Masada - The Complete Epic Mini-Series

Description

In first century A.D., Flavius Silva (Peter O'Toole), commander in Roman Palestine, leads his forces in combat against the remaining Jewish Zealots who have taken refuge in the seemingly impregnable fortress of Masada. There, the engineering and military might of Rome faces the passion and ingenuity of Eleazar Ben Yair (Peter Strauss) and his people. Based on the novel "The Antagonists" by Ernest K. Gann, this epic, 4-part mini-series was shot on location in Israel.

Customer Reviews:

Hopefully as good as I remember..........2007-09-09

I remember watching Masada when I was a nine-year-old child and loving it. I didn't understand all of the subtleties, but I understood the story. As a result, the story of the Jewish patriots standing up to the might of the Roman Empire has stayed with me all of these years. I am now a history teacher, and will be purchasing the DVD to show my students when we study the Romans later this month. The thing that has stuck with me the most all these years is the amazing soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith, which I hope will be re-released in conjunction with the DVD, as the only copy on Amazon is available for $299...

Why does it take so long for the GREATEST shows to make it to DVD?.......2007-08-15

I saw this series when it originally aired in the 1980's and its impact has lingered with me all of these years. I managed to acquire a VHS transfer of the entire series just in time for my VCR to completely die - leaving me no way to enjoy this powerful drama again. After passing scores of copies of "Gilligan's Island - The Complete Series" and "Bosom Buddies - Collector's Edition" on the shelf of my local video store, I am exhilarated to find this one released at last!

Visually stunning (filmed on location) and dramatically riveting, the "Two Peters" duel on screen with searingly intense chemistry and vie for best performance, though O'Toole's ability to humanize his Roman commander makes this series so enticing. His final moments on screen as he comes to the full realization of the cost of Roman domination, is the stuff of legend. Barbara Carrera is positively luminous as a Jewess torn between her people and the man who controls her destiny.

A must see production, well worth the wait, and a demonstration of what "Event Television" was in the 1980's. They TRULY don't make them like this anymore!

BEYOND Recommended!.......2007-07-06

Masada is one of the most eagerly anticipated DVD releases of the year. This Classic TV 1981 miniseries is arguably one of the greatest ever produced in its genre, and garnered a lot of awards in its day. It is MORE than highly recommended!

It is well written and has a stellar cast that more than lived up to the script. The series, based on Ernest K. Gann's historical novel The Antagonists, is a dramatization of a documented revolt by nearly a thousand Jerusalem Jews against Roman oppressors in A.D. 72 to 73.

Epic in its scope, the actors bring nobility and pathos to the ultimately inspiring and tragic story. Following a city-wide siege by Rome's soldiers, Jewish Zealots move into a desert fortress in the mountains of Masada of Judea. It is from that remote location that they make their last stand against the tyrannical Roman Empire. Amazingly, their defensive battlement is strong enough to convince the enemy to negotiate after a two-year battle!

The brilliant Peter O'Toole, portrays Cornelius Flavius Silva, commander of the Roman legions, while Peter Strauss (who was cast in several miniseries in the 80's) portrays the Zealot leader Eleazar ben Yair, who end up developing an improbably respect for each other during the life-and-death struggle.

O'Toole, is fresh from the Roman conquest of Judea. Exhausted emotionally and physically, he has been affected by the constant warring, but remains the ruthless Commander of the elite Tenth Legion. He yearns to return home to Italy, but is prevented from doing so by a violent uprising of a small band of courageous Jews led by the volatile renegade soldier, Eleazar ben Yair (Strauss).

Silva is ordered to capture Eleazar and his followers. He is beset by internal strife because the brutal desert conditions have his legion teetering on the brink of mutiny, while he finds himself falling in love with a Jewess (portrayed with sensitivity by Barbara Carerra.) At the same time, Pomponius Falco, portrayed by David Warner, is working to steal his command.

Inside the fortress, Eleazar is struggling to keep his followers together. A diverse mix of defected soldiers, wanted criminals along with women and children totally about 900, they struggle to find enough food and water to survive their courageous stand against impossible, truly hopeless odds.

The actors leave nothing on the cutting room floor in their heart wrenching renditions of their unforgettable characters. Somehow, O'Toole brings humanity to his character, while Strauss is integrity, fury and courage personified.

Both of their characters believe the negotiations are real, and represent each side in good faith, struggling to find a way out of the deadly situation.

Unfortunately, neither realizes that Rome has no intention of yielding, but instead sends thousands of soldiers in a horrible seige of Masada resulting in one of the worst tragedies in Jewish history.

Masada was brilliantly directed by Boris Sagal (The Omega Man), and the musical score is unforgettably moving.

One of the best historical mini series ever.......2007-07-02

Masada is one of the greatest historical mini series ever made. it tells the story of the jewish revolt in 70 AD AND it's destruction by the romans.
Masada is a movie full of passion and intense. peter o toul is awesome as the roman general who has to end the jewish revolt once and for all.
Masada is not to miss and here is presented in all it's glory (full 6 hours +...movie).
I Wish also a few more "roman" movies to be released in dvd and i'm talking about "dacii" // "the last roman" // "sign of the gladiator"

Average customer rating:

Excellent
quite simply the best film ever!
Only the best!
Good but definitely not the best
Excellent movie, excellent presentation and special features

Casablanca
Starring: Humphrey Bogart , Ingrid Bergman , Paul Henreid , Claude Rains , and Conrad Veidt
Director: Michael Curtiz , and Scott Benson (II)
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305736650
Release Date: 2000-02-15

