A Bridge Too Far Streaming

3月 14th, 2010 by dexter9535489
A Bridge Too Far Streaming. A Bridge Too Far Streaming.

Movie Title: A Bridge Too Far
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In a film of splendid nuance, Richard Attenborough captures the horrors or war and the dignity of those who must endure, soldiers and civilians alike. The stellar cast of “A Bridge Too Far” (a veritable who’s who of acting greats) sets this film apart. Sean Connery leaves tedious the frigid assuredness of Bond and faces futility with a mug of tea while Anthony Hopkins, a obedient Englishman in Hell, surrenders with dignity, only reluctantly accepting chocolate from the enemy. James Caan is a particular standout. With factual American grit, he bends all the rules and makes reliable on a pledge. The scale of the film could have wrought disasters on par with the campaign it portrays. Fortunately, the immensity of the Market-Garden campaign, which historically met its Waterloo at Arnhem, doesn’t swallow up the stories of individual characters, of the Brit with umbrella for instance or the Dutch resisters who gape for the Allies.

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Few World War II flicks showcase the absolute beauty of the European countryside. In “A Bridge Too Far,” the landscape, made all the more picturesque in its incompatibility to the gore and destruction, is certainly an additional star and supports the wisdom of shooting this expensive account in the Netherlands. The wide-angle advance, as well as the spicy gain, give balm to eyes and ears now accustomed to the tortorous naturalism of “Saving Private Ryan.” Attenborough pulls assist, thankfully. In its final scene, “A Bridge Too Far” achieves poignance without dialogue, without bluster, and without the well-liked method of summoning tears with half-baked, insipid bathos. Sir Lawrence Olivier and Liv Ullman leer straight ahead, the modern graves of British paratroopers lining their path from an elegance destroyed, from an order and faith utterly shattered. The scene is perfection. And the film itself is stop to it.

Cornelius Ryan’s nonfiction saga is masterfully told in the film adaptation. MARKET GARDEN, hoped to be one of the death blows to the German Reich, was fearless and ambitious, but failed to bounce the Rhine and bring the war to conclusion. Locations in the Netherlands included the real Nijmegen Bridge, fall zones outside of Oosterbeek (which is next to Arnhem), the Deventer Bridge closely doubling as the bridge at Arnhem, and many scenes filmed at the Dutch Infantry training center at nearby Harskamp. Producer Joseph E. Levine and Director Richard Attenborough drew equipment from numerous nations, including quite a few museum relics, to form this film. What they did not have, special effects and props departments created in order to gain a realistic and mostly historically suitable rendition of this September 1944 battle in Holland. Where the film deviates from the book is that the movie tends to paint the Allied planners as blind to the possible flaws in the operation and German Field Marshal Model is portrayed as a cowardly fool. In reality, Model’s immediate actions, though based on wrong assumptions, greatly contributed to the containment of the Airhead north of the Neder Rijn. A BRIDGE TO FAR ranks highly with films like THE LONGEST DAY and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN in terms of intensity and historical accuracy.

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Watch The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 Online

3月 12th, 2010 by dexter9535489
Watch The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 Online. Watch The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 Online.

Movie Title: The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
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Though Scott’s uniquely frenetic editing has been toned down from his previous films, his unmistakable style serene frequents the action and accentuates the tension-filled premise. Denzel Washington’s lustrous and moderately contaminated dispatcher plays off of John Travolta’s Wall Street savvy sociopath with plenty of clever exchanges, and the gloomy humor and suspense that fetch its diagram into the bloodshed culminates in an absorbing game of cat and mouse. Not quite as slick as the unusual, and perhaps a exiguous too conspicuous in its efforts at exuding wintry, this latest occupy on the subway heist epic aloof accomplishes entertainment at break-neck hurry.

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When a Current York City subway disclose is hijacked, Rail Control Center dispatcher Walter Garber (Denzel Washington) becomes an unwitting negotiator for the ruthless criminals aboard. Led by the uncontainable Ryder (John Travolta), the hijackers put a question to ten million dollars in exchange for the seventeen hostages and offer only one hour to assure the ransom. As minutes expeditiously count down, Garber must exhaust his cunning and resourcefulness to rob time and collect the mercenary off guard as the station goes from unpleasant to catastrophic.

The new, highly stylized, frenzied editing is assuredly a now permanent technique for Tony Scott films – it’s a signature scheme that he ceaselessly experiments with, frequently going overboard, and only occasionally able to harness. In Pelham it looks familiar but doesn’t detract from the myth, even if some moments of suspense are dulled by the blurred colors of slow-motion and missing frames. The remaining stunt sequences are inviting and tense, but hardly well-known. The car chases are never about catching someone, but rather beating the clock. It’s action for action’s sake, and while enjoyably destructive, it’s entirely apparent.

