Star Wars - Episode II, Attack of the Clones (Widescreen Edition)

Amazon.com

If The Phantom Menace was the setup, then Attack of the Clones is the plot-progressing payoff, and devoted Star Wars fans are sure to be enthralled. Ten years after Episode I, Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman), now a senator, resists the creation of a Republic Army to combat an evil separatist movement. The brooding Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) is resentful of his stern Jedi mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), tormented by personal loss, and showing his emerging "dark side" while protecting his new love, Amidala, from would-be assassins. Youthful romance and solemn portent foreshadow the events of the original Star Wars as Count Dooku (a.k.a. Darth Tyranus, played by Christopher Lee) forges an alliance with the Dark Lord of the Sith, while lavish set pieces showcase George Lucas's supreme command of all-digital filmmaking. All of this makes Episode II a technological milestone, savaged by some critics as a bloated, storyless spectacle, but still qualifying as a fan-approved precursor to the pivotal events of Episode III. --Jeff Shannon

Description

The STAR WARS saga continues on DVD with Episode II Attack of the Clones. Anakin Skywalker has grown into an accomplished Jedi apprentice, and he faces his most difficult challenge yet as he must choose between his Jedi duty and forbidden love. Relive the adventure the way it was meant to be seen in spectacular digital clarity, including the climactic Clone War battle and Jedi Master Yoda in the ultimate lightsaber duel. Experience this 2-disc set that features over six hours of bonus materials, and see how Episode II unlocks the secrets of the entire STAR WARS saga.

Customer Reviews:

Poor Acting and Dialogue Hurt An Otherwise Entertaining Movie.......2007-09-09

"Star Wars: Episode I- The Phantom Menace" was one of the most hyped movies of the late 1990s, yet managed to disappoint countless Star Wars fans. With the annoying Jar Jar Binks, a child actor who was in over his head, poor pacing, and wooden acting and dialogue, I was less than impressed, despite being a big Star Wars fan. Apparently, so many others were let down that it somehow resulted in "The Matrix" being lauded as the "new hope" of epic sci-fi, despite that movie falling far short of the standards set by Star Wars. When George Lucas promised (or threatened?) that Episode II would be "Titanic in space", my interest waned even more. However, as the promotional media emerged, my interest picked up again as it appeared that there would at least be some good action sequences. So how did the unfortunately named "Attack of the Clones" fare?

First the bad news, and it's not pretty. The dialogue is, for the most part, not good at all, with some terribly blatant exposition that is not needed at all. The acting doesn't fare well either, generally speaking. Anakin Skywalker(who is now 10 years older) is now played by Hayden Christiansen, instead of Jake Lloyd. Unfortunately, while his efforts are commendable, Hayden obviously is ill at ease in this role, and co-star Natalie Portman exhibits zero enthusiasm during the movie. As these two are supposed to be the "romantic leads", the resulting lack of chemistry cripples the emotional core of the movie. Samuel Jackson's performance as Mace Windu is similarly off, and there is some other poor acting by various bit players. Thus, the weight of the movie ends up having to be borne by the acting chops of Ewan McGregor, Temuera Morrison, Ian McDiarmid, and Christopher Lee, who all do manage to perform in a professional manner. (Of particular note is the initial terse face to face meeting between Obi-Wan and Jango Fett). Still, there are also some lingering pacing issues, most notably related to scenes surrounding Anakin and Padme in the middle of the movie.

The good news is that the movie works on a "macro" level, as far as the over-arching Star Wars storyline and universe are concerned. Helping this aspect are several dynamic action and set pieces, which include a "car chase" in the skies of the city planet of Coruscant, a trip to the rain-drenched water planet Kamino, complete with a faceoff between Obi-Wan and bounty hunter Jango Fett, a spaceship chase through the rings of Geonosis, a confrontation between a couple hundred Jedi and an army of droids, and a massive battle sequence between the Separatist droid army and an army of clones. Topping off the movie is a lightsaber battle involving Christopher Lee's Count Dooku and Yoda.

The movie's primary strength is developing the events which lead to the much stronger Episode III. In the 10 years since the Trade Federation's blockade of Naboo was foiled, a Separatist movement has gained traction among hundreds of worlds in the Republic, fueled by the enigmatic Count Dooku. While Chancellor Palpatine presides over a divided Senate, assassination attempts against former Queen (now Senator) Padme Amidala lead the Jedi to assign Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker to protect her. A bounty hunter's failed attempt on Padme's life leads Obi-Wan to the distant world of Kamino, where he finds a surprising development: an army of clones is being raised for the Republic, as per the orders of a now-dead Jedi Council member. Meanwhile, Padme and Anakin head to Naboo, where Anakin's nightmares eventually lead him to take Padme to Tattoine with him to find his mother. Anakin's search leads him to the Lars homestead, where his mother's husband tells him that the Tusken Raiders kidnapped her. When Anakin finds his mother dying after being tortured by the Sandpeople, his anger results in a wanton act of mass murder. Obi-Wan's investigation leads him to the world of Geonosis, where he discovers that Count Dooku has enlisted the forces of an old foe, among others, to help the Separatists prepare for war on the Republic. With this threat looming, the Chancellor is given emergency powers (proposed in the Senate by none other than Jar-Jar Binks, who is mercifully absent for most of the movie), and the available Jedi scramble to Geonosis to try to stop Dooku. The final 40 or so minutes of the movie manage to make up for the shortcomings liberally sprinkled throughout the proceedings.

