Criminal

Starring:John C. Reilly, Diego Luna, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Peter Mullan, Zitto Kazann, Jonathan Tucker, Laura CerÃ³n, Soledad St. Hilaire, Ellen Geer, Brandon Keener, Nick Anavio, Deborah Van Valkenburgh, Maeve Quinlan, Brent Sexton, Malik Yoba, Lillian Hurst, Jack Conley, Juan Carlos Cantu, Enrico Colantoni, Manuel GÃ³mez Jimenez
Director: Gregory Jacobs
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Like its predecessor Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve is a piffle of a caper, a preposterous plot given juice and vitality by a combination of movie star glamour and the exuberant filmmaking skill of director Steven Soderbergh (Out of Sight, The Limey). The heist hijinks of the first film come to roost for a team of eleven thieves (including the glossy mugs of Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Bernie Mac, and Don Cheadle), who find themselves pursued not only by the guy they robbed (silky Andy Garcia), but also by a top-notch detective (plush Catherine Zeta-Jones) and a jealous master thief (well-oiled Vincent Cassel) who wants to prove that team leader Danny Ocean (dapper George Clooney) isn't the best in the field. As if all that star power weren't enough--and the eternally coltish Julia Roberts also returns as Ocean's wife--one movie star cameo raises the movie's combined wattage to absurd proportions. But all these handsome faces are matched by Soderbergh's visual flash, cunning editing, and excellent use of Amsterdam, Paris, and Rome, among other highly decorative locations. The whole affair should collapse under the weight of its own silliness, but somehow it doesn't--the movie's raffish spirit and offhand wit soar along, providing lightweight but undeniable entertainment. --Bret Fetzer

Description

They're back. And then some. Twelve is the new eleven when Danny Ocean and pals return in a sequel to the cool caper that saw them pull off a $160 million heist. But 160 million doesn't go as far as it used to. Not with everyone spending like sailors on leave. Not with a mysterious someone stalking Danny and crew. It's time to pull off another stunner of a plan?or plans. With locations including Amsterdam, Paris and Rome, the direction of Steven Soderbergh and the original cast plus Catherine Zeta-Jones and others, Twelve is your lucky number.

Customer Reviews:

should be retitled "Zeta-Jones's Twelve".......2007-06-13

The plot was slightly more serious in this film, and it was dominated by Pitt and Zeta-Jones (mostly Zeta-Jones). The main drawbacks for the sequel are that the heist is not the major focus, the "supporting" characters did not get the opportunity to play pivotal roles in the heist, and it lacked the lighthearted atmosphere and stylishness of the first film. While Catherine Zeta-Jones is a very lovely woman, I felt that her plot was dull, interesting and terribly predictable, and I despised her character as the foil. The sub-plot (the heist) and the other characters deserved more screen time because that is what made me love the first movie. Can't really say much more about the movie because it was utterly forgettable and a waste of time.

This is lazy `sequel' that tends to do nothing but bring back a bunch of celebrities.......2007-06-13

"Ocean's Twelve" faces the same difficulties as any sequel. By this I don't mean those movies that are essential components to trilogies that continue the story; I mean those movies that basically take an established cast and throw them in a completely new storyline. The problem is trying to meet the expectations of an audience that loved the first and wants a new movie to love for all the same reasons. So many people were disappointed to learn that "Ocean's Twelve" was not yet another heist movie.

This film had to be a sequel. The plot takes advantage of the relationships the characters developed in the first film, and throws in many subtle jokes the average viewer may miss if they don't listen closely. Some of the phrases like "thief a la mode" used in the film may require a bit of culture to appreciate. While Ocean's teams do work together in the same fashion as the first film, the thievery itself doesn't take the spotlight in the film. "Ocean's Eleven" was the traditional heist film in its plot development with its climax at the point of executing the plan. Ocean's Twelve breaks away from this formula in favor of developing opportunities for some great character interaction.

The film disappoints with many characters taking a back seat in their roles to such an extent that the film could have been named after Pitt's character, with the Benedict aftermath merely serving as a catalyst for the characters finding their way back together. However, it would have been unreasonable for all eleven original characters to share an equal share of the spotlight and still turn out as well. The story is more about Brad Pitt and Catherine Zeta-Jones than George Clooney and Julia Roberts. The rest of the cast perform very well and the guest-star appearances, including an unforgettable one by Bruce Willis, are hysterical. Half of the time I was unsure if the actors were even acting!! It appeared as if they were not even looking at the script, and instead talking amongst themselves like, "Hey, so how you've been?". "Oh, I `v been good, the kids at home are taking up a lot of my time, ya know". Come on now, really.

In the end, "Ocean's Twelve" is not a mere heist film but an Intelligent Comedy that may need to be watched more than once to appreciate some of the subtleties in the dialog. Just the amount of activity on this film's message board regarding some of the subtleties in the plot is a testament to the thought that went into making this film. Will "Ocean 13" rectify this, well I would have to go see it for myself.

Boring..........2007-06-11

The first movie was great! i loved it! I expected this to be as great as the first or maybe even greater but it failed to deliver. The plot was not great and it was kind of boring... But I was glad to see the actors come back for the sequel.

oh come on george clooney is in it.......2007-06-10

there were some good moments...definitely will watch it again

i never saw it on the big screen and i got myself a cheap copy and sat down and had myself an oceans marathon

the breakdancing/laser scene is pretty interesting and i will always love george

one of the worst sequels ever.......2007-06-09

an absolute waste of talent on this film...its so bad...i remember zeta-jones being fun to look at and also a cool cameo by bruce willis...but the heist was awful and that thief guy looks like a rat....some of the dialogue was funny but other than that this one's a yawner..bigtime

NCIS Naval Criminal Investigative Service - The Complete Third Season

Average customer rating:

NCIS Third Season
The Best criminal investigation show out there.
NCIS ROCKS!
The third season is REALLY great!
NCIS Seanson 3

NCIS Naval Criminal Investigative Service - The Complete Third Season
Starring: Ncis
Manufacturer: Paramount Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

( N ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

NCIS Naval Criminal Investigative Service - The Complete Second Season
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigative Service - The Complete First Season
JAG (Judge Advocate General) - The Complete Third Season
The Closer - The Complete Second Season
Criminal Minds - The First Season

