HumanitÃ©

Starring:Emmanuel SchottÃ©, SÃ©verine Caneele, Philippe Tullier, Ghislain GhesquÃ¨re, Ginette Allegre, Daniel Leroux, Arnaud Brejon de la Lavergnee, Daniel Petillon, Robert Bunzi, Dominique Pruvost, Jean-Luc Dumont, Diane Gray, Paul Gray (VII), Sophie Vercamer, Murielle Houche, Pascaline Guyot, Liliane Facq, Myriam Dehaine, Jean Beuique, Bernard Catrycke
Director: Bruno Dumont
Studio: Fox Lorber
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

As the evil Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, Forest Whitaker gives an unforgettable performance in The Last King of Scotland. Powerfully illustrating the terrible truth that absolute power corrupts absolutely, this fictionalized chronicle of Amin's rise and fall is based on the acclaimed novel by Giles Foden, in which Amin's despotic reign of terror is viewed through the eyes of Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy), a Scottish doctor who arrives in Uganda in the early 1970s to serve as Amin's personal physician. His outsider's perspective causes him to be initially impressed by Amin's calculated rise to power, but as the story progresses--and as Whitaker's award-worthy performance grows increasingly monstrous--The Last King of Scotland turns into a pointed examination of how independent Uganda (a British colony until 1962) became a breeding ground for Amin's genocidal tyranny. As Whitaker plays him, Amin is both seductive and horribly destructive--sometimes in the same breath--and McAvoy effectively conveys the tragic cost of his character's naiveté, which grows increasingly prone to exploitation. As directed by Kevin Macdonald (who made the riveting semi-documentary Into the Void), this potent cautionary tale my prompt some viewers to check out Barbet Schroeder's equally revealing documentary General Idi Amin Dada, an essential source for much of this film's authentic detail. --Jeff Shannon

Beyond The Last King of Scotland

More from Forest Whitaker
General Idi Amin Dada
The Last King of Scotland (Paperback)

Stills from The Last King of Scotland

Description

As Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, Forest Whitaker gives "one of the greatest performances of modern movie history" (Wall Street Journal), one that the Associated Press calls "nothing short of Oscar(r) worthy." This is Amin's incredible story as seen through the eyes of Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy), a young Scotsman who becomes the volatile leader's personal physician, due in part to Amin's unexpected passion for Scottish culture -- Amin even proclaims himself "The Last King of Scotland". Seduced by Amin's charisma and blinded by decadence, Garrigan's dream life becomes a waking nightmare of betrayal and madness from which there is no escape. Inspired by real people and events, this gripping, suspenseful stunner is filled with performances you will never forget.

Customer Reviews:

Even as fiction, very scary..........2007-07-03

This is said to be fiction, but the subject of that fiction is as frightening as anything you may ever see. Idi Amin certainly had charm, charisma, and all the things I've learned to avoid in people as I've gotten older. It's never what it seems... James McAvoy is really the lead, and it's his observations that create the center of this fine film. Forrest Whitaker justifiably won many awards for his powerful, insightful portrayal, though he really wasn't the lead character. Known for generally sweet-natured performances, Mr. Whitaker has a repertoire that is most respected. This display of total control and command of the character is frightening and complete, a tour de force. Anyone remember his magnificent performance as Charlie Parker in Eastwood's "Bird"? Though he wasn't the main character, this man created memorable moments (not unlike other Oscar winners with limited screen time, like Anthony Hopkins in "Lambs" or Geoffrey Rush in "Shine"). James McAvoy was given a bad rap by many, but I thought he was terrific. Kerry Washington, too was excellent, and te direction & editing were to the utmost power of the simple story being told.DVD extras are insightful, and Mr. Whitaker's humble approach to the frighteningly powerful role is well examined. The atrocities committed by Idi Amin are only history now, and the idea that such people still exist cannot be ignored. Even as fiction, this depiction of a power hungry maniac can't be discounted by a caring world public.

More relevant than ever!.......2007-07-01

The Last King of Scotland sheds light on one of the most well known African dictators, General Idi Amin Dada of Uganda, who ruled from 1971 to 1979.
A Scot doctor arrives in Africa upon graduating from University in order to distance himself from his overprotective family as well as get a feel of adventure. In Uganda he witnesses the military coup d'etat that brings Idi Amin to power. Upon stumbling across the new leader by chance he renders his medical services and before he knows it he becomes the Ugandan leader's personal physician. His problems, however, have just started...
James McAvoy, Forest Whitaker, Gillian Anderson (who looks great after losing weight and going blonde), and the rest of the cast carry out their respective roles very well.
More relevant than ever, the movie does a great job as an eye-opener to one of the most brutal leaders the Dark Continent has seen in the twentieth century. The film provides the necessary background as well as an accurate description of political and social conditions therein. British involvement is briefly touched upon, but nevertheless provides for some important insight.
Moreover, it could have been and it should have been much more graphic in showing what really took place in Uganda's "killing fields."
Hopefully more will be done to stop the ongoing genocide in the Darfur region of Western Sudan and we will not have to wait for another movie to come out after it's all over before people become aware and do that which is humane.
Similarly to movies like The Lord of War, Hotel Rwanda, and Blood Diamond to name a few, The Last King of Scotland draws attention to some very important issues facing Africa.

We know you liked the film, but what about the Special Features?.......2007-06-30

DVD Bonus Materials
* Seven Deleted Scenes, With Optional Audio Commentary By Director Kevin MacDonald
* Capturing Idi Amin Documentary
* Forest Whitaker: Idi Amin Featurette
* Fox Movie Channel Presents: Casting Session - The Last King Of Scotland
* Theatrical Trailer

Viewing The Last King of Scotland's Special Features section is a lot like stopping off for dessert at a fast-food restaurant after dining on a sumptuous five-course meal. In striking comparison to the feature film's nail-biting tension and riveting drama is "Seven Deleted Scenes," a special feature that is about as exciting as a bowl of boiled rice, and a nonessential theatrical trailer that should be fast forwarded. On the positive side, "Casting Session--The Last King of Scotland" is worth viewing if a behind-the-scenes peek at pre-production casting dilemmas is of interest. Fans of Forest Whitaker (and who isn't?) will appreciate the "Forest Whitaker: Idi Amin Featurette," which highlights the artistic challenges presented by Whitaker's demanding leading role. In it, the actor discusses the methodology behind his brilliant, Oscar-winning performance.

