300 [Blu-ray]

Average customer rating:

Very Good Product

This is Sparta!

Real Spartans Don't Eat Quiche - THEY DINE IN HELL!!!!

Blue-Ray needs to step up

Awesome HD movie

300 [Blu-ray]
Starring: Gerard Butler , and Lena Headey
Director: Zack Snyder
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

Action & Adventure | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000Q6GX5Y
Release Date: 2007-07-31

Product Description

Warner Brothers 300 (Blu-ray)
The epic graphic novel by Frank Miller ("Sin City") assaults the screen with the blood, thunder and awe of its ferocious visual stylefaithfully recreated in an intense blend of live-action and CGI animation. Retelling the ancient Battle of Thermopylae, it depicts the titanic clash in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his massive Persian army. Experience history at swordpoint. And moviemaking with a cutting edge.

Customer Reviews:

Very Good Product.......2007-09-14

Very good quality Blue-Ray, the spirit of the movie is the same as in the cinema version, beautiful images. Great movie!

This is Sparta!.......2007-09-09

If this movie doesn't get you in the mood to strap on armor and pickup a sword and shield then you have something wrong with you! This adaptation of Frank Miller's depiction of the Battle of Thermopalye is guaranteed to get your heart pumping with its stirring battle scenes and talk of "Freedom". For you historians, some winking and nodding must be done to Miller's version, but it is still a a lot of fun. Enjoy it for what it is, a loose adaptation of a classic story. Contrary to what the queen says, you will enjoy this!

Real Spartans Don't Eat Quiche - THEY DINE IN HELL!!!!.......2007-09-08

300--director Zack Snyder's faithful, if controversial, adaptation of Frank Miller's graphic novel--is a visually striking, though loosely interpreted, telling of the now-immortal Battle of Thermopylae.

Over a three-day period in 480 BC, King Leonidas and his three hundred Spartan bodyguards--with the assistance of about seven hundred Thespians and few thousand volunteers from other Greek city-states--fought the massive armies (estimated in most ancient accounts to have exceeded one million) of Persian Emperor Xerxes I at the Pass of Thermopylae on the Gulf of Malis. Through martial skill, fearlessness, and sheer audacity, Leonidas and his warriors held off the Persians long enough for the Athenians to prepare their navy to defeat the Persians at the Battle of Salamis, and thus save Greece.

The Battle of Thermopylae is a timeless tale of valor and honor. It takes its place in history with other legendary military standoffs--such as the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, where a few hundred Texans held off the Mexican army for thirteen days, and the 1939 "Winter War," the World War II battle in which Finnish forces repelled over one million Russian invaders. Why, then, would a cinematic retelling of this remarkable event of so long ago prompt argument and debate today?

Historical film epics are rarely contentious enterprises nowadays, precisely because they portray events long since past. The ones that do spark heated debate tend to have religious themes, such as The Passion of the Christ and The DaVinci Code. If there's any blasphemy to be found in 300, it's against oracles and deities long since relegated to the dustbin of piety. Certainly there was little controversy in 1962 when Miller's original inspiration, director Rudolph Maté's The 300 Spartans, was released. So what's happened in the forty-five intervening years to make Snyder's remake-of-sorts so controversial?

In a word: multiculturalism.

Just as in the days of the ancient Greeks, the theme of saving the civilized West from barbaric Asiatic hordes is made quite explicit in 300, and given voice by King Leonidas (Gerard Butler): "A new age has begun, an age of freedom. And all will know that three hundred Spartans gave their last breath to defend it . . .The world will know that free men stood against a tyrant, that few stood against many."

But unlike the days of the ancient Greeks, it's now verboten to suggest the superiority, let alone the preferability, of Western culture to any other--including, presumably, Persian culture. And therein lies the controversy over this film. As "civilized people," we're not supposed to like war, much less relish military victory or the enemy's demise. Hell, we can't even use the word "enemy" anymore to describe the enemy. These days, when Hollywood goes to war, our fighting men are represented--at best--by that ubiquitous fixture of modern cinema, the "reluctant warrior."

In contrast, Leonidas's Spartans are hardly reluctant: Born and bred since childhood to fight for their military city-state, they're professional soldiers who revel in the sting of battle. Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) sends an officer to present an ultimatum to his vastly outnumbered foe: "Spartans, lay down your weapons!" Rather than accommodating the Persians (as, say, the British Navy did circa 2007 AD), Leonidas roars back: "Persians, come and get them!"

In all of battle lore, Thermopylae stands as the ultimate "David versus Goliath" confrontation of civilizations. To most people familiar with Italian Renaissance art, this legend conjures in their minds the great statues by Donatello and Michelangelo. Both are nude figures of the young Hebrew warrior. Donatello's David is but a boy. Without a care in the world, he leans on his sword with one hand, his other hand resting effeminately against his hip. Think of the eternally boyish Leonardo DiCaprio or Elijah Wood. More famous is Michelangelo's manlier David. He's muscular and stands erect, gazing off in serene contemplation. But, while Michelangelo captures David's physical beauty and agility, his is a static, motionless fighter; the sculpture merely hints at the decisive moment ahead. Think Brad Pitt in Troy.

Any David who would have a chance of felling the monstrous Philistine had better be credible--one tough s.o.b. Baroque-era sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini depicts just that kind of David--not naked, but clothed in soldier's tunic, coiled back to fling the rock at Goliath. Bernini freezes his hero in motion: Taut, fierce, and grimacing, Bernini's magnificent figure conveys both the intent and the execution of his bold, violent act.

The genius of 300 lies in Snyder's and cinematographer Larry Fong's ability to dramatize that same highly stylized sense of kinetic energy and unfreeze it. In particular, as Leonidas, the burly, bearded Scottish actor Gerard Butler is Bernini's David brought to life.

Many reviewers have touted 300's "comic book" visual sensibility. To me, it doesn't look like a comic book at all, but rather like an oil painting set in motion. In fact, anyone familiar with Frank Miller's striking illustrations will note the same qualities in those works. Using a color scheme of burnished tones, 300 manifests a sophisticated visual unity that owes much more to Jacques-Louis David's painting The Oath of the Horatii (1785) and Akira Kurosawa's film Ran (1985) than it does to Spider-Man or The Fantastic Four. The rich, gorgeous Technicolor prints further intensify the viewing experience.

This visual stylization is one reason why 300 seems more real than the more historically accurate The 300 Spartans--even though the original was shot on location in Greece, while Snyder filmed his entirely on soundstages in Quebec. For example, the new, stylized Spartan is divested of his breastplate in favor of a uniform that makes him look like a cross between Kirk Douglas in his Spartacus get-up and wrestler Hulk Hogan in leather briefs. But the 1962 movie was filmed mostly from a distance, and the actors' stiff performances were even more distant. The battle scenes looked like re-enactments; you could tell those Spartans were just a bunch of extras holding spears and shields.

Not so with this crew: While the scenery in 300 may have been rendered by CGI artists, the six-pack abs and bulging biceps on these Spartans are real, the product of a grueling five-month-long exercise regimen in which the actors also got Marine Corps "Oorah!" attitude training. And instead of remote, set-piece battle scenes, Snyder gives us relentless, in-your-face combat--beautifully choreographed bloodletting. He conveys with blinding clarity how the Spartans could pull off such a sustained, concerted defense against a numerically superior force. When they go into their phalanx battle formation, you immediately realize why individual soldiers became such a deadly weapon when they fought in unison, something the 1962 film barely depicted.