ASIN: B000MGBSIK
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Amazon.com

With two solid seasons already banked, NCIS returns for a compelling third year with exciting plotlines and a slightly tweaked cast. The show's second season ended with the brutal and shocking death of Caitlin Todd (Sasha Alexander). The first two episodes of this season deal with the aftermath of bringing her killer to justice and examining the emotional impact of her loss on the remaining members of the NCIS team, which is led by Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon). The six-disc set includes all 24 episodes, which aired on CBS during 2005-2006. Returning are happy-go-lucky ladies' man Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly, Dark Angel), forensics expert and resident Goth chick Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette), medical examiner Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard (David McCallum, The Man from U.N.C.L.E), and agent Timothy McGee (Sean Murray). Former Mossad intelligence officer Ziva David (Cote de Pablo) joins the close-knit cast, as does Jennifer Shepard (Lauren Holly, Dumb & Dumber) as the new NCIS director. Working on a daily basis with Shepard initially makes Gibbs wary. Not only is she a former girlfriend, but she also was his underling at one time. Equal parts CSI and JAG, NCIS works primarily because of its quirky cast, which is able to take sometimes regurgitated ideas and rework them into something engagingly watchable. Throughout this season, we will see agents endangered and framed, and one will accidentally kill an undercover detective who may not have been armed. But the explosive two-part season finale will finally shed light on Gibbs' painful history and help explain why he is who is he today. --Jae-Ha Kim

Product Description

NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) is more than just an action drama. With liberal doses of humor, it's a show that focuses on the sometimes complex and always amusing dynamics of a team forced to work together in high-stress situations. NCIS Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), a former Marine gunnery sergeant, whose skills as an investigator are unmatched, formerly led this troupe of colorful personalities. Gibbs, a man of few words, only needs a look to explain it all. The team includes NCIS Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly), an ex-homicide detective who may come off as the world's oldest frat boy, but whose instincts in the field are unparalleled; forensic specialist Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette), a talented scientist whose dark wit matches her Goth style and eclectic tastes, NCIS Special Agent Timothy McGee (Sean Murray), an MIT graduate whose brilliance with computers far overshadows his insecurities in the field and Ziva David (Cote de Pablo), a former Moussad agent who shares a bond with Gibbs over the death of his arch nemesis, Ari, the terrorist who killed former NCIS Special Agent Kate Todd. Assisting the team is medical examiner Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard (David McCallum), who knows it all because he's seen it all, and he's not afraid to let you know. Rounding out the team is NCIS director Jennifer Shepard (Lauren Holly) who has a romantic history with Gibbs. From murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines, these special agents travel the globe to investigate all crimes with Navy or Marine Corps ties.

Customer Reviews:

NCIS Third Season.......2007-06-11

I really like the format that enables a person to play all the episodes without having to go back to the menu all the time to choose the next episode.

The Best criminal investigation show out there........2007-05-27

This is by far the best criminal investigation show out there. The characters are very good, and the show never dies down. It's never predictible and there are so many twists and turns. One of the best shows out there!

NCIS ROCKS!.......2007-05-22

another awesome season of NCIS! Anyone who has seen season 2 may be afraid of anyone who will replace Kate, but although Kate will always be my favorite... don't worry! This season is as good as any other. If you havn't seen the previous NCIS I would also recommend season 2NCIS Naval Criminal Investigative Service - The Complete Second Season
Or the whole set!NCIS Naval Criminal Investigative Service - The Complete Seasons 1-3

The third season is REALLY great!.......2007-05-22

First: This season is the best of the three released.
The situation with Ari comes to a close. Does Abby need an assistant? (cool ending with this) We see Ducky's mom again. Is Tony a murderer? Tony and Ziva are a couple in an undercover mission. McGee kills for the first time. A Navy Captains head is discovered in a stolen car. A Marine was eaten by a black bear. Abby is stalked. Has Ziva killed a suspect in her custody? Gibbs in a long coma.
All this and more you find in the third season of N.C.I.S.
It contains the following episodes [with my rating]:
Disc 1: Kill Ari (Part 1) [5*] (Commentary by Donald P. Bellisario), Kill Ari (Part 2) [5*], Mind Games [4*], Silver War [4*];
Disc 2: Switch [4*], The Voyeur's Web [5*], Honor Code [5*], Under Covers [5*];
Disc 3: Frame Up [5*], Probie [5*], Model Behavior [5*], Boxed In [3*] (Commentary by Avery Drewe and David Bellisario), Special Features: The Real NCIS Declassified, Hit The Head Montage;
Disc 4: Deception [4*], Light Sleeper [4*], Head Case [5*], Family Secret [4*], Special Feature: The Round Table;
Disc 5: Ravenous [5*], Bait [5*], Iced [5*], Untouchable [5*], Special Feature: The Women Of NCIS;
Disc 6: Bloodbath [5*] (Commentary by Pauley Perrette and Michael Weatherly), Jeopardy [5*], Hiatus (Part 1) [5*], Hiatus (Part 2) [5*], Special Feature: NCIS Season Of Change.
You just have to see it all!
Actors: Mark Harmon = Leroy Jethro Gibbs; Michael Weatherly = Anthony DiNozzo; Pauley Perrette = Abigail Sciuto; David McCallum = Donald Mallard; Sean Murray = Timothy McGee; Cote de Pablo = Ziva David; Lauren Holly = Jenny Shepard
Recommended together with this product are NCIS Naval Criminal Investigative Service - The Complete First Season and NCIS Naval Criminal Investigative Service - The Complete Second Season.

NCIS Seanson 3 .......2007-05-20

NCIS is a great show i love it and Mark Hamital was he self and the others. can't waite to get the new seanson 4 when it comming out Love the TV show very much can't when the 5 seanson comming to the TV i will be watch.

Nancylee

To Kill a Mockingbird (Universal Legacy Series)

Average customer rating:

WARNING TO DEAF & HEARING-IMPAIRED PEOPLE...
One Fantastic Flick
Ban both book and movie from all schools
Excellent DVD and appropriate additional features
What more can be said?

To Kill a Mockingbird (Universal Legacy Series)
Starring: Gregory Peck , John Megna , Frank Overton , Rosemary Murphy , and Ruth White (II)
Director: Robert Mulligan
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

The Grapes of Wrath
12 Angry Men
Casablanca
The Sting (Universal Legacy Series)
To Kill a Mockingbird

ASIN: B0009X7664
Release Date: 2005-09-06

Amazon.com essential video

Ranked 34 on the American Film Institute's list of the 100 Greatest American Films, To Kill a Mockingbird is quite simply one of the finest family-oriented dramas ever made. A beautiful and deeply affecting adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee, the film retains a timeless quality that transcends its historically dated subject matter (racism in the Depression-era South) and remains powerfully resonant in present-day America with its advocacy of tolerance, justice, integrity, and loving, responsible parenthood. It's tempting to call this an important "message" movie that should be required viewing for children and adults alike, but this riveting courtroom drama is anything but stodgy or pedantic. As Atticus Finch, the small-town Alabama lawyer and widower father of two, Gregory Peck gives one of his finest performances with his impassioned defense of a black man (Brock Peters) wrongfully accused of the rape and assault of a young white woman. While his children, Scout (Mary Badham) and Jem (Philip Alford), learn the realities of racial prejudice and irrational hatred, they also learn to overcome their fear of the unknown as personified by their mysterious, mostly unseen neighbor Boo Radley (Robert Duvall, in his brilliant, almost completely nonverbal screen debut). What emerges from this evocative, exquisitely filmed drama is a pure distillation of the themes of Harper Lee's enduring novel, a showcase for some of the finest American acting ever assembled in one film, and a rare quality of humanitarian artistry (including Horton Foote's splendid screenplay and Elmer Bernstein's outstanding score) that seems all but lost in the chaotic morass of modern cinema. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

A true motion picture masterpiece, To Kill A Mockingbird is the acclaimed film version of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee. Gregory Peck's brilliant, Oscar-caliber performance captures the emotion and conflict of racism, set against the backdrop of Depression-era America. Peck stars as attorney Atticus Finch, a distinguished lawyer in a small Southern town who chooses to defend a black man wrongly accused of raping a white woman. His compassion and courage in the face of the town's unjust rage win him the admiration of his two young children, while setting the stage for a riveting, unforgettable drama.

