Hilary & Jackie

Starring:Emily Watson, Rachel Griffiths, James Frain, David Morrissey, Charles Dance, Celia Imrie, Rupert Penry-Jones, Bill Paterson, Auriol Evans, Keeley Flanders, Grace Chatto, Nyree Dawn Porter, Maggie McCarthy, Vernon Dobtcheff, Anthony Smee, Delia Lindsay, Linda Spurrier, Nick Haverson, Kika Mirylees, Robert Rietty
Director: Anand Tucker
Studio: Universal Studios
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
It earned Oscar nods, yet this cinematic look at a genius--that of English cellist Jacqueline du Pré, who enraptured audiences with her bold, emblazoned, and wholly unconventional playing style, and who died at age 42--was criticized for its "lapses" in truth by people who purportedly knew du Pré. Some of the controversy revolved around the other main character in Anand Tucker's gorgeous, involving movie--du Pré's sister, Hilary, whose book, A Genius in the Family (cowritten with brother Piers), dished some dirt on Jackie's sleeping with Hilary's husband. But don't let that deter you from this ebullient movie experience. The film is a bisected story (each sister's tale is told in the same amount of screen time) teeming with heartfelt drama that belies the cheap shots it received from its detractors. It's stirring, reckless, loving, involving, and rife with unconventional passion; passion for music, life, art, and the delicate relationship between these two synchronous, extraordinary sisters as played by brilliant actors Emily Watson and Rachel Griffiths (both of whom earned Oscar nods). Though Watson got the juicy, showy role as Jackie, it's Griffiths who provides the heart, soul, and spine of the film. And director Tucker has that gift of being able to explain through the visual medium what is happening inside of his character's heads. He's helped by a fine screenplay by Frank Boyce Cottrell. No matter what the truth of Hilary and Jackie might really be, this is an exceptional, rare film that is defined and graced by fine acting and writing. --Paula Nechak

Freedom Writers (Full Screen Edition)
Average customer rating:

Teaching is (or at least should be) a "Wonderful Burden"

Every student should view this movie!

Thought Provoking

Been there done that

Young, entertaining & thought provoking!

Freedom Writers (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Hilary Swank , Patrick Dempsey , Scott Glenn , Imelda Staunton , and April L. Hernandez
Director: Richard LaGravenese
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000NOK1KM
Release Date: 2007-04-17

Amazon.com

Though the "inspirational teacher" theme may feel done to death, Freedom Writers succeeds because it emphasizes the students as much as the teacher. Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby, Boys Don't Cry) comes to a southern California high school bubbling over with naive optimism, but quickly discovers that her unruly classroom isn't easily won over by her good intentions. After a few floundering attempts to connect with her students, Gruwell gives them the assignment of keeping journals about their own lives--an assignment that the class bites into with relish, which eventually bonds them together and pushes racial rivalries aside. This plotline has been made before, sometimes well, sometimes poorly; Freedom Writers, by drawing heavily from the published journals of the students--and thanks to a (mostly) unheroic script, direction that emphasizes individual characters over stereotypes, and rigorous performances from the whole cast--makes the story seem fresh and genuine. Swank does solid work, but the standouts are April L. Hernandez as a girl whose gang wants her to lie and send an innocent boy to jail and Imelda Staunton (Vera Drake) as a teacher who resents Gruwell's offbeat success. Also featuring Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy), Scott Glenn (The Right Stuff), and a plethora of strong young actors. --Bret Fetzer

Beyond Freedom Writers

More Inspirational Teacher Films on DVD
The Freedom Writers Diary
by Erin Gruwell
More DVDs Starring Hilary Swank

Stills from Freedom Writers (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

Teaching is (or at least should be) a "Wonderful Burden".......2007-07-01

Although there is a certain political agenda poured on this film, it can all be forgiven due to its one unique message. Teaching is a calling, not a career. And although there are certain merits in the arguments of the antagonist in the story, about the need to be fair to students who want to learn and succeed, a true master teacher knows that differences are made one student at a time, and as a master teacher taught me in a class on teaching; "They don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care."

So I feel this is an inspiring film for teachers, and would be teachers, in every endeavor, or as the film states, those "blessed with a wonderful burden"

Every student should view this movie!.......2007-06-27

This was an awesome movie! My High School students enjoyed it so much that many of them went out and rented it so that they could view it a second or third time. They have requested to read the "Freedom Writers Diary this next year. Several have been inspired to write their own stories and these are learning disabled kids that hate to read and write.

Thought Provoking.......2007-06-27

I rented this movie the day it was released on DVD, then had to buy it & have already watched in twice more. A powerful movie that represents so many of our youth that are too often forgotten, or considered failed w/o any chances/hope. Definate food for thought & a must see for everyone.

Been there done that.......2007-06-27

There is NOTHING original about this movie. It has been done before and better (Dangerous Minds & Stand and Deliver). It's portrial of the inner city students is watered down and the acting is nothing special. I would not even suggest catching this one on HBO for free.

Young, entertaining & thought provoking!.......2007-06-23

If you like the movie Paying it Forward, you will like this movie. This movie is a must see, for it is not only entertaining but most importantly it is thought provoking. See the Freedom Writers movie, it is reminiscent of a dream that a great man had many years ago. He dreamt that all men lived like brothers. Be encouraged to try and make a difference!At My Father's Knee

Average customer rating:

Teaching is (or at least should be) a "Wonderful Burden"
Every student should view this movie!
Thought Provoking
Been there done that
Young, entertaining & thought provoking!

Freedom Writers (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Hilary Swank , Patrick Dempsey , Scott Glenn , Imelda Staunton , and April L. Hernandez
Director: Richard LaGravenese
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
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Deja Vu
Dreamgirls (Two-Disc Showstopper Edition)
The Good Shepherd (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000NOK1KC
Release Date: 2007-04-17

Amazon.com

Beyond Freedom Writers

More Inspirational Teacher Films on DVD
The Freedom Writers Diary
by Erin Gruwell
More DVDs Starring Hilary Swank

Stills from Freedom Writers (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

Teaching is (or at least should be) a "Wonderful Burden".......2007-07-01

Every student should view this movie!.......2007-06-27

Thought Provoking.......2007-06-27

Been there done that.......2007-06-27

Young, entertaining & thought provoking!.......2007-06-23

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

VERY STRANGE
"Frankly", it's fabulous
No words can describe
Classic transsexual horror
such a great good movie

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Tim Curry , Susan Sarandon , Barry Bostwick , Richard O'Brien , and Patricia Quinn
Director: Jim Sharman
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00006D295
Release Date: 2002-09-03

Amazon.com essential video

If a musical sci-fi satire about an alien transvestite named Frank-n-Furter, who is building the perfect man while playing sexual games with his virginal visitors, sounds like an intriguing premise for a movie, then you're in for a treat. Not only is The Rocky Horror Picture all this and more, but it stars the surprising cast of Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick (as the demure Janet and uptight Brad, who get lost in a storm and find themselves stranded at Frank-n-Furter's mansion), Meat Loaf (as the rebel Eddie), Charles Gray (as our criminologist and narrator), and, of course, the inimitable Tim Curry as our "sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania."

