School's Out

Starring:Dimitri Alexandrov, Ludwig Boettger, Oliver Brod, Marietta BÃ¼rger, Michael Habeck, Rita Lengyel, Sandra Leonhard, Marlene Meyer-Dunker, Nils NelleÃŸen, Urs Remond, Niels-Bruno Schmidt, RaphaÃ«l Vogt, Katharina Wackernagel, Enie van de Meiklokjes
Studio: Mti Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

THE Shaolin Temple movie
Gordon Liu Pre-Kill Bill 1+2
AKA Master Killer
One of the best kung fu movies I've seen...

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
Starring: Gordon Liu , and Lo Lieh
Director: Lau Kar Leung
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000MM0LEG
Release Date: 2007-06-19

Customer Reviews:

THE Shaolin Temple movie.......2007-06-27

Gordon Liu (also known as Lau Kar Fai) stars as a young man who's friends and family have been killed by the new government. He wakes up at the Shaolin Temple, a place he has only heard about a couple of times. When he realizes he is at the best place possible to learn kung fu, he begs and begs to learn so that he can revenge his family. He does finally get taught, but has to start with the basics. Every part of his body must become stronger before he can learn how to fight. After he finishes the first stages of training in record time, he is now highly respected and moves onto learning actual fighting styles. He breezes through this and becomes a great fighter in only 5 years or so. This is not one of those movies that has 1 or 2 training sequences. Gordon is shown in at least 13 of the chambers and half of the movie is spent at Shaolin. So after he has become a master fighter, he is given a high honor and told that he can become second in charge of any of the 35 chambers. A senior monk played by the great Lee Hoi San objects to this and says that he can't have this honor unless Gordon defeats him in a weapons duel. Lee Hoi San does not play a villain, but he does not think that Gordon is a good enough fighter to receive so much praise. His plan works better than he could have ever imagined. He ends up helping Gordon improve as a fighter and as a person. Gordon is told he can leave Shaolin now, and he goes to take revenge on the evil General who killed his family.

One thing that sets this movie apart is that it tries to be a real movie, and it succeeds. Watching Gordon grow up into a man is remarkable to see. The commentators didn't notice, but a lot of the stuff in this movie is very real. When Gordon has to use the pole with the wieght on the end to hit the bell over and over again, that is a real weight on the end of the pole! Gordon talks in the interview (included on this disc) about how the sabres that Lo Lieh uses in the final fight are real, and it just makes the movie that much better. Dont expect your average tale of revenge. I was touched deeply when I first saw this and there are not many kung fu movies that have as much meaning and feeling.

Rating- 5/5

Picture quality is remastered very well. It does get a bit darker and lighter in some scenes, but other than slight print damage once or twice, the picture quality is perfect. The Mandarin, Cantonese and English tracks all sound excellent. In fact, I have never heard the English dub sound this good. The subtitles should have been written better, and the English dub is actually a better translation. They are not horribly written, but could have been a lot better. I am not complaining though since this is the only fault on the DVD.

Special features include a great commentary from The RZA and this Andy Klein guy who does not know very much about the genre. Luckily RZA is there to help him point out actors like Lau Kar Wing, Wilson Tong and Hsiao Hou. I found the commmentary enjoyable. RZA talks about his experiences with this movie, and he is definitely a 36th Chamber expert. And I found it pretty funny that he seems to think Gordon Liu is a monk in real life.

The 17 minute interview with Gordon Liu is very interesting. He talks about many things such as training day and night and how great of an honor it was to work with a megastar like Lo Lieh. Gordon skips over the years like people should know what he is talking about, but just in case you don't, I will fill you in. In 1974 Lau Kar Leung was Chang Cheh's top action director and Gordon Liu was cast as a villain alongside Johnny Wang Lung Wei and Leung Kar Yan in movies like '7 Man Army'. When Lau Kar Leung split up with Chang Cheh he started directing his own movies for the Shaw Brothers, starting with 'Spiritual Boxer'. In his next movie 'Challenge of the Masters', Lau Kar Leung cast his younger adopted brother Gordon Liu as the lead. This is what led to Gordon becoming the star of 'The 36th Chamber of Shaolin', the greatest Shaolin Temple movie ever made.

There is a 17 minute documentary on Shaolin that is basically another 17 minutes of awesome info from Gordon Liu.

The 8 minute interview with film critic/scholars Andy Klein and David Shute is a very good description of how great of a movie this is.

The RZA gets a 10 minute interview where he talks about where he first started watching these movies and also gives his thoughts on the Shaw Brothers and explains why the Master Killer in his rap group took that name.

The trailers are the best special feature. The trailer for 'Shaolin Mantis' is very unique. Instead of showing clips from the movie, the actors introduce what kind of kung fu styles are going to be used (be sure to look for Lily Li!). Lau Kar Leung is the director of 'Shaolin Mantis' and doesn't even have a role in the movie, but he gets to show off his ultra awesome kung fu skills quite a bit in the trailer. I think I have watched this trailer about 50 times, and I will eventually master that Shadow style!

Also included are ORIGINAL trailers for 'The 36th Chamber', 'Return to the 36th Chamber', 'Disciples of the 36th Chamber', '8 Diagram Pole Fighter', 'My Young Auntie', 'One Armed Swordsman', 'Infernal Affairs 3' and the original Master Killer US TV commercial.

The last special feature is a gallery of original movie posters and movie stills.

Gordon Liu Pre-Kill Bill 1+2.......2007-06-21

Here he is in his most important role EVER!!!! OK well that's a matter of opinion but it is in this movie that gordon Liu cements his position in the martial arts movie lexicon by totally nailing this role. He would go on to play a mon many times after this but this is the best of those movies, hands down. For years it's only been available in the dubbed version that many of us probalby saw many years ago. but this beautifully restored and fully remastered version should be a part of every martial arts fans movie collection.

AKA Master Killer.......2007-06-21

This is an excellent martial arts classic. It is a must see flick. Typical of martial arts films, there is a training period, and the training this young monk endures is quite interesting and entertaining (don't want to give anything away).

It is one of the few martial arts films I can watch over and over. There are some moderately humorous parts that keep things moving along (not as funny as Jackie Chan, but still some fun).

If you haven't seen this one, you should.

One of the best kung fu movies I've seen..........2007-06-19

What can I say about this movie that hasn't been said before? A classic. Yes. Influential? Absolutely. Entertaining? Most definitely. This movie is as good a place to start as any if you're interested in the Kung Fu cinema. And if you're already into Kung Fu, you've probably heard of this in the least, and I can't imagine why you haven't seen it. As to this release, really the best I've seen. The picture and sound are great, and the language option is nice. Most of the features are nice as well. Though I don't know how useful the Wu-tang clan video was. Still...a worthy DVD to a great movie.

