Once in the Life

Starring:Jim Breuer, Paul Calderon, Michael Paul Chan, Tiger Chen, Dominic Chianese Jr., Nick Chinlund, Sue Costello, Wanda De Jesus, Justin Pierre Edmund, Alan Francis (III), Gregory Hines, Huey Morgan, Harsh Nayyar, Madison Riley, Annabella Sciorra, Andres Titus, Eamonn Walker, Titus Welliver, Tim White
Studio: Lions Gate
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Laurence Fishburne established himself as one of the most compelling actors making films today with simmering performances that command the screen. With Once in the Life, a tale of small-time crooks on the run from a heist gone wrong, he adds screenwriter and director to his resumé. Adapted by the director from his stage play Riff Raff, he makes himself a triple threat as he also stars as 20/20 Mike, a small-time street hustler who cooks up a drug rip-off with his estranged half-brother Torch (Titus Welliver, reprising his stage role). When simple robbery turns into a fatal bloodbath they hide out in a claustrophobic rat hole and wait for Mike's buddy Tony the Tiger (the intense Eamonn Walker of HBO's cable series Oz). Tony is "out of the life," or so he says. Mike is too trusting to remember the truism that gives the film its title: "Once in the life, always in the life."

Amazon.com

Would you believe the most enchanting musical of the year is an almost four-hour-long epic about a ragtag group of 19th-century Indian farmers who form a cricket team to take on an arrogant British captain? The old-fashioned Hollywood musical is alive and well in India's Bollywood industry, where the joyful explosion of music and dance and innocent romance abounds in sweeping epics. In this infectious tale of bloodless revolution, the underdog outcasts and oddballs of a fractured village pull together into a unified team to take on the oppressive colonial Brits at their own game. Think The Longest Yard meets The Seven Samurai by way of Rudyard Kipling, with cricket bats, choreographed dance numbers, romantic triangles, and a rousing call to solidarity. There are no surprises, but what spirit, what color, what good fun! --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

"You tea drinkers! Fleabags! Bootwearers!".......2007-05-29

Do you want to see a good movie? One that thrills and moves you? Because here's one for you, and forget about Hollywood for now, this one's a foreign motion picture. At around 3 hours and 45 minutes long, LAGAAN (Once Upon A Time In India) is the loooongest film I have ever sat thru. But, you know, it didn't seem that long at all. LAGAAN is a true movie experience and one which I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone who enjoys good movies, period. In its exuberance and full-on commitment, LAGAAN is an unabashed throwback to the cinema of years gone by before sentimentalism and enthusiasm in films became traits to be pooh-poohed and dismissed by the hip and sophisticated audience. And, yes, LAGAAN is a sports movie. And a musical.

The year is 1893. The British Empire controls a wide expanse of India, it's said thru the use of judicious protection racketeering. This is a time when the Englishmen have no qualms in calling the natives "darkies" or "slaves" and ruling them with an iron fist. The desert farming village of Champaner, which lies under the uneasy "guardianship" of Captain Russell's cantonment, has been suffering thru an interminable drought, as "parched eyes scan the sky" in hopes of rain. Despair sinks even deeper for the villagers when Captain Russell (Paul Blackthorne) callously states that, despite the ongoing drought, double lagaan (tax paid out with a portion of the farmer's harvest) would now be required.

But a run-in with the fiery and idealistic villager Bhuvan (Aamir Khan), who makes a dismissive comment about the sport of cricket, influences Russell to capriciously offer a wager: the villagers vs. the British soldiers in a cricket match, with the tax being tripled for the entire province should the Brits win against three years of tax exemption for the province should the villagers prove victorious. Against the counsel of his fellow villagers, Bhuvan takes on the bet. However, contrary to Bhuvan's assertion that cricket was similar to the Indian game of "Gilli-Danda," this British pastime is altogether something new. Now, the men of Champaner have three months to not only prepare for the game of their lives, but to also learn the rules of the sport.

