Smile

Starring:Bruce Dern, Barbara Feldon, Michael Kidd, Geoffrey Lewis, Nicholas Pryor, Joan Prather, Denise Nickerson, Melanie Griffith, Annette O'Toole, Maria O'Brien, Colleen Camp, Caroline Williams, Kate Sarchet, Dick McGarvin, William Traylor, Titos Vandis, Dennis Dugan, Eric Shea, Adam Reed, Brad Thompson
Director: Michael Ritchie
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Julia Roberts's command of the screen is so effortless, it's easy for moviegoers to take her for granted--but we shouldn't. Mona Lisa Smile--about a noncomformist teacher at a private school who encourages students to pursue their individuality--is pretty much an all-girls version of Dead Poets Society that mixes '50s fashions with '70s feminist thought. However, its lack of ambition doesn't diminish the talent that's gone into it: The writing and directing are well-honed and skillful; the actors--a talent-studded cast featuring Marcia Gay Harden, Kirsten Dunst, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Julia Stiles, and Juliet Stevenson--are uniformly excellent. But without question, Mona Lisa Smile rides on Roberts's shoulders and she carries it with ease. She's possibly the only contemporary actor who simply owns a movie the way Bette Davis, Jean Arthur, or Claudette Colbert once did, radiating a engaging mix of intelligence, drive, and emotional warmth that cannot be matched. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

A Favorite of Mine.......2007-06-23

I loved this movie!! This is not a "chick flick". It is so hard to imagine that things were so restrictive for women just 50 years ago, and it seems that we need to be reminded as we take all that is open and available to us and the many opportunities we have in stride. It's unbelievable how things have changed - I am going to have my teenage daughter watch this movie, she will be astounded!

The movie is also beautifully filmed (much of it in Massachusetts on the gorgeous Wellesley College campus). I highly recommend this movie.

Terriffic!.......2007-06-07

Inspirational for women of today. One does not have to choose between being a wife/mother/home-maker or a career woman. We can do it all!

Mona Lisa Smile.......2007-05-21

"Mona Lisa Smile" is a romantic-comedy that is more likely to appeal to women than men, but is nevertheless charming, funny, and entertaining. The movie doesn't have the same rom-com mood that movies like "Failure to Launch" and "Must Love Dogs" share, but instead shares a closer bond with films like "The Cider House Rules" sans the depressing aspect. The movie is essentially a star vehicle for Julia Roberts, but her female co-stars Kirsten Dunst, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Julia Stiles, and Ginnifer Goodwin all steal the show from her.

Roberts plays Katherine Watson, a teacher from California who lands a job at the prestigious Wellesley school. The film takes place in the '50s where women went to school not to go on to get successful jobs but merely to bridge the gap between school and marriage. She's the teacher of art history and upon her arrival meets a number of rebelling and strong-willed young females, including the hateful Betty (Dunst), the free-spirited Giselle (Gyllenhaal), and the optimistic Joan (Stiles)...As Katherine adjusts to her new job and it's strict rules, she finds herself falling for a womanizing Italian teacher (Dominic West) and that's pretty much all the plot you're going to get from this film.

The movie is one of those films that relies heavily on the charm of its actors to keep the film moving and it works. All the actors are fascinating to watch and all the actresses I mentioned above steal the show from Roberts. "Mona Lisa Smile" isn't a fantastic film, but it's definitely worth watching.

GRADE: B+

We have come a very long way.......2007-05-20

Now I know why this movie is so hard to find on the shelves at my local rental. I hope many mothers and daughters are watching.

"Mona Lisa Smile" not only gives you a perspective on life in the early 50's, it tells you about your mothers and your grandmothers. It also makes us aware as women about what is yet to be done.

I won't belabor the plot or the acting. I will say that every woman needs to watch this with her daughter, her niece, or perhaps her best friend.

The Dream... to make a difference..........2007-05-13

In Mona Lisa Smile, Julia Roberts proves, once again, that she is the radiant queen of the screen, for, next to great talent, she definitely commands...

Julia Roberts plays the role of a teacher, Miss Katherine Watson, who dreams to make a difference, to leave a legacy that improves the collective spirit of those fortunate enough to be her students.

From humble beginnings, this art historian from California, goes to teach at Wellesley, during a time when women received an education as a side line to the real purpose, which was to get married and have a family. She is not the school's first choice, but the person that was available and walks into a room full of snobbish students, who are out to get her... because they "smell the fear" of the prey.

At this private school, she begins to plant the seeds necessary for these young women to see themselves for more than just future wives, and to seek deep inside themselves to release the potential... lawyer... doctor... mother and wife... all combined in a package that is doable and possible.

The students, played by the likes of Marcia Gay Harden, Kirsten Dunst, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Julia Stiles, and Juliet Stevenson... are superb in their roles. The DVD offers special features where there are interviews that explain the arduous work of these young women to study the period of time, early 50s where the story is set, to act, dress, behave, and think like women starting to pursue their individuality, stepping outside the mold that until then, was the prescribed formula to happiness.

Simply... a movie not to miss... for as Julia Roberts shares the dream... to make a difference... she teaches us all great lessons, for to not conform to that which is expected, carries great consequences at a personal level.

Enjoy... and share this film with family and friends. It is indeed... a jewel!