Average customer rating:

Unconventional Road to Self Discovery
Excellent light entertainment
Fun--but not strictly a no brainer
Memorable chick flick
Great Movie for Teenage Girls

Legally Blonde (Special Edition)
Starring: Reese Witherspoon , Luke Wilson , Selma Blair , Matthew Davis , and Victor Garber
Director: Robert Luketic
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005O5CM
Release Date: 2001-11-06

Amazon.com

If you've ever doubted how much a star can carry a movie, look no further than Legally Blonde, Robert Luketic's pop fluff about a sorority girl who becomes the reigning brain at Harvard Law School. The film tries way too hard to be pop fluff, but thankfully it also understands the comic glories of Reese Witherspoon. As Elle Woods, the supposedly dimwitted heroine, Witherspoon gives a high-wattage performance that somehow comes across as both lusciously cartoonish and warmly human. It's a radiant comic turn worthy of Marilyn Monroe, and Luketic throws the whole movie at her, even though its intentional kitsch and sledgehammer contrivances don't trust you enough to figure out on your own what might be guilty fun about it. It's a lame movie, essentially, that redeems itself by knowing just enough to keep things sunny and moving right along. The film is content to follow several steps behind the regal Witherspoon, carrying her train. You probably will be, too. --Steve Wiecking

Description

She's a California sorority girl who'll do anything to keep her man. Even if it means going all theway'to law school! Reese Witherspoon (Election) stars with Luke Wilson (Charlie's Angels), Selma Blair (Cruel Intentions), Matthew Davis (Pearl Harbor) and Victor Garber (Titanic) in a knock-out comedy with a heart of goldand hair to match! Elle Woods (Witherspoon) is a California blonde with couture clothes, fabulous friends and the hottest boyfriend on campus. So when Warner Huntington III (Davis) suddenly dumps her and heads for Harvard Law School, Elletakes matters into her own perfectly manicured hands. She enrolls too! Now getting Warner back should be a snap, right? Wrong! Elle's about to begin the toughest fight of her lifefor love, honor, justice and respect for blondes everywhere!

Customer Reviews:

Unconventional Road to Self Discovery.......2007-07-02

Based on the novel of the same name by Amanda Brown, this 2001 comedy is about the losses and gains experienced by a priviledged young woman from California, and her ultimate self-empowerment.
Elle Woods(as played by a multi-dimensional Reese Witherspoon) is the President of her Sorority, Delta Nu. A neighbor of TV producer Aaron Spelling during her formative years, her world revolves around fashion and frivolity, although we see signs of underlying intelligence when a sales clerk who views her as "a dumb blonde with Daddy's plastic" is taught a lesson.
We meet the beloved Sorority Queen on the day she expects a proposal from her long-time boy friend, Warner Huntington III (Matthew Davis). Instead of a marriage proposal, Warner breaks up with Elle during their evening out, explaining that his family back East expect a lot from him, and that marrying a "Jackie" instead of a "Marilyn" will be more conducive to his family's desires, if he wants to be a Senator.
The spurned young woman spends the next few days behind the closed doors of her dorm room, with only her chiahuahua/favorite accessory Bruiser (Moonie) for companionship. Her stereotypically ditzy sorority sisters, Margot and Serena (Jessica Caufiell, Alanna Ubach) finally draw her out of her pink cocoon, and take her for a manicure. There is a comical moment where Serena converses in Chinese with a manicurist, which gives her a little more depth. While reading a "Fox and Hound" magazine in the waiting room, Elle sees a photo of Warner's brother with his fiancee, breifly discusses the fiancee's credentials with the customer sitting next to her(Natalie Barish), and decides to attend Harvard Law School to win Warner back.
Elle's parents (James Read, and Tane McClure) are not very encouraging in this endeavor, nor is her advisor (Allyce Beasley) as Elle does not have the academic background for it. Still, she passes her LSAT test, and sends and admissions video, for which it requires some suspension of disbelief to think that the pop-eyed, bow-tied Admissions Committee would deem acceptable.
Elle creates quite a stir upon her arrival at Harvard, but remains fairly oblivious to comments and stares about her eccentricities in manner and dress.
She finally locates Warner, who is stunned that she got into Harvard, and during a class for which she is ill-prepared, is shown up by a small, pallid, mahogony-tressed Vivian Kensington(Selma Blair), whom, to her great distress, she learns is Warner's fiancee.
Along the way, she receives help and advice from Emmett Richmond (a well-cast, kind, and encouraging Luke Wilson, whose performance hits all the right notes), and a cathartic chat with manicurist Paulette Bonafonte (Jennifer Coolidge), which will be bright spots along her journey.
Gradually, she overcomes rejection and humiliation by her classmates through perseverance, and attention to details others neglect, winning friends and influencing people.
She helps Paulette with a legal matter, and in getting a date with a handsome UPS guy (Bruce Thomas), and the mutual friendship between the law student and manicurist is a delightful cornerstone of this film.
Gradually, Vivian warms to her, and the two share a laugh about Warner's idiosyncracies.
One of Elle's more intriguing classmates--the character as well as the actor himself-- is the sweet, awkward David Kidney, portrayed by Oz Perkins, with the eyes of his father, Anthony, who does great justice to his acting pedigree. Sadly, he would only have a little more than a month to enjoy the success of this film before enduring the shattering loss of his mother, Beri Berenson, in the 9-11 Disaster.
Elle's opinionatedness in Professor Callahan's(Victor Garber's)class appears to earn her an internship with Callahan's law firm, and she, Warner, Vivian, David, and Enid Wexler(Meredith Scott Lynn) work on a murder case under Callahan's supervison. The task also reunites Elle with Emmett.
The case is a high profile one involving the slaying of a wealthy 60-year-old man, allegedly by his young second wife, Brooke Taylor Windham (Ali Larter), a member of Elle's sorority, and a wealthy fitness instructor of whom Elle was once a student.
Raquel Welch appears as the ex-wife of the murdered man, with a perfect upper-crust accent, Linda Cardellini is her daughter, Chutney, and Greg Serano is the pool boy, Enrique Salvatore.
There are comical moments when Elle tries to coax an alibi from Brooke, bringing her a basket of beauty aids and " the Bible" (a copy of "Cosmopolitan" magazine), and later discovers evidence to discredit a witness in a way that only a Cosmo Girl can, with Emmett sneaking up on his blind side in the process.
Elle suffers a major setback when she discovers the real reason Callahan wanted her as an intern, but Professor Stromwell(Holland Taylor) goads Elle into having a bit more backbone and stick-to-itiveness.
Brooke fires Callahan, and hires Elle, who under Emmett's supervision, solves the case, much to her own amazement and everyone else's.
Warner, whose true character has been revealed throughout the film in subtle and not-so-subtle ways, finally views Elle as a worthy marriage partner, but Elle has her own ideas about their future relationship.
A glittering musical score accompanies our heroine as she walks out of the courtroom and into a very bright future, with a meaningful career and a wonderful life partner just on the horizon.

Excellent light entertainment.......2007-06-22

So much is great about this film. Ok, it's not flawless - there are a couple of really silly bits - like the courtroom scene with the pool cleaner's guilty admission and his boyfriend's response. But it's great, feel-good fun. Very well directed, tight script for the most-part and the performances are all great.

Fun--but not strictly a no brainer.......2007-05-30

Cases can hinge on haircare--and not everyone is as they seem. The film was mindless fun on one level, but teaches you really do need to look a little bit deeper sometimes.

Clearly it's fantasy, but a lot of fun.

