Circus World

Starring:John Wayne, Claudia Cardinale, Rita Hayworth, Lloyd Nolan, Richard Conte, John Smith, Katharyna, Katherine Kath, Wanda Rotha, Margaret MacGrath, Miles Malleson, JosÃ© MarÃa Caffarel, Kay Walsh, Francois Calepides, Robert Cunningham, Hans Dantes, Katherine Ellison, George Tyne, Margaret Fuller, VÃctor Israel
Director: Henry Hathaway
Studio: Best Film & Video Co.
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Mirrormask, a great movie
Unwatchable
Did not live up to the hype
Bad Movie
the Mirror to your Mind

Mirrormask
Starring: Jason Barry , Dora Bryan , Rob Brydon , Stephen Fry , and Andy Hamilton
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Mirrormask
Tim Burton's Corpse Bride (Widescreen Edition)
Howl's Moving Castle
Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere
Serenity (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000BT97AO
Release Date: 2006-02-14

Amazon.com

This visually stunning film is the product of a collaboration of award-winning graphic novelist Neil Gaiman (creator of the much-lauded Sandman series), his frequent collaborator Dave McKean (Cages), and The Jim Henson Company, themselves no strangers to elaborate fantasies such as The Dark Crystal. and Labyrinth. As with the latter film, MirrorMask focuses on a young woman unhappy with her daily existence; here, the artistically inclined Helena (Stephanie Leonides), is at odds with her circus performer parents. When a careless insult appears to send her mother (Gina McKee) into a coma, Helena withdraws into the dark and elaborate world of her drawings, in which a scenario very similar to her predicament in the real world is unfolding. Gaiman and director McKean create arresting images to populate Helena's world, and the Henson Company brings them vividly to life with CGI; though the story is occasionally murky, the fantasy elements are imaginative enough to enthrall what will undoubtedly be the film's toughest customers--younger viewers. --Paul Gaita

Description

MIRRORMASK is the story of Helena, who works for the family circus, and wishes--quite ironically--that she could run away and join real life. But such is not to be the case, as she finds herself on a strange journey into the Dark Lands, a fantastic landscape filled with giants, Monkeybirds and dangerous sphinxes. Helena searches for the Mirrormask, an object of enormous power that is her only hope of escaping the Dark Lands, waking the Queen of Light and returning home.

The long-awaited DVD boasts more than an hour of exclusive extra features. Fans can go Behind the Scenes with Dave McKean, have a conversation with Neil Gaiman in the Neil Talks feature, or watch the Flight of the Monkeybirds in the special featurette, along with many more exclusive features and scenes.

Customer Reviews:

Mirrormask, a great movie.......2007-06-26

This movie offers a world that the viewer can get lost in and mesmerized by. As a fan of Neil Gaiman's comic books, this movie was exactly what I would expect from him.

Unwatchable.......2007-06-26

I only lasted through the first half hour of this movie before I gave up on it entirely. I loved Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys, but it doesn't look like he was too involved with Mirrormask.

All of the characters, including the lead, are annoying. This combined with terrible special effects gave me no reason to watch any more. This film is obviously geared toward kids, which is fine by me, but it's a shame that it looks like such little effort was put into it. Neil Gaiman's writing deserves so much more.

Did not live up to the hype.......2007-06-07

This movie was flat and had been done before in any number of mediums. Its poor production values and superficalness made it the kind of film that was far too easy to just turn off and not bother coming back.

The conflict between the daughter and her family was interesting but the rest of the movie was so predictable and so riddled with archetypal characters that it was ultimately an unfulfilling watch.

Bad Movie.......2007-05-22

The story is about a girl named Helena whose father runs a circus but she is unhappy and wants to run away. She gets in to fight with her mother who is rush to the hospital after wards (for reason that are never explained, and believe me there going to be a lot of unexplained stuff in this film) Helena goes into shock and one night why she is asleep she drifts off in to a weird fantasy world that seems to be made from her weird art. Here she meets a mask man named Valentine and to gather they go on a quest to find the Mirror Mask. The world it self is really cool looking but the story dose not make any scenes. Its mainly just weird images after weird images witch after while gets vary boring. I also got the Impression that this movie was made for girls but the movie really has no point to it at all. You will forget all these Characters the next day (Besides what they look like) and feel great when it's finally over.
Avoid at all cost!

