Little Noah

Director: Bradley Silvius
Studio: The Little Leaders Company, L.L.C.
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Kate Winslet operates at a galaxy-class level in Little Children, Todd Field's gratifyingly grown-up look at unhappy suburbia. Winslet is magnificent, in an Oscar-nominated performance, as a stroller-pushing mom who becomes attracted to a passive househusband (Patrick Wilson). Their slow-burning infidelity (Field wisely allows time to pass in this unhurried film) is contrasted with a more sensational subplot, about a convicted pedophile (Jackie Earle Haley, also Oscar nominated) returning to the neighborhood to live with his mother (Phyllis Somerville). Field, who brought his civilized approach to In the Bedroom, uses a deliberately literary style here, including a device with a narrator who sounds as though he's sitting at our side as he reads from Tom Perotta's novel. (The narrator is a superb touch--his cultivated voice distances us from the sloppy passions of the characters.) The film's biggest miscalculation is a self-appointed neighborhood vigilante (Noah Emmerich) determined to make life miserable for the pedophile. But Wilson is appropriately nebulous, Jennifer Connelly solid as his wife, and Haley (child star of the Bad News Bears movies), as the creepy, childlike molester, found himself rediscovered after a long career layoff. There's decent acting here, but Winslet is in a zone of her own, with so much emotional honesty and subtlety of expression that she transforms a good movie into a must-see. --Robert Horton

Description

Kate Winslet, Jennifer Connelly and Patrick Wilson star in the Academy Award nominated film Little Children, the latest work from Oscar-nominated writer/director Todd Field. Based on the novel by Tom Perrotta, Little Children centers on a handful of middle-class suburban parents whose lives unravel in the wake of an adulterous affair.

Customer Reviews:

Good tale that could have been treated better.......2007-07-05

"Little Children," adapted from the novel of the same name, is a movie about suburbia, what lies beneath the surface and the sympathetic battles we all have to overcome whatever they be. Jackie Earle Haley excellently captures an uneasy pedophile, otherwise, the acting is competent, but not fantastic. The script is also adequate enough. The problem with "Little Children" is it doesn't appropriately rise to either its potential or its source material. What "Little Children" needs is slickness, flash and flow to highlight the message it is trying to bring across and the tremendous talent behind it. The movie needs to better deliver its product. As it is, it is very wooden and hard to digest. The movie needs to set up better and pull harder on the heartstrings.

Life in Your Head.......2007-07-03

"Little Children" captured my imagination. I found the characters fascinating. Each person seemed to be so isolated, living inside their head. Todd Field who directed the bold and dramatic "In the Bedroom" does an incredible job. He and book author Tom Perrotta deservedly earned Oscar nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay. Sarah Pierce played by Kate Winslet loves her daughter, but isn't having much fun at being a mommy or a wife. Her husband has his own private life lurking at internet websites and ordering worn panties in the mail to spur his fantasy life. Both are incredibly isolated. Contrast this to the other couple with Jennifer Connelly playing Kathy Adamson who is lost in her work as a documentary filmmaker and so wrapped up in being a mommy that their child sleeps in their bed, literally creating a barrier between husband and wife. Patrick Wilson, who is also very good in "Evening" with Claire Danes, Vanessa Redgrave & Glenn Close, plays Brad, a young stay-at-home father who has twice failed the bar exam to become a lawyer. He isn't certain he wants to be a lawyer and spends evenings watching skateboarding teenagers. The park where they meet is populated with judgmental urban wives who call Brad the "prom king" because he's a good-looking young father who fuels their fantasies. Marsha Dietlein Bennett in her second film ("Little Manhattan") plays the blonde Cheryl who is hysterical in her chronic put-downs of everyone else. She's the kind of person who really couldn't think of anything nice to say about anyone. Then we meet the sex offender Ronnie who moves back into the neighborhood after two years in prison. Again, we meet a clinically isolated man, unable to socialize, living inside his head. Jackie Earl Haley who was in "The Bad News Bears" years ago and recently in "All the King's Men" earned his first Oscar nomination as well as film critics awards in Chicago, Dallas-Ft. Worth, New York, Oklahoma & the Southeastern Film Critics' Circle. Larry Hedges is the policeman who assumes a vendetta against Ronnie, which climaxes at the film's finale. Noah Emmerich from "Cellular" & "Crazy in Alabama" plays the cop who is also isolated & whose world is falling apart.

This was one of the Oscar-nominated films that never played in our little town. I wanted to see Kate Winslet's Oscar-nominated performance, which earned her fifth nomination. In fact, she had nine nominations at festivals around the country and world for "Little Children," but remained winless. Phyllis Somerville who was in "Swim Fan" does a tremendous cameo as Ronnie's mother, May McGorvey. I was touched by how sincerely both Brad and Sarah loved their children, despite feeling trapped by their roles as parents. The laundry room affair was shocking with its intense explosion of desire.

"Little Children" was excellent because there were no clear good guys or bad guys. It shows everyone living inside dreams in their head while trying hard to cope with the world around them. As a result, it came across as extremely realistic. Enjoy!