Average customer rating:

GOOD VIBRATIONS
INSANITY AND GENIUS,THE SMILIN EYES OF BRIAN WILSON.......AN INCREDIBLE MUSICAL ADVENTURE WITH AMAZING VIBRATIONS...............
Great Album!
PRICELESS
It made me smile.

Brian Wilson presents SMiLE
Starring: Natalie Imbruglia , Brian Wilson , Paul McCartney , Michael Vosse , and Elvis Costello
Director: David Leaf
Manufacturer: Rhino Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

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Beach Boys - An American Band / Brian Wilson - I Just Wasn't Made for These Times
SMiLE
The Beach Boys - Endless Harmony
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Smile: The Story of Brian Wilson's Lost Masterpiece

ASIN: B0007YKL2G
Release Date: 2005-05-24

Amazon.com

"My face isn't able to smile," Brian Wilson confides to collaborator Van Dyke Parks in one of this comprehensive double-DVD set's poignant bonus interviews, "but my heart does."

Listen to our interview
with Brian Wilson

Using vintage clips and the frank insights of Brian's friends and colleagues, writer/producer/director David Leaf (a longtime Wilson confidant and author of the pioneering history The Beach Boys and the California Myth) charts the music legend's spectacular rise to stardom and the troubling gestation and subsequent abandonment of the 1967 album widely anticipated as Wilson's artistic coup de grace. But it's a tale with a triumphant, if 37-year-delayed third act: Smile's unlikely '04 album resurrection and subsequent London concert premiere. The second disc chronicles yet another victorious moment, the tour's glorious homecoming show at L.A.'s Disney Hall, captured with graceful camera work, crisp editing and a 5.1 sound mix that imparts every playful musical nuance. The bonus materials (which include interviews, London clips, a rewarding sessions featurette and a trove of Wilson piano performances, some featuring musicians Carol Kaye and Darian Sahanaja) help make the set a nearly four-hour Smile-lover's dream-come-true. But it's the documentary's candor, a willingness to address Wilson's troubled psyche head-on, that imparts its unusual dramatic gravitas, making its ultimate triumphs all the richer. Wilson aficionados will find few greater joys than seeing their hero back firmly in command behind a recording console--or leading an ecstatic live ensemble through a pop masterpiece long thought lost to the ages. --Jerry McCulley

Smile with the music of Brian Wilson

Smile
Gettin' in over My Head
Orange Crate Art

Pet Sounds Live
I Just Wasn't Made for These Times
Imagination

Description

This essential two-disc package features nearly four hours of material, including the Showtime documentary Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of Smile, as well as an exclusive performance of Smile in its entirety. The collection also includes nearly two hours of bonus footage including never-before-seen interviews, performances, and recording session footage.

Track Listing and Content:
Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and The Story of Smile
Trailer for Beautiful Dreamer (Bonus Material)
Interview Highlights
Our Prayer
Gee
Heroes and Villains
Roll Plymouth Rock
Barnyard
Old Master Painter
You Are My Sunshine
Cabin Essence Wonderful
Song for Children
Child Is the Father of the Man
Surf's Up
I'm In Great Shape
I Wanna Be Around
Workshop
Vega-tables
On A Holiday
Wind Chimes
Mrs. O'Leary's Cow
In Blue Hawaii
Good Vibrations
Outakes (bonus material)
Brian Wilson Photo Gallery
Brian Wilson at the Piano
Brian Wilson Presents Smile featurette
Heroes and Villains Fan Video

Customer Reviews:

GOOD VIBRATIONS.......2007-04-26

Comprehensive 2 DVD package chronicling the arrival in 2004 of Beach Boys' Brian Wilson's "Smile" album, that legendary hushed secret rumored to be as grand as "Sgt. Pepper", uncerimoniously leaked over the years in bootleg recordings, and finally laid to rest as an impossible dream, a rock and roll fantasy on a par with a complete Beatles reunion. In 1967 the world grooved to Beach Boys' classic, "Good Vibrations", but the album which it heralded never arrived, abandoned by Wilson after costing him a chunk of mental well-being, as he found himself in artistic arrest, unable to iron out what he felt were imperfections to his masterpiece. He stuffed his production on a shelf somewhere and strolled away, from the album, and indeed from life. It only took therapy, a supportive new wife, and maybe a kilo of anti-depressants to lure Wilson from self exile and complete the album, 37 years after the fact. This DVD package, a documentary leading up to and including the unveiling of the complete "Smile" performed in London in 2004, and the complete album itself performed in Surfin' City USA, L.A., is a Beach Boys lovers wet California dream come true. The reclusive Wilson is seen like a fish reentering water, enthusiastically speaking of the history of "Smile", (Did anybody care after 37 years?), and his life and career; he tells of a young Beach Boys earliest recordings gaining popularity as they repeatedly called a local radio station requesting their record. He is unassuming and confident, fragile and artistically obsessed, indeed taking "Smile" back into the recording studio cost him at least one more hospital visit, which was abruptly ended when his wife asked nonchalantly if he'd rather go out for dinner. He's keenly aware, and befuddled by the awe he inspires in his peers, and becomes frustrated with the reproduction of the album, expressing temperament, (and love), with studio musicians, and is totally unimpressed when Paul McCartney and other rock royalty visits him backstage just before the premier of "Smile". The only thing missing here, and it seemed vital with everyone and their brother offering insight into Wilson, is the surviving Beach Boys', (Mike Love), input on the reemergence of "Smile". Maybe they chose not to indulge, and if so, it was a grave error not to be in support of this historical footnote. Lest I forget the thing itself, the album "Smile" is wonderful, with lyrics by Van Dyke Parks, music by Brian Wilson, it is a resounding last surfer wave banging against the beach, a celebration of American pop music and it's attempt to lead the masses into a brighter tomorrow. But it is not so much the album that inspires and warms the heart, which it certainly does. It is the fact that Wilson finally delivered "Smile" to the music world and his fans, when all hope was long dashed.

