Kate & Leopold

Starring:Meg Ryan, Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Breckin Meyer, Natasha Lyonne, Bradley Whitford, Paxton Whitehead, Spalding Gray, Josh Stamberg, Matthew Sussman, Charlotte Ayanna, Philip Bosco, Andrew Jack, Stan Tracy, Kristen Schaal, William Sanford (II), Arthur J. Nascarella, Robert Ray Manning Jr., Roma Torre, Viola Davis
Director: James Mangold
Studio: Miramax
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Hokey but heartfelt, Kate & Leopold revitalizes an old idea, and amiable casting makes this romantic fantasy work almost in spite of itself. Knowing that he'd be risking comparison to Time After Time and Somewhere in Time if he delved too deeply into time travel, director James Mangold (Girl, Interrupted) briefly introduces an elusive "time portal," then wisely skirts the issue altogether. Instead, he focuses on kismet, etiquette, and fading traditions of chivalry as bachelor Duke Leopold of Albany (Hugh Jackman) is accidentally swept from 1876 to present-day 2001. Adjusting to the shock of his temporal displacement, he falls in love with Manhattan executive Kate (Meg Ryan), whose ex-boyfriend (Liev Schreiber) is Leopold's great-great-grandson. But Leo can't stay in the future, and this breezy comedy proves yet again that time is no barrier when true love is involved. Hardly original, but Ryan's doing what she does best, making Kate & Leopold a bona-fide crowd pleaser--past, present, and future. --Jeff Shannon
Description
Meg Ryan (YOU'VE GOT MAIL) and Hugh Jackman (X-MEN) are paired as star-crossed lovers who discover that passion and chivalry never go out of style! When a rip in time brings together a charming 19th century bachelor and a thoroughly 21st century woman, the potential for an old-fashioned modern romance ignites! Also starring Breckin Meyer (ROAD TRIP) and Liev Schreiber (SCREAM 3).

Shooter (Widescreen Edition)
Average customer rating:

No Sniping About This One!

WATCH THIS SHOT

Shooters DVD review

Did I Mention The Exploding Heads? Hard-Ass Action Escapism

Refreshingly Right on Target...

Shooter (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Mark Wahlberg , Michael Peña , Danny Glover , Kate Mara , and Elias Koteas
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Pena, Michael | ( P ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
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Similar Items:

Ghost Rider (Two-Disc Extended Cut)

Breach (Widescreen Edition)

Deja Vu

Mel Gibson's Apocalypto (Widescreen Edition)

Blood Diamond (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B000Q6GUTI
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Amazon.com

A movie that would not have been out of place in the run of paranoid-political thrillers of the 1970s, Shooter works an entertaining variation on the assassination picture. Mark Wahlberg, carrying over good mojo from The Departed, slides neatly into the character of Bob Lee Swagger, master marksman. Swagger has retreated from his duty as an off-the-books hired gun for the military, having become disillusioned with his government (switching on his TV at his remote mountain cabin, he mutters, "Let's see what kind of lies they're trying to sell us today."). Ah, but the government needs Swagger to scope out the location of a rumored attempt on the life of the president, so a shadowy government operative (Danny Glover) begs Swagger to use his sniper's skills to out-fox the assassin. From there--well, spoilers are not fair, since the movie has a few legitimate shocks and a very nice wrong-man scenario about to unfold.

A novel by the Washington Post's Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic Stephen Hunter gives the movie a logical spine, even if the premise itself is the stuff of conspiracy theorists. Wahlberg gets support from Michael Pena, as a skeptical FBI agent; Kate Mara, as a trustworthy widow; and Ned Beatty, trailing along memories of Network, as a supremely cynical Senator. Along with the well-executed action sequences (the previously unreliable director Antoine Fuqua gets it in gear here), the movie includes a few potshots at the Bush administration. No, that doesn't put Shooter at the level of The Parallax View or All the President's Men, but it provides some tang along with the flying bullets. --Robert Horton

Beyond Shooter

More Sniper / Hit Man Movies on DVD
More DVDs with Mark Wahlberg
The Novel

Stills from Shooter (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

No Sniping About This One!.......2007-07-04

Mark Wahlberg is great in this movie about a sniper who worked for the government being called out of retirement, allegedly to do a job in the interests of national security. Something goes awry, and suddenly Wahlberg's character (Swagger)is a fugitive. There is a nice plot here with a well-timed twist. There is also plenty of action with car chases, gun fights and explosions galore. It ends in a most satisfying way. Danny Glover and Michael Pena also star, and give solid performances.

WATCH THIS SHOT.......2007-07-02

SHOOTER (DVD).

Shooter is based upon the novel Point of Impact by Stephen Hunter. I enjoyed the novel some years ago; I enjoyed the movie last night.

Gunnery sergeant Bob Lee Swagger( Mark Wahlberrg) is a sniper. He's been recruited by Spooks to a special mission that only he is good enough to do. He gathers up his trusty .50 caliber Barrett sniper rifle and takes a couple of practice shots, then agrees to do the mission. Of course since Spooks are involved he is set up for something that he didn't do, Spooks are notorious for weaving a web of deception and double crossing.

The movie follows Swagger across the country making one outrageous shot after another. In the end Swagger pulls off a twist, gets the girl and saves the day. All in all a very satisfying movie.

Gunner July, 2007

Shooters DVD review.......2007-07-02

This was the single worst adaptation of a good action novel into an incomprehensible film I've ever seen! Ghastly in every way, the producers and director chose to ignore the book's excellent plot, change the venues and the characters, mess up the action scenes and obfuscate the story line. The casting was terrible with Glover as the Colonel, a young chick as the love interest, and a Hispanic as the FBI agent. Most of the dialog was impossible to follow and the whole script failed. Wahlberg was especially bad as the hero and the film was filled with mistakes and hardly rates a single star. Avoid it unless you want to watch total confusion and the destruction of the story line in a good book.

Did I Mention The Exploding Heads? Hard-Ass Action Escapism.......2007-07-02

"Muscles bulge and heads explode in "Shooter," a thoroughly reprehensible, satisfyingly violent entertainment about men and guns and things that go boom (heads, mostly). Did I mention the exploding heads? It is an admittedly primitive pleasure, but I do love watching stuff blow up in movies (heads, not so much). There is something unaccountably gratifying, at times reassuring about watching the screen -- the bigger the better -- become engulfed by surging waves of liquid orange, in the image of a car exploding into the air like a rocket, in a room, a building, a boat, a truck, you name it, shattering into confetti."
Manhola Dargis

Mark Wahlberg plays Bob Lee Swagger, (whoever thought up that name is a genius) a former Marine sniper. He is a loner and probably emotionally wounded by the death of his partner on a failed mission in Africa. Bob Lee Swagger takes off with his dog to a mountaintop ranch where he can live alone. Retired Col. Isaac Johnson, played by Danny Glover comes a calling one day, and causes Swagger to come back into the game when the colonel plays the patriotism card. There appears to be a plot to kill the President, and the colonel needs Bob Lee to predict how it will happen before it happens so he can stop it. In no time Swagger is on the run as the most hunted man in America. "Shooter" reminds me of the old Hitchcock films of a wrong man fingered for a crime. In this instance, the guy is framed and can only clear himself by hunting down those actually culpable.