Watch it for Patrick Wilson.......2007-07-03

Patrick Wilson is so hot in this, great body, great face. The movie is good too, but I could not keep my eyes off that hot man. Wait til you see him in a pair of swimming trunks. Whoa! Even better, when he is in the raw.

Blackest of Dark Dramedies.......2007-07-01

I'm so glad I saw this without having known anything about the storyline nor having too high of expectations about the quality of the film, because the acting and storytelling here are nothing short of a voyeuristic revelation, and not knowing about it only enhanced the experience.

Kate Winslet first caught my attention in SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, and I rooted for her character there and in TITANNIC. Since then I've watched her career with interest. But it's as though she has risen to a new level in LITTLE CHILDREN. Here she gives a far more nuanced performance as a modern-day Emma Bovary, trapped in a loveless marriage, yearning for romance and passion while saddled with dreaded parental responsibilities. Winslet's performance especially -- as well as the entire movie -- serves as a primer on moral ambiguity and its depiction in art and film. She is so good that you forget you're watching a movie featuring the star of the biggest blockbuster in history and must remind yourself that you're not peeking through the blinds of someone who lives in your neighborhood.

As I watched I was reminded of another subtle mood piece, IN THE BEDROOM, which stays in your memory just as persistently. Afterward, when I looked up the names of the writer and director, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Todd Field had directed both films.

I can see why some reviewers have compared LITTLE CHILDREN with AMERICAN BEAUTY, what with the story about suburban infidelity, the longing for passion and youth and depiction of graphic sex. But in this movie, when the adult characters behave like self-centered LITTLE CHILDREN, their behavior feels more plausible, less comical (despite the documentary-like black comedy of the voice over -- compare with Kevin Spacey's voice over), less naive about consequences, more true to life. And while I love AMERICAN BEAUTY and can watch it over and over, I think LITTLE CHILDREN is a very different film, a better film, but one with an unfortunately more limited appeal.

No, LITTLE CHILDREN isn't a perfect movie. The character of the child molester, despite an excellent performance, is the stereotypical sniveling misfit we expect, rather than a smart and skillful child rapist from the real world, one who knows how to lure his prey with patience and subtle appeal. Jennifer Connelly's character has too small of a role for her considerable talents. And in the real world, the overbearing former police officer's actions would have landed him in jail, or at least with a restraining order, long before the climax. But all of these quibbles are hardly noticeable at all as one is quickly involved in a story that doesn't let you go, one whose moral ambiguity has you rooting for the wrong people, hating the wrong people, and daydreaming for days afterward. Highest recommendation.

(By the way, I would be careful about letting teenagers watch, as this contains explicit adulterous sex scenes, a disturbing masturbation scene (not visible) and nudity that comes unexpectedly.)

Superb film until the ending.......2007-06-28

The acting here is superb throughout, with Winslet the standout in a stellar cast. The human drama keeps you hooked all the way. The ending, though, is a bit of a cheat. You spend most of the film wondering if these two people will run away together. When they finally decide to do so, their plans are undone by basically random events. True, that happens a lot in real life, but in films you like a little more resolution. You never know if they would have gone through with their plans or how it might have worked out. It's still a film very much worth seeing, though, and the Oscar buzz about Winslet's best-ever performance is justified.

Average customer rating:

Best Lil Whorehouse In Texas
doesnt work
A Surprise from my past..
Classic Dolly & Burt
Entertaining.

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Starring: Burt Reynolds , Dolly Parton , Dom DeLuise , Charles Durning , and Jim Nabors
Director: Colin Higgins
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Coal Miner's Daughter - 25th Anniversary Edition

ASIN: B0000714BR
Release Date: 2003-01-07

Amazon.com

This is an energetic, but ultimately mediocre adaptation of the play, directed on Broadway by Tommy Tune. Burt Reynolds is the town sheriff and a regular patron of a local bordello. He wages a public battle to keep it open after it is targeted as the devil's den by a television minister. Charles Durning was nominated for a Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and there are some lively song and dance numbers featuring Dolly Parton as the madame of the Chicken Ranch. However, this becomes bogged down in too many serious moments for it to be more than a lightweight musical comedy. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Customer Reviews:

Best Lil Whorehouse In Texas.......2007-06-12

Loved the movie..brought back some great memories from watching it from way back..lol. I even bought it for a friend as a gift.

doesnt work.......2007-05-30

i bought this tried to send it back as doesnt work but they would not accept

A Surprise from my past.........2007-05-14

I ordered this for my wife, but I knew of it as a kid. I was surprised how entertaining it ended up being. Burt and Dolly really have a chemistry, and for a real church-going country girl, she seems to have an open mind for taking such a risque role. Moments that harken to "true" women's rights, the safety of a whorehouse opposed to the street walker/pimp scenario, even a quip on how un Christian most Christians are. (When Burt is asked why more people are not forgiving like God is, he replies,"Well, I guess most people aren't very God-like." So damned true. I dig this film.

Classic Dolly & Burt.......2007-05-08

Very good adaptation of a musical, and Dolly & Burt are great. Don't think I have ever heard Burt sing before (is it dubbed?).

