Obsession

Starring:Cliff Robertson, GeneviÃ¨ve Bujold, John Lithgow, Sylvia Kuumba Williams, Wanda Blackman, J. Patrick McNamara, Stanley J. Reyes, Nick Kreiger, Stocker Fontelieu, Don Hood, Andrea Esterhazy, Thomas Carr (III), Tom Felleghy, Nella Simoncini Barbieri, John Creamer, Regis Cordic, Loraine Despres, Clyde Ventura, Fain M. Cogrove, Warren Kenner
Director: Brian De Palma
Studio: Sony Pictures
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

"I see dead people," whispers little Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), scared to affirm what is to him now a daily occurrence. This peaked 9-year old, already hypersensitive to begin with, is now being haunted by seemingly malevolent spirits. Child psychologist Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) is trying to find out what's triggering Cole's visions, but what appears to be a psychological manifestation turns out to be frighteningly real. It might be enough to scare off a lesser man, but for Malcolm it's personal--several months before, he was accosted and shot by an unhinged patient, who then turned the gun on himself. Since then, Malcolm has been in turmoil--he and his wife (Olivia Williams) are barely speaking, and his life has taken an aimless turn. Having failed his loved ones and himself, he's not about to give up on Cole.

This third feature by M. Night Shyamalan sets itself up as a thriller, poised on the brink of delivering monstrous scares, but gradually evolves into more of a psychological drama with supernatural undertones. Many critics faulted the film for being mawkish and New Age-y, but no matter how you slice it, this is one mightily effective piece of filmmaking. The bare bones of the story are basic enough, but the moody atmosphere created by Shyamalan and cinematographer Tak Fujimoto made this one of the creepiest pictures of 1999, forsaking excessive gore for a sinisterly simple feeling of chilly otherworldliness. Willis is in his strong, silent type mode here, and gives the film wholly over to Osment, whose crumpled face and big eyes convey a child too wise for his years; his scenes with his mother (Toni Collette) are small, heartbreaking marvels. And even if you figure out the film's surprise ending, it packs an amazingly emotional wallop when it comes, and will have you racing to watch the movie again with a new perspective. You may be able to shake off the sentimentality of The Sixth Sense, but its craftsmanship and atmosphere will stay with you for days. --Mark Englehart

Description

Hollywood superstar Bruce Willis (ARMAGEDDON, THE SIEGE) brings a powerful presence to an edge-of-your-seat thriller from writer-director M. Night Shyamalan (Oscar(R)-nominee for Best Original Screenplay and Best Director) that critics are calling one of the greatest ghost stories ever filmed. When Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Willis), a distinguished child psychologist, meets Cole Sear (Oscar(R)-nominee Haley Joel Osment, Best Supporting Actor), a frightened, confused, eight-year-old, Dr. Crowe is completely unprepared to face the truth of what haunts Cole. With a riveting intensity you'll find thoroughly chilling, the discovery of Cole's incredible sixth sense leads them to mysterious places with unforgettable consequences!

Customer Reviews:

A bit contrived, but riveting entertainment. A must-see, must own film!.......2007-06-28

SPOILER ALERT: Before reading this review, please know that this film is a complex psychological mystery to figure out and in the course of discussing this film's merits some pieces of the puzzle may be revealed inadvertently. I often refrain from this with reviews, but it's hard to discuss this film without giving away some critical elements here and there. Please be advised of this as I hate to spoil anyone's enjoyment of this modern classic film that you really must see and own if you are a fan of this genre.

After two rather lame, dorky films M. Night Shyamalan hit it big with this 1999 sleeper that quietly went on to become one of the biggest box-office surprises of that year and this genre and rightly so. It is the kind of film that Alfred Hitchcock (Psycho) would have been proud to put his name on. I'll forego the usually plot analysis here as most are familar with this film and Amazon's description of the film says enough.

The film's strengths lie in the wonderfully subtle performances by the stars who all rightly deserved their Oscar nominations. I still consider this one of Bruce Willis's best performance if not best, but with a career that easily bounces around from comedy to action hero to thrillers it's hard to really say what is his best. In any event, his role here as the tortured child psychologist trying to make up for a past wrong is compelling and rather typical of any Hitchcockian-type thriller (consider Vertigo as a great example). Haley Joel Osmont, whose sister was in Spy Kids 2 and on the current Disney show Hannah Montana, gives a marvelous performance and one of the best I've ever seen from a child actor. His eyes are truly the windows to his soul. Toni Collette as Osment's grief-stricken, single mother is flawless, believable at all times, and heart-wrenchingly touching as she attempts to communicate with her child that she believes may be beyond reaching.

In addition, the film's delibertly slow-mounting pace mixed with sudden unexpected jolts brings about incredible tension and suspense. Shyamalan is brilliant at slowly giving us the pieces to the film's puzzle to the point where we feel, as the audience, like complete idiots for not "getting it" sooner. Why didn't I notice that no one talks directly to Willis's character except the boy and why does he keep wearing in some fashion the same clothes (plus or minus tie, plus or minus sweatshirt or sport jacket, etc.). The ending of the film is telegraphed to us earlier on and we are given countless clues, but like any skilled director, Shyamalan often misdirects our attention elsewhere at critical times. His is a very gifted director and writer who can effectively bring his vivid imagination to the screen.

The photography, camera angles, lighting, and careful editing manipulate us from beginning to end and the score by James Newton Howard who gave us the theme to ER and the awesomely effective score to Shyamalan's Signs is always appropriate and memorable as a score should be. In addition, the make-up for the ghosts that only Osment can see is jolting and convincing each time and often surprisingly revealed to us. Their presence is eerie, disturbing, and, forgive the pun, haunting.

My only complaint about this otherwise flawless piece of entertainment is that it is, as some critics have rightly pointed out, a rather contrived work, but most good mysteries are by the nature of the genre itself and not so much because of the writer and director of which Shyamalan is both. The pieces of the puzzle HAVE to fit at the end and to criticize the film for doing so seems a bit unfair, but I do understand what those critics mean as Shyamalan is a bit heavy-handed with his contrivances, but, wow, can he tell a story. If you are interested in his other works, then just click his name highlighted as director. Except for his first two silly films and the troubled and uneven but still decent Lady in the Water you should enjoy this master director and writer.

FYI: This film was the inspiration for two popular and current TV shows. They are NBC's highly successful Medium in which Emmy-Winner Patricia Arquette is a housewife that sees ghosts in her dreams that want her to assist them in some manner and CBS's equally successful Ghost Whisperer with Jennifer Love Hewitt playing a similar role, but see ghosts all day long and not in her dreams (more like in "The Sixth Sense"). These are series worth owning by the way. I never miss an episode of either show.

Way to stiff the actors, amazon! .......2007-06-18

This film is worth all its five stars and more, but what's up with amazon.com listing the actors as Firdous Bamji, Mischa Barton, Toni Collette, and Janis Dardanis? Collette is certainly worth mentioning -- her performance is terrific -- but who the heck are Bamji and Dardanis? Mischa Barton's fifteen minutes of fame in The O.C. hardly merits billing over Bruce Willis and Haley Joel Osment, who give two of the most affecting and intelligent screen performances in recent memory.

What's next? The DVD of "Gone with the Wind, starring George Reeves and
Evelyn Keyes"?

BRILLIANT!.......2007-06-13

THIS MOVIE IS BRILLIANT! I echo Nathan Alderman's review of this film.

