Father and Son

Starring:Andrei Shchetinin, Aleksei Nejmyshev, Aleksandr Razbash, Fyodor Lavrov, Marina Zasukhina, JoÃ£o GonÃ§alves
Director: Aleksandr Sokurov
Studio: Fox Lorber
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

A delightful undersea world unfolds in Pixar's animated adventure Finding Nemo. When his son Nemo is captured by a scuba-diver, a nervous-nellie clownfish named Marlin (voiced by Albert Brooks) sets off into the vast--and astonishingly detailed--ocean to find him. Along the way he hooks up with a scatterbrained blue tang fish named Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), who's both helpful and a hindrance, sometimes at the same time. Faced with sharks, deep-sea anglers, fields of poisonous jellyfish, sea turtles, pelicans, and much more, Marlin rises above his neuroses in this wonderfully funny and nonstop thrill ride--rarely does more than 10 minutes pass without a sequence destined to become a theme park attraction. Pixar continues its run of impeccable artistic and economic success (their movies include Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2, and Monsters, Inc). Also featuring the voices of Willem Dafoe, Geoffrey Rush, and Allison Janney. --Bret Fetzer

Description

From the Academy Award(R)-winning creators of TOY STORY and MONSTERS, INC. (2001, Best Animated Short Film, FOR THE BIRDS), it's FINDING NEMO, a hilarious adventure where you'll meet colorful characters that take you into the breathtaking underwater world of Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Nemo, an adventurous young clownfish, is unexpectedly taken to a dentist's office aquarium. It's up to Marlin (Albert Brooks), his worrisome father, and Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), a friendly but forgetful regal blue tang fish, to make the epic journey to bring Nemo home. Their adventure brings them face-to-face with vegetarian sharks, surfer dude turtles, hypnotic jellyfish, hungry seagulls, and more. Marlin discovers a bravery he never knew, but will he be able to find his son? FINDING NEMO's breakthrough computer animation takes you into a whole new world with this undersea adventure about family, courage, and challenges. Take the plunge into FINDING NEMO, a "spectacularly beautiful animated adventure for everyone" -- David Sheehan, CBS-TV

Customer Reviews:

DO NOT BE CORRUPTED BY THIS MOVIE!!!.......2007-06-05

The movie was a little boring and looked really fake. You could tell it wasn't real and was just a bunch of silly puppets. I hope the kids that watch it don't really think fish can talk. Most of the movie is scientifically inaccurate. At one point there are a lot of "baby" fish. These fish appear, no, not as fry or something else that makes sense, but as slightly smaller versions of the adult. After this, these "baby" fish climb onto the back of a stingray (a predatory animal that should be eating them" who is their "teacher" he swims around and sings songs while the "baby" fish ride on his back. Other associations appear in this movie that I doubt have ever been observed in the wild. At one point, a clown fish is talking to a seahorse and an octopus, two of which only associate with their own kind, and one of which will kill anything to get within several feet of it! Does this happen in the movie? NO!

However, what I find most disturbing is not the numerous scientific inaccuracies, but the fact that most people that view this movie regard it as a documentary on ocean life. I have seen kids at the aquarium pointing at fish and referring to them as a "Nemo" or a "Dori".

Anyway, the stingray teacher manages to lose the baby clown fish (big surprise, what do you expect with a stingray for a teacher, you're lucky he didn't eat the kid!). And the clown fish gets captured and put into an aquarium in a dentists office with, yes more talking fish, but just wait! In this tank, there are also talking shrimp, and even a talking Starfish.

OK, now talking fish is one thing. They may not have lungs or vocal chords to produce speech, and not even close to sufficient cognitive function, but at least they're vertebrates! But having an animal without even a brain talking!? That's just ridiculous! And speaking the same language as the fish!

Now, yes, there have been strange things in Disney movies before. In Alice in wonderland there are talking flowers, and even a talking slug that smokes opium. However, Alice in Wonderland is the delusion of a madman, and does not take place in the natural world. Hence the name "Wonderland". However, does Finding Nemo take place in "Wonderland"? NO! It takes place in the Great Barrier reed, just outside Australia! Did the maker think "Well, nobody that watches this movie has been to Australia, so they won't know that the fish don't talk there"? I don't know what he was thinking, but I wasn't fooled! I personally have been to Australia, and the fish do NOT talk there! this movie makes no sense and is in no way entertaining.

After that, the fish attempt to make their tank dirty by clogging the filter, in which they succeed. However, the maker of this film has obviously never kept saltwater fish before. If he had, he would realise that after living without a filter for more than an hour, every fish in the tank would be dead. Does this happen? NO! The tank just gets really dirty and the fish remain just as alive as ever! I couldn't take it any more. I walked out of the theater after that.

Do not regard this movie as factual! Do not take your children to see this movie! This is one of the WORST places to get information about fish. Do not be fooled by this movie or the numerous other positive reviews!

For the kids, mainly.......2007-06-05

Adults usually write the reviews here so from an adult perspective, this film is not as rich as Monsters nor the Toy Story films. Those had many in jokes and adult themed gags. I would say that Nemo is entertaining enough to see once, maybe twice, but adults will tire of it soon.
Kids are another matter. It is cute, colorful, and entertaining. My only caution is that my son didn't like the lost mom and separation from dad plots. Most of us grew up on Disney films which always had lost parents though. I don't expect it to cause any major trauma, but more sensitive kids will be sad during those parts. The humor is gentle and okay for tots.

Lighten Up!.......2007-06-04

As far as this sounds, I read the bad reviews. "Finding Nemo" IS NOT as bad as the others who watched it say it is. Let me show some advice. So, Dory has "short-termed-memory-loss," so, Nemo has the "lucky fin," so, Marlin is an over-protective, cowardly clownfish, SO, WHAT?! Everybody likes this movie just the way it is. Try to find this movie in a good way. I did.

Nemo's good, Monsters is better.......2007-06-01

Finding Nemo is a cute movie for sure. Ellen Degeneress lends her voice and makes is a funny movie. Nemo is vivid with beautiful colors, and again, is cute, but lacks some of the creativity of Toy Story, and Monsters, Inc. The story does have an underlying deep meaning which I can totally appreciate.

Nemo.......2007-05-29

This movie will work well with my Spanish students. It is a story they may know and one they will enjoy. It provides a good listening to the target language experience for them. Product was in great shape.

