Life of Pope John Paul II

Starring:Life of Pope John Paul II
Studio: Master Concept
Product Type: DVD

Average customer rating:

Go ahead, throw some stones!
Two Very Nice Performances
So botched.
Set-up to be a great thriller but eventually loses steam...
Tedious and improbable

The Glass House
Starring: Leelee Sobieski , Diane Lane , Stellan Skarsgård , Bruce Dern , and Kathy Baker
Director: Daniel Sackheim
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

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

Joy Ride
Swimfan
Don't Say a Word
Panic Room (Superbit Collection)
Domestic Disturbance

ASIN: B00005RYKU
Release Date: 2002-01-02

Amazon.com

Domestic tensions turn intimately sinister in this pulpy potboiler, which develops a steely sense of menace. The trouble begins when Mr. and Mrs. Glass (Stellan Skarsgård, Diane Lane) are appointed legal guardianship of 16-year-old Ruby (Leelee Sobieski) and her 11-year-old brother (Trevor Morgan) after their parents are killed in a car accident. As trusted former neighbors, the Glasses welcome the orphans into their luxurious Malibu home, but the all-glass structure turns into a gilded cage when Mr. Glass's motivations are revealed to be anything but friendly. With plot-thickening roles for Bruce Dern and Kathy Baker, the film builds considerable suspense before tailspinning into absurdity, and veteran TV director Daniel Sackheim takes full advantage of his prismatic setting and Sobieski's burgeoning sex appeal. The rickety script by Wesley Strick (echoing his rehash of Cape Fear) eventually veers toward self-parody, at which point The Glass House qualifies as a high-gloss slasher pic. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Go ahead, throw some stones!.......2007-06-24

Being a fan of both Leelee Sobieski and Diane Lane; I figured I had to see ths movie. that and I do enjoy the predictable B-movie from time to time!

That being said, that is exactly what this movie is, a predictable (but funny) B-movie. In all honesty, the script isn't half bad, and the acting is one thing that svaes this movie as a whole. the one draw back is the fact that it is so predictable. As someone has mentioned it seems to be more like a made-for-tv movie instead of a big-budget suspenseful thriller.

The acting as I mentioned is one thing that isn't half bad in this movie. Diane Lane as always puts on her best performance even with a lackluster script. Leelee Sobieski, who seems to always come under fire from both fans and critics alike, also puts on a super performance and shows she can hold her own alongside an actress like Diane Lane.

So yes, while the movie is predictable, and it has scenes that even may be highly unbelievable; it is a good movie to just sit and enjoy. You can even get involved yourself; yelling at the screen and asking why certain charcters are dumb enough to do certain things!

I do recommend this movie for a good time, and when it comes to Leelee Sobieski you can't go wrong.

Two Very Nice Performances.......2007-06-19

"The Glass House" (2001) is one of those films that you enjoy during the viewing thanks to good directing, good technical film-making (production design-nicely staged action sequences-odd camera angles), and convincing dialogue; but look back at feeling generally dissatisfied. In part this is due to the moronic final ten minutes but then you realize that the premise itself is the real problem. You don't mind suspending disbelief during the viewing but afterward you resent the fact that a less elaborate script would have made your efforts unnecessary.

The film is yet another example of Hollywood's ability, given a relatively large budget $20-30 Million, to put together a good-looking and visually believable suspense movie. It brings skilled technique to a plot that's a foregone conclusion, so the viewer must wait patiently for the characters to catch up.

For film buffs (those who like to read a film) there is a fairly ambitious subtext inside "The Glass House"; working on both conscious and sub-conscious levels. Warm (orange tones) lighting for the safe/secure scenes and cold (blue tones) lighting for the places where things are off-kilter. The Glasses (Diane Lane and Stellan Skarsgard) literally live in a "glass" house above the Malibu beach. The theme, that nothing is what it appears to be, is supported by a production design of reflective surfaces; mirrors, glass, and water (its always raining) that distort the images. Mrs. Glass is a physician in a pain center who is secretly addicted to her own medications. Mr. Glass runs a seemingly thriving limo service transporting famous clients behind smoked glass windows.

There are several references to "Hamlet" with Ruby Baker (Leelee Sobieski) essentially in the role of the Melancholy Dane. The writer must have had this linked together much better in the screenplay but apparently several key elements of this dynamic never made it into production. This story is told entirely from Hamlet's point of view, a Hamlet who is frustratingly slow on the uptake and unable to make up her mind. And the viewer is supposed to be wondering what is real, what is wrongly perceived, and what is paranoid illusion. They even try to fool you with a dream sequence involving the return of Ruby's mother. Fortunately Sobieski (who looks like a young Helen Hunt) is an excellent actress and up to the challenge. Her performance (she is in every scene) keeps you focused on her story. The many scenes between her and Skarsgard are the film's real strength; they must carry the film since no one else in the cast is much of a factor.

The film opens with a "film within a film" device, which turns out to be a horror film, late- night viewing for Ruby and her rave-loving high school friends. This is an early clue to the "nothing is what it seems to be" theme. It turns out that Ruby is quite a party animal and has been successfully deceiving her parents about her nocturnal activities. This night she returns home to find police cars parked outside her house. Believing herself finally busted she enters the house only to be told that her parent's were both killed in a car accident earlier that evening. This sets the stage for life with the Glass family, a childless couple who were friends with her parents. You instantly know that they are odd because the director works so hard to make them appear normal.

