Amateur

Starring:Isabelle Huppert, Martin Donovan (II), Elina LÃ¶wensohn, Damian Young, Chuck Montgomery, Dave Simonds, Pamela Stewart (II), Erica Gimpel (II), Jan Leslie Harding, Terry Alexander, Holt McCallany, Hugh Palmer, Michael Imperioli, Angel Caban, Emmanuel Xuereb, Lennie Loftin, David Greenspan, Adria Tennor, Parker Posey, Dwight Ewell
Director: Hal Hartley
Studio: Sony Pictures
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

After the tight plotting and quirky intensity of Fargo, this casually amusing follow-up from the prolifically inventive Coen (Ethan and Joel) brothers seems like a bit of a lark, and the result was a box-office disappointment. The good news is, The Big Lebowski is every bit a Coen movie, and its lazy plot is part of its laidback charm. After all, how many movies can claim as their hero a pot-bellied, pot-smoking loser named Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski (Jeff Bridges) who spends most of his time bowling and getting stoned? And where else could you find a hairnetted Latino bowler named Jesus (John Turturro) who sports dazzling purple footgear, or an erotic artist (Julianne Moore) whose creativity consists of covering her naked body in paint, flying through the air in a leather harness, and splatting herself against a giant canvas? Who else but the Coens would think of showing you a camera view from inside the holes of a bowling ball, or an elaborate Busby Berkely-styled musical dream sequence involving a Viking goddess and giant bowling pins? The plot--which finds Lebowski involved in a kidnapping scheme after he's mistaken for a rich guy with the same name--is almost beside the point. What counts here is a steady cascade of hilarious dialogue, great work from Coen regulars John Goodman and Steve Buscemi, and the kind of cinematic ingenuity that puts the Coens in a class all their own. Be sure to watch with snacks in hand, because The Big Lebowski might give you a giddy case of the munchies. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

The Coen brothers irreverent cult hit comes to DVD as a Collector's Edition, with all-new bonus material. The hilariously twisted comedy-thriller stars Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi and Julianne Moore. Join the Dude and his bowling buddies on their journey that blends unforgettable characters, kidnapping, a case of mistaken identity and White Russians. Enter the visually unique and entertaining world from the creative minds of the Coen brothers and remember: the Dude abides.

System Requirements:

Running Time 118 Mins.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Looove Jeff Bridges!.......2007-06-27

If you like movies that won't make you think too hard but still have a great plot line, this is the movie for you! I saw this movie back when it came out and I watch it all the time! If you want to laugh this is a great mindless movie! It is chalk full of loveable characters! And you will be intreged by the twists this seemingly silly movie has. By the end you will want to stand up and applaud! It is a GREAT movie! Instant classic! Great investment, and even better to add to your top 10 movie favorites!

It gets BETTER every time I watch it!.......2007-06-09

Seriously, I've seen this movie, oohhhhh, approximately ten times, and I enjoy it more and more each time.

I have no idea how the Coen brothers do it, but they manage to create characters that fit their cast, which, of course, makes for a perfectly cast movie. Every time. Especially in The Big Lebowski. And the dialogue! This isn't the only Coen movie that people vapidly quote, but there are more memorable/quotable lines in this one film than all the rest put together; and that's saying a lot, when you look at their film discography.

So if you haven't seen it, see it.

If you're not going to watch it, no matter what, then so be it. The dude abides.

COEN-esque perfection! Or a total nightmare........2007-05-29

OK. 1 question; do you like anything the Coen brother's have done? If you don't, do yourself a favor and keep on moving because this is a truly Coen film; dark, loathing, sarcastic (and those are the good points).

Seriously, the Coen's, Joel and Ethan, are a strange pair. I, for one, love their movies, some more than others, but all are entertaining at the least.

This one is truly bizarre. Jeff Bridges IS "the dude". He has a name, but that doesn't matter, because he just wants to be "the dude". Unfortunately, he shares a name with a very wealthy man and gets caught up in a kidnapping, extortion, fraud, baby-making (just watch!), catch-the-guy-that-peed-on-my-carpet (yeah, just watch!), adventure.

All "the dude" does is bowl. His team consists of an overzealous, ex-military (but should still be in the military) Polish born Catholic who converted to Judaism (just watch!) played brilliantly by John Goodman, and a guy that suffers from, well, deafness, stupidity or amnesia (acted well by Steve Buscemi). They have a big match against a team led by a guy that calls himself Jesus, who talks about himself in the first person and I quote, "Don't f... with the Jesus", who is Hispanic but wants his name pronounced like the biblical GEE-zus (John Turturro manages to stand out in this role with only 2 or 3 scenes).

Unfortunately, when "the dude" is mistaken for a rich guy (you'd think the empty apartment would be a tip-off) someone pees on his carpet and he wants to be paid for the damages. It's all downhill from there.

Here, I'll sum it up: Saddam Hussein (obviously pre-GW Bush) works at the shoe counter in a bowling alley in a dream sequence, backdropped by The First Edition's classic "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)"; it's like a bad acid-trip gone terribly RIGHT, somewhat disturbing and utterly hilarious.

One very serious caveat, the movie is rated R for many reasons. There are probably more 4 letter words than other words in this film, somehow a porno director gets involved in the plot with ubiquitous porn-stars, and, let's just say that "the dude" got to be "the dude" by smoking some stuff that ain't legal and drinking more than any one man should; white russians, which he prefers to call "caucasians", political correctness after all that, WOW!!!

Anyway, if you like the Coen's, I would say particularly, "The Hudsucker Proxy" (1 of my top 5 all time movies) or "Raising Arizona", this is probably right up your alley; sorry, bad pun.