Thanks to Aishwarya Rai, I've been watching Indian cinema for over a year now, and I can say, with good conviction, that LAGAAN is Indian cinema at its finest and most vibrant. Writer/Director Ashutosh Gowariker expertly helms this film and, by weaving an epic storyline with sweeping cinematography and honest acting performances, ends up with a gripping and exciting but still very human drama. Certainly, it's more polished and technically sound than most Bollywood ventures. The protagonists are likable and immensely sympathetic. Actor and producer Aamir Khan comprehends the value of a charismatic leading man and, as the indomitable Bhuvan, he towers over the other characters. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Paul Blackthorne's Captain Russell, the egotistical scoundrel of the film, can only be described by dusting off an old fashioned term, which is "dastardly." In his villainous, one-note tendencies, Russell might as well have twirled his mustache. He's a fun guy to root against. Meanwhile, top supporting actor honors go to the intense-eyed Rajesh Vivek and Yashpal Sharma as, respectively, the brash and half-loony fortune teller Guran (who growls out my favorite insult: "You tea drinkers! Fleabags! Bootwearers!") and the traitorous Lakha.

There's a love story, of course. There's even a love triangle. Newcomer Gracy Singhy is winsome as the plucky and passionate Gauri, who's ever supportive of her Bhuvan. And, as a dancer, she is sublime. Rachel Shelley, with a more reserved part to play in the quietly spirited Elizabeth Russell, imbues her character with a wistful and gentle charm. Both girls are so engaging, it's sad that, for one of them, the ending is bound to be less than happy.

LAGAAN incorporates the best and most exuberant qualities of Bollywood while conforming enough to the western cinematic sensibilities that it becomes accessible for everyone. The songs are heartfelt and well integrated and the dance numbers are lavish and colorful spectacles. Two of the most evocative moments in the film come in the form of songs, as when the villagers prematurely celebrate the onset of rain and, much later, when the villagers, with utter hopelessness sinking in, fervently pray into the night for salvation.

Incidentally, this film had the unlikely result of making me genuinely curious about the sport of cricket (I actually looked up "wicket"). The last third of the movie is entirely devoted to the game itself, as the men of Champaner find themselves contending against overwhelming odds. Now, this was an hour and 20 minutes of cricket, which might be the precursor to baseball but still has its own unfamiliar set of rules. Nevertheless, I was able to follow well enough and became so caught up in the doings that, ultimately, the length of time became immaterial. As one British cricket connoisseur mentions, "Things are certainly beginning to hot up a bit, aren't they?"

Finally, here's how I'll end. This is the movie. An epic tale. An exotic culture. The human condition. Social and racial issues. A defiant stand against oppression. A romance or two. A humorous insult or three. An extended game of cricket. Singing. And dancing. And more singing and dancing. Pure joy. LAGAAN.

Great Intro to Bollywood.......2007-05-12

I saw this movie in tv in Brisbane, Australia somehere in Ausgust 2005.. my 12 yo son loved it and it was his first exposure to Bollywood.. evethough I do not understand how cricket is played.. the movie captivates you, the purity of inetntions, the dances, the presence of a spiritual power that guides the indian collective... sure the political message of the Imperialist racist Englishman is there, though a platonic love between the sister of the bloody captain and the indian boy heroe is displayed... such racisms (from indians to the past english and its reaction, from indians to the english ) is justifiable, yet, I would substract 2 or 3 stars if thats part of a intentional political ad campaign to blame the past colonizers... but well, english were like that (sorry, but thats true), so I am giving the benefit of the doubt and only looking at its artistic value

Pretty, and pretty racist.......2006-11-15

It's a beautiful film, and if you like Bollywood musicals this one has some wonderful choreography. The story is absurd, and probably shouldn't be taken any more seriously than a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta, but even so its version of the Raj is utterly skewed. More importantly, the portrayal of the British "baddies", especially Cpt. Russell, plays on every racist stereotype of an Anglo-Saxon "whitey" (to use the subtitle's term) ever divised. It's a shame Aamir Khan felt that this otherwise-enthralling movie had to cater to the cheapest and most offensive prejudices of his original audience.

