The Devil & Daniel Webster - Criterion Collection

Starring:Edward Arnold, Walter Huston, Jane Darwell, Simone Simon, Gene Lockhart, John Qualen, H.B. Warner, Frank Conlan, Lindy Wade, George Cleveland, Anne Shirley, James Craig, Frank Austin, Thomas Mitchell, Stewart Richards (II), Jim Farley, Harry Humphrey, Sherman Sanders, Carl Stockdale, Patsy Doyle
Director: William Dieterle
Studio: Criterion
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Stephen Vincent Benet's timeless 1937 short story gets the red-carpet treatment on Criterion's feature-packed DVD of The Devil & Daniel Webster. William Dieterle's inspired film remains the classic it always was, proving that Citizen Kane wasn't the only cinematic marvel to appear in 1941. It's a sturdy, stylish rendition of Benet's original narrative, beginning when a luckless farmer (James Craig) strikes a Faustian bargain with the devil incarnate Mr. Scratch (Walter Huston at his devious best), trading his soul for seven years of prosperity, during which he grows corrupted, despised, and regretful of his mistake. To Scratch's chagrin, legendary orator Daniel Webster (Edward Arnold) intervenes with a triumphant defense, and Dieterle's brilliant direction gives the proceedings a light, economical touch of supernatural mischief.

Amazon.com essential video

From the moment that Prince Eric's ship emerged from the fog in the opening credits it was apparent that Disney had somehow, suddenly recaptured that "magic" that had been dormant for thirty years. In the tale of a headstrong young mermaid who yearns to "spend a day, warm on the sand," Ariel trades her voice to Ursula, the Sea Witch (classically voiced by Pat Carroll), for a pair of legs. Ariel can only succeed if she receives true love's kiss in a few day's time and she needs all the help she can from a singing crab named Sebastian, a loudmouth seagull, and a flounder. The lyrics and music by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken are top form: witty and relevant, and they advance the story (go on, hum a few bars of "Under the Sea"). Mermaid put animation back on the studio's "to do" list and was responsible for ushering Beauty and the Beast to theaters. A modern Disney classic. --Keith Simanton

Description

THE LITTLE MERMAID, one of the most celebrated animated films of all time -- and winner of two Academy Awards(R) (Best Music, Original Score; Best Music, Original Song, "Under The Sea," 1989) -- splashes onto an exciting 2-Disc DVD with an all-new digital restoration. Ariel, a fun-loving and mischievous mermaid, is off on the adventure of a lifetime with her best friend, the adorable Flounder, and the reggae-singing Caribbean crab Sebastian at her side. But it will take all of her courage and determination to make her dreams come true—and save her father's beloved kingdom from the sneaky sea witch Ursula! Dive into a world of music and adventure in this new 2-Disc Platinum Edition your family will enjoy again and again!

Customer Reviews:

One of the last great Disney Movies.......2007-05-28

Mermaid was one of Disney's last great movies.....before they started trying to spin each classic tale into a 2nd, 3rd movie....each meaningless money making machines.

The Little Mermaid is the Disney version of the Hans Christian Anderson tale. Disney brings it to life with the beautiful Ariel, and a whole cast of loveable characters- Flounder, Eric, Sebastian, Flounder, Skuttle.

Ariel, the youngest of many daughters is bored with life under water and want to explore life on land as a human. She see's a man aboard a boat and falls in love. His name is Eric. When a storm rages, Ariel saves Eric and leaves his ashore. He sees her and can't forget her face. Against her fathers wishes Ariel dreams of life on land. She bargains with the sea witch Ursula to turn her into a human. The price she pays is her voice. She has to make Eric fall in love with her- but she has no voice.
Ursula uses Ariels voice to bring her father to her knees. In the end, she is overcome, and Triton- Ariels father is saved, and let's Ariel go- to become a human.

The music is some of the most creative animated music EVER. From Kiss the girl to Under the Sea, each songs is singable, and unforgettable. Boy and girls alike will love this movie about dreams, courage, and adventure.

Grandchildren Loved The Little Mermaid.......2007-05-17

I bought this for my three grandchildren and they are very, very happy with it and have watched it many times already.

Great Product!.......2007-05-14

The dvd was brand new in the packaging. I would defintely buy from this seller again!!!

The Little Mermaid (2-Disc Platinum Edition).......2007-05-13

Bought this for my wife. She's always loved the story and had been wanting the DVD for a while. When the special edition came out, I grabbed it. The commentaries are great. The history of the story, the animation process, and the cast/crew is wonderful.

Little Mermaid.......2007-05-09

An upgrade to DVD. Wonderful movie to watch, beautiful coloring and music. Ariel can sing the pants off a crab.

The Devil Wears Prada (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

great show
Streep makes a GREAT Wicked Witch . . . .
Entertaining, Classy, Chic'
Loved this movie
This is a great movie, but it is not like the book.

The Devil Wears Prada (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Meryl Streep , Anne Hathaway , Emily Blunt , Stanley Tucci , and Simon Baker
Director: David Frankel
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000J103PC
Release Date: 2006-12-12

Amazon.com

an elite fashion magazine full of size-0, impossibly well-dressed plebes. This makes new second-assistant Andrea (Anne Hathaway), who's smart but an unacceptable size 6, stick out like a sore thumb. Streep has a ball sending her new slave on any whimsical errand, whether it's finding the seventh (unpublished) Harry Potter book or knowing what type she means when she wants "skirts." Though Andrea thumbs her nose at the shallow world of fashion (she's only doing the job to open doors to a position at The New Yorker someday), she finds herself dually disgusted yet seduced by the perks of the fast life. The film sends a basic message: Make work your priority, and you'll be rich and powerful... and lonely. Any other actress would have turned Miranda into a scenery-chewing Cruella, but Streep's underplayed, brilliant comic timing make her a fascinating, unapologetic character. Adding frills to the movie's fun are Stanley Tucci as Streep's second-in-command, Emily Blunt (My Summer of Love) as the overworked first assistant, Simon Baker as a sexy writer, and breathtaking couture designs any reader of Vogue would salivate over. -- Ellen A. Kim

Beyond The Devil Wears Prada

The Devil Wears Prada: A Novel
The Devil Wears Prada Soundtrack
Prada Handbags

Stills from The Devil Wears Prada (click for larger image)

Description

Based on the hilarious best-selling novel, this sinfully funny movie starring Academy Award(r) winner Meryl Streep* and Anne Hathaway is "sensationally entertaining in every way" (maxim). As assistant to impossibly demanding New York fashion magazine editor Miranda Priestly (Streep), young Andy Sachs (Hathaway) has landed a job that "a million girls would die for." Unfortunately, her heaven-sent appointment as Miranda's personal whipping girl just might be the death of her!