the Mirror to your Mind.......2007-05-18

There are three elements that make this movie amazing; that is Neil Gaiman, The Jim Henson Company, and the imagination.
MirrorMask is a painting that the audience has stepped into and become a part of. We are allowed to see into the main character Helena's mind, world, adventure.
Some reviewers have said that the plot is lacking in good character development and storyline, but I disagree. Maybe the characters are ment to be a little loose fitting, in order to bring the audience into their shoes. As a girl, I identify with Helena a lot, even though her life is very different from mine. The mother/daughter relationship is interweaved throughout the whole story. It is somewhat vague, but we still are able to understand and connect the concept into our own lives, and I think that Niel Gaiman intentionally wrote it that way. Most of us know what it's like to feel trapped emotionally and phisically by your parents in some way. In this movie we can see the struggle Helena has with feelings toward her mother, and watch as Helena realizes how much she really needs her mother and that kind of love in her life.
I can also identify with the subtle love story between Helena and her imaginary love interest Valentine. Like Helena, I have imagined my perfect man, or my own personal knight in shinning armor, as i'm sure many girls and even women have done. I also think that Valentine is a great character, full of witt and attitude. He might have been the strongest character in the movie. And even though he wore a mask, i was still attracted to him by his exuberant personality.
It seems as if this movie might appeal to women more than men when using these two aspects of the movie as reason to watch it. But however, the concept of the Mother/Daughter relationship, the subtle love story, and of course the amazing imagery are three very good reasons why anyone should love this movie.
So far everyone I know who has seen this movie, both male and female, found it to be interesting, amazing and down right awesome. Take a chance, buy it, watch it, love it.

Average customer rating:

What's the delay? Get this movie on US DVD

Circus World
Starring: Wayne , and Hathaway
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Legend of the Lost (1957)
Hellfighters
Flame of Barbary Coast
Brannigan
Three Faces West

ASIN: B000A2W97A
Release Date: 2004-10-05

Album Description

Asia exclusive DVD (NTSC/Region 0). 1964 film starring John Wayne, Claudia Cardinale, & Rita Hayworth. Directed by Henry Hathaway. Garry's Trading. 2004.

Customer Reviews:

What's the delay? Get this movie on US DVD.......2006-09-03

I recently found out that John Wayne's Circus World is available on DVD in Europe, but not in the US. Could someone please explain that to me? Almost every other Duke film is available but this one is being withheld for some reason. I have never seen this movie because it is rarely shown on TV and even rarer to find on video tape. Get this movie on US DVD so I won't have to buy a European DVD of it. It is ironic that the movies starring the most American of actors are not all available in America. Why do Europeans have the privelege of watching this movie? European distributors are making the profits that could have been for American distributors. That alone should be motivation to get this movie on DVD here.

Average customer rating:

Good beginning, good acting but ultimately unsatisfying
Compelling Drama from Maverick Writer-Producer
Dark and disturbing look at the 'Death of God'
acting good, plot falls apart
A New Hope

The Second Coming
Starring: Christopher Eccleston , William Travis , Ahsen Bhatti , Lesley Sharp , and Annabelle Apsion
Director: Adrian Shergold
Manufacturer: Shout Factory Theatr
ProductGroup: DVD
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Othello

ASIN: B00013D526
Release Date: 2004-02-17

Amazon.com

Actor Christopher Eccleston (28 Days Later) is superb as a modern-day messiah in this captivating drama written by Russell T. Davies, author of the original British Queer as Folk series and the lovely Bob and Rose. Eccleston plays Steve Baxter, a mild-mannered, Manchester pub-crawler called one night to his true destiny as the second Son of God. After a couple of convincing miracles, the world looks to Steve for guidance, but he gives mixed signals: on one hand, he calls for a Third Testament to establish a foundation for living in the modern age; on the other, he predicts an imminent Judgment Day. The confusion causes mass mayhem, and Steve's disciples, especially an almost-but-not-quite love of his life (Lesley Sharp), try to make sense of the conflict while preventing devils, in human form, from undermining his mission. Ultimately, Davies's story concerns profound questions about human freedom and choice. --Tom Keogh

Description

In the mini-series opener, Christopher Eccleston stars as Steve Baxter, a man who is found incoherent by the English roadside, mumbling that he's the Son of God. His old school friend, Judith (played by The Full Monty's Leslie Sharp), thinks he's gone mad.

Steve quickly discovers it's not easy to convince everyone that he's the Second Coming, and decides to stage a major event in a soccer stadium to gain the world's notice. A miracle ensues, and he tells onlookers that mankind must write its own Third Testament or face Judgement Day in five days time. Pandemonium develops, inflamed by a full media-circus, as people try to understand what is happening. Excitement, fear, cynicism and violence erupt everywhere, as the drama speeds towards its surprisingly powerful conclusion.

• Written by Russell T. Davies, award-winning creator of the popular Showtime series Queer As Folk and Bob & Rose.
• Program first aired in the US on BBC America in October 2003.
• The ITV airing in Britain outdrew the TV debut of Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me and met with both critical acclaim and controversy.
• Stars Christopher Eccleston (The Others, Elizabeth, Cracker) and Lesley Sharp (Bob & Rose, The Full Monty.)
• Nominated for a mini-series award at the Monte Carlo TV Festival.
• DVD features director's cut which includes additional 40 minutes of exclusive material.
• Presented in original widescreen format.
• Audio commentary by writer Russell T Davis and director Adrian Shergold.

