A Death in the Family

Starring:Annabeth Gish, Margaret Askew, Austin Wolff, Mac Pirkle, Andrew Willis, David Ducey, Kathleen Chalfant, Christopher Strand, Matthew Carlton, John Slattery, Mari Askew, Loudon Wright, David Alford, Dan Beene, Bill Raymond, James Cromwell
Director: Gilbert Cates
Studio: Pbs Paramount
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

Emma Thompson scores a double bull's-eye with this marvelous adaptation of Jane Austen's novel. Not only does Thompson turn in a strong (and gently humorous) performance as one of the Dashwood sisters--the one with "sense"--she also wrote the witty, wise screenplay. Austen's tale of 19th-century manners and morals provides a large cast with a feast of possibilities, notably Kate Winslet, in her pre-Titanic flowering, as Thompson's deeply romantic sister. Winslet attracts the wooing of shy Alan Rickman (a nice change of pace from his bad-guy roles) and dashing Greg Wise, while Thompson must endure an incredibly roundabout courtship with Hugh Grant, here in fine and funny form. All of this is doled out with the usual eye-filling English countryside and handsome costumes, yet the film always seems to be about the careful interior lives of its characters. The director, an inspired choice, is Taiwan-born Ang Lee, who brings the same exquisite taste and discreet touch he displayed in his previous Asian films (such as Eat Drink Man Woman). Thompson's script won an Oscar, and 1995 was a fine year for Jane Austen all around: Persuasion was made into an excellent picture, and Emma became the spritzy high school comedy Clueless. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Best version of Sense and Sensibility.......2007-07-06

Very enjoyable movie - true to the language
but it comes across natural and easy to follow.
Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman are great.

Darcy has got nothing on Edward Ferrars..........2007-07-03

Yes, yes, if you are an Austen fan Mr. Darcy is dashing and bold to be sure, but the quiet gentleness and honorable love of Edward Ferrars for Elinor Dashwood is a delight to partake in, in this adaptation of Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility." This film was quite faithful to the book, and the actors and actresses were suberbly chosen, as were the costumes, setting, and dialogue. It's such a lovely story with very good lessons to take to heart, as Emma Thompson (Elinor Dashwood) learns to hope that what is lost, is not lost forever, and Kate Winslet (Marianne Dashwood) learns how sensibility can prevent a broken heart. So, if you are craving the delightful romance, agony, humour, and hope of love in Jane Austen's England, this film will not disappoint.

The best of Jane Austen.......2007-06-30

Anyone watching this show can determine how hard it was for a woman to survive in the pre-industrial England.

I have a preference for 19th century movies and books. This movie did not disappoint me. The actors and actresses all fit so perfectly into their roles. It was like magic to see them perform.

The Dashwood women, Elinor, Marianne and Margaret with along with their mother are forced to leave a life of luxury when Mr. Dashwood dies and they move into a cottage in the country. (Women have no rights to inherit when a man dies.) The money usually is given to the eldest sons in the family. The women must find another means to survive unless the one who inherits is generous enough to allow them to stay on. In this case, the greed of the son's wife overrules the son and the women are pressed upon to leave very quickly.

The oldest daughter develops a romantic interest in her half brother's wife's brother-in-law, but the sister-in-law makes certain that they are separated so that nothing more can develop.

The younger of the two oldest daughters abandons sensible conduct and rushes headlong into folly with a rake.

The two sisters are then taken into London for a season, and the truth is known about both men on their lives. One is already secretly engaged (entrapped is more like it)and the other has proposed to a wealthy woman because of his own bad debts.

Everything works out for the best and everyone gets what they deserve in the end. Life doesn't always look like it works that way, but it probably does. At least this movie inspires me to believe it.

The music in it is outstanding along with all of the beautiful panoramic scenery of England's countryside.

Very endearing movie!.......2007-06-30

I have a preference for 19th century movies and books. This movie did not disappoint me. The actors and actresses all fit so perfectly into their roles. It was like magic to see them perform.

The Dashwood women, Elinor, Marianne and Margaret with along with their mother are forced to leave a life of luxury when Mr. Dashwood dies and they move into a cottage in the country. (Women have no rights to inherit when a man dies.) The money usually is given to the eldest sons in the family. The women must find another means to survive unless the one who inherits is generous enough to allow them to stay on. In this case, the greed of the son's wife overrules the son and the women are pressed upon to leave very quickly.

The oldest daughter develops a romantic interest in her half brother's wife's brother-in-law, but the sister-in-law makes certain that they are separated so that nothing more can develop.

The younger of the two oldest daughters abandons sensible conduct and rushes headlong into folly with a rake.

The two sisters are then taken into London for a season, and the truth is known about both men on their lives. One is already secretly engaged (entrapped is more like it)and the other has proposed to a wealthy woman because of his own bad debts.

Everything works out for the best and everyone gets what they deserve in the end. Life doesn't always look like it works that way, but it probably does. At least this movie inspires me to believe it.

The music in it is outstanding along with all of the beautiful panoramic scenery of England's countryside.

Chick Flick.......2007-06-08

This adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense & Sensibility was an exceptional one. With the starring cast who could hardly go wrong. Enjoy!!