Customer Reviews:

great show.......2007-07-03

Meryl Streep was brilliant in this role as the bitchy, leader of this band of merry fashionistas. The plot was great and I loved the fact that at the end they both acknowledged that they knew who had accomplished something in the fashion world. And that she was accepted by Meryl Streep's character.

Streep makes a GREAT Wicked Witch . . . ........2007-07-01

Overall, this is a pretty good film, with Anne Hathaway as Andy Sachs, the recent college grad trying to break into journalism who takes the only available job as junior assistant to the high-powered editor of the leading fashion magazine. She's earnest, and cute, and bright -- but Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly, queen of fashionistas and priestess of the Dark Side of the Force, is spectacular. As the tagline says, Miranda is "hell on wheels." Sadistic, hyper-demanding, not knowing when to quit, lacking in the most basic humanity, willing to blow another marriage, happy to sacrifice everything and everyone around her, convinced that no one else in the universe is capable of doing her job. And yet "a million girls would kill" for Andy's job. It takes awhile, but Andy eventually (of course) discovers she's becoming too much like Miranda and manages to save herself at the last minute. It's a little too pat, but I enjoy watching the fashion industry being skewered.

Entertaining, Classy, Chic'.......2007-06-28

Although it been quite awhile since I have read this book, I really think that they have done a fantastic job of adapting it to film. It doesn't exactly follow the story line, but then who really cares? Why would you want to watch a film that is EXACTLY like the book? That's boring, anyway.

The Devil Wears Prada movie left me asking for more. I left feeling that I wanted to know more about what Andy Sachs had in store for herself. Nonetheless, she did do quite a bit of growing the year she worked for Meranda Priestly at Runway. Her transformation was stunning.

This movie was great! It showed stylish characters, and fabulous New York and Paris Scenes.

Meryl Streep also did a marvelous job at playing Miranda Priestly. I bet is was difficult to keep a straight face all the time. In fact, a little birdy told me that she didn't even talk to Anne Hathaway off-set so that she would be able to stay in character.

This is an entertaining, classy, chic', coming-of-age movie. You cannot miss it!

Loved this movie.......2007-06-27

Even though the movie misses a lot of the detail in the book (which I highly recommend) the movie is still very good and is good for preteens too.

This is a great movie, but it is not like the book........2007-06-13

I read the book on which this film is based before seeing this film. I loved the book, & I thought that the film would replicate the book. I was wrong. It's a great film, but I was disappointed that the film did not replicate the book. Some of the concepts in the book are the same in the film, but some are not. For example, Andy's (Hathaway's) boyfriend in the film is not the same as he is in the book. I guess they had to make some changes so that the film wasn't so long. My advice is to read the book! I enjoyed the book more than the film.

The Devil Wears Prada

Average customer rating:

Old Enemies Menace Hellboy's Surrogate Father
An even better follow-up
Smashing
'Hellboy': A Force to Be Reckoned With
not to bad...

Hellboy - Blood and Iron (Animated)
Starring: Ron Perlman , Selma Blair , Doug Jones , John Hurt , and Peri Gilpin
Director: Tad Stones , and Victor Cook
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
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ASIN: B000NY0YJK
Release Date: 2007-06-12

Amazon.com

In some ways, Blood and Iron captures more of graphic novelist Mike Mignola's original vision than Guillermo del Toro's lackluster feature did in 2004. Hellboy, the demon brought into this world by the Nazis, but raised by "Professor Broom" to fight for good, was conceived as a drawing, not an actor buried under make-up and latex. The story, which incorporates elements from Mignola's "Wake the Devil" collection, sends Hellboy, Abe Sapien, Liz Sherman, and Prof. Broom to the haunted mansion of a vulgar millionaire. Hoping to cash in on the supernatural angle, he's filled the house with relics of "Blood Countess" Erzsebet Ondrusko (based on the 16th century Hungarian noblewoman Elizebeth Bathory), whom Prof. Broom defeated in 1939. It's really haunted, and the gang tackles harpies, ghosts, witches, werewolves, vampires, and the goddess Hecate. The key actors from the live action film repeat their roles as voices: Ron Perlman (Hellboy), Selma Blair (Liz), Doug Jones (Abe), and John Hurt (Broom). Perlman makes a suitably underplayed Hellboy, growling his annoyance at everything from a bad donut to a vicious blow from the iron-clad goddess. The limits of the animation would be less problematic if the direction were more dynamic. Tad Stones and Victor Cook don't get the needed power out of the action sequences, especially the prolonged battle between Hellboy and Hecate. It would be interesting to see what a talented director like Kazuhiro Furuhashi (Ruruoni Kenshin) or Hiroyuki Okiura (Jin-Roh) would do with this material. Blood and Iron will appeal to some "Hellboy" fans, but it lacks the dark panache of the original books. (Unrated, suitable for ages 14 and older: violence, grotesque imagery, potentially offensive religious imagery) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

Old Enemies Menace Hellboy's Surrogate Father.......2007-07-01

HELLBOY: BLOOD AND IRON is the second Hellboy animated movie released direct-to-DVD. The first was HELLBOY: SWORD OF STORMS. As in the first feature, Ron Perlman provides the voice for Hellboy. Other stars from the feature film lend their voices as well, including Selma Blair, Doug Jones, Peri Gilpin, and John Hurt. The story is taken from the second story arc of the Hellboy comics. It was originally called, "Wake the Devil".