"Capturing Idi Amin" is a first-rate source of information for viewers desiring a crash course on Amin's life and Ugandan politics. The mini-documentary features insightful interviews with key people in Amin's life, interspersed with authentic film footage of Amin. Viewers can compare and contrast this nonfiction depiction of events and supporting characters with Director Kevin MacDonald's cinematic interpretation of Giles Foden's fictional thriller, on which The Last King of Scotland's screenplay is based. Foden's altered reality is mesmerizing, but reality is darned interesting too.

Part Historical Biography With Some Fiction Added In............2007-06-27

Forest Whitaker gives the best performance ever! I thought he did a great job of bringing the violent, former Ugandan dictator, Idi Amin to life on the silver screen.

Throughout the movie, I thought the character of Dr. Nicholas Garrigan was completely naive and bogus, but a REAL PERSON..... so, I kept wondering how could someone of his stature and educational level be so naive about Idi Amin's violent character for so long when he had such close personal contact with him?

Then at the end of the movie when I was watching the special features I discovered that Dr. Nicholas Garrigan wasn't even a part of Idi Amin's inner circle and that he was a fictionalized character! No wonder Dr. Nicholas Garrigan felt completely off the entire movie, he didn't exist in real life!

Had the unbelievable character of Dr. Nicholas Garrigan not been in the movie I would have given this movie a higher rating.

uganda.......2007-06-27

excellent performance by F. Whitaker. I do remember almost all the facts, and the film shows marvellously, piece by piece the downfall of a country and its dictator

Average customer rating:

Phenominal
MORE GIVE ME MORE!
A Pretty Good Film
The Best Sci-Fi movie you've never seen!
SciFi Western

Serenity (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Morena Baccarin , Adam Baldwin , Chiwetel Ejiofor , Raphael Feldman , and Yan Feldman
Manufacturer: Universal Studios Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000BW7QWW
Release Date: 2005-12-20

Amazon.com

Serenity offers perfect proof that Firefly deserved a better fate than premature TV cancellation. Joss Whedon's acclaimed sci-fi Western hybrid series was ideally suited (in Browncoats, of course) for a big-screen conversion, and this action-packed adventure allows Whedon to fill in the Firefly backstory, especially the history and mystery of the spaceship Serenity's volatile and traumatized stowaway, River Tam (Summer Glau). Her lethal skills as a programmed "weapon" makes her a coveted prize for the power-hungry planetary Alliance, represented here by an Operative (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who'll stop at nothing to retrieve River from Serenity's protective crew. We still get all the quip-filled dialogue and ass-kicking action that we've come to expect from the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but Whedon goes a talented step further here, blessing his established ensemble cast with a more fully-developed dynamic of endearing relationships. Serenity's cast is led with well-balanced depth and humor by Nathan Fillion as Captain Mal Reynolds, whose maverick spirit is matched by his devotion to crewmates Wash (Alan Tudyk), Zoe (Gina Torres), fun-loving fighter Jayne (Adam Baldwin), engineer Kaylee (Jewel Staite), doctor Simon (Sean Maher), and Mal's former flame Inara (Morena Baccarin), who plays a pivotal role in Whedon's briskly-paced plot. As many critics agreed, Serenity offered all the fun and breezy excitement that was missing from George Lucas's latter-day Star Wars epics, and Whedon leaves an opening for a continuing franchise that never feels cheap or commercially opportunistic. With the mega-corporate mysteries of Blue Sun yet to be explored, it's a safe bet we haven't seen the last of the good ship Serenity. --Jeff Shannon

Description

A passenger with a deadly secret. Six rebels on the run. An assassin in pursuit. When the renegade crew of Serenity agrees to hide a fugitive on their ship, they find themselves in an action-packed battle between the relentless military might of a totalitarian regime who will destroy anything - or anyone - to get the girl back and the bloodthirsty creatures who roam the uncharted areas of space. But, the greatest danger of all may be on their ship. From the mind of Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel) comes a new edge-of-your-seat adventure loaded with explosive battles, gripping special effects and fantastic new worlds.

Customer Reviews:

Phenominal.......2007-07-04

This is a MUST have for anyone who is a FAN of the one season show Firefly. If you have seen this movie and wondered if there was more too it, then go buy firefly right away and you will fall in love with the characters as did I.

MORE GIVE ME MORE!.......2007-07-03

It's unfortunate that the series was as short lived as it was. This movie wether familiar with the series or not was a spectacular end to what could have been an even better story. I hope they inted to do a seqeul in the coming years!

A Pretty Good Film.......2007-07-03

This is a pretty good story with pretty good acting. Not great by any means and not as good as an average episode of Battlestar Galactica or Star Trek Deep Space Nine. Shows you how far down the Sci Fi movie franchise has fallen that some people think of this as a classic. Not a waste of money but it wouldn't hurt to wait to see it on cable either.

The Best Sci-Fi movie you've never seen!.......2007-06-28

The thing that many people do not understand is that YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A FAN OF THE SHOW TO LOVE THIS MOVIE. This has everything you wish Lucas had provided in the prequels: great acting, kicking action, moving characters, and a great plot. The feel is gritty but with great heart. He has a message but will not preach to you. Surprises, love and a message about humanity make it complete. If you ever wished you could find a Sci-Fi movie on the big screen that you could love, do yourself a favor and give this movie a try. You will not go away unmoved.

SciFi Western.......2007-06-27

I really liked the series. The movie brought alot of answers that the series left open.