Average customer rating:

A subtle intelligent and emotional story
Story is full of blahs, acting is great
Mish mush
Dry
A powerful (but not concise) film

Babel
Starring: Brad Pitt , Cate Blanchett , Mohamed Akhzam , Peter Wight , and Harriet Walter
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000MCH5P4
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Amazon.com

Brilliantly conceived, superbly directed, and beautifully acted, Babel is inarguably one of the best films of 2006. Director Alejandro González Iñárritu and his co-writer, Guillermo Arriaga (the two also collaborated on Amores Perros and 21 Grams) weave together the disparate strands of their story into a finely hewn fabric by focusing on what appear to be several equally incongruent characters: an American (Brad Pitt) touring Morocco with his wife (Cate Blanchett) become the focus of an international incident also involving a hardscrabble Moroccan farmer (Mustapha Rachidi) struggling to keep his two young sons in line and his family together. A San Diego nanny (Adriana Barraza), her employers absent, makes the disastrous decision to take their kids with her to a wedding in Mexico. And a deaf-mute Japanese teen (the extraordinary Rinko Kikuchi) deals with a relationship with her father (Koji Yakusho) and the world in general that's been upended by the death of her mother. It is perhaps not surprising, or particularly original, that a gun is the device that ties these people together. Yet Babel isn't merely about violence and its tragic consequences. It's about communication, and especially the lack of it--both intercultural, raising issues like terrorism and immigration, and intracultural, as basic as husbands talking to their wives and parents understanding their children. Iñárritu's command of his medium, sound and visual alike, is extraordinary; the camera work is by turns kinetic and restrained, the music always well matched to the scenes, the editing deft but not confusing, and the film (which clocks in at a lengthy 143 minutes) is filled with indelible moments. Many of those moments are also pretty stark and grim, and no will claim that all of this leads to a "happy" ending, but there is a sense of reconciliation, perhaps even resolution. "If You Want to be Understood... Listen," goes the tagline. And if you want a movie that will leave you thinking, Babel is it. --Sam Graham

Beyond Babel

Other Interweaving Storylines on DVD
Other DVDs by Director Alejandro González Iñárritu
Why We Love Cate Blanchett

Stills from Babel (click for larger image)

Product Description

In Babel, a tragic incident involving an American couple in Morocco sparks a chain of events for four families in different countries throughout the world. In the struggle to overcome isolation, fear, and displacement, each character discovers that it is family that ultimately provides solace.

In the remote sands of the Moroccan desert, a rifle shot rings out-- detonating a chain of events that will link an American tourist couple's frantic struggle to survive, two Moroccan boys involved in an accidental crime, a nanny illegally crossing into Mexico with two American children, and a Japanese teen rebel whose father is sought by the police in Tokyo. Separated by clashing cultures and sprawling distances, each of these four disparate groups of people are nevertheless hurtling towards a shared destiny of isolation and grief. In the course of just a few days, they will each face the dizzying sensation of becoming profoundly lost - lost in the desert, lost to the world, lost to themselves - as they are pushed to the farthest edges of confusion and fear as well as to the very depths of connection and love.

In this mesmerizing, emotional film that was shot in three continents and four languages - and traverses both the deeply personal and the explosively political -- acclaimed director Alejandro González Iñárritu (21 Grams, Amores Perros) explores with shattering realism the nature of the barriers that seem to separate humankind. In doing so, he evokes the ancient concept of Babel and questions its modern day implications: the mistaken identities, misunderstandings and missed chances for communication that-- though often unseen-- drive our contemporary lives. Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Gael García Bernal, Kôji Yakusho, Adriana Barraza and Rinko Kikuchi lead an international ensemble of actors and non-professional actors from Morocco, Tijuana and Tokyo, who enrich Babel's take on cultural diversity and enhance its powerful examination of the links and frontiers between and within us.

Customer Reviews:

A subtle intelligent and emotional story.......2007-07-06

Unlike the "in your face" type of stories that permeate Hollywood, this story of misunderstanding and the cultural divide in human beings across different continents is a subtle and weaving story with emotion and feelings to it.

The tile itself is a subtle link to the myth of the Gods separating man with different languages and creating an artificial barrier thru language and culture. And it is this cultural divide that the director so eloquently brings out in the story.

The acting by Brad Pitt is great - but better is the Nanny who takes care of the children but ultimately is deported to Mexico because of the Diplomatic and political after effects of jeopardising American children to harms way. And in distant Africa (Morocco) another family is torn apart by the tragedy of a childish mistake which is thought to be an act of terrorism, thus bringing in its wake more misunderstanding and death.

A great movie for the thoughtful mind. Something to chew over long after the movie is over.

Story is full of blahs, acting is great.......2007-07-05

There's been many so-called "intertwining" movies made over the years, and I generally don't like them because they present characters, but don't really tell stories. It's like adapting the phonebook. There's better ones like Short Cuts and Crash that at least have characters and stories I actually cared about. Magnolia was an extreme whole lot of nothing. Babel falls somwhere in the middle.
The acting gets an A+ all around, could have won Best Ensamble at the SAGs but the characters are way too isolated from each other the be an ensamble. Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett did well pulling out of The Fountain and winding up in this production. The supporting actors carry their segments admirably as well. The problem is whatever resolutions their stories reach, if at all, are very anticlimatic and do not satisfy. This is more of a theatrical and/or rent type movie, not so much a buy-to-own.

Mish mush.......2007-06-29

There are several different stories here only slightly related dealing with several different families in separate countries. Nothing that went into a whole. Some of the individual stories were touching. I particularly liked the Moroccan boys story. However overall it left me wondering what is the point of the story.

The acting is above average. Not surprising as it has some good actors. The filming is good.

Dry.......2007-06-26

Brad Pitt must be hard up for some money. Angelina's new kids must be costing him a fortune because this is the worst role he has ever taken. I think he's a great actor, love almost all of his other movies, but this one??? I'm not sure where to begin because, frankly I'm not sure what the story was about. Some lady, his wife or girlfriend, gets shot on a bus in Morroco or some place like that. Then some Mexicans try smuggling Brad Pitt and his lady friends children into Mexico... Border guards thought it was fishy that a couple of Mexicans were cruising around with some white kids so they busted the Mexicans and left the children to rot in the desert. Let's see... what else happened that made some sort of sense... This Mexican or Arabian fellow bought an illegal rifle and let his sons use it. They decided to use it to shoot at a bus, subsequently shooting Brad Pitts lady friend. And here's the kicker: a Japanese chick who was deaf gets naked for absolutely no reason! They show her at the club eaten some drugs, and next thing you know she's in some swank Tokyo condo gettin naked. I think that scene is what the whole movie was about and definitely worth the one star I gave it.

A powerful (but not concise) film.......2007-06-21

Babel, trying to imitate the wonderful style of Academy Award-winning Crash (Widescreen Edition), is a touching, thought provoking story of the world and its peoples.