This movie shows more of Hellboy's upbringing than the feature movie starring Ron Perlman. It also reveals a lot more of Professor (Bruttenholm) Broom's background before he found Hellboy back in the 1940s after the Nazi Germans brought him into this world. As it turns out, Professor Broom was quite the paranormal investigator long before Hellboy arrived.

During those days, the professor's arch-nemesis was Erzsebet Ondrusko, a vampire and worshiper of Hecate, the queen of witches. The opening sequence showing Broom's encounter with the villainess is appropriately chilling and a visual treat. In fact, the whole movie owes more to creator Mike Mignola's artwork than the feature-length movie. The scenes in the animated movie could have been ripped directly from Mignola's comics pages.

Hellboy is introduced while lurking through a sewer system and looking for a monster. He, admittedly, is up to his neck in crap. The humor mixes very well with the action and emotion in the film. This isn't Leo Tolstoy, but it's nice to have characters you feel like you know and can care about. Especially when they're dealing with old business that carries a lot of emotional baggage for them.

Hellboy puts down the creature with help from Abe Sapien and they quickly return to the hidden headquarters of the BPRD (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense). They sit around talking and the viewer gets to know more about the characters. One of the things I enjoy about the movies is that you don't have to know much to understand who the characters are. You're given what you need to know as you go along, and it's never dull even for the true fans that already know everything.

When assignments are given out, Professor Broom usurps control of the meeting and assigns Hellboy, Abe Sapien, and Liz Sherman to investigate sightings of ghosts in a mansion that's been remodeled into a top-of-the-line museum/lodge. The job was initially a low-priority for them. The professor offers no explanation and the rest of the team is left wondering what's going on. More than that, the professor is going along and that hasn't happened in years. All of them are concerned for his health.

Of course, when they arrive at the mansion, things are decidedly much worse than they were led to believe. There's not just one ghost; there appear to be dozens. And even more evil is afoot.

Interspersed for the current ongoing story line, there are flashbacks to Professor Broom's earlier encounters with Erzsebet Ondrusko. The story concerning Hellboy and the others definitely takes second-place to the overall storytelling until the very last of the movie. It's all the clues and backstory of what has gone on before that really captures the interest.

The fight scene at the end of the movie is multi-layered as Hellboy and the others are divided. It's all interesting to watch, but it tends to drag on the little, especially when you realize that time after time it is not over.

Due to the violence and the scary appearances of many of the monsters, this animated feature is and recommended for young kids. However, if you like cartoons and your kids do too, this is definitely one you can sit down and enjoy together. There's enough story and enough action to keep everyone happy. At 75 minutes, you can easily fit the movie into an evening.

An even better follow-up.......2007-06-16

Hellboy: Blood and Iron is the second animated release in the Hellboy series. This time, Hellboy and co. are asked to investigate a haunted mansion that a rich billionaire plans to turn into a tourist attraction. The case also has a mysterious connection to a Hungarian Blood Countess that Professor Bruttenholm fought in the 1930s.

I liked the first release, Sword of Storms, but Blood and Iron is an even stronger effort. The gothic trappings feel more familar to the style that made Mignola's original comic so acclaimed, and whereas the first film split up the main cast, Blood and Iron keeps them together with focus on the family dynamic. The script is tighter, and at points really pushes the 'older audience' rating; it's a vampire story with lots of blood. Perlman and crew again bring the characters to life with believability and charm.

There aren't quite as many extras this time, but it's still a solid release. The most fun is the "Iron Shoes" short, which adapts Mignola's comic of the same name to hilarious effect. All dvds come packed with a 32-page comic book called "The Yearning." Some exclusives also pack in an extra comic digest called "The Judgement Bell" or a Hellboy figurine.

A great recommendation. Hopefully Hellboy Animated spawns more films or a tv series soon.

Smashing.......2007-06-15

Chances are that if you enjoyed Sword of Storms, the first animated Hellboy straight to DVD movie, you are going to dig Blood and Iron just as much, if not more. Once again, the actors from Guillermo Del Toro's 2004 big screen adaptation return to voice their counterparts: Ron Perlman is Hellboy, Selma Blair is Liz, Doug Jones is fishboy Abe Sapien, and even John Hurt is on board this time around as Professor Broom. The story finds the B.P.R.D. assigned to a ghost crammed mansion, which turns out to be inhabited by a vampiric Blood Countess that Professor Broom took on years before. Featuring dynamic animation, superb voice work, and knowing nods to Mike Mignola's original comics; Hellboy: Blood and Iron is an animated treat. The only downsides to Blood and Iron are what plagued Sword of Storms: the animation may not be everyone's cup of tea, and the film as a whole may be a bit too slow moving for some. All that aside, Blood and Iron is still an enjoyable Hellboy yarn, and the wonderful set of DVD extras included on the disc round out an already sweet package.

'Hellboy': A Force to Be Reckoned With.......2007-06-15

'Hellboy' is an anime' comic book jumping to life. Sparring between good and evil, the titled hero (Ron Perlman) is a demon fighting against the agents of hell on earth. He joins forces with what could be called the comic strip version of 'Ghostbusters' or 'Scooby Doo'. The anime' venue, which sometimes lacks the flow of most animated adventures, looks entirely appropriate with it's Gothic look and feel. Images of wolves with glowing eyes, lady vampires, snakes, and ghosts jump out to challenge our heros after an associate professor "Broom" has let a vampire lady come to life. Complete with a score that rises and falls with the action, 'Hellboy--Blood and Iron' takes all the old horror stories and recreates it with a frightening splendor. While it won't make most teenagers lose any sleep, it does an effective job of telling its story while generating a morbid, creepy interest.

Overall, 'Hellboy-Blood and Iron' does much to impress without an overkill. With a good story and dialogue, Victor Cook and Tad Stones do effective things with Mike Mignola's comic-novel series. (The extras have interesting explanations about how they assembled this movie.)

not to bad..........2007-06-13

I liked Sword of Storms because it seemed more like the comic and less like the movie (even though they had the movie actors do the voices). I liked how Hellboy seemed less of a "big child" and more of a aged sort of "got it together" type of hero.
The little things like Abe not wearing a breathing apparatus and Kate Corrigan made me really happy.
The new movie Blood and Iron only ventures futher into the comic world, even using some of the direct dialogue from the comic. The animation is really well done as well as the voice acting. The movie even seemed like a Mike Mignola Hellboy issue, which I liked a lot.