Great thriller!.......2007-06-01

"I see dead people". You've heard that line before. This is the movie that started the jokes and spawned other movies based solely on that one line. When a movie has that kind of power, you know it's good.

So what's this movie about? Basically, a pyschologist (Malcolm) comes to a little boy's (Cole) aid when he claims that he can see dead people. No one else can see these dead people and they're not friendly by any means. Malcolm has to try and come up with a way to make living with dead people more tolerable for Cole (if that's at all possible). Meanwhile, Malcolm has to deal with his own personal issues when his wife stops talking to him after he got shot by a former patient a year before.

If you haven't seen this movie, you're missing out. For those who don't like scary movies, don't worry. This isn't a typical scary movie. This is more of a mystery movie in which you have to think about what's going on and what's going to happen. The first time I watched this movie in the theaters, I left with shaky knees. It was that good. This is a must have movie in every household's movie collection.

Heighten your cinematic senses.......2007-04-21

M. Night Shyamalan's debut as the masterful storyteller/director began with this most mysterious and heartfelt film, The Sixth Sense. The last time I saw The Sixth Sense was over six years ago and it was as though I enjoyed it even more now than I did the first time I saw it in theatres. Shyamalan's script is woven so beautifully and with such great care that the viewer will be yearning to find answers to the many questions this film forces one to develop.

The Sixth Sense starts out with a bang (with probably the best performance by Donnie Wahlberg I've ever seen on the big screen) and leaves the audience almost trembling. As the story begins after this shocking introduction, we see Bruce Willis a year later after his career has been somewhat destroyed by the terrible events that occurred a year prior. Willis plays a child psychologist, and begins treatment through brief clinical sessions with a young boy (played memorably by Haley Joel Osment). Osment seems terribly disturbed and Willis appears determined to solve this troubled boy's problems. But as the story begins to unfold and the audience learns of Osment's nightmarish ailment, Willis finds that helping this boy will take far more effort than he could have ever imagined.

It is hard to capture the beauty of The Sixth Sense in a few paragraphs, but the simplicity of its execution is enough to show that original films can still grab an audience better than any mind-blowing special effect. The Sixth Sense manages to keep the crowd attentive without a single special effect for almost two hours. This movie is not only a good thriller, but its dramatic elements will sometimes grasp at you without letting you go.

An excellent and unforgettable performance by Toni Collette and one of the greatest ghost stories ever told. If you are not a fan of horror, do not fret; this is not a horror film. But there are definitely a few good jumps to be enjoyed. This movie can be seen over and over again and will one day be known as a classic work of film-making. This is by far the most superior M. Night Shyamalan film.

Average customer rating:

Vertigo
Hitchcock at his trippiest.......
Criterion Collection would have done a superior job!
Compelling!
One of Hitchock's best!

Vertigo (Collector's Edition)
Starring: Isabel Analla , Raymond Bailey , Barbara Bel Geddes , Paul Bryar , and Ellen Corby
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 0783226055
Release Date: 1998-03-31

Amazon.com essential video

Although it wasn't a box-office success when originally released in 1958, Vertigo has since taken its deserved place as Alfred Hitchcock's greatest, most spellbinding, most deeply personal achievement. In fact, it consistently ranks among the top 10 movies ever made in the once-a-decade Sight & Sound international critics poll, placing at number 4 in the most recent survey. (Universal Pictures' spectacularly gorgeous 1996 restoration and rerelease of this 1958 Paramount production was a tremendous success with the public, too.) James Stewart plays a retired police detective who is hired by an old friend to follow his wife (a superb Kim Novak, in what becomes a double role), whom he suspects of being possessed by the spirit of a dead madwoman. The detective and the disturbed woman fall ("fall" is indeed the operative word) in love and...well, to give away any more of the story would be criminal. Shot around San Francisco (the Golden Gate Bridge and the Palace of the Legion of Honor are significant locations) and elsewhere in Northern California (the redwoods, Mission San Juan Batista) in rapturous Technicolor, Vertigo is as lovely as it is haunting. --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews:

Vertigo.......2007-06-27

Hitchcock's psychological tingler was not a huge success on release, but understandably has achieved cult status over time. Ambitious, dense and more than slightly twisted, "Vertigo" is both an elaborate puzzler and a meditation on man's basest fears and desires. Though perhaps a trifle old for the part, Stewart brings a barely suppressed desperation to Scotty that resonates, while Novak is ideal in a dual identity role, playing Madonna-like Madeleine, and the garish, earthy Judy, whom Scottie meets later in the saga. Glorious San Francisco locales, and a peerless Bernard Herrmann score complete this winning package from the master of suspense.

Hitchcock at his trippiest..............2007-06-01

VERTIGO remains one of the most thought-provoking films I have ever seen. I still remember my first taste of this film (at least thirteen years ago!). It's safe to say (without exaggeration) that it changed my life and how I view cinematography. Yes, I know that is a tall statement to make about this movie, but it's well-merited. Why? For starters, Alfred Hitchcock's depiction of the medical condition of vertigo (extreme dizziness onset by perceived or actual drops in height--example: standing at the top of a tall staircase and glancing down at the ground floor from where you stand) feels like, both, a deep acid trip (complete with spinning imagery and disorientation), as well as a really extreme look at the effect of this condition on Scotty (James Stewart), a retired policeman, hired by an old friend to follow his beautiful wife (Kim Novak) who believes is possessed by the dead soul of a mad woman. Of course, this woman also has a penchant for ascending to great heights and attempting to jump off of them. This only adds another twist to Scotty's pursuit of the woman.

Alfred Hitchcock always had a flair for bringing the ironic, gothic and darkly comedic all to the foreground, in his films. Cinematography was one way he achieved (and manipulated) these emotions in the stories he wove so eloquently, on screeen. VERTIGO is no exception. What's more, Kim Novak is a very compelling and beautiful actress who stepped out of her more "cheesecake" roles to play the role of Madeleine, a very deeply disturbed (and perhaps, psychologically pursued?) woman with a secret. What's more, I love James Stewart, here. His relationship with Madeleine is conflicted and borders on pseudo-erotic. Of course, I won't divulge more plot details here. I just figured dropping that clue would tease and tantalize you enough to want to see this great film for yourself. I am so glad that it was given the kudos it deserved, with a re-released DVD addition. Great news!!!

Criterion Collection would have done a superior job!.......2007-05-28

This mesmerizing film has been part of our culture for over a half-century. While it has its flaws -- especially in a script that reaches it's climax too early, and tacks on a final twist that is so unsatisfying-- it's a legacy film worth all the praise it has received.

James Stewart and Kim Novak are each remarkable, and the cinematography is perhaps the best of any Hitchcock film. Indeed, so many compelling moments in the film have no dialogue, the camera work is amazing. Bernard Hermann's score is consistently fine, though at times overbearing. The complexities of plot and use of symbols and colors throughout the movie are dazzing.

So why not five stars? Because Universal Home Video screwed up this particular remaster so badly, it interfered with my enjoyment in a BIG way. While the visual transfer is acceptable, the sound remastering is gruesome, with the score blasting several decibels above the voices, with reengineered sound effects produced on a Foley stage, and some critical dialogue marred by rolloff distortion. (Some viewers care about this stuff; others don't.)

