The Grandfather

Starring:Fernando FernÃ¡n GÃ³mez, Rafael Alonso, Cayetana GuillÃ©n Cuervo, AgustÃn GonzÃ¡lez, Cristina Cruz, Alicia Rozas, Fernando GuillÃ©n, Francisco Piquer, MarÃa Massip, JosÃ© Caride, Francisco Algora, Emma Cohen, Juan Calot (II), Concha GÃ³mez Conde, Nuria RodrÃguez, JosÃ© Luis Merino, Antonio Valero (II), FÃ©lix Acaso, Julio Gavilanes, Sara Vivas
Director: JosÃ© Luis Garci
Studio: Miramax
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

First released in France, Luc Besson's Arthur and the Invisibles is a touching computer animated adventure that makes up in look and in character for what it lacks in narrative originality. As a direct hybrid of Excalibur and A Bug's Life, Arthur stars a heroic ten year-old, Arthur (Freddie Highmore), who draws a sword from a stone to fight a miniature battle in the garden before finding treasure valuable enough to save his grandfather's farm from purchase by developers. Arthur's grandfather, Archibald, having long ago discovered the miniscule world of Minimoys, garden gnome-like elves that lived in his yard, shrunk himself in order to hunt elusive rubies that were hidden in their evil Mecropolis, headed by Maltazard (David Bowie). Now Arthur must assist the benevolent Minimoy clan, ruled by The King (Robert De Niro) and Princess Selenia (Madonna), in challenging Maltazard for possession of the jewels. Shots taking the viewer down through grass blades into the microscopic, yet gigantic yard world readjust one's sense of size, as do scenes, for example, in which a small, elven Arthur fights mosquitoes with catapulted tomatoes. Meanwhile, live action scenes of Arthur's worried grandmother (Mia Farrow) provide respite from a completely computerized world. Bowie, as he did in Legend, steals the show, bringing to life his Darth Vader-like character who chose evil over good in a past adventure. Corny one-liners sometimes spoil the mood, but overall the film's thematic blend of fantasy and environmentalism, like Princess Mononoke, will delight children with its positive message. --Trinie Dalton

Description

(Family) Ten-year-old Arthur, in a bid to save his grandfather's house from being demolished, goes looking for some much fabled hidden treasure in the land of the Minimoys, a tiny people living in harmony with nature

Customer Reviews:

A Good movie.......2007-07-03

This is an awesome movie i enjoyed it alot, i think it's a movie for everyone of all ages.

If you liked this movie then check out the soundtrack and video game.

Not Besson's Best But Still Good.......2007-06-28

Luc Besson fan's may be a bit disappointed but most people would probably really enjoy the movie as I did. Madonna was surprisingly good as the voice of Princess Selenia. De Niro's voice over work did not seem to fit at all. I honestly have no idea why the director was cool with it. Freddie Highmore was also very good. I believe that using unrecognizable voices in movies like this can add to the charm. Sometimes using "A" list actors takes away from the charm of a movie.

delightful movie.......2007-06-27

Both of us really loved it. The morphed kids were delightful, the backgrounds very cool, the villians a hoot, and the ending was perfect.

Cute movie but ugh the voices..........2007-06-27

I loved everything about this movie except for most of the choices of voice actors for the characters. David Bowie was great as the villain. The rest... Bateman, De Niro, awful! Madonna as the princess and little kid's love interest?! PLEASE! Sadly, I feel these things really ruined an adoreable movie. I understand they got big name actors to help draw people, but the casting was bad... really bad. I would have much rather had no named people who's voices fit the look of the characters.

Great Film, Bad DVD.......2007-06-11

When I origionally saw this film in the cinema, it was great! full of action and the jokes where quite witty.
Unfortunatly this dvd version has been censored to a point where quite a few of the action sequences have been cut out and the film just dosn't flow.
The film cuts from diferent scenes, missing out sections that leave the viewer quite puzzled about how the characters got to the point they are at.
I don't understand why they would censor an animated film that is rated PG anyway.
All in All if you can get your hands on the origional version its a must!
but for the time beeing I'd stay away from it, it kind of ruins the real fun the story has.

Average customer rating:

Charming film, bad DVD
Treasure
A Hard Day's Night
not exactly what was expected
the fab 4 are still fab!

A Hard Day's Night
Starring: Lionel Blair , Wilfrid Brambell , Deryck Guyler , Kenneth Haigh , and George Harrison
Director: Lester, Richard
Manufacturer: Miramax Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

The Beatles - Help
The Beatles Anthology
The Beatles - Help!
Yellow Submarine
The Beatles - The First U.S. Visit

ASIN: B0000542D2
Release Date: 2002-09-24

Amazon.com essential video

The Fab Four from Liverpool--John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr--in their first movie. Nobody expected A Hard Day's Night to be much more than a quick exploitation of a passing musical fad, but when the film opened it immediately seduced the world--even the stuffiest critics fell over themselves in praise (highbrow Dwight Macdonald called it "not only a gay, spontaneous, inventive comedy but it is also as good cinema as I have seen for a long time"). Wisely, screenwriter Alun Owen based his script on the Beatles' actual celebrity at the time, catching them in the delirious early rush of Beatlemania: eluding rampaging fans, killing time on trains and in hotels, appearing on a TV broadcast. American director Richard Lester, influenced by the freestyle French New Wave and British Goon Show humor, whips up a delightfully upbeat circus of perpetual motion. From the opening scene of the mop tops rushing through a train station mobbed by fans, the movie rarely stops for air. Some of the songs are straightforwardly presented, but others ("Can't Buy Me Love," set to the foursome gamboling around an empty field) soar with ingenuity. Above all, the Beatles express their irresistible personalities: droll, deadpan, infectiously cheeky. Better examples of pure cinematic joy are few and far between. --Robert Horton

Description

In 1964, the Beatles had just recently exploded onto the American scene with their debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show." The group's first feature, the Academy Award-nominated "A Hard Day's Night," offered fans their first peek into a day in the life of the Beatles and served to establish the Fab Four on the silver screen, as well as to inspire the music video format. Songs: I'll Cry Instead, A Hard Day's Night, I Should've Known Better, Can't Buy Me Love, If I Fell, And I Love Her, I'm Happy Just to Dance with You, Ringo's Theme (This Boy), Tell Me Why, Don't Bother Me, I Wanna Be Your Man, All My Lovin', She Loves You.