Amazon.com essential video

A truly perfect movie, the 1942 Casablanca still wows viewers today, and for good reason. Its unique story of a love triangle set against terribly high stakes in the war against a monster is sophisticated instead of outlandish, intriguing instead of garish. Humphrey Bogart plays the allegedly apolitical club owner in unoccupied French territory that is nevertheless crawling with Nazis; Ingrid Bergman is the lover who mysteriously deserted him in Paris; and Paul Heinreid is her heroic, slightly bewildered husband. Claude Rains, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Conrad Veidt are among what may be the best supporting cast in the history of Hollywood films. This is certainly among the most spirited and ennobling movies ever made. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2007-09-13

This movie is one of the great classics that everyone should see at least once.

quite simply the best film ever!.......2007-09-10

In my humble opinion this is the best film ever. Stellar acting and incomparable chemistry between Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. Paul Henreid exudes class and bravery. The incomparable Claude Rains. A witty screenplay, taut direction and an emotinal core that builds throughout the film right up to the most memorable ending of all-time. Play it again, and again and again.

Only the best!.......2007-09-09

A great movie must have certain components: (1) great acting, (2) action, (3) humor, (4) a compelling plot, and (5) a memorable song. This movie has all five and ranks, in my opinion, as the Best American Movie of the 20th Century.

Good but definitely not the best.......2007-09-06

I was very excited when i first watched this movie because it is almost on top of lists of all-time greatest movies and the reviews are like wow.. this must be really one of the best! After watching it, I was kinda disappointed because I think the story is so-so, there is no chemistry between the two lead cast (but Bergman is very lovely though). I don't know what's so special about this movie. Did I miss it or what?

Excellent movie, excellent presentation and special features.......2007-08-15

At 55 years of age, you'd think a movie lover such as myself would have seen Casablanca... but I hadn't until I bought this disc in July of 2007. If you understand what makes a finely crafted film that you can watch repeatedly and still continue to find things out about it that you love, this is one you'll enjoy immensely.

Start with the script - it is filled with tasty classic lines you'll really enjoy hearing in the context of the film. "Here's looking at you, Kid..." for example. Part of what makes all of it work is the vocal treatment by the actors in their delivery. The cast seems very comfortable with the characters they each play and so maybe that relaxed feel carries over to the degree of realism you sense when you watch it. Their dialogue does NOT seem scripted and that's hard to achieve on a consistent basis in a film. I suppose that's a big part of what's made Casablanca such a classic to all who have reviewed the work over the years.

The acting is superb across the board regardless of how small the part. Ingrid Bergman is luminescent to put it mildly. Bogie is really a powerhouse in this one, and Paul Henreid as well as Claude Rains deliver the kind of intimately detailed performances that just make you smile while you watch. Peter Lorre has a smaller part but exquisitely crafted in its execution. He makes it easy for you to hate him, let's put it that way. Sydney Greenstreet gives a solid presentation as well to round out the core ensemble performances given here.

The special features on this disc include a very nice introduction by Lauren Bacall, Bogart's widow. I watched it AFTER viewing the film as I wanted to get the same feel as audiences who originally viewed it in the theater, but I wish I had watched it first. Enlightening to say the least.

Another little gem is a series of trailers for Bogie's other movies. Great slices of the period as far as movie promotion goes! They serve as great reminders of a simpler time in America.

This particular film is a MUST HAVE for anyone's movie collection. I feel that repeated viewings year on year will only make you love it more than you did the first time. Not many films are able to do that.

I can safely say that if you, too, love truly great movies and you decide to purchase this one, it will be the start of a beautiful friendship.

Average customer rating:

DiCaprio all grown up
Hoo Boy !!
Better Than The Book
Exciting, political --- a movie with a message.....
"People back home wouldn't buy a ring if they knew it cost someone else their hand"

Blood Diamond [HD DVD]
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio , Djimon Hounsou , and Jennifer Connelly
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

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ASIN: B000MZHW1S
Release Date: 2007-07-03

Amazon.com

Leonardo DiCaprio puts a handsome face on an ugly industry: In parts of Africa, diamond mining fuels civil warfare, killing thousands of innocents and drafting preteen children as vicious soldiers. DiCaprio (The Departed) plays Danny Archer, a white African soldier-turned-diamond-smuggler who gets wind of a large raw jewel found by Solomon Vandy, a native fisherman (Djimon Hounsou, In America) recently escaped from enslavement by a brutal rebel leader. Archer offers a deal: He'll help Vandy find his war-scattered family if Vandy will share the diamond with him. Drawn into this web of exploitation is journalist Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly, Little Children), who agrees to help if Archer will tell her the details of how conflict diamonds make their way into the hands of the corporations who sell them to the Western world. DiCaprio is compelling because he never flinches from Archer's utter ruthlessness; Archer ends up doing the morally justifiable thing, but only because his desperate greed has led him to it. Hounsou and Connelly, though saddled with all the moral and political speeches, rise above the cant and keep the movie's treacherously formulaic plot rooted in human characters. But in the end, the story won't stick with you as much as the dead stillness in the child soldiers' eyes; the horror of African civil strife refuses to be contained by Blood Diamond's uplifting message--and the movie is all the more potent as a result. --Bret Fetzer

Description

An ex-mercenary turned smuggler (Leonardo DiCaprio). A Mende fisherman (Djimon Hounsou). Amid the explosive civil war overtaking 1999 Sierra Leone, these men join for two desperate missions: recovering a rare pink diamond of immense value and rescuing the fisherman's son, conscripted as a child soldier into the brutal rebel forces ripping a swath of torture and bloodshed across the alternately beautiful and ravaged countryside. Directed by Edward Zwick (Glory, The Last Samurai), this urgent, intensely moving adventure shapes gripping human stories and heart-pounding action into a modern epic of profound impact.