Here's the beef. No corporation has the right to re-engineer a film -- especially one of this caliber -- in a way that alters the intent of the fimmaker. If one adds to that the weird balance of score and voice on the DVD, the occasional man-made distorion and trumped-up sound effects -- it's just not right. As for anamorphic widescreen, forget about it. It's not here.

I buy Criterion Collection remasters more than any because they are faithful to the originals, because their extras are meaningful, and because the company simply respects great movies. Their DVDs may cost a little more, but the payoff is worth it. Hopefully, Criterion will secure the rights to this beautiful chiller some day so the next generation can see it the way filmgoers did in the 1950's.

A wonderful psychological thriller poorly transferred and remastered by a company that should have known better.

Compelling!.......2007-04-23

This timeless thriller is one I love to watch often on a Sunday afternoon. One of Alfred Hitchcock's greats! James Stewart plays the police detective Scottie Ferguson who suffers from vertigo when in high places after the accidental death of a police friend during a roof chase. The accidental death is partly Scottie's fault and he bears the mental scars. Before he can recover from one blow, he's given another when duped by a beautiful woman and an old friend who have a sinister plot and a part for Scottie to unwittingly play.

Chrissy K. McVay - Author

One of Hitchock's best!.......2007-04-05

This haunting, mysterious, romantic movie about obsession is amazing every time I watch it. Although Hitchcock didn't originally cast Kim Novak as the source of Jimmy Stewart's affections, he later admitted that she made this movie what it is. The beautiful San Francisco Bay Area is truly a memorable "character" in this fabulous classic.

Average customer rating:

Fantastic
This is BY FAR the best movie that I have had the chance to lay my eyes on!
Heavy Irony on Amazon
not my genre
Not an "American" issue...

American Beauty (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Annette Bening , Thora Birch , Chris Cooper , Peter Gallagher , and Sam Robards
Director: Sam Mendes
Manufacturer: Dreamworks Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00003CWL6
Release Date: 2000-10-24

Amazon.com essential video

From its first gliding aerial shot of a generic suburban street, American Beauty moves with a mesmerizing confidence and acuity epitomized by Kevin Spacey's calm narration. Spacey is Lester Burnham, a harried Everyman whose midlife awakening is the spine of the story, and his very first lines hook us with their teasing fatalism--like Sunset Boulevard's Joe Gillis, Burnham tells us his story from beyond the grave.

It's an audacious start for a film that justifies that audacity. Weaving social satire, domestic tragedy, and whodunit into a single package, Alan Ball's first theatrical script dares to blur generic lines and keep us off balance, winking seamlessly from dark, scabrous comedy to deeply moving drama. The Burnham family joins the cinematic short list of great dysfunctional American families, as Lester is pitted against his manic, materialistic realtor wife, Carolyn (Annette Bening, making the most of a mostly unsympathetic role) and his sullen, contemptuous teenaged daughter, Jane (Thora Birch, utterly convincing in her edgy balance of self-absorption and wistful longing). Into their lives come two catalytic outsiders. A young cheerleader (Mena Suvari) jolts Lester into a sexual epiphany that blooms into a second adolescence. And an eerily calm young neighbor (Wes Bentley) transforms both Lester and Jane with his canny influence.

Credit another big-screen newcomer, English theatrical director Sam Mendes, with expertly juggling these potentially disjunctive elements into a superb ensemble piece that achieves a stylized pace without lapsing into transparent self-indulgence. Mendes has shrewdly insured his success with a solid crew of stage veterans, yet he's also made an inspired discovery in Bentley, whose Ricky Fitts becomes a fulcrum for both plot and theme. Cinematographer Conrad Hall's sumptuous visual design further elevates the film, infusing the beige interiors of the Burnhams' lives with vivid bursts of deep crimson, the color of roses--and of blood. --Sam Sutherland

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic.......2007-06-22

American Beauty is the greatest movie ever made.

If you haven't already, watch American Beauty by yourself and give yourself some time afterwards to think it over. You will never, ever look at life the same way. It does exactly what movies are meant to do - give us a window into ourselves, and American Beauty does that better than any other film has ever done. No word of dialogue is unnecessary, no character exaggerated, everything is perfect...but if you have seen American Beauty you should know that already. Once you look closer at this movie, and see Beauty in every frame, it becomes so much easier to look closer and see Beauty in everything around you. You think I'm waxing poetic? Then you must not have seen the movie. Every character is a part of each of us: the Lester Burnham of change, the Carolyn of uncertainty and failure, the rebellion of Jane, the defeated Barbara, the false control of Angela and the Colonel, and the real control of Ricky. To me Ricky, not Lester, is the center of this story; he somehow controls or sets in motion the heart of Lester's rebirth and downfall. There are several parts of this movie where I lose control every time I see it, and none more so than the paper bag scene. To me that scene is simply the greatest monologue ever written.

I listened to the message of American Beauty - look closely and you can find Beauty in anything - and it changed my life. I rose out of a long, deep depression and started out into the world. Sometimes there is so much Beauty in the world, I can't even stand it, and it feels like my heart is going to burst.

This is the most beautiful movie I have ever seen.

This is BY FAR the best movie that I have had the chance to lay my eyes on!.......2007-06-15

Let's get this out of the way: Annette Bening (Carolyn) totally steals the show. She shows so many different sides to a human being, especially the extreme. She's super peppy and I almost loved to hate her in the movie. Kevin Spacey was pretty good. He plays a depressed man named Lester who's highlight of the day is pleasuring himself in the shower in the morning. In many ways I could relate to this character. Actually, most of the characters are relate able. Lester and Carolyn have a daughter by the name of Jane. She's pretty mean to her parents and wishes they would just disappear. I liked her character, but Mena Suvari's character was even better. I like the scene where some girl says "You're no goddamn Christie Turlington." Her response to that was very funny.

The ending was quite exciting with many things going on so I was definitely sad when it was over...I'm glad they never made a part II to it too because they probably would have tainted the name.

I left a lot out but I'll just say that if you haven't seen the movie, you really need to. Rent it, buy it, borrow it from a friend; whatever. Just get your grubby paws on it. It shows how beautifully messed up life can be. Bittersweet really. :)

Heavy Irony on Amazon.......2007-06-06

I'm always surprised by how many people do not appreciate this movie. The reasons people give for not liking it ARE OFTEN INCREDIBLY IRONIC.....think about it.

The movie says that morals (and pretty much everything else in life) are relative and subject to being perceived in every possible way...

Hell, Shakespeare said "there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." -Hamlet

Society is often so focused on nonsense that we all accept it without really stopping to think.

People read beauty magazines so they think people will love them more, and in turn people loving them will make them love themselves (Caroline). Many women have ingrained themselves so strongly in this that eating disorders have become a rampant problem in the U.S. With television shows like "The Swan," "American Idol," and who knows what else...it's no wonder this is the case.

Who says that smoking marijuana is "bad?" Who says that being fat is "bad?" Who says that being a homosexual is "bad?" Who says that never being afraid of anything is "bad?" In fact, why are we all so afraid of everything?? WHO is telling us to always be afraid? I think this is a very very important question in today's society.

Who says that a bag floating in the wind (litter) is necessarily "bad?" To really be content in life you have to perceive "reality" the way you want to. Not the way people (and the media) tell you to.

The fact that Lester Burnham chose to work at a fast-food restaurant, smoke pot, and lust after an underage girl (was she under 18?) is irrelevant.