Entertaining........2007-05-07

This is a fun movie to watch. I saw it many years ago and liked it so much that i have now bought it. Stars Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton. It's a comedy movie about a little whore house known as the chicken ranch. Not a movie that you would let young children watch but over 15 would be fine. I just loved it.

Average customer rating:

if you are even a tiny fan of Tony Randall, this is it!!!
Very satisfied
Randall is great!
Strange, but a true original!
Illusions of life

Seven Faces of Dr. Lao
Starring: Tony Randall , Barbara Eden , Arthur O'Connell , John Ericson , and Noah Beery Jr.
Director: George Pal
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0790746115
Release Date: 2000-10-03

Description

A mysterious traveling circus unleashes a torrent of magic and mysticism in a dusty Arizona town. "In what may be the finest performance in a fantasy film" (Guide for the Film Fanatic), Tony Randall charms and spellbinds as ringmaster Dr. Lao and his multitude of faces, a virtuoso turn that earned a special Oscar for Outstanding Makeup Achievement. Step inside the tent...and marvel.

Customer Reviews:

if you are even a tiny fan of Tony Randall, this is it!!!.......2007-06-06

Tony Randall is this movie -- sweet, clean fun -- good for the whole family, a real lovely moral tale with the Master (Tony Randall) giving 7 different roles a most delightful spin. Enjoy!

Very satisfied.......2007-05-15

Easy to order, product delivered within a few days and I could take advantage of the free shipping offer. Top qulity DVD of one of my favorite old movies.

Randall is great!.......2007-05-14

I had seen this many times when my kids were young, and we loved it. Sure, it's corny and over the top sometimes, but it's thoroughly entertaining. Having read the book, I find they did a good job of conveying its flavor. A classic!

Strange, but a true original!.......2007-05-08

This is an unusual movie that teaches lessons in a manner unaccustomed to. It address' both basic human strengths and weakness, as well as American culture. It is movie that causes one to think about the state of humanity and the plank in their own eye. Excellent! And the whole family can enjoy it as entertainment as well.

Illusions of life.......2007-03-28

A magician who let the people of a town have a look in their heart and holds them a mirror, if the heart is vain and empty or jast deeply hurt through diaapointments.

The Life of David Gale (Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

View it as a simple thriller/mystery or in the larger context of the debate over capital punishment
Something Was Missing
One of the great undiscovered flicks.
Worth watching
very good

The Life of David Gale (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Jim Beaver , Matt Craven , Jesse De Luna , Vernon Grote , and Constance Jones
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JLZN
Release Date: 2003-07-22

Product Description

Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey (American Beauty) stars with Oscar nominee Kate Winslet (Titanic) in a powerfully gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller hailed as provocative (ABC-TV). An electrifying suspenseful journey into deadly conspiracy and murderous deception begins when a respected professor who may or may not be guilty is charged with a brutal crime. The Life of David Gale is a brilliantly unpredictable thriller, which builds relentlessly to a shocking final twist guaranteed to blow you away!

System Requirements:

Starring Kevin Spacey, Kate Winslet, Laura Linney

Directed by Alan Parker

Running time: 2 Hours 11 Minutes

Amazon.com

Kevin Spacey (American Beauty) plays David Gale, a brilliant but hard-drinking anti-death penalty crusader on death row for a rape and murder that he claims he didn't commit. The victim of the crime is Gale's close friend and anti-death penalty colleague (Laura Linney, You Can Count On Me), so Gale argues that he's been set up to discredit the cause. Committed journalist Bitsey Bloom (Kate Winslet, Titanic) takes it upon herself to figure the whole thing out--and so we follow her through a ridiculous plot full of supposedly shocking twists that are telegraphed far in advance and make very little sense when they arrive. The overwritten script tries to cover too many hot-button issues and gives Spacey way too many showy scenes where he gets to be passionate and caring, which is creepier than his psychopath roles in The Usual Suspects and Seven. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

View it as a simple thriller/mystery or in the larger context of the debate over capital punishment.......2007-07-06

The Life of David Gale is a movie about the last days of David Gale, an anti-death penalty activist and college philosophy professor sitting on death row for the rape and murder of a colleague. For reasons that are never entirely clear, he grants three doomsday interviews to a young, energetic, principled reporter named Bitsey Bloom (Kate Winslet). Bitsey travels to Texas's death row to visit Gale in the last three full days of his life. Gale implies that framing a liberal activist for murder is the ultimate triumph, and dangles before Bitsey clues to unraveling his innocence. He doesn't want her to get him off in a last minute stay, but he does want her to keep his legacy alive and continue to research his case.

The movie is no Dead Man Walking, nor is it a clear liberal rant against capital punishment. It's a thriller/mystery that can be viewed as just that (with a few forced twists and plot holes), or it can be considered in the larger context of the debate over capital punishment in a death-happy state like Texas. It's a movie about human foibles and their cost to our families. Laura Linney, Kevin Spacey, and Kate Winslet deliver top notch performances.