It tied the room together.......2007-05-21

Although I have never gone out of my way to watch one of their films, I have enjoyed the handful of Coen Brothers films that I have watched during the last twenty years most notably Raising Arizona (1987) and O Brother, Where Art Thou. I have never watched any of their films in depth, but it is readily evident that they definitely bring something new to the table with their whimsical often bizarre and even more often violent films. I have had a mild interest in watching The Big Lebowski since its release way back in 1998, but, mainly because a friend of mine, a huge Coen Brothers fan, was a bit indifferent to the film, it only had a low frequency on my filmic radar. However, because of a new book concerning the fandom surrounding the film, I finally decided to pick it up and see what all of the hoopla was about and after watching the film I am now a believer in the Dude.

The film opens with the narrator, a cowboy played by Sam Elliot, introducing us to Jeffrey Lebowski, Jeff Bridges, who is commonly know as just "the Dude." The Dude is a sloppy, unemployed individual, but his being radiates something special so he is able to attract a number of friends. A complete slacker, the Dude spends most of his time drinking, getting stoned, and bowling. This rather unmotivated life would have probably continued in this way if two dimwitted thugs had not broken into his dilapidated apartment and beaten him up. If this was not bad enough, one of the thugs urinates on his rug that totally tied the room together. It soon becomes apparent that the Jeffrey Lebowski whose wife Bunny owes money all across L.A. is definitely not the Dude, but instead a millionaire who obviously would not live in the premises inhabited by the Dude. [...]. This meeting is far from successful, although the Dude does "acquire" a new rug, so the Dude makes his home after being propositioned by Bunny Lebowski. However, things turn interesting when Bunny turns up missing and the Big Lebowski wants to hire the Dude to act as a go-between with the kidnappers.

It is almost impossible to write a review that does justice for this film. Like the other films of the Coen Brothers, The Big Lebowski shines in terms of dialogue and characters. The witty and humorous conversations held between the Dude and his friend Walter are, in all honesty, some of the funniest that I have ever heard, also Walter is one of the coolest characters ever in my opinion. Also, the character play with each other is outstanding and it gives the viewer a feeling that he or she is watching real, albeit eccentric, individuals living their daily lives. Check this film out if you can. It will almost definitely tickle your funny bone if it does not give you a new view upon watching comedic films.

Funny Classic.......2007-05-13

All around great movie, I am not big on the "special features" but I am a huge White Russian fan.

Average customer rating:

Enjoyable
Very, very different
The Rose is Red like Blood
Overlooked Connery Hit
INQUISITOR VS HOMICIDAL MANIAC AT A MONASTERY

The Name of the Rose
Starring: Sean Connery , Christian Slater , Helmut Qualtinger , Elya Baskin , and Michael Lonsdale
Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001Z37IG
Release Date: 2004-07-06

Amazon.com

Jean-Jacques Annaud's The Name of the Rose is a flawed attempt to adapt Umberto Eco's highly convoluted medieval bestseller for the screen, necessarily excising much of the esoterica that made the book so compelling. Still, what's left is a riveting whodunit set in a grimly and grimily realistic 14th-century Benedictine monastery populated by a parade of grotesque characters, all of whom spend their time lurking in dark places or scuttling, half-unseen, in the omnipresent gloom. A series of mysterious and gruesome deaths are somehow tied up with the unwelcome attention of the Inquisition, sent to root out suspected heretical behavior among the monastic scribes whose lives are dedicated to transcribing ancient manuscripts for their famous library, access to which is prevented by an ingenious maze-like layout.

Enter Sean Connery as investigator-monk William of Baskerville (the Sherlock Holmes connection made explicit in his name) and his naive young assistant Adso (a youthful Christian Slater). The Grand Inquisitor Bernado Gui (F. Murray Abraham) suspects devilry; but William and Adso, using Holmesian forensic techniques, uncover a much more human cause: the secrets of the library are being protected at a terrible cost. A fine international cast and the splendidly evocative location compensate for a screenplay that struggles to present Eco's multifaceted story even partially intact; Annaud's idiosyncratic direction complements the sinister, unsettling aura of the tale ideally. --Mark Walker

Description

"The Name of the Rose" is a gothic medieval mystery thriller set in a 14th-century Italian monastery. Franciscan monk William of Baskerville (Sean Connery) and a young novice (Christian Slater) arrive for a conference to find that several monks have been murdered in mysterious circumstances. To solve the crimes, William must rise up against the Church authority and fight the shadowy conspiracy of monastery monks using only his wit and intelligence.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Commentary by Director Jean-Jaques Annaud
Documentary:Vintage making-of documentary - The Abbey of Crime: Umberto Eco's "The Name of the Rose"
Featurette:All-new Photo Video Journey with Jean-Jacques Annaud
Scene Access
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyable.......2007-06-10

This is the only film that I saw after having read the original book that did not disappoint me in its rendering. Though it cannot translate all the intricate levels of reading this book has (no film ever could ) it is a very good telling of the storyline and transports the viewer pretty much into the atmosphere of that medieval convent and the ambiance of the times. All in all a very good way to spend an evening

Very, very different.......2007-04-14

Numerous reviewers have commented on the differences between Eco's intricate, convoluted, compelling, and periphrastic novel and this spiffy little medieval mystery. For maximum enjoyment of the film, it probably is best to forget all about the novel and view it as a thing-in-itself. Far more mature and sophisticated than the Bond movies that made Sean Connery a household name, The Name of the Rose is visually interesting and compelling throughout. So what if Murray Abraham pushes his character over the top and Christian Slater's ingenuousness is a bit precious, this is still excellent entertainment for those who do not require that their thrillers be accompanied by car chases and gunshots.