I could tell 300 was going to be a smash hit when the intelligentsia descended upon this movie, unleashing all the sneering invective their vocabularies could muster--from "militaristic" and "fascistic" to "testosterone-laden" and "jingoistic." Typical was Andrew Sarris, reigning "dean" of American film critics, writing in the New York Observer:

300 was as pathetically puerile as I had expected. Yet I can't say that it wasn't at least minimally entertaining. Indeed, there was a subtextual strangeness about the spectacle that would have made the ghost of Leni Riefenstahl nod in recognition.

Fortunately, the attempt to cut this superb picture down to size is more of an uphill battle than the one that Leonidas and his men fought. What repelled so many of our literati is also the source of its unexpected devotion among mainstream movie fans, (to the tune of $421 million in gross receipts, as of this writing): Miller and Snyder invest 300 with the stuff of mythical legend.

Butler's Leonidas is a defiant figure with a bit of Phaeton and Sisyphus in him. He ignores the counsel of the Oracle (Kelly Craig), who orders him not to confront the Persians. "Trust the gods, Leonidas," the governing council cautions him. Leonidas counters, "I would prefer you trust your reason." Well aware that the very future of reason and democracy lies with his Spartans, the ascetic Leonidas faces down the decadent god-king Xerxes, proclaiming, "We wrest the world from your mysticism and tyranny!"

The epic tone of the story is further realized through the narration of Dilios (David Wenham), the one-eyed warrior who returns to Sparta to relate Leonidas's story of courage and bravado to his own soldiers, firing them up to do battle again with the invading Persians. Mere days after his death, Leonidas is already elevated to the status of Epic Hero.

As Leonidas's wife, Queen Gorgo, Lena Headey gives a stirring performance. When the movie opens, a Persian messenger (Peter Mensah) rebukes Leonidas: "Why does this woman think she can speak amongst men?" The queen fires back, "Because only Spartan women give birth to real men!" In a quiet scene before Leonidas heads off to war, she bolsters her king's confidence: "Spartan: Come back with your shield--or on it." It's a lesson in honoring the spirit of a fallen loved one that's completely lost on the Cindy Sheehans of our age.

History buffs and armchair philosophers have come out of the woodwork to chide viewers for buying into the movie's inaccuracies. Just as common are complaints that the Greeks had slavery, that Sparta practiced infanticide, that the Spartan army was filled with conscripts, and that they--by gladly laying down their lives in a suicide mission--were hardly rational exemplars of individualism.

With all due respect to the Borg, however, resistance to 300 is futile. Its grand sweep and awesome storytelling had me cheering Leonidas's fearless warriors. What can't be denied is the movie's premise that the seeds of individualism (which is a later, Enlightenment notion, anyhow) were planted in the Greek soil they so gallantly defended.

And, to anyone laboring under the misconception that soldiers are the opposite of individualists, I beg to differ. Over my years of military service, I've come to know many Airborne Rangers, Special Forces Green Berets, infantry grunts, Marines, and psychological operations specialists. To a man, these hardcore warriors personify the qualities of character exemplified by Leonidas and his hoplites: heads held high, rigorous discipline, physical prowess, intransigent certainty, moral courage, the ability to face reality at its most grim--and the willingness to think. When it comes to individualism, these guys walk the walk; everything else is just talk.

Through its images of crushing brutality, 300 reminds us that the bounties of civilization that we take for granted are a gift passed down through time from men like Leonidas. Or, in words famously (though perhaps mistakenly) attributed to George Orwell: "We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm."

With 300, Frank Miller and Zack Snyder have concocted an antidote to the steady diet of cynicism and derisive irony that Hollywood has been feeding our youth for decades. If you thirst for a tale that extols honor and reveres gallantry, in which the good guys are great and the bad guys are evil, then look no further than this stupendous cinematic achievement.

Blue-Ray needs to step up.......2007-09-07

First off, the movie is great and it's one of those movies that must be seen in theatres or at least in HD/Blue-Ray to truly appreciate. It's gorgeous to look at and the action sucks you into the movie.
My comments are more about the Blue-Ray format for this movie and in general. I feel Sony needs to step up and give us a bit more for the money. There are two-discs versions and super duper reextended quadruple edited versions of this film and many others. But when it comes to the Blue-Ray, nothing. Not even an insert in the case with the chapters, film info, actors, nothing. For the money we pay for these movies, I think they can put a little more content into the discs and the packaging. Blue-Ray should be a step up from normal DVD and even HD so, make me feel like I'm stepping up. Give me the content in the disc and in the case.

Awesome HD movie.......2007-09-06

Awesome movie and it looks great on blu-ray. I suggest to pick it up.

Average customer rating:

A Must Have
A Whiff of Fascism
Bring Back Grease!
Well, the story line was good...
A Great Movie Okay Songs Bad Basketball

High School Musical (Encore Edition)
Starring: Zac Efron , Vanessa Anne Hudgens , Ashley Tisdale , Lucas Grabeel , and Monique Coleman
Director: Kenny Ortega
Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Disney
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Disney Channel's High School Musical DVD Board Game

ASIN: B000F2BNW2
Release Date: 2006-05-23

Amazon.com

The Disney Channel Original Movie High School Musical is a combination of backstage action and Grease without the unwholesome habits. Scoring record ratings at the time of its January 2006 broadcast, it's a smash hit with tween audiences (ages 6 to 10), but appealing for all ages. At a New Year's Eve party, Troy (Zac Efron of the WB's Summerland) has a chance meeting with Gabriella (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) when they share a karaoke song. Lo and behold, when school resumes, they discover that Gabriella has just transferred to Troy's East High School, a campus divided into tight cliques of jocks, cheerleaders, brainiacs, and skater dudes. Eager to recapture the magic they'd discovered during karaoke, Troy and Gabriella consider auditioning for the school's upcoming musical, much to the dismay of the school's frost queen/theater goddess, Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody). Problem is, Troy is also the star of the basketball team and Gabrielle is being recruited to compete in the Scholastic Decathlon. Will they give up their cliques to start something new, or will they do as the show's first big anthem urges and "Stick to the Status Quo"? Well, this is a Disney movie, so maybe the sacrifices won't be that hard, and even the hints of romance are mild.

The bestselling soundtrack is catchy in that Disney-pop kind of way, mixing in a dash of hip-hop ("Getcha Head in the Game," punctuated by squeaky basketball shoes and other sound effects), salsa ("Bop to the Top"), and the endearingly hammy ("What I've Been Looking For" performed by Sharpay and her brother, Ryan, played by Lucas Gabreel). It's not hard to imagine High School Musical becoming a semi-staple for high school groups to perform themselves. DVD bonus features include sing-along subtitles; a 9-minute featurette discussing casting, recording sessions, and rehearsals; a multi-angle look at a rehearsal of "Bop to the Top"; and music videos for "We're All in This Together" and a song that didn't make it into the final film, "I Can't Take My Eyes Off of You," performed by Efron, Hudgens, Tisdale, and Gabreel. --David Horiuchi

Description

The all-new, smash hit Disney Channel Original Movie everyone is talking about is now available for the first time ever on DVD -- with never-before-seen bonus features that will rock your house! Troy (Zac Efron), the popular captain of the basketball team, and Gabriella (Vanessa Anne Hudgens), the brainy and beautiful member of the academic club, break all the rules of East High society when they secretly audition for the leads in the school's musical. As they reach for the stars and follow their dreams, everyone learns about acceptance, teamwork, and being yourself. And it's all set to fun tunes and very cool dance moves! Featuring the hottest talent, HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL celebrates the power of music in this hip, entertaining, gotta-get-up-and-dance movie. Own all the excitement and the exclusive extras available only on this Encore Edition DVD.