Upon its release in 1975, the film was an astounding flop. But a few devotees persuaded a New York theater to show it at midnight, and thus was born one of the ultimate cult films of all time. The songs are addictive (just try getting "The Time Warp" or "Toucha Toucha Touch Me" out of your head), the raunchiness amusing, and the plot line utterly ridiculous--in other words, this film is simply tremendous good fun. The downfall, however, is that much of the amusement is found in the audience participation that is obviously missing from a video version (viewers in theaters shout lines at the screen and use props--such as holding up newspapers and shooting water guns during the storm, and throwing rice during a wedding scene). Watched alone as a straight movie, Rocky Horror loses a tremendous amount of its charm. Yet, for those who wish to perfect their lip-synching techniques for movie theater performances or for those who want to gather a crowd around the TV at home for some good, old-fashioned, rowdy fun, this film can't be beat. --Jenny Brown

Description

Fasten your garter belt and come up to the lab and see what's on the slab! It's The Rocky Horror Picture Show Special Edition, a screamingly funny, sinfully twisted salute to sci-fi, horror, B-movies and rock music, all rolled into one deliciously decadent morsel. And now there's even more to make you shiver with antici...pation: two additional musical numbers, "Once In A While" and "Superheroes", never seen theatrically or available on video! The madcap, musical mayhem begins when rain-soaked Brad and Janet take refuge in the castle of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a transvestite mad scientist from outer space who is about to unveil his greatest creation - and have a bit of fun with his reluctant guests! Join Tim Curry, Barry Bostwick, Susan Sarandon and rock star Meat Loaf in the most popular cult classic of all time.

Customer Reviews:

VERY STRANGE.......2007-06-09

When I first heard about this movie I was extremely skeptical. Later, when I watched clip on the Internet that featured a man dressed in fish-net stockings and a corset, and with heavy makeup, singing about being a "sweet transvestite from transsexual Transylvania", I was even more skeptical. However, I decided to rent it anyway. It was something that would not stop bothering me until I had seen the whole thing.

When the film opened with a pair of large red lips singing about various classic science fiction/horror movies, I wondered what I had gotten myself into. However, as the film progressed, despite the countless disturbing occurrences, I found my self laughing. I even found myself enjoying it. I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but the movie was extremely entertaining and very funny. Something about it is just good. Maybe it's the uniqueness, maybe it's Tim Curry's brilliant acting that pulls it off, maybe it's something else. But whatever it is, this movie is extremely disturbing (probably the most disturbing movie you will ever see), but it is also extremely entertaining and hilarious! You must see this movie at least once in your life.

"Frankly", it's fabulous.......2007-06-03

A line from the trailer says it best..."You've seen all kinds of movies, but you've never seen a movie like The Rocky Horror Picture Show".

Some say it's impossible to enjoy this movie without the audience participation. I disagree. The performances, the music, the costumes, and the dead-on parodies of various horror/sci fi movie clichés are perfectly enjoyable on their own...but, of course, the film lends itself to collective experience in a way none others have before, or since.

All the performers seem to have a sixth sense about how to play their roles - no small feat considering the rather offbeat material - but for me, it's all about Tim Curry. With the wrong actor playing Frank, the film would have crashed and burned (actually, with the wrong actor playing Frank, the original play would never have had a life past its initial run in London's Theatre Upstairs). He became a true film icon with this role, and it's easy to understand why. His performance is a delicate balancing act - feminine flounce with masculine power; outrageous but always controlled. His Frank is gorgeous and unbelievably sexy, with a voice from the gods - both speaking and singing.

I think it's time to do the Time Warp again...

No words can describe.......2007-06-02

You need a certain personality to like this movie. I loved it. The first time I didn't think there was much of a plot to it. Which is the main reason why my friend doesn't like it (How many "comedies" today have not plot? too many). But watching it a second time, I understood it better. The music is amazing. Time Warp is my favorite song. Its bizzare. Everyone should watch this film at least once in their life.

Classic transsexual horror.......2007-06-01

Classic. Kinda cheesy but good. Transvestites from outter space! ;P Trust me it makes more sense after the 2nd watch.

-ksha2222

such a great good movie.......2007-03-26

well you know first they sing sceince fiction doble fertre and the church dammit janet noratteader over at the franknstein place time warp and sword of damfcdocbs such a great good movie

Average customer rating:

One Laugh After Another!
You Gotta Love The Outdoors!!!
Great Movie
John Candy movies are classics!!
"Don't you know what those are made out of????"

The Great Outdoors
Starring: Dan Aykroyd , John Candy , Stephanie Faracy , Annette Bening , and Chris Young
Director: Howard Deutch
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0783227884
Release Date: 1998-07-01

Amazon.com

This hit-and-miss 1988 comedy pairs John Candy and Dan Aykroyd in a story of one family's summer vacation all but ruined by the uninvited appearance of another, more loutish family. Howard Deutch (Some Kind of Wonderful) directs from a half-hearted John Hughes script, which reduces Hughes's jokes-and-epiphanies formula (The Breakfast Club, Home Alone) to true gaudiness. On the other hand, Annette Bening makes her screen debut here. The DVD release has a widescreen presentation, production notes, trailer, optional French soundtrack, and optional Spanish subtitles. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

One Laugh After Another!.......2007-02-07

This film cracks me up! I have watched it numerous times over the years and I still find every scene just as funny as I did the first time I watched it!

Two families come together to make this a great film. John Candy plays the kind, caring family man out to enjoy a family vacation with his wife and two sons at a cabin out in the wilderness in an area he enjoyed staying in as a boy with his family. Dan Aykroyd and his wife and two daughters decide to surprise Candy and his family by joining them on their vacation. Candy's character and Aykroyd's character are brother-in-laws and they are complete polar opposites in every sense of the word. Aykroyd's character is an annoying creep that thinks he's better than the next guy and is always doing the oneupmanship thing whenever he can. Mix Aykroyd's character and that of Candy's character and you have one laugh after another! Sit back, watch and enjoy this film!

You Gotta Love The Outdoors!!!.......2007-01-10

I think this is another one of John Candy's really funny movies!! I can't stop watching it!!!

Great Movie.......2007-01-10

If you like John Candy then you will love this movie - a true Candy Classic.

John Candy movies are classics!!.......2007-01-03

John Candy movies have become classics - I grew up watching him and now I am buying the DVDs so my 2 children can enjoy him, too. He always lit up the screen and made some enjoyable family movies. My 5 year old laughs and laughs at his antics on screen.