The DVD extras are pretty cool as well. Behind the scenes features and it even has a Hellboy E-comic. It also includes the short IRON SHOES which is frame for frame of the comic story of the same title. It was really cool to see that animated.

As I was watching this movie I realized it was definitely NOT for kids. Some of the images in the movie would probably scar little kids for life.

Average customer rating:

Harp and Guitar
OK Movie
for blues lovers
A fun little piece
This movie has a great story, an incredible soundtrack and great characters

Crossroads
Starring: Ralph Macchio , Joe Seneca , Jami Gertz , Joe Morton , and Robert Judd
Director: Walter Hill
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0002A2WDQ
Release Date: 2004-08-10

Amazon.com

The legend of Mississippi blues master Robert Johnson has served as a fountainhead for generations of blues and rock musicians, as well as a powerful fable for the dark, often violent mysteries of delta blues. Johnson's mythic deal with the Devil, in exchange for his extraordinary musical gifts, has become a fixture in blues lore and an example of the enduring pull of superstitions that can be traced back to Mother Africa and Yoruba deities. Producer-director Walter Hill (The Long Riders, Streets of Fire) sought to put this uniquely American mystery on film, but when he was unable to secure a script devoted directly to Johnson himself, Hill bravely decided to proceed with a more oblique, allegorical story that retold the Satanic bargain through a fictionalized drama set in the present day. In this 1986 feature, the hero is Eugene, a classically trained guitar virtuoso pulled toward the earthier powers of blues. When he stumbles across a lost blues legend, Willie Brown (a real blues figure and Johnson peer known for his partnerships with Charley Patton and Son House, among others), Eugene begins an odyssey back to the delta country and the crossroads of the title, where both Willie and Johnson had traded their souls for blues power, to help the surviving bluesman renegotiate terms.

An opening sequence, shot in sepia-toned black and white, dramatizes Johnson's own supernatural encounter, as well as one of the bluesman's historic Texas recording sessions, and Hill's visuals combine with frequent collaborator Ry Cooder's reliably authentic slide guitar to offer a promising glimpse of cinematic conjury. Even the satanic villain--a grinning huckster named Scratch--honors the trickster figure familiar to African American superstitions, rather than a generic devil. Willie Brown (Joe Seneca) is likewise a convincing link to the blues past, but Hill's central casting choice--Ralph (The Karate Kid) Macchio--sacrifices all for marquee value, a Hobson's choice that casts a shadow of unintended parody across the film. Macchio's earlier character, not Scratch, haunts this film, and even a nifty duel between Eugene, his slashing fretwork supplied off-camera by Cooder, and Scratch's ax-wielding henchman, heavy metal virtuoso, and one-time Frank Zappa protégé Steve Vai, can't safely rescue the film. --Sam Sutherland

Customer Reviews:

Harp and Guitar.......2007-06-15

If you like harmonica and guitar you'll love this movie. It's like the devil went down to Georgia with harp and guitar. Good storie good music.

OK Movie.......2007-05-09

Ralph Macchio got to play a semi-grown up and there was blues. It was a fine movie. Joe Seneca was always good.

for blues lovers.......2007-04-30

Released on VHS tape in the middle of the Eighties, this film is now available on DVD (Region 1 code). It is the (light) story of a trip through the blues and its roots. A young white guitar player (Ralph Macchio) meets in a hospital an old black bluesman (Joe Seneca) and they decide to leave together for the Delta, looking for the crossroads where the bluesman sold his soul to the Devil when he was young and there try to break such contract. During the journey, they establish a master/pupil relationship (Ralph Macchio seems to be specialized in such roles: do you remember Karate Kid?) and go through some hardships till they reach the crossroads and meet the Devil. This meeting leads the two friends to the final challenge: if the young guitarist beats Devil's pupil (Steve Vai) in a blues competition, the old bluesman's soul will be saved. This is the highlight of the film, where the two competitors challenge each other playing blues standards in their different ways: by one hand Steve Vai (in a very good form) plays his pieces in an aggressive "hard-rock" style, while, on the other hand, the boy (but with Ray Cooder's hands! Look at the end titles to discover the real player...) plays his guitar in a slide traditional way, with a bottleneck. This is the story. As for the rest, the film is a just a comedy, with a mix of flavors, lightly served: Robert Johnson's life, Faust, Karate Kid, and - fortunately - some good music, performed in the topical parts of the show (apart from the final duel, there are some nice performances in two-three moments of the film). So, do not surprise if this film will not win any Oscar, but the "crunch" sound of Macchio-Cooder's Telecaster, played with an old valve guitar amp, still sounds very nice to electric blues listeners.
P.S.: the soundtrack is available on CD but WITHOUT the songs of the final challenge.
Riccardo Frau
Italy

A fun little piece.......2007-04-07

Not every thing that I find entertaining has to have merit nor worth. This has neither. It's just entertaining. The story holds extra merit if you are at all familiar with the Story of Blues Guitarist Robert Johnson selling his soul to the Devil at the crossroads in exchange for playing the Guitar.

This movie has a great story, an incredible soundtrack and great characters.......2007-03-19

In the 1980s there was a great blues music revival, much like the sixties, except the young musicians who created it were more knowledgeable and better educated than the generation before; probably because they were the children of that generation and were standing on their shoulders.
Some of this revival took place in cinema with movies "The Blues Brothers", "The Commitments" and this one.
These movies actually helped the entertainment mainstream find it's way to great black artists like B. B. King, John Lee Hooker and many others who never had more than cult followings previous to this.
Many sixties blues fans never knew where the Crossroads was or the significance of Bob Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited", the legend of Robert Johnson, the fabulous musical history of Clarksdale Mississippi or Highway 49.
This film explores those modern American legends as the historical (there really was such a person who was a noted bluesman) yet fictional (this story is fiction) character Willie Brown, played by Joe Seneca; takes a Juilliard of music student on a tour of the Mississippi delta on a quest to redeem his soul from the devil by a guitar duel to the eternal death with Jack Butler (played by Steve Vai).
The strongest point in this film is the music itself; the soundtrack by Ry Cooder and including his incredible jam with the great Steve Vai.
If you're white and a blues fan, this movie is a fantastical microcosm of the aforementioned white blues revivals. If you're black and a blues fan, it's a slice of Black Americana being discovered by the mainstream and you can probably enjoy it tongue in cheek if you're a hardcore music fan.
I loved it.