INSANITY AND GENIUS,THE SMILIN EYES OF BRIAN WILSON.......AN INCREDIBLE MUSICAL ADVENTURE WITH AMAZING VIBRATIONS......................2007-02-06

Enchanting, amazing what else can I possibly say that has not been said in other reveiws. Disc 1 is worth the price of this whole dvd set alone. A facinating look into a geniuses mind,from Brians humble beginnings through The Beach Boys years, to Brians out of public life existance, to the Smile 2004 tour. This documentary is a very facinating and candid look that informed me about things about Brian I was unsure of. Brian Wilson it is safe to say was the brightest candle in the rock music business lot, that is why he burned out the quickest. His genius was so "grand and majestic that Brian was clearly overwhelmed by his endless and broad musical creativity throughout the 1960s. Clearly watching this documentary I really see how far ahead Brian Wilson was ahead of the Beatles. Were it not for his drug indulgences and psychiatric problems, nervous breakdowns, strife from Other Beach Boys Members, Smileys Smile" (1967)could have stole the show from The Beatles "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band". There are plenty of interveiws on this documentary that shed light on Brian during his most creative period. Dvd 2--The concert is a watch of a genius, disecting his work as Brian really rebuilt "Smile" from the dreadful "Smileys Smile" sessions(1966-1967) that had strife and conflict from the other Beach Boys. Brians band "The Wondermints" show great enthusiasum and care for Brians style of music as their performance is enlightingly beautiful. The finished result of "Smile" is incredible and a voyage inside a geniuses mind. I really feel Brian was such a musical genius that he was really on the edge of insanity throughout his whole life, the drugs, the nervous breakdowns and his isolation for many years served as an outlet to vent his near insanity and genius. The sound quality on this Concert is amazing and will sound like your there when watching on a theatre system, (5.1 surround mix, pcm stereo, 2.0 stereo for your listening choice and pleasure. A nice poster of Brian is included in the informative linear literature inside the dvd case. This dvd set and the "Smile" cd is an incredible voyage for any music fan. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great Album!.......2007-01-02

Brian Wilson and his group did a fantastic job with this album. It was so reminiscent of the old group.

PRICELESS.......2006-11-16

There's not much I can add to what everyone has said about this DVD. I would have paid triple the price just for the interviews with Brian alone. The audiences' reaction to the live show afterwards, and then Darian's commentary where he's nearly in tears...but the most astonishing footage of all are the vocal rehearsals at Brian's house. Rarely does the general audience get to witness something like this. For the Brian Wilson fan, this truly is as good as it gets.

It made me smile........2006-07-04

OK, so I'm not so sure if Smile is now or would have been the greatest thing that happened to popular music had it been completed back in the 60's, but the live performance of the album combined with the documentary and interview footage was a hart warming insight into Brian Wilson's own healing process which culminated in the realease of Smile and the moving dubut performance in London.

It's true that the documentary left out details. I caught that too, but then the focus of the documentary was the completion of the "Smile" album 37 years after it was supposed to have been completed. I don't think the documentary was supposed to be a detailed biography of Brian Wilson.

The documentary itself might have been called "Heroes and Villians". The "villians" being the record company and the other Beach Boys who supposedly were responsible for the scrapping of the original Smile project, and the "heroes" being the next generation of musicians who embraced the idea of completing Smile and of helping Brian Wilson summon the courage to face his past and overcome it. That story alone is worth sitting through this Concert/Documentary.

Average customer rating:

great anime
Jiggly Girls but kick butt movie
Quite...Jiggly
Movie and OAV differences
It's pronounced Go-kye-Zer.

Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer
Starring: Karel Havle , Ed Kissel , Jeffrey Zitomer , Sandee Gilman , and Jonathan Lupo
Director: Masami Ôbari
Manufacturer: Us Manga Corps Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000YWKMW
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Description

At the Belnar Institute, superhuman teens recieve unique martial arts training. And when young Isato clashes with a mysterious transfer student, the stage is set for a cataclysmic battle!

Customer Reviews:

great anime.......2006-08-01

this movie satisfies one of the two reasons why I like anime,robots and super powered people.Obviouly It satisfies the super powered people condition and it is great.

Jiggly Girls but kick butt movie.......2005-10-09

This movie is action packed, it also has hot girls who kick butt! This is not your typical movie, this is a martial arts movie which makes you stare in awe, the girls in it are busty but they are so hot that it doesnt matter what they look like. I recommend to rent this movie but then again buy it to catch it over again!

