Marines

Starring:Brant Cotton, Frank Sallo, Lawrence Monoson, Andrew Bowen, Thomas R. Martin, George Roberson, Hristo Shopov, Mark Ivanir, Lou Hirsch, Atanas Srebrev, George Stanchev, Yavor Kalinov, Nikolai Iliev (II), Valentin Ganev, Kalin Yavorov, Martin Geraskov, Borislav Chuchkov, Nikolai Ilchev, Dimiter Spasov, Yoanna Boukovska
Director: Mark Roper
Studio: Lions Gate
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Marketing ploy to enjoy
This Time There's More...
A classic science fiction movie with Sigourney Weaver at her best
A brilliant sequel
modern day giant bug movie

Aliens (Special Edition)
Starring: Sigourney Weaver , Carrie Henn , Michael Biehn , Lance Henriksen , and Paul Reiser
Director: James Cameron
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00000ILDE
Release Date: 1999-06-01

Amazon.com essential video

Aliens is one of the few cases of a sequel that far surpassed the original. Sigourney Weaver returns as Ripley, who awakens on Earth only to discover that she has been hibernating in space so long that everyone she knows is dead. Then she is talked into traveling (along with a squad of Marines) to a planet under assault by the same aliens that nearly killed her. Once she gets there, she finds a lost little girl who triggers her maternal instincts--and she discovers that the company has once again double-crossed her, in hopes of capturing one of the aliens to study as a military weapon. Directed and written by James Cameron, this is one of the most intensely exciting (not to mention intensely frightening) action films ever, with a large ensemble cast that includes Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen, Paul Reiser, and Michael Biehn. Weaver defined the action woman in this film and walked away with an Oscar nomination for her trouble. --Marshall Fine

Description

In this action-packed sequel to Alien, Sigourney Weaver returns as Ripley, the only survivor from mankind's first encounter with the monstrous Alien. Her account of the Alien and the fate of her crew are received with skepticism - until the mysterious disappearance of colonists on LV-426 leads her to join a team of high-tech colonial marines sent in to investigate.

Personally supervised by director James Cameron, this special edition includes scenes eliminated prior to the film's 1986 release which broaden the narrative scope and enrich the emotional impact of the film.

Customer Reviews:

Marketing ploy to enjoy.......2007-06-16

If you're not the type to run out and replace your VCR collection as soon as the new format arrives, you probably appreciate a slightly clever ploy to spring for a new version of a classic. An additional 17 minutes of film may seem little justification for this expensive proposition. But seeing the slimey xenomorphs on DVD is reward enough for a fan. The discs include the theatrical release and the director's cut along with other extras, which include an interview with director James Cameron. Cameron dwells excessively on his strained patience dealing with a British film crew. His comments may reveal insight into Cameron's choice to forgo taking the director's seat for the third film (which received some critical acclaim but disappointed fans).

I originally screened Aliens in the theater in July 1986. I remember watching the credits roll with the powerful soundtrack that kept the heart pounding as the last of the text disappeared. Even with the lights coming up, the sound of a slithering alien sent chills down my spine. Sadly, this part of the track is missing from this set.

Successive viewings have not spoiled enjoyment of this finely crafted script and its special effects. Rubber suits, scale models and puppetry have never been used to such great effect. The scenes involving the "drop ship" are stunning. The breathless sequence that takes the drop ship from the mother ship to the planet's surface is but one of many that make this nightmare so real.

Few pauses and a lot of action pace this relentless story. Cameron's decision to write Marines into the confrontation was nothing shy of genius. The Marines think they're heading to a "bug hunt." Bill Paxton's Hudson, who provides comedic relief, describes the array of weaponry they bring. But for all the techno gadetry and fire power, the Marines find themselves stranded amid an army of aliens intent on making them hosts for more bugs. Sigourney Weaver's Ripley, whom we didn't know was a parent from the original release, provides a first-rate performance in the escape ahead of the massing aliens.

Cameron's tip of the hat to Hitchcock is one the best moments in cinematic history. The confrontation in the bowels of the disintegrating atmosphere generating plant is as disturbing as anything science fiction has to offer. Not since Hitchcock's "The Birds" has there been anything like it. And, there's more. The final battle with the queen alien is a masterpiece of action filming. Not until the survivors are snuggly tucked into their cryotubes, do we finally get to gasp a sigh of relief.

This Time There's More..........2007-05-31

After achieving huge critical and box office success with 1979's "Alien", it is surprising that 20th Century Fox didn't rush a sequel into production, although at the time sequels were not so quick to arrive after their predecessors, but still the property was hot and the decision would have made them a lot of money. On the flip side, if a sequel had been rushed, the story may have suffered which would have lent to reduced box office and possibly the death of the franchise, so it's probably a good thing that Fox exercised patience with this franchise and waited 7 years before releasing the James Cameron directed sequel, "Aliens" to excited audiences worldwide.

"Aliens" begins with Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), the only surviving member of the Nostromo crew, being discovered by a salvage ship a half century after the events in "Alien". Upon arriving on Earth, she discovers that a human colony has been set up on the very planet her former crew had found the creatures on. Not surprisingly, contact with that colony has been lost, and a squad of Marines are being prepared to be sent to the planet to determine what happened, if there are any survivors, and exterminate whatever creatures are left. However, the best bet the Marines have for success is if Ripley returns with them to the planet, so after just recovering from her fight with the first alien, and her excessively long sleep, Ripley finds herself face-to-face once more with the creatures of her nightmares.

James Cameron (director of "The Terminator") was given no small task when he wrote and directed this sequel to the incredible 1979 film "Alien". A major decison that Cameron made in creating this movie was changing the tone and type of movie this is from that of its predecessor. Instead of being a methodical game of cat-and-mouse, relying heavily on atmosphere and the audience's imagination to craft the horror like the first movie, "Aliens" was a much more action-packed thrill ride with a little bit of horror thrown into the mix. The decision could have been costly by isolating fans of the work Ridley Scott had done on the first film; however, the decision worked out for the best, delivering audiences what is quite possibly a superior movie to "Alien". The story was much faster paced, yet still not skimpy on the details or the fear factor, with more action involving the aliens. Though shadows were not used as heavily in this film as they were in the original, the suspense surrounding when and where the aliens would strike next was equally thrilling to that of Ridley Scott's creation. The special effects work in this one was better than the original (as it should be considering advancements made during the 7 year gap between films), but the best part about the effects for this movie was the practical effects work that was done to create the massive alien creature known as the Queen. The effects for that alien is some of the best practical effects seen in almost any movie, and the final fight between the Queen and Ripley is incredibly fun to watch.

The cast, led by Sigourney Weaver (the only returning cast member from the original), was full of talented actors such as Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, and Lance Henriksen who each brought a depth and reality to each of their characters that is often lacking in action/horror films. The success of "Aliens", coupled with that of the first film brought even more acclaim for actress Sigourney Weaver, who solidified her place in the pantheon of great action heroes (or heroines), and even garnered her an Oscar nomination for her work in this film.

"Aliens" is rated R for violence and language.