Memorable chick flick.......2007-05-19

Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) is a ditzy, yet intelligent sorority president and fashion major with the perfect, handsome, and smart boyfriend, Warner. When Warner dumps her because she isn't "the serious girlfriend he needs" to advance his career, her whole world comes crashing down around her. After weeks of friend's concern, manicures, and moping Elle realizes that the only way to get Warner back is to become a serious girlfriend, meaning starting a career in law at Harvard. Elle actually manages to get into Harvard, her specialty being the history of polka dots, with a high score on her LSATs, and with an original admissions video in which she showcases her talent for using legal jargon in everyday life and her ability to recall facts quickly, such as the previous day's soap operas. So Elle gathers her possesions, most of which are pink, prepares Bruiser, her miniture short haired chihuahua, and sets off for Harvard.

This movie was not what I expected, but I loved it! It's a great chick flick to watch with a group of friends and has memorable characters. Elle teaches us that all we need is determination (and good fashion sense!) to achieve our dreams.

Great Movie for Teenage Girls.......2007-05-10

This movie is not only funny but gives a moral to the story. Women can succeed at anything they put there minds to.

Average customer rating:

Rock To Footloose .
Footloose fun
Thank Goodness for Dancing
An American Classic
great music and dancing

Footloose (Special Collector's Edition)
Starring: Kevin Bacon , Lori Singer , John Lithgow , Dianne Wiest , and Chris Penn
Director: Herbert Ross
Manufacturer: Paramount
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ASIN: B0002JP4L4
Release Date: 2004-09-28

Amazon.com

Director Herbert Ross (The Turning Point) pulled a winning movie out of this almost self-consciously archetypal tale of teenage rock rebellion. Kevin Bacon stars as a hip city kid who ends up in a Bible-belt town after his parents divorce. An ill fit for a conservative community where rock is frowned upon and dancing is forbidden, Bacon's character rallies the kids and takes on the establishment. Between a good cast really embracing the drama of Dean Pitchford's screenplay, and Ross's imaginative, highly charged way of shooting the dance numbers, you can get lost in this all-ages confection, and you won't even mind Kenny Loggins's bubbly pop. Bonuses include one of John Lithgow's best performances (a bit reminiscent of Jimmy Stewart), and Christopher Penn (who sure doesn't look the same anymore) as a good-natured hick who learns to boogie. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Rock To Footloose ........2007-05-23

Hey i just love this film footloose brings me back to those carefree days i had as youth. i just dug the story about an outsider from a big city shaking things up in a small town but for a good reason. not being allowed to dance come on! it's part of our culture so i found that law in the film a little silly and thought it was just made up for the film until i saw the bonus stuff on this disc recently. the film hasn't aged that much other than some of the fashions being what they were in 1984 and they're were artifacts left. but nothing that would take away from the enjoyment of watching the movie, but what i like most about it was the music, the classic tracks that i heard and did'nt realize they were in the film until i viewed it again. the reason why i gave it four stars is the fact that top gun special edition came with the music videos from the film, that would've been nice to see the music videos from this film on here but oh well, can't win e'm all.

This Film Was shot In Utah. Lehi , American Fork and few other places.
The Mill still stands but is surrounded by resturants and gas stations , once there was nothing there but the mill and few houses and school, oh how times have changed.

When I see the Mill it brings back some fond memories, May It always stand.

Footloose fun.......2007-05-07

I loved this movie in highschool. Now my daughters can enjoy it too!! It was fun seeing the actors all grown up.

Thank Goodness for Dancing.......2007-03-23

A feel good movie for the whole family. Teaches the youngters that if you want something, you have to go for it and be willing to fight for it. This movie is one I recommend for everyone's library.

Let's hear it for the boy...

An American Classic .......2007-03-19

An American classic dance movie. Also watch the special 2-part feature on the making of the movie. It was forward and backward looking in so many good ways, anticipating the break out of pop music into mainstream culture through MTV as well as telling the story of a real small town in Oklahoma which had banned dancing for 95 years before one senior class petitioned the town fathers for a prom.

Although it contains some clichés, then, the story is still a meaningful one, and the very human performance of John Lithgow as the baptist minister and father of the rebellious Lori keeps the filim from descending into stereotype. Of course, Kevin Bacon in the lead role of "Ren" is just riveting. The dancing, choreographed by Lynne Taylor-Corbett, is good but not too good. Although there are clearly some ringers in the film (which makes the extravaganza closing scene just that much more fun), for the most part she worked with the native talents of the actors she had, who were not professional dancers. Just an all-around fun movie with foot-tapping music.

great music and dancing.......2007-02-22

I would give it five stars if the story of the movie wouldn't be a little lame (a little town where there is no music and dancing allowed - hello?)The dancing and the music make up for the story line though. A nice movie to pop into your DVD player once in a while.

Average customer rating:

John Tucker Must Die Rocks!!!!!
passable for what it was
John Tucker Must Die
Makin' Lemonade out of Lemons
John Tucker Must Die

John Tucker Must Die
Starring: Jesse Metcalfe , Brittany Snow , Ashanti (II) , Sophia Bush , and Arielle Kebbel
Director: Betty Thomas
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000J4QW7W
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Amazon.com

An unlikely sisterhood plots a girl-powered revenge in John Tucker Must Die. When the class-overachiever (Arielle Kebbel, Aquamarine), the head cheerleader (Ashanti, Coach Carter), and the vegan alterna-girl (Sophia Bush, One Tree Hill) discover they're all dating the same guy--namely, star basketball player John Tucker (Jesse Metcalfe, Desperate Housewives)--they recruit a bashful new girl named Kate (Brittany Snow, The Pacifier) to become the ideal girl to break Tucker's heart. But as Kate uses the gang's combined wiles to lure Tucker, his interest gives her a social standing she's never had before...an intoxicating experience that may cost her a chance at honest love with another boy. John Tucker Must Die contrasts male and female behavior to cunning comic effect. The portrait of high school life is typically absurd, but the engaging cast, sprightly plot, and crisp dialogue will draw you in. It's a testament to the smooth guiding hand of director Betty Thomas (The Brady Bunch Movie, Private Parts) that ex-Playmate Jenny McCarthy's performance can genuinely be called understated. One of 2006's best teen comedies. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Hollywood's hottest young hunk, Jesse Metcalfe (TV's Desperate Housewives), delivers big laughs on campus in this "hot, hilarious film!'" (NBC-TV, Miami) When three gorgeous gals discover they've all been duped by smooth-talking stud John Tucker (Metcalfe), they hatch a devious revenge scheme to turn the tables on him. Now Tucker is going to have to change his ways...or the school jock will soon become the class joke!

Can the tantalizing teen trio turn this "serial dater" into a one-woman man? Find out in the hit movie that proves revenge isn't just sweet, it's hysterically funny.

