Shirley Valentine

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As movie midlife crises go, Shirley Valentine's is a doozy. A bored Northern England housewife, wondering what her life is about and how to navigate around her clueless husband, Shirley would be at her wits' end--except that she knows how to dream big. As played by the incomparable Pauline Collins (who created the role on Broadway, and won a Tony for it), Shirley embraces not only her own constricted life, but the dreams of the big, beautiful world beyond it.

Directed by Lewis Gilbert (Educating Rita), Shirley Valentine is an anthem to the freedom of the soul--with a generous dose of salt of the earth. As she assesses her life, Shirley's humor never fails her: "I think sex is like supermarkets, you know, overrated. Just a lot of pushing and shoving and you still come out with very little at the end." Yet Collins' Shirley gets as much out of defending her right to her dream (a sunny holiday in Greece) as she does realizing it, and that makes for much of the glow of the film. For while Shirley has a cinematic romance on her vacation (Tom Conti plays the dreamboat), the affair is more of a metaphor for what Shirley insists on having in her real daily life. Watch for Joanna Lumley in a delicious cameo, pre-Ab Fab. And embrace this Valentine, and share it with those you love, all year round. --A.T. Hurley

Stills from Shirley Valentine (click for larger image)

Product Description

In the role that won her Broadway's acclaimed Tony Award, Pauline Collins is the hilariously endearing Shirley Valentine, a wisecracking, completely unpredictable English housewife who proves it's never too late to recapture your dreams. Bored with her suburban life, Shirley takes a chance on adventure when a friend invites her on a vacation to Greece. Within no time she's back to her rebellious teenage roots, saying yes to a wild fling with a handsome rogue (Tom Conti) and the life she's always wanted.

Customer Reviews:

Inspiring and witty.......2007-09-14

Pauline Collins does a fantastic job of portraying this middle-aged, bored woman who finds a new life on a Greek island, away from the dreary and mundane existence of her home in England.
She becomes the person she had once been, but only after she leaves her present life behind. When she jumps into the ocean from the boat, it's the start of her transformation.
Sometimes I think I should do the same!

Absolutely wonderful movie.......2007-08-23

I saw this movie years ago and it is as wonderful as I remembered. It is not a "chick" movie. We all have regrets when we look at our lives in middle age. Shirley gets a chance to escape her boring life and reclaim her true fun-loving nature by living out one of her youthful dreams - a trip to Greece. Both Tom Conti and Pauline Collins are perfectly cast.

Shirley Valetine.......2007-08-23

Quite intertaining. Probably more of a 'Chick-Flik' then not, but I would still recommend it. Quite humorous.

Dean475

Reviewing Shirley.......2007-08-10

One of my all time favorites. From the opening song to the closing scene. If you're not inspired by this movie, you need to rewatch it.

Never a disappointment.......2007-08-07

Finally a DVD viewable in the USA. This movie is a favorite of mine, warm, funny, with heart. All positive comments about it are true. I don't have much to add, but it deserves the five-star rating, and more.

Average customer rating:

the tree of liberty is watered with blood of patriots and tyrants
Gibson at his best
Braveheart
Thrilling
Should be a classic

Braveheart
Starring: Alun Armstrong , Stephen Billington , Mhairi Calvey , James Cosmo , and Brian Cox
Manufacturer: Paramount
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ASIN: B00003CX95
Release Date: 2000-08-29

Amazon.com essential video

Mel Gibson's Oscar-winning 1995 Braveheart is an impassioned epic about William Wallace, the 13th-century Scottish leader of a popular revolt against England's tyrannical Edward I (Patrick McGoohan). Gibson cannily plays Wallace as a man trying to stay out of history's way until events force his hand, an attribute that instantly resonates with several of the actor's best-known roles, especially Mad Max. The subsequent camaraderie and courage Wallace shares in the field with fellow warriors is pure enough and inspiring enough to bring envy to a viewer, and even as things go wrong for Wallace in the second half, the film does not easily cave in to a somber tone. One of the most impressive elements is the originality with which Gibson films battle scenes, featuring hundreds of extras wielding medieval weapons. After Eisenstein's Alexander Nevsky, Orson Welles's Chimes at Midnight, and even Kenneth Branagh's Henry V, you might think there is little new that could be done in creating scenes of ancient combat; yet Gibson does it. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

the tree of liberty is watered with blood of patriots and tyrants.......2007-07-24

How can people still be swayed by the empty "give peace a chance" mantra after seeing war brought down to the very basics like this? For those who value their life more than their freedom, peace is possible. Of course slavery is the only possible result. Thank God for those in our past who put our freedom before their own lives. And thank God for rough men who still stand ready to do violence on our behalf.