Customer Reviews:

Good beginning, good acting but ultimately unsatisfying.......2007-04-19

As much as I wanted to love another piece starring Christopher Eccleston and directed by Russel T. Davies, I just couldn't get behind this one. Christopher Eccleston is great as ever, anchoring a movie about the second coming of Christ and his best friend Judith (note the rather obvious symbolism in that name) is a great actress as she portrays a woman trying to figure out her newly miraculous old friend.

However, once the plot gets going and Eccleston reveals himself to the world, there's something rather unsatisfying. Setting up a "third testament or judgment day" scenario is just going to invite the producer and writer to make up something that is fairly popular for television viewers. It's either going to be preachy or Everything I Learned I Learned in Kindergartern. In fact, it turns out to be a little bit of both. While Eccleston manages to cope with a character that is both spirit and flesh - divine and confused as hell - there's really not much he has to work with. When gay skinheads confront him at a pub, one wonders why he's so unbearably vague, but then again that was just a scene the writer threw in for a sermon.

Either way, this is the kind of superficial sermonizing that one expects from either Anne Rice or Tim LaHaye. It's pretty obvious that the writers are atheists (or agnostics) and they are trying to advance an agenda. This isn't a deal breaker, but the execution leaves one cold. This is also a shame considering how JMS was so great wrestling with issues of religion and spirituality in Babylon 5 - The Complete Television Series (5-Pack) even coming to some of the same conclusions. Yet where JMS made me think, this series makes me go "eh, so Davies is an atheist. Good for him."

Compelling Drama from Maverick Writer-Producer.......2006-12-24

This 2003 UK made-for-TV movie attempts to deconstruct Western sacred myth, plays around with established religious dogma, and hopefully shakes up people's worldview a bit. The Second Coming does fall flat here and there, but it (mostly) hits the high bar that it's set for itself. This is the kind of thought-provoking drama that US viewers have to import, as most American networks wouldn't touch the subject matter with the proverbial ten-foot pole.

Steve Baxter (Christopher Eccelston) is in every sense a nobody: an ordinary doofy-looking bloke living in Manchester, England, working in a video store. A scene at the beginning of the film establishes his painful lack of success with women, and he's barely begun to work up the courage to approach the one woman who really interests him: his newly divorced mate, Judy (Lesley Sharp). Their just-budding romance is interrupted when out of the clear blue, he's hit with a revelation that he is, in fact, the son of God.

After wandering on a moor for forty days, Steve returns to Manchester and begins announcing who he is. His friends worry that he's gone off his rocker, but he immediately attracts the interest of the Vatican, as well as a handful of demons. To convince people of his divine bona fides, Steve stages a miracle in a football stadium, and once he has the attention of the world's media, announces that humanity has five days to produce a third testament. He doesn't know specifically who'll write it or what form it will take, only that he'll know it when he sees it.

A lot of The Second Coming deals with notions of faith and doubt, belief and skepticism. People's reactions to Steve are shaped very much by their spiritual outlook--not only in his circle of acquaintances but in the world at large. There are wonderful mock news reports of people rioting and protesting and even killing themselves over his revelations, and it all rings very easy to believe, given the current state of the world. Some people react with violence and hysteria, while others completely brush off Steve as a crackpot. It's those people in the middle, not sure of what to believe, whose reactions are the most interesting. Steve's dual humanity/ divinity provides a nice thread throughout the story: he can work miracles, but he's also an ordinary guy who needs to eat and sleep and use the bathroom.

The script (Russell T Davies) is for the most part tightly focused and moves at a fast pace, with good development for all the main players. The dialogue is razor-sharp and thought-provoking and very funny, in a dry, ironic English way. Davies doesn't hold back many punches in his exploration of what's wrong with humanity: greed, apathy and laziness, lack of concern for others, violence, intolerance. Conventional, organized religion takes quite a beating. Nobody is mocked for having faith, but the overwhelming message of the story is that people have to take responsibility for themselves (one excellent exchange of dialogue points out that we don't need a miracle to cure world hunger; people can do that themselves--if they want to). There's also a refreshing emphasis on the importance of free will.

The drama builds nicely to a fairly gut-wrenching denouement, but the final ten or so minutes disappoint. The resolution is apt to anger a lot of viewers, but it's not offensive so much it's pat. The movie spends two-plus hours delving into the complexity and ambiguity of good and evil, then offers a solution that seems absurdly simplistic. Such a terrific buildup deserves a more satisfying payoff.

Another problem is that the demons don't have much to do, apart from sowing dissent. They have a nice, creepy buildup--and their prime mover, Johnny Tyler (Mark Benton) is a multifaceted embodiment of that soul-draining evil, self-pity--but their motives, when revealed, seem tacked-on and spurious. There's a suggestion that their primary modus operandi is fostering despair, but this idea isn't developed to its full potential. There's also a subplot involving Steve's mortal father Frank (Peter Armitage) that serves no purpose except killing off a supporting character; anyway, Steve's otherworldly paternity doesn't add much to the story.