Plot holes are too numerous to mention. The characters are all stick figures. Good guys do good, bad guys do bad, and there is little about motives, sentiments, emotions, backgrounds or beliefs that would allow the actors to build a character. The villians rely on physicality, and at times it is laughable. mark Wahlberg plays a clean, decent, good old loner, 'Shooter'. Wahlberg also could use a few more lines. The movie has an ending that we can guess at the get go. Do the good guys win?

I am from the live-free-or-die State and this movie reverberates with that philosophy. There are more weapons, bullets, fire, burned bodies, blown off heads, exploding houses and heads than seems possbile for one movie. But, there is something in this movie that attracts me and held my attention. Was it the bad guys were so bad, or the good guys were so bad? Entertaining, gritty and laughable in parts, but the parts equal a sum and a whole. The scenery was gorgeous and the filming extraordinary.
Recommended. prisrob 7-01-07

The Departed (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Refreshingly Right on Target..........2007-07-01

I almost dismissed "SHOOTER" as another film w/out any coherent plot and a straight-to-dvd snooze, however, there's something a bit more subversive at work in this latest action thriller from director Antoine Fuqua(Training Day). The film is based on Washington Post film critic Stephen Lemkin's novel, Shooter greatly surprised me, I ended up really liking the film.

The story is about an ex-gunnery sergeant (awkwardly)named Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg), who is a die-hard american patriot, proud and willing to lay down his life(if needed) in the service of his beloved country. Trained as a covert scout sniper, Swagger's got an eye for laying waste to targets that are far beyond the range of most normal riflemen. Disgraced during a black-ops mission in Africa that gets his best friend/spotter killed, Swagger retreats to the mountains of Wyoming, only to be lured back into service by the shady Colonel Isaac Johnson (Danny Glover, whose braces provide the most unintentional hilarity in Fuqua's film; the lisps are priceless). Asked to map out a hypothetical assassination attempt on the president's life, it's not long before Swagger finds himself framed for a murder he didn't commit and on the run from the long arm of the corrupt, morally twisted law.
Swagger is aided by his best friend's widow, Sarah(super-hottie Kate Mara)and a rookie FBI agent(Michael Pena) to try to uncover the truth and to clear his name. Ned Beatty star as the manipulative U.S. senator and super-babe Rhona Mitra also stars.

Although there are jabs a-plenty aimed at the current Bush administration, the film unfolds like an old-school action flick; replete with stylized walks filmed in slow motion. Plenty of stuff gets blown up big time; Wahlberg gets to mutter plenty of giggling-inducing lines--" I don't think you understand, these people killed my dog" is one of the more amusing lines. Fuqua shows off what he does best in this flick: making frenetic action scenes that look unbelievably sexy but brutally violent, mostly at the same time(with style).

Shooter rages against the political machine beneath it while appearing mindless on the surface. It comes off as a blend of slightly lefty agitprop while at the same time it maintains some deeply red state beliefs about, among other issues, the right to bear arms. It's an adrenaline pumping, widely entertaining big-budget shoot-`em-up that delivers the goods.

PICTURE: 2.35 ratio ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN. The PQ is near-fllawless--you can see every scrap of debris and flaming body(parts) in every detail. Colors are radiant, sharpness is impressive and blacks are very crisp. There are minor instances of enhancements but it doesn't ruin the presentation.
AUDIO: 5.1 Dolby Digital English rack delivers the right punch for the job while the dialogue has absolute clarity. There is the option of a French track w/ removable English subtitles.
EXTRAS: Director Fuqua sits for an informative commentary track that walks the viewer through everything from the visual effects and the film's realism to the politics of the film and his reactions to the material. The featurette "Survival of the Fittest: The Making of Shooter," details the creation of the film, while the second featurette "Independence Hall," features the film's military advisor talking about the film's pivotal assassination sequence.
There are 7 deleted scenes that are playable separately or all together.
Trailers for Zodiac and Black Snake Moan complete the disc.

Overall: Despite its jabs at the government, and the occasional macho-cheesy(if funny) dialogue, SHOOTER comes out as a highly entertaining action thriller that every action-buff will want in their collection. It delivers what it should, pure popcorn entertainment w/ a touch of a political conspiracy that is a good diversion from a day's work.
RECOMMENDED! (Highly Recommended for action fans)4 1/2 stars!

Bridge to Terabithia (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Very Emotional. Surprising. Not About Fantasy, But About Loss and Relationships
Terrible and Completely Pointless
Great Fun! Good Story
Warning - sad movie, too sad for kids
Kooky and mildly pointless....

Bridge to Terabithia (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Josh Hutcherson , AnnaSophia Robb , Zooey Deschanel , Robert Patrick , and Bailee Madison
Director: Gabor Csupo
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Night at the Museum (Widescreen Edition)
Ghost Rider (Two-Disc Extended Cut)
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Charlotte's Web (Widescreen Edition)
Breach (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B00005JPL5
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Amazon.com

Based on Katherine Paterson's young-adult novel and filmed in picturesque New Zealand, Bridge to Terabithia has lessons to impart about empathy and self-expression, but the tone is never heavy-handed. Jesse (sleepy-eyed Josh Hutcherson, Zathura), a fifth-grade loner, lives in the country with his parents and four sisters, including pesky May Belle (Bailee Madison), who adores him. His strict father (Robert Patrick, The Terminator 2) works in a hardware store. Money is tight and classmates make fun of his hand-me-downs, so Jesse finds refuge in running and drawing. Everything changes when two writers and their daughter Leslie (wide-eyed AnnaSophia Robb, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) move in next door. Leslie is faster than all the boys, which initially puts Jesse off, but the two soon bond over their love of make-believe. In the forest, they find a creek that can only be crossed by rope. Leslie names the land on the other side Terabithia, where they imagine themselves rulers of the kingdom. Jesse and Leslie also connect with their unconventional music teacher, Ms. Edmonds (Zooey Deschanel, Elf), who encourages their creativity. Despite the tension at home, Jesse's personal life is finally coming together when the unthinkable happens. Will he revert to his anti-social ways or will he grow from the experience? Though aimed at all ages, pre-school students may find Terebithia's creatures frightening. For grade-school kids and up, however, there's much to savor in this smartly written, sensitively acted film. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Customer Reviews:

Very Emotional. Surprising. Not About Fantasy, But About Loss and Relationships.......2007-07-04

This movie can be very surprising and possibly an emotional tearjerker if you are not familiar with the story or book it was based on. If you don't mind your young children learning about "loss" and the sadness surrounding it, this will also be an uplifting movie that shows the positive nature of fostering good relationships. I thought I was getting a "fantasy" movie to watch with my son -- it was short on fantasy, and was heavy on the theme of "loss" but was still a good movie overall as it really brought out the emotions it intended to bring out. Many parents may argue whether the movie should be watched by their children (depending on what you are willing to teach your children about early.) As an adult, I found the movie of value and entertaining and also feel it is necessary to be present if you allow younger children watch it.

Terrible and Completely Pointless .......2007-07-04

Boy am I sorry I just wasted an hour and a half watching this movie, and I'm even sorrier that I let my kids see it.

This is not a movie for children, it is far too slow, boring, and sad. Its not a movie for adults, it is far too juvenile and, well, dumb.

I kept waiting for the movie to get to a point - and it never does. It meanders around in the very sad lives of two different adolescents - both terribly neglected by their parents in very different ways, both bullied, both living pretty sad lives. I kept waiting for something interesting to happen, or for the film to reach some pinnacle where it all came together, and it never did. Totally pointless.

The "fantasy" bits of the film [and they are *tiny* bits - not really worth even mentioning] are poorly done and just awful.

There is really nothing redeeming about this film, other than the fact that the two young actors who play the main characters do a good job acting - they just have pretty lame characters. ALL the characters in the movie are really just characateurs - with no depth or meaning. And most of them are "bad" in some way or other, from the insanely neglectful mother to the nasty abusive father to the mean bullies who beat up the other kids.

Anyway, its just a terrible movie and not worth anyone's time or money. And please, parents, if you think you *might* want to show this movie to your children, preview it first. I sure wish I had done that.

Great Fun! Good Story.......2007-07-04

It seems a lot of people were expecting a lot more "fantasy" world in this film and have judged it accordingly. Personally, I love the "simplicity" of the fantasy as it really gives adults a reminder as to what children see when they play make believe.

The fantasy is supposed to be secondary to the plot and it's very well done. I was very pleased when I watched it and had a good cry at the end, not once but twice.

Warning - sad movie, too sad for kids.......2007-07-03

I wish someone had warned us! My daughter and I balled our eyes out. Other than that really sad part, the movie was great, but just to forewarn you...bring your tissues!

Kooky and mildly pointless...........2007-07-03

Yes, I get it. Kids are supposed to be imaginative. Okay so why wasn't the story? You have AnnaSophia Robb staring (brilliantly I might add) in a flick about an adolescent with an overactive imagination... yet her imagination is depicted for all of 20 minutes in a 90 minute flick. The creatures are mindless cardboard cutouts, meant to represent real-life characters in their everyday world, but they wind up being boring parodies of themself.

The movie had great potential. Lots of area for conflict, what with a controlling "down on his luck" deadbeat dad and all. But in the end, the film would have been better if it had gone unmade. Or perhaps benefitted from about another half hour actually IN Terabithia.

Average customer rating:

No Sniping About This One!
WATCH THIS SHOT
Shooters DVD review
Did I Mention The Exploding Heads? Hard-Ass Action Escapism
Refreshingly Right on Target...

Shooter (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Mark Wahlberg , Michael Peña , Danny Glover , Kate Mara , and Elias Koteas
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Ghost Rider (Two-Disc Extended Cut)
Breach (Widescreen Edition)
Deja Vu
Mel Gibson's Apocalypto (Widescreen Edition)
Blood Diamond (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B000Q6GUT8
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Amazon.com

Beyond Shooter

More Sniper / Hit Man Movies on DVD
More DVDs with Mark Wahlberg
The Novel

Stills from Shooter (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

No Sniping About This One!.......2007-07-04

WATCH THIS SHOT.......2007-07-02

Shooters DVD review.......2007-07-02

Did I Mention The Exploding Heads? Hard-Ass Action Escapism.......2007-07-02

Refreshingly Right on Target..........2007-07-01

Average customer rating:

Better than expected
love at first sight
No Holiday
For the romantic!
Other Reviews Super, Just Wnat to Give 5 Stars and Comment

The Holiday
Starring: Cameron Diaz , Kate Winslet , Jude Law , Jack Black , and Eli Wallach
Director: Nancy Meyers
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Casino Royale (2-Disc Widescreen Edition)
The Pursuit of Happyness (Widescreen Edition)
Blood Diamond (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Music and Lyrics (Widescreen Edition)
The Departed (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B000MQC9H4
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Amazon.com

As a pleasant dose of holiday cheer, The Holiday is a lovable love story with all the Christmas trimmings. In the capable hands of writer-director Nancy Meyers (making her first romantic comedy since Something's Gotta Give), it all begins when two successful yet unhappy women connect through a home-swapping website, and decide to trade houses for the Christmas holiday in a mutual effort to forget their man troubles. Iris (Kate Winslet) is a London-based journalist who lives in a picture-postcard cottage in Surrey, and Amanda (Cameron Diaz) owns a movie-trailer production company (leading her to cutely imagine most of her life as a "coming attraction") and lives in a posh mansion in Beverly Hills. Iris is heartbroken from unrequited love with a cad of a colleague (Rufus Sewell), and Amanda has just broken up with her cheating boyfriend (Edward Burns), so their home-swapping offers mutual downtime to reassess their love lives. This being a Nancy Meyers movie (where everything is fabulously decorated and romantic wish-fulfillment is virtually guaranteed), Amanda hooks up with Iris's charming brother Graham (Jude Law), and Iris is unexpectedly smitten with Miles (Jack Black), a super-nice film composer on the downside of a failing relationship. --Jeff Shannon

Extras from The Holiday

First Look Featurette
high bandwidth

Film Clip: "Sushi for Two"
high bandwidth

Film Clip: "Oh Brother"
high bandwidth

Stills from The Holiday (click for larger image)

Beyond The Holiday on Amazon.com

On Blu-ray
CD Soundtrack
The Films of Nancy Meyers

Customer Reviews:

Better than expected.......2007-07-03

I rented this movie online not expecting much. Too my surprise it was much better than I thought it would be.

love at first sight.......2007-07-03

There aren't too many movies that I watch and instantly fall in love with but it happened here. I saw the film, fell in love with story and the music, bought the score and had my sister join me for an encore performace... all in a single day! I'm a romantic at heart and this film was all about it. Not only that but every character was brilliantly used. From the adorable old man to the fiesty little children and of course the love story, this film is sure to touch your heart!