Gibson at his best.......2007-07-19

Not going to go on and on about how great the movie is.....over 800 reviews and a 5 star rating already tells us this. All I want to add is what I thought the best part of this DVD was. The running commentary by Mel Gibson while the movie is being shown in sub titles and speech ( muted some while Gibson is speaking) is a stroke of genius ! I learned so much about how scenes were shot, how long it took to shoot a scene, insiders secrets, what parts of the movie Gibson liked the best ( and not so much) and why. I watch the movie at least once a week..... I am bedridden.....and episodic TV gets old very fast. The only way I watch it now is with the commentary. And for us women, while Wallace looks great in a kilt, Robert The Bruce looks great period.

Braveheart.......2007-07-11

Epic, grand-scale moviemaking at its best, Gibson's Oscar-winning tale of heroism and courage in 1300s Scotland marked a sensational triumph in the director's chair for the durable star. Ruggedly charismatic, Gibson plays a peaceful man reluctantly drawn into the violent drift of history, after which he becomes a ferocious leader and combatant. Sophie Marceau is alluring as Isabelle, a stunning English princess who draws Wallace's eye and heart, but the film really blazes thanks to Gibson's savage, jaw-dropping battle sequences. Even at three hours, "Braveheart" never loses its interest or intensity.

Thrilling.......2007-06-11

How do you know that a movie is good? When you watch it over 1o times and get the same feeling as you did when you first watched it. This is definately thrilling ,none other like this. Mel Gibson is at his best in this movie.

Should be a classic.......2007-06-10

Twelve years and this film still holds up remarkably well. Mel Gibson, in my humble opinion, is a wonderful filmmaker. I remember being blown away in the theatre at what he was able to pull off. Seems the Mad Max films taught Gibson well. There are definite paralles to Wallace and Max. The fight for freedom is always a good fight and despite the gory end, Wallace was truely victorious. Highly recommended.

Fantasia (60th Anniversary Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Best Disney Movie Ever!
fantasia
Fantasia is fantastic....
Beautiful
A child's memories

Fantasia (60th Anniversary Special Edition)
Starring: Leopold Stokowski , Bela Lugosi , Mickey Mouse , Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra , and Walt Disney
Director: Walt Disney , James Algar , Samuel Armstrong , Ford I. Beebe , and Graham Heid
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
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Fantasia 2000 (Blisterpack)

ASIN: B00003CX9W
Release Date: 2000-11-14

Amazon.com essential video

Groundbreaking on several counts, not the least of which was an innovative use of animation and stereophonic sound, this ambitious Disney feature has lost nothing to time since its release in 1940. Classical music was interpreted by Disney animators, resulting in surreal fantasy and playful escapism. Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra provided the music for eight segments by the composers Tchaikovsky, Moussorgsky, Stravinsky, Beethoven, Ponchielli, Bach, Dukas, and Schubert. Not all the sequences were created equally, but a few are simply glorious, such as "Night on Bald Mountain," "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," and "The Nutcracker Suite." The animation ranges from subtly delicate to fiercely bold. The screen bursts with color and action as creatures transmute and convention is thrust aside. The painstaking detail and saturated hues are unique to this film, unmatched even by more advanced technology. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Customer Reviews:

Best Disney Movie Ever!.......2007-07-19

I loved this movie as a child and it still holds my interest today. Its a wonderful masterpiece of music and animation. I am disappointed its not the actual "uncut" movie (see other reviewers reviews), but its still a great movie.

fantasia.......2007-07-17

The Fantasia vhs movie played as good as new. It has been and will continue to be a family favorite.

Fantasia is fantastic...........2007-07-15

I had the pleasure of seeing FANTASIA on the big screen, when I was a little girl. I was enchanted by the imagery and the beautiful classical music soundtrack, from the opening credits, all the way to the last sequence. This was Walt Disney's way of bringing classical music to the younger generations, the children who went to the movie theaters to see his cartoons. This presentation of cartoons with classical repertoire succeeds brilliantly on many levels. For starters, the imagery compliments the mood of the musical pieces.

Some of my favorite sequences include: Nutcracker Suite by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky with a look at the changing seasons, featuring animated fairies, fish, flowers, mushrooms, and leaves, Symphony No. 6 by Ludwig van Beethoven with a mythical ancient Grecian world of centaurs, centaurettes (a Disney studio creation), a pegasus and his family, the gods of Mount Olympus, fauns, cherubs and other creatures and characters of classical mythology, and the Ave Maria by Franz Schubert, with subtle sunlight and naturalistic color. I should mention that the sequence with Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky is a vision of hell. It features a wicked demon, whose likeness was based on the features of Bela Lugosi (yes, the original Dracula in the 1930s films). I was pretty scared, as an eight year old, when watching it. Keep that in mind when watching it with really small children.

My verdict? This film is a beautiful introduction to classical music, for young viewers, and compelling enough for more mature ones. This is a throwback to another time, before the age of computer-generated graphics, and you will appreciate the great lengths the animators took to hand-draw every cell in this beautiful film.