Visually speaking, this movie is incredible, albeit a bit artificial looking. The live action characters don't always seem to mesh with the computer-generated backdrops, but the color saturation is brilliant, and sets the tone well. The transfer to DVD was done very well, apparently being a direct digital print. The music alternates between magnificently appropriate, and ridiculously purile. The sound effects are fairly standard Star Wars, although there are a couple of really bizarre and out of place sounds. The DVD release itself has the typical wealth of Star Wars extras, including deleted scenes and trailers. The commentary track is remarkably boring, to the point that a friend of mine actually said it literally puts him to sleep.

It does pain me to give this movie only 3 stars, as I enjoyed it, especially when the Battle of Geonosis erupted. The slow unfolding of the plot to turn the Republic into the Empire is an important arc in the Star Wars saga. But objectively speaking, the acting and dialogue were bad enough to cripple the film in a number of ways, and I have to try to be honest with viewers. If you're a Star Wars fan, you probably should get this, if you haven't already. For everyone else, it will be a matter of whether they can deal with bad acting and dialogue in exchange for the excellent visuals and rich universe the film presents.

Enjoyable. Even though It's Politic Heavy........2007-09-05

I did enjoy this movie. I may be the only person who enjoyed the first a little more but I did enjoy this one. Being a fan I was pumped to see this. I even read a book based on the movie beforehand. The movie is faster paced than the first one but the simplistic nature of the first one really intrigued me.

What I did like about this is the action scenes, a definite upgrade from the first, secondly, the characters (except for Hayden Christensen) really matured with this movie. I loved Liam Neeson in the first but the others made up for the loss. The inclusion of shots like the Death Star and Count Dooku really made this special.

The DVD itself is a definite must have. A busy commentary track, deleted scenes just for this release and plenty of featurettes for your liking.

Definite Must Have.

It's not my favorite, but still very enjoyable........2007-08-29

It's not my favorite, but still very enjoyable.

I enjoyed 'Star Wars' (a.k.a. Star Wars IV: A new hope) when it came out and I was 7 yrs old and I still love all the Star Wars Movies today. My son has loved all the Star Wars movies as well

Attack of the Clones is worth seeing (once).......2007-08-23

I'll start off with the positive. This is a significantly better film than Phantom Menace. That's because Jar Jar is what he should have been all along: a minor character that we see very little of and hear even less.

The action sequences are as good as always. My favorite part is, like usual, the big lightsaber fight at the end. Yoda with a lightsaber may seem out of place to some but he was refered to as a "great warrior" in The Empire Strikes Back. Now we get to see why. And the end is enjoyable (save the stupid R2D2/C3PO "losing my head" skit).

Now for the bad stuff. There are parts of this film that are no where near pleasurable to watch (and these parts take up a big junk of the movie). The most painful thing to watch in this film (for all the wrong reasons) is the "love" story between Anakin and Padme. Hayden Kristen is, I believe, the worst actor in the Star Wars movies (old and new). There is basically no chemistry between Anakin and Padme even though they're supposed to be madly in love with each other by the end of the movie. There are some lines between these two characters that are just embarrassing to quote ("your skin is softer than sand").

The banal dialogue, the worst supporting actor "winner" Hayden Kristen, CGI in basically every scene, the botched love story between Anakin and Padme, R2D2/C3PO's "comic relief", and on and on and on. This film is, at best, a mixed bag. Though it's worth seeing at least once (and some parts more than once), my advice is to buy the first trilogy (if you haven't already), pray that someone someday remakes the prequels, or buy The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.

MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!.......2007-08-09

It's Binks-ian fun for the whole family as George Lucas empties the contents of his brain onto film one more time! This go around, the part of the annoying kid is explored more deeply by a new annoying kid, Hayden Christensen, in a performance so jaw-droppingly wooden and laughable it's got to make Keanu Reeves feel pretty darned good about himself. Ewan McGregor returns as that one guy who was once played by that other British guy, and he's apparently become comfortable enough with his green screen acting that he no longer even pretends it matters whether he puts in effort or not. And returning for the role of Padme Amidala is Natalie Portman, looking cute but losing her bid to keep her voice from grinding into her audience's skull like a buzz saw.

All of this would be a RiffTrax dream come true - but making it even dream come true-ier is that Mike and Kevin are joined by none other than Chad Vader, brother of Darth and star of his own colossally successful internet series. It is quite simply a RiffTacular RiffStravaganza!

Average customer rating:

What just happened?
a great spy movie!
Bare Bones Release of a Movie that Deserved More
Rock Hudson does it again.
ROCK HUDSON AT HIS BEST ******

Ice Station Zebra
Starring: Rock Hudson , Ernest Borgnine , Patrick McGoohan , Jim Brown , and Tony Bill
Director: John Sturges
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0006B2A42
Release Date: 2005-01-11

Amazon.com

Out of step with the public mood when it was released in 1968, Ice Station Zebra has held up decently as a Guy's Movie. Based on an Alistair MacLean novel, the film is half submarine picture and half spy puzzler, short on action but long on military chatter and espionage gamesmanship. Rock Hudson, looking seasoned and just a little miffed, gives one of his better performances as the captain of a nuclear sub, ordered to the Arctic to check out a disturbance at a research station on the floating ice. He doesn't know the mission, but he's stuck with mysterious passengers: haughty British agent Patrick McGoohan, back-slapping Russian operative Ernest Borgnine, and hostile Marine captain Jim Brown. McGoohan gets the film's best lines and finest fur jacket, but Brown is pretty cool in a smaller role.