Customer Reviews:

DiCaprio all grown up.......2007-09-14

This movie was on my watch list for quite a while. Just think of the cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou and beautiful Jennifer Connelly. It is a story about diamonds collected in Sierra Leone - scenery of Africa we have not seen since "Out of Africa movie" with all the cruelty it comes with: children oldiers, killings, white mercenaries from Rhodesia, South Afrika and other former colonies. It is a story of greed, fatherly love and love in all the wrong places. It is political satire (one minor character says at one moment "We are lucky they did not find oil here - imagine what mess we would be in?") and also morality tale to about conflict that comes with beauty of the diamonds. This is multi-dimensional movie and it does deserve the praise that it got at the Academy awards. It is also fantasic to see two characters played by Leonardo and Djimon bond althought they could not be more different from any point of view. Although difficult to watch at some moments, it is definitely a gem of a movie I have seen lately.

Hoo Boy !!.......2007-09-09

When you have anyone like DiCaprio playing a lead in a movie like this then you know that someone was out to lunch in the casting department. Leo's baby face does not fit the character. The beautiful journalist type female is not realistic and screams Holywood too. Awful storyline - too much graphic violence ( have'nt we had enuff ? ), and some bad casting. Another 2 hours of your life wasted if you see this one. Another way you can tell this is bad ? There are 132 of these USED at $5 on AMAZON !! Get it ?

Better Than The Book.......2007-09-08

My job takes me to Africa, and I travel there for pleasure as well, so my B.S.-radar was "on" throughout the film, watching for Western cliches and the liberal drivel that tainted the book. But the movie delivered as both entertainment and is a more reasoned presentation of the problems caused by the African diamond trade.

DiCaprio, Connelly, and Hounsou were all excellent in their roles, but it is definitely DiCaprio as the Rhodesian exile that makes this film compelling. Also, the outrageous chase scenes that many movie-goers are so tired of are well done and more palatable in an African setting where gunfights are a believable occurance. Being stopped at a checkpoint by ten year-olds armed with AK-47s is not Hollywood fantasy.

There remains an underlying message condemning the world's diamond trade. It's a political statement that has some merit, but is overblown (as it was in the book) in identifying its true culprits. DiCaprio's character delivers some lines that give more than lip-service to other reasons for the bloodshed; his dialogue with an American reporter knocks the book's overly-simplistic views back on its heels.

Exciting, political --- a movie with a message............2007-09-05

It is hard not to have some sympathy with the current trend of making political issues palatable by grafting a star and a story on to a real-life cause for concern. Give us a thrilling story, good acting, pretty people to look at, and we can get the message out to millions. In recent years, Nicolas Cage has tackled gun-running ( Lord of War) and George Clooney the Middle East ( Syriana). Now it's the turn of DiCaprio and the illegal diamond trade, which has funded civil wars in Africa.
Very good movie......

"People back home wouldn't buy a ring if they knew it cost someone else their hand".......2007-09-02

I think that this movie is the perfect blend of a documentary and an action-drama. Clearly the intent was to bring to the forefront the issue of conflict diamonds in Africa. But instead of going for a factual film, the creators decided to throw together a group of great actors and a set of interesting sidelines to the story, polishing it into a magnificent jewel. The issue at hand is the brutal slaughtering in several parts of Africa, especially Sierra Leone, related to the control of diamonds. The situation in the movie is best described as TIA (This is Africa), a political mess, where those that govern only want to steal for their own benefit, and where there is no way to help, not even for the peace corps.

Solomon Vandy (Djimon Hounsou) is a fisherman that dreams of his son, Dia, becoming a doctor and moving on to better things. This dream is stopped in its track when the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) comes to his village and brutally slaughters most of the inhabitants. Luckily, Solomon's family escapes, but the RUF captures him and takes him to work on the diamond fields as a slave. Meanwhile, politicians in the industrialized world are aware of the problem resulting from diamonds from conflict zones and there is an agreement not to buy them anymore. The big diamond houses in Europe and the US agree, but you probably know by now that they will go around it in one way or another.

Then there is Danny (Leonardo DiCaprio), who is a local from Zimbabwe that gives arms to different guerrilla groups in exchange for diamonds and then smuggles them to Liberia, from where they can be imported into the consumer countries as conflict free rocks. When he is captured during one of his diamond operations, he is thrown in jail, where he meets Solomon. Solomon was in jail as a result of a raid of the RUF camp, but not before finding a big pink diamond that he hid underground. When the greedy Danny finds out about this, he makes sure that his future path is linked to Solomon's.

Besides the greedy and unscrupulous Danny, and the moral Solomon, who just wants his family back, we have Maddy (Jennifer Connelly), a journalist that is frustrated by the situations she witnesses all around the globe and that wants her work to be effective in stopping the destruction. The three characters go through a journey of self-discovery while everyone around them is out to kill each other for the control of the diamonds. The situation is so bad that the different revolutionary groups kidnap and train children to join them. Seeing the transformation these young minds go through in a short time breaks your heart.

The film definitely achieves its purpose of making people aware of the issues, and even though the story is gut-wrenching and some portions are extremely violent, I think that it was needed to convey the message clearly. What I did not expect before watching this movie was the outstanding performances I was going to witness. This is definitely DiCaprio's best. He even altered his accent to make it sound like a local and he does this very well. But he also has to play a character with multiple facets and that goes through somewhat of a transformation, and his performance really helps to make this believable. I have never heard of Hounsou before, but was impressed by the emotion he put into his role, and I am sure there will be many starring roles for him in the future. Jennifer Connely is the one I expected the best from, and she did not disappoint, since she delivers a performance on par to the one she gave us on excellent "The House of Sand and Fog". This is definitely one of the best releases of 2006, and if you can stomach the violence I believe you will agree.

