
Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Translating Rowan Atkinson's Mr. Bean character from British television to the big screen takes a bit of a toll, but there are some hilarious sequences in this popular comedy. Bean, a boy-man twit with a knack for getting into difficult binds (and then making them worse and worse and worse), is a London museum guard who is sent to Los Angeles in the company of the famous painting Whistler's Mother. He's mistaken as an art expert by the well-meaning curator (Peter MacNicol) of an L.A. museum, but Bean's famously eccentric behavior soon causes the poor guy to almost lose his family and job. The insularity of Bean's TV world is sacrificed in this film, and that change diminishes some of the character's appeal. But Atkinson is a man naturally full of comedy, and he doesn't let his fans down. --Tom Keogh
Average customer rating:
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The Lord of the Rings - The Motion Picture Trilogy (Platinum Series Special Extended Edition)
Starring: Elijah Wood , Ian McKellen , Viggo Mortensen , Sean Astin , and Sean Bean Director: Peter Jackson Manufacturer: New Line Home Entertainment ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000654ZK0 Release Date: 2004-12-14 |
Amazon.com
The extended editions of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings present the greatest trilogy in film history in the most ambitious sets in DVD history. In bringing J.R.R. Tolkien's nearly unfilmable work to the screen, Jackson benefited from extraordinary special effects, evocative New Zealand locales, and an exceptionally well-chosen cast, but most of all from his own adaptation with co-writers Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, preserving Tolkien's vision and often his very words, but also making logical changes to accommodate the medium of film. While purists complained about these changes and about characters and scenes left out of the films, the almost two additional hours of material in the extended editions (about 11 hours total) help appease them by delving more deeply into Tolkien's music, the characters, and loose ends that enrich the story, such as an explanation of the Faramir-Denethor relationship, and the appearance of the Mouth of Sauron at the gates of Mordor. In addition, the extended editions offer more bridge material between the films, further confirming that the trilogy is really one long film presented in three pieces (which is why it's the greatest trilogy ever--there's no weak link). The scene of Galadriel's gifts to the Fellowship added to the first film proves significant over the course of the story, while the new Faramir scene at the end of the second film helps set up the third and the new Saruman scene at the beginning of the third film helps conclude the plot of the second.
To top it all off, the extended editions offer four discs per film: two for the longer movie, plus four commentary tracks and stupendous DTS 6.1 ES sound; and two for the bonus material, which covers just about everything from script creation to special effects. The argument was that fans would need both versions because the bonus material is completely different, but the features on the theatrical releases are so vastly inferior that the only reason a fan would need them would be if they wanted to watch the shorter versions they saw in theaters (the last of which, The Return of the King, merely won 11 Oscars). The LOTR extended editions without exception have set the DVD standard by providing a richer film experience that pulls the three films together and further embraces Tolkien's world, a reference-quality home theater experience, and generous, intelligent, and engrossing bonus features. --David Horiuchi
Description
This critically acclaimed epic trilogy follows the quest undertaken by the hobbit, Frodo Baggins, and his fellowship of companions to save Middle-earth by destroying the One Ring and defeating the evil forces of the Dark Lord Sauron. With new and extended scenes carefully added back into the film, the 12-disc set also includes hours of bonus features.Customer Reviews:
Good Buy.......2007-07-03
A masterpiece that will go down in history.......2007-07-01
I Wish Amazon Has 10 stars to select!.......2007-06-27
A jewel in your shelf.......2007-06-26
Pretty slick.......2007-06-25
Average customer rating:
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Equilibrium
Starring: Christian Bale , David Barrash , Sean Bean , Francesco Cabras , and Maria Pia Calzone Manufacturer: Dimension ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00005JLWN Release Date: 2003-05-13 |
Amazon.com
A broad science fiction thriller in a classic vein, Equilibrium takes a respectable stab at a Fahrenheit 451-like cautionary fable. The story finds Earth's post-World War III humankind in a state of severe emotional repression: If no one feels anything, no one will be inspired by dark passions to attack their neighbors. Writer-director Kurt Wimmer's monochromatic, Metropolis-influenced cityscape provides an excellent backdrop to the heavy-handed mission of John Preston (Christian Bale), a top cop who busts "sense offenders" and crushes sentimental, sensual, and artistic relics from a bygone era. Predictably, Preston becomes intrigued by his victims and that which they die to cherish; he stops taking his mandatory, mood-flattening drug and is even aroused by a doomed prisoner (Emily Watson). Wimmer's wrongheaded martial arts/dueling guns motif is sheer silliness (a battle over a puppy doesn't help), but Equilibrium should be seen for Bale's moving performance as a man shocked back to human feeling. --Tom KeoghDescription
