Dangerous Child (Col)

Starring:Delta Burke, Ryan Merriman, Vyto Ruginis, Marc Donato, Barclay Hope, Rosemary Dunsmore, Deborah Odell, Richard Zeppieri, Tamsin Kelsey, Dan Petronijevic, Asia Vieira, Patricia Wanstall, Jonathan Payne, Linda Salkeld, Ari Cohen, Shannon Hile, Johnie Chase, Paulino Nunes, Lubomir Mykytiuk, Jonathan Walker
Director: Graeme Campbell
Studio: Starlight Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

Franco Zeffirelli's stripped-down, two-hour version of Shakespeare's play stars Mel Gibson as a rather robust version of the ambivalent Danish prince. Gibson is much better in the part than many critics have admitted, his powers of clarity doing much to make this particular Hamlet more accessible than several other filmed versions. The supporting cast is outstanding, including Glenn Close as Gertrude, Alan Bates as Claudius, Ian Holm as Polonius, and Helena Bonham Carter as Ophelia. Zeffirelli's vigorous direction employs a lively camera style that nicely alters the viewer's preconceptions about the way Hamlet should look. --Tom Keogh

Description

Treachery. Madness. Murder. The story of Hamlet has been told for 400 years...but it's never been told like this! Mel Gibson (the Mad Max and Lethal Weapon films) takes on his richest part to date, the title role in a dynamic new version of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Directed by Franco Zeffirelli (Romeo and Juliet, Jesus of Nazareth), the location-shot production has a sumptuous look that won Academy Award nominations for Art Direction and Costume Design. Gibson plays the prince of medieval-era Denmark, who senses treachery behind his royal father's death. Glenn Close (Fatal Attraction, Dangerous Liaisons) plays Hamlet's mother Gertrude, all too dangerously entangled in that treachery. A brilliant supporting cast, including Alan Bates as Claudius, Paul Scofield as the ghost of Hamlet's father, Ian Holm as Polonius and Helena Bonham-Carter as Ophelia, adds its powerful presence to this immortal tale of high adventure and evil deeds. Big, bold and heroic, this is a vivid and virile Hamlet for the modern age and all time.

Customer Reviews:

Shakespear at it's best.......2007-06-08

Stunning acting by Mel Gibson, Shakespearian art hasn't been lost from this DvD a must buy if you have read the story before or just getting into Shakespeare. Truly a intellectual movie you will watch for years to come.

-SBJ

Good enjoyable interpretation........2007-06-04

I liked this version of the tragic prince's tale. As someone who's spent a lot of time studying Hamlet, the portrayal of the closet scene irritated me, but is entirely forgivable. The acting is very good, though the editing and arrangement of the script might throw you for a loop. If you're not a student who's read the play umpteen times, you should be fine though. Regardless, it's very enjoyable, and definitely worth the price.

Mel Gibson Does Shakespeare..........2007-06-02

1991's "Hamlet" featured action star Mel Gibson as the melancholy Danish Prince of the title of Shakespeare's famous tragedy. Gibson, whose resume was based on the Mad Max and Lethal Weapon franchises at that time, is surprisingly effective in a role thought be a stretch. Director Franco Zeffirelli had the good sense to let Gibson's energetic performance drive the pacing of a very brisk two-hour version of the story. The result is a very accessible production about murder and revenge in the Danish Royal Family, and a vigorous portrayal of the normally languid and moody Hamlet.

Zeffirelli's movie features beautiful location shooting, excellent costumes, and an extremely talented supporting cast, lead by Glenn Close as Hamlet's mother Gertrude, Alan Bates as the treacherous step-father, and Helena Bonham-Carter as the doomed Ophelia. At the center is Hamlet, as played by Gibson, visibly disturbed in his madness over his father's death, and movingly emotional in his approach to his mother and to Ophelia.

This movie is highly recommended as a different but highly entertaining version of Hamlet. It may appeal most to those without preconceived notions about how Hamlet should be portrayed, or to those who know Mel Gibson only from his later films.

Odd ingredients make maybe the most accessible hamlet .......2007-05-31

I laughed my head off when I was told that Mel Gibson had made a version of Hamlet. But even though casting a then action star as the meloncholy dane made as much sense as casting Charlie Sheen as King Lear, Gibson actually pulls it off, making for a more accessible and relateable Hamlet without cheapening or selling-out the material. The rest of the cast is perfectly acceptable: Glenn Close, Alan Bates, Ian Holm etc. And director Zeffirelli (already a notch on his belt with a definitive version of Romeo & Juliet) brings an interesting visual style to the mix: Matching the film to a rugid, harsh, grey, landscape the mirrors the rugid, harsh, grey content of the film to an effect that would have made Igmar Bergman proud (along with an, of course, wonderful Ennio Morricone score). The play is abridged which means that there isn't nearly enough of (amoung others) Helena Bonham Carter's Ophelia, but I suppose it's better to wish you could spend more time with someone than for them to wear out their welcome.

Hamlet as he should be played.......2007-05-27

I saw this in the theater in 1991. I was familiar with the play and with the way I was taught to understand Hamlet. The problem was that I never believed that the traditional interpretation of Hamlet, as a fairly weak and troubled youth, as it did not seem right to me.

This Hamlet is troubled, no doubt. However, he is wracked with anger and pain. His rage bubbles forth in a sometimes psychotic set of behaviors which always keeps its hold on reality. He is suicidal, but he intends to take any and all villians with him.

This made sense to me. This is how I really saw Hamlet. Mel Gibson does this edge of crazy perfectly. He is not weak, but tortured and seeking revenge.

Furthermore, he makes the traditional script (not completely faithful, but very close) very understandable. Even the novice will be able to understand what he is saying after the rhythym of the piece is understood. To me, this means Gibson understands the role. When Shakespeare is not understood by the audience, it is somebody on the production side that does not get the role.