Customer Reviews:

A Must Have.......2007-09-08

All in All the very best musical Ever!Im 48 and think these Actors/Singers Out did Grease 110 percent!My fav being Vanessa Anne Hudgens,Ashley Tisdale and the Talented Lucas Grabeel who plays Ryan.For you Grease Fans you should update your musical because this is a must have and really trully better.

A Whiff of Fascism.......2007-09-06

I know, this is a very popular movie and the music is OK. But the story is stridently insipid: winners win because that's what winners do, and losers lose because there's something wrong with anyone who's not a winner...and don't talk to me about underdogs. Despite the best efforts of its heroically perky cast, the film is nearly humorless. It was suggested that we stage this at our high school, but I've black-balled it.

Bring Back Grease!.......2007-09-01

I finally saw this movie after months of hearing about how unexpectedly brilliant it was, and I have to say I disagree completely. Nothing about this movie was unexpected; everything from the cheesy dialogue to the cliched plot to the corny songs to the caricatures, I mean characters, were predictable to the point of being campy and over-the-top. And not in a good way. Why exactly is a scrawny, short kid the star of the basketball team? What reasonable people are that frenetically obsessed with maintaining the status quo? And what's up with Sharpay and her brother starring in every school show *together*? Incest, that's a new one for Disney. I'd also like to point out that no one would name their two children "Ryan" and "Sharpay." As a disclaimer, I do love bad karaoke, Disney Channel Original Movies, Grease, but I can't see what the fuss is all about with this one. This movie's only redeeming qualities were Gabriella, Kelsi, and that kid who bakes stuff, all of whom I thought were adorable. The only reason this is even getting 2 stars is because for whatever reason, I set my TiVo to record the second one.

Well, the story line was good..........2007-09-01

alright I know this is going to effect my reviewer rank but i can't leave this unsaid, I CAN'T STAND DISNEY ANYMORE!!!! I used to love disney before they got all the teenager relationships!!! It did have a good story line so I'll give some credit to disney for that. if you like teenager sappy romance I guess you"ll love this. I mean no offence to anyone who likes this movie so please don't say this was an unhelpful review. I am just saying what I think.

A Great Movie Okay Songs Bad Basketball.......2007-08-27

My class did one of the songs from this movie for an "end of school" concert. We did We're All In This Together. I thought most of these songs were pretty corny apart from WAITT and Breakin' Free. I didn't like that you had to wait until the end of the movie to get two great songs. I was embarrassed as a basketball player when I saw "Getcha' Head In The Game" Zac Efron looks nothing like a basketball player. I thought this had some VERY corny songs, but had a couple jewels at the end to make you want to come back and see it again. I thought Vanessa Anne Hudgens and Lucas Graabel acted very well. Zac was so so. He could've done better. I have seen the second HSM, and liked the singing a lot better. I liked the plot too. I would CAUTION ANYONE THINKING ABOUT BUYING IT: RENT IT FIRST BEFORE BUYING IT. Watch HSM 2 as well. Overall: 2 was better, but for 13 bucks, buy it.

Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl [Blu-ray]

Average customer rating:

Buy the DVD version instead - until Disney re-release it.
Buyer beware! Heads lopped off!
Misframed for 10 min
Big framing problem on Blu-ray version
Problems with Playback

Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl [Blu-ray]
Starring: Lee Arenberg , Johnny Depp , Trevor Goddard , Kevin McNally , and Jonathan Pryce
Director: Gore Verbinski
Manufacturer: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000N6UERA
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Product Description

Disney Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl (Blu-ray)
From producer Jerry Bruckheimer("Pearl Harbor") comes "Pirates Of The Caribbean:The Curse Of The Black Pearl," the thrilling high-seas adventure with a mysterious twist. The roguish yet charming Captain Jack Sparrow's (Academy Award(R) Nominee Johnny Depp) idyllic pirate life capsizes after his nemesis, the wily Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), steals his ship, the Black Pearl, and later attacks the town of Port Royal, kidnapping the governor's beautiful daughter Elizabeth (Keira Knightley). In a gallant attempt to rescue her and recapture the Black Pearl, Elizabeth's childhood friend Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) joins forces with Jack. What Will doesn't know is that a cursed treasure has doomed Barbossa and his crew tolive forever as the undead. Rich in suspense-filled adventure, sword-clashing action, mystery, humor, unforgettable characters, and never-before-seenspecial effects, "Pirates" is a must-have epic onthe grandest scale ever.

Customer Reviews:

Buy the DVD version instead - until Disney re-release it........2007-09-08

Disney will be re-releasing this version as it contains 9 minutes of incorrectly framed footage. In this Blu-ray version people are being decapitated, and not by pirates! For those 9 minutes, the framing is about 12% lower than it should be.

The DVD version is framed 100% correctly - so buy that one until Disney issues a new Blu-ray release of this title.

Buyer beware! Heads lopped off!.......2007-09-05

There is a serious framing problem for 9 minutes of the movie, where the frame is lower than it should be. So you will be looking at groins and torsos instead of full faces.

Misframed for 10 min.......2007-09-03

About 9 or 10 min of this film is framed incorrectly. The sequence in question is the sword fight between Jack Sparrow and Will Turner in the blacksmith's shop. The image is shifted down so at some points the actors are actually delivering dialog with their heads cut off. I would avoid ordering this title until Disney issues a corrected version.

Big framing problem on Blu-ray version.......2007-08-30

Disney made some mistakes on the Blu-ray release and some scenes are misframed. The original film was shot using the Super 35 process (1.85:1) and cut to a 2:35:1 ratio for theaters and home release. Some scenes that required framing at the top of the film image were center cut instead, so heads are cut off, and there are numerous revealing mistakes such as exposed floorboards when they should be fighting on rafters 10 ft off the ground! I would wait for a corrected version.

Problems with Playback.......2007-08-25

I have a Samsung BDP 1000 - in the BD package from Disney you get 2 disks, one special features and the game and the movie itself. The movie is unplayable even with the latest firmware update for the player but strangely the Special features disk is fine. Unfortunately I am returning these 2 disney Pirates BD's

The Godfather DVD Collection (The Godfather/ The Godfather - Part II/ The Godfather - Part III)

Average customer rating:

AN ESSENTIAL DVD SET! NO ONE SHOULD REFUSE!
all time classic
Entertaining, But Seriously Overrated
The Godfather DVD Collection (The Godfather/ The Godfather - Part II/ The Godfather - Part III)
Everyone should own

The Godfather DVD Collection (The Godfather/ The Godfather - Part II/ The Godfather - Part III)
Starring: Marlon Brando , Pacino , De Niro , and Francis Ford Coppola
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00003CXAA
Release Date: 2001-10-09

