Mac

Starring:John Amos, Michael Badalucco, Ellen Barkin, Katherine Borowitz, Carl Capotorto, Dennis Farina, Michael Glynn (VI), Olek Krupa, Kaiulani Lee, Stephi Lineburg, James Madio, Stretch' Merced, Joe Paparone, Steven Randazzo, Richard Spore, Mike Starr, Matthew Sussman, Nicholas Turturro, Herbert E. Weltz
Studio: Sony Pictures
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

should be retitled "Zeta-Jones's Twelve"
This is lazy `sequel' that tends to do nothing but bring back a bunch of celebrities
Boring...
oh come on george clooney is in it
one of the worst sequels ever

Ocean's Twelve
Starring: Brad Pitt , Catherine Zeta-Jones , George Clooney , Ed Kross , and Julia Roberts
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Ocean's Eleven (Widescreen Edition)
The Bourne Supremacy (Widescreen Edition)
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ASIN: B0007P0XBO
Release Date: 2005-04-12

Amazon.com

Like its predecessor Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve is a piffle of a caper, a preposterous plot given juice and vitality by a combination of movie star glamour and the exuberant filmmaking skill of director Steven Soderbergh (Out of Sight, The Limey). The heist hijinks of the first film come to roost for a team of eleven thieves (including the glossy mugs of Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Bernie Mac, and Don Cheadle), who find themselves pursued not only by the guy they robbed (silky Andy Garcia), but also by a top-notch detective (plush Catherine Zeta-Jones) and a jealous master thief (well-oiled Vincent Cassel) who wants to prove that team leader Danny Ocean (dapper George Clooney) isn't the best in the field. As if all that star power weren't enough--and the eternally coltish Julia Roberts also returns as Ocean's wife--one movie star cameo raises the movie's combined wattage to absurd proportions. But all these handsome faces are matched by Soderbergh's visual flash, cunning editing, and excellent use of Amsterdam, Paris, and Rome, among other highly decorative locations. The whole affair should collapse under the weight of its own silliness, but somehow it doesn't--the movie's raffish spirit and offhand wit soar along, providing lightweight but undeniable entertainment. --Bret Fetzer

Description

They're back. And then some. Twelve is the new eleven when Danny Ocean and pals return in a sequel to the cool caper that saw them pull off a $160 million heist. But 160 million doesn't go as far as it used to. Not with everyone spending like sailors on leave. Not with a mysterious someone stalking Danny and crew. It's time to pull off another stunner of a plan?or plans. With locations including Amsterdam, Paris and Rome, the direction of Steven Soderbergh and the original cast plus Catherine Zeta-Jones and others, Twelve is your lucky number.

Customer Reviews:

should be retitled "Zeta-Jones's Twelve".......2007-06-13

The plot was slightly more serious in this film, and it was dominated by Pitt and Zeta-Jones (mostly Zeta-Jones). The main drawbacks for the sequel are that the heist is not the major focus, the "supporting" characters did not get the opportunity to play pivotal roles in the heist, and it lacked the lighthearted atmosphere and stylishness of the first film. While Catherine Zeta-Jones is a very lovely woman, I felt that her plot was dull, interesting and terribly predictable, and I despised her character as the foil. The sub-plot (the heist) and the other characters deserved more screen time because that is what made me love the first movie. Can't really say much more about the movie because it was utterly forgettable and a waste of time.

This is lazy `sequel' that tends to do nothing but bring back a bunch of celebrities.......2007-06-13

"Ocean's Twelve" faces the same difficulties as any sequel. By this I don't mean those movies that are essential components to trilogies that continue the story; I mean those movies that basically take an established cast and throw them in a completely new storyline. The problem is trying to meet the expectations of an audience that loved the first and wants a new movie to love for all the same reasons. So many people were disappointed to learn that "Ocean's Twelve" was not yet another heist movie.

This film had to be a sequel. The plot takes advantage of the relationships the characters developed in the first film, and throws in many subtle jokes the average viewer may miss if they don't listen closely. Some of the phrases like "thief a la mode" used in the film may require a bit of culture to appreciate. While Ocean's teams do work together in the same fashion as the first film, the thievery itself doesn't take the spotlight in the film. "Ocean's Eleven" was the traditional heist film in its plot development with its climax at the point of executing the plan. Ocean's Twelve breaks away from this formula in favor of developing opportunities for some great character interaction.

The film disappoints with many characters taking a back seat in their roles to such an extent that the film could have been named after Pitt's character, with the Benedict aftermath merely serving as a catalyst for the characters finding their way back together. However, it would have been unreasonable for all eleven original characters to share an equal share of the spotlight and still turn out as well. The story is more about Brad Pitt and Catherine Zeta-Jones than George Clooney and Julia Roberts. The rest of the cast perform very well and the guest-star appearances, including an unforgettable one by Bruce Willis, are hysterical. Half of the time I was unsure if the actors were even acting!! It appeared as if they were not even looking at the script, and instead talking amongst themselves like, "Hey, so how you've been?". "Oh, I `v been good, the kids at home are taking up a lot of my time, ya know". Come on now, really.

In the end, "Ocean's Twelve" is not a mere heist film but an Intelligent Comedy that may need to be watched more than once to appreciate some of the subtleties in the dialog. Just the amount of activity on this film's message board regarding some of the subtleties in the plot is a testament to the thought that went into making this film. Will "Ocean 13" rectify this, well I would have to go see it for myself.

Boring..........2007-06-11

The first movie was great! i loved it! I expected this to be as great as the first or maybe even greater but it failed to deliver. The plot was not great and it was kind of boring... But I was glad to see the actors come back for the sequel.

oh come on george clooney is in it.......2007-06-10

there were some good moments...definitely will watch it again

i never saw it on the big screen and i got myself a cheap copy and sat down and had myself an oceans marathon

the breakdancing/laser scene is pretty interesting and i will always love george

one of the worst sequels ever.......2007-06-09

an absolute waste of talent on this film...its so bad...i remember zeta-jones being fun to look at and also a cool cameo by bruce willis...but the heist was awful and that thief guy looks like a rat....some of the dialogue was funny but other than that this one's a yawner..bigtime

Average customer rating:

the boys are back
Have you ever watched a film where you wanted the bad guys to win?
WOW DANG ONE OF THE BEST MOVE
My son't favorite movie
stealing from a casino....crazy!

Ocean's Eleven (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Don Cheadle , George Clooney , Holly Marie Combs , Matt Damon , and Michael de Lano
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000062XHI
Release Date: 2002-05-07

Product Description

Danny Ocean likes his chances. All he asks is that his handpicked squad of 10 grifters and cons play the game like they have nothing to lose. If all goes right, the payoff will be a fat $150 million. Divided by 11. You do the math.