The Rose is Red like Blood.......2007-03-12

It may seem a bit depressing and dark at first, but the mystery and sets are great. The music is haunting as well and adds to the atmosphere. Sean Connery's and Christian Slater's preformances are absorbing. The supporting cast are well known supporting actors that turn in excellent performances. To me Ron Perlman's performance was as good as Jack Nicholson in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest".
The murder of members of an order at a monastery are convaluted and require close scrutiny to solve. Between the politics, postering, and bazaar secrets the monastery has they have their work cut out for them to unravel the true clues of the murders. Any fans of "Cadfael" series or the "Judge Dee and the Monastery Murders" movie should enjoy it. Book fans, if you don't like the movie, please read the book again. Critizing the movie for not being the book insults our intelligence. After all we know no movies equal to the books of the same name.

Sets, music, and direction make this movie stand out as well. All add to the medieval atmosphere that is needed to keep this from being overly dark and makes a wonderful film. Any fans of murder mysteries should enjoy it. Fans of Connery and Slater should definitely catch it. Thank goodness we can buy this on DVD July 6th.

Overlooked Connery Hit.......2007-02-06

A very detailed and clever mystery with Connery as a Priest detective. The visuals and dialog are both A-one. Any Connery fan should have this movie in their library.

INQUISITOR VS HOMICIDAL MANIAC AT A MONASTERY.......2007-01-28

This poindexter is trying to solve crime with no benefit of technology.

A glimpse of what life looked like 500 years ago.

An archive/monastery gives asylum to a renegade.
The monastery hosts a denominational debate.
Bloody murder ensues.
The renegade flees.
The Inquisition arrives.
Accusations, trials, riots.
The ancient, rare, library goes up in flames.
Cover-up.

Adult content.

Sean Connery at his best.
Christian Slater and Ron Perlman (the man of a thousand faces) are always good.

If you like this movie try the book:
Name of the Rose-Nla

If you like this movie try
The Reckoning

Average customer rating:

COEN-esque perfection! Or a total nightmare.

The Big Lebowski [HD DVD]
Starring: Jeff Bridges , Steve Buscemi , Sam Elliott , Flea , and Ben Gazzara
Director: Joel Coen
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000O179EK
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Customer Reviews:

COEN-esque perfection! Or a total nightmare........2007-05-29

OK. 1 question; do you like anything the Coen brother's have done? If you don't, do yourself a favor and keep on moving because this is a truly Coen film; dark, loathing, sarcastic (and those are the good points).

Seriously, the Coen's, Joel and Ethan, are a strange pair. I, for one, love their movies, some more than others, but all are entertaining at the least.

This one is truly bizarre. Jeff Bridges IS "the dude". He has a name, but that doesn't matter, because he just wants to be "the dude". Unfortunately, he shares a name with a very wealthy man and gets caught up in a kidnapping, extortion, fraud, baby-making (just watch!), catch-the-guy-that-peed-on-my-carpet (yeah, just watch!), adventure.

All "the dude" does is bowl. His team consists of an overzealous, ex-military (but should still be in the military) Polish born Catholic who converted to Judaism (just watch!) played brilliantly by John Goodman, and a guy that suffers from, well, deafness, stupidity or amnesia (acted well by Steve Buscemi). They have a big match against a team led by a guy that calls himself Jesus, who talks about himself in the first person and I quote, "Don't f... with the Jesus", who is Hispanic but wants his name pronounced like the biblical GEE-zus (John Turturro manages to stand out in this role with only 2 or 3 scenes).

Unfortunately, when "the dude" is mistaken for a rich guy (you'd think the empty apartment would be a tip-off) someone pees on his carpet and he wants to be paid for the damages. It's all downhill from there.

Here, I'll sum it up: Saddam Hussein (obviously pre-GW Bush) works at the shoe counter in a bowling alley in a dream sequence, backdropped by The First Edition's classic "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)"; it's like a bad acid-trip gone terribly RIGHT, somewhat disturbing and utterly hilarious.

One very serious caveat, the movie is rated R for many reasons. There are probably more 4 letter words than other words in this film, somehow an x-rated movie director gets involved in the plot with ubiquitous porn-stars, and, let's just say that "the dude" got to be "the dude" by smoking some stuff that ain't legal and drinking more than any one man should; white russians, which he prefers to call "caucasians", political correctness after all that, WOW!!!

Anyway, if you like the Coen's, I would say particularly, "The Hudsucker Proxy" (1 of my top 5 all time movies) or "Raising Arizona", this is probably right up your alley; sorry, bad pun.

Average customer rating:

Rear Window
Brutally...Boring!!!!
Showing its age, but it is still Stewart, Kelly and Hitch...
Not So Thrilling
Best Hitchcock film ever!

Rear Window (Collector's Edition)
Starring: Ross Bagdasarian , Benny Bartlett , Sara Berner , Raymond Burr , and Frank Cady
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00003CXC7
Release Date: 2001-03-06

Amazon.com essential video

Like the Greenwich Village courtyard view from its titular portal, Alfred Hitchcock's classic Rear Window is both confined and multileveled: both its story and visual perspective are dictated by its protagonist's imprisonment in his apartment, convalescing in a wheelchair, from which both he and the audience observe the lives of his neighbors. Cheerful voyeurism, as well as the behavior glimpsed among the various tenants, affords a droll comic atmosphere that gradually darkens when he sees clues to what may be a murder.

Photographer L.B. "Jeff" Jeffries (James Stewart) is, in fact, a voyeur by trade, a professional photographer sidelined by an accident while on assignment. His immersion in the human drama (and comedy) visible from his window is a by-product of boredom, underlined by the disapproval of his girlfriend, Lisa (Grace Kelly), and a wisecracking visiting nurse (Thelma Ritter). Yet when the invalid wife of Lars Thorwald (Raymond Burr) disappears, Jeff enlists the two women to help him to determine whether she's really left town, as Thorwald insists, or been murdered.

Hitchcock scholar Donald Spoto convincingly argues that the crime at the center of this mystery is the MacGuffin--a mere pretext--in a film that's more interested in the implications of Jeff's sentinel perspective. We actually learn more about the lives of the other neighbors (given generic names by Jeff, even as he's drawn into their lives) he, and we, watch undetected than we do the putative murderer and his victim. Jeff's evident fear of intimacy and commitment with the elegant, adoring Lisa provides the other vital thread to the script, one woven not only into the couple's own relationship, but reflected and even commented upon through the various neighbors' lives.