Customer Reviews:

Charming film, bad DVD.......2007-07-04

Having not watched this film in about ten years, getting reacquainted with it recently was almost like discovering it for the very first time all over again. The cinematography is beautiful (the early Beatles just seem to exist in black and white; it's very hard for me to picture them in color at this point in their career), the songs are terrific, the film really brings to life just what Beatlemania was like, with those hoardes of screaming young girls chasing their idols, and in spite of not having that much of a plot, the story is carried through very well by its young stars. In spite of not having been professional actors, The Beatles just have so much charm, wit, and vibrancy in this picture, back before they became weary of so much touring and all of those screaming fans, back when it was still all new, fun, and exciting to them. They were all so young and good-looking in this film! And being from this early stage of their fame, one gets a genuine sense of them being almost like four brothers who care about one another and enjoy one another's company, a far cry from the tension and acrimony present in LIB. At times it doesn't even feel like they were using a script, but that they were just ad-libbing most of it and acting like they would have in real life, four crazy, fun, and ultimately caring good young men dealing with the pressures of fame as best they could.

However, this DVD release leaves a whole lot to be desired. Disc one has a documentary of sorts, which is nothing more than a collection of interviews from people involved in the making of the film, and disc two is entirely taken up with interviews from all sorts of people who were involved in the making of the film. While there are some genuinely nice interviewees, such as George Martin, Klaus Voorman, David Jaxon (who played the young boy), and director Richard Lester, most of them aren't from such high-profile people; indeed, some of the interviews can be rather boring, and don't give us any real new information. Who, for example, wants to see an interview with Betty Glasow, their hairdresser, over, I don't know, an interview with an actual Beatle? Some of the interviewees mention deleted scenes, but we're not even shown any of them. While they're interesting to watch once, they're not something that most fans are going to want to see over and over again. Where are actually substantial bonus features like trailers, newsreels, the making-of documentary "You Can't Do That," the aforementioned deleted scenes, photo galleries, galleries of PR material, or an audio commentary? It's inexcusable that such a wonderful and famous film gets the short end of the stick in this rereleased format. The lacking bonus features aren't the only downside, either; the film is shown in phony widescreen, with the wrong aspect ratio, and therefore portions of the picture are cropped out. And while I normally find excessive complaints about audio quality to be sheer pedantry, complaining about relatively minor things that normal people don't really notice or care about to such a huge degree, even I noticed that there was something a bit off about the sound, particularly when it came to the songs. Additionally, the front cover almost looks like the cover of a bootleg. Whatever happened to the original cover design?

This is still a fun charming film after all of these years, but it really deserved better packaging and treatment. One would be better-served searching out the original DVD release, which had better bonus features, sound, and aspect ratio, or, if one can still find it, the older CD-ROM which I feel lucky to possess, which also gives the film the respect it deserves. How is it that such a classic rock musical gets such shabby treatment while the music videos and movies put out by modern day no-talents are treated with more care and concern?

Treasure.......2007-06-29

These are "My Boys". I don't know what else to say. I loved them then and I love them now. This movie transports me back to a wonderful time when they were everything to me. I still watch it with a big smile on my face and laugh at the ease with which they toss off a "comeback" line at each other.

They look beautiful. The sound is great. The music is amazing still.

If you were ever a Beatles fan, the ownership of this film is a must.

A Hard Day's Night.......2007-06-27

I absolutely love this movie! I wasn't sure that I was going to like it before I had watched the movie. (I thought that it was going to be just another boring black and white movie.) The cover does not do the movie any justice. . . But I was hooked from the very beginning: The song "A Hard Days Night" started playing, and one of the Beatles members tripped running from a crowd of obsessed fans. From that point on, I laughed the entire time it was playing. Watching it was the reason that I fell in love with the Beatles in the first place. John, Paul, George and Ringo are such witty individuals, and I think that every person should see this movie . . . . at least twice!! I don't consider myself to be a movie critic by any means, so as far as acting abilities, plot, ect. are concerned, I would not be the best person to give a review of that nature. But I do know a good movie when I see one, and this is definitely one of them. . . .

not exactly what was expected.......2007-06-23

Perhaps my expectations for this dvd was a bit too high, but it wasn;t all that I had hoped for. I enjoyed the packaging ad certain features, but it jsut didn't seem complete.

the fab 4 are still fab!.......2007-06-13

I first saw this film in 1964, just after its release in the U.S. The comedy and music are as fresh and funny and exciting and touching today (33 years later!) as then. From a devout beatles fan.

Average customer rating:

Dream Keeper
Awesome
So moving!
legends
Yes, lets have more dreamkeepers

Dreamkeeper
Starring: Jerry Dale Giroux , Michael Greyeyes , Lawrence Bayne , Wilma Pelly , and Sykes Powderface
Director: Steve Barron
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Pow Wow Highway
Windwalker (Special Edition)
Smoke Signals
The Doe Boy
Incident at Oglala - The Leonard Peltier Story

ASIN: B00019330O
Release Date: 2004-03-16

Product Description

A century old storyteller and his grandson, a troubled 17 year old boy embarks on a cross country journey toward self-discovery. Like Old Pete's wise tales themselves, Dreamkeeper is important and illuminating storytelling for the entire family.