Despite these quibbles, The Second Coming is well worth checking out, particularly for the performances of its cast. Every actor in this production does knockout, class-A work. Eccleston rules the show as Steve: warm, funny, vulnerable, giddy with his new discoveries, overwhelmed by his role and sense of responsibility. He puts across every emotion wonderfully, with terrific body language and expressions, rarely missing a note or overplaying anything. He has a great foil in Lesley Sharp, whose portrayal of Judy is wholly sympathetic: her love for Steve never wavers, despite her doubts about his mission. Again and again, it's Judy who asks the big, important questions, and Judy who cuts through the confusion to find the answers--even when the final truth comes to her at great personal cost. Ahsen Bhatti does good, solid work as Steve's best mate, Pete. In a nice touch, nobody in the cast is physically stunning, which makes a lot of sense given the film's earthy, warts-and-all view of humanity.

The directing (Adrian Shergold) is crisp and economical and incredibly effective, and Murray Gold's modern, edgy score adds a lot of dimension. The look of the film is mostly gritty, urban-industrial realism: dirt and garbage and old buildings and hole-in-the-wall pubs. The production has a distinctive look and feeling and energy that enhances the whole notion of God-among-the-ordinary. The film has a mood and vibe that immediately sells its world to the viewer--not an easy thing to do, but it looks effortless here.

I would recommend this film with only the reservation that some may find the ideas it presents offensive; I'd suggest a rental before a purchase. The ending is a letdown, but there's plenty of strengths to outweigh the weaknesses. If you're looking for a challenging and thought-provoking piece of entertainment, I'd recommend giving The Da Vinci Code a pass and checking out The Second Coming instead.

Dark and disturbing look at the 'Death of God'.......2006-11-16

The Second Coming is a short telemovie written by the screenwriter Russell T. Davies, who is also the main screenwriter for the new series of Doctor Who.

The story begins when a young working class man, Stephen Baxter, dissapears mysteriously for a month, before he returns rambling about being the 'son of God.' At first everyone thinks he has completely lost his sanity, friends, family, and strangers alike. As the sincerity (though not the rationality) of his beliefs become apparent, his friends, family and former girlfriend grudgingly try to accept this rambling mystic back into their fold.

Baxter claims he is Jesus, the perfect fusion of the divine and human. He begins to preach that he is indeed the Messiah and calls everyone to visit a stadium in London to see an upcoming miracle. Drawing out only the most loopy and eccentric, Baxter goes into the stadium but nothing happens; then, a 'miracle' occurs (sunlight appearing in the middle of the night in the stadium) which 'proves' he is who he says he is.

After this he announces there will be a judgement; humanity must come up with a 'Third Testament' or else the world will come to an end. He also claims that hell is full and heaven is empty, and the time has come for a new beginning.

What follows is a dark descent into chaos as demons (led by Satan) possess people and try to bring down the Messiah, most cruelly by possessing those most close to Baxter (including his father and the man who dated his ex-girlfriend) as well as the police charged with protecting Baxter. The world outside also plunges into chaos and violence and indeed the world seems to be coming to an end.

Then, Baxter meets up with his ex-girlfriend. After a brief re-ignition of their romance, she invites him to eat spaghetti. She then confronts him with a dark and hideous truth; the third testament is not about writing a new bible, or a new creation, but is the judgement of humanity on God. The judgement on God for all the evils done through history in the name of religion, as well as the suffering caused to people by the existence of the supernatural, is such that it is better that God never existed at all; hence Baxter's ex-girlfriend puts rat poison into his food and claims he must eat it and die, not to atone for sin but to literally destroy himself, so that religion and all its evils are purged from humanity forever. God must die if humans are to be free, and Baxter's girlfriend claims this is what God himself has planned. At first tempted to destroy her, Baxter uses his omniescence to examine this claim, and finds that she is right. He then poisons himself and this is the end, of Baxter and God.

The series ends with a interview with Baxter's ex-girlfriend. She says there is still evil in the world, but at least now it is only human evil and hence it has a human solution. Because God is dead, there is no need to suffer the much greater evil of religion.

The thesis of this series is quite disturbing and its delivery visceral and shocking. Of course there is also the theological paradox that God cannot actually die, at least not in his own Being (which in itself classical theists have understood as possessing qualities which make it indestructible and eternal). The main point of Davies seems to be more that in our society (Western society at least) God is dead and we have killed him, in large part because we have examined religion in its various forms and found the evil in it to far outweigh the good, and hence it belongs to the dustbin of history and we need to solve our problems using our own efforts, without relying on any divine help. A dark nihilism is implied throughout this series through which we must pass before we can finally be free, and overall the concepts are quite close to those of the radical skeptic, Neitzsche.