Customer Reviews:

John Tucker Must Die Rocks!!!!!.......2007-06-12

Director-Betty Thomas 90 minutes
Screenwriter - Jeff Lowell DVD
John Tucker Must Die PG 13
14.95

John Tucker ( Jesse Metcalfe) is the amazing high school, superstar. All the guys want to be him and all of the girls want to date him. However, this "great" guy is cheating on three girls. Beth (Sophia Bush) the main flirt, Carrie (Arielle Kebble) the brainy girl, and Heather (Ashanti Douglas) the prep snotty cheerleader. Kate Spencer (Brittany Snow) finds out about John while working as a waitress at the restaurant he always goes to. When Kate meets the three girls, she tells them all about John's scheme. And they are definitely not going to let him off the hook. Its time for some payback to crush him. When John meets Kate, he falls in love with her. But the girls are telling her to stay strong and to never give in. Don't forget, while all of this is happening John is still going out with Beth, Carrie, and Heather. Here it comes, John breaks up with all three of them just for Kate. Now they are kicking it into over drive! But everything they did just seemed to make the girls like him even more. But one event changes everything. Even thought John and Kate have been on one date together, and didn't even say her own words but what the girls wanted her to say John still did it. John gave Kate his watch and asked her to be his girlfriend. But I can't tell you her answer. At Johns Birthday party... Just watch the movie!

I recommend this movie to girls and boys (it may be a chick flick but boys, you can learn a lesson here!) ages 12 and up. But remember this movies rating is PG 13.

This movie is my all time favorite movie ever. I just love it. It kept me laughing all night long. I have been talking about this movie nonstop ever since I have seen it. Which was three months ago. My friends are about to slap me because I wont be quite. In short, watch the movie!!!

passable for what it was.......2007-06-06

John Tucker Must Die was a surprise to me. Why? Because the movie didn't fall for the usual tricks that teenager movies normally do- immature violence, lots of dirty swear words, and sex. All those topics were surprisingly avoided and instead the writers opted to go for a much more acceptable and cleaner storyline. Did it work? Well, sort of.

I have to agree with the reviewer who mentions the similarities to Saved By The Bell. It was pretty much just like that old TV show in every way. As a young adult, I'm happy my teenage years are over and don't want to think about the past and the way I used to be back then, so for people who are also in the same boat, you probably won't find anything about the movie to really win you over. You'll just think "Oh yeah, I used to act like that" and be done with it. In other words, this movie will only be funny to a teenager, and no one else will care.

A decent movie for teenagers, but not the greatest film ever made, that's for sure.

John Tucker Must Die.......2007-05-12

Not only does this movie keep you laughing until your stomach hurts, you can not stop watching it. I have purchased this movie 3 weeks ago, and already watched it over 15 times. This movie is great, and i recommended you/ everyone to purchase and watch it.

Makin' Lemonade out of Lemons.......2007-03-17

I came away from this movie thinking - Wow, I wish I was like John Tucker! I have never seen anyone make lemonade out of lemons like that man. He was good and fine to boot. I thought it was entertaining. It was clearly more of a teenager movie, but I thought it was fun. Definitely worth a check out.

John Tucker Must Die.......2007-03-08

this is a must see movie. me and anyone else that i have asked has felt the same way. it is PG-13, and about 90 minutes long. if you like this movie, i would recommend she's the man, with amanda bynes and channing tatum. john tucker must die is a movie about how 3 girls think they have the best boyfriend, only to find that they are all dating the same guy, john tucker, star of the basketball team. then when an amazing girl comes along, they send her on a mission to break john tucker's heart, and the movie is just the journey and drama along the way. once again, it is a must-see.

Pleasantville (New Line Platinum Series)

Average customer rating:

wonderful movie despite the propaganda
Things are so much better now
"Honey, I'm home!" (The 50s meet the New Millennium)
Exactly what I expected...
Pleasantville - One of my favorite films

Pleasantville (New Line Platinum Series)
Starring: Tobey Maguire , Reese Witherspoon , William H. Macy , Joan Allen , and Jeff Daniels
Director: Gary Ross
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305308659
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Amazon.com

Fantastical writer Gary Ross (Big, Dave) makes an auspicious directorial debut with this inspired and oddly touching comedy about two '90s kids (Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon) thrust into the black-and-white TV world of Pleasantville, a Leave It to Beaver-style sitcom complete with picket fences, corner malt shop, and warm chocolate chip cookies. When a somewhat unusual remote control (provided by repairman Don Knotts) transports them from the jaded real world to G-rated TV land, Maguire and Witherspoon are forced to play along as Bud and Mary Sue, the obedient children of George and Betty Parker (William H. Macy and Joan Allen). Maguire, an obsessive Pleasantville devotee, understands the need for not toppling the natural balance of things; Witherspoon, on the other hand, starts shaking the town up, most notably when she takes basketball stud Skip (Paul Walker) up to Lover's Lane for some modern-day fun and games. Soon enough, Pleasantville's teens are discovering sex along with--gasp!--rock & roll, free thinking, and soul-changing Technicolor. Filled with delightful and shrewd details about sitcom life (no toilets, no double beds, only two streets in the town), Pleasantville is a joy to watch, not only for its comedy but for the groundbreaking visual effects and astonishing production design as the town gradually transforms from crisp black and white to glorious color. Ross does tip his hand a bit about halfway through the film, obscuring the movie's basic message of the unpredictability of life with overloaded and obvious symbolism, as the black-and-white denizens of the town gang up on the "coloreds" and impose rules of conduct to keep their strait-laced town laced up. Still, the characterizations from the phenomenal cast--especially repressed housewife Allen and soda-shop owner Jeff Daniels, doing some of their best work ever--will keep you emotionally invested in the film's outcome, and waiting to see Pleasantville in all its final Technicolor glory. --Mark Englehart

Customer Reviews:

wonderful movie despite the propaganda.......2007-07-04

i love this movie & enjoyed it immensely despite its many failings. yes, it is blatant leftist feminist propaganda & there is a nasty satanic undertone to it that comes out in the eve & the apple scene. sarcasm drips when they use the phrase "family values." they effectively ridicule the tightassed republican repressed redneck stereotype but the mirror leftist stereotype of the angry kinky brainwashed sleazeball is not there in the open. it's almost totally one-sided, although the modern people do benefit from going back to the 50's & there is some affection for the innocence of the beaver cleaver types as compared to the jaded neurotic moderns. that's what keeps this from being a five star movie for me, it's a little too caustic & superior. but having said all that, it's a very funny, beautiful film that does make a valid point--that it's better to express yourself than to be a repressed hypocrite. i think even tightassed republicans should watch this & have the good humor to laugh at themselves if they need to. it's a very imaginative, creative film with some hilarious performances, really delightful & full of the spirit of art.

Things are so much better now.......2007-06-30

All the positive comments from folks on this blatantly propagandistic film reflect their relief that those bad old 1950s (of which they know virtually nothing) are gone and targeted for terminal mockery, since things are so much better now, what with one out of five babies aborted, a majority of children born out of wedlock, and drug abuse and violence the major concerns of high-school-age kids, instead of all the poodle skirts and silliness of Pleasantville.

Wake up and smell the Prozac, lemmings: Technicolor-land is worse than Pleasantville, and no amount of clever revisionism is going to change it.

This film is a mendacious little piece of half-ignorant fantasy, and thus nearly perfect entertainment for most contemporary movie-goers, who can't even find Asia on a map, and had to have the SAT dumbed-down to jumpstart their self-esteem.