System Requirements:
Starring: George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, and Elliott Gould.
Directed By: Steven Soderbergh.
Running Time: 116 Min., Color.
This film is presented in "Standard" format.
Copyright 2002 Warner Home Video.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com essential video

Ocean's Eleven improves on 1960's Rat Pack original with supernova casting, a slickly updated plot, and Steven Soderbergh's graceful touch behind the camera. Soderbergh reportedly relished the opportunity "to make a movie that has no desire except to give pleasure from beginning to end," and he succeeds on those terms, blessed by the casting of George Clooney as Danny Ocean, the title role originated by Frank Sinatra. Fresh out of jail, Ocean masterminds a plot to steal $163 million from the seemingly impervious vault of Las Vegas's Bellagio casino, not just for the money but to win his ex-wife (Julia Roberts) back from the casino's ruthless owner (Andy Garcia). Soderbergh doesn't scrimp on the caper's comically intricate strategy, but he finds greater joy in assembling a stellar team (including Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, and Carl Reiner) and indulging their strengths as actors. The result is a film that's as smooth as a silk suit and just as stylish. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

the boys are back.......2007-06-08

nice to have all the ocean series good entertainment for a rainy day for myself and guests

Have you ever watched a film where you wanted the bad guys to win?.......2007-06-01

I have trouble calling this a remake, because it doesn't share much in common with the `rat pack' original except the name of the lead character and that it is a casino heist. Actually, this is a better film than its namesake, apart from the fact that the cast of the original was filled with entertainment legends.

Director Soderbergh takes a vacation from serious filmmaking with this film, which on his resume is something of a lark. Everyone seems to be having a good time and it is clear that the actors enjoyed making this film. The overhauled screenplay pops with snappy dialogue, riddled with deadpan humor and a decent, though somewhat far fetched plot. It has a little of the whimsical feel of `The Sting', though the screenplay isn't as strong. A crew of professional thieves plans to knock over three casinos on a fight night by raiding the impregnable vault that serves all three. The plan is elaborate, full of high tech wizardry, daring deceptions and acrobatic stunts. The caper runs into more than the normal amount of foul ups, but our devious team of burglars is always up to the task of working around the glitches.

The cast is very solid. George Clooney is perfectly cast as the brainchild of the scheme. He is dapper, macho and smooth with a sardonic wit that keeps the film's tone serious yet light. Brad Pitt plays the always eating Rusty, who is really the brains behind the operation, coordinating it flawlessly. Except for `The Mexican', this is much lighter material than Pitt usually tackles, yet he gives a suave performance seeming very comfortable with his character. Despite the fact that this is an ensemble cast, Pitt carries a lot of the weight and makes the story as close to believable as could be possible given its improbable nature.

Don Cheadle continues to impress, rendering a terrific demolitions expert. His cockney accent is great and with this part Cheadle shows once again what a terrific character actor he is. In a little twist of irony, Cheadle plays an analogous part in this film to that played by Sammy Davis, Jr. in the original, and he also played Sammy in the TV movie entitled `The Rat Pack'. Poor Andy Garcia has the thankless task of playing the heavy in a tongue-in-cheek film, but he does a marvelous job. Matt Damon plays the rookie, giving the character a charming naiveté and a mischievous bent. Julie Roberts is nothing more than a throw in, with a minor role as Ocean's ex-wife.

If you don't take this film too seriously, you are in for an entertaining evening. It is smartly done without too much melodrama, and provides just enough suspense and realism to keep it from being a farce.

WOW DANG ONE OF THE BEST MOVE.......2007-05-08

NOW I COULD EASYLY SAY THIS WILL GO DOWN AS ONE OF THE GRATEST MOVE EVER MADE IN THE WORLD THAT IS SO FOR SHORE & THAT IS PUTTING IT LIGHTLY

My son't favorite movie.......2007-05-07

My son loves this movie. He found the ratings on Amazon pretty much perfect. The music is really good.

stealing from a casino....crazy!.......2007-04-30

George Clooney plays Danny Ocean. Danny just got out of prison for a mistake he made 5 years ago. Along with that mistake, he lost his wife. Coming out of prison doesn't deter him from crime. He immediately rounds up 10 men to help him steal from a vault that stores money from 3 casinos. This is a big and dangerous mission. There has been 3 attempts to rob the casinos and none of them have been successful.

In the midst of their planning and training, an tidbit of information comes to light. The owner of these casinos is Terry Benedict (Garcia). That's not the important part. The important part is that Terry's current girlfriend is Tess (Roberts). Tess is Danny's ex-wife. So the question is...is Danny doing this for the money or is he doing this for his ex-wife? Of course, the gang is upset as it puts the mission in jeopardy.

Nonetheless, the mission continues with some adjustments. The question is will Ocean and his gang succeed with the mission?

I have to say that *Ocean's Eleven* is one of the best heist film that I've seen in recent years. I may not have agreed with the selection of actors but I do have to say that the chemistry between them was great.

The Last of the Mohicans (Director's Expanded Edition)

Average customer rating:

Get the VHS
Moving
1757: The new world...
Have to agree with some
Doesn't follow book,but still good movie

The Last of the Mohicans (Director's Expanded Edition)
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis , Madeleine Stowe , Russell Means , Eric Schweig , and Jodhi May
Director: Michael Mann
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005221M
Release Date: 2001-01-23

Amazon.com

Wildly romantic, daringly exciting, Michael Mann's film of James Fenimore Cooper's novel created a new babe magnet out of Daniel Day-Lewis, he of the heaving pecs and flowing mane. As Hawkeye, he plays an American settler raised by the Mohicans who is forced to serve as a guide for British adventurism in upstate New York. But the British have been outflanked by the French (and their Indian allies); then British honor is betrayed when a band of renegades assaults them during their retreat. Mann captures the viciousness of this era's hand-to-hand combat in startling battle scenes. But he also invests the film with heartfelt romance, as the feelings swell between Day-Lewis and Madeleine Stowe. The ending is a stunner, a long, nearly wordless sequence of battle and loss. Strong performances all around, particularly by Russell Means as Chingachgook and Wes Studi as the evil Magua. --Marshall Fine

Description

An epic adventure and passionate romance unfold against the panorama of a frontier wilderness ravaged by war. Academy Award® winner Daniel Day-Lewis (Best Actor in 1989 for My Left Foot) stars as Hawkeye, rugged frontiersman and adopted son of the Mohicans, and Madeleine Stowe is Cora Munro, aristocratic daughter of a proud British Colonel. Their love, tested by fate, blazes amidst a brutal conflict between the British, the French and Native American allies that engulfs the majestic mountains and cathedral-like forests of Colonial America.