We can of course question and reflect on whether it makes sense to say if God exists and if we are better off in a totally secular society which has entirely abolished religion. As Europe and many other Western countries enter a time when Christianity is dying and people are becoming atheists or agnostics or are turning to Eastern religions like Buddhism, it does make sense to ask whether the God of Christian thought, which dominated Europe for 1500 years, is truely dead, and is being replaced by new ways of meaning and transcendance, secular and religious. It is interesting to note that as Christianity has declined, wicca, secular humanism and atheism, rationalism, consumer capitalism, Buddhism and Islam have rushed in to fill the gap, and certainly many people find other ways of filling that 'God shaped hole' in our hearts. In the end, the question is what is Reality, and how can we know and relate to that reality, and whether or not the religious way of doing so is still meaningful in the world as it now is. The answer Davies seems to give is a very strong no, and that answer is stated in the strongest imagery possible Davies can bring to bear using the medium of television.

acting good, plot falls apart.......2006-07-08

I found this to be first an interesting idea for a plot. Jesus Christ comes again as Steve Baxter. Perhaps the most interesting idea was the question on how to understand Steve as 'Son of God'. As in most contempary film, they emphasize his humanity.

It has a interesting but poor plot. In addition, it was over symplistic and disengenious to human experience.

However it did engage me, perhaps because I thought much of the story and the characterization of God/Steve Baxter had high potential, which I hoped at some point would be realized.

As far as being great for discussion: I am not buying that ticket!!

The primary question being, 'Is God the problem?'

Best Line 'Evil is a lazy thing.' Johhny

A New Hope.......2005-10-25

For all the theological babble the premise behind this TV drama is simple. What if God was one of us? Well his son anyway.

I saw this on TV about a year ago, and the fact that I am writing about it now means that for some reason it has stayed with me.

Watch it if you can and make you own mind up.

Average customer rating:

Ethereal Matters
Family magic
An Existential Tweener Fantasy--"The Dust Factory" Is Overly Sentimental And Ultimately Cloying
Too Slow
Danger-Philosophical-Requires Functioning Viewer Brain Cells

The Dust Factory
Starring: Armin Mueller-Stahl , Hayden Panettiere , Ryan Kelley , Kim Myers , and George De La Pena
Director: Eric Small (IV)
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Small Miracles
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ASIN: B0007GP6ZG
Release Date: 2005-03-22

Description

Hayden Panettiere (Ice Princess) and Ryan Kelley (Mean Creek) are "attractively earnest"(Variety) teenagers who find budding romance in a magical realm somewhere between Heaven and Earth. An "original and imaginative"(Dallas Observer) fantasy about conquering your fears, The Dust Factory co-stars screen veteran Armin Mueller-Stahl (Shine) as the boy's sage grandfather. After suffering accidents, Ryan (Kelley) and Melanie (Panettiere) meet in an enchanting new world called the Dust Factory, where amazing things happen. People walk on water and disappear in the mist, and Ryan's grandfather, who has Alzheimer's, is now lucid. With magic everywhere, will Ryan and Melanie ever find the courage to leave this wondrous sanctuary and return home?

Customer Reviews:

Ethereal Matters.......2007-06-12

I find this film somewhat similar to, "Dream a Little Dream." The main characters in both films are suspended between perception & reality, and are given the opportunity to see life from a new perspective & correct past mistakes.

Family magic.......2007-01-09

Our whole family loved this movie - daughter age 11 and son age 16 tell me they feel so strong and uplifted after watching.

An Existential Tweener Fantasy--"The Dust Factory" Is Overly Sentimental And Ultimately Cloying.......2006-12-04

I can certainly understand why some people have connected with "The Dust Factory." At least it attempts something intriguing. This is an existential fantasy that explores a world of "limbo," a place between life and death. It's a rather fantastical world, too--what with the circus standing as the surreal exit from this idyllic place. As a film geared toward younger viewers, I suppose there are some interesting ideas and visuals to recommend the film. However, for me, the execution was cutesy and cloying. I didn't expect a film about life and death to contain such contrived "preciousness."

Ryan Kelley plays a teenager who has remained mute since the death of his father. It's one of those classic movie cliches--this boy must be fixed. One day, he plunges off a bridge and appears to be drowning. He is transported to The Dust Factory. In this world, he meets his Grandfather (who in the real world was disconnected with Alzheimer's). Of course, here his Grandfather is fully capable and loaded with charm and wisdom. He also meets a young girl played by Hayden Panettiere. She is impossibly cute and upbeat, so obviously lives in denial about her real circumstances. They form a tentative romance and together contemplate never leaving this world.

With some heavy-handed metaphors, the exit to The Dust Factory is a trapeze act. If you are successful, you move to another realm. If not, you're reduced to dust and return to the physical world. The circus ringleader is a vague reference to death--at one point, Kelley even plays hockey with "death" to win Panetierre's freedom (not quite the chess game from "The Seventh Seal"--but similar in conception).