A classic science fiction movie with Sigourney Weaver at her best.......2007-05-17

It is very rare that we have the chance to see a science fiction movie where part two of the movie was better than part one. This is that kind of movie. If you are a fan of science fiction movies then you must add this one to your collection. Although this one was better than the first (Alien 1979), you'll still want to add the first one to your collection as another science fiction classic.

A brilliant sequel.......2007-04-19

James Cameron directed one of the most exciting and fascinating SF action adventure films ever made in Aliens. Not only does the story flow seamlessly from the first film of the series, Alien, but the characters, special effects and directorial pacing cause the film to pound like a sledge hammer from start to finish. The action is nearly non-stop once it begins and the character of Ripley as all protagonists should be, is driven further and further up that tree of absolute peril until you are just sure she'll be torn limb from limb. The grisly antagonists drive the action with such relentless power that the screen seems to come alive with their swarming malice. No surprise there though, since these monsters were dreamt up by Dan O'Bannon and Ron Shusett and brought to organic, ghastly life by the artist and sculptor H.R. Giger. If you haven't seen it, see it. If you've seen it already, see it again and tune into the finer cinematic touches that make the danger so palpable, especially the sound.

modern day giant bug movie.......2007-03-26

Oh yeah. Ripley as the Orkin Man. This is the version with the extra dialog, softening her up a bit. It was a bit noticeable, but I've seen this about 50 times so it was more apparent to me. It was actually kind of good because it made her transformation all the more logical. The movie is rip roaring great on all levels. The bugs are on screen much more than in Alien, and the momma bug is a sight to see. The two momma figures battling it out over their progeny (sort of) is truly great ("leave her alone, you beotch!" being a highlight). Special effects are good, Sigourney Weaver is good, Bill Paxton as the coward is excellent, livening things up a bit.

This movie is in a different category than Alien, the first movie, but as itself it is still great entertainment.

Average customer rating:

Clint Eastwood & the old breed of Marines
Excellent Movie
It got me to join
Worst movie Eastwood ever made
"Shut your mouth, Hippie!"

Heartbreak Ridge
Starring: John Eames , Ramón Franco , Boyd Gaines , Mike Gomez , and Moses Gunn
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005JL1V
Release Date: 2002-10-01

Amazon.com essential video

The controversial, Reagan-era invasion of Grenada by U.S. troops is, oddly enough, at the center of this initially interesting story of a seasoned Marine sergeant (Clint Eastwood) routinely insulted by younger officers for being a symbol of the war that America "lost" in Vietnam. Looking for both a victory and a little redemption, Eastwood's character trains a squadron of scrappy pups and turns them into fighting grunts, just in time to follow White House orders and take the little island. Marsha Mason plays Eastwood's love interest, and Mario Van Peebles is funny as an undisciplined con artist who joins Clint's men and finally catches the spirit after getting his butt kicked a few times. --Tom Keogh

Description

After serving in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, Gunnery Sergeant Tom Highway finds himself with a collection of medals and no war to fight. Training a new group of Marines that are more green than mean, Highway complicates matters by attempting to reconcile with his former wife, Aggie. Rekindling the spark in his failed marriage won't be easy with a crisis brewing in Grenada and his pathetic platoon far from ready.

DVD Features:
Filmographies:Cast/Screenwriter Film Highlights
Interactive Menus
Scene Access
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

Clint Eastwood & the old breed of Marines.......2007-05-13

This is a wonderful movie...showing the difference between the "old breed" and "new breed" of marines. I have seen this MANY times. I know some of the quotes by heart, and started using one of them from time to time.

Excellent Movie.......2007-01-15

I bought this for my brother because he wanted it. We ended up watching it and I was really pulled into this movie. This is not your typical war movie, but more about how Clint transforms a bunch of poor soldiers into fighting men. A fine movie!

It got me to join.......2006-11-12

"Heartbreak ridge," is one of those movies that I think turned into an unintentional recruiting movie. First off, for those true devil dogs, like me, you all recognize Eastwood's character of GySgt Highway as the epitomy of what Chesty Puller described as a Marine. How many marines have encountered Gunnys, Sergeant Majors, and First Sergeants that held the same attitude and mystique that Gunny Highway had? I mean, first off, a combat veterean who tells a POG (Marines will know that term) officer to go "F" himself, is the kind of NCO we wanted to follow. I know that when I first watched this movie, it made me want to join (which I did) and be just like Gunny Highway (which I didn't). For the people who see this movie and say it portrays the Corps in a negative light, go live with a Marine infantry unit, and you'll see how realistic it is. It may not be the best Marine Corps story (I save that for Jarhead), but its one of the best out there, better than Full Metal Jacket. I reccomend that all 0311 Marines, and really, any Marine, should add this to their "Must- Own" collection.

Worst movie Eastwood ever made.......2006-09-17

This movie is so bad that even the Army, which supported it at first, withdrew there support. Eastwood's character started his career in the US Army during the Korean War where he fought in a battle later called "Heartbreak Ridge". The story line was so inept and the telling of the tale so bad that the Army withdrew its support in the production. The film company then had to rewrite to scipt so that Eastwood's character changes services and enlist in the USMC after the Korean War and fights in the Vietnam War.

So all of you "Leathernecks" looking for a "pride of the Corps" tale should pass, it isn't going to happen in this story. In fact, the movie takes pains to present the USMC in a very negative light. That the Corps continued to support this production reflects just how desperate it was for any mention from Hollywood.

The script is pathetic, the production weak, and the conclusion unsupportable. Send Hollywood a message and do not support this movie.

"Shut your mouth, Hippie!".......2006-09-05

An excellent movie, Heartbreak Ridge, brings to the screen the story of a down-on-his-luck sergeant in the U.S. Marines who is given another chance/shot at what he loves the most: his job, his woman, and his men.
Clint Eastwood and the rest of the cast have truly outdone themselves with their performances, which are outstanding to say the least! All the actors, without exceptions, give it their 100% and it really shows (the chemistry is AMAZING)! Very well written and very well presented, it allows for a highly entertaining movie that can be watched over and over again!
The setting, the plot, the dialogues, and the humor, are all wonderful!
In short, Heartbreak Ridge is a movie definitely worth watching and one to seriously consider adding to your movie collection (if you haven't done so already)!