Lagaan is thrilling and moving insight into Indian society and the human soul.......2006-11-06

Love story, Bollywood and a moving commentary on the human spirit and compassion this movie has it all! And, for us cricket tragics, capped off with an exciting cricket match with a twist at the end. Dont be put off by the length this is absorbing and easy to watch.

An Oh-So-Human Thrust for Identity and Status.......2006-11-01

"Lagaan" is a masterpiece. The setting, the music, the full range of singing, the craving for love, - all provide stimulating background for the depth of a plot which portrays a strong young man, with failth in himself, and his refusal to be ground under by external forces beyond his control. You, the reader, must step up to the wicket, sooner than you may realize, and defend the slim sticks of your belief in defense of the innate dignity of mankind.

Average customer rating:

If you were an imaginative child...

Once in a Blue Moon
Starring: Julie Bond , Joe Maffei , Michael MacDonald , Nicole Robert , and Cheryl Wilson
Director: Philip Spink
Manufacturer: Platinum Disc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000TWNBA
Release Date: 2003-05-06

Customer Reviews:

If you were an imaginative child..........2005-03-01

...you will really enjoy this movie. There is magic in this movie, and I mean the kind that moves you, not the kind that pulls rabbits from a hat. The performances are all wondefully rendered. Philip Spink has a propensity to cross the line of tolerable absurdity at times (the kid whose family owns the junkyard for example) but all in all, this film is great lesson in imagination.

The only bad thing is that the quality of the DVD is really bad. I taped this movie off of Starz! a couple years ago and the quality is actually better. The extras were nice (Spink and cast commenting on the movie). It seems to have been mastered from VHS and not from the original masters.

Still, this digital format is better than none.

Average customer rating:

Once in a Lifetime
Not so Hot!
Street Art - Live And In Color
A must-see for Titus Welliver fans

Once in the Life
Starring: Jim Breuer , Paul Calderon , Michael Paul Chan , Tiger Chen , and Dominic Chianese Jr.
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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

( O ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Always Outnumbered
First Time Felon
Bad Company
Never 2 Big
Truth Be Told

ASIN: B000056VP9
Release Date: 2001-03-27

Amazon.com

Laurence Fishburne established himself as one of the most compelling actors making films today with simmering performances that command the screen. With Once in the Life, a tale of small-time crooks on the run from a heist gone wrong, he adds screenwriter and director to his resumé. Adapted by the director from his stage play Riff Raff, he makes himself a triple threat as he also stars as 20/20 Mike, a small-time street hustler who cooks up a drug rip-off with his estranged half-brother Torch (Titus Welliver, reprising his stage role). When simple robbery turns into a fatal bloodbath they hide out in a claustrophobic rat hole and wait for Mike's buddy Tony the Tiger (the intense Eamonn Walker of HBO's cable series Oz). Tony is "out of the life," or so he says. Mike is too trusting to remember the truism that gives the film its title: "Once in the life, always in the life."

Customer Reviews:

Once in a Lifetime.......2007-03-09

Mr. Fishburne is a great actor, doesn't get enough exposure. Majority of his films have substance and really leave you thinking about real life.

Not so Hot!.......2005-03-18

Perhaps that's why there were only 2 reviews until I decided to write this one. I suggest that Laurence Fishburne keep his day job. You may grow weary of listening to "Fish" trying to effect a hispanic accent. The story seems weak although Fishburne's acting is not. There are 3 things you may notice in this film. You might notice Tiger Chen who was cast in The Matrix Reloaded and was the last person to be killed by Neo in the Merovingian's mansion. Then if your memory is good enough you may remember a piece of poetry recited here that Fishburne also used in Deep Cover. Then if your memory is really, really good you might recognize Titus Welliver as Torch, who played a gun toting motorcycle club member in Biker Boyz. Other than those items I'm afraid this film is not very interesting. You've been warned!