"Honey, I'm home!" (The 50s meet the New Millennium).......2007-06-26

Teen twins David and Jennifer (Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon) are very different: Jennifer is quite the wild child while David's passion is watching re-runs of the 50s TV sitcom "Pleasantville." One night, the kids are magically whisked right into Pleasantville - a swell little town where the fire department only rescues cats in trees, books are as blank as the foks' minds, and everything is in black and white. David loves it there, but Jennifer starts changing things when she takes her boyfriend up to Lover's Lane for a lot more than hand-holding. Gradually people start seeing things in color, then it rains real rain, and *gasp* dinner isn't on the table at six o'clock.

I'd seen bits and pieces of "Pleasantville" on TV and liked it, but after watching the entire movie, I have to say it left me confused, angry, and disappointed. The point of the movie - that sexual promiscuity is the key to enlightenment - is a sad comment on our times. Maguire and Witherspoon are perfectly cast and give excellent performances, but the script ridicules wholesomeness and condemns morality. I think it's sad that old-fashioned values are labeled not only corny, but wrong. I did enjoy the photography changing slowly from black and white to color, but I cannot recommend the movie.

Exactly what I expected..........2007-05-14

This movie is great! I needed it for my classroom and it was available and mailed to me within a week.

Pleasantville - One of my favorite films.......2007-04-30

I love this film. It has a sweetness, a wistfulness, about it that is so compelling, yet explores many complex human issues, including individual rights. The writing is fabulous - so when I read that the writer of "Pleasantville" is the same man who wrote "Big", it all made clicked. This movie received so little notice that when I loan it to friends their reply is always the same: why didn't I know about this great movie?

Average customer rating:

Excellent
A great movie
Good basketball movie
A true Indiana tale
America Needs This Film

Hoosiers
Starring: Gene Hackman , Barbara Hershey , Dennis Hopper , Sheb Wooley , and Fern Persons
Director: David Anspaugh
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0792843592
Release Date: 2000-02-29

Amazon.com

One of the most rousingly enjoyable sports movies ever made, this small-town drama tells the story of the Hickory Huskers, an underdog basketball team from a tiny Indiana high school that makes it all the way to the state championship tournament. It's a familiar story, but sensitive direction and a splendid screenplay helped make this one of the best films of 1986, highlighted by the superb performances of Gene Hackman as the Huskers' coach, and Oscar nominee Dennis Hopper as the alcoholic father of one of the team's key players. As the drama unfolds we come to realize that many of the characters (including Barbara Hershey as a schoolteacher with whom Hackman falls in love) are recovering from disappointing setbacks, and this depth of character is what makes the otherwise conventional basketball story so richly rewarding. Like Rocky, Rudy, and Breaking Away, this is a quintessentially American movie about beating the odds and rising above one's own limitations. Just try to watch it without cheering! --Jeff Shannon

Description

Nominated* for two OscarsÂ(r) and hailed by Sports Illustrated and ESPN as one of the best sports movies of all time, this triumphant tale of a high school basketball team's long-shot attempt to win the state championship is filled with edge-of-your-seat suspense and breathless excitement! Featuring "fast-break cinematography that catches the pace of the game.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2007-06-13

First on the DVD... The score sounded magnificent. The sound in 5.1 is well distributed and rounded. It sounds clear and awesome. The image is just as good. Bright and vivid colors, makes the movie look a lot less older than it is. The extras are all right including the Indiana State Championship game of 1953 (might be 52? don't remember).
On the movie... Well this is one of the best sport movies ever is just perfect. Hackman delivers a perfect performance, truly belivable, as well as most of the cast. The movie is based on a true story wich makes it twice as good.
A very good movie to remeber the importance of discipline and how team work can make ordinary people have extraordinary results. Something we have been missing in pro-athletes this days...

A great movie.......2007-04-05

I love this show.Gene Hackman probably did his finest performance in this show as did Dennis Hopper.A great basketball story that will just make you feel good.I highly recommend this to everyone.

Good basketball movie.......2007-02-06

This is a good basketball movie and if you are a basketball fan, you definitely should see it. Also, it is a good movie to show teams. It shows team unity and the results that can happen when you trust your team and coach. Even if you are not a basketball fan and just like good movies, this is a good movie to watch. For example, it also shows an alcoholic father rebuild his relationship with his son by getting treatment.

A true Indiana tale.......2007-01-28

It's based on the 1954 "Miracle of Milan" (and if you think that name has anything to do with either Italy or the Catholic Church, you're obviously not a Hoosier!) Even though I've heard a few fellow Hoosiers gripe about the film not being more true to the actual facts, to me, it's one of the top three or four movies I've ever seen, and captures perfectly the atmosphere of our state, circa 1950s.
For instance, the scenes in the Hickory gym are just how it was in those crackerboxes where we had Hoosier Hysteria in those days. The screenplay captures the Hoosier way of talking well, too. Not the accents, so much, as the fact that people from Indiana tend to be a little laconic -- to not waste too many words. Our next door neighbors in Kentucky, on the other hand, are famous as gabbers and storytellers.
Look at some of the family names, also: Fleenor, Chitwood, and the like. I've known real Hoosiers by those names.
The kids who portray the Huskers are the best basketball players I've ever seen acting in a movie. They've actually "played the game" before -- you can tell.
Usually not mentioned, but a key element, is the musical score. It fits the theme so well -- especially at the end. Notice that after Coach Norman Dale says, "OK, let's go," just before Chitwood's winning basket, the only spoken words for the rest of the movie come from the disembodied voice of Dale, much later, as a lone kid shoots hoops in the Hickory gym. As the camera shows the photo of the state championship Huskers, Dale can be heard repeating what he said in the locker room before the big game: "I love you guys."
The music filled in on the sound track in place of dialogue during the last seconds before victory -- and it was perfect.

America Needs This Film.......2007-01-12

HOOSIERS is one of a handful of movies that make a statement about who we are and what makes our country great. Hoosiers characters are a collection of beaten down and worn out souls who have been dealt a lifetime of seemingly hopelessness and mediocrity. Individually they will remain destined to this fate for eternity. As a group they can rise beyond all hope and make a statement from which their lives will become enriched from what they are able to accomplish given that initial spark and making the commitment to give it their all. Composer Jerry Goldsmith must have seen greatness at the core of this film because he gave us one of the most inspiring scores ever composed for a film. All the actors give us so much more than we have ever seen as well. Each one contributed their best piece to the pie and that is what our country is truly all about.