Beautiful.......2007-04-04

While it is not plot based or known for a memorable and charming story, it is a wonder to watch. Music creates images in most of us, whether they be memories of something prior, or something conjured up from the sound. Fantasia is based on that idea. Listening to this classic music, set to such elegant and wonderful images is a treat. One of the best of it's kind. Enjoy.

A child's memories.......2007-03-09

This is the first movie I remember seeing as a child. I was probably about 7 years old at the time. I've never forgotten it, and now, after 59 years, I'm viewing it again. It's just as wonderful as it was when I saw it the first time, although there are a couple of "bits" that I don't remember from my first viewing. It keeps me company during my treadmill walks. It does a wonderful job of helping me to pass the time. It's a beautiful combination of art and classical music.

Average customer rating:

12th Night Review
Too bad................
Shakespeare, Twelfth Night.
Best Version of 12th Night
Awesome

Twelfth Night
Starring: Helena Bonham Carter , Nigel Hawthorne , Imogen Stubbs , Sydney Livingstone , and Ben Kingsley
Director: Trevor Nunn
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0009VNBKG
Release Date: 2005-08-30

Description

A once-in-a-lifetime cast shines in this hilarious version of the beloved Shakespeare comedy! When a shipwreck separates siblings Viola and Sebastian in a foreign land, each thinks the other is dead, and both embark on a series of romantic misadventures involving deception, cross-dressing, dashing counts, obese alcoholics and a perceptive fool who presides over the entire madcap affair. A delight from start to finish, this dazzling treat is British comedy at its best!

When a shipwreck separates siblings Viola and Sebastian in a foreign land, both think the other is dead and embarks on a series of romantic misadventures.

Customer Reviews:

12th Night Review.......2007-08-23

Excellent performances by all concerned. Although the original Shakespeare scrlpt is somewhat abbreviated, the film version is very well done and the setting in the 18th (?) century is credible. Altogether one of our favorite films.

Too bad.......................2007-07-19

I love Shakespear's comedies and would very much like to have this one, but previous reviewers have prevented me from making a mistake in purchasing it, as there are no subtitles!! I cannot understand dialogs any longer (used to, years ago), so the film would be of no use to me. Too bad.

Why don't DVD producers get wise? They are "cutting off their noses to spite their faces" by not providing English sub-titles.

Shakespeare, Twelfth Night. .......2007-07-13

For Shakesperean comedy, It gives me access to the visual product for my own library. I much prefer the production that was produced at the Vivina Beaumont Theatre sometime in the late '90s. I recorded it on VHS from TV, but set the wrong speed. The last quarter of the production is missing. I notice that Charlie Rose's interview with the cast is on DVD, but where does the actual production lay? (I'd buy the Vivian Beaumont Production in a minute if your could find me a copy.?

Best Version of 12th Night.......2007-07-11

This is my favorite shakespeare. THis is really good for teaching to youth. Recommend very highly.

Awesome.......2007-05-16

I received the item as promised in great condition. My students have enjoyed watching this in class.

The Eagles - Farewell 1 Tour - Live From Melbourne

Average customer rating:

Great music
Induces chills & great memories
FRICKIN' GOOD!
Great Entertainment - Great Music!!!
If you can't go to an Eagles concert, watch this DVD!

The Eagles - Farewell 1 Tour - Live From Melbourne
Starring: Don Henley , Joe Walsh (III) , Timothy B. Schmit , Glenn Frey , and Christian Mostert
Director: Carol Dodds
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00092ZMDY
Release Date: 2005-06-14

Amazon.com

Thirty songs, spread out over two discs and well over two and a half hours, with fine performances, great sound, and good visual direction: it's all here on Farewell 1 Tour, a documentary of the Eagles' 2004 concert in Melbourne, Australia. At one point, the veteran band seemed unlikely to even make it to the new millennium, but here they are, mostly intact, with a string of hits dating back more than three decades. The majority of them are performed here, from the earliest ("Take It Easy," "Desperado," "Peaceful Easy Feeling") through "Hotel California" and "Life in the Fast Lane" and right up to "Love Will Keep Us Alive" (from Hell Freezes Over, their most recent recording with new material on it); there are also hits from Glenn Frey, Don Henley, and Joe Walsh's solo careers, and a few new songs as well, including Walsh's "One Day at a Time" (an earnest ode to his new-found sobriety) and "Hole in the World," Frey and Henley's moving, almost gospel-tinged reaction to the events of 9/11/01. Guitarist Don Felder, who split acrimoniously with the band in 2001, isn't much missed, as replacement Steuart Smith plays the parts just as Felder did--i.e., pretty much exactly as they were recorded (indeed, pristine recreations of the studio versions of their songs has always been a hallmark of the Eagles' live shows). As for the somewhat cheeky title, well, there's always been a certain smugness to the Eagles' sense of humor, and it's no different this time, as Frey doesn't even pretend that there won't be a Farewell 2 Tour in the future. And why not? These are good songs, played beautifully by the quartet (plus supplemental musicians) to audiences that love them. Bonus material is limited to perfunctory interviews with the band. --Sam Graham