Average customer rating:

Huffmann shines!
Father Knows Best
The Ebbs And Tides Of Human Suffering
Provocative yet accessible and open-hearted indie fare
Acceptance won out in the end

Transamerica (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Andrea James , Felicity Huffman , Danny Burstein , Maurice Orozco , and Elizabeth Peña
Director: Duncan Tucker
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000ETRCMQ
Release Date: 2006-05-23

Amazon.com

Felicity Huffman deserves every award she's received for her outstanding performance in Transamerica, a small but rich movie about Bree--formerly Stanley--a pre-operative male-to-female transexual awaiting gender-reassignment surgery who learns she has a wayward teenage son named Toby. When her therapist (Elizabeth Peña, Jacob's Ladder) strongarms Bree into facing her past, she bails Toby (Kevin Zegers, Dawn of the Dead) out of jail and they end up on a road trip across the country. Such a premise could feel forced, but the script and performances make it persuasive and natural. Bree wrestles with discomfort and compassion as she learns about Toby's own troubles, even while her own grow worse when she's forced to ask for help from her hostile parents (the superb Fionnula Flanagan, The Others, and Burt Young, Rocky). Transamerica doesn't push for any great catharsis, but instead slowly peels away the layers of Bree's defenses, laying bare her basic struggle for respect and a chance at happiness. In many ways it's a showy role, but Huffman (Desperate Housewives) keeps her acting simple, direct, and thoroughly compelling. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Emmy® winner Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives) won the Best Actress (Drama) Golden Globe® Award for her "fiercely funny and deeply powerful" performance (Pete Hammond, Maxim) that is "thrilling to watch." (A.O. Scott, The New York Times) Huffman plays Bree Osbourne, a conservative transsexual woman, who learns she is the parent of a long-lost 17-year-old son (Kevin Zegers). The wheels of fortune take Bree and son on a cross-country adventure, including a memorable visit with Bree's parents, that will change both of their lives. A funny, touching, completely original look at the modern American family, "TRANSAMERICA will leave you in a state of movie euphoria. It's hilarious and deeply affecting." (Joe Morgenstern, The Wall Street Journal. "Felicity Huffman is incredible. One of the year's most unforgettable performances." -Stephen Mooallem, Interview

Customer Reviews:

Huffmann shines!.......2007-06-30

Huffmann (the frumpy housewife on desperate housewives) shines as a gender challenged patient. See this movie for a Tour De France of acting!!!

Father Knows Best.......2007-06-20

Interesting exploration of sexual roles giving new meaning the Oepidus complex. Huffman deserved the Oscar!

The Ebbs And Tides Of Human Suffering.......2007-06-13

Transamerica is a riveting and absorbent masterpiece about a man in the final process of transforming himself into a woman, whose dynamic transformation is hindered by the appearance of a son he never knew he had.

Bree, magnificently flesh-out by by actress Felicity Huffman, lives a low-income, alienated, monotone, barely endurable life, maintained only by the desire to have an impending surgery that will release him from the constraints of masculinity that have suffocated his true self.

Shattering through Bree's alienation is a 17- year old son he never knew he had.

The son is Toby, whom is jarringly and gruelingly portrayed by Kevin Zegers, who transcendently conveys Toby's physical and emotional abuse, incorruptible suffering, radiant purity, abandonment, torment, wreckage, galvanization, sexual demoralization, ravishment, brutalization, subversion, and desperate desire to be loved and understood.

Toby effortlessly exhibits externally what Bree agonizingly suffers internally.

As Bree travels with Toby to California to have his surgery, their personalities oxymoronically clash and intertwine and meld together as they individually grapple with their unrealized furnace of dreams and desires that tormentingly shame them while simultaneously give them a reason to continue living.

Zegers and Huffman's performances - like Charlize Theron in Monster and Ben Kingsley in House Of Sand And Fog - are transcendent and off the charts, exquisite, idiosyncratic, outstanding, unprecedented, and unparalleled in modern film history.

Brilliantly supporting and balancing their breathtaking and painstaking performances are actor Graham Greene and actress Fionnula Flanagan, Flanagan giving the best performances of her career.

Duncan Tucker's seamless writing and direction, Eve Battaglia's perfect casting, and a magnanimous acting feast have fashioned a film about the ebbs and flows of human suffering.

Provocative yet accessible and open-hearted indie fare.......2007-06-05

Good movie. I liked the intelligent decision to make Felicity Huffman's Bree character have to confront another big issue- the sudden emergence of an unknown son- in addition to the huge issue of her final transformation from man to woman. But, on top of that, I really liked that the movie gave us a lot of variety just within the personality of Bree herself. She displayed all kinds of interests throughout the movie, including earth history (she tells her son about the dinosaurs that used to roam around in the area their car was traversing) and proper usage of the English language. On this latter point, she was a bit annoying- with her constant correcting of her son's grammar- but that gave her character further nuance, too.

I also liked the naturalistic feel of the movie. It must have been tempting to include more "big" moments when it was time for a confrontation, revelation, or resolution, but the movie mostly goes for a more realistic feel, where it's clear that life goes on and there will still be positive and negative things to deal with even after a life-changing development or catharis.

The DVD includes a nice selection of extras, including a pair of interviews where the director chats with his stars. Though mostly containing mutual praise for everyone's efforts, the interviews contain several nuggets of insight about what the director and actors tried to accomplish.

As I said, good movie. Also a good DVD.

Acceptance won out in the end.......2007-05-27

Love the transsexual, hate the pedophile, and feel sorry for the poor street hustler. My goodness how misdirected the modern gay freedom movement continues from that fateful night back in the summer of 1969. That was the summer the underage street hustlers with the support of the pedophiles who loved them rioted against the police at their New York City bar called the "Stonewall Inn".

Shame on you Duncan Tucker.

Otherwise, wow what a film. The whitecap gale blew above while below the muddy stew of love held all the main characters together. Acceptance won out in the end. We all keep hoping don't we?

Anyone who is trying to figure out how to love a teenage boy should watch this movie.

Transamerica came to my attention because of a remark Elton John made about the actor Kevin Zegers at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival. Elton thinks Zegers is destined to become one of our great actors. He thinks Zegers showed how intense he can be in "Transamerica". Rent it or buy it, view it soon.

Average customer rating:

Broken Ending
May be Jarmusch's Most Accessible Film Yet
Open the bonus features
Return of the Zombie
Do zombies have children?

Broken Flowers
Starring: Nicole Abisinio , Frances Conroy , Julie Delpy , Ryan Donowho , and Alexis Dziena
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000BX8R10
Release Date: 2006-01-03

Amazon.com

Bill Murray gives yet another simple, seemingly effortless, yet illuminating performance in Jim Jarmusch's Broken Flowers. Don Johnston (Murray, Lost in Translation, Rushmore) receives an anonymous letter telling him that he has a 19 year old son who's looking for him. Don only decides to investigate at the prompting of his neighbor Winston (the indispensable Jeffrey Wright, Shaft, Basquiat), who not only tracks down the current addresses of the possible mothers, he plans Don's entire trip down to the rental cars. Almost against his will, Don finds himself knocking at the doors of four very different women (Sharon Stone, The Quick and the Dead; Frances Conroy, Six Feet Under; Jessica Lange, Sweet Dreams; and Tilda Swinton, The Deep End) who were once his lovers. Part road movie, part detective story, part existential meditation, Broken Flowers is even more minimalist than most Jarmusch movies (Stranger Than Paradise, Dead Man, Mystery Train)--anyone looking for an easy resolution should look elsewhere. But for anyone willing to let a movie be a poem as much as a story--i.e., let it observe behavior without explaining it--Broken Flowers will offer a wealth of mysteries, gestures, and Bill Murray's soulful eyes. It's a movie that's wonderfully eloquent about what's not being said. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Broken Ending.......2007-06-19

Fun, but the ending is left open deliberately. If you like Bill Murray and enjoy off beat films you will like this.