Ruby and her little brother Rhett (Trevor Morgan) leave the San Fernando Valley to live with the Glass's in their expensive hilltop house. Can you say: "Hansel and Gretel in a Gingerbread cottage"? Things are weird from the start as the two children must share a room. Whatever the original rationale for this idea might have been got lost in the deleted scenes of the screenplay and it just seems silly and illogical (given the Glasses long-term plans). I assume that it was originally included to reinforce the idea that living in a glass house offers no privacy but who knows.

From this point a lot of stuff happens which can be taken in several different ways with the director constantly laying misdirection. Wesley Strick's screenplay gets way too elaborate and cute with this stuff and the film must rely on many convenient coincidences to advance the storyline. But since this starts at about the midway point its too late to stop viewing now. Listening to the Strick's commentary track on the DVD it is clear that there was considerable meddling with the original story by producers, dumbing down the more intellectually compelling elements.

Still little would have been lost and the overall credulity would have benefited by a less ambitious conspiracy, there was no reason for the parent's deaths to have been anything but an accident; it would have raised the film's IQ if the Glasses had been opportunists rather than conspirators. And the attempt at irony with the brake fluid would have worked better if Mr. Glass had been knocked out and put in his car; only to wake up as it is speeding down the road.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

So botched........2006-12-14

The Glass House (Daniel Sackheim, 2001)

There's a scene about two thirds of the way through The Glass House that pretty much sums up every way in which this movie went wrong. It's hard to set the scene without spoilers, but I'll attempt to do it anyway: a character has died. We know from various things, mostly a makeup job that would look appropriate in a microbudget horror film rather than a big Hollywood release, that said character has been dead for some time. Said character is found by another character. And, you know, just as character B finds character A-- who was previously quite banged around postmortem-- something character A was clutching in his/her hand is released and falls to the floor.

Little stupid things like that can ruin a whole movie for me, because they tell me that the director is willing to go for the cheap shot rather than trying to keep some semblance of reality in the film. That's exactly what happens here (you see the ending coming a while before the characters do, to be sure), and it's a shame, because it turns what might have been a fun, serviceable little thriller into a waste of some incredible talent.

Ruby (Joan of Arc's Leelee Sobieski) and Rhett (The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio's Trevor Morgan) have recently been orphaned. The estate's executor, Begleiter (the mighty Bruce Dern) has decided to allow the petition of family friends Terry (Insomnia's Stellan Skarsgard) and Erin (Unfaithful's Diane Lane) Glass to take the kids in, over the objections of their Uncle Jack (Law and Order's Chris Noth). All seems to be going well, but Ruby gets a weird vibe from Terry on a pretty regular basis, and begins to think that there might be some ulterior motive to the Glass' offer to take them in.

This is a great cast. A great cast. Skarsgard and Lane have been among the highlights of the acting world for a lot of years between them, and Sobieski is a fast-rising star (or would be, if she'd keep her participation in such dogs as Eyes Wide Shut to a minimum). And, of course, there's Bruce Dern, whose very name inspires some film critics to cower in their respective corners, gibbering. So how did Sackheim, a very capable TV director who's worked on some of the best series on television (House, The X-Files, Millennium, Law and Order, et al.), and screenwriter Wesley Strick (True Believer, the 1991 adaptation of Cape Fear, et al.) manage to bungle this as badly as they did?

I tend to lay the blame on Sackheim. Tricks like the hand thing in the first paragraph of this review play a lot better on the small screen than they do on the large screen; that's the sort of controlled cheesiness that made The X-Files so much fun to watch over the years. But then you look at Strick's fantastic track record before this movie, and you look afterwards and see Doom . What went wrong?

Whichever way you look at it, though, there's wasted talent to go around here. There is some fantastic set design; one wishes as much attention to detail had been paid to letting some fine actors do their thing in front of it. **

Set-up to be a great thriller but eventually loses steam..........2006-11-07

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS* The general concept of this film sounds great. Two orphaned teenagers parents are tragically killed in an automobile accident, and so they go to live with old friends of their parents. This was the first mistake. What would have been better is if they would have gone to live with a couple that were completely unrelated or unknown to them. Both the teeangers have trust funds or something of that nature set up for them however they cannot claim it until they are adults. Ultimately, the plan of the foster parents is to kill them so they can get the money that was left to them. Apparently, the foster parents (the Glass's) have a lot of debts. Mrs. Glass has a drug addiction while Mr. Glass owes a lot of money to some seedy loan sharks. That was the second mistake of this film because it led to a very dismal ending. Their purpose for trying to kill the children should not have been to pay off debts or something idiotic like that. How about they are just trying to kill the children because they are selfishly greedy and want a lot more money than they already have and that's it? That would have made the characters a lot more sinister and creepy making for a more effective thriller. The ending, if you haven't read already, is pretty ridiculous and unbelievable. The first two-thirds of the film are pretty decent, but the last third of the movie is a big let-down. This could have been much better had minor changes been made and the ending totally revamped into something more satisfying. 3 stars at best.