I was never particularly captivated by the fantasies within "The Dust Factory," but that wasn't my biggest issue. I just found the whole thing emotionally manipulative--sweet and sugary. Many find that this film doesn't talk down to kids--I don't know, maybe I was a rather sophisticated kid (or maybe just emotionally stunted). The romance is cutesy cute, the lessons obvious, and the cliches abundant. A good idea, but it just didn't work for me. KGHarris, 12/06.

Too Slow.......2006-11-13

I was very disappointed in this movie. I thought it was slow moving and found myself contunually calling up the display to see how much longer it lasted. The Grandfather has such a heavy accent that I missed a lot of what he was saying but didn't want to drag out the movie by playing it back. I have seen many fantasies in my time but this one left me cold. Didn't like! I was sure glad I had gotten it from the library and not bought it.

Danger-Philosophical-Requires Functioning Viewer Brain Cells.......2006-09-04

Contrary to popular belief, films do not have to be dumbed-down for children. Much of the pleasure they get comes from puzzling out complex plot developments and recognizing subtle details. And there is actually a small sub-genre of children's films (mostly independents) that challenge young viewers to use their imaginations and film viewing skills.

"The Dust Closet" joins "An Angel for May" and "Restless Spirits" as the best recent examples of this type of film. These films have a hidden depth to their story and storytelling technique that will interest even the most sophisticated viewer-provided that they retain at least some of their childhood capacity for wonder. The weak vote count probably reflects viewers unable or unwilling to deal with a film that requires some mental energy and a few functioning brain cells.

Ryan Flynn (Ryan Kelley) is a teenager who has refused to speak since being traumatized when he saw his father killed at a train crossing. Ryan's father died when Ryan was nine years old, but not before he passed on a passion for astronomy to his son. But now Ryan is having trouble connecting with astronomy, symbolized by his inability to find the man in the moon his father drew for him. Like an impressionist painting, the moonscape becomes meaningless when viewed close up through his new telescope.

Ryan's family takes care of his grandfather (Mueller-Stahl), but Ryan barely knows him because he has had Alzheimer's for a number of years. Ryan hangs out with his best friend Rocky (Michael Angarano), and they communicate fine nonverbally. Rocky does not question Ryan's silence-he just accepts it. Things dramatically change one day when Ryan falls off a bridge and into a lake while roller-blading. When he surfaces Rocky is gone and everything is a little off-kilter. His grandfather is completely recovered and living alone it their house, which was his originally. They have meaningful conversations and his grandfather tries to pass on advice on how to get the most out of life. Ryan meets a pretty girl his own age named Melanie (Hayden Panettiere) who can ice skate on the surface of the lake-even though to Ryan it is summer and the lake is not frozen.

The story is basically told from Ryan's point of view and we learn along with him that this new reality is a place called "The Dust Factory". The film is an allegory (the expression by symbolic means of generalizations about human existence) about the process of living; much like "Groundhog Day". The idea is that most of us just go through the motions of living (each day is just a repeat of the day before). The themes are basically the same, the importance of having the courage to live life to the fullest and to get the most out of each day.

"Groundhog Day" illustrated this by having one day keep repeating itself for the main character . "The Dust Factory" does it by creating a symbolic place between life and death. This place is populated by all those in a coma state, their bodies are alive but their conscious mind is no longer functioning. These people are allegorical and meant to symbolize those who are not living a full life. The circus ring is the point where people finally decide whether to get on with living or to get on with dying (a line borrowed from "Shawshank Redemption").

Either choice is a valid alternative depending mostly on what stage you are at in your life (the grandfather chooses death-the teenagers choose to live for a while longer). The wrong thing is being stuck there in limbo, afraid to risk it in the circus ring. Such people are called dawdlers and symbolize the day-to-day existence of many people. But "The Dust Factory" is also a place where people can pull back and take an objective and distanced look at their lives; seeing things from this perspective allows them to recognize things (like the man in the moon) they were too close to see before (can't see the forest for the trees). Those who come back have no conscious memory of the place (they have been dreaming while in a coma) but subconsciously retain things they have learned; like the Grandfather's advice to not forget that you are on a quest for paradise, and that a fear of dying or hurting keeps you from letting go of security and really living. It takes some work to sort this film out and it probably should be viewed several times because it withholds a lot of its pleasure from the first viewing. The cast does a first-rate job. Panettiere is unexpectedly effective. In her prior film work, her extreme self-assurance overwhelms the character she is playing and works against her performances. Here she plays someone who uses a cocky attitude to hide her fear and insecurity. This multi- dimensionality connects with viewers who then relate to the protectiveness Ryan develops toward Melanie.

