Bent (3-Pack)

Starring:Jason Santo, Tina Krause
Studio: Tempe DVD
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

The first Saw picture actually had an idea behind it, to say nothing of the ingenuity of its low-budget production; making a silk purse out of a bloody, maggot-ridden human ear, as it were. With Saw III, the franchise pretty much settles into gore for gore's sake, as it explores newer and better ways to traumatize the body--and the audience. Events from Saw II are sewn up at the beginning of the film, and a detective on the trail of mad killer Jigsaw is quickly trussed up and subjected to one of the villain's sadistic games (this one has escape possible only by means of a key sitting in the bottom of a beaker of acid). Then we catch up with Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) himself, as he awaits death from his debilitating illness; once again he's tended by helper Shawnee Smith. The movie follows parallel plots: Jigsaw blackmails a doctor (Bahar Soomekh) into keeping him alive, and tortures a vengeful soul (Angus Macfayden) into recognizing the futility of revenge. Original Saw creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell worked on the script of this one, and it fully buys into the series mythology, referring backwards to previous events and, for all we know, preparing us for future installments. But if future installments are as pointlessly repugnant as this one, there's not much to look forward to. --Robert Horton

Description

Jigsaw has disappeared. With his new apprentice Amanda (Shawnee Smith), the puppet-master behind the cruel, intricate games that have terrified a community and baffled police has once again eluded capture and vanished. While city detectives scramble to locate him, Doctor Lynn Denlon (Bahar Soomekh) and Jeff (Angus Macfadyen) are unaware that they are about to become the latest pawns on his vicious chessboard

Customer Reviews:

A Truly Lousy, Mean-Spirited Sequel.......2007-06-22

What was great about the original Saw, was that there was a great twist ending and the gore was hinted at, not really graphic, leaving the viewer to conjure up the worst in their imagination. This was a similar tactic used in the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, what was not seen seemed so much worse. With Saw 2, things took a little more graphic turn, there was still a nice twist ending, and the story wasn't as heavy handed, there was a "fun" element to the story. Saw 3 cranks up the gore, and slaps the viewer with a heavy, very melancholy storyline. Saw 3 is so depressive, there is really no one to cheer for, you really don't care who lives or dies as there is really no character development, and the two new main characters/victims are so unlikable you begin to lose interest. While I agree Saw 3 wraps up loose ends from Saw 2, it ends up presenting so many new questions that it doesn't feel like a complete film. Now you will have to see part 4 when it comes out to see how the storyline of part 3 wraps up. I don't care any longer, I am done playing Jigsaw's game. Unless your idea of entertainment is seeing broken bones being pushed through the skin, or toolbox brain surgery, stay away from this bloody mess of a film.

Saw III-The last Saw?.......2007-06-21

If you saw the first and second Saw, you'll be pleased with Saw III. Some may think that this particular film isn't as good as the original, but it still stands on its own.

So what's this movie about? If you've seen the original and the second Saw (and if you haven't, I suggest you do), you know what the basic storyline is about. I fear that no matter what I say, I'll be giving away spoilers so all I'll say is that Jigsaw is ill and a doctor is kidnapped to help him. The goal of her "game" is to keep Jigsaw alive. If he dies, she dies. Meanwhile, another man must go through a series of games and his ultimate goal is to forgive the man who killed his son.

So what's to like about this film? First, we have some of the same characters from the original and sequel. We have Shawnee Smith as well as more in depth appearances by Leigh Whannell (obviously only flashbacks). Of course we also have Tobin Bell, who plays Jigsaw. Second, those who love the traps will shriek in delight with the traps in this particular film. I actually had to turn my head during a couple of them because they were too painful (pun intended) to watch. Third, the storyline in this particular film is more in depth and emotional than the first two. Rather than just having people playing Jigsaw's "games" (although there are an abundance of those as well), there's a real (and personal) reasoning behind Jigsaw's antics.

And what's not to like? You should definitely watch the original and the second Saw before checking this one out. This film won't make sense if you haven't seen the two previous Saws. Second, one thing that sort of irritated me was how the writers attempted to make Amanda as sad as possible. That in itself isn't irritating however the writers had her continually saying and doing a lot of things to further prove the point that she was not happy with her life. Other than that, this movie is great.

If you've seen and liked the first two Saws, be sure to add this one to your collection. I fear that this may be the last movie in the Saw series.

All the pieces of the puzzle come together............2007-06-20

All I gotta say is that the Saw franchise continues to impress me. I mean, Tobin Bell can do no wrong as Jigsaw the killer!!! He is truly an amazing actor. Now as for the storyline, it is a simple yet very intense one. Jigsaw and Amanda have set up another twisted game for two people. One is a female doctor who is having an affair on her husband and the other is a man who hasn't come to terms with the death of his young son. Who was the victim of a car accident at the hands of a drunk driver. But the two of them will have to figure out their connection to one another, to survive Jigsaw's game and to make matters worse. Jigsaw may not have that long to live, as he too must fight to stay alive long enough to finish is his dangerous game.

Saw III.......2007-05-29

I thought this was the best out of all the Saw Movies, I personally thought this movie was more detailed and kept me on the edge of my seat. Usually, with most movies after the first one, the remaining movies go down hill, not this one.

Its all downhill from here........2007-05-29

Have you ever seen a sequel that was as good as the original? Certainly not. This time is no different. Saw I was decent. Saw II was an insult. Saw III was zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ... a snoozer ...

Four Brothers (Special Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Let's go to work
supergood must buy!
Bobby Mercer a bigger psycho than Victor Sweet
John Singleton Directed This?
Excellent story of revenge & redemption...

Four Brothers (Special Collector's Edition)
Starring: Mark Wahlberg , Tyrese Gibson , André Benjamin , Garrett Hedlund , and Terrence Howard
Director: John Singleton
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000BDH6BC
Release Date: 2005-12-20

Amazon.com

Bound by love for their slain adoptive mother, the brothers in Four Brothers form a unique quartet that gives John Singleton's film a razor's edge of redemption. It's a thin edge, to be sure, because while Singleton's urban Western pays homage to the Blaxpoitation films of the '70s (as he did with his remake of Shaft), it walks a fine line of credibility with a mythic vengeance plot (recalling John Wayne's 1965 hit The Sons of Katie Elder) that endorses violence as the last resort of a family under siege. When a saintly foster mother (Fionnula Flanagan) is gunned down in a convenience store, her only adopted sons (two white, two black, played respectively by Mark Wahlberg, Garrett Hedlund, Tyrese Gibson and Andre Benjamin) go after the killers, only to discover that their mother's death was not a random event. As they uncover a sticky web of criminal activity involving a local kingpin (Chiwitel Ejiofor), the character-driven plot races toward an inevitable showdown, with ex-con Wahlberg leading the way. Making excellent use of blue collar locations in Detroit, Singleton keeps the action moving fast enough that the film's lack of realism is easily ignored, and the well-drawn characters (including Terrence Howard as a tenacious detective) lend emotional dimension to an otherwise familiar revenge scenario. Four Brothers is manipulative, but it's filled with grace notes of rugged working-class humanity, and it definitely holds your attention. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Four adopted brothers come together to bury the woman who raised them. At the funeral, the brothers discover that their mother was murdered, and they look to seek revenge.