Quite...Jiggly.......2005-08-31

This is the kind of a spin off of Fatal Fury. Here, we have a pig corporation, weird loves between family members, and generous jiggilation from the babies. Now, I know this isn't a very good title, but its fun to watch when you get the chance. The animation is good, the story is ok, and the fighting scenes are radical. Overall, this is a title to see, but probabely not to own.

Movie and OAV differences.......2005-05-02

There are two versions of this anime. I decided to write this review to help those who may be confused or have questions about them. First, I'll briefly summarize the basic plot of this anime for those who are interested.

First of all, it is based off of a fighting game (from NeoGeo I think). It takes place in the year 2010, in a place called Tron City. In this city, there is a school for special students called the Belnar Institute. Isato Kaiza, the hero of the story, is a student at this school. He also possesses a stone called a Caizer stone which transforms him into a super human fighter named Gowcaizer. The story begins as a new student named Kyosuke Shigure arrives at the school seeking revenge against its president, a mysterious man named Ozaki, who seems to be bent on destroying the world. So it's up to Gowcaizer, Kyosuke, and their allies to stop him.

The OAV version:
It is the exact same story as the movie with the exact same animation, dialogue, etc. However, it has a few scenes that are cut out in the movie version. It's a shame that these scenes were cut too because they acutally provide a little more insight into the characters. They also make the plot, which is very confusing, just a bit clearer. There's also a very cool scene in the openning of the first OAV volume where Gowcaizer trashes a couple of robots that is not in the movie version.

This DVD does NOT have the OAV version. As far as I know, the OAVs are only available on two VHS volumes (called Round 1 and Round 2)

The Movie version:
This is what's on this DVD. As I mentioned, it lacks a few scenes from the OAV, but it does have one brief scene that is not in the OAV where a new character is shown, but it seemed pretty unneccesary to me. If anything it just made things more confusing. The movie version also opens with a cool "music video" where pics and clips from the movie are shown while the catchy theme song plays.

The extra features on this DVD include the trailer, a Japanese promo of the anime, another music video (same song, different pictures) and a picture gallery.

So which version is better? Well, I purchased both, but if I had to pick just one it'd be the OAVs because of all the scenes that the movie leaves out. The main reasons I got the DVD were for the extras, the sound is better, and I do like the opener, but that's about it.

My personal thoughts on this anime: What really makes it worth watching are the fight scenes and the fanservice from the sexy girls. Most of the characters have pretty cool personalities too. As I said, the plot is very confusing. Many things seem to be half-explained or not explained at all, leaving you full of questions at the end (hence the 3 star rating). However, it is based off of a video game, so perhaps some things can be answered from that. Unfortunately, I've never played it. So bascially, if you like super-human fighting and male oriented (mostly) FS, I say it's still worth checking out. I hope I've cleared things up for you.

It's pronounced Go-kye-Zer........2004-03-02

This review is for the newly released DVD of Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer: The Movie, NOT the old out of print DVD of the 3 volume OVA. I have not seen the OVA version, so I cannot explain any of the differences between the two. If anyone could write a review stating the differences that would rule.

If you've seen Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture, you know what to expect here. In fact Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer is based off another lesser known Neo Geo fighitng game of the same name. The movie starts off a bit slow and confusing, but it kicks into high gear once the the first fight begins, and from then on it's just a truly great anime. Lots of fighting, great animation, and tons of fan service (with a HUGE abundance of bounce). Unlike another reviewer though I won't say this is better than Fatal Fury. I really like this movie, but FF is truly a classic. I will say that VFG is 10000x better than the Battle Arena Toshinden anime though.

Both English and Japanese languages are available, and while SOME of the subtitles are different than the dub, it's not much of a difference and I think the sub is just mostly a script of the dub. This was originally made back in the mid 90s when dubbing wasn't usually as good as it is these days, but I've definetly heard worse.

The DVD also has a few extras like a trailer for VFG, a japanese music video, a japanese promo for the OVA version of VFG (totally useless extra, don't even bother watching it), and of course previews for other animes. The picture and audio quality were also top-notch. No complaints at all about the DVD quality, and I hear the old DVD of the OVA was much worse.

Customer Reviews:

Awful. Terrible acting, ridiculous script, plot makes no sense........2007-04-24

Actually one of the WORST movies I've ever seen. And what a shame! So much could have been done with this material but the acting is atrocious, the script is laughably ridiculous (more plot holes than a Swiss cheese), and the entire project like a Made-for-TV movie but much, much worse.

I understand that the movie was used as propoganda for various children's deformities organizations, but couldn't the writer, director, producer, and actors have done a better job than this?

I ended up fast-forwarding through half of the movie just because it was so incredibly bad.

Don't waste your money. Instead, send the money you would spend on this piece of garbage to an organization that actually DOES this kind of work!

A Pampered Princess learns a life lesson........2007-01-11

The touching story of a spoiled girl, Katie, from an upper middle class family who finds out about a school project where a handful of students go to China to help in a hospital program involving some pretty disfigured kids going through surgeries.

The pictures that Katie sees upsets her (especially one girl in particular who shares her Birthday) and she decides to go with the group.
Throughout the movie, we also see glimpses of the chinese girl's life, which is very sad.