No Holiday.......2007-06-27

I own the movies Hitch, You've Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, Prime - I am a professional chick flick-er. Jude Law, Jack Black are in some of my favorite films. In my opinion, Kate Winslet is one of the most talented young actresses out there. Therefore this film should've been a perfect film for someone such as me - the film had all the right ingredients but the wrong recipe. I was very disappointed with this film. I agree with the other reviewers that the plot of the movie is not so original and is quite predictable. However, most romantic comedies ARE predictable - but what makes the good romantic comedies good is the presentation and the deliverance of the story. This film failed very much in that department. I blame it highly on the script and the editing process. Even with such beautiful people as Jude Law and Cameron Diaz on the screen, the film drags and become unbearable as it progresses. I was very sad as they had such a great cast. And it was a huge disappointment from Nancy Meyers (whose previous film - What Women Want - I enjoyed immensely).

For the romantic!.......2007-06-25

Though not a heart-wrenching love story, The Holiday is a inspiration for the romantic at heart. It causes room for doubt, then offers hope. It's cute...not too deep but still romantic and playfully pleasant. I enjoyed it...have watched it twice. My 15 year old, however, said it was boring and not worth watching. I attribute that to age and the lack of ability to understand certain innuendos.

Other Reviews Super, Just Wnat to Give 5 Stars and Comment.......2007-06-24

This is a five-star movie. A special cachet is added by Eil Wallach as the elderly screenwriter.

I bought this to remind myself what romance was supposed to be like. I am hugely satisfied. Another keeper.

Other movies in this romantic genre I have enjoyed:
You've Got Mail
Sleepless in Seattle (10th Anniversary Edition) [Region 99]
As Good As It Gets
Hitch (Widescreen Edition) [Region 99]
Something's Gotta Give [Region 99]
Maid in Manhattan [Region 99]
Dirty Dancing (20th Anniversary Edition)

Bridge To Terabithia (Full Screen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Very Emotional. Surprising. Not About Fantasy, But About Loss and Relationships
Terrible and Completely Pointless
Great Fun! Good Story
Warning - sad movie, too sad for kids
Kooky and mildly pointless....

Bridge To Terabithia (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Josh Hutcherson , AnnaSophia Robb , Zooey Deschanel , Robert Patrick , and Bailee Madison
Director: Gabor Csupo
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

All Disney Titles | Disney Home Entertainment | Stores | DVD | Video

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

Night at the Museum (Widescreen Edition)
Ghost Rider (Two-Disc Extended Cut)
Eragon (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Charlotte's Web (Widescreen Edition)
Breach (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000OYCM5I
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Very Emotional. Surprising. Not About Fantasy, But About Loss and Relationships.......2007-07-04

Terrible and Completely Pointless .......2007-07-04

Great Fun! Good Story.......2007-07-04

Warning - sad movie, too sad for kids.......2007-07-03

I wish someone had warned us! My daughter and I balled our eyes out. Other than that really sad part, the movie was great, but just to forewarn you...bring your tissues!

Kooky and mildly pointless...........2007-07-03

William Shakespeare's Hamlet (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Prepare thyself
One of the best presentation of a Shakespeare play
The Full-length Hamlet...
Where Are The Grace Notes?
Excellent

William Shakespeare's Hamlet (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Richard Attenborough , David Blair , Brian Blessed , Kenneth Branagh , and Richard Briers
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

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Two-Disc Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Hamlet
Twelfth Night
Rome - The Complete Second Season
Becket
Pan's Labyrinth (New Line Two-Disc Platinum Series)

ASIN: B00005JLCI
Release Date: 2007-08-14

Amazon.com

Kenneth Branagh's four-hour production of Shakespeare's full text for Hamlet is visually lush (shot in 70mm, which is rarely done) and full of fascinating story moments that normally get cut from shorter stage versions. (Your idea of what kind of fellow Polonius is may change quite a bit.) The unexpurgated approach is truly enlightening, and Branagh intermittently succeeds at giving familiar moments in the drama an original cinematic spin, including Hamlet's spooky confrontation with his father's ghost (Brian Blessed). (Branagh also imposes some Hollywood glitter on the proceedings by casting the likes of Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Charlton Heston, and Jack Lemmon in the smaller parts.) The pre-Titanic Kate Winslet is very good as the doomed Ophelia, and Derek Jacobi delivers a wonderfully nuanced performance as Claudius, whose character is definitely filled out by the restored material. Branagh's own performance is a little revisionist--some viewers have quibbled with it while others seem fine with it. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Prepare thyself.......2007-06-25

OK...let me get my complaints outta the way, the things that make this film loose a star, first and foremost. After all, it's only my opinion.

I hate the way the Ghost is handled. Too literal...too much is shown. I prefer Zeff's take on the ghost to anyone's. Now that was creepy. This isn't. Also, Branagh has the WORST taste in music in all of Europe. It's embarrassing.

But this is a Hamlet to be seen. It's like no other. Yes, yes...the actors are fantastic, and it is beautiful to behold, like other Hamlets. Branagh's special device... and self challenge for which I applaud him, is to do the entire play. Every word. The whole shebang. In a world where even ABT is editing down their great works of 19th century entertainment, so it won't last longer than your average film I guess, this film is refreshing.

One must prepare for it. It's like going to see Wagner's "Ring" or a Eugene O'Neill play.... you know it's going to be long and intricate. You may become bored at times, but you must know you won't be for long before things pick up again, and paying attention has great rewards. Resolve yourself to meet it halfway. Also, like a Wagner opera, you must accept it for what it is, warts and all. Like a Bach Passion, or a Beethoven string quartet, it is a universe of its own. It is full of nooks and crannies. It is a complete world.

This is the great thing about this version of Hamlet. It's not tidied up for modern sensibilities of theatre. It's sprawling and expansive. The threat from Fortinbras and the entire "players" scene and the scenes on the ship to England....these tentacles from the main plot only add to the complete world of "Hamlet". It's wonderful! It puts it on par with "Lear" [which I've always though better]. It is epic. Art! With a capital "A".