I understand why critics don't like this Hamlet, but in my opinion it is the most accurate version yet on film.

If you know someone you wish to initiate into the Shakespeare circle, view this film with them.

Mysterious Skin (Deluxe Unrated Director's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Sensational!
Intense and unsettling film
Decent film, but bad adaptation.
What Film Is All About
Very disturbing but Very good

Mysterious Skin (Deluxe Unrated Director's Edition)
Starring: Chase Ellison , George Webster (IV) , Rachael Nastassja Kraft , Lisa Long , and Chris Mulkey
Director: Gregg Araki
Manufacturer: Strand Releasing
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Brokeback Mountain (Widescreen Edition)
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ASIN: B000F6II1M
Release Date: 2006-03-20

Amazon.com

Though the subject matter of Mysterious Skin is as sensational as that of Gregg Araki's other films (such as Totally F***ked Up, The Doom Generation, or The Living End), his direction is richer and more multilayered than ever before. Two Kansas teenagers named Neil (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, 10 Things I Hate About You) and Brian (Brady Corbett, Thirteen) share a childhood trauma--but their responses are radically different: Neil hustles tricks, while Brady, who can't remember what happened, believes he was abducted by aliens and left with "missing time." As both try to make sense of their lives and Brian struggles to find out the truth, Mysterious Skin builds to an emotional pitch that some viewers will find uncomfortable and others will find liberating. The characters of Neil and Brian have a fullness that lifts Mysterious Skin above most examinations of sexual abuse and trauma. Gordon-Levitt has been deservedly praised by the critics, but the entire cast--which also includes Bill Sage (Simple Men), Elizabeth Shue (Leaving Las Vegas), Michelle Trachtenberg (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), and Mary Lynn Rajskub (24)--turns in superb performances. A striking and powerful movie. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Sensational!.......2007-06-19

Mysterious Skin- Sensational, controversial, intense... so many words can describe this movie by Gregg Araki based on the novel by Scott Heim. The first time I watched this film, I was blown away by the display of raw emotions of the two young lead actors- Joseph Gordon Levitt (who plays young hustler Neil McCormick) and Brady Corbet ( who plays Brian, the shy teen who believes he was abducted by Aliens). There is a special, albeit disturbing connection between the two young men and the film captures the journey towards their reunion and the ultimate discovery of that particular event that connects them.

Gordon-Levitt delivers one of the most unforgettable performances I have seen in recent years. As a young hustler, his dark and secret past, allowed him to mask his emotions, and live life as if what he does for a living is something ordinary and mundane. With his eyes showing off nothing, and staring blankly into space, he goes from one job to another just as if he's replacing parts in an automotive shop or sorting out letters in a mail room. There are certain sex scenes that are graphic and disturbing, but it captures the world of Neil- dark, violent, uncaring... It's the only way he can go on- the absence of emotion and with it, the inability to truly love the people who care for him. Corbet also delivered an amazing performance, as Brian he is the shy, trusting and unassuming young man who is so obsessed with recording his periodic episodes of forgetfulness, that he opens himself to anyone who cared enough to listen...

There is a certain fulfillment in watching this movie and see it towards its end, it opens up a world that is there, perhaps a world apart from your own, but it's there and you may need or may not need to protect yourself to discover it.

Intense and unsettling film.......2007-06-07

Neil (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Brian (Brady Corbet) played on the same Little League team when they were eight, but they grew into very different young men. Neil is a burned out, soulless prostitute, while Brian is shy and confused and obsessed with UFOs. When they meet again as adults, Neil reveals a terrible truth about that summer they played baseball.

This movie is a shocking look at pedophilia and its effects on the lives of two children. It is at times difficult to watch, but the actors' performances are flawless. Gordon-Levitt is stunning as the young hustler who lives a zombie-like existence, and Corbet is appealing as the naive boy who thinks he was abducted by aliens. The story is cleverly constructed; parallel vignettes from each boy's life trace their development until they are reunited and the truth brings them a degree of peace. This unforgettable film is brutal and very, very sad.

Decent film, but bad adaptation........2007-05-27

Mysterious Skin (Gregg Araki, 2004)

A good deal of my problem with Hollywood can be summed up by one unfortunate set of scenes in Gregg Araki's adaptation of Scott Heim's intriguing novel Mysterious Skin. All of these scenes concern Brian (Thirteen's Brady Corbet)'s relationship with Avalyn Friesen (Mary Lynn Rajskub of 24). Every time she appeared on the screen, I couldn't help but think "this is the conception of `grossly overweight' [as she's described in the book] in California?" That alone was enough to throw off my enjoyment of the film; the feeling was exacerbated by a number of small changes, the kind of thing I'd normally assume was done to preserve the film's R rating, but with more involved in each case. (For example, the lovely scene in the novel where Neal (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), his mother (Elisabeth Shue), and Eric (Jeff Licon) go picnicking the day before Neal leaves for New York is torn to shreds; the portion of it that might have messed with the film's rating is there, in abbreviated, almost prudish, form, but all the rest of the scene has been dispensed with.)

Not a terrible movie, but do yourself a favor: see it before you read the book, so you don't know what you're missing until afterwards. ** ½

What Film Is All About.......2007-05-16

This is one of those films that is so well made that it makes other films look bad. The acting is top rate and honest. The subject matter is difficult, but the film handles it so well. This a must see film.

Very disturbing but Very good.......2007-05-14

I thought this movie was excellently done and very watchable. Excellent acting and story. But the story was very disturbing, showing the effects on kids of abuse. It really opened my eyes to the problem of child abuse. A must see for every open minded free thinking adult. Not sure if I would recommend it for teens though.