Average customer rating:

Great Movie - something different
Great Movie
great movie
Violent & Boaring Movie
Blood-ray

Blood Diamond [Blu-ray]
Starring: Leonard DiCaprio , Djimon Hounsou , and Jennifer Connelly
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000N0WCLC
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Description

Customer Reviews:

Great Movie - something different.......2007-08-09

Just an overall great flick. I originally saw this on DVD, and then saw it again on blu-ray. Remember something folks, it's not about the disc content, it's about the movie. I remember when I used to be so excited about special features, or a re-release with tons of added bonuses. After a while, it's becomes boring and annoying. It's about the movie.

Great Movie.......2007-07-23

I had my doubts about this movie since I'm not a Leonardo DiCaprio fan, but this is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Great story and awesome action sequences. This movie is a must buy for blu-ray owners.

great movie.......2007-07-21

a movie everyone must see. very disturbing that this sort of thing happens. this movie makes me feel bad that im from western society, even though i owe no diamonds of any sort.

Violent & Boaring Movie.......2007-07-15

Gosh how I hated this movie. The biggest problem is that you just don't care what happens to any character in the movie. So what you have left is HD blood and gore. My advice, rent the movie if you must and if you still want to watch it over-and-over, then buy it.

Blood-ray.......2007-07-09

This movie was released for HD DVD and Blu-ray and is available for the same price in both formats. For the same price, the HD DVD had more content, high def audio tracks, full length picture in picture documentary tracks, exclusive extras, and web enabled interactivty. I was able to go on line and see map locations of the conflict locations, take polls on this movie and others, see availble and comming soon movies etc... You definitely get more for your money in the HD DVD version

Average customer rating:

Standing on its own I thought it was a fantastic movie.
Excellent Movie! Excellent HD-DVD
George Orwell, 1984, Alan Moore, and V
Natalie Portman
haunting

V for Vendetta [HD DVD]
Starring: Natalie Portman , Hugo Weaving , Stephen Rea , Stephen Fry , and John Hurt
Director: James McTeigue
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

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ASIN: B000I2JKFG
Release Date: 2006-10-31

Product Description

Warner Brothers V For Vendetta - HD-DVD
Set against the futuristic landscape of totalitarian Britain, V For Vendetta tells the story of a mild-mannered young womannamed Evey (Natalie Portman) who is rescued from a life-and-death situation by a masked man (Hugo Weaving) known only as "V." Incomparably charismatic and ferociously skilled in the art of combat anddeception, V ignites a revolution when he urges his fellow citizens to rise up against tyranny and oppression. As Evey uncovers the truth about V's mysterious background, she also discovers the truthabout herself - and emerges as his unlikely ally in the culmination of his plan to bring freedom and justice back to a society fraught with cruelty and corruption.
Running Time: 133 min.

Amazon.com

"Remember, remember the fifth of November," for on this day, in 2020, the minds of the masses shall be set free. So says code-name V (Hugo Weaving), a man on a mission to shake society out of its blank complacent stares in the film V For Vendetta. His tactics, however, are a bit revolutionary to say the least. The world in which V lives is very similar to Orwell's totalitarian dystopia in 1984: after years of various wars, England is now under "big brother" Chancellor Adam Sutler (played by John Hurt, who ironically played Winston Smith in the movie 1984) whose party uses force and fear to run the nation. After gaining power, minorities and political dissenters were rounded up and removed; artistic and unacceptable religious works were confiscated. Cameras and microphones are littered throughout the land, and the people are perpetually sedated through the governmentally controlled media. Taking inspiration from Guy Fawkes, the 17th century co-conspirator of a failed attempt to blow up Parliament on November 5, 1605, V dons a Fawkes mask and costume and sets off to wake the masses by destroying the symbols of their oppressors, literally and figuratively. At the beginning of his vendetta, V rescues Evey (Natalie Portman) from a group of police officers and has her live with him in his underworld lair. It is through their relationship where we learn how V became V, the extremities of the party's corruption, the problems of an oppressive government, V's revenge plot and his philosophy on how to induce change.

Based on the popular graphic novel by Alan Moore, V For Vendetta's screenplay was written by the Wachowski Brothers (of The Matrix fame) and directed by their protégé, James McTeigue. Controversy and criticism followed the film since its inception, from the hyper-stylized use of anarchistic terrorism to overthrow a corrupt government and the blatant jabs at the current US political arena, to graphic novel fans complaining about the reconstruction of Alan Moore's original vision (Moore himself has dismissed the film). Many are valid critiques and opinions, but there's no hiding the message the film is trying to express: Radical and drastic events often need to occur in order to shake people out of their state of indifference in order to bring about real change. Unfortunately, the movie only offers a means with no ends, and those looking for answers may find the film stylish, but a bit empty. --Rob Bracco

Customer Reviews:

Standing on its own I thought it was a fantastic movie........2007-09-12

This is one of my favorite all time movies. Its not designed for children as it doesnt contain that kind of hero. I cant think of any other movie so loved and hated at the same time! Politics aside I thought it was a very good movie and without a doubt is different then all the other movies out there. I can understand why people can hate this movie based on todays political environment but I feel its unjustified. This is a movie that will last the test of time and will be considered one of the greats 10 years from now.