"Don't you know what those are made out of????".......2006-11-13

This is by far one of the greatest comedy films of all time, along side classics such as animal house, caddyshack, and the Vacation Series. John Candy and Dan Aykroyd are brother in laws who end up coming together by "chance" at a Cabin in the north woods. Over the vacations time, the families discover new things about each other, strengthen their bonds, oh, and make you laugh until your sides split. This movie has it all, animal talk, overeating, stupid human tricks, "scary stories", action, thrills, and romance. What more could you want in one package. Buy this movie, well worth the price, cause you'll watch it over and over again.

Average customer rating:

White Nights
very entertaining and uplifting movie
You'll feel it in your heart and down to your winged feet or tapping toes!
White Nights
Fascinating pairing of ballet and tap dancing

White Nights
Starring: Mikhail Baryshnikov , Gregory Hines , Jerzy Skolimowski , Helen Mirren , and Geraldine Page
Director: Taylor Hackford
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: B000GDH9JQ
Release Date: 2006-08-29

Amazon.com

Sometimes movies are built around a great idea begging for a story, in this case pairing ballet legend Mikhail Baryshnikov with tap great Gregory Hines. The resulting storm of dance in White Nights, as one would expect, is great, but the story is a little forced. Baryshnikov plays (in parallel to his own life) a Russian defector to the U.S. who ends up a prisoner in the motherland after his plane is forced to land in Leningrad during an emergency. Hines is an American expatriate who gets involved with the situation. Director Taylor Hackford (An Officer and a Gentleman) punctuates an escape scenario and relationship dilemmas with as many dance sequences as possible, and the result is a wobbly, unconvincing tale with some furious footwork. Fortunately, performances carry the day, as the two male leads are both very strong as actors, and the supporting cast--Isabella Rossellini, Helen Mirren, and filmmaker Jerzy Skolimowski (Moonlighting)--is terrific. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

White Nights.......2007-05-13

This movie shows the different styles of dance and how collaboration can work. These two talented dancers really know their stuff. Greg Hines was truly the epitome of tap, as well as Misha the epitome of ballet. I feel very fortunate that this movie was on DVD.

very entertaining and uplifting movie.......2007-05-12

This movie showed me a lot. I had no idea Helen Mirren was in this movie. What a movie! Baryshnikov is as always an amzing dancer, but what an actor too. And Gregory Hines is amazing too.

You'll feel it in your heart and down to your winged feet or tapping toes!.......2007-05-07

It was spectacular when it was released -- even more so now that my tastes have matured and my artistic appreciation has finally been realized. When I viewed it for the first time, I think I loved it for its social black/white, Russia/American message and the fact that races and nationalities can come together for a common purpose. I still love it for that but now, to see these two great dancers together, in their individual forms of dance, takes my breath away. This is truly a great film! The special features are so well done, giving a brief & glorious look at Moscow as it was when Baryshnikov danced there. This film is a fitting & lasting tribute to the talent of America's own Gregory Hines. I am saddened that he was called away from us so soon -- he is missed! "White Nights"is right on top (sharing first with "To Kill a Mocking Bird") of my list of the 800+ movies & documentaries I own. Take my adice -- buy it, cherish it and -- don't lend it to even your best friend. I promise you -- you'll have a difficult time getting it back! Make your friends buy their own -- they'll love you for it!

White Nights.......2007-05-02

This is a very good drama. It is interesting to see how the movie develops the two main characters. They both have different and diverse backgrounds but they find that they need each other in the end.

Fascinating pairing of ballet and tap dancing.......2007-04-02

I would rate this film with a "5", but I thought that Helen Mirren was a great disappointment. She has progressed to being one of the finest of actresses, but I found her performance forced in "White Nights". Geraldine Page is annoying, although I suppose she is meant to be; Isabella Rossellini plays herself, as usual. That disposes of the female players...all of whom I have enjoyed in other movies. And, of course, they are not the stars.
It is certainly a delight to be able to watch Baryshnikov's performance over and over. I prefer the dancing of Gregory Hines, however. In addition, if Hines was the actual singer of the number from "Porgy and Bess", he was certainly a performer to match Baryshnikov--although I'm sure most dance lovers would disagree. But Hines seemed to be a supreme actor, singer and dancer. When Baryshnikov and Hines came to dancing the jazz duet near the end of the film, I would bet that many people, at least silently, decided whom they thought was the more talented and/or enjoyable dancer. Although Baryshnikov is "perfect", Hines' dancing was more interesting, looser. When they performed a triple(?)pirouette, Hines seemed to lose count, but there is something funkier about being both great and able to make mistakes.
Hines is gone, and Baryshnikov is 59 now. Having this near-documentary of their excellence is fortunate for all dance lovers, especially since the duo of virtuosos with opposite styles makes this a movie one can watch repeatedly.

Chef! - The Complete Collection (Series 1-3)

Average customer rating:

One of the best Britcoms of the last decade.
Hilarious!!!
A very true to life depiction of an actual chef....and it's hilarious...
Awesome
Brilliant!

Chef! - The Complete Collection (Series 1-3)
Starring: Jeff Nuttall , Pui Fan Lee , Tim Matthews , Ian McNeice , and Elizabeth Bennett
Director: John Birkin
Manufacturer: BBC Warner
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Television | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B0009NSCTY
Release Date: 2005-08-30

Amazon.com

Hungry for a laugh? The BBC serves up more than a few chuckles in this engaging sitcom about imperious chef Gareth Blackstock (Lenny Henry), a stern taskmaster who runs his kitchen with an iron fist, a lightning tongue, and a silver palate. The show combines some of the best elements of episodic drama and zany comedy, generously seasoned with sensual splashes of fine French cuisine. (Picture Julia Child crossed with Fawlty Towers' John Cleese following a script by the creators of thirtysomething and you get the general idea.) Blackstock is a brilliant, egotistical black chef running an all-white kitchen--until, that is, his wife maneuvers him into hiring an old school chum. Challenges mount as the restaurant faces bankruptcy and Blackstock decides to risk everything to buy it. Could fulfilling his dream wind up costing the king of the kitchen his home and savings? Supported by a talented ensemble cast, the dramatic story arc develops gradually enough to keep viewers wanting more, while individual episodes rest on more traditional sitcom gags--like when the new apprentice chef loses a Band-Aid somewhere in the kitchen but can't tell which gourmet dish it landed in. Later, Blackstock, the ultimate perfectionist, devises his most perfect mouthwatering meal and scours the shady underside of England's green and pleasant countryside for the perfect closer... the king of cheeses, an illegal unpasteurized stilton. Gradually the supporting characters are given more room to grow--especially charming young Everton (Roger Griffiths), the bumbling, insecure prep cook. When Blackstock's boorish Jamaican father (Oliver Samuels) browbeats the "serious professional" into abandoning haute cuisine for a night featuring Caribbean food, it's Everton's legendary dumplings that save the day. (Watching him carefully prepare his Guinness punch might be worth the price of the set alone.) Those expecting the surreal hysteria of Monty Python or similar classic British comedies might not care for Chef's subtleties, but those interested in quality television mixed with fine food and sprinkled with a few decent laughs will be more than satisfied by what this show has to offer. --Grant Balfour

Description

Meet Britain's finest -- and most ill-tempered -- chef, Gareth Blackstock (Lenny Henry), of the prestigious Le Chateau Anglais restaurant. Each meal is a masterpiece. Just don't ask for salt. Chef Blackstock rules his kitchen with an iron ladle and puts up with no slacking. The trouble is that his underpaid and overworked kitchen staff is littered with slackers. Tuck in and prepare to double over in laughter with this hilarious and much loved comedy series from the BBC!