Customer Reviews:

Get the VHS.......2007-06-27

I watched this movie in the theater when it first came
out. I bought the VHS when it came out.
I loved the movie, the music, and the action. The scenery
is breathtaking and the movie flowed very well with superb
performances by almost everyone.
When the DVD came out I wanted to get the better picture
and audio effect. The Cinematography is breathtaking.
The clearness of the scenes is great.

I was disappointed by the cuttings in the Director's
"Expanded Edition". To much was cut and not enough
was added. The VHS cinematography is close to the DVD.
You have more continuity in the movie, and don't have to
listen to Russell Means (usually brillant) ramble at the
end and make the final moments of great emotion into a
a rambling.

Save your money and stick with the VHS.

Moving.......2007-05-30

I never tire of watching this spectacular movie and enjoyed seeing the expanded version. I was surprised at how well I know the movie and was aware of all the changes.

Thank you for the visual beauty, haunting music and passionate story.

1757: The new world..........2007-05-26

HAVING SEEN AND TALKED TO RUSSELL MEANS AND DENNIS BANKS AND BEING MARRIED TO AN INDIAN THIS MOVIE MAKES CHILLS RUN DOWN YOUR SPINE. IT'S 1757 ON THE AMERICAN FRONTIER AND SUDDENLY YOU ARE THERE. SO WHAT IF IT DOES NOT TRACK THE BOOK EXACTLY? MOVIES SELDOM DO. THEY CAN'T. 90 MIN. IS NOT ENOUGH TIME. WOULD YOU WANT TO SIT THROUGH AN EXHAUSTIVE EXPOSITION OF EVERY DETAIL? ALSO I WORKED WITH THE MAN WHO WAS TATTOO CONSULTANT FOR THE MOVIE. MUCH INSIGHT FROM HIM...
ANOTHER GOOD "HISTORY" MOVIE IS THE NEW WORLD WHICH IS MORE OR LESS HISTORICALLY ACCURATE. I LOVE GOOD HISTORY MOVIES!

Have to agree with some.......2007-05-08

I love the original movie. It is one of my most feel good movies of all time. I was really disappointed with the way they edited this dvd. The vocal part that is missing was a huge hole in what was a wonderful movie. Why do they have to mess things up that have a good thing going for them.

Doesn't follow book,but still good movie.......2007-04-05

After reading the book,it became my favorite.So I was disappointed that the movie did not follow the book very much.About half the book was missing from the movie and the relationship between Hawkeye and Cora is all Hollywood.In the book,Cora and Uncas die.Not Alice,Uncas,and Heyward.And I was so heartbroken by the portrayal of Heyward as a cold,heartless military man who meets his demise at the stake.That is not how he was in the book at all!I do give the movie makers credit,however for the stellar score and realistic storytelling.It was not a bad movie,it was just disappointing if you're expecting the same story as the book.

Average customer rating:

Sentimental, But It Works!
The key to enjoying this movie...
Good Show
A Big Hit for the Elementary School Boys Crowd
Could have been better...

Memphis Belle
Starring: Matthew Modine , Eric Stoltz , Tate Donovan , D.B. Sweeney , and Billy Zane
Director: Michael Caton-Jones
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6304936362
Release Date: 1998-05-27

Amazon.com

If you've never seen an aviation movie before in your entire life, you'll be blissfully ignorant of the fact that Memphis Belle shamelessly (and yet gloriously) incorporates just about every cliché in the flight-movie handbook. If you're a big fan of aviation movies--especially movies about World War II bomber crews--you'll be glad that the genre's clichés have been handled with such professional flair. As it follows the crew of a B-17 bomber on its final and most dangerous mission over Germany, Memphis Belle may be little more than a slick and highly authentic presentation of familiar thrills and characters, but it's a rousing piece of entertainment. Featuring an ensemble cast of fresh faces who've since enjoyed thriving careers (including Billy Zane, Sean Astin, Eric Stoltz, D.B. Sweeney, and Harry Connick Jr.), the movie exists as a fitting tribute to the men who fought and often died in the air over hostile territory. It's the Hollywood version of a 1944 wartime documentary made by legendary director William Wyler (whose daughter served as one of this film's producers), and as such it's a bit contrived and melodramatic. And yet, this exciting movie is almost certain to grab and hold your attention, offering an honorable reminder of the bravery and integrity that were crucial ingredients of any bomber's crew. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Sentimental, But It Works!.......2007-06-17

1990's "Memphis Belle" may be sentimental, corny, and cliched, but as a movie about bomber crews flying dangerous routes over Nazi Germany, it works wonderfully well. Only the most cynical of viewers will failed to be moved by its simple but effective story.

"Memphis Belle" is based on the story of a real-life B-17 about to finish 25 combat missions, after which its crew will be eligible to rotate home from the war in Europe. Their final mission will be a daylight run over Dresden, a heavily defended target. An ensemble cast headed by Matthew Modine as the sober young pilot-in-charge goes through its flight preparations, while a series of short vignettes introduces the viewer to the individual members of the crew. The stand-out young cast includes Eric Stoltz as a radio operator with aspirations of being a poet; Tate Donovan as the cocky, attention-seeking co-pilot; Billy Zane as a bombardier who is about to pay a price for living a lie; DB Sweeney as the flak-happy navigator; and in a superb cameo, jazz musician Harry Connick, Jr, as the tail gunner. Connick, by the way, does a impressive job on an improvised version of "Danny Boy" early in the movie.

The action involving the aircrew is nicely balanced by a subplot on the ground, as a war-weary Bomber Group commander (earnestly played by David Straitharn) must reel in a cynical public affairs officer (John Lithgow). Their confrontation provides context to what is happening to the Memphis Belle in the air.

The final mission turns into a nightmare of flak, enemy fighters, casualties, and mechanical failures, as the crews ends up nursing a stricken bomber towards its home field in England. The final minutes of the movie should leave no viewer unmoved.

This movie is highly recommended to those looking for an entertaining and fairly realistic movie on the bomber campaign against Hitler's Germany.

The key to enjoying this movie..........2007-05-21

...is to realize that, although no single plane and crew experienced everything that's shown happening to the Memphis Belle in this film -- and certainly not on a single mission -- nevertheless, everything that is shown undoubtedly happened to many, many planes and crews during the long bombing campaign in the European theater. To watch this movie is to get a small taste of the fear, tragedy, and triumph experienced by those brave men (and boys).
Several years ago, I stood in my back yard and watched a vintage P-51 Mustang (the "little friends" of this movie) roar overhead at low altitude on its way to an air show at a nearby airport. I was stunned at the raw power of that 60 year old aircraft, which made today's small Cessna-type aircraft seem like mosquitos in comparison. Watching "Memphis Belle", I couldn't help but feel that the 40s were in some way the peak of manned flight. Today we have supersonic or hypersonic flight, and are beginning to see pilot-less combat aircraft. It seems to me that none of them compare to those big, lumbering, steel and plexiglass B-17s and their young, inexperienced crews.