System Requirements:

Colore/Approx: 180 Minutes

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

While it doesn't hold together as a three-hour TV drama, Dreamkeeper should prove enthralling to anyone interested in Native American myths and legends. A variety of tribal folklore provides the episodic thrust of this typical Hallmark production, which relies too heavily on digital effects--and the plodding direction of Hallmark regular Steve Barron--in telling the story of a resentful Lakota teenager (Eddie Spears) who reluctantly agrees to drive his wise old grandfather (August Schellenberg) from their South Dakota "rez" to an All-Nations Powwow in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Along the way, the tradition-bound elder serves as tribal "dreamkeeper" for his initially resistant grandson, who gradually realizes that his grandfather's stories--visualized through effects-laden reenactments involving all manner of magic and mystery--are essential in preserving the fading cultures of the Lakota and the several other tribes whose folklore depends on unbroken generations of oral tradition. While some of the lavishly dramatized tales can stand alone as authentic Native American myth-making, Dreamkeeper lacks the overall structure that could've given the stories a cumulative magical impact. Still, it's an admirable attempt to introduce neglected cultures into the television mainstream. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Dream Keeper.......2007-06-01

We love this movie. We had it on VHS, we had taped it off of the TV. The tape has been watched so many times, it was beginning to wear out. I decided to look for it online. You don't know how happy we were when I found it. Thank you so much!

Awesome.......2007-05-30

The Amazon.com reviewer didn't give this movie the credit that it deserves!

This is one of my favorite films about Native Americans. It features well known Native American actors such as August Schellenberg, Floyd Red Crow Westerman and Tantoo Cardinal, among others. I've watched the DVD too many times to count. If you're interested in Native American culture, then you'll find that this production is a real treat.

So moving!.......2007-05-30

This is a remarkable film/study of the great lore and legends of the Native American Nations.
The special effects were magical! As a white person, I feel privileged to have been allowed to peek through the veil which has protected the privacy of the Lakota People' s legends. It was as if I had been personally invited to learn about the "Mysteries".

It was moving to watch the relationship between Grand'Pa and Shane take on a new dimension, which ultimately put Shane back on the "Red Road". The Native American family has something very special: a long, long history to draw upon.

Loved the film as well the added bonus of having the Sound Track CD, which I play over and over.
A "must see" and a "keeper"....Well done!

legends.......2007-05-13

A great movie. Plenty of action and humor. An honest story with plenty of moral values of the people. A good insight into the Indian explanation of life. Very authentic.

Yes, lets have more dreamkeepers.......2007-04-30

When the movie starts, one may think that got a wrong movie. But, if one be aptient enough, emotions will get its place. I smiled and cried many times.

Average customer rating:

"If you have to direct, you've chosen the wrong actor."
A film to be cherished

The Two of Us (Criterion Collection)
Starring: Michel Simon , Alain Cohen , Charles Denner , Luce Fabiole , and Roger Carel
Director: Claude Berri
Manufacturer: Criterion Collection
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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

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If... (Criterion Collection)
Army of Shadows - Criterion Collection
Sweet Movie (Criterion Collection)
Sansho the Bailiff - Criterion Collection
La Jetee/Sans Soleil (Criterion Collection)

ASIN: B000OPPAE2
Release Date: 2007-06-12

Description

A Jewish boy living in Nazi-occupied Paris is sent by his parents to the countryside to live with an elderly Catholic couple until France's liberation. Forced to hide his identity, the eight-year-old, Claude (played delicately by first-time actor Alain Cohen), bonds with the irascible, staunchly anti-Semitic Grampa (Michel Simon), who improbably becomes his friend and confidant. Poignant and lighthearted, The Two of Us was acclaimed director Claude Berri's debut feature, based on his own childhood experiences, and gave the legendary Simon one of his most memorable roles in the twilight of his career.

Customer Reviews:

"If you have to direct, you've chosen the wrong actor.".......2007-07-02

The addition of "The Two of Us" to the Criterion Collection disappoints only in having taken too long to come to fruition. Besides the justly celebrated film, we are given a booklet containing an appreciative review by critic emeritus David Sterritt and autobiographical excerpts by Francois Truffaut and the film's director, Claude Berri, together with the usual acknowledgments, scene titles, and cast listing. Extras on the DVD include Berri's Oscar-winning short, "Le Poulet," historical clips of veteran actor Michel Simon--the old man--and contemporary interviews with Berri and with Alain Cohen who played the child and who is instantly recognizable forty years later. It is a splendid store, and students who are assigned--as they will be-- criticisms to write will find everything they need and more for plagiarizing.

All this and the movie, too! Simon, Cohen and Berri have been amply praised by critics with stronger credentials than my own, so I will allow the interviews and the film to speak for me. What higher praise for the acting than this from Berri: "If you have to direct, you've chosen the wrong actor." How better to summarize the film in one line than by the child's question before he meets the old man: "Why doesn't he like Jews if he is nice?" The old man is all that a surrogate grandfather should be: empathetic, loving, comforting, and playful. "I'll teach you myself," he says when the boy is cruelly treated at school, and teach him he does, from an abundant store of misinformation and prejudice, which the boy pumps from him with the impudent certainty that it is all nonsense.

When the village children and their teacher are cruel, it is casual cruelty to a stranger from Paris, not to one of the hated Jews. The war is there, too, with propaganda from the radio, rationing, and overhead bombers, and we are aware, as the child is not, of the devastating consequences should he forget his Catholic prayer, his false name, or the need to dress and bathe in private. Berri, in his interview, says that amidst much suffering, it was possible to be happy during the war, as he was and as is the child in the movie. It is no less an indictment of racism that these two escape its tragic consequences.

I don't speak French, but the subtitles are more than adequate. The dialogue isn't irrelevant, but most of the time the situation is more than clear with no dialogue at all.

