Oscar & Lucinda

Oscar & Lucinda


Starring:Ralph Fiennes, Cate Blanchett, CiarĂ¡n Hinds, Tom Wilkinson, Richard Roxburgh, Clive Russell, Bille Brown, Josephine Byrnes, Barnaby Kay, Barry Otto, Linda Bassett, Geoffrey Rush, Polly Cheshire, Gillian Jones, Robert Menzies, Adam Hayes, James Tingey, Matyelok Gibbs, Sonia Ritter, Will Barton
Director: Gillian Armstrong
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Description
Oscar (Fiennes) is a priest who gambles discreetly and donates his winnings to help the poor. Lucinda (Blanchett) is an Australian businesswoman who boldly defies society's rules. When they meet over an innocent game of cards, their lives are changed forever.
Flags of Our Fathers (Widescreen Edition)
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • BORING AND DEPRESSING
  • Too much bouncing around
  • Flags of Our Fathers (HD DVD) Review by Justin Sluss
  • Simle Review
  • Anti-War film with some fighting
Flags of Our Fathers (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Ryan Phillippe , Jesse Bradford , Adam Beach , John Benjamin Hickey , and John Slattery
Director: Clint Eastwood
Manufacturer: Dreamworks Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
Clint EastwoodClint Eastwood | Action Directors | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
Action & CombatAction & Combat | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video
DramaDrama | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video
World War IIWorld War II | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video
Bauer, ChrisBauer, Chris | ( B ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Beach, AdamBeach, Adam | ( B ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Bradford, JesseBradford, Jesse | ( B ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Cross, JosephCross, Joseph | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Hickey, John BenjaminHickey, John Benjamin | ( H ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Ivey, JudithIvey, Judith | ( I ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Lynskey, MelanieLynskey, Melanie | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
McDonough, NealMcDonough, Neal | ( M ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Patrick, RobertPatrick, Robert | ( P ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Pepper, BarryPepper, Barry | ( P ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Phillippe, RyanPhillippe, Ryan | ( P ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Slattery, JohnSlattery, John | ( S ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Walker, PaulWalker, Paul | ( W ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Eastwood, ClintEastwood, Clint | ( E ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video
Used DVDsUsed DVDs | Stores | DVD | Video | Action & Adventure | African American Cinema | Animation | Anime & Manga | Art House & International | Classics | Comedy | Cult Movies | Documentary | Drama | Educational | Fitness & Yoga | Gay & Lesbian | Horror | Kids & Family | Military & War | Music Video & Concerts | Musicals & Performing Arts | Mystery & Suspense | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Special Interests | Sports | Television | Westerns
Action & AdventureAction & Adventure | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
All ParamountAll Paramount | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
DramaDrama | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
DreamWorksDreamWorks | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
DVDs Under $7.49DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
( F )( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:
  1. The Departed (Two-Disc Special Edition)
  2. Babel
  3. Letters from Iwo Jima (Two-Disc Special Edition)
  4. Casino Royale (2-Disc Widescreen Edition)
  5. Blood Diamond (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B000M4RG42
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Amazon.com

Thematically ambitious and emotionally complex, Clint Eastwood's Flags of Our Fathers is an intimate epic with much to say about war and the nature of heroism in America. Based on the non-fiction bestseller by James Bradley (with Ron Powers), and adapted by Million Dollar Baby screenwriter Paul Haggis (Jarhead screenwriter William Broyles Jr. wrote an earlier draft that was abandoned when Eastwood signed on to direct), this isn't so much a conventional war movie as it is a thought-provoking meditation on our collective need for heroes, even at the expense of those we deem heroic. In telling the story of the six men (five Marines, one Navy medic) who raised the American flag of victory on the battle-ravaged Japanese island of Iwo Jima on February 23rd, 1945, Eastwood takes us deep into the horror of war (in painstakingly authentic Iwo Jima battle scenes) while emphasizing how three of the surviving flag-raisers (played by Adam Beach, Ryan Phillippe, and Jesse Bradford) became reluctant celebrities - and resentful pawns in a wartime publicity campaign - after their flag-raising was immortalized by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal in the most famous photograph in military history.

As the surviving flag-raisers reluctantly play their public roles as "the heroes of Iwo Jima" during an exhausting (but clearly necessary) wartime bond rally tour, Flags of Our Fathers evolves into a pointed study of battlefield valor and misplaced idolatry, incorporating subtle comment on the bogus nature of celebrity, the trauma of battle, and the true meaning of heroism in wartime. Wisely avoiding any direct parallels to contemporary history, Eastwood allows us to draw our own conclusions about the Iwo Jima flag-raisers and how their postwar histories (both noble and tragic) simultaneously illustrate the hazards of exploited celebrity and society's genuine need for admirable role models during times of national crisis. Flags of Our Fathers defies the expectations of those seeking a more straightforward war-action drama, but it's richly satisfying, impeccably crafted film that manages to be genuinely patriotic (in celebrating the camaraderie of soldiers in battle) while dramatizing the ultimate futility of war. Eastwood's follow-up film, Letters from Iwo Jima, examines the Iwo Jima conflict from the Japanese perspective. --Jeff Shannon

Beyond Flags of Our Fathers

Other World War II DVDs

Essential DVDs by Director Clint Eastwood

Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley

Stills from Flags of Our Fathers (click for larger image)







Product Description

From Academy Award-winning director Clint Eastwood (Million Dollar Baby, Unforgiven) comes the World Was II epic Flags of Our Fathers, produced by Eastwood, Academy Award winner Steven Spielberg (Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List), and Rob Lorenz (Mystic River), and from a screenplay adapted by William Broyles, Jr. (Cast Away) and Oscar winner Paul Haggis (Million Dollar Baby, Crash).
February 1945. Even as victory in Europe was finally within reach, the war in the Pacific raged on. One of the most crucial and bloodiest battles of the war was the struggle for the island of Iwo Jima, which culminated with what would become one of the most iconic images in history: five Marines and a Navy corpsman raising the American flag on Mount Suribachi. The inspiring photo capturing that moment became a symbol of victory to a nation that had grown weary of war and made instant heroes of the six American soldiers at the base of the flag, some of whom would die soon after, never knowing that they had been immortalized. But the surviving flag raisers had no interest in being held up as symbols and did not consider themselves heroes; they wanted only to stay on the front with their brothers in arms who were fighting and dying without fanfare or glory.
Flags of Our Fathers is based on the bestselling book by James Bradley with Ron Powers, which chronicled the battle of Iwo Jima and the fates of the flag raisers and some of their brothers in Easy Company. Bradley's father, John "Doc" Bradley, was one of the soldiers pictured raising the flag, although James never knew the full extent of his father's experiences until after the elder Bradley's death in 1994.

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars BORING AND DEPRESSING.......2007-07-01

I like war films like Saving Private Ryan and Pearl Harbor, but I found this film depressing, hopeless ("everything is a lie!") and downright boring. It seems interesting but after a while you just feel aweful about your own country and feel fooled. I love you Clint but you should have just changed directions of the film from the beginning

3 out of 5 stars Too much bouncing around.......2007-06-30

I'm a little bit of a history buff and like to watch movies about different periods of history to learn a little bit. I was disappointed with this movie. Seemed like we were bouncing around a little too much and it was hard to track events and people. In the end, I felt the movie was more about Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome than about Iwo Jima or the war.

I would probably pass on this one and watch something else, unless you are really curious about it.

4 out of 5 stars Flags of Our Fathers (HD DVD) Review by Justin Sluss.......2007-06-21

The Movie Itself is one part of a pair of films done by legendary actor/director Clint Eastwood about the battle at Iwo Jima in World War II. "Flags of Our Fathers" is one of two films that Clint did about the battle from both side's perspectives. "Letters from Iwo Jima" (this movie's counter-part) tells the Japanese perspective. While this film tells the American perspective I guess you could say, it's primarily about a real life photo that can be found on the cover of this release. The picture is a very patriotic photograph that shows six soldiers raising the American flag after the battle at Iwo Jima. This picture starts a lot of media coverage and hype labeling the three surviving soldiers "war heroes." This film follows the lives during and after that battle of those three remaining soldiers, John "Doc" Bradley (played by Ryan Phillippe), Rene Gagnon (played by Jesse Bradford) and Ira Hayes (played by Adam Beach). I'd like to point out that this film is based on true events and the names of the soldiers are real. In fact the original book "Flags of Our Fathers" was written by James Bradley (son of John "Doc" Bradley). This film was also produced by Hollywood legend Steven Spielberg.



These three soldiers are brought home labeled as "war heroes" as stated above and soon being used by the U.S. government to help sell war bonds to help the war effort. Which they do accomplish but at the same time there's a lot of demons inside these men that came from seeing such a horrific battle at Iwo Jima. This is especially true for both John Bradley and Ira Hayes who throughout the film have post-war stress induced flashbacks that really got to them on a really emotional level that they can't talk about with anyone or even come to terms with themselves. This movie is not one that glorifies war but instead one that shows the hell that comes with it. So if you're expecting to see a bunch of Japanese get slaughtered you might wanna look elsewhere and seek therapy. That's not what this movie is about. This movie and what it stands for can really be stated best by a quote by the real John "Doc" Bradley, "The real heroes of Iwo Jima are the guys who didn't come back". I think after watching this film that Clint Eastwood made you'll have a better understanding for that quote.