John Sturges directs, with customary deliberateness; at times the movie seems to be suffering from iron-poor blood. Much of the dialogue is pretty sharp, especially in the submarine half, enough to keep you engrossed if you're in the mood for this kind of thing. When the action shifts to the ice, the studio-bound sets inevitably take their toll. It's not hard to see how this large, old-fashioned project misfired in the era of Bonnie and Clyde and The Graduate, but the more tantalizing question is: Why did this movie become an obsessive favorite of Howard Hughes? Maybe he liked how clean it all looks. --Robert Horton

Description

The U.S. nuclear sub Tigerfish churns toward the North Pole. Its mission: rescue the imperiled members of weather outpost Ice Station Zebra. On board are Cmdr. Ferraday and his crew, several unexpected arrivals with secret orders - and enough suspicions, suspense and twists to make Ice Station Zebra an engrossing espionage thriller. The Cold War heats up as John Sturges (The Great Escape) directs Rock Hudson, Ernest Borgnine, Patrick McGoohan, Jim Brown and more in this epic adventure nominated for two Academy Awards?* and featuring taut action set pieces above and below the ice. All hands to stations for excitement!

DVD Features:
Featurette:Vintage Making-of Featurette The Man Who Makes the Difference
Theatrical Trailer:Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

What just happened?.......2007-09-13

As with any good espionage movie, the viewer is left to puzzle over who works for whom. As an added layer, better espionage films leave the viewer to wonder about who is playing whom. Although this film has the elements of a better espionage film, it seems more of an afterthought.

This movie from the late 1960s is based in the Cold War conflict and has both the spy game as well as a submarine under the polar ice cap. The movie spends almost too much time in the submarine and not enough at the ice station, but given the race to complete their objectives, this is probably more realistic.

Rock Hudson and Patrick McGoohan play their roles well and have the dialogue available to explore their roles. Jim Brown is well suited to his role, but he wasn't given enough to fully show his ability. Ernest Borgnine played the Russian defector, but his beret and accent made it difficult to see him as Russian.

This is not a blockbuster or an epic film (even though it plays an overture in the beginning and has an intermission). It is a fairly good movie from the Cold War and is good for a casual view.

a great spy movie!.......2007-09-08

Finally this thing is out on DVD! Would have been nice to have more extras, but guess we all should be glad it's out at all. The quality of the transfer seems to be really clear, with no visible 'glitches'.

Bought "Ice Station Zebra" mainly because I'm a big Patrick McGoohan fan. :)

Bare Bones Release of a Movie that Deserved More.......2007-06-15

Alistair MacLean was a phenomenon. A born story teller, he wrote tense novels of men in desperate situations, with usually an unknown spy in their midst. "The Guns of Navarone" was his most famous novel-to-film; and "Where Eagles Dare" was an amazing case of film-into-novel. MacLean's books were usually exciting, full of hairpin turns and twists -- with _Ice Station Zebra_ one of his twistiest.

The novel is about an American nuclear submarine going to the rescue of the survivors of a meteorological site in the Arctic that has been extensively damaged by fire. What the commander of the submarine slowly discovers is that the doctor sent on his sub to care for the burn victims is also a secret agent out to nail the culprit who set the fire deliberately to cover up for the murder of an intelligence agent. MacLean also throws in a rigmarole about a crashed Soviet satellite just for good measure.

The movie both improves AND cheapens the story. The exigencies of movie-making naturally force a tightening of the story, and MacLean's story needed tightening. After the rescue of the burn victims, MacLean's novel moves at a crawl while the traitor is uncovered (and for once in MacLean, it's no great revelation). While MacLean limns the characters aboard the submarine fairly well (with swift strokes, working with words as Van Gogh did with the brightly-colored paint laid thick on the canvas), the folks rescued from the Ice Station become little more than a list of names. He tries to separate them by throwing in a set of twins, and a jolly doctor named Dr. Jolly; but none of these characters ever stand out as individuals in a novel. Even the swift strokes he gives the submarine characters aren't enough; the only really good character in the book is the "I" character (who would become McGoohan's character in the movie).

The movie presents its characters by casting. Rock Hudson (in a role that might've been better played by Gregory Peck) is the solid (stolid), and not overly bright, sub captain. McGoohan portrays a mysterious character who is obviously a secret agent (which the viewer realizes by the mysterious way he's brought on board and by the fact that he's played by an actor who was playing a secret agent in a tv show when the movie was made). Ernest Borgnine plays an overly affectionate Russian defector with his typical gregarious aplomb and a cheap accent. Jim Brown is a marine with ice water in his veins. Neither of the latter characters appears in the book.

The story is tightened by having the traitor among the existing characters on the sub (not necessarily the stars, mind). In the movie, the folks on the ice station have all become deranged by the tragedy and have no effective part in the story. This was one of the few faults in a MacLean story: the dirty Commie traitor is brought on board the sub half-way through the book; one didn't come to feel his treachery personally by having the traitor be someone his reader had come to know and like.

Where the movie cheapens the story is by bringing in a bunch of Soviet paratroopers who have a face-off with the American marines in the Arctic (a bad pun on the Cold War?) that seems to preach the advantages of the nutso concept of Mutally Assured Destruction. The ending even hints at the "Why Can't We All Just Get Along?" nonsense Hollywood loves to spout at every turn. I love to read about problems on movie sets due to overblown egos, the fights stars have over the placement of their names, etc.; and then hear Hollywood's plaintive and hypocritical cry of why can't we all just get along. Tell the bloated and overpaid stars to get along with the people in their circle first, and then maybe they can work out from there.