A film to be cherished.......2007-04-24

I haven't seen this movie since its original theatrical release, but it's one that stays with you forever. The great french actor Michel Simon, whom many U.S. moviegoers may remember as the crusty old locomotive engineer in "The Train", plays an aged french anti-semite who becomes the unaware guardian of a little Jewish boy sent to his farm to escape Nazi persecution. The simple story of bonding and endearing friendship despite their diverse backgrounds is made especially compelling by the superb performances of the film's two main players.

Average customer rating:

Excellent take on Atlantis
Very authentic source for Atlantean language (Dig Adlantisag)
Does just as much things right as it does wrong
Grand, song-free adventure
Holes in the Plot but Nice to Watch

Atlantis - The Lost Empire
Starring: Michael J. Fox , Corey Burton , Claudia Christian , James Garner , and John Mahoney
Director: Kirk Wise , and Gary Trousdale
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Treasure Planet
Atlantis - Milo's Return
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
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ASIN: B00005RDSQ
Release Date: 2002-01-29

Amazon.com

The Disney Studio was built on innovation in animation, so it seems ironic that Atlantis is both a bold departure and highly derivative, borrowing heavily from anime, video games, and graphic novels. Instead of songs and fuzzy little animals, the artists offer an action-adventure set in 1914: nerdy linguist Milo Thatch (Michael J. Fox) believes he's found the location of the legendary Lost Continent. An eccentric zillionaire sends Milo out to test his hypothesis with an anachronistic crew that includes tough Puerto Rican mechanic Audrey (Jacqueline Obradors), demolition expert Vinnie (Don Novello), and butt-kicking blond adventurer Helga (Claudia Christian). When they find Atlantis, its culture is dying because the people can no longer read the runes that explain their mysterious power source--but Milo can. Nasty Commander Rourke (James Garner) attempts to steal that power source, leading to the requisite all-out battle.

Atlantis offers some nifty battle scenes, including an attack on a Jules Verne-esque submarine by a giant robotic trilobite and fishlike flying cars. But the film suffers from major story problems. If Princess Kida (Cree Summer) remembers her civilization at its height, why can't she read the runes? Why doesn't Milo's crew notice that the Atlanteans live for centuries? The angular designs are based on the work of comic book artist Mike Mignola (Hellboy), and the artists struggle with the characters' stubby hands, skinny limbs, and pointed jaws. The result is a film that will appeal more to 10-year-old boys than to family audiences.

Suitable for ages 8 and up: violence, scary imagery, tobacco use, and a difficult-to-follow story. --Charles Solomon

Description

From the creative team who brought you THE LION KING and BEAUTY AND THE BEAST comes an exciting quest of adventure and discovery. Join the expedition and search below the sea for one of the greatest mysteries of all time ... ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRE. The world's most highly qualified crew of archaeologists and explorers are led by historian Milo Thatch as they board the incredible 1,000-foot submarine Ulysses and head deep into the mysteries of the sea. The underwater expedition takes an unexpected turn when the team's mission must switch from exploring Atlantis to protecting it. Filled with stunning visual effects, this captivating story is loaded with laughs and messages of friendship and teamwork. Dive into ATLANTIS: THE LOST EMPIRE -- it's an adventure your family will enjoy taking over and over again.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent take on Atlantis.......2007-06-30

I really liked this story from start to finish. I thought it did give a different take on the lost city and how it was lost and possibly forgotten by most. I also did like the part of the story about the "use of crystals" and what message that did send. Don't abuse power, respect and honor it. See this movie for yourself and make your own opinions of it. I liked it very much and will be watching it over and over again!!!

Very authentic source for Atlantean language (Dig Adlantisag).......2007-06-16

The added features have great appeal to those interested the on-going work toward the discipherment and codification of Atlantean, the language made up for the movie.

The journal pages on disk 2 are very legible (compared to the movie) and contain actual Atlantean - just as Don Hahn said in an interview with ReelFilms.Com. And according to Okrand, the written Atlantean that appears in the film is the largest portion of the language exihibited anywhere (as opposed to speaking parts). Other interesting linguist features are "How to Speak Atlantean", the transcription of which can be found online at LangMaker.Com and in the book "Subterranean Tours" on page 61.

The "hub" and archives of most discipherment efforts is the Yahoo Tech Group The Atlantean Language Group. There's also a messy Wikipedia article and many low-profile online webpages. It's a historic conlang with a vocabulary that's primarily Proto-Indo-European and a grammar that's mostly Latin, only with post-positions and no variety in grammatical case endings: there's one declension and no grammatical gender.

Just make sure the DVD you order has no viruses before you send feedback. Mine has a virus that shuts down my computer for long periods of time.

The language is awesome. That's the only reason I'd buy a movie like this. The movie is highly Wiccan in influence and, as such, completely spiritually corrupt and lamentably geared toward children. Buyer, beware!

Does just as much things right as it does wrong.......2007-03-13

When one looks at the studio's Walt Disney-approved output to the recent input, there's almost a kind of "yeah they're good but they're not as good as ". It's quite unfair to continually compare everything they do to their best but when they've done as much popular movies as they have, it's hard not to. We have Atlantis, the first movie Disney has done in recent years that breaks the mold of the so-called "Disney formula": wisecracking comic reliefs, lovable non-talkative pets, songs fit for Broadway and a bit more toned-down as far as violence and scariness are concerned. Maybe that's the reason the film didn't make as big a profit? Or is just simply audiences knew when an okay film was in theatres.

Milo Thatch, a historian/adventure seeker has been searching for the lost continent of Atlantis for years. Being aided financially and a crew, Milo searches for the continent, braving obstacles set in place to dissuade travellers. Eventually the crew reach the lost city and meet Kida, the King's daughter who along with Milo, tries to solve a mystery involving the city and rescue it for those who want to exploit the city itself.