Something Was Missing.......2007-03-22

I don't know quite how to put it. The Life of David Gale is certainly a message film sprinkled with suspense, but the ending left me bewildered. Why did the murder suspect mail Bitsey a second tape that showed David Gale involved with the suicide? Other questions I raise are: What motive did Berlin have for charging Gale with rape? Why did Gale's wife and son flee to Italy or was it Spain? Is Gale's situation so hopeless that he decides to die for the cause? Gale and the murder suspect didn't seem to have a strong bond of friendship, yet what would compel the murder suspect to travel to Europe with a suitcase of money and make sure that Gale's wife receives it? Does anyone have any answers? The film is complex with its layers of left wing politics, morality plays, and Hitchcockian twists, but still comes up short. A classic film that contrasts innocence with guilt without the death penalty issue is The Wrong Man starring Henry Fonda.

One of the great undiscovered flicks........2007-03-21

Just one of those great movies that didnt get the recognition that it deserved. Of course, Kevin Spacey is one of the best actors of his time in my opinion, but overall this movie is a must see.

Worth watching.......2007-02-10

This was a film of two intentions - a thriller, and a message movie. It is a worthy intention to put the message into some context as a thriller to make it palatable; it makes the medicine easier to swallow. However the film is beset by a problem of balance .. Where the thriller slacks off, the message seems too in your face, and where the thriller takes off it seems too shallow for want of the message.
Alan Parker handled the balance so much better in Mississippi Burning, that if you came to this expecting the same standard you would be very disappointed.
However, the cast do adequately, and Spacey and Linney do brilliantly, adding the depth that makes the film engrossing enough to enjoy watching.
Those who are expecting the film to hold its own as a thriller will be disappointed however.

very good.......2007-01-23

This movie is well written and the acting is great. Yet Again, Kevin Spacey gives a great performance. His job being a drunk philosphy prof. walking down the street loudly lecturing people as they happen to walk by is simply brillant. Kate Winslet is very convincing as a sympathic journalist. The writing is original and thoughtful. It has a great premise with a even greater and suprising ending. I was pleasantly suprised by this movie.

The Life of David Gale (Full Screen Edition)

Average customer rating:

View it as a simple thriller/mystery or in the larger context of the debate over capital punishment
Something Was Missing
One of the great undiscovered flicks.
Worth watching
very good

The Life of David Gale (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Jim Beaver , Matt Craven , Jesse De Luna , Vernon Grote , and Constance Jones
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Crime & Criminals | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00009M6VJ
Release Date: 2003-07-22

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

View it as a simple thriller/mystery or in the larger context of the debate over capital punishment.......2007-07-06

Something Was Missing.......2007-03-22

One of the great undiscovered flicks........2007-03-21

Just one of those great movies that didnt get the recognition that it deserved. Of course, Kevin Spacey is one of the best actors of his time in my opinion, but overall this movie is a must see.

Worth watching.......2007-02-10

very good.......2007-01-23

Haibane Renmei - New Feathers (Vol. 1) With Series Box

Average customer rating:

Frustrating
Bar none excellence.
My favorite anime
Just an FYI
Very realistic and memorable

Haibane Renmei - New Feathers (Vol. 1) With Series Box
Starring: Howard Clarendon , Jeffrey Simjohn , Michael McConnohie , Noah Matisoff , and Rachel Hirschfeld
Director: Tomokazu Tokoro
Manufacturer: Geneon [Pioneer]
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00009WNVG
Release Date: 2003-08-26

Amazon.com

The Haibane, who look like angels with halos and small wings, share a walled town with humans. Both groups are forbidden to leave. Rakka awakens from a portentious dream when she emerges from a huge cocoon as Haibane. She was apparently human once, but can only remember fragments of that existence. She quickly settles into Old Home, a former dormitory where the Haibane live when they're not working. With the help of some fellow Haibane, Rakka learns about the enclosed world in a succession of brief vignettes. Unfortunately, life at Old Home is about as exciting as a visit to Ozzie and Harriet. These mini-episodes are cute, wistful, and dull, with passive, uninteresting characters. Rekka's curiosity about what lies beyond the walls will undoubtedly lead her to violate the Haibane's most sacred law in a later episode. (Rated 13 and older: brief nudity, minor profanity, tobacco use) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

Frustrating.......2006-07-25

Haibane Renmei is, to me, a very frustrating series.

First of all I will say that the first episode here was excellent. In fact it may be one of the best opening episodes of any anime's iv'e seen. The scene in which Raka grows her wings is not only heart wrenching but is so well concieved you can practically feel the pain with her. I also, might add, that it does a good job introducing what would be an incredibly interesting plotline.
However, what annoy's me is that after an amazing begining the show basically goes nowhere with these begining episodes. The concept is so interesting and potentially amazing, but in the end it all falls flat. This is what I mean by frustrating, I wanted so much to really love this title but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Not to say that I dislike it but I certainly think it could be worlds better. The main problem lies in how harmless it is. Look, this is just me, if you love harmless anime then be my guest, but its just way too uninvolving. For a plot like this to soar there has to be some kind of conflict. I'm not necessarilly saying it has to be a whole bad guys vs. good guys senario but I would like some sort of conflict present, and i'm talking about more than just trying to reseolve the fact that the haibane children won't eat their vegetables.
The main problem with the disc I will say, which mainly cocenrs what's said above, is episodes three and four. Epsiode two was at least interesting and provided some plot points to look foward to. But it's episode three where everything turns stale. And when I say stale I mean exactly that. After Raka is established in the community as a Haibane everything just basicaly loosens into her trying to find her place in their world by getting a job. This could very easily open the door for some kind of compelling story or situation to arise, but ultimately it fails by dropping its viewer into a neverending string of boring, uneventful, to artsy for its own good, situations. Theres nothing intersting present,and its way too artsy, everything just drones along, with characters who are, in my opinion sometimes are way too overly happy.