Excellent Movie! Excellent HD-DVD.......2007-09-10

I don't know if you guys have priced HD-DVD's locally at places like Best Buy, but the prices at those retail stores are CRAZY! If you browse the HD-DVD's here on Amazon, you'll notice most are around $19.99. Well I went to best buy and the absolute cheapest one was $24.99 and most were $29.99 and up! You just can't go wrong with buying HD-DVD's at Amazon. And no i don't work for them....I've just already done the research...so you don't have too!

Back to this particular movie on HD-DVD. Looked great to me on my Toshiba HD-A2!

George Orwell, 1984, Alan Moore, and V.......2007-09-10

I read the graphic novel of "V for Vendetta" when it was originally released in the mid 1980s. Right from the beginning, I could see that this was Alan Moore's homage to Orwell and "1984" - he was most likely inspired by the book as the title's date approached and Moore observed Thatcher's England and Reagan's America unfold. What an amazing story "V for Vendetta" told. Alan Moore saw that Fascism was still alive and well in the world of 1984 as it was in Orwell's Post WWII 1940s.

Jump forward 20 years, and we have a retelling of this amazing story, but this time on film instead of the comic panel. In this day and age of Terrorism, the fear of Terrorism, and the Fascist use of that fear, the story is more important than ever in Bush's America/World. Fear is the most powerful tool of the fascist as has been demonstrated in both the real world - Nazi Germany and Post 9/11 America - and in fiction - "1984" and "V for Vendetta". "V for Vendetta" capture's this by potraying a not-to-distant future where plague and terrorism have crippled the world and are cooped by the fearful conservative right (where all fascism is born as they are similar psychoses) to control the masses and "protect" the people.

Though Moore set "V" in his native England, 20 years after its writing it could have been set in Post 9/11 America where even treehugging is consider terrorism by the ruling administration. Yes, this film portrays a terrorist as the "good guy", but it actually delves deeper into the heart of all of us; and it challenges every one of us to stand up for ourselves BEFORE we would need to resort to acts of violence to safeguard our freedoms - or worse have to reclaim them. Watch this film to be inspired for what we have to loose, before it becomes what we have lost.

A final note on Alan Moore not endorsing the film...Moore doesn't endorse any of his works being made into film. But, I would like to think that he will see it and see his vision properly realized; this is what I saw in the film...his vision on screen (though I was disappointed that the musical numbers found in the graphic novel were missing!). With this film, I await "The Watchmen" even more.

Natalie Portman.......2007-08-26

Natalie Portman with her best British ascent is great in this movie. Britian has become a fascist state in this tale of the future.

Corey Cotta, Author of All of Yesterdays Tomorrows.

haunting.......2007-08-17

I haven't made up my mind if I like this or not. I watch it once and awhile because it has a haunting quality to it. Love Portman.Can't get the lines by V out of my head.Has some truths in it that you can't forget.

Average customer rating:

The best thing about the movie is the trailer.
3.5 stars
Entertaining & Sexy
A bona-fide guilty pleasure
Suprisingly Clever

D.O.A. Dead or Alive
Starring: Jaime Pressly , Devon Aoki , Holly Valance , Sarah Carter , and Natassia Malthe
Director: Corey Yuen
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000I0RNXY
Release Date: 2007-09-11

Description

Four gorgeous women are invited to a remote island to participate in a fighting tournament.

Customer Reviews:

The best thing about the movie is the trailer........2007-09-14

This movie is more like a two part "She Spies". Mechanically done fight sequences, cheesy computer graphics (well, at least the computerized video scoring screens are a new idea for a karate movie), and loads of cute girls to stare at are worth the cost of renting the DVD. Tura Satana--where are you when we need you?

3.5 stars.......2007-09-13

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this film. After reading about all the delays, horrid reviews, and the whole week it played in my local theatre, I had to convince myself to rent it. Now I have to convince myself not to buy it.

If you like movies in the vein of "Mortal Kombat", then this is for you. Minimal plot to keep you busy through the fight scenes, but the plot actually makes sense. The fight scenes are very well-choreographed. But I expect no less from Corey Yuen, who is simply brilliant. The acting was what it was. Devon Aoki came through better than she did in "War"; Jamie Pressly was a lot of fun as Tina; Holly Valance did a nice job as Christie, and Sarah Carter was a good Helena. Natasse Malthe was a bit under-used, and that did disappoint me; the ads and interviews would have you believe she was a main character.

And that really was the problem with this movie, the PR. The big scene everyone talked about with the five girls taking on 300 warriors? Nope, not the film at all. It was hyped the wrong way. Oh, and it was a bit too short at 87 minutes or so.

As for the DVD, the features are somewhat sparse. About 10 deleted scenes which shouldn't have been deleted, and a 20 minute "making of" sequence. That's it. For $25 I expect a bit more.

If you're looking for a good flick to kill some time, go for it. The next "Enter the Dragon" it isn't, but it is well-above the disasters which were "Bloodrayne", "House of 100 Corpses" and other video-game flicks done by Uwe Boll.

Entertaining & Sexy.......2007-09-13

I used to be a fan of the games, back when I played video games. So the movie got my attention. Not enough to see it in the cinema, but upon its DVD release this week I bought it on impluse without even seeing it. I'm happy with the purchase after watching it yesterday. I was very worried this was going to be real bad and I be pissed spending full price for it. But not so. I'm a 28 y/o guy. I'm not a teenage boy, and still the movie had enough sex appeal just like the game to keep my intrest. I found the film entertaining throughout & funny in parts and stupid in others. They even throw in beach volleyball like the game...clever. I do agree with other reviewers Christie is very appealing, and same for Helena...I didn't care to much for Tina's character in the film though.
Overall if you like alot of eye candy with cool action sequences, then you'll enjoy the film I think. They should have made it more violent & sexier with an R rating...my personal thought..