She was abandoned as an infant, and a worker found her, and raised her as his own.
His wife became outraged by this, and instead of HELPING the orphan girl,she become jealous of the attention the man gives her. He ends up raising her alone.

When the 2 girls from different worlds finally meet, it is very touching,and Katie gives the girl, (Li) the courage to go through with the operation.
This was just a very nice movie, one without sex and a lot of cussing,and unpleasant characters (except for the stepmom)
It was just one of those movies that restore your faith in mankind.
Very uplifting, and well acted, too.
Also, it was filmed on location in China, so there is a BEAUTIFUL backdrop to a wonderful story!!!!
I HIGHLY reccomend it!

great movie.......2006-06-30

this is a great movie for teenagers as well as adults. we really love it a lot.

Smile-review.......2006-05-18

While this movie wasn't exactly a good movie, I think it is one of the best out there. It tells the story of a 17 year old spoilt or pampered girl from malibou(Katie), and a girl from rural chinese(Lindsey, or Lin), who shares Katie's birthday. Lin was abonded at birth,due to a severe facial deformity, & is adopted by a worker that finds her. Lin lives with her adoptive father, & his son & wife for seven years, until on Lin's 7th b'day, her dad loses his temper & throw's a cup at his son. The next day, The son & the wife leave. 10 years later, Katie is given an option to participate in a program called "Doctors Gift"(based on real life org. Operation Smile)to get the points she needs to graduate. She decides to go to China as a volunteer with this org. Whislt in China, she has a mental breakdown after she see's the deformities of some of the children. With some help from her room mate, a surgeon, she soons finds the courage to keep going. The next day, she goes off to find Lin. She manage's to convince Lin of what her father wants her to do; Get surgery on her face. This is a very moving, touching story. I cried, because it shows all the hardships people have to put up with and how people reach out to help those people.

A Little Slow, But a Tear Jerker Nonetheless........2006-01-30

East meets west. A Barbie doll born on the same day as a young Chinese girl inevitably crosses paths and makes a point so many superficial people would be well to heed. It doesn't matter what you see at first; there is far more to people than anyone wants to believe, and their true beauty lies in more than appearances. Lin was already a beautiful person, and Katie had to go to China to discover her own worth.

I cried because so many people think their lives are so crappy around me, but they never had to grow up living like so many of the children this movie exemplifies. It is not the best movie in the world, but it brings home the valid point that western civilians feel way too sorry for themselves over absolutely nothing, and pretend they never saw things like this. My only question is this: if you're looking for volunteers to help physically deformed children in a world that's already devoid of compassion on other levels, where do I sign up?

Average customer rating:

Ultra Action
A triumph!!!!
Excellent
Battle Arena Toshinden
decent.

Battle Arena Toshinden
Starring: Alfred DeButler , Hideo Seaver , Kim Carrell , Takehito Koyasu , and Tomokazu Seki
Director: Masami Ôbari
Manufacturer: Us Manga Corps Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00009MGF5
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Amazon.com

Based on the popular video game, this animated feature expands the playing field, so to speak, with a story about a mysterious warrior who is tracking down all the champions of previous Toshin battle tournaments. The warrior uses the winners' highly developed battle moves to become the undefeated Toshin champion. Can anyone challenge the ultimate warrior? Only the most devoted Sega and Sony Playstation addicts will want to know... --Jeff Shannon

Description

Master swordsman Eiji Shinjo has a score to settle with his arch-nemesis, Gaia. Now their ultimate battle begins, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

Customer Reviews:

Ultra Action .......2005-08-31

When this movie came on the Action Channel. I never got to see it. I have been waiting for it to come back, but it never did. It wasn't very long until I bought the movie on DVD. I learned that this movie was the very first DVD the Centeral Park Media aka (U.S. Manga Corps) first released. It was really cool when I watched the entire movie, it was just like the video game with all the cool characters. My favorite characters are: Eiji, Sofia, Ellis, Fo, and Duke. The movie also features the voices of Hideo Seaver, Ted Lewis and Lisa Ortiz famous for Yu-Gi-Oh!, Chris Yates, Greg Wolfe, Carter Cathcart famous for Grappler Baki. This is the best anime to see go buy it.

A triumph!!!!.......2005-03-08

This film kicks butt!!!! The only problems is: most of the scenes are just violence, and you know how Duke kicked some major attitude in the game? He pops up on only one scene and says only one line. Chaos SUCKED LIKE CRAZY!!!! He's truly the dumbest character in BAT next to Uranus. Kayin sure was cool. The first time I played the game I thought he was a bad guy, but I was wrong. Eiji, too, brought back memories. Ellis,however, is my favorite character but she didn't join in almost any fight and she almost died just because of poison, and I mean the poison seemed harmless to anyone!

Excellent.......2003-07-11

Battle Arena Toshinden is based off the short lived Fighting game that was here in America (and was part of the Playstation opening lineup). In the Anime it is about Eiji searching out his brother SHo. In the Meantime the Organization (Run by Uranus) is trying to gather Data on the Toshinden Warriors in order to create the ultimate killing machine. To battle the ORganization Eiji, Kayin, Sofia, Tracey and Gaia all team up to take the organization down after they attack and put in the hoispital Ellis.