System Requirements:
Starring: Gregory Peck
Directed By: Robert Mulligan
Running Time: 130 Min.
Copyright Universal Studios Home Entertainment 2005

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

WARNING TO DEAF & HEARING-IMPAIRED PEOPLE..........2007-06-23

AS A DEAF FAMILY, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WATCHING MOVIES, BUT THEY MUST BE CAPTIONED (OR HAVE ENGLISH SUBTITLES). WE RENTED THIS DVD FROM NETFLIX. SURPRISINGLY, THIS CLASSIC WAS NOT CAPTIONED. THAT WAS THE DISAPPOINTMENT. WE ATTEMPED TO WATCH IT ANYWAY, BUT REALLY HAD ONLY A SMALL IDEA OF WHAT WAS GOING ON. IT'S DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND WHY THIS GREAT FILM CLASSIC WASN'T CAPTIONED. THANK GOODNESS THAT NETFLIX IS GIVING US CREDIT TOWARD A DIFFERENT MOVIE. I GAVE IT 5 STARS ONLY BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF OTHERS LIKED THE FILM SO MUCH AND I DON'T WANT TO APPEAR NEGATIVE ABT THE FILM, CAUSE IT WOULDN'T BE FAIR TO DO SO.

One Fantastic Flick.......2007-06-19

This has got to me, in my opinion, the best movie ever made. It takes me back to my childhood. It's poignant, hard-hitting, real and inevitably sad. Life used to be like this.

Ban both book and movie from all schools.......2007-06-16

Why ban them? Then, we might be spared what is possibly the most infantile, ignorant and uninformed collection of negative reviews present on Amazon.

I originally intended to post a review a few weeks ago after I had viewed it on cable, but for some reason I decided to read the negative views (both book and movie) to see why in the world anyone could condemn either. Afterwards, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I decided to laugh, but with an undertone of sadness.

A few examples of the absurd negative comments follow (with my own comments in parenthesis):

"Every copy of this book should be burned and never allowed to be read again." (Ah, the sweet smell of scorched paper around the bonfires. Armbands optional?)

"Yuk! Try to avoid reading this book as much as possible. . . . [I]t is confusing . . . and there is too much information given at one time." (You had me at "Yuk!")

"Thanks to all my friendswho had to tourchure threw reading this disgrace and supporting me in not likeing the book. By the way, DO NOT BUY, because if i find it in your house i won't think to kindly of you." (I tremble in terror and weep in shame at what you would think of my bookshelves.)

"Talk about a bad movie i would only buy it if someone paid me twice it's value to." (I don't think this is what was meant by the "new math.")

And, my favorite: "Do not watch, do not read ... stay ignorant of Harper Lee." (I suspect, young reader, that you have succeeded far beyond Harper Lee.)

Sorry to review the reviews, but now I actually have something serious to say about the movie and book.

Years before the publication of Harper Lee's novel, there was a trial in a small southern Mississippi town in 1945. A black man named Willie McGee was accused of the rape of a white woman. The circumstantial evidence pointed strongly to the possibility that the relationship was forced by the woman. Just as in "To Kill a Mockingbird," such a relationship at the time could not - would not - be tolerated. The case attracted national attention at the time, and after a prolonged series of appeals (spearheaded by former New York Congresswoman, Bella Abzug), a public execution was staged, which was no more than a legally sanctioned lynching. The state's portable electric chair was installed in the courthouse, which was filled to standing room only. Outside spectators climbed trees to gain a look at the execution through the opened windows. (A white Mississippi attorney, Dixon Pyles, also took part in the defense, so Atticus Finch is not without a foundation in fact.)

The Scottsboro trials have been cited as the main inspiration for Lee's novel, but I've often wondered if the McGee trial might not also have played a role. But it really doesn't matter. Fiction is often more suited to tell the truth than history. And the truth is that although many people in the South knew Jim Crow laws and lynchings were wrong, they also knew that if you were vocal about it, you could lose your job - or your life, which is what makes the portrait of Atticus Finch a true profile in courage, a Southern Gothic version of Sir Thomas Moore in "A Man For All Seasons."

But beyond the racial themes, both the book and the movie weave a gentle tapestry of what life in the South was like before air-conditioning, where games were things to be played outdoors rather than in front of computers, a discarded tire was an endlessly renewable resource for entertainment and summers seemed to last forever. (I've lived what I'm talking about.)

What saddens me about the negative reviews such as I quoted above is not their ignorance, but the lack of curiosity they display about our nation's history. I do, however, fervently hope that the young reviewer who urged the burning of all copies of the book is oblivious of the historical events he or she evoked and will someday realize the horror of what such comments endorse.

Ten stars if I could.

Excellent DVD and appropriate additional features.......2007-06-13

This DVD provides clear images and speech. In addition to the complete motion picture, there are a question and answer session by Gregory Peck (Atticus Finch), an interview with the adult Mary Badham (Scout Finch), and other offerings.

What more can be said?.......2007-05-26

What can really be written about this wonderful film that hasn't already been said since its release on December 25th 1962?

One can write that this has to be one of Gregory Peck's greatest performances portraying the memorable Atticus Finch with such believability that Peck attempted time and again to shed "Atticus" as an actor, even as an established one for twenty years, asking for "villain" roles and being turned down until The Boys From Brazil, Atticus Finch was a role made for Gregory Peck as the actor can play the sensitive, caring man of integrity with utter ease and did so for several films following To Kill a Mockingbird, such as "Behold a Pale Horse" (1964) "Mirage" (1965) and "Arabesque" (1966).

Harper Lee's novel addresses many issues for its time including racism and entrenched prejudice against the black American in the deep south before and during The Great Depression and after...as an audience of the film, we are exposed to the necessity of pursuing virtue as human beings and what it really means and how important it is to have basic good manners in one's life; what it means to reach for and practice goodness and have core beliefs and in the end, standing firm by those beliefs against overwhelming opposition. The film also shows us the need to walk a mile in another person's shoes before making any judgements on them, or as Atticus says to Scout... "Until you step inside their skin and walk around a little..."