Customer Reviews:

Let's go to work.......2007-06-19

I didn't know what to expect with this movie, and I was pleasently surprised with its results. I am not a fan of John Singleton, nor do I go out of my way to watch gangst related movies or listen to music, but this was an interesting movie in so many ways.

The Four Brothers, Bobby, Angel, Jeremiah and Jack, have reunited over the death of their adoptive mother. Gunned down seemingly at random in a local grocery store, the four return to their hometown of Detroit for her funeral. They discover that their mother's murder wasn't exactly a random act of violence but part of a larger plot whose motivations seem unknown. They go out on the prowl, attempting to find how it is that their mother, a seemingly insignifigant person, is connceted to a sticky web of crime from the police department through the crime kingpins of Detroit.

This was a good movie in the fact that you know from the beginning that there is far more to their mother's murder than meets the eye. They will eventually overturn rocks and stones to find out more. The obvious comic relief of Angel's Latino girlfriend's hot blooded explosions make for some funny moments. Their past as troubled kids will aid their search (breaking into houses, firearms, etc.), making them forces to be reconed with. Their obvious distain for the police and knowledge of police tactics to make them confess to something they didn't do also makes them smarter and crafier than the "bad guys" and "good guys". Plus the violence of Detroit as a backdrop always make for good times. Why not five stars? The plot eventually thins out towards the end. Even after seeing it once, I had to watch it a second time to understand exactly what their mother's murder had to do with this crime wave in Detroit. Yet, it's a good movie about love and family even under the dreariest of circumstances.

supergood must buy!.......2007-05-15

i am a former owner of this movie and i loved every second of it mark whalberg is a tremdous actor and so is the other three and the mercers got there revenge on victor sweet and i HIGHLY RECOMMEND this dvd...

Bobby Mercer a bigger psycho than Victor Sweet.......2007-05-03

I love this movie. Because it's set in working class Detroit. Because it has lots of snow. Because the soundtrack is ace. Yes, and the lead character is a bigger psycho than the main villain. No matter. Andre Benjamin turns from respectable family man into Jack the Ripper. Wow. I hated the mother though. Apparently there was hardly any script for this movie so often the actors had to make it up as they went along. And that helped to make it a better movie as far as I'm concerned. Anybody mention the fantastic end credits sequence? btw Tyrese Gibson...one beautiful black man.

John Singleton Directed This?.......2007-03-04

I decided to watch this film based on the reviews that I had seen and I should have stuck with my gut feeling about this film. I will start with what I liked about the film. It was nice to see a film about a mother who takes in 4 boys of different ethnicities and makes them a family. That was beautiful to see in a film. It was nice to see these men who didn't necessarily grow up to be perfect but nonetheless their bond remained. This is something that I like about the film quite a bit.

What I felt was lacking or what didn't work for me was the revenge part of the film. It didn't seem to make much sense. I understand that the mother was senselessly killed but really, didn't she she show them a home and heart where they could feel safe. Here are 4 men who will remember table manners that their murdered mom taught them yet they seem hellbent on revenging her death. Like this will bring her back. If they had had any respect for her, they would have taken the higher road but in this film, it seems that revenge is the higher road. It simply didn't fit the story. The film seems to flat out endorse and glorify revenging the wrong that has been done to you and sadly so the brothers do so through killing people. If anything I lost all respect for the brothers by the end of the film. These brothers aren't real men, these are cowards who had a gem of a mother who squandered it all.

I was flat out surprised that at the end credits, John Singleton's name was shown as the director. I couldn't believe it. How is it that a talented director would do something so cliched with macho posturing and buried in one senseless scene after another.

Don't waste your time with this film.

Excellent story of revenge & redemption..........2007-02-28

I didn't want to watch this movie. I assumed it would be nothing more than a violent, empty story. I was so very wrong!

This is the story of a loving foster mother who finds permanent homes for foster children. There are, however, four boys who were beyond placement - seen as too troubled to be adopted by anyone. So the foster mother adopts them herself. They remain somewhat troubled, but grow up to manhood only to see that their loving, adoptive mother has been murdered. They can't understand why anyone would want to hurt their wonderful mother. Even her neighborhood, in troubled Detroit, is heartbroken at her tragic death.

The mystery is unravelled through their pains-taking investigation into her death. The reality of her death is so amazing, and intricately plotted. To say more would likely spoil the plot.

This was a very violent movie, but I must say that it wasn't gratuitous violence. It was violence that was undertaken to find the truth of their mother's death. The conclusion is very satisfying. The movie is well worth watching, but is not for the faint of heart or those very sensitive to violence.

Saw II - Unrated (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Same game, different rules
Not nearly as good as the original but enjoyable sequel.
Unbelievable...
WOW... awesome movie
Shockingly good sequel

Saw II - Unrated (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Tobin Bell , Shawnee Smith , Donnie Wahlberg , Erik Knudsen , and Franky G
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00008YOD2
Release Date: 2006-10-24

Amazon.com

Saw II brings back many features of the original Saw: elaborate sadistic scenarios designed to "test" the victims' will to live; Tobin Bell as the Machiavellian (yet doomed) serial killer Jigsaw; Shawnee Smith as Amanda, a survivor of one of Jigsaw's "games", forced to play again; Dina Meyer (Starship Troopers), whose role as a detective is considerably expanded; and the stunningly godawful dialogue of screenwriter Leigh Whannel. The set-up this time is even more preposterous than before, as a rough-and-tumble cop named Eric (Donnie Whalberg, Band of Brothers) watches, on video monitors, his son trapped in a house filled with nerve gas and a handful of other victims, all of whom are mysteriously connected. Eric has captured Jigsaw, but the implacable killer refuses to reveal where the cop's son is being held... unless Eric will play by Jigsaw's rules. Fans of Saw will love Saw II, as the tortures are more gruesome than before; viewers who found Saw either detestable or laughable won't like Saw II either, as the characters rarely behave like actual people (even when a moment's explanation would solve a conflict, no one bothers to communicate, even though their lives are on the line). It's a festival of body fluids, agonized grimaces, and shrieks of pain--and if that's your thing, this is your movie. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Same game, different rules.......2007-06-21

If you saw the first Saw, you'll be pleased to hear that it has spawned two other movies using the same twists. Although some say that Saw II isn't as good as the original, it certainly stands on its own.

So what's this movie about? If you've seen the original (and if you haven't, I suggest you do), you know what the basic storyline is about. In this particular movie, we have a group of people stuck in a house. Their ultimate goal? To find out the combination to a safe that contains an antidote. What happens if they don't find out the combination? A gas will enter the house and they will eventually die.

So what's to like about this film? First, we have some of the same characters from the original as well as a couple actors/actresses that are familiar (including 7th Heaven's Beverley Mitchell, Donnie Wahlberg, and the lovely Shawnee Smith). We also have Tobin Bell, the character who at the end of the first Saw was discovered to be behind the "game". Second, those who love the traps will shriek in delight with the traps in this particular film. I actually had to turn my head during a couple of them because they were too painful (pun intended) to watch. Third, the storyline in this particular film changes a bit and provides the same shock that you experienced at the end of the first film.