May be Jarmusch's Most Accessible Film Yet.......2007-05-31

Broken Flowers is about a lonely retired former womanizer played by Bill Murray. His name is Don Johnston, a "Don Juan" if you will, who receives a random letter in the mail from an unnamed former girlfriend. The letter indicates that Don has a son who has just begun a trip to search for his father. Don seems somewhat indifferent to the news but given the theme of the film it's likely that he is more tired of life and perhaps a bit self-absorbed than actual indifference, as this news is something that will eventually serve to re-awaken Don and perhaps it gives him just the self-interest he needs to live life with renewed vigor. In that sense, the story of Don is an existential tale more so than one with a conventional end. The film offers us means to complete a nice story of a father's union with his son that he's never met. But director Jim Jarmusch is not conventional and he is too smart to throw such a trivial narrative our way.

At the suggestion and great enthusiasm of his friend and neighbor Winston, Don is convinced that the search for this former girlfriend and the mother of his son is a worthy undertaking. So he goes off to find five of his former girlfriends at the time his son would've been born (about 20 years ago). One, Michelle, has passed away and he visits her grave and seems to express more reverence for her than the others...he even tells Winston he loved Michelle and she is the only one he says that about. Another is Laura played by Sharon Stone. Don gets to sleep with Laura again and he doesn't seem as surprised as I was when Laura's flirty teen daughter Lolita walks about the house in nothing but her epidermis. Her overt sexuality probably mirrors that of her mother's and Don seems unfazed by it...great dead pan acting once again by Bill Murray. Dora is another former girlfriend and she is played by Frances Conroy. Dora seems to contain an underlying regret in her decision to choose a lifestyle completely different than the one she practiced when Don met her. Jessica Lange plays another former girlfriend who works as an animal communicator. All three of these women seem to initially react quite positively to Don and are pleasantly surprised to see him, but they are still interesting and unique in their own ways. Finally, Penny is played by Tilda Swinton and seems to be the only former girlfriend that is really disgusted with seeing Don. I won't reveal how Don's journey ends but I will say that he is given an opportunity to reflect on his life during his travels, and that is something he badly needed.

Perhaps Broken Flowers doesn't ask that we read into the clues as to who sent the letter and if Don will find his son. If you look carefully in the credits and perhaps watch the movie again you will find some decent resolution to those questions but that isn't necessarily what Jarmusch is telling us about Don. Broken Flowers is not about a father meeting his son as much as it is about a man becoming a father.

To note further on the film's content, I must say that I always enjoy the atmosphere of a Jarmusch film, as much as they may require a bit of patience. Some will find it to be a slow movie but it is both fascinating and funny. In my humble opinion, it also happened to have the best soundtrack of 2005.

Open the bonus features.......2007-05-28

Jim Jarmusch's comments in the Bonus Features section of this DVD are well worth hearing, as they will temper the stupor one might feel at the end of this typical Jarmusch work. No need for me to supply a plot synopsis, as that's already been done on the opening page of this site. Instead, I'll give you my reactions as a viewer.

I was amused by the absurdities arising from Don Johnston's search for his son (who may or may not exist). Jarmusch tells us that, as he sees it, randomness is a key player in life and in the universe, and so Don's hunt for the mother of his possible child leads him into the sometimes hilarious randomness of these women's lives, as one of his ex-lovers is a "closet organizer," another sells prefabricated luxury homes, another is an "animal communicator," and the last is something of a wild motorcycle chick living in the country. The "plot" tumbles forward like dust drifting in the cosmos. One never knows where any of it will go or why. And Bill Murray, as Don, delivers a generally humorless performance as a man in a comatose state, empty and sad and somehow incomplete, in contrast to his hilarious neighbor Winston, who seems more than fulfilled by his gorgeous wife and six kids. Winston also works three jobs to make ends meet, while Don sits in his lovely home, decorated with beautiful art, listens to sad operas, and stares at his blank plasma TV screen. As was Jarmusch's intention, Murray's performance throws a very large wet blanket over the whole proceeding, as Don is a man without a plan, a sexual drifter who lets randomness take him from one of life's seemingly pointless encounters to the next.

The truth of randomness and mystery in our lives cannot be denied. What gives Jarmusch's work its integrity is his unwavering adherence to this truth in every frame, setup, and script he produces. His outlook, however, grates against many viewers who long to escape into more simple pleasures such as cute comedies, warm romances, and blood-pounding dramas. After all, this escape route has been the traditional role of cinema, but Jarmusch, because of who he is, never really takes it. Tangentially, his movies are hilarious in the way a Kafka story is. The juxtaposing of diversely different elements into the same space makes me laugh out loud.

The other point Jarmusch (and Don) makes is that about time. We know the past is done (and Don learns that through the course of his journey). The future is unknowable. So all we have is this moment, within which we do whatever we can. That's it. Nothing new here, but again, Jarmusch is true to his vision, and again, it's hard to swallow. There are no resolutions, no looking forward, no going back. Nothing can really be learned or discovered except the reality of the moment. Historians, give up your search for the past. Seers, resign your fraudulent predictions of the future.

In this movie Jarmusch framed a shot that forced me to repeatedly look into the rearview mirror of a Ford Taurus, just as Don is looking into the past, but, like the movie, the view was claustrophobic. And Murray's character was numb, lost, and ultimately suffocating. Although this movie could have left me depressed, it left me thinking, thanks to Jarmusch's insights into it.

Return of the Zombie.......2007-05-01

After suffering through "Lost in Translation" I must have felt masochistic a week later when I sat through this bilious offering. I was ready to give Bill Murray C.P.R. several times since I was convinced he was stone dead. I was waiting for George Zucco to show up with the Tanna leaves to animate him.I would like to go to a convention of people who enjoyed this film...perhaps we could meet in a '68 Volkswagon. After "Last Year at Marienbad" I would rank this as the worst thing I've watched in 60 years.

Do zombies have children?.......2007-04-24

Bill Murray stars as an aging Don Juan (yes, sure, I just got it - his character's name is Don Johnston ) who is so deadly bored with his life and his much younger beautiful girlfriend (I assume his girlfriends have been always much younger and beautiful, and a man may actually get tired and bored with it) that he does not seem alive at all. One day, his latest girlfriend leaves him and at the same day a mysterious pink letter informs him that he could have a 19 year old son. Reluctantly, literally pushed by his friend and neighbor, an amateur private detective Winston (Jeffrey Wright), Don visits his four formers lovers (Sharon Stone (she organizes people's closets and has a teenage daughter Lolita (and Lolita she is ), Frances Conroy (a realtor with a loving husband and a big and sadly quiet house), Jessica Lange (she does not drink, she does not eat, she does not walk - but she can read the animals' minds); and Tilda Swinton, in a surprising role of a white trash who has a lot to say to Don but...does not. Instead, two of her intimidating friends do). This movie has been praised as a humorous cross-country journey a-la Jim Jarmush - anti-Hollywood style but I think that it is one of the scariest horror movies I've seen - "from the lives of zombies" and Bill Murray is the best zombie I've seen. Will he find out if he actually has a son? Do zombies have children? Do I care?

Average customer rating:

Googy Movie
An Extremely Goofy Movie
Extremely Goofy Movie
Not as good as the original at all.
Fun, fun, fun.