The fight sequences are typcial Anime but still real cool to watch (if you are into Action Anime). It fits right in if you are a Fan of Street Fighter, Tekken, or Fatal Fury. IT will not appeal to everyone because it is more about the fights than plot but than again most bond films are the same way and no one complains. THis is a decent anime that is worth watching at least once (or owning like I do).

Battle Arena Toshinden.......2002-03-15

I think this movie is one of the best the music is great along with the battles.It has all the characters except Master and you only get a quick glimps of Vermillion all in all it is well worth it. The movie is about a Master Swordsman Eiji Shinjo that has been haunted by the memory of his battle with the renegade champion,Gaia- But now, a mysterious warrior is hunting down the champions of the previous tournament and the person hunting them may be Sho Shinjo (Eiji's brother). Who is this powerful, new foe and who is his next target? Eiji and Kayin-his greatest rival and closest friend- struggle to unravel the mystery before they too, join the ranks of the defeated.At last, the ultimate battle between the greatest fighters in the world will be decided. And the price of victory may be to great....

decent........2001-06-20

Done by Masami Obari, the man behind Fatal Fury, Battle Arena Toshinden is yet another fighting game-based anime. The action scenes are okay as usual with Obari's work, and the dub is, well, what you'd expect from a dub. The story was flat out average, although I do admit there were a few good parts. On the minus side, the climax was pretty generic and turned out to be disappointing. The uncut version features a nice scene with Sofia in the shower, but shoddy artwork ruins it. Uh, anyway, despite those flaws, Toshinden is an above average fighting anime. If you're into action anime or Obari's work, then buy it, if you can't see it first.

Average customer rating:

Smile
Best Bruce Dern Movie Ever Made
Gentle Satire
Great, underrated movie, denounced by "elite" film critics
The best film you've never heard of

Smile
Starring: Bruce Dern , Barbara Feldon , Michael Kidd , Geoffrey Lewis , and Nicholas Pryor
Director: Michael Ritchie
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Satire | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00026L8O4
Release Date: 2004-08-24

Amazon.com

A small-town beauty pageant, and the turmoil it causes in the lives of its participants and sponsors, is the focus of this dark and witty cult comedy from Michael Ritchie (The Bad News Bears, Fletch). Bruce Dern shines in a rare comic lead as the chief judge of the "Young American Miss" contest, and his ability to find humor and pathos in his sad-sack character is well-matched by Barbara Feldon as a glacial former contestant, Geoffrey Lewis as a densely heartless sponsor, and famed choreographer Michael Kidd as (what else) the disillusioned pageant choreographer. Ritchie and writer Jerry Belson split the film's focus between the contestants (among them Annette O'Toole, Melanie Griffith, and Colleen Camp) and the sponsors and judges, and if the plot takes an absurd turn at the climax, Smile is ultimately a rare satire that cares for its characters while skewering their foibles. --Paul Gaita

Description

Get ready for a hilarious (Variety) look at one of America's most beloved institutions: the beauty pageant! OscarÂ(r) nominees* Bruce Dern and Melanie Griffith wind their way throughpageant hell in this twisted exposition of Americana that deserves a high place among successful film spoofs (Cue)! The bleached-blonde town of Santa Rosa, California, is very excited aboutits annual Young American Miss Pageant. Chief judge Big Bob Freelander (Dern) promises his town a good contest. But the battling bombshells are growing ruthless in their quest for the crown! Can Big Bob make sure that his bevy of Beauties remains civil so that audiences don't discover what really lies behind those smiles?! *Dern: Supporting Actor, Coming Home (1978); Griffith: Actress, Working Girl (1988)

Customer Reviews:

Smile.......2007-07-04

Don't miss Michael Ritchie's subtly devastating take on small-town life and conventions. Dern is a hoot in a rare comic role, and Feldon (from TV's "Get Smart") also scores as Brenda, a former beauty queen who uses her job to avoid a failing marriage. Yet it's Kidd, a first-rate dancer and choreographer from Hollywood's golden age of musicals, who steals the movie playing Tommy, a professional has-been whose gruff exterior masks a good heart. O'Toole also stands out as a seasoned contestant. A dead-on satiric slice of Americana.

Best Bruce Dern Movie Ever Made.......2006-04-06

Bruce Dern was often cast as a bad guy; after all he was the guy who killed John Wayne (in the Cowboys, I believe). In this movie he takes on a completely different role, which really showcases his talent and makes you realize that the man is not just great at bad-guy roles, but is an outstanding actor. This a wonderful satire on the shallowness of beauty pageants and what they are REALLY all about. It is also very entertaining throughout; much more so than a real beauty pageant! The casting is absolutely outstanding with all the characters being so believable. Nice music too with Nat King Cole singing the title song. The movie has everything including a nice dose of comedy, plenty of drama and a message. It's as near perfect as a movie can be. Not disappointing on any level. Entertaining throughout without being a piece of fluff that so many movies are. Some nudity, so be warned about that, but it is essential to the plot, unlike some movies where it is unnecessary. Dern should have gotten an oscar for his role in this movie, but it probably didn't score high enough on the "politically correct" meter.