Product Description

Some of the greatest masterpieces in cinema history, "The Godfather Collection" is the saga of the generations of successive power within the Corleone crime family, told in three films of staggering magnitude and vision, masterfully exploring themes of power, tradition, revenge and love. "The Godfather" (1972, 175 min.) - Adapted from Mario Puzo's best-selling novel, Francis Ford Coppola's epic masterpiece features Marlon Brando in his Oscar-winning role as the patriarch of the Corleones. Director Coppola paints a chilling portrait of the Sicilian clan's rise and near fall from power in America, masterfully balancing the story between the Corleone's family life and the ugly crime business in which they are engaged. Winner of three Academy Awards, including Best Picture. "The Godfather, Part II" (1974, 200 min.) - This brilliant sequel continues the saga of two generation of successive power within the Corleone family. Coppola tells two stories: the roots and rise of a young Don Vito (Robert De Niro), and the ascension of Michael (Al Pacino) as the new Don. Winner of six Academy Awards, including Best Picture. "The Godfather, Part III" (1990, 170 min.) - Now in his 60's, Michael Corleone is dominated by two passions: freeing his family from crime, and finding a suitable successor. That successor could be fiery Vincent (Andy Garcia), but he may also be the spark that turns Michael's hope of business legitimacy into an inferno of mob violence. This special collection also includes an additional disc containing over 3 hours of bonus material.

System Requirements:
Starring: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Robert DeNiro, Lee Strasberg, Andy Garcia, and Sofia Coppola.
Directed By: Francis Ford Coppola.
Running Time: 545 Min., Color.
This film is presented in "Widescreen" format.
Copyright 2001 Paramount Pictures.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com essential video

Throughout his long, wandering, often distinguished career Francis Ford Coppola has made many films that are good and fine, many more that are flawed but undeniably interesting, and a handful of duds that are worth viewing if only because his personality is so flagrantly absent. Yet he is and always shall be known as the man who directed the Godfather films, a series that has dominated and defined their creator in a way perhaps no other director can understand. Coppola has never been able to leave them alone, whether returning after 15 years to make a trilogy of the diptych, or re-editing the first two films into chronological order for a separate video release as The Godfather Saga. The films are our very own Shakespearean cycle: they tell a tale of a vicious mobster and his extended personal and professional families (once the stuff of righteous moral comeuppance), and they dared to present themselves with an epic sweep and an unapologetically tragic tone. Murder, it turned out, was a serious business. The first film remains a towering achievement, brilliantly cast and conceived. The entry of Michael Corleone into the family business, the transition of power from his father, the ruthless dispatch of his enemies--all this is told with an assurance that is breathtaking to behold. And it turned out to be merely prologue; two years later The Godfather, Part II balanced Michael's ever-greater acquisition of power and influence during the fall of Cuba with the story of his father's own youthful rise from immigrant slums. The stakes were higher, the story's construction more elaborate, and the isolated despair at the end wholly earned. (Has there ever been a cinematic performance greater than Al Pacino's Michael, so smart and ambitious, marching through the years into what he knows is his own doom with eyes open and hungry?) The Godfather, Part III was mostly written off as an attempted cash-in, but it is a wholly worthy conclusion, less slow than autumnally patient and almost merciless in the way it brings Michael's past sins crashing down around him even as he tries to redeem himself. --Bruce Reid

Customer Reviews:

AN ESSENTIAL DVD SET! NO ONE SHOULD REFUSE!.......2007-09-02

This is the way to do it. All three films in one neat package and the set includes tons of extras too! If I had one complaint is that it should have included the director's chronological cut of all three films woven together also. It is the most satisfying way to view the entire series. The DVD transfers are very good, the movies are great, If you see this set cheap....buy it!

all time classic.......2007-08-29

The Godfather DVD is an all time classic movie collection. This set is definitely not for loan. I have seen this movies countless times, but it never loses its charisma for me.

Entertaining, But Seriously Overrated.......2007-08-22

Daring for its time in many ways, but hard (for me at least) to understand the real staying power or positive cultural contribution. Lots of good bloodshed, though.

The Godfather DVD Collection (The Godfather/ The Godfather - Part II/ The Godfather - Part III).......2007-08-16

I am unable to review this , as I gave it as a gift. The person I gave it to was very pleased, but I am not certain if he has yet watched it. I am sure it is fine. Everything I order from you folks has been first rate.

Everyone should own.......2007-08-13

This is the DVD collection every movie buff should own. I am not the biggest fan of G3, but one and two more than make up for it.

Average customer rating:

Tired of Bad Cop Movies
Good but not as good
Great movie on a great new HD format.
Instant Classic
long live Jack Nicholson!

The Departed [Blu-ray]
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio , Matt Damon , Jack Nicholson , and Mark Wahlberg
Director: Martin Scorsese
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000M5AJQI
Release Date: 2007-02-13

Product Description

Warner Brothers The Departed (Blu-ray)
Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg star in Martin Scorsese's new crime drama "The Departed." "The Departed" is set in South Boston where the state police force is waging an all-out war to take down the city's top organized crime ring. The key isto end the reign of powerful mob boss Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson) from the inside. A young rookie, Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) is assignedto infiltrate Costello's mob. While Billy is working to gain Costello's trust, another young cop, Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) is among a handful of elite officers whose mission is to bring Costello down. But what his superiors don't know is that Colin is working for Costello, keeping the crime bossone step ahead of the police. Each man becomes deeply consumed by his double life, gathering information about the plans and counter-plans of the operation he has penetrated. But when it becomes clear to both the gangsters and the police that they have a mole in their midst, Billy and Colin find themselves in constant danger of being caught-and each must race to uncover the identity of the other man in time to save himself.

Amazon.com

Martin Scorsese makes a welcome return to the mean streets (of Boston, in this case) with The Departed, hailed by many as Scorsese's best film since Casino. Since this crackling crime thriller is essentially a Scorsese-stamped remake of the acclaimed 2002 Hong Kong thriller Infernal Affairs, the film was intensely scrutinized by devoted critics and cinephiles, and while Scorsese's intense filmmaking and all-star cast deserve ample acclaim, The Departed is also worthy of serious re-assessment, especially with regard to what some attentive viewers described as sloppy craftsmanship (!), notably in terms of mismatched shots and jagged continuity. But no matter where you fall on the Scorsese appreciation scale, there's no denying that The Departed is a signature piece of work from one of America's finest directors, designed for maximum impact with a breathtaking series of twists, turns, and violent surprises. It's an intricate cat-and-mouse game, but this time the cat and mouse are both moles: Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) is an ambitious cop on the rise, planted in the Boston police force by criminal kingpin Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a hot-tempered police cadet who's been artificially disgraced and then planted into Costello's crime operation as a seemingly trustworthy soldier. As the multilayered plot unfolds (courtesy of a scorching adaptation by Kingdom of Heaven screenwriter William Monahan), Costigan and Sullivan conduct a volatile search for each other (they're essentially looking for "themselves") while simultaneously wooing the psychiatrist (Vera Farmiga) assigned to treat their crime-driven anxieties.

Such convenient coincidences might sink a lesser film, but The Departed is so electrifying that you barely notice the plot-holes. And while Nicholson's profane swagger is too much "Jack" and not enough "Costello," he's still a joy to watch, especially in a film that's additionally energized by memorable (and frequently hilarious) supporting roles for Alec Baldwin, Mark Wahlberg, and a host of other big-name performers. The Departed also makes clever and plot-dependent use of cell-phones, to the extent that it couldn't exist without them. Powered by Scorsese's trademark use of well-chosen soundtrack songs (from vintage rock to Puccini's operas), The Departed may not be perfect, but it's one helluva ride for moviegoers, proving popular enough to become the biggest box-office hit of Scorsese's commercially rocky career. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Tired of Bad Cop Movies.......2007-08-15

Plain and simple, it was an extremely violent movie in which almost all of the cops are bad or go bad. Even Walhberg's character goes bad in the end because he turns into a vigilante. I am sick of the portrayal of law enforcement.