One of the best presentation of a Shakespeare play.......2007-06-22

I had the opportunity to see this film during limited premiere back in December 25, 1996. I still have the program from that time. The 3 theatres to have the honors were The Paris Theatre in New York, The Royal Theatre in Los Angeles and The York Theatre in Toronto. These theatre showed the film in its entirety with one intermission of about 10 minutes. When it went nationwide the following January 24, 1997, it was edited and shorten by about 1 hour.

I must say, watching it for the first time was exciting. The film was amazing and I was intrigue throughout. Keep in mind I was still a young high school student when I first saw this. I enjoyed every aspect of it and did not want to see it end. When the film was first released on DVD or LD, I rented it and it was still good but there is nothing like experiencing it at the theatre and presented the way it was meant to be seen.

The Full-length Hamlet..........2007-06-10

1997's "William Shakespeare's Hamlet" is a full-length production of the original play, running to a daunting but entirely worthwhile four hours.

Kenneth Branagh, veteran of earlier screen productions of "Henry V" and "Much Ado About Nothing", is entirely credible as the melancholy Prince of Denmark, suspecting subterfuge in his father's murder and his mother's rapid remarriage. His delivery of Hamlet's signature sililoquy in a hall of mirrors is his own but excellent. The length of the production allows for a full exploration of Hamlet's behavior and of his plan for revenge; Branagh deserves credit for sustaining the ambiguity of his character throughout. His energy drives what might otherwise have become an exhausting movie, which even includes the timely arrival of the Norwegian Army at the end of the climactic sword fight between Hamlet and Ophelia's brother.

Branagh is supported by an absolutely stellar cast of "name" actors and actresses, including Kate Winslet as the unfortunate Ophelia. Noticing actors like Robin Williams and Jack Lemon in their minor roles becomes almost a little distracting as the movie progresses.

The length of the movie allows for the close exploration of the lavish sets; Blenheim Palace in England stands in for the Elsinore of the play. Period costumes and furnishings are detailed and everywhere in evidence.

This movie is most highly recommended to fans of Shakespeare and of Hamlet, who will be rewarded with an entertaining and quality effort for the investment of time.

Where Are The Grace Notes?.......2007-05-24

I know I'm going to catch hell for this review, but I've tried to watch Branagh's Hamlet twice and quit half way through both times. This is not meant pejoratively, but Branagh's Hamlet is an assault on the senses. He brays and he mews and he mugs for the camera. Where are the grace notes? How can the Dane be such an unsympathetic character? Winslet's Ophelia is a raving hysteric, Polonius a caricature of a hypocrite, Lemmon woefully miscast, his line readings leaden. The soundtrack, always intrusive, at time overwhelms the dialogue. Bigger is not necessarily better. Give me Olivier, even Gibson, any day.

Excellent.......2007-05-21

Though quite lengthy, this version of Hamlet is amazing. Kenneth Branah does a wonderful job acting as Hamlet and Kate Winslet's performance of Olivia is equally appealing. This age old story of trechery, pride, and revenge comes to life in this movie and I would reccomend it to anyone.

Average customer rating:

Darcy has got nothing on Edward Ferrars...
The best of Jane Austen
Very endearing movie!
Chick Flick
Anything by Jane

Sense & Sensibility (Special Edition)
Starring: James Fleet , Tom Wilkinson , Harriet Walter , Kate Winslet , and Emma Thompson
Director: Ang Lee
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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Pride & Prejudice
Emma (A&E, 1997)

ASIN: 0800141660
Release Date: 1999-08-24

Amazon.com essential video

Emma Thompson scores a double bull's-eye with this marvelous adaptation of Jane Austen's novel. Not only does Thompson turn in a strong (and gently humorous) performance as one of the Dashwood sisters--the one with "sense"--she also wrote the witty, wise screenplay. Austen's tale of 19th-century manners and morals provides a large cast with a feast of possibilities, notably Kate Winslet, in her pre-Titanic flowering, as Thompson's deeply romantic sister. Winslet attracts the wooing of shy Alan Rickman (a nice change of pace from his bad-guy roles) and dashing Greg Wise, while Thompson must endure an incredibly roundabout courtship with Hugh Grant, here in fine and funny form. All of this is doled out with the usual eye-filling English countryside and handsome costumes, yet the film always seems to be about the careful interior lives of its characters. The director, an inspired choice, is Taiwan-born Ang Lee, who brings the same exquisite taste and discreet touch he displayed in his previous Asian films (such as Eat Drink Man Woman). Thompson's script won an Oscar, and 1995 was a fine year for Jane Austen all around: Persuasion was made into an excellent picture, and Emma became the spritzy high school comedy Clueless. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Darcy has got nothing on Edward Ferrars..........2007-07-03

Yes, yes, if you are an Austen fan Mr. Darcy is dashing and bold to be sure, but the quiet gentleness and honorable love of Edward Ferrars for Elinor Dashwood is a delight to partake in, in this adaptation of Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility." This film was quite faithful to the book, and the actors and actresses were suberbly chosen, as were the costumes, setting, and dialogue. It's such a lovely story with very good lessons to take to heart, as Emma Thompson (Elinor Dashwood) learns to hope that what is lost, is not lost forever, and Kate Winslet (Marianne Dashwood) learns how sensibility can prevent a broken heart. So, if you are craving the delightful romance, agony, humour, and hope of love in Jane Austen's England, this film will not disappoint.

The best of Jane Austen.......2007-06-30

Anyone watching this show can determine how hard it was for a woman to survive in the pre-industrial England.

I have a preference for 19th century movies and books. This movie did not disappoint me. The actors and actresses all fit so perfectly into their roles. It was like magic to see them perform.

The Dashwood women, Elinor, Marianne and Margaret with along with their mother are forced to leave a life of luxury when Mr. Dashwood dies and they move into a cottage in the country. (Women have no rights to inherit when a man dies.) The money usually is given to the eldest sons in the family. The women must find another means to survive unless the one who inherits is generous enough to allow them to stay on. In this case, the greed of the son's wife overrules the son and the women are pressed upon to leave very quickly.

The oldest daughter develops a romantic interest in her half brother's wife's brother-in-law, but the sister-in-law makes certain that they are separated so that nothing more can develop.

The younger of the two oldest daughters abandons sensible conduct and rushes headlong into folly with a rake.

The two sisters are then taken into London for a season, and the truth is known about both men on their lives. One is already secretly engaged (entrapped is more like it)and the other has proposed to a wealthy woman because of his own bad debts.

Everything works out for the best and everyone gets what they deserve in the end. Life doesn't always look like it works that way, but it probably does. At least this movie inspires me to believe it.