Gentle Satire.......2005-03-20

"Smile" is a gentle satire of the beauty pageant scene as well as more generally the 1970s California lifestyle. Released in 1975, the film was not a hit but has gathered a bit of a cult following. Barbara Feldon and Bruce Dern star as the organizers of the California Young American Miss contest. The story follows the behind-the-scenes shenanigans leading up to the final pageant. Sprained ankles, exploding batons, and dead chickens are just part of the fun!

The script by Jay Belson ("Fun with Dick and Jane") is great fun -- ranging from subtle poking of its targets to broad farce. A number of targets are skewered facilely aside from beauty contests, particularly the superificial California lifestyle where making money and looking good is paramount. It's a clever movie, although not every scene is designed to be laugh-out-loud funny.

Director Michael Ritchie definitely peaked with this film, as he would later direct such bombs as "The Island" and "The Golden Child." Although "Smile" is a somewhat obscure movie, the genial humor of the film makes it most worthy of greater attention. In particular, people who have enjoyed the satirical movies of Christopher Guest ("Waiting for Guffman," "Best In Show") are likely to appreciate "Smile." Overall, a solid 1970s film that will make you laugh and smile.

DVD Extras: Consist only of an original trailer. Fortunately, the DVD transfer and sound are quite good.

Great, underrated movie, denounced by "elite" film critics.......2004-10-28

"Art fart!" One of the greatest lines ever written. This is a great movie for us bourgeois unwashed masses. A must see.

The best film you've never heard of.......2004-09-04

"Smile" (1975) is a comedic gem and easily one of the best unknown films of the '70's. An incisive satire set at a California beauty pageant, director Michael Ritchie's film offers a chance to see Bruce Dern in a rare "straight" role, Barbara Feldon playing a character worlds away from her famous Agent 99 from "Get Smart" and legendary choreographer Michael Kidd in a hilarious supporting turn as (what else?) a lecherous, alcoholic beauty pageant choreographer. Add Melanie Griffith, Annette O'Toole and Joan Prather in early roles and a hysterical supporting turn by Maria O'Brien (Edmund's daughter) and you have a top cast making the most out of Jerry Belson's incisive script.

Dern plays "Big Bob" Freelander, the head judge at the California State Young American Miss Pageant and Feldon is the pageant director whose motto to the contestants is to "keep smiling." Of course, this being a satire, Ritchie and Belson mercilessly lampoon everything in their path, making Feldon an unhappily married harridan whose husband hates her, Dern a father who is concerned that his horny son "Little Bob" (Eric Shea) and his hornier friends are obsessed with seeing the contestants naked (just like his father and the other men involved) and the contestants are, for the most part, back-stabbing primadonnas who will resort to anything to win. And then there's Kidd's choreographer, who shows up late and drunk and spends most of his time bedding the contestants, when he's not insulting their rather pathetic talents. (One of my favorite bits: Miss Imperial Valley's "talent" is packing a suitcase.) But the highlight of the film is O'Brien as the sole Mexican-American contestant, who spends the entire time trying to bribe the judges with "a favorite dish from my home country, guacomole dip." She is a riot and, along with Kidd, the primary reasons to see the film.

One of the great things about "Smile" is the ending. It is absolutely impossible to guess who will win the final competition. And the reactions of everyone involved are true and real, thanks to Belson's terrific and unpredictable script and Ritchie's top-notch directing. In fact, Ritchie followed this film with a cinematic home run, 1976's "The Bad News Bears." These two films alone sealed the late director's reputation as a master satirist.

In all, "Smile" may very well be the best film you've never heard of. And let's be thankful that MGM/UA released the DVD in 1:85:1 widescreen, which they don't always do. The extras are thin, but the film more than makes up for it, especially at such a low price. In all, this one is a real winner. ***** (out of *****)

Average customer rating:

You don't need to know patois to watch this movie
One of the greatest films from Jamaica

Smile Orange
Starring: Smile Orange
Manufacturer: Video Music, Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B0006N2EFA
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Description

Smile Orange is set in a beach hotel and pokes fun at the tourist trade in Jamaica at both the visitors and the Jamaicans. "Smile Orange" is mostly the story of the slick waiter, super stud, Ringo , who has made a profitable art of servility. Directed by Trevor Rhone and Produced by Edward Knight.

Customer Reviews:

You don't need to know patois to watch this movie.......2007-04-05

This was made in the 1970s but it can still make me laugh even now. Taking the mickey out of the tourist industry and how Jamaican men are happily seduced by White women and Jamaican girls are desperate to get over to America and will sleep with American tourists in order to realize their dream you are treated to a funny, sardonic look at beach life on the golden sands of the Jamaican coast.

This is a hysterically funny film with Carl Bradshaw playing the cheeky conman Ringo who goes to work in a hotel and gets up to all sorts of tricks, in a bid to avoid his angry wife and the hotel manager who lives for respectability but isn't averse to being a secret letch.

Look out for the scene where the young Bus boy is seduced by an older American Woman, you will bust a gut laughing,the rolling in poison ivy scene where Ringo makes it clear to a girl he has picked up, if she don't put out, she will end walking to town, and the most memorable scene of all, the drowning tourist where Ringo accidentally becomes a hero, along with the angry ugly wife who turns up and demands to see her wayward husband, the dastardly but very charming Ringo himself.

A great soundtrack, that sums up the film which lampoons society in a way in which only a 1970s film could do.