Good but not as good.......2007-08-06

Not as good as the original Infernal Affairs but it still delivers. The story is pretty much the same with a few differences! The acting is grade A and the blu ray delivers spectacular sound and detail!!! People say that this is one of Martin's best but I didn't like it as much as say Gangs of New York. Check out the original IA. Also see my review of IA!!!

Great movie on a great new HD format........2007-07-12

It is the 2006 Picture of the Year so it really needs no further praise from me. However, as far as the Bluray quality, this movie looked amazingly good on my Sony HDTV via my PS3. The film ran perfectly without any hiccups and has some great shots of Boston that Scorcese captured well for HD. Not the best high-def film for showing off your HDTV or PS3 (Planet Earth gets the nod there), but a great film nonetheless.

Instant Classic.......2007-07-04

This may be Martin Scorsese's crowning achievement. It did, after all, finally bring that elusive first, and very much deserved, Best Director Oscar. The Departed goes straight to the top of my favorite Scorsese movies, ahead of Taxi Driver (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) and GoodFellas (Two-Disc Special Edition).

The film centers around two men- one an undercover cop who infiltrates a Boston crimelord's gang, and the other a Massachusetts "Statey" who is secretly in the employ of that same Boston crimeboss. Leonardo DiCaprio as the undercover, and Matt Damon as the crooked cop, are outstanding in these roles.

Both sides of the law soon discover that they have a mole in their organization, and efforts are made to learn his identity. That's the main plot line, and Scorsese does a masterful job of building the tension to an almost unbearable level. You will find yourself almost holding your breath as DiCaprio and Damon try to function in their respective worlds without being found out for who they are.

Supporting the leads is an all-star cast led by the incomparable Jack Nicholson as the kingpin of the Irish Mafia in Boston. It's typical Jack, which is to say it's brilliant. Mark Wahlberg received an Oscar nod for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of a sargeant in the Massachusetts State Police. Also present are Martin Sheen and Alec Baldwin as police captains, and they do good work here. But the rest of the cast is outstanding, too, as they play the balance of the cops and Irish Mafia members convincingly well. There are no weak performances.

The movie contains strong, brutal violence and coarse language, but it isn't gratuitous. It is necessary to the story and character development, and the stark, in-your-face manner in which it is presented pulls the viewer emotionally into the lives of those men perpetrating the violence and suffering it.

I enjoyed everything about this movie- even the music is a joy- and repeat viewings further my appreciation of an expertly crafted piece of film making. The Blu-ray disc is of course beautiful, and has good extras included, but any version of this movie is going to make you happy you bought it. It is an instant classic by one of the greatest American directors ever.

long live Jack Nicholson!.......2007-06-27

very good movie liked it very much. appreciate the work of Nicholson and the other actors I hope we will see much more of that great Actor.
The movie itself is a hell of a good movie when it comes to story good picture quality defenetly a buy.

Average customer rating:

Drawn Out
Nice Suprise
Beyond Third Rock
Well-acted "psychological noir."
A Thriller That Is Also a Compelling Character Study.

The Lookout
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt , Jeff Daniels , Matthew Goode , Isla Fisher , and Carla Gugino
Director: Scott Frank
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000QFCD8Q
Release Date: 2007-08-14

Description

Acclaimed screenwriter Scott Frank (Out Of Sight and Get Shorty) makes a mind-blowing directorial debut in The Lookout, a gritty, high-tension crime thriller starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt (TV's Third Rock From The Sun, Brick), Jeff Daniels (RV) and Isla Fisher (Wedding Crashers). Chris "Slapshot" Pratt (Gordon-Levitt), whose once-bright future has been dimmed by a severe head injury, is a night janitor at a bank. Lonely and frustrated, Chris falls prey to a con man's seductive promise of romance and a better life, and agrees to help rob the bank where he works. Filled with heart-pounding action, edge-of-your-seat suspense and a twist you'll never see coming, The Lookout will grip you and never let go.

Customer Reviews:

Drawn Out.......2007-09-12

The problem I have with this movie is it spends a long time developing charactors that have no impact on the plot. The overall premise of the film has potential, but you spend over an hour watching people interact with each other that have absolutely no bearing on the point. For example, the janitor's family- why spend a 1/2 hour at Thanksgiving dinner with these unimportant cast members? The stripper girlfriend of the main actor- she is introduced, developed, then never seen again after the bank heist. The blind roommate- why does this guy even exist? He adds nothing to the plot, and despite his constant skeptisicm of the janitor's new friends, he helps him in no way.

This movie is a very basic tale of scheming burglars trying to capitalize on a simple-minded janitor. If they kept along those lines, this film could have been better. The director tries way too hard to make this a complex, intelligent thriller by developing cast members just for the sake of doing so. In reality, this is a 1/2 hour short story on HBO late night. I'll give it 2 stars for being mildly entertaining.

Nice Suprise.......2007-09-11

This is one of those little films that can easily be overlooked. It didn't get a 3000 screen wide release, it doesn't take up 6 shelves at the local video store, and it doesn't make it to the top of any sales list. Still, this is a quality film both in acting and story. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is terrific as is his co star Jeff Daniels. This is the story of a young man who had it all, then lost it. This is about what he would be willing to do to get back even a portion of even the normalcy of his previous life. Working as a janitor with short term memory problems, some physical limitations and rooming with a blind man. Chris is befriended by a group of guys who need him to help him rob the bank he works for. This is an interesting story and very well worth the watch.

Beyond Third Rock.......2007-08-30

If you haven't checked out Joseph Gordon-Levitt since he played the part of Tommy on Third Rock From the Sun you are missing out on a very talented actor. Levitt's portrayal of a brain injured young man in this movie is a very convincing and moving one.

Well-acted "psychological noir.".......2007-08-27

First of all, let me say that the best reason to see this film is to enjoy the nuanced, assured performance from Joseph Gordon Levitt. He has now totally left 3RD ROCK (on which he was very good) behind, and can now be taken totally seriously as a film actor. As the star of THE LOOKOUT, he's forced to play a person who is something of a cypher (due to the horrific accident in the first scene of the film that leaves him a shell of a man, MEMENTO-like). He's trying to rediscover himself, his motivations and his personality. Yet Levitt never just puts on a blank face and let's that act for him (Tobey Maguire anyone?). You can see his mind working, his wheels SLOWLY grinding if you will. It's a subtle work, and he makes his character very sympathetic. And this is an important accomplishment, because if we can't look past his faults (which are deep and considerable) we can't get caught up in rooting for him.

The script is the next best thing. It's an inventive story. Some call it a heist movie...but truthfully, the heist is really only a small part of the film and isn't even mentioned until nearly the midway point of the film. It's a dark film, but it's not a crime film. While the idea of a character with severe memory problems is not totally original (again, MEMENTO springs to mind), it does get a grittier take. It's less concerned with using the memory problems to have clever temporal surprises...it's interested in seeing how these problems eat away at Levitt. This is the heart of the film.