Description

Without doubt, the Eagles are one of the all-time biggest acts in popular music since the dawn of the rock'n'roll era. The band's roots go back to their role as defining artists in the phenomenally popular Southern California rock scene of the '70s, a decade in which they delivered four consecutive #1 albums. Their momentous 2004 farewell tour filled stadiums around the world, and this 2-DVD set captures one of the most stellar events from that now-historic global sweep. Track Listings: Disc 1: Long Run, New Kid in Town, Wasted Time, Peaceful Easy Feeling, I Can't Tell You Why, One of These Nights, One Day At A Time (New Track), Lyin' Eyes, Boys of Summer, In The City, Already Gone, Tequila Sunrise, Love Will Keep Us Alive, No More Cloudy Days (New Track), Hole In the World, Take It To the Limit, Disc 2: You Belong to the City, Walk Away, Sunset Grill, Life's Been Good, Dirty Laundry, Funk #49, Heartache Tonight, Life in the Fast Lane, Hotel California, Rocky Mountain Way, All She Wants To Do Is Dance, Take It Easy, Desperado

Customer Reviews:

Great music.......2007-09-09

I had great seats at the tour when it came back to America and the show is just as I remember it. The musicianship is great as always, and the video does a good job of putting you in the theater with the group. Almost every song from the Eagles you would expect is here along with solo hits and Joe Walsh is terrific. A must buy!

Induces chills & great memories.......2007-09-01

I can't add much to what everybody else has said. Beautifully performed and recorded. You can't find a better DTS sound-track. I wish that Don Felder had never left the band, but new (session?) guitarist Stuart Smith has got Don's licks down perfectly. It is also cool to see Al Garth is still at it on sex[sax] and violence[violins]. Now, if Jackson Browne would put out a concert DVD with a full band including David Lindley and Little Feat would release a DVD of "Waiting for Columbus", I can die happily in my recliner.

FRICKIN' GOOD!.......2007-08-29

These guys are so frickin' good! Hundreds of years from now, people are still going to be saying the same thing! Heck, even martians in other galaxies are going to be saying it!

Great Entertainment - Great Music!!!.......2007-08-23

This is an outstanding music video - it has all of their hits and has you singing along.....highly recommended!

If you can't go to an Eagles concert, watch this DVD!.......2007-08-02

This is probably one of the BEST concert DVDs I have had the pleasure of watching.

I have been an Eagles fan for a long time and, unfortunately, have NEVER seen them live. This DVD, filmed in Melbourne, Australia, is the next best thing to being there.

The sound and picture quality are both excellent. Each member of the band, including the horn section and backup players, had their moment to shine.

Now for the Eagles themselves. Those guys have only gotten BETTER with age. Their harmonies are just about the most perfect I have ever heard. Each one of them gets to sing lead and do some of their solo works (Henley's "Boys of Summer" is fantastic). Joe Walsh, the court jester of rock and roll, seems to be having the time of his life and brings a refreshing amount of comic relief to the band without overdoing it. It's obvious that these guys have long since gotten over their differences and now enjoy a level of chemistry that is far beyond what they had ever had in the past.

The concert is full-length and sports some pretty good extras featuring back stage moments and interviews with the band.

Of particular note is the NEW Frey-penned song "No More Cloudy Days". What a great song! Hopefully, it will be on the next Eagles album (when the heck is it being released already?????).

Eagles fans will not be disappointed.

WELL worth the money!

Average customer rating:

Great movie!
Pure 80's laughter
80's Cult Classic
One for your collection
This flick is genius! TWO DOLLARS!

Better Off Dead
Starring: Yano Anaya , Curtis Armstrong , Frank Burt Avalon , John Cusack , and Elizabeth Daily
Director: Savage Steve Holland
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005JKFA
Release Date: 2002-07-16

Amazon.com

Lane Myer (John Cusack) is stuck in a personal hell. A compulsive, adolescent Everyman growing up in Suburbia, USA, not only does he fail to make the prestigious high school ski team (again), but his beloved sweetheart, Beth, also leaves him for Roy, the team's popular, arrogant captain. If this isn't bad enough, he's stuck with a mother who frighteningly experiments--rather than cooks--with food, a brother who builds rockets out of models, and a best friend so desperate for drugs that he settles for snorting powdered snow. Faced with these prospects, Lane opts to end it all ... until he comes up with a ridiculous plan to gain acceptance and win Beth back. Director Savage Steve Holland warps this simple, clichéd premise, letting his wacky imagination twist it into a fairly original, slightly dark, and completely hilarious '80s teen comedy. Not as serious a "suicide-attempt" movie as, say, Harold and Maude but just as funny, the film's more a collection of screwball sketches than a narrative. Holland livens the high jinks with surrealistic fantasy touches, including Jell-O that crawls, a hamburger that sings Van Halen, drawings that mock its creator, Japanese race-car drivers who only speak Howard Cosell, and a psychotic paperboy seeking blood over a missing $2. Cusack puts the whole thing on his shoulders and carries the insanity with another one of his touching, obsessively romantic performances, which, along with Say Anything, The Sure Thing, and One Crazy Summer, made him the quintessential (and appealing) personification of lovestruck adolescence and suffering. --Dave McCoy

Customer Reviews:

Great movie!.......2007-08-03

This movie is one of my all-time favorites. I am so glad that I own it now!