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Most audiences will not know that The Taking of Pelham 123 is based on a John Godey modern, or that it’s been adapted into a movie twice before with the same name. While Scott’s version stands on its fill as a big-budget action movie, the purpose of specifically remaking this fable is puzzling. Shouldn’t the reasoning gradual the revisiting of a current station be to improve upon some outstanding aspect? The employ of the internet, cell phones, snipers, bloodshed, gross language and more give this fresh vision a sparklingly modernized feel, but when the movie draws to a cessation, it fair can’t compete with the 1974 version. Washington and Travolta have an captivating chemistry, but even that can’t outdo the cat-and-mouse mindgames between Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw, who played their counterparts in the first feature adaptation. Perhaps a title change could have appropriately distanced Scott’s consume from being endlessly compared to an infinitely proper film.

- The Massie Twins

I’m a gargantuan fan of the fresh version of The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3. It was a snapshot in time of Fresh York City in the seventies; a cynical, bloated, bureaucratic mess that was entirely unprepared for a terrorist attack. In fact, there were actually concerns that the movie would inspire right terrorists to assume a subway explain hostage. The new featured everything from undercover cops to hippies, a crisp military professional turned terrorist to the random accidents of people in stressful situations. It even invented the “color codenames” later passe in Reservoir Dogs.

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 is catnip to movie directors in the same design that single stage sets are to theatrical directors – be it a subway or a stage with impartial two chairs, this is a film about two men facing off in a battle of wits. The majority of the movie takes area over an intercom between a terrorist and a dispatcher, with occasional cuts to the havoc their conversation causes throughout Unique York City. And if the terrorist represents the international Other that is a threat to our national security, the dispatcher represents the everyman of Novel York, our hardworking servicemen and women who lost their lives on September 11. With material like that, it’s no wonder the film has been remade twice.

Director Tony Scott updates the film to novel day sensibilities. The villain, Ryder (John Travolta in beefy crazy mode), isn’t a mercenary applying crisp military precision to the art of extortion; he’s a (SPOILER ALERT) mature Wall Street tycoon – slightly lower on the villain totem pole than industrialists who pollute the environment. The undercover cop moves into action immediately rather than later in the film, because of course Fresh York’s finest would reply quick to a terrorist attack. And the dispatcher, Walter Garber (Denzel Washington, looking appropriately puffy and slouched) has a more complicated past and a bigger role.

Unfortunately, the film suffers as a result. In the new, military precision was entirely the point. The trains never ran on time, so inviting Novel York to meet a deadline was both a enjoyable irony and a sticking point with a extinct military officer who expects nothing less than perfection from his men and from the negotiators. Here, that point is muddled by a sort of “we’re all into this together” blue collar ethic that Ryder projects into Garber. Their dialogue tranquil crackles, but this simple change dilutes the force of the film.

The four-man team of terrible guys is reduced to two speaking parts, with the other two generic thugs. The emphasis is clearly on Travolta and Washington, and it’s refreshing to have a movie that’s not unnerved to utilize some time letting actors fair act. There’s a lot of talking in this film and that’s not a abominable thing.

The movie struggles with the recent updates. A live wireless webcam feed gets broadcast to the Internet without government interference (yeah, just) . Even though the laptop’s battery dies, it’s mysteriously succor on a moment later. And the two teens on either side of the webcam arrive off as self-absorbed morons.

Because this is a expansive budget action film, the peaceful subtlety of the new version is glossed over in favor of an MTA agent handling a hostage negotiation, wielding a gun, and ultimately arresting in a showdown with the unpleasant guy. Since Ryder has no principles to tell of, the conclusion is particularly unsatisfying.

Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 is a serviceable action film but not a particularly wonderful update of the fresh. The seventies version was more of a drama with an ensemble cast that was comfortable playing second fiddle to the biggest character of all: Modern York City.

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Streaming Cleopatra Online

3月 10th, 2010 by dexter9535489
Streaming Cleopatra Online. Streaming Cleopatra Online.

Movie Title: Cleopatra
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Cleopatra is available for streaming or downloading.