Video Quality on this release is presented in 1080p VC-1 encoded on a 30gb HD DVD for the feature film. This film visually is up there with "Saving Private Ryan" in terms of amazing visual CG special effects and such. Even though war as it is portrayed in this film is a very ugly and disturbing thing to watch at times, this release in terms of video quality itself really does offer just an amazing transfer with great picture. The blacks are perfect, no artifacts or pixilation to be found in this video presentation. The cinematography style that this film as well as it's counter-part, "Letters from Iwo Jima" uses might lead some to think the contrast is off but it's just the visual style that Clint Eastwood was going for to show the time period in both films. This release is one of the best in terms of video quality yet from Paramount and I hope it's a sign of things to come.



Audio Quality on this release is the standard Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 @ 1.5Mbps. One thing most important to this sound mix is the fact it's a film about war, World War II at that. So it's kind of expected a movie like this have a great surround mix and I can honestly say it lives up to those expectations very much so. Dialog comes out in obviously the center and front channels as you'd expect in the less intense scenes of the film. When you're in the flashbacks of battle scenes of the film you really notice an awesome surround presence that will make you hear gunfire up close, distant or passing gunfire as well as mortar shells. The surround experience on this release is one that is sure to please any action film fan.



Bonus Materials are included on their very own extra HD DVD and are in High Definition. First off there's "An Introduction by Clint Eastwood" (5 minutes), then "Words on the Page" (17 minutes) which tells us a bit about the original book written by James Bradley. James is the son of John Bradley (played by Ryan Phillipe in the film). This feature offers interviews with James Bradley (again the book's original author) as well as the screenplay writers William Broyles, Jr. and Paul Haggis. Next is "Six Brave Men" (20 minutes) which tells the personal stories of each of the six real life soldiers in the photograph and offers interviews with the actors who portray them in this film. "The Making of an Epic" (30 minutes) is your typical making of documentary of a film. It includes interviews with everyone from the producer (Robert Lorenz), director of photography (Tom Stern), special effects coordinator, editor (Joel Cox), art director, costume designer and even the military technical adviser. "The Making of an Epic" is really by far the real highlight of the bonus materials for this film and looks amazing in High Def. "Raising the Flag" (3 minutes) is a short feature about reenacting the photograph that the film is primarily about in the film just as it was in real life. "Visual Effects" (15 minutes) is exactly what the name says, a feature on the visual ("CG") special effects used on this film. "Looking into the Past" (10 minutes) offers up a lot of old historical military video footage of the actual battle at Iwo Jima. History Channel fans will definitely love this while some of the more action film oriented crowd may want to skip this. The last feature included is the original Theatrical Trailer in High Def. This release definitely packs some great bonus materials on it's very own disc and is really impressive.





-- Review written by Justin Sluss of HighDefDiscNews.com

1 out of 5 stars Simle Review.......2007-06-20

If you are thinking that this movie is "Saving Private Ryan" in the Pacific -- it is not.

If you are curious how World War II soldiers dealt with the experience of war, and the efforts of the U.S. government to fund World War II then you may find this movie interesting.

If you are interested in the battle of Iwo Jima take a look at Letters from Iwo Jima or the History channel.

1 out of 5 stars Anti-War film with some fighting.......2007-06-18

I am not sure if anyone else saw this film the same way but I took it as a 90 minute Anti-War film with 15 minutes of battle scenes. Why was there so much time put into having the wrong names of the Marines who raised the flag on the island and the government covering it up? This point seem to be thrown out at you all throughout the film when there was on need for it. It should have been stated to set the record straight and then not brought up again. If they wanted to really honor the Marines they should have focused more on the events that took place during the battle, not the politics of the tour to increase the sale of War Bonds. Also the movie jumped around far too much. The son of one of the Marines who raised the flag was interviewing individuals who were on the island with flashbacks to the tour in the US for War Bonds who had flashbacks of the fighting which took place on the island. Too much time was wasted trying to figure out who was talking to who and at what point in time it was taking place. Someone should have watched "Saving Private Ryan" instead of "Pearl Harbour" before making this film. We have had enough anti-war talk from Hollywood. When is it going to stop? Don't waste your time with this movie, there are better films out there that honor the men and women who have fought for this country. Films like "The Longest Day" come to mind.
Little Miss Sunshine
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Great show!
  • EXCELLENT FILM
  • Overtly Stereotypical on Models.
  • Just the right amount of sunshine
  • Black Comedy Masterpiece
Little Miss Sunshine
Starring: Abigail Breslin , Greg Kinnear , Paul Dano , Alan Arkin , and Toni Collette
Director: Jonathan Dayton , and Valerie Faris
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video
Eccentric FamiliesEccentric Families | By Theme | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video
Obsessive QuestsObsessive Quests | By Theme | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video
Family GatheringsFamily Gatherings | By Theme | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video
FarceFarce | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video
Domestic ComediesDomestic Comedies | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video
ComedyComedy | By Genre | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
Arkin, AlanArkin, Alan | ( A ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Collette, ToniCollette, Toni | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Cranston, BryanCranston, Bryan | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Carell, SteveCarell, Steve | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Grant, BethGrant, Beth | ( G ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Kinnear, GregKinnear, Greg | ( K ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Norris, DeanNorris, Dean | ( N ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Walcutt, JohnWalcutt, John | ( W ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Used DVDsUsed DVDs | Stores | DVD | Video | Action & Adventure | African American Cinema | Animation | Anime & Manga | Art House & International | Classics | Comedy | Cult Movies | Documentary | Drama | Educational | Fitness & Yoga | Gay & Lesbian | Horror | Kids & Family | Military & War | Music Video & Concerts | Musicals & Performing Arts | Mystery & Suspense | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Special Interests | Sports | Television | Westerns
All Fox TitlesAll Fox Titles | 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
ComedyComedy | 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
Family FeaturesFamily Features | Kids & Family | 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
DVDs Under $15DVDs Under $15 | Fox DVD Budget Store | 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
DVDs Under $7.49DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
( L )( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:
  1. The Devil Wears Prada (Widescreen Edition)
  2. Borat - Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (Widescreen Edition)
  3. The Departed (Two-Disc Special Edition)
  4. Talladega Nights - The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (Unrated Widescreen Edition)
  5. Babel

ASIN: B000K7VHQE
Release Date: 2006-12-19

Amazon.com

Pile together a blue-ribbon cast, a screenplay high in quirkiness, and the Sundance stamp of approval, and you've got yourself a crossover indie hit. That formula worked for Little Miss Sunshine, a frequently hilarious study of family dysfunction. Meet the Hoovers, an Albuquerque clan riddled with depression, hostility, and the tattered remnants of the American Dream; despite their flakiness, they manage to pile into a VW van for a weekend trek to L.A. in order to get moppet daughter Olive (Abigail Breslin) into the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant. Much of the pleasure of this journey comes from watching some skillful comic actors doing their thing: Greg Kinnear and Toni Collette as the parents (he's hoping to become a self-help authority), Alan Arkin as a grandfather all too willing to give uproariously inappropriate advice to a sullen teenage grandson (Paul Dano), and a subdued Steve Carell as a jilted gay professor on the verge of suicide. The film is a crowd-pleaser, and if anything is a little too eager to bend itself in the direction of quirk-loving Sundance audiences; it can feel forced. But the breezy momentum and the ingenious actors help push the material over any bumps in the road.-- Robert Horton


Beyond Little Miss Sunshine

More Dysfunctional Family Comedies

More films from the stars of Little Miss Sunshine

More Independent Films Turned Sleeper Hits
Stills from Little Miss Sunshine




Description

Take a hilarious ride with the Hoovers, one of the most endearingly fractured families in comedy history.

Father Richard (Greg Kinnear) is desperately trying to sell his motivational success program...with no success. Meanwhile, "pro-honesty" mom Sheryl (Toni Collette) lends support to her eccentric family, including her depressed brother (Steve Carell), fresh out of the hospital after being jilted by his lover. Then there are the younger Hoovers?the seven-year-old, would-be beauty queen Olive (Abigail Breslin) and Dwayne (Paul Dano), a Nietzsche-reading teen who has taken a vow of silence. Topping off the family is the foul-mouthed grandfather (Alan Arkin), whose outrageous behavior recently got him evicted from his retirement home. When Olive is invited to compete in the "Little Miss Sunshine" pageant in far-off California, the family piles into their rusted-out VW bus to rally behind her?with riotously funny results.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Great show!.......2007-07-03

Hilarious, from start to finish. You listen and stare at each other in amazement that they collectively grasped the concept of the whole family on a road trip persona. It was a great show and I loved the moral of the whole thing that family comes first, no matter what!