Average customer rating:

kiddie movie
Best Ghost Story In A Long Time
Eerie and enjoyable
wrong region
The best ghost I've seen.

The Devil's Backbone (Special Edition)
Starring: Marisa Paredes , Eduardo Noriega (II) , Federico Luppi , Fernando Tielve , and Íñigo Garcés
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000274TLW
Release Date: 2004-07-27

Amazon.com

Seething passions, wandering ghosts, and an unexploded bomb fill this beautifully filmed tale of war and suspense. Though The Devil's Backbone was advertised as a horror movie in the States, it's really more of a drama that happens to have ghosts in it. During the Spanish Civil War, young Carlos is abandoned at a completely isolated orphanage. The tensions therein have been building for years, exacerbated by the unexploded bomb resting menacingly in the courtyard. Bullies scheme, tempers flare, and a ghost that visits Carlos's bed seems to be the key to it all. The movie is full of excellent performances, especially by Marisa Paredes as the gruff-but-kind headmistress, Eduardo Noriega as the handyman with secrets to keep, and Federico Luppi as the benevolent professor who likes to keep deformed fetuses in jars. A rich, satisfying drama with some good, spooky fun thrown in. --Ali Davis

Customer Reviews:

kiddie movie.......2007-06-26

gave it 5 stars -this is a great movie But for kids between 12-16yrs old.

Best Ghost Story In A Long Time.......2007-06-26

This movie was simply riveting. Beautifully acted and filmed, believable. It was intelligent, touching, and at times truly spooky. I was impressed, and I'm about as jaded as a horror fan can get. Best of all, this was neither creampie fluff like the run of the mill boring torture flicks coming out of Hollywood these days, not was it a pure jump here scream there funhouse ride like most of the current flavor of Japanese Horror. This was a darn fine movie, intelligent, rich, mesmerizing and with a plausible plot, believable characters, and a satisfying ending. Good stuff.

Eerie and enjoyable.......2007-06-12

I truly enjoyed this movie. I think the acting is quite good and the movie is definately worth watching.

wrong region.......2007-06-10

I was not actually able to see this film because the small print on the back of the cassette says it can not be played outside of the USA and Canada and as I live in Great Britain the film was of little use to me.

I was not able to print the returns labels from Amazon at the time the time of logging in and when I tried to re visit the returns page again, Amazon claimed I had nothing valid to return. I am therefore left with a dvd that I cannot use.

Subsequent emails to and from Amazon ensued with the company telling me that they do not recognise me e mail address yet I am sent e mails advertising their store.

What a poor show Amazon.

A disappointed customer.

The best ghost I've seen........2007-06-07

This fantasy/thriller is a companion to Cronos and more popularly Pan's Labyrinth. It shares a common sequence that the director Guillermo Del Toro explains as his rhythm to a movie. As did Hitchcock in his films, creating a rhythm by showing early in the story a deliberate number of memorable scenes and then using those replicated instances in the same exactness for another purpose, therefor setting up a repitition that makes it more meaningful and significant. We see this many times, and he is not limited to only mimicing Hitchcock. All of his movies are filled with homages to cinema greats. A small line from a Terrance Malick film here, and a more obvious homage to John Ford, mirroring his tortured landscapes in The Grapes of Wrath for the outdoors of his ruined Spanish school yard. Del Toro takes the time to guide you through his style in his colorful and insightful commentaries. A favorite feature of mine, because it teaches you about the movie process and of his thought process. And you get to know the man, he has a great sense of humor. Guillermo loves taking a hollywood instrument, such as ghost in the dark, and unbreakable lighting schemes, and to his own enjoyment breaks those unsaid laws, by showing ghosts in broad daylight, and by giving you sharp contrasts in colors. Such as having a metal blue night, yet a warm, sensual withindoors color in sharp contrast. And he does it in such a way as to be genuin, never tinsely. I appreciate his hard work, and his passion has a way of touching others. A splendid Artist who focuses on Spanish history and social politics; and juxtaposing these very serious topics with fantasy, and somehow, it indescribably gives the fantasy world more credibility.

Average customer rating:

Nothing is what it seems!
Not what I was expecting, but still good (in a different way)
keeps you guessing
Worst Ending In The History Of Movies
Ninth Gate

The Ninth Gate
Starring: Johnny Depp , Frank Langella , Lena Olin , Emmanuelle Seigner , and Barbara Jefford
Director: Roman Polanski
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 6305897786
Release Date: 2000-07-18

Customer Reviews:

Nothing is what it seems!.......2007-07-03

A deep, yet entertaining movie that will leave you baffled and bewildered at first; however, don't give up on this film. Good solid acting, incredible directing, and a story with so many questions it leaves you wondering what it is you just watched!

I have always liked Polanski films, as well as Johnny Depp's acting, so this movie (for me) was a must see. I'll admit, the first time I viewed it I was left confused and I said to myself that I regretted purchasing it. Giving it another shot recently, I was able to really sit and watch the movie for what it really is, an intellectual masterpiece.

It may leave you with many questions, but again I urge you not to give up on this movie. It has a message that really blurs the lines of good and evil and shows that there may be both good and evil inside us all. How it ends is really up to your interpretation.

Not what I was expecting, but still good (in a different way).......2007-06-29

Opinions when it comes to movies tend to convey a bit more stridency than those involving music or even television, as if a level of aesthete is involved that is so profound that it evokes a part of one's being... of course, that may just apply to the more catty drama dorks out there.