And what's not to like? You probably should watch the original before checking this one out. I personally hadn't seen the first Saw before I saw the sequel and although I understood a good portion of it, a lot more would have made sense if I saw the original.

If you're into gory movies like Saw (and if you've seen the first one), be sure to add this one to your collection.

Not nearly as good as the original but enjoyable sequel........2007-05-05

Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) is back! this time he traps a helpless group of several people people (Shawnee Smith, Erik Knudsen, Tim Burd, Franky G, Emmanuelle Vaugier, Glenn Plummer, Tony Nappo) in a booby-trapped filled house conducted by Jigsaw and his sick twisted ideas. Detective Eric Matthews (Donnie Wahlberg) discovers Jigsaw himself for he must play the game if his son and the other victims can survive.

Enjoyable and fairly grisly sequel to the suprise instant new horror classic "Saw" has writer-and-director James Wan as executive producer. The acting is good in some places but there is some more memorable moments of torture and gore such as the now infamous cringe-inducing "Pit of Syringes" and the gunblast to the eyeball boobie trap, though nowhere as great as the original this is still a fairly watchable and violent sequel.

This unrated uncut 2-Disc DVD set contains the alternate unrated cut not shown in theaters with excellent extras like two audio commentaries, theatrical trailer, a fun "Play Me" set top navigation game much like the one on the "Nightmare on Elm Street" boxset, The making of "Saw II" multi-featurette, "Zombie" a short student film from the director of this movie, and "The story behind the story" multi-featurette.

Unbelievable..........2007-04-28

Saw was unbelievable. Saw 2 is too, but for totally the wrong reasons. The original was... original! It was innovative. Edgy. A cool thriller. Suspenseful. Exceptionally well plotted. This... is derivative garbage. In all but title, it's nothing to do with the original really. Yes, the villain is resurrected. Yes, there are wondrous ways for people to die. Yes, people are trapped with only fiendishly clever ways for them to escape... but where's the gripping concept that kept you glued from the first minute with the original? Where are the clever twists, the intricate plotting, the "Ohhhh, didn't expect that!"? This is just one of those sequels that has no other aim but to cash in on the success of its predecessor. Such a waste. I bought this, unfortunately. I will not be rushing to watch it a second time.

WOW... awesome movie.......2007-04-04

this movie kept me on the edge of my seat for the whole 90 minutes... especially when the ending of the movie came around. all i can say is expect a big twist. when the movie was over, i had to sit for about 5 minutes and think about the ending.... and then i realized that i was an idiot for not noticing all the clues that showed up during the movie lol. anyway, this movie deserves a 5 star rating just for the ending itself.

Shockingly good sequel.......2007-03-27

Saw II is that rare movie that stays intriguing and believable the entire way through, while maintaining a cohesive storyline and gore to spare. The acting is solid, the scares are real, and the viewer is trying just as hard as Donnie Wahlberg's Detective Matthews to solve the mystery. What's most amazing is that all the clues really are right before your eyes.

At the beginning of the film, Jigsaw has committed another grisly murder, and left his calling card for Detective Matthews to track him down. Matthews reluctantly takes the case and quickly locates Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) in his warehouse lair. But this is only the beginning of another one of Jigsaw's intricate games.

Now eight people, including Matthews' son, are trapped in a house where deadly nerve gas is seeping through the walls and into their bodies. As the police try to locate the house and figure out a way to rescue the prisoners, they are also trying to figure their own way out together, while fighting amongst themselves to find out what connects them all.

The suspense in this film is palpable and Tobin Bell's Jigsaw is one of the best horror franchise "bad guys" in years. His twisted sense of morality: "Those that don't appreciate life do not deserve it" is the kind of terrible explanation that makes a psychopath real and frightening.

The twists that this film takes are surprising and show the kind of intelligence that the majority of horror schlock coming out these days is severely lacking.

The DVD extras are truly spectacular. The viewer gets a look at how the set designers laid out every one of the various traps in the film, from the needle pit to the furnace trap. All the props are also examined (the bat with nails in it, etc.). Overall, this is the kind of horror film that is watchable over and over again and the kind of film that makes a great addition to any collection.

Average customer rating:

Very Well Done Indeed, And Long Overdue on DVD
Fondly remember this movie, but...
This is the DVD I have been waiting all my life for (so far)...
Honest Language
Where is the DVD

The Lost Language of Cranes
Starring: Brian Cox , Eileen Atkins , Angus Macfadyen , Corey Parker , and Rene Auberjonois
Director: Nigel Finch
Manufacturer: BBC Warner
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000NJXG7C
Release Date: 2007-05-29

Amazon.com

The damage caused by long-kept secrets lies at the heart of The Lost Language of Cranes. Rose (Eileen Atkins) believes that "keeping certain secrets secret is essential to the general balance of life," but her son Philip (Angus Macfayden) disagrees. He decides to tell his parents that he is gay, and his honesty precipitates a crisis that threatens to tear the family apart.

Philip's father Owen (Brian Cox) leads a secret life, hiding his own homosexuality from Rose while spending his Sundays in porn cinemas. Owen has been crippled emotionally by years of deceit, and he is incapable of having an honest relationship with his wife, his son, or any of the men whom he meets. When he learns that Philip is gay an emotional dam breaks, years of self-loathing pour out, and he decides to tell the truth.

This powerful drama does a wonderful job of portraying a family undergoing catastrophic change. Philip and Owen find a kind of freedom when they unburden themselves, but in many ways Rose's dilemma is the key to this film. Philip's revelation helps her to understand that on some level she has known about her husband's homosexuality all along, and that keeping secrets is far more damaging than revealing them. Yet she is left feeling "like the punch line of some terrible joke" even as her husband and son are set free. The Lost Language of Cranes is a compelling examination of the consequences of honesty, both good and bad. --Simon Leake

Description

The damage caused by long-kept secrets is at the heart of this moving drama adapted from David Leavitt's acclaimed novel. Confronted with his son's confession that he is gay, Owen (Brian Cox) realizes that he can no longer live a lie. Although he still loves his wife Rose (Eileen Atkins), he abandons the safe world of the heterosexual for the difficult but rewarding journey of "coming out." But as he begins to explore his sexuality more fully, the marriage inevitably breaks down, despite Rose's efforts to continue as normal. And thought there is pain and suffering for all involved, this is also an opportunity for everyone to start their lives over, this time based on the truth.

Customer Reviews:

Very Well Done Indeed, And Long Overdue on DVD.......2007-06-06

The film version of the Lost Language of Cranes is a triumph for its main stars, Brian Cox and Eileen Atkins. It was my first exposure to the work of either, and this film is the root of my immense admiration of their talents.