Tedious and improbable.......2006-08-07

What begins as an intriguing thriller quickly turns into a major disappointment. The teen heroine is intelligent and quick-witted, but held back by an inept script that never has her do the obvious: call her uncle, call the police, tell more trustworthy adults. Throw in a completely unbelievable and improbable ending - the final 15 minutes utterly laughable - and, voila! You have wasted two hours of your life.

Can't recommend this one.

Witness to Hope - The Life of John Paul II

Average customer rating:

The Definite Biography of John Paul II
Extraordinary Witness
DEFINITELY A BUY
John Paul II The Great
"Be not afraid!"

Witness to Hope - The Life of John Paul II
Starring: Rene Auberjonois , and George Weigel
Director: Judith Dwan Hallet
Manufacturer: Xenon
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

Karol: A Man Who Became Pope
National Geographic - Inside the Vatican
NBC News Presents - The Life of Pope John Paul II
Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II

ASIN: B00096S412
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Description

Shaped by the terrors of Nazi-occupied Poland and the subsequent brutalities of the Communist regime, John Paul II became one of the world's greatest proponents of religious freedom and human rights. With rare historical stills and archival footage, along with new location footage taken in Rome and Poland, this richly textured film traces the personal life and struggles of the first non-Italian pope in over 450 years. Based on George Weigel's book of the same title, Witness to Hope is a complete and intimate portrait of an extraordinary leader.

Customer Reviews:

The Definite Biography of John Paul II.......2006-04-05

This is absolutely the BEST biography out there on John Paul II. Unlike those by A & E or NBC or the like, it is simply based on the facts. Many of the other "biographies" have sections in them based on the agenda of the filmmaker. Usually taking the position of admonishment against the Pope for not being a liberal American. This one is just the opposite. It deals with John Paul II with no agenda other than to give a close and intimate portrait of the man. It is well produced and documented. I have seen hours and hours of documentaries on the late Pontiff and I would recommend this as the best.

Extraordinary Witness.......2006-02-01

This presentation of the life of John Paul II is extremely thorough, well-researched, and insightfully relayed. I highly recommend it.

DEFINITELY A BUY.......2005-08-12

This is a pleasant look at John Paul II's life which will inform and move you. I have several DVD's on JP II and this one seems to be the best one out there. The original book written by George Weigel by the same title is equally worth purchasing. Both book and DVD cover the Pope's life and accomplishments extensively. You will learn much on the Pope's thinking and views and you will find out many things about him that are not common knowledge. This is a fascinating DVD. If one was to purchase just one DVD on his life, this is it.

John Paul II The Great.......2005-08-04

The great, true biography of the great man. As his fellow polish, I watched the movie and felt as I was back home. I was 8 years old when Karol Wojtyla was elected Pope and he was the Greatest Pole I have ever known. The movie shows the terror of nazi war and the communism - the real times of my parents and grandparents. John Paul II thru his love to God and to all human race, tried to build better world - against the all odds and great critisism.
I will always miss him. Rest in peace Lolek!

"Be not afraid!".......2005-06-16

I saw this on PBS recently about 2 months after Pope John Paul's death. It one of the best documantaries I've ever seen. Re-enactments can appear cheesy if not done well, but the re-enactments of the Pope's early life were done very well, done in a classy manner. It is a well put together documentary that does not seem 2 hours long because you are so riveted to it. John Paul had (and still has) an appeal that spans all faiths, ages and cultures, and his life is inspirational. Everyone should take a look at his life. You will see why he was important to modern history and the world. You do not have to be a catholic to "get it." The words "be not afraid" are words we can all live by!

Average customer rating:

I M H O
When will that train ever stop?
different kind of film experience
Mind-numbing and offensive anti-industrial film will prolong poverty
A visual collage!

Powaqqatsi - Life in Transformation
Starring: Christie Brinkley , David Brinkley , Dan Rather , Pope John Paul II , and Cheryl Tiegs
Director: Godfrey Reggio
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

Koyaanisqatsi - Life Out of Balance
Naqoyqatsi
Baraka
Chronos [Blu-ray]
Anima Mundi

ASIN: B000068OCT
Release Date: 2002-09-17

Amazon.com

Powaqqatsi, or "life in transformation," is the second part of a projected trilogy of experimental documentaries whose titles derive from Hopi compound nouns. The now legendary Koyaanisqatsi, or "life out of balance," was the first. Naqoyqatsi, or "life in war," once it obtains funding, will be the third. Powaqqatsi finds director Godfrey Reggio somewhat more directly polemical than before, and his major collaborator, the composer Philip Glass, stretching to embrace world music.

Reggio reuses techniques familiar from the previous film (slow motion, time-lapse, superposition) to dramatize the effects of the so-called First World on the Third: displacement, pollution, alienation. But he spends as much time beautifully depicting what various cultures have lost--cooperative living, a sense of joy in labor, and religious values--as he does confronting viewers with trains, airliners, coal cars, and loneliness. What had been a more or less peaceful, slow-moving, spiritually fulfilling rural existence for these "silent" people (all we hear is music and sound effects) becomes a crowded, suffocating, accelerating industrial urban hell, from Peru to Pakistan. Reggio frames Powaqqatsi with a telling image: the Serra Pelada gold mines, where thousands of men, their clothes and skin imbued with the earth they're moving, carry wet bags up steep slopes in a Sisyphean effort to provide wealth for their employers. While Glass juxtaposes his strangely joyful music, which includes the voices of South American children, a number of these men carry one of their exhausted comrades out of the pit, his head back and arms outstretched--one more sacrifice to Caesar. Nevertheless, Reggio, a former member of the Christian Brothers, seems to maintain hope for renewal. --Robert Burns Neveldine