Street Art - Live And In Color.......2004-07-12

Laurence Fishburne has displayed his talent as an actor in films since the mid 70's. He has memorable performances in the Matrix series and Apocalypse Now and less memorable in Cornbread, Earl, and Me. The point is he has done them and survived in the fickle world of film making.

Now Fishburne writes. This script is not to for the tender ear but if you want to take a walk in the world of the hoodlum and you want to take in style, this film is a delight. The characters are well developed and the plot pulls you right in the room with them.

Emmonn Walker and Titus Welliver put on very good performances as best friend and half brother. The fact that Titus is a white guy makes the half brother thing alittle humorous but it works really well.

The sets were downtown and colorful. The feel was beleivable but at the same time somewhat surreal. I loved the graffitti scenes while Tony was reciting poetry. It shouldn't have fit in a somewhat violent film about a drug steal gone bad; but it did.

Very fine film!

A must-see for Titus Welliver fans.......2001-05-02

Finally an opportunity for Titus Welliver to let his exceptional skills as an actor sparkle. His portrait of Torch, 20/20 Mike's dangerous, scared and increasingly suffering brother, is so intense and captivating, it makes you forget that you are watching a movie. I don't know why he has not been considered for an Academy Award; he certainly would have deserved it.

Product Description

Separated for years, with only a father in common, street-smart brothers 20/20 Mike (Fishburne) and Torch retreat to an abandoned New York building in the aftermath of a drug heist gone sour. But when Mike summons his former partner Tony the Tiger to help the brothers out of a jam, a three-way confrontation erupts, testing the bonds of loyalty, brotherhood and love.

System Requirements:
Starring: Laurence Fishburne, Titus Welliver, Eamonn Walker, Annabella Sciorra, Gregory Hines, and Dominic Chianese Jr.
Directed By: Laurence Fishburne.
Running Time: 107 Min., Color.
This film is presented in "Widescreen" format.
Copyright 2003 Lions Gate Entertainment.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Once in a Lifetime.......2007-03-09

Mr. Fishburne is a great actor, doesn't get enough exposure. Majority of his films have substance and really leave you thinking about real life.

Not so Hot!.......2005-03-18

Street Art - Live And In Color.......2004-07-12

Very fine film!

A must-see for Titus Welliver fans.......2001-05-02

Amazon.com

Intimate, personal, and surprisingly candid, A Father... a Son... Once Upon a Time in Hollywood examines the dynasty of Kirk and Michael Douglas with unprecedented honesty. Because this 2005 HBO documentary was directed by actress/filmmaker Lee Grant (a close friend of the Douglases), it makes no claim of objectivity, and Grant's fawning admiration is readily apparent. On the other hand, Grant is too smart to squander this extraordinary opportunity to chronicle two generations of Hollywood success, and the Douglas family (including 83-year-old Kirk, 60-year-old Michael, and most of their extended families) participate with a warts-and-all assessment of their complex family relationships. While much of the film consists of film clips that span the length of Kirk and Michael's stellar careers, this professional material is smoothly combined with home movies, photographs, and revealing present-day interviews that emphasize the remarkable and turbulent journey that this family has taken.