Average customer rating:

Get Some
Great depiction of boot camp.
Dehumanisation
Stanley Kubrick USMC
Awesome

Full Metal Jacket
Starring: Adam Baldwin , Bruce Boa , Tim Colceri , Vincent D'Onofrio , and Peter Edmund
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005ATQF
Release Date: 2001-06-12

Amazon.com essential video

Stanley Kubrick's 1987, penultimate film seemed to a lot of people to be contrived and out of touch with the '80s vogue for such intensely realistic portrayals of the Vietnam War as Platoon and The Deer Hunter. Certainly, Kubrick gave audiences plenty of reason to wonder why he made the film at all: essentially a two-part drama that begins on a Parris Island boot camp for rookie Marines and abruptly switches to Vietnam (actually shot on sound stages and locations near London), Full Metal Jacket comes across as a series of self-contained chapters in a story whose logical and thematic development is oblique at best. Then again, much the same was said about Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, a masterwork both enthralled with and satiric about the future's role in the unfinished business of human evolution. In a way, Full Metal Jacket is the wholly grim counterpart of 2001. While the latter is a truly 1960s film, both wide-eyed and wary, about the intertwining of progress and isolation (ending in our redemption, finally, by death), Full Metal Jacket is a cynical, Reagan-era view of the 1960s' hunger for experience and consciousness that fulfilled itself in violence. Lee Ermey made film history as the Marine drill instructor whose ritualized debasement of men in the name of tribal uniformity creates its darkest angel in a murderous half-wit (Vincent D'Onofrio). Matthew Modine gives a smart and savvy performance as Private Joker, the clowning, military journalist who yearns to get away from the propaganda machine and know firsthand the horrific revelation of the front line. In Full Metal Jacket, depravity and fulfillment go hand in hand, and it's no wonder Kubrick kept his steely distance from the material to make the point. --Tom Keogh

Description

The story of an 18-year-old marine recruit named Private Joker - from his carnage-and-machismo boot camp to his climactic involvement in the heavy fighting in Hue during the 1968 Tet Offensive.

Customer Reviews:

Get Some.......2007-05-14

"This is my rifle, there are many like it but this one is mine." This is one of the greatest movies of all time. If you have Platoon and Apocolypse Now, you need to add this to your collection.

Great depiction of boot camp........2007-05-14

Having gone through Marine Corps boot camp, I'd have to say this movie pretty accurately covers the emotional shock of the whole experience. It's actually a a cult classic amongst Marines because it reminds us of the "hell" of our indoctrination to the Corps. That indoctrination in turn has made the Marine community an extremely cohesive brotherhood that lasts well past our time in the Corps. In fact, would any other Marines agree that this was actually a pretty light depiction of the mental stimulation that is boot camp?

On a side note. If you think that Lee Ermey was funny in his dark and nasty quips at the recruits, think of 3 drill instructors doing it at the same time. It's like the most hilarious comedy routine that you have ever seen with a dark twist; you laugh--you lose. Hilarity ensues.

Dehumanisation.......2007-05-10

"Full Metal Jacket" is a very effective movie about the training and war in Vietnam. Following the character Private Joker, the movie takes in the training of new recruits and their experiences in Vietnam.

The movie itself really is an illustration of the dehumanising effects of war and the training. Gunnery Sergeant Hartmann particularly illustrates this in his treatment of Private Pyle, (and, yes, Hartman has a lot of fun with Pyle's name). The dehumanising theme is continued in the Vietnam part of the movie, with the soldier's views on the locals being very much as objects. The movie does not simplify it, but looks at the complexities of the moral choices that face the soldiers in the movie.

Overall, the movie is a powerful look into the realities of war's effects on people. It is a hard movie to really "enjoy", but it is a very good film all the same. I have seen it a few times, and it has stuck in my memory for the way it addresses a very complicated and broad topic.

Stanley Kubrick USMC.......2007-04-17

Full metal jacket is a bright loud well made well acted brilliant look at the Vietnam war. The characters are unforgetable. The story is realistic and accurate. i like it better than Platoon and Apocalypse now. The boot camp part sets it apart and the Vietnam part is briliant.

Awesome.......2007-04-11

If you like Jar Head or Mail Call, you'll love this movie.
It's a raw, great commentary piece on the Vietnam War, seriously a must own!!!

Average customer rating:

inspiring and beautiful
SOUTH PACIFIC, redux
Remastered beautifully
South Pacific is Terrific
Total Enchantment (Roadshow Version)

South Pacific (Collector's Edition)
Starring: Rossano Brazzi , Mitzi Gaynor , John Kerr (II) , Ray Walston , and Juanita Hall
Director: Joshua Logan
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
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ASIN: B000HT3PGK
Release Date: 2006-11-07

Amazon.com

The dazzling Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, brought to lush life by the director of the original stage version, Joshua Logan. Set on a remote island during the Second World War, South Pacific tracks two parallel romances: one between a Navy nurse (Mitzi Gaynor) "as corny as Kansas in August" and a wealthy French plantation owner (Rossano Brazzi), the other between a young American officer (John Kerr) and a native girl (France Nuyen). The theme of interracial love was still daring in 1958, and so was director Logan's decision to overlay emotional moments with tinted filters--a technique that misfires as often as it hits. The comic relief tends to fall flat, and an overly spunky Mitzi Gaynor is a poor substitute for the stage original's Mary Martin. But the location scenery on the Hawaiian island of Kauai is gorgeous, and the songs are among the finest in the American musical catalog: "Some Enchanted Evening," "Younger than Springtime," "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair," "This Nearly Was Mine." That's Juanita Hall as the sly native trader Bloody Mary, singing the haunting tune that launched a thousand tiki bars, "Bali H'ai." Based on stories from James Michener's book Tales from the South Pacific. --Robert Horton

Description

Rodgers and Hammerstein's Academy Award -winning "South Pacific" is a towering musical masterpiece and the tender love story of a naïve young Navy nurse (Mitzi Gaynor) and an older French Plantation owner (Rossano Brazzi) on a U.S. occupied South Sea island. The breathtaking score is highlighted by some of the most romantic songs ever written: "Some Enchanted Evening," "There is Nothin' Like a Dame," "Younger Than Springtime" and more. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, South Pacific ranks among the most celebrated of Rodgers and Hammerstein's acclaimed musicals.

Customer Reviews:

inspiring and beautiful.......2007-05-29

ignore all the bad reviews - just watch and enjoy - if for no other reason than to see Juanita Hall give a great performance......a tremendous film with flaws but in this case it doesn't matter.

SOUTH PACIFIC, redux.......2007-04-11

This movie is an excellent rendition of the original Broadway production by Rodgers and Hammerstein that opened in April 1949 and ran for 5 years.
Mitzi Gaynor and Rossano Brazzi do very well following the original cast of Mary Martin and Ezo Pinza. Having seen the original play shortly after it opened, and as a Navy veteran in the same South Pacific area during WWII my impressions then make it unfair to compare the impact of the movie with the original. All in all it is very good DVD which includes a wealth of information about the filming, location, and the cast.

Remastered beautifully.......2007-04-02

I just retired my original copy because this one looks and sounds wonderful.

South Pacific is Terrific.......2007-03-30

I was most pleased with the new upgraded, remastered quality of this classic musical. The color and content were beautiful and clear. The extras were every interesting and entertaining. Worth the great price!

Total Enchantment (Roadshow Version).......2007-03-19

Over the decades, I've seen this film many, many times -- on TV, on VHS, on laserdisc. Each time I saw it, I wanted it to be a bit more than it was.

I've always wished I could appreciate the performance of Ray Walston as Luther Billis, because all of his scenes were pure ham, and he nearly ruined all the scenes he was in...for me.

I have always wished "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair" was as complete in the film as it is on the RCA soundtrack recording (I'll tackle this now -- the complete version never made any final cut of the film).

I've always wished I could see the film as originally assembled and premiered.

I have always wished Alfred Newman's scoring -- brilliant though it was in all the cuts I'd seen of the film -- offered a bit more Newman flair.