Description

Hailed by audiences and critics around the world as mesmerizing (The Detroit News), this second installment of writer/director Godfrey Reggio's apocalyptic qatsi trilogy is quite simply one of the most magnificent visual and aural spectacles ever made (L.A. Daily News)! Combining stunning cinematography with the exquisite music of award-winning composer Philip Glass, Powaqqatsi is a breathtaking experience working on many levels'emotional, spiritual, intellectual andaesthetic (The Hollywood Reporter)! Bold, haunting and epic in scale, this extraordinary film calls into question everything we think we know about contemporary society. By juxtaposing images of ancient cultures with those of modern life, Powaqqatsi masterfully portrays the human cost of progress. It is a film that engages the soul as well as the mind; it is truly an absorbing experience (Movies on TV and Videocassette).

Customer Reviews:

I M H O.......2006-12-31

This movie drags on and on...it is has some striking scenery in the beginning and you oooh and ahhh for the first 15 minutes, but then it just drags out until I finally turned it off...Boring! I can see what point they were trying to make, but they took too long to make it. Everything could have surmised in a nice, short 30 minute version...Don't waste your time...

When will that train ever stop?.......2006-11-19

With a never ending train (in Africa, raw materials trains can be even longer - several kilometers I've heard), with that inimitable music to boot, Powaqquatsi shifts gear to reveal the complex world of Western civilisation after lots of shots of people in the third world and various graphic image collections from the rural developing world. The opening sequence of miners hauling up dirt is powerful. Amongst the best things about the film is the music and the skill in editing. Lots of people stare back at you and the question that screams in the head is "what do we want?" or "what do they want?" and questions about meanings and futilities. All the images are so special, usually slowed down. Sitting under the approaching feet of people on a ferris wheel. There are connected sequences of film such as people washing, people crossing roads, people carrying things. I think this film will be so inspirational to anyone who would like to create something that may arouse a sense of meaning and questioning. Our complex world in all its beauty and poverty is revealed devastatingly. There is a little girl who walks in front of some graffiti, looking at the camera, she stops, stares at the camera having walked almost out of the shot, and then she resumes walking to disappear.

different kind of film experience.......2006-08-07

This movie begs you to think...it bombards you with images, sometimes directly related...sometimes thematically linked... and tells a story about the world, forcing you to see the intricacies of life, how the world has been transformed...what in that transformation is abrasive and harmful, and what is intriguing, mysterious and beautiful...unfortunately the music isn't a brilliant as the film...but still...for anyone interested in indie film/documentary and image-flooding...this is an excellent buy.

Mind-numbing and offensive anti-industrial film will prolong poverty.......2006-05-18

In this film, Godfrey Reggio gives in to the MTV method of "persuasion". The edits are often quick cuts, to the point where the viewer's mind just shuts down so it can passively absorb the film's message: that (as another reviewer has stated) economic "exploitation" produces poverty.

The film shows lots of backbreaking physical labor. It shows lots and lots and lots of poor, poor people. One of the most important images in the film is of a huge truck overtaking a young boy walking down a dusty street. The boy is engulfed in dust kicked up by the truck. I guess this means that trucks are bad.

The causes of poverty simply cannot be learned by viewing a mere progression of images without a story. If you try this, you only see how poor the poor are, and how rich the rich are, and you end up infering that one person's great wealth causes another's poverty. This is *the big lie* of the 20th century. This lie itself causes poverty, because it teaches people to waste time fighting the rich rather than learning to become rich.

Wealth is good. The pursuit of wealth is good. Yes, technological change can create unemployment for those with obsolete skills. But the extent to which technology has improved the world cannot be denied. Should technology providers feel guilty for making trucks available to people who used to use donkeys for transport? Should employers feel guilty for not wanting to hire people with obsolete skills? Hell no.

The subject matter of Powaqqatsi could have been delivered much more honestly -- it could have showed more of the abject misery of life before technology compared to the reduced misery after it. Instead, it shows people working very hard (and suffering) in semi-technological societies, and it tacitly implies technology is the cause of the hard labor and suffering. As if the labor and suffering wasn't harder before technology!

Koyaanisqatsi was a much better film: it allowed for a reasonable interpretation of the images. This film simply assaults you with pain, and hopes your anger will do the talking.

It is telling that the promotional tag-line for the film, "Life in Transformation", isn't in the film. The film, at its end, instead defines Powaqqatsi as "an entity, a way of life, that consumes the life forces of other beings in order to further its own life". In other words: parasitism. I guess, though, that "Life consuming life" or "Industrial Leeches" wasn't vague enough to sell the movie to unsuspecting consumers. I bought this DVD hoping to see how technology has beneficially transformed impoverished nations (even if that wasn't the directors intention).

What a slap in the face.

A visual collage!.......2006-04-08

Told in documental style, the film concentrates around the exploitation of the tribes in the Third World. Nevertheless, the arresting images cannot avoid the shallowness of the final purpose.

Maybe this is the weakest link of this Trilogy.