Good Show.......2007-03-24

I liked this movie. The airplanes in this movie are getting rare, and I like the historical aspect of the movie. We should all remember what those men did for our freedom. I would not have wanted to be in their shoes. I am thankful to be an American!

A Big Hit for the Elementary School Boys Crowd.......2007-03-23

We purchased this DVD for our friends' son's 7th birthday. He is obsessed with airplanes. He usually fast-forwards movies to get to any scene with a fighter jet. This is his favorite movie, so of course he loved the gift. We haven't been able to find it locally for sale, only for rent. I would recommend this to anyone who has a son/nephew/etc who is into airplanes.

Could have been better..........2007-02-23

I wish I could give this movie a better rating but I saw it on cable a little while ago and it set me thinking. My problem is that the movie is a bit too prosaic and formulaic. It suffers from a weak script. Most of the crew are the clean-cut, all American boys from the movies of the war era and, as such, they lack definition, individuality and some credibility. The song by Harry Connick seems like a gratuitous addition. Having said that, it was good to see some of the old warbirds in the air and the movie gains life when the mission actually begins.
I took my Dad to see the movie when it was in the theaters. He was an waist gunner on a B-17 in 1943 and I was interested in his reaction. He said he'd seen most of the instances portrayed except the mid-air collision. He also managed to tell me a few more things over the years before he passed: like the time a plane blew up on the ground while being loaded for a mission or the time their tail gunner bailed out after the plane was hit and the communications link was shattered. He also saw men fall to their knees in tears out of fear of the upcoming mission. Anyone who has stood in a B-17 and seen the thin sheet aluminum and bracing that was their protection will realize how naked these men must have felt. They deserve a grittier and more nuanced homage than this film gives them.
It's not that it's a bad film; it's better than the juvenalia of the more recent Pearl Harbor but lacks the strength that made the series Band of Brothers so exceptional.

Average customer rating:

Pride Is The Right Title
Pride, Determination, Resilience
Teaching Pride through Swimming

Pride (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Terrence Howard , Bernie Mac , Kimberly Elise , Tom Arnold , and Brandon Fobbs
Director: Sunu Gonera
Manufacturer: Lionsgate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000Q7ZNYU
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Description

Based on true events, PRIDE is the inspiring story of Jim Ellis, a charismatic schoolteacher in the 1970s who changed lives forever when he founded an African-American swim team in one of Philadelphia's roughest neighborhoods.

Customer Reviews:

Pride Is The Right Title.......2007-07-01

I have seen a lot of these types of films throughout my life. Where the odds are against someone and it seems impossible to accomplish a goal. I've seen it in kids movies, comedy, and even more serious ones like this one. To be honest they get boring after a while because you know that there are really only two outcomes, they win or they lose. Pride kills that feeling I had and made me feel pretty good. It gives you an amazing feeling watching it, I believe that feeling is pride. The film starts 10 years earlier at a very important swim meet. Terrence Howard plays Jim Ellis, a young man that just wants to compete. At the meet Jim is told by his coach that the other teams and judges don't want him to swim because he is African American. His coach supports him and tells him to swim anyway but the teams still refuse to swim and he has no competition.

Now it is 1974 in Philadelphia and even after finishing college Jim is turned down for jobs he's qualified for. After a long frustrating job hunt Jim accepts a job cleaning up the Philadelphia Department of Recreation so it can be closed down in a few months. There he meets janitor Elston (Bernie Mack) who is very close to the building having been there when it was opened many years ago. Instead of tearing the building down Jim ends up really cleaning it up, even the swimming pool. The two become good friends after a while and accomplish a great thing. Jim runs into some kids who have athletic potential and some funny jokes as well. The kids just play basketball all day but now their rim is being taken down because the center is closing down.

On a very hot day Jim lets them in to swim and cool off but they got a lot more than that. Jim coaches the kids on to become great swimmers and even break the same racial barrier that he suffered 10 years ago. Because there are so many characters it's a bit hard to explain everyone without making this a very long review. What I will say is that each character will definitely get to you. This is a true story that is great to see on screen. A few actors really stuck out to me, of course Kimberly Elise was great and Bernie Mack wasn't just doing comedy. Bernie did a great job in showing his love for the Rec Center and also the kids. Evan Ross showed great potential playing a character that really isn't easy. I understand that Terrence Howard got nominated for awards for Hustle & Flow but this is the film he deserves those for and I hope he gets them.

The casting period was perfect; all of these actors did a great job. It's easy to take a star and fault the film because there have been so many like it before it but I won't take that star. What you'll be watching it for is to get that feeling it gives you when you see what Jim Ellis does. To see how he changed something that was dying into something that creates amazing swimmers to this day and even one that is going to the Olympics. The DVD had great quality and pretty good extras. I'd recommend this to anyone and everyone; it's a great movie that has the right title.

Pride, Determination, Resilience.......2007-06-27

PRIDE does not open any new doors in the genre of film biopics of teachers who raise the status of downtrodden students to the point of genuine appreciation of self worth. The story has been told countless times with different characters, both male and female, different races (African American, Hispanic, Caucasian, etc), and different areas of the United States. But despite the recurring similarity of heart-on-the-sleeve stories such as this, PRIDE stands solidly on its own merits, in part due to the well developed and written screenplay by Kevin Michael Smith, Michael Gozzard, J. Mills Goodloe, and Norman Vance Jr. based on the life and contributions to society of Jim Ellis, in part due to the sensitive direction of Sunu Gonera, and in part due to the fine cast. The idea behind the story may not be new, but PRIDE is a fine example of the genre.

Opening in the 1960s we meet Jim Ellis (Terrence Howard) as a superior swimmer unable to use his gifts because of his race. Jump 10 years forward and Ellis has finished college as a math major and seeks to teach in Philadelphia, only to face racism again. Desperate for work he accepts a 'closing down' job at a condemned Philadelphia Recreation Center tended by downtrodden Elston (Bernie Mac) who resents Ellis' intrusion into his domain. Ellis restores the center's swimming pool and gradually initiates a swim team for troubled teens, young boys and a girl who are new to swimming and even newer to the thought that they can become someone important and rise out of their slum surroundings and influence of drug lords. With time Ellis teaches the team not only how to swim like champions, but also how to gain faith in themselves through PDR (Pride, Determination, Resilience), eventually winning a championship as a team of African Americans in a city still plagued by racism.