The movie itself has an amazing premise--a husband, Richard Jones (Brad Pitt) decides to take his wife, Susan (Cate Blanchett) for an exotic vacation to Morocco. But things are hardly exotic, as they will soon find out. From Morocco the story transitions to California, where a Mexican-American maid is left in charge of the Jones' children while the couple are on vacation.

Babel continues to introduce new cultures as Mrs. Jones receives a wound to the shoulder while riding a bus through the deserts of Morocco. From there, a Moroccan family's role in the crime is unraveled, and the story of a Japanese deaf-mute begins.

This movie is truly touching, as all of the subplots intertwine and a feeling of bittersweet catharsis is felt.

This movie should be an absolute must for everyone; your life will be changed after watching this movie.

Average customer rating:

Very Good Movie
realism with mythology
Mountain Man
One of the great classic westerns
Jeremiah Johnson

Jeremiah Johnson
Starring: Robert Redford , Will Geer , Delle Bolton , Josh Albee , and Joaquín Martínez
Director: Sydney Pollack
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: 6304696531
Release Date: 1997-10-29

Amazon.com

After they first worked together on the 1966 film This Property Is Condemned, director Sydney Pollack and Robert Redford continued their long-lasting collaboration with this 1972 drama set during the mid-1800s, about one man's rugged effort to shed the burden of civilization and learn to survive in the wilderness of the Rocky Mountains. Will Geer is perfectly cast as the seasoned trapper who teaches Jeremiah Johnson (Redford) how to survive against harsh winters, close encounters with grizzly bears, and hostile Crow Indians. In the course of his adventure, Johnson marries the daughter of a Flathead Indian chief, forms a makeshift family, and ultimately assumes a mythic place in Rocky Mountain folklore. Shot entirely on location in Utah, the film boasts an abundance of breathtaking widescreen scenery, and the story (despite a PG rating) doesn't flinch from the brutality of the wilderness. In addition to the original theatrical trailer, remastered Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, and informative production notes, the DVD also includes The Saga of Jeremiah Johnson, a promotional documentary on the making of the film. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Robert Redford has one of his best-ever roles as a 19th century mountain man in a wilderness of harsh elements and hostile Indians. Directed by The Firm's Sydney Pollack. Year: 1972 Director: Sydney Pollack Starring: Robert Redford, Will Geer, Stefan Gierasch

DVD Features:
Featurette
Production Notes

Customer Reviews:

Very Good Movie.......2007-06-17

A man had a family, Swan,Calab. He crosses a bural gound, His family is gone.
Will Geer, Robert Redford

realism with mythology.......2007-05-20

Great realism about life in the mountains of the west in the middle 1800s ( a time of the brutal transformation of the west from the Indian territory to that of white civilization.)

Mountain Man.......2007-05-13

One of the all time favorite movies. Plenty of action and outdoor adventure. Great scenery. A good picture of a dying breed of men and a time in history.

One of the great classic westerns.......2007-05-12

Forget all the cowboys and indians stuff, redskins biting the dust etc. This tells a story the way it really was. The hardship, the struggle, the beauty and the ugliness of the old, pre-civil-war west. Here is an honest, beautifully photographed reconstruction of a true - if exaggerated - story of a real-life mountain man, John Johnston, who became a legend in his own lifetime. So, for that matter, did old-timers like 'Bear Claw' Chris Lapp, Del Gue, Swan and others. They all lived. They're all here and they're all honestly portrayed.

Jeremiah Johnson.......2007-05-09

I used to have this Video for many years. But someone stole it from me. I decided to get it again to my collection and here it is,Thank God.
I had missed it,but now I can look at it whenever I want to.
Best regards
GSH

Average customer rating:

a great little movie
Lasse Hallstrom rules.
One of the best movies I have seen
Good little movie.
A Wonderful Surprise

An Unfinished Life
Starring: Robert Redford , Jennifer Lopez , Morgan Freeman , Josh Lucas , and Damian Lewis
Director: Lasse Hallström
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000E5KQOQ
Release Date: 2006-04-11

Amazon.com

Much like the late Rodney Dangerfield, some films just can't get any respect. Shelved by Miramax for two years, An Unfinished Life was released with little fanfare between Morgan Freeman's Oscar win and Lasse Hallström's higher-profile Casanova. Despite critical praise from some quarters, the heartland drama got lost amidst the shuffle. The title comes from the epitaph of Griffin, late son of Wyoming rancher Einar (a rumpled Robert Redford). Between chores, he looks after ranch hand Mitch (Freeman), who was mauled by a bear the year before. One day, daughter-in-law Jean (Jennifer Lopez) and granddaughter Griff (Becca Gardner) drop by the ranch unexpectedly. They're on the run from Jean's abusive boyfriend, Gary (Damian Lewis), back in Iowa. "I don't want you here," Einar states flatly--he blames her for Griffin's death 12 years ago--but the look on the kid's face convinces him to relent. While Jean works as a waitress in town and embarks on a tentative relationship with Sheriff Crane (Josh Lucas), his newfound granddaughter helps to take care of Mitch. Just as the four are starting to form a loose-knit family, Gary comes looking for Jean and upsets the delicate balance. It may pack fewer surprises than the superior What's Eating Gilbert Grape and the bear symbolism may be a mite heavy-handed, but the deeply unfashionable An Unfinished Life deserves a second chance to find an audience. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Description

From the acclaimed director of CASANOVA, CHOCOLAT, and THE CIDER HOUSE RULES ... Academy Award(R) winners Robert Redford (Best Director, ORDINARY PEOPLE, 1980) and Morgan Freeman (Best Supporting Actor, MILLION DOLLAR BABY, 2004) star in this powerful story of risk and redemption. Stoic and heartbroken, Einar Gilkyson (Redford) quietly lives in the rugged Wyoming ranchlands alongside his only trusted friend, Mitch Bradley (Freeman). Then, suddenly, the woman he blames for the death of his only son arrives at his door broke, desperate, and with a granddaughter he's never known. But even as buried anger and accusations resurface, the way is opened for unexpected connection, adventure, and forgiveness. Also starring Jennifer Lopez (SHALL WE DANCE?) and Josh Lucas (SWEET HOME ALABAMA, GLORY ROAD).