At minimum, Hitchcock's skill at making us accomplices to Jeff's spying, coupled with an ingenious escalation of suspense as the teasingly vague evidence coalesces into ominous proof, deliver a superb thriller spiked with droll humor, right up to its nail-biting, nightmarish climax. At deeper levels, however, Rear Window plumbs issues of moral responsibility and emotional honesty, while offering further proof (were any needed) of the director's brilliance as a visual storyteller. --Sam Sutherland

Customer Reviews:

Rear Window.......2007-06-26

One of the most celebrated films in history, this classic takes its time, but once the tension starts building, it doesn't stop until the heart-pounding conclusion is upon you. A new peak for Hitchcock in blending the story of a crime that may have happened with the dark side of human obsession--in this case, voyeurism. The movie marks a high point for James Stewart, who would be remembered as Hitchcock's most human and vulnerable hero. And who can resist the bewitching Grace Kelly?

Brutally...Boring!!!!.......2007-05-21

Alfred Hitchcock made approximately zero good movies in his life except maybe The Birds, which I liked a lot. But most of his movies, including and especially Rear Window are just two hours of people sitting around talking about suspenseful things. I know because they're old these movies are supposed to be so great, but you can't tell me that Rear Window is as exciting as a movie like Disturbia!!! I guess you can tell me that, but I don't plan to listen to you.

Here's what happens in Rear Window:

No, I didn't make a mistake in that paragraph. I was proving a point that nothing happens (by leaving a lot of blank space after the colon). It's a movie about Jimmy Stewart sitting in a wheelchair and watching real action happen through binoculars. Guess what, Alfred Hitchcock? Maybe it would have been a better movie if we had been watching whatever was going on in that other building and not wasted our time watching the guy who was watching all the cool stuff go down!

That would be like if Steven Spielberg decided to make E.T. a story about a scientist in a lab coat who does nothing for 2 hours and then at the end he gets to poke and prod a little alien fella for about a second. Hey, Steven Spielberg: thanks for not making that movie!!!

Anyway, Rear Window is not recommended for the young or the young at heart, but maybe for the young at brain.

Showing its age, but it is still Stewart, Kelly and Hitch..........2007-05-08

This suspense yarn is quieter than many of Hitchcock's efforts, and the New York apartment life it depicts, along with how one recovers from a broken leg, operates a life as a free-lance photographer, and courts a fashion model girlfriend, are all quite changed from 50 years ago. If you must have the same tale updated, try the Christopher Reeve version from about ten years ago...it has charms of its own, but it isn't Hitchcock, and it does lack Jimmy and Grace (who is hot as a pistol despite keeping her clothes on.) In Hitchcock's version, the heroes are at least innocent, if not naive, and the bad guy is a killer, but not a psychopathic mass murderer who kills strangers for no reason. Worth seeing for the stars' performances in roles that give them little to do physically, and much to convey psychologically.

Not So Thrilling.......2007-05-08

Rear Window is the story of a photographer with a broken leg (Jimmy Stewart). He spends his time in his wheelchair confined to his room with little to do but spy on the neighbors. There is a ballerina star, a lonely middle-aged woman, and a married couple. He becomes very interested in the married couple when one day the invalid wife disappears and the husband begins acting strangely. The photographer includes his girlfriend (Grace Kelly), his nurse (Thelma Ritter), and a detective friend in his theory that the man murdered his wife.

When one thinks of Hitchcock, thoughts of crimes and plot twists come to mind. This film seems to be much more straightforward. It moves very slowly and none of the big events in the film seem all that major to the audience because most of them happen outside Stewart's apartment building. The most exciting part of the film is of course the ending, but even it is too little too late. If you have high expectations for this film as a constant thrill ride, see another film. You will certainly be disappointed.

Best Hitchcock film ever!.......2007-04-15

How can anyone not like Rear Window starring Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly? There should be absolutely zero thats who!! I recently bought it on DVD and have never stopped watching it since. Everything is so perfect, the cast, the story, the direction, even the cinematography is striking. James Stewart as the protagonist L.B. Jefferies and Grace Kelly as his love interest Lisa Fremont were excellent together throughout the film along with the supporting characters. The story was a clever fresh execution displaying the whole mystery that needed to be solved from an apartment window. The movie is a film that should be watched while your laying down with your feet propped up at night when you have nothing else to do in that busy schedule. I have seen just about every Hitchcock film out there that were all very good, but my favorite is still Rear Window. Simply Amazing!

Average customer rating:

Clue
Starring: Eileen Brennan , Tim Curry , Madeline Kahn , Christopher Lloyd , and Michael McKean
Director: Jonathan Lynn
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305882649
Release Date: 2000-06-27

Amazon.com

Undoubtedly the first movie in history to have played in theaters with three different endings (depending on which theater you attended), Clue is a silly whodunit based on the familiar board game featuring Colonel Mustard, Mrs. Peacock, and all the other usual suspects. A broadly comic cast play the sundry suspects gathered in a mansion to solve a murder, knowing that one of their numbers is the culprit. Michael McKean, Eileen Brennan, and Tim Curry are the best of the bunch, and the film is as lightweight an experience as a round of the game itself. Directed by Jonathan Lynn (My Cousin Vinny). The video release contains all three endings. --Tom Keogh

The Frighteners: Peter Jackson's Director's Cut [HD DVD]

Average customer rating:

The Frighteners: Peter Jackson's Director's Cut [HD DVD]
Starring: Trini Alvarado , John Astin , Jake Busey , Jeffrey Combs , and Peter Dobson
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

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ASIN: B000O179EA
Release Date: 2007-05-29

Average customer rating:

Nothing is what it seems!
Not what I was expecting, but still good (in a different way)
keeps you guessing
Worst Ending In The History Of Movies
Ninth Gate

The Ninth Gate
Starring: Johnny Depp , Frank Langella , Lena Olin , Emmanuelle Seigner , and Barbara Jefford
Director: Roman Polanski
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305897786
Release Date: 2000-07-18

Customer Reviews:

Nothing is what it seems!.......2007-07-03

A deep, yet entertaining movie that will leave you baffled and bewildered at first; however, don't give up on this film. Good solid acting, incredible directing, and a story with so many questions it leaves you wondering what it is you just watched!