NBC News Presents - The Life of Pope John Paul II

Average customer rating:

Not quite what I was looking for ...
TWO THUMBS UP
A Devine DVD
Thoughtful and Entertaining
One man's sweep of history

NBC News Presents - The Life of Pope John Paul II
Starring: NBC New Presents
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Biography | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Religion | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

NBC News Presents | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( N ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Witness to Hope - The Life of John Paul II
National Geographic - Inside the Vatican
ABC News - Pope John Paul II - His Life and Legacy
CBS News Presents - Pope John Paul II - Builder of Bridges - In Memoriam
Karol: A Man Who Became Pope

ASIN: B0006SSTC2
Release Date: 2005-01-11

Product Description

From NBC News, the most respected name in broadcast journalism, comes the fascinating profile of one of the most influential leaders of our lifetime: Pope John Paul II.

Reported by NBC News Keith Morrison, this unforgettable documentary presents one of the most renowned and respected leaders of the 20th century - from his humble beginnings in Poland, through his momentous arrival on the world stage as the first non-Italian pope in over 400 years, to his missions around the globe as a champion of human rights.

This comprehensive report includes rare archival footage, captivating interviews with childhood friends and Vatican insiders, and exclusive bonus features. It s an honest and unflinching look at the spiritual leader whose unyielding faith transcended political and diplomatic boundaries to change the course of history.

NUS MATERIALS:
The Pilgram Pope
The Sistine Chapel Restored
The Making of a Saint
The Insider
The Today Show at the Vatican

System Requirements:

Running Time 75 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Not quite what I was looking for ..........2005-12-13

Frankly, I was looking for some of the great coverage of John Paul II's life and papacy that aired on most of the networks during the days they covered his death and funeral. This wasn't it. It was good info. if you're looking to add to your John Paul II collection. But if you're looking for the really insirational stuff about him drawing the largest crowds on earth and his last days ... you'll have to look somewhere else. I guess I could have noticed the dvd's release date too.

TWO THUMBS UP.......2005-08-26

This is another terrific DVD on the life of Pope John Paul II. I have several now and I must say that it is certainly worth the money. If you are a fan of the Pope, go ahead and get this DVD and add it to your collection. This DVD will warm your heart whether you are a Christian or not. John Paul II is a giant of our time and this DVD serves his memory very well.

A Devine DVD.......2005-04-04

Really interesting DVD. I couldn't believe NBC News put this out... but then again I'm not surprised because of the terrific storytelling.

Thoughtful and Entertaining.......2005-04-04

Amazing tale of an amazing and important life...great extras in addition to the main show

One man's sweep of history.......2005-04-02

This NBC News DVD reminds us of the incredible impact that Pope John Paul II has had on the world. The main feature is an comprehensive biography, tracing the Pope's remarkable life from his boyhood in Poland and the horrors of WWII, through to his amazing Papacy. Reporter Keith Morrison does a great job giving us not only the facts of John Paul's life, but showing how events in his life shaped his worldview and his faith. The bonus features show the real strength of a DVD by an outfit like NBC News -- segments featuring NBC Vatican correspondent Keith Miller take us back through the Pope's many travels, and bring us inside the top levels of John Paul's Vatican. Other bonus content examine a Today Show visit with the Pope; John Paul's crusade to restore the Sistine Chapel; and the many fascinating figures awarded "sainthood" during John Paul's long Papacy. John Paul was a sometimes-controversial, always-larger-than-life figure on the world stage, and this NBC News production does justice to all aspects of his legacy.

Pope John Paul II - The Story of a Holy Life

Average customer rating:

Highlights of the Life of Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul II - The Story of a Holy Life
Starring: Pope John Paul II
Manufacturer: Direct Source Label
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Biography | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Drama | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Biography - Pope John Paul II: Statesman of Faith
Pope John Paul II
NBC News Presents - The Life of Pope John Paul II
Witness to Hope - The Life of John Paul II
Pope John Paul II (Special Collector's Edition)

ASIN: B0001ZWZY8
Release Date: 2003-12-11

Customer Reviews:

Highlights of the Life of Pope John Paul II.......2007-03-07

This eighty-three minutes DVD gives us an overview of the life of Pope John Paul II through clips of live footage, archival photography and some of his most moving orations. Like when speaking on front of a crowd in his native Poland, his compelling speech in war-torn Northern Ireland and the United Nations.

It does cover his life from a small polish town to Rome. And shows us the challenges he faced along the way including deaths in his family, W.W.II and his struggle to discern what he should do with his life.

The DVD includes a Gregorian Tridentine Mass celebrated by Msgr. Francis Weber. This DVD also has an option for Spanish subtitles.

Have No Fear: The Life of Pope John Paul II

Average customer rating:

Have no Fear !
Was John Paul II like this??? I don't think so!!!!
Good Movie
Touching but FAST

Have No Fear: The Life of Pope John Paul II
Starring: Thomas Kretschmann , Joaquim de Almeida , Sabrina Jàvor , Bruno Ganz , and Meskauskas Darius
Director: Jeff Bleckner
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

Karol: A Man Who Became Pope
Witness to Hope - The Life of John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Padre Pio, Miracle Man
The Vatican Television Center Presents - JOHN PAUL II The Pope Who Made History - Collector's Edition 5 DVDs

ASIN: B000ESSTJC
Release Date: 2006-04-25

Description

Poet, actor, playwright, and a simple Polish priest, Karol Wojtyla (Thomas Kretschmann) believed the pomp of the Catholic Church was "a circus," and the Pope "a prisoner of the Vatican." But one day he would become Pope John Paul II, one of the greatest and most influential figures of the 20th Century. From his humble beginnings, he found inner strength and courage despite the death of his family, the rape of his beloved Poland by the Third Reich, and its later domination by the Communists. Among the world events covered in this inspiring chronicle is the shocking sexual abuse scandal of the American Catholic Church, the murder of El Salvador Archbishop Oscar Romero, and John Paul's own near-assassination at the hand of a Turkish gunman. "You don't have to be a Catholic or a believer of any kind to enjoy Have No Fear: The Life of Pope John Paul II." -- Wall Street Journal.