The cast is excellent: Terrence Howard once again proves he can create a character of complete credibility, completely immersing himself in a role with all of the subtle facilities of fine acting; Bernie Mac at last is given a serious role and rises to the level of Howard in skill; Kimberly Elise and Tom Arnold provide fine cameo roles. But one of the treasures of this film is the cast of young actors who seem so natural that they deserve special plaudits: Brandon Fobbs, Alphonso McAuley, Regine Nehy, Nate Parker, Kevin Phillips, and Evan Ross. Clint Eastwood's son Scott Reeves plays a pivotal role as a racist swimmer.

So despite the overexposure of stories such as this, PRIDE stands out as one of the best. It is a beautifully filmed and well-developed homage to a very worthy man and coach: PDR. Grady Harp, June 07

Teaching Pride through Swimming.......2007-06-26

Jim Ellis (Terrence Howard) loves to swim. During the 60's, he joined his schools swim team, which created problems. Jim is African American, and the white competitors in North Carolina weren't happy to be competing against him.

10 years later, Jim has landed in Philadelphia. Despite his credential to teach math, the only job he can get is cleaning out the recreation center in the poor part of town. It's scheduled to be torn down soon. The only person inside the building is maintenance man Elston (Bernie Mac). The closest anyone else comes to it is playing basketball outside.

That changes one day when the basketball hoops are taken down in the march toward tearing down the center. As five of the guys stand there fuming about the loss of the hoops, Jim invites them in to use the pool.

Slowly, Jim gains their trust and begins to teach them the fundamentals of swimming. They gain enough skill to ask to go to a meet, hoping to meet women. But do five men and one woman really have the skills to compete against all male teams who have been training for years?

Okay, let's get the obvious out of the way first. This is an underdog sports movie featuring kids from a bad neighborhood. Picturing every cliche that normally brings to mind? Yep, they're here.

But, is this movie worth seeing? Absolutely.

As is always needed for a film like this to succeed, you need to become attached to the characters. Jim is a sympathetic character from the start, and the youth he's working with grow on you quickly as well. The result is a movie that truly does inspire.

To top is off, the acting is great. Terrence Howard is absolutely believable as Jim. His drive to reach the kids comes through in every scene. I'm not usually a Bernie Mac fan, but he did a great job as well with a part that is mostly series with a few comic bits thrown in. And the kids were all great.

I do have a couple complaints. The minor one is the needless slowing down of the climax. The two swimmers in the final race are slowed way down to build suspense. And I do mean way down. It was beyond laughable.

My bigger complaint was the language. Considering the PG rating, I was surprised by the handful of "s" words that littered the film. Not as surprising were the few racial epithets used. Unfortunately, they fit the time period and setting of the film.

This film isn't highly original, but it is inspiring. And if that's what you want to watch, you could do much worse then this great film.

Average customer rating:

A truly bad movie
James Franco Becomes the next Ace Movie Pilot
Painfully fake
Not bad if you ignore the facts.
pretty good wwi movie

Flyboys (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: James Franco , Scott Hazell , Mac McDonald , Philip Winchester , and Todd Boyce
Director: Tony Bill
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000LAZE8C
Release Date: 2007-01-30

Amazon.com

World War I aviation action gets an impressive digital upgrade in Flyboys, a welcome addition to the "dogfight" sub-genre that includes such previous war-in-the-air films like Hell's Angels, Wings, and The Blue Max. While those earlier films had the advantage of real and genuinely dangerous flight scenes (resulting, in some cases, in fatal accidents during production), Flyboys takes full (and safe) advantage of the digital revolution, with intensely photo-realistic recreations of WWI aircraft, authentic period structures, and CGI environments requiring a total of 850 digital effects shots, resulting in an abundance of amazing images, many of them virtually indistinguishable from reality. Unfortunately, the film's technical achievement is more impressive than its screenplay, which conventionally and predictably tells the fact-based story, set in France in 1916, of the daring young pilots of the Lafayette Escadrille, a pioneering French air-combat unit that welcomed American enlistees prior to the United States' entry into the war.

There's a familiar cliché to match every thrilling scene of aerial combat, but director Tony Bill manages to keep it all interesting, from the romance between a young American maverick (James Franco) and a pretty French girl (newcomer Jennifer Decker) to the exciting action in the air, which includes a stock variety of heroes (many of them composites of real-life WWI pilots) and an intimidating villain known only as "The Black Falcon," whose Fokker Dr-1 triplane (one of many in the film) recalls the exploits of German "ace of aces" Manfred von Richtofen, the dreaded "Red Baron" of legend. With impeccable production values that will impress even the most nit-picking aviation buffs, Flyboys (like Superman Returns and Apocalypto, also released in 2006) was also one of the first feature films to be shot with Panavision's state-of-the-art Genesis digital cameras, resulting in beautiful images that meet or exceed the visual nuance of film. Flyboys also benefits from painstaking attention to physical detail, making it easier to forgive its shortcomings as a generic and formulaic slice of romanticized history. So while some viewers may have wished for a more realistic and grown-up depiction of the Lafayette Escadrille, it's safe to say that Flyboys will be thrilling its target audience for many years to come. --Jeff Shannon

Extras from Flyboys

Director Tony Bill on Filming Dogfight Sequences
...On throwing away the script for pilot training
...On the real-life stunt pilot who stars in the film

Beyond Flyboys

More "War in the Sky" Films
SPA124 Lafayette Escadrille: American Volunteer Airmen in World War 1

More "Military and War" Films

Stills from Flyboys

Description

Inspired by the true story of the legendary Lafayette Escadrille, this action-packed epic tells the tale of America's first fighter pilots. These courageous young men distinguish themselves in a manner that none before them had dared, becoming true heroes who experience triumph, tragedy, love, and loss amid the chaos of World War I. Hang on for the ride of your life!

Customer Reviews:

A truly bad movie.......2007-07-03

Considering the richness of the subject matter and the real life stories of those who lived it this was a truly bad movie. The makers tried to tell everything and as a result told nothing. The characters were unbelieveably superficial and too many of the flying scenes were historically inaccurate and unreal. If a few special effects are good too many are not necessarly better. The Blue Max and Battle of Britain are far far superior. For those who are willing to put up with a mess just to look at recreations of old airplanes its probably worth buying but be prepared for alot of dissapointment if you are looking for a good movie.

James Franco Becomes the next Ace Movie Pilot.......2007-07-03

He kills in this one. Okay, okay...so you saw him in Spiderman 1, 2, and 3. He was ___. But now, this is the real deal: STARRING! When he stars, he kills. Now he is sure to get several new roles as well...you'll see.