He could have done anything other than what he was doing. He could have chosen to get up and follow his dream of starting a business, take over the world, become a monk in the mountains...IT DOESN'T MATTER. Was what he really did that "bad?" That's what made him content because that is the role HE WANTED to play in this world, but never had the guts to actually play out for himself.

If you've seen Fight Club the concept is pretty much the same (also came out in 1999, coincidence?) I like Fight Club, but this movie is much better. I believe Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) makes a statement like, "People do it everyday. They look into the mirror and see the person they'd like to be, but don't have the guts to run with it like you did."

The point is that THIS is what LESTER wanted to do. NOT Caroline, not his boss, and most importantly NOT SOCIETY.

Of course there are limits to this. Hurting people is never a good route. I doubt the movie was advocating people with the dream of being a serial killer to become a serial killer...Though of course Shakespeare's quote also applies here. Think about it...

The movie is saying that people need to stop being robotic automatons and become the person that they want to be, not what everyone else "thinks" they should be.

THINK. It's the greatest gift you'll ever have.

not my genre.......2007-05-24

I really liked "existentialist" lit and those Russian literary genres (pathetic character dramedy) when I was a teenager but can no longer stomache them. I never cared for the work of Kaiser Soeze. I find mid-life crisises to be a boring subject. Many of the details are absurd and hard to swallow. I'm not a fan of fractured plots esp. plots that start with the ending - what could be more played out? starting with the main characters death is not new or clever (like in "The Posthumous Memoirs of Bras Cubas"from the 1800s -or a more direct cinamatic comparison "Sunset Boulevard" with the main characters voice over and sympathetic conclusion to the love triangle before the big finale).

But I do appreciate that amalgam of literary, theatrical and clean cinematic/TV writing styles that went into the story. And I liked the look of the film. I'm sure it deserves all it's praise.

Not an "American" issue..........2007-05-05

I enjoyed all the feedback and interesting comments and points of view about the "issues" this movie conveys. But a sad truth that we all seem to miss is that the United States is a huge country with people from many different races and cultures all mixed and blended together. Add to this mix a society and culture that thrives on materialism and self-centeredness and you have what American Beauty attempts to communicate and raise our awareness about.

Needless to say, this movie does not portray an "American" issue, it effectively raises our awareness that IT IS a world issue because of the fact that most nations around the world make up what we like to call our "American Society and Culture." I DO agree with Mrs. Walker when she stated, "...it's a sad day when a movie likes this says something this important about who we are as a culture. A sad day indeed..." People like to say that this movie displays an "American" issue and it thrashes its culture, but it is a sad world out there where all nations and cultures have been "sedated" with its own desires for personal gain and power. BUT, thank the Lord that there is still "good" out there, around the whole globe...but we are just too "blind" to see this subtle beauty that surrounds us daily...

Average customer rating:

You may want to watch it twice
Meeker Review
I never thought this could be done
Intriguing
Memento: The Freshmaker!

Memento
Starring: Jr. Mark Boone , Russ Fega , Jorja Fox , Joe Pantoliano , and Stephen Tobolowsky
Director: Christopher Nolan
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: B00003CXZ4
Release Date: 2001-09-04

Amazon.com essential video

Guy Pearce (L.A. Confidential) and Joe Pantoliano (The Matrix) shine in this absolute stunner of a movie. Memento combines a bold, mind-bending script with compelling action and virtuoso performances. Pearce plays Leonard Shelby, hunting down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The problem is that "the incident" that robbed Leonard of his wife also stole his ability to make new memories. Unable to retain a location, a face, or a new clue on his own, Leonard continues his search with the help of notes, Polaroids, and even homemade tattoos for vital information.

Because of his condition, Leonard essentially lives his life in short, present-tense segments, with no clear idea of what's just happened to him. That's where Memento gets really interesting; the story begins at the end, and the movie jumps backward in 10-minute segments. The suspense of the movie lies not in discovering what happens, but in finding out why it happened. Amazingly, the movie achieves edge-of-your-seat excitement even as it moves backward in time, and it keeps the mind hopping as cause and effect are pieced together.

Pearce captures Leonard perfectly, conveying both the tragic romance of his quest and his wry humor in dealing with his condition. He is bolstered by several excellent supporting players, and the movie is all but stolen from him by Pantoliano, who delivers an amazing performance as Teddy, the guy who may or may not be on his side. Memento has an intriguing structure and even meditations on the nature of perception and meaning of life if you go looking for them, but it also functions just as well as a completely absorbing thriller. It's rare to find a movie this exciting with so much intelligence behind it. --Ali Davis

Customer Reviews:

You may want to watch it twice.......2007-05-23

Every so often, there's a movie where the hero has amnesia. Even with amnesia, a person can establish an identity in a few weeks, judge new people and surroundings, and function. In addition, such movie heroes are easy to identify with, because the audience seems to know as much as the hero.

Well, in this movie, our hero has the opposite problem, an inability to make new memories. And that kind of problem is indeed rare, and it merits some discussion.

What would you do if you couldn't form new memories? Well, you would probably be institutionalized, or cared for by family or friends. Without that, it would be important to be in familiar surroundings as much as possible, ones you would remember. You would remember your old house, your old car, and, of course, your old acquaintances. But you would not remember new possessions or friends. And you would be totally lost in a new town, while in your old one, you would know where your friends' houses were, where your bank was, where the restaurants were, and so on.

You would need to avoid strangers. And you would need a way to take notes, read and understand those notes, and keep a rough diary. Probably you would need to trust a few friends to keep a few key documents and help you update them occasionally. And you would also need a safety deposit box for notes, diary entries, money (even with a bank account, a safety deposit box would be very useful), and so forth.

The key problems would be taking notes, figuring out how to make sure you could and would read and understand those notes, going on "missions" (even a short errand would be a major event), and keeping your privacy.

For any important task, you would almost surely need to be backed up by a trusted friend, known by you from back when you were able to make memories. That friend would need to be with you at such occasions or as a minimum constantly available by phone.

You could write cryptic notes that only you could decipher, using your earlier memories. But it would be hard to be sure just what secrets you had divulged. Basically, you could keep your ideas private only by making sure nobody else saw them. And that would be tricky. That's one more place where a safety deposit box could help somewhat.

I'm writing all this in order to explain just how weird the situation is for our hero in this movie, who is basically, um, "open loop," and cut off from almost everything that is familiar. It's a fascinating and suspenseful movie, but one can see that the hero is at a tremendous disadvantage.

On the other hand, there are some things the hero knows quite well, and that makes the movie work. Rather than offer a spoiler, let me just say that I highly recommend it.

Meeker Review.......2007-05-12

This movie was great! Absolutely crazy but awesome at the same time. You have to pay attention to what happens because the plot goes from past to present alot but its a great movie. You'll enjoy.

I never thought this could be done.......2007-05-08

Time goes backwards but the plot goes forwards.
I think that only because of its unique structure, this movie would deserve 5 stars.
Appart from that, the production, acting, scripting, filming, etc. are very good.

Intriguing.......2007-04-27

Memento is a remarkable, one of a kind film that bears (and probably requires) multiple viewing. This film is utterly fascinating for its ability to put the viewer into someone else's head.

The DVD packaging is a bit too clever for those who just want the movie and supporting features, but it is well worth having.