An Extremely Goofy Movie
Starring: Bill Farmer , Jason Marsden , Jeff Bennett , Jim Cummings , and Brad Garrett
Director: Douglas McCarthy , and Ian Harrowell
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
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The Rescuers

ASIN: B000035Z48
Release Date: 2000-02-29

Amazon.com

Goofy's second feature opens with the big dog wistfully sending his teenage son Max off to his freshman year of college. In short order, daydreaming Dad is fired and learns he's not employable without finishing his degree at--you guessed it--the same university his beloved "Maxie" attends. Soon the eager father is embarrassing the heck out of his son and curbing his independence. At the same time, Max and his skateboarding buddies form an extreme sports team, challenging the snooty fraternity team captained by Bradley Uppercrust III, who doesn't grasp the concept of fair play. When things get rough, Goofy saves the day--and finds true love with a librarian who shares his '70s-era nostalgia. Any excuse to put Goofy in an afro wig and "Knock on Wood" and "Shake Your Groove Thing" on the soundtrack! The 73-minute story is serviceable and the moral commendable (integrity wins in the end). Ages 3 and up will enjoy the antics, but a lot of the (harmless) college jokes are aimed at adults. --Kimberly Heinrichs

Description

Join Goofy and his son, Max, in a hip and hilarious all-new movie that kicks up outrageous fun on the road to higher education. It's all extreme sports and a life of freedom as Max sets off for college -- but Goofy misses Max so much he literally falls down on the job. The laughs come fast and furious as he shows up, leisure suit and all, to finish college alongside Max and his friends. When Goofy meets the librarian, they hit if off and spark a stuck-in-the-seventies disco inferno that steals the show. But as Goofy tries to get closer to Max, both must go to the extreme to learn how to live their own lives ... together! From inspired high-energy music to the antics of one of Disney's most beloved dads, AN EXTREMELY GOOFY MOVIE proves that two Goofs are better than one!

Customer Reviews:

Googy Movie.......2006-11-11

I guess the movie is fine....it's just the condition it was in
when I received it. It was a mess....the DVD was flopping around
in the box and the box was crushed. It's a good thing that it was
a gift for my son (who doesn't care what it looks like). If I had
gotten it for someone else I would have been too embarrassed to give
it to them. I guess it's a good thing it wasn't broken.

An Extremely Goofy Movie.......2006-10-07

Okay. Well, I'm 11, and almost 12 years old, and somehow (i have no idea how), last year, suddenly got big into Max. I don't even know how it happened! I remember watching this movie when I was little on tv--just a part of it, because my sister's boyfriend said he liked it. I didn't like it. But now, I just really can't say how I suddenly got into it!
So anyways, I had my mom order the movie. And I remember, I was really sick, and laying in bed, really sick. She came in and showed it to me. I was SO unbelievably happy. I watched it, and couldn't stop laughing (even though it was hard to laugh, i still did). I instantly fell in love with Max and to this day in my book he is, "DROP DEAD SEXY." and my friends hear that way too much. LOL. XDD!
Compared to the First Movie:
Well, I actually didn't see A Goofy Movie until after this one. The story was this: I suddenly really wanted A Goofy Movie ( a couple weeks ago, late September). And then I found out it was going to be on TV! So we taped it on our DVD Recorder. I watched it. And the thing was, I was even sicker than I was when I watched An Extremely Goofy Movie. It was harder to laugh, but A Goofy Movie was, yes, MUCH funnier. I bought the CD, and now listen to it every single day. (My sister has a copy, and she absolutely LOVES Powerline XD btw, she's 18) Now that I saw both movies, I'm alittle dissipointed with the sequal for only one reason--No songs! D=
But there is a wonderful thing in it...NO ROXANNE! Now Max is all mine ^^ *glomp*
Yes, before I saw A Goofy Movie, somehow, I absolutely HATED Roxanne because Max liked her. It was a silly thing. I don't hate her as much now, because she's not annoying like other girls are in movies like that, but I'm glad he broke up with her XD. I also love how Max matured <3 <3
This movie is my third favorite~It could be yours, too
OMG THAT WAS SO CHEESY XDDD

Extremely Goofy Movie.......2005-10-14

My son is 2 1/2 and loves GOOFY! This is a really cute movie and a big hit with our son.

Not as good as the original at all........2005-07-14

I adore A Goofy Movie. It's one of the top animated movies I've ever seen, Disney or not, and when Disney decided to give it a sequel, I didn't have much hope for it. As you may know, it's one of their many direct-to-video/dvd releases. This generally means a dumbed down plot, cheap animation with more CG than actual hand-drawn parts, and just plain less quality than the original had. Does An Extremely Goofy Movie follow this rule of the direct-to-video market? Yes. And that's a shame, as it could've been another home run for Goofy. With this sequel, it's like they forgot everything from the first movie and made this just for the sake of making a sequel. I -just- got done watching it, and there isn't a whole lot that's memorable. It was just a movie to watch in order to pass the time. Not something to warm up to, get a family closer, or anything that the original had. You might think I'm saying this just because I grew up with A Goofy Movie, and saw it years before this one. Normally, you'd be right, but I can tell you in all honesty, that even if I hadn't seen it, that wouldn't have helped this one at all.

An Extremely Goofy Movie continues the lives of Goofy and his son Max. But this time around, Max is going off to college, and leaving home. Roxanne, the girl he won over in the first movie, isn't anywhere to be found and isn't even mentioned, so we can assume that things didn't work out for them. Goofy, still as protective as ever, can't get ahold of the fact that Max is a man now, and needs to leave in order to move on with his life. He finally lets go, and watches his son move out. This is tough on most parents (who haven't been driven crazy by their teenagers anyway), and this scene should've been a sad one. But they rushed it, and pound the fact that Goofy's sad into your head so much, that you can't feel as bad for him as you should. I'll get to that in a minute though. Max is still friends with PJ and Bobby, and they all head off to college together as an XTREME (hoo boy, I typed that and meant it) sports team. They try to impress the college's star X-Games team, but end up being their rivals since Max wouldn't join them. "Either we all join, or it's nothing" is what he tells their leader. Predictable, I know. So of course, they become enemies. But the twist is that Goofy was laid off from his job, and can't find anything since he only has 3 years of college under his belt. Already, you can see where this is going. Yep, he goes to Max's school to finish his last year in order to get a new job. Just when Max thought he was safe too. This of course leads to more embarassment, but it shouldn't. Didn't Max learn to accept his dad in the first movie? That's how it ended anyway. I guess this movie forgets all of that since Max is once again, an uptight little jerk. Blah blah blah, Goofy ends up with the rival team, blah blah Max gets mad at Goofy, blah they both make it to the finals of the X-Games, and there can be only one winner. It's all predictable, and by the end of the movie, I didn't care who won since we know they won't be facing eachother really.