And now, I'm extremely gratified to say, my wishes have nearly all come true.

This restoration print is phenomenal. Yes there are some washed-out scenes, but I don't care. They are finally back where they belong. This roadshow restoration was printed from a Todd-AO master negative and is a considerably DIFFERENT film from the one most of us have been exposed to the past 49 years.

The print is magnificent, clear and in many ways looks better than most new films look today.

This roadshow version resonates for me in ways that the theatrical cut never did. Time and again, the music set my heart racing, my pulse throbbing, and my senses went into overload.

This film is a visual and aural feast. It's also now my favorite film musical EVER!

Color filters? Bah! Get over 'em! I read somewhere that cinematographer Leon Shamroy wanted them for the purpose of achieving/enhancing emotional responses to scenes. Other sources say it was director Joshua Logan who insisted on using them, primarily because he had experimented with such things in the Broadway production. I know many responses have been sheer hatred/disdain for all the filters, but I love many of them. Those I don't I ignore.

I've read/heard a lot of hoo-haw about the casting of Nellie Forbush (including the highly negative and wishy-washy commentary by Richard Barrios, a film historian whose commentary is replete with "people" have said -- "many people", "some people", "people", "a friend", "someone"...all in the negative...and always attributing his negativity to unnamed others. He seemingly owns nothing he says, but doesn't mind repeating what he has heard. This depletes him of any sort of authority on the subject. It's unfathomable to me that a studio would afflict a restoration of one of its most profitable movies with such absurd negativity...especially given the film's many admirers).

Much has been discussed about why Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza did not recreate their roles. One of the features on the second disc will show you why -- check out the numbers performed in that 1954 Rodgers and Hammerstein TV tribute (three years before filming began on the movie version). Martin looks to be somewhere in her 40s (she was 51)...and matronly plump -- and Pinza (who was 62) looks terrible (and totally unromantic-leadish). You can get away with a lot on stage, but you cannot hide such things on camera. I doubt that Martin was EVER considered for the role. And Pinza died in 1957.

Mary Martin was a great, shining star of the Broadway musical theater. She had a lightly raspy singing voice that she invested with great emotional nuance and feeling. I am a huge fan of Martin's and mean her no disrespect in my observations above.

Barrios maintains that Mitzi Gaynor's voice was not in Martin's league. I'm not sure what he means by that because to my ears, Gaynor's voice is leagues better than Martin's in quality and range. He may be saying he felt Martin's intepretation of the songs was better (and he comes off as one of those somewhat snooty theatrical drama mavens for whom nothing translated to the screen from the theater will ever be good enough, but I disagree with virtually everything that comes out of his mouth on the commentary so I won't mention him again).

There is talk that Elizabeth Taylor was a candidate. What a blessing THAT never happened.

The other great "sigh-in-the-sky" complaint is that Doris Day would have been perfect as Nellie but that she turned off Joshua Logan at a party one night when she refused to get up and sing for guests. I'd always heard she refused to audition for Richard Rodgers.

At any rate...I certainly cannot imagine Doris Day, with her all-too-familiar mannerisms, as Nellie Forbush in "South Pacific." I know she had the look, but I think Gaynor was by far the best choice of those considered for the role.

Many will strongly disagree. And many of those will be the same folks who still bemoan the loss of Frank Sinatra as Billy Bigelow in "Carousel." The visual imagery of that casting still induces giggles. That slight, skinny man wearing a barker's cap and being a rugged barker on a carousel? I think Hollywood dodged a HUGE misfire when he walked out on that film.

Watch Gaynor's performance closely in this roadshow version -- she is luminous, she is restrained, she is exuberant. She is up to the task in every scene and pulls off some incredibly difficult scenes with great dramatic effect. Her vocals are magnificent.

And the huge surprise for me: Ray Walston is wonderful as Luther Billis. They restored much footage of him ...much of what was missing was character development and nuances. In the cut version we saw only the more hyper/extreme elements of his performance. This restored Luther Billis is terrific, and Walston owns the role!

Being a film music fan of many, many decades (!), I have to say that it's always the music that counts most for me in any musical (not to mention any other kind of film), but "South Pacific" is Alfred Newman's masterpiece. He took a classic Broadway score and made it shine more gloriously than it had ever shone before. It's thrilling beyond words to have Newman's original scoring returned to the film...many glorious flourishes pop up frequently to great effect...the entire segments like Cable's walk through the jungle of Bali Ha'i with Bloody Mary -- an entire chunk of film with an entire chunk of original music restored (the Newman scoring of this chunk brings to mind the opening music in the vision sequence in "The Song of Bernadette", but with exotic colorings employed rather than religious ones). Newman's work set a standard that has never been remotely approached by anyone but Newman himself (in "Camelot").

I cannot recommend the restored roadshow version of "South Pacific" more highly. See it (and IGNORE ENTIRELY the accompanying commentary).

Average customer rating:

..."YOU WANT ME ON THAT WALL....YOU....NEED....ME ON THAT WALL"...
memorable
A Few Good Men and One GREAT Woman
You can't handle the truth!
Enjoyable Watch which captivates interest

A Few Good Men (Special Edition)
Starring: Tom Cruise , Jack Nicholson , Demi Moore , Kevin Bacon , and Kiefer Sutherland
Director: Rob Reiner
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: B00005B6JZ
Release Date: 2001-05-29

Amazon.com essential video

A U.S. soldier is dead, and military lawyers Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee and Lieutenant Commander JoAnne Galloway want to know who killed him. "You want the truth?" snaps Colonel Jessup (Jack Nicholson). "You can't handle the truth!" Astonishingly, Jack Nicholson's legendary performance as a military tough guy in A Few Good Men really amounts to a glorified cameo: he's only in a few scenes. But they're killer scenes, and the film has much more to offer. Tom Cruise (Kaffee) shines as a lazy lawyer who rises to the occasion, and Demi Moore (Galloway) gives a command performance. Kevin Bacon, Kiefer Sutherland, J.T. Walsh, and Cuba Gooding Jr. (of Jerry Maguire fame) round out the superb cast. Director Rob Reiner poses important questions about the rights of the powerful and the responsibilities of those just following orders in this classic courtroom drama. --Alan Smithee

Customer Reviews:

..."YOU WANT ME ON THAT WALL....YOU....NEED....ME ON THAT WALL"..........2007-05-07

....Darn good movie [DVD]...Sorkin's screen/play defines the spartan USMC discipline to perfection...for instance, when Jack Nicholson [he overshadows the entire cast of this film] berates all the non/combatant Navy JAG/attorneys trying to bring his illustrious Marine career to an abrupt end is spell/binding and cuts right to the bone [an immense scene of impact]...his bombastic and clarion call to what a Fleet Marine Force Marine [FMF] is all about is so true to all the unsuspecting civilians taking life for granted, etc...his sneering but simple, "Thank You" is all he expects...."and be on your way, my man" is totally real...99% of the American people don't know the instantanious, and grating/lethal feeling... I'm about to die!!....pooof, dead!!...no more mama-no more papa...no more nothing!!...is what Fleet Marines go through in combat operations 24/7 by closing with America's enemies, etc...Nicholson tries his darndest to bring this sailent point home with alacrity, "You Want Me On That Wall..You...NEED... Me On That Wall!!!"...he's right on, folks.....give the devil his due...as for the final fadeout, Nicholson's character gets his just reward of due process of the Military Code of Justice...but, I say again...Nicholson's portrayal as a FMF Marine Colonel is colossal by the fact, how the United States Marine Marine Corps' commitment to duty, honor and country allows all Americans to go about their daily rush of life in peace and at days end, sleep the good sleep while the USMC guards the ramparts like no other, since 1775...a very good cast begets a great show!!....Semper Fidelis...SSGT CHRIS SARNO-USMC FMF

memorable.......2007-03-15

This movie is very good, especially for it's memorable moments in the end. It is a nice window into the lives of our military people and how honor and obediance play into their lives.