A gem of a film that has aged disgracefully. Wonderful.

One of the greatest films from Jamaica.......2005-09-15

The first time I saw Smile Orange I was 10 years old (I'm 30 now), my mother and I brought it from our local Jamaican record shop. It was the funniest thing I had ever seen. The cast is wonderful and I am sure you will find Ceril the bus boy sweet and funny...just remember "Plate" and you will see what I am talking about. Buy this movie and let Ringo, Joe and Ceril take you on a wild ride!

Average customer rating:

A Smile Like Yours
Looking for a romantic film with a happy ending?
Well....
A Smile Like Yours
Predictable but entertaining

Smile Like Yours
Starring: Greg Kinnear , Lauren Holly , Joan Cusack , Jay Thomas , and Jill Hennessy
Director: Keith Samples
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B0000UJLLO
Release Date: 2004-01-27

Amazon.com

This terrible comedy stars Kinnear as an elevator engineer and Lauren Holly as his wife, a perfume designer. The two can't conceive a child due to his problematic sperm, and together they head down a slippery slope of getting help from a fertility clinic. Director Keith Samples handles all the embarrassing medical stuff with utter insensitivity, always going for the cheap laugh and making the clinic's doctor ('60s star France Nuyen) look like a humorless robot. The plot understandably delves into deeper territory when infertility troubles open the door to other, latent relationship problems; but, again, Samples is working with material more goofy than trenchant. The sight of Kinnear's character--while drunk and staring down an empty elevator shaft--cursing his sperm as "lazy f---ing swimmers," is enough to make you scream. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

A Smile Like Yours.......2005-01-22

A delightful film. A little overboard with the big needle in one scene. I am ordering the DVD because I really liked this film. Thank-you

Looking for a romantic film with a happy ending?.......2004-10-02

This is just the perfect film if you're one of those people with nothing better to do on a Friday night... The plot is rather predictable, but that makes it all the more interesting to see how the whole story turns out. It's a good film for all you romantic people out there... I personally think this is one of those films where they got the characters 'just-right'... Cheers!

Well...........2002-11-17

While he was filming another movie in Toronto, we went out and bought this horrible movie so we could get him to sign it. You know what he wrote? "I Hate this Movie. Greg Kinnear"

A Smile Like Yours.......2002-01-05

I just fell in love with this movie the first time I seen it. I love Greg Kinnear and Lauren Holly in it.

Predictable but entertaining.......2001-04-27

First off let me take my hat off to the producers becasue Lauren Holly and Jill Henessy were lookin' too fine in this picture. Particularly Jill Henessy was just off da hook! That was almost enough just to see her. When she came into that restaurant in that red dress... Smokin'.

Ok. So the movie was pretty light. There are still some pretty entertaining scenes. When they go to the fertility clinic and Greg Kinnear's efforts to get back to San Francisco from Seattle were both pretty funny.

Customer Reviews:

One awesome Anime!.......2006-09-03

Now, i am a HUGE fan of this show, and everything about it!
I just think it has everything somebody wants! like:::

lots of Violence
Some Blood
a Great Plot
Plot turns
Plot Shockers
Great Animation
nice work on dubbed diolague
A GREAT SCARY Villian
etc... etc...

i just recomend this Anime, it's worth every penney GARENTEED!
it's a GREAT show for any Anime, Sci-Fi, Action, or Fantasy Fans out there.

Strong and Sexy; One of the Defining Anime.......2006-02-05

Iria is one of those anime that made its way over to American early and was able to have an effect on people. I saw a piece of this anime on the Sci-Fi Channel a long time ago, and since then I've always wanted the entire collection. Though the dubbed voice-acting is dated, and the animation a little washed, it matches up well with other action-oriented sci-fi anime of its time (the animation style somewhat matches the anime series DNA2). Plus, it has a solid story, if a bit used, that carries the OVA from episode to episode.

Iria, an assistant bounty hunter to her brother Gren, was dispatched along with Gren and another bounty hunter named Bob on a rescue mission in deep space. Yet upon arriving, they realize something isn't right. The ship in which they were sent is piled high with bodies, and all of them were killed at the hands of a fearsome and indestructible artificial alien named Zeiram. In an attempt to escape the ship with her life, Iria is separated from her friends. But Zeiram haunts her, both physically and mentally, and her battle to uncover the creature's weak-point, as well as her search to find her friends and family, comprises the next five episodes (the synopsis above is of the first episode). Along the way Iria meets a few new friends who aid her in her fight against Zeiram, including a sheep-in-wolf's clothing named Key, who's a young orphan and expert thief that idolizes Iria.

The characters in this series aren't that unique; Iria is the tough-minded chick with a soft side that shows in times of high emotion. Gren is the powerful bounty hunter role-model. Key is the mischief maker and comedy relief. And Zeiram is the overlord character, that evil entity that wants nothing more than to destroy. Despite this, though, the characters works well with the story, and nothing seems forced. The episodes flow along following the exploits of Iria and her friends.

Like I said before, the animation itself is a little washed, but that doesn't take away from the quality of the animation. Every character is highly detailed, and the action scenes are great, especially when compared to other an

Smile	Gettin' in over My Head	Orange Crate Art
Pet Sounds Live	I Just Wasn't Made for These Times	Imagination