I have always liked Polanski films, as well as Johnny Depp's acting, so this movie (for me) was a must see. I'll admit, the first time I viewed it I was left confused and I said to myself that I regretted purchasing it. Giving it another shot recently, I was able to really sit and watch the movie for what it really is, an intellectual masterpiece.

It may leave you with many questions, but again I urge you not to give up on this movie. It has a message that really blurs the lines of good and evil and shows that there may be both good and evil inside us all. How it ends is really up to your interpretation.

Not what I was expecting, but still good (in a different way).......2007-06-29

Opinions when it comes to movies tend to convey a bit more stridency than those involving music or even television, as if a level of aesthete is involved that is so profound that it evokes a part of one's being... of course, that may just apply to the more catty drama dorks out there.

Anyhow, there are many examples too numerous for practical purposes of documenting. To focus on just one good example would be THE NINTH GATE. Many people disliked this film, and some did so with a hint of indignation. It might have been because of raised expectations, either for their adulations of Roman Polanski as a director, or because it was a film featuring the "divinely magnificent" Johnny Depp (who actually is an exceptionally good actor with a decent knack for picking projects; comments in quotations were not meant as an affront to Mr. Depp, but to those who overly idolize him), or because this film deals with elements of the supernatural including the Devil. If in fact you are expecting a terrifying episode of demonic encounters replete with gore and sensationalism, then you might not like this film, which has a more stately pacing and emphasizes ambiance and atmosphere over glitzy special effects. Others were disappointed because the film only partially reflects the book it was based on ("Club Dumas", which I actually also read - pretty impressive, huh?), although to be fair, the book's structure would not have really been ideal for close adaptation.

I admit that I was really intrigued by the premise, especially when the element of interaction by Lucifer was suggested, because done well it can be fascinating, although it is also runs the big risk of embarrassing failure, given the heightened expectations. The trailers were effective enough, and Johnny Depp picks good movies more often than not, so I thought it was worth a look. The movie was not quite what I expected, but still kept my interest, in spite of the aforementioned moderate pacing and a subject matter (rare book appraisals) which I would not have ordinarily found especially fascinating. It was an intellectual rather than visceral effort, and the acting was actually somewhat effective as it turns out. Though some have incorrectly characterized the acting as being lackadaisical and/or stilted or uninspiring (among the many adjectives used), the director and actors wisely chose a more understated approach, which is more realistic and less (melo)dramatic. As a result, Depp was convincing in his role as a mercenary book appraiser not always above unscrupulous methods, and Frank Langella was quite effective in his role as an accomplished but ruthless publisher and collector, whose sophistication almost masks his sinister agenda. Their nuanced performances were far more appropriate and believable, rather than over-the-top affectations which would have just come off as campy and out of place (Sean Penn and Al Pacino and Tom Cruise need not have auditioned).

The story centers on a book titled "The Ninth Gate of the Kingdom of Shadows", an obscure but legendary tome rumored to have Lucifer as a contributor. Depp's character is Dean Corso, a highly sought though morally relaxed appraiser. He is hired by Boris Balkan (Langella) to find other remaining copies - if they still exist - to determine the book's authenticity. What seemed initially like a thorough and arduous investigation came to include hazardous intrigue, the interventions of mysterious strangers, untimely deaths, and more danger than Corso was prepared for. Along the way, the financial appeal of the lucrative assignment gives way to the need for answers to the danger and intrigue, which in turn gives way to a pursuit of something possibly unworldly and beyond belief. Though some will stubbornly disagree, what makes this film work is the element of ambiguity regarding the book's authenticity and nature, as well as those of at least one other character in the film, and the film's ending itself.

As I am not an easy laugh, I tend to be a challenging audience for comedies. Similarly, I am not an easy scare and do not impress easily when it comes to horror films. Though I am not sure that this would be accurately categorized as a horror film (it could be more accurately described as a supernatural thriller), I will risk the razzing and aspersions and insults to say that one of the more scary/frightening/evocative (as measured by the goosebump meter) sequences I have ever come across in movies is in this film. Polanski is regarded by some as a genius, though not all his films are well received. If you can dispense with any preconceived expectations and approach this with an open mind, there is a decent chance you might find this film's merits as both a creative project and a skillfully crafted effort.

keeps you guessing.......2007-06-27

this is a great movie if you are into dective/thriller type movies. it does move a bit slow in parts. the movie is about a "book detective" so to speak. he is hired to track down a book that was supposdly written by the devil himself.

Worst Ending In The History Of Movies.......2007-06-27

This movie was bad. What was even worse was the ending. I guess they ran out of money and/or ideas when it came time to end the movie. I was left sitting there wondering WHAT WAS THAT?? Johnny Depp should pretend he never acted in this disgrace. The ninth gate? The only gate is the gate to exit the movie theater and forget this disaster of a movie ever happened hahaha.