Delivering awesome high-tech action in the power-packed style of THE MATRIX and MINORITY REPORT, EQUILIBRIUM stars Christian Bale (REIGN OF FIRE) and Taye Diggs (CHICAGO) in a thrilling look at a future where the only crime is being human! In an attempt to end wars and maintain peace, humankind has outlawed the things that trigger emotion -- literature, music, and art. To uphold the law, a special breed of police is assigned to eliminate all transgressors. But when the top enforcer (Bale) misses a dose of an emotion-blocking drug, he begins to realize that things are not as they seem! Also starring Sean Bean (THE LORD OF THE RINGS) and Emily Watson (RED DRAGON).Customer Reviews:
Cristian Bale as the "Tetragrammaton cleric" it Rocks!.......2007-06-19
I didn't understand what was up with the hero's kid, but ..........2007-06-12
Happy, kick-butt-and-take-names kind of equilibrium.......2007-05-23
One Of Those Movies That Slipped Through The Cracks.......2007-05-18
I HAVE THE WATCH!!!!!!.......2007-05-10
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Mr. Bean - The Whole Bean (Complete Set)
Director: Paul Weiland , John Birkin , and John Howard Davies Manufacturer: A&E Home Video ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000085EEI Release Date: 2003-04-29 |
Product Description
Starring the incomparable Rowan Atkinson (Blackadder, Four Weddings and a Funeral), Mr. Bean has won a tin full of international awards and built a cult following around the globe that's well, frankly, a little frightening.Amazon.com essential video
Bean, Bean, maniacal nut / The more you watch, you bust a gut! First unleashed in 1989, this sketch series was embraced by PBS viewers in the United States. In the tradition of the great silent clowns, Rowan Atkinson created a character with universal and multi-generational appeal (the sketches have little dialogue and are driven by often ingenious physical comedy). Like Bart Simpson, the resourceful, mischievous, and sometimes malevolent Bean is the inner child incarnate who acts on the impulses polite society normally represses. Atkinson has described Bean as "a 9-year-old boy, with an apparent lack of worldly experience, but an ingenuity that is quite clever in dealing with problems presented to him." These problems include not knowing a single answer on an exam, tactfully disposing of a revolting restaurant meal, changing into his swimsuit at the beach without first removing his pants, and, most hilariously, getting a turkey stuck on his head (a classic bit reprised in the ill-conceived 1997 feature film).Atkinson has enjoyed some mainstream success stateside. He was the nervous minister ("...your awfully wedded wife") in Four Weddings and a Funeral, and the voice of Zazu in The Lion King. But he mainly enjoys cult status among British comedy aficionados as a founding member of Not the Nine O'Clock News and the star of the Black Adder series. Bean is his crowning creation. In addition to all 14 episodes, this generous boxed set contains previously unaired sketches, Comic Relief appearances, and a segment about Bean's creation, which serves as a nifty introduction for the uninitiated. It also contains a preview for the new Mr. Bean animated series. This seems redundant. As this collection hilariously demonstrates, Bean is already animated enough. --Donald Liebenson
Customer Reviews:
Classic Bean.......2007-06-08
Got to love the Bean.......2007-05-18
Enjoyable.......2007-05-07
Frank about Bean.......2007-05-07
Bean.......2007-04-11
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West Side Story (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Natalie Wood , Richard Beymer , Russ Tamblyn , Rita Moreno , and George Chakiris Director: Jerome Robbins , and Robert Wise Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD) ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0000AM6IY Release Date: 2003-10-07 |
Amazon.com essential video
The winner of 10 Academy Awards, this 1961 musical by choreographer Jerome Robbins and director Robert Wise (The Sound of Music) remains irresistible. Based on a smash Broadway play updating Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet to the 1950s era of juvenile delinquency, the film stars Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer as the star-crossed lovers from different neighborhoods--and ethnicities. The film's real selling points, however, are the highly charged and inventive song-and-dance numbers, the passionate ballads, the moody sets, colorful support from Rita Moreno, and the sheer accomplishment of Hollywood talent and technology producing a film so stirring. Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim wrote the score. --Tom KeoghDescription
This brilliant (The New Republic) film sets the ageless story of Romeo and Juliet against a backdrop of gang warfare in 1950s New York. Directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins and scripted by Ernest Lehman, the film combines Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's unforgettable score ( Maria, America, 'somewhere, 'tonight ) with Robbins own exuberant choreography to achieve an exhilarating work of art (Saturday Review). A love affair is fated for tragedy amidst the vicious rivalry of two street gangsthe Jets and the Sharks. When Jets member Tony (RichardBeymer) falls for Maria (Natalie Wood), the sister of the Sharks leader, it's more than these two warring gangs can handle. And as mounting tensions rise, a battle to the death ensues, and innocent blood is shed in a heartbreaking finale.Customer Reviews:
West Side Story.......2007-07-02
West Side Story (Full Screen Edition.......2007-06-27
West Side Not Snorie.......2007-06-27
Gonna Rock It Tonight!.......2007-05-30
The Movie's OK..........2007-05-11
Average customer rating:
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The Simple Life - The Complete Fourth Season ('Til Death Do Us Part)
Starring: Trae Lindley Director: Alicia Bean , Troy VanderHeyden , Jeff Fisher , Rich Kim , and Ross Breitenbach Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000ICLRL6 Release Date: 2006-12-26 |
Amazon.com