I don't want to make it sound like I hated An Extremely Goofy Movie, because I didn't hate it. I just dislike it strongly. From them throwing away the outcome of the last movie, to how they drill everything into the viewer's mind (stay in school and you'll go far), to once again having Max accept his dad. THEY ALREADY DID THIS. What happened to Max when we left him at the end of A Goofy Movie? A lot apparently. There's no romantic interest for him this time around either. He makes small attempts at picking up girls, but it's halted when Goofy gets in the way. Bobby and PJ don't do a whole lot aside from "extreme" tricks on their skateboards and rollerblades, the rival team is ripped straight out of Revenge of the Nerds, and the lack of Pete as a bad influence on Goofy is sorely missed. What I do like, however, is that Goofy gets the girl. Yes, they give him a love interest, and it works. He falls in love with the school's librarian. It's cute, and all of their scenes together made the movie a little better. They click right off the bat, which is funny since these are animated characters. Who knew mood rings and coconuts could bring two people together so easily? Though people with epilepsy should stay away from their dance scene- this bit with a strobe light is going to deal some damage. Something also worth mentioning is that they give PJ a girl for a few scenes, when he's not skateboarding. She's a stereotypical poet, complete with black clothes and constantly snaps her fingers. She also resembles Jessica Rabbit, only less endowed in a certain region. It's just too bad they never give her a name or any other scenes where she does anything. See how much I'm covering here? That's part of why this sequel didn't work- they had too much going on. They barely work on anything for us to really care about. Goofy's a great character, and like I mentioned in my review for A Goofy Movie, it hurts to see him sad, but with all the jumping around, they didn't give us time to do that. Finally, I'm just getting sick of Disney's animation in these sequels. Does every character need to have 11 different shadows on them? What was wrong with how things looked originally? Take one screenshot from A Goofy Movie, and one from this one, and you'll see a big difference in the shadows on the characters. It's getting annoying. And simply zooming in on a character instead of animating them getting closer to the camera should be banned. And whoever got the people to do the song while Max's team is skating around the campus "Don't. Give. Up. Don't. Give. In." needs to be shot.

The picture quality is clean, but because a lot of the movie is done on computers instead of hand-drawn, there's not much good that I'll say about it. Everything's bright and crisp, but the quality that was put into the movie itself is hardly worth mentioning. As for the audio, you can hear everything perfectly, including some minor sound effects. At least here they did a good job. Then again, I could've done without hearing those lyrics to the "Dont. Give. Up." song. Ugh.

Where A Goofy Movie had good special features, An Extremely Goofy Movie has none. First up is Kids' Goofiest Jokes. This is a collection of kids' jokes that were on The Disney Channel years ago that ran between commercials, and it's just kids telling basic jokes that you'd hear from kids that age. There's one that a kid screws up where he says, "What does this sound like? EH-ER EH-ER EH-ER...my mom going through a blinking red light". I would've gotten it if he said it right. Go on and tell me I'm being hard on a kid, but listen buddy, if you can't tell a joke, don't tell it. That's show business. This runs for under 5 minutes [thank god]. Next is yet another interactive story, Me and My Dad. It's a short story about...Max and Goofy getting a flat tire and going to the beach. You can have this read to you by Max or not. Might I suggest you have Max read it, especially if you're on medication. The way he says some words is hilarious. With the trivia game included on the disc, I have a complaint. When the questions popped up on the screen, naturally, I chose the wrong answers to see what reaction I'd get. A screen shot of Goofy or Max looking upset would show up, and then Max would say, "You GOOFED up! Try again!". But...it'd move onto the next question. How can I try again if you move on to the next god damn question? Stupid Max. And it does this every time you get one wrong. And there's a lot of questions too. After I got the tenth one wrong and it kept going, I was confused. Finally is a video by Cleopatra, a band that never made it past The Disney Channel, for Back Where We Started From. It runs for just a little over two minutes, and makes me want to cry. This, is the entire special features section for An Extremely Goofy Movie.

Even Nyquil couldn't make this movie too enjoyable. The pros consisted of Goofy and the librarian's scenes, and that's all. The two whole times Pete said anything made me miss his bad advice and (...)-ness, and the morals were too sweet. Sure, kids under 10 will find something to like about An Extremely Goofy Movie, but it pales to the original, which was a movie for families to enjoy, not just kids. I suggest you stick to that one and forget this was even made. But if you do watch it, get ready to laugh at the little things, like some original Goofy humor when he's at his toy factory, or PJ eating corn on the cob while he's in the van with Bobby and Max on the way to college. Eating corn...on the cob...while going to school. Who knew I'd get a kick out of that?

Fun, fun, fun........2005-07-02

From the great Disney cartoon classic shorts to the modern cartoons, characters like Goofy have been loved by all. Other characters have moved in directions like Goofy's "Goof Troop" with Max; Chip & Dale became "Rescue Rangers" and met up with Monterey Jack, Gadget, etc.; Pooh created great new movies and the cherished New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. These modernized cartoons have preserved the charm of the original cartoon shorts. "A Goofy Movie" was wonderful--the music was well-written, the story was entertaining, sincere, and humorous, the animation was colorful and attractive. "An Extremely Goofy Movie" continues the story of modern-day father Goofy and his relationship with his son, Max. Goofy's still as goofy as he was in his original cartoons, and Max would seem to be have been inspired by the young son given to Goofy in some of the short cartoons. This sequel to the Goofy Movie is excellent like the first one. The beginning focuses on Max's departure to college, which is touching. The college itself is fun to watch as it has a very diverse campus. Roxanne, my favorite character in the original, is not featured in this movie, which initially seems a disappointment or discontinuity. However, when one considers that high school crushes are usually not lasting things, and the reality that Roxanne would have been more likely to attend a different school...it seems that for once Disney did move in a more 'real life' direction rather than a 'cute' one, where the two of them would've still been together. I still would have liked to see her again, or hear her name mentioned, or see the graduation ceremony. One can only hope that she moved on to success and happiness; she seems like the type who will. But this movie goes straight into Max's college career and does it well. It DOES lack great music, but the tunes somehow manage to go without being terribly missed. Goofy, in fact, ends up requiring a degree and, of course, much to his son's chagrin, joining him for his first year of college. The overarching plotline of this movie follows Max, PJ, and Bobby's (yes, they all DID go to the same college) ambitious X Games endeavor to unseat Bradley Uppercrust III (one of the few characters I've found who's not only meant to be dislikable but actually is) and his Gammas as the skateboarding kings of the campus. Of course, this intertwines with the theme of father/son bonding and how Goofy wants Max to see that focusing on his goals is the only way to achieve success in his future. To me, the more interesting parts of the movie occur when Goofy falls in love with Sylvia Marpole, the librarian who shares his passion for 70's memorabilia and disco, and when PJ hooks up with the 'beret girl' who hangs out at the Bean Scene Cafe.

Goofy falling in love sounds like it would be cliche, predictable, and corny/cheesy, right? Actually, it's not...it's nicely done. Sylvia is quite compatible with him and an interesting, well-developed character (especially for only being introduced in this one film). The same goes for the smart, poetic Beret Girl who sees something in PJ that other girls don't, and becomes his girlfriend. Character design and development in this (and actually, both Goofy Movies) is quite good. Sylvia and Beret (would be nice to call her by a name, but somehow it seems fitting with her that we're not allowed to know her name...hmmm!) reminded me vaguely of Chel from 'The Road to El Dorado.' I am much more impressed with this movie, however.

From the great cartoon classics to the modern Goofy Movies that have evolved, it's clear that he's one of those characters who always turns out wonderful animation and never disappoints.

National Geographic - Everest 50 Years on the Mountain

Average customer rating:

Must see for Everest students
Good Movie
National Geographic-Everest 50 years on the Mountain
National Geographic - Everest
The Real Story of Mountaineering

National Geographic - Everest 50 Years on the Mountain

Manufacturer: National Geographic Video
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Binding: DVD

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NOVA - Everest: The Death Zone
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ASIN: B00008MTYA
Release Date: 2003-05-06

Description

In 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary & Tenzing Norgay made history as the first people to reach the top of Everest. Now, 50 years later, three sons of Everest's most celebrated climbers return to the mountain to challenge it again. Join their journey as they brave the elements and face death to climb 29,000 feet of wind-blasted rock and ice. And, relive the dramatic history of Everest from great triumphs to deadly tragedies, enduring rivalries and the unsung role of the Sherpa people - as National Geographic exposes the untold stories that lurk in the mountain's epic shadow and takes you on THE ultimate Everest experience.