Customer Reviews:

a great little movie.......2007-06-27

I didn't think I would be around long enough to EVER see Robert Redford looking crabby and scruffy............but I have! Will wonders never cease?
This movie has the greatest cast ever! Morgan Freeman, Jennifer Lopez and Josh Lucas (what a honey he is)round out the characters....sorry, I can't remember the little girl's name...she was good, as well.

The scenery was beautiful....it has love, drama, comedy, and a happy ending; what more do you want? You need to own this movie........it's one to watch when the family comes over!!!! I loved it!!!
ps.....it has animals, too!!!

Lasse Hallstrom rules........2007-06-22

He's simply the best film-maker ever for smart grown-ups. This fine film is yet another in a long series of knock-outs. He is an actor's director, with a particular knack for drawing fantastic performances out of kids. He also does beautiful landscapes, and conveys his `exotic' locations and period pieces with an exquisite eye for detail and authenticity. The guy is a treasure, a gift to us all. Enjoy!

One of the best movies I have seen.......2007-06-09

I don't understand why this movie is overlooked and under rated.. The wonderful storyline, the outstanding cast and the cinematography is outstanding! Robert Redford is always at his best, as is Morgan Freeman and J.Lo shines is this drama..It truly has some remarkable, hold your breath, omg scenes and equally some heart tugging ones..I don't like the tag of "chick Flick" as it really isnt as it really has some shocking, hold your breath scenes, even tho it is classified as a "Western", again it really cannot be classified into one Genre.. It IS a excellent movie for all..

Good little movie........2007-06-05

I enjoyed the entertainment of the story line and the high quality acting by all the actors.

A Wonderful Surprise.......2007-05-20

My wife came home with a rented DVD tonight; although I pride myself on trying to keep up with the latest films--what's good, what's not, etc., I had never even *heard* of this film. But I looked at the cast: Redford, Freeman (who is *always* good!), J Lo (yawn--but I was surprised!), etc., I thought "OK, I'll watch".

I was hooked with the opening scene, as a Grizzly Bear wanders through the Wyoming landscape; then, it took a little while for the film to get going, but then it started "clicking". What makes this film work on so many levels is the brilliant acting of Robert Redford (his finest in *years*--he should have been nominated for an Oscar for this one), Morgan Freeman (again, as always), and even J Lo turns in a credible performance. The little girl is very believable, as well.

The film's themes of the importance of family, forgiveness, redemption, etc are handled very well. And all of this against an absolutely gorgeous Wyoming background which was mesmerizing on my Widescreen TV!

This film was HIGHLY satisfying, and I'm going to order it ASAP. Get this and watch it with your family; you won't be sorry.

Average customer rating:

A True Classic!
I love this movie I watch it all the time. Thank you Amazon!!!
Wonderful movie to share with your daughter.
Princess or not...
Amazing

A Little Princess
Starring: Liesel Matthews , Eleanor Bron , Liam Cunningham , Rusty Schwimmer , and Arthur Malet
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6304698623
Release Date: 1997-11-19

Amazon.com

After the critical success of 1993's The Secret Garden, Warner Bros. returned to the novels of Frances Hodgson Burnett to create this 1995 adaptation of A Little Princess, which instantly ranked with The Secret Garden as one of the finest children's films of the 1990s. Neither film was a huge box-office success, but their quality speaks for itself, and A Little Princess has all the ingredients of a timeless classic. A marvel of production design, the film features lavish sets built almost entirely on a studio backlot in Burbank, California. The story opens in New York just before the outbreak of World War I, when young Sara (Liesel Matthews) is enrolled in private boarding school while her father goes off to war. Under the domineering scrutiny of the school's wicked headmistress, Miss Minchen (Eleanor Bron), Sara quickly becomes popular with her schoolmates, but fate intervenes and she soon faces a stern reversal of fortune, resorting to wild flights of fancy to cope with an unexpectedly harsh reality. Rather than label her fanciful tales as escapist fantasy, A Little Princess actively encourages a child's power of imagination--a power that can be used to learn, grow, and adapt to a world that is often cruel and difficult. It's also one of the most visually beautiful films of the '90s and creates a fully detailed world within the boarding school--a place where imagination is vital to survival. A first-class production in every respect, this is one family film that should (if it's not too stuffy to say it) be considered required viewing for parents and kids alike. --Jeff Shannon

Description

The beloved story from the author of the Secret Garden becomes 1995's best reviewed film. A young girl must rely on her wits and imagination when she is separated from her soldier father and sent to a strict boarding school. Year: 1995 Director: Alfonso Cuaron Starring: Eleanor Bron, Liam Cunningham, Liesel Matthews

DVD Features:
Production Notes
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

A True Classic!.......2007-07-02

I thoroughly enjoyed watching this movie, set in nineteenth century America.
Lisel Matthews renders a stirring performance as the only daughter of a wealthy military officer. Spirited, intelligent, and highly imaginative, Sara Crewe must deal with living in a foreign country,(her native country is India), adapting to a strict school run by stern school marme Miss Minchin (Eleanor Bron),and handling the deployment of her father, whom she loves dearly, into active combat during WW2. How Sarah manages, while keeping her humor and her dignity is what makes this revised version so enjoyable. I actually enjoyed it more than the original, starring Shirley Temple(1939). But the best reason for watching it, is the message it has infused into my daughters psyches', the idea that they are both princesses! This is a true classic.

I love this movie I watch it all the time. Thank you Amazon!!!.......2007-06-02

Thank you amazon

Wonderful movie to share with your daughter........2007-05-16

We saw this movie on HBO and purchased it because it is so beautiful. My daughter is 6 and the message that EVERY little girl is a princess, no matter what your clothing or jewelry is like, or from where you grew up. The movie, in a few parts, is a bit too 'unrealistic.' But then again, that is why it is a movie! The bottom line is that my daughter and I watch it often and always cry at the ending.... The love of a daughter and a parent truly transcends all.