A Few Good Men and One GREAT Woman.......2007-03-09

If YOU can HANDLE THE TRUTH ... This is a spectacular Movie. It really is ! A Must See ! Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise, Kiefer Sutherland, Demi Moore-Kutcher among others....who could ask for a better casting ? I never thought in a million years that all those TOP stars could actually act together and make it work..OHH but they did and the movie is GREAT ! Get it..u will not be sorry ! A CODE RED will be issued on anyone who does not buy this movie....J/K that is not done anymore..now is it ? Check this movie out !

You can't handle the truth!.......2007-02-12

4.5 Stars. An absolutely stellar cast saves this film from being ever-so-slightly boring. While some of the courtroom scenes drag, the rest of the script is tight and packed with light humor in appropriate moments.

Two marines, Downey and Dawson, are accused of murdering private Santiago during a disciplinary procedure known unofficially as a Code Red. Assigned to represent them is naval lawyer Lt. Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise) and Lt. Sam Weinberg (Kevin Pollak), joined by internal affairs officer Lt. Cdr. JoAnne Galloway (Demi Moore). The chain of command extending downward from Col. Nathan R. Jessep (Jack Nicholson) denies ordering the Code Red, so Dawson and Downey's only hope is if Kaffee can prove they were following orders given to them from above.

Kaffee and Weinberg find themselves facing off with prosecutor Capt. Jack Ross (Kevin Bacon) and hard-core marines such as Lt. Jonathan Kendrick (Kiefer Sutherland), Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson (the late, great J.T. Walsh), Cpl. Carl Hammaker (Cuba Gooding Jr.), and of course, Col. Jessep.

Innocence, orders, protocols, procedures, guilt, and morals are strewn over the courtroom in a trial over the loss of one life, and potential loss of two more. Where is the line between right and wrong drawn? Kaffee (the carefree one), Joanna (the serious one) and Sam (the stable one) are forced to work as a team to uncover the truth as to what happened to break down the chain of military command the night private Santiago died.

The cast is first-rate and the performances stellar in this tense drama. The scripting does drag at times, but can't distract from the overall plot. Jack Nicholson, though his screen time is limited, steals the show with his portrayal of Col. Jessep, a war-zone hardened marine of high stature, slated for promotion. This movie is a must-see for fans of courtroom or military dramas. Enjoy!

Enjoyable Watch which captivates interest.......2007-02-12

My interest was quickly captured by this movie and enjoyed it from beginning to end. A tale of honor and justice and proof.

Agree with the other reviews who thought most of the acting was superb, from Cruise to the exceptional character which Nicholson pulls off so convincingly;was a super watch for me and one that I'll want to see again.

The plot is intriguing and believable, and the plot slowly unwinds. Even if one thinks it is predictable, and it is (you know they'll win the case) it peaks your interest till the end. However, that being said the surprise verdict of the dishonorable discharge makes a very salient point at the end, and bonds the Marine with the Navy attorney in a superb way of closing the film.

Average customer rating:

Cheesy Goodness It's A Bunch Of Calcium In This One
The Movie Rips the Heart Out of the Story
Does Not Do The Book Justice
A little campy.....
SC FI FUN

Starship Troopers
Starring: Casper Van Dien , Dina Meyer , Denise Richards , Jake Busey , and Neil Patrick Harris
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0767802659
Release Date: 1998-05-20

Amazon.com

In the first and finest RoboCop movie, director Paul Verhoeven combined near-future science fiction with a keen sense of social satire--not to mention enough high-velocity violence to satisfy even the most voracious bloodlust. In Starship Troopers, Verhoeven and RoboCop cowriter Ed Neumeier take inspired cues from Robert Heinlein's classic sci-fi novel to create a special-effects extravaganza that functions on multiple levels of entertainment. The film might be called "Melrose Place in Space," with its youthful cast of handsome guys and gorgeous women who look like they've been recruited (and in some cases they were) from the cast of Beverly Hills 90210. Viewers might focus on the incredible, graphically intense action sequences (definitely not for children) in which heavily armed forces from Earth go to off-world battle against vast hordes of alien "bugs" bent on planetary conquest. The attacking bugs are marvels of state-of-the-art special-effects technology, and the space battles are nothing short of spectacular. But Starship Troopers is more than a showcase for high-tech hardware and gigantic, flesh-ripping insects. Recalling his childhood in Holland during the Nazi occupation, Verhoeven turns this epic adventure into a scathingly funny satire of fascist propaganda, emphasizing Heinlein's underlying warning against the hazards of military conformity and the sickening realities of war. It's an action-packed joy ride if that's all you're looking for, but Verhoeven has a provocative agenda that makes Starship Troopers as smart as it is exciting. The DVD includes an above-average commentary by the director and Neumeier, several deleted scenes, a behind-the-scenes documentary and promotional featurette, cast bios, production notes, and more. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Cheesy Goodness It's A Bunch Of Calcium In This One .......2007-07-02

I have never seen the entire movie. I always catch this movie in the middle of it. But from what I have seen this is one of the worst movies ever. But that is what makes it great. Lame monsters and terrible over dramatic acting team up to make a B movie classic. Now if you think this is an actual "good" movie you have some issues. If you appreciate cheese flowing through your tv screen into your living and down the hall out of the window and down the street then this is for you.

The Movie Rips the Heart Out of the Story.......2007-06-22

Robert Heinlein's 1959 Hugo Award winning novel Starship Troopers is the inspiration for this very loose movie adaptation. Heinlein was a 1928 graduate of the Naval Academy and the author of over thirty science fiction novels. Starship Troopers encouraged the growth of the military science fiction subgenre.

Literature is a springboard for ideas, insights and intellectual growth but science fiction rarely aspires or reaches such heights. When I first read the novel as a teenager it provided insights into how a society might be organized and in the years since it has been a springboard for new ideas and growth. I'm not saying the novel is great literature but it is superior science fiction. It presents a plausible future society with an appropriate intellectual and philosophical framework. It is the philosophical aspect that is at the heart of the novel. This movie rips that heart out of the story.