A bona-fide guilty pleasure.......2007-09-12

Video game to film adaptations rarely work as you no doubt already know. Chances are if you've seen any previews of the Dead or Alive movie, you most likely laughed at how ridiculous it looked. Well, guess what? Here it is on DVD, and it's surprisingly not the terrible waste of film that many (including me) thought it would be. Sure, it's nothing remotely great in the least, and even laughable in some spots, but as a whole, Dead or Alive is a fun and entertaining guilty pleasure that does it's job well. A martial arts tournament is being held on a remote island, with many of the competitors being in the form of some incredibly hot babes (Holly Valance, Jamie Pressly, Devon Aoki, Sarah Carter, Natassia Malthe), who soon learn that there is more going on than it seems. The action is good (courtesy of Transporter director Corey Yuen) and the movie delivers plenty of eye candy, no matter how inane or non-sensical the events that unfold turn out to be. That aside, the film manages to pay some delightful homage to it's source material (volleyball anyone?), and while it's not always faithful to it, it's still a fun ride regardless. Also featuring Eric Roberts, former wrestling star Kevin Nash, Matthew Marsden, Brian J. White (who looks exactly like Zack from the game) and look for Mortal Kombat star Robin Shou as the Pirate Leader.

Suprisingly Clever.......2007-09-11

I had no expectations one way or the other walking into the theater to see D.O.A. When my friends and I came out, we talked and laughed about it for an hour. This movie knows its limitations and never takes itself too seriously, but has the interesting flavor of pretending its a serious movie all the way through. (It turns out there's a big, visible difference between thinking you're a serious low budget movie and playing pretend.) Ridiculous things will happen with actors and actresses approaching their jobs in character and straight-faced, allow the viewer to indulge in a very pleasant vacation from reality.

While it couldn't successfully translate the actual plot line of the video games to the big screen, D.O.A. is shockingly full of nods to the series. You can tell that the team actually played and paid attention to the source material. While Kasumi and Hayabusa have switched roles (Kasumi the serious ninja and Hayabusa a little wide eyed), this was necessary, after all, to keep the Super Ninja from dominating the movie. All the other characters strongly reference their original characters, with wonderful little surprises throughout for those of us who have played the video game series casually or competitively. The plot itself is a hybrid of the plot lines of the various games.

Did I mention the martial arts sequences are brilliantly shot and incredibly well choreographed? They are excellent. Little more needs to be said. Fans of martial arts flicks will not be disappointed.

This little gem does everything it can with what it has to work with, showcasing some fantastic action in a smart framework. D.O.A. is downright fun.

Average customer rating:

Snatch - Review
rock 'em, sock 'em fun
Snatch
Stealin' stones and Breakin' Bones
wish I would have seen this movie sooner.

Snatch (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Ade , William Beck (II) , Andy Beckwith , Ewen Bremner , and Jason Buckham
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000093FLA
Release Date: 2003-06-03

Amazon.com

Usually it might seem a tad unfair to begin a review by referring to the director's missis. But then the missis in question wouldn't usually be Madonna--a woman whose ability to reinvent herself several times before breakfast seems in marked contrast to that of hubby Guy Ritchie. Certainly, this follow-up to the filmmaker's breakthrough film--the high-energy, expletive-strewn cockney-gangster movie Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels--hardly breaks new ground being, well, another high-energy, expletive-strewn cockney-gangster movie. OK, so there are some differences. This time around our low-rent hoodlums are battling over dodgy fights and stolen diamonds rather than dodgy card games and stolen drugs. There has been some minor reshuffling of the cast too, with Sting and Dexter Fletcher making way for the more bankable Benicio Del Toro and Brad Pitt, the latter pretty much stealing the whole shebang as an incomprehensible Irish gypsy. And, sure, people who really, really liked Lock, Stock--or have the memory of a goldfish--will really, really like this. The suspicion lingers, however, that if the director doesn't do something very different next time around then his career may prove to be considerably shorter than that of his missis. --Clark Collis

Customer Reviews:

Snatch - Review.......2007-08-16

Director Guy Ritchie returns to London's mean streets, rife again with characters such as Bullet Tooth Tony (Vinnie Jones) and Franky Four Fingers (Benicio Del Toro). Several interlocking plots revolve around a scramble for a stolen 86-karat diamond, an attempt to fix a boxing match and ... pigs. Brad Pitt is a standout as a bare-knuckles fighter who speaks a gypsy dialect nobody understands.

rock 'em, sock 'em fun.......2007-08-13

This movie is a fast-paced, fun movie. If you have watched Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels (Widescreen Edition) and liked it, you will enjoy this movie.

Snatch.......2007-07-25

Guy Ritchie's kinetic, ultra-stylish heist film is an amalgam of all the best caper films, rolled out with a punk attitude and bristling Cockney accent. The plot is outrageous but loads of fun (wait until a certain dog swallows a squeaky toy), and the ensemble cast--Statham, Graham, Del Toro, Ford, and Serbedzija--may not all be household names, but their cocky, fiercely funny performances will stay etched in your mind. Nearly stealing the show is Pitt, playing a crooked bruiser whose Gaelic brogue is hilariously incomprehensible to everyone. "Snatch" this punchy, black-humored romp through London's criminal underbelly--before someone else does.

Stealin' stones and Breakin' Bones.......2007-06-27

What a follow-up to "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels!" It's the closest thing to a sequel without being one. Some say that "Snatch" is a poor follow up of Ritchie's first film, I say that this is an improvement on his signature style, an aggressive and a supercharged 21-gun salute to Britain film/filmmakers. The deftness displayed in this writer/director's pacing and editing is at times electrifying and sometimes simply beautiful. The soundtrack is not only superb and includes one of my personal favorite bands, Oasis, and is used to great comic effect as an poignant accompaniment to certain scenes.