Leon - The Professional (Deluxe Edition)

Average customer rating:

An All-time Favorite GUY movie.
Most convincing love story ever.
The Professional
The Professional
Unbelievably ridiculous but try not and be emotinally attached

Leon - The Professional (Deluxe Edition)
Starring: Jean Reno , Gary Oldman , Natalie Portman , Danny Aiello , and Peter Appel
Director: Luc Besson
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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The Fifth Element (Ultimate Edition)
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ASIN: B0006GVJEE
Release Date: 2005-01-11

Product Description

Gary Oldman, Jean Reno, Natalie Portman and Danny Aiello star in LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL, a go-for-broke thriller about a professional assassin whose work becomes dangerously personal. Calling himself a "cleaner", the mysterious Leon (Reno) is New York's top hitman. When his next-door neighbors are murdered, Leon becomes the unwilling guardian of the family's sole survivor - 12-year-old Mathilda, but Mathilda doesn't just want protection; she wants revenge. Training her in the deadly tricks of his trade, Leon helps her track the psychotic agent (Oldman) who murdered her family.

System Requirements:
Running Time: 133 Min.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Luc Besson (The Fifth Element) made his American directorial debut with this stylized thriller about a French hit man (Jean Reno) who takes in an American girl (Natalie Portman) being pursued by a corrupt killer cop (Gary Oldman). Oldman is a little more unhinged than he should be, but there is something genuinely irresistible about the story line and the relationship between Reno and Portman. Rather than cave in to the cookie-cutter look and feel of American action pictures, Besson brings a bit of his glossy style from French hits La Femme Nikita and Subway to the production, and the results are refreshing even if the bullets and explosions are awfully familiar. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

An All-time Favorite GUY movie........2007-06-28

This is definitely a guy movie, about a professional hit man who's not too bright but has a big heart and is very adept at his craft. It is an intriguing story. Great plot (you don't know how it will turn out), great acting, great villian (this cop is a pscycho). You will like the characters and feel for their well being. A must see!

Most convincing love story ever........2007-06-22

"I know what I want to do with the rest of my life. I want to be an assassin. Like you." Spoken by a little [..]Natalie Portman, which becomes the earmark of my early attentions that this movie was more than your run of the mill movie. In fact, Natalie Portman may not have been the focus of this film but every ounce of her characterization of Mathilda stood out as owning this films reputation as an underground international hit. I can't give justice to the power she releases at the explosive ending with Leon that comes straight from some everyone-dies-Scorsese-mob-ending. Her invoking sobs are stomach clutching and her innate control is so fantastic it's frighteningly genius. It's almost impossible for me to discover the means for her to of have created such a complete character with such genuine passion when I consider the real life pressures such as the presence of people and running camera's absorbing every nuance of her countenance and paired against such dominating presence as Jean Reno and Gary Oldman no less! At film ending, I felt obligated beyond an audiance member, as if some member in an important film jury. Obligated to award that outstanding performance. Because in the movie business, audiences (unlike sports spectators who support having the best of athlets)do not reward the best of movie making. They rush to see movies like spider man 3, and oceans and reward them with unbelievable revenues that executives celebrate over. This under the radar revenge film with a bizarrly genius child actor was more than just a klatch of hollywood moments, it was a delicate lingo of sexual undertones. It was a 'becoming of age'-ness, and metamorphisized rebirth. This child was fantastic and worth droves of applause. She literally and metaphorically walks away from the hollywood glitch and glamour at some point. Away from the eye catching fire, and explosions. The throngs of police extra's, and of the cliche final showdown. She walks away as a child would, but with the aged spirit of a master actress, spliting the story in no better way for me into that scence of departure. One the one side is Leon, the revenge gun for hire story, and then the other of a precious girl coming of age under extraordinary circumstances which parallels the slave of Leon's rebirth from soulessness. "Is it always this hard?" She asks Leon with blood on her face. And as if questioning the validity of her own living, sweeps the blood with her hand and stares at it. "No." Exclaims Leon without emotion. Planted behind Leon's mirrory glasses at that moment is his rebirth.

The Professional.......2007-06-12

Excellent movie now a classic never get sick of watching, a must have for all movie buffs !

The Professional.......2007-06-05

This is a fantastic movie. Jean Reno is absolutely marvelous as the hit man who takes in an orphaned young girl (Natalie Portman) after a crooked DEA agent (Gary Oldman) kills off her entire family. Reno brings depth, sensitivity and a true comedic flair to the character. Natalie Portman is, naturally, adorable and shows true skill in the role. And Gary Oldman? He's just brilliant. The best - that is the foulest, the most despicable - villain there ever was. You've just got to see this movie!The Professional

Unbelievably ridiculous but try not and be emotinally attached.......2007-06-03

Here is the rare film that combines a ridiculous storyline with a fabulous cast, great overacting, action, tenderness, angst and pathos and creates a winner you can't take your eyes, ears, heart or attention from. It will have you rooting for a serial killer who is teaching a 12-year-old the tricks of the trade. No kidding!

Jean Reno, who has probably never given a poor performance, is perfectly cast as an illiterate killer for hire. When Natalie Portman's family -- which lives in his building -- is murdered by bad cop-cocaine dealer Gary Oldman and crew, not yet teenager Portman survives and takes up housekeeping with the illiterate neighbor, a witness to the murders that is a full-time contractor to restaranteur Danny Aiello, playing the kind of gritty New York role that's made him famous.

You've probably already figured out this movie contains a lot of profanity, killing, bloodletting, foul play, and good guy-bad guy technique that's typical in this kind of urban drug-induced "police" drama. What you haven't figured out -- and what you won't until you see this film -- is the affectionate relationship it creates between older than her years but still youthful Portman and her new father figure and the way this relationship will addict you to this film.