Average customer rating:

A Modern "My Fair Lady" with an Outstanding Cast
Excellent movie for those who believe in fairy tales
Excellent teenage movie
Speedy and Safe Delivery
Humorous and entertaining

The Princess Diaries (Special Edition)
Starring: Julie Andrews , Anne Hathaway , Hector Elizondo , Heather Matarazzo , and Mandy Moore (II)
Director: Garry Marshall
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
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ASIN: B000209KMW
Release Date: 2004-08-03

Amazon.com

A thoroughly engaging fairy tale that's family friendly without being condescending, The Princess Diaries is your basic Cinderella makeover story given a fresh, affectionate twist courtesy of a game, energetic cast and a screenplay that skirts schmaltz in favor of gentle, effective comedy. Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) is a frizzy-haired, glasses-wearing 15-year-old girl whose two highest ambitions are to become invisible and to get a few smooches from the slickly attractive school heartthrob. As a girl who can't stand being the center of attention so much that she throws up during debate class, she's stunned and horrified when her coolly continental grandmother (Julie Andrews) shows up and informs her that she's the crown princess of the European principality Genovia. Soon enough, Mia has to undertake "princess lessons" (and a makeover) from her queenly grandmother, and eventually she blossoms into a confident, radiant girl--despite the worries and pressure that her newfound status brings. What makes The Princess Diaries work is director Garry Marshall's guileless, irony-free approach to the material (based on Meg Cabot's novel). In comparison to most snarky, ultra-hip teen comedies, The Princess Diaries is refreshingly and enjoyably square, content to win you over on charm alone and not a slick bag of tricks. Hathaway is a charismatic, appealing role model with a sharp sense of comic timing, and Andrews--who came to stardom as the object of a makeover supreme in My Fair Lady on Broadway--is at her regal best whether teaching Mia the proper royal wave or learning how to eat a corndog. Both leading ladies are complemented by a finely tuned cast, including Hector Elizondo as Genovia's head of security (and romantic counterpart to Andrews), Heather Matarazzo as Mia's best pal, and Robert Schwartzman as the good guy who ultimately wins Mia's heart. All in all, a royal pleasure. --Mark Englehart

Description

Disney's hilarious smash hit gets the royal treatment in this extraordinary 2-Disc Special Edition -- only on DVD. Starring Academy Award(R) winner Julie Andrews (1964 Best Actress, MARY POPPINS), the enchanting Anne Hathaway, and Hector Elizondo (PRETTY WOMAN), THE PRINCESS DIARIES is a cool, comical Cinderella story that will touch your heart. For teenager Mia Thermopolis (Hathaway), just surviving each school day is an adventure. Then the shocking news arrives that she's a real-life princess! So begins a comical transformation towards poise and princess-ness, including a media storm, jealous schoolmates, and a plot to take over her country.

Customer Reviews:

A Modern "My Fair Lady" with an Outstanding Cast.......2007-04-14

I suppose at one time or another, we all fantasize about discovering we are actually royalty. But what would it really look like? The Princess Diaries is the story of a plain, nerdy fifteen-year-old girl from San Francisco who suddenly discovers she is a princess and heir to the throne of a small European country. Mia, played by the absolutely charming Anne Hathaway, is an awkward, insecure girl whose self described expectation in life is, "to be invisible - and I'm good at it." However, with the help of her Grandmother, Queen Clarisse, superbly played by Julie Andrews (An inspired bit of casting, that. It is nice to see her back with Disney after her Academy Award winning performance in Mary Poppins.), Mia is transformed with the help of a remarkable makeover and "princess lessons." Mia learns not just how to be a princess but to have confidence in who she is. Not to say there are not some bumps along the way with mean girls, boy problems, and other problems all teenagers face - but in Mia's case, through the camera lens of the paparazzi. In the end, it all works out and she gets the right boy who "saw her when she was invisible" and sees her for the person she truly is.

The movie is family friendly and I would say the story is good for Jr. High and above. Garry Marshall does an excellent job directing. I must say it is good to see Julie Andrews moving gracefully into older rolls where her acting talents continue to shine. As I mentioned, Anne Hathaway does a great job as Mia. The show stealer in my opinion is Hector Elizondo who plays Joe, the Chief of Security, with a dry whit. Also appearing are Heather Matarazzo as Mia's best friend, Mandy Moore as the lead mean girl, and Robert Schwartzman as Mia's true love.

Excellent movie for those who believe in fairy tales.......2007-03-19

This movie was a great modern fairy tale~the geeky girl goes from invisible to fabulous and goes from a nobody to a Princess. Julie Andrews is of course an elegant, sophistocated Queen that loosens up with the help of her new granddaughter and the romance of her head of security and Anne Hathaway is wonderful: a cross between Lucille Ball and Audrey Hepburn. Enjoyable for all ages but definitely a chick flick.

Excellent teenage movie.......2007-01-26

One more masterpiece of Walt Disney Collection.

Suddenly 15-year old girl Mia (Anne Hathaway) find out that her dad was a crown prince of small country Genovia and that now she is the only hope of country and the only real heiress of the country.

Country Genovia is prototype of small coutry between France and Spain - Andorra (250km from Barcelona). Very nice country with friendly people.

Amazing grandma of Mia - Queen of Genovia (Julie Andrews). Both they make this comedy definitely worth seeing and just ROCK this film. Nice history, scenario, directing, actors - fantastic.

Nice comedy for whole family, that you would wanna watch again and again.

Speedy and Safe Delivery.......2007-01-18

Although I ordered this Video not long before Christmas it arrived in time to give as a Christmas present.

Humorous and entertaining.......2007-01-14

A great and entertaining movie, starring Anne Hathaway as Mia Thermopolis , a dorky and less than popular highschool girl of 15 , whose life is changed around when she is invited to see her grandmother (Julie Andrews) who reveals to her that she is the Crown Princess of the Kingdom of Genovia.
Lots of grooming and she is changed around to a radiant and beautiful princess.
This go's without saying , changes absolutely everything as everyone who previously ostracized her, suddenly wants to be her friend.
Her previous best friend, Lilly Moscovitz (Heather Matarazzo) doesn't know how to deal with it. Lilly's brother Michael Moscovitz (Robert Schwartzman) falls in love with her,while Mia at first is thrilled to date the jock who always ignored her Josh Bryant (Erik Von Detten).

All sorts of jinks and soirees before Mia grows fully into her role as Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo, Her Royal Highness, the princess of Genovia.
Also starring attractive young pop star Mandy Moore as her catty rival, cheer leader Lana Thomas.
Thomas is also given space to show off her magnifficent talent by singing Stupid Cupid , selected for performance by her character.
Julie Andrews is in fine fettle , and Hathaway is a talented young actresses. Hector Elizondo stars as Mia's driver and bodyguard Joe, and is excellent as usual.
Ultimately humorous and entertaining.

Average customer rating:

Jugendheit is not for children
Weather Bulletin
The storm of change
The storms of summer
Surprisingly Good!

Summer Storm
Starring: Robert Stadlober , Kostja Ullmann , Jürgen Tonkel , Alicja Bachleda-Curus , and Miriam Morgenstern
Director: Marco Kreuzpaintner
Manufacturer: Regent
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Another Gay Movie
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Third Man Out
Dante's Cove
Adam & Steve (2005)

ASIN: B000GBEWIO
Release Date: 2006-09-05

Customer Reviews:

Jugendheit is not for children.......2007-06-14

Summer Storm is another coming (out) of age story with a background in sports competition, this time crew racing. It has all the elements that we have come to expect in this genre, the best friend, the fake girl friend, the first encounter, the betrayal, and then the resolution. While parts of the story line feel forced, the overall sunny tone of the film, and the compelling characters help move it along nicely. It would be nice, someday, if the subtitles reflected not only the translation, but also the meaning of the german words. You lose a great deal of the teen age patoise in the translation. It sterilizes some of the funnier interactions.