DVD Features:
Biographies:Cast bios
Interviews:Interviews with Lenny Henry and Caroline Lee Johnson
Other:Appearance by Lenny Henry on "The Good Food Show"

Customer Reviews:

One of the best Britcoms of the last decade........2007-07-05

Our local PBS station at one time offered a marvelous selection of Britcoms on Saturday night. Many of these gloriously funny comedies lit up the small screen like brilliant fireflies that lived only 3 or 4 of the short British seasons and (alas) vanished - Thin Blue Line, Murder Most Horrid, and others - and of course Chef!.

Alas, now the station seems dedicated to the more heavy hitters: Waiting For God, Keeping Up Appearances, As Time Go By, what have you. These are worthy entries all, that lasted several seasons. They're long enough to bear repetition, although I'm not sure endless repetition works all that well. One really wishes for some variation . . . like Chef!.

Britcoms, unlike a majority of Americoms, have interesting settings. The American standard seems to be somebody's house. Interesting comedies can be done in somebody's house; George and Gracie did it - but a house is a house is a house and it gets boring. Some Americoms have been done in interesting settings, such as a radio station, and that helps. But Britcoms are often more creative in the area of setting. Chef! is set in the kitchen of a gourmet restaurant. OK, there are some scenes in somebody's house, but it's still a great Britcom.

Lenny Henry stars in Chef! as a very talented chef. Like many stars of sitcoms, he began his career as a standup comedian. His success is predicated on not stooping to the low-class sort of audience that believes swearing is funny and more swearing is more funny. Indeed, he has developed a style of invective that would send the swearing-is-funny types scuttling to the dictionary - if they knew what one was.

The basic plot of Chef! is simple enough. Henry is Gareth Blackstock, a chef whose inflated opinion of himself is probably justified. The 2-star restaurant where he works, despite its success, goes into receivership. You know the sort of restaurant I mean - the kind that serves you a couple of tablespoons of really great ours d'oeuvres, and charges you a small fortune for the privilege of having to rush home and make a couple of sandwiches to fill up on.

With great difficulty he and his wife Janice buy the restaurant. Most of the action takes place in the kitchen and other locations in the restaurant. Each episode is complete in itself, but there is an ongoing plot involving the fate of the restaurant and the relationship of Gareth and Janice (played with wit and charm by Caroline Lee Johnson). Also in the cast is Roger Griffiths, who plays Everton, a fine contrast to the urbane Blackstocks. These are the only members of the cast you will see for any longer than 1 season - although another character (Gustave LaRoche) appears in seasons 2 and 3, he is played by the estimable Ian Niece in Season 2 and by Jeff Nuttall in Season 3.

On the whole, Chef! is a very funny series. In the last season, 3, things take a more serious turn. Seasons 1 and 2 appeared in 1993 and 1994, while season 3 appeared in 1996. The 1995 hiatus might seem to indicate a problem, and in fact no more episodes appeared after 1996. It's fair to state, however, that the ongoing plot of Season 3 is at least resolved at the end.

I believe it's fair to observe that there is a very serious problem with this program. Save for the 3 main characters, the entire cast changes each season. One barely gets used to characters, and develops empathy for them, than they vanish and are replaced by strange faces. It doesn't seem reasonable to expect audience loyalty to a show when this sort of thing is going on.

The DVD set is a set of the 3 seasons as they were originally put out, in normal-sized cases. The thinner cases now so often used in sets would have been much better.

Alas, there are no subtitles. The English seem to feel that they don't owe the viewer any help in understanding what's being said - even down to the most outrageous Yorkshire or Welsh accents. This is the same country that, for years, didn't feel it necessary to label their stamps as to the country of origin. (Then, of course, there was the pre-WWI Times headline - I kid you not - "Storm in Channel, Continent cut off!".) Such hubris has only been partially punished by their having to endure a separate Scottish Parliament.

There are some special features on the 3rd DVD in the set. They're OK, but a little on the thin side: primarily interviews with the 2 main principals and a segment of a British food show profiling Chef!. These range (timewise) from brief to extremely brief - the interview of Henry last little more than 3 minutes!

The whiffy title music wears out its welcome by the 2nd episode, becomes even more obnoxious by the 3rd - and by the 4th you will be clicking the fast-forward button before the "ooooo" begins, with trembling hands and a hymn of thanks to the god of remotes.

Nevertheless, it's pleasant to have a DVD collection of all the existing episodes to this fundamentally fine comedy.

Hilarious!!!.......2007-06-25

I AM A BIG FAN OF BRITISH COMEDIES AND THIS SHOW IS ONE OF THE BEST! LENNY HENRY IS AMAZING IN THIS SHOW. IF YOU LOVE GREAT COMEDY THIS IS THE DVD FOR YOU. YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!

A very true to life depiction of an actual chef....and it's hilarious..........2007-04-08

This is a masterful comedy, especially the first two seasons. It's probably the only comedy to really ever present a chef as they really are (at least the good ones). The culinary arts are just like any other art forms, and the better the chefs are, the more difficult they can be. It's like working for a great filmmaker, great writer, etc., etc.. Lenny Henry is brilliant as Gareth, the fantastic, yet incredibly tempremental chef. The writing here is first rate, and the best thing about this series is that the lead character is not likeable, yet you enjoy watching him anyway. This is actually a very realistic depiction of what an actual chef would go through. Gareth hardly sleeps, he has little or no social life, he insults his customers as well as his staff, but he knows food, and he's in his kitchen 12-16 hours a day. You can constrast this series with the godawful American sitcom Freddie (with Freddie Prinze, Jr.). He played a chef as well, but in the few episodes that actually made it to air, all he ever did was go to bars and hit on women with his business partner Brian Austin-Green, and spent most of his time in his apartment with his wise cracking grandma and bratty sister. The writers of Freddie didn't do an ounce of research, and it shows. In Chef, they actually did research. It's nice to see a realistic depiction of a chef, and it's still damn funny. The first two seasons are the best in my opinion. The third one isn't as bad, but the first two had better writing, and were shot on film. The third one was shot on video, and Gareth was a little too nice to others in it, like they tried to make the character likeable, which doesn't work. Still, this is still brilliant television.