Anyhow, there are many examples too numerous for practical purposes of documenting. To focus on just one good example would be THE NINTH GATE. Many people disliked this film, and some did so with a hint of indignation. It might have been because of raised expectations, either for their adulations of Roman Polanski as a director, or because it was a film featuring the "divinely magnificent" Johnny Depp (who actually is an exceptionally good actor with a decent knack for picking projects; comments in quotations were not meant as an affront to Mr. Depp, but to those who overly idolize him), or because this film deals with elements of the supernatural including the Devil. If in fact you are expecting a terrifying episode of demonic encounters replete with gore and sensationalism, then you might not like this film, which has a more stately pacing and emphasizes ambiance and atmosphere over glitzy special effects. Others were disappointed because the film only partially reflects the book it was based on ("Club Dumas", which I actually also read - pretty impressive, huh?), although to be fair, the book's structure would not have really been ideal for close adaptation.

I admit that I was really intrigued by the premise, especially when the element of interaction by Lucifer was suggested, because done well it can be fascinating, although it is also runs the big risk of embarrassing failure, given the heightened expectations. The trailers were effective enough, and Johnny Depp picks good movies more often than not, so I thought it was worth a look. The movie was not quite what I expected, but still kept my interest, in spite of the aforementioned moderate pacing and a subject matter (rare book appraisals) which I would not have ordinarily found especially fascinating. It was an intellectual rather than visceral effort, and the acting was actually somewhat effective as it turns out. Though some have incorrectly characterized the acting as being lackadaisical and/or stilted or uninspiring (among the many adjectives used), the director and actors wisely chose a more understated approach, which is more realistic and less (melo)dramatic. As a result, Depp was convincing in his role as a mercenary book appraiser not always above unscrupulous methods, and Frank Langella was quite effective in his role as an accomplished but ruthless publisher and collector, whose sophistication almost masks his sinister agenda. Their nuanced performances were far more appropriate and believable, rather than over-the-top affectations which would have just come off as campy and out of place (Sean Penn and Al Pacino and Tom Cruise need not have auditioned).

The story centers on a book titled "The Ninth Gate of the Kingdom of Shadows", an obscure but legendary tome rumored to have Lucifer as a contributor. Depp's character is Dean Corso, a highly sought though morally relaxed appraiser. He is hired by Boris Balkan (Langella) to find other remaining copies - if they still exist - to determine the book's authenticity. What seemed initially like a thorough and arduous investigation came to include hazardous intrigue, the interventions of mysterious strangers, untimely deaths, and more danger than Corso was prepared for. Along the way, the financial appeal of the lucrative assignment gives way to the need for answers to the danger and intrigue, which in turn gives way to a pursuit of something possibly unworldly and beyond belief. Though some will stubbornly disagree, what makes this film work is the element of ambiguity regarding the book's authenticity and nature, as well as those of at least one other character in the film, and the film's ending itself.

As I am not an easy laugh, I tend to be a challenging audience for comedies. Similarly, I am not an easy scare and do not impress easily when it comes to horror films. Though I am not sure that this would be accurately categorized as a horror film (it could be more accurately described as a supernatural thriller), I will risk the razzing and aspersions and insults to say that one of the more scary/frightening/evocative (as measured by the goosebump meter) sequences I have ever come across in movies is in this film. Polanski is regarded by some as a genius, though not all his films are well received. If you can dispense with any preconceived expectations and approach this with an open mind, there is a decent chance you might find this film's merits as both a creative project and a skillfully crafted effort.

keeps you guessing.......2007-06-27

this is a great movie if you are into dective/thriller type movies. it does move a bit slow in parts. the movie is about a "book detective" so to speak. he is hired to track down a book that was supposdly written by the devil himself.

Worst Ending In The History Of Movies.......2007-06-27

This movie was bad. What was even worse was the ending. I guess they ran out of money and/or ideas when it came time to end the movie. I was left sitting there wondering WHAT WAS THAT?? Johnny Depp should pretend he never acted in this disgrace. The ninth gate? The only gate is the gate to exit the movie theater and forget this disaster of a movie ever happened hahaha.

Ninth Gate.......2007-06-26

Loved the movie for its atmosphere. I read one review in a literary magazine that explained the mysteries to my satisfaction. The main character's name is "Corso" - sounds similar to "cursed one" even though in the movie, he said that it means "one who travels". Johnny Depp looks like the quintessential devil with his goatee and dark hair with gray around the side. The review I read said that the devil had lost his way on earth and needed to get "home". The "guardian angel" provided clues to him and safeguarded him. Remember how surprised she looked when he accidentally bumped into her, causing her nose to bleed. Like she was not used to having any "mortals" injure her like that. Also, he always played up vices, like constantly smoking, drinking, cheating people. One of the drawings showed the "guardian angel" riding the three headed beast (literally - and this is a biblical symbol for the devil)and pointing back to the castle or the ninth gate. When Boris Balkan wanted to meet the devil so badly, he never realized that he really had. An interesting thought, anyway.

The Devil Wears Prada (Full Screen Edition)

Average customer rating:

great show
Streep makes a GREAT Wicked Witch . . . .
Entertaining, Classy, Chic'
Loved this movie
This is a great movie, but it is not like the book.