Their relationship is about as connective as that torch you still carry for the high school sweetheart that got away. It sits beneath the surface eating up emotional bandwidth and retaining a place in your shattered psyche. The relationship between Portman and Reno (pronounced renn-Oh, not like the city in Nevada) will do the same thing to you.

I had no idea this movie, now 13 years of age, had all this going for it. It's a film that catches you unprepared. You want to see all the killing and be neutralized by its brutality. Yet this tender relationship between two down and out figures draws you in like a wet kitten at your front door whose mother was just run over by a car in the street. It melts your heart. Meanwhile, Gary Oldman is the [erfect foil, the epitome of evil. He gets his later in a memorable scene with our hero, Reno.

You have all this to look forward to as many times as you want by buying, renting, or borrowing this wonderful movie. My advice is to get on with it.

Average customer rating:

An All-time Favorite GUY movie.
Most convincing love story ever.
The Professional
The Professional
Unbelievably ridiculous but try not and be emotinally attached

The Professional
Starring: Jean Reno , Gary Oldman , Natalie Portman , Danny Aiello , and Peter Appel
Director: Luc Besson
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0767802519
Release Date: 1998-02-24

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

An All-time Favorite GUY movie........2007-06-28

Most convincing love story ever........2007-06-22

The Professional.......2007-06-12

Excellent movie now a classic never get sick of watching, a must have for all movie buffs !

The Professional.......2007-06-05

Unbelievably ridiculous but try not and be emotinally attached.......2007-06-03

Leon - The Professional (Uncut International Version)

Average customer rating:

An All-time Favorite GUY movie.
Most convincing love story ever.
The Professional
The Professional
Unbelievably ridiculous but try not and be emotinally attached

Leon - The Professional (Uncut International Version)
Starring: Jean Reno , Gary Oldman , Natalie Portman , Danny Aiello , and Peter Appel
Director: Luc Besson
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Blackmail, Murder & Mayhem | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

The Fifth Element (Ultimate Edition)
La Femme Nikita (Special Edition)
Ronin
Heat
V for Vendetta (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B00004YYDI
Release Date: 2000-10-03

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

An All-time Favorite GUY movie........2007-06-28

Most convincing love story ever........2007-06-22

The Professional.......2007-06-12

Excellent movie now a classic never get sick of watching, a must have for all movie buffs !

The Professional.......2007-06-05

Unbelievably ridiculous but try not and be emotinally attached.......2007-06-03

Paradise Lost - The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills

Average customer rating:

Celluloid Propaganda
Compelling and appalling
Haunting
Johnny Cash wore black, but he's considered normal.
must-see

Paradise Lost - The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills
Starring: Jason Baldwin , Steven Branch , Christopher Byers , John Mark Byers , and Melissa Byers
Director: Bruce Sinofsky
Manufacturer: New Video Group
ProductGroup: DVD
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Paradise Lost 2 - Revelations
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The Staircase

ASIN: B000AYEIY0
Release Date: 2005-10-25

Amazon.com

On May 6, 1993, the mutilated bodies of three 8-year-old boys were found in a shallow creek in West Memphis, Arkansas. A short time later police arrested three local teenagers, linking the boys' killings to a satanic ritual. One of the boys confessed. The intriguing court case was about to unfold as filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky ventured forth to make this documentary. They captured footage of not only courtroom proceedings but also interviews with the major players in trial--parents, suspects, lawyers. The documentary filmmakers, whose previous film, Brother's Keeper, is as intriguing of a crime story you'll ever see, tells this story without re-creations or flashbacks. The film makes a clear argument that the court trial may not be about witchcraft but a witch hunt. As with any great drama, the faces and situations are etched upon the viewer; however, we are dealing with real lives and real crimes (told gruesomely and necessarily by police photographs and videotape), and the impact is far greater. And so is the maddening ambivalence of the trial. Like the O.J. Simpson fiasco, a verdict is reached but the truth is questioned. Did police make fatal errors the night of the crime? Do last-minute clues lead to justice? Who's lying on the stand? As with Roger and Me and Hoop Dreams, we have a provocative single incident that holds a mirror to many of society's problems. The results are just more horrifying. The Emmy-winning film was followed four years later by Paradise Lost 2: Revelations. --Doug Thomas

Description

One of the most influential documentaries in recent years, the Sundance favorite PARADISE LOST is an emotionally raw, must-see crime doc from two of today's most exciting filmmakers--Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky (the team behind Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, Brother's Keeper). This dark odyssey began with the tragic murders of three 8-year-old boys, whose bodies were discovered in a shallow creek in West Memphis, Arkansas. The community demanded justice, and one month later the police delivered: three local teenagers accused of sacrificing the boys as part of a Satanic ritual. Despite overwhelming public antipathy towards them, defendants Damian Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley steadfastly maintained their innocence. Although the trial produced virtually no physical evidence connecting the defendants to the crime, the town, the jury, and the police felt that they had their killers, and used the young men's penchant for heavy metal music and black clothing and a fascination with the Wicca religion as evidence of their guilt. With unprecedented access to all the players, Berlinger and Sinofsky captured the events as they unfolded before their cameras. From actual courtroom footage and clandestine jailhouse interviews to behind-the-scenes strategy meetings and intimate portraits of grief-stricken families, PARADISE LOST is a shocking yet uniquely American real-life drama. DVD Features: Exclusive Trial Footage; Timeline of Events; Trial Updates; Theatrical Trailer; Filmmaker Biographies; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

Customer Reviews:

Celluloid Propaganda.......2007-05-16

Paradise Lost is an exercise in historical revisionism. Its producers aimed at spinning history with the hope that a trio of clearly guilty murderers would be released. This alleged documentary plays fast and loose with the facts that it presents while leaving inconvenient facts on the cutting room floor to present a false picture of three innocent lads being railroaded for crimes that they did not commit.