Customer Reviews:

Have no Fear !.......2006-12-28

I loved this movie. It was short and compact but bringing down to tears.
True story of a true man, who loved God, his country and all human race
above all. I am proud to be polish and I will never forget his words - Have no fear. Be not afraid.

Was John Paul II like this??? I don't think so!!!!.......2006-05-26

I don't understand why ABC broadcasted this movie, the only reason I find is that they tried to shadow CBS's own effort to conmemorate the life of John Paul II, but what they got was a cheap, bad performed version. When I saw it, I thought of it as an insult to the life of this Great Pope and not as a recognition to it. The actors where not up to their standards, it seamed that it was done as quickly as possible. If you really want to learn about the life of JPII or you are a catholic who loved the Pope and want to buy a movie of his life to cherish in the future better get KAROL the man who became Pope or CBS version starting Cary Elwes and John Voight (I don't remember the title) which were done with love and respect.

Good Movie.......2006-03-21

This is a very quick, nitty gritty movie, but it is well acted and if you have no clue about his life, this will certainly fill you in and let you understand just how amazing of a man he was.

Touching but FAST.......2006-03-19

I am not quite shure what to say in general about this movie. It was beutifully acted by everyone who was involed. It was really touching movie and this is from someone who is not chatholic. The movie has one flaw and that is it goes way to fast through some of the events in his life. One does not get the total view of the entire circumstance of the particular events which it should at least set up a little better. Though overall this was a wonderful film and unlike most films today can bewatched by the entire family weather your chatholic or not.

The Vatican Television Center Presents - POPE JOHN PAUL II: His Life His Pontificate - Special De Luxe Collector's Edition

Average customer rating:

The Vatican Television Center Presents - POPE JOHN PAUL II: His Life His Pontificate - Special De Luxe Collector's Edition
Starring: .
Director: Vatican Television Center
Manufacturer: Vatican Television Center
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Religion | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

( V ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video

THE VATICAN TELEVISION CENTER PRESENTS: JOHN PAUL II THIS IS MY STORY
The Vatican Television Center presents: THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM From Pope John Paul II to Pope Benedict XVI
THE VATICAN TELEVISION CENTER PRESENTS: JOHN PAUL II SEASONS OF THE APOSTLE
The Vatican Television Center Presents - JOHN PAUL II The Pope Who Made History - Collector's Edition 5 DVDs
The Vatican Television Center presents: THE VATICAN Behind the scenes of the World's Smallest Kingdom - Special Collector's Edition

ASIN: B000MV8UQI
Release Date: 2007-01-31

Product Description

Product Description
Officially produced by the Vatican Television Center, the DVD is the most comprehensive multimedia producton ever made on Pope John Paul II.
In a special De-Luxe Collector's edition, this unique DVD includes two feature-length documentaries: HIS LIFE, from childhood living in a small village in Poland to becoming the Pope of the XXI Century, and HIS PONTIFICATE, an exceptional portrait of one of the longest and most successful Pontificates ever. This touching production reaches out to audiences all over the world, offering an unprecedented extraordinary report of life and mission of John Paul II.
Extra features: - 78 chapters for an easy and user-friendly navigation.
-100 minutes of exclusive unreleased footage.
-5 Languages (English, Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese), fully subtitled.
-300 pages of the most complete official biography.
-Two bonus tracks: Jubilee 2000 and a loving portrait of A Friendly Pope.
Region ALL, NTSC (compatible with PAL players).

Average customer rating:

Unquestionable genius
Great!

Stravinsky
Starring: Benny Goodman , Pope John Paul II , and Igor Stravinsky
Director: Roman Kroiter , Wolf Koenig , and Roman Kroitor
Manufacturer: Video Artists Int'l
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

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

Igor Stravinsky: The Final Chorale/Five Orchestral Pieces
Stravinsky - The Firebird & Les Noces / Royal Ballet
Keeping Score: Revolutions in Music - Stravinsky's Rite of Spring
Georg Solti: In Rehearsal (Berlioz & Wagner)
Stravinsky - Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring) / Symphonies D'Instrument Vent / Boulez, London Symphony Orchestra

ASIN: B0002ERWVY
Release Date: 2004-06-29

Customer Reviews:

Unquestionable genius.......2006-09-15

Stravinsky was a terrible conductor - but the strength of his ingenius musicianship and his super-dynamic personality stirred the admiration of the orchestras he led. The performers were eager and willing to overcome the obstacle posed by Stravinsky's baton and to perform his music to the utmost of their abilities and understanding.

The rating for this DVD would be five stars except for the fact that it's so short.