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That a film as good as CLEOPATRA is was created at all under the madness and panic of it’s legendary production is indeed an amazing feat. That CLEOPATRA has been given such loving care in it’s restoration in this DVD of the “Road show” print and the attendant bonus materials is a wondrous gift to those who love this film.
The documentary, “Cleopatra: The Film That Changed Hollywood” is in on it’s own an engrossing and informative two hour movie. For anyone who knows little of the history of CLEOPATRA, or who was not around at the time, this documentary will give them the feeling of what those last days of old Hollywood were like. And therein one can find the reasons why this intimate epic is indeed the wonder that it is. Much thanks must be given to the Mankiewicz family and the producers of the documentary.
The print and the sound of CLEOPATRA seems now to surpass what I recall it to be in its first presentation nearly forty years ago. The depth of the colors and the richness of the shadows are indeed splendid. In it’s present form it is hard to believe this film is as old as it is. The commentary track is like finding the lost treasures of the long dead monarch. For there are wonderful recollections by Martin Landau, Tom and Chris Mankiewicz, and even Jack Brodsky gets to read sections from his book “The Cleopatra Papers”. But I must give special mention to Landau’s part. With his keen eye for the art direction of John DeCur one sees things in the background and along the edges of the scene that one never noticed before. Such lovingly detailed sets and interiors will never be seen again. The costs today are just too prohibitive. Also his insights into what was cut from the film, particularly his and Richard Burton’s contributions in the second act give one the idea of what Mankiewicz was intending. Poor Richard suffered the unkindest cut of all. The presentation of the DVD menus are so clever and exotic and are to be commended in their art direction. At last we now know what is behind the massive 20th Century Fox logo!
The film itself remains what it has always been, a good film that might have been great if only Zanuck had but trusted Joe Mankiewicz’ original vision. In the documentary it is stated that Fox is looking for the missing film, one can only hope that they succeed.
The performances range from excellent to good. Particular praise must go to Rex Harrison, Richard Burton, Martin Landau, Robert Stephens, Andrew Keir, and Roddy McDowall. Lastly in this department there remains Elizabeth Taylor’s performance as Cleopatra. At the films release she got the brickbats and for reasons that had nothing to do with her performance. It is always hard to separate the history of the lady from her film roles. But here in this film is where she became the ELIZABETH TAYLOR she has remained in the mind of the world to this day. In this fact alone she is perfect in the role. She is at once regal and commanding, strong and tender, soft and hard. The contradictions that have always been at the heart of Cleopatra herself, the public enigma wrapped within a mystery. In her performance as written by Mankiewicz she is probably not too far off from the historical Cleopatra.
Ever since Judith Crist gave CLEOPATRA the needle in 1963 and in the act made her name, the public, for the most part, has viewed this film a failure. But today, stripped of the scandal, hype and hysteria of its release in June of ‘63 it is now possible to view CLEOPARTA as the wonderful film that it is. Historically this is an important DVD and I recommend it highly. CLEOPATRA remains as seductive, beautiful, and intelligent as it was in Walter Wanger’s original conception.

Despite the legendary excesses and scandals that went on during the making of this unjustly maligned movie, it has three of the most critical foundation stones any work of this scope needs to succeed:

1). A unified vision or point of view, extending from the development of plot and characters to the physical look of the production itself.

2). A literate and compelling script that could play irrespective of the opulence of its surroundings.

3). Four leading actors who instinctively understand how to work their material, making the seams between performer and character invisbile to the spectator.

#s 1 & 2 were supplied by director / screenwriter Joseph L. Mankiewicz, #3 by Taylor, Burton, Harrison, and McDowell.

This is a film that easily bears repeated viewings, and, again, thanks to Mankiewicz and his actors, functions simultaneously on a variety of levels. For example, there are the love stories:

Caesar & Cleopatra / Antony & Cleopatra.

The tender scenes are written and played almost poetically, but there are also political manouverings going on as each uses the other to attain or augment their power. This is made even more fascinating in that these are obviously intelligent, witty, charming, beautiful, ruthless, and influential people whose calculations shape nations and Empires.

Given all of the above, the movie also looks like the enormous sum it cost, has a brilliant score by Alex North, an accomplished supporting cast (in particular, Martin Landau, Pamela Brown, Hume Cronan, Cesare Danova), and spectacular “set pieces” that though fully integrated into the plot, almost play as “movies within the movie” – Cleopatra’s Entry into Rome, Cleopatra’s Barge & Banquet, the Battle of Actium.

In sum, Mankiewicz and cast succeed in bringing off the big “world stage” themes critical to this genre of historical film. Their greatest achievement however lies in making an audience understand that these ancient archetypes were human beings trying to bear the weight of both history and their emotions.

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Stream Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Online

3月 9th, 2010 by dexter9535489
Stream Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Online. Stream Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Online.

Movie Title: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
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Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is available for streaming or downloading.

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Absolutely, BUY THIS FILM. IT IS ONE OF THE BEST FILMS OF ANY TYPE EVER MADE.

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Disney, after originally having scheduled the release of this masterpiece for August 31, having moved it to Feb. 22, and having taken it off the release list, has now reinstated its release on Feb. 22. It will be released with Porco Rosso and The Cat Returns; originally, it was to be released with My Neighbor Totoro, but The Cat has been substituted. This is mistifying, because Cat is a sequel to Whisper from the Heart, a sweet and endearing film that has never been released in the U.S.; a studio does not usually release the sequel first. What is Disney thinking, and what is to be done with Totoro?

That said, Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind was Miyazaki’s first full-length original film (I don’t count the Lupin films because they’re part of someone else’s work), and it is utterly superb. It is adapted from the epic manga series that he created in between projects while working for other directors, and only covers about 30% of the enormous story. It has a heavy ecological message, and shows Miyazaki’s trademark fascination with flight and unusual animals. The story is deep, rich, emotional, and satisfying. The soundtrack, Jo Hisashi’s first for Miyazaki, is one of his best; it is not extremely varied, but it is rich and emotional.

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A version of this film was introduced as Warriors of the Wind in the late 1980’s in the U.S. While the dub was excellent, twenty minutes of cuts made in the film infuriated Miyazaki to the point where he refused to allow any more U.S. sales of his films until Disney agreed to release the films uncut and to do their prodigious best with the vocal talents for the dubs. I still do not feel that their choice of voice actors has always been the best; some of the performances in Castle in the Sky and Princess Mononoke were at best lackluster, but there’s always the subtitles and original Japanese soundtrack for purists who aren’t happy with the results.