So, while the reworking of characters actually improves the story by tightening its nuts with another twist of the screw, MacLean's cat-and-mouse tale becomes an exercise in idiocy in its final twenty to thirty minutes. I think the novel's last act might've been more effective on screen than it was in the novel. It certainly would've been more exciting than the foolishness of the American/Soviet confrontation.

One way the book and the movie are similar, though, is that both are slightly overlong. Another way the novel and the movie are alike is that it's ridiculously easy to guess who the spy in their midst is in both cases; though (for readers of the book) that person is radically different in the movie than he was in the book.

Rock Hudson does it again........2007-05-24

I see by all the other reviews there is little else I can add--those guys, they beat me to it!

1. Rock Hudson did his second best acting I remember (Martian Chronicals was his best, I think). Jim Brown came off perfectly as a marine Captain who worked his way up through the ranks rather than being appointed to his position--no nonsense, good. Patrick McGoohan was a perfect British agent--he reminded me of the British agent in Where Eagles Dare (you wonder if they're all like that?). Ernest Borgnine could always act as far as I can remember--fine job.

2. Writing is fine.
3. Storyline, above average.
4. Special effects, realistic.
5. Best scene is the torpedo room flooding--some tense moments there.

There are no CONS: in this movie for those of you who like this type of movie. I think everybody else would give it a three star rating if they don't like this type of movie. Either way I don't see any real short comings to this movie so I recommend it. Bye!

Buy, don't rent--it's a classic.

ROCK HUDSON AT HIS BEST ******.......2007-05-19

Sure this movie falters when it hits the ice because of being shot on sets instead of location but, thats the way it used to be done and, if you let yourself go you wont mind. The story up to that point is completely engrossing and believable! Actually the scenes on the ice are tricky enough to have made me forget that it was on a set! Get the popcorn and just Enjoy this adventure!!! IT'S FUN!!! It's Rock Hudson, Ernest Borgnine ,Jim Brown etc.!!!

Average customer rating:

Enjoy the Kingdom
KEYS TO GOD
Spirituality vs. the Letter of the Law
"Lost" classic
AJ Cronin.. great old movie

The Keys of the Kingdom
Starring: Gregory Peck , Thomas Mitchell , Vincent Price , Rose Stradner , and Roddy McDowall
Director: John M. Stahl
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000FFJ83K
Release Date: 2006-07-11

Description

A marvelous spectacle spanning six decades and two continents, The Keys of the Kingdom is the glorious epic that introduced audiences to screen newcomer Gregory Peck.

After losing his parents and his childhood sweetheart to tragedy, Francis Chisholm (Peck) joins the priesthood and devotes himself to a life of service and compassion. But Chisholm?s unorthodox beliefs raise eyebrows among his superiors, especially Bishop Angus Mealy (Vincent Price). And when he is sent to the farthest reaches of China to rebuild an abandoned mission, Chisholm faces his greatest challenge of all: to tame a hostile land, win over a superstitious people and save his parish from an invading army. Nominated* for four Academy Awards®, including Best Actor (Peck), The Keys of the Kingdom is a ?towering film stamped with greatness? (The Independent).

Customer Reviews:

Enjoy the Kingdom.......2007-08-10

I really enjoyed this old movie...I ran accross a copy of the old book in an antique store a few months ago..thought it sounded familar..read the book, loved it...and couldn't wait to see the movie..so glad Amazon has a lot of the oldies but goodies...so I was able to have a copy of the movie as well as the book...as always the book was better, and would recomend anyone to read the book...that liked the movie...Keep up the good work Amazon...

KEYS TO GOD.......2007-05-17

Keys of the Kingdom is an inspiring, wonderful, and exciting movie. Gregory Peck plays a wonderful part as a priest.

Spirituality vs. the Letter of the Law.......2007-03-24

Keys of the Kingdom by A.J. Cronin is very dear to my heart as my first life lessons on tolerance were quoted from it to me by my dear grandmother.
EVERY TIME she came to visit she quoted the passage "there are many rooms in my mansion" to make the point that no one religion has a monopoly on Heaven. The movie is especially touching as were many movies made in the 1940s. The focus is actually on life and basic human values instead of superficiality, violence and vulgar sexual content. One walks away feeling uplifted with a new or revisited insight focused on spirituality rather than the "letter of the law". Gregory Peck is believable and engaging as the humble, sweet-spirited Father Chisholm. It is difficult to believe that this was his debut film. Everyone struggling with issues of faith in today's world should view this film to get in touch with what is truly important.

"Lost" classic.......2007-02-19

I had never heard of this film until I saw it listed in a video catalog a few years ago. I don't recall it being on TV when I was young and I doubt it was mentioned when I heard people discuss the "classics." After finally seeing it recently, however, I have to say that it SHOULD be.

Gregory Peck absolutely shines as Father Chisholm, a simple priest who is dealt a "bad hand" by fate. He encounters hardships in his youth, as a young man, and especially when he accepts an assignment to lead a mission in far-off China. Through it all, he keeps himself grounded and maintains a healthy sense of optimism, oftentimes when the average person might be tempted to "give up." It is a heartwarming story of one man's struggle to follow his calling, and watching it, one will have no problem understanding why Peck was nominated for an Academy Award for this performance. Peck's Father Chisholm exhibits extraordinary resolve and determination, tempered with a sense of humility and a sincere desire to be the best person that he can be.