5 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT FILM.......2007-07-01

Little Miss Sunshine sounds like a cute, girly film but in fact it is an excellent film that touches so many topics. Little Olive (played by Oscar Nominee Abigail Breslin, brother of Spencer Breslin) tries out for the Little Miss Sunshine Pagent and must ride there in a car (which is like a character) with an array of interesting people. She is with her suicidal uncle, drug addicted dirty yet loving gradpa, her "I'm not talking till I get what I want" brother, her unsuccesful father who is annoying, and her loving mother who is trying her best to provide for the family. The film is fun, heartful and makes wou want more. The acting is amazing and the writing is spectacular. It deserved every Oscar it got and the Best Picture nomination. The writers masterfully switch from a depressing scene to the funniest part in the movie. AMAZING FILM

3 out of 5 stars Overtly Stereotypical on Models........2007-06-27

It was an alright movie; however, that ending was not what I expected it to be for a movie entitled "Little Miss Sunshine," because there was no "Sunshine" in the end.

4 out of 5 stars Just the right amount of sunshine.......2007-06-25

A very funny, occasionally moving and at times disturbing look at a typically dysfunctional family on a road trip to a beauty contest for pre-pubescent girls. The entire cast is great - Alan Arkin (who is hilarious) won the Oscar, but really any one of the six could have won. What I like about Little Miss Sunshine the most is that it's a feel-good movie that never feels corny or manipulative. The reason being that hovering around the sunshine the film casts are the dark clouds of depression, suicide, drug abuse and failure. The film could be just as easily depressing and dark as it could be sappy and sentimental, but the two polar opposites keep the other in check and create a fun, quirky atmosphere. The film isn't perfect - its comments on beauty pageants and America's obsession with winning seem a bit forced, contradictory and weigh down everything else. Despite its flaws, I dare you to watch Little Miss Sunshine without cracking a smile and feeling good. Recommended.

5 out of 5 stars Black Comedy Masterpiece.......2007-06-22

Cynical, sarcastic, biting, dark, this is hands down the funniest movie of 2006. Wonderful movie, great script, great actors, what's not to love? A very smart comedy, which will have you in stitches.
Dreamgirls (Two-Disc Showstopper Edition)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Two Hours of Screaming!
  • Best Picture
  • And I am Tellin' You You are Going To LOVE this film!!!!
  • A must see and own for any Supremes Fan
  • Expected More After All of the Hype
Dreamgirls (Two-Disc Showstopper Edition)
Starring: Jamie Foxx , Eddie Murphy , Jennifer Hudson , and Beyoncé Knowles
Director: Bill Condon
Manufacturer: DreamWorks
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Musicals | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
Foxx, JamieFoxx, Jamie | ( F ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Murphy, EddieMurphy, Eddie | ( M ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Condon, BillCondon, Bill | ( C ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video
Used DVDsUsed DVDs | Stores | DVD | Video | Action & Adventure | African American Cinema | Animation | Anime & Manga | Art House & International | Classics | Comedy | Cult Movies | Documentary | Drama | Educational | Fitness & Yoga | Gay & Lesbian | Horror | Kids & Family | Military & War | Music Video & Concerts | Musicals & Performing Arts | Mystery & Suspense | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Special Interests | Sports | Television | Westerns
All ParamountAll Paramount | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
DramaDrama | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
DreamWorksDreamWorks | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
Special EditionsSpecial Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Two-Disc Special EditionsTwo-Disc Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:
  1. The Queen
  2. The Last King of Scotland (Widescreen Edition)
  3. The Pursuit of Happyness (Widescreen Edition)
  4. Blood Diamond (Two-Disc Special Edition)
  5. Night at the Museum (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000O174CM
Release Date: 2007-05-01

Amazon.com

The spirit of Motown runs through the long-awaited film adaption of the Broadway musical Dreamgirls, which centers around a young female singing trio who burst upon the music scene in the '60s, complete with bouffant hairdos, glitzy gowns, and a soul sound new to the white-bread American music charts. Sound familiar? You aren't the first one to draw comparisons to the meteoric rise of the Supremes, and despite any protests to the contrary, this is most definitely a thinly veiled reinterpretation of that success story. The Dreamettes--statuesque Deena (Beyonce Knowles), daffy Lorell (Anika Noni Rose) and brassy Effie (Jennifer Hudson)--are a girl group making the talent-show rounds when they're discovered by car salesman and aspiring music manager Curtis Taylor Jr. (Jamie Foxx). Sensing greatness (as well as a new marketing opportunity) Curtis signs the Dreamettes as backup singers for R&B star James "Thunder" Early (Eddie Murphy). But when Early's mercurial ways and singing style don't mesh with primarily white audiences, Curtis moves the newly-renamed Dreams to center stage--with Deena as lead singer in place of Effie. And that's not the only arena in which Effie is replaced, as Curtis abandons their love affair for a relationship with star-in-the-making Deena.

Besides the Supremes comparison, one can't talk about Dreamgirls now without revisiting its notorious Oscar snub; though it received eight nominations, the most for any film from 2006, it was shut out of the Best Picture and Director races entirely. Was the oversight justified? While Dreamgirls is certainly a handsomely mounted, lovingly executed and often vibrant film adaptation, it inspires more respect than passion, only getting under your skin during the musical numbers, which become more sporadic as the film goes on. Writer-director Bill Condon is definitely focused on recreating the Motown milieu (down to uncanny photographs of Knowles in full Diana Ross mode), he often forgets to flesh out his characters, who even on the Broadway stage were underwritten and relied on powerhouse performances to sell them to audiences. (Stage fans will also note that numerous songs are either truncated or dropped entirely from the film.) Condon has assembled a game cast, as Knowles does a canny riff on the essence of Diana Ross' glamour (as opposed to an all-out impersonation) and Rose makes a peripheral character surprisingly vibrant; only Foxx, who never gets to pour on the charisma, is miscast. Still, there are two things even the most cranky viewers will warm to in Dreamgirls: the performances of veteran Eddie Murphy and newcomer Jennifer Hudson. Murphy is all sly charm and dazzling energy as the devilish Early, who's part James Brown, part Little Richard, and all showman. And Hudson, an American Idol contestant who didn't even make the top three, makes an impressive debut as the larger-than-life Effie, whose voice matches her passions and stubbornness. Though she sometimes may seem too young for the role, Hudson nails the movie's signature song, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," with a breathtaking power that must be seen and heard to believe. And for those five minutes, if not more, you will be in Dreamgirls' thrall. --Mark Englehart

On the DVD
The two-disc edition of Dreamgirls includes videos, documentaries and other behind-the-scenes features. Diehard fans will love the almost two-hour "Building the Dream" documentary, which goes into loving detail about how the film got to be made. But it's the shorter segments that really capture the viewer's attention. The two auditions included in the set are a contrast in style. Pop singer Beyonce Knowles sells herself in full hair, makeup and costume; that she is a tad pitchy at times is almost beside the point. Tony Award winner Anika Noni Rose's audition is a tour de force; singing strong and with conviction and passion, Rose is fully in character regardless of the fact that she isn't dressed for the role. Oddly enough, the audition tape of Jennifer Hudson, who won an Academy Award for her breakthrough role as Effie, is nowhere to be seen. Sure, we all know what a powerhouse she is today. But it would've been nice to see what the filmmakers saw in her back then, when her competition included her American Idol castmate (and that season's winner) Fantasia Barrino. Hudson's performance of "Effie, Sing My Song"--which was not seen in the theatrical release--is included in this set, as are 12 extended musical numbers. Another nice touch is the inclusion of a dance rehearsal choreographed by Fatima Robinson (who has worked with the Backstreet Boys, Mary J. Blige, and Michael Jackson). Watching the rudimentary piece (with stand-ins subbing for the stars) come together gives the viewer appreciation for the intricate work that goes into each 3-minute musical number in the 130-minute film. Also included are a sequence of enhanced storyboards, a look at how the film's editor went about editing the picture, and a look at how the costumes played a part in the film. --Jae-Ha Kim

Beyond Dreamgirls

Other Musicals on DVD

More Motown on DVD

The Soundtrack

Stills from Dreamgirls (click for larger image)










Product Description

Director Bill Condon brings Tom Eyen's Tony award-winning Broadway musical to the big screen in a tale of dreams, stardom, and the high cost of success in the cutthroat recording industry. The time is the 1960s, and singers Effie (Jennifer Hudson), Lorrell (Anika Noni Rose), and Deena (Beyoncé Knowles) are about to find out just what it's like to have their wildest dreams come true. Discovered at a local talent show by ambitious manager Curtis Taylor Jr. (Jamie Foxx), the trio known as "the Dreamettes" is soon offered the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of opening for popular singer James "Thunder" Early (Eddie Murphy). Subsequently molded into an unstoppable hit machine by Taylor and propelled into the spotlight as "the Dreams," the girls quickly find their bid for the big time taking priority over personal friendship as Taylor edges out the ultra-talented Effie so that the more beautiful Deena can become the face of the group. Now, as the crossover act continues to dominate the airwaves, the small-town girls with big-city dreams slowly begin to realize that the true cost of fame may be higher than any of them ever anticipated.