So, the movie...and spoiling it. WW1 was before me, but the Flyboys movie wasn't. I loved the scene where someone lost a hand but not their life. The star is amazing at fighting in the air, leading in the air, leading on the ground, and just being centered. He falls in love in France where they are stationed (he is enlisted as a U.S. help towards France before U.S. enters the war). He saves her and her dead brother's 3 children at the last moment.

The end: The movie ends with a "National Lampoon's Animal House" written ending, one where each character has their life play out. Our hero, played by James Franco, never finds 1 of: his love, or his farm, or his mind, or his gun, or his plane, or his partner, or his pants...find out in THE MOVIE!

Painfully fake.......2007-06-25

For a fan of the old wood and fabric fighters of WWI, this film causes nothing but heartburn. The CGI effects are painfully bad, so obviously fake that it hurts to watch. And the scenes where they use actual airplanes, or recreations, are just as bad. What really bugged me was the fighters with fixed radial engines, rather than the rotaries they should have had. Forget about this film, and just read "Winged Victory" for the story by somebody who lived it. If you want to see the real airplanes fly, go to Rhinebeck, NY.

Not bad if you ignore the facts........2007-06-18

I confess I was entertained by the movie -in those moments when I wasn't screaming at the TV. Some of the historical inaccuracies were so glaring that even for a work of fiction it was hard to swallow. At the beginning the movie states that 9 million would eventually die in WWI - soliders perhaps. That total is nowhere complete if you add in the civillian dead. A good number of which would have come from the area in which the characters were fighting. The Verdun front was a wasteland for miles - towns were obliterated from the shelling - the area around the fronts were ruined for not years but decades. No cheery farmhouse with well-fed children, no trees or plowed fields visible from the air, nothing but death and destruction for miles and miles. Trench warfare was not confined to a thin sliver. Though the front itself moved only yards the shelling and death reigned over an extended area. There are villages in the area that never returned and if you drive over the battlefield even now 90 years later as I did, you can still see the craters and hills caused by the shelling. The aviators were above the day to day merciless killing field but they were not untouched by it. My biggest problem with the film was the complete santization of WWI. The northern part of France and southern Belgium were devasted far more thoroughly than even Germany in WWII. It was truely hell on earth. Other reviewers have addresed the inaccuracies in the planes used - do not get me started on the mechanized land transportation. Tanks were only beginning to be developed and would not have been used as shown - also correct me if I am wrong but the Germans had already crossed the Meuse River much earlier in the War. At this point in time they would have been drive back - probably by Black Jack Pershing. The producers could have spent a bit more money on some historical research and less on their computer graphics. They did not get their money's worth there either. As it was, I could never tell who was who during the arial combat sequences. I would have sworn one fellow was dead only to have him reappear later in the movie. I did enjoy the camaraderie and would have like to see more of the unit as a whole.

pretty good wwi movie.......2007-06-14

they don't bother to make many wwi movies anymore, so i was excited to see this one. the script is admittedly not very good, and the performances were kind of lame but they did not have good dialogue to work with. despite this i still enjoyed watching the movie as the combat sequences were very very realistic and had wonderful sound. it is great to finally see combat the way it probably really happened and feel adrenalin pumping. i thought that one scene in the howard hughes movie with decaprio got this across, and this movie continues what that scene suggested. too bad whoever wrote the script was not very smart or this could have been a classic.

Average customer rating:

A very mixed bag that's ultimately not up to snuff
Dig that Bat mobile!
Batman VS. Batman Begins
Fairly awful rendition of Batman
The film that began the modern "superhero" genre

Batman (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Michael Keaton , Jack Nicholson , Kim Basinger , Robert Wuhl , and Pat Hingle
Director: Tim Burton
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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Superman - The Movie

ASIN: B000B5XOY8
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Amazon.com essential video

Thanks to the ambitious vision of director Tim Burton, the blockbuster hit of 1989 delivers the goods despite an occasionally spotty script, giving the caped crusader a thorough overhaul in keeping with the crime fighter's evolution in DC Comics. Michael Keaton strikes just the right mood as the brooding "Dark Knight" of Gotham City; Kim Basinger plays Gotham's intrepid reporter Vicki Vale; and Jack Nicholson goes wild as the maniacal and scene-stealing Joker, who plots a takeover of the city with his lethal Smilex gas. Triumphant Oscar-winning production design by the late Anton Furst turns Batman into a visual feast, and Burton brilliantly establishes a darkly mythic approach to Batman's legacy. Danny Elfman's now-classic score propels the action with bold, muscular verve. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Jack Nicholson is the Joker, who emerged from a horrible accident as a maniacal criminal. Michael Keaton is the Caped Crusader, who emerged from a childhood trauma to become a masked crimefighter. Kim Basinger is Vicki Vale, the talented photojournalist desired by both men. And Batman is the movie, the all-out spectacular directed by Tim Burton, set to songs by Prince and a music score by Danny Elfman, and an Academy AwardO winner* for Best Art Direction/Set Decoration (Anton Furst and Peter Young).

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Commentary by director Tim Burton
Documentaries:Legends of the Dark Knight Shadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight Parts 1-3 Beyond Batman Documentary Gallery
Featurette:On the Set with Bob Kane Shadows of the Bat Pts. 1-3 Batman: The Heroes and Villains Gallery
Music Video:Partyman by Prince Batdance by Prince Scandalous by Prince
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

A very mixed bag that's ultimately not up to snuff.......2007-07-03

Batman is one of the most pivotal comic book characters ever. From his humble beginnings Batman was a dark and grim character, and through the years we have seen him go into a lighter image on screen with the cartoons and television shows. Its like the average person on the street never really got to know the true Batman until now. I had so much hope for this movie, but ultimately it was a let down. While the imagery, soundtrack and special effects were superb other aspects of script and production made this more than just a mixed bad. It was a mess.

Lets first talk about the good stuff like the backdrop and designs for this movie. Gotham city never looked cooler. That goes the same for batman. When you see him first appear in the shadows you definitely get the idea of what Batman was supposed to really be like. There is an interesting use of color, lighting and shadow that give the movie a very stylized and comic book feel to it. Other designs like the Batmobile, the Batcave and Batmans various gadgets are equally impressive and are definitely things I wouldnt mind having& if I knew how to use them properly. And as if to only top off the spellbinding design of the movie you get what has become one of the most grand and memorable soundtracks of any superhero show. What more could you want?

Plenty. You would think Tim Burton would do a full out grim and gritty Batman like the true fans of the character were looking for. As a matter of fact for the first 30 minutes we got that to the hilt. In that first half hour the movie is an amazing combination of all that design style as well as the perfect feeling of Batman being the ultimate crime fighter. What happens after that changes the tone of the movie into something that falls between gritty and camp. Instead of continuing the coolness and mystery of the Dark Knight you get stuff that seems more appropriate from the 60s television show& only done darker. Yeah you can say its because thats how The Joker was written. Well he was written wrong in my eyes and seems more like an aloof copout in the script-writing department. From then on the movie slips into just another Hollywood plot placating to the crowd, giving up all opportunities they had to truly stand out.