This film is an absolute must-have for any animation fan. Even being Miyazaki’s first film, it is a detailed, mature work far beyond the scope of most animation directors and storytellers. I just hope that Amazon will release this film in a 3-pack with Porco Rosso and The Cat Returns.

I have been an animation fan all of my life. I’ve seen almost every Disney animated flick countless times. I’ve studied the work of Chuck Jones and marveled at the best of Don Bluth.

I have been a fan of Japanese animation in partuclar for years. I have seen countless animated films and studied them in depth. I own almost every Studio Ghibli film ever made (including Whisper of the Heart, the Cat Returns, Castle in the Sky, and Castle of Cagliostro). I am here to tell you that Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is without a doubt the greatest animated film I have ever seen in my life…

First of all, this is the first film that the animation genius Miyazaki ever attempted through his own studio. It is also a greatly condensed story, being adapted from a manga that it’s creator wrote which was quite lengthly. That being said, this movie is PERFECT.

The animation may be old, but it rivals, and sometiems even demolishes, animation released in the theaters today. The action sequences (and particularly the flight sequences) are truly amazing to behold. The sound effects are marvelous. The music is mind-blowing. The pacing is perfect, the voice-acting beyond perfect. The quality of the artwork continues to astound. But that’s not why this is the greatest animated film ever.

At it’s heart this is s complex story of man vs. nature and man vs. man. How many times have we been over the topic of how man’s meddling is threatening to destroy the world, and how perhaps one day the world will fight back? In the world created in this film, the world has been destroyed by what can only be desribed as an apocalypse (of man’s doing). In response, plants and giant bugs are taking over the whole world and inhabiting vast patches fo wasteland. Various countries are fighting endless wars with each other in a quest to survive. A new danger arises though, as one of the ancient weapons which destroyed the world is found. The nations all claim they want to use it to destroy the bugs that would destroy humanity (not to destroy each other, as each nation claims it’s rivals would).

Toss into this mix an oasis from the harshness of the desert wastelands where everyone lives in peace and harmony…and a young girl may hold the secret to ending the eternal battle between man and nature.

The story in Nausicaa is incredibly stong, and the plot is quite deep. What really holds this movie together though, is Nausicaa herself. This young girl is the single greatest anime character ever to grace film. The key lies in something Miyazaki himself once said. A man who is the protagonist would destroy his enemies and defeat them. But the real world is not like that. In the real world, empathy and understanding is the only thing that can save us. And so rather than fight everyone to the death, Nausicaa takes on the far more dangerous goal of making everyone stop fighting before they annihilate everything worth saving. The Japanese are very in touch with the theme of the futility of war (having experienced its effects first-hand), and this film is a perfect example of the pinnacle of where that philosophy can take us.

Miyazaki has changed in his views over time, and this film is not what he considers his best work. I find this to be the ultimate irony. The man doesn’t even realize the magnitude of what he has created…

I said it before and I’ll say it again. This is the greatest animated film of all time. It covers the full range of emotion, from friendship and understanding to death and destruction and the chance of forgiveness and renewal. I can often tell whether I will enjoy a movie by it’s beginning. This movie has the best beginning of any movie I have ever seen. I always know if I will continue to love a movie when it ends, and this movie has the best ending of any movie I have ever seen…

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Streaming The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress Online

3月 8th, 2010 by dexter9535489
Streaming The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress Online. Streaming The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress Online.

Movie Title: The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress
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The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress is available for streaming or downloading.

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I have to give this one a full 5 stars. It is one of my favorites. As a former hookup man, crew chief, flight engineer, and door gunner, I have seen exactly the type of character assortment and wacky actions that this film portrays. There is always one that is afraid of dying. There is always AT LEAST one hung over person, usually with a barf bag within reach. There is always the one that tries to ride herd on the rest and keep them paying attention to their job. There is always one glory hound that feels he must get a shot at everybody’s job so he has bragging rights when he gets home. So this set of characters is totally credible and all were played with extraordinary skill. I love them all, even the jerk.

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As for historical accuracy, it is not accurate. They based the story on the Memphis Belle, but incorporated all the incidents and accidents that happened to the flying fortresses. If it didn’t happen to the Belle, her crew witnessed it. In my opinion, the movie is made better for this. It also serves to educate people about the realities of WWII bomber flights. I’m all for that. The public needs to be made aware that these men went through a hell that most cannot begin to imagine. Thus, this movie performs a vital function.

As for the entertainment value … it is top of the line. You will feel the pain and dodge the shrapnel! The anti-aircraft rounds make me get in fast motion! I especially like the part about the monkey harness and can identify fully with it. The pilot always had to force me to put mine on, and like the guy in this movie, it saved my bacon once. There’s just no comparison to flapping in the breeze beneath an aircraft while other crewmembers try to haul you back aboard. (But you’ll never have to be told to put on your monkey harness again!) Thus, I identify and empathize with his position … literally!

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Order a copy today and see if it doesn’t fully engage all your systems!