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars Two Hours of Screaming!.......2007-07-05

This movie is terrible. I'm not surprised it made its way so fast to DVD - 2 hours of screaming - I don't call it singing. None of the songs had a melody, does not compare to Diana Ross and the Supremes, if this is what this story was supposed to be about. I turned it off 1 1/4 hour into the DVD - couldn't care less what happened to the characters. It seems people either hated or loved this one - I couldn't stand it. So far the worse movie I watched in 2007.

5 out of 5 stars Best Picture.......2007-07-01

I just watched this movie an hour ago. Obviously the folks who vote for the Oscars were incorrect. Well, consider the fact that Jennifer Hudson was voted out pretty early in American Idol. That was a precedent. I knew how good Hudson was back then. Well, at least Hudson deservedly has an Oscar now but the movie should have won Best Picture simply because it WAS.

As a biracial person, I love how this was a Black movie. The producer/director did not find the need to put in a white character that the wider/whiter audience could relate to. If the movie was released even 10 or 15 years ago that may have occurred.

The movie didn't need a white character because anyone can relate to the various themes that the movie covered: ambition, love, entrepreneurship, exploitation, drug use/abuse, family, hurt, pain, pregancy, welfare/unemployment, fame, racism, fatphobia/sizism and of course, music - from the chitlin' circuit through disco.

And Eddie Murphy. Unbelievable. I haven't been a fan of his for YEARS - since SNL circa early '80s - so I was stunned to see his performance. Wow, what a stroke of genius in casting Murphy in that role!

Jennifer Hudson's "And I Am Telling You" was incredible. It may wind up being a landmark in movie history just as we remember how Jennifer Holliday made the song famous in the Broadway version.

5 out of 5 stars And I am Tellin' You You are Going To LOVE this film!!!!.......2007-06-28

Our last Musical movie was the Phantom of the Opera.That one was spectacular, but this one will absolutely take your breath away. It's wide open sets, and absolutely lush voices will have you dancing in your underwear.
Henry Kreiger's amazing musical about three, well four girls, who have a dream is heartbreaking, and moving. The plot is not very rich on the surface, but like an ice cream cake. THe heart of the story is what really matters most.
Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce Knowles, and Anikki Nonni Rose Are astouding. They lay thier notes out better than anyone in the odern world of Motown. And as Jennifer said "Simon, YOU WERE WRONG." and actually,(and almost eriely) Her (Jennifer's) storie mirror's her character very well. And so does Beyonce's caracter.
Jamie Fox, and Eddie Murphie are both astounding. And the man who plays James Thunder Early's Producer (and later Effie's Helper) is wonderful and fatherly. The Language is abounding, but it is not overbearing, like in Black Hawk Down.
So I give a 857345793453 stars out of 5.
WONDERFUL BUY IT AND THE DELUXE CD AND DRTEAM ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

5 out of 5 stars A must see and own for any Supremes Fan.......2007-06-28

I have watched this movie 6 times, and never get tired or bored with it. The music/score is great, Jennifer Hudson shines, as does Beyonce and Eddie Murphy.
This is one of my favorite films ever.

2 out of 5 stars Expected More After All of the Hype.......2007-06-28

After all of the hype surrounding this movie before it even came to the theaters, I was expecting to be wowed. Instead I was sorely disappointed. I just wasn't feeling it the way that I felt movies like The Five Heartbeats, The Temptations, and Lady Sings The Blues. I watch these movies over and over. The acting in Dreamgirls was so-so. Jennifer Hudson did just okay, nothing spectacular. Beyonce did all right. Annika Rose is a very good singer and actress, but everybody seemed to be focused on Jennifer Hudson, because of the American Idol thing, and on Beyonce just because she is Beyonce. Out of all of the songs from Dreamgirls, I think that Beyonce's "Listen" is the best. I could listen to it over and over. I own Jennifer Holliday's CD, and I listen to her version of, "And I am Telling You I'm Not Going," but I doubt if I would listen to Jennifer Hudson's version over and over again. Not that I'm dissing Miss Hudson. She is a good singer, but just that...nothing spectacular. I've never seen the Broadway version of Dreamgirls, but I'm hoping that maybe it has more of an edge to it than the movie.
Dreamgirls (Widescreen Edition)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Two Hours of Screaming!
  • Best Picture
  • And I am Tellin' You You are Going To LOVE this film!!!!
  • A must see and own for any Supremes Fan
  • Expected More After All of the Hype
Dreamgirls (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Jamie Foxx , Eddie Murphy , Jennifer Hudson , and Beyoncé Knowles
Director: Bill Condon
Manufacturer: DreamWorks
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Musicals | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
Foxx, JamieFoxx, Jamie | ( F ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Murphy, EddieMurphy, Eddie | ( M ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Condon, BillCondon, Bill | ( C ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video
Used DVDsUsed DVDs | Stores | DVD | Video | Action & Adventure | African American Cinema | Animation | Anime & Manga | Art House & International | Classics | Comedy | Cult Movies | Documentary | Drama | Educational | Fitness & Yoga | Gay & Lesbian | Horror | Kids & Family | Military & War | Music Video & Concerts | Musicals & Performing Arts | Mystery & Suspense | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Special Interests | Sports | Television | Westerns
All ParamountAll Paramount | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
DramaDrama | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
DreamWorksDreamWorks | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:
  1. The Queen
  2. The Last King of Scotland (Widescreen Edition)
  3. The Pursuit of Happyness (Widescreen Edition)
  4. Blood Diamond (Two-Disc Special Edition)
  5. Night at the Museum (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000O1799U
Release Date: 2007-05-01

Amazon.com

The spirit of Motown runs through the long-awaited film adaption of the Broadway musical Dreamgirls, which centers around a young female singing trio who burst upon the music scene in the '60s, complete with bouffant hairdos, glitzy gowns, and a soul sound new to the white-bread American music charts. Sound familiar? You aren't the first one to draw comparisons to the meteoric rise of the Supremes, and despite any protests to the contrary, this is most definitely a thinly veiled reinterpretation of that success story. The Dreamettes--statuesque Deena (Beyonce Knowles), daffy Lorell (Anika Noni Rose) and brassy Effie (Jennifer Hudson)--are a girl group making the talent-show rounds when they're discovered by car salesman and aspiring music manager Curtis Taylor Jr. (Jamie Foxx). Sensing greatness (as well as a new marketing opportunity) Curtis signs the Dreamettes as backup singers for R&B star James "Thunder" Early (Eddie Murphy). But when Early's mercurial ways and singing style don't mesh with primarily white audiences, Curtis moves the newly-renamed Dreams to center stage--with Deena as lead singer in place of Effie. And that's not the only arena in which Effie is replaced, as Curtis abandons their love affair for a relationship with star-in-the-making Deena.

Besides the Supremes comparison, one can't talk about Dreamgirls now without revisiting its notorious Oscar snub; though it received eight nominations, the most for any film from 2006, it was shut out of the Best Picture and Director races entirely. Was the oversight justified? While Dreamgirls is certainly a handsomely mounted, lovingly executed and often vibrant film adaptation, it inspires more respect than passion, only getting under your skin during the musical numbers, which become more sporadic as the film goes on. Writer-director Bill Condon is definitely focused on recreating the Motown milieu (down to uncanny photographs of Knowles in full Diana Ross mode), he often forgets to flesh out his characters, who even on the Broadway stage were underwritten and relied on powerhouse performances to sell them to audiences. (Stage fans will also note that numerous songs are either truncated or dropped entirely from the film.) Condon has assembled a game cast, as Knowles does a canny riff on the essence of Diana Ross' glamour (as opposed to an all-out impersonation) and Rose makes a peripheral character surprisingly vibrant; only Foxx, who never gets to pour on the charisma, is miscast. Still, there are two things even the most cranky viewers will warm to in Dreamgirls: the performances of veteran Eddie Murphy and newcomer Jennifer Hudson. Murphy is all sly charm and dazzling energy as the devilish Early, who's part James Brown, part Little Richard, and all showman. And Hudson, an American Idol contestant who didn't even make the top three, makes an impressive debut as the larger-than-life Effie, whose voice matches her passions and stubbornness. Though she sometimes may seem too young for the role, Hudson nails the movie's signature song, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," with a breathtaking power that must be seen and heard to believe. And for those five minutes, if not more, you will be in Dreamgirls' thrall. --Mark Englehart

Beyond Dreamgirls

Other Musicals on DVD

More Motown on DVD

The Soundtrack

Stills from Dreamgirls (click for larger image)










Product Description

Director Bill Condon brings Tom Eyen's Tony award-winning Broadway musical to the big screen in a tale of dreams, stardom, and the high cost of success in the cutthroat recording industry. The time is the 1960s, and singers Effie (Jennifer Hudson), Lorrell (Anika Noni Rose), and Deena (Beyoncé Knowles) are about to find out just what it's like to have their wildest dreams come true. Discovered at a local talent show by ambitious manager Curtis Taylor Jr. (Jamie Foxx), the trio known as "the Dreamettes" is soon offered the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of opening for popular singer James "Thunder" Early (Eddie Murphy). Subsequently molded into an unstoppable hit machine by Taylor and propelled into the spotlight as "the Dreams," the girls quickly find their bid for the big time taking priority over personal friendship as Taylor edges out the ultra-talented Effie so that the more beautiful Deena can become the face of the group. Now, as the crossover act continues to dominate the airwaves, the small-town girls with big-city dreams slowly begin to realize that the true cost of fame may be higher than any of them ever anticipated.