Awesome.......2007-04-02

One of the best BBC series; certainly the most enjoyable. Third season lacks a bit of the comedy genius of the first, but the entire series is worth owning.

Brilliant!.......2007-03-14

Excellent British comedy? Yes. Excellent writing and acting? Yes, most definitely! But for me, these stories and/or the series I LIVED for 14 years!! These shows (along with Anthony Bourdain or Michael Ruhlman writings) are the most accurate description of what it is REALLY like to work a fine dining restaurant. There is little, in my opinion, that is over-exaggerated. It's funny, yet brilliant and real! Lenny Henry was on his game in this, and I am glad he brought these out so we could all enjoy over and again.

Average customer rating:

After all these years, it's still the best!
One of History's Most Interesting Loose Cannons
absolutely stunning
Masterpiece Theater masterpiece
Six Plays and a Movie

The Six Wives of Henry VIII
Starring: Keith Michell , Annette Crosbie , Dorothy Tutin , Anne Stallybrass , and Elvi Hale
Director: Naomi Capon , and John Glenister
Manufacturer: BBC Warner
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Elizabeth R
Elizabeth I
Masterpiece Theatre: Elizabeth I - The Virgin Queen
The Wives of Henry VIII
Monarchy With David Starkey

ASIN: B000EBD9VM
Release Date: 2006-05-16

Amazon.com

A British television series originally broadcast on CBS (and rebroadcast on PBS) in America in 1971, The Six Wives of Henry VIII remains a painless way to learn something about royal history and its impact on the political and religious landscape of England. Keith Michell stars as King Henry VIII, who assumes the throne as a boy after the death of his older brother and inherits the latter's Spanish betrothed, Catherine of Aragon (Annette Crosbie), as well. Growing up and increasingly complicated in personality, with an ever-growing appetite for elusive happiness as well as power and food, Henry maneuvers (and is maneuvered by) forces around him to break from Rome and create the Church of England, in part to accommodate his wish for a divorce.

Each story of the king's successive brides takes up an entire episode in the series. Dorothy Tutin plays the doomed Anne Boleyn, Anne Stallybrass is Henry's favorite, Jane Seymour, Elvi Hale is Anne of Cleves, Angela Pleasence is Catherine Howard, and Rosalie Crutchley plays last-in-line Catherine Parr. A very large and fine supporting cast adds intrigue and extra layers of tragedy to the proceedings, especially John Baskcomb as Cardinal Wolsey, Wolfe Morris as Thomas Cromwell, and Ralph Bates as Thomas Culpepper. Each 90-minute episode was crafted by a different writer, but the series holds together very well under Keith Michell's dazzling performance as the despicable if sympathetic Henry, whose emotional arc over many years and losses is something to see. --Tom Keogh

Description

A chronicle of England's turbulent years of the early 16th century recounting the life and times of the vibrant and lusty King Henry VIII in a cycle of six plays. Stars Keith Michell in his Emmy Award-winning performance as Henry VIII and features a 90-minute "bonus drama", The Other Boleyn Girl, based on the popular Philippa Gregory novel.

DVD Features:
Biographies:Cast bios
Photo gallery
Scene Access

Customer Reviews:

After all these years, it's still the best!.......2007-06-28

This is still the best telling of the story of Henry VIII and his 6 wives. I loved it when I watched it on Masterpiece Theater and I'm very glad I bought the DVDs. The quality was wonderful. I liked having the bonus "The Other Boleyn Girl". I read the book and thought this was an interesting production, although I'm sure the about to be released movie will be less amateurish.

One of History's Most Interesting Loose Cannons.......2007-05-19

I never let my graduate degrees in history spoil my enjoyment of historical drama, both on screen and in novels. True, I could pick nits in chronology and other areas but that would spoil the fun. So I watch them, or read them, and just plain enjoy most of them.

This one is a standout. Although it is impossible to show an entire reign in 90-minute segments, each of these six dramas does a great job of showing significant areas in the lives of Henry and his six wives. We see Henry grow from youth (but with an unfortunate wig) to old age -- his intellectual prowess in theology, languages, music; his physicality and athletic feats. In spite of his genuine intellectual gifts, however, he was erratic, temperamental, inconsistent, vain. Given the scope of events during Henry's reign, it is often difficult to realize how short his life was. He became king at 17, married Catherine of Aragon at 18, and died at 56.

I am always amazed at how well the British do these historical dramas, especially their ability to find excellent actors who can be made to look very much like the people they portray, down to details of clothing and jewelry seen in portraits.

Keith Michell is superb as Henry VIII -- but over the top? Well, it's an accurate portayal. Henry himself was over the top in everything he did, whether debating theology, coping with ambitious couriers, eating and drinking, in dress, chasing women, you name it -- a true loose cannon in every sense. The six wives are very good too, with Annette Crosbie a standout as Catherine of Aragon. The casts are full of wonderful character actors. The late Patrick Troughton, who played the scarily cold and ambitious Duke of Norfolk, is a favorite of mine. I first saw him as the scatty Second Doctor and didn't realize how good an actor he was until I saw him in other roles.

The stories themselves are well written, although I thought the one about Anne Boleyn dwelt too long on grisly torture scenes and her imprisonment and execution. It was probably also a little difficult to write about Catherine Howard, since we don't know enough about her to know whether she was motivated by lust or fear of not producing an heir or simply not being well enough educated to hold her own in Henry's court. She was also very young, probably not 21 yet when she was executed. It would have been interesting to show that Anne of Cleves survived Henry, living happily and peacefully in England for the rest of her life, long enough to see his daughter Mary crowned Queen.

The reason I didn't give this DVD set a 5-star rating is that it includes as an extra the soap opera-like episode about Mary Boleyn, sister of Anne, apparently filmed later. Mary was Henry's mistress before Anne, but she didn't last long. This was a bad choice for an inclusion and adds nothing to the series other than bad writing, a lot of nudity and sex, and poorly cast characters. It would have been far better to leave it out and include interviews with the actors or other material about the making of the series.

All things considered, however, I would highly recommend this set to anyone who loves lavish historical drama.

absolutely stunning.......2007-03-29

One of the undeniable marks of a true classic is how well it holds up over time; this presentation of six, ninety-minute plays about the six wives of the illustrious King Henry VIII is as riveting and relevant today as when it first aired in 1970(?). I actually saw this after the series that followed this, Elizabeth R with Glenda Jackson (another six part series that is extraordinary), so I did it backwards but it doesn't matter one bit. The historic accuracy (as can best be known anyway) coupled with very well written scripts, perfect casting (each actor captures the look and energy of their character beautifully) and a simple but lovely set all add to the realism. This is something that would be quite educational for high school students who are DREADING their history classes, as I did. Had I seen this at the time, I might well have rolled my eyes still and thought it silly (as all teenagers do incessantly) or I might have thought this Henry fellow to be rather a hoot.