There has always been some confusion concerning the allegory of the title. In the David Leavitt novel, the narrative is supported by an involved subplot, a tale concerning an "abandoned" child. I agree with the reviewer who complained that the allegory is unfortunately not explained very well in the film, and I had to re-read the book to refresh my understanding of the meaning of the title. In the book, far more detail is devoted to the story of this child, who has been neglected by his drug addicted mother and left to fend for himself in a playpen, without the comfort of human bonding or affection. After spending his first year in the shadow of a giant crane on a construction site outside his window, he compensates for his lack of human companionship by "bonding" with the giant crane, and eventually constructs his own "language" based on its movements, mimicking the crane to express joy, love or affection. However, since he is unable to communicate his feelings outside of the invented language, its exact details and meaning are lost forever.

The story of the Crane Child parallels the failed relationship of Owen and Rose (Cox and Atkins), who long ago have lost the ability to communicate their needs and wants to each other, each sharing only those domestic details that they deem important. The allegory of the child "communicating" with his crane-language is much more fully threshed out in the novel, and the lack of detail in the film makes this portion of the story confusing; the overall effect is that the details concerning the "Crane Child" seem rather forced, and weaken rather than strengthen the narrative.

However, understanding the title is not essential to the main drama. The acting is very good on the part of each of the cast members, and the story is strong enough to survive without a clearer explanation of the title. Although Eileen Atkins has been deservedly praised as the strongest performer, Brian Cox gives a particularly nuanced reading as the closeted father, guarding the secret of his sexuality throughout a troubled marriage, until he fairly explodes in frustration and loneliness. A key scene depicting Owen's reaction to his son's coming out is particularly heartfelt, and a highly effective piece of acting. The film suffers not at all from the change of venue from New York to London; I recall that the American telecast was prefaced by a commentary by Mr. Leavitt, who stated that the location was changed to England simply because it was produced and financed by the BBC.

The DVD release of Lost Language of Cranes is long overdue, and a welcome addition to my video library. I only wish that CBS Fox would just see fit to release a DVD edition of the Boys in the Band, another gay classic they've been sitting on for way too many years.

Fondly remember this movie, but..........2007-05-31

...I seem to recall that when PBS aired this film is was edited from the BBC version. Does anyone else recall this? If so, which version is on this DVD? Either way, this was an important movie at its time and I look forward to reacquainting myself with it.

This is the DVD I have been waiting all my life for (so far)..........2007-04-27

I first saw this movie back in high school when it aired on PBS one night. Young and closeted, I was flipping through the stations one night and caught a glimpse of what I thought was two men in bed. With my parents gone to bed, I turned the sound down and flipped back to the channel. This movie is what was playing. Imagine the effects it had on a boy of my age at that time. I was elated to learn that it was based on a novel by David Leavitt which has long been a favorite on my bookshelf now.

The novel and movie focus on a [...] son, Philip, who comes out to his parents Owen (Brian Cox) and Rose (Eileen Atkins). The parents surprisingly take Phillip's coming out very badly. And Owen, we learn, has more in common with his son than anyone would like to think about. It turns out that Owen, the father, is also [...]. Owen who lives in different, more conservative and maybe old fashioned living, lives in existential fear of being exposed. Rose thinks he is out for a walk, when he is actually visiting porn theaters. Rose knows all along, but practices the old time saying, "what we don't know, doesn't hurt us." The coming out of Philip turns out as a revealing of the life of lies and deceit that Rose and Owen had lived.

Of course there is a love interest for Phillip, and Owen's secret is exposed when he invites another young man to dinner with the intent of setting up his son on a date. Rose sees through Owen's own lust for the man and a chilling argument ensues in which Owen leaves the house and the viewer is left with a quiet scene of Rose just sitting at home, alone and knitting. Nothing more.

A sub plot follows young twin girls who have developed their own private language, outside of which they cannot communicate. It's a brilliant metaphor for how [...] people build understanding often through their own isolated experiences, and build language and knowledge that is often misunderstood, threatened and indeed fragile when it comes into contact with the wider world.

Years ago, this movie sent chills up my young spine, and the book proved to be life-long inspiring. I look forward to making it a permanent addition to my DVD collection.

Honest Language.......2007-04-17

"The Lost Language of Cranes"

Honest Language

Amos Lassen and Cinema Pride

One of the first television to deal with gay men is "The Lost Language of Cranes" and it has finally been released on DVD. Based o a novel by David Leavitt if offers two metaphors of suppression and expression.
At the center of the film are three characters, all of whom have been suppressing their real feelings and selves. They are afraid of change because it would disrupt the balance of their lives. The inability to express themselves causes them to create their own language. Fear that the truth will tear their worlds apart is what the movie is about. As you watch the film you wonder if honesty is the best policy.
All that the characters fear about honesty actually happens. A family is torn apart and has no way to regroup. The mother is left helpless; the father has to live with thirty years of guilt and remorse. However they are free and they have a chance, if they want it, to rebuild their broken lives.
The film is devoid of action but even so there is a lot of suspense here. We learn about the results of keeping secrets and how uncomfortable we feel by doing so.
Philip (Angus Macfayden), a good looking young Englishman is in love with a very wealthy, manipulative American named Elliot (Corey Parker). Because Philip feels so strongly about his boyfriend, he decides to tell his parents that he is gay. His announcement brings about a crisis that he would never have imagined. His father Owen (Brian Cook) is also gay and he has kept this a secret from his wife, Rose (Eileen Atkins). Ever he tells his parents of his lifestyle, Philip discovers that his relationship with Elliot is not as strong as he thought and all of the characters find that their lives are now about to go in n a new direction.
What makes this such a wonderful movie is the cast but the script is somewhat flawed. At times it seems to be overly clinical and very awkward but the message it delivers hits you in the gut. The need for honesty should be the strongest impulse in our lives and this is what the movie delivers. It deals with an issue that we do not hear a lot about--when a gay person has a parent who is also gay. If honest communication were possible, this issue would not such a difficult one. One of the beautiful things about "Cranes" is that it shows actual affection that gay men have for each other. Other movies have shown gay men without showing the physical aspects of their relationships. Here we can see men as people who actually care.
This is not a gay love story but it is the story of a family and they deal and don't deal with the truth. Both the father and son are gay and the mother lives in a state of denial. Philip exposes himself to his family and it doing so tears down the walls between them. The mother is very sharp but she also is very self-controlled and she refuses to face the truth. When she finally faces the real issues about her marriage, it falls apart.
Own, the father, has lived a lie his entire life. He is weak but he means well. He takes care of his family ad he genuinely loves his wife and son. But he is childish and he does not initiate, he simply reacts.
Philip, the son, is the catalyst. He opens the box and brings secrets out into the open. He appears as a wise ma who has a lot of iniative, both within the family and in his relationships outside of it.
The movie makes the broad suggestion that homosexuality is a result of both genetics and environment. Elliot is the adopted son of two gay men and Philip's biological father is gay. Elliot's roommate is a social worker tells us that a child's life is molded by his environment. If a child is left alone, he starts to imitate a crane.
The drama is low-key. Everything is muted and this is a brave movie. The direction and the writing are wonderful and it is interesting as a contribution to gay cinema because of the realistic way it deals with gay men. Dealing with the many facets of coming out, keeping secrets, sharing life with others and being true to oneself, the extremely complex plot helps us to understand more about ourselves.