Great!.......2005-12-08

This is a great DVD. Thank you Canadian Broadcasting Company for doing this! It catches Stravinsky conducting his own work, which I would argue is how it is supposed to be played/ heard.

This is one of three actual documentaries on the greatest composer of the 20th Century. (Sadly, one of these documentaries is not yet on DVD.)

This is a must have for any serious student of Stravinsky and Classical music in general.

Average customer rating:

It Only Makes Pope John Paul II's Legacy Stronger
Brenda
A Film that Speaks to the Heart
Dissapointing documental
Terrible hatchet job.

Life & Times of Pope John Paul II
Starring: Pope John Paul II , Lech Walesa , Mikhail Gorbachev , and Henry Kissinger
Director: Terence McKenna
Manufacturer: Imavision
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Biography | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Religion | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

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

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

NBC News Presents - The Life of Pope John Paul II
ABC News - Pope John Paul II - His Life and Legacy
Pope John Paul II (Special Collector's Edition)
Witness to Hope - The Life of John Paul II
John Paul II - The Millennial Pope

ASIN: B0001YXWFA
Release Date: 2004-05-04

Product Description

He is disputably the most famous person in the world, and has been seen in person by more human beings than anyone else in history. Pope John Paul II is the spiritual leader of one billion Roman Catholics.

This revealing three part documentary begins with a look at the life of Karol Wojtyla in Poland before he became Pope, describing his early years, which included the tragic deaths of his mother, brother, and father. His fellow seminarian Mieczyslaw Malinski speaks about the Nazi occupation of Poland, and the secret seminary where they studied.

Following his ordination in 1946, Fr. Wojtyla rose steadily through the ranks of the Church as he continued his ministry in Poland, his theological studies and teaching, and authored several highly respected publications. His Papacy has brought many controversial changes to the Church. His central teachings on the matters of sex, contraception, divorce, homosexuality and abortion have been widely debated, and largely ignored by the vast majority of his flock.

Interviews with Mikhail Gorbachev, Henry Kissinger, and others provide a behind the scenes look at the Pope's crucial role in the power politics that led to the fall of Communism in 1989. Through the 1980s, John Paul II participated in what former U.S. National Security Advisor Richard Allen calls "the greatest secret alliance in history" between the Vatican and the Reagan Administration.

Features:
Bonus Interviews With:
Charles Curran, Theologian
Hans Kung, Theologian
Marco Politi, Biographer
Sister Theresa Kane, Leadership Conference Of Women Religious
Francis Cardinal Arinze, Cardinal
Henry Kissinger, Political Advisor
Zbigniew Brzezinski, Former U.S. National Security Advisor

System Requirements:

Running Time 180 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

It Only Makes Pope John Paul II's Legacy Stronger.......2005-04-12

In a world full of men and women intent on building their own legacies by bending and compromising themselves for popularity(i.e. Bill AND Hilary Clinton, John Kerry, basically ninety-five percent of all Democrats running for office these days), Pope John Paul II stands as a pillar of non-conformity and faith. The first two installments of this DVD, "Life Story" and "The Pope And His Role In The Fall Of Communism," show how a man of modest and often depressing beginnings can put his full faith in the Lord he loves and know that everything will turn out great in the hereafter. The Pontiff is shown as a caring man who reached out to the youth of Poland and became a real role model for all of them. It also shows how the Pope used his role in society to help demolish communism....without firing a shot. With Ronald Reagan(and Margaret Thatcher, though she isn't given any recognition in this documentary), the Pope tackled communism and made it crumble under its own weight. These first two volumes also show how the Pope reached out not only to his flock, but to the world as a whole.

The third volume of this DVD seems to be the one sore spot for most viewers. Depending on your beliefs, you will either love or hate this volume...unless you look at it in this way. Many people say that this volume shows the Pontiff as a cruel dictator, as witnessed in his use of Cardinal Ratzinger in order to "eliminate" potential problems. In my eyes, it shows how the Pope refused to compromise his faith and the Church to please some of these problematic members of society. Some of those potential problems are featured prominently on this third installment, most notably Sister Theresa Kane and Charles Curran. Perhaps in appearing on this DVD, these people only strengthened the cause of John Paul II indirectly. Kane calls for the ordination of women as priests in the Church. To this, the Pope answered with a firm "No." Being a relatively new Catholic, I have no problem with this. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't have had a problem with this when I was a Baptist, because any good Christian man or woman should know a woman's role in the Church, no matter how archaic or "mean" it may come across as. It's all there in the Bible for those who want to know(I think 1 Corinthians 14:34 drives home the point). Is this chauvinistic? Is it discriminating towards women? Not if you are a believer, because God's will is God's will, and that's not something that you can break. Curran believed that the Pope should have complied with more "liberal" thinkers about abortion, homosexuality, birth control, etc. For believers, there should be no argument on these topics, for each is handled in the Bible and, for Catholics, the Catechism as well. Curran eluded to the thought that the Pope was a dictator. Well, he is the Vicar of Christ. That should mean something to Catholics. In some ways he is a dictator, because the Church is not a democracy, God runs the show, and there's no arguing with Him. The Pope is merely expressing the beliefs of the Church and of God in all of these matters.