Keith Michell is outstanding. Inspiring. Remarkable. He manages to portray the MAN as well as the icon so that throughout the series I found myself wavering back and forth between wanting to smack the man and honestly feeling for him. It was also interesting to get a feel for the women behind the infamous stories and see clearly how and why Henry kept making the choices he did.

There isn't much that I can expand upon that hasn't already been touched upon rather nicely by the other glowing reviews here. All I can say is that I gambled and bought the collection before I'd even seen it based on the reviews posted and my experience with Elizabeth R, which I will also be adding to my permanent collection. I am absolutely thrilled that I have this to watch again and again, which I know I will.

I should add that this also contains a wonderful bonus, which is a ninety minute film (more recently done) about Anne Boleyn and her sister Mary, "The Other Boleyn Girl." It's incredible. Very different and while I know nothing of its historic accuracy (who knew Anne even had a sister?) I found it enthralling, bold and mesmerizing. I'm really glad they added this to the collection.

And as I said of it's sister series, Elizabeth R, any aspiring classical actors/actresses MUST watch these for an incredible master class experience.

Masterpiece Theater masterpiece.......2007-03-09

I loved the casting for this series. Keith Mitchell is wonderful as Henry VIII--so believable as he changes in appearance and personality as he desperately wants to have a male heir and the lengths he will go to to achieve this. Henry did a lot of cruel, awful things but he also founded the Church of England and was the father of Elizabeth I who was one of Britain's greatest rulers. Loved this series!

Six Plays and a Movie.......2007-02-22

Because the quality of this series widely from play to play (each was written by a separate author; this teleplan was used again in "Elizabeth R" to a rather more unified overall effect), I'll break my review down disc by disc.

Disc one, unfortunately, gets the series off to quite a dismaying start. Annette Crosbie was very well cast, and the opening scenes were absolutely engaging ... unfortunately, a good dozen or more years are entirely skipped over, while an ugly and annoying montage sequence of dreamy 70s filtered fantasy dancing stretches ad nauseum between romance and disillusion. What a shame and a waste - to simply leave out the central years of Henry VIII's marriage with Katherine of Aragon. Nothing at all new was folded into the first play, and that was disappointing. The second play on the disc is Ann Boleyn, and its script is rather more engaging, though - oddly enough - the noticeably awful set design from episode one is really magnified to shocking proportions here. (I know the budget was low, but we had low budgets in high school and did not resort to rendering brick walls by way of dipping sponges in paint and pressing them to soft flats.) Distracting, and just awful! Just as distracting: I am sorry, but Dorothy Tutin was by far too old for the role of Ann Boleyn. This suspended my ability to be lost completely. Fortunately, the third act of Ann Boleyn is gripping enough to (barely) overcome this failure in window-dressing and casting, and I realized the next disc might redeem the series.

Did it ever. Jane Seymour has never interested me as a historical figure, but the third episode was entirely absorbing. Keith Michell comes into total ownership of his role, no longer saddled with a pageboy wig and the task of playing twenty years his own junior. Anne Stallybrass is so convincing and fully realized in the role of Jane, the short-lived "favorite" is rendered fascinating. The somewhat dated sound design, using a synthesized heartbeat to punctuate the action, actually works - very well. Production design is vastly improved at this point, including more outdoor scenes as well. Moving into Ann of Cleves, we get a tour de force not only of fantastic casting and performances, but also of historical fiction at its brilliant best. The relationship as here written is entirely believable, and yet not based on established history. I think this is the best play of all six, simply for exemplifying the finest melding of entertainment with history. There are moments of absolute pathos right next to scenes of intellectually satisfying conjecture. Absolutely wonderful!

Disc three includes Catherines Howard and Parr, both perfectly cast and again beautifully balanced. I was excited to see a certain minor but very real strain of bloodthirst in the Rose Without a Thorn - what a dimension to include, and how very well Angela Pleasance handles it! She was a marvel of everything Catherine Howard is said to have been - both foolish and conniving, naive and (unexpectedly) terribly intelligent. It was a pleasure to see a smart Catherine Howard for a change, and the flaws which were her downfall are portrayed probably more believably than in any other fiction I've read or watched where she appears. Rosalie Crutchley, too, delivers a performance as Catherine Parr which brings her page in history authentically and credibly to life. When one is reading a history of Henry's wives, the tension often flags by the time we reach Parr. The writer of this episode was clearly not so bored - and this play may be one of the most harrowing.

As to the bonus material, there was not an abundance - and the inclusion of "The Other Boleyn Girl" was a miscalculation. It was so bad as to make disc one an enviable memory - and, indeed, I'm considering purchase of the older, non-BBC version of this series, simply because it does not include this particular "bonus". Stylistic choices are all very well, but right now, with the proliferation of Reality TV, I get quite enough disingenuous personal monologues delivered straight to a camera. Badly cast, badly costumed, uninterestingly designed overall, and embarrassingly written above all (the source material is no better), this lion's share of the bonus disk appears like a naked emperor next to the series itself - which, by and large, is pretty well clad by comparison.

Average customer rating:

Raise Your Voice
Raise Your Voice
raise your voice movie review
Get it at Wal-Mart
Hilary, Hilary, when will you learn, acting just isn't your thing...

Raise Your Voice
Starring: James Avery , Gibby Brand , John Corbett , Dana Davis , and Rebecca De Mornay
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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A Cinderella Story (Full Screen Edition)
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ASIN: B0006SSMWE
Release Date: 2005-02-15

Amazon.com

Perky teen starlet Hilary Duff wholeheartedly embraces the kind of earnest innocence all parents wish their daughters had. In Raise Your Voice, Terri Fletcher (Duff, A Cinderella Story, The Lizzie McGuire Movie) yearns to go to a prestigious music conservatory in Los Angeles. Her father (David Keith, An Officer and a Gentleman) won't let her because L.A. is a bad place--but her loving mom (Rita Wilson) and kooky aunt (Rebecca DeMornay, Risky Business) sneak her away. Once there, she gets a sassy roommate-of-color, geeky cool friends, a snooty rival, and a sexy British boyfriend (Oliver James, What a Girl Wants). Of course, all conflicts with family and friends come to a head at a big competition at which Terri rediscovers herself. Formulaic?Yes (see also Fame, Dirty Dancing, and School of Rock). Bland? Yes. Will preteen girls enjoy it anyway? Maybe, because Duff plays it so sincere. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Hilary Duff stars as Terri, a small town girl with the voice of a big-time singer. Following her dreams, she heads to L.A. for the summer at a famous music school. Life in the big city is full of surprises, but with the help of some cool friends, an encouraging teacher, and a super cute boy, this All-American girl will have the time of her life.