The magnificent performance of Mary Badham as the irrepressible Scout won her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress only to miss out to Patty Duke in her stunning role in The Miracle Worker Considering both performances, Duke and Badham (both children) should have won a Joint Oscar as both were absolutely magnificent in their respective roles.

When the Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee was published, a somewhat recent bio of the author, Lee was asked about the character, Atticus Finch, and was he based on her actual attorney father, she said that Atticus of course was based on her father, but she embellished and added, creating a new character, a father and man she believed would be the ideal father & human being living under the circumstances presented in the novel.

Despite this film opening forty years ago, the story and performances continue to be a model for present day filmmaking...beginning with a great story, a well adapted screenplay, a director who loves the project thus all in the crew give 100%, and the same basic example of virtue and integrity communicated in the novel and adapted for the screen: compassion, kindness, courage, respect and love.

Truly one of the all time great films of the twentieth century...something to show the children, something to learn.

A Bright 5 Stars.

The Untouchables (Special Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]

Average customer rating:

The Untouchables (Special Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]
Starring: Robert DeNiro , Sean Connery , Andy Garcia , and Kevin Costner
Director: Brian De Palma
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

Action & Adventure | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

General | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

Drama | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Patriot (Extended Cut) [Blu-ray]
Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl [Blu-ray]
Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest [Blu-ray]
Mel Gibson's Apocalypto [Blu-ray]
Blood Diamond [Blu-ray]

ASIN: B000OONQ9E
Release Date: 2007-07-03

Amazon.com

As noted critic Pauline Kael wrote, the 1987 box-office hit The Untouchables is "like an attempt to visualize the public's collective dream of Chicago gangsters." In other words, this lavish reworking of the vintage TV series is a rousing potboiler from a bygone era, so beautifully designed and photographed--and so craftily directed by Brian De Palma--that the historical reality of Prohibition-era Chicago could only pale in comparison. From a script by David Mamet, the movie pits four underdog heroes (the maverick lawmen known as the Untouchables) against a singular villain in Al Capone, played by Robert De Niro as a dapper caesar holding court (and a baseball bat) against any and all challengers. Kevin Costner is the naive federal agent Eliot Ness, whose lack of experience is tempered by the streetwise alliance of a seasoned Chicago cop (Sean Connery, in an Oscar-winning performance), a rookie marksman (Andy Garcia), and an accountant (Charles Martin Smith) who holds the key to Capone's potential downfall. The movie approaches greatness on the strength of its set pieces, such as the siege near the Canadian border, the venal ambush at Connery's apartment, and the train-station shootout partially modeled after the "Odessa steps" sequences of the Russian classic Battleship Potemkin. It's thrilling stuff, fueled by Ennio Morricone's dynamic score, but it's also manipulative and obvious. If you're inclined to be critical, the movie gives you reason to complain. If you'd rather sit back and enjoy a first-rate production with an all-star cast, The Untouchables may very well strike you as a classic. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

The critics and public agree. Brian De Palma's The Untouchables is a must-see masterpiece - glorious, fierce, larger-than-life depiction of the mob warlord who ruled Prohibition-era Chicago... and the law enforcer who vowed to bring him down. This classic confrontation between good and evil and stars Kevin Costner as federal agent Eliot Ness, Robert De Niro as gangland kingpin Al Capone and Sean Connery as Malone, the cop who teaches Ness how to beat the mob: shoot fast and shoot first.

The Italian Job (Special Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Good Cast-Good Movie, BRING ON THE SEQUEL!
The Italian Review
Great Caper Film
A F.I.N.E. Movie
steadily satisfying entertainment

The Italian Job (Special Collector's Edition)
Starring: Mark Wahlberg , Charlize Theron , Donald Sutherland , Jason Statham , and Seth Green
Director: F. Gary Gray
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( I ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

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

Ocean's Eleven (Widescreen Edition)
The Bourne Identity (Widescreen Extended Edition)
Ocean's Twelve
The Bourne Supremacy (Widescreen Edition)
The Transporter (Blu-Ray)

ASIN: B0000B1OFL
Release Date: 2003-10-07

Amazon.com

Though it bears little resemblance to the original 1969 thriller starring Michael Caine, the 2003 remake of The Italian Job stands on its own as a caper comedy that's well above average. The title's a misnomer--this time it's actually a Los Angeles job--but the action's just as exciting as it propels a breezy tale of honor and dishonor among competing thieves. Inheriting Caine's role as ace heist-planner Charlie Croker, Mark Wahlberg plays straight-man to a well-cast team of accomplices, including Mos Def, Jason Statham, and scene-stealer Seth Green in a variation of the role originally played by Noel Coward. As the daughter of Croker's ill-fated mentor (Donald Sutherland), Charlize Theron is recruited to double-cross a double-crosser (Edward Norton in oily villain mode), and once again, speedily versatile Mini Coopers play a pivotal role in director F. Gary Gray's exhilarating car-chase climax. It's perhaps the greatest product placement in movie history, and just as fun the second time around. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Good Cast-Good Movie, BRING ON THE SEQUEL!.......2007-06-15

The Italian Job brings to the screen the story of a group of thieves bent on revenge on one of their own who betrayed them by murdering their leader and running off with the gold.
Mark Wahlberg, Donald Sunderland, Edward Norton, Charlize Theron, Seth Green, and the rest of this AMAZING cast, have outdone themselves with their performances, which are commendable to say the least. All the actors, without exceptions, give it their 100% and it really shows! Very well written and very well presented, the movie is without a doubt guaranteed to provide more than just a few thrills, not to mention a few laughs.
The setting, the plot, the dialogues, the humor, and the music are all wonderful!
In short, The Italian Job is a movie definitely worth watching and one to seriously consider adding to your movie collection!

The Italian Review.......2007-06-03

I live right around the corner from a Mini Coop dealership and I'm an Italian-American, so I thought it fitting that I finally rented this movie. It's a remake of the 1969 original starring Michael Caine. Whereas that film took place in Italy, the remake stays there only for the introduction and then swiftly moves to California.

I love heist films. Like Ocean's Eleven or Heat, it's all about the cast. You can see a pattern in the characters:

THE WHEELMAN: This is the guy who mans the getaway vehicle, be it helicopter, jet, or car. Handsome Rob (Jason Statham, my favorite action hero) plays a decidedly scrappy, suave wheelman. This also happens to be almost the exact character from The Transporter. Hopefully, Statham will move beyond this type of character, but it's a testament to action tropes that he can actually be typecast as "the wheelman."

THE TECH: This guy is almost always a nerd and usually the comic relief. Lyle (Seth Green) nails this role and actually steals the show with his jokes. One ad-libbed sequence of Lyle mocking Handsome Rob is the funniest part of the movie. Of course, the challenge with this sort of character is that he needs to be able to pull off seemingly magical feats of technological wizardry without overshadowing the expertise involved. When Lyle manages to take control of the entire traffic system, you really have to wonder if he couldn't be better off striking out on his own. He's almost too good for the movie.