Aside from that however in general the characters are fairly likeable. Raka is actualy a very likeable lead, not being your typical, run of the mill girl character. But best of all is Reki who is acually extremely likeable, and once again not the typical run of the mill girl characters. Everybody else is alright not giving into many of the anime achetypes so often seen, but yet alot of them are just too overly enthusiastic, no one has any kind of edge to them, which can be a litle grating.

Th animation in the show is absolutely stunning I will say. the color scheme fits the overall feel of the show very well, and the character design is also comendable as well as diverse. The backrounds as well are very detailed and well done. Visually this show is top notch.

The music is also very good, although very subtle. Don't expect any heavy meatl or rock here.

The dubbing here should also be recognized. This show was extremely well cast providing not so run of the mill voices for it's characters. Everyone is, for the most part, either normal pitched or mellow, which is exactly perfect for the show's mood. The standout performance here is Reki's voice over. It captured the character perfectly and was also extrmely well acted. Kudos to the dub.

This is a tough title for me, and maybe it is slighty unfair for me to complain about the show's lack of conflict. Its possible that that's what Abe had intended; just a mellow, kind spirited series. But I guess what I'm trying to do is warn people who don't want that kind of show, and are looking for something more edgy. However I will commend Haibane for being very different, its it's own show which in it's own way makes it deserve alot of merit, and even though I usually go for that type of anime, this just wasn't for me. However not all hope is lost, I actually picked up volumes 1 and 2 at a convention for five bucks a piece, and despite having problems with volume 1 I will be watching the second one, basiclaly out of curiosity. I still want desparately want to like this series and I'm not about to give up yet. I guess I'll see what happens.

Bar none excellence........2006-04-24

This series simply put belongs on every anime shelf in every anime buffs home. The series is nothing short of moveing. You will find yourself emotionally swept up into the lives of the characters. The character developement is wonderful. The animation, and music are done flawlessly. The story is most definately a cut above the rest.

This is a anime for the more mature anime viewer. Not for the person who needs buckets of blood and sex. This is a story about people trying to find salvation, and make their way in the world. With rich philisophical, religious, and psychological overtones most adults should be able to revel in that sad, but hopeful little series.

My favorite anime.......2005-11-27

First, let me say that this series is not for everyone. The pacing is slow, the dialogue is quiet and sparse, and anyone expecting typical anime fare will be disappointed.

This isn't typical anime fare. It's the Hemmingway of anime. It deals with the everyday life of a group of women, albeit a slightly unusual group of women, but everything in the series contributes in some way to the development of the plot and characters. The art is calm and beautiful.

For anyone who likes this anime, I would also recommend Serial Experiments Lain (which is considerably darker, and probably more for people who are interested in technology), NIEA_7 (a beautiful comedy about a girl living with an lower class alien), and Mushishi (not out in America, but a very nice series about spirits).

Just an FYI.......2005-07-11

This series was in fact done by the same director as Serial Experiments Lain, thus the two series' look very much alike. I ordered this series from Ebay today, and I havent watched it, but from everything I've read about it, it seems like an enthralling anime.

Very realistic and memorable.......2005-06-05

This series has one of the best music and story I have ever seen. While the opening theme is enlightening, the ending song conveys a sense of revelation and beauty. Music elsewhere in the series is also good and helps contribute to the overall mood. I really liked its plot because the problems which the Haibane go through can be related to ourselves. Haibane Renmei is definitely one of the deeper anime out there...frankly I almost cried myself at the realism of Reki's situation near the ending. It is highly recommended, and you would be missing out on some of the best series if you don't watch this.

Average customer rating:

Frustrating
Bar none excellence.
My favorite anime
Just an FYI
Very realistic and memorable

Haibane Renmei - New Feathers (Vol. 1)
Starring: Howard Clarendon , Jeffrey Simjohn , Michael McConnohie , Noah Matisoff , and Rachel Hirschfeld
Director: Tomokazu Tokoro
Manufacturer: Geneon [Pioneer]
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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General | Animation | Genres | DVD | Video

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( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Haibane-Renmei - Wings of Sorrow (Vol. 2)
Haibane Renmei - Free Bird (Vol. 3)
Haibane-Renmei - Day of Flight (Vol. 4)
Texhnolyze - Inhumane & Beautiful (Vol. 1) - With Collector's Box
Last Exile - First Move (Vol. 1) With Collector's Box

ASIN: B00009WNVF
Release Date: 2003-08-26

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Customer Reviews:

Frustrating.......2006-07-25

Bar none excellence........2006-04-24

My favorite anime.......2005-11-27

Just an FYI.......2005-07-11

Very realistic and memorable.......2005-06-05

Average customer rating:

extraordinary
Where did these new characters come from ???
Truth and Mystery
Haibane Flies
The mystery of the Haibane