Average customer rating:

A movie that will change your life.
Necessary
needs no review
a whole new language
Movie Reveiw

Schindler's List (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Liam Neeson , Ben Kingsley , Ralph Fiennes , Caroline Goodall , and Jonathan Sagall
Director: Steven Spielberg
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00012QM8G
Release Date: 2004-03-09

Amazon.com essential video

Steven Spielberg had a banner year in 1993. He scored one of his biggest commercial hits that summer with the mega-hit Jurassic Park, but it was the artistic and critical triumph of Schindler's List that Spielberg called "the most satisfying experience of my career." Adapted from the best-selling book by Thomas Keneally and filmed in Poland with an emphasis on absolute authenticity, Spielberg's masterpiece ranks among the greatest films ever made about the Holocaust during World War II. It's a film about heroism with an unlikely hero at its center--Catholic war profiteer Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), who risked his life and went bankrupt to save more than 1,000 Jews from certain death in concentration camps.

By employing Jews in his crockery factory manufacturing goods for the German army, Schindler ensures their survival against terrifying odds. At the same time, he must remain solvent with the help of a Jewish accountant (Ben Kingsley) and negotiate business with a vicious, obstinate Nazi commandant (Ralph Fiennes) who enjoys shooting Jews as target practice from the balcony of his villa overlooking a prison camp. Schindler's List gains much of its power not by trying to explain Schindler's motivations, but by dramatizing the delicate diplomacy and determination with which he carried out his generous deeds.

As a drinker and womanizer who thought nothing of associating with Nazis, Schindler was hardly a model of decency; the film is largely about his transformation in response to the horror around him. Spielberg doesn't flinch from that horror, and the result is a film that combines remarkable humanity with abhorrent inhumanity--a film that functions as a powerful history lesson and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the context of a living nightmare. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

Winner of seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, it also won every major Best Picture Awards from the New York Film Critics Circle, the National Society of Film Critics, the National Board of Review, the Producers Guild, the Los Angeles Film Critics, the Chicago, Boston and Dallas Film Critics; a Christopher Award; and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Golden Globe Awards. Steven Spielberg was further honored with the Directors Guild of America Award.

The film presents the indelible true story of the enigmatic Oskar Schindler, a member of the Nazi party, womanizer, and war profiteer who saved the lives of more than 1,100 Jews during the Holocaust. It is the triumph of one man who made a difference, and the drama of those who survived one of the darkest chapters in human history because of what he did.
Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film, which also won Academy Awards for Screenplay, Cinematography, Music, Editing, and Art Direction, stars an acclaimed cast headed by Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Caroline Goodall, Jonathan Sagalle, and Embeth Davidtz.

System Requirements:

Running Time 196 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

A movie that will change your life........2007-06-18

Schindler's List, directed by Steven Spielberg, is a film about the Holocaust. This movie will break your heart and change your life.

So what's this movie about? This movie is mainly about the Holocaust with a side story about a man named Schindler. Schindler was a German who knew Nazis in higher power. He used his good standing to help Jews. He owned a factory and recruited Jews to work for him so that they wouldn't have to go to concentration camps.

What's to like about this movie? First of all, aside from a little girl's coat, most of this movie is in black and white. Also, there's a ton of detail in terms of costumes and props. The realism as well as the camera work are a huge plus. Second, it's EXTREMELY emotional. You see everything. From people getting shot to dead bodies being burned, Spielburg doesn't hide anything. The one scene that truly had me in tears was when a trainful of Jews were squished together in the extremely hot weather. Schindler persuades the Nazi soldiers to spray them with firehoses. You can see one person drinking the water that falls down from the top of the train. It made me realize that these people were treated like animals, not human beings.

What's not to like about this movie? The reason for the 4 stars rather than 5 is because the big plot of this movie was to show how the Jews were treated during the Holocaust. If you're like me and you've studied books and watched movies about this subject, not a lot of what happens in this movie will surprise you. For the average person, this movie will completely shock you and have you in tears. The only thing that was new to me was Schindler's story.

This is a movie that EVERYONE needs to watch. There's a ton of nudity and violence so I would hold off on letting young kids watch this but adults will be completely enthralled.

Necessary.......2007-06-16

I rate this movie 9.5/10 or 5 stars. This movie is among the 1000 Best Movies in DVD's by Peter Travers and in the Top 10 list of Best American Movies Ever. The movie won several Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Director. Steven Spielberg directs this movie 10 years after he read the book for the first time and was completely fascinated with the story. As a Jewish himself, he brings to the screen the story of those Jews who survived the Holocaust thanks to one man -Oskar Schindler-, who gave them the opportunity to work in his factories during the end of World War II. The movie shows the brutality of the Nazi army against the Jews, and how they were being killed at different Death Camps (Auswitch, etc.). The movie is based on true facts collected after the testimony of many people who experienced the Holocaust and survived. The movie is rated R for obvious reasons and it is very difficult to contain the tears. This DVD Collector's Gift Set edition is absolutely wondeful, including a special plexiglas casing, a picture book showcasing images by photographer David James with a foreword by Spielberg, the Original Soundtrack by the Oscar winner and always superb John Williams, and a rare limited edition senitype individually numbered and made from a actual film frame from the movie. (So the price it's just a bargain with all of that!). I want to say that, despite not being a Jewish nor coming from a country involved in World War II, I feel absolutely moved by the story told here and I have enormous respect and empathy for the Jewish community and for all the atrocities they have gone through their history. This is a necessary movie that needed to be done and needs to be seen by as many people as possible, so we don't make the same mistakes in the future. We are all human beings, and we all deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, regardless our religion, ethnicity, race, social status, sexual orientation, etc. Unfortunately today, we are still witness of so many intolerance and bigotry that makes me feel embarassed and very sad. We all should work together for human peace, love and understanding among all peoples from all countries in the world. This movie helps people understand how important it is to know each other and understand each other, so ignorance and hatred does not govern our lifes.