Written during the height of the Cold War, the novel was the means by which Heinlein argued for a strong military. The story also is a vehicle to present his libertarian political ideas. While the story does contains more introspection, exposition, and character discussion than is common in the genre it has also been criticized as exceedingly pro-military and lacking in character depth and development. The story is pro-military but I do not agree that it lacks character development. However, one must remember that, unlike most science fiction, Heinlein was presenting ideas with the novel, not merely a story about killing alien bugs.

If the movie stood alone I might be able to recommend it based on some fine special effects, truly unworldly aliens and great action scenes but since I read and enjoyed the novel I could not enjoy this travesty of a movie.

Recommendation: Read the novel, skip the movie.

Kyle Pratt

Does Not Do The Book Justice.......2007-06-08

I was excited to learn that a movie was being made of "Starship Troopers", a favorite novel of my teen-years, and even more excited that Paul Verhoeven would be directing it since he had previously taken a much more mediocre story (Robocop) and made an excellent action film out of it. Unfortunately, the movie "Starship Troopers" does not live up to the promise of the original - highly controversial - novel.

Of course, it is hardly unusual to feel let down by film adaptations of favorite books. The screen-writer's need to compress into a couple hours a story that may have involved the satisfied reader for several days guarantees that something will be left out that one really wishes had been left in. Nevertheless, I felt that the screen writing took far too many liberties with Robert A. Heinlein's novel, and the film suffered as a result.

As one example, the original novel was full of observations about the responsibility of people to 'serve' society before becoming "citizens" with the right to vote and participate in the political process - and this aspect became controversial because of Heinlein's emphasis on military service. The movie touches upon this, but quickly simplifies it into a stilted fascist state divided between the non-participating "civilians" and the military veteran "citizens". While even that could have made for some interesting plot development, the film proceeds to ignore it completely to focus instead on soldiers in an interstellar war who frequently seem to treat combat more like a football match - even after they have suffered shocking casualties. (A more careful reading of the book, by the way, will find that many forms of service to society other than military were included among the things responsible people could do on their path to citizenship. I am afraid it would take too long to include that here, though, and suggest that anyone interested simply read the book.)

Finally, there is the matter of the characters. Heinlein had strong views on the utter pointlessness of racism. He chose to create a future in which racism was so completely extinct that no one at any point in the book ever comments, or even thinks descriptively about other characters in terms of race. But he does leave enough clues in the text so that you know that the central character - Rico - is Filipino, not the white guy (Casper Van Dien) presented in the film. Once again, I find it unfortunate that most of the book's more progressive ideas were erased by the film-makers and more so that having done this, they then fail to develop any storyline around the evidently fascist state they have created.

This does not mean the film was a total waste. As a low-brow action picture it is entertaining. But I really think the book furnished material that could have made a far better movie, with greater depth to both the characters and their situation, and I continue to hope that it will be re-made some day into a more faithful adaptation of Heinlein's original novel.

A little campy............2007-05-25

This is hard one to nail down. It is fun, campy, it makes you wonder what you would do if this was really real. A little on the gory side, but you can understand where the characters are coming from; I have felt like several of them. Lots of action, fun and friends that don't usually enjoy this kind of movie has watched and enjoyed it.

SC FI FUN.......2007-05-23

This movie is just fun, almost funny at times. Not to be taken seriously.

Average customer rating:

Rent it first - you've been warned.
Forget politics - switch your brain to "Commando" mode!
it's all action...
Just a wanna be Rambo
Don't waist your money on this

The Marine (Unrated Edition)
Starring: John Cena , Robert Patrick , Kelly Carlson , Anthony Ray Parker , and Abigail Bianca
Director: John Bonito (II)
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000KX0HIW
Release Date: 2007-01-30

Amazon.com

The feature film debut of wrestling superstar John Cena, The Marine offers an agreeable smorgasbord of slam-bang action for viewers willing to swallow whole their disbelief for the sake of enjoying the plot. Cena, who is one of the most animated performers in the wrestling arena, is saddled with a taciturn role as a former Marine with an authority problem who tangles with dangerous jewel thieves (led by Robert Patrick) after they take his wife (Kelly Carlson of Nip/Tuck) hostage. Cena handles the physical duties of his role with ease, and former commercial director John Bonito offers him a frantic array of situations in which to display his prowess. On the whole, however, the picture is very light in the logic department, and filled with cardboard characters that quickly wear out their welcome (save Patrick, who tosses villainous one-liners with scene-stealing brio). Extras include a making-of featurette, which includes talking-head interviews with the cast, crew, and WWE head/producer Vince McMahon, as well as a barrage of shorter featurettes on Cena's rise to fame and the film's premiere at Camp Pendleton. --Paul Gaita

Description

WWE champion John Cena dominates the big screen as Marine John Triton. Wherever there's danger, Triton is usually smack dab in the middle of it... and he doesn't play by rules! After he's unwillingly discharged from Iraq, Triton's beautiful wife Kate ("Nip And Tuck's" Kelly Carlson) is kidnapped by merciless jewel thieves led by a vicious killer (Robert Patrick)! Now, Triton must fight to save her, utilizing his most powerful weapon ? himself!

Customer Reviews:

Rent it first - you've been warned........2007-07-02

This movie is almost a joke. The beginning starts off quite nicely with our "Marine" taking down 9 terrorist with a machine gun and hand-to-hand combat, without even being touched. The problem is later in the movie our same "Marine" is knocked down with a fire extinguisher, a branch, and a bar. Apparently terrorists trained in the military with machine guns are much less capable than a man with a fire extinguisher.

Second, the "Marine" was knocked unconscious by both the fire extinguisher and tree branch yet being punched hard multiple times tied to a chair, he is left un-phased.

Third, our "Marine" seems to get punched a lot for being such a skilled fighter. Even going up against hill billies he gets thrown through a table. Which also shows hill billies are skilled in hand to hand combat, a reality this movie taught me.

Fourth, no one seems to care that our well respected "Marine" leaves a wounded cop unattended and steals a cop car. Throughout the movie he causes hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage without being reprimanded.

Fifth, a good portion of the movie consist of our "Marine" following people through the woods. That's it.... Wow.... Exciting.....

Sixth, our marine jumps out of a flaming car over the edge of a cliff. 10 minutes later he is walking on land. Apparently it is left to our imagination how marines can fly.

Seventh, When our "Marine" gives CPR its just pathetic. It looks funny to begin with because John Cena's arms are as big as his wifes body, but its even worse because he doesn't do CPR right to begin with.

I'll be fair, there were good fight scenes. There was a girl-girl fight scene (which lasted about 1 minute) though it was much more entertaining than the WWE girl-girl "matches". This movie was not action packed, it had action, but was not action packed.

Forget politics - switch your brain to "Commando" mode!.......2007-06-14

You pays your money and you takes your choice. When you go to see a movie like this, you should know what you're in for. There's going to be a lot of bad guys, and they're going to be really bad. There's going to be a damsel in distress. There's going to be a surprise bad guy. And, last but not least, there's going to be a good guy who is good and tough beyond belief.