THE DEMOLITIONIST: The demolitionist's job is to blow things up. Sometimes he's a homicidal maniac, other times he's cool and collected. Left Ear (Mos Def) is a cool customer. And he doesn't like dogs. He gives Lyle competition for the funniest line in the movie:

Left Ear: This dude got dogs. I don't do dogs... I had a real bad experience, man.
Charlie Croker: What happened?
Left Ear: I had. A bad. Experience.

THE OLD MAN: You've seen this guy before. He's probably the former leader of the group. He's seen too much, been around the block too many times, and he knows his days are numbered. He just wants one last, big heist so he can retire forever. He almost always dies in the film. That pretty much sums up John Bridger (Donald Sutherland).

THE HOT CHICK: A recent invention, the hot chick's purpose is to keep men interested. She can have a variety of roles (tech, wheel-err-woman, demolitionist). Sometimes she has her own unique set of skills as safecracker. That's John's daughter, Stella (Charlize Theron), who competes admirably in the sea of testosterone.

THE LEADER: Handsome, smart, a safecracker himself, this guy is the one who pulls off a sneaky job right under the bad guys' noses. Unfortunately, Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg) is more narrator than anything else. He seems to have very little to do, and that's a shame, because Wahlberg's talented enough to do much more.

The villain is Steve (Edward Norton) a thief turned bad. He knows all of our protagonists' tricks, so he knows how to counter them. And since he stole the gold from the original Italian Job, he's the perfect foil. Norton plays him with just the right amount of shifty-eyed sleaze.

The Italian Job has lots of cool car chases, lots of near misses, and a lot of twists and turns (literally and figuratively) that make it a brisk, entertaining movie. You get quickly caught up in the machinations of the characters, which allows the film to get away with a lot of unbelievable nonsense. But who cares? From the funky flashbacks to the quippy asides, it's clear that Italian Job doesn't take itself too seriously.

Although it's more Job than Italian, the Italian Job is still a fun ride.

Great Caper Film.......2007-05-14

This is a good cast and a fun story, and what I really like about it is not everything they do works for them the first time, so it seems more realistic that way. There's suspense and action and great characters. Theron and Wahlberg play off each other well and are both great actors as is most of the cast. I highly recommend this if you are into the "root for the theif" type of movie. It's one of those movies where everyone's a bad guy and you get to root for the anti-hero. Oh and Edward Norton plays a great bad guy. You really love to hate this jerk.

Nothing unique, but loads of fun.

A F.I.N.E. Movie.......2007-03-14

The Italian Job was fun to watch. It was a good double-cross/revenge story that kept me thoroughly entertained all the way through.

Kudos to Director F. Gary Gray for making such a good feature film when his directorial resume mostly consists of rapper videos. Gray's other most recent notable feature films were 2005's flop sequel to the classic Get Shorty (1995) and 2003's A Man Apart (which I have not seen).

Storywise, The Italian Job really worked well. It had a good flow that kept you interested. There were way too many of the typical over the top Hollywood action film sequences that are just plain old unbelievable: cars driving down busy sidewalks at high speed; driving through a busy subway; people surviving sure-death situations; absolutely zero police response to what would realistically summon a cavalry of cops...these kinds of surreal action take a bit away from the movie.

The cast is pretty good, and the acting is very good. The story is familiar enough as it is popular throughout the history of film: A heist is made by a group of thieves/one of the crooks goes rogue/the group seeks revenge.

So if the genre is up your alley, then by all means The Italian Job should work for an evening of entertainment. And if you like it, you're in luck....A sequel has been announced for 2008 called The Brazilian Job with (mostly) the same cast and director (the most important aspects in a recipe for a successful sequel).

Let's hope in the sequel that Gray keeps a better handle on reality. I'm sure that it'll be F.I.N.E.

steadily satisfying entertainment.......2007-03-11

As a veteran action-flick fan, I found this film very satisfying on all fronts: the plot was believable and coherent, the bad guy was compellingly evil and arrogant; the technology was current and appropriate, the settings - specially Venice - were interesting, the female lead (Theron) was sexy and a nice mix of feminine, seductive, vengeful, and hard-nosed; the main and suppoorting characters were clearly-drawn, human, and interesting, the violence/action scenes were well spaced and paced, And the (classic) ending was predictable and still satisfying. I commend the writers, producer, and director for maintaining a steady level of "What's going to happen next?" suspense throughout the flick. Worth investing in, if you're an action fan!

The Untouchables (Special Collector's Edition) [HD DVD]

Average customer rating:

The Untouchables (Special Collector's Edition) [HD DVD]
Starring: Peter Aylward , Mike Bacarella , Patrick Billingsley , Richard Bradford , and Larry Brandenburg
Director: Brian De Palma
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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The Frighteners: Peter Jackson's Director's Cut [HD DVD]
The Warriors (The Ultimate Director's Cut) [HD DVD]

ASIN: B000OONQBC
Release Date: 2007-07-03

Amazon.com

Product Description

Average customer rating:

As I was trading lines from this movie with a friend I realized ....
On second thought, you might wanna run a comb through it
A 90s Comedic Masterpiece
The icing on the proverbial cake
gift item

Dumb and Dumber
Starring: Jim Carrey , Jeff Daniels , Lauren Holly , Mike Starr , and Karen Duffy
Director: Bobby Farrelly , and Peter Farrelly
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs as Low as $5.49 | The Big DVD Sale | Stores | DVD | Video

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( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Ace Ventura Deluxe Double Feature (Pet Detective / When Nature Calls)
Me, Myself & Irene
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective

ASIN: 0780618556
Release Date: 1997-05-21

Amazon.com

Delivering exactly what its title promises, this celebration of stupidity was Jim Carrey's 1994 follow-up to Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and The Mask. The film pairs the rubber- faced wacky man with Jeff Daniels as the not-so-dynamic duo of Lloyd and Harry, dunderheads who come into the possession of a briefcase containing ransom money that is intended for Mob-connected kidnappers. Lauren Holly costars as the woman who lost the briefcase, and with whom Carrey falls in love (both in real life and as his moronic on-screen character). As Lloyd and Harry make a mad dash to return the briefcase (never aware of its contents), the bumbling buddies attract Mobsters, cops, and trouble galore. This lowbrow laugh-a-thon scores some solid hits for hilarity, but with gags involving ill-fated parakeets, buxom bimbos, and an overdose of laxatives, be prepared to put your brain--and good taste--on hold. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

As I was trading lines from this movie with a friend I realized ...........2007-06-15

only 'Holy Grail' and 'Caddyshack' can be quoted as much as this movie. Agree that this is Jim's masterpiece and also he and Jeff Daniels really worked well together. Look closely at the facial expressions of Jim Carrey. He does every emotion, but does it over the top. That is comedy genius.
Quite simply, one of the funniest movies ever made.