P.S. If you like my review vote YES. You can read all my other reviews if you wish to. I modestly write them to help people form an opinion about movies, music and books, but if nobody reads them (if you don't vote I do not know if you did) there is no point in writing them.

needs no review.......2007-06-10

this is a phenomenal film.

everyone should own it.

a whole new language.......2007-06-04

Stephen Spielberg's SCHINDLER'S LIST is simply the finest motion picture ever made.

The story brings us face to face with the most organized evil of which humanity has yet proven itself capable. Spielberg's direction and performances of Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, and Ralph Fiennes attain that level at which matters are simply beyond improvement. One merely stands in awe.

After viewing the LIST for just the second time since its debut in 1993, this reviewer can think of no more adequate response than the exhortation to buy, rent, view, and then bow silently or in prayer before the fact of evil and the potency of good.

Sadly, it takes a wickedness so vile as to require its own language to occasion a work of art so noble in its conception and execution that language fails to describe it.

'The LIST', as Kingsley's Yitzhak Stern says with a different intent, 'is an absolute good.'

Movie Reveiw.......2007-05-30

I ordered this movie without having ever seen it before. I got it, watched it, and was pretty disappointed. It was so boring I coulden't get through the whole movie.

Average customer rating:

baraka the film
great efforts to capture the global experience......
Powerful images
The One Indispensable DVD
Yes.

Baraka
Director: Ron Fricke
Manufacturer: Mpi Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00005M91K
Release Date: 2001-09-25

Amazon.com

The word Baraka means "blessing" in several languages; watching this film, the viewer is blessed with a dazzling barrage of images that transcend language. Filmed in 24 countries and set to an ever-changing global soundtrack, the movie draws some surprising connections between various peoples and the spaces they inhabit, whether that space is a lonely mountaintop or a crowded cigarette factory. Some of these attempts at connection are more successful than others: for instance, an early sequence segues between the daily devotions of Tibetan monks, Orthodox Jews, and whirling dervishes, finding more similarity among these rituals than one might expect. And there are other amazing moments, as when sped-up footage of a busy Hong Kong intersection reveals a beautiful symmetry to urban life that could only be appreciated from the perspective of film. The lack of context is occasionally frustrating--not knowing where a section was filmed, or the meaning of the ritual taking place--and some of the transitions are puzzling. However, the DVD includes a short behind-the-scenes featurette in which cinematographer Ron Fricke (Koyaanisqatsi) explains that the effect was intentional: "It's not where you are that's important, it's what's there." And what's here, in Baraka, is a whole world summed up in 104 minutes. --Larisa Lomacky Moore

Customer Reviews:

baraka the film.......2007-06-14

One of the best movies ever. It shows it doesn't take more than nature and imagination to do a strong film.

great efforts to capture the global experience.............2007-06-12

I saw BARAKA in theaters, back in the early 1990s. I was immediately drawn to the eye-popping photography. The filmmaker spent twelve years gathering footage from over twenty countries, to capture life at its best and worst. The name of the film, "Baraka" is translated as "blessing" in several languages. Was this film a blessing to me? No, not really. It felt more like a ponderous, new age journey, set to mind-numbing orchestral accompaniment. In all honesty, the film repulsed me in many ways. The director tried to contrast visions of beauty with visions of the grotesque. Instead, I was left with phantom images of death, torture and sickness, and that superceded any attempts at beauty. We see the elements exposed (mountains, etc), and I am sure for anyone seeing this film, more recently, these visions of peaks and valleys are poignant, in the age of global warming and environmental trauma. What's more, visions of people from very diverse cultures almost seemed more exploitative than honorable. It almost felt as though they were puppets acting in a very strange (and sprawling) incidental play about mortality. There are shots of skulls, women who have participated in genital mutiliation and glimpses into very tragic events in humankind. This felt more manipulative than visionary. Yes, I am aware I am going to receive a lot of flack because I didn't give this film a perfect five star rating, like 95% of the Amazon writers here, but, I must speak my truth. And, if you asked, "Should I buy BARAKA, and find out what everyone is talking about?" I would advise you to pass on this one.

Powerful images.......2007-06-08

Basically that's all it is, a series of powerful images that give an accurate and above all objective view of our world and society in general.

The One Indispensable DVD.......2007-05-27

I own at least 500 DVDs. If you asked me which is my favorite film/DVD I would have to say "Baraka," because, if for no other reason, it is the DVD I watch most. Scarcely a week goes by that I don't watch Ron Fricke's masterpiece.

"Masterpiece" is not a term I use lightly. In fact, it's not a term I use at all but it describes this film. First, it is simply beautiful. If you have a home theater system that you take pride in, this is the one DVD to own. It's approximately ninety minutes are spread over two layers: as a result the picture is almost HD-like, especially if you have an "upscaling" DVD player and a suitable display.

The music, a combination of Michael Stearn's original score and contributions by artists like "Dead Can Dance," compliment the visuals perfectly.

None of this would matter if the subject of the film weren't worthy of your consideration. Rest assured, it is. I don't trust the words "spiritual" or "spirituality" but I will make an exception for "Baraka." As Fricke puts it in the documentary on the DVD, while we have been invited to live on the planet, life has not given any of us a veto over the guest list. "Baraka" is about that "guest list."

There is no other film I can say this about: I watch it a lot because I am always a better person for having watched it. 12/10

Yes........2007-05-26

Haunting, Beautiful, Terrifying, Irreplaceable. That describes Earth, and it also describes this movie.

This is Education in the most visceral way.