Memento: The Freshmaker!.......2007-04-14

Having recently seen and enjoyed "The Lookout", another film which features a character trying to piece together his life after a traumatic head injury leaves him memory-challenged, I was inspired to go back and see its cinematic sire of sorts - the now-classic mindwarp that is Memento. And though I bought this DVD when it was released and had watched it twice (which is the minimum number of recommended viewings for this film), it's just collected dust for five years and I hadn't returned to it since.

Aptly enough, I had forgotten much of it, making much of Memento seem newly fresh yet oddly familiar, much like most of its main character Leonard's daily doings. Leonard, as we pretty much all know by now, is trying to get revenge for the killing of his wife, which is made somewhat more challenging (to say the least) by the fact that he suffers from extreme short-term memory loss and can't remember any more than ten minutes at a time. As Leonard himself will tell almost anyone he meets: "I can't make new memories - everything fades."

All of which would in itself make for an interesting movie. But what makes this film truly ingenious is the way it is constructed and edited. You know, one of my dearly-departed favorite author Kurt Vonnegut's Eight Rules for Writing Fiction is: "start as close to the end as possible." Well, Memento takes this rule - written by one of the ultimate storytellers - and pushes it to its extreme, actually starting AT the end and then working backwards - which makes for one of the all-time greatest stories.

Now, a lot of movies that are assembled in this kind of non-linear time-jumpy kind of way are gimmicky to a fault, and confusing for no good reason. But in Memento, this style of editing actually serves the story and makes it better, because - by showing us Leonard's perpetually-perplexing world out of sequence - it forces us to experience the movie in the same disoriented way that Leonard experiences the world. So as Leonard puzzles his way through his life, so do we. This makes us empathize and connect with the film's central character in a way few other movies have ever been able to achieve before or since (whichever way you happen to travel through time in your search). Of course, the fact the Guy Pearce's performance is so riveting helps us enormously with our empathy as well.

Anyway, there are about a thousand (or so) other reviews here that will tell you more about what happens in the movie, but I think that this story - more than most - relies on the surprise that each new/past detail reveals, so I don't want to ruin any of this film's revelations if you are lucky enough to be contemplating seeing this movie for the first time.

And if you are considering watching this picture for the first time (or even if you've already seen it), I would definitely encourage you to buy this DVD. Because the great thing about owning a movie like Memento, as my experience will attest, is that it rewards multiple viewings. And the depth and the detail (in addition to the design) of the film ensure that each viewing is made fresh with new insight and understanding.

In the end, Memento is so much more than just a non-linear, well-crafted crime thriller. It's also an exploration of what makes up a person's identity, and an examination of the malleability of experience. Ultimately, Memento shows us how all our memories are fallible, and - to some degree - we all have to use devices like Leonard uses to remember things: whether it's jotting down phone numbers, taking pictures on our vacations, or (in my case just now) watching a DVD to remind you of all the things you loved about a movie in the first place.

Average customer rating:

3.5 stars
green glowing goo
Re-Animator: Special Edition
humour, yet gorey!
One of the best,PERIOD.

Re-Animator
Starring: Jeffrey Combs
Director: Stuart Gordon
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
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ASIN: B000LPS47U
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Amazon.com

Stuart Gordon's adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's Herbert West: Re-Animator puts a Night of the Living Dead spin on the classic Frankenstein story. Jeffrey Combs furrows his brow and bugs his eyes as the preternaturally intense Herbert West, a maverick medical student whose gory, gooey experiments cause bloody corpses and body parts to jerk to life. Bruce Abbot is the studious roommate drawn into his extracurricular experiments, which soon involve the dean's daughter (the frequently naked Barbara Crampton) and the college's cadaverous, calculating star professor (David Gale), who literally loses his head over a battle for West's discovery. In this world, that's only a minor setback. Charged with sick gallows humor and a ghoulish gallery of undead beasties, Re-Animator, like Evil Dead II, is one of the most inspired and inventive--and funniest--horror films of the 1980s. Combs, Abbot, and Gale reunite for the almost-as-entertaining sequel Bride of Re-Animator. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

3.5 stars.......2007-06-19

This student guy is kicked out of his university. Then he goes to another university and he starts workin in the morgue and moves in with another student and his girlfriend and he starts doin experiments with the cat. He think he found some kind of formula for the re animation of corpses. The cat comes back to life and he tries to convince his roomate that the formula really works.. even on humans. So they try it with humans in the lab and it works. It was really funny, much more funny than scary, like the cat they bring back to life looks like a stuffed animal and the dad in the straight jacket. It was pretty good. This DVD comes with a little needle with that potion stuff in it.

green glowing goo.......2007-06-01

Smart, funny, gory and sleazy. Love it! A hilarious modern classic that knows what it is and does what it's meant to do. It's filled with ambitious effects, clever visual gags and well-thought-out characters who also happen to be complete and utter nutballs in the most interesting of ways.

Points for one of the most over-the-top, hilarious, naughtiest scenes I've ever seen in a horror movie, even quite a few of the more recent ones. The '80s sure were raunchy!

I was also thrilled with the green syringe highlighter that came with it, although it looks kind of odd if you take it out of the box--leaves a big white gap behind the cellophane window. Minor issue, though. It's a cool set and a nice tribute to a fun movie.

Re-Animator: Special Edition.......2007-05-16

The latest release of "Re-animator" does actually contain elements of previous releases, stemming back to its initial laser-disc, extra-laden presentation in the 1990s.

What is fetching in this latest release is a very comprehensive documentary, which subtly conveys Stuart Gordon's expertise as a director. Additionally, the transfer looks grander (and gorier) than ever before, and the unqiue packaging should be enticing to any horror-movie collector.

Indeed, if one has never purchased "Re-animator" before on DVD (or VHS/Laser Disc), this edition will prove quite mind-blowing. For those who have purchased the movie before (or who have simply viewed it many times over in the past), there is still enough new fringe offerings to make this entry a glorious catch, especially if one can obtain the highlighter/syringe collectible as part of the packaging.

"Re-animator" is an indisputable classic, and this particular special-edition is the ultimate to possess to date.

humour, yet gorey!.......2007-05-13

Yet another horror fim of the old theme, but quite well produced in this instant.

One of the best,PERIOD........2007-05-12

They just don't make them like this anymore.This movie belongs in every REAL horror fans collection.The special effects are outrageous,very well done and Jeffrey combs gives a great performance as well as the rest of the cast.I have "bride" but haven't watched it yet and I cant wait.Good movie to watch around halloween.

Average customer rating:

What does the smell of victory smells like to you -- just don't step in it.
Silly silly human race
Best In Show
Two paws up: Sit, Speak, Stay for Best in Show
Just OK

Best in Show
Starring: Carrie Aizley , Lewis Arquette , Bob Balaban , Jehshua Barnes , and Jay Brazeau
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005ALS0
Release Date: 2001-05-15

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Christopher Guest, the man behind Waiting for Guffman, turns his comic eye on another little world that takes itself a bit too seriously: the world of competitive dog shows. Best in Show follows a clutch of dog owners as they prepare and preen their dogs to win a national competition. They include the yuppie pair (Parker Posey and Michael Hitchcock) who fear they've traumatized their Weimaraner by having sex in front of him; a suburban husband and wife (Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara) with a terrier and a long history of previous lovers on the wife's part; the Southern owner of a bloodhound (Guest himself) with aspirations as a ventriloquist; and many more. Following the same "mockumentary" format of Spinal Tap and Guffman, Best in Show takes in some of the dog show officials, the manager of a nearby hotel that allows dogs to stay there, and the commentators of the competition (a particularly knockout comic turn by Fred Willard as an oafish announcer). The movie manages to paint an affectionate portrait of its quirky characters without ever losing sight of the ridiculousness of their obsessive world. Almost all of the scenes were created through improvisation. While lacking the overall focus of a written script, Best in Show captures hilarious and absurd aspects of human behavior that could never be written down. The movie's success is a testament to both the talent of the actors and Guest's discerning eye. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

What does the smell of victory smells like to you -- just don't step in it........2007-05-28

I always thought that comedies are usually the easiest films to write which possibly explains why we have so many. Yet, 'Best in Show' is somewhat different compared to the comedies presented to us here. Directed again by Guest was for a large part improvised according to the film's documentary and is quite different from today's standards. This story is mainly about The Mayflower Kennel Dog Show which is like the Super Bowl of dog shoes; and in documentary style this film showcases the incredibly over-the-top preparations the dog owners take part in for this show.