Pure 80's laughter.......2007-07-23

With this movie who has a mother that cooks food that always seems to walk off your plate? A funny but short movie with John Cusack in it as the main character. Wanting to beat the popular kid on the mountain slope he goes off to try and win the heart of a girl without killing himself skiing down the mountain. Some good music in this movie, and the best scenes are when his mother tries to cook the food and when she serves it, it seems to walk off their plates. Very 80's and it's a very young John Cusack.

80's Cult Classic.......2007-07-06

Love this movie. Definetly an 80's Favorite and totally underestimated! The young John Cusack is such a hottie!!

One for your collection.......2007-06-10

If you are looking for a corky, funny movie this is it. One of my all time favorites.

This flick is genius! TWO DOLLARS!.......2007-05-29

Who else loves this film? Apparently, John Cusack doesn't. Oh well!

The film is about a teenager, Lane Meyer, who is ridiculously obsessed with his girlfriend. After breaking up with her, he tries suicide. Of course, the attempts backfire on him. Meanwhile, she's with a new guy, Roy, captain of the ski team, and he's trying to avoid a paperboy who will try anything to acquire his two dollars, and unbearable events at his house with his off the wall family members. Fortunately, Lane's neighbors have taken in a French exchange student, Monique Junot, who seems to have a crush on Lane. Meanwhile, Lane has to defeat Roy in order to get his girlfriend's respect...

"Better Off Dead..." is DEFINITELY one of the greatest teen comedies ever conceived. It's truly an original, off the wall, hilarious film. Cusack will always be Lane Meyer to me.

Average customer rating:

Classic.
Watching This Yields 'Rich' Results - A Wonderful Re-Make
a wonderful version of an American classic.....
A Spoilery Rant!
good stuff

Little Women (Collector's Edition)
Starring: Winona Ryder , Gabriel Byrne , Trini Alvarado , Samantha Mathis , and Kirsten Dunst
Director: Gillian Armstrong
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 0767851013
Release Date: 2000-04-25

Amazon.com essential video

The flaws are easily forgiven in this beautiful version of Louisa May Alcott's novel. A stirring look at life in New England during the Civil War, Little Women is a triumph for all involved. We follow one family as they split into the world, ending up with the most independent, the outspoken Jo (Winona Ryder). This time around, the dramatics and conclusions fall into place a little too well, instead of finding life's little accidents along the way. Everyone now looks a bit too cute and oh, so nice. As the matron, Marmee, Susan Sarandon kicks the film into a modern tone, creating a movie alive with a great feminine sprit. Kirsten Dunst (Interview with the Vampire) has another showy role. The young ensemble cast cannot be faulted, with Ryder beginning the movie in a role akin to light comedy and crescendoing to a triumphant end worthy of an Oscar. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews:

Classic. .......2007-09-12

This movie is one classic movie. It is good to watch it with family, friends.. ;)

Watching This Yields 'Rich' Results - A Wonderful Re-Make.......2007-09-09

"Rich" is the word I would best use to describe this movie. It's rich in cinematography with gorgeous scenery and interiors; rich in characters with all good-hearted men and women of character; rich in love for each whether its for family or for suitors and rich in storytelling.

Yes, it's definitely more of a woman's movie than a man's, and not the sort of thing I would normally enjoy, but this movie was so well-done that I cannot say anything negative about it. In the modern-era of film-making (late '60s to today), it is always a pleasure to see a totally clean and nice movie.

The cast is excellent. It's nice to see Winona Ryder and Susan Sarandon play "wholesome" roles, something they don't always do, but they do it well here. Ryder is the star of this story although everyone gets decent screen time.

If this film appears slow in the first 20-30 minutes, hang in there because it gets better and better as it goes along. This is just a beautiful film with fantastic visuals and memorable story that should bring a tear or two to your eyes by the end. Great storytelling usually wins out, and that's the case with this movie.

a wonderful version of an American classic............2007-08-30

I remember first hearing Louisa May Alcott's LITTLE WOMEN read by Jacqueline Bissett on record, and immediately fell in love with it. Afterwards, I immediately polished off the novel, and saw the subsequent film adaptations. This 1994 production, directed by Gillian Armstrong (MY BRILLIANT CAREER), is a beautifully acted, lusciously filmed and engaging film triumph. We watch the trials and triumphs of the March family, through the eyes of the four March sisters. Meg (Trini Alvarado), Jo (Winonah Ryder), Beth (Claire Danes) and Amy (Kirsten Dunst) live with their mother in a little town in Pennsylvania and are awaiting the return of their father's return from war, where is he is serving as a chaplain in the Union Army. All four girls have very distinctive personalities that vary greatly from one another, and their mother (Susan Sarandon) is nothing short of their rock, in the face of many, many hardships the family must face together.