It's always strange but Disney is underrated when it deals with heavy scenes. From Bambi's mother to Maleficent the dragon to Chernabog from Fantasia to my favorite, the Headless Horseman in Legend of Sleepy Hollow, there have been moments of a more darker quality. Yet some of them seemed toned down in fear that kids wouldn't like it. So it's nice to see Atlantis break that tradition a bit. The opening sequence of Atlantis (including a fantastic opening shot, sound and animation-wise), the encounter with a mechanical Atlantis guardian and the ending are just as thrilling for adults but maybe a bit too intense for little kids. Speaking of animation, it's also some of their animators' best from the backgrounds to the art direction and character designs and thanks to a stellar transfer, it allows you to be see their efforts in the best way.

However, the problems come from 2 key areas: the story and characters. I've watched plenty of animes so I'm a bit more receptive to strange plots but this is one of those where at times it's like "uh...I don't get that part." And the film just kind of chugs along, there's no real emotional connection so we go from scene to scene and feeling a bit disconnected. And it's strange that the old Disney films had one-dimensional characters but we still loved them anyway. There's even the Seven Dwarfs that were pretty one-note but each one became a favorite regardless. Aside from a weird dirt-obsessed character named Moliere and the occasional funny line from the bomb-obsessed Vinny, we never really care for anyone.

Finally no songs or cutesyness yet the story itself just doesn't feel right. But at least they had the balls to at least try something new for a change. I love the animation and its tone but the main areas that should've got more attention got shortchanged. Not really a throwaway film, just an interesting flawed one.

Grand, song-free adventure.......2007-03-09

This is one of the few "dark" Disney animated films that have achieved the PG rating (*shudder*). Thus, there are lots of explosions, strange happenings, guns, and other stuff like that. Not your typical song-and-dance-with-animal fare.

The story is about this linguist nerd who wants to find Atlantis, and does. The sidekicks (esp. Vinnie) have some great quips.

If you like steampunk, good film to watch once in a while.

Holes in the Plot but Nice to Watch.......2007-01-09

Throw away those fuzzy slippers and be prepared for an adventure in the tradition of "Swiss Family Robinson" and "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." A crew of adventurers and a nerdy librarian head deep under the ocean to seek the lost city of Atlantis.

Milo Thatch (nicely voiced by Michael J. Fox) lives in the shadow of his adventurous grandfather. Michael is a sheltered librarian, but he has twinges of adventure. Milo accepts the opportunity to accompany an expedition in search of Atlantis, though Milo requires a little persuasion.

The expedition seems well equipped. The leader of the expedition, Commander Rourke (voiced by James Garner) also seems quite competent, if a bit too enthusiastic. Unfortunately, the expedition failed to prepare for the obstacles they would soon face, beginning with a giant creature (the kraken) guarding the entrance to an undersea cave.

After the encounter with the creature the expedition is several reduced. Fortunately Milo is quite knowledgeable and leads the remnants of the expedition to a great city. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the city was once great, because the people in the city seem relatively simple. There is little technology evident and the people seem like simple farmers and fishermen. Yet, Milo's books tell him that the city possesses great treasures and a great secret.

Soon Milo finds himself at odds with Commander Rourke and other members of the crew as they reveal the real purpose they came to Atlantis. Will Milo and the Atlanteans survive the catastrophe that is about to occur? What happened to the technology that Atlantis supposedly has? Will Milo and beautiful Atlantean Kida fall in love? A viewer has many things to discover in this film!

I like this movie though it has a number of issues. The list of problems in the movie is lengthy and has been well covered in other places, so I will not repeat the list here. Some of the problems are very evident; others require repeated watching to spot (unless you have reviewed the list of problems before watching). I still like the movie in spite of the problems.

I have always enjoyed Disney's adventure films (the Davy Crockett movies, "Island at the Top of the World," etc.), but Disney has focused on fuzzy critters and movies aimed at pre-teen girls in recent years. It is nice to see Disney return to its roots with a rousing adventure film. Have fun with the mistakes in the movie and enjoy a bowl of popcorn while spotting them. Fans of Disney's adventure films will like this one!

Enjoy!

Average customer rating:

Grandpa's Magical Toys
...
Definitely Magical
Trippy as Hell, absolutely weird, mind blowing!!!!
Wee Sing: Grandpa's Magical Toys

Wee Sing:Grandpa's Magical Toys
Starring: Francisco Reynders , Kevin Hageman , Daniel Strauch , Sharene Mackall , and Joel Morello
Director: Susan Shadburne
Manufacturer: Wee Sing Productions
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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General | Children's Music | Styles | Music
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Wee Sing in Sillyville
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ASIN: B00067REY2
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Description

It's a very special day when Peter and his friends go to Grandpa's to see his toys. And before they know it, they find themselves magically shrinking to toy size! That's just the beginning in this delightful musical adventure with an international flair. Meet Punchinello the Clown, a clapping British sailor, a jump-roping little Dutch Girl, young Scottish dancers, and more, as they sing, dance, and serve up plenty of laughs. And when they help Grandpa solve a problem, everyone learns the importance of being young at heart. This colorful, live-action, upbeat musical is sure to charm kids of all ages with over 20 familiar children's songs, jump rope rhymes, and clapping games.

Customer Reviews:

Grandpa's Magical Toys.......2007-03-09

This movie is wonderful for children of any age. They will learn songs, hand games, and also about friendship. They will also learn that you are never to old to have a childlike heart.

..........2007-03-09

very nice dvd, the kids just love it.the music is the key of this dvd.i wish there were more dvds like this one !!it arrived fast and in excellent condition.thank you !!

Definitely Magical.......2007-02-12

We got this tape for our first when she was 3 years old, some years ago. I think she (and her parents) watched it a couple of hundred times! This year, our younger one, also 3, has taken to it, just as her big sister once did (and she too is enjoying watching it all over again).

From an adult point of view, it is a bit hokey at first(I had a hard time keeping a straight face listening to the "Dutch" Girl). But it captivates you over time, and we came to realize that this is a real class-act of a children's video; very much an overlooked classic. Absolutely the best, a must for every DVD shelf.

