the opportunity should it ever arise. And John Barry's musical score makes for an even more breathtaking experience.

Some of Barry's Best Work.......2007-05-11

Everything it seems, has been said about this gorgeous film, except perhaps about the sound track. John Barry's work is outstanding and seems to enhance the move at its most powerful moments. The lasting impression I have more than two decades after the movie is the "Flight over Africa," when Denys takes his love up for a flight in his plane. I could watch - and listen - a million times and be enthralled every time.

Average customer rating:

A horribly boring movie
Is it a history lesson? Perhaps not. An enjoyable film...definitely!
An Action Packed Adventure
National Treasure
An Amusement Park Ride

National Treasure (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Nicolas Cage , Diane Kruger , Justin Bartha , Sean Bean , and Jon Voight
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
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ASIN: B00005JN5E
Release Date: 2005-05-03

Amazon.com

Like a Hardy Boys mystery on steroids, National Treasure offers popcorn thrills and enough boyish charm to overcome its rampant silliness. Although it was roundly criticized as a poor man's rip-off of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Da Vinci Code, it's entertaining on its own ludicrous terms, and Nicolas Cage proves once again that one actor's infectious enthusiasm can compensate for a multitude of movie sins. The contrived plot involves Cage's present-day quest for the ancient treasure of the Knights Templar, kept secret through the ages by Freemasons past and present. Finding the treasure requires the theft of the Declaration of Independence (there are crucial treasure clues on the back, of course!), so you can add "caper comedy" to this Jerry Bruckheimer production's multi-genre appeal. Nobody will ever accuse director Jon Turtletaub of artistic ambition, but you've got to admit he serves up an enjoyable dose of PG-rated entertainment, full of musty clues, skeletons, deep tunnels, and harmless adventure in the old-school tradition. It's a load of hokum, but it's fun hokum, and that makes all the difference. --Jeff Shannon

Description

From Jerry Bruckheimer, producer of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, and Jon Turteltaub, director of PHENOMENON, comes NATIONAL TREASURE. It's the thrilling, edge-of-your-seat adventure starring Academy Award® winner Nicolas Cage (1995 Best Actor, LEAVING LAS VEGAS) as Benjamin Franklin Gates. Ever since he was a boy, Gates has been obsessed with finding the legendary Knights Templar Treasure, the greatest fortune known to man. As Gates tries to find and decipher ancient riddles that will lead him to it, he's dogged by a ruthless enemy (Sean Bean, THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy) who wants the riches for himself. Now in a race against time, Gates must steal one of America's most sacred and guarded documents -- the Declaration of Independence -- or let it, and a key clue to the mystery, fall into dangerous hands. Heart-pounding chases, close calls, and the FBI turn Gates's quest into a high-stakes crime caper and the most exciting treasure hunt you've ever experienced.

Customer Reviews:

A horribly boring movie.......2007-06-30

"National Treasure" is a horrible movie. I knew within the first 60 seconds of watching that it was hokey and cliche, but I was willing to sit through it if it was at least entertaining. It wasn't. The one redeeming quality the movie could have had was the clues to the treasure. Give the audience something to guess at. But the clues turned out to be so obscure and hidden in meaning that they might as well been written in a foreign language.

There are alot of good reviews for this movie for some reason. But when you watch "National Treasure", as I know you will, remember my words. You will at first feel disgusted by the awful acting, then betrayed by the cliche action scenes that you have seen a hundred times before. A strange sensation will creep through your body, like you are slowly dying. But don't worry, this is only extreme boredom. You'll hope that the movie will redeem itself and begin to be entertaining, but it won't. After what seems like an enternity, 2 hours and 11 minutes will roll by, and then you can think "Boy, that one reviewer sure was right. This move was awful!".

Don't say you weren't warned.

Is it a history lesson? Perhaps not. An enjoyable film...definitely!.......2007-06-17