Princess or not..........2007-04-12

this movie makes you believe you are one whether you are a maid or an ordinary little girl. Beautifully told and absolutely the best version of this movie!

Amazing.......2007-03-19

This movie is brilliant. This movie expresses altruism in its purest form. I really enjoyed it.

Average customer rating:

Entertaining adaptation but far from perfect DVD
Morticia rules!
Childhood memories
Another creepy, wonderful show
Lover of fairy tales

The Witches
Starring: Anjelica Huston , Mai Zetterling , Jasen Fisher , Jane Horrocks , and Anne Lambton
Director: Nicolas Roeg
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: 0790740885
Release Date: 1999-06-22

Amazon.com essential video

This splendid adventure-fantasy from 1990 was adapted from Roald Dahl's book and directed by maverick British filmmaker Nicolas Roeg, who turned out to be a perfect (if seemingly unlikely) interpreter of Dahl's fiendishly clever tale of witchcraft in contemporary England. Scary, funny, and wildly entertaining, it's all about a young boy named Luke (Jasen Fisher) whose parents have died in a tragic accident, and whose grandmother (Mai Zetterling) takes him to a posh hotel in England, where a secret coven of witches is holding its annual convention. The Grand High Witch (Anjelica Huston, in a scene-stealing performance) has decreed that all children in England be turned into mice, and Luke and his pal Bruno (Charles Potter) are the first victims on the list. That's when the movie magicians from Jim Henson's creature shop have their work cut out for them, turning Luke and Bruno into clever little rodents and The Witches into a dazzling display of imaginative special effects, using a seamless combination of real mice and superb animatronic puppets. Director Roeg doesn't compromise the sinister edge of Dahl's story, but comedy gets equal time from the brilliant cast including Brenda Blethyn (from Secrets and Lies and Little Voice), Rowan Atkinson (of Black Adder and Mr. Bean fame), and Jane Horrocks (Little Voice) as the Grand High Witch's beleaguered assistant. Although it was largely neglected during its brief theatrical release, this wonderful movie has since enjoyed a thriving appreciation on video--see it and you'll understand why. --Jeff Shannon

Description

From the great Muppet creator Jim Henson comes this classic bursting with enchantment and adventure. Academy Award winner Anjelica Huston stars as the Grand High Witch in this exhilarating tale.Year: 1990

Customer Reviews:

Entertaining adaptation but far from perfect DVD.......2007-06-21

I enjoy Roald Dahl's books and was eager to see the film adaptation of THE WITCHES. The movie is well crafted with awesome special effects for the year it was made and Jim Henson's mouse puppetry is convincing. However I was disappointed by the DVD in several ways. First of all the sound was just awful especially with the Norwegian, British, and er High Grand Witch accents. To compound matters there is no close captioning of any kind on the disc so the viewer needs to be in a quiet room and listen very carefully. Needless to say the the DVD is also devoid of any special features.

As to the story I actually found the first part quite disturbing for a "family film". Luke's loving Norwegian grandmother tells him an awful story of a childhood friend who was imprisoned in a painting by a witch until her eventual "disappearance" in old age and the story is so realistically enacted it is really quite sad and chilling. Grandma also shows him the scar where her little finger was before an encounter with a witch and gives him some warning advice as to how to recognize the creatures. The next morning Luke and his grandmother learn Luke's parents have both been killed in an accident. Shortly after Grandma Helga comes down with a serious case of diabetes and she and Luke leave for a vacation at an English seaside village.

At their vacation hotel they run into a convention of witches and this more surreal part of the story is actually more light hearted and comical despite some intense scenes. The filmmakers give a happy contrived ending to the story unlike what Roald Dahl wrote in the novel. I usually strongly object to filmmakers altering such major plot points but Helga and Luke had suffered so much earlier in the film I was glad to see them experience some joy. Really young or really sensitive viewers will probably find this story too disturbing to be enjoyable.

Morticia rules!.......2007-05-18

Angelica is nothing like her suave alluring figure in the Addams Family, but plays this part to the hilt, as the high grand witch. It is her performace that makes it the sole reason to even watch this movie in the first place. She is something to behold in every gesture, and wild black covered gloved hand movement. Her dark bold features make her the natural as beauty in public, but inwardly hideous in true witch form. Jim Henson production moves the story along with magically transformed mice from children, and the calm bond between the main character child and his grandmother is very tolarable.
The assorted loose witches in the community here, are very cliche crone women, with reflected colored eyes and smiles galore. Finally a female escort to the grand high witch turns the other cheek, and helps the victims along. This actress is cute, and not a crone with a very likeable quirky laugh. However, the other witches do not follow her lead, and are driven by Angelica's high brow figure to send doom to all children. Great family entertainment for halloween, and not too scary for the real children out there.

Childhood memories.......2007-05-10

When I was a kid every time I went to the video store I would ask my mom if I could rent this movie. Now that I'm an adult & I bought it, I'm not sure how I could watch it. It was still a pretty good movie, but it was kind of creepy for a kids movie. I can't believe it didn't give me nightmares. I just remember wanting to grow up and get purple contacts. If anyone remembers this from childhood they should definitely watch it again. It brought back a bunch of memories and I was almost able to quote the movie again.

Another creepy, wonderful show.......2007-04-14

I think this show is great. Just make sure you're a Ronald Dahl fan, or else you'll walk away saying "that was wrong in so many ways!" Could be kind of scary for sensitive kids..in my opinion.

Lover of fairy tales.......2007-03-09

From an adult perspective, you have to be a lover of fairy tales to appreciate this movie. It is worth it just to watch Angelica Huston's performance. Humorous in parts; scary (for children) in parts. Great ending. May be a little scary for under-10-year-olds.