The music in it is outstanding along with all of the beautiful panoramic scenery of England's countryside.

Very endearing movie!.......2007-06-30

I have a preference for 19th century movies and books. This movie did not disappoint me. The actors and actresses all fit so perfectly into their roles. It was like magic to see them perform.

The Dashwood women, Elinor, Marianne and Margaret with along with their mother are forced to leave a life of luxury when Mr. Dashwood dies and they move into a cottage in the country. (Women have no rights to inherit when a man dies.) The money usually is given to the eldest sons in the family. The women must find another means to survive unless the one who inherits is generous enough to allow them to stay on. In this case, the greed of the son's wife overrules the son and the women are pressed upon to leave very quickly.

The oldest daughter develops a romantic interest in her half brother's wife's brother-in-law, but the sister-in-law makes certain that they are separated so that nothing more can develop.

The younger of the two oldest daughters abandons sensible conduct and rushes headlong into folly with a rake.

The two sisters are then taken into London for a season, and the truth is known about both men on their lives. One is already secretly engaged (entrapped is more like it)and the other has proposed to a wealthy woman because of his own bad debts.

Everything works out for the best and everyone gets what they deserve in the end. Life doesn't always look like it works that way, but it probably does. At least this movie inspires me to believe it.

The music in it is outstanding along with all of the beautiful panoramic scenery of England's countryside.

Chick Flick.......2007-06-08

This adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense & Sensibility was an exceptional one. With the starring cast who could hardly go wrong. Enjoy!!

Anything by Jane.......2007-06-04

My favorite movie of ALL TIME!! Anything by Jane Austin is wonderful and Emma Thompson did a wonderful adaptation of this story.

Average customer rating:

Maybe a good story
Great, uplifting movie
Great movie
Not a motorcycle movie
Worlds Fastest Indian

The World's Fastest Indian
Starring: Anthony Hopkins , Iain Rea , Tessa Mitchell , Aaron Murphy (II) , and Tim Shadbolt
Director: Roger Donaldson
Manufacturer: Magnolia
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ASIN: B000F8DBDK
Release Date: 2006-06-13

Amazon.com

A movie that exudes affection and goodwill, The World's Fastest Indian is an unabashed mash note to a lovely character from New Zealand's recent past. Burt Munro, played by Anthony Hopkins, is a cantankerous Kiwi with an obsession: he's been tinkering with his 1920s-era Indian brand motorcycle for years, pushing it to ever-faster speeds. It's the 1960s, and Burt has the utterly mad idea of taking the bike to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, site of world records for speed racing. The movie takes a while to get to the journey--and then the journey takes a while--but the genial atmosphere prevails. (People of a certain age, for whom the word "Bonneville" evokes pleasant associations with hotrods and world-speed records, will not be disappointed in the film's location shooting, or its sense of awe.) Hopkins is not quite on-the-money casting for the jovial, happy-go-lucky Munro, and his accent wavers, but he nails the emotional scenes and the fascination with speed. Smaller bits are well-filled by Diane Ladd and Christopher Lawford (son of Peter), who looks uncannily of the era. New Zealand director Roger Donaldson doesn't take any chances here, but the story clearly means something to him, and that sense of commitment carries the film through its sleepier moments. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Maybe a good story.......2007-06-28

But, I'll never know. I quit watching it after all the immoral inuendos. I can't see what is redeeming in this movie except trying to make what is probably a good story and fill it with such questionable and flippant behavior. Way to ruin what is probably a good story.

Great, uplifting movie.......2007-06-12

This is a thoroughly enjoyable movie. Anthony Hopkins is terrific. I highly recommend this film.

Great movie.......2007-06-12

Totally reminded me of my father-in-law. Great gift for all eccentric inventors or speed enthusiasts! Anthony Hopkins is extremely colorful and entertaining in this film.

Not a motorcycle movie.......2007-06-11

I'm an avid rider, but when I saw that Anthony Hopkins had the part of Burt Munro, it was clear this would not be just another motorcycle movie. It's an inspiring journey of faith, hope, courage, talent and perseverance. The motorcycle is only part of the story, albeit a prominent part. This wonderful epic of a wonderful man is filled with inspiration, joy and humor, and will find a place on my list of all-time favorites.

Worlds Fastest Indian.......2007-06-11

Great movie! This was another fantastic job by Anthony Hopkins. Great Family movie!

Average customer rating:

Even better the 3rd time.
English Humor And Zombies! What a Combination!
A Somewhat Dissenting Opinion
Shaun of the Dead
Shaun of the Dead

Shaun of the Dead
Starring: Kate Ashfield , Tim Baggaley , Nicola Cunningham , Sonnell Dadral , and Lucy Davis (II)
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
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ASIN: B0006A9FKA
Release Date: 2004-12-21

Amazon.com

British horror/comedy Shaun of the Dead is a scream in all senses of the word. Brain-hungry zombies shamble through the streets of London, but all unambitious electronics salesman Shaun (Simon Pegg) cares about is his girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield), who just dumped him. With the help of his slacker roommate Ed (Nick Frost), Shaun fights his way across town to rescue Liz, but the petty concerns of life keep getting in the way: When they're trying to use vinyl records to decapitate a pair of zombies, Shaun and Ed bicker about which bands deserve preservation--New Order they keep, but Sade becomes a lethal frisbee. Many zombie movies are comedies by accident, but Shaun of the Dead is deliberately and brilliantly funny, while still delivering a few delicious jolts of fear. Also featuring the stealthy comic presence of Bill Nighy (Love Actually) and some familar faces from The Office. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Even better the 3rd time........2007-06-29

I liked the movie a lot when I rented it. After seeing "Hot Fuzz" by the same team, I knew I had to see the movie again. It's just as good as I remember it and I caught new things watching it again. I invited a few friends over to watch it and they liked it too.

English Humor And Zombies! What a Combination!.......2007-06-28

I was never a huge fan of Zombie flicks. George Romero's Night Of The Living Dead scared me so bad when I was eight years old that I didn't sleep for the next decade. So when it comes to the lurching, head-snacking undead, I tend to steer the other way. Well, too many of my friends have commented on Shaun Of The Dead, so I had to take a look for myself. I'm a big fan of dry British humor and Shaun Of The Dead is packed with that as well as flesh-scarfing zombies. The entire scene where Shaun goes to the liquor store to by his morning drink and completely ignores all the signs (the bloody handprints on the glass of the cooler door, the dead bodies sprawled in the yards and streets) that the zombies have come to roost. Hysterical! Along with his slacker cohort Ed, Shaun decides to go over to his mum's house and rescue her, while taking care of his zombie-bitten step-father with a cricket bat. The laughs, entertwined with the gore, make for one trippy movie. Filled with absurd situations, Shaun Of The Dead will have you rolling while you flinch. Great!