Where is the DVD.......2005-12-15

When is this treasure going to be released on DVD? I'm waiting!!!

Average customer rating:

disturbing, not entertaining, but good
Bent/Cult
Crucified by the Gestapo
Very amazing!!
INTERESTING & SAD

Bent
Starring: Clive Owen , Lothaire Bluteau , Ian McKellen , Mick Jagger , and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
Director: Sean Mathias
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
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ASIN: B00008R9KB
Release Date: 2003-06-03

Amazon.com

Bent debuted onstage in 1979 with Ian McKellen starring in the London production and Richard Gere in its later Broadway version. The film version is adapted by the playwright, Martin Sherman, and closely follows his play's story of two gay concentration camp victims who are sent to Dachau and who fall in love, using their relationship as an emotional crutch in their efforts to rebuff the horror of the Holocaust. Max (Clive Owen), would rather wear a yellow star and proclaim himself a Jew than be lanced with the pink triangle that designates homosexuality. Horst, (Lothaire Bluteau) chastises him for his homophobia. Later the tables turn on Max, who finds--through Horst--the strength both to keep alive indefinitely and to ultimately embrace his sexual identity.

Initially set in a war-ravaged Berlin, Bent is directed by Sean Mathias, who first directed Jude Law in Indiscretions, and he has crafted a film that reminds one of Ian McKellen's Richard III with its spare, stylized, and stark world bombed into rubble and chic theatrical disarray. There are many poignant as well as harrowing scenes, and the result is a somber work that stands as a reminder that intolerance cannot overtake individualism and love. While Bent received an NC-17 rating for depicting Berlin's decadent, anything-goes-for-a-price nightlife, MGM opted not to edit out the tone-setting prelude and pushed to preserve the film's integrity despite a rating that is itself a kind of death for any film that bears it. --Paula Nechak

Description

Renowned British stage director Sean Mathias directs Martin Sherman's "powerful and provocative" (The New York Times) screenplay about one man's struggle to maintain his dignity while imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp. Featuring exceptional performances by Lothaire Bluteau (Black Robe), Clive Owen (Gosford Park), Brian Webber, Ian McKellen (The Lord of the Rings: TheFellowship of the Ring) and Mick Jagger, Bent will "grab filmgoers by the heart" (Rex Reed)! Max (Owen) is a handsome young man who, after a fateful tryst with a German soldier, is forced to run for his life. Pursued and captured, Max is placed in a concentration camp where he pretends to be Jewishbecause in the eyes of the Nazis, gays are the lowest form of human being. But it takes a forbidden relationship with an openly gay prisoner to teach Max that without the love of another, life is not worth living.

Customer Reviews:

disturbing, not entertaining, but good.......2007-06-17

This is a very powerful film, I loved it, all the same it's not entertainment. This is one where the NC-17 rating is well deserved for the level of violence/inhumanity. It literally left me sick for several hours afterwards.

It is however an important story, and if you think you can stomach it, I recommend it. One day I'd like to watch it again, Clive Owen is amazing in this, and I've always been a fan, but it's intense.

Bent/Cult.......2007-04-10

Interesting story for the discerning viewer, Early Clive Owen and special appearance of Mick Jagger in drag no less. Rather intense ending of cruelty to homosexuals by the Nazis.

Crucified by the Gestapo.......2007-04-09

BENT has an all-star cast that stars British actor ("Derailed" star), Clive Owen as the movie's resident hero and lost soul, Max. Music legend, Mick Jagger has a small part playing a female impersonator who disappears after the first 15 minutes. Lothaire Bluteau plays sentimental Horst, and Brian Webber is poor, innocent Rudy.

Even though the movie is ten years old I never heard of it until last week. It's still an awesome movie because it tells such a powerful story. BENT tells the tragic tale of two homosexual men in a concentration camp in Nazi Germany during the 30's. When I first heard of this movie I thought that BENT was a weird title. But I think that after watching it anyone will agree that it's a very appropriate title.

The first 30 minutes of the movie are somewhat slow-moving. It shows Berlin before Nazi Germany took over. As you know, during this time in Berlin men danced with men and women danced with women and all were free to be happy and gay. At first sight, it's almost reminiscent of the classic film, "Grand Hotel." And I soon wished that there would be some dialogue and something interesting to watch because it seemed like the beginning was really dragging on.

Max was a foolish man to bring home another man that he met the night before, Wolf (played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.) Sadly, when the Nazis break in, Wolf's demise is quick and brutal.

Max and Rudy try to get out of Germany because they are both homosexual men living in a country that wants them treated in the most inhumane ways possible. In the concentration camps homosexual men are the very, very lowest of the low. So, Max and Rudy have to sleep in the woods, or as Rudy calls it, the "jungle" while they race for a way out of Germany. As Rudy embraces Max to profess his love the Nazis come running towards them.

Both men are put on a train heading to a concentration camp. I don't want to give too much away but the train scenes are among the most vulgar and hardest to watch. I can't imagine that hell is any worse than what my gay brothers and sisters had to go through during the Holocaust. I think this movie was originally rated NC-17, and although I am very grateful that this story is being told I am also grateful that I only watched the cable TV version (which was still sad enough.)

Max has to tell the Gestapo that Rudy is not his friend (i. e. lover); for his own (temporary) safety. Clive Owen gave an especially momentous performance during the train scenes because it was obvious that he was trying to get Rudy out of his head (but could not.) Max first meets Horst on their "train trip to purgatory" and Horst tells him that he must not get close to anyone if he wants to survive in this place. Now I know why this picture is called BENT.

At the concentration camp, Max bribed one of the guards so he could work with Horst. Their mundane job is to move huge boulders back and forth, all day. The only purpose of this task is to make them emotionally and physically weak.

Even under such adverse conditions, Max and Horst fall in love. But they can never touch each other or even look at each other. They can never hold one another's hand or feel the other's breath. If one of the Nazis saw either man in even the most innocent intimate embrace or even having casual contact he would surely be dead.

So, instead both men talk to each other. They have a love affair in their minds. My favorite parts are when Max and Horst were working alone and able to talk to each other. At least in their minds they could love each other and not be afraid of the consequences.

Clive Owen's performance in this film was absolutely perfect. I am not an actor, but maybe it's easier for actors to act when they are surrounded with talent, and the rest of the cast was also flawless. Max totally reminded me of Ennis Del Mar. Both men had so much pent-up self-hate. However, Max's was much more fundamental, and twisted. It became evident that the abuse the Nazis inflected on Max's mind was just as brutal and barbaric as the physical corruption that they generously dished out. Clive Owen should've gotten an Oscar nod for his portrayal of Max. (I guess in 1997 it wasn't politically correct to give gay movies Oscars?)

Why is BENT so tragic and sad? Because it is true. The movie's realism will haunt you for days (or even weeks.) The characters are fictional, but be assured it did happen. This movie reminded of a very powerful book, "Behold A Pale Horse." This was a book based on true events which also describes a gay love story during the Holocaust.