DVD Features:
Deleted Scenes:w/optional directot commentary
Featurette:Behind-The Scenes
Full Screen Version:Both Widescreen & Fullscreen versions on one disc
Music Video:Hilary Duff's "Fly"
Other:Interactive Jam--compose your own song and get critiqued by a professor
Outtakes
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

Raise Your Voice.......2007-06-29

An entertaining story for any age and for any aspiring musicians. This movie has an excellent story line and I found it very inspirational.

Raise Your Voice.......2007-06-13

Raise Your Voice

Raise Your Voice is about Terri Fletcher, (Hilary Duff) a girl who can sing amazing, just like a big-time singer. With her dream to be a singer, Terri goes to a music school in L.A. She is believed by her father (David Keith), to be at her Aunt Nina's (Rebecca DeMornay). While at this school, she meets Jay (Oliver James) this really cute boy who helps her to sing in front of many people and not get the feeling of her brother, Paul (Jason Ritter) being gone.
This film's main setting is in L.A. at the music school. It also takes place at Terri's school, her Aunt Nina's, her house, and at a Three Days Grace concert. The film length is approximately 107 minutes. It is rated PG. Raise Your Voice is directed by Sean McNamara. The screenplay is written by Sam Schreiber.
I think that Duff was a wonderful actress and that this was one of her greatest films yet. Terri was excited, yet scared, but cheerful and happy, yet sad.
I would recommend this movie for anyone eight and older. Also, I would recommend this movie to anyone who is interested in making it big in music because most of the kids in the movie are interested in going far. I think that this movie was fun, with a touch of sadness and excitement.
To find out more in depth of this movie, rent or buy Raise Your Voice.

raise your voice movie review.......2007-06-12

Title: raise your voice
Rated: PG

Hilary duff stars as a teenaged girl named Terri in the movie raise your voice.
Terri is a teenaged girl that loves to sing and she has a beautiful voice. Until
one day were her heart gets broken into pieces because her brother Paul died in a
car accident from a drunk driver running a stop light, and Terri feels it is her fault
because she snuck him out to go to a concert because she got him a ticket as a
present for his graduation when he was grounded, so she never wants to sing
Again. But what she didn't know is that Paul made a DVD of her singing,
Laughing and having a great time and he sent it to a summer music program
That Terri wanted to go to in Los Angeles. When Terri asked her parents to go
(Before her brother died) her dad said no but her mom said yes. One day when
Terri got the mail out of her mail box she got a letter stating she was accepted in
The music program ( after her brother died) she threw it out. And Terri's mom
Wanted to know why. Terri's mom and aunt convinced Terri to go even though
Her dad said no. Terri's mom and aunt tells Terri's father that Terri will be
Staying at her aunts house for all that time she will need for the summer
Program. So Terri's dad thinks she is at her aunts house when really she is in
Los Angeles fallowing her dreams.
I loved this movie it was very inspiring to me. It was sad but it was a very good
Movie.
I would recommend this movie to everyone who loves music.

By: Kaylee Fortunato

Get it at Wal-Mart.......2007-05-02

I was watching this movie on tv, and had to leave before it was over, but it was one of those must buy movies just to see the end. So as soon as I got home, I went online and bought the movie, thinking it would at least be in in a week. Unfortunately this was not the case. It has been almost a week and a half, and way past the delivery estimate, and I have still not gotten that movie. So as far as the movie goes, it was great. Totally cute, it will make you cry, smile, laugh, and of course Oliver James is very cute. I love to hear him talk. I would like to say that it ends well, but I have not gotten the movie to see it. So I definitely recommend that you buy the movie, but not from Amazon. Just go to Wal-Mart.

Hilary, Hilary, when will you learn, acting just isn't your thing... .......2007-04-23

I always end up watching these types of movies on TV, years after their release. And usually I watch them for the pure fun of mocking the cheesy cliched plot and bad acting. Hilary, as usual delivered a spectacular performance...as herself. The plot...what was it again? She stopped singing due to a death in the family? Learns to raise her voice...and move on...that that person will always be in her heart?
Also kiddies, we learned to lie to people for our own benefit...maybe if Terri had her heart to heart earlier all the sneaking etc. would not have had to happen...just a thought. But no...they have to add conflict. Not that it made the movie better...just more pathetic.
If you want to watch a predictable movie, with Hollywood morals and mediocre acting this would be it.

Million Dollar Baby (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

HOW DID IT WIN
"There is magic in fighting battles beyond endurance."
a good one
An encapsulation and celebration of great movie making!
Full circle!!!

Million Dollar Baby (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Jay Baruchel , Marcus Chait , Mike Colter , Joe D'Angerio , and Morgan Eastwood
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005JNP1
Release Date: 2005-07-12

Amazon.com

Clint Eastwood's 25th film as a director, Million Dollar Baby stands proudly with Unforgiven and Mystic River as the masterwork of a great American filmmaker. In an age of bloated spectacle and computer-generated effects extravaganzas, Eastwood turns an elegant screenplay by Paul Haggis (adapted from the book Rope Burns: Stories From the Corner by F.X. Toole, a pseudonym for veteran boxing manager Jerry Boyd) into a simple, humanitarian example of classical filmmaking, as deeply felt in its heart-wrenching emotions as it is streamlined in its character-driven storytelling. In the course of developing powerful bonds between "white-trash" Missouri waitress and aspiring boxer Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank), her grizzled, reluctant trainer Frankie Dunn (Eastwood), and Frankie's best friend and training-gym partner Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris (Morgan Freeman), 74-year-old Eastwood mines gold from each and every character, resulting in stellar work from his well-chosen cast. Containing deep reserves of love, loss, and the universal desire for something better in hard-scrabble lives, Million Dollar Baby emerged, quietly and gracefully, as one of the most acclaimed films of 2004, released just in time to earn an abundance of year-end accolades, all of them well-deserved. --Jeff Shannon

Description

"I DON'T TRAIN GIRLS", trainer Frankie Dunn growls. But something's different about the spirited boxing hopeful who shows up daily at Dunn's gym. All she wants is a fighting chance. Clint Eastwood plays Dunn and directs, produces and composes music for this acclaimed, multi-award-winning tale of heart, hope and family. Hilary Swank plays resilient Maggie, determined not to abandon her one dream. And Morgan Freeman is Scrap, gym caretaker and counterpoint to Dunn's crustiness. Grab your dreams and come out swinging.