Average customer rating:

My #1 Favorite Movie - A True Masterpiece!!!
A masterpiece!
Life is Beautiful
MASTER PIECE
AMAZING

Life Is Beautiful
Starring: Claudio Alfonsi , Lidia Alfonsi , Gil Baroni , Massimo Bianchi , and Sergio Bini Bustric
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Life Is Beautiful (La Vita E Bella)

ASIN: B00001U0DP
Release Date: 1999-11-09

Amazon.com

Italy's rubber-faced funnyman Roberto Benigni accomplishes the impossible in his World War II comedy Life Is Beautiful: he shapes a simultaneously hilarious and haunting comedy out of the tragedy of the Holocaust. An international sensation and the most successful foreign language film in U.S. history, the picture also earned director-cowriter-star Benigni Oscars for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Actor. He plays the Jewish country boy Guido, a madcap romantic in Mussolini's Italy who wins the heart of his sweetheart (Benigni's real-life sweetie, Nicoletta Braschi) and raises a darling son (the adorable Giorgio Cantarini) in the shadow of fascism. When the Nazis ship the men off to a concentration camp in the waning days of the war, Guido is determined to shelter his son from the evils around them and convinces him they're in an elaborate contest to win (of all things) a tank. Guido tirelessly maintains the ruse with comic ingenuity, even as the horrors escalate and the camp's population continues to dwindle--all the more impetus to keep his son safe, secure, and, most of all, hidden. Benigni walks a fine line mining comedy from tragedy and his efforts are pure fantasy--he accomplishes feats no man could realistically pull off--both of which have drawn fire from a few critics. Yet for all its wacky humor and inventive gags, Life Is Beautiful is a moving and poignant tale of one father's sacrifice to save not just his young son's life but his innocence in the face of one of the most evil acts ever perpetrated by the human race. --Sean Axmaker

Description

An inspired motion picture masterpiece, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL was nominated for 7 Academy Awards(R) -- winning 3 Oscars, including one for Best Actor Robert Benigni. In this extraordinary tale, Guido (Benigni) -- a charming but bumbling waiter who's gifted with a colorful imagination and an irresistible sense of humor -- has won the heart of the woman he loves and created a beautiful life for his young family. But then, that life is threatened by World War II ... and Guido must rely on those very same strengths to save his beloved wife and son from an unthinkable fate! Honored with an overwhelming level of critical acclaim, this truly exceptional, utterly unique achievement will lift your spirits and capture your heart!

Customer Reviews:

My #1 Favorite Movie - A True Masterpiece!!!.......2007-07-05

I went to the movies alone and this was the only movie playing at the time I arrived so I bought a ticket and went in. It was in english subtitles and the first 5 minutes was slow because they developed the situation. I truly started to get up and leave. Then the main character met the woman of his dreams in a very unusual manner (unusual is a word you can use throughout the movie) and everything after riveted me to my seat! This movie will pierce your heart with ALL the emotions! YOU WILL laugh out loud, smile, cry, be filled with a sense of foreboding, and at the end sadness and joy simultaneously. You will CHEER for fatherhood and want to be the best father and husband you can! If we had in our own lives what this family had in theirs, the world would truly be a great place to live!!! The acting is fabulous, the story is WOW! I've seen it about 7 or 8 times and will watch it again! I must stop because I am sure you don't want a 1000 page discertation! You will ENJOY this EVENT!

A masterpiece!.......2007-06-14

No movie i have ever seen takes you on such an emotional ride as this film. From hilarity, to a romance comedy, to the horrors of a concentration camp and tragedy and finally a glorious sweet ending.

This movie is about 3 people and their love for each other in facist Italy. A man, wife and child. Unfortunately the father and son are abducted and taken to a concentration camp because they are jewish. Their mother who is not jewish insists that they take her on that train also. That's love, that's courage. From the beginning guido tries to convince his son that it is really a game. As someone who has a son close to that age i can imaging the gut wrenching pain of knowing your son is hungry, scared and miserable. Guido's lies help soften the suffering some. Nothing in this movie makes light of what went on there. His son escapes death only because he hates taking baths and is able to sneak back to their quarters. You see the hard labor, you see their numbers declining as more "don't make it". You see the cold heart of a nazi doctor who was a friend of guido years back but makes no effort to help him.

Any reviewer who claims this makes light of the holocaust didn't see the movie.

A beautiful film. One of the best in the decade of the 90s.

Life is Beautiful.......2007-05-15

This is a beautiful story about what a man will do to protect his family in the time of crisis.

MASTER PIECE.......2007-05-08

So much taste in the story telling, only an italian could do it!

AMAZING.......2007-04-29

This is a movie that makes you devestated, but it makes you have a deep appreciation of life.

Average customer rating:

Great central performance, but not a great film
Flawless performance by Streep.
Streep's best performance
Life as an ordeal of traumas
THE BEST ACTRESS...EVER!!

Sophie's Choice
Starring: Meryl Streep , Kevin Kline , Peter MacNicol , Rita Karin , and Stephen D. Newman
Director: Alan J. Pakula
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0784011710
Release Date: 1998-04-21

Amazon.com essential video

The sunny streets of Brooklyn, just after World War II. A young would-be writer named Stingo (Peter MacNicol) shares a boarding house with beautiful Polish immigrant Sophie (Meryl Streep) and her tempestuous lover, Nathan (Kevin Kline); their friendship changes his life. This adaptation of the bestselling novel by William Styron is faithful to the point of being reverential, which is not always the right way to make a film come to life. But director Alan J. Pakula (All the President's Men) provides a steady, intelligent path into the harrowing story of Sophie, whose flashback memories of the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp form the backbone of the movie. Streep's exceptional performance--flawless Polish accent and all--won her an Oscar, and effectively raised the standard for American actresses of her generation. No less impressive is Kevin Kline, in his movie debut, capturing the mercurial moods of the dangerously attractive Nathan. The two worlds of Sophie's Choice, nostalgic Brooklyn and monstrous Europe, are beautifully captured by the gifted cinematographer Néstor Almendros, whose work was Oscar-nominated but didn't win. It should have. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Great central performance, but not a great film.......2007-06-30