Dig it!

A Somewhat Dissenting Opinion.......2007-06-05

Yes. Rent it or buy it. It's not a bad movie, rather entertaining in fact. You know the plot - standard (by now) end of the world flesh eating zombie flick with a double dollop of dry British humor and sufficient gore. Good script. However, I had a few problems with this movie. First off, it's amusing rather than roll on the floor hilarious as others have stated. Secondly, it is extremely derivative of Romero's films - so much so, that I found it both distracting and a little annoying. Simply, Romero did all the heavy lifting laying the groundwork in his initial trilogy, and this film apes rather than adds like 28 Days Later. This one borders on plagiarism. Goes to the well too often with the overly used "loved one is bitten by zombie and now we have to kill it..." cliche. And, while the production values are surprisingly good, the direction is at a banal TV movie level. You've heard this from critics before - "doesn't know what kind of movie it wants to be..." Imagine if Monty Python and the Holy Grail flip-flopped between a silly spoof of the legend of King Arthur and a serious treatment of the mythology like John Boorman's Excalibur. Or, if "Crusher" lops off Curly's head with an ax as The Three Stooges are being chased around haunted mansion, and Moe pauses for a few minutes to tearily weep and grieve the loss of his brother before Crusher sneaks up behind Larry, Moe tells Larry to quit breathing on him, Larry gives his pateneted, "Nyaaaaahh" and they resume woop, woop, wooping in circles around the halls again, stepping over Curly's "corp-us" ; ) to escape Crusher as he weilds his ax.

Entertaining, worth a watch, but to call this derivative work a "homage" is being too kind, it's not as funny as its hype, and it simply flip-flops between horror and comedy to often, too severely, and too jarringly. The direction is also mundane. This one was saved mainly due to its energetic cast and a good script. Still, these criticisms aside, I couldn't say I wasn't entertained.

Shaun of the Dead.......2007-05-30

Consistantly funny, yet amazingly believable, take on a zombie invasion. Characters well drawn and full of subtle details that make rewatching fun.

Shaun of the Dead.......2007-05-28

I originally saw this movie because the previews looked undeniably hilarious. I waited of course until the movie was available to rent because I was cautious regarding the type of humor that might be in the film. I was pleasantly surprised to find the movie wildly entertaining with very little gratuitous humor. This British movies' premise is a spoof of the many American zombie movies (and the single British one), where the main character Sean finds himself battling zombies with presumably his best friend and roommate in order to save his as of recently ex-girlfriend. The mild manner of lead character Sean is ultimately what balances the hilarity of the movie, creating a sense of seriousness on the part of the characters, one which is ultimately the catalyst of humor. It is classic British humor and very enjoyable indeed.

Average customer rating:

Recommended
A range of emotions on film
Clement Virgo's Lie With Me is self-indulgent porn masquerading as an 'art' film
a porn movie disguised as a 'b' movie
It's like watching a car wreck, only prettified

Lie With Me
Starring: Lauren Lee Smith , Eric Balfour , Polly Shannon , Mayko Nguyen , and Michael Facciolo
Director: Clément Virgo
Manufacturer: Velocity / Thinkfilm
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ASIN: B000DZ95MG
Release Date: 2006-02-14

Amazon.com

Shot in sunny Toronto and set to a dreamy score, Lie With Me looks and sounds like an art film, but the end result isn't quite so lofty. The plot is thin and the dialogue superfluous, but no matter--Canada's Clément Virgo (Love Come Down) just wants to turn you on and he has enlisted two attractive, uninhibited young performers to assist in his aims. Leila (Lauren Lee Smith, The L Word) and David (Eric Balfour, Six Feet Under) meet at a party. He's with his girlfriend, but finds himself drawn to her. The feeling is mutual. She's alone, but quickly finds an unattached hipster with whom to have a tryst. David catches her in the act. Instead of turning away, he watches. They start seeing each other immediately afterwards. "I'm not hooked on danger, [I'm] hooked on sex," Leila claims, but she isn't exactly the most trustworthy narrator. She wants a purely physical relationship, while David wants something more. They return to their old lives, but the obsession refuses to die. Based on the novella by Virgo's partner, Tamara Berger, Lie With Me plays like a low-budget cross between Adrian Lyne's overrated 9 1/2 Weeks and Wayne Wang's underrated The Center of the World. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Customer Reviews:

Recommended.......2007-07-01

Lie With Me is more than just lust and sex. David for example doesn't know what he wants they show him with his dad, which we know is an invalid. He has trust issues just like Leila. When he first sees her, I think that he is infautated with her. He helps her at the party when she becomes dizzy, he watches her when she is walking through that wooded area. Basically he is in love with her. When Leila is having sex with that guy he can't help but feel lust for her at first. I mean the guy watches her and then they make a connection. Leila is dealing with the collaspe of her parents marriage and struggling with herself and what she wants. She meets David and she feels actual love i mean she can't be away from him for one second without wanting to feel him. She talks about how when she has sex that she can feel the pleasure inside of her but wants to feel something completely different with someone else. You guessed it that someone is David she wants to love him but she doesn't know how that is why she leaves him. Then she realizes how much she wants to be with him and he pushes her away. She is persistant and then she shows herself to him. In turn he rips out her heart and tells her he doesn't want to be with her, but that is all a lie cause the hurt in his eyes shows through. I think that Leila freaks out because she doesn't know how to comfort him when his dad dies, because you comfort the ones you love in their time of need. Plus i think Eric Balfour has a nice everything in that movie. Both are passionate towards each other even in those scenes when he gets jealous or is still grieving he hurts and the one person who he loves, leaves him. I don't think that he needs a mommy i thinks he needs a lover and someone to show him who he is. Also when they show Leila like having sex form behind i think that she is scared to let someone make actual love to her but David changes that i mean he asks her out on a date. You don't date someone you just want to have sex with. I love this movie i mean yeah theres graphic nudity but its hot and steamy and the actors make David and Leila come to life. Both Eric Balfour and Lauren Lee Smith are the perfect actors to play them.

A range of emotions on film.......2007-06-24

I bought this movie out of curiosity. I love this movie because of the range of emotions many of us experience when one desires and loves. Virgo uses long scenes with few cuts and dialogue to show what's felt when one falls for another. There's lust, attachment, uncertainty, and resolution. The movie shows how one may grow or regress because of these feelings. Rather than lots of dialogue, Virgo uses the nonverbal communication to show what's felt - the trembling of the lips with anticipation, the attachment to another when kissing their arm while asleep, or the misery and disconnect from being without the other. The plot is simple, but many of us have felt the contents of the movie at some point in time. This movie is the first that has delved into the depth of these feelings and put it brillantly on film.