Haibane Renmei - Free Bird (Vol. 3)
Starring: Howard Clarendon , Jeffrey Simjohn , Michael McConnohie , Noah Matisoff , and Rachel Hirschfeld
Director: Tomokazu Tokoro
Manufacturer: Geneon [Pioneer]
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Animation | Genres | DVD | Video

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Haibane-Renmei - Day of Flight (Vol. 4)
Haibane-Renmei - Wings of Sorrow (Vol. 2)
Haibane Renmei - New Feathers (Vol. 1)
Texhnolyze - Spectacle (Vol. 2)
Texhnolyze - Retaliation (Vol. 3)

ASIN: B0000DFZZ4
Release Date: 2003-12-16

Customer Reviews:

extraordinary.......2006-07-12

You can find my review for the boxed set, which I recommend buying. Here I'll just be brief and say that if you like Anime with a meaning and a message, you must watch Haibane Renmei. It's the deepest, saddest Anime I've ever seen. I would say that, emotionally, it might be up there with "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn". Is it sad or is it uplifting? You'll have to decide for yourself.

Where did these new characters come from ???.......2004-03-06

There are 2 new characters introduced with this DVD. They ***sound*** like Reki and Rakka, they have the same names as Reki and Rakka but they ARE NOT Reki and Rakka !!! Its obvious that a different artist was used for the character drawings in these episodes and I hate it when that happens in an anime. Its only towards the last chapter that they start to look like their old selves. Go back and check out how they look in the opening sequence and the earlier episodes, in comparison to me Reki looks crudely drawn and Rakka has less detail. While watching these episodes I found that their "new" look was VERY distracting, only the strong storyline made me stick with it. 5 stars for the story, 3 stars for the animation with the new changes.

Truth and Mystery.......2004-03-05

It is a shame that this mini-series has only one DVD left to go. Heavily influenced by the same creative controls that produced Serial Experiments: Lain, Haibane-Renmei (Charcoal Feathers) is a story that tussles with the limitations of anime and comes up a winner. Drawing on the unusual premise of children who find themselves reborn with wings in a small town community. there they come to grips with a new reality (and no memory of their past) biding their time until they reach a mystical point where they can fly 'over the wall' into a new, and unknown life.

One would expect this tale of angelic creatures to be a bit lightweight and fluffy, but it is the exact opposite. The tale has a bitter-sweet turn to itself as it weighs the grief of departure against the promise of transformation. That change is always a little death. While the Haibane live special lives in the town's social matrix, they live them as real people. Squabbling, sharing, adventuring and growing - sometimes joyful and sometimes sorrowful.
,
In these three episodes Rakka's story, which has been a main focus comes to a head. Depressed by the loss of Kuu, a friend who flew over the wall, and haunted by the dream of someone making a sacrifice for her, Rakku struggles with her own guilt and dismay. Even as this reaches for an unexpected resolution, Reki, her mentor, moves into the center light.

Reki and Rakka are both sin-bound, haunted not so much by a deed in their past as they are by their own feelings about their actions. And, because of this, holding back from making the passage. But Rakka is a young girl who can seek forgiveness. Reki, however, is already a woman, so far unable to deal with the core of her problems, and now facing a time limit beyond which a haibane cannot remain.

These episodes again demonstrate the deft way director Tomokazu Tokoro takes writer Yoshitoshi Abe's script and replicates in the outer landscape what is happening with the characters. The effect is both memorable and remarkable, substituting character development for the usual flurry of action and commanding the viewer's attention.

Haibane Flies.......2004-02-26

I don't think I've ever watched a series quite like Haibane Renmei. The first few episodes really got me aching to watch more. An almost impromptu anime based on a doujinshi by the artist of SE Lain, the story is quietly compelling and has a mystical feel to it. The characters are charming and very realistic, and the settings are wonderfully drawn to resemble a rustic european town. Much of color scheme is soft, warm colors. Paired with realistic character design, HR becomes very down-to-earth. The central plot revolves around Rakka her mysterious 'birth' into an enclosed city of winged people who cannot fly. The story unfolds slowly, and I've no clue how the plot will develop and how the series will end. It's rare to have an anime with such a mysterious and totally unpredictable storyline, so I'm really looking forward to the rest of the series.

The mystery of the Haibane.......2003-12-18

The third volume of the Haibane Renmei story (Episodes 8, 9 and 10) continues the beautiful tradition of the previous episodes. While the previous episodes have set up plenty of mysteries, this volume begins to answer some of them while raising new questions. In fact, Rakka is asking a number of questions about the nature and purpose of the Haibane, the town, and the wall. Some of her questions are universal: for example, if we all come suddenly into this world and leave just as suddenly, what is the purpose of my existence?

Despite the new bond that forms between Rakka and Reki at the end of the second volume, Rakka's instincts are still to isolate herself from others whenever she faces emotional pain. She feels that she does not belong in this world. The kindness that she receives from the other Haibane at Old Home and from the people of the town only makes her feel unworthy and guilty. She wishes that she could just disappear. She nearly gets her wish when she becomes trapped at the bottom of a dry well. There she finds the key to her cocoon dream. As a result, Rakka learns (and finds out that she needs to learn more) about the nature of sin, of forgiveness and of atonement, but not before she breaks a cardinal rule of the Haibane Renmei.