Average customer rating:

What a ride ...
An old but still robust oak!
How to fix image quality
Big problem with the image qualtiy in this movie
This review is on the special edition

True Grit (Special Collector's Edition)
Starring: John Wayne , Glen Campbell , Kim Darby , Jeremy Slate , and Robert Duvall
Director: Henry Hathaway
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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El Dorado

ASIN: B000O179FY
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Amazon.com essential video

A wonderful/rueful running gag in El Dorado involves the Edgar Allan Poe line "Ride, boldly ride" being mangled by toupee-wearer Wayne into "Ride, baldy, ride." Two years later, in True Grit, Wayne put the joke in italics by donning an eyepatch and several inches of girth to play cantankerous territorial marshal Rooster Cogburn. Critics belatedly noticed that he could be a marvelously entertaining actor, and Hollywood finally gave him the Oscar they'd failed to nominate him for in Red River, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, The Quiet Man, The Searchers, et al. But make no mistake: True Grit is a splendid movie, with lovingly textured storytelling and sturdy characters, Henry Hathaway's finest high-country action set-pieces, intoxicatingly ornate frontier language, and a couple of formidable bad guys (Jeff Corey's Tom Cheney and Robert Duvall's "Lucky" Ned Pepper). It's a compliment to say that, from a technical standpoint, the movie could have been made any time in Hathaway's 40-year career, yet its feeling for the reality of violence ceded no ground to The Wild Bunch, released around the same time. Still, the film's most sublime passage falls between bursts of gunplay: Rooster sitting on a hilltop at night recounting his life story, as John Wayne metamorphoses ineluctably into W.C. Fields. --Richard T. Jameson

Customer Reviews:

What a ride ... .......2007-06-11

John Wayne's belated Oscar came for 1969's True Grit," a rousing entertainment that didn't stand quite as tall as, say, "Red River" or "The Searchers." Paramount Home Entertainment has released the double-disc set as part of the studio's 100th-year Wayne promotion with Warner Home Video.

The Duke plays one-eyed bounty hunter Rooster Cogburn. Valley girl Kim Darby plays a teen bent on avenging her father's death. Darby, who gives a sensational performance, stood toe-to-toe with Wayne onscreen and off, the bonus features note. Critics of the time thought Darby was in for a major league career, but she went on to a modest but long-running tenure in the business.

The extras aren't deep, but the docu "Working With the Duke" does a decent job of positioning "True Grit" in Wayne's sunsetting career. Perhaps mellowing with age, right-winger Wayne went to bat for the hiring of blacklisted screenwriter Marguerite Roberts, who was "weaned on stories about gunfighters."

The images of Colorado (2.35:1) are suitably sweeping and majestic. An extra feature returns to some of the "True Grit" locations, such as the graphic triple hanging. I experienced none of the softness cited by some of the other reviewers.

An old but still robust oak!.......2007-06-02

"True grit" is a humanizing Western that obviously doesn't lack of the main ingredients, but provided of a superior vision. Booster Cogburn is a one-eye crotchety U.S. Marshall who still can shoot straight.

In this sense we must acknowledge an absolute and even worthy treatment in which concerns originality and profound honesty about the genre that definitively has achieved a true mythic feature.

And so, being Wayne the most complete icon of this genre was more than obvious to suppose he had to star the most variegated gamut of characters in his successful artistic trajectory.

On the other hand, this was the film in which Dennis hopper and Henry Hathaway smoked the cask of the peace after a long chain of misfortunate events between them.

How to fix image quality.......2007-06-01

I had the same problem with image quality as previously posted by another reviewer on May 27, 2007. Mine was blurred, NOT in 2.35:1 and the "Enhanced" setting did not work on my DVD player. Here is what I had to do to fix the image quality problem: go back to startup DVD menu before you select "Play" and change your "Display" to "4:3 Letterbox".

Big problem with the image qualtiy in this movie.......2007-05-27

We have a big mystery here. All the reviews I have read about this movie say the picture quality is great, but the focus is soft. Here is a note I sent to a reviewer on a prominent DVD website. I haven't received a reply yet. If anybody on Amazon knows what the problem is please write in and let us know. Here is my note mentioned above:
"I am puzzled about the lack of sharpness in the focus in this movie. All the long shots and medium shots are definitely soft. I have a top of the line 50" plasma monitor with a lot of DVDs and I worked as a film cameraman for 15 years so I know what a sharp image is supposed to look like. The movie plays in what looks like 1.85 with narrow letterboxing at the top and bottom as normal. The Internet Movie Database says this is a 1.85 film. In that 1.85 aspect ratio the image is soft as I said. However, in the supplemental documentary there are several scenes from the movie that appear to be in about 2.35 or close that look sharp just like they should. But True Grit wasn't a 2.35 scope process movie! What is going on here? I understand if a scope movie is shown in 1.85 the image has been enlarged and it would look soft, but it is a 1.85 movie and it looks soft which usually means the studio messed up the transfer. But your review says the picture is great. I am really puzzled. Can you explain what the problem might be?"

This review is on the special edition.......2007-05-27

Let me be the first to review this Special Edition presentation of True Grit. Since so much reviews have been written about the plot and all, I will go straight to the gest of this review. The special edition is a definite improvement over the previous released editions of True Grit. The colors, image and everything appears to be more clearer, vivid and cleaner. The sound also improved as well and overall, any true fan of this movie will upgrade to this edition. The extra features also proves to be quite nice and they are well worth the time and effort to view as well.

This movie may not be one of John Wayne's finest effort (I thought his work in the Searchers was superior) but it represent everything there is about John Wayne in one package. His Oscar is well deserved and the captured of his character, Rooster Cogburn, is near perfect. As a friend of mine's once said, "Wayne can only play Wayne", but he does it so superbly that it virtually off set most actors playing other characters. True Grit is a great movie and this Special Edition does pretty good justice to the film.

James and the Giant Peach (Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

GREAT SONGS AND VISUALS MAKE THIS TIM BURTONS BEST ANIMATED FILM
YOU'RE NOT EVEN A REAL RHINO!
My all time favorite
James entertains all ages
Fill Yourself with Peach Delight!