Ninth Gate.......2007-06-26

Loved the movie for its atmosphere. I read one review in a literary magazine that explained the mysteries to my satisfaction. The main character's name is "Corso" - sounds similar to "cursed one" even though in the movie, he said that it means "one who travels". Johnny Depp looks like the quintessential devil with his goatee and dark hair with gray around the side. The review I read said that the devil had lost his way on earth and needed to get "home". The "guardian angel" provided clues to him and safeguarded him. Remember how surprised she looked when he accidentally bumped into her, causing her nose to bleed. Like she was not used to having any "mortals" injure her like that. Also, he always played up vices, like constantly smoking, drinking, cheating people. One of the drawings showed the "guardian angel" riding the three headed beast (literally - and this is a biblical symbol for the devil)and pointing back to the castle or the ninth gate. When Boris Balkan wanted to meet the devil so badly, he never realized that he really had. An interesting thought, anyway.

Average customer rating:

Disappointed
A high school noir just as tough as its adult counterparts
(3.5 STARS) Engaging Modern-Day Noir Set in American High School
get a teen terp
Who took the brick?

Brick
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt , and Emilie De Ravin
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (Widescreen Edition)
Inside Man (Widescreen Edition)
V for Vendetta (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Little Miss Sunshine
The Departed (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B000FVQM2Y
Release Date: 2006-08-08

Amazon.com

High school collides with hard-boiled film noir in the twisty, cunning Brick. When he gets a mysterious message from his ex-girlfriend, a high school loner named Brendan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Mysterious Skin) starts to dig into a crisscrossed web of drugs and duplicity, eventually getting entwined in the criminal doings of a teenage crime lord known as the Pin (Lukas Haas), his thuggish henchman Tugger (Noah Fleiss, Joe the King), and a mysterious girl named Laura (Nora Zehetner, Fifty Pills). Brick has not only the seductive, labyrinthine plot of a crime thriller by Dashiell Hammett (The Maltese Falcon) or Raymond Chandler (Farewell, My Lovely) but also a dense high-school version of hard-boiled lingo that's both comic and poetic. The movie unfolds with headlong momentum as Brendan manipulates, fights, and staggers his way through layers of high-school society. Gordon-Levitt is excellent; between this and the equally compelling Mysterious Skin, he's left his 3rd Rock from the Sun days behind. Also featuring Meagan Good (Waist Deep) and Richard Roundtree (Shaft). --Bret Fetzer

Description

Brendan Frye is a loner, someone who knows all the angles but has chosen to stay on the outside. When the girl he loves turns up dead, he is determined to find the "who" and "why" and plunges into the dark and dangerous social strata of rich girl Laura, intimidating Tug, drug-addled Dode, seductive Kara, and the ominous Pin. But who can he really trust? These are the ingredients of Brick, a gritty and provocative thriller that critics describe as "a clever, twist-filled whodunit!" (Claudia Puig, USA Today)

Customer Reviews:

Disappointed.......2007-06-24

Think Disney meets CSI. It's a really odd movie, and painful to watch. I was mad at the end. I gave it 3 stars for the good acting. The plot, script & directing are laughable though.

A high school noir just as tough as its adult counterparts.......2007-06-24

Thinking about high school, it's odd that no "high school noir" films existed prior to the last few years. High school is such a perfect setting for a film noir, and though it may seem ridiculous at first, there's many parallels between the world of a teenager and a character in a 1940s noir, be it the battle between the police and the shamuses and the battle between the administrators and the students or the shady meetings under bridges and the shady meetings in the parking lot after school. In 2004, Rob Thomas' Chandler-esque take on high school hit UPN (and later the CW) as "Veronica Mars," and one year later, "Brick" premiered at Sundance.

While "Veronica Mars" is on the lighter side of noir, "Brick" is a pitch black, gritty piece which recalls Howard Hawks' "The Big Sleep," with Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. The resemblance isn't in the style of director Rian Johnson (which bears a striking similarity to that used by David Lynch in one of his own neo-noir's, 1992's "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me"), but in the convoluted script, the conspicuous characters, and particularly the rapidfire, hard-boiled dialogue, delivered at a startling pace by a talented young cast. This includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt, best known as the youngest alien explorer from "3rd Rock from the Sun," along with Emilie de Ravin of "Lost," Lukas Haas, Noah Fleiss, and Richard Roundtree, the original "Shaft." Gordon-Levitt's role is a far cry from his work on "Third Rock." He's cool, quick-witted, and tough, something of a much more contemptuous Sam Spade. Gordon-Levitt is truly excellent, and he shows real promise should he be cast in the right roles. Haas and Fleiss both play their roles quite well, but it's Meagan Good as a scheming drama queen (literally) who commands the most attention.

The film's plot, even at its barest, is quite clearly shaped in the noir mold: Gordon-Levitt's character, a high school student who keeps himself distanced from his classmates, thrusts himself into the cliques in an effort to find out who murdered his ex-girlfriend. His search leads him to the Pin (Haas), a 26-year-old drug kingpin. In one of the film's most memorable scenes, Gordon-Levitt meets with the Pin and his henchman in the kitchen, while the Pin's mother serves them breakfast and apple juice before kissing him goodbye. It's the one scene in "Brick" where writer/director Johnson acknowledges that all our characters are kids, and that the film itself revolves around high school, despite its utterly somber tone.

The rest of the movie is so relentlessly straight-faced and serious that you almost forget it's a film noir about high school. It's classic noir, though. The protagonist loner with a rocky exterior and a noble interior, looking to do the right thing; the suspicious, all-powerful, ominous villain, usually an obsese fifty-year-old businessman but in this case a twenty-something drug dealer living in his basement; the femme fatale, a beautiful seductress with a hidden agenda; even the flirtatious and manipulative female who usually is an actress or waitress or secretary, or something along those lines, but who here is the lead actress in the high school drama club. Much of the film's charm comes from consideration of its many allegories to "adult" noir tales.