In the tenth episode, there is a flashback to Reki's birth as a Haibane and the relationship between her, Kuramori and Nemu. It is a bittersweet story about how Nemu and Reki became true friends under the loving protection of Kuramori. Also, the episode contains an important revelation about the wall that surrounds the town.

Description

As a starving student, Mayuko's life consists of many part-time jobs, a small apartment over a bathhouse, and sleepless study nights. Unfortunately for her sanity, this hard life is complicated by Niea. Niea is a young 7th class under-alien who is living in Mayuko's closet, building flying saucers out of trash, eating Mayuko's food and being a bum. Compared to this stress, the man eating plants and the curry wars are nothing… Contains all 14 episodes collected in a "Bailey Box."

Customer Reviews:

more crazy kids.......2006-10-05

this is one with no brain required. completely wacky. nothing very serious or complicated. it's really just to have fun with. It does have one real serious moment but even that wasn't too serious. it's about kids
growing up along with each other with a zany intro. it throws lots of punchlines that connect with lots of exaggerations. its from pioneer so you can tell it should be an automatic good buy. i noticed a very ecchi animation segment within the first minute or so of this picture. it's like real life in that it takes more than one to get the laughs rollin'.

Fooly Cooly Jr........2005-09-15

I bought the entire NieA_7 series in one shot (DVD box-set) because I'm a fan of Serial Experiments Lain and Haibane Renmei, and NieA was made by some of the same creators. After all, I bought Haibane Renmei solely because it was by the same people who made Lain, and I was rewarded with a truly excellent anime. Last night I finished the first volume of NieA, and let me say that at this point my faith has been shaken.

NieA sub par.......2005-06-02

One of my favorite anime series was Serial Experiments Lain. Later, I heard that the creative team behind Lain made another series called Haibane Renmei. I had so much faith in the team that I bought the entire Haibane Renmei series cold, knowing absolutely nothing about the show. I hit the jackpot, Haibane Renmei quickly became another series that I hold in high regard and enjoyed very much. On one of the Haibane DVDs was an interview with the creators, and they spoke of another series they'd previously done together. That series was NieA_7. With my faith in the team doubled, I bought the NieA box set without a second thought. Unfortunately however, the third time is not the charm.

I don't know which series came first, but there's a very striking resemblence between NieA and a show called FLCL (or Fooly Cooly or Furi Kuri, depending on how much of a pompous anime elitist you are.) I think they were both released in Japan in 2000, so I doubt either one ripped off the other. But both series are about a young main character leading a dull existence in a quiet town, whilst co-habitating against their will with an alien who causes them trouble. The lead character of this show is Mayuko, a girl going to cram school so she can pass her college entrance exams. She's demure, shy, and plagued with self-doubt; a common archetype most anime fans will recognize. NieA is the name of the alien who lives in Mayuko's closet. Her class designation is an "Under 7," which means she has no antennae on her head and is generally lower class and financially poor. Like FLCL's alien character Haruko, NieA is a 'kitsune', essentially a trickster-god character. But unlike Haruko, I find her nothing short of totally unlikeable. Take Ed from Cowboy Bebop and subtract any and all charm whatsoever. Her single minded obsession with food causes her to be an obnoxious, trouble-causing pest. On the surface, her role in the show is simply to irritate Mayuko. She never fails at this, and in turn Mayuko never fails to overreact, screaming at the top of her lungs and making hyper-stylized scary face faults. All of this is supposed to be funny. Personally, I've never enjoyed this cliche. They did too good of a job at making NieA an annoying character. She should annoy the characters in show, not me. I should find her amusing and fun to watch, but I don't. I just want her to go away. No appeal whatsoever. I think one fatal flaw in the formula is that NieA also has a self-righteous attitude and often tries to justify her irritating behavior. Imagine Bugs Bunny stopping in the middle of a cartoon to explain to Elmer Fudd, "Look bub, ~you're~ the one who's trying to kill ~me~! That's why I'm screwing with you! So relax! Sheesh!" Thankfully, I like most of the other characters, and the story rarely focuses on NieA. And while I don't find the NieA character to be funny, there's still a lot of good "intentionally lame"* humor in the show.

I think part of this is my own personal problem. It's somewhat rare that I enjoy comedy anime. Some examples that I have enjoyed (or was at least able to sit through in their entirety) are His & Hers/Kare Kano, Love Hina, Chobits, and FLCL. But there have been far more that I couldn't stand and never finished: Slayers, Vandread, Nadesico, Excel Saga, to name just a few. As it stands now, I'm only halfway through NieA_7 and am open to the possibilty that like Trigun, there will be some kind of shift in the second half of the show and I'll fall in love with it. If not, I'll just watch FLCL again.

* According to the liner notes, the team was consciously going for a 'lame' style of humor. 'Lame' is their word, not mine.