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars Two Hours of Screaming!.......2007-07-05

This movie is terrible. I'm not surprised it made its way so fast to DVD - 2 hours of screaming - I don't call it singing. None of the songs had a melody, does not compare to Diana Ross and the Supremes, if this is what this story was supposed to be about. I turned it off 1 1/4 hour into the DVD - couldn't care less what happened to the characters. It seems people either hated or loved this one - I couldn't stand it. So far the worse movie I watched in 2007.

5 out of 5 stars Best Picture.......2007-07-01

I just watched this movie an hour ago. Obviously the folks who vote for the Oscars were incorrect. Well, consider the fact that Jennifer Hudson was voted out pretty early in American Idol. That was a precedent. I knew how good Hudson was back then. Well, at least Hudson deservedly has an Oscar now but the movie should have won Best Picture simply because it WAS.

As a biracial person, I love how this was a Black movie. The producer/director did not find the need to put in a white character that the wider/whiter audience could relate to. If the movie was released even 10 or 15 years ago that may have occurred.

The movie didn't need a white character because anyone can relate to the various themes that the movie covered: ambition, love, entrepreneurship, exploitation, drug use/abuse, family, hurt, pain, pregancy, welfare/unemployment, fame, racism, fatphobia/sizism and of course, music - from the chitlin' circuit through disco.

And Eddie Murphy. Unbelievable. I haven't been a fan of his for YEARS - since SNL circa early '80s - so I was stunned to see his performance. Wow, what a stroke of genius in casting Murphy in that role!

Jennifer Hudson's "And I Am Telling You" was incredible. It may wind up being a landmark in movie history just as we remember how Jennifer Holliday made the song famous in the Broadway version.

5 out of 5 stars And I am Tellin' You You are Going To LOVE this film!!!!.......2007-06-28

Our last Musical movie was the Phantom of the Opera.That one was spectacular, but this one will absolutely take your breath away. It's wide open sets, and absolutely lush voices will have you dancing in your underwear.
Henry Kreiger's amazing musical about three, well four girls, who have a dream is heartbreaking, and moving. The plot is not very rich on the surface, but like an ice cream cake. THe heart of the story is what really matters most.
Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce Knowles, and Anikki Nonni Rose Are astouding. They lay thier notes out better than anyone in the odern world of Motown. And as Jennifer said "Simon, YOU WERE WRONG." and actually,(and almost eriely) Her (Jennifer's) storie mirror's her character very well. And so does Beyonce's caracter.
Jamie Fox, and Eddie Murphie are both astounding. And the man who plays James Thunder Early's Producer (and later Effie's Helper) is wonderful and fatherly. The Language is abounding, but it is not overbearing, like in Black Hawk Down.
So I give a 857345793453 stars out of 5.
WONDERFUL BUY IT AND THE DELUXE CD AND DRTEAM ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

5 out of 5 stars A must see and own for any Supremes Fan.......2007-06-28

I have watched this movie 6 times, and never get tired or bored with it. The music/score is great, Jennifer Hudson shines, as does Beyonce and Eddie Murphy.
This is one of my favorite films ever.

2 out of 5 stars Expected More After All of the Hype.......2007-06-28

After all of the hype surrounding this movie before it even came to the theaters, I was expecting to be wowed. Instead I was sorely disappointed. I just wasn't feeling it the way that I felt movies like The Five Heartbeats, The Temptations, and Lady Sings The Blues. I watch these movies over and over. The acting in Dreamgirls was so-so. Jennifer Hudson did just okay, nothing spectacular. Beyonce did all right. Annika Rose is a very good singer and actress, but everybody seemed to be focused on Jennifer Hudson, because of the American Idol thing, and on Beyonce just because she is Beyonce. Out of all of the songs from Dreamgirls, I think that Beyonce's "Listen" is the best. I could listen to it over and over. I own Jennifer Holliday's CD, and I listen to her version of, "And I am Telling You I'm Not Going," but I doubt if I would listen to Jennifer Hudson's version over and over again. Not that I'm dissing Miss Hudson. She is a good singer, but just that...nothing spectacular. I've never seen the Broadway version of Dreamgirls, but I'm hoping that maybe it has more of an edge to it than the movie.
Babel
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Mish mush
  • Dry
  • Farce
  • The trouble with films like "Crash..."
  • It is not about communications, it is about stupidity
Babel
Starring: Brad Pitt , Cate Blanchett , Mohamed Akhzam , Peter Wight , and Harriet Walter
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
Blanchett, CateBlanchett, Cate | ( B ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Crowley, DermotCrowley, Dermot | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Maloney, MichaelMaloney, Michael | ( M ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Pitt, BradPitt, Brad | ( P ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Walter, HarrietWalter, Harriet | ( W ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Used DVDsUsed DVDs | Stores | DVD | Video | Action & Adventure | African American Cinema | Animation | Anime & Manga | Art House & International | Classics | Comedy | Cult Movies | Documentary | Drama | Educational | Fitness & Yoga | Gay & Lesbian | Horror | Kids & Family | Military & War | Music Video & Concerts | Musicals & Performing Arts | Mystery & Suspense | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Special Interests | Sports | Television | Westerns
All ParamountAll Paramount | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
DramaDrama | Paramount Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
González Iñárritu, AlejandroGonzález Iñárritu, Alejandro | ( G ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video
DVDs Under $7.49DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
( B )( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:
  1. The Departed (Two-Disc Special Edition)
  2. Blood Diamond (Two-Disc Special Edition)
  3. Flags of Our Fathers (Widescreen Edition)
  4. Casino Royale (2-Disc Widescreen Edition)
  5. The Good Shepherd (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000MCH5P4
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Amazon.com

Brilliantly conceived, superbly directed, and beautifully acted, Babel is inarguably one of the best films of 2006. Director Alejandro González Iñárritu and his co-writer, Guillermo Arriaga (the two also collaborated on Amores Perros and 21 Grams) weave together the disparate strands of their story into a finely hewn fabric by focusing on what appear to be several equally incongruent characters: an American (Brad Pitt) touring Morocco with his wife (Cate Blanchett) become the focus of an international incident also involving a hardscrabble Moroccan farmer (Mustapha Rachidi) struggling to keep his two young sons in line and his family together. A San Diego nanny (Adriana Barraza), her employers absent, makes the disastrous decision to take their kids with her to a wedding in Mexico. And a deaf-mute Japanese teen (the extraordinary Rinko Kikuchi) deals with a relationship with her father (Koji Yakusho) and the world in general that's been upended by the death of her mother. It is perhaps not surprising, or particularly original, that a gun is the device that ties these people together. Yet Babel isn't merely about violence and its tragic consequences. It's about communication, and especially the lack of it--both intercultural, raising issues like terrorism and immigration, and intracultural, as basic as husbands talking to their wives and parents understanding their children. Iñárritu's command of his medium, sound and visual alike, is extraordinary; the camera work is by turns kinetic and restrained, the music always well matched to the scenes, the editing deft but not confusing, and the film (which clocks in at a lengthy 143 minutes) is filled with indelible moments. Many of those moments are also pretty stark and grim, and no will claim that all of this leads to a "happy" ending, but there is a sense of reconciliation, perhaps even resolution. "If You Want to be Understood... Listen," goes the tagline. And if you want a movie that will leave you thinking, Babel is it. --Sam Graham

Beyond Babel

Other Interweaving Storylines on DVD

Other DVDs by Director Alejandro González Iñárritu

Why We Love Cate Blanchett

Stills from Babel (click for larger image)







Product Description

In Babel, a tragic incident involving an American couple in Morocco sparks a chain of events for four families in different countries throughout the world. In the struggle to overcome isolation, fear, and displacement, each character discovers that it is family that ultimately provides solace.

In the remote sands of the Moroccan desert, a rifle shot rings out-- detonating a chain of events that will link an American tourist couple's frantic struggle to survive, two Moroccan boys involved in an accidental crime, a nanny illegally crossing into Mexico with two American children, and a Japanese teen rebel whose father is sought by the police in Tokyo. Separated by clashing cultures and sprawling distances, each of these four disparate groups of people are nevertheless hurtling towards a shared destiny of isolation and grief. In the course of just a few days, they will each face the dizzying sensation of becoming profoundly lost - lost in the desert, lost to the world, lost to themselves - as they are pushed to the farthest edges of confusion and fear as well as to the very depths of connection and love.

In this mesmerizing, emotional film that was shot in three continents and four languages - and traverses both the deeply personal and the explosively political -- acclaimed director Alejandro González Iñárritu (21 Grams, Amores Perros) explores with shattering realism the nature of the barriers that seem to separate humankind. In doing so, he evokes the ancient concept of Babel and questions its modern day implications: the mistaken identities, misunderstandings and missed chances for communication that-- though often unseen-- drive our contemporary lives. Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Gael García Bernal, Kôji Yakusho, Adriana Barraza and Rinko Kikuchi lead an international ensemble of actors and non-professional actors from Morocco, Tijuana and Tokyo, who enrich Babel's take on cultural diversity and enhance its powerful examination of the links and frontiers between and within us.