Five stars. A "lost classic" that deserves to be rediscovered!

AJ Cronin.. great old movie.......2007-02-07

enjoyed this movie after reading the book. great story and well acted. book and movie are excellent..

Average customer rating:

Greate Movie!
Great movie and Great soundtrack..............
3.5--"People out of work everywhere and the government just be throwing money away!"...
Dead Presidents is alive and well!
Get Rich or Die tryin'............

Dead Presidents
Starring: Larenz Tate , Keith David , Chris Tucker , Freddy Rodríguez , and Rose Jackson
Director: Allen Hughes , and Albert Hughes
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: 1558908390
Release Date: 1998-05-20

Amazon.com

Twin brother codirectors Albert and Alan Hughes planned their first film, the 1991 ghetto crime drama Menace II Society as a response to John Singleton's Boyz N the Hood, which they considered wimpy and moralistic. They set their sights on The Deer Hunter in this ambitious follow-up, and they just about pull it off. Larenz Tate (from Why Do Fools Fall in Love) plays Anthony Curtis, an open-hearted African American teenager who gets shipped out to Vietnam with several of his pals, witnesses unspeakable horrors, and then struggles to readjust to civilian life. The evolving textures of life in a declining inner-city neighborhood over a period of a decade are seamlessly evoked, and there's enough nuanced character development and personal interaction for a seven-hour miniseries. Still in their early 20s, the Hughes brothers are already poised and masterful moviemakers; they cover an enormous amount of historical and emotional ground, and every twist and turn is crystal clear. They betray their inexperience only at the very end, in an elaborately staged heist sequence that, while stunningly executed, feels a bit desperate, as if they were reaching blindly for a big payoff. Chris Tucker (Rush Hour) has a startling supporting role as a kid who becomes junkie during the war, and never quite recovers. --David Chute

Description

Get ready for action with this explosively exciting hit! On the streets they call cash dead presidents. And that's just what a Vietnam veteran (Larenz Tate -- MENACE II SOCIETY) is after when he returns home from the war only to find himself drawn into a life of crime. With the aid of his fellow vets he plans the ultimate heist -- a daring robbery of an armored car filled with unmarked U.S. currency! From the Hughes Brothers, acclaimed directors of the smash hit MENACE II SOCIETY -- you'll love every pulse-pounding second as these bold thieves risk it all for the score of a lifetime!

Customer Reviews:

Greate Movie!.......2007-04-03

I loved this movie it's slow building
but towards the end it's greate! Highly recommend it!

Great movie and Great soundtrack.....................2007-01-15

Dead Presidents tells the story of 3 childhood friends that are sent off to Vietnam right after graduating high school. What awaits them when they get home from the war sets the stage for this dramatic piece of art.

Bokeem steals the show as Cleon. This is my movie!

3.5--"People out of work everywhere and the government just be throwing money away!"..........2006-09-07

The Hughes brothers certainly had the right idea in mind making this a cool heist, and I give them credit for trying, but they bite off more than they can chew. Dead Presidents is a really good film. Most people think this movie is all about robbing a bank but it really isn't even though it comes at the end.

The most obvious problem is the film tries to be too many things at once. It starts as a ghetto drama-then it's a war movie-then it ends as a crime thriller! (More than a bit reminiscent of Kubrick's "The Killing.") This could have worked with the proper care, but DP suffers from trying to cram too much story in just under two hours. An extra twenty minutes would properly flesh out the plot. The film opens in the late sixties as we meet Anthony (Larenz Tate), Anthony's girl Juanita (Rose Jackson), his friend Skip (Chris Tucker-as bug-eyed as ever) and boss Kirby (Keith David). We follow Anthony through his first experiences with sex, violence, and family resistance. Anthony wants to join the Marines and through a rather clever edit, we are plunged into the Vietnam War head first. The Hughes Bros. handle this material well, although it gets a bit busy with all the Vietnam-isms: drug use, severed heads, mercy killings, Agent Orange, air strikes, etc. The audience discovers that before the war Anthony got Juanita pregnant, and that he has a baby girl "back in the world." It is a lot of material to cover in the brief period of time, and we only get a brief glimpse of what is was like to be a black soldier in country.

We jump back to the "world", where we witness the domestic turmoil the war has brought upon Anthony and Juanita. Another pitfall is the Juanita character, who is so abrasive that we feel no sympathy towards her. The scene where Anthony assaults her is problematic; I mean what did she expect waging the verbal attack that she does on an alcoholic Vietnam Vet? The confrontation with Cutty (Clifton Powell), Juantia's sugar daddy, is contrived and goes on far too long. Broke and alone, Anthony, in his moral confusion, turns to the film's equivalent of the Black Panther Party for support...

This is where `Dead Presidents' abandons the drama for the above mentioned heist aspects. Ignoring the pragmatic problems with the robbery (i.e. face paint instead of masks), it is a rather poor way to resolve a film where so much time has been expended creating complex characters. One does not get the sense that Anthony is desperate enough to do something that goes so much against his character. The other members of the heist have not been properly set up to take part in it either. It seems tacked on, almost an afterthought to the plot proper. Anyway the heist does not go as planned; everything leading to the final shot of `Dead Presidents' seems anticlimactic, leaving many questions unanswered.