On second thought, you might wanna run a comb through it.......2007-06-02

Get ready to laugh!
This is still Jim Carrey's funniest movie, a total classic comedy.
Lloyd and Harry (Jeff Daniels) play a couple of down-and outters who take a road trip to return a beautiful lady's briefcase they found.
Lloyd insists he made a love connection with this gorgeous Mary Swanson, telling his best friend Harry "emotions ran high, sparks flew...she actually talked to me!" Plus after some major crying he convinces him to drive the "shaggin wagon" to Aspen.
This trip is hilarious, filled with run-ins with the law, a low-rent mob guy, wrong turns, and the hillbilly bully C-Bass. It's too much fun!
This movie gets funnier everytime you watch it. Either that or it makes you dumber everytime. Regardless, you can't go wrong with this one!

A 90s Comedic Masterpiece.......2007-04-15

This film is really funny filled with laughter from
start to finish. It's a classic. Jim Carrey is hillarious.
He's at a perfect level. Jeff Daniels is hillarious. The screenplay
is hillarious. It's well filmed. It's hillarious.

The icing on the proverbial cake.......2007-03-28

Dumb and Dumber is one of those movies that if you really think about it, kind of relates to you Junior and Senior year of High School. My best friend and I even went to the extent of buying blue and orange tuxes with matching canes just to stand in the front lobby of the gym to do sword play! It was great.

The unrated Director's Cut DVD really tops off what was one of the funniest movies ever created. The deleted scenes were great and would only have been better had they been placed where they need to be in the film, but that point is able to be ignored because of the spectacular nature of the film. The cast interviews were interesting and kind put you into light over reasons why some of the things happened as they did.

If you were a fan of the original film, this one IS a worthwhile upgrade.

gift item.......2007-03-13

i like the movie, but i bought it as a gift so it wasnt for my pleasure. i do recommend it if you like dumb-funny movie and jim carry as an actor

Average customer rating:

Great new series: Criminal Minds
Valuable Information
Addicting
Criminal Minds is Refreshing & Addicting!!!
Excellent Series...

Criminal Minds - The First Season
Director: Charles Haid , and Richard Shepard
Manufacturer: Paramount Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

Bones - The Complete First Season
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NCIS Naval Criminal Investigative Service - The Complete Second Season
C.S.I. Crime Scene Investigation - The Complete Sixth Season
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigative Service - The Complete Third Season

ASIN: B000ION72Q
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Amazon.com

Viewers who feel they may have been C.S.I.'d, S.V.U.'d, or NCIS'd to death, should really keep an open mind concerning Criminal Minds, because this compelling procedural crime series brings fascinating new facets to this crowded genre. The always galvanizing Mandy Patinkin (Chicago Hope) makes a welcome return to the small screen as James Gideon, head of the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit, and sage mentor to his elite team of profilers, including compassionate Aaron Hotchner (Thomas Gibson, of Dharma & Greg), Lola Gladini as sex-crimes expert Elle Greenway (since departed from the series), live-wire hunk Derek Morgan (Shemar Moore), and genius-geek Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler), who actually looks creepier than many of the perpetrators that the team races against time to apprehend. Before they can do that, they must establish psychological profiles of the criminals and think as they do. Given they have handles such as the "Seattle Strangler" and the "Keystone Killer," this can be psychologically taxing (in one episode, Spencer confides to Derek that the job is giving him nightmares). While cliffhangers frame this inaugural season, each episode (except the season finale) wraps up its cases in the allotted hour.

In addition to serial killers, the series unleashes a gallery of twisted and depraved specimens. "Trust me," Derek comments early on, "we cover the whole spectrum of psychos." This includes arsonists, rapists, child abductors, and even a cannibalistic killer. Anchoring the proceedings is Patinkin, who exudes authoritative gravitas, and who is always good for scenery feasting. He really comes to life when killers have Gideon at gunpoint and he taunts them into losing their already unsteady grip. Most episodes feature the voiceover of a team member reciting a pertinent quote from such varied sources as W.H. Auden ("Evil is always human") to actor Peter Ustinov, a literary conceit that could stand to be retired. Stylistic flourishes in the editing and camerawork are likewise more of a distraction when the cases themselves are so gripping, given that the victims are primarily women and children. "There's nothing I would rather do than put the bastards away," Greenway states at one point. And there's nothing we'd rather do than watch them do it, which has made Criminal Minds, initially Lost opposite that ratings juggernaut, one of television's solid hits. --Donald Liebenson

Description

Criminal Minds revolves around an elite team of FBI profilers who analyze the country's most twisted criminal minds, anticipating their next moves before they strike again.

Customer Reviews:

Great new series: Criminal Minds.......2007-06-22

I agree with all the positive reviews and I love the famous quotes that's a unique feature of this series. I even heard there was a site where these quotes are all written down. I've fallen in love w/each character of the show but Reid the walking encyclopedia (Barney Fife if he had been a genius) is my favorite agent.

The only gripe I have with the DVD, and the reason I write the review is that there are no subtitle features. I prefer to have the English subtitles on while listening since some actors speak louder than others. Anyway, I really miss that feature and wish the powers-that-be had taken the high-road of Quality and sprung for that extra expense of adding subtitles.

Valuable Information.......2007-06-12

Besides all the fiction that surrounds a TV show, Criminal Minds makes a difference on sharing real information about real criminal minds, which are unavailable for most people in the world.

Addicting.......2007-05-20

Well, Just like most of the reviewers here, my wife and I are addicted again on a new series. My wife has seen some of the episodes on TV. But I haven't. As soon as I saw the first episode, I got addicted and finished the entire season the whole night! Criminal Minds earns a place in our DVD series collection.

Criminal Minds is Refreshing & Addicting!!!.......2007-05-18

I'm hooked on this show and Love every minute of it! It is hands down one of the best shows on today. It has an excellent cast of characters especially Gideon, he is just awesome! Every episode is something new that hasn't been done on the all the other shows like C.S.I. or SVU... Give it a try, you'll be hooked and left wanting more!

Excellent Series..........2007-05-15

Brings drama to a new level. One of the best shows out there.

NCIS Naval Criminal Investigative Service - The Complete Second Season

Average customer rating:

NCIS Naval Criminal Investigative Service - The Complete Second Season
Better than CSI !
NCIS Great TV Show
Spanish Language
One of my favorite primetime programs

NCIS Naval Criminal Investigative Service - The Complete Second Season
Starring: Ncis
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

( N ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Television | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

NCIS Naval Criminal Investigative Service - The Complete Third Season
NCIS Naval Criminal Investigative Service - The Complete First Season
JAG (Judge Advocate General) - The Complete Second Season
C.S.I. Crime Scene Investigation - The Complete Sixth Season
Numb3rs - The Complete Second Season

ASIN: B000H7JCHS
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Amazon.com

NCIS takes the CSI formula, throws in a good dose of JAG, and comes up with an entertaining series that takes advantage of the actors' likeability. The season begins with the introduction a couple new regulars--agent Timothy McGee (Sean Murray) and assistant medical examiner Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen). And one cast member departs the show by the end of the season. The six-disc set includes all 23 episodes, which aired on CBS during 2004-2005. The show's sophomore year begins with "See No Evil," in which a Navy officer (guest star David Keith) is forced to embezzle millions of dollars, or risk having his wife and blind daughter killed by a kidnapper (played by Tom Cruise's cousin William Mapother). Led by Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), the crack NCIS team comes through to save the day and reveal the mastermind behind the twisted case. Gibbs doesn't display much more emotion this season than he did in the show's debut, but he's just as sarcastic (and even tempered) when being threatened. During one altercation, the mafia threatens to kill his father, brothers and uncles. Non-plussed, Gibbs calmly says that while he has no male relatives still alive, he'd be happy to fax over the numbers of his three ex-wives.