The Devil Wears Prada (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Meryl Streep , Anne Hathaway , Emily Blunt , Stanley Tucci , and Simon Baker
Director: David Frankel
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000J103OI
Release Date: 2006-12-12

Amazon.com

This clever, funny big-screen adaptation of Lauren Weisberger's best-seller takes some of the snarky bite out of the chick lit book, but smoothes out the characters' boxy edges to make a more satisfying movie. There's no doubt The Devil Wears Prada belongs to Meryl Streep, who turns in an Oscar�-worthy (seriously!) strut as the monster editor-in-chief of Runway, an elite fashion magazine full of size-0, impossibly well-dressed plebes. This makes new second-assistant Andrea (Anne Hathaway), who's smart but an unacceptable size 6, stick out like a sore thumb. Streep has a ball sending her new slave on any whimsical errand, whether it's finding the seventh (unpublished) Harry Potter book or knowing what type she means when she wants "skirts." Though Andrea thumbs her nose at the shallow world of fashion (she's only doing the job to open doors to a position at The New Yorker someday), she finds herself dually disgusted yet seduced by the perks of the fast life. The film sends a basic message: Make work your priority, and you'll be rich and powerful... and lonely. Any other actress would have turned Miranda into a scenery-chewing Cruella, but Streep's underplayed, brilliant comic timing make her a fascinating, unapologetic character. Adding frills to the movie's fun are Stanley Tucci as Streep's second-in-command, Emily Blunt (My Summer of Love) as the overworked first assistant, Simon Baker as a sexy writer, and breathtaking couture designs any reader of Vogue would salivate over. -- Ellen A. Kim

Beyond The Devil Wears Prada

The Devil Wears Prada: A Novel
The Devil Wears Prada Soundtrack
Prada Handbags

Stills from The Devil Wears Prada (click for larger image)

Description

Customer Reviews:

great show.......2007-07-03

Streep makes a GREAT Wicked Witch . . . ........2007-07-01

Entertaining, Classy, Chic'.......2007-06-28

Loved this movie.......2007-06-27

Even though the movie misses a lot of the detail in the book (which I highly recommend) the movie is still very good and is good for preteens too.

This is a great movie, but it is not like the book........2007-06-13

Average customer rating:

The best Bedazzled
Bedeviled
Hilarious!
At last!
Speak of the Devil

Bedazzled
Starring: Peter Cook , Dudley Moore , Eleanor Bron , Raquel Welch , and Alba
Director: Stanley Donen
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000MQ54M6
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Amazon.com essential video

When the Devil (Peter Cook) offers suicidal short-order cook Stanley (Dudley Moore) seven wishes, Stanley easily surrenders his soul. All of his wishes are granted, to the letter. Unfortunately, as each wish comes to life, the Devil--cheeky sod!--manages to slip some unexpected problem into the mix, ruining everything in a deliciously funny way. Bedazzled was made long before 10 and Arthur made Dudley Moore an unlikely movie star. It's a much purer expression of the off-kilter British humor that Moore and his writing partner Cook pioneered, humor that would lead to Monty Python's Flying Circus and other absurdist goofballs. Moore is charming enough, but what really makes Bedazzled work is Cook, who combines upper-class arrogance with a cheerful, even casual lunacy. Though he played character roles in movies like The Princess Bride and Black Beauty, he was never able to parlay his sneaky sense of humor into starring roles. Bedazzled is his outstanding triumph. Not only does the movie offer some sly commentary on Christian morality, it has a cameo with Raquel Welch as the embodiment of Lust. A classic. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Stanley (Moore) is a hapless short-order cook who is hopelessly in love with a waitress named Margaret (Eleanor Bron) - although she barely knows he's alive. Enter George Spiggott (Cook), a.k.a. Satan, who grants Stanley seven wishes in order to win Margaret over, but his efforts are hilariously hampered by the Seven Deadly Sins - including the insatiable Lilian Lust (Raquel Welch)!

Customer Reviews:

The best Bedazzled.......2007-06-27

Forget the Elizabeth Hurley/Brendan Frazier version (amusing as Ms. Hurley is as the Devil). This is one of the five greatest comedies of the modern film era. Period.

Bedeviled.......2007-06-13

This is my wife's favorite film and one of my favorites. It is extremely witty and funny in an ironic fashion. It is an example of classical british comedy that is more cerebral than American "slap stick" humor.

Hilarious!.......2007-05-25

There's no doubt that the late Dudley Moore was underrated as a comedic performer. "Bedazzled" shows what he could do, and his incredible range (in the scenes in which he's given his wishes by the Devil, he portrays, among other things, a daft supercilious vaguely Scottish intellect, a rich prig, and an Oxbridge professor). Just the anguished pop star face he makes in the scene parodying the 60s-style "Top of the Pops" show is enough to make me cry with laughter. He even wrote the theme song! The film itself looks quite good as well, and has a swingin' London/psychedelic overtone that holds up better than many of its contemporary films. Well worth seeing.

At last!.......2007-05-25

Finally a DVD of "Bedazzled" has been released in the United States. This is simply one of the funniest movies ever made. It is packed with razor-sharp dialogue and delivery. The cast is perfect. The thick 60's vibe holds up very well in this context.

It is perhaps not surprising that "Bedazzled" made little impact in the U.S. when it came out. It consists almost entirely of people standing around talking, which even in those days was problematic for many Americans.

To his great credit, Peter Cook was able to insert a coherent and meaningful discussion of theological issues into his hilarious script without bogging it down at all. I suppose you'd have to call this irreverent humor, but it is far from disrespectful or offensive.

If you don't mind paying attention to a comedy, then you will be rewarded with a smart, layered, consistently side-splitting movie.

The picture and sound on this disk seem fine and clean, if not fabulous. The extras are unexceptional.

Speak of the Devil.......2007-05-12

Bedazzled doesn't actually dazzle, though it's pretty good for its time. The title comes from a song central to one of the scenes, with DudleyMoore's character attempting the role of rock star. With typically understated British humor, Dudley sells his soul to the Devil (Peter Cook), who makes the most of his purchase by too literal interpretation of the wishes Dudley gets as his payoffs. Raquel Welch has a somewhat memorable but short role as Lust, one of the seven deadly sins. Of course, nothing really untoward is allowed to happen; it's all in fun. There is even a suitable ending, where Dudley gets to keep his soul after all, and the whole experience becomes a morality play in the tradition of English theater.

Spawn - The Director's Cut (New Line Platinum Series)

Average customer rating:

pixelated photos on the cover art box
A Super Hero brother with Attitude. Need I say more?
I own Spawn on VHS - now purchasing DVD because I loved it!!!
Best of the Genre
Great Movie!!