For all of you Louisa May Alcott fans, I would say that this film stayed very true to the novel and the actresses truly embody the beautiful characters from the story. Winonah Ryder earned a well-deserved Academy Award for her portrayal of Jo March, the headstrong tomboy with a hot temper and a passion for writing. This character was actually based on Louisa May Alcott, during her formative years. What's more, the plot is based largely on vignettes from Alcott's life as a young girl, growing up in Germantown, Pennsylvania. I reccomend that you watch this film and read the book, not necessarily in that order. This beautiful piece will make you laugh, cry and is perfect for the whole family.

A Spoilery Rant! .......2007-08-30

Gillian Anderson's LITTLE WOMEN attempts not so much to capture the essense of Louisa May Alcott's original story as to use it as a springboard. It might have been better if she had transferred the story to a different time, or otherwise re-framed it so as to give herself more liberty to change things around. I myself would not have minded a version of LITTLE WOMEN where Laurie and Jo DO run away, Beth sneakily brings in much needed cash as dance hall pianist, and Professor Bhaer finally learns to mind his own business. But instead, screenwriter Robin Swicord drains the drama and momentum from the original by pointless alteration, but is still required to hit major plot points, and so cannot create anything new and satisfactory.

What made Alcott's LITTLE WOMEN, despite the moralizing, something children have wanted to read for one and a half centures now was its vivid portrait of passionate adolescence: Jo's famous temper, Laurie's rebelliousness, Amy's spite, Meg's longings - even what lurked beneath Beth's shyness. Anderson jettisons this anger and passion for a genteel and straight-laced Art-House flick about ladylike little feminists. Alcott famously disparaged her books for children as "moral pap for the young", but LITTLE WOMEN had honesty and substance. Anderson ignores the substance in favor of "moral pap" - albeit politically correct and feminist pap - washed down with tony sentimentality. The only notes of truth are struck by the performances.

The girls are just not the same girls, with mixed results. Kirsten Dunst - fresh from INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE - is a superb child-Amy, but is written as a sly vixen with designs on Laurie, which ruins the honest connection between them that was so important later. Adult Samantha Mathis plays Amy as a dense zombie. Trini Alvarado brings tremendous grace and womanliness to Meg, which is really nice actually, except that Meg is supposed to be an unsure adolescent. Winona Ryder's Jo is interestingly different, which is to say she isn't a rebellious tomboy with a wild temper and a burning literary passion, but a thoughtful-if-pouty wannabe Liberal Arts Major. Beth is supposed to be a frail girl struggling mightily with her timidity: Claire Daines gives us a sturdy lass placidly devoid of inner conflict. Thus we must lurch through the plot of LITTLE WOMEN, without getting the Little Women themselves as compensation.

Christian Bale, as boy-next-door Laurie, does a good job of suggesting caged wildness, and makes the most of the few poignant lines which are all that is left of Laurie's tempestuous relationship with his grandfather. But he is just a little too old, too smug, and too smarmy. Alcott's lonely, emotionally-deprived teenager is barely hinted at. Rather, he has become a representative of "Men", which you know is just not good. In the book, Laurie's reaction to seeing Meg dolled up like a sexpot was sudden bashfulness and defensive rudeness. Here he is a suave sexist oaf who sees Meg's new finery as the opportunity for a spot of sexual harassment. Ew! Why? The point of Laurie and Jo's dance, in the book, was to convey the pleasure of meeting a soulmate one could show one's real self to without worrying about being "presentable" or "proper". Here, their dance is rendered somewhat awkward by the fact that Jo only knows how to lead. This alters the whole meaning of the scene, implying Anderson sees it as a power struggle rather than a moment of connection. And it's so dismally cliché. "Oh, they are both too strong-willed so . . .." You know something? Being weak-willed and knowing how to dance backwards have NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with one another.

In the directors's commentary, Anderson describes Alcott's Marmee as the "perfect" mother. She was not! Anderson obviously doesn't think the March parents were perfect either, as her version replaced Marmee with Susan B. Anthony, and shuts Father up completely. But instead of admitting it and portraying Marmee as a flawed human being, she simply replaces her own PC notion of perfection for that supposedly offered by Alcott. Susan Sarandon does as amazing a job as one could possibly wish, considering that she's being asked to play a marble statue instead of a woman. Some have suggested that Saradon's portrayal would have been more convincing in another era, but I disagree. Her Marmee says nothing feminists didn't say at the time - in essays and speeches. Alcott's trashy adventure-potboiler A LONG FATAL LOVE CHASE has quite a few feminist speeches, and as ALFLC is scarcely attempting naturalistic realism, they fit in just fine. No, it is Marmee's cardboard-cutout supermom-hood which rings false - in any era.