I watched this great movie with wonder at all the restored vintage B-17 bombers used in the filming. When one watches as they take off and land with such dangerous imprecision, it’s remarkable to realize how far we’ve come technologically since those dangerous days of daylight bombing by the Americans (the Brits went at night) and the murderous losses over German skies. All of this as depicted was before we developed the P-51 with its much longer range and its ability to escort the bombers to the target area to fend off Luftwaffe fighters who shot down so many bombers in 1942, 1943, and 1944.

This is a wonderful movie, very accurate, authentic, and quite appealing. Starring Matthew Modine as the Pilot of the fabled “Memphis Belle”, the first bomber crew to accomplish its mission tour and be returned to the states (to sell war bonds, among other things), is retells the amazing story of how thousands of kids as depicted here went off to England to fly thousands and thousands of planes through the perilous skies of Europe in a sustained effort to bomb the Third Reich into submission. Off they went, seeking the industrial and urban targets, knowing full well they might as well have had `bullseyes’ painted on their fuselages. The costs of flying the missions in terms of lost people and planes were almost overwhelming to the Allies.

The story is told in all its fullness, and one comes to recognize just how many of these plucky kids leaving the air field would never come back, as the daily losses to German fighters, flak and mishap were atrocious. Yet they went up again the next day and the next and the next, in a dazzling display of uncommon courage, tenacity, and maturity beyond their tender years. This is a poignant and well-told, scripted and acted story brilliantly photographed on location over the hills and dales of bonny olde England, where it all unfolded in its grand yet grisly magnificence fifty some years ago.

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The Vikings Streaming

3月 7th, 2010 by dexter9535489
The Vikings Streaming. The Vikings Streaming.

Movie Title: The Vikings
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The Vikings is available for streaming or downloading.

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Historically, ‘The Vikings’ is largely nonsensical, from its title sequence misapprhension of the centuries-later Bayeux Tapestry to its hash of the succession to the throne of Northumberland. But this film is great good fun! – a superior swashbuckler with a sound plot, breathtaking art direction, costuming, sets, & cinemaphotography, & solid acting & direction.

Kirk Douglas gives a menacing yet humane portrayal of the Viking prince Einar whose falcon-disfigured milky eye inspires fear & loathing. Tony Curtis is, as far as looks go, perhaps a bit miscast but his energetic, seething performance amply redeems his presence. Ernest Borginine’s Ragnar is fabulous – and one should keep in mind that Borgnine gave Ragnar life long before this sort of Borgnine role later turned him into a caricature of himself; Ragnar gives the film terrific heart & vitality. Janet Leigh is just…beautiful, despite the script’s relegation of her female lead role into what is chiefly a plot device to motivate the action scenes. James Donald succeeds at fleshing out his character, but some of his lines are the only clichés in the script & yet he manages to rise above them with his careful elocution. And the ever-malevolent, narrow-eyed Frank Thring (Pontius Pilate in ‘Ben-Hur’, & a creep in ‘Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome’) does yeoman service as the conniving, spineless pretender to the throne. Alexander Knox’s small role as the priest isn’t much dramatically, but it’s pivotal in the plot development, & his diction is at its customary excellence. Also memorable is the rune-reading Viking woman saga-teller whose moonlit face & sepulchral voice in the tidal crab-nibbling scene give the plot & its Norsemen their spiritual anchor.

The DVD’s special features are interesting, informative, & enjoyable.

The supporting cast of Norwegian unknowns, all of them hulking & sweaty & masculine & lusty, lends a muscular depth to the action sequences & even, suprisingly, to the dramatic ones. Norwegian fjords & their sparkling waters & towering precipices provide a majestic setting for the action. And the dénouement at the English castle is one of the finest mediaeval assault & swordplay sequences on film, rarely rivalled, as for example, by those in the Charlton Heston film ‘The Warlord’.

Most of all, who can forget the long ships? Painstakingly recreated from the best archaelogical evidence available at the time of filming, these rakish craft are in themselves stars of ‘The Vikings’ & they give ample evidence to why the Norsemen dominated the seas. The ‘walking of the oars’ sequence is not only unique, but it’s one of the most enjoyable bits of all of cinema’s swashbucklers.

‘The Vikings’ isn’t history, but it sure is top-shelf entertainment chock full of style & panache. Kids & grown-ups will all enjoy its scenic majesty & full-blooded characerizations.

Ah, a personal wish fulfilled is the re-issuing of this film onto the DVD format. Although I have long had the older VHS version of this classic fifties romantic sword and sorcery trendsetter, I was recently amused to find it now listed in the DVD catalogue. Odin be praised! This was a formative film in my childhood, a monstrously popular box office hit that had all of us pre-adolescents entertaining ourselves for months clashing in back yards using make-shift stick swords and purloined garbage-can covers for shields as we fought out our own imagined action sequences. Indeed, everything about this film is attractive and appealing; the wonderfully photographed sequences along the fjords, the jaunty and majestic music, and the quite authentic long ships and settings.