Spawn - The Director's Cut (New Line Platinum Series)
Starring: Michael Jai White , John Leguizamo , Martin Sheen , Theresa Randle , and Nicol Williamson
Director: Mark A.Z. Dippé
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6304712499
Release Date: 1998-01-06

Amazon.com

After being murdered for quitting his role as a ruthless yet moral government assassin, Al Simmons (Michael Jai White) is sent to Hell, where he makes a pact with the demon Malebolgia--if Simmons is allowed see his lover, Wanda, again, he will agree to lead the demon's armies to storm the gates of Heaven. Transformed into a superhuman entity with shape-shifting powers and quick regeneration capabilities, Simmons (soon to be dubbed "Spawn" by Malebolgia's crony, The Violator) returns to Earth and attempts to reunite with Wanda, not knowing that five years have passed. He also seeks revenge on his former boss and killer, Jason Wynn (Martin Sheen), who has made a deal with The Violator to develop a lethal virus to take over the world, where Wynn is promised to be king.

Spawn wages an inner battle between good and evil as he tries to come to terms with selling his soul and what it could mean for humankind. Despite excellent effects and great potential, Spawn seems to come up short. While White certainly displays verve in his characterization of the twisted hero, he cannot overcome some forced dialogue. On the flip side, the usually engaging John Leguizamo portrays the sinister Violator--an evil monster masquerading as a rotund, weird-looking clown--as an irritating lackey who spews overbearing sarcasm and incessantly banal one-liners. Admitted, many of Spawn's action sequences are fun, and the transitions effectively brisk, but more could have been done to explore how Simmons grapples with his humanity in these daunting circumstances. But if you want sizzling action sequences and digital effects, this film should keep you happy. --Bryan Reesman

Customer Reviews:

pixelated photos on the cover art box.......2007-07-02

Just received this dvd from amazon, and I wanted to point out that all the pictures in the cover box are pixelated!!! I just found this strange and wanted to share it with anybody that is considering in buying this product.

A Super Hero brother with Attitude. Need I say more?.......2007-04-06

Gotta support the brother. I think Michael Jai White is a great fighting and is wonderful in this movie. I also love the character of Spawn. A black superhero with an attitude. Wish we had more. Love it.

I own Spawn on VHS - now purchasing DVD because I loved it!!!.......2007-04-03

I decided to express my view on the Spawn movie, VHS, after I read some pathetic reviews posted here; one compared it to Spiderman, YUCH! {First let me say the Spiderman movie sucked. I found it too cartoonish and juvenile with exposed cow-teats from the get-go to sexually arouse and harass children, adolescents and immature adults.]

Now on to Spawn. I loved Spawn, VHS. I found the CGI, bluescreen {whatever) to be well done BUT NOT OVERDONE. I found the movie content to be mature and comical. I also enjoyed seeing an African American in the title role of a quality film; which is certainly not the norm.

Summarizing, I DO NOT enjoy seeing women expose their private parts for sexual harassment [that's what ADULT saloons and burlesque is for] and I do not enjoy cartoonish film [animated]; I prefer action movies to be REAL ACTION, Ala Daniel Craig in Casino Royale, WELL DONE!

Best of the Genre.......2007-03-20

To date, this is the best comic book-to-movie conversion. It retains it's comic book feel. In this sense, it could be compared with Pulp Fiction's portrayal of the pop "dime-novel." The banal one-liners can be seen as a plus in this regard. The special effects are very good, and ohhhh, that cape! If you like movies about comic book characters, don't miss this one. It's at least as good as Spiderman, another good example of the genre.

Great Movie!!.......2007-01-31

The whole family loved this movie. The special effects were great. If you like the Marvel comic movies you will want to see this one.

Average customer rating:

Shocking and entertaining!
Vanity...
Surely the Devil's work
A Keeper !!!
Devil's Advocate...

Devil's Advocate
Starring: Keanu Reeves , Al Pacino , Charlize Theron , Jeffrey Jones , and Judith Ivey
Director: Taylor Hackford
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305065551
Release Date: 1998-12-01

Amazon.com essential video

Too old for Hamlet and too young for Lear--what's an ambitious actor to do? Play the Devil, of course. Jack Nicholson did it in The Witches of Eastwick; Robert De Niro did it in Angel Heart (as Louis Cyphre--get it?). In The Devil's Advocate Al Pacino takes his turn as the great Satan, and clearly relishes his chance to raise hell. He's a New York lawyer, of course, by the name of John Milton, who recruits a hotshot young Florida attorney (Keanu Reeves) to his firm and seduces him with tempting offers of power, sex, and money. Think of the story as a twist on John Grisham's The Firm, with the corporate evil made even more explicit. Reeves is wooden, and therefore doesn't seem to have much of a soul to lose, but he's really just our excuse to meet the devil. Pacino's the main attraction, gleefully showing off his--and the Antichrist's--chops at perpetrating menace and mayhem. The film was directed by Taylor Hackford (Against All Odds, Dolores Claiborne), who provides alternate-track commentary for the movie itself, plus a dozen deleted scenes. Also note: due to a settlement with artist Frederick Hart over the movie's use of a sculpture resembling his Ex Nihilo in Washington's National Cathedral, future releases of the film will be altered. --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews:

Shocking and entertaining!.......2007-06-25

When I first saw Devil's Advocate, I was more excited to see Charlize Theron than the actual movie. However, the storyline pulled me in and I enjoyed it very much.

So what's this movie about? Basically, this movie surrounds the life of Kevin, a lawyer who has been offered the job of a lifetime as a defense attorney under John Milton's firm in New York. Kevin and his wife, Mary Ann, pack their bags and everything appears to be great once they're settled. However, things turn for the worse when Kevin finds out that he is literally working for the devil.

So what's to like about this movie? First, there are quite a few star actors/actresses in this film including Keanu Reeves, Al Pacino, and the amazing Charlize Theron. This movie is certainly one that contains great acting. Second, the storyline may seem corny but it is truly done wonderfully. The writers make the story seem real (except for one scene at the end) and the things that happen to Mary Ann and Kevin are believable, relatable, and human-like despite the whole devil aspect. Third, I experienced a ton of emotions throughout the movie. Some scenes made me angry, some made me joyful, and a lot made me upset/sympathetic. I truly didn't expect much out of this mo