There is inherent feminism to be found in Alcott's work, to those interested in Alcott's work. But those people do not include Anderson and Swicord. Scene after scene is rewritten to ignore and replace the actual story rather than intepret or illuminate it. John Brooke takes Meg to the theatre, only to spout stock rubbish about how sinful, immodest and unladylike actresses are. Writer Jo faces sexist discrimination from New York publishers, and discusses female sufferage with Herr Professor. Meg and Sally Moffat argue over child silk laborers. The doctor throws in a line about bleeding, and throws in the towel on a patient who is promptly saved by Super-Marmee. Amy's doting schoolmaster who very reluctantly struck her for disobedience is now The Sexist Educational Establishment, and is given that line comparing female students to female cats which is scarcely what a poor man who earned his living educating young ladies would say. Thus generic Victorian clichés gleaned from speed-reading a few history books replace the situations created by a woman who was actually THERE, and incidents borrowed from Alcott's life are thrown in without context or point. I'm surprised nobody found a runaway slave in the oven. Or did I blink?

The script is so ham-handed that on the occasion we do get something of Alcott's, it no longer makes sense. Take the skating accident. In the book, Jo is so furious with Amy that she refuses to speak to her, even to warn her of thin ice. Then she freezes in shock when Amy falls through, leaving the rescue to Laurie. The line "How could I be so horrible? Thank God for Laurie!" would therefore make perfect sense. In the FILM, Jo knows nothing about rotten ice, is blameless for Amy's accident, and is as quick to the rescue as Laurie. But Swicord includes the now-senseless line anyway. This book chapter ended with Jo's realization that "perfect" Marmee had as fiery a temper as Jo herself. This liberated Jo from her self-loathing and despair, permited her to forgive both herself and Amy, and the chapter ended on a kiss. The subtextual message is that we manage our darker feelings better when we acknowledge them, that we strangle our ability for love when we don't acknowledge our anger, and that there is no such thing as the perfect woman or mother who lacks the full range of human feelings. That is more feminist and timeless than whining about corsets, and even has something to do with the plot and characters. So of course it's not included.

Another chapter that would have rewarded feminist interest was when unfashionable Meg allows herself to get nicely dolled up at Moffat's, only to find she has ruined herself in the eyes of conservative acquaintances. But in the film, Meg looks EXACTLY like all the other girls present, and never hears any censure for crossing an invisible line of modesty. She merely seems dressed for the occasion. Yet she allows herself to be thoroughly shamed by Laurie, and (in an even creepier scene) cries repentantly while taking off her makeup. What could easily have been a commentary on the eternal feminine double-bind instead comes across as a Puritanical slam against femininity itself. Marmee's advice on modesty, in the BOOK, addressed Meg's need to protect her self-respect and the integrity of her relationships with men in the face of the "marriage market" mentality, but she specifically defended Meg's desire for prettiness and admiration as right and harmless. Anderson's message amounts to "Men are Beasts, girls! So COVER UP!" which doesn't seem terribly progressive somehow. Still, the scene where Meg, Jo, and Marmee discuss the incident is among those where the actresses transcend their material.

This movie is not BAD, mind. It is at it's best showing the girl's at play, doing the Pickwick Club, or putting on amateur theatricals written by Jo. But some scenes are too stupid for words. Bale and Mathis deserve awards for professionalism for enacting the lamest screen courtship ever allowed to succeed. I don't expect Mr. March to get any LINES, but an award winning director should make the actor look line a man in his own home, rather than an Alzheimer's patient who wandered onto the set. A character in England reads a letter from America, throws it aside UNFINISHED when he gets to the dramatic part, and rushes out the door to catch a boat to Vienna. Meg doesn't tell her own sister she's pregnant in private letter because "One doesn't speak of such things". Amy doesn't burn Jo's novel in the heat of anger, then grow fearful and repentant by the time Jo comes home. She burns the novel AND acts fearful and repentant all in the same 60 second period. Then there is the skating scene, wherein the "rotten ice" is clearly ROCK SOLID as though the hole were sawed out by a cartoon character, and which bears the weight of two fully grown rescuers who suicidally throw themselves down side-by-side next to the edge. They then wave a oar around just because there was an oar in the book, and not because they are using it to any purpose. If Anderson ever directs an action film, I'm not seeing it.

Last but not least, "strong-minded" Jo doesn't come up with the idea for Plumfield on her own. She does it because Super-Marmee TOLD her to. We are dealing with the sort of twisted minds who read LITTLE WOMEN and thought: "Gee, that wasn't bad, but Marmee should have put HER oar in a bit more often."

good stuff.......2007-08-07

Great story for the whole family. Christian Bale is one of my favorites. As much as I detest her political views, Susan Sarandon is an undeniably great actress.

Average customer rating:

An entertaining albeit gruesome movie
Good Movie
Delicious Gothic Feast
Good goth flick
A Classic Tale Reimagined...