I was drawn to watch this film because it has recently been nominated into the American Film Institute's Top 100 U.S. films. Bearing in mind the effusive reviews for the film already posted on Amazon.Com, I will probably get slated for only giving this film 3/5. Oh well.
The main good thing about this film is primarily Meryl Streep's amazing performance as the title character. Her performance is simply perfect. The emotional resonance of her performance is fantastic, her Polish accent is flawless, she even speaks Polish and German convincingly in the flashback scenes. It ranks alongside Falconetti's performance in Drayer's "Passion Of Joan Of Arc" as one of the greatest in cinema.
However, one performance does not a great film make. What else is great about this film? Keven Kline overcooks his role as Sophie's crazed lover: all charm and wild eyes, charisma turned on at will as if it comes from a tap. Peter MacNichol struggles to bring life to what is basically a dull character: he does his best with what is given to him in the role of the wide-eyed Southern boy.
Nestor Almendros's photography was fantastic in Mallick's "Days Of Heaven". In "Sophie's Choice" he approximates the former film's Autumnal sunlit ambience when the characters (occasionally) move outside: otherwise the camerawork is dull and uninvolving. The washed-out look of the Concentration Camp sequences is well done: approximating the muted colours in many Nazi films, it certainly works in its grimy, unappealing way.
Perhaps the key problem with the film is that it key moment of dramatic tension, the moment that gives the film its title and is the underlying cause of Sophie's toments is held back to the end of the film. Moreover, it is the kind of dramatic moment, having happened in the past, which offers no hope of salvation for either Sophie or the audience. It is sadly reduced to "just one of those" things which happens to people. The dramatic crux of the film is therefore fatally undermined.
The film is not that bad. It's just not an AFI Top 100 film. As a performance, Streep's is top-notch. It is just the film is too long, unfocused and finally unrewarding as either entertainment or dramatic lesson.

Flawless performance by Streep........2007-05-07

I watched Sophie's Choice for the first time last night, and despite having watched numerous Holocaust movies, this one truly touched me. Meryl Streep truly shines as the tragic Sophie, who lives with harrowing memories of her wartime experiences, whilst dealing with the complications of a tumultuous relationship with her live-in mad lover, played convincingly by Kevin Kline. Also of noteworthy performance is McNichol as Stingo, the aspiring writer who also narrates the story...his infatuation and later love for Sophie is true, even after realising Sophie's dark past. The most painful scenes were the flashbacks to Sophie's retelling of her wartime experiences. The "choice" that is the movie's title is rendered in an amazingly heartbreaking performance by Streep, one of cinema's most gut-wrenching scenes ever, and something I will never forget. Truly memorable!

Streep's best performance.......2007-03-07

there is always that one performance in a actors career thats defined as there best and for the great Meryl Streep, her role as Holocaust survivor Sophie brilliantly conveys a person of heartbreak, riddled with guilt, and just so volnerable. pulling of a flawless polish accent, Streep plays Sophie, a polish immagrent who is haunted by her horrible past in WWII during the Holocaust and her stay at a concentration camp. Kevin Kline plays her temptatious lover Nathan and Peter MacNicol is Stingo, the man who Sophie and Nathan befriend. as Stingo becomes more involved in there life, he learns of Sophie's past and the horrible decision she had to make. Kline and MacNicole both provide excellent buffers as to not be outshined by Meryl Streep. the other great thing about this film is the cinamatography, it shifts very nicley from the comforts of Broklyn to the horrors of Europe. there are many great Holocaust films but Sophie's choice is definently at the top three along with Schindler's List and The Pianist. if you want to see a truley powerful film that will leave you heartbroken at the end then Sophie's Choice is the film

Life as an ordeal of traumas.......2007-03-06

Sophie's Choice is a very powerful story of a woman whose strength did not desert her in imaginably some of the most traumatic moments in a person's life. Whether it was her abysmal life in German concentration camps or her Brooklyn existence with her schizophrenic boyfriend, Sophie did not have much to fall back up on with the exception of her inner core - a core that was so solid that it did not falter, did not waver, did not even flinch as she lost everything that a human heart deems precious. In the end she appears calm and poised even after having lost what every one holds dearest to heart - life.

In her Academy winning performance, Meryl Streep is peerless. Arguably it is one of the most powerful and yet sublime performances ever - an incredibly realistic portrayal of a character whose numerous shades of existence are impossibly difficult to depict. Streep delivers what easily can contend for an Academy among Academy winners. Other actors, the direction, the script and the milieu are all flawless but this movie belongs to Streep who stands head and shoulders above the rest in a performance bound to leave an indelible impact on the audience.

THE BEST ACTRESS...EVER!!.......2007-02-01

Meryl Streep is sensational. No words can do justice to describe how amazing her performance is.

Average customer rating:

Phenominal
MORE GIVE ME MORE!
A Pretty Good Film
The Best Sci-Fi movie you've never seen!
SciFi Western

Serenity [HD DVD]
Starring: Joss Whedon
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

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ASIN: B000FA57N0
Release Date: 2006-04-18

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Phenominal.......2007-07-04

MORE GIVE ME MORE!.......2007-07-03

A Pretty Good Film.......2007-07-03

The Best Sci-Fi movie you've never seen!.......2007-06-28

SciFi Western.......2007-06-27

I really liked the series. The movie brought alot of answers that the series left open.

Day of the Dead (Divimax Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

I WANT MY MONEY BACK FOR THIS ONE
The least popular in the series
zombie love
Not very good.
Deserves a second look...

Day of the Dead (Divimax Special Edition)
Starring: Terry Alexander , John Amplas , Don Brockett , William Cameron , and Lori Cardille
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
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Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00008G8L9
Release Date: 2003-08-19

Amazon.com

Chapter three of George Romero's mighty zombie trilogy has big footsteps to follow. Night of the Living Dead was a classic that revitalized a certain corner of the cinema, and Dawn of the Dead was nothing short of epic. Day of the Dead, however, has always been regarded as a comedown compared to those twin peaks--and perhaps it is. But on its own terms, this is an awfully effective horror movie, made with Romero's customary social satire and cinematic vigor--when a "retrained" zombie responds to the "Ode to Joy," the film is in genuinely haunting territory. The story is set inside a sunken military complex, where Army and medical staff, supposedly working on a solution to the zombie problem, are going crazy (strongly foreshadowing the final act of 28 Days Later). Tom Savini's makeup effects could make even hardcore gore fans tear off their own heads in amazement. --Robert Horton

Description

Divimax is a High Definition (HD) film transfer process that provides state-of-the-art picture quality--and can be viewed on any home entertainment system.