Jeff Daniels plays Levitt's roommate, a blind man who serves as friend, advisor and sometime moral compass. Again, the part could be one-dimensional...but Daniels never gives easy or uninteresting performances. He isn't always in great films...but he's always terrific himself.

My biggest complaint about the movie is the "bad guys." Their motivations aren't as developed as Levitt's. They seem a little bit generic. They are amazingly stupid...which is actually believable...but they are only sketchy in their menance. Certainly, we hate them and root against them...but they aren't fascinating. Isla Fisher plays Levitt's "love interest," whose motivations are far from pure...and while she is a beguiling presence...her character is underwritten.

Despite these weaknesses, the movie is quite tense, and the final 15 minutes or so, when the heist plays out...are pretty DARN TENSE indeed. I was on the edge of my seat. And while the ending isn't quite a stunner...it DOES have a quiet power...just like the rest of this off-beat, dark and highly original little film. Check it out!

A Thriller That Is Also a Compelling Character Study. .......2007-08-24

"The Lookout" is an unusual character study fitted into a heist film mold. Chris Pratt (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) was a star high school athlete with a bright future before a prom night auto accident left him with a traumatic brain injury. Now he gets through his daily routine only with the aid of notes and his roommate Lewis (Jeff Daniels). Four years after the accident, Chris works as a night janitor in a bank and aspires to be a teller. He is befriended by a man named Gary Spargo (Matthew Goode), who claims to be an old acquaintance. Gary flatters, cajoles, and gets Chris a girlfriend (Isla Fisher) in order to lure Chris into helping him rob the bank.

"The Lookout" takes too long to arrive at the meat of the story, but it does eventually get there. That's the only fault I find with this otherwise impressive directorial debut by screenwriter Scott Frank. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is one of the most charismatic actors working in film. Chris struggles with his limitations, with powerlessness, and most of all, with the aching memory of what he once was. And we root for him. Cinematographer Alar Kivilo has done a wonderful job of recreating the bleak Kansas winter landscape that accentuates Chris' isolation. Chris' cognitive problems are somehow a more compelling obstacle than thrillers or character dramas usually offer. Fans of both genres won't want to miss "The Lookout".

The DVD (Miramax 2007): "Behind the Mind of Chris Pratt" (9 min) primarily features Joseph Gordon-Levitt discussing Chris and how he prepared to portray someone with a brain injury. "Sequencing The Lookout" (20 min) interviews Scott Frank and the producers about the inspirations for the script, themes, and the actors. Production designer David Brisbin talks about locations in Canada, and the cast is interviewed. There is an audio commentary by writer/director Scott Frank and cinematographer Alar Kivilo. I am always grateful for commentaries by cinematographers, and this one is all about how and why the visuals were achieved. Lots of info about camera work, locations, sets, etc. Subtitles available for the film in English SDH, French, Spanish. Dubbing available in French.

High School Musical (Two-Disc Remix Edition)

Average customer rating:

A Must Have
A Whiff of Fascism
Bring Back Grease!
Well, the story line was good...
A Great Movie Okay Songs Bad Basketball

High School Musical (Two-Disc Remix Edition)
Starring: Zac Efron , Vanessa Anne Hudgens , Ashley Tisdale , Lucas Grabeel , and Monique Coleman
Director: Kenny Ortega
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Disney Channel's High School Musical DVD Board Game

ASIN: B000I2J6SM
Release Date: 2006-12-05

Amazon.com

On the DVD
The two-disc Remix Edition of High School Musical retains all the bonus features of the original DVD and adds a Spanish audio track and 34 minutes of new features. Following a couple minutes of red-carpet interviews from the DVD release party, "High School Reunion" (6 min.) gathers the cast for some more interviews, glimpses of their other Disney Channel credits, and appearances on the Teen Choice Awards and in London and Sydney. The longest feature is the dance-along, in which the cast teaches the choreography for "Get'cha Head in the Game" and "We're All in This Together." At 16 minutes, it allows for move-by-move instruction followed by half- and full-speed runthroughs, though they're facing the camera, so home participants will have to figure out the mirror image or simply ignore the left-right directions and do it backward. And because this is the Remix Edition, there are videos of the remixed versions of "Breaking Free" and "We're All in This Together" as well as a video of "Eres Tu," a Spanish version of "What I've Been Looking For" (the Ryan and Sharpay version) by Mexican band Belanova. Retained from the original DVD are the sing-along subtitles, the making-of featurette, the "Bop to the Top" rehearsal, and the music videos for "We're All in This Together" and "I Can't Take My Eyes Off of You." Not included in this version: the trivia-packed "pop-up edition" that debuted on the Disney Channel on Thanksgiving weekend 2006. So even if the Remix Edition is a little thin for two discs, fans will enjoy the new stuff while they wait for High School Musical 2. --David Horiuchi

Description

The power of music explodes in this spectacular, show-stopping, two-disc REMIX EDITION of the Emmy(R) Award-winning HIGH SCHOOL MUSCIAL! The smash-hit Disney Channel Original Movie everyone is talking about now features hours of awesome new bonus features that will rock your world. Take a front-row seat on the red carpet for the star-studded Hollywood premiere, and join the High School Reunion, where the cast reunites in an exclusive interview where they talk about how their lives have changed dramatically since being a part of this movie phenomenon. Plus, stand up and experience the Dance Along (as seen on Disney Channel), where Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, and Ryan give step-by-step instructions to popular dance sequences "Get'cha Head In The Game" and "We're All In This Together." Hear two exclusive remix versions of your favorite songs and watch three new music videos. HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL REMIX EDITION is everything you've been looking for -- and more!

Customer Reviews:

A Must Have.......2007-09-08

A Whiff of Fascism.......2007-09-06

Bring Back Grease!.......2007-09-01

Well, the story line was good..........2007-09-01

A Great Movie Okay Songs Bad Basketball.......2007-08-27

Average customer rating:

Great action movie
Excellent action with excellent picture...
more than I expected
Interesting set-up, technical skill, weak lead, unable to sustain itself
Excellent movie - great on Blu-ray

Shooter [Blu-ray]
Starring: Ned Beatty , Tate Donovan , Danny Glover , Levon Helm , and Elias Koteas
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: Blu-ray

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ASIN: B000QUEQBS
Release Date: 2007-07-31

Product Description

Paramount Shooter (Blu-ray)
Get ready for edge-of-your-seat thrills as Mark Wahlberg ignites the screen in his most compelling role yet: the "Shooter." When respected former Marine scout sniper Bob Lee Swagger (Wahlberg) is pressed into service to stop an assassination attempt against the President, the unthinkable occurs: he's double-crossed and framed for the attempt. Determined to prove his innocence,the rogue shooter is now in a high-tension race from every law enforcement agency in the country and a shadowy organization that wants him dead. From"Training Day" director Antoine Fuqua comes a gripping film co-starring Danny Glover ("Lethal Weapon 4") and Michael Pena ("World Trade Center"). Joel Siegel of Good Morning America proclaims that "'Shooter' is a thriller ...with a ton of white-knuckle action.".