The execution of this sort of idea matters so much, because, after all, what is a film noir if not cinema at its most stylish? Johnson is well aware of this, though. It shows not only in the maturity and seasoned approach of his directing, but also in the stimulating photography and, especially, in the stunning editing. It comes as no surprise that the editing, also by Johnson, is so good, since Johnson began his career editing his short film "Evil Demon Goofball from Hell!!!" and then Lucky McKee's popular "May." "Brick" would make an excellent sample film to show young editors, since Johnson - at 29, a young editor himself - has done such a spectacular job, fashioning a seamless flow of jump cuts, point-of-view shots, distorted lenses, and exposed film. Supporting this is an inventive, unorthodox score by Nathan Johnson, comprised of some sort of naiive bells and the woeful trumpet which Jerry Goldsmith used in his music for "Chinatown" and "L.A. Confidential."

It's a pity that "Brick" didn't get more notice. It was unquestionably one of the best films of 2005. I'd even go so far as to call it one of the top films I've ever seen. Viewed as a film from an experienced director, it's a stellar film, but when viewed as Johnson's debut, it's a fantastic achievement. Fortunately, Johnson seems to have received the attention he deserved from this film: his next project stars big-name actors like Rachel Weisz and Adrien Brody. I really hope Gordon-Levitt gets some decent roles, because he proves his acting prowess here. It's films with the originality and effort of "Brick" that keep the industry going, and if you haven't seen it, don't hesitate to leap up and hunt for it like Sam Spade for the maltese falcon.

(3.5 STARS) Engaging Modern-Day Noir Set in American High School .......2007-06-09

Imagine a really complicated murder mystery of 1940s-ish noir like "The Maltese Falcon" set in modern American high school, and you will get "Brick," first-time director Rian Johnson's experimental, but entertaining crime drama. Brendan, hard-boiled-type, Bogart-like high school student, is determined to find out the truths behind the death of his former girl-friend, and with a help from bespectacled buddy (Matt O'Leary), he confronts the thugs with knife and gun, and a grinning drug lord (Lucas Haas) while fending off the threat from the authorities ... not the police, but the vice-principal of the school.

This detective-story-in-high-school premise could have been a very bad joke with another director, but in fact the results are much better than you expect with strong acting of the cast, especially from Joseph Gordon-Levitt as hard-nosed Brendan, and sure-handed direction from Rian Johnson. It takes a while to get accustomed to the rhythm and mood of the film, and lots of slang too, but once you do, you find the film surprisingly engaging with the story of complicated mystery among a web of these eccentric characters.

Still I was a little disappointed with the film's female characters. There is no chemistry or sexual tension between Brendan and other female characters, especially with Laura played by Nora Zehetner in Chinese dress, and beautiful as she is, she is no Mary Astor. This kind of story needs a femme fatale, but how can you find a Barbara Stanwyck wearing an anklet in today's high school?

"Brick" is perhaps a love-or-hate film with its bleak mood and dry humor. Whatever your reaction might be, it is true that "Brick" is very unique nonetheless.

get a teen terp.......2007-06-04

You need a teenager to interpret some language in here. Heh, not really. It's just really interesting how the dialogue is throughout the film. After all, it is a teenager's quest to find out who killed his ex-girlfriend.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Brendan, who is a high-schooler and a former drug dealer. An ex-girlfriend of his, Emily, slips him a note for a telephonic rendezvous. She's scared but just cannot tell him what is going on. When a car passes, she hangs and disappears.

2 days later, Brendan finds Emily dead in a ditch. Piqued by Emily's last phone call, he's determined to find out who killed her and why. With the help of his only trusted friend, The Brain, his investigations takes him to some questionable characters. These characters are thespians, Gothic punks, drug dealers, thugs and a drug lord.

The dialogues throughout is just what made the film interesting. Plus, the suspense factor helped. The background music was wonderful and surely helped the buildup of suspense.

I'll definitely watch this one again!

Who took the brick?.......2007-06-03

As the story opens, high school student and former drug dealer Brendan Frey (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), receives a cryptic message from his ex-girlfriend, Emily. She dropped him when she started hanging out with the popular kids, and now she's missing. Brendan's search leads him through a maze of nasty jocks and violent drug dealers that eventually leads to Emily's dead body. Now Brendan must find the killer - is it the local drug lord, the drama queen, the hit man, or an enigmatic cheerleader?

If you're looking for something really different, "Brick" is for you. Rian Johnson wrote and directed "Brick" as an homage to the film noir style of the forties. To call the characters and dialogue "hard-boiled" would be an understatement. They are all so jaded and calloused and see little or no value in life. They speak in a teen/drug code that is so unique I actually had to turn on the subtitles to understand it. That didn't detract from the movie, however. Once I figured out what the slang meant, it was a fascinating new language.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt has matured a lot since he was in "Third Rock From the Sun." He carries the movie with his James Dean-charisma and brooding charm. Lukas Haas gives a subtle, eerie performance as the club-footed drug lord. There is only one adult in the movie, making the teens seem even more alone and alienated from mainstream society. This is a moody, intense, and unflinching look at the teen drug world. (It's interesting that there are no curse words, no drugs are mentioned by name, and no drugs are taken on camera.) Highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

My life on film!
Now and Then
movie
The Worst Film in the History of Cinema!!!!
Personal Classic

Now and Then
Starring: Christina Ricci , Rosie O'Donnell , Thora Birch , Melanie Griffith , and Gaby Hoffmann
Director: Lesli Linka Glatter
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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Now And Then: Music From The Motion Picture
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Clueless (Special Whatever! Edition)

ASIN: B00002SSKI
Release Date: 1999-12-21

Amazon.com essential video

This obligatory girls' version of Stand by Me begins with actors Melanie Griffith, Rita Wilson, Demi Moore, and Rosie O'Donnell doing a lousy job of playing adult versions of the film's youthful protagonists. The idea is that this quartet of characters is having a reunion, which serves as a preface to the main story about school chums who make a pact to stay close and supportive through thick and thin. The trouble is that Griffith, Moore, Wilson, and O'Donnell look like they've rehearsed their scenes for no more than a few minutes, and after boring us silly there's little reason to get excited about anything else. Still, it's nice to have a supporting cast that includes Janeane Garofalo and Bonnie Hunt, while among the girls are three young actresses who have been burning up the road in recent years: Christina Ricci (The Opposite of Sex), Thora Birch (A Clear and Present Danger), and Gaby Hoffmann (Strike). --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

My life on film!.......2007-06-23

The setting of this film is in Indiana in the early 70's. I was the same age as the characters at that time and was also growing up in a small Indiana town. The movie is like my youth on film..... I love it!!