Who do I recommend this movie to? Anyone. Not just gay men and lesbian women, but to all of humanity. Anyone that has any feeling will bleed for these poor men: Wolf, Rudy, Max, Horst; and the thousands and thousands of homosexuals that were tortured and murdered for no other reason than for being born gay.

Very amazing!!.......2007-03-18

This movie is about a long long time ago that police arrested them for being gay, jewish, black and white being together, etc etc yadda yadda blah blah blah but whatever but this point was about the police picked 2 lovers up and arrest these 2 lovers for being gay but what really pissed me off was that the officer beat 1 out of 2 lovers up with the stick and threw out of the train and the other person was still in the train and happened met "someone else" but he thought the "love" word doesnt mean anything to him until in the end and realized he truly fall in love with this man in prison. He held this man in his arms and finally spoken said "I Love You" and decided to kill himself with the eletric fence. It's ALMOST the same part with QAF (Queer As Folk) when Brian the guy who played in QAF said he didnt believe in love but believes in f**king but then in the final season Brian finally realized that he was in love with Justin. I am so glad this year is not like the years years ago!!!

INTERESTING & SAD.......2007-03-14

It's a compelling story of 2 men in a consentration camp that are not able to share a love; but find a spiritual way of doing so.

Average customer rating:

YOU TWO COULD MAKE ONE
An Old Time Adventure Movie
Power Rendered Impotent
An earnest Tyrone Power, a succulently hammy Orson Welles and an adventure from Norman castles to Chinese palaces and back again
If Marco Polo were a Saxon

The Black Rose
Starring: Tyrone Power , Orson Welles , Cécile Aubry , Jack Hawkins , and Michael Rennie
Director: Henry Hathaway
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000ND91X6
Release Date: 2007-05-01

Customer Reviews:

YOU TWO COULD MAKE ONE.......2007-06-22

Henry Hathaway's THE BLACK ROSE is based on the novel The Black Rose written by Thomas B. Costain. Walter of Gurnie, played by Tyrone Power, is 21 years old in the film while Tyrone was 36 but looked more, and Cecile Aubry, who was 22 years old in 1950, looked 14 as Maryam. It's no big deal but I still felt uncomfortable during the love scenes between the two characters. However, Orson Welles is brilliant as Bayan and steals the show each time he's on the screen.

I didn't read Costain's book but I can imagine that the author's main idea was to describe how the feeling to belong to a same nation could grow between people as different as Saxons and Normans. This antagonism is well symbolized by the character of Maryam who is clearly described as dual, remember how she must always disguise or apply heavy make-up over her body in order to look as an English girl. This duality is also present in the couple Walter of Gurnie/Tristram Griffin, the rational student and the poet with a bow.

The problem is that these ideas, that are certainly very interesting in a book, are not handled in a very cinematographic manner. I always had the feeling to read a book when I watched THE BLACK ROSE, with its chapters well marked: the scene in the castle, the scene in the family home, the scene in the desert, the scene in the Empress of China's palace and so on. THE BLACK ROSE is meant to be a swashbuckler but there is hardly a fight at the end of the film. With bows and arrows and without Tyrone Power. We see, in numerous occasions, thousands of extras walking in the desert but not a single battle against the Chinese army ! All these considerations explain why I don't consider THE BLACK ROSE as a major achievement in neither Henry Hathaway's nor Tyrone Power's careers.

A DVD zone Marco Polo and friends.

An Old Time Adventure Movie.......2007-06-01

This movie is an old favorite. It's about Norman/Saxon England, and a young rebel who with his friend Jack Hawkins and his trusty longbow, takes off for Cathay and adventure. He meets up with Orson Wells as a Mongol general and manages to survive and carry back to England various Chinese secrets (an English version of Marco Polo). The female star was poorly cast...but this is a movie that pushes through its problems with epic scenes of the Mongol army, and takes you back to old-time adventure stories, before the likes of Indiana Jones etc.

Regardless of problems with editing and the plot, this movie is an enjoyable ride on the backs of Tyrone Power, Jack Hawkins, and Orson Welles. This is not his best film, but so what. It is still a good Tyrone Power entertainment ride. An average Tyrone power movie is still a reality-morphing experience in my view. I am awaiting the DVD of the Bengal Lancers, another favorite.

Power Rendered Impotent.......2007-06-01

"The Black Rose" = stinkweed. Its unprepossessing plot is shot full of holes. The poorly drawn characters are generally unsympathetic. Consider the atrocious casting of the film's leading roles: mature, very American Tyrone Power as a young Oxford scholar; juvenile French actress Cecile Aubry--as the (unconvincing) romantic interest--is about as sexually devastating as a kewpie or cabbage-patch doll. The film's leaden pacing, its prolix and unremarkable dialogue, its profound lack of credibility as well as its failure to appeal to any other emotions than this viewer's boredom and contempt result in my judging "The Black Rose" as one of the worst films Tyrone Power ever had the ill fortune to make.

This otherwise undeserving DVD release does include a single interesting special feature: a Power Family Reunion featurette, in which Tyrone's son, two daughters, and second wife sit down and reminisce about him.

An earnest Tyrone Power, a succulently hammy Orson Welles and an adventure from Norman castles to Chinese palaces and back again.......2007-05-11

And what's a black rose? We're told it is the name given to the clove, the most precious of spices. In this case, the clove is Maryam, played by Cecile Aubry. She was a small French actress, discovered, it is said, by producer Darrell F. Zanuck, and who looks no older than 14. She has a small mouth which is filled with tiny teeth and a plump tongue, and she occasionally jumps about to express enthusiasm. If Vera-Ellen and Charlie McCarthy had ever had a child, it would look a lot like Cecile Aubry. The movie, The Black Rose, is no stinker, but it suffers from Aubry in the role. Unfortunately, it also suffers because Tyrone Power, playing Walter of Gurnie, a young scholar in his early twenties, looks every bit the 39-year-old man he was. The one insuperable drawback to the movie is its disjointed nature. We move from Norman England 200 years after William the Conqueror, to the middle-east and then on to a Mongol army moving and battling its way toward China, then to the imperial court of China itself, and finally back to England. We have a movie which is part historical adventure, part travelogue, part uneasy romance and, with Orson Welles playing the Mongol general Bayan with false eyelids, chubby cheeks and greasy skin, part succulent ham. The movie features some great scenic set-ups, interesting acting in one or two of the secondary parts, particularly by Jack Hawkins, and a nice look at a marching mongol horde, but on balance I think it is one of Power's weakest romantic-adventure films.