Trippy as Hell, absolutely weird, mind blowing!!!!.......2007-01-12

I loved these wee sing videos as a kid, but now they're even better. They're the best stimulation ever to watch with friends and trip to!!! Everyone needs these videos, so does every teenager or college kid. Very entertaining, colorful, musical, hilarious....Check it out.

Wee Sing: Grandpa's Magical Toys.......2007-01-10

My daughter is 4 years old and she enjoys watching this dvd. I have to admit I also enjoyed watching it with her. My daughter began to sing the songs to an adult friend of ours and our friend was amazed that my daughter knew the same songs we grew up with. It's a great DVD and it teaches our children songs that are so innocent in nature. I love it. OOOPS! I mean my daughter loves it.

Average customer rating:

great kids movie!
Awesome!
A CLASSIC I WATCH EVERY CHRISTMAS SEASON
Something to share with young girls today!
Shirley Temple's Version of Heidi

Heidi
Starring: Shirley Temple , Jean Hersholt , Arthur Treacher , Helen Westley , and Thomas Beck
Director: Allan Dwan
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm
The Little Princess
Bright Eyes
Shirley Temple Collection, Vol. 3 - America's Sweetheart Collection -(Dimples / The Little Colonel / The Littlest Rebel)
The Little Colonel

ASIN: B000FKPDWK
Release Date: 2005-08-30

Amazon.com essential video

One thing Shirley Temple did extremely well (besides sing, dance, and act) was turn the cranky cuddly. She'd done it effectively, two years prior, in 1935's The Little Colonel with grandfather Lionel Barrymore. Now in Heidi she turns her reclusive grumpy grandfather, Adolf (Jean Hersholt), into the loving sort she knows he really is. Heidi is an orphan, dumped into the Swiss Alps by self-centered Aunt Dete (Mady Christians) onto a grandfather she's never known, but they soon learn to love each other. Heidi's mercenary aunt returns and sells (!) Heidi to a cruel woman, appropriately named Fraulein Rottenmeier (Mary Nash). Adolf sets out on a quest to find his granddaughter. Meanwhile, Heidi charms Klara Sesemann (Marcia Mae Jones), the wealthy handicapped girl in Fraulein Rottenmeier's care. Look for a delightful Arthur Treacher as the Sesemann butler. There's a cute fantasy production number, "In Our Little Wooden Shoes," featuring Temple in various period costumes. Throughout Heidi, Temple is, as always, wonderfully joyful. This is perhaps the best-known rendering of the popular children's story by Johanna Spyri (it's been filmed some 10 times). --N.F. Mendoza

Description

Shirley Temple in a role that seems custom-made for her, portrays the spirited young heroine of the popular children's novel, giving her a rich emotional depth and infinite charm. When her aunt tires of caring for her, orphan Heidi is taken into the Swiss mountains to live with her gruff grandfather (Jean Hersholt), a hermit who comes to adore her. But the aunt returns to steal Heidi away, selling her to a family whose invalid daughter (Marcia Mae Jones) needs a companion. Bullied by an evil governess (Mary Nash), Heidi still charms the entire household and never stops trying to return to her beloved grandfather.

Customer Reviews:

great kids movie!.......2007-06-15

After being totally dissapointed by the Emma Bolger version of Heidi, I purchased this one. It was beautiful. Sweet, innocent, funny, even a little sad. All the characters did an excellant job. Children don't need high paced drama to be impressed. They giggled and wiggled over parts such as Heidi milking the goat, the monkeying around, and the sleigh chase near the end. And don't forget Andrew trying to milk "Bearly" either! I am a mother with six children. We all loved this movie. I would recomend it to anyone who wants a bit of innocent entertainment.

Awesome!.......2007-04-06

WE ALL LOVE SHIRLEY TEMPLE! Espicially Heidi. I treasure this movie so much. Now for the actors, Shirley Temple was great for Heidi. Totally great. What a cute girl. Jean Hersholt was wonderful when he turned out to be a christiane. He is a great actor. Arthur Treacher is hilarious for Andrews. He is absoulutely wonderful. Helen Westley was very pretty for Blind Anna. I also like her soft voice. Pastor Schultz and Fraulein Elsa played by Thomas Beck and Paulieen Moore were a perfect match. Mary Nash acted Fraulein Rottenmier. She's scary. I thought she was going to kill Heidi that night she took her out in the streets alone. Then I thought she was going to go back and kill Klara too! Sidney Blackman was funny for Herr Sessamann. I liked him. He was great to Heidi and Klara, his daughter. Now for Mady Christaine who played Aunt Dete. She was mean. She seemed to have won the battle with Fraulein Rottenmier. Marcia Mae Jones was so cute for Klara. Porr sweet Klara is in danger! Fraulein Rottenmier didn't want her to get well. Delmar Watson was a great Peter. He was a wonderful goat general. I love this movie alot!

A CLASSIC I WATCH EVERY CHRISTMAS SEASON.......2007-03-26

This is the definitive version of this movie, I have read some reviews below and would like to clear some things up. First off, this is the full feature and nothing was cut, second the print transfer is very good. Maybe there is a better print ,but I have not seen it. There are only a hand full of her films that I will always remember and this is one of them. Curly Top,Bright Eyes and The Little Colonel were the others. The DVD has both Black and White and Colorized version. I am not a fan of colorizing anything,but since they kept the original intact, I did enjoy watching both. This is a family classic that should be added to your Christmas movie collection.

Something to share with young girls today!.......2007-01-17

I loved this movie when I was a little girl, I purchased it to share with my friend's 5-year old triplet girls, as I think they will really gain more from it then some of the things available to them these days.

Shirley Temple's Version of Heidi.......2007-01-10

Shirley Temple's movie career was near its peak when she played the role of Heidi. Heidi has been interpreted in many different ways over the years. Some interpretations are excellent. Other interpretations are poor. This interpretation is relatively weak when compared with the original book, but Shirley Temple is cute and fans of Shirley Temple will forgive the deviations from the book.