The movie goes out on a painfully sappy duet "Someone Like You," performed by Panettiere and Kelley (she can sing-he cannot). My advice would be to hit the off button very early in the closing credits.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Average customer rating:

Wow
'A' quality Film
I love the chick in plastic wrap
Chilling and Intelligent
Cup of Crap

Cup of My Blood
Starring: Roger Anderson , Janina Gavankar , Daniel Patrick Sullivan , Lance Mulvaney , and Circus Szalewski
Director: Lance Catania
Manufacturer: Mti Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Horror | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B0009WIEMK
Release Date: 2005-08-30

Customer Reviews:

Wow.......2006-04-09

Some of the reviews for this film are so bad, that I'm not sure what horror fans are looking for. This film is scary, well acted, professional and smart. It's sad that some people are satisfied by much less. When a really good film like "Cup of My Blood" comes along, they critcize it for being different than most of the horror junk out there. Don't listen to them, see it for yourself. Once this film starts, it just doesn't let up. As the twists and turns unfold, the true calling of the main character becomes chillingly apparent. If you are one of those horror fans who like those "Brain Damage" films, you might not like this "Cup of My Blood. It'll be way over your head.

'A' quality Film.......2006-03-17

This film has a terrible name;the type of name which sends B movie tremors all through your system at it's sound but take no heed at the name, this is a fantastic psychological thriller/horror.

I really thought this was crap so I had pretty much placed myself in 'crap movie mode' where-in I watch the film and then totally forget about it. I was so stunned at how good this was that I actually had to rewatch it 40 minutes into it so as to really reset myself into my 'this has gotta be a good movie mode'.

A photographer comes into contact with 2 mysterious characters who offer him a box which contains something they tell him not to look upon;he however opens this box and opens himself up to be preyed on my multiple evil forces; no one can be trusted with this secret and anyone who knows of this secret ends up dead; all the time he remains haunted by events with occured in his past.

Passion ,murder,betrayal and paranoia are the forces at play in this fine film with the truly misleadingly poor title.

This film is scary .

I recommend this.

I love the chick in plastic wrap.......2006-02-22

There's this girl in the movie who's bouncing around in plastic wrap, thrashing in a padded room, etc... she rocks!

Chilling and Intelligent.......2006-01-13

This is an amazing film, but is not for everybody. Its not for people looking for sophomoric humor and a plot spoon fed to imbeciles. You need to think. I won't waste your time with the plot synopsis because its already been covered.

Its obvious Catania and the film making team love what they do. Their passion is evident in every frame. Every shot is composed with emotion and subtext in mind. It is beautiful to look at. The lighting dares to be dark and heavy, so unlike most horror films that are bright and over-lit.

Cup of My Blood never goes for the cheap scare, the cat jumping at you kind of crap. Catania creates a mood dark and melancholy. Its a slow burn that leads to scares growing out of the story and Jack Fender's situation, rather than contrivances thrown arbitrarily at the audience. When the scares come, its quite jolting. Catania also isn't squeamish in his depiction of violence. There are buckets of blood, but its devastating and ugly, not celebratory. Catania has developed the characters to such a degree that when the violence occurs, we truly care about them and it is quite affecting and horrific.

The acting is also top notch. The performances by all are subtle and and multi-layered. Again, a departure from most recent horror films where the characters are loud, abrasive smart asses who have no depth and nothing to say other than cracking jokes and insulting each others mommies. Stand outs are Daniel Patrick Sullivan as Jack Fender and Janina Gavankar as Iona. Sullivan's performance as Jack is tortured, wrenching and brilliant. Gavankar's smoldering depiction of Iona is daring, sensuous and very evil. I hope to see much more from both of them.

This is something different, something smart for fans of the genre who appreciate not being talked down to or being treated like morons by the filmmakers. It deals with a subject most are afraid to address, faith. And it does it very well.

I'm eagerly anticipated what Catania delivers next.

Cup of Crap.......2006-01-08

WARNING... possible spoilers ahead.

In CUP OF MY BLOOD, a pornographic photographer finds out that he's meant to be the last Guardian of the Holy Grail. This is basically a soft-core porn version of the DaVinci Code. If you are practicing Christian or are easily offended, you might want to skip this movie and the rest of this review.

The movie starts off like the Ring, but instead of a video tape that kills anyone that watches it, it's an old wooden box which contains the one and only Holy Grail. Everybody that opens the box and sees the Grail dies a horrible death. Enter the pornographic photographer, who is struggling to take artistic pictures for a porn website. His boss is a stereotypical creepy businessman who keeps telling the photographer that he's trying too hard. As you might imagine, this gives the filmmakers plenty of opportunity to show nekked ladies. It spirals into soft-core mediocrity pretty quickly.