Paradise Lost is a dishonest documentary in that while the producers never state their opinions directly, they deliberately omit certain facts while twisting other facts so that they can present a distorted version of what really happened. For instance, the producers want you to believe that the convicted killers were really innocent, that there was no real evidence against them. The makers of this documentary want you to believe that the 3 teenagers were convicted due to their love of heavy metal, the works of Stephen King, the fact they wore black T-shirts and because there was a "satanic panic" in the community.

The documentary producers also use John Mark Byers, the stepfather of one of the victims, as a red herring. They insinuate that Byers should have been the top suspect instead of the 3 convicted punks. They conveniently leave out the fact that Byers had an airtight alibi and was cleared of suspicion following an intensive police investigation. This so-called documentary implies that since Byers is mentally slow, then he could have been the real murderer.

Paradise Lost was made along the lines of a Michael Moore documentary sans the comedy. Like a Moore documentary, Paradise Lost shows some of both sides of an issue, but upon further examination, it is clearly one sided. In this case, the bias is on the side of the convicted criminals. Facts that point towards guilt are either glossed over or entirely left out. Contrary to the movie, the trio were not convicted just because they wore black or liked heavy metal music. That is a gross distortion of the evidence against them.

Paradise Lost is one of those documentaries where if you do not know much about the subject, your response likely will be that what happened to the 3 convicts was a horrible miscarriage of justice. However, if you actually know a good deal about what really happened, your reaction is that the documentary itself was nothing but a sham and a fraud.

Paradise Lost is a sham and a fraud that is not worth either your time or your hard earned money. It is most definitely not recommended.

Compelling and appalling.......2007-03-02

I saw this movie in a theatre ten years ago and recently saw the DVD version. It's pretty obvious that these boys are innocent. It's even more obvious they never got a fair trial.

I'm impressed by Damien, the young man accused of satanism. He's smart and articulate and he kept his cool.

But what's even more appalling is that, given the publicity attached to this case, the young men remain in prison. Why hasn't the governor commuted their sentences? With so many holes in the prosecution's case -- absence of blood being just one -- why have appeals failed?

Paradise Lost describes a 20th century witch hunt. And that's our justice system.

Haunting.......2007-02-07

This documentary is brilliantly made - no commentary, just footage of the incidents, interviews with the people involved in them, all of which speak for themselves. But it's a haunting message they tell - a haunting, horrific murder and some haunting questions about the justice system's response. The film does not pretend to give answers - it doesn't preach, it just asks questions. Those questions continue to reel inside me, long after viewing - the guilt or innocence of the young men charged with the crimes, the guilt or innocence of others and, perhaps for me the most disturbing question of all: will we ever know for sure just what happened? Like pretty well everything that HBO is involved in, I found this to be really top-shelf documentary production.

Johnny Cash wore black, but he's considered normal........2007-01-23

I'd like to think that people are getting more open minded regarding justice and the law. With the recent explosion of court and police shows on tv, nearly everyone is getting interested in the subject, and tries to be their own detective, figuring out what's right and what's wrong while looking at both sides of the story. Unfortunately, that's only recently, and the events that take place in Paradise Lost were anything but handled that way. I don't think I've ever been disgusted or disappointed when seeing the outcome of a trial for anything, but this one had me shaking my head in disbelief each time the verdict was made. This isn't my own personal feeling on the more southern states, but documentaries like this certainly don't help the more city-slicker's view of that area, seeing how one-sided things can be. The fact that a little over 10 years ago, people were using the "they wear black and listen to heavy metal, so they must be Satanic" really makes me feel sorry for the older people of that age. Let's hope that my generation, as pitiful as it seems most of the time, is more open minded on such subjects. Anyway, Paradise Lost is one of the few movies to really get me. At two and a half hours long, most documentaries would bore you with false info and a one-sided argument, like Michael the Hutt Moore does. Here, everything goes by fast thanks to flawless editing, interesting people, and the best defense attorneys one could ever wish to see.

In May of 1993, 3 small boys were found murdered (amongst other things) in a shallow creek in West Memphis, Arkansas. What was done to them is pretty graphic, so you're better looking up info on that on your own rather than me explaining it here. Seemingly right away, police got a supposed confession from Jessie Misskelley who claimed his friends Damien Echols and Jason Baldwin did it. All three of them were seen as outcasts in school and by the rest of the community for listening to bands like Metallica and Slayer, wearing black shirts, and not being into the typical things people in that area were. So, naturally, the police went after them since they'd be the ones who'd do such a thing, what with being different and all. The problem is, there's nearly no evidence to support that any of the 3 boys were involved. Jessie's confession is filled with holes, and the officer questioning him more or less tells him what the right time was for them to be there, after Jessie changes the time on when it happened more than 3 times in his story. His IQ of 72 doesn't help matters either. The murders were done by a professional, obviously, having no blood, foot prints or anything of that sort at the scene of the crime. The scene was left clean- no teenagers could've done it that well, especially some of the skinning that took place...in the dark, and it would've had to have been underwater since no blood was found. One officer even admits to LOSING evidence later in the trial. But, the city made up their mind before the trial even began. All that mattered to them was that someone was going to pay for a crime, regardless of if they did it or not.