John Triton (John Cena) is an heroic ex-marine whose wife, Kate (Kelly Carlson) is kidnapped by a brutal gang of jewel thieves led by Rome (Robert Patrick), who kills with glee and without remorse, which doesn't set him apart from his psychopathic gang members. John takes out after them. You get the feeling that John can take on anything up to the size of a platoon without much of a problem. While credibility might suffer during his chase, it's still fun. You will rarely see a human being with arms the size of Cena's.

Written (Michelle Gallagher and Alan McElroy) and directed (John Bonito) with humor and pace, what surprised me about it was that the acting is uniformly good, including Cena. This is a tongue-in-cheek chase film with some absurdly unbelievable stunts and special effects, but it's all done on a level that nobody takes very seriously.

Although there is a lot of violence, it's not graphic in the sense that we see people's heads being blown off. I was tired and sleepy when I attended the film, but never even felt a twinge of nodding off.

Perfect for a saturday night with friends after a long week of work.

it's all action..........2007-06-04

If pure action entertains you, then give this one a look. It's certainly not academy award material but lots of action and fun to watch!

Just a wanna be Rambo.......2007-05-28

If you are looking for a movie with bad acting-cliche lines-and never gonna happen action sequences this is the movie for you! Otherwise, I wouldn't even waste a Netflix rental on it.

Don't waist your money on this.......2007-05-05

This movie was a joke, a bad actor, and a bad story, makes it look like the Marine Corp gung ho killers.

Average customer rating:

SEAN CONNERY? AN ARAB TRIBAL EADER??
The Winds Blows. The Lion Roars.
Not too bad
See The Man Who Would Be King for better Connery, Huston and Middle East intrigue
CLASSIC SWASHBUCKLING ADVENTURE AND COMMENT ON U.S. POLICY

The Wind and the Lion
Starring: Chris Aller , Luis Barboo , Deborah Baxter , Candice Bergen , and Sean Connery
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0000EYUCK
Release Date: 2004-01-06

Amazon.com

The up-and-down career of director John Milius had no finer moment than The Wind and the Lion, a dandy adventure tale. It's based on fact: An American (played by Candice Bergen) and her two children were kidnapped in 1904 Morocco by a Berber tribe, an international incident settled by President Theodore Roosevelt's "big stick" military muscle. The film's sweep and swagger are unabashedly old-fashioned, even as Milius occasionally pokes fun at the grand characters. Some of the peripheral material is sloppy, but as long as Milius keeps his sights locked on the two powerful protagonists, he's dead-on: Brian Keith makes a gutsy Roosevelt, and Sean Connery is in splendid form (with Scots accent in place--got a problem with that?) as the dashing Berber chieftain. Perhaps overshadowed by John Huston's The Man Who Would be King the same year (Huston plays advisor John Hay in this one), Wind makes a marvelous companion piece. --Robert Horton

Description

An American is kidnapped by a rebellious Arab chieftain, principally as a means to embarrass the Sultan of Morocco. This abduction sparks the threat of armed intervention by President Theodore Roosevelt.

Customer Reviews:

SEAN CONNERY? AN ARAB TRIBAL EADER??.......2007-05-21

Only Sean Connery, with his thick, albeit familiar accent could pull off a role such as this, with Candace Bergen no less as the believeable heroine. Sprawling vistas, great cinematography, great soundtrack make this a must collector item for lovers of adventure films and historical epics. In spite of the beheadings (tastefully depicted) my entire family enjoyed the picture.

shullcat2003

The Winds Blows. The Lion Roars........2007-03-18

Magnificent Movie. The scene were the ambitious U.S. Marine Captain performs a "movement to contact" assault upon the sultan and the palace is inspirational. Historically speaking it is shot in precise detail from the naval personnel detachments to the employment of the Infantry Rifle Company. The various characters' humorous sublime reactions in these real world scenarios of Theodore Roosevelt's presidential periodic doctrine of "Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick" adds humor where it would be least expected. It ain't "The Wild Bunch" though. Clever directing in correspondence with writers portrays the script and it's actors to their well rounded versatility's. How about actress Deborah Baxter when she was young? Sean Connery is only one of the film's many talented cast. The philosophy of having found something worth losing everything for is in-synch with this film's format.

Not too bad.......2007-03-10

Men will like this shoot-em-up. The most interesting scene in the movie was the one where a military regiment marched into Tangier, followed by a brass band. I am quite sure that they really were U S Marines.

See The Man Who Would Be King for better Connery, Huston and Middle East intrigue.......2007-02-19

I didn't like this one. Here is why:
-It is unevenly paced and slackly directed. Heavy on the action/swash-buckling, lite on the substance.
-At no time was Sean Connery anyone but Sean Connery. He is surely an "international star" but I still
cringe when persona overwhelms character.
-Candice Bergen was annoyingly bland. The romance of the film is weak and always on the verge, leaving
the tension unrealized.
-The hyper-patriotism, something like Milius' hyper-masculine forte, overwhelms any nuance or adroitness
that a scenario such as this requires. Any research into this story will yield that the reality was that an
Englishman and his son were kidnapped, and that no military force was used. This is only an issue
because using the basic story as an adventure tale of American thuggery-diplomacy is less than exciting.
Unless you are a fan of rousing heavy handed mythos.
-I have never seen this many horses fall as their rider is shot or bombarded. It looks real, and accurate, but
I found it distracting.
-While the violence is unremitting, almost all the lead characters are as well. This left me uninterested in them. Except
Brian Keith's Teddy Roosevelt.

It's not all bad. Here's what I did like:
-Brian Keith. He's the best Teddy Roosevelt I've seen in film. That he wasn't nominated as a best supporting
actor is unfortunate.
-Jerry Goldsmith's score is rousing and epic, very good. He was nominated, deservedly. Predictably, he lost
to John Williams and Jaws.
-Billy Williams cinematography. Shot in Spain, doubling for Morocco-the scope and terrain are gorgeous
and epic.
-The stunt work is fabulous.

CLASSIC SWASHBUCKLING ADVENTURE AND COMMENT ON U.S. POLICY.......2007-02-18

This has been one of my favourite movies for many, many years. It has it all: wild adventure, sword fights, charging horses, explosions, heads flying in every direction, more explosions, and some astonishing performances by many of Hollywood's best character actors. And it has Sean Connery -- the only James Bond -- turning in a stellar performance. And it features the wildly underrated Brian Keith turning in a memorable performance as the great President Theodore Roosevelt. I watched this movie again and was struck by its comment on U.S. foreign policy, particularly in the Middle East. In Keith's scene were the U.S. is compared to a grizzly bear -- strong, dominating, respected, but hated, feared, and sometimes blind and wild, however, often lonely -- summed up nicely U.S. foreign policy over the decades. Keith's Roosevelt is gruff, strong, intelligent, and throughly honest in his perceptions of the world and the mad men who run it. He doesn't see Connery's character as an ignorant Arab bandit: he sees him as someone fighting to keep foreigners from controlling his land; he wants his country to remain his country. And he sees the established Arab leadership as corrupted by the influence of the Great European Powers. One wonders what Teddy would think of the Bush Administration and its adventure in Iraq.