The cast adds to the fun with a star-packed line-up. Kirk Douglas looks appropriately Nordic (neat trick for the son of Russian Jewish immigrants), and more than acts out the part of the Viking prince, Einar, the eldest son and heir to the barbarian legacy of his outrageously roguish father, Ragnar, played masterfully by a full-bearded Ernest Borgnine. Tony Curtis adds a little blue-eyed soul to the cast as the star-crossed illegitimate heir to the English throne, and the quite lovely Janet Leigh (who at the time was Mrs. Tony Curtis) is the prized after English princess both the male principals have the urge to merge with. The scenes inside the Viking lodges are hilarious; the sequences in which a drunken Douglas has to successfully cut off a lover’s braids from twenty yards with a battle axe without decapitating the lady in question to prove she wasn’t unfaithful is spell-binding to experience. Terrific vicarious excitement for all of us overgrown kids in the audience.

The bottom line is that although none of it makes a whole lot of sense, just remember; we’re talking serious action-adventure here! It is deliciously exciting fun and gives full disclosure of all the rowdy Viking boys having a rousing good time raiding, raping and pillaging, robbing and sinking other ships and finally storming a castle. And we find ourselves going along for the ride. Why not? The cinematography is superb, as is the musical score. Although not terribly accurate historically, the film does give us an intriguing look at primitive lifestyles in terms of different cultures cohabiting not so peacefully in the north Atlantic long ago, circa the fourteenth century or so. It is a great way to spend a couple of hours being entertained by some real Hollywood masters of the genre. Enjoy!

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Watch The Fugitive Movie Online

3月 7th, 2010 by dexter9535489
Watch The Fugitive Movie Online. Watch The Fugitive Movie Online.

Movie Title: The Fugitive
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The Fugitive is available for streaming or downloading.

Click Here to Stream or Download The Fugitive

I’ve noticed various reviews here have stated that the video quality was impressive. Personally I was quite disapointed.

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This was the first Blu-ray I purchased and frankly I was disappointed with the video quality. I realize the film is never going to look as sparkling and clean as more recent films, but the image quality seemed lacking.

It has a soft, washed out ‘milky’ look and the detail is off and on. Sometimes the close-ups on faces are impressive, but then it will cut to a city shot at night and I really noticed the lack of definition.

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Of course much of this flatness comes from the fact that the photography was fairly dull in the first place (the whole film has a ‘grey’ look), but I still expected something more impressive on the Blu-ray format.

Also the sound is not HD or PCM. It comes with the same audio as the previous DVD.

So my advice, if you only want to collect Blu-rays with superb video & audio quality, this is NOT one of them. But, if you are simply a fan of the film and want the best quality version available, then this is still your best bet.

Although this movie is fantastic, sadly it is one of Harrison Ford’s last good performances (other than perhaps “Clear and Present Danger” in 1994). Ford plays Dr. Richard Kimble, a man wrongly accused of killing his wife. He escapes prison and then sets out to not only avoid recapture, but also prove his innocence. As good as Ford’s performance is, this movie is really carried by Tommy Lee Jones who plays Marshall Samual Gerard. His humor and intensity are outstanding. The plot is intriguing with lots of action. This is the first movie I’ve had the pleasure to see in the theater, on laserdisc, on DVD, and now on HD DVD. The HD DVD transfer is quite good and the sound is improved over the DVD version as well. Highly recommended.

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Watch Manufacturing Dissent Movie Online

3月 6th, 2010 by dexter9535489
Watch Manufacturing Dissent Movie Online. Watch Manufacturing Dissent Movie Online.

Movie Title: Manufacturing Dissent
Average customer review:

Manufacturing Dissent is available for streaming or downloading.

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I agree with most of Michael Moore’s politics and appreciate that he has helped bring many vital issues into the mainstream. He’s done a ton to raise awareness. That said I also think the film “Manufacturing Dissent” is fair and has very legitimate criticisms of Moore’s tactics. I would hope that Michael Moore would welcome the criticism. Many people will undoubtedly have a strong opinion about this film without watching it just as most conservatives have very strong opinions about Moore without ever having watched his films (Like the previous reviewer “Bob K” who thinks this is actually a Michael Moore film). I say it is wiser to keep silent until you can speak intelligently on a subject.

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The one thing the film is lacking is context. Moore is popular because the mainstream media feeds off highly polarized simplistic politics. So to talk about Michael Moore with out talking about the mainstream media and its manufactured culture is like making a film about a football player without mentioning the football game.

Watch this film but also watch Michael Moore’s films. For all the criticisms, Moore’s films are worth watching but with the understanding he sometimes plays tricks to make his point. Even knowing about his tricks I still believe that most his points are valid.

First off, I am very sympathetic to Michael Moore’s ideas. I would love to see more gun control in the US, the Iraq war come to an end, and health care for everyone. I enjoy his movies for their entertainment value and because they champion causes I believe in. His methods, however, are disturbing. How can you trust anything the guy says knowing the following: The premise of “Roger & Me” was Moore’s quest and ultimate failure to get an interview with Roger Smith. Turns out he did interview Roger Smith but decided to cover it up since it didn’t make for a compelling movie.