For being one of the shows that's often thought of as an example of reality TV's origins, there's never been much reality in the overly long-lived series The Simple Life. This two-sided, single disc of the fourth (and last) season has even less to do with reality than any of its preceding installments. Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie are still acting their parts of simpleton celebrities thrust into the "real" lives of regular folk, but during the contractually obligated production of what had become an astonishingly popular show, the poor little rich girls were in the midst of a bitter feud. They hated each others' guts, weren't speaking, and thanks to the machinations of their individual publicity experts, the whole world knew it. Consequently, the two rarely share screen time together except for ample sequences of split-screening, which makes for an even more bizarre pairing for two dim-witted million-heiresses who remain famous for nothing more that, well, being famous. Season four consists of a variety of slices of suburban Los Angeles family life with the wife/mother role being taken over on alternate days by either Paris or Nicole. As usual, they sneer and make fun of the lower class that they visit--all the while showing absolutely no class of their own. Their feud is vaguely addressed in the first episode, with the other nine being fairly rote imitations of their earlier-season forays into the humdrum of screaming kids, grocery shopping, preparing food, bill-paying, and every other mundane things the girls have been coached into criticizing and laughing at by the show's producers. We're invited into some parts of the girls' "real" lives with glimpses into their homes amidst their psychological destruction of others'. But as with the prior seasons, the can't-look-away-from-the-train-wreck aspect is the thing that keeps our attention. They hate us and we hate them, so it's the very definition of symbiotic entertainment. Since they also hate each other there's an extra element of amusement; only don't think too hard lest the fine line between amusement and contempt disappears. Who knows if their feud was real or made up by the genius publicity machines behind their fame. One thing that's not made up and definitely not comical is the gruesome change in Nicole Richie's body as her issues with low body weight reveal itself over the course of the episodes. No matter how much Paris despised her, she should have taken her ex-friend to In-N-Out for a few late-night burger binges (without the purging). --Ted FryDescription
America's hottest celebutantes, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie, are back, and this time, they're taking over the country one family at a time! With their heated rivalry in high gear, the girls compete fiercely to see who would make a better housewife. Each hilarious episode brings a new family, a new challenge, and a new excuse to party! Never mind the fact that there are diapers to change and houses to clean when there are tequila shots to down and strip clubs to hit! Reality television has never been this wild...Simply put, it's simply outrageous!Customer Reviews:
That's hot.......2007-05-14
Till death do us part, literally.......2007-05-08
Time-Killing Fluff that is rather enjoyable.......2007-05-08
just wait till next season........2007-05-05
Just not the same.......2007-03-08
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The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (Platinum Series Special Extended Edition)
Starring: Wood , Mckellen , Mortensen , Astin , and Lee Manufacturer: New Line Home Entertainment ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000067DNF Release Date: 2002-11-12 |
Amazon.com essential video
In every aspect, the extended-edition DVD of Peter Jackson's epic fantasy The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring blows away the theatrical-version DVD. No one who cares at all about the film should ever need to watch the original version again. Well, maybe the impatient and the squeamish will still prefer the theatrical version, because the extended edition makes a long film 30 minutes longer and there's a bit more violence (though both versions are rated PG-13). But the changes--sometimes whole scenes, sometimes merely a few seconds--make for a richer film. There's more of the spirit of J.R.R. Tolkien, embodied in more songs and a longer opening focusing on Hobbiton. There's more character development, and more background into what is to come in the two subsequent films, such as Galadriel's gifts to the Fellowship and Aragorn's burden of lineage. And some additions make more sense to the plot, or are merely worth seeing, such as the wood elves leaving Middle-earth or the view of Caras Galadhon (but sorry, there's still no Tom Bombadil). Extremely useful are the chapter menus that indicate which scenes are new or extended.Of the four commentary tracks, the ones with the greatest general appeal are the one by Jackson and cowriters Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, and the one by 10 cast members, but the more technically oriented commentaries by the creative and production staff are also worth hearing. The bonus features (encompassing two complete DVDs) are far superior to the largely promotional materials included on the theatrical release, delving into such matters as script development, casting, and visual effects. The only drawback is that the film is now spread over two discs, with a somewhat abrupt break following the council at Rivendell, due to the storage capacity required for the longer running time, the added DTS ES 6.1 audio, and the commentary tracks. But that's a minor inconvenience. Whether in this four-disc set or in the collector's gift set (which adds Argonath bookends and a DVD of National Geographic Beyond the Movie: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring), the extended-edition DVD is the Fellowship DVD to rule them all. --David Horiuchi
Description
Not seen in theaters, this unique version of the epic adventure features over 30 minutes of new and extended scenes integrated into the film by the director.
DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Four feature-length commentaries including over 30 participants
DVD ROM Features
Documentaries:17 original documentaries and featurettes
Interactive Menus
Interviews
Introduction
Multiple video angles
Other:Over 30 minutes of new music scored by Academy Award-winning composer Howard Shore
Photo gallery:Gallery with over 2,000 photos and conceptual sketches
Production Sketches
Storyboards
Customer Reviews:
The only way to go for Tolkien fans.......2007-06-30
Lord of The Rings - Kicks Butt!.......2007-06-14
Best movie of all times!!!.......2007-05-31
i didn't like it!!!.......2007-05-16
One of the best movies ever made but the dvd I got has a really strange aspect ratio... .......2007-05-15
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West Side Story (Special Edition DVD Collector's Set)
Starring: Natalie Wood , Richard Beymer , Russ Tamblyn , Rita Moreno , and George Chakiris Director: Jerome Robbins , and Robert Wise Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD) ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00008972S Release Date: 2003-04-01 |
Amazon.com essential video
The winner of 10 Academy Awards, this 1961 musical by choreographer Jerome Robbins and director Robert Wise (The Sound of Music) remains irresistible. Based on a smash Broadway play updating Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet to the 1950s era of juvenile delinquency, the film stars Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer as the star-crossed lovers from different neighborhoods--and ethnicities. The film's real selling points, however, are the highly charged and inventive song-and-dance numbers, the passionate ballads, the moody sets, colorful support from Rita Moreno, and the sheer accomplishment of Hollywood talent and technology producing a film so stirring. Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim wrote the score. --Tom KeoghDescription
This brilliant (The New Republic) film sets the ageless story of Romeo and Juliet against a backdrop of gang warfare in 1950s New York. Directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins and scripted by Ernest Lehman, the film combines Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's unforgettable score ( Maria, America, 'somewhere, 'tonight ) with Robbins own exuberant choreography to achieve an exhilarating work of art (Saturday Review). A love affair is fated for tragedy amidst the vicious rivalry of two street gangsthe Jets and the Sharks. When Jets member Tony (RichardBeymer) falls for Maria (Natalie Wood), the sister of the Sharks leader, it's more than these two warring gangs can handle. And as mounting tensions rise, a battle to the death ensues, and innocent blood is shed in a heartbreaking finale.Customer Reviews:
West Side Story.......2007-07-02
West Side Story (Full Screen Edition.......2007-06-27
West Side Not Snorie.......2007-06-27
Gonna Rock It Tonight!.......2007-05-30
The Movie's OK..........2007-05-11
Average customer rating:
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The Hitcher (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Sean Bean , Sophia Bush , Zachary Knighton , Neal McDonough , and Kyle Davis (II) Director: Dave Meyers Manufacturer: Universal Studios ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000NO3DLG Release Date: 2007-05-01 |
Amazon.com
20 years is a long time in the lifeline of movie plot-arc necessities. It's also a pretty big generational stretch in the lives of audience demographics, which may be part of the reason the producers of this remake of the 1986 cult horror classic felt the need to update the original spare mano-a-mano backbone into a girl-and-mano-a-mano. The Twilight Zone-ish setup is still a pretty neat idea: regular guy on a lonely highway picks up a hitchhiker who turns out to be a psychopathic killer with some very unsettling supernatural might. Fans of the original could hardly hope for a demon villain with such creepy charisma as Rutger Hauer. But Sean Bean makes a respectable replacement, with his understated stare and stewing rage that brings a new brand of hair-raising devilry to the role of hitcher John Ryder. The lone "good guy" originated by a boyish C. Thomas Howell has been upgraded to a lovesick couple. In a twisty touch, Jim (Zachary Knighton, sorta unknown) and Grace (Sophia Bush, of One Tree Hill fame) trade gender roles, with Jim