One of the major flaws of the film is the lead performance by Larenz Tate; he is a good actor, but does not seem dynamic enough to bring Anthony through a narrative arc that gets lost in the clouds. The editing leaves scenes unfinished and cold. The story: If the Hughes Bros. had focused on one or two aspects of the plot, we would have been presented with a more thoughtful and detailed story. I'll give them credit for being ambitious though, but experienced film makers also know what to cut from a film when everything seems like a good idea. But that is a skill that comes with time.

Dead Presidents is alive and well!.......2006-05-29

Dead Presidents is an engaging war movie directed by Allen and Albert Hughes, also known as the Hughes brothers (From Hell), and featuring an excellent cast including Larenz Tate (Crash), Chris Tucker (Rush Hour), Keith David (There's Something About Mary), Bokeem Woodbine (Almost Heroes), and Terrence Howard (Hustle And Flow).

Tate plays Anthony Curtis, a young African American, who joins the army straight out of high school in 1969, fights in Vietnam, and returns to America to find no respect and no job anywhere. Anthony then plans a doomed heist with his former war buddies including the heroin addicted Skip, played by the electrifying and hilarious Tucker, pool hall owner and big time hustler named Kirby, played by David, and priest, played by Woodbine.

What makes Presidents an extraordinary film is its depiction of black life before, during, and after the Vietnam war, and how they (the black veterans) got it worse than their peers, and a remarkable screenplay. The movie also succeeds in bringing about a well designed late 60's, early 70's theme with the music, fashion, and lingo.

Recommended

B+

Get Rich or Die tryin'...................2006-01-08

I rented "4 Brothers" and I did NOT ENJOY it, so after that fiasco, I wanted to see a REAL homie movie. Thank goodness I own "Dead Prez" and after all these years it still stands the test of time. The thing that makes this film good is the story and the 5* acting. Every actor in this film is in my oppinion, brilliant. The guy from "Hustle and Flow" has a small part in this, I knew he was good from the get, it's nice to see him getting bigger roles. This and "Set It Off" have got to be the best homie movies out there right now, in my oppinion. Dead Prez gives bank robbery a heart if that makes any sense. This is not a mindless action flick. It's intellectual, political, and deep. And it's all set to a killer soundtrack.

Star Wars - Episode II, Attack of the Clones (Full Screen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Poor Acting and Dialogue Hurt An Otherwise Entertaining Movie
Enjoyable. Even though It's Politic Heavy.
It's not my favorite, but still very enjoyable.
Attack of the Clones is worth seeing (once)
MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!

Star Wars - Episode II, Attack of the Clones (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Ewan McGregor , Natalie Portman , Hayden Christensen , Christopher Lee , and Samuel L. Jackson
Director: George Lucas
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00006HBUI
Release Date: 2005-03-22

Product Description

The Star Wars saga continues on DVD with Episode II Attack of the Clones. Anakin Skywalker has grown into an accomplished Jedi apprentice, and he faces his most difficult challenge yet as he must choose between his Jedi duty and forbidden love. Relive the adventure the way it was meant to be seen in spectacular digital clarity, including the climactic Clone War battle and Jedi Master Yoda in the ultimate lightsaber duel. Experience this 2 disc set that features over six hours of bonus materials, and see how Episode II unlocks the secrets of the entire Star Wars saga.

System Requirements:

Starring Ewan McGregor,Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Christopher Lee, Samuel L. Jackson

Directed by George Lucas

Running time: 142 minutes

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Poor Acting and Dialogue Hurt An Otherwise Entertaining Movie.......2007-09-09

Enjoyable. Even though It's Politic Heavy........2007-09-05

It's not my favorite, but still very enjoyable........2007-08-29

Attack of the Clones is worth seeing (once).......2007-08-23

MST3K Fans Rejoice -- Rifftrax is Here!.......2007-08-09

Average customer rating:

The War of the Roses, dvd.
A dark, black rose. Where is King Solomon when you need him?
Battle of the Sexes!
Best BAD Date Movie!
Hetero Bliss

The War of the Roses
Starring: Patricia Allison , Harlan Arnold , Sean Astin , Peter Brocco , and Dan Castellaneta
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005QFES
Release Date: 2001-12-18

Amazon.com

Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and Danny DeVito reunited for a third time to fabulous effect in this dark, disturbing comedy of martial trauma and revenge, which couldn't be more different from their sunnier outings in Romancing the Stone and The Jewel of the Nile. Douglas and Turner, in career-best performances, are the materialistic, consumer-driven Roses of the title (Oliver and Barbara) whose seemingly perfect marriage has soured beyond repair; their only point of contact, aside from their two college-bound kids, is their meticulously maintained dream house, which Douglas bought and Turner decorated to perfection. When Turner gets a taste of financial independence, she asks Douglas for divorce--all she wants is the house and everything in it (aside from his clothes and shaving kit). He laughs at her and she punches him in the face. Things only get worse from there, as nasty divorce proceedings (with DeVito as Douglas's lawyer) give way to insults, threats, ruined dinner parties, and pet abuse. And through it all, the Roses begin destroying their beloved home and its contents, just to spite each other. DeVito, who also directed, takes Michael Leeson's blacker-than-black screenplay and gives it a hyperstylized spin, complete with skewed camera angles and wonderfully expressionistic cinematography (by Stephen Burum) as Douglas and Turner barricade themselves in their house, both refusing to give an inch. Shocking for a mainstream studio picture, with its unsympathetic protagonists, escalating bitterness, and disturbing finale, Roses is a poisonously funny valentine to both marriage and '80s materialism, tempered only by its framing device as a cautionary tale. Definitely not a date movie. --Mark Englehart

Description

In this blackest of comedies, a perfect 18-year marriage suddenly becomes unglued and the gleefully evil Barbara (Kathleen Turner) and Oliver (Michael Douglas) Rose single-mindedly inflict as much misery as possible on each other. Rather than just get divorced, they declare war, fighting to the bitter end over their huge mansion and every possession in it. Not even the calculating guidance of Oliver's lawyer (Danny DeVito) can stop this uncompromisingly nasty two some as their vicious battle sends them on an increasingly dark and dangerous path.