James and the Giant Peach (Special Edition)
Starring: Simon Callow , Richard Dreyfuss , Jane Leeves , Joanna Lumley , and Miriam Margolyes
Director: Henry Selick
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 630595027X
Release Date: 2000-10-03

Amazon.com essential video

Roald Dahl's modern classic for children becomes a delightful combination of live action and stop-motion animation by the team that made The Nightmare Before Christmas: director Henry Selick and producers Tim Burton (Batman) and Denise Di Novi. The story concerns young James (played for real and through voice-overs by Paul Terry), who is orphaned and left in the charge of two cruel aunts (Miriam Margolyes, Joanna Lumley). Rescued by a mysterious fellow (Pete Postlethwaite), James ends up inside a giant peach, drifting over the Atlantic Ocean in the company of a gentleman grasshopper (voiced by Simon Callow), a fast-talking centipede (Richard Dreyfuss), an anxious earthworm (David Thewlis), a matronly ladybug (Jane Leeves), and a sexy spider (Susan Sarandon). The collection of actors and their creepy-crawly alter egos are a delight, especially when some of the song-and-dance numbers (tunes are written by Randy Newman) get everyone going. --Tom Keogh

Description

Take a bite out of Disney's delicious Special Edition of JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH and celebrate the 40th anniversary of the popular children's book by Roald Dahl that inspired this imaginative film. This amazing mix of live-action, stop-motion animation and computer-generated special effects includes bonus materials never before available. When young James spills some magic crocodile tongues, a giant peach grows as huge as a house. Climbing inside, he embarks on a thrilling and magical odyssey that only the creative team from TIM BURTON'S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS could bring you. Along the way you'll discover the famous star voices of Richard Dreyfuss and Susan Sarandon, Jane Leeves (FRASIER), and Simon Callow (SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE), plus the inspired music of Randy Newman. Enjoy -- it's a peach of a journey!

Customer Reviews:

GREAT SONGS AND VISUALS MAKE THIS TIM BURTONS BEST ANIMATED FILM.......2007-03-31

I love this movie! The visual may not be a macabre as Nightmare Before Christmas or Corpse's Bride, but the joyful songs by Randy Newman and the story pacing make this a big winner! This is a great film for the family,but there are some scary moments for the younger kids so beware! The DVD transfer is very good.

YOU'RE NOT EVEN A REAL RHINO!.......2007-03-16

James and the Giant Peach...one of the most beloved stories out there. I remember when I first read it back in fifth grade, all the way back in 1995. Our class had been introduced to Roald Dahl's stories, and we couldn't get enough. Going through nearly everything he wrote for kids and young adults, James and the Giant Peach always stood out. Not too long after reading a few dozen Dahl books, word got out that James and the Giant Peach was getting a movie. Talk about ironic, eh? The fact that it was done in the same puppet format as The Nightmare Before Christmas caught my attention (yes, I saw NBC in theaters before the current mall goth trend), and I couldn't wait to see it. Seeing it back then, I loved it. Seeing it again 5 years ago, it still ruled. Just the other night? Yeah, it still manages to hold up. And like the other two main puppet stop motion movies from the past decade, NBC and Corpse Bride, James went under appreciated. I don't remember it doing too hot in box office receipts, and there wasn't much merchandise for it. Heck, all I have is my 15" Grasshopper. And James' release on dvd is anything but "special", as the box would lead you to believe claiming this as the special edition. That's a shame too, because I'm sure if it were released today, it'd do a bit better. James and the Giant Peach is one of the best family movies I've seen, and the fact that I can still enjoy it at almost 22 years old (especially given how harsh I can be on things like this) really says something. And hey, the differences between the book and movie aren't much, so no book-purists are going to be knocking this one much!

If you read the book, you can skip this paragraph, but if not, here's how the story goes: James lived as a normal young boy with a great mom and dad. Unfortunately, they were eaten by a mad rhino one day. This caused James to live with his horrid aunts, Spiker and Sponge. They abuse him, underfeed him (his dinner is usually fish heads, uncooked), make him do all the chores, and yell at him if he questions them. Granted, James is a pretty annoying kid, but at his age, he shouldn't be treated like that. One day, an old man encounters him outside the house, and offers James a bag of neon green crocodile tongues. They're actually just little bugs that glow and hop around, and are full of magic. He gives them to James, but the kid trips and they go flying everywhere, going into the ground. Soon enough, Spiker and Sponge notice a peach growing on a dead tree. It continues to grow until it's probably a good 20 feet around. They charge people all across England to see it, and make some good money. But one night, James goes out to check the peach, and ends up going inside. After unknowingly ingesting one of the crocodile tongues, James completely changes in appearance, and comes across a group of huge talking bugs within the peach. He befriends them, they get outta Spiker and Sponge's grasp, and head towards New York, a place where James' parents were going to take him before their untimely demise. James and crew embark on quite a journey while making way to America, including fighting a huge mechanical shark, skeleton pirates, and fighting things like hunger and distrust.

Ok, I gotta get the so-called "plot holes" out of the way first. Yes, there's a mechanical shark that is never once explained. It appears out of the ocean, and goes to attack the peach. That's its purpose- peril for the gang. But when you see that the fish it consumes end up being the fish heads that James gets for dinner, I guess it makes a little sense. There are a few others that are around later in the movie, but none of them should bother you too much. If anything, the movie's more of a visual treat, seeing how amazing the puppet work was back in that era. The movie took 3 years to make, which is longer than most would care to put into movie, especially a stop motion one where you have to work hard just for one second of film. The grasshopper, centipede, spider, earthworm and ladybug puppets all look fantastic, and are full of character. The glow worm puppet looks like a robot fused with an old lady, but is barely seen. Some have complained that the crew of bugs is too stereotypical in that the grasshopper represents an English gentleman, the spider a French cafe dweller, the centipede a New York cabbie, and the ladybug a motherly figure. Given that none of them go too far into the stereotypes (the grasshopper breaks this several times just before the pirate scene), it's not a big concern, and if you're complaining about bug stereotypes, you take movies too seriously. The whole thing was a blast to watch, and I look forward to watching it with my daughter when she grows up. Sure, there are some potentially scary images, mostly of the rhino storm cloud, and one whole "bad" word (they even say "god" here! GASP!), but this is a straight up family movie, and if you have to shield your child's eyes and ears for things like that, you have my prayers. Besides, if anything, you should be shielding their eyes from Sponge in the bikini top when her and Spiker are tanning.