Walter of Gurnie, the illegitimate son of a Saxon lord who had married a Norman woman, is a hot-headed Oxford student who has left his studies when he heard his father has died. He hates, with good reason, the Normans. One night he joins a band of fellow Saxons led by Tristram Griffin (Jack Hawkins), an excellent bowman, in an attack on the castle which had been his father's. He planned to free some Saxon hostages held by his step-mother and her son, as well as to claim the boots his father had left in his father's will. In this will his father had publicly acknowledged him as his son. As a result of the attack, Walter and Tris must flee, and Walter decides they should go adventuring to Cathay to win gold, jewels and fame. Along the way he meets the great Mongol general, Bayan of the Hundred Eyes, who takes an interest in the two. Walter and Tris also are tricked into hiding a young woman, Maryam, who is one of dozens of maidens being sent to the Great Khan and who are traveling with Bayan's army. After battles and marches, archery contests, chess games and a walk along the rope of death, Walter is sent to the Chinese court to explain how powerful Bayan is and why the Chinese should surrender the imperial city. Now we have luxurious surroundings, manicured gardens, treacherous mandarins, jewels sewn into coats and a harrowing escape in which Walter and Maryam are separated. Finally, we're back in England, where the king honors Walter for his bravery and for bringing back the knowledge of the Chinese. All seems settled except for his lost love for Maryam. Will they be reunited? And how? See the movie.

Tyrone Power was Zanuck's champion swashbuckler. Power was, for me, a very earnest actor. In his early years he had great good looks. As he aged, his face thickened a bit, his eyebrows grew dense and his five-o-clock shadow must have been a real challenge for Fox's make-up artists. He was an actor who longed to show he could do more than prance around the scenery with a sword in his hand. In two movies, Nightmare Alley and Witness for the Prosecution, he fought for the chance to show he could handle unpleasant roles, and he did very well. Yet for the most part he stayed safely playing conventional star heroes. He died of a heart attack when he was only 44. He was filming, what else, a dueling scene for one more big, expensive and forgettable adventure movie.

For those who enjoy reading sweeping historical adventures, you might like the source book, The Black Rose by Thomas B. Costain. It's one of those big, fat novels that goes from adventure to adventure. Costain probably is barely remembered now. He was a Canadian journalist who, in his early sixties, unexpectedly struck it rich as a popular novelist. For ten years he wrote best selling fiction and well-respected popular histories. His fiction is packed with well-researched history and his histories read like well-written novels. The Black Rose is still a good read. The Black Rose

The DVD transfer does not have the crispness and rich color we've come to hope for. It looks like the DVD was made from a reasonably well-maintained source print which received no restoration work. One of the extras is a feature with Power's children and a former wife discussing him and his work. I only sampled it.

If Marco Polo were a Saxon.......2007-04-19

This is one of those old Hollywood saturated-color films that successfully transports me to another time and place, even on subsequent viewings. The plot steamrolls over its problems, leaving me with the sense of having had an exciting journey from England to North Africa to China.

It's based on a Thomas B Costain's novel of the same name and it brings from its source enuf 13th century details to give the story a historical feeling. The exquisite location photography of Jack Cardiff (in England and Morocco) completes the phenomenon.

Tyrone Power (as a Saxon embittered with Norman England) heads a fine, mostly British cast. He may be a tad bit too old and too stiff, but he's personable and has good chemistry with Jack Hawkins as a fellow Saxon runaway, and with the massively charismatic Orson Welles as Bayan of the Hundred Eyes (a historical Mongol General).

Cécile Aubry as "The Black Rose" is a mixed bag. She's gives a very good performance as the over-eager half-English, half-Arabic girl trapped in the Mongol caravan. But she's blonde and blue-eyed! She has a French, not an Arabic accent. And she's too little-girl-cute for my taste.

This is not a action/adventure movie by today's standards. It's too thoughtful. But that's why I like this film more.

Average customer rating:

Same game, different rules
Not nearly as good as the original but enjoyable sequel.
Unbelievable...
WOW... awesome movie
Shockingly good sequel

Saw II (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Tobin Bell , Shawnee Smith , Donnie Wahlberg , Erik Knudsen , and Franky G
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
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ASIN: B000CRR31U
Release Date: 2006-02-14

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Same game, different rules.......2007-06-21

Not nearly as good as the original but enjoyable sequel........2007-05-05

Unbelievable..........2007-04-28

WOW... awesome movie.......2007-04-04

Shockingly good sequel.......2007-03-27

Average customer rating:

Captures the essence of Bukowski's work...
Just plain lame
I didn't expect to like this movie, but I did
The ugly side of ugly lives
Drivel

Factotum
Starring: Matt Dillon , Lili Taylor , Marisa Tomei , Fisher Stevens , and Didier Flamand
Director: Bent Hamer
Manufacturer: Ifc
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ASIN: B000ICL3NI
Release Date: 2006-12-26

Amazon.com

Matt Dillon lumbers through Factotum like a side of beef just starting to rot, lifting his chin in quiet, semi-comic reflections on the domestic squalor of a booze-ridden life. His slow, thick performance--as if he had something more viscous than blood running through his veins--has a weary gravitas that veers from wry resignation to bursts of violence that he regrets even as he's committing them. As Henry Chinaski (an alter ego of author Charles Bukowski), Dillon idly skips from job to job, seeking one that will allow him to continue his two pursuits: Writing and drinking. He gets enmeshed with one woman (Lili Taylor, I Shot Andy Warhol) and dallies with another (Marisa Tomei, In the Bedroom), but his only true love is the bottle. Despite this bleak storyline, Factotum proceeds with an almost lighthearted pace, each spare scene delivered with a dry, almost wistful tone of regret and flashes of gallows humor. Director Bent Hamer (Kitchen Stories) is from Norway and has a similar aesthetic to Finnish auteur Aki Kaurismaki (The Man Without a Past); sly slices-of-life that deliver bad news with a gentle, forgiving touch. --Bret Fetzer

Description

(Drama) Henry Chinaski (Dillon) considers himself a writer, and on occasion writes. Mostly he quests for the booze and women that sidetrack and seduce, rather than inspire greatness. When he falls for Jan (Lili Taylor), the soulful connection fails to

Customer Reviews:

Captures the essence of Bukowski's work..........2007-06-17

Charles Bukowski is in some ways a Zen master who never stepped foot in a zendo or did any sitting meditation his whole life. Why? Because his writing is a wonderful embodiment of some of Zen's core principles:

1. seeing/accepting/living life exactly as it is, being exactly who/what you are from moment to moment---no fillers or additives, no wishful thinking or cheap sentimentalism, no attempt to control or manipulate events

2. radical agnosticism, sometimes called "keeping the not-knowing mind" in one's day-to-day, moment-to-moment existence; not clinging to concepts or projections

3. direct experience---related to #1, entails not being bound by any social conditioning, self-delusion, or reliance-on/conformity-to authority or conventionality, having a raw unfiltered exposure to all of life's vicissitudes

This film captures all 3 of those principles beautifully: we see Chinaski (the habitual alter ego in all of Bukowski's prose work) passing through a series of dead end jobs, hooking up with a number of similarly down and out women, moving around from roach motel to roach motel, apparently unconcerned with the past or the future.

Yes, Matt Dillon is way too handsome to play Chinaski, and both Marisa Tomei and Lili Taylor might also have been too attractive to play their characters. Yes, it's not true LA-street-level-grunge that the film is shot in, and the film sets are generally too sleek and clean to be true to life.