Customer Reviews:

The War of the Roses, dvd........2007-06-08

An excellent movie, highly recommended to those thinking of getting married, or divorced. The story is told by Danny Devito of a marriage that begins like most, and takes much the same course as so many. Recommended viewing for anyone old enough to have been in a relationship with a member of the opposite sex.

A dark, black rose. Where is King Solomon when you need him?.......2007-04-19

The Washington Post gave the best one-line summary of this Michael Douglas/Kathleen Turner film: "A yuppie Armageddon." The Roses live an upper crust lifestyle in New England and have raised their kids in the house of their dreams. After 17 years, Barbara realizes she isn't happy as a housewife, and regrets all she gave up to become Mrs. Rose. She asks Oliver for a divorce. He's still in love with his sweetheart (or with the status quo) but grudgingly moves forward with divorce proceedings. Armageddon sets in over the house, which was paid for with his money, but decorated and made a home by her. Neither is willing to budge an inch with regards to the house. He'll ruin her dinner parties; she'll destroy his office and collections.

King Solomon might do well to come in and settle this house dispute, as he did in the case of two women who both claimed a baby was theirs. Solomon revealed the true mother by suggesting he cut the baby in half with a sword (the true mother gave the other woman her baby rather than have it cut in half). If only someone had stepped in to slap some sense into The Roses. Their war becomes all consuming, and in the end, they are both willing to destroy the house to prevent it from falling into the other's hands.

This is classic dark comedy with an all-star cast featuring Douglas, Turner, and DeVito. Don't miss out on this over-the-top battle of wills.

Battle of the Sexes!.......2007-02-25

I always loved this dark comedy/drama about martial life gone southward. The leads Kathleen Turner & Michael Douglas have terrific chemistry, but then again they starred in many films together including "Romancing the Stone". The escalating battle between the sexes alternates between being funny to sadly cruel as we watch a marriage disintegrate. It was certainly most interesting watching the leads share the main residence during their divorce because neither side was willing to give up the house. Talk about stubborn! But it is a very dark, dark comedy. What's the moral of the story? Devito's character says "That dog people should marry dog people and cat people only cat people." Great film that does teach us all a moral story besides the above quote. Can't we all get along?
For pure hysterical comedy of revenge against the exes - pick up "Love Stinks" starring Frenchie Stewart and beautiful Bridgette Wilson.

Best BAD Date Movie!.......2007-02-09

So I had to chuckle when this came up as the number one bad date movie on Amazon's list of bad date movies in their Valentines Day promotion. I actually saw this on a date when it first came out- it wasn't a first date - but it was the last one with that suitor!

Fantastic flick for telling yourself- it really is better being single than married and miserable.....or reassuring yourself- our relationship is not that bad.....of course most women I know are pretty enamored of Kathleen Turner's shoe closet and can relate when she goes ballistic after her husband saws the heels off her shoes......

Hetero Bliss.......2007-01-13

Every gay person knows at least 10 hetero couples who are EXACTLY like this film. Heck, every Irish Catholic family is made up of couples like this.

This is one of the best movies ever made. Ever. I think the reason why it hit such a nerve is how true to life it is. This is how heterosexuals act.

I am just so glad that me and my partner can't get married. Our life together is just too perfect to ruin it by getting married.

Average customer rating:

Great Memories
B&W or color?
NOT IN COLOR (as advertised by Amazon!)
Here's a raw Presley appearing in his film debut
Introducing Elvis...

Love Me Tender
Starring: Richard Egan , Debra Paget , Elvis Presley , Robert Middleton , and William Campbell
Director: Robert D. Webb
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000E8N8TI
Release Date: 2006-02-28

Amazon.com

Here's the alpha point of Elvis Presley's film career, the introduction of the raw-boned Mississippi boy into Hollywood pictures. E.P. takes a supporting role, and his entrance is delayed for nearly 20 minutes: kid brother to returning Civil War soldier Richard Egan, his character marries Egan's sweetheart Debra Paget when Egan is presumed dead. It's a chance for Elvis, his face still trembling with baby fat, to emote dramatically and finish tragically, both of which he does passably well. A serviceable Western, the film shamelessly shoehorns four Presley tunes into two sequences: E.P. crooning on mama's porch, and performing at a country fair (where starchy locals don't seem disturbed at the boy's gyrating hips and happy feet). All in all, a shrewd way to put a foot in Hollywood's doorway, and, of course, one of the last Presley movies to feel like a real film and not a vehicle for the King. --Robert Horton

Description

Moviegoers were introduced to Elvis Presley in this film set during the dying hours of the Civil War. Elvis sings four songs, including the title song. The year is 1865, and the three Confederate Reno brothers don't know the war has ended. They manage to steal a Union Army payroll, and head for home with the money. While Vance (Richard Egan) can think only of the love of his life, Cathy (Debra Paget), it turns out that the brothers have been reported dead, and Cathy has married their youngest brother Clint (Elvis Presley). Vance accepts this until he learns that Cathy still loves him. To complicate things, the U.S. Army knows of the brothers' theft and is hunting them down.