With the help of his ace medical examiner Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard (David McCallum from The Man from U.N.C.L.E), Gibbs and his team are almost invincible when it comes to solving complicated crimes. Whether he's piecing together the bones of a body, or performing an autopsy on a crisply burnt poodle, Ducky is matter-of-fact as he talks to his dead "clients." Of his nervous but eager assistant Jimmy, Ducky notes, "He means well, but sometimes I have an overwhelming urge to slap him." This season, viewers get to see the romantic (and slightly gross) side of Ducky as he briefly romances a doctor half this age. Also on hand to aid (and annoy) Gibbs are happy-go-lucky Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly), former Secret Service agent Caitlin Todd (Sasha Alexander), and forensics expert Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette), who can solve anything if you say "please" and bring her a Big Gulp to sip. Look for a gentle guest appearance by Charles Durning as a Medal of Honor recipient who wants to turn himself in for killing his best friend and fellow comrade during World War II. While the plot twists won't surprise most viewers, the acting, writing, and spirit of the episode leaves the viewer feeling satisfied. --Jae-Ha Kim

Description

A team of special agents, operating outside the military chain of command, must investigate any crime with pieces of evidence connected to Navy and Marine Corps personnel, regardless of rank or position. Character-driven stories with surprising twists play a large role in the second season of NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service). The NCIS team of investigators is led by Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), an experienced investigator with sometimes unorthodox, but always-effective methods. Working under Gibbs are Special Agent Anthony Dinozzo (Michael Weatherly); Special Agent Caitlin Todd (Sasha Alexander); Forensic Specialist Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette); and NCIS's medical examiner Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard (David McCallum). Additionally, joining the staff this season will be Special Agent Timothy McGee (Sean Murray) whose communication and computer skills outweigh his naiveté. Whether investigating murder or espionage, the NCIS goes global in their quest to solve all crimes with Navy or Marine Corps ties.

Customer Reviews:

NCIS Naval Criminal Investigative Service - The Complete Second Season.......2007-05-12

NCIS Naval Criminal Investigative Service - The Complete Second Season

The welcomed return of Gibbs! This is the BEST television series I have ever watched. Gibbs and his team are up to their usual antics in a slick, professional manner that leaves my favourite CSI in the shade, I am afraid.

The script is intelligent, the filming is fabulous, you are kept guessing with the plots and storyline. If you are a fan, hold onto your seat because this Season Two will thrill and excite you just as Season One did.

After watching this, just as I was, you will be rushing on-line to buy Season Three! I enjoy watching on dvd because I can sit and watch as many episodes as I want back to back.

They just never disappoint! Every single episode is as great as the last. What else can I say? You have GOT to see this!

Better than CSI !.......2007-05-06

Yes it is, hard to believe I know !
While a very similar show in theory is very similar the sense of humor is much darker and its a slick, well scripted show with excellent plot lines, great characters and very funny moments.
If you are a fan of CSI buy this and prepare to be blown away!!!!

NCIS Great TV Show.......2007-04-11

NCIS is a great show, season 1 was thrilling and season 2 was even more so with a very surprising finale which i can wait to see the results of in season 3!

Spanish Language.......2007-04-10

Although not listed in the product details, this DVD version gives a Spanish language track as well!

One of my favorite primetime programs.......2007-03-28

My introduction to NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service came last spring as I watched several episodes of the third season with my wife and mother-in-law. I've enjoyed the program immensely, and with the DVD releases of Seasons One and Two, I have been able to do some catching up watching the show's earlier episodes.

The series follows a team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which handles crimes connected to personnel of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, ranging from murder and kidnapping to espionage and terrorism. Created by Donald Bellisario (Quantum Leap, JAG), NCIS originally began as a two-part episode of JAG in the spring of 2003. The program then debuted on CBS as a stand-alone series in September of that same year.

Returning cast members from Season One include Mark Harmon stars as special agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, the no-nonsense leader of the NCIS team. Gibbs' teammates include former Secret Service agent Caitlin Todd (Sasha Alexander), special agent and former homicide detective Tony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly), forensics expert/goth chick Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette) and Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard (David McCallum, best remembered as The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'s Ilya Kuryakin), a quirky medical examiner. Rookie agent Tim McGee (Sean Murray), who was a recurring character in Season One, is now an NCIS regular.

Season Two begins to deepen the show's characters, developing them and their working relationships with each other progressing from the previous season. Bellisario gets us more involved in the characters and the program, and he does a great job of building up toward the climax of the season. Season Two ends with a bang and serves well to set up the show's third season.

This six-disc DVD set includes all 23 episodes of the second season of NCIS, plus several bonus features. The featurettes "Investigating Season 2" and "What's New in Season Two" provide a behind-the-scenes look at making of the second season episodes. "The Real N.C.I.S." goes inside the real life Naval Criminal Investigative Service featuring interviews with actual NCIS agents. This featurettes examines the differences between the TV program and the real NCIS, but also goes into how the writers consult with the real NCIS to develop realistic storylines for the show. Finally, Pauley Perrette takes us on a tour of the lab on the NCIS set.

NCIS has quickly become one of my favorite television programs over the last year, and the DVD sets for Seasons One and Two have helped me catch up with the show's past. I look forward to the Season Three set, due for release on April 24th. NCIS: The Complete First Season is an absolute must-have for fans for the program, and a great introduction for newcomers to the show.