Amazon.com

A movie that would not have been out of place in the run of paranoid-political thrillers of the 1970s, Shooter works an entertaining variation on the assassination picture. Mark Wahlberg, carrying over good mojo from The Departed, slides neatly into the character of Bob Lee Swagger, master marksman. Swagger has retreated from his duty as an off-the-books hired gun for the military, having become disillusioned with his government (switching on his TV at his remote mountain cabin, he mutters, "Let's see what kind of lies they're trying to sell us today."). Ah, but the government needs Swagger to scope out the location of a rumored attempt on the life of the president, so a shadowy government operative (Danny Glover) begs Swagger to use his sniper's skills to out-fox the assassin. From there--well, spoilers are not fair, since the movie has a few legitimate shocks and a very nice wrong-man scenario about to unfold.

A novel by the Washington Post's Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic Stephen Hunter gives the movie a logical spine, even if the premise itself is the stuff of conspiracy theorists. Wahlberg gets support from Michael Pena, as a skeptical FBI agent; Kate Mara, as a trustworthy widow; and Ned Beatty, trailing along memories of Network, as a supremely cynical Senator. Along with the well-executed action sequences (the previously unreliable director Antoine Fuqua gets it in gear here), the movie includes a few potshots at the Bush administration. No, that doesn't put Shooter at the level of The Parallax View or All the President's Men, but it provides some tang along with the flying bullets. --Robert Horton

Beyond Shooter

More Sniper / Hit Man Movies on DVD
More DVDs with Mark Wahlberg
The Novel

Stills from Shooter (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

Great action movie.......2007-08-14

This was an excellent movie. I have not seen an action movie like this since the 70s, 80s and early 90s.The picture is outstanding, sometimes it looks as though you are looking at a poster instead of a television.

Excellent action with excellent picture..........2007-08-13

I hope you are not looking for a movie that is a totally new storyline. This movie doesn't really dwelve deep into a story. It is actually quite political and for those paying attention their are some jabs at the current administration. I wont get into that part but it is there.

What I really enjoyed was the almost constant action. It was intense from the get go without being overly violent. Mark Wahlberg is an excellent actor and that is evident here. The movie starts with soldiers on a top secret mission. Wahlberg is a sniper and his spotter gets killed in the first part of action. This causes Wahlberg to retire until he is called back into action by the US government.

The movie doesn't get stale at any points and is constantly moving. You don't need to put much thought into anything that happens since it is explained well. The movie goes from location to location all over the United States and has a climatic almost predictable finish.

If you are looking for a fun action movie where you can get into the intensity this is it. I would say this is a must have for any action afficianodo. Also it's almost a must have for anyone with a home theatre set up. If you have a blu-ray this is a must have rental if not purchase.

more than I expected.......2007-08-12

Very enjoyable movie. More than I expected. I watched 300 just before this, it blows it away both in terms of enjoyment and visual quality. I think it looks better than Crank and Casino Royale. If you're looking for a movie to check out your Blu-ray machine, this is the one (I am using PS3 with 1080i component). I was constantly screwing with my television to see if something was wrong with my picture settings when watching 300. Not so with Shooter, it looked 10x better. Also, as a sidenote, what is up with Danny Glover's lisp? Too much hallucinogenics?

Interesting set-up, technical skill, weak lead, unable to sustain itself.......2007-07-31

This is an action-adventure movie that may be aspiring to serious themes. Despite an imaginative, well-executed, grand-scale set-up, some good attention to technical detail, and some exciting moments, the movie falls short of its promise as an action movie and never develops into anything more. Unfortunately, a combination of elements in the film has led to commentary that reflects more about the reviewers than the quality of the movie, that hypes the movie far beyond its overall merits, and that does not want to hear any inconvenient criticisms. Whether or not it spoils the party, what is needed here is some even-handed straight-shooting.

The movie touches on some interesting ideas. The film sketches a picture of how much power and trust a government can have when there is a terrorist threat and what might happen if a well-connected, corrupt organization exploited them to frame an innocent person for a crime it commits. The well-trained, brave, serious-minded, determined hero faces the impossible situation of having not only the criminals but the entire weight of law enforcement and the public against him. With grit and technical skill, the generally fast-paced movie shows smart, tough, resourceful ways in which he might try to survive and strike back, despite the staggering odds.

The problem is that it soon becomes clear that the movie has little more to offer than technical details of weaponry and tactics, high-tech gadgetry, special effects, and vague, pretentious innuendo, clichés, and catch-phrases about business and government corruption (no wonder some view it as taking political cheap-shots). There is no real depth or development to the characters, dialogue, story, or any larger themes. The ambitious set-up and window-dressing only raise expectations that the movie cannot or does not deliver on for how the high-stakes events will be explained and resolved. The book must have been better than this.

The supporting cast includes actors such as Danny Glover, Ned Beatty, and Michael Sandor, who at least bring some zest to undeveloped material (Elias Koteas' comic-book role as the villains' sadistic, sneering, heavy-breathing henchman does not even involve acting). But Mark Wahlberg is weak as the lead. His portrayal is flat and inarticulate, never more so than with the supposedly pivotal line, "They killed my dog." His line about working for but hating the government is supposed to be meaningful but comes across as mere smart-aleck cynicism. In fact, he fails to effectively convey a single memorable line or idea. He acts grim and close-mouthed but not passionately intense. He is serious but not charismatic. He lacks the confident authority, command, maturity, and seasoning that Steven Seagal brought to the Under Siege films. Even worse, the actor playing Wahlberg's FBI partner seems as unimpressive and out-of-his-depth as his character.

The FBI agent ends up teaming with Wahlberg as a result of unexplained motivations and unlikely events. But the agent is played as a confusing, unlikable drudge, right from his very first annoying moments on screen. At times, he acts like an eagle-eye, encyclopedic-brain professional, at others like a dunce, with no explanation for the inconsistent, exaggerated, and unsatisfying portrayals. How does the hero possibly have the time to whip him into shape as a reliable, lean, mean fighting machine? Overall, the few character touches that the movie does bother to include too often go awry, and the characters are even flatter, stiffer cardboard cut-outs than one would expect from a movie like this.

The criminal organization -- superficially represented by a few colorful, stock characters -- is horribly ill-defined, as is any government role in it. The sometimes sinister-seeming actions or dialogue of FBI higher-ups and the frequent placement of the criminal masterminds in what look like government settings create the impression that the villains are actually part of a government agency. If the movie is trying to imply that the criminals and the government are one and the same, then the effort comes across as a cheap gimmick because no serious attempt is made to credibly explain who they are and how they are working together (a lone, grandiosely corrupt U.S. Senator from a relatively uninfluential wilderness state and an ex-Colonel are the only links?) Some reviews try to fill the gap by dressing up the movie with what may be nothing more than their own agenda-driven preconceptions or dark, all-knowing, hollow rhetoric about "U.S. intelligence and security forces." The more details that the movie itself gives, the more implausible the story becomes. The increasingly ineffective way the criminals behave takes a toll on the credibility of their execution of so masterful an initial crime.

The villains are careless in figuring out late the identity of the hero's other, first accomplice. The movie tries to explain this, and it could be excused as making the point that even the most technologically savvy, well-planned operations can still fall victim to simple human error. But less excusable is the failure of the hero (whose mind otherwise seems to work like a steel trap) to realize that his accomplice (who simply returns home after helping him) is in great danger. So at the expense of the hero's character, and of victimizing the accomplice, the movie has the hero do something stupid simply to supply a plot gimmick.