Weather Bulletin .......2007-05-12

"Summer Storm" is a very well written German production about the lives of several teens involved in a rowing competition. Tobi, the crew captain of his team, struggles with the deep love he has long felt for his best friend Achim. He fears their friendship will be forever changed as new love blossoms in Achim's life, and can't imagine life without his constant companionship. Achim on the other hand is naive and oblivious to Tobi's feelings for him, although Tobi has tried to show him in many ways. He has vowed that nothing will ever come between their friendship, but will he still feel the same when the truth of Tobi's heart is revealed?

The team is sent to summer training camp, where they are pitted against an all-gay team of rowers. They are all forced to face their desires, jealousy, fears, pride, hidden longings and prejudice as bad weather and tough competition ensues, in and out of the water. Tobi's feelings are intensified as Achim and his girlfriend Sandra fall deeply in love and move on to the kind of physical relationship Tobi has so longed for with Achim. As he sees the openly gay team members express their desires without difficulty, the storm inside of him begins to rage.

The lead actors, Robert Stadlober (Tobi), and Kostja Ullmann (Achim) give flawless performances in their roles. Ullmanns character goes from humor, sweetness and sensativity, to anger, hurt and hatred without so much as flinching. Stadlober's performance is shining as he runs the gamet of emotion that is typical for a teen faced with the various storms of tender youth and self discovery. The casting of this film, in my opinion, was superb, without exception.

The real star of this story for me, was the character of "Leo", played by an unnamed actor. A quiet, self assured member of the "queerstrokes", Leo quickly relates to Tobi's secret struggle and is instantly drawn to him to offer support, tender affection and unconditional love. While he secretly falls in love with Tobi, he gently pushes him to self acceptance, to help him come to terms with his love for Achim and the reality he must face. The young actor who played this part, was without doubt, one of the best I've seen. He "becomes" the character he portrays, and acts with such smoothness and realism. His eyes and expression of tender emotion make it appear that he and his character are "one".

Each viewers personal feelings are well represented by at least one particular character. As you find the one you most relate to, you are sure to fall in love with at least one of them. If you like films like "Beautiful Thing", you are gonna love "Summer Storm". Sound and video quality are excellent, the storm sequences are realistic and all filmed on location in a beautiful setting to make this production top notch all the way.

The downside to this film is without doubt, the subtitles. Any film with subtitles makes it more difficult to follow, especially when the dialogue moves along quickly. It IS however a German film, with a german speaking cast, therefore the language is of course the same. So if you speak english, you will get nothing from the film WITHOUT the subtitles. It is however a film worth putting up with subtitles to view. If english speaking filmmakers would produce more films of this quality, we would not have to look to foreign films for what "Summer Storm" offers it's viewers, with the english translation.

As stated on the DVD cover, with a quote from Jan Stuart of Newsday, "They don't come any sweeter or more appealing than this". I give this film a definate two thumbs (and a couple big toes) UP!

The storm of change.......2007-04-29

The storm, in Summer Storm, takes place when Tobi falls for his best friend and crewmate Achim. The storm only grows larger when Achim in love with his girlfriend, Sandra, and Tobi's resentment for her grows, adding tension to his friendship with Achim. Meanwhile, Anke a beautiful female crewmember is after Tobi and throw in a gay crew team and you have the making of a comic, yet moving tale of friendship and acceptance. The writing swiftly builds the pace of the film and the complicated relationships bring frustration in each character and force the clashes that occur (hence the title Summer Storm).
Robert Stadlober does a wonderful job of carefully directing this film and keeping the actors true to form. The acting is terrific in this film, especially from such a young cast, but all the actors work well with each and become one fluid picture of acceptance and denial, frustration and forgiveness. The topic of this movie, acceptance of being gay in sports, is one that many movie-makers are really starting to explore and the prejudices that occur in the locker room hasn't changed much and seems resistant to change. The winds of Summer Storm bring in a light but refreshing look at young athletes trying to discover who they are, yet finding acceptance within their athletic circle. A great movie and one I would recommend whole-heartedly.

The storms of summer.......2007-04-20

Coming of age movies are a dime a dozen; but well told, well scripted, well directed, and well acted coming of age movies are rare. This falls into the latter group. The rare one. This was excellent.

Truly, I expected stereotypes galore. The cover of the DVD itself screams, "I'm A Gay Movie". In the opening credits, Tobi (Robert Stadlober) and Achim (Kostja Ullmann) were jumping and twisting in the air for no apparent reason, and the camera centered mostly on their crotches, showing their t-shirts as they rose above the elastic of their shorts to reveal well toned stomach muscles and hints of underwear. I thought, perhaps that's why they're jumping - to titillate. But I judged too hastily.

The film reveals its true purpose immediately: to tell a story. And we get the impression that all the skin we've seen, are seeing, and are about to see is not gratuitous, but rather that it represents the hormonal surges that the young men themselves were feeling.

We witness is Tobi and Achim in the locker rooms (boat house?) wrestling and goofing around - boys will be boys. It's noted that Tobi is aroused, and they masturbate together. Achim speaks lustily of girls, but Tobi's eyes speak only of Achim. This might be confusing to some American audiences, who would immediately assume that Achim is gay because he's doing this with another guy. Well, one of the worst kept secrets between teenage guys is that this sort of thing is not uncommon, even when both - or, indeed, all - members are straight. I say worst kept secret because straight guys never grow up and tell their wives, but gay guys grow up and tell *everybody*.

Achim has a girlfriend, who he obviously adores. Tobi, as well, has some interest in Anke, and the filmmakers leave no question about his attraction when we first meet her. Tobi is struck nearly dumb at the sight of her in a shirt that displays her, um, "figure" off quite well. Tobi has difficulty keeping his eyes above her chest. Confused he might be, but let's give Tobi this: he has great taste. Achim and Anke are both beautiful.

They are all on the same rowing team, and they are preparing to go to summer camp, where they will compete for the Cup. Tobi is excited about spending time with Achim, and your heart breaks because you can see that Achim is excited about spending time with Sandra (I think that was her name...). Stadlober plays Tobi with so much understated emotion; I never once saw him act. He was the emotional center of the film - he had to be - and he succeeded brilliantly. Achim as well was strikingly believable. Ullmann needed to show more than just affection, he needed to show love for Tobi, and yet it needed to be friendly love. He did it. Without his spot-on portrayal, the film would have been weaker.

When they arrive at camp, another team, Queerstroke, a gay rowing team, is there and Tobi's emotions, once reserved only for Achim, which, perhaps, made it OK for him to rationalize, are brought to the surface. Queerstroke has its stereotypes: a macho "straight wrangler", and a feminine guy that dices up veggies well, but they laugh at and question these, which gives us a rare look at gay men (boys, really) intelligently discussing the stereotypes in front of them, some of which are of their own making. At first there is tension when the guys from Tobi's team realize that Queer means Gay, but they all fall into a comfortable familiarity, with a few exceptions that are fun to watch play out.

But that comfort can't last long. Not when Queerstroke's "straight wrangler" is making the moves on one of Tobi's teammates, Schorsi, who abhors the thought, and Tobi's feelings, bolstered perhaps by the confident acceptance that Queerstroke displays for their sexuality, are bubbling to the surface.