Somehow, the photographer realizes that there's a secret code hidden on this porn website called "The Second Cumming". He clicks on a link and is given a series of clues that lead him to discover that the Holy Grail really exists, and that he is the meant to be inducted into a group of Sacred Knights that protect the cup... kind of like the old Knight from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. I couldn't really tell if the filmmakers were trying to be clever or shocking and irreverent. The end result is that it's not any of the above. It comes off more as a poorly executed live action version of a South Park episode. This actually might have made a good South Park. I can almost see Cartman web-surfing through a bunch of porn websites and finding out that the cup of Christ exists and that he's supposed to be the Guardian of the Holy Grail. When you start thinking that a horror movie is akin to South Park, you know you're in trouble.

While our porn photographer tries to deny that he's destined to be a Templar Knight, he's almost seduced by a girl that he used to photograph. She turns out to be a demon, or a succubus or something. The succubus tries to get her hands on the Grail, but our porno photographer wins out and protects the cup of Christ from the demonic bimbo. This movie is pretty empty. It's not shocking, it's not controversial, it's just boring. Whether or not you are easily offended, you can skip this one and not feel like you've missed anything. Watch an episode of South Park instead.

Average customer rating:

Mirrormask (UMD Mini for PSP)
Starring: Gina McKee , Jason Barry , Rob Brydon , and Stephanie Leonidas
Director: Dave McKean
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: UMD for PSP

General | Universal Media Discs | Stores | DVD | Video

Science Fiction & Fantasy | Universal Media Discs | Stores | DVD | Video
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Accessories:

Sony PSP PlayGear Amp
Sony PSP Comfort Grips Black
Sony PSP Psyclone Nodus Sound System
Sony PSP Travel Case

ASIN: B000BT97AY
Release Date: 2006-02-14

Circus World [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.4 Import - Australia ]

Average customer rating:

Circus World [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.4 Import - Australia ]
Director: Henry Hathaway
Manufacturer: Reel
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000EIU9TA

Product Description

Australia released, PAL/Region 4 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada. LANGUAGES: English (Dolby Digital 2.0), SYNOPSIS: Filmed in Cinerama and Technicolor, Circus World may have drawn the crowds for various reasons -- not the least, perhaps, for the big names. John Wayne stars as circus owner Matt Masters, who takes his show to Europe hoping to save it from financial ruin. Accompanying Matt, is young Toni (Claudia Cardinale), whom Matt had raised since her aerialist mother Lili (Rita Hayworth) left them years before. Just before he departs from New York, Matt is reminded that Lili may be somewhere in Germany. Upon their arrival in Europe, much of the equipment is lost when their ship sinks in a Spanish port. Matt doesn't let that get the best of them, and he is soon up and running with the show, becoming a hit throughout Europe. Against Matt's wishes, Toni trains to become an aerialist like her mother. A quiet figure in the shadows proudly watches Toni rehearse her daring routines. The writing team of Ben Hecht, James Edward Grant and Julian Halevy adapted their screenplay from a story by Philip Yordan and Nicholas Ray. Though this was not a gunslinger role for Wayne, Matt Master was not a far stretch. This could have been due to the fact that Wayne had previously worked on several projects with director Henry Hathaway and writers Hecht and Grant -- and the part was altered to suit him. SPECIAL FEATURES: Scene Access, Interactive Menu,

The World's Funniest and Most Amazing Animal Acts

Average customer rating:

The World's Funniest and Most Amazing Animal Acts
Starring: Worlds Funniest & Most Amazing Animal Acts
Manufacturer: Gmg Records
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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( W ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Average customer rating:

Family entertainment

Circus World [Region 2]
Starring: John Wayne , Claudia Cardinale , Rita Hayworth , Lloyd Nolan , and Richard Conte
Director: Henry Hathaway
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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All Titles | John Wayne Store | Stores | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00004VYHE

Customer Reviews:

Family entertainment.......2007-01-02

Claudia Cardinale is gorgeous here. She is evidently the best ingredient in the film. Good enough movie for a family gathering in the afternoon. Melodrama, grand sets, Claudia and the Duke all together.

Now about my copy: A region 2 from Spain. It includes among the extras (only text extras) a Spanish film critic criticizing Mr. Wayne -but not for the way he does his role- for getting rid of Frank Capra, as he was the original director for this work, and bringing his pal Henry Hathaway in. And then the critic proceeds to award him three derogatory names. Well, Mr. Wayne isn't around anymore to defend himself, but I say this: You can't insult the Duke and have my money. I'm not buying anymore European Region 2 copies.

By the mouth dies the fish
By their deeds you will know them

Average customer rating:

Good film, Bad sound

Circus World
Starring: John Wayne , Claudia Cardinale , Rita Hayworth , Lloyd Nolan , and Richard Conte
Director: Henry Hathaway
Manufacturer: Best Film & Video Co.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

All Titles | John Wayne Store | Stores | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000055ZFY
Release Date: 1969-12-31

Customer Reviews:

Good film, Bad sound.......2005-08-06

This is probably a Chinise copy, the picture was good, but the soundtrack like in an echo chamber, or the back seat of an old movie theatre. Maybe it was. I still enjoyed the film.

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David Oistrach - Artist of the People