But so what? The acting is generally top-notch, the film editing is brisk and keeps the vignettes flowing along nicely, and the soundtrack is simply gorgeous. This is a far superior work than Barbet Shroeder's "Barfly" in large part because of the above, and also because Dillon is light years better an actor than Mickey Rourke could ever dream of being.

Moreover, "Factotum" is an excellent introduction to Bukowski's work and style. Of course there is no comparison to his actual books---I highly recommend his novels "Ham on Rye," "Women," and "Post Office" as well as his collection of short stories, "The Most Beautiful Woman In Town" and some of his poetry books like "The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses Over The Hills" and "Burning In Water Drowning In Flame." There is also a brilliant biography of him which strips away a lot of the folklore about him, by Howard Sounes called "Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life."

Just plain lame.......2007-04-18

I had to buy this movie just to see it because it wasn't released for rent at my local video store. Now I think that I deserve a refund because this movie sucked. I've seen the Bukowski documentary and have noticed that he didn't seem pleased with Hollywood's first attempt at adapting his work to film with Barbet Schroeder's Barfly. But really, I could care less what he thinks even if he is the creator of such entertaining fiction. For me, Barfly may not have acurately grasped the concept that is Hank Chinaski, but it certainly didn't try as hard as the obsequious annoyance that is Factotum.
Imagine, if you will, that you are the shunned kid in school who manages to come up with something so original, poetic and just plain awesome that all the other phony wannabe artists attempt to praise you and capitalize on your invention at the same time. That's basically what Factotum is, an excuse for actors (who are probably the worst examples of human beings in modern culture) to pretend to be real artists and show the viewing public how much smarter and more cultured they are than the rest of us (at least that's what they believe). Avoid this movie like the plague, pick up Barfly instead. The only reason this gets two stars is because... nevermind, I'm changing it back to one.

I didn't expect to like this movie, but I did.......2007-04-09

Fans of Charles Bukowski's writing will be happy to know that his 1975 novel Factotum has been adapted for the screen by director Bent Hamer and writer Jim Stark. (The film also includes excerpts from three of Bukowski's other books: The Days Run Away Like Wild Horses over the Hills, What Matters Is How Well You Walk Through the Fire, and The Captain is Out to Lunch and the Sailors Have Taken over the Ship.) Unfortunately, having never read anything by Bukowski, I am not one of those fans.

If, like me, you are unfamiliar with Bukowski's work, here's the movie in a nutshell: Factotum literally means "one who performs many jobs." As such, it comes as little surprise that the movie follows Henry Chinaski (Matt Dillon)--commonly known to be Bukowski's alter ego--as he wanders from one dead-end job to another on his way to becoming a successful writer. Along the way, he also finds more than a few bars and takes up with a couple of distracting women.

You might have guessed by now that Factotum doesn't really have a conventional plot. Instead it functions more as a series of vignettes and character studies. As such, the movie is truly driven by its main actors, who all deliver brilliant performances in memorable roles. The distracting women that I mentioned before--Chinaski's girlfriend, Jan (Lili Taylor) and Laura (Marisa Tomei), a woman he takes up with during the film--bring a lot to the story, serving as excellent counter-points to Dillon's Chinaski. Fisher Stevens (an actor that fans of "Early Edition" may remember) also makes an appearance as one of Chinaski's many quirky coworkers.

All of these elements come together to make Factotum very quotable. Every scene has at least one good line. Some, like the pickle factory scene, have nothing but good lines. Most of these good lines are Chinaski's and Dillon delivers them all with style. "People don't need love. What they need is success in one form or another," is just one of Chinaski's many pearls of wisdom. As the film progresses it's also fascinating to watch Dillon lie and charm his way in and out of jobs, arguments and anything else he can.

So, if you enjoy quoting movies, you should definitely try to see this one.
Like the writing, the cinematography and music throughout Factotum are clearly meticulously planned. A scene where Chinaski is smoking out of a window at one job is particularly striking. The music, especially in the beginning scenes, is haunting and uncannily reminiscent of Chinaski's travels and pitfalls during the course of the film.

First and foremost, this movie is about a writer. Viewers have no doubt that writing is Chinaski's great passion. That fact is obvious from the voice-overs--which come from Chinaski's yellow-legal-pad-writings--that accompany many scenes throughout the film. Chinaski's second passion is alcohol. It is not an exaggeration to say that nearly every character goes through the movie drunk at one point, if not at several points. In fact, only the really boring characters seem to remain sober throughout the film. But that's okay.

In other movies it might get tiring to watch Chinaski wander from job to job and bar to bar, this movie doesn't lag because of it. Instead, thanks to the humor that is conveyed through voice-overs and dialogue, viewers will find themselves thoroughly invested in Chinaski's wanderings.

The ugly side of ugly lives.......2007-04-06

Hank Chinaski can't hold a job, can't hold a woman, can't control his alcoholism, and can't make a decent friend because he wallows with the dregs of society. Chinaski is the lowest of the semi-functioning drunks, barely able to keep himself in seedy hotels and in liquor.

Unfortunately, the movie doesn't hold much interest besides seedy bars and seedy people. Chinaski's struggles as a writer are only touched upon and not delved into. There's no budding poet or tragic talent underlying his alcoholism. The closest he comes to poetics, IMHO, is where he tells his ex-boss openly that he really needs his last check typed out now because he needs to get drunk.

'Factotum' is saved only by the acting and the ability of the costume designer to turn Matt Dillon (Hank), Lili Taylor (Jan), and Marisa Tormei (Laura) into sleazy characters who look rode hard and put out wet in each and every scene. The script is stilted, without any highs or lows to it. The movie isn't near as fatalistic as 'Leaving Las Vegas', or as hard hitting as 'Requiem For A Dream', and without any of the comedic relief from 'Spun'. The closest comparison would be the jaw-stretching yawn-fest of 'Drunks'.

Even if you love addiction movies like I do, or love Dillon or Tormei, that still isn't enough to recommend this movie. If curiosity overcomes you as it did me, then rent the movie before buying it. It's earned two stars for the acting alone. Have a ball or something else to play with if you rent this, it's that boring.

Drivel.......2007-04-01

From the first scenes, this movie screams "Auteur, auteur!" Bent Hamer joins all those other European directors with a camera and financial backing from a non-commercial source who film some slices of America low-life as if they have just discovered it. Let us enumerate the uninteresting things about this movie:
1. The "story": the life of the protagonist, a loser and an albatross to those who cross his path
2. The cinematography: static, uncreative
3. The "literary" voice-over: the poetry illustrates Bukowski's richly deserved obscurity
4. The script: no laughs, no tears, no development
5. The acting: these poor people rattle off their lines as if they can't wait to get this over with, and we listen with similar enthusiasm

The only interesting question is how on earth they got Matt Dillon to tie this career anvil around his neck.

Agatha Christie's Miss Marple - Collection 1

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Agatha Christie's Miss Marple - Collection 1
Starring: Joan Hickson , Donald Pleasence , Adrian Lukis , Sophie Ward , and T.P. McKenna
Director: Christopher Petit , Norman Stone , and Martyn Friend
Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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