DVD Features:
Documentaries:Born to Fight
Featurette:Behind the scenes: Producers Round 15
Interviews:Roundtable with Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman hosted by James Lipton ("Inside the Actor's Studio")

Customer Reviews:

HOW DID IT WIN.......2007-07-01

One of the things I will never understand is how this film won Best Picture and Best Actress. I love Clint and Hilary, but this film was boring and nothing special. It wasn't aweful, but in reality it shouldn't have even been nominated. It was, once again, dark and I fell asleep twice. Hilary Swank won the Oscar, once again stealing it from Annete Benning who deserved it. Swank just put on a bad accent and it was not a great performance. The Aviator sshould have won ultimately but it didn't. I was dissapointed

"There is magic in fighting battles beyond endurance." .......2007-07-01

Abandon any notions that Clint Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby" is another routine underdog-rises-to-the-top boxing tale. This is a film more concerned with examining the hard choices that life sometimes asks us to make.

Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) asks Frankie Dunn (Eastwood) to train her as a boxer. Frankie refuses because he says she is too old and a girl. Yet, the defiant Maggie continues to insist and, with the support of Eddie Dupris (Morgan Freeman), gets Frankie to change his mind. Soon she is on the fast track to success but a terrifying accident abruptly changes her life and forces Frankie to make a difficult decision.

Eastwood never resorts to melodrama or cheap manipulative tricks in "Million Dollar Baby" to examine the value of one's personal dignity. He instead uses his veteran directing talents to weave together a heartbreaking story that refuses to supply any easy answers. Maggie's quick professional ascension may stretch credibility a bit but this is a minor quibble. Anchored by strong performances throughout, especially that of Swank's, "Million Dollar Baby" is a compelling piece of filmmaking that will undoubtedly linger in your mind for quite some time.

a good one.......2007-06-27

A good movie, but a sad one. Hillary Swank is the best, and so is Clint Eastwood.

An encapsulation and celebration of great movie making!.......2007-06-27

From the haunting music accompanying the movie, the fascinating and intriguing characters and finally to the bitter, heart-wrenching ending, this is a movie that encapsulates great movie making, with a heart.

The film starts by showing Eastwood's character trying to "protect" his prized boxer from fighting for the Title. Gradually, we learn that he is not protecting those people around him, but only himself. Over time, his initial dislike for Fitzgerald turned into a fatherly love. In the finale, although much criticism was placed on the film's ending, i honestly believe that he did what he did out of sheer fatherly love for Fitzgerald, and that Fitzgerald herself would've warranted the act.

Sure, a lot of films made has heart in it. Take for example, the insecurity and jealousy of Jake La Motta in Martin Scorcese's Raging Bull (great performance by Robert De Niro!) and also Braddock's ferocious love for his family in Ron Howard's Cinderella Man. But rarely do we see a film which brings us to understand Eastwood's character - his frailty, his unrequited love for his daughter, and his passion for boxing.

Without this great ensemble of a cast - Clint Eastwood, Hillary Swank and Morgan Freeman, and of Eastwood's superb directing and composing, the movie would've suffered from the style-over-substance syndrome, which this movie is definitely and utterly not.

Full circle!!!.......2007-05-17

Clint Eastwood has done some beautiful cinematic work in his lifetime, but this one takes the cake. There's something magical about Morgan Freeman and Clint Eastwood together on screen (again). I don't know what it is, but it works. And Hillary Swank is magnificent! This movie takes you on an emotional ride of realism that comes full circle by movies end. This movie is great!

Average customer rating:

Heartbreaking in every sense of the word, moving and utterly flawless in delivery...
Like Van Sant's early films, but maybe better.
Well Directed, Incredible Performances
Boys dont cry...but i did
Unforgettable story

Boys Don't Cry
Starring: Jeanetta Arnette , Matt McGrath , Hilary Swank , Alicia Goranson , and Jr. Brendan Sexton
Director: Kimberly Peirce
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
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ASIN: B00003CWN3
Release Date: 2000-04-18

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When Brandon Teena, a young man with an infectious, aw-shucks grin and an angelic face that's all angles, wanders into Falls City, Nebraska, he takes to the town like it's a second skin. In little time he's fallen in with a gang of goofy if temperamental redneck boys, found himself a girlfriend, and befriended enough people to form something of a small family. In fact, it's the best time Brandon's ever had. However, there are shadows looming over Brandon's life: a court date for grand theft auto, a checkered criminal record, and a seemingly innocuous speeding ticket that could prove to be his undoing. Why? Because as it turns out, Brandon Teena is actually Teena Brandon, a woman masquerading as a man.

This fascinating story was based on real-life events (as documented in The Brandon Teena Story) that occurred in 1993 and ended in tragedy: Brandon's rape and murder by two of his supposed friends. Despite this horrible outcome, however, in the hands of director Kimberly Peirce (who cowrote the unfettered screenplay with Andy Bienen), Brandon's story becomes not oppressive or preachy, but rather oddly and touchingly transcendent, anchored by Hilary Swank's phenomenal, unsentimental performance. Swank inhabits Brandon's contradictions and passions with a natural vitality most actresses would refuse to give themselves over to. Brandon's deception is doomed from the start, but Swank's enthusiasm is infectious, and when Brandon starts romancing the sloe-eyed Lana (a pitch-perfect Chloë Sevigny), he finds a soul mate who wants to transcend boundaries and fated identities as much as he does. The last part of the film, when Brandon's true identity is discovered, is truly painful to watch, but in between the agony there are touching moments of sweetness between Brandon and Lana, who wrestles with the truth of who Brandon actually is. You'll come away from Boys Don't Cry with affection and respect for Brandon, not pity. --Mark Englehart

Description

A true story about hope, fear, and the courage it takes to be yourself, "Boys Don't Cry" is "One of the 10 best films of 1999" (National Board of Review). Critically acclaimed and nominated for two Golden Globe Awards, this four-star, "must-see" (People), "riveting" (Enterainment Weekly) drama features incredible performances by newcomers Hilary Swank and Chloe Sevigny.

Customer Reviews:

Heartbreaking in every sense of the word, moving and utterly flawless in delivery..........2007-06-25

`Boy's Don't Cry' is the type of film that will prove it's title wrong, displaying enough emotional despair to make the burliest of men break down in tears. Recounting the true life story of Teena Brandon, a young woman with a sexual identity crisis that lived her life as Brandon Teena and was eventually raped and murdered in 1993, `Boy's Don't Cry' hits every mark precisely and delivers one of the most well proportioned films in recent years. Director Kimberly Pierce masterfully achieves accuracy and authenticity with levels of unique elegance and sets a mood that is piercingly calm while subtly unnerving. Watching this young woman's life slowly spiral out of control is so tempered and paced that it almost creeps up on you despite the fact that it's been unraveling quite rapidly before your very eyes.

The heart and soul behind this tragic retelling is that of Hilary Swank who delivers a brilliant breakout performance in which she disappears within the skin of Teena or better yet Brandon and completely convinces the audience of her lies, deceiving us as much as she's deceiving her fellow cast mates. Swanks performance is so brutally convincing that the viewer is swallowed in her frustration, her pain and her confusion. We are completely attached to her and never want to le