The film constantly cuts from interviews with these zany characters to actual interactive footage shot while on their way to the dog show. All in documentary style that a person who is uneducated about the film can easily mistake for a genuine documentary. This film contains an all-star cast that includes actors who really know how to act and that capture the essence of each scene. This film is lined with scene after scene of hilarious bits focusing upon these characters and the manner in which they handle their canines like minor deities.

Guest also takes part as one of the major characters of course and plays Harlan Pepper; a fishing-store owner who travels to the Kennel Dog Show in his Winnebago in hopes of capturing the championship. He is just one of the many developed and layered characters that is fun to watch. Other characters include Parker Posey as a sexually deprived nagging wife who becomes insane with anger after losing her dog's toy. Eugene Levy plays the part of terribly jealous husband born with two left feet to Catherine O'Hara who plays his wife who cannot stop running into men she slept with in the past. Other characters include Michael McKean who plays a homosexual dog owner who steals the movie away from the others when sharing scenes with his male companion during the film's many interview sequences. Fred Willard who takes the art of improvisation to new heights as the dog's shows color commentator is quite funny.

As far as breaking new ground is concerned, this film does not. Aforesaid, it is unconventional and different from others but in the end is a different film with regular results. This film does contain elements that most films do not such as richly textured characters and great acting, but at it's heart cannot break free from the monotonous tone a documentary usually brings with it. Even though it is a mock documentary that does not take itself seriously, it still is a bit over-the-top. Resulting in a different and unconventional film that will best be viewed by fans and new ones--like my self.

Silly silly human race.......2007-05-22

If you can laugh at the absolute absurdness of human behavior,dont look any further than Christopher Guest and company. Not only here,but ANY of the classics Guest has created (WITH THE UNFORTUNATE EXCEPTION OF THE HORRID"FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION". Christopher missed the mark big time with that one.)
Anywho...Best in Show,Mighty Wind,Spinal Tap...!!!! Start the DELICIOUS insanity!!!

Best In Show.......2007-05-21

If you have ever watched the Westminister dog show on tv then you will recognize what this movie is about. From the begining to the end you can't help but laugh at some of the crazyness and funny things that go on before and behind the dog show competation. Everything the owners go through just to make sure their dog is the one to take home the trophy for best dog in show is almost like the real dog show. Where others go real exreme measures to get their dog to win. I couldn't stop laughing throught his fuuny and cute movie and you will also.

Two paws up: Sit, Speak, Stay for Best in Show.......2007-05-15

There is no gray area here--you either love this movie or hate it. It's by far one of my all-time favorites, so know that this review is heavily biased towards a "two paws up." If you catch yourself inexplicably watching those dog shows on TV, if you love your dog more than most humans and if you are entertained by those actors from great movies such as "A Mighty Wind" or "Waiting for Guffman," you'll be all over this movie. From shih tzus to standard poodles, from two left feet (literally) to a missing "Busy Bee," you'll be laughing out loud or, you'll be swearing at me for loving this movie....but, I figure that just means you aren't a lover of canines and witty, understated humor.

Just OK.......2007-03-31

The movie was OK, not nearly as funny as I had heard it was. There were a lot of situations that were set up but never went anywhere. I've gone to dog shows, so I thought some of the material was on the mark. Fred Willard had the funniest role in the movie. I would say this movie is worth watching once.

The Number 23 (Unrated Infinifilm Edition)

Average customer rating:

I'm 24...One Year Ago I was 23. *GASP!*
Humorous parts, but Jim Carrey is still amazing!
Read this, no matter what anyone told you.
-COLDPLAY- under the surface trying to break through dechipering X&Y codes in you...
I'm at a loss.

The Number 23 (Unrated Infinifilm Edition)
Starring: Jim Carrey , Virginia Madsen , Logan Lerman , Danny Huston , and Lynn Collins
Director: Joel Schumacher
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000OYC7BW
Release Date: 2007-07-24

Amazon.com

Jim Carrey as a schizophrenic murderer isn't convincing, in this melodramatic film about a man obsessed by the Number 23. Joel Schumacher (Batman Forever, St. Elmo's Fire) has unintentionally managed to make a comedy of horrors that really is quite humorous in parts. Walter Sparrow (Carrey) becomes engrossed in a homespun novel about Detective Fingerling, whose life degrades into mayhem because of his obsession with 23's esoteric numerical puzzles. Sparrow's preoccupation with the book follows his botched attempt to catch a nasty dog that bites him, leading one to believe that Sparrow's contraction of rabies might be the cause for his mental degradation. As the story progresses, Sparrow retreats further into Fingerling's world, rife with suicidal sexpots and hardboiled detective sleuthing. His wife, Agatha (Virginia Madsen), also plays Fingerling's girlfriend, sex-crazed Fabrizia, who taunts Fingerling until he stabs her. Back in reality, Walter aims to solve the unresolved crimes in the book, taking it as a murderer's diary rather than as an imagined work. The story is half-baked, though Carrey's portrayal of a mentally disturbed person is what makes The Number 23 comedic. Long, contemplative stares, and over-dramatized acting renders Sparrow a clichéd character, rather than one odd enough to engage viewers. For a better version of almost the exact plot but with a terrorist's twist, see Thr3e instead. --Trinie Dalton

Customer Reviews:

I'm 24...One Year Ago I was 23. *GASP!*.......2007-06-05

I am not one to be spooked by a numerical digit, so I could never really understand what the big deal was. I didn't understand why Jim Carrey's character Walter was freaking out about every "coincidence" involving the number 23 as he read the novel in a weird Zoolander-like voice. I kept thinking 'maybe there's more to it...maybe there'll be a twist in the end that will shed new light and then everything will make sense...maybe...' The film tries to be tense but is at times laughable; one scene comes to mind where Walter, who is now convinced that his problems began because one day a dangerous dog bit him, sees the dog in the road. He turns the car around with his family in it and begins a ridiculous ("dramatic") face-off with the dog in the street. Throughout the entire film, I kept trying to come up with a reason for what the bigger picture was behind the whole thing, but by the end, I realized there isn't one at all. A huge disappointment.

Humorous parts, but Jim Carrey is still amazing!.......2007-06-02

Yes, everyone was scratching their heads when they heard that Jim Carrey was going to be in a psychotic thriller. But, with everything Jim Carrey has been in, it's about time he try something COMPLETELY different. I will admit, there were times then I had to laugh at the ridiculous lines, but I don't think it's Jim Carrey's fault. The line was bad, that's all that was wrong with this movie. Jim Carrey took the character and made the best of it. So, I enjoyed this movie and I'm excited to own it on DVD.