Sleepy Hollow
Starring: Johnny Depp , Christina Ricci , Miranda Richardson , Michael Gambon , and Casper Van Dien
Director: Tim Burton
Manufacturer: Paramount Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0792164903
Release Date: 2000-05-23

Amazon.com

The films of Tim Burton shine through the muck like a jack-o-lantern on a foggy October night. After such successes as The Nightmare Before Christmas and Edward Scissorhands, it should come as no surprise that Sleepy Hollow is a dazzling film, a delicious reworking of Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Dark and moody, the film is a thrilling ride back to the turn of the 19th century. Johnny Depp stars as Ichabod Crane, a seemingly hapless constable from New York City who is sent to the small town of Sleepy Hollow to solve the mystery of the decapitations that are plaguing the town. Crane is a bumbling sort, with a tremendous faith in science over mysticism, and he comes up against town secrets, bewitching women, and a number of bodies missing heads. Christina Ricci, as beautiful as ever, is Katrina Van Tassel, the offbeat love interest who alternately charms and frightens Crane.

The film, while occasionally gory (as one should expect from a movie about a headless horseman), is not terribly frightening, although it is suspenseful. Both Depp and Ricci are convincing, and the art direction and production values give the village its harsh feel. Toward the end, once the secrets are revealed, the film does slow down; however, this stylistic horror film provides many tricks and even more treats. --Jenny Brown

Customer Reviews:

An entertaining albeit gruesome movie.......2007-09-10

This was the first Tim Burton movie that I have ever watched before. I saw it a couple of months ago. I still remember it, so it made quite an impression on me.

The casting was impressive. Not just the leading roles, but the supporting ones as well. Johnny Depp's character was really eccentric in this movie. It was such a huge change from his pirates movies. I did not know if he could pull it off and be convincing or not. He was, I'll admit. Christina Ricci did an excellent job in this movie. She has grown into a talented and underrated actress over the years. The setting, the sets, and the period costumes were perfect. The location chosen looked authentic and creepy.

However, the star of this movie was the score by Danny Elfman. It is an essential part of the movie. It is a creepy heart pounding adventure that stands alone. I liked the movie, but I absolutely loved the score. I purchased it from Amazon the very next day.

I highly recommend that you purchase both this movie and the score from Amazon, before the Halloween rush. :)

Good Movie.......2007-08-24

If you can wade through Icabod's dreams about his mom, it is really a very good movie. A good mix of Police Files meets Night Gallery (sorry you young ones can't relate). Not overly graphic in terms of todays slasher flicks. A good spooky movie.

Delicious Gothic Feast.......2007-08-04

This movie has some of Johnny Depp's most loveable moments as an idiosyncratic lead actor. It also provides an 18th century New England fantasy world you will love to get lost in. I adore it. I don't think anything else Tim Burton has done can top it (though others are equally satisfying like The Corpse Bride or Edward Scissorhands).

Good goth flick.......2007-06-13

I like this movie. The atmospherics are awesome, the director is awesome, Jonny Depp is in it...

A Classic Tale Reimagined..........2007-05-26

1999's "Sleepy Hollow" is Director Tim Burton's excellent reimagining of the classic Washington Irving fairy tale. Johnny Depp steals the movie as Ichabod Crane, in this version a New York City police constable with new-fangled and unwelcome investigative techniques who is exiled to Sleepy Hollow by an unhappy magistrate (Christopher Lee in a spot-on cameo). Crane arrives in Sleepy Hollow (authentically portrayed as a post-American Revolution farming community) to find a string of unsolved murders attributed to the headless but ambulatory corpse of a Hessian soldier.

Crane finds also a town full of intrigues and mysterious goings-on, which he will patiently unravel with the help of Katrina Van Tassel (nicely played by Christina Ricci) who turns out to have secrets of her own. A solid supporting cast helps carry the movie.

Burton lays on an escalating series of horrible murders, each with supernatural overtones, that challenge both the investigative techniques and the rational beliefs of Ichabod Crane. Each such scene is nicely creepy without overindulging the gore. As it turns out, a genuine horror has been unleashed in Sleepy Hollow. The betrayal of the long-deal Hessian is at the heart of his current incarnation as a killer. Ichabod will have to dealt with his own bitter experience with witchcraft in order to identify the guilty and save the innocent.

This movie is highly recommended to those looking for an entertaining and well-executed update of a classic fairly tale, featuring fine direction and excellent if sometimes campy acting.

Average customer rating:

A Testament To the Power of Determination and Fulfilling Your Dreams
INSPIRING A LUMP IN YOUR THROAT THE SIZE OF A GRAPEFRUIT!
A "Wow, maybe I can, too" movie..
good mix of fact and fiction....
Rudy

Rudy (Special Edition)
Starring: Sean Astin , Jon Favreau , Ned Beatty , Greta Lind , and Scott Benjaminson
Director: David Anspaugh
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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