I just wrote a review for the horrendous "Ghost Rider," in which I mentioned "National Treasure" as an example of a recent Cage film that didn't deserve the negative criticism it received (in contrast to the deservedly-dogged "Ghost Rider"), and was thus inspired to write a review in defense of "National Treasure." As I have read from other reviews here, most people agree that while the film isn't a history lesson, it's a darn good time at the movies, and it should have been rated by critics by such. It's a popcorn flick, pure and simple, and in that context, it works flawlessly. It's tremendously entertaining, and it accomplishes that goal while being family-friendly (PG). The thing that always makes me laugh regarding most "critics" of film is that their reviews are essentially little more than a paragraph attempting to display the wit, knowledge, and general intelligence they believe they possess; they're in such constant defense of these self-inflated traits that they destroy any picture with a smidgeon of disregard for historical accuracy, while forgetting that movies are created, above all else, to entertain (unless they're labeled "documentaries"). Do we care whether or not the founding fathers and the freemasons could have feasibly put an invisible map on the back of the Declaration of Independence? Should we be more concerned with whether or not the idea is even logistically fathomable or if the picture is entertaining? For my money, I want to see the entertaining picture (and so does 99% of the population)...and this is what the majority of critics fail to admit, in my opinion, in vigorously defending their "intelligence" in their "reviews." If I wanted to get out of work on a Friday to go and watch a depressing, miserable film with zero entertainment value simply because it happens to be historically accurate (hence, lacking sex appeal), I'd be on the watch for the sequel to "The Fog of War." However, I pay to see movies to be taken out of reality, and to have fun...just like everybody else, ultimately. I'm not ashamed to admit that I love this film, nor should the critics that publicly slandered it while probably watching it on a weekly basis in the privacy of their homes. Thus, I highly recommend it to any fan of, well, enjoying themselves via the watching of film, and I'd state that proof of the points I've made in this review will be made evident via the box office receipts of the upcoming sequel. I'll be first in line, and so will the critics!

An Action Packed Adventure.......2007-05-21

National Treasure is one of the premier movies ever. Beautifully produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Junction Entertainment, and Saturn Films this movie, which was released on November 19, 2004, brought in 338 million dollars in the worldwide box office. The movie was rated PG because of action violence and some scary images. Filming for the movie was spectacularly completed on location at many of the historical sites where the story took place, the acting was superb, and the running time of 131 minutes provides plenty of entertainment. Why not watch it today?

When Benjamin Franklin Gates was young his grandfather told him a story that would change his life. Intently Ben listened as his Grandfather told him of a massive, ancient mysterious treasure, which had been fought over for centuries. The treasure had vanished. Feeling that because the treasure was too valuable, it was too great for one man to have, a group called the Freemasons hid the treasure leaving behind a series of clues to its location. In 1832 the last remaining signer of the Declaration of Independence was about to die, and with him the last clue would die, but just before he died he told the clue to his stable boy Tom Gates. The clue that said, "The secret lies with Charlotte," was passed down from generation to generation in the Gates family and each had spent years of their lives searching for the treasure without success until, finally Ben began searching. The treasure was like a needle in a haystack but Ben devoted his life to finding it.

Quickly Ben found a ship, which was named Charlotte, trapped north of the Arctic Circle. Although the treasure was not aboard the ship Ben easily discovered the next clue. After he understood the clue Ben realized that his treasure hunting was over because the map he would need was hidden on the back of the Declaration of Independence in invisible ink. Knowing that it was not possible to get his hands on the Declaration, Ben was ready to give up. His colleague did not agree. Ian Howe who had come along to help Ben decided that he would steal the Declaration, but when Ben would not go through with it he trapped Ben and his friend Riley Poole in the ship which was full of burning gunpowder. After Ben and Riley survived the exploding ship they went to the government to warn them that the Declaration was going to be stolen, but they were assured that the priceless document was safe.

When Ben was unable to convince the government that the Declaration was in danger he realized that the only way to keep the document safe was to steal it himself. He knew it was wrong. He knew it was impossible. He knew it was insane. Stealing the Declaration was not going to be easy so Ben and Riley carefully planned out each step as they prepared for their impossible mission. Unlike Ben, who was planning a stealth mission to steal the document, Ian and his disreputable friends were planning to use force to reach the Declaration. Quickly Ben made his way to the Declaration of Independence but because of Ian's seemingly endless resources he was right behind him. Who would claim the treasure and who would be left behind? One thing is sure, reaching the Declaration was only the beginning of Ben's dangerous journey to the treasure.

Acting in National Treasure is brilliantly done by many great actors including Nicholas Cage who played the part of Ben. The director of the extraordinary film was Jon Turtletaub. National Treasure is a must see movie that will be enjoyed again and again.

National Treasure.......2007-05-07

National Treasure (Full Screen Edition)An Awesome movie for those who enjoy treasure hunting movies as well action/ suspense movies. Nicolas Cage does an excellent job as Benjamin Franklin Gates, a descendant of a family obssessed with finding a lost treasure connected with history. Sean Bean does an excellent job of playing the man obssessed with finding and keeping the treasure, while Nicolas Cage , predictably, plays the one who lives up to the mandate and turns the treasure over the entire world.

Well worth watching with all of the twists and suspense involved in the plot.