Double Indemnity (Universal Legacy Series)

Average customer rating:

Double Indemnity
Classic film noir from the great Billy Wilder
It doesn't get any better than this blistering jewel
a great example of the early days of film noir.......
Lust and Greed Lead to Murder

Double Indemnity (Universal Legacy Series)
Starring: Fred MacMurray , Barbara Stanwyck , Edward G. Robinson , Porter Hall , and Jean Heather
Director: Billy Wilder , and Jack Smight
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Film Noir | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Laura (Fox Film Noir)

ASIN: B00005JNG5
Release Date: 2006-08-22

Amazon.com essential video

Director Billy Wilder (Sunset Boulevard) and writer Raymond Chandler (The Big Sleep) adapted James M. Cain's hard-boiled novel into this wildly thrilling story of insurance man Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray), who schemes the perfect murder with the beautiful dame Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck): kill Dietrichson's husband and make off with the insurance money. But, of course, in these plots things never quite go as planned, and Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson) is the wily insurance investigator who must sort things out. From the opening scene you know Neff is doomed, as the story is told in flashback; yet, to the film's credit, this doesn't diminish any of the tension of the movie. This early film noir flick is wonderfully campy by today's standards, and the dialogue is snappy ("I thought you were smarter than the rest, Walter. But I was wrong. You're not smarter, just a little taller"), filled with lots of "dame"s and "baby"s. Stanwyck is the ultimate femme fatale, and MacMurray, despite a career largely defined by roles as a softy (notably in the TV series My Three Sons and the movie The Shaggy Dog), is convincingly cast against type as the hapless, love-struck sap. --Jenny Brown

Customer Reviews:

Double Indemnity.......2007-06-21

One of the quintessential noir films, Billy Wilder's "Double Indemnity" is a masterpiece of stark atmosphere and carefully stylized suspense. The talented Barbara Stanwyck, a familiar face in the 1940s noir universe, assumes her role with feline deviousness, while "My Three Sons" TV dad Fred MacMurray--narrating the film via flashback--brilliantly plays against type. Raymond Chandler's screenplay sizzles with hard-boiled repartee and the great Edward G. Robinson is aces as always as the dogged investigator hot on the lovers' trail. Sinister, tense, and cynical, Wilder's "Indemnity" is riveting film suspense.

Classic film noir from the great Billy Wilder.......2007-06-10

"Double Indemnity" is one of the first films of the genre that would come to be known as "Film Noir".

The plot is classic film noir - a smug, womanising insurance salesman Walter Neff (played by Fred MacMurray) gets in over his head with a conniving femme fatale Phyllis Diedrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) who wants rid of her boorish husband. Neff must also be wary of a suspicious claims manager at his insurance company Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson).

Naturally the story has some dated elements (it was made in 1943) but it still holds up pretty well as entertainment for a modern audience.

MacMurray is excellent in his role as a heel making a change from his usual nice guy roles. He helps make the character sympathetic whereas Stanwycks role has few redeeming features - she really is "rotten". Her turnabout at the end is also somewhat unconvincing. The great Edward G. Robinson steals every scene he's in as the tenacious investigator who has a soft spot for Neff.

The DVD includes a good commentary by Lem Dobbs and Nick Redman with useful insights on the film but it also continually laments the decline of Hollywood, which I think is a trifle unfair.

Like most Billy Wilder films "Double Indemnity" doesn't really have a message - it just provides great entertainment aimed at adults. It also marks a growing shift in the 1940s towards more maturity in Hollywood film-making.

It doesn't get any better than this blistering jewel.......2007-05-30

What else remains to be said about one of the true classics of noir? Fred Macmurry is just right as the sap who thinks he's a lot smarter & sharper than he really is; Edward G. Robinson shines as a dedicated & inexorable seeker of the truth, even as his concern & disappointment for his fallen friend shows clearly; and Barbara Stanwyck scalds the screen as the trashy, blatantly sexy femme fatale with the morals of an alley cat & an icy ruthlessness that stops at nothing -- just look at that cover art! Wrap these characters in moody, bleakly beautiful black & white cinematography, give them a witty, scathing script by Raymond Chandler, and you've got a sordid masterpiece about small-timers whose greedy, self-centered dreams are much larger than their shriveled souls. I can't recommend this film highly enough!

a great example of the early days of film noir..............2007-05-20

DOUBLE INDEMNITY, a 1944 film by Billy Wilder, is one of the most definitive and beautiful examples of early film noir (literally, "black film") at its best. For those of you unfamiliar with the genre of film noir, this was a type of film made popular in the 1940s and 1950s, features very dark cinematography (plenty of shadows intermixed with light), as well as equally dark subject matter. Common themes are murders, affairs and grizzly illegal activity. DOUBLE INDEMNITY is a great example of this style at its best.

Fred MacMurray plays wily insurance man Walter Neff, who finds himself drawn to a beautiful, married woman, Phyllis Dietrichsen, played by the lovely Barbara Stanwyck. Together, they cook a plot to murder her husband, so Walter can make off with the policy money. Of course, things don't go quite according to plan. Enter Barton Keyes (Edward G. Robinson), an investigator who gets wind that "something is rotting in Denmark." Keyes knows that there is something decidedly un-kosher about the whole arrangement between Neff and Dietrichsen, and he is determined to find out where that feeling is coming from.

This film is beautifully acted, directed with great zest, and very, very engaging. Even though some of the dialogue is (delightfully) dated, you are still going to have a great time watching DOUBLE INDEMNITY. There is no question that this is an example of filmmaking, at its best.

Lust and Greed Lead to Murder.......2007-05-15

Late at night a man enters an office building. Mr. Walter Neff is working overtime. Dozens of desks for the clerical workers are void of life. In his office he begins to speak into his Dictaphone about the Diedrickson claim. It all started when Neff went to see about an auto insurance renewal. Mr. Diedrickson wasn't home, but his wife Phyllis was. [The dialogue between them shows Raymond Chandler's skills.] Claims manager Mr. Barton Keyes is skilled in sniffing out false claims. Neff returns to Diedrickson for the auto insurance renewal. Phyllis asks about an accident policy for her husband. Could she get one without her husband's knowledge? Neff explains why she could never get away with it. But Phyllis visits Neff to better explain her wants, and there is a meeting of their minds. [Use your imagination.] Phyllis doesn't like her stepdaughter Lola, and Lola doesn't like her stepmother (there is a reason for this).

Neff explains how insurance companies know all the tricks used to make a murder look like an accident. But Neff impulsively decides to help Phyllis remove an inconvenient husband. [Is this plausible? Like the rain in Los Angeles.] Mr. Diedrickson is concerned about Lola's activities. Neff explains to Phyllis why Mr. Diedrickson must travel by train. Lola also has problems with her boyfriend. Neff plans their surreptitious meeting where they can plot the crime. The film show how they could then check if a doorbell of telephone rang. The murder is cold-blooded and horrible, but off scene. [Did they leave fingerprints on those crutches?]

The actuarial tables are cited to show the encyclopedic knowledge of insurance companies. But Keyes has noticed a discrepancy in this case, and begins to question the apparent facts. Then there is another glitch, something that wasn't foreseen. Daughter Lola meets Neff and tells him some old facts, and some new ones! Keyes surmises how this accident was concocted. There is now great danger for Phyllis and Neff. More surprising complications arise in this story until the shocking ending. [Could a person who murders another be implicitly suicidal?]

One important part of this story is the background of life in 1944 Los Angeles. How much was changed in just twenty years! [There was no mention of war-time rationing or shortages in that grocery supermarket.]

DVD:

DVD

Wire In The Blood - Shadows Rising [2001]

DVD: Agatha Christie's Poirot - The Movie Collection

Wet Hot American Summer