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Mish mush.......2007-06-29

There are several different stories here only slightly related dealing with several different families in separate countries. Nothing that went into a whole. Some of the individual stories were touching. I particularly liked the Moroccan boys story. However overall it left me wondering what is the point of the story.

The acting is above average. Not surprising as it has some good actors. The filming is good.


1 out of 5 stars Dry.......2007-06-26

Brad Pitt must be hard up for some money. Angelina's new kids must be costing him a fortune because this is the worst role he has ever taken. I think he's a great actor, love almost all of his other movies, but this one??? I'm not sure where to begin because, frankly I'm not sure what the story was about. Some lady, his wife or girlfriend, gets shot on a bus in Morroco or some place like that. Then some Mexicans try smuggling Brad Pitt and his lady friends children into Mexico... Border guards thought it was fishy that a couple of Mexicans were cruising around with some white kids so they busted the Mexicans and left the children to rot in the desert. Let's see... what else happened that made some sort of sense... This Mexican or Arabian fellow bought an illegal rifle and let his sons use it. They decided to use it to shoot at a bus, subsequently shooting Brad Pitts lady friend. And here's the kicker: a Japanese chick who was deaf gets naked for absolutely no reason! They show her at the club eaten some drugs, and next thing you know she's in some swank Tokyo condo gettin naked. I think that scene is what the whole movie was about and definitely worth the one star I gave it.

3 out of 5 stars Farce.......2007-06-20

Let me start by saying that I really like this movie a lot. I think the point is very clearly stated in the preview, but not in the movie itself, although it's clear from watching the movie. The communication barriers we all deal with, and our prejudices against one another affect our lives, and make life hard, and painful, where there does not have to be any pain, or misunderstanding.
Cate Blanchett is a phenomenal actress, and does an outstanding job here, as the wife of Brad Pitt who gets shot in Morocco while riding on a bus. She is shot by two young boys, playing with a gun, and terroristic sirens sound off throughout the world. There are some other events happening in the movie too, with their children, and the original owner of the gun who is in China. Somehow they are all intertwined which makes for a compelling story. Each having their own struggles and issues, and communication related barrier. The original owner of the rifle has a deaf-mute daughter he has trouble communicating with after her mother commits suicide. Very well done, except one major complaint.
There are some very sexually explicit scenes involving children that were pretty much unessecary in making this a great movie. I personally, think it's tragic for people to accept having scenes like this in movies, that make it somehow acceptable. It's not ground breaking, it's just violating. And, I always thinks it's a bit of a farce when this is included in a movie that otherwise would be phenomenal on it's own merit. It just seems like a weak way to include some "shock" factor, when it's not needed, and dumbs down the movie. I could care less to see that, and didn't understand it's place in the movie, except to push the envelope. That could have been done in more valuable ways. Hence, why my rating is only a 3. But, otherwise, the storyline is great, and very interesting. I like movies that have a lot of moving parts, and stories happening in many places. Definitely one you should not miss.

1 out of 5 stars The trouble with films like "Crash...".......2007-06-17

The film industry sees a success and realizes this is potentially a gold mine for more similar stories. Of course, they've got to add a twist--in this case, more languages, more locales and more cultures. As in the old saw: too many cooks spoil the soup, too many languages and locales spoil the story.

And--while there is always going to be a character or two who doesn't think in a movie, this one was riddled with folks who could have prevented their mishaps with just a little bit of common sense:

why would parents leave their kids in the care of a nanny who clearly isn't up to the task? I don't have children, but if I did, and I could afford a nanny, that person would be able to communicate and think much better than their employee

why would the illegal nanny take two American kids across the border?

why would the American couple go to a Muslim country, which is hostile where they spoke none of the language?

why would anyone let an intoxicated person drive--particularly at an international border?

One person's blunder can make an interesting plot device. Two people's blunder starts on comedy. Three? I can only shake my head so long at a movie before I am ready to give up. I made it to the end, but honestly I didn't think it was worth it. Very glad this was only a rental.

3 out of 5 stars It is not about communications, it is about stupidity.......2007-06-17

I really cannot appreciate how this film is being portrayed by movie critics as a drama about human miscommunications. In my opinion, it is about human stupidity, period.

For example,

1) After September 11, it is stupid to take vacation in Muslim country, where the locals may be hostile. Like it or not, US heavy-handed tactics in punishing the terrorists did create a lot of enemies in the Muslim world.

2) It is stupid for an illegal aliens working in the United States to cross the border. I cannot imagine how the nanny can return to the States without any identification.

3) It is stupid to let her nephew Santiago drive since he is apparently intoxicated.

But the movie did remind us one thing: i.e. in this post 911 world, if an institution/administration/government/individual is being labeled by the U.S. government as terrorists (with or without evidence), you are going to be in big trouble.

Three stars for this timely reminder.



3) It is stupid to let her nehphew Santigao drive since he is apparently intoxicated.


Jurassic Park Adventure Pack (Jurassic Park/ The Lost World: Jurassic Park/ Jurassic Park III)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Good deal
  • Beautiful package
  • Dinosaur lovers unite!
  • THRILL RIDES GALORE !!!
  • Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park Adventure Pack (Jurassic Park/ The Lost World: Jurassic Park/ Jurassic Park III)
Starring: Rona Benson , Blake Michael Bryan , Laura Dern , John Diehl , and Bruce French
Director: Joe Johnston
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video
Dern, LauraDern, Laura | ( D ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Diehl, JohnDiehl, John | ( D ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
French, BruceFrench, Bruce | ( F ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Jeter, MichaelJeter, Michael | ( J ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Macy, William HMacy, William H | ( M ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Morgan, TrevorMorgan, Trevor | ( M ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Neill, SamNeill, Sam | ( N ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Nichols, TaylorNichols, Taylor | ( N ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Nivola, AlessandroNivola, Alessandro | ( N ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Young, Bruce AYoung, Bruce A | ( Y ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Johnston, JoeJohnston, Joe | ( J ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video
Action & AdventureAction & Adventure | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video
Sci-Fi & FantasySci-Fi & Fantasy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video
HorrorHorror | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video
Used DVDsUsed DVDs | Stores | DVD | Video | Action & Adventure | African American Cinema | Animation | Anime & Manga | Art House & International | Classics | Comedy | Cult Movies | Documentary | Drama | Educational | Fitness & Yoga | Gay & Lesbian | Horror | Kids & Family | Military & War | Music Video & Concerts | Musicals & Performing Arts | Mystery & Suspense | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Special Interests | Sports | Television | Westerns
All Universal Studios TitlesAll Universal Studios Titles | Universal Studios Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
Action & AdventureAction & Adventure | Universal Studios Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
Science Fiction & FantasyScience Fiction & Fantasy | Universal Studios Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
Boxed SetsBoxed Sets | Universal Studios Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
Value PacksValue Packs | Universal Studios Home Entertainment | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
( J )( J ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:
  1. The Mummy Collector's Set (The Mummy (1999)/ The Mummy Returns/ The Scorpion King)
  2. The Adventures of Indiana Jones - The Complete DVD Movie Collection (Widescreen Edition)
  3. Independence Day (Limited Edition)
  4. Tremors Attack Pack (Tremors/ Tremors 2 - Aftershocks/ Tremors 3 - Back to Perfection/ Tremors 4 - The Legend Begins)
  5. Back to the Future - The Complete Trilogy (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000BCE918
Release Date: 2005-11-29

Amazon.com

Jurassic Park
Steven Spielberg's 1993 mega-hit rivals Jaws as the most intense and frightening film he'd ever made prior to Schindler's List, but it was also among his weakest stories. Based on Michael Crichton's novel about an island amusement park populated by cloned dinosaurs, the film works best as a thrill ride with none of the interesting human dynamics of Spielberg's Jaws. That lapse proves unfortunate, but there's no shortage of raw terror as a rampaging T-rex and nasty raptors try to make fast food out of the cast. The effects are still astonishing (despite the fact that the computer-generated technology has since been improved upon) and at times primeval, such as the sight of a herd of whatever-they-are scampering through a valley. --Tom Keogh

The Lost World - Jurassic Park
In the low tradition of knockoff horror flicks best seen (or not seen) on a drive-in movie screen, Steven Spielberg's sequel to Jurassic Park is a poorly conceived, ill-organized film that lacks story and logic. Screenwriter David Koepp strings along a number of loose ideas while Jeff Goldblum returns as Ian Malcolm, the quirky chaos theoretician who now reluctantly agrees to go to another island where cloned dinosaurs are roaming freely. Along with his girlfriend (Julianne Moore) and daughter, Malcolm has to deal with hunters, environmentalists, and corporate swine who stupidly bring back a big dino to Southern California, where it runs amok, of course. Spielberg doesn't seem to care that the pieces of this project don't add up to a real movie, so he hams it up with big, scary moments (with none of the artfulness of those in Jurassic Park) and smart-aleck visual gags (a yapping dog in a suburb mysteriously disappears when a hungry T-rex stomps by). A complete bust.--Tom Keogh

Jurassic Park III
Surpassing expectations to qualify as an above-average sequel, Jurassic Park III is nothing more or less than a satisfying popcorn adventure. A little cheesier than the first two Jurassic blockbusters, it's a big B movie with big B-list stars (including Laura Dern, briefly reprising her Jurassic Park role), and eight years of advancing computer-generated-image technology give it a sharp edge over its predecessors. While adopting the jungle spirit of King Kong, the movie refines Michael Crichton's original premise, and its dinosaurs are even more realistic, their behavior more detailed, and their variety--including flying pteranodons and a new villain, the spinosaurus--more dazzling and threatening than ever. These advancements justify the sequel, and its contrived plot is just clever enough to span 90 minutes without wearing out its welcome.