Heidi's aunt takes Heidi to her grandfather after her aunt raised her for six years. Heidi's grandfather is a bitter old man who is angry at the world for the loss of his son. However, charming Heidi soon turns him into a loving grandfather who rejoins the world. All seems well until Heidi's aunt returns and convinces Heidi to join her on a trip.

The trip turns out to be a kidnapping. Heidi's aunt takes Heidi to be a companion to Klara Seseman, who is in a wheel chair after suffering an accident. Klara quickly becomes fond of Heidi, to the chagrin of Fraulein Rottenmeier, who is unhappy with Heidi because she thinks Heidi might make it so that Klara no longer needs Rottenmeier. Heidi and Klara get along well, though Heidi remains focused on returning home to her grandfather and the mountains.

After Fraulein Rottenmeier shows her true colors to Klara's father, he discharges her. Fraulein Rottenmeier plans to kidnap Heidi and sell her to the gypsies. Fortunately, Heidi's grandfather has arrived in town and is looking for Heidi. Will Heidi's grandfather find her in time? Will Heidi return to the mountains? What will happen to Klara without Heidi? You will have to watch the movie and see.

Shirley was about nine years old when this movie was made, but she appeared to be younger. Shirley is the main attraction of the movie, and because she is so cute I found it easy to forgive the significant deviations from the book. Most movies based on books take liberties with the story, but this movie takes more liberties than is typical and those distractions can be annoying. The best example I can think of is the chase scene near the end of the movie.

This movie is about average when compared to other Shirley Temple movies. Fans of Shirley Temple will enjoy this film. Fans of the book "Heidi" may dislike this movie because it deviates from the story so much. This version is colorized and the DVD quality could be improved, which could also make some viewers unhappy. Even though this movie has its flaws, I found it interesting to watch and I will watch it again.

Enjoy!

Average customer rating:

The way they were
A People as Most of Them Really Are
Once Upon a Time...When We Were Colored
Great Story
The boring movie!

Once Upon a Time...When We Were Colored
Starring: Al Freeman Jr. , Phylicia Rashad , Leon , Paula Kelly , and Salli Richardson
Director: Tim Reid
Manufacturer: Republic Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | African American Cinema | Genres | DVD | Video

General | African American Cinema | Genres | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

A Woman Called Moses
4 Little Girls
Miss Evers' Boys
The Rosa Parks Story
Down in the Delta

ASIN: 0782010539
Release Date: 1999-01-12

Amazon.com

Tim Reid's wonderful film about life in the black neighborhood of Glen Allan, Mississippi, from the mid-'40s to the dawn of the civil rights movement, is thick with terrific, inspired actors and possessed of a mature, limpid visual style. The story is told from the point of view of a young boy raised by his stalwart grandfather and his kind aunt. But the collective tale of a community coming to terms with the risks it must take to fight racism and achieve political rights is equally important and compelling. Beautifully written (based on the autobiographical novel by Clifton Taubert), Reid's vision is rich in scenes of ritual and community that have rarely, if ever, been revealed on film. This is more than just a good movie; it's a watershed event in this nation's cultural history. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

The way they were.......2007-07-04

This is just an excellent look at growing up in rural Misissippi during the Jim Crow era. It follows a boy from the moment of birth until he has to leave the area to further his education. Mostly it centers on the extended family that supports the young man in his upbringing and the strong role models he has. Al Freeman Jr. and Phylicia Rashad are the two main leads with Richard Roundtree in the best performance of his career as Cleve the iceman and down home philosopher. Isaac hayes and Taj Mahal both make cameo appearances. I teach US History and I show this movie every year along with the Ghosts of Mississippi as counterpoints to each other. As I teach in California, most of my African-American students are totally suprised by the content of this movie. As a last note, Polly Bergen is also wonderful in her role.

A People as Most of Them Really Are.......2007-06-22

I think this is a movie that everybody who has not has regular contact with African Americans should see. There isn't really much of a plot, but I wouldn't say that it lags either. Its main benefit for African Americans, especially senior citizens, would be to be reminded of how it was. For the younger ones, it would help 'flesh out' their culture's history. For those whose main 'knowledge' of African Americans is the news and television or movies, this will be a wonderful way to see that no matter what the color, people are, emotionally, basically the same. We all are just trying to make the best of whatever situation in which we find ourselves.

My father had dozens of apartments when integration became the law. When we let in the first black family in a building, virtually all the 'white trash' moved out. Very quickly, we realized that the black tenants were much cleaner and more desirable as tenants. I am also old enough to remember the 'whites' and 'colored' restrooms and drinking fountains. My cousins marched in the South's integration marches. The point is that if everyone saw African Americans as the great majority of them really are, and not as portrayed in the media, there would be much less tension between races. This is a good movie to see them as most of them really are like.

Only three (and a half) stars is due to a lack of a real plot - this shows more like a documentary biography than a drama.

Once Upon a Time...When We Were Colored.......2007-02-07

I thought the story was real and had very positive
meanings. Some of my favorite actors and actresses
are in this movie; their acting skills added beauty
to the story. I enjoyed the film, the history and
life lessons. *****

Great Story.......2006-12-04

I have to admit that this movie started off a bit slow for me, but am glad to say that it is one of the best movies I have seen about the pre-civil rights South. Phylicia Rashad led an all-star Black cast in a moving story of an impoverished, but proud community overcoming the obstacles placed in their way by the majority White community.

This is just a wonderful film. I was brought to tears at the very end when the Black sharecroppers threw their hoes down and quit their jobs rather than be forced to abandon one of their own.

As Roeper and Ebert say, "TWO THUMBS WAY UP".

The boring movie!.......2006-10-21

This was just a boring movie...can't understand the other
review's saying it's good. Wouldn't reccomend it!