As a few have said, the real heroes here are the defense lawyers. These guys are some of the best I've ever seen, and go into detail as to why the boys are innocent, providing enough proof that it couldn't possibly have been them. I'm wondering why nothing they said seemed important to the jury at all, since everything they said and questioned made 100% sense. One lawyer even comes up with a case that shows that one victim's stepfather could have done it, and provides enough evidence. He admits to beating his son shortly before the murder took place, can't easily explain why his own blood was found on a murder weapon, and changes his mind about what the police asked him and how he answered several times. Again, despite the proof that he's more than likely the real culprit, his case is dismissed after just a few minutes. I don't know if this is as bad, or worse, but some of the parents involved here can easily be seen as just as heartless as the killer(s). One mother is smiling and cheering before she's interviewed by a news station just because she's "on tv". Another more or less makes death threats to all 3 boys if they were ever to be let out of prison, while another pair practices at a shooting range and names the 3 targets after the accused boys. The boy's stepfather who is accused later on even goes on into detail about how he hopes terrible things will happen to all 3, and what he'll do to their graves each year if they die before him. Naturally, most would feel sorry for the parents of the lost children at first, but when everything's almost done here, you realize that they've lost their humanity and only care about revenge. Sadly, Paradise Lost doesn't work out like an episode of Law & Order. All 3 accused boys are still in prison today, DNA testing was only cleared just recently, and the real murderer is still at large. Considering that the 3 families of the victims were involved with a Parents of Murdered Children meeting, seemingly for the state, it shows that the person(s) who did this probably did those ones in as well. A sequel is available right now, and I just read that a third one is in the works. Lets hope that justice is served soon. The movie isn't one sided, but it's obvious that all 3 boys were innocent.

Since this is a documentary for HBO, filmed back in the early 90s, the picture quality isn't going to be that great. There's a lot of grain and out of focus shots, but none of it takes away from the presentation. What do you expect? The audio's just the same, recorded on low-quality microphones. Sadly, there aren't any subtitles or captions you can turn on to help with the heavier accents of some people. But I'm sure you'll want to watch the movie more than once, and you'll figure out any questionable phrases upon the second viewing.

The extras here aren't much, but at least we get something. Damien Echols Trial Testimony is just extended footage of Damien talking about what he's into and why he dresses the way he does. It was summarized already in the movie, but it helps out on showing that the community didn't like him before the trial even began. Timeline of Events is just that, and is represented by screens showing where and when things happened. It's good to check out if you might have missed anything, but not quite necessary. Lastly is a Trial Updates file that you can download from the disc. Though, you'd be best off just looking up any info on the West Memphis 3 and going from there since this file's semi-outdated now.

I know 2 other movies have been made since this, but they could've piled on some more extras. Surely there was some other good trial footage taken out like the footage of Damien explaining his ways and such. The movie itself is amazing though, and really makes you wonder how people can still backtrack from all the proof that 3 boys are innocent, and stick with the whole "they wear black and listen to heavy metal" excuse.

must-see.......2006-04-04

this documentary takes you inside the robin hood hills case, and for me it made me doubt the outcome and imprisonment of the three teenagers. it is honest, graphic and sad, but i think it takes you inside better than most other documentaries i've seen.

Average customer rating:

Hide & Seek? No thanx. I dont want to play
You can run but you can't hide!
NOT BAD THRILLER WORTH A LOOK!
Dakota & de Niro rescue this movie at 2:06am
Just enough mystery

Hide and Seek (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Robert De Niro , Dakota Fanning , Famke Janssen , Elisabeth Shue , and Amy Irving
Director: John Polson
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B00092ZLSK
Release Date: 2005-07-05

Amazon.com

Dakota Fanning--the elfin star of Uptown Girls, The Cat in the Hat, and Man on Fire--trades in her blond locks for a semi-gothic brunette do in Hide and Seek. Fanning plays Emily, a young girl whose mother commits suicide. To help Emily through the trauma, her father David (Robert DeNiro), a psychologist, takes her to an isolated house in upstate New York. But instead of healing, Emily gets dark circles under her eyes, mutilates her favorite doll, and develops an imaginary friend named Charlie. In no time at all, things get spooky and David suspects this imaginary friend isn't so friendly. Hide and Seek owes a lot to The Shining, but whether the creepiness is borrowed or not, there's a decent dose of it (though the twist at the end is unlikely to surprise many viewers). DeNiro does his job with professional gloss, but Fanning carries the movie; she's got the kind of charisma that goes beyond acting ability--that ineffable glow that makes an audience want to watch her. Hide and Seek also features Famke Janssen (X-Men), Elisabeth Shue (Leaving Las Vegas), and the ever-dependable Dylan Baker (Happiness). --Bret Fetzer

Description

Robert De Niro and Dakota Fanning keep pulses pounding and hearts racing in this chilling horror hit about a troubled father and daughter tormented by someone - or something - named Charlie, a malevolent entity who may or may not be "imaginary" but is definitely the stuff nightmares are made of!

Customer Reviews:

Hide & Seek? No thanx. I dont want to play.......2007-07-04

Hide and seek is one of the many films that tries (and fails) to emulate films of a much greater value. The over hyped Dakota Fanning is useless throughout the film and has about as much presence as an ice cube in an igloo. Sure Deniro is showing a slightly better persona here than he did in Godsend, but where Godsend had atmosphere, decent chills and plot development and dread throughout, Hide and seek is a bland mish mash of ideas used throughout the horror film library and it does nothing particularly well. Camera angles are either way off the mark or too much in your face. The pace is so slow during the first half of the movie, I actually got up twice to get snacks and to go to the bathroom, having not paused the DVD, and I missed nothing. Slow pacing is fine if you are telling a story or building up care for the characters onscreen by giving us vital information about their lives, but that is not the case in Hide and Seek. With Hide, it just seems to be a way to waste time until the audience starts to question why they decided to watch the movie in the first place. The third quarter involves a lot of warning signs that horror movie veterans were already savvy enough to have figured out in the first 20 minutes of the film. The last quarter of the movie is of course the inevitable finale that is more predictable than Punxatawny Phil. Here the director threw the kitchen sink of horror hijinx at us as if to apologize for our bad treatment in the first 3/4ths of the film. Yet the director still misses the mark in what appears to be a ripoff of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. Deniro does his best work of the film here, and you almost feel bad for him having to take part in such an obvious display of "me too" horror play. The film also has 4 alternate endings that I had absolutely no interest in seeing. I was just glad the movie was finally done when the credits started rolling. All in all, Hide and Seek is a borefest of epic proportions that is bested even by the worst direct to DVD horror shlock. Advice for Deniro: When you sign on to act in a horror movie, do it with people who have a track record of giving us real winners, not stinkers.