Average customer rating:

Ayer film hits hard but misses necessary emphasis
Harsh Times
sucks
Harsh times was too harsh too watch!!!
Surprisingly Bad

Harsh Times
Starring: Christian Bale , Freddy Rodríguez , Armando Cantina , Eva Longoria , and Kenneth Choi
Director: David Ayer
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000KX0IM2
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Amazon.com

Bleak as its South Central Los Angeles setting, Harsh Times is like a suicidal vortex swallowing men who ought to know better but can't stop their self-destruction. Christian Bale stars as Jim Davis, a stressed-out, former Army Ranger who becomes a very bad influence on his weak-willed buddy, Mike Alvarez (Freddy Rodriguez of Six Feet Under). Together the two meander through streets at night, getting drunk and stoned, finding trouble for its own sake and inviting danger as a ritual of machismo bonding. Mike's wife, Sylvia (Eva Longoria), a lawyer whom Mike, working as a telemarketer, put through school, is repelled by Jim and watches in pain as her spouse chooses a downward spiral over renewal and redemption with her. When Jim's application to join the L.A. police is turned down, he leads Mike into pure anarchy. An impractical change of fortune doesn't help any, and first-time director David Ayer, who wrote the screenplay for Harsh Times years before his script for Training Day, goes to some lengths, dramatically and visually, to convey Jim's unhinged condition. The dreariness of it all, and a sense that Bale has constructed--but not exactly lived in--another in his gallery of lost, misfit souls, makes it hard to connect with this film. Still, it is hard to turn away from these desperate and dangerous characters. --Tom Keogh

Description

(Action) Bale stars as an ex-Army Ranger who finds himself slipping back into his old life of petty crime and booze after a job offer from the LAPD evaporates. Honorable discharged, Homeland Security wants to recruit him for some special ops in Central America, but first he has to pass a urine test...which proves difficult. Film directorial debut for Ayer who has written such box office hits as TRAINING DAY, U-571 and THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS

Customer Reviews:

Ayer film hits hard but misses necessary emphasis.......2007-06-25

Following Christian Bales acting career is like watching an Olympic swimmer, pushing the boundaries, pushing the improbable to finally win the gold medal to then come back after fours years and do it all again, breaking world records performing like a new star. There seems there's nothing this actor will not attempt to do to push his talent and skill in terms of submerging himself into a character. Whether his performance as the yuppie killer in American Psycho or the emaciated empty headed somnambulist in The Machinist or even the serious caped crusader in the excellent Batman Begins all characters hit the mark, all believable, all extremely well done.

In this realistic drama, he portrays a post traumatic psychotic returned from a tour of duty from somewhere in the Middle East. Bale as Jim Davis does a believable performance, however, does not gain the sympathy (so required in a role like this) from the audience. Something is missing but what exactly is missing?

Freddy Rodriguez, Six Feet Under as Mike Alonzo does a fair job as the irresponsible old buddy badly influenced by Jim Davis's pleas to party and make trouble when Freddy should be looking for a job. Their repartee in Davis's car is realistic and sadly true of two old friends holding on to their respective past, and refusing to grow up. Despite the fact that the two characters are in their late twenties, the dialogue is distinctly adolescent as their drunken and pot fuelled antics while driving the streets of South Central L.A. all too often reveal.

The beautiful Eva Longeria Desperate Housewives plays Alonzo's lawyer wife, gently pushing the boy like a concerned and nagging mother to get a job. Similar to a confused teenager, to cover the fact that he's drinking with Davis, has his friends telephone his home and leave messages as potential employers. He gets caught to then act like a guilty fourteen year old as his beautiful wife kicks him out of the house - loser realism at its most pathetic.

The film begins to change as the two boy's finally land jobs. Although for the psychotic recent war Vet, Jim Davis, his behaviour turns bad, his psychotic breaks more out of control, and the entire fate of these characters and the film now heads on a downward rollercoaster to hell.

Apart from the fact that these druggy antics and violent behaviours from Jim Davis went on far too long throughout the film, Bale never shows us something in the character we can sympathize with...the character is insane to begin with and he just goes more insane as the film progresses. Because the boy is a Vet and most likely a war hero in the traditional sense, like Vietnam, society will not let him back into `normality' because trained killers, soldiers who return from action, are more often damaged goods.

This is the message of the film: Western governments send our boys to war and expect them to do their duty and kill the enemy. But the support they so direly need when returning from the hell of war, attempting to fit back in to society is forgotten. That is why some soldiers continue going back for extra tours, because that's all they know and can do.

Harsh Times is a realistic film, well acted but missed one aspect so necessary in a story of this kind, creating sympathy for the main character. We get the point but as the character is too far gone, we'd rather not look at it or... care.

Harsh Times.......2007-06-19

My Oppinion: Harsh Times is a very good drama, but has a lousy story and is kinda boring. Christian Bale does an outstanding performance and so does Freddy Rodriguze.

About The Film: Harsh Tims is about Jim an ex-army ranger who comes back home reunits with his bst friend Mike and applies for the LAPD. When The LAPD rejects him he goes into a vilont act and petty crimeand he drags his weak-milled friend mike with him. Mikes wife sees what jim is doing to her husband and pushes mike to get a job and all Jim wants to do is go out drinking and sale drugs. When Jim and mike end up with 20 kg of marjuwana jim gets a tragic end.

If You Liked this movie then check out Harsh Times the original motion picture soundtrack.

sucks.......2007-06-18

harsh times is the experience of watching this movie. go back to batman bale.

Harsh times was too harsh too watch!!!.......2007-06-05

First off, I am only giving this movie two stars for the way Christian Bale looked in his "wife-beater"/undershirt. Other than that, the rest of this movie was abysmal. Bale was terribly miscast in this role. The thug routine does not fit him. His talents were wasted. Freddy Rodriguez' performance was forgettable and the dialog between the two was horribly written and executed. We will not even get on the horrible accent since other reviewers already mentioned that. Eva Longoria had minimal screen time and I was wondering what the purpose of her character was. In addition, I looked at the end credits and I noticed that Bale was one of the executive producers for this. He should have rethought about putting his name on this mess. Overall, this movie was a hot"100 degree" mess. Please avoid this like a beat down.

Surprisingly Bad.......2007-06-02

Oddly enough, considering the cast and the high quality of acting I was very disappointed in this movie. The story is both boring and exceedingly predicable. Could any two human beings be so monumentally screwed up and succeed in life at any level? The lead character is not only a lowly mess but a complete looser. Not only did I find it hard to relate to the character, it got to the point I didn't even care. I turned the movie off within just minutes from the end not being able to stomach it anymore.
Its just a study in the worst of humanity slithering around in alcohol abuse, drug abuse and misery. This movie proves if you give good actors a poor story a shallow script and pathetic dialog you can't expect them to pull off a decent movie.

Average customer rating:

sweet Dakota Fanning
Marvellous television
"I loved it" review
Kudos to the sci channel how about a sequel?
Excellent Sci-Fi Series

Steven Spielberg Presents Taken
Starring: Julie Benz , Steve Burton , Eric Close , Catherine Dent , and Dakota Fanning
Director: Michael Katleman , Tobe Hooper , and Jeremy Kagan
Manufacturer: Dreamworks Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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