Average customer rating:

One for the kids
Great
"Connected to the Grid"
Indigo
A Glimpse of the Spiritual World

Indigo
Starring: Neale Donald Walsch
Director: Stephen Simon
Manufacturer: Monterey Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Celestine Prophecy
What the Bleep!? - Down the Rabbit Hole (QUANTUM Three-Disc Special Edition)
Conversations With God
Conscious Acts of Creation
Healing the Luminous Body - The Way of the Shaman with Dr. Alberto Villoldo

ASIN: B00074DXEY
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Customer Reviews:

One for the kids.......2007-06-08

While the movie was OK from my perspective, my 10 year old loved it.

After watching it she said "so that's why I think that way - I AM normal!" She has had a few movie play dates so she can show her friends the movie and whenever she is feeling different I have noticed that Indigo is selected for her portable DVD player. This is usually the sign of a good movie for my kids.

It was great to find a movie that normalises differences Indigo kids can sometimes feel.

regards

Ingrid
Heart Harmony

Great.......2007-03-14

Everything Was great .. i even bought a book about indigo children :) .
What i did not like though is the fact that they see dead people and that is something can never happen.

"Connected to the Grid".......2007-02-05

"Indigo" was co-written by and starring Neale Donald Walsch, author of bestseller "Conversations with God," and also co-written by James Twyman, author of "Emissary of Light," and was produced and directed by Stephen Simon "Somewhere in Time" and "What Dreams May Come." Sounds like an awesome team to me.

The story begins with Grace/Gracie, obviously a different child with interests and capabilities beyond that of most people. Very early in the movie, Grace speaks of beings that live in the trees, draws pictures of an energy grid in the sky, and "sees" things psychically. There is obvious animosity between Grace's mother (Cheryl) and her mom's rich father (Ray). Ray does not like or accept Grace's father (Alex). Ray's business has financial problems and he is a business-first, family-later guy. Ray gets a call from the police, when Cheryl gets arrested on a serious charge just at a time when people are protesting and blocking his next business venture involved with cutting down trees. Of course, Cheryl has to wait in jail while Ray tends to business first, but the business goes belly-up.

Fast-forward to 5 years later, and Cheryl is about to come up for a probation hearing. She is expecting to be released. Ray doesn't visit Cheryl in jail and he has no money. Alex is still evading the law. Gracie is in a foster care home. Cheryl hears that Gracie may be in trouble, and calls Ray for help. When Ray goes to see Gracie, she tells him about being connected to other children by the "web" (NOT the internet), later referred to as the grid. Gracie continues to see into the future. It was too cool when she called her grandfather "dimensionally challenged," because he only believed what he saw with his eyes. Anyway, Ray takes Gracie away, to protect her from danger. This is where Ray's journey with Gracie begins, and where you begin to understand what an "Indigo" child is.

For some reason, the special features in the DVD wouldn't work, but that's OK. I loved the movie. There is also some beautiful high-altitude Oregon scenery in this video, combined with a beautiful story. It may raise your consciousness a bit, or, if this energy-psychic business is not in your belief system, then you can just enjoy this as an uplifting story with beautiful scenery---but, it's so much more than that. There is also healing and spirituality in the story-line. What a beautiful story!--and what a great time to be alive to watch it.

Indigo.......2006-11-04

this movie shows us a lot of how we as a people seem to ignore the little things that children seem to know. I found the movie very enlighting because I see the same things in my child as they showed within the movie, How she seems to know thinigs that most of us have forgotten or how just by being next to you when you are feeling sick seems to make one feel better and even better the next day. I would recomend this movie to anyone who see things with thier child that most belive not to be reality.

A Glimpse of the Spiritual World.......2006-07-29

Although this is a fairly well-done movie, it is obvious that many of the actors are 'acting' - that is, they have not done enough acting to forget that they are acting instead of 'being the character.' It also raises some important spiritual issues, especially for families of faith. To understand this movie, one must believe in what most people call the spirit 'world.' [In this movie, they sort of likened it so some kind of Cosmic Internet.] It is also important to understand that in that realm there are both good and evil spirits. [We could not know what good spirits are if there were no evil spirits.] In Judeo-Christian culture, God is the leader of the good spirits; Satan or the devil is the leader of the evil spirits.

While I commend the movie makers for addressing such an issue, I think they should have made clear that there is both a good and dark side of human interaction with such spiritual forces. I also think it should have been shown through some kind of established religious institution; it is through the experience and spiritual wisdom of one's spiritual body that one learns to recognize the good from evil spiritual forces. The absence of such a foundation may leave one exposed to forces of evil they may not recognize if they try to 'play' with these spiritual forces.

Within that context, it is a pretty good story. It probably would have been better if the plot had been simplified and focused more on how little Grace was able to tap into the spirit world and even why she was able to do it. Still, this movie should provide lots of discussion for traditional values families, especially families of spiritual faith. There should be lots to talk about for families that don't believe in such spiritual forces, as well.

Average customer rating:

Big Eden, you've got to love this one....
Big Eden? Not in Montana.
bottle this !!
If you have a romantic side...
Big Eden

Big Eden
Starring: Arye Gross , Eric Schweig , Tim DeKay , Louise Fletcher , and George Coe
Director: Thomas Bezucha
Manufacturer: Wolfe Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

Gay & Lesbian | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Latter Days (Unrated Edition)
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Brokeback Mountain (Widescreen Edition)
The Trip
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ASIN: B0000639HT
Release Date: 2002-04-30

Amazon.com

Big Eden has won the audience awards at just about every gay and lesbian film festival there is. Henry (Arye Gross) is an artist living in New York but still carrying a torch for the guy he had a crush on in high school. When his grandfather has a stroke, Henry returns to his Montana hometown, Big Eden, where he rediscovers friends he hasn't seen in years. His high school crush has since married, had children, and divorced--and seems ready to take some very different steps with his life. Big Eden is one of those implausibly tolerant towns where lesbians kiss each other in public and old coots in cowboy hats try to play