The acting is pretty good, but I cant help but think the choice of actors was strange. Keaton seemed an odd choice but he did do the part admirably. He just didnt really look the part. Jack Nicholson as The Joker& I dont think so. Instead of getting the type of Joker I know from the books and previous shows we get& well& Jack Nicholson. He might as well be calling himself Jack instead of Joker. I didnt even think Jack Palance, whom I love as an actor, fit well in this movie. Actually I cant think of any actor in this film other than * (who played Alfred the butler) and * (who played the police chief) who really fit here.

Basically this version of Batman is quite a departure from the mythos that was known before it. Tim Burton was pretty open about that, but the problem I have is its too different and ultimately didnt entertain me. If you have no previous conceptions of Batman or are open minded enough to see a very different rendition of that story then you might end up enjoying this. If you were hungrily waiting for a truly nail-biting and serious Batman movie then look at the more recent Batman Begins.

Dig that Bat mobile!.......2007-07-02

Well, I've had this tape for a couple of years and just got finished watching it half an hour ago for probably the third time. I'd have to say (because I still find it interesting) that constitutes the movie being art.

PROS:
1. Ok writing, that's a star.
2. Ok acting and at times a little better, that's a star.
3. Ok directing and that's a star.
4. Neat idea handle ok, sometimes better. That's another star.
5. Neat modeling, music (for the Batman scenes) right on target, that's a star.

CONS:
1. The truth is, I and anybody else could pick this and most movies apart and suggest changes, additions, subtractions or out and right distruction or run it up the flag pole and see who salutes. In this case it is a popcorn movie and not to be take as serious as Casablanca. Therefore I see no reason to chop or pick it apart. The only real question is, is Batman entertaining? Was it interesting enough to see a couple more times? If so, then it did its duty enough to be called art, (provided it is original).

Batman is art. It isn't on the same level as Casablanca, but what is! It's a popcorn movie and because it came out, and had such a big reception, the industry tried to make other Batman type and style movies.

My favorite scenes? Fast-forward until the girl gets into the Batmobile
and watch that thunderbolt go down the road progressively faster, and the music was perfect for that scene. I think the scene should have lasted another ten to twenty seconds longer and the Batmobile should have gotten progressively even faster. But in the beginning, when they were driving through the forest road (with all the fallen leaves) it looked as if they were only going fourty miles per hour. (I know it was only a gas powered model). By the time they hit that last stretch the Batmobile couldn't have been doing over 100. I know that's fast even for a model in scale miles per hour BUT...well, its is a jet powered car. You know a real race car at the Indie 500 start off at 200 mph just to qualify. The Batmobile is Jet powered...and it's just a model and just a movie...I wish you guys had--you know--got it up there where a bowshock pressure wave had been visible.

Oh well, so what.

I still like the movie despite a few flaws. The Joker gave a fine performance no matter what anybody says, and the other Jack played his part well--Palance always has (I hope I spelled that right). So, I give this popcorn popper a five star rating and recommend it to all of us who still haven't sold out our taste.

Bye!

Batman VS. Batman Begins.......2007-06-20

The other reviews contained here seem to divide into preferring Burton's original "Batman" vs the new "Batman Begins". I have some thoughts on this.

First, let me say I much prefer Burton's film. I find it's baroque theatricality far more interesting and entertaining than "Begins" attempt to shoehorn Bruce Wayne/Batman into something like the real world. It always seemed to me the approach on "Batman" was to ask "what kind of world could have created these people?". "Begins" approach is to ask "what would these people be like in the real world?". I suspect that the "Begins" franchise may run into significant problems as it tries to reconcile some of Batman's more exotic villains into that reality.

Despite having no super powers, Batman is a mythic character. He doesn't belong in everyday reality. None of Burton's films are set in reality. Like myths and fairy-tales, they exist in a parallel reality that informs our own.

The last point I'll include here is the CHARACTER of Batman himself (not the actors or their performances: they're both excellent).
By the end of "Begins" he has pretty much overcome his childhood traumas (bats & loss of parents) and the decision to become/remain Batman is a conscious, rational choice. (What a swell guy.)
That's OK, but not nearly as interesting as what they did in "Batman". In Burton's films he is almost like a drug addict. There is no altruism here. He MUST be Batman to deal with his inner demons. Repression creates perversion and 'Batman' is what has oozed out of the cracks in Bruce Wayne's psyche. Anyone who has to create as elaborate a coping mechanism as Batman must be really screwed up. Wayne must be Batman or go mad. Perhaps he has done both. Burton's version of Batman may be less "real" but it is far more human.

Oh, yeah. Also- Danny Elfman's score rocks and the Batmobile in "Begins" sucks!

Fairly awful rendition of Batman.......2007-06-01

Tim Burton's "Batman" is celebrated as a classic and the best Batman movie... mostly by people who saw it sometime in the past and can't remember it. The movie doesn't hold up today. For trying to craft a realistic Batman, much of the movie makes no sense.

Batman, who is supposed to be an agile fighter and a fearsome force is too stiff, getting repeatedly shot (conveniently into his body armor), gets beat up by regular thugs, has his plane shot down by a handgun and for the most part, can hardly seem to move in his suit. And since when did Batman unapologetically kill without remorse?

Nicholson's Joker is just as bad. Nicholson, in typical fashion, takes over the movie with his larger than life ego, and plays a Joker that wants to be funny and often lacks motivation. In one scene, the Joker randomly hosts a street parade and hands out money while Prince plays in the background. How very faithful Burton is to the comics.

Kim Basinger's character spends one night with Bruce Wayne and instantly falls in love with him, even though their relationship is never fleshed out while Alfred proclaims her to be "special." So the all secretive Bruce Wayne is willing to give up his secret identity to a woman he has known for a few hours?

The movie just doesn't make sense. The action scenes are terrible, Batman has no motivation and is impotent in many scenes, Nicholson was a terrible casting choice and jumps in logic are standard. Check out Batman Begins instead.

The film that began the modern "superhero" genre.......2007-04-30

This film holds a special place in my heart. It's really the film that got me into comic books and solidified Batman as my all-time favorite superhero. That being said I realized it was probably over a decade since I last watched this film. I've pretty much every line of this film memorized since I watched it so much as a kid, but whenever I talked about the film with friends it was always through those rose-colored glasses of nostalgia. After watching this new 2-disc DVD and the recent film Batma Begins I have to say Batman Begins is indeed a better film--but only slightly. Burton's Batman set a stylized reality for Batman on film, but Nolan's version gave Batman something Burton's lacked: plausibility. Now, some people may say plausibility has no business in a superhero film, but I disagree. I think the more realistic you can make the characters and their problems the more the audience will be able to connect with them and the story.