This made me proud of the fact that I became a Catholic during the papacy of a man so strong and uncompromising in his faith. He didn't "change" God's will to cater to a few people who believed that the Church was too stubborn. Instead, he solidified the truths and Tradition of the Church by living it everyday and calling all others to do the same.

So, watch this DVD to learn things you might not have learned about the Holy Father. To paraphrase Francis Cardinal Arinze, it was the people who changed, not the Pope. To me, no matter how negative the third installment of this disc may seem, the Pope's unwavering faith shines through. Let the liberals have their fifteen minutes of fame, because they're getting their reward now, not in the afterlife.

Thanks for reading this review. I probably got a little preachy, but I think some things needed to be cleared up.

Brenda .......2005-04-09

Well done and informative. Loved the interviews with Gorbachev & Kissinger. THe behind the scenes look at the fall of communism and the Pope's role was interesting. Also was amazed at the relationship that the Pope had with the Reagan administration. Overall, I would say this was well worth my time and money.

A Film that Speaks to the Heart.......2005-04-08

This balanced look at the life of the Pope is very good, even if it isn't all fluff and high praises. The film shows the many trials and tribulations this amazing man overcame to become the central religious figure of the 20th century, and underscores the bold character that helped bring an end to communism. A very revealing and valuable insight into both the church and the man - even with some of it's controversial elements. A worthy purchase.

Dissapointing documental.......2005-04-01

This film, specially the third disc, is dissapointing. I thought it would be something based on true facts, but instead of saying the things as they were, the information is manipulated and combined with opinions of people that are out and against the Catholic Church and there are quite few opinions that come from people that are in favor of the principles and doctrine of the Catholic Church, I really think that this film was made to create confusion within the faithful catholics. Spend your money in something worthy.

Terrible hatchet job........2004-06-16

This DVD is a copy of an original program that was shown on CBC television about a year and a half ago. Frankly, the "documentary" was nothing more than a hatchet job. The same old tired players (read dissidents) are trodded out as mouthpieces for those who can't stomach what the Pope has to say. The CBC received a lot of flack from viewers when it showed this program. Even for a liberal media, the slant in this production was shameful. Save yourself some hard earned money and look for something a lot more decent.

The Vatican Television Center Presents - POPE JOHN PAUL II: His Life His Pontificate

Average customer rating:

Almost as perfect as John Paul was!

The Vatican Television Center Presents - POPE JOHN PAUL II: His Life His Pontificate
Director: VATICAN TELEVISION CENTER
Manufacturer: HDH COMMUNICATIONS SRL
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

Documentary | Independently Distributed | Stores | DVD | Video

Special Interests | Independently Distributed | Stores | DVD | Video

Independently Distributed | Indie & Art House | Stores | DVD | Video

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

The Vatican Television Center Presents - JOHN PAUL II The Pope Who Made History - Collector's Edition 5 DVDs
THE VATICAN TELEVISION CENTER PRESENTS: JOHN PAUL II THIS IS MY STORY
The Vatican Television Center presents: THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM From Pope John Paul II to Pope Benedict XVI
The Vatican Television Center Presents THE VATICAN - Behind the scenes of the World's Smallest Kingdom
THE VATICAN TELEVISION CENTER PRESENTS: JOHN PAUL II SEASONS OF THE APOSTLE

ASIN: B00008V6XK
Release Date: 2006-03-10

Description

Officially produced by the Vatican Television Center, the DVD is the most comprehensive multimedia producton ever made on Pope John Paul II. Extra features: - 78 chapters for an easy and user-friendly navigation. - 100 minutes of exclusive unreleased footage. - 5 Languages (English, Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese), fully subtitled. - 300 pages of the most complete official biography . -Two bonus tracks: Jubilee 2000 and a loving portrait of A Friendly Pope . Region ALL , NTSC (compatible with PAL players). This DVD includes two feature-length documentaries: HIS LIFE, from childhood living in a small village in Poland to becoming the Pope of the XXI Century, and HIS PONTIFICATE, an exceptional portrait of one of the longest and most successful Pontificates ever. This touching production reaches out to audiences all over the world, offering an unprecedented extraordinary report of life and mission of John Paul II.
Customer Reviews:

Almost as perfect as John Paul was!.......2006-11-03
This is a remarkable remembrance of an extraordinary life! I thought there should have been more about the video clips - who, where, when, etc. Detailed identifications were skimpy. Perhaps all that is in the 5-DVD collection from the Vatican, but this DVD certainly sparks interest in learning more from whatever sources. A wonderful addition to the library of anyone who loved this man - no matter your nationality or religion!
DVD:

Shape of Life:The Complete Journey

The Second World War, Vol. 12: The War In the Air/The War In the Atlantic

The Second World War, Vol. 15: The Aircraft Carriers/The War at Sea

The Second World War, Vol. 13: The War in the Pacific/The War in Europe

Railway Adventures Across Europe

The Second World War, Vol. 14: The Blitz on Dresden/The Blitz on Berlin

Finding Eutaw and North

Gang Violence:Stop the Madness

The Second World War, Vol. 16: Prisoners of War/The Heroes Of WWII

Latin Thugs - Wild & Chronic

DVD
DVD
DVD
El Costo de la Vida (The Cost of Living)
The Kirov - A Night Of Classical Ballet : DVD
Third Rock From The Sun - The Complete Season 4 [1996]
DVD: Hollywood Tough Guys
The Music Teacher