Posing as wealthy tourists, an adventurous couple (William H. Macy, Téa Leoni) convince paleontologist Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and his protégé (Allesandro Nivola) to act as tour guides on a flyover trip to Isla Sorna, the ill-fated "Site B" where all hell broke loose in The Lost World: Jurassic Park. In truth, they're on a search-and-rescue mission to find their missing son (Trevor Morgan), and their plane crash is just the first of several enjoyably suspenseful sequences. Director Joe Johnston (October Sky) embraces the formulaic plot as a series of atmospheric set pieces, placing new and familiar dinosaurs in misty rainforests, fiery lakes, and mysterious valleys, turning JP3 into a thrill ride with impressive highlights (including a T. rex versus spinosaurus smack-down), adequate doses of wry humor (from the cowriters of Election), and an upbeat ending that's corny but appropriate, proving that the symptoms of sequelitis needn't be fatal. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Good deal.......2007-06-27

Great fun to watch again these 3 great movies with my daughter. Very good presentation for a good price. Great value.

5 out of 5 stars Beautiful package.......2007-06-27

Jurassic Park is a great movie, no doubt about it. And this package is also great... It's very well made, and opens up revealing beautiful images.
The second movie (The Lost World) is boring and it doesn't get near the first.
Jurassic Park III is another great one... It isn't better than the first, but it's way better than the second.
And the many extras that comes within the discs are good too.

I think that the only fault of this box set is the lack of english subtitles. There's english closed captions only.

5 out of 5 stars Dinosaur lovers unite!.......2007-06-15

When the first Jurassic Park movie came out I fell in love with the brachiosaur "Welcome to Jurassic Park" scene and have been hooked ever since. To have the three movies in a set and the additional footage is just a pleasure. True the plot of the second movie (The Lost World) is not in the same league with that first vision, but the dinosaurs are so great that it is still fun. The third movie, however, is much closer to the first in quality and almost equally entertaining, thanks in part to the acting skills of William H. Macy.

It is the dinosaurs, however, that star in this trilogy. It is amazing to me how the well the special efffects have held up! Definitely worth the cost of the DVDs. Dinosaur lovers unite and ENJOY!

5 out of 5 stars THRILL RIDES GALORE !!!.......2007-06-13

I have been a nut for Dinosaur movies since I was a kid and they were shown on a square screen in black & white in theatres. "The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms" was the greatest of its time and now here I get to see these three magnificant movies in my living room ! I saw these at the theater and I have to brag that my sourround is better ! The movies are sharp, colorful and the sound is wonderful!!! Dinos tramping all over the place !!! Oh by the way the EXTRAS are superb!! I love seeing these guys loving what they are doing and it shows in the movies! Its amazing how they make this stuff work! What a great job!!! Delightful, and entertaining fantasy fun for the kid in all of us!!! GET THE POPCORN!!!!

5 out of 5 stars Jurassic Park.......2007-05-12

Love this have never been able to see all three together..
Your kids will love it, spell binding
The Nativity Story
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • More than a story
  • DVD The Nativity Story
  • It's Like a Documentary
  • Blessed... to have seen this movie:)
  • the Nativity Story
The Nativity Story
Starring: Keisha Castle-Hughes , Oscar Isaac , Hiam Abbass , Shaun Toub , and Ciarán Hinds
Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Religion & Spirituality | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Christian DVD | Religion & Spirituality | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video
JesusJesus | Christian DVD | Religion & Spirituality | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video
Feature FilmsFeature Films | Christian DVD | Religion & Spirituality | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video
Toub, ShaunToub, Shaun | ( T ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Used DVDsUsed DVDs | Stores | DVD | Video | Action & Adventure | African American Cinema | Animation | Anime & Manga | Art House & International | Classics | Comedy | Cult Movies | Documentary | Drama | Educational | Fitness & Yoga | Gay & Lesbian | Horror | Kids & Family | Military & War | Music Video & Concerts | Musicals & Performing Arts | Mystery & Suspense | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Special Interests | Sports | Television | Westerns
DVDs Under $7.49DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
( N )( N ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:
  1. One Night With the King
  2. Facing the Giants (Widescreen)
  3. Happy Feet (Full Screen Edition)
  4. The Pursuit of Happyness (Widescreen Edition)
  5. Charlotte's Web (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000MGBM1I
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Amazon.com

The Nativity Story is a remarkable, if frustratingly restrained, act of imagining the tale of Christ's birth as a flesh-and-blood drama actually set in Israel two millenia ago. Written by Mike Rich (Finding Forrester) and directed by Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen), the film makes very strong impressions in a scene-by-scene way. Beginning with the slaughter (bloodlessly portrayed; this is a PG movie) of Bethlehem's innocents under orders from a paranoid King Herod (a dark and knowing Ciarán Hinds), the film then jumps back a year to the prophecy that informs Zechariah (Stanley Townsend) that his wife, Elizabeth (Shohreh Aghdashloo), will bear a child. Meanwhile, Elizabeth's cousin, the adolescent Mary (Keisha Castle-Hughes), struggles with her family to make ends meet and is promised to the carpenter Joseph (Oscar Isaac). Soon comes word to Mary, via an angel, that she will carry, while still a virgin, the long-awaited Messiah who will liberate the Jews from Herod and his Roman benefactors. Thus begins a detailed account of Joseph and Mary's hard travel to Bethlehem, while three Magi spend months crossing the desert trying to rendezvous with some point below the convergence of three heavenly bodies in the night sky. Hardwicke and Rich anchor all this in period detail, though what proves most moving are relationship nuances, especially the friendship and trust that emerge between Mary and Joseph after he is told in a dream that she speaks truthfully about her miraculous pregnancy. While The Nativity Story should appeal to almost anyone as a straightforward narrative, it is far from a secular version of the familiar Biblical tale, and thus feels a bit stifled. It might have been nice if the film could have breathed a little more with imagination, but The Nativity Story makes up for it by ingeniously weaving hints of things to come, later in Christ's life, into the action. --Tom Keogh

Description

It was the cruelest of times. Under Herod's torturous reign, families struggled to survive and yet, in the midst of utter turmoil, a young woman's faith is put to the test. Join Mary (Keisha Castle-Hughes) and Joseph (Oscar Isaac) on an incredible journey of hope and discovery. Epic in its scope, yet intimate in it's portrayal of this historical family, this "wonderful film" (Bill Zwecker, Chicago Sun Times) is "a family feature that will be cherished for years to come!" (Greg Russell, WMYD-TV, Detroit).

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars More than a story.......2007-07-05

I bought this for my daughter and her Pastor husband as a gift for the birth of their son. They watched it together after she got home from the hospital and THEY LOVED IT.

It is predominantly biblically accurate except that the script basically gives an account of the events occurring in 1 year which is why it is probably titled a "story". However, the acting and the production details are wonderful. It brings to mind the question, if you believe the account of Jesus' birth what are you doing about it in your life?

My daughter and I both fell in love with Joseph who appears always in the background in the Bible but you truly realize now how he would have been a great man. Kind, compassionate, a selfless giver, a strong leader and protector, loyal, filled with honor and integrity and a great teacher. Wow! You see he and Mary's relationship truly blossom while he and Mary are traveling that hundred miles over that rugged terrain. How many men would make that journey and take care of a girl who was not carrying his child? It's beautiful to see how these two people trusted God and are obedient to him.

With regard to children viewing, for those of you who actually monitor what your children see, the issues of Herod's slaughter of the Innocents can be bypassed (there are two). Herod and his son are played to perfection, as well as Elizabeth and Mary's parents.

And yes, I know all about the controversy over Keisha Castle-Hughes' out of wedlock pregnancy, but you know what ... I am not to judge.

Wish there were more movies like this!

5 out of 5 stars DVD The Nativity Story.......2007-07-03

Saw this movie in the theatre, and it is the best rendition of the story of Jesus parents, and the events surrounding his birth---that I've ever seen. I bought a copy and had it sent to my God son---it is so good.