In the vein of Pulp Fiction, Trainspotting, and Fight Club, Snatch is a gritty dance with the criminal element, revolving around a stolen 86-karat diamond that any good crook would give his right arm for. (And in one case, I mean that literally.)After a boggling series of double-crosses, triple-crosses, and multi-crosses, Snatch becomes a game of who will end up with the gem -- and how will they get it? Ritchie keeps us guessing at every turn, with Russians hiring mercenary crooks to steal the jewel, hit men sent to kill the mercenaries, mobsters trying to outwit the hit men, Jewish jewelers scheming to undermine the mobsters, a crazed bare-knuckled boxer looking for his payday despite the chaos, and one dog who's lost his bark.

And every one of these stories is hilarious.

Vinnie Jones as Bullet Tooth Tony, a hunter/assassin who chills his prey with deadly stares; Benicio Del Toro (Traffic) is caught-in-the-middle robber/gambling addict; Dennis Farina, a stressed jeweler who can never catch a break; or any of two dozen other apt actors who fully own their roles. In the end, though, you have to give a hand to Brad Pitt, still buff from Fight Club, as a slur-mouthed Gypsy boxer who always manages to get one step ahead of the crowd.

"Snatch" is great. There are some funny lines, and some of the violence is quite inventive. Several times in this movie I was reminded of the "strange occurrences" theme seen in Magnolia. I wholeheartedly recommend this film if you haven't already snatch it.

wish I would have seen this movie sooner........2007-06-21

Guy Ritche slid this one out a few years ago, and I missed it. A good cast including Jason Statham plays Turkish (the transporter, Crank) and Brad Pitt as mickey,the bare knuckle gypsy boxer. Essentially an Action Comedy. Turkish, a unlicenced boxing promoter, narrates the story as it revolves around and 84 carrot Diamond, and what eventually turns out to be a stuggle to try and save his own hide from Brick top, the underground promoter that "tells you what will happen". Its intriguing how thing and paths finally entertwine. Must see. If you like Lock, stock and two smoking barrels, this one I believe is better. And if You like Jason Statham, this movie is good as well. A good movie for any collection.

Average customer rating:

Great movie
I feel the need... for speed!
BAD MOVE
Steven Burke - Grow up!
Looking forward to this HDDVD

Top Gun [HD DVD]
Starring: Tom Cruise
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

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ASIN: B000RZIGZ4
Release Date: 2007-10-02

Customer Reviews:

Great movie.......2007-09-09

A great movie being made available in it's finest presentation.

I am a high def enthusiast and love watching everything I can in HD. I chose the HD DVD format for it's price, picture, interactivity, and the fact that players can be upgraded via the ethernet port.

All these Blu Ray babies crying, really need to get a life. Paramount, Dreamworks seen the light and seen that there are 3 to 1 HD DVD players over Blu Ray players in American households. Consumers are going to buy what is affordable and movie studios are going to go where they can make the most profit. Also, it is more profitable to make an HD DVD disc over a Blu Ray disc, as HD DVD uses similar technolgy shared with DVD.

It's been noted that the BD Java code needed to write Blu Ray disc is alot more complicated than the Microsoft HDi code used to writing HD DVD. In turn it makes HD DVD have much more features and come out with less bugs than Blu Ray. This makes HD DVD more profitable for the simple reason that studios don't have to pay programers to learn a new code for making movies.

Plus do you really think that Sony didn't grease Disney's pocket to go exclusive with Blu Ray?

Bottom line is technology is made for consumers and Sony has always tried to make it proprietary for them. Examples, mini disc, umd, memory stick, betamax, atrac3 (music format) and blu ray. Look at all the failed formats Sony has tried to push onto consumers that have all failed. Did you really think it would be different with Blu Ray?

I feel the need... for speed!.......2007-09-05

I am so looking forward to this video... even re-bought aviator sunglasses and was quoting top gun quite a bit recently. I really need to be in a top gun support group... if you are on myspace search for the top gun support group and u'd know what i mean.

BAD MOVE.......2007-09-05

Bad move by Paramount to drop Blu-ray for HD-DVD. I hope they wise up and get back to Blu-ray quicker than 18 months and drop the desperate bribing HD-DVD format. Idiots!

Steven Burke - Grow up!.......2007-08-25

To the person who uses a review feature to complain about Paramount dropping Blu-Ray -- GROW UP! Go complain to Fox, Disney and Sony for not supporting HD DVD, or stop being a complete hypocrite! Sony is the one that brought on this fiasco of a format war, trying to strong-arm the consumer into their overpriced technology. Go cry somewhere else.

Better yet, go play with your PS3. Oh, I forget, Sony forgot to develop any decent games for it.

Looking forward to this HDDVD.......2007-08-21

Top Gun is a great movie and will be fantastic on HDDVD. Thanks Paramount for supporting the best format for High Definition!

Average customer rating:

DiCaprio all grown up
Hoo Boy !!
Better Than The Book
Exciting, political --- a movie with a message.....
"People back home wouldn't buy a ring if they knew it cost someone else their hand"

Blood Diamond (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio , Djimon Hounsou , Jennifer Connelly , Kagiso Kuypers , and Arnold Vosloo
Director: Edward Zwick
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000MZHW40
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Amazon.com

Description

Customer Reviews:

DiCaprio all grown up.......2007-09-14

Hoo Boy !!.......2007-09-09

Better Than The Book.......2007-09-08

Exciting, political --- a movie with a message............2007-09-05

"People back home wouldn't buy a ring if they knew it cost someone else their hand".......2007-09-02

The Protector (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Perfect...
Another fine gem from Tony Jaa
Fantastic international version, hackjob American version
Good old Fashioned foreign fight film.
Another Movie I'm Drawn On...