You can run but you can't hide!.......2007-06-27

If you like a good suspense thriller in the vein of "Secret Window," then this one's for you. Robert DeNiro is at his best in this white-knuckler. Dakota Fanning does a wonderful job as well in keeping you on the edge of your seat. I'd share the great twist, but that might ruin it for you! Enjoy and don't spill your popcorn!

NOT BAD THRILLER WORTH A LOOK!.......2007-06-25

OK, This is not DeNiro's finest hour. It is however, a fairly good thriller and it had me guessing for a while. If you like thriller/suspense films,you can do much worse!

Dakota & de Niro rescue this movie at 2:06am.......2007-05-23

How could anyone with even half a heart and in the right mind cast the beautiful angelic darling Dakota Fanning as a baleful, almost deathly pale, creepy character? And yet this movie successfully manages that! You start out HATING Dakota Fanning's character and by the end of the movie all you want to do is PROTECT her (with your own life if need be).

On its own there is nothing particularly unique about 'Hide and Seek' - and there are a dime-a-dozen movies with climaxes/twists similar to it in spirit. Also, the script-writing/story-telling leaves a lot to be desired - with potential sub-plots & characters that don't seem to go anywhere (some of these detours, however, do provide the subtle hints that clue the careful viewer in to the eventual 'twist' before it is actually revealed). Nevertheless, IMO, the movie is sufficiently engrossing & creepy to qualify as a 4-star 'horror' flick. The strait-jacket of the script/handling notwithstanding, both Robert de Niro & Dakota Fanning bring out their best in the movie. I was particularly impressed by Dakota Fanning's talent yet again - and she may even have, inadvertantly, outshined Robert de Niro in this movie.

Worth at least a peek especially if you are a fan of the 'psychological horror' genre (there is no mindless gore or violence).

Just enough mystery.......2007-05-11

I really liked this movie. As always, De Niro is great! I usually guess the ending very early into the movie, but this one caught me. I had a hard time playing the alternate endings. Great!

Average customer rating:

I can understand why this is not a Julia Roberts classic flick
A Twist on the Classic Horror Film
If negative stars were a rating option, I would use them
Half Baked, but Partially Edible
Pleasant surprise

Mary Reilly
Starring: Julia Roberts , John Malkovich , George Cole , Michael Gambon , and Kathy Staff
Director: Stephen Frears
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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I Love Trouble
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Dying Young
Satisfaction
Flatliners

ASIN: B00004W4UB
Release Date: 2000-09-12

Amazon.com essential video

Stephen Frears reunites with the production talents who made the tempting Dangerous Liaisons for this new look at the infamous Dr. Jekyll (a deft John Malkovich). Instead of being in the laboratory where the good doctor unlocks his evil twin, we stay in the mansion overlooking the lab. An inquisitive, proper maid, Mary Reilly (Julia Roberts) slowly becomes Dr. Jekyll's confidant. Rather than a horror story, the film is a spooky mystery that keeps us in the dark, and what a wonderful dark Frears and his designers have fashioned. Roberts carries the movie, digging deep for her best dramatic work to date. Though some may wish she'd show more passion, she holds her emotions appropriately in check. The movie faced considerable, well-documented troubles, including the reshooting of several scenes months after the initial production. This probably affected the finale, which has little impact and nearly ruins a good thing. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews:

I can understand why this is not a Julia Roberts classic flick.......2007-07-04

This is not the way America is accustomed to seeing Julia Roberts. She doesn't act here like she did with "Pretty Woman", "I Love Trouble", or for that matter: " America Sweethearts", "Sleeping With The Enemy", or "Hook". There's one thing missing that's in all the movies I mentioned, and that's Julia's laughter. That laugh of hers as far as I'm concerned has become her trademark. Actors and Actresses all have a trademark as far as I'm concerned. George Burns always and forever had a stogey in his mouth, Groucho Marx always with those wire-rimmed glasses, and Julia Roberts with her laugh. However, don't think because she doesn't laugh in this movie that means it isn't good, on the contrary this shows her ability to drop her Georgian accent, and trade it for an almost Irish accent, but it also shows her ability to act in crossover films which prepared her for an I believe an Oscar nomination for supporting actress for the film "Stepmom". The story line I will have to look into this further, and see if Robert Louis Stevenson had a character named Mary Reilly in his story "Dr. Jekyll and Mister Hyde". If it's not it's still a good suspensful flick.

A Twist on the Classic Horror Film.......2007-01-25

This movie has an interesting twist on the classic horror film. We are able to watch what transpires within the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde from the view of a chambermaid's perspective. This chambermaid, Mary Reilly, is played quite well by Julia Roberts. Mary Reilly is a poor girl who had a horrible childhood and feels the safety of security brought about by working in the house of a rich and distinguished doctor. Of course unlike normal servants of the time, she is able to read and becomes very inquisitive about her masters business. Mr. John Malkovich does a perfect job of showing the ongoing conflict between good and evil contained within each of us in his portrayal of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. As the good doctor he is a kindly man of science. But as Mr. Hyde all his inhabitations are gone, as are his morals and conscience.

This film takes the horror film and turns into a film that keeps you suspended in the dark as you watch the mystery unfold for the chambermaid. The movie is not a true classic horror film or one of the modern films of gore. Do not expect to be frighten and do not be surprised when the audience seems to be the only ones that can see it is obvious that Dr. Jekyll is Mr. Hyde. Other then that, both leads give a satisfactory performance and the film is worth watching.