Read this, no matter what anyone told you........2007-05-18

Before I say anything I want you to read this before you read the other negative comments about this movie. Despite the reviews of the bad plot and blah, blah, blah horrible and judgemental reviews from the magazines.. This movie is one of my Top 5 movies of all time. Finally a mystery movie that I cannot predict what's going to happen next. No bad acting in this movie and the plot and the story are perfect the way they are.. If people were bored while they were watching this movie, then maybe they need help, because this movie is anything but boring. The way the number 23 shows up in various criminal names, bombing dates and even the characters birthday and time. Carrey plays a man that becomes obsess with the number 23 and finds out when he reads the book that it sounds like the author is talking about him and maybe the book was meant to find him. The wife thinks he's crazy, having read the book herself, she thinks it's just another book that leaves an impact on a person. However, his 13 yearold son believes what his father is saying.. Overall, the only thing I would change is to have more information on how to get the number 23 from names, dates, and words. There is many twist and turns in this movie and the story presented by Mr. Fingerling in the book is amazing and the characters are classic and realistic like the conniving people populating the world today. Buy this movie, it is worth every penny.

-COLDPLAY- under the surface trying to break through dechipering X&Y codes in you..........2007-04-29

-OASIS- I'M NO STRANGER TO THIS PLACE WHERE REAL LIFE & DREAMS COLLIDE EVEN THOUGH I FALL FROM GRACE I WILL KEEP THE DREAM ALIVE DON'T BELIEVE THE TRUTH...
I'm a sucker for art reflecting/imitating my status-less existence. I believe certain famous musical bands have written songs about me, so instantly once I found out about this film, I paid full price, watched it ASAP & was NOT disappointed. Infact the last stanza, I wanted to cry, but my male cousin was with me. One message of this film is not to take art too seriously, as it can lead to obsession, isolation, hero worship: almost idolatry. I'm am so disappointed with the negative reviews of this film. Jim Carey's performance reminds me his role in Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind: & is a continuation of his alternative 'struggling artist' persona roles. Hmm maybe The Number 23 is based on my life, as sometimes in the 'fever' of loneliness I thought my house had hidden cameras aka Carey's The Truman Show: oh bless the synchronicity & sparks. The number symbology is on par with The Davinci Code & Pi: but is explored vividly & with resounding depth. The soundscape of this film is stunning, the audio really utilises modern cinema's surround sound. There are suicide themes in the film, & some really disturbing/gloomy scenes. If you are into 'esoteric' films that have meaning in this secular pragmatic, soul-less western society inc-corp, then this is the film for you. It caters for a select 'niche' of film lover, whose interests lie in the sublime & 'existential' angst...PS Will deFINitely buy the DVD when it comes out...but I believe this is the type of film that can only be fully ascertained & appreciated when watched on the big screen, soundtrack pumping & no interruptions.
-NEIL FINN- MY JOHN LENNON LIKE SECRET GOD UNDISCOVERED WAS BORN ON 1958: 1+9+5+8=23 TALES FROM MY HEAD CAN'T BUY THE BOOK NO-ONE LISTENS BUT I GUESS YOU COULD...

I'm at a loss........2007-04-28

I don't understand what people are not seeing in this movie. The story was unique and complex, changing directions on a dime to gripping effect. The main characters were appealing and the performances excellent - Jim Carrey's portrayal of Walter Sparrow was first-rate. His character begins with an almost surprisingly familiar personality, emanating Carrey's trademark humor and quirks. This makes his character arc all the more dramatic as Walter sinks into obsession and paranoia. The visuals were stunning, the mood was appropriately tense, and the twists (even if you managed to predict some) were highly effectual.

I have to say I really get aggravated with people who give bad reviews to films and describe them as confusing. This is not a legitimate criticism. I've never been confused by a movie. These people just don't seem to get that the answers are not supposed to be obvious, and any outright exposition is supposed to appear at THE END.

I can't think of anything that this film didn't do right. I suspect a considerable portion of the bad reviews are the result of the discomforting feeling of being unable to pigeonhole a film that, in a traditional genre, has the nerve to display such far-reaching ambition and achieve its goals. I actually read a review complaining that the story goes beyond the character's obsession with the number- a professional film critic complaining that the film contains too much plot, too much clarifying history where it was needed. Please explain to me what people are looking for.

Average customer rating:

True Genius
Capturing creativity
Beethoven and the Beatles...
Copying or Correcting?
Silly, but sometimes moving

Copying Beethoven
Starring: Diane Kruger , Ralph Riach , Matyelok Gibbs , Ed Harris , and Bill Stewart
Director: Agnieszka Holland
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
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ASIN: B000MV8AE0
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Amazon.com

A passionate, powerful drama based loosely on the final months of Ludwig van Beethoven's life, Copying Beethoven finds the maestro a haunted man, composing the most revolutionary yet unappreciated work of his lifetime; largely deaf; disappointed in his relationship with a wastrel nephew; and fascinated by a young, female composer, Anna Holtz (Diane Kruger), who goes to work for him transcribing music. Staying as a guest at a convent and engaged to a stolid engineer, Anna is drawn to Beethoven's tempestuous genius. Half the time he's enchanted by her and seems to see straight through to her soul. The other half, he's shouting at her for her timidity or flattery. Hardly a mouse, Anna fights back. The more she does, the more Beethoven recognizes in her a kindred survivor, someone with whom he can reveal his vulnerability and the burden of his artistry. Ed Harris' Beethoven is wracked by pain but not overwhelmed by it; he looks like a man who understands his responsibility to nature too well to merely disintegrate. ("God whispers in most men's ears," Beethoven says. "He shouts in mine.") Director Agnieszka Holland (Olivier, Olivier) oversees a handsome, alternately tender and brutal drama, with several thrilling moments, including the stunned look of audience members hearing the world premiere of the glorious 9th Symphony. --Tom Keogh

Description

When young Anna Holz (Diane Kruger), a Viennese music student is asked to transcribe scoring notes for the great Ludwig van Beethoven (Harris), she eagerly accepts, despite warnings about his volatile behavior. Part maestro, part mentor and part madman, Beethoven reluctantly relies on Anna to help him realize the culmination of his art.

Customer Reviews:

True Genius.......2007-07-03

This movie portrays a very unique perspective to Ludwig Van Beethoven's musical genius through the relationship we see between Beethoven and a young, aspiring female, composer, Anna Holtz, (Holtz is a fictionalized character) who becomes Beethoven's copyist for the debut of his 9th Symphony.

Copying Beethoven opens in Beethoven's life when he is already middle-aged, deaf, egocentric, already very well know in the music world for his earlier musical masterpieces, difficult to get along with and can be intimidating if not down right rude on purpose. Nonetheless, this doesn't stop Ms. Holtz from becoming Beethoven's copyist and actually giving her opinion on changing/enhancing a section of his 9th Symphony!

Ms. Holtz even helps Beethoven conduct his 9th Symphony for the first time before a live audience. This is a highly anticipated event as to whether it will be great success or be an atrocious failure as there were doubts about how this symphony would play out because no had ever heard of a choral being performed along with a symphony.