The picture transfer got an ok treatment. I saw a bit of grain, but nothing too serious. The movie was presented in full screen as well, and I know for a fact that some stuff is missing. It's obvious when you get group shots of the bugs and half of one is missing from the shot. I forget if that's how it was in theaters, but I wouldn't imagine so. The audio gets better treatment, making good use of surround sound on several occasions. The action sequences amazingly use the 5.1 track. It could still use a bit of cleaning though.

I seem to be having bad luck with special features and family movies these days, as James and the Giant Peach only has one worth mentioning. In addition to the usual trailers, song/music video and promotional materials, there's only one featurette, and it is the standard "it was great working on this movie!" fare...for under 5 minutes. Yep, that's all. You see a few voice actors, the director, and some behind the scenes footage, and it's done. Some special edition huh? The movie came out 10 years ago, so there went any hope of a 10th anniversary edition with more features. I guess we're stuck with this as the only release unless an HD-DVD or Blu-Ray one gets more, but I don't see that happening.

I really do love this movie, even if the kid that plays James is just barely less annoying than the one who played Charlie in the remake of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. When he's in puppet-form, he's more tolerable, but not by much. This movie's all about puppets though, so animation fans will absolutely love this one. Most of the acting is solid, the songs are fairly good (not NBC standards, however), and it doesn't drag on in any places. I'd say that's all you need for a family movie. If Roald were alive at the time of its release, I'm sure he wouldn't have hated it like he did Willy Wonka. At least this thing has a lot of views from a child in it, and keeps things simple, the way it was intended. Besides, there are some great one-liners like the earthworm mentioning how his brother was cut in half, and how he now has two half-brothers. Here's hoping we get another stop motion movie sometime this decade. We need more people putting hard work into these things and less of the standard pampered animal ends up in the wild fare!

My all time favorite.......2007-01-17

This is one of my all time favorite movies. That is why I purchased it. Enjoyed watching it over and over again.

James entertains all ages.......2007-01-10

I love this movie, my kids love this movie, my grandkids love this movie. It is a movie for all ages. Very entertaining and provides a strong positive message.

Fill Yourself with Peach Delight!.......2006-11-30

This wonderful fantasy book is filled with tremendous fun for people that love to read magical fairy tale ages 8-13. This story has sad no-reason punishments and exciting revenge. I really recommend kids ages like me to read this book. To me, I think the book is better than the movie, since the book gives more details of the main idea and the movie... well, I'm not saying it's bad but, it just tells the story summarized and it's on TV. The story starts with a little boy named James Henry Trotter, the luckiest boy in the world. When James was 4 years old, his parents got devoured by a hazardous rhinoceros. The rest of his life he lives with his two evil, greedy aunts. Suddenly, a strange man gave James a pack of slimy crocodile tongues! When James runs too fast and drops the pack, it crawls into the ground. Then, when a growing peach comes, the adventure begins!

Average customer rating:

Simply the most wonderful film of all-time!
Brilliant!
Just Beatling along (Inspired by "The Long and Winding Road" - The Beatles)
Girl saves boy
Definitely not a Fiasco

Elizabethtown (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Orlando Bloom , Kirsten Dunst , Susan Sarandon , Alec Baldwin , and Bruce McGill
Director: Cameron Crowe
Manufacturer: Paramount
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: B000CNESJO
Release Date: 2006-02-07

Amazon.com

Elizabethtown has all of the elements of a great Cameron Crowe movie, but none of the Cameron Crowe vision that made Almost Famous work. It's mostly a series of sweet moments, each capped with the right song at the right time; in fact, the soundtrack is the real star of the movie, and the right song is all there is to piece together a film that is much less than the sum of its parts.

From the start of Elizabethtown, big contrasts are evoked: death and life, success and failure are side by side, so we're told. When the movie starts, Drew Baylor (Orlando Bloom) is experiencing failure and death in spades: the shoe he spent eight years designing for Mercury (a thinly-veiled copy of Nike) has been recalled, costing his company $972 million dollars. On the verge of a suicide attempt, he learns his father has died, and Drew flies to Kentucky to retrieve the body to Oregon for cremation. On the red-eye to Louisville he meets Claire Colburn (Kirsten Dunst), a perky flight att'ndant with a charming flair for cute lines ("I'm impossible to forget, but I'm hard to remember," she chirps). Once in Elizabethtown, Drew tries to plan a memorial while dealing with relatives who have their own agenda in addition to his manic family back in Oregon, all while facing the reality that in a few days he'll be known nationally as one of his industry's most legendary failures. Yet still he manages to connect with Claire on an all-night cell phone conversation--complete with the requisite watching of the sunrise--and to strike up a furtive romance.

So we now have death and life side by side. But despite these dramatic shifts, what sets up to be a roller coaster ride of a film flattens out to a milquetoast middle ground with no real life of its own. Drew Baylor has suffered two tragic personal losses in the course of one day, but you wouldn't know it from Bloom's lethargic performance. There's not much to Claire either. Her whole character is made up mostly of cutesy quotable lines and mysterious little smirks. In the end, Elizabethtown is a film that doesn't know what it wants to be, and unfortunately there's no payoff, other than a few memorable lines and a great soundtrack. --Dan Vancini

Product Description

From Oscar winner Cameron Crowe comes "a potent blend of rock 'n' roll and classic romantic comedy." Orlando Bloom stars as Drew Baylor, a hot-shot designer whose life becomes completely unraveled when he loses his father and his job on one fateful day. En route to Elizabethtown to visit his family, Drew meets Claire (Kirsten Dunst). She's beautiful, unstoppably positive, and just the gal to guide Drew on his journey back home and to teach him what it means to live and love along the way. Set against the backdrop of an incredible soundtrack, ELIZABETHTOWN is "an amazing trip of love, loss and laughter."

Customer Reviews:

Simply the most wonderful film of all-time!.......2007-06-16

Everyone has a film that comes along once in a lifetime and forever endears it