What Burton's films lack in plausibility it makes up for in style. There are a few points in the film that don't hold up so well to the trained filmgoer's eye, honed on years of sophisticated CGI pampering since this films initial release in 1989. In case you forgot, BATMAN used all models and at least two scenes use obvious (and inexplicably unnecessary) cell animation. The Acme Chemical plant and Joker's chopper are the two most obvious and cheesy models used in the film, but the rest are gorgeous and nearly seamless. Plus the Batmobile scenes are breathtaking. The 1989 Batmobile has to be one of the coolest cars ever designed.

And let's not forget performances. I absolutely love, love, love Jack Nicholson's Joker. It's classic. A lot of reviewers criticized it as over the top and hammy, but that's exactly what the Joker is! Keaton doesn't say much, but he doesn't have to: his eyes say it all. And Bassinger as Vicki Vale is just the right amount of scared and confused.

The DVD extras on this new 2 disc edition are the best of all the Btaman DVDs I've seen. We get a new 3-part in-depth documentary with new interviews from all the key players (except for Keaton--they just use footage from an older interview) plus other great featurettes including one on the making of the Batmobile. An Tim Burton who usually gives yawn inspiring commentaries manages to be insightful and informative with his Batman commentary.

Average customer rating:

Easy Rider
You'll either love it, or hate it.
enjoyed
easy
the real 60s

Easy Rider
Starring: Luana Anders , Luke Askew , Robert Ball , Tita Colorado , and Warren Finnerty
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000022TSY
Release Date: 2002-06-04

Amazon.com essential video

This box-office hit from 1969 is an important pioneer of the American independent cinema movement, and a generational touchstone to boot. Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper play hippie motorcyclists crossing the Southwest and encountering a crazy quilt of good and bad people. Jack Nicholson turns up in a significant role as an attorney who joins their quest for awhile and articulates society's problem with freedom as Fonda's and Hopper's characters embody it. Hopper directed, essentially bringing the no-frills filmmaking methods of legendary, drive-in movie producer Roger Corman (The Little Shop of Horrors) to a serious feature for the mainstream. The film can't help but look a bit dated now (a psychedelic sequence toward the end particularly doesn't hold up well), but it retains its original power, sense of daring, and epochal impact. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Easy Rider.......2007-06-27

This film represents myself, and my generation from the early 60's. I understand and identify with it it completely. Sometimes those timess become a little fuzzy in my memory, but a film like this brings it all back. It was actually made during that time also, with actors in it who truly felt their parts. Whenever I feel like like revisiting my 60's adventures, I watch this movie.

You'll either love it, or hate it. .......2007-05-11

This film is wildly popular with a certain type of person, but it's just as easy to find "that" other type of person who can't stand Easy Rider and see nothing positive about it. After watching this film, you will no doubt have realized that there was two main kinds of characters in this story. One was the character that was open minded, tolerant, and accepting of the world. The other type of character was hateful, close-minded, violent, and very scared of character number one and all the things that those kind of characters represent.

First off, this is what today we would call an independent film. This movie was very renegade when it came out in the market. This particular DVD has a documentary called "Shaking the Cage" inside the extras sub menu. Great documentary, and the title says it all. Hopper and Fonda showed classic American balls by making this movie, and making it in the manner they did. Can you tell whose side I'm on yet?

The photography is amazing. All of the road shots in this movie are stunning to look at, and the locations throughout the film are real, gritty, and distinctive. I imagine that even if this film would have had a huge budget, it still would have appeared to be very raw. Hopper obviously wasn't making a fantasy movie here, he crafted a very real story and placed it in the real world. This is a film that is intended to get the audience thinking, get them asking questions, and yes, probably make you a little angry. The activism that was born and raised in the 60's is still there in Hopper and Fonda's creation. These two men have always been involved in what has been called the "counter-culture" movement, and I guess this film is what made them household names for doing so.

Awesome soundtrack as well, and how could there not be. I own the double CD of this film's soundtrack, and it's just beautiful music to listen to. Again, listening to it makes me think, and it makes me ask questions about my country and my world. In my opinion, anyone who considers themselves a truly free U.S. citizen should be a thinker, and should always have a little skeptic sitting on their shoulder asking questions about what is going on in the world around them.

I think this film will stand the test of time as not only an entertaining film, but a fairly accurate historical document that covers a very turbulent and important time in our nation's social history. If for no other reason than to take a glimpse into the late 60's to early 70's, this film is worth watching. You will no doubt find yourself clearly on one side of the fence or the other about Easy Rider, there is no fence sitting. If you like it, it's brilliant, but if you hate it, it's boring hippie garbage. It is what it is.

enjoyed.......2007-04-06

thanks for getting the movie to me so fast my dad enjoyed watching it for his b-day

easy .......2007-02-08

Great uncomplicated movie and nice to just sit back relax and watch somthing that wasnt to complicated

the real 60s.......2007-01-06

This movie is offensive in the same way that any movie that is truly about hippies would have to be. What that meens is this movie does not consist of the typical slapstick hippie stereo type that we usually get in stupid cartoons. This shows hippies for what they are, degenerates, and at the same time it demonizes the south. For a hippie, this movie would seem to be a moral statement, but to me it just seems to show how awful people can be. Shame on hippies for being , lazy, pot smoking, anti-establishment degenerates. But shame on the south too, for being filled with such hatred. But while I'm sure there are some people in the south that would have no problem shooting hipppies on spot for no apparent reason other than that they looked funny, I can't help but feel that the south were exagerated to certain extent. In conclusion though, this movie was enjoyable . I don't know why, but it was. I guess its just a very amusing look into the late 60s (something thats usually sugarcoated)from the "other side" lol. i would like to rate it higher, but I just can't bring myself to do it.

P.S. That hippie commune was kind of sad. The adults were running around actin irresponsible while the kids were just generally unhappy without any real parent figures.

Average customer rating:

PRIDE......WONDERFUL MOVIE!

Pride (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Tom Arnold , Terrence Howard , Bernie Mac , Scott Reeves , and Gary Sturgis
Director: Sunu Gonera
Manufacturer: Lionsgate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000Q7ZNZ4
Release Date: 2007-06-26

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Customer Reviews:

PRIDE......WONDERFUL MOVIE!.......2007-07-06

What a great well rounded movie.LOVED the inclusion of the female swimmer role!Will watch again!

Average customer rating:

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Starring: Casey Affleck , Cecelia Ann Birt , Scott Caan , George Clooney , and Carol Florence
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