Customer Reviews:

Must see for Everest students.......2007-03-09

Ever since watching the Discovery channel series on Everest I have been hooked on the mountain. This movie has helped me continue to get my "adrenelene fix" just by watching it. Not only is the historical footage and info incredible, but the actual footage near the top helped me realize just how much "exposure" the climbers have on the final ridge with sheer drop offs on both sides. If you have any interest in Everest or mountain climbing, this dvd is a great one to own.

Good Movie.......2007-02-09

Enjoyable movie - I had hoped to see more of the mountain and the trails going up it.

National Geographic-Everest 50 years on the Mountain.......2006-08-22

The best Everest DVD and I've seen them all!

National Geographic - Everest.......2006-03-18

This documentary has great vintage footage of past climbs, and the new footage taken during the current climb is shot with an appropriate sense of awe and terror. The individuals climbing are very real and success is far from being assured. The dangers and magnitude of the adventure is well told.

The Real Story of Mountaineering.......2005-12-22

I was happy to finally see a mountaineering epic that included the subtlety of mountaineering - the pain, personal issues, and outright defeat in the face of danger and personal discomfort.

The storyline of the Sherpa people is finally revealed with all of its candor, passion and grief. I actually found this to be the core of the film and of Everest mountaineering, ensuring the value of my purchase.

Average customer rating:

The End of the Trail
Cahill -United States Marshal 1973
A pretty darn good late John Wayne film
The critics are too harsh
Cahill - United States Marshal Review

Cahill - United States Marshal
Starring: John Wayne , George Kennedy , Gary Grimes , Neville Brand , and Clay O'Brien
Director: Andrew V. McLaglen
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Chisum
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ASIN: B000O599Y4
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Amazon.com

After the late-career high of True Grit, only The Cowboys and The Shootist escaped the curse of half-baked scripts, recycled material, and lackadaisical filmmaking that characterized John Wayne's last half-dozen years in movies. Cahill is no exception, but it's more energetic than The Undefeated and Chisum (likewise nominally directed by Andrew V. McLaglen), with a certain Gothic tinge. Also, the theme of a dedicated professional who lets his job keep him from being part of his children's lives appears to have had some relevance for the producer-star. Marshal Cahill's two sons (Summer of '42's Gary Grimes and the preteen Clay O'Brien) are so unhinged by paternal "negligence" that they get caught up in a twisted bank-robbery scheme with a very bad guy, a veritable bogeyman (George Kennedy). Cahill has to sort his familial crisis and several outlaw crews, with the assistance of a sardonic half-breed scout (Neville Brand) who teases him mightily. --Richard T. Jameson

Description

Lawman J.D. Cahill can stand alone against a bad-guy army. But as a widower father, he's on insecure footing raising two sons. Particularly when he suspects his boys are involved in a bank robbery - and two killings. Filmed on location in the high desert of Durango, New Mexico, Cahill: United States Marshal offers a hearty helping of the stoic charisma that made John Wayne a lomg-time box-office champion. Summer of '42 discovery Gary Grimes - as Cahill's rebelllious older son - joins a cast of tough-guy favorites (Neville Brand, Denver Pyle, Harry Carey Jr. and George Kennedy) and such other Hollywood greats as Marie Windsor and Jackie Coogan in a deft blend of trigger-fast action and heroic sentiment.

Customer Reviews:

The End of the Trail.......2007-02-12

The film begins when Marshal Cahill goes to arrest five men for bank robbery. Resistance is futile. Back in Valentine Texas Cahill's boys are involved with Strothers, who leads them astray. Danny Cahill was drunk and disorderly. His younger brother sneaks into jail to free the prisoners while every man is fighting a barn fire. The boys soon learn there is no honor among thieves, but too late. The clever crooks burglarize the bank, then return to jail for a perfect alibi. Billy Joe will hide the loot, and no one will know anything if they keep their mouths shut. The posse searched the county but could find no strangers. [This is a strange story compared to earlier John Wayne films. The younger generation has gone awry.] Daniel seems to have a mind of his own. Marshal Cahill & son capture a gang who have new money, but can't provide a good explanation. They are arrested. What if the wrong men are punished for someone else's crime?

Back in Valentine the crooks can't find the buried loot and return to threaten Billy Joe. But he can't describe where he hid it. Somehow Marshal Cahill knows the truth! Late at night Danny and Billy Joe visit the graveyard to locate the burial place. The Marshal's surprise fails. [This serious business is played for laughs.] You can sense the double riding that mule. Cahill and Lightfoot track the wagon, and are ambushed by the gang. Why did they lack vigilance? At night the remaining gang members return to the old mine to collect their share of the loot. Cahill's boys are stopped by their father and told what to do. The bad guys return to get the rest of the loot, and get their reward. Cahill's boys learn to do the right thing; there is hope for them. The messy ending is not covered here, not even an deus ex machina would straighten out this mess.

Compared to his earlier films, this is more of a comedy than a drama. Was this to spare John Wayne from strenuous activity? It lacks the singing and dancing found in some old Westerns. A better story makes a better film. You almost know how it will turn out from the beginning of the film. At times there is a roughness to John Wayne's voice that suggests health problems.

Cahill -United States Marshal 1973.......2006-04-16

A Disaster movie with John Wayne (1907-1979) , the plot are nonsens and predictable and nothing realy happend .Talking , some Studio scenes , talking , some outdore scenes , Bang and the movie ends in confusion . Save your money on other John Wayne movies. Transfer in High Quality . Those how think my review are wrong , buy a bad movie !

A pretty darn good late John Wayne film.......2006-02-15

There is a group of people who love to feel superior by disdaining things that everyday people enjoy. One of those things is a John Wayne movie. I am one who really enjoys John Wayne movies. He had a great screen presence, even when he was older, as he was here, in the Rooster Cogburn movies, and especially in the great movie "The Shootist".

This movie is really about fathers and sons, and particularly absent fathers and sons who find the wrong path and try to get back to the right way. Wayne plays the title character, J. D. Cahill. The opening scene is him on the road taking on a band of five bad guys in a shootout that ends the way you would expect the hero to play in a John Wayne film.

Cahill is an older man and we learn that he has young sons, one, Danny, a young teen and the other, Budger, a young boy. Their mother died. In a touching conversation with Danny, regretting his not being around for them, he acknowledges that he has focused too much on his job. He does note that when Danny's mother (Cahill's dear wife) was dying her last words to Cahill were, "Go Get `Em!". And so, he has been ever since.

George Kennedy plays one of his best and menacing bad guys, Abe Fraser. I don't want to get into the plot, but he does suck Danny and Budger into his plans. And it is the boys trying to extricate themselves without letting their father in on their problems that ends up causing most of the problems. The crisis comes when some innocent men are facing death for the crimes the boys know they and Abe's gang committed and they have to get things right in time.

You expect things to turn out a certain way in a film like this. There aren't any big surprises, but there are some funny and some touching moments along the way. And Wayne is still quite good as he holds the screen with his unique presence. And Neville Brand as Lightfoot provides some very fine moments in the film.