4 out of 5 stars It's Like a Documentary.......2007-06-19

I know it's entertainment but it plays like a documentary, in a good way. This movie really takes you there; about the most authentic I've seen. I even loaned it to some folks who lived in Israel and they thought the same thing. If you've never been to the Holy Land but want to experience Christ's birth first hand, watch this movie. Very well done and good acting. Done with respect to the subject and the audience.

5 out of 5 stars Blessed... to have seen this movie:).......2007-06-13

This movie is wonderful. From the very beginning you are captivated. The scenery, the struggles, the hardships and the characters touch us profoundly. Seeing Christ as a tiny baby, awes us. Goosebumps and tears overwhelmed me throughout this movie. A bit of humour, surprisingly enough, has also been incorporated. For example, when the Three Wise Men meet in the desert and one makes a comical remark. Their companionship is very believable. Hope and faith combine, to guide the characters , through their nearly impossible journey.

5 out of 5 stars the Nativity Story.......2007-06-08

A wonderfully made film showing the birth of Christ so realistic! the scenes are beautiful and so authentic! Thanks for this great Christian film.
Gone with the Wind (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Gone With the Wind
  • Four-Disc Collector's Edition Gives New Luster to Selznick's masterpiece...
  • THE GREATEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME!!!
  • The best movie of all times
  • Gone with the Wind DVD must have set
Gone with the Wind (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Everett Brown , Fred Crane , Clark Gable , Howard C. Hickman , and Leslie Howard
Director: Cukor, George , and Fleming, Victor
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
ClassicsClassics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
Women During WartimeWomen During Wartime | By Theme | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video
War EpicsWar Epics | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video
Crane, FredCrane, Fred | ( C ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Gable, ClarkGable, Clark | ( G ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Havilland, Olivia DeHavilland, Olivia De | ( H ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Howard, LeslieHoward, Leslie | ( H ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Jory, VictorJory, Victor | ( J ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Keyes, EvelynKeyes, Evelyn | ( K ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Leigh, VivienLeigh, Vivien | ( L ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
McDaniel, HattieMcDaniel, Hattie | ( M ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
McQueen, ButterflyMcQueen, Butterfly | ( M ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Mitchell, ThomasMitchell, Thomas | ( M ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
O'Neil, BarbaraO'Neil, Barbara | ( O ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Polk, OscarPolk, Oscar | ( P ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Reeves, GeorgeReeves, George | ( R ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Rutherford, AnnRutherford, Ann | ( R ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Cukor, GeorgeCukor, George | ( C ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video
Fleming, VictorFleming, Victor | ( F ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video
DramaDrama | Warner Home Video | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
All TitlesAll Titles | Warner Home Video | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
DVDs Under $15DVDs Under $15 | Warner Home Video | Studio Specials | Stores | DVD | Video
Used DVDsUsed DVDs | Stores | DVD | Video | Action & Adventure | African American Cinema | Animation | Anime & Manga | Art House & International | Classics | Comedy | Cult Movies | Documentary | Drama | Educational | Fitness & Yoga | Gay & Lesbian | Horror | Kids & Family | Military & War | Music Video & Concerts | Musicals & Performing Arts | Mystery & Suspense | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Special Interests | Sports | Television | Westerns
DVDs Under $14.99DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
( G )( G ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Special EditionsSpecial Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Two-Disc Special EditionsTwo-Disc Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:
  1. Casablanca
  2. My Fair Lady
  3. The Wizard of Oz (Two-Disc Special Edition)
  4. The Sound of Music (Two-Disc 40th Anniversary Special Edition)
  5. Citizen Kane

ASIN: B000BYA4LA
Release Date: 2006-01-31

Amazon.com essential video

David O. Selznick wanted Gone with the Wind to be somehow more than a movie, a film that would broaden the very idea of what a film could be and do and look like. In many respects he got what he worked so hard to achieve in this 1939 epic (and all-time box-office champ in terms of tickets sold), and in some respects he fell far short of the goal. While the first half of this Civil War drama is taut and suspenseful and nostalgic, the second is ramshackle and arbitrary. But there's no question that the film is an enormous achievement in terms of its every resource--art direction, color, sound, cinematography--being pushed to new limits for the greater glory of telling an American story as fully as possible. Vivien Leigh is still magnificently narcissistic, Olivia de Havilland angelic and lovely, Leslie Howard reckless and aristocratic. As for Clark Gable: we're talking one of the most vital, masculine performances ever committed to film. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Gone With the Wind.......2007-06-20

One of the world's most cherished and enduring pictures, "Wind" was birthed in the mind of novelist Margaret Mitchell and incubated by the brilliant, obsessive David O. Selznick, who spared no expense in bringing this powerful, affecting story to the big screen. The ultra-lavish production features ornate costumes and art design, jaw-dropping set pieces and historical sequences (especially the burning of Atlanta, for which a Hollywood set was torched), all wrapped around the story of a resourceful, if not likable, heroine. Leigh plays the self-absorbed Scarlett to perfection, while Gable's Rhett is devilishly suave and fiercely masculine. Grand studio filmmaking at its aristocratic best, Selznick's brainchild nabbed an armload of Oscars, including Best Picture.

5 out of 5 stars Four-Disc Collector's Edition Gives New Luster to Selznick's masterpiece..........2007-06-08

Just as Margaret Mitchell's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel was one of the most readable works ever written, so is David O. Selznick's production one of the most watchable films of all time. Something is happening every moment--and all of the characters relate to each other in fascinating ways only apparent after repeated viewings. It's the kind of movie that transports you to a time and place that may not have existed except in the mind of its Southern author--and yet, whatever historical inaccuracies are presented here--it's a remarkable achievement and has rightly become a part of American folklore and culture.

No other film has so many memorable "quotes" from a large cast of characters--and at the centerpiece is Vivien Leigh's striking performance as the willful Southern belle. Others around her are equally impressive, down to the smallest character roles--everyone has their moment of glory with the only weakness being the casting of Leslie Howard as Ashley Wilkes. Otherwise, the casting is perfect--Clark Gable, Olivia de Havilland, Thomas Mitchell, Barbara O'Neil, Evelyn Keyes, Harry Davenport, Jane Darwell, Victor Jory, Ann Rutherford, Rand Brooks, Ona Munson--and the wonderful Hattie McDaniel giving the most genuine display of emotion in the whole film with her "staircase scene" with Melanie when she tells Scarlett's friend what Rhett has said and done after Bonnie's death.

All of the sets, costumes, art direction and photography are of the highest order. William Cameron Menzie's production design is superb (he storyboarded the whole concept of what the scenes should look like with beautiful watercolor paintings). The one film above all others that shows what Hollywood's expertise could do with a gigantic novel when transferring it to the screen.

Much of the dialog is witty and pointed with some of the best lines delivered in mocking style by Clark Gable. An abundant amount of humor and sharp observations about human nature are present in the script. No wonder it's still the most beloved American movie of all time--not just here in the U.S. but elsewhere in the international market. It was an instant classic and still remains one, richly deserving all eight of the Oscars it won, as well as the Irving G. Thalberg Award for David O. Selznick.

Selznick would have been proud of what the Ultra-Resolution process has been able to achieve in the new 4-Disc version. Image clarity has never been as fully realized before and makes the viewing an even richer movie-going experience for today's viewers. Highly recommended.

"The Making of a Legend" is included, one of the best documentaries ever filmed about a feature film that was an instant classic with critics and public, and the "Melanie Remembers" feature gives Olivia de Havilland the chance to recall why making the film remains one of her favorite memories.

5 out of 5 stars THE GREATEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME!!!.......2007-06-03

This is the Greatest Movie of all time because all aspects of the movie were carefully and painstakingly crafted with such precision and agility. The story is a classic and the cinematography is superb. The lighting is dream-like and the delivery of acting compliments the era that was showcased. There will never be a production such as this. Clark Gable is at his prime as the dashing Leading Man. Vivian Leigh steals all scenes and it is no wonder that she won the Academy Award for this picture. George Reeves plays one of the twins in the very early part of the movie. He is Super! This movie was well- directed and produced. It has endured the test of time. Frankly, my Dear ...You will give a Damn about this Classic. Pick it up today!

Noel Serrano

5 out of 5 stars The best movie of all times.......2007-05-17

This 4 DVD set is a must to own for those who like this probably the best movie ever made.

5 out of 5 stars Gone with the Wind DVD must have set.......2007-05-14

I never get tired of this movie. And the four disc set is really nice. I consider it a must for my DVD collection.
Dreamgirls (Full Screen Edition)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Two Hours of Screaming!
  • Best Picture
  • And I am Tellin' You You are Going To LOVE this film!!!!
  • A must see and own for any Supremes Fan
  • Expected More After All of the Hype
Dreamgirls (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Jamie Foxx , Beyoncé Knowles , Eddie Murphy , and Jennifer Hudson
Director: Bill Condon
Manufacturer: DreamWorks
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

GeneralGeneral | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
GeneralGeneral | Musicals | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video
Foxx, JamieFoxx, Jamie | ( F ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Murphy, EddieMurphy, Eddie | ( M ) | Actors & Actresses | Stores | DVD | Video
Condon, BillCondon, Bill | ( C ) | Directors | Stores | DVD | Video