Now and Then.......2007-05-17

Although it is something of a chic flick, "Now and Then" is a great movie. I would watch having a youngster see it as there are some adult topics discussed. Each child character and her adult counter part, look so similar that it is amazing! It is a very well told narrative of young ladies coming to terms with growing up and all that it involves and holding onto friendship in spite of it all.

movie.......2007-05-14

This was in wonderful condition it was almost brand new. Very quick delivery thank you.

The Worst Film in the History of Cinema!!!!.......2007-04-09

I dont care how bad a movie can be. Even films that suck beyond belief can at least have a few moments that are not so painful to watch. This film actually amazes me, I cannot think of a single second of this charade that I can actually call quality. It's actually insulting to watch. After viewing this garbage, I have come to discover that I HATE Rosie Odonell! I Hate Demi Moore!! I Hate Melanie Griffith!!
It Stinks! It Sucks! The DVD should include a hand-gun so you can blow your brains out as punishment for watching it!

Personal Classic.......2007-03-26

Great Movie! Great Music! Great story line! This fabulous film begins in the present, introduces the four main adult characters, and slips back
to the summer they were 12 yrs. old, and made the pact that has brought them together now. This is a story about growing up and into yourself.
'Now and Then' is deliciously well-cast, in both the adult and 12 yr. old roles, and very well presented. And for me, very vivid! (As I was 12 then, and even live to tell the tale...*).
While I classify this as a family friendly movie, I definately recommend it for mother/daughter/grand-daughter/babysitter connections.
Happy viewing!!!

Average customer rating:

It makes me happy inside
Just fun
A great Chevy Chase/Goldie Hawn movie!
My favorite movie
Foul Play

Foul Play
Starring: Goldie Hawn , Chevy Chase , Burgess Meredith , Rachel Roberts , and Eugene Roche
Director: Colin Higgins
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Seems Like Old Times
Silver Streak
What's Up, Doc?
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Bird on a Wire

ASIN: B0002WZTNY
Release Date: 2004-11-16

Amazon.com

Not short on murder, mayhem, or any other screwball '70s conventions, Foul Play is a wonderful vehicle for Goldie Hawn. She plays Gloria, a librarian "ready to take a chance again," who ends up the target of an assassination ring. Chevy Chase, fresh off of Saturday Night Live, does the closest thing to real acting he would ever achieve (okay, maybe Fletch) as Tony, the cop assigned to protect Gloria. Dudley Moore made an indelible impression on American audiences as Stanley Tibbets, a surprisingly kinky symphony conductor. But it's the quirky things that make this film: the grandmothers playing Scrabble with expletives, Burgess Meredith's snake Esme, the old Japanese couple in the back of the careening limo. From the opening credits with Barry Manilow crooning the title song, this is a fond trip down memory lane. --Keith Simanton

Customer Reviews:

It makes me happy inside.......2007-06-28

This is a movie I can enjoy over and over, like a favorite fairy tale.

Where do I begin? Goldie Hawn as Gloria Mundy is gutsy yet tender, assertive without being obnoxious, and funny, funny funny.

The plot is multi level. If you care about such things, it's an intriguing concept that international terrorists want to kill the pope in order to force taxation of churches. If that's a yawn for you, just enjoy the running around and avoiding the bad guys. It's both a tribute to and a sendup of both Hitchcock and cop movies.

If you like classical music, the entire operetta of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado is the soundtrack, (almost) completely in sequence. If you don't like opera, just ignore it, you don't have to understand it to have it add to the fun.

Some of the details are marvelous!! In all my life, no matter how "serious" the movie is, I have never seen a good-guy gunshot scene done so well. (Chevy Chase as cop Tony Carlson has the bad guy in his sight, realizes he can't make the shot without endandering an innocent bystander, and declines to shoot--rather than shooting away anyhow!) The lead up to what Stanley Tibbits does for a living is hilarious and strangely subtle. And the Scrabble game could stand alone in any comedy show.

This is the acting career that got away from Chevy Chase--he does nuanced irony ("Stiltskin...I've heard that name somewhere before") and pratfalls with equal aplomb. If he'd stayed with directors that kept him from chewing the scenery in other movies, what would he have accomplished?

OK, some of the details are silly--how in the world did Gloria's clothes get in Tony's apartment? Why do the bad guys let her keep her pocketbook?

But in the long run it's fun, and they all (good guys, anyway) lived happily ever after.

Just fun.......2007-06-26

A movie to watch for fun. Nothing earth shattering, but very enjoyable. One of my all time favorite movies

A great Chevy Chase/Goldie Hawn movie! .......2007-05-23

Goldie Hawn and Chevy Chase have done many movies together, but this one is by far my favorite of them all! I love the scenes with Dudley Moore.

My favorite movie.......2007-04-10

This has always been my favorite movie. I love being able to order the old movies on DVD.

Foul Play.......2007-02-19

I watched this movie when I was a teenager, when it was classified as a 'B' movie. In those days, you got a 'B' movie first then the main feature. I have always remembered it and even watching it now a quarter of a century later it still is as funny and comical as I remember. The charecters are original and the plot plausable. The only thing I never understood was why the team lead by Chevy Chase couldnt work out it was the pope who was going to be shot. When they knew all along that the biggest hit man west of Chicago had been hired to do the job? The pope was to visit San Francisco in a few days so to me it was logical that he was going to be the target.

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