An Amusement Park Ride.......2007-05-07

"National Treasure" isn't a bad movie. It's just one of those productions calculated to hit every predictable result in its target audience, as polished and hermetically sealed as the fabled treasure its characters seek. Nicholas Cage, who long ago entertained me somehow in "Valley Girl" and "Raising Arizona," turns in his requisite blank performance as Benjamin Franklin Gates, the last, we're told, of a family of well-to-do, toupeed kooks obsessed with finding the treasure of colonial Free Masons. Perhaps disturbingly, the women of the family are long gone, leaving first Christopher Plummer and then Jon Voight to impart wisdom in their off-kilter ways, though the love interest played by the Keira Knightly-ish (herself rather Winona Ryder-ish) Diana Kruger does her chilly best to keep the boys honest. When Gates is double-crossed by Bond wannabe Sean Bean, things get tense, first as the ex-partners each devise a robbery of the Declaration of Independence and later, when the film gets inspiration from the Indiana Jones series in what looks like the next attraction at Disney World. Director Jon Turteltaub keeps things moving at a brisk pace, helped by a percussive, familiar electronic score, which is good considering the story mostly consists of standard chases and a rundown of clues that seems right out of "Scooby Doo." The mystery itself is as convoluted as they come - you'll give up trying to keep track of things -- though the location shooting, especially in Philadelphia, manages to capture the majesty of America's wonderful historical locations. Supporting efforts from Harvey Keitel, as a tired FBI agent, are largely wasted, though a lot less of Justin Bartha, as the annoying computer nerd, would have been welcome. It really deserves three and a half stars, but four just wouldn't be accurate.

The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Extra Frills Edition)

Average customer rating:

A must see
must see
Hugo Weaving is adorable!
A bus they name Priscilla
"I Love The Nightlife. . . I want to boogie"

The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Extra Frills Edition)
Starring: Alan Dargin , Bill Hunter , Ken Radley , Terence Stamp , and Hugo Weaving
Director: Stephan Elliot
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Gay & Lesbian | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000OPOAKC
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Amazon.com essential video

A surprise hit in America, this 1994 Australian comedy is anchored by Terence Stamp as a transsexual who, in the company of two drag queens, travels to a remote desert location to put on a lip- synch performance--to the amazement of the locals. Getting there on a pink bus named Priscilla, the trio stop and play for people all over the Outback, getting the same homophobic, bewildered responses. The weak link in the film is dialogue that seems to have been pulled from "Queer Movie Banter for Dummies," all bitchy and cliché-ridden but fortunately salvaged by strong acting. The most fun comes whenever the three are performing; fans of Abba will be particularly pleased. The DVD release has optional full-screen and widescreen presentations, cast and crew bios, optional French and Spanish subtitles. --Tom Keogh

Description

They came. They conquered. They looked fabulous. This wonderfully inventive, visually stunning and incomparably funny Australian import about three drag performers braving the vast, rugged outback won the 1994 Academy Award(r) for Costume Design. Veteran actor Terence Stamp (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace), Hugo Weaving (The Matrix), Guy Pearce (L.A. Confidential) all give hilarious ? and heartfelt ? performances in a three-fishes-outta-water story that's "one of the wildest movies ever made" (Rex Reed, New York Observer)! With a contract to perform a drag show way out in the Australian desert, Tick (Weaving), Adam (Pearce) and Ralph (Stamp) each has his own reason for wanting to leave the safety of Sydney. Christening their battered pink tour bus "Priscilla," this wickedly funny and high-drama trio head for the Outback...and into crazy adventures in even crazier outfits. You go, girls!

Customer Reviews:

A must see.......2007-06-27

This is a great movie and a must see. This is much better then what was on TV. Better color and like the extra parts not shown on TV.

must see.......2007-05-24

The original To Wong Foo, really worth a spin. Terrance Stamp and cast are good for a laugh.Drags a bit in spots (pardon the pun), but worth it just to see the costumes, better yet the Aussie wit.

Hugo Weaving is adorable!.......2007-04-16

This is a great movie if you're into this sort of thing. I'm a fan of Rocky Horror and Hedwig and the Angry Inch so I like to add this to the list. Although all three are very different they each have great music. I love the character interaction. Everyone seems to be so comfortable. Great movie!

A bus they name Priscilla.......2007-04-04

There was a real trend in the mid nineties with films like "The Birdcage," "Too Wong Foo," "Its my Party," and "Love! Valor! Compassion!" exploding onto the screen as America began to feel more at ease with its gay brothers and sisters. And as we watched these movies, a whole `Gay Comic Genre' was really born. Also we can't forget about the popularity of gay stand up at that same time.

"Priscilla" did indeed avail itself of this trend, and every gay humor trick in the book. It also managed to slip us some really amazing visual, comic and compassionate moments. Except for rabid, card-carrying homophobes, this Australian road-movie-with-a-difference is a charmer. The three are: aging transsexual Bernadette (Terence Stamp), youngish occasional bisexual Tick or Mitzi (Hugo Weaving) and gay-all-the way Adam or Felicia (Guy Pearce), the youngest.

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