turning wimpy and feminine and Grace becoming a shotgun-toting testoster-ette. The body count's a little higher and the gore factor increased by the power of 20 (years), but some of the original film's set pieces remain much the same-- body-snapping case in point being an 18-wheeler being put to use as a old-fashioned torture rack. While the original might have placed a bit more emphasis on the philosophical and existential elements of evil passing from soul to soul, it wasn't exactly an intellectual thrill ride. Likewise, 2007's The Hitcher is no art film, and it can't be faulted for choosing fright and might for audiences that are always looking for bigger and more elaborate splats for their horror entertainment buck. And if you stick out your thumb for this one, expect plenty of splat. --Ted FryDescription
A road trip takes a deadly turn in this terrifying thriller about a young couple (Sophia Bush and Zachary Knighton) tormented by a psychotic hitchhiker (Sean Bean) who forces them to face their fears head-on. The open road becomes a battleground of blood and metal in the race to reveal the chilling truth about this relentless killer. No one knows who he is, what he's after, or how to stop this "truly twisted villain"*. Watch the madness unfold with intense edge-of-your-seat chase sequences drive this sinister film to a deadly ending you won't soon forget!Customer Reviews:
A Hundred Times Better Than The Original.......2007-06-28
Not a hitcher to pick up.......2007-06-26
How bad is it?.......2007-06-23
Intense Thriller.......2007-06-23
Better than I thought it would be.......2007-06-19
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The Island
Starring: Ewan McGregor , Scarlett Johansson , Djimon Hounsou , Sean Bean , and Steve Buscemi Director: Michael Bay Manufacturer: Dreamworks Video ProductGroup: DVD Binding: DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000BO0LH2 Release Date: 2005-12-13 |
Amazon.com
When you add up all the best things about The Island, you might just conclude that there's hope yet for Hollywood's most critically reviled hit-maker, Michael Bay. Recruited by Steven Spielberg to direct this lavish and often breathtaking sci-fi action thriller, Bay rises to the occasion with an ambitious production that is, by his standards (and compared to Bay's earlier hits like The Rock and Armageddon), surprisingly intelligent as it explores the repercussions of cloning in a sealed-off society where humans are cultivated for spare parts, surrogate parenthood, and full-body replacements for wealthy clientele. But when two of the clones (Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johanssen) begin to question their fate and the motives of their keepers, they escape into the real world and The Island becomes just another Michael Bay action extravaganza, albeit an impressively exciting one. With elaborate chase scenes and a high-tech feast of CGI to dazzle the eye, The Island recycles much of the plot from 1979's Clonus while borrowing elements from Logan's Run, Gattaca and Minority Report, and while it's not as smartly conceived as those earlier films, there's no denying that, in many ways, it's Bay's best film to date. --Jeff ShannonCustomer Reviews:
Closer to reality than you might think.......2007-06-30
An unoriginal adaptation of "Logan's Run" meets "The Fast & the Furious Furious"........2007-06-23
Nice Effects and Music.......2007-06-14
So so.......2007-06-08
Could have been a great movie.......2007-05-25
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Being John Malkovich [HD DVD]
Starring: Orson Bean , Ned Bellamy , John Cusack , K.K. Dodds , and Richard Fancy Director: Spike Jonze Manufacturer: Universal Studios ProductGroup: DVD Binding: HD DVD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000OHZL44 Release Date: 2007-06-26 |
Description
Craig Schwartz (John Cusack) is a struggling street puppeteer. In order to make some money, Craig takes a job as a filing clerk. One day he accidentally discovers a door a portal into the mind of John Malkovich (played by John Malkovich)! For 15 minutes, he experiences the ultimate head trip - HE is John Malkovich! Then he's dumped out onto the New Jersey turnpike! With his beautiful office mate Maxine (Catherine Keener) and his pet-obsessed wife (Cameron Diaz), they hatch a plan to let others into John's brain for just $200 a trip. See what all the critics are talking about.DVD:
DVD