If you're looking for erotic scenes, they're definitely there, and add to the content of the movie. However, if you're thinking this movie is about nothing but sex, you're misled.

Lie With Me will make you think and feel for these characters. Take the 90 minutes; it's worth the time.

Clement Virgo's Lie With Me is self-indulgent porn masquerading as an 'art' film.......2007-06-23

I've learnt to spot the danger signs of an impending bad movie. One of them is when the director is also the screenwriter and producer -- in short, there's no one there to put the brakes on when the film starts to get too self-absorbed. Such is the case with this Canadian indie film that seems to have gone straight to video.

Based on Tamara Berger's novel of the same name (published by the appropriately named Gutter Press), we meet Leila (Lauren Lee Smith), a young woman at a party. She's more than a little tipsy, and looks to be on the scrawny side, dressed clearly with the message that she's there to get laid -- oops, I mean have a good time. One man there is pretty bold about eyeing her, and the pair end up in the bathroom, where he helps her to sober up a little with a drink of water. It almost turns into sex, but his girlfriend calls for him outside and he leaves. He, we find out, is named David (Eric Balfour).

She leaves the party, taking with her Shy Guy (Michael Facciolo), and proceeds to have sex with him outside, up against a chain-link fence. Sitting in his car, watching the pair, is none other than David, along with his girlfriend. David and Leila watch each other getting laid, mimicing each others actions, as it were. At this point, I had a pretty good idea of what this film was going to be about, but as I have this thing about finishing the book or film I start, I didn't turn it off right away.

Eventually, Leila and David meet up again, this time in a public playground, and in a daring moment, she exposes herself to him, making her own interest pretty well known. They move onto his apartment for sex, and the sexual compulsion between the two of them gets going. And in fact that's what most of this film is about -- we're either watching Leila and David going at it like deranged rabbits, or she's letting us know her thoughts and experiences in a voice over that supposed to be titillating and erotic, but sounds more like a bad memoir.

The relationship is pretty predictable -- lust, jealousy phase, playing house together phase, she tries to get it past sex, he withdraws and treats her like trash, they break up, and so on and so forth. Yawn. We've seen this before. While I have to say that the sex at least looks real and honest, the rest of the film isn't that interesting. David, in particular, strikes me as the sort of young man that is fashionable these days -- unshaven, grungy and without any visible means of support. He does take care of an elderly, ailing father, so I guess that's something in his favour. But who in their right mind goes about in dirty jeans without underwear? I had a strong urge to go dip him in a vat of lye.

Leila's not much better. She's perpetually rumpled in skimpy clothing that looks to be ready to fall off at anytime. It's a cheap and sleazy look, and if she's looking for true love or respect from men, it's not a way to really inspire it either. Her personal life isn't that much better -- her parents are going through a divorce, her job is a dead-end job, she seems to spend her free time on the couch watching porn, or partying it up with weed and alcohol. She's not someone I would really care to know in reality either.

In short, this is a couple made for each other. Neither one of them are very responsible, and frankly, he treats her like a piece of meat. I suppose this is what makes this a modern, young adult relationship, sex without strings or emotion. And while the sex does get interesting, I've seen far far better in x-rated film, the only thing this lacks is what is known as the money shot in the trade.

Indeed, Virgo tries to make this as arty as possible, with lots of soft lighting, on location shots in Toronto, use of colour and texture, and I guess that works. But there isn't any sort of plot in this except for the so-called romance between the two leads, and their sexual shenanigans. Oh, there's an attempt or two with the illness of one parent, and the impeding divorce, but the central relationship is so tawdry, the viewer is left with the attitude of so what? by the end.

I don't demand syrupy romance, as long as there is some sort of passion there, but these two are so out of touch with themselves, how can they possibly make it work with each beyond the rubbing together of two body parts? That was the other big complaint with this one -- no one hits a climax that fast, and here it's the slam-bam-thankee-ma'am sort of sex. I kept thinking that she must have had insides of old leather to put up with that.

This is not for children of any age, and I would suspect that most adults would find it a bit on the disturbing side. There is quite a bit of sex in this, with male and female frontal nudity, sex in public, public exposure, sex in public, in cars, with lots of foul language and every form of straight sex that can be performed. There's plenty of drug and alcohol abuse as well. But they do try with a bit of condom use -- after all, this is the age of safe sex, I suppose.

No subtitles, some lackluster trailers for other films, and a voice-over commentary from the director. Nothing really special to watch either.

This is certainly a D-list film. Those who prefer their film to have sex and be honest about it might find a few minutes worth watching, but this 100-minute clunker has nothing else going for it. Those who are looking for a love story will be turned off by the callous brutality and attitudes. It's not a likeable film at all, and I urge you to spend your time with something, anything, else.

Not recommended.

a porn movie disguised as a 'b' movie.......2007-06-21

this movie was about a female sex maniac seeking free rides in the city of angels. there were lot of love making scenes in this hollow movie. the screenplay writer was the original author of that book titled in the same name. if this movie was shot in the '70s timeline, i'd accepted it unconditionally, but regretfully, this is a 2005 movie, aids, hiv and other diseases transmitted from random sex are real. so every time when this young woman involved in free sex, i was just sick to death.
a big question here: what's the point of making this movie?

It's like watching a car wreck, only prettified.......2007-06-10

I saw this movie on cable one night and couldn't help but purchase it on DVD. There were some elements that if you take them one by one, are not great by itself, but taken as a whole, it sorta worked. The 2 main characters were openly flawed; both had their own background stories, but to me, the movie was really about the heroine. Leila (Lauren Lee Smith) was your typical hookup girl. She looks like a disheveled model with committment issues, and she has a face that sorta grows on you-- she's not pretty right away. She also doesn't say anything new (how guys don't feel love, all they think about is sex blah blah), but just like what my title suggests, it's something you can't help but watch anyway. Part of that feeling too is that the two protagonists look like they can be a real-life couple. They both look like models, but not typical (annoying) Abercrombie, just good-looking without trying too hard. David (Eric Balfour) did his part of looking good and sexy...I didn't focus on his acting too much; He certainly looked desirable enough that would merit the fuss over him. I really appreciated the scenes that showed sexual restlessness; it's late in the afernoon, there's-nothing-to-do-and-I'm-lonely/frisky and Leila is by herself...It was a relief to see that afte