Customer Reviews:

I WANT MY MONEY BACK FOR THIS ONE.......2007-06-21

I LOVED THE NIGHT AND DAWN OF. THIS ONE HAD SUCH BAD LANGUAGE I COULD NOT WATCH IT. I LOVE BLOOD AND GUTS BUT THAT LITTLE FOUR LETTER WORD, YOU KNOW WHICH ONE, REALLY PUTS ME OFF...

The least popular in the series.......2007-05-31

"Day Of The Dead" is, without a doubt, one of the GORIEST films ever made. The premise is pretty simple. A medical team, and a military unit are holed up in an underground missile silo, occaisionally flying a helicopter up and down the coast, looking for fellow survivors, while unbelievably gruesome experiments are being performed by one of the medical personnel on captured "specimen" zombies, in an attempt at finding why the dead are walking. The soldiers just want to shoot them in the head, as that's all that has been proven to stop them; the problem? The zombies outnumber the living by at least 400,000 to one. There's just too many. With a way to modify their behavior, maybe the survivors can stand a chance, but the odds are slim to none of such an insane idea working.

Of course, tensions mount. The claustrophobic living conditions, the bleak atmosphere, and physical and mental strain are taking a very heavy toll, as hope is quickly vanishing. They just want to get out of there, but, as Doctor Logan says, "...where would you go?" People critical of this movie say it has too slow a start, but I say no. The script focuses mainly on how these people are coping, and they aren't coping very well. Detractors say the dialogue has too much shouting, but I wonder how these people themselves would act in such egregious, horrible conditions. No, it is a very well-written script, albeit not George Romero's original one, which everyone says is far superior. It is a very tense screenplay, depicting, in what I would call a very realistic scenario. Not the world being overrun with walking dead, of course, but imagine a somewhat diverse group of people who really can't stand one another, being trapped in a situation where they must cooperate, but just can't anymore. A bloodbath is just one bad day away.

The special make-up effects are among Tom Savini's best work. The zombies in this installment are more decayed looking, which ties in with how the story unfolds in the series. In "Night..." most of them look somewhat ordinary, and the black and white film just makes it eerie. In "Dawn... (the original)" Most of the undead are just discolored, with a few really nasty ones, as time has taken its toll. In this installment, in 1985, seventeen years after the contageon has started, most of them are in the final stages of post mortem rot. It really is what the world would be if such an awful thing could take place.

One little subtlety in the script, that looks like an inconsistency, but isn't, would be when Rhodes decides to start executing people. The people he shoots do not get back up. And one of the soldiers suicides after being bitten in the shoulder by a zombie. He doesn't get back up, and the hordes of undead feast on his carcass. These deaths happened underground, not from infected zombie bites. Keeping in mind, the reason for this outbreak was in "Night..." in 1968, and the reason was some kind of radioactive fallout from a contaminated space probe. The air above ground is contaminated. Hence, underground, and no reanimation. Plus, two of the deaths were from gunshots to the head, guaranteeing no reanimation.

It is a simple, yet very complex story, and some people don't get the ending. It's simple, really. The first scene (spoiler here) is a dream sequence, and after all the nightmarish events of the story, the last remaining characters flee to an island somewhere out in the ocean, and apparently one fell asleep, just to wake up on the island. Physical exhaustion. The last part of the escape, jumping to the island, is nothing more that a time-lapse in the script.

Yes, this is a very good movie of this type, one that I feel is underappreciated.

zombie love.......2007-05-30

Don't get me wrong, here--this is a film with flaws. It had quite a low budget even for its time, and it is nothing if not completely over-the-top (but in a good way). The blood is a little too red. Some of the zombies are just people wearing black and blue spray-on paints. The ending is a bit lacking, and far too comic-booky/Hollywood for some.

However, it's still cleverly done, and once you get into it, the cut corners will fly past your vision. There are some special effects that are still amazing to this day, the characters are interesting, the dialogue is well done and at times intentionally hilarious, and it's got some of the most ridiculously gory and memorable death scenes, right up there with the sleeping bag sequence from Friday the 13th and Phantasm's first death-by-sentinel-sphere.

I can't bring myself to compare it to the other "Dead" films, because it has a distinctly different feel. It's gritty, harshly lit, and consummately '80s.

As for the zombie called "Bub"--be prepared for a rather confusing experience. I had mixed feelings about Bub at first, but now I think I'm in love with him. He is a mouldering, humanoid Gentle Ben. Sherman Howard's performance is enthusiastic, and, dare I say, cute. He obviously got a kick out of the role, and it's always nice to see actors having as much fun as he obviously did (and said as much, in the supplemental materials, which are a blast to watch in and of themselves). Don't underestimate ol' Bub, though. He proves himself to be quite the hardass in the end, even if he does love Beethoven. It's worth noting that a lot of the scenes involving Bub were mostly ad-libbed, which, if you're aware of the fact, adds to the experience.

Long story short, I love the hell out of this movie, and it's probably my favorite of the original trilogy. It's a fun romp, and if you can get past and/or embrace the idea of an adorable gun-toting zombie, you're guaranteed a rip-snortin' good time.

Watch the extras, too! It's worth it if only for the hilarious behind-the-scenes videos of actors struggling with the makeup. Buh huh huhh!

Not very good........2007-05-29

People who are enjoying newer zombie movies like the remake of Dawn of the Dead and 28 Days/Weeks Later may want to steer clear of this one. It's full of rock stupid, bickering, cruel human characters that scream obscenities at each other. It's not good. It's really painful to watch, and I think it'll turn your soul to tar and your brain to oatmeal with repeated viewings.

The best zombie movies in my opinion are the ones that make you feel like it's the end of the world, with violent death around every corner. It's you, with perhaps a small band of survivors, trying to hold out against the destruction of civilization and the human race. This one makes me root for the zombies, and frankly, it loses me there.