I don't think it is one of the best things Wayne did, but it is still better then most films and suitable for families. It can provide some good discussion with your kids, as well.

And it is a John Wayne film.

The critics are too harsh.......2004-10-26

So the Duke is getting a little long in the tooth. His inimitable style, tough-talkin', swaggerin' self is as true here as his more famous films. After all, it IS John Wayne.

In this plot, J. D. Cahill, a widower and federal marshall has neglected the upbringing of his boys - one surmises because of his duty to his country and the wild, uncivilized territory. But in a youthful, rebellious spirit, his boys throw their lot in with some real outlaws. And it spells trouble. Big trouble. The kind of trouble that only Cahill - U.S. Marshall - can fix.

The movie is fun and entertaining. A couple of hours spent lost in a time when the west was young and the nation herself was immature and rebellious.

Cahill - United States Marshal Review.......2004-08-24

John Wayne begins to show his age in this film. On top of that, the story line has been in several other John Wayne westerns. However, this movie is still a good one to watch with the family.

Average customer rating:

Ozu's Late Spring
A zephyr's touch
Quietly Stated, Profoundly Moving
Magnificent --- one of the most touching films I have ever seen
There've always been people from good and bad families

Late Spring - Criterion Collection
Starring: Chishu Ryu , Setsuko Hara , Yumeji Tsukioka , Haruko Sugimura , and Hohi Aoki
Director: Yasujiro Ozu , and Wim Wenders
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000EOTWIS
Release Date: 2006-05-09

Amazon.com

A masterpiece of postwar Japanese cinema, Yasujiro Ozu's Late Spring serves as an elegant primer for many of the themes that would define Ozu's later career. As with other Ozu classics, this is a calm, meditative drama about the dynamics of family, in this case the inevitable separation of 56-year-old father and widower Shukichi (Chishu Ryu) and his adult daughter Noriko (Setsuko Hara), who is content to care for her father and remain unmarried, despite the urging of friends and relatives to find a suitable husband. There are some viable candidates, and several attempts at matchmaking, but the likeliest match is a man who's already engaged. Noriko simply wishes for things to remain as they are, but when she does eventually marry a handsome chemist who "looks like Gary Cooper," Ozu's drama remains intimately focused on the subtle emotions at play; there's not a scene or sequence that feels out of place, and Late Spring serves a secondary function as a light and lively portrait of post-war Japan, as hints of Western influence (like a Coca-Cola sign in one of the film's most memorable scenes) that signal Japan's transition toward a modern commercial economy. Most of all, however, Late Spring is a carefully observed and quietly heartbreaking story of a parent who yearns to set things right for his daughter who must balance her father's love with her own prospects for a fulfilling future. And while Ozu would go on to examine familial issues in later, equally noteworthy films, Late Spring represents a milestone that would ensure Ozu his rightful place among the greatest of all Japanese directors. --Jeff Shannon

On the DVDs
Criterion's release of Late Spring contains a few minor flaws in terms of image quality (such as occasional emulsion scratches), but viewers can rest assured that this DVD was mastered from the finest available materials, and the film looks very good considering the conditions of post-war Japan that were typically harsh on films of that period. The "windowbox" framing format accurately preserves the film's original 1.33:1 aspect ratio. There's a new and improved English subtitle translation, and the audio commentary by Richard Peña (an Ozu expert and program director of New York's Film Society of Lincoln Center) emphasizes the literary traditions that inform Ozu's films, in addition to the director's signature fixed-camera, low-angle style. Disc 2 includes Tokyo-ga, the 1985 feature by German director (and avid Ozu admirer) Wim Wenders. It's a tribute to Ozu's Japan, in which Wenders wanders the city searching for remnants of Tokyo as seen in Ozu's films, including interviews with Late Spring actor Chishu Ryu and Ozu's long-time cameraman Yuharu Atsuta. In keeping with Criterion tradition, a 21-page booklet is also included, containing informative essays by critic Michael Atkinson and renowned Japanese-film historian Donald Richie. --Jeff Shannon

Description

The first of a series of intimate family portraits that would cement Yasujiro Ozu's reputation as one of the most important directors in cinema history, Late Spring tells the story of a widowed father who feels compelled to marry off his only, beloved daughter. In the hands of two of the director's finest actors—Chishu Ryu and Setsuko Hara—this poignant tale of love and loss in postwar Japan remains as potent and meaningful today as ever.

Customer Reviews:

Ozu's Late Spring.......2007-06-25

A lovingly crafted fable about family relations in mid-century Japan, "Late Spring" is a testament to Ozu's elegant visual style and tranquil humanism. Two of his favorite actors, Ryu and the resplendent Hara, have an especially beautiful rapport in this touching story of sacrifice, which hinges on Noriko's cheerful willingness to forego freedom, and Somiya's desire to see Noriko married, though he knows he'll lead a lonely life without her. With consummate skill, Ozu uses shots of parks, walkways, and gardens to illustrate his characters' emotional states. Poignant and languorously paced, this is a masterful study of father-daughter affection.

A zephyr's touch.......2007-06-23

LATE SPRING's story is so airy that it is best watched on an lazy late afternoon. It's so subtle that it would be a shame to reveal too many details and possibly ruin your 'experience' of this. If you're the type who wants some, check out other reviews. I intend to reveal as little as possible.

After some 20 minutes of glimpses into the everyday lives of the widower and his 27-year-old daughter living near Tokyo around 1949, the story eases into first gear. And quite a bit after that, we see the main conflict float into view. It resonates and grows at an unlikely setting, becoming an aching poignancy that carries to the end of the film.

There's no real outburst of emotion. Only a couple almost understated moments of honest expression amid tons of near-ritualistic etiquette, often with the people wearing broad masking smiles. (I'm part Japanese and it still seems somewhat alien to me.)

All filmed in director Ozu's exquisite style, still potent despite being in black and white. (I'm glad I first saw the Criterion DVD of FLOATING WEEDS by the same director because it had Roger Ebert's film commentary which taught me how to watch an Ozu film.)

As for DVD extras, I skipped thru most of Wim Wender's 90-minute tribute to Ozu, altho, near the end, it has a fascinating piece on Ozu's camera setups. In the commentary by Richard Peña, background information gives way to extensive interpretion the scenes (I prefer the other way around).

Sadly, this is film that could use some first class restoration work to eliminate the signs of decay. It certainly deserves it.

Quietly Stated, Profoundly Moving.......2007-05-23

There might not be a director that personifies "profundity through simplicity" like Ozu. Unlike Kurosawa and Mizoguchi, Ozu relied on the deepest humanities of his strong characterizations to create a dynamic and moving rendering of his simplest of narratives. In all honesty, I've not seen anything or anyone in film like Ozu. With that, I get to Late Spring. If there was ever a simpler narrative premise I don't know of one. A daughter - Noriko, played perfectly by Ozu mainstay Setsuko Hara - stays at home to help her aging father - Shukichi, played perfectly by Ozu mainstay Chishu Ryu. The father soon realizes it's time for his daughter to marry. The daughter's ambivalent feelings towards marriage are inclined towards not doing so out of love and dedication to her father. So the father crafts a small white lie of his impending re-marriage to gently nudge the daughter out of the nest.