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Manufacturing Dissent is a fair documentary. The interviews are with people from both sides. Some love Michael Moore, some hate him. But the important thing is that a lot of the people interviewed worked with Michael Moore. The movie reveals that Moore is not necessarily in search of the truth, just in search of a way to validate things he already believes to be true. This movie is great for anyone who values intellectual honesty.

See Manufacturing Dissent for its content, because its production quality will not impress.

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Stream Bionic Woman – Volume One Movie Online

3月 5th, 2010 by dexter9535489
Stream Bionic Woman - Volume One Movie Online. Stream Bionic Woman – Volume One Movie Online.

Movie Title: Bionic Woman – Volume One
Average customer review:

Bionic Woman – Volume One is available for streaming or downloading.

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So much promise and enthusiasm greeted this show – from network suits to fans – yet they somehow managed to find all the right ways to destroy it before the pilot even aired. As of this, reports have it that the show isn’t going to get the previously announced re-launch or even continue on its misguided path. Cancelled as a result of a protracted writers strike and perhaps, well, shame. It started with David Eick, all arrogance and nerve, proclaiming how he never bothered to watch the original and brushing off speculative comparisons to Alias and Buffy with the argument that this was about a “reluctant heroine”. Uh, anybody with even a nodding acquaintance to those creatively brilliant shows would know they were both about reluctant heroines. Unfortunately, for all concerned, there was a lot at stake for this network owned show. As big budget poured into promoting and marketing it, everyone behind the scenes got into the act of tinkering with – all things considered – a daring attempt at re-imagining the concept. So much so that ultimately the result was par for network shows – sound and fury signifying nothing. The pilot was life imitating art, rebuilt from disparate parts like its title character. And it was a mess. With hardly a coherent point or direction, the show bolted before it could learn to walk with big ratings that reflected the goodwill that came standard with the franchise name. But viewers turned away as week after week the show was exposed as a boring, joyless, suspenseless wreck. Particular mistakes were glaring – the Sarah Corvus character was overused from the start. Had they used her wisely and sparingly, her appearances would’ve engendered a higher sense of threat and apprehension. The arrival of controversial actor Isaiah Washington was completely unnecessary, fueling more resentment for adding nothing more than pointless distraction and stunt casting. Towards the end, as different showrunners came in (and left) to rein in this runaway show, it seemed like it was finally finding its way. It still didn’t have that central focus but the missions were at least becoming somewhat interesting and the special effects were undoubtedly spectacular. The love interest angle had promise. The first bionic woman was taking a breather. Ms. Sommers seemed to be getting a grip on what she’s supposed to be doing. NBC announced then a 2-hour relaunch with hints at an improved show. Then came the writers strike that gave everyone the excuse to just pull the plug on everything that might have been. Now we’ll never know. For most it’s probably just as well. I feel sorry for Ms. Ryan and Mr. Ferrer, who did give it their level best. For the rest of us, we can only imagine on how mind blowing it would’ve been if the show managed to last long enough for this Bionic Woman to get into an all out war with the fembots.

I was absolutely flabbergasted at the amount of criticism that this show faced in what is likely to be its very short life. Even several TV critics whose work I usually respect and agree with — for instance, Matt Roush — saw a completely different show than I did. I would be the first to acknowledge that the show had some serious problems, but until the very end I was more impressed by the show’s potential than its supposed vices. If NBC gives up on it, which is what is widely rumored to be its fate, I will deeply regret it. This was far from my favorite show on TV this fall, but I watched every episode with considerable interest, with an acute awareness of its potential, and a desire for the creative forces behind the show to get their collective act together. But even at its worse, it was infinitely better than the original BIONIC WOMAN, which was, it must be admitted, just a god-awful show. Moreover, I quit watching several other shows in the fall such as JOURNEYMAN and REAPER, but continued to enjoy THE BIONIC WOMAN. At the time of the WGA strike I had really come to enjoy my Wednesday night double bill of PUSHING DAISIES (the best show on TV, in my opinion, after BATTLESTAR GALACTICA) and THE BIONIC WOMAN. I even chose to watch THE BIONIC WOMAN live and DVR GOSSIP GIRL, another Wednesday night show that I enjoyed.

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All looked good at first. The pilot was quite good and had many good things in it. In particular, the pilot — as well as the first few episodes — was enlivened by an absolutely brilliant performance by Katee Sackhoff as “the first bionic woman,” Sarah Corvus. She was so extraordinary that she may have hurt the show as a whole. She dominated every moment that she was onscreen and led more than one fan and critic to comment that THE BIONIC WOMAN was focused on the wrong bionic woman. I personally didn’t dislike Michelle Ryan as Jaime Sommers, but there is no question that many didn’t care for her. I honestly am not so certain that she was that bad; I think she just looked weak beside Katee Sackhoff. Except for disgruntled fans of the 1978 BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, who still are traumatized that their beloved Dirk Benedict was replaced as Starbuck (and completely outclassed) by a woman, Sackhoff got universally rave reviews for her work. She is so charismatic and so gifted that it is hard to imagine that she won’t get a lead role in some show following the wrap up of BSG.