EDIT June 3, 2005-

I've finished the series. All in all, it wasn't a bad little show. NieA did indeed briefly calm the heck down and show a bit of heart. However, I stand by my 3 out 5 rating. NieA Under 7 is definitely what I'd call a postmodern anime. It seems to willfully eschew fundamental pillars of story telling such as plot, character arc, and resolution/closure. Instead, it's more of a stream of consciousness. The show itself can be entertaining and enjoyable to watch, especially if you like the bittersweet and wistful side of things. It often hovers around the themes of dealing with change and coping with loss, but never seems to really do anything with them. In the end (and I use the term loosely,) it's just "some stuff that happened." There are other postmodern anime series I would recommend before this one. For starters: Haibane Renmei and FLCL. If you've seen those already, I say go ahead and take a chance on this. You may enjoy it more than I, as is evidenced by the reviewers who came before me.

Great series, not so great dvds.......2004-10-13

I would agree with the other reviews about how great the series itself is. However, the dvds are fairly sub par. The extras are rather scant. And the video transfer could have been much better. Far to many scenes have BIG jaggies. Fortunatly the sound seems just fine. And I do appreciate not having to sit thru numerous previews every time I put the disk in. (Hello ADV!) So, 5 stars for the series, maybe 2 1/2 for the dvds.

A quiet, beautiful series that should have been much longer........2003-12-14

Niea Under 7 is a series that seems to be trying to combine anime genres for laughs. You'll see elements of Maison Ikkoku, and Urusei Yatsura (LUM), two Rumiko Takahashi series, although she had nothing to do with this anime. I really think the alien element, was added initially as an audience hook. Much like in Kimagure Orange Road, where most of that story could have been told without some of the characters being ESP'ers. Niea could have just been a bratty friend, and not an annoying alien girl.

The series focus explores the life of a poor ronin girl, named Mayuko, seeking to make ends meet, and wondering how to approach the rest of the world, on a social level. I believe the presence of Niea, is a device to help get her, to come out of her shell. We see a character, much like a lot of young people who is diligent in school, honest, very hard working, with a misplaced sense of pride. Mayuko is also a character, who needs to be brought out of her shell. She's mistakenly seen by other students, as standoffish or arrogant, when she's really shy, and nervous in social situations.

The alien plot has some interesting dynamics to it. The aliens have been there for years, and have integrated into society. There are apparently levels of aliens, the lowest of which is the Under 7 type like Niea, who lacks an antenna, and appears to be dirt poor. I think the aliens are a convenient method to show cultural class struggles, similar to the poor, and the rich elite of our everyday society.

This series is probably too quiet for hard-core mecha lovers. It's slow moving, and many of the plots are inconclusive, and often depressing. I would have liked to see the development of Mayuko, played out till its conclusion. She's an interesting, but often a very sad character. Still as anime comedy plots go, some are very original, and quite funny.

Customer Reviews:

Cecil B. DeMille's important first film.......2006-09-09

"The Squaw Man" may be billed as a silent classic for reasons such as being one of the first feature-length films (80 minutes to be exact) to be made in Southern California, as well as its huge success at the time, and consequently marking the start of Cecil B. DeMille's directing and filmmaking career. Full length feature films were already being made in Europe and the East Coast of America in the early 1910s, and many of them were probably better in various ways than "The Squaw Man", but DeMille's first attempt at filmmaking nevertheless showed great potential, and it is still entertaining and interesting to watch in our day. Credit must be given to Oscar Apfel, however, who was hired as an experienced director for "The Squaw Man" since DeMille had had only some stage acting, writing and producing experience until that time. DeMille was officially the Director General and it is believed he supervised and did most of the editing for "The Squaw Man". There are no DeMille trademarks yet to be seen in this film, but the many outdoor action scenes are not bad at all, and the overall fast pace of the film packs a lot of adventure into 80 minutes. The story is based on a popular play which audiences were familiar with in the early 1900s, and it might help viewers today to know a little about the plot in advance because some scenes are quite short, and with not many intertitles it takes a bit of effort to keep up with the story and figure out what's happening at first. Nevertheless, after viewing "The Squaw Man" a second time, I was able to follow the plot and enjoy the misadventure of an English nobleman forced to leave his home when framed by his cousin for stealing money from a Widows and Orphans fund. He arrives in America and soon finds himself the owner of a cattle ranch in Wyoming and married to a squaw who saves his life by killing the town's troublemaker. This murder remains unsolved for several years, however, during which time the cousin in England makes a dying confession. The story must have been so popular that DeMille chose to remake "The Squaw Man" not once, but twice: first in 1918 and then as an early sound film in 1931. In this first 1914 version there are great outdoor scenes of plains and even snow and mountains which were said to be in Wyoming and Arizona at the time of the film's release, but in fact everything was filmed in Southern California. Like most productions of this time, "The Squaw Man" lacks the smoothness and sophistication of silent films made in the mid to late 1920s, but for those of us who find pre-1920 films somehow more fascinating and fulfilling, I can certainly recommend this film. It has survived in very good condition, and even on this budget label the picture quality is not too bad at all, and it is helped along nicely by a good and somewhat less traditional piano score. Needless to say, this is a must-have for all serious DeMille fans as well as anyone interested in the early work of one of the great pioneers of the American film industry.

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