However, the performance of the highly anticipated 9th symphony was a huge success. Beethoven and Holtz continued their relationship after the performance of the 9th Symphony when Holtz shows some of her musical compositions to Beethoven in hopes of having him help her with her musical style. At 1st he rudely mocks her musical style, but then in turn helps her with musical compositions--- thus becoming her mentor.

I highly recommend watching this movie. It is very well acted and very well done plot/story wise.

Capturing creativity.......2007-06-27

If you watch this movie and know something about Beethoven's last years, you ask yourself, why would someone possibly want to alter reality in such a way. For many purists this fictionalization of Beethoven's character is very annoying. However, Agnieszka Holland found in this script by Stephen J. Rivele and Christopher Wilkinson a true inspiration to analyze these last fertile years. Anna Holz, the talented copyist that is sent to help the Maestro in the rush to issue the script for the first representation of the 9th Symphony, is actually a device utilized by the director to pose the questions that we would have asked if we had been there. She is the key to comprehension. Anna consents us to discover the significance of the change in key, the effect of a half note, the impact of deafness on composition of music, the value of the interval between the notes. Anna (played with great control and introspection by Diane Kruger) independently of her narrated life, her absent father, her nun aunt, her handsome and stolid fiancée actually is not a character, she does not live a life of her own outside her relationship with Beethoven and the feelings she inspires in the Maestro are purely intellectual. The dissimulated love story is naturally present and it probably reaches its apex right before the start of the choral during the representation of the 9th Symphony, but it is cold, mental, there is no physical passion whatsoever. There is a truly magic moment during which we see the faces of the female singers that are waiting for the cue to start singing.
Ed Harris' Beethoven has all flare and the defects we imagine and know of the genius. His interpretation of brutality toward others and weakness towards his nephew is magistral, but he seems not to have a relationship with Anna. He sees her as an angel, a gift of God, a warning that death is near, an opportunity to think that his genius is understood and will live on. She is a sign of Fate or Destiny maybe?
As in all Holland's movies the cinematography is beautiful and reconstruction of period costumes is perfect. The use of candlelight, and ink, and food renders exactly the right atmosphere.
Once suspended disbelief, this intellectual reconstruction of Beethoven's creativity of the last years is fascinating and a pleasure to see and the temptation to believe its true is really there.

Beethoven and the Beatles..........2007-06-27

Same kind of genius! After watching the movie, you want to listen to the whole collection of Beethoven music... Ed Harris is terrific. I discovered Diane Kruger who is a very good actress...

Copying or Correcting?.......2007-06-25

This is a difficult movie to rate for me because I'm a huge fan of Beethoven's music and I have researched his life and compositions extensively. First, it certainly is worth viewing just because it's about Beethoven but there are a number of scenes that will leave the purists hurling objects at the screen. I mean someone, anyone, correcting Beethoven's music! There's a thunderclap! Beethoven's music has a frugality of content that belies the rich sounds and metaphors it invokes. It contains a sort of musical minimalism and structural form that retains only that which is absolutely necessary. His music is generally made from molecular bits of sound, carefully crafted and shaped to yield an incredible tapestry of sound with tremendous structural unity.

With this in mind, when Anna Holtz corrected the Ninth, I nearly fell off my chair (well, when she showed up as his assistant I was already mystified). Beethoven would've tore her to pieces if she had dared question a note much less correct him. He did not take any meddling in his music kindly; even things as trivial as a listener's lack of attention would enrage him.

The scene with Anna Holtz helping Beethoven conduct the Ninth was not nearly as painful though it was utterly fictional. It helped in terms of an emotional underpinning for the movie. In reality, Beethoven was still conducting when the orchestra had finished performing since he could not tell they had finished (his hearing loss was nearly complete at this point).

The movie does convey his contempt for flattery, his epic rudeness and his radical departure from the norms of composition during his time. On the whole, I really liked the performances of the cast and, undoubtedly, the tremendous music. On balance, definitely worth a spin though not without gaping flaws and glaring historical inaccuracies.

Silly, but sometimes moving.......2007-06-20

I'm a composer. This was going to seem a little silly, unless it got it just right. It didn't, quite.
Some of the dialog--such as B. describing his intentions as he dictates a late quartet--is painfully bad. Also, the Diane Kruger character wasn't interesting enough to carry the movie. The scene of her assisting in the performance of B.'s 9th looked ridiculous, except:

It was B.'s 9th. So it made me cry.

This has an Eastern-European earthiness and also a genuine reverence for music. So it was clunky as heck in spots, even incompetent, but sometimes moving. Good for a laugh and a few tears if you are a musician.

Average customer rating:

I love this movie!!!
Funny family comedy for any age
Funniest movie!!
I want the blob...
Five stars is to few

Heavyweights
Starring: David Goldman , Joseph Wayne Miller , Cody Burger , Allen Covert , and Tim Blake Nelson
Director: Steven Brill
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Mighty Ducks Boxed Set (All 3 Films)

ASIN: B000089778
Release Date: 2003-03-04

Description

From the creator of THE MIGHTY DUCKS comes HEAVYWEIGHTS, a comedy of enormous proportions! It's the hilarious story of a group of underdog kids who discover their beloved summer camp has been sold to a crazy fitness fanatic who's determined to make their lives miserable! The new owner plans to keep the boys huffing and puffing, but these hungry kids have a plan of their own. They unite to turn the tables, take back their woodsy hideaway, and challenge the rival camp to the most outrageous summer games of all! You'll laugh out loud with these HEAVYWEIGHTS -- they're big, loud, and proud, and ready to win their way into your heart!

Customer Reviews:

I love this movie!!!.......2007-01-10

The first time I watched this movie I was 10 years old. I love this movie then and now. So does my little sister who just turned 13. It's great not just heavyweights kids but for everyone in the family. I think it says to everyone from skinning to heavyweights just love yourself for who you are and have fun.

I hope you love it as much as my family does.

Funny family comedy for any age.......2007-01-09

Better than I expected. It was pretty funny. It wouldn't have been good without Ben Stiller. I think its good for kids but Ben Stiller still makes it funny for adults. If you liked Stiller's character in Dodgeball then you'll love his character in this movie.

Funniest movie!!.......2006-09-17

I watch this movie all the time. It is really funny. Its about a group of kids that go to a fat camp called Camp Hope where the owners go bankrupt and can't keep the camp. A crazed lunatic (Ben Stiller) takes over the camp, making their lives heck. The kids and the counselors decide to do something about it and spend their whole summer trying to beat him. 5 stars is just not enough.

I want the blob..........2006-09-16

I won't spend a long time explaining why I like this movie...it's just mindless fun and that's all it needs to be. A movie about a bunch of overweight kids taking over after their fat-camp is sold into the hands of a crazed lunatic is enough reason to watch, and while it's not the funniest or clever done comedy it's a great kids movie with enough laughs for us adults to enjoy along with them. Plus, that blob thing is just too freaking cool!

Five stars is to few.......2006-07-17

This is quite simply the most motivational film ever amde. Nothing short of comeplete brilliance. WHY? Five words:
"Oh, look! A deli meat!"

Seriously, buy this movie. You will not regret it.

Average customer rating:

all time favs!
Great movie
GREAT 80'S "SUBURBIA" FLICK!!
the Burbs
One of Tom Hanks Funniest

The 'Burbs
Starring: Tom Hanks , Bruce Dern , Carrie Fisher , Rick Ducommun , and Corey Feldman
Director: Joe Dante
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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