It is not hard to see what was wrong with the show. The show clearly intended to embrace a serial narrative format. The problem was that each week it almost did a complete narrative reboot. What would seem to be major plot arcs would be introduced and then dropped at an alarming pace. The wonderful Mark Sheppard was introduced as the father of Jaime Sommers’s first episode boyfriend, but he quickly dropped out of the show. We learn that Jaime may have only a few years to live, but that thread is allowed to drop shortly after its introduction. Sarah Corvus and Jaime seem to be forging a common link, but then Sarah drops out of the show (as Katee Sackhoff returned to film BSG). In short, there was amazingly little continuity from episode to episode.

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NBC sensed very early on that the show was in trouble. Veteran show runner and producer Glen Morgan was quickly released and FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS show runner Jason Katims was brought in to stop the bleeding and get the show back on track. Unfortunately, the writers’ strike interrupted the show just as it acquired a new and permanent show runner.

In the end, if, as looks likely that we’ll see no more of THE BIONIC WOMAN. As of the time that I write this there has been no official announcement about THE BIONIC WOMAN, though there definitely will be no more episodes this year and most websites are reporting that inside sources say the show will be cancelled. I persist in thinking the show has a lot of potential. But they need to stick with one narrative and build it over time. And it would help if Katee Sackhoff were available fulltime. But whatever its fate, I do not believe that it deserved most of the criticism it received.

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Watch The Transformers – The Movie Movie Online

3月 4th, 2010 by dexter9535489
Watch The Transformers - The Movie Movie Online. Watch The Transformers – The Movie Movie Online.

Movie Title: The Transformers – The Movie
Average customer review:

The Transformers – The Movie is available for streaming or downloading.

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This is the release of the Transformers animated motion picture in celebration of it’s 20th anniversary as well as a prelude to the release of the Transformers Live action motion picture that will be released in 2007. Let us take a look at the details of this dvd release which will help buyers in making the choice as to whether or not to make this film part of their dvd library.

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Firstly, this dvd is released by Sony BMG Music Entertainment, as therefore those who might be expecting a dvd release of the animated film together with the live action film later in 2007 will be sorely disappointed as the property doesn’t belong to the same distributor.

Secondly, this dvd release is a 2 disc release featuring three versions of the feature film, commentary tracks and interviews, a sneak peak at the live-action movie.

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A breakdown of the dvd details are as follows :

*Brilliantly remastered and color-corrected

*16×9 widescreen presentation, which has not been seen anywhere since the movie was in theatres twenty years ago

*Full screen edition as well

*Commentary tracks

*Interviews with director Nelson Shin, story consultant Flint Dille and voice actress Susan Blu

*Autobot Matrix of Knowledge Presentation: Truly showcasing the pop culture phenomenon that is The Transformers, Sony BMG has created a special version of the film for the DVD release.

*The `Autobot Matrix of Knowledge’ will feature trivia and fun facts about the movie itself, the Transformers brand, and the pop culture references in which Transformers has been spoofed/tributed. Approximately one hundred fun facts will show up on screen throughout the movie. Many of the factoids were provided by fans through a special DVD site created by Sony BMG to solicit input–marking the first time that the huge

Transformers fan base has ever been asked to participate in the creation of a Transformers home entertainment release.

*Original commercials for the toy line and movie

*Behind-the-scenes sneak peak at next summer’s highly anticipated Transformers live action movie event. The special feature segment on the DVD will include comments from Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg who share their vision and passion for Transformers

*Collectible `transforming’ cover

My personal view is that for this price, and the amount of special features thrown in, this dvd is a real bang for your buck. If you are a Transformers fan, this is a must buy. If you wanna have a Transformers history lesson and get hyped up before the movie release, this is also a worthy consideration.

If you belong to none of the people in the category above, you might wanna stay away. But this is darn good entertainment whichever way you look at it. This deserves 5 stars, no doubt!

No doubt hidden in the 271 reviews that precedes my own you will find many of my ideas and thoughts about this movie. No matter, I still feel obligated to share what this movie meant and continues to mean to me. To begin, credit must be given to the composer and artist of this film. While, although sometimes a bit cheesy (ie. that same choo-choo-train sewer music playing whenever unicron appeares, which is borrowed from from ROCKY IV), the music does energize the film at times and makes for a great soundrack. Next, despite what some others have said, the animation for this film was great for its time. I mean, who could ever forget that scene when Optimus decides, “Megatron must be stopped–no matter what the cost,” and leaps into action blasting away. That’s the stuff great memories are made of. Conversely, however, the plot of this movie made perfect sense when I was ten years old, but now seems a bit weak. But what can you expect? After all, it IS–or WAS–a childrens cartoon. More than anything I think this film represents the end of an era. While kids still have vivid imaginations and continue to love cartoons, I wonder if they will obsess over them (running home from school to make sure you didn’t miss a minute) like we did. In these days of powerfull computers, DVDs, and Wallmart(hehe), I don’t know if things will ever be the same. Bottom line, I love this movie not only for what it is( a childrens cartoon), but for what we made it( a legend that defines a generation). Autobots, transform and roll out.

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