The discord between the two, perhaps, serves as a metaphor for the struggle that is going on within Tobi himself. It comes to head during a storm - a summer storm. On that night, the two teams come to blows, and Tobi makes powerful realizations. While he sits under a tree, sobbing as the rain pounds his back, Achim is at the same time making love to Sandra. The camera takes us back and forth between the two scenes, and their juxtaposition is poetic.

Everything has to go right in a coming of age movie to make it work, if only because there are so many coming of age movies out there. Here we're lucky to see everything running on all cylinders. It's a gorgeous film, and even those who rented it only to see good-looking young men running about without their shirts will be surprised when they find themselves deeply moved.

Surprisingly Good!.......2007-03-15

Despite the subtitles...i loved the movie, didnt expect to but it really mad me go thru a rollercoaster of emotion, i was sucked into the movie and i liked it...i would recommend to all, u will not be disappointed:)

Average customer rating:

Oh Mary, this is a fantabulous movie!!
Queer Fun fir All
In & Out
Kevin's dance unforgettable
In and out of the closet!

In & Out
Starring: Kevin Kline , Joan Cusack , Tom Selleck , Matt Dillon , and Debbie Reynolds
Director: Frank Oz
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Extra Frills Edition)

ASIN: 6305127670
Release Date: 1998-10-21

Amazon.com

When a Hollywood heartthrob (Matt Dillon, playing a Brad Pitt look-alike) "outs" his small-town high-school drama teacher Howard Brackett (Kevin Kline) during the Oscar telecast, the entire (fictional) town of Greenleaf, Indiana, wonders if Howard's really gay. More to the point, Howard wonders, too--quite a dilemma considering his pending marriage to Emily (Joan Cusack), who's patiently tolerated a three-year engagement. While a TV reporter (Tom Selleck) covers the ensuing furor, screenwriter Paul Rudnick and director Frank Oz make good-natured humor their highest priority, turning the "crisis" of coming out into a laugh-out-loud spin on conventional romantic comedy. The result is a film that delivers constant laughs and a golden opportunity for its fine cast to show off their considerable comedic talents--especially Cusack, who deservedly earned an Oscar nomination for her hilarious performance as the bride who's almost as confused as her would-be husband. That Rudnick and Oz have made a great comedy that's both old-fashioned and relevant to the late 20th century is no small feat, but In & Out has no hidden agenda apart from its triumphant desire to entertain. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Oh Mary, this is a fantabulous movie!!.......2007-07-05

We have LOVED this movie for years. It's Kevin Kline at his comedy best, playing a gay man thinking he's straight. What a hoot! And Joan Cusack is his beautiful bride to be. Fun for the whole family. We had it on vhs and decided that we loved it so much, we wanted it on dvd. A movie that should not be missed.

Queer Fun fir All.......2007-04-13

"In and Out"

Queer Fun For All

Amos Lassen and Cinema Pride

I love Kevin Kline. I loved him in "Sophie's Choice" and in "A Fish Named Wanda". I even liked him as Cole Porter but I adored him in "In and Out". I thought "In and Out" to be an extremely good and funny film even though it lacked the bite of most gay-themed films. This was such a squeaky clean movie that even children can see it--but that is not a bad thing--in fact, it is rather a positive thing to thick that kids can watch us and not be infected. The comedy n "In and Out" as a broad range--from the ridiculous to the sublime, from the physical to the mental. Not all gay themed movies have a sinister intent or a hidden agenda and "In and Out" proves that beautifully. Here is a movie that was made for the sole purpose of entertaining and if this movie caused anyone to think then that was the byproduct of the excellent casting and acting.
Howard Brackett (Kline) is a high school teacher who is about to take the big step into marriage. His fiancée, Emily Montgomery (Joan Cusack) adores him but the town is more excited about the hometown boy being nominated for an Academy Award then they are about the upcoming wedding (in three days).
When one of his former students wins an Oscar in a film in which he plays a gay soldier, he thanks Howard in his acceptance speech and outs him as gay. What the film does is follow what happens after the speech.
This is not a great film by any means but it is entertainment. Maybe it wasn't all that I wanted it to be but it is a good fun movie. Kline's character is a composite of all those clichéd coming out stories that we get so much of.
Some movies are made to make us think, some to excite and some to lift our spirits. Here is a movie that only wants to make us laugh. As one of the first mainstream movies to deal with the issue of gayness, it was blessed to be so unique. It is a well intentioned, good natured, non-threatening and politically correct, albeit old fashioned look at gay men.
It takes anti-gay attitudes and made them the butt of jokes instead of the reasons for joking. Those who threatened the stereotypes were the mocked in the film and the insult took on a whole new aura.
The movie somewhat mirrored the Tom Hanks outing of his own high school teacher when Hanks won his second Oscar for "Philadelphia". When Kline's student wins the Oscar, his compliment to his teacher turns his hometown upside down. Kline plays his part of the non-gay, gay teacher to perfection and Tom Selleck as his soon-to be-lover turns in a surprise comedy performance.
I have read some really bad reviews of the film by people who said it did not go far enough or that it was hypocritical. I think that if you watch it for what it rally is--a light comedy--then you can't do anything but enjoy it.

In & Out.......2007-01-09

This is one of the funniest movies of all times. I love Kevin Klein in most all he has ever done.

Kevin's dance unforgettable.......2006-11-11

A very successful comedy. Highly recommendable. Players are magnificent.
Especially the final scene involving Kevin Cline's dancing act is unforgettable. Enables people to overcome deeply rooted prejudices about
sexual practice.Sociological context significant.Leaves fine trails in spectators' brains.

In and out of the closet!.......2006-11-05

Fun film about Kevin Kline as a teacher who discovers he's gay and decides he must cancel his upcoming wedding. Scene with Kevin kissing Tom Selleck acting as a newscaster is hillarious as well as the scene where Kline is listening to tapes on how to act masculine. A movie you will want to see more than once. A film to add to your library of DVDs.

Halloween H20 - 20 Years Later (Dimension Collector's Series)

Average customer rating:

AT LAST A SEQUEL WORTH WATCHING!
Jamie Lee Curtis returns to the film that made her a star
Halloween H20-TwentyYears Later-Zsendsational movie-still
"I'm not who you think I am." Halloween: H20 - 20 Years Later
Surprisingly good!

Halloween H20 - 20 Years Later (Dimension Collector's Series)
Starring: Adam Arkin , LL Cool J , Jamie Lee Curtis , Joseph Gordon-Levitt , and Adam Hann-Byrd
Director: Steve Miner
Manufacturer: Dimension
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305291446
Release Date: 1999-10-19

Amazon.com

Halloween is one of the great modern horror films, but as a franchise its track record has been spotty at best, painfully bad at worst. Halloween H2O: Twenty Years Later, directed by horror vet Steve Miner (Friday the 13th parts 2 and 3, House), won't displace John Carpenter's original but it might help you forget the films in between. Miner certainly has: the film begins as if sequels 3 through 6 never happened. Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis, reprising her role for the first time in almost two decades) faked her death and is now a single mom and headmistress of an exclusive California private school. She's also a secret alcoholic who lives in fear of her homicidal brother-bogeyman Michael Myers. Guess who decides to show up f