I highly recommend you skip this one, and see Dawn of the Dead (2004) or 28 Days Later instead.

Deserves a second look..........2007-05-17

When I first watched "Day of the Dead" many years ago, I must say I thought it was boring. My mind was not ready for the philisophical musings, the complicated relationships, and the strong decisions made by all of the characters.

Watching it now, I realize what an outstanding movie it really is. The plan "B" of the original idea, this movie stands out with a deep story and lots of zombie gore.

Average customer rating:

A Wonderful Movie
Polanski tops himself
First rate film
Adrien Brody's performance is transcendent - beyond compare!
The Pianist

The Pianist
Starring: Adrien Brody , Frank Finlay , Thomas Kretschmann , Maureen Lipman , and Zbigniew Zamachowski
Director: Roman Polanski
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005JLT5
Release Date: 2003-05-27

Product Description

Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and winner of 3, The Pianist stars Oscar winner Adrien Brody in the true-life story of brilliant pianist and composer Wladyslaw Szpilman, the most acclaimed young musician of his time until his promising career was interrupted by the onset of World War II. This powerful, ultimately triumphant film follows Szpilman s heroic and inspirational journey of survival with the unlikely help from a sympathetic German officer (Thomas Kretschmann). A truly unforgettable epic, testifying to both the power of hope and the resiliency of the human spirit, The Pianist is a miraculous tale of survival masterfully brought to life by visionary filmmaker Roman Polanski in his most personal movie ever.

System Requirements:
Starring: Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay, Emilia Fox, Maureen Lipman, Jessica Kate Meyer, Julia Rayner, Ed Stoppard
Directed By: Roman Polanski
Running Time: 150 Min., Color
Copyright Universal Studios 2003

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Winner of the prestigious Golden Palm award at the 2002 Cannes film festival, The Pianist is the film that Roman Polanski was born to direct. A childhood survivor of Nazi-occupied Poland, Polanski was uniquely suited to tell the story of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Polish Jew and concert pianist (played by Adrien Brody) who witnessed the Nazi invasion of Warsaw, miraculously eluded the Nazi death camps, and survived throughout World War II by hiding among the ruins of the Warsaw ghetto. Unlike any previous dramatization of the Nazi holocaust, The Pianist steadfastly maintains its protagonist's singular point of view, allowing Polanski to create an intimate odyssey on an epic wartime scale, drawing a direct parallel between Szpilman's tenacious, primitive existence and the wholesale destruction of the city he refuses to abandon. Uncompromising in its physical and emotional authenticity, The Pianist strikes an ultimate note of hope and soulful purity. As with Schindler's List, it's one of the greatest films ever made about humanity's darkest chapter. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

A Wonderful Movie.......2007-05-13

This movie is really an exquisite piece. For those of you out there interested in recent history and who appreciate it being told to you in the most vivid and understanding way, will love "The Pianist". As the story unfolds, we see the grusome behaviour that humans can portray and one other, and it brings us to the realization that something as awful as the Holocaust can happen on our planet, and nothing was done about it, or done to rectify the situation, unitl so many people lost their lives.
I do recommend everyone to sit down and watch this movie as it is both entertaing and enlightening to the fact that something like this should never be repeated.

Hope this Helps ;)

Polanski tops himself.......2007-05-12

should be seen by everyone. no doubt, there are good Germans, there are bad Germans--but what Hitler and the Nazis did should never, ever be forgotten.

some of the scenes are quite painful to witness, as they should be: human beings, absolutely innocent of any wrong-doing, stripped of their dignity, left to starve to death, beaten, shot, seperated from family and loved ones, loaded up on trains to be taken to the death camps...will leave your eyes welling...and this is exactly why the film is a must-see.

you don't have to be Jewish to relate to those who suffered and were put through the living hell.

I applaud Roman Polanski for his impeccable direction.

First rate film.......2007-05-01

An exellent film made even more dramatic in that elements of Polanskis actual life are inclueded in the film. Take the scene where Szpilman is pulled to safety by his old friend who has now become a guard, he runs away but is told by the guard "Dont run" (I assume in order to not raise suspicion) In the book he is told to "Run" These words are actually from Polanskis life in the Ghettos when he was given the chance to flee.

This film has got to be one of the best 2nd world war films you can find, simply because it is one mans story, one 'ordinary' mans story of survival in almost impossible conditions. The German officer at the end is quite rightly a symbol of hope that there is still good in the world.

This film may not have received the same attention as Shindlers List perhaps because while that film is about the collective horrors of the 2nd world war this is more the story of an idividual. Still that takes nothing from the film. 5 stars and highly recomended.

Adrien Brody's performance is transcendent - beyond compare!.......2007-03-20

The other reviews here say it all, and probably better than I ever could. The film is brilliant, Polanski's direction is absolutely perfect, but for me, this is Adrien Brody's masterpiece. I cannot think of any leading performance by a male actor in a film that is better than this. Mr. Brody OWNS this film, and never has an Academy Award been so well-deserved. I hope a 2-disc collector's edition is released sometime and I hope they include Adrien Brody's Oscar acceptance speech, which is also stunning!

The Pianist.......2007-02-19

Supposed to be NEW! Had circular scratches on it upon opening. Would not play. DVD player gave message - "Disc damaged or dirty".

The Last King of Scotland (Full-Screen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Even as fiction, very scary...
More relevant than ever!
We know you liked the film, but what about the Special Features?
Part Historical Biography With Some Fiction Added In.....
uganda

The Last King of Scotland (Full-Screen Edition)
Starring: Forest Whitaker , James McAvoy , Kerry Washington , Gillian Anderson , and Simon McBurney
Director: Kevin Macdonald
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000NIVJFE
Release Date: 2007-04-17

Amazon.com

Beyond The Last King of Scotland

More from Forest Whitaker
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The Last King of Scotland (Paperback)

Stills from The Last King of Scotland

Description

Customer Reviews:

Even as fiction, very scary..........2007-07-03