Through triumphs (including Academy Awards and international honors for political activism) and tragedies (such as the death of Kirk's youngest son, Eric, from an accidental overdose), Grant shapes the Douglas saga into a universal tale of human complexity, from the chronic infidelities of father and son (both resulting in divorce from their first wives) to the hardship of Michael's struggle to emerge from his famous father's Hollywood shadow. Their long-standing dispute over the success of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (one of Kirk's pet projects, which Michael ultimately coproduced without Kirk's involvement) remains a sticky point, and Michael openly acknowledges that Kirk was not a good father in their early years as a family. But what ultimately emerges, through the probing lenses of Grant's multiple cameras, is a decades-long process of forgiveness and reconciliation, and the father-son conversations here literally glow with mutual love and respect, strengthened by Kirk's tenacious recovery from a stroke in 1996. You could remove fame and wealth from this familial equation, and the Douglas saga would still be a remarkable reflection of the American dream, or as Kirk calls it, "the tragedy of failure, and the tragedy of success." Touching and joyously generous in spirit, Grant's film is truly one-of-a-kind. --Jeff Shannon

Description

HBO presents a fascinating portrait of two charismatic Oscar*-winners who share, along with a last name, a passion for movies, women, family, and taking risks. An extraordinary glimpse into the private side of a Hollywood dynasty, the film includes exclusive recent conversations with Kirk Douglas (who speaks candidly about the challenges he's faced since suffering a stroke in 1996) and Michael Douglas, as well as other family members and friends, drawing upon dozens of film clips to illustrate how the public and private lives of each actor often intersected. The documentary was directed by Academy Award*-winning actress and documentarian Lee Grant, whose close friendship with Michael Douglas allowed her unfettered access to the two legends..

Average customer rating:

For Once in My Life
Starring: Tony Bennett
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

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Average customer rating:

Tony Bennett - Live in Concert

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Tony Bennett's New York
Tony Bennett - MTV Unplugged: The Video

ASIN: B000C03NP2

Product Description

This exclusive DVD recorded before a live studio audience for Canadian TV, features the inimitable Tony Bennett at his very best. His easy relaxed manner and velvet smooth, easy on the ear voice enthralls and enchants the audience from opening line to the very last note. An international singing legend, with over 30 million records to his credit. Tony has been recording and performing in cabaret for almost 50 years. Frank Sinatra is reported to have proclaimed Tony Bennett to be the best singer in the world praise indeed from someone of Sinatra's stature. Enjoy an evening with Tony Bennett, one of the finest singers of popular songs that has ever lived. TRACK LIST: 1) Change; 2) Can This Be Love; 3) My Funny Valentine; 4) Just in Time; 5) Who Can I Turn To; 6) Rags to Riches; 7) Lullaby of Broadway; 8) Something; 9) O Solo Mio; 10) Sing You Sinner; 11) Because of You; 12) I Left My Heart in San Francisco; 13) Don't Get Around Much Anymore; 14) Smoking, Drinking, Thinking (Sophisticated Lady); 15) In My Solitude; 16) It Don't Mean a Thing; 17) For Once in My Life. ++++ DVD FEATURES: This officially licensed release from South Korea is All-Region NTSC Code 0 (playable worldwide) with Dolby Digital Sound in ENGLISH (with optional subtitles in English, also).

Average customer rating:

Once in a Lifetime
Not so Hot!
Street Art - Live And In Color
A must-see for Titus Welliver fans

Once in the Life [Region 2]

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

( O ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Always Outnumbered
First Time Felon
Bad Company
Never 2 Big
Truth Be Told

ASIN: B00007JGCL

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Once in a Lifetime.......2007-03-09

Mr. Fishburne is a great actor, doesn't get enough exposure. Majority of his films have substance and really leave you thinking about real life.

Not so Hot!.......2005-03-18

Street Art - Live And In Color.......2004-07-12

Very fine film!

A must-see for Titus Welliver fans.......2001-05-02

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Once in a Lifetime.......2007-03-09

Mr. Fishburne is a great actor, doesn't get enough exposure. Majority of his films have substance and really leave you thinking about real life.

Not so Hot!.......2005-03-18

Street Art - Live And In Color.......2004-07-12

Very fine film!

A must-see for Titus Welliver fans.......2001-05-02

This is not an easy movie to watch, but the cast, the story and Laurence Fishburne's talent as a story-teller makes it a breathtaking experience for those who enjoy theatrical cinema.

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