The Protector (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Starring: Tony Jaa , Petchtai Wongkamlao , Bongkoj Khongmalai , Xing Jing , and Nathan Jones
Director: Prachya Pinkaew
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000I0RNWU
Release Date: 2007-01-16

Amazon.com

Thai-born martial artist Tony Jaa, whose gravity-defying stunts wowed American audiences in Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior, returns in an equally eye-popping stunt fest that should thrill all but the most jaded action fans. The very simple plot has the soft-spoken, mild-mannered Jaa as a young man from a rural community dispatched to Australia to recover a pair of sacred elephants. Once there, he discovered that a female crime boss (played by transgendered actor Jing Xing) is behind the missing pachyderms, and Jaa pulls out all the stops to recover the animals for his village. As in Ong-Bak, the appeal of The Protector is watching Jaa unleash his muay thai skills on a host of villainous types, and he gets several astonishing showcases in this film, most notably a nearly-unbroken take in which he dispatches some 50 goons as he makes his way up a four-story structure. Those looking for the depth of story or character found in the best of Hong Kong action cinema won't find it in The Protector, but the rewards for action fans are plentiful and thoroughly entertaining. The two-disc Collector's Edition of The Protector includes a wealth of extras, most notably the original Thai version of the film (titled Tom Yum Goong), which runs approximately 30 minutes longer than the American version. Commentary by martial arts writer and fan Bey Logan is featured on the American edit, along with a deleted scene, a featurette about Jaa with Logan and rapper/producer The RZA (who scored the American version and, for some reason, is described as a major force in bringing Asian entertainment to the States), making-of featurettes on both the English and Thai versions of the film (the latter features a subtitled Thai-language commentary track with Jaa, director Prachya Pinkaew, and stunt coordinator/mentor Panna Rittikrai), and three fair short films that were produced for a promotional tie-in contest. -- Paul Gaita

Description

Thai martial arts virtuoso Tony Jaa stars as Kham, who travels to Australia to take on a gang and rescue a kidnapped elephant.

Customer Reviews:

Perfect..........2007-08-29

Product was exactly as described. Flawless transaction, best Martial Arts movie ever!

Thanks.

Another fine gem from Tony Jaa.......2007-08-04

This is the second Tony Jaa movie I have seen, and I did not buy it at Amazon, but who cares it si amazing, therre is more a ctionin this movie than I thought there was, and the part where Jaa breaks arms legs neaks kneecaps ribs and backs of 50 people YES 50 PEOPLE! of one of the final sequences in the movie was great, I strongly recommend this Thai Fighter lovers movie, it WILL please you.

Fantastic international version, hackjob American version.......2007-08-03

What were you thinking Quentin Tarantino? The editing and redub of the American release turns this great Thai movie into cheesy trash. I watched the American version first and was really disappointed in the film. The editing was horrible and there was no plot or transitions from scene to scene. The action was great but the worthless score by the RZA, mixing amateur sounding techno with rock guitar took away the impact of the film. The original soundtrack is much better, more subtle and there was absolutely no reason to rescore the film, especially considering the results. And why did he redub every single Asian actor's voice with American sounding accents? Tarantino showed complete disrespect to the director, Prachya Pinkaew, and to American viewers with his treatment of this film.

After my disappointment, I watched the international version. This one actually had a story, making the action so much more engaging. This is a story about a man who loves these elephants that he cares for like family; he even calls them his family. I can see why some reviewers scoffed at the idea that he would go to such great lengths for these elephants. From the American version it's hard to get a sense of how much he loves these animals, but watching the int. version his love for them is so apparent that the action is so much better because now we have a motivation that we can connect with.

I was also shocked to see that Quentin Tarantino took liberties with the film's plot, completely changing the subtitles from what was actually being said into something he apparently made up. Why exclude the fact that the main villain was a transvestite? Why say that Cam's father died when he didn't? So many of these changes were pointless and ruined this movie.

I recomend to anyone interested in this movie to watch the international version. That's the real version. The directors cut. Don't waste your time with the Tarantino hack job that's on disc one. In fact, save yourself some money and order the international version instead.

Good old Fashioned foreign fight film........2007-07-22

A note to those who want to smash every movie that in their eyes 'lacks a plot'. I hope that none of you ever have any control over any kind of entertainment or anything else in the world. If you look at the world you can see what problems complexity has spurned.

Tony Jaa is a world class martial artist. And he uses 'real' Muay Thai unlike a lot of the American martial arts films(other than Chuck Norris who is actually pretty good.) A classic story of honor, love and revenge. Three prime motivators of strong human action. The plot was excellent. The action scenes were top notch. If Jaa outdoes this movie then he is truly great indeed.
Lifetime Collection.

Another Movie I'm Drawn On..........2007-06-26

I can't give this a 5. I am a person who is interested in movie plots, and the plot for this movie was ridiculous! All of this over a elephant? LMAO. That's all I could think as I watched this. And while the action was pretty good, I think this movie went overboard with it. This movie was one long fight scene to me. You mean to tell me one person can take on 30 people AT ONE TIME and barely be harmed?!?! And also, after fighting and beating about 80 people he was almost beaten by one woman?!!? I know this is meant to be an action film which is why I'm not too harsh on the weak plot, but even the action was a little too much.

DVD:

DVD

DVD