The hero's ability to find out information and obtain resources while on the run become increasingly unbelievable. How, for example, does he know just when to show up in a boat with a high-powered rifle to foil an elaborate attempt to stage the suicide of the FBI agent (who has been investigating on his own and been abducted and beaten senseless by thugs; that Wahlberg himself sets up the agent is no answer at all; how can he be sure to follow the thugs, undetected, and show up at just the right moment, perfectly outfitted and situated with rifle and boat, to stop the finger on the trigger?) The way the FBI agent learns highly classified information on the run from a colleague is a huge stretch. By the end, the movie stops even trying to credibly explain Wahlberg's actions, such as how he is able to get the jump on snipers on the snow-capped mountain.

Despite some attention to detail, the three supposedly climactic end scenes are a mess. They include defeating the snipers without any explanation and especially burning critical, hard-won evidence for no good reason (Wahlberg's mumbled, incoherent excuse is the low point of the movie); a melodramatic stunt with a rifle to show his innocence in front of no less than the U.S. Attorney General himself (who cares if some higher-up elsewhere in the government asked for the meeting; why would they do so, and in this form?); and a crude, unimaginative final shootout scene. They are choppy, slow-paced, unexplained, implausible, contrived, and fall far short of a meaningful, dramatic resolution.

This is an overall assessment of what was actually on the screen, not an attempt to fit or dress up the movie into some preferred mold or image, to see in it what is not there, or to see only the parts of it one wants to see. Others can indulge in: the breathless celebration of a mindless action rush; blind fan-club cheerleading for Mark Wahlberg; immersion in weapons, tactics, technology, or special-effects fetishes; self-righteous reveling in pseudo-sophisticated pet political conspiracy theories; or any other special-interest hobby-horse that might lead a review to become so long on hype that the actual movie gets lost, reduced to a flimsy, hollow piece of fiction by comparison. While the movie has some skillful, interesting, and entertaining elements, the characters and story skate by too much on the surface and come to too clumsy a conclusion to be satisfying, especially given the grand scale and stakes at which it is playing.

Excellent movie - great on Blu-ray.......2007-06-30

This is the best movie I've seen in a long time. It has lots of action, suspense, and has a great story. The picture quality is unbelievably clear and sharp. Overall, a top notch movie.

Average customer rating:

Tempers Are Flaring
1 OF THE BEST SHOWS I HAVE SEEN
THOSE WERE THE DAYS
John Turturro as Billy Martin is the one who is on fire in "The Bronx if Burning"
The Real Summer of George (and Billy, and Reggie, and...)

The Bronx is Burning
Starring: Loren Dean , Joe Grifasi , Dan Lauria , Josh Pais , and Oliver Platt
Director: Jeremiah S. Chechik
Manufacturer: Espn
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000R7HY46
Release Date: 2007-09-25

Description

In the summer of `77, New York was a city in crisis. Terrorized by the Son of Sam serial killer, divided by a bitter mayor's race and devastated by rampant arson and looting following a paralyzing citywide blackout, the Big Apple found renewed hope and inspiration in the on-and-off field exploits of baseball's most storied franchise, The New York Yankees. Although deeply embroiled in an explosive three-way power struggle between meddlesome owner George Steinbrenner (Oliver Platt), combative manager Billy Martin (John Turturro) and egocentric superstar slugger Reggie Jackson (Daniel Sanjata), the Yankees managed to overcome their personality clashes and capture their first World Series championship in 15 years and, in doing so, helped win the hearts of New Yorkers struggling to recover from the most tumultuous year in the city's history. Based on the best selling novel, this inspiring 8-part miniseries is jam-packed with gripping drama and excitement.

Customer Reviews:

Tempers Are Flaring.......2007-09-03

It's going, it's going, it is OUTTA HERE! The Bronx Is Burning turns its attention on a very specific time in New York City history and the result is a major league hit. There are even moments of (Forrest Gump/Zelig)-esque wizardry where documentary footage is kluged with new footage - it's never convincing enough to pass for real, but it's fun. Even without this techno-trickery the series succeeds in transporting viewers to a turbulent time in NYC history when a lot of things were going wrong all at once. The long overdue resurgence of baseball's legendary franchise, The Yankees, was just what the doctor ordered to help an ailing city feel better about itself.

The only missteps arise from sections devoted to Son of Sam and the Mayoral race; we're never quite certain how relevant these dramas are, or their relationship to the central story. The actual interviews of participants, by contrast, work very well. Interviews with Yankee players - including Jackson, sports writers, and Steinbrenner himself, add authority to the story and give a visceral sense of the sustained dysfunction that characterized the team that year. Only Martin is missing from these interviews - even in history he is trivialized.

The drama here arises from a tough drive to the World Series, but the action, and the fun, come from an ongoing battle between three myopic egos that never manage to put their differences aside. It is a battle of titans and they share the blame equally - indeed - given the situation it's a miracle the team made the playoffs. Steinbrenner - the owner - is a grandiose, bombastic micro-manager. Martin - a brilliant player and manager - demonstrates levels of passive aggression and self-destruction so profound they could be record setting. Jackson embodies the sports super-star celebrity nincompoop - he seems to have been invented to illustrate the phrase - "a legend in his own mind."

Turturro is amazing as Martin - Martin is a complex man, part megalomaniac, part hapless victim, part creep - Turturro expresses this entire range effortlessly. Daniel Sanjata has his hands full as Jackson - in many ways Jackson is a larger than life figure - just ask him. But Sanjata not only looks like Jackson, he manages to express Jackson's clueless narcissism faultlessly. But the real star turn of this terrific series is Oliver Platt as George Steinbrenner. Platt's portrayal of Steinbrenner is more like Steinbrenner than Steinbrenner ever was on his best day. Every minute Platt is on screen is a pleasure to watch. The Bronx Is Burning is an absolutely splendid piece of entertainment.

1 OF THE BEST SHOWS I HAVE SEEN.......2007-08-31

This was one of the best series I have seen in a long long time. I am NOT a yankees fan at all (its the mets for me), however, i was very impressed with the history of the team portrayed in this mini-series. The acting was excellent; the mingling of the "real-life" footage with the tv show made this show even more credible. You can actually get chills watching the scenes of the baseball games when they go back & forth with the real games and the acted ones - Besides loving the show, I looked forward each week to the "back-story" even more. Although I do love baseball, what makes this series so interesting, is all the other stories going on, other than baseball. I hope this series gets nominated for an emmy and certainly the actors deserve nominations as well! I only wish it wasn't over! Excellent, excellent, excellent!

THOSE WERE THE DAYS.......2007-08-30

Being a true baseball fan (redsox fan), i couldn't help but to watch this mini -series because i was only 8 years old in 1977 and i remember just seeing pictures of those games on the front page of the newspaper that i picked up (on peoples front lawns) walking to school and hearing people talkin about it. It was a classic time and baseball and broadcasting will never be that classic again. I think the show was very... very... GOOD... VERY TOP NOTCH STUFF and i will buy it on DVD. I hope ESPN does more series like this !!!

John Turturro as Billy Martin is the one who is on fire in "The Bronx if Burning".......2007-08-29

"The Bronx is Burning" is ESPN's mini-series about the 1977 New York Yankees, when owner George Steinbrenner (Oliver Platt), brought in Reggie Jackson (Daniel Sunjata) to play for manager Billy Martin (John Turturro). Martin wanted Bobby Grich to play shortstop, not to mention wanting to bat Chris Chambliss clean-up instead of Jackson. The headlines are talking about how man