Customer Reviews:

Great Memories.......2007-04-11

Having seen this movie when it first came out in the 50's I'm sure my rating now is different than it was then as I was one of the hardcore Elvis fans! :) I am thrilled to add it to my collection.

B&W or color?.......2006-03-12

I bought mine and it's in black and white, not colorized as the store claims to be. So I would give all the stores selling this item as colorized version a zero star!!!!

NOT IN COLOR (as advertised by Amazon!).......2006-03-02

Now, WHAT a major disappointment! Look at the product description. It says: "Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dubbed, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC"

Did it say Black and White OR Color?

Did you say Color?
Yes, that's what I thought I saw, too.

There IS a colorized version, so Amazon leads us to believe this is IT!
Isn't that false advertisement?

I emailed them and demanded an explanation and a refund on that product!
Sure, I am a big Elvis fan and I already have that movie, in original Black and White.
I bought this one, BECAUSE they advertised it in COLOR!

So, people, BE CAREFUL, DO NOT buy this thing if you also expected it to be in color.
I give 3 for the fact that it's not Elvis' best movie, but I'd give Amazon a MINUS 5 points, if they'd have a negative rating system!

Here's a raw Presley appearing in his film debut.......2006-02-25

For anyone who enjoys Elvis Presley's earlier films, Love Me Tender is a must buy. Presley was not even the top star of this film, but by now, the other actors are long forgotten, and Elvis Presley is a household name. This post Civil war bittersweet romance does not offer an overwhelming plot, but I enjoyed the rough edges in the characterization of the caring, but short-tempered, young Texas farmer that Presley portrays, The film does not contain a host of Elvis' songs as do his later musicals, but his sensitive rendition of "Love Me Tender" is unforgettable.

Introducing Elvis..........2004-09-12

"Love Me Tender" is the touching tale of brotherly love, and the after effects of war. It is also the film that introduces Elvis to us as an actor. Although not his best screen work(he gets better in later films), it's very much worth the view, just to be serenaded by him throughout the film, and his moving rendition of "Love Me Tender" will put a lump in your throat and have you humming it for days after.

Richard Egan, William Campbell, and James Drury are the three older Reno Brothers who have been off fighting in the Civil War for four years. They are fighting for the Confederates, and not knowing the war has ended, have robbed the Northern Army's payroll, with all intentions of turning it over to the cause of the South. When they find out the war is over, they earnestly figure it is the "spoils of war" and divvy it up with the other men in their group. They happily return home, and Vance(Egan) is especially anticipating reuniting with the girl he left behind, the beautiful Kathy(Debra Paget).

Things go downhill from there...Everyone thought Vance had been killed in the war, his younger brother Clint(Elvis), has married his girl, and the law is after the brothers for the payroll money they stole. Vance loves his younger brother and tries to live with this turn of events, but things go from bad to worse as he tries to make things right with everyone.

Elvis performs several musical numbers throughout the film, including "We're Gonna Move" and the toe tappin "Poor Boy". And as I said above, these performances, make this film well worth the view. They're pure Elvis.

From 1956, in Black and White, it's a musical Western, a story of a brother's love, action, romance and ELVIS!...Enjoy.....Laurie

Average customer rating:

A question of honor and something else!
Pretty low on the Rocky list.
Totally Awesome Cold War Propaganda!
Fast Delivery
Starts well but finishes poorly

Rocky IV
Starring: R.J. Adams , Al Bandiero , Dominic Barto , Danial Brown , and James Brown
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0006GAOGI
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Amazon.com

It was time for Sylvester Stallone to say "enough, already" to the boxing hero he plays in the popular Rocky film series, but instead Stallone kept the saga going by pushing Rocky into Rambo territory. The 1985 Rocky IV finds the Italian stallion pitted against a seemingly unbeatable Russian monster named Drago (Dolph Lundgren) who lets his wife (Stallone's then-wife, Brigitte Nielsen) do all the talking. With a mighty punch, Drago has sent Rocky's former opponent and trainer Apollo Creed to an early grave, and the boxer responds with the ultimate challenge. Even the Russians are rooting for Rocky, so it's not hard to guess how the film ends. Despite Stallone's claims to the contrary, this installment was followed by Rocky V in 1990. --Jeff Shannon

Description

East meets West when Rocky takes on a vicious Soviet fighter who literally killed his last opponent! Sylvester Stallone writes, directs and stars in this war between nations in which the only battle is fought in a boxing ring. Rocky Balboa (Stallone) proudly holds the world heavyweight boxing championship, but a new challenger has stepped forward: Drago (Dolph Lundgren), a six-foot-four-inch, 261-pound fighter who has the backing of the Soviet Union. This time, Rocky's training regimentakes him to icy Siberia, where he prepares for a globally televised match in the heart of Moscow. But nothing can truly prepare him for what he's about to facea powerfully charged fight to the finish in which he must defend not only himself, but also the honor of his country!

Customer Reviews:

A question of honor and something else!.......2007-06-19

Rocky IV meant (as no other sequel a symbol of power in the huge geopolitical staggering U.R.S.S. The metaphor is so obvious that hardly may be better described. This time Rocky has to make an act of justice when his friend Apollo Creed dies in combat against Ivan Drago, the new Soviet techno machine, a sort of Caucasian Terminator; Apollo was in fact his past rival in Rocky II, helped professional and spiritually to win that infernal combat in the third sequel.

In this opportunity the chances are