No description of the narrative however could give any insight into the immense and poignant power of this film. The gentle interplay between Noriko and Shukichi is largely what makes this film so great. Through this, we get to know these characters so intimately we feel as if we know them not as fictional characters, but as very real ones. It's not just the fact that they are so likable, it's the fact that they're so human. Ozu's depictions of everyday people in everyday life confronting life's small but meaningful moments is what drives it all. Late Spring simply allows us a look into the lives of two people we feel we know from the beginning. By the end, their emotions effect us as much as them. The final scene of Ryu peeling a fruit (and I'll leave it there so as not to spoil it) carries infinitely more weight and emotion than it should. But this scene perfectly illustrates Ozu's ability to take the simple and make it profound.

The moving scenes are not just saved for the closing however. The extended Noh play serves as the film's centerpiece, and the turning point for its main characters. For 7 minutes we're allowed to view something that is likely completely alien to all of America, if not Western Civilization. But the words in the play actually reflect many of the underlying themes of the film. And a simple look and smile on Shukichi's part to his potential wife, and the noticing of this by Noriko, serves as the catalyst for the rest of the film. The scene immediately afterwards of Noriko and Shukichi walking side by side, only to have Noriko separate to go her own way, is perhaps my favorite scene in the film for what it represents.

Much has been said of Ozu's style in technical terms - low angle shots, sparse camera movement. But I'd like to comment on the emotional effect this style has. I would describe Ozu's style as one that's as minimally intrusive and obtrusive as possible. This essentially creates a window in the lives of very real people. One can almost gets the impression that they're not watching a brilliant film, but a real life documentary into the lives of its characters. What we end up with is a snapshot of a time and place, and most importantly of people whose lives end up mattering to us. It's startling how many subtleties this film reveals with repeat viewings. The reason for this is because of the underlying themes that Ozu expresses throughout the film. They are told in such intricate, subtle ways, that the complex depths of those ideas are revealed only with repeat viewings.

I honestly don't know if I can heap enough acclaim onto this film. Although not for everyone and every taste, this is a film unlike any other you're likely to ever see. The phrase "They sure don't make them like this anymore" springs to mind. Also, no review of this size could bring into light everything that makes this film so rich. Ozu's style combines with emotional characterization and an elaborate world in which they exist with underlying themes that are delicate, but extremely subtle and important. This creates a work that is so multi-layered, one can only choose a few layers while leaving out many others.

It's astounding to think that in this day of Plasma screens and 1080p and 5.1 surround sound and all the effects that CGI and computers can generate, a film as simple and quiet as this can be as effectively affecting as it is. Indeed, Late Spring as well as Ozu's other masterworks are more real in their fiction than all of reality television put together, and more deeply rich and rewarding than most anything you're likely to ever see.

Magnificent --- one of the most touching films I have ever seen.......2007-02-27

I almost hate writing reviews about movies like this, because there are only so many superlatives I know. Simply put, this is one of the most beautiful & touching films ever --- an utterly convincing portrait of a father/daughter relationship which must be forever changed. Noriko is perfectly content with this idyllic relationship as it is, but her father knows that ultimately she will be unfulfilled if she does not move on with her life, and in what has to be one of the most wonderful scenes I have ever seen in a film, he explains the essence of marriage & the creation of a new life & persona within the marriage. That scene alone is worth the price of the DVD.

Of course, with Criterion, you get what you pay for --- lots of really good commentary (discussing this movie within the greater context of Ozu's career, as well as an examination of everyday life in Occupied Japan) and other features. Five stars really doesn't seem to be enough for this. Every father of a daughter ought to watch this, I think.

There've always been people from good and bad families.......2007-02-26

They haven't made any films like this in decades, anywhere in the world. From a time when the word decency could be used more as a weapon than as a boomerang. Traditional family values is what we have here exposed, without lecturing. Those film critics that talk so much nonsense about Japanese films are just a bunch of hippies with bow ties, proletarians in nike shoes. John Ford himself made many movies like this one, where family values are proclaimed and sanctified thru his artistry, but critics don't want to see that, they only see what they want. Well, here's this director from Japan, right after WWII, giving us a last tour of the good old times when they are about to change.

Sure, it's about a father and his lovely daughter. But at the same time it's about those times I was talking about. The daughter doesn't want to change, just like all the decent people wouldn't want to change; but it's inevitable. It's life's law. Progress cannot be stopped, and daughters must marry off, to start a new family, maybe new societies.

There are such things as good and bad families. Just as there's right and wrong. This is a wonderful film. But I've seen more old films like this one, and they weren't Japanese. They were American and European. Why not give them the same Criterion treatment? Are "traditional values" only nice when they apply to foreign cultures? I see a double standard in these phony critics. Whatever they say about this film, it is not one that disfunctional families can feel identified with.

Average customer rating:

Great Movie
Ok, we love drag boat racing..... But a great family film !!
I'm Prejudiced
OK for an enthusiast, otherwise pretty boring
Hydro History

Madison
Starring: James Caviezel , Jake Lloyd , Mary McCormack , Bruce Dern , and Paul Dooley
Director: William Bindley
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Sports | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000A50442
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Amazon.com

Tailor-made for family viewing, Madison is the kind of decent, all-ages movie that's all too rare these days, and that alone makes it a pleasant alternative to Disney and Pixar hits. And while this barely factual drama plays fast and loose with actual historical details in the sport of hydroplane racing, it's a rousing (if utterly conventional) tale of underdogs under pressure--a boat racer's version of Hoosiers, if you will. Jim Caviezel (The Passion of the Christ) stars as Jim McCormick, who drove the Miss Madison hydroplane to unlikely victory in the 1971 Gold Cup race in Madison, Indiana, where low morale and failing economy created a strong need for local heroes. It's a predictable movie in every way, with a heavy-handed screenplay and direction that's nothing if not earnest, but Caviezel's reliable as always, and the capable supporting cast includes Mary McCormack, Bruce Dern, and Jake Lloyd (from Star Wars: Episode I). Best of all, the recreations of early '70s-vintage hydroplane races are guaranteed to please devotees of the sport and anyone with a cinematic need for speed. --Jeff Shannon

Description

The Miss Madison may have seen better days, but she's about to go out in a blaze of glory. The pride of Madison, Indiana, the dilapidated hydroplane's been entered in the 1971 Gold Cup Championship race, whose $50,000 prize money has been raised by the town itself. Chosen to pilot the craft is Jim McCormick (Jim Caviezel, The Passion of the Christ), a local man who's sacrificed his family's future to enter the race. Supported by an idolizing son (Jake Lloyd, Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace), an understanding wife (Mary McCormack, Full Frontal) and a legendary mechanic (Academy Award®-Nominee Bruce Dern, Best Supporting Actor, Coming Home, 1978), Jim takes the Miss Madison on her final voyage, in a race to the finish that will leave you cheering!

Customer Reviews:

Great Movie.......2007-04-03

I enjoyed this movie very much. Being from Madison, and being a child that was there the day of this race, this movie brought it all back to me, and great memories of Madison, the Ohio River, the "Miss Madison", the Regatta, and the great people of Madison. This is a great movie for the whole family.

Ok, we love drag boat racing..... But a great family film !!.......2007-03-21

The story is great, even if you don't love drag boat racing. It's about a lost era (1950's) and they do a great job of restoring this time in the good old USA. We really loved this movie. My kids and my wife and mmyself alll had a great time watching it.