If negative stars were a rating option, I would use them.......2006-02-21

This movie had an interesting idea going for it in the beginning, but the bad acting, bad script, bad lighting, and horrible accents, killed it. I feel I lost brain cells just watching it. The only "scary" or "disturbing" part was Malkovich's face, which hardly ever changed into a believable expression. Robert's accent changed from scene to scene with upsetting regularity, which was extremely disappointing.
If the point of this movie was to show how "misunderstood" Jeckyl and Hyde may have been, it did a thoroughly awful job.
I would recommend a root canal over this movie, as it may be less painful.

Half Baked, but Partially Edible.......2006-01-23

As far as filmmaking goes, this production only deserves 2 stars. However, because its classic Jekyll & Hyde source material (with its dark Freudian roots that reach into the subject of substance abuse) and the gloomy Jack-the-Ripper-in-London time period are so universally compelling, the movie is somewhat engrossing without really being effective.

I haven't read the novel on which MARY REILLY is based, but you can see the framework is there for a striking work. As the heroine is a lowly servant in the mysterious Dr. Jekyll's home, there's an element of spying involved that heightens the tension, and the role of women in Victorian times is a rich dramatic subject in itself. (Mary has few options in life and is forever treading on thin ice. When she risks listening outside her employer's door, it's a very different situation than if you or I were doing the same today.) There are no significant female characters in Stevenson's original novella, almost as if they weren't worth writing about, and telling the story from a female viewpoint opens the door for new layers of perspective.

A huge problem is that Stephen Frears fails to sustain an atmosphere that's either realistically grisly or theatrically horrifying. For one thing, although the occasional fog bank is rolled out, the lighting seems all wrong. When Mary hears noises in the night and creeps downstairs to investigate, the stairwell is lit with warm, honeyish light as if this were a sunny morning. (I don't know if this lighting is intended to flatter the actress playing Mary or not, but its as false and distracting as the clear polish that glimmers on her nails from time to time.) This sort of choice may seem minor, yet it completely undermines any air of menace. This same insensitivity to mood arises in the costuming, which is correct in its detailing but also brand-spanking-new. (When the impoverished Mary runs a scary errand, she wears a neat, sweeping tweed coat that would be perfectly at home in a Brooks Brothers or Burbury shop window today.)

These details aside, what truly derails the film is the fact that its stars don't share any chemistry. Julia Roberts is a natural sensualist while John Malkovich is coolly cerebral, and at least here, the opposites don't attract. It's also frustrating that, for some intellectual reason that may have appealed to Mr. Malkovich more than anyone else, Jekyll and Hyde aren't made to look very different. (Hyde basically looks like Jekyll with a hangover, and in need of a haircut.) This central conceit is completely jarring, and pretty much renders the drama ridiculous.

MARY REILLY was originally to be produced with Tim Burton (who ultimately chose to do ED WOOD instead) directing Winona Ryder. In this case, the idea of what might have been is far more exciting than what we finally get.

Pleasant surprise.......2005-09-30

This was a surprise, as I didn't think Julia Roberts would ever attempt something serious and certainly not as intellectual as a costume drama. Her accent is a little hoaky, but she actually did a pretty good job here and I wish this movie was more acknowledged than it is as this is one of (if not the) few on her resume that has substance.

Instead of the traditional Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde journal entries and lab experiements, we see the good doctor falling apart from his chamber maid's perspective. Mary Reilly, a controlled, obedient woman, is busy about the house while a mysterious stranger seems to float in and out of the house. Eventually the stranger as well as the doctor (John Malcovich) take a shine to her. Both find her attractive, no question, but they're both fascinated by her and what a mystery she is. It follows the story of Jekyll and Hyde from an outsider's point of view (Mary's), and how a man is going mad with abuse of power. Glen Close even has a cameo which was all too brief.

Average customer rating:

De Niro Swings For The Seats & Catches Nothing But Air
Why is Ellen Barkin in this movie at all?
It is hard to fall from a dream
this is a full frame only edition
Really weird movie

The Fan
Starring: Robert De Niro , Wesley Snipes , Ellen Barkin , John Leguizamo , and Benicio Del Toro
Director: Tony Scott
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: 0800141822
Release Date: 1997-12-10

Amazon.com

Lurid thrillers don't get much more shameless than this movie, in which Robert De Niro plays a pathological baseball fan whose obsession is focused on a San Francisco Giants all-star outfielder (Wesley Snipes). While the newly signed baseball star is having trouble getting his favorite uniform number from a competitive teammate (Benicio Del Toro), De Niro is having career troubles at the knife company his father founded, and you can bet that his proximity to high-quality stainless-steel blades will be a factor in the suspenseful plot. Recycling parts of his maniacal roles in Taxi Driver, The King of Comedy, and Cape Fear, De Niro takes his idolatry to violent extremes, eliminating any obstacle to Snipes's stardom until the baseball hero is forced to confront his most terrifying devotee. Directed with brutal excess and souped-up style by Tony Scott (Top Gun, Crimson Tide), this manipulative nail-biter pulls all the right strings in predictable fashion, but it does have moments that are effectively intense. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

De Niro Swings For The Seats & Catches Nothing But Air.......2007-04-15

When Robert De Niro is on, he's on! When he jumps into character, he lives the part without looking back. That's what makes De Niro such a great actor. He usually takes his work very seriously (Bullwinkle would be one of the exceptions)and makes us believe, good or bad, in what he's doing. When he plays Gil Renard, divorced hunting knife salesman, avid Rolling Stones fan and SF Giants' Baseball freak, the message is a little muddled. The Giants have picked up baseball superstar Bobby Raybun (Snipes) for some outrageous amount of money (Sound familiar?) and Gil is tickled pink.