Batman Begins [HD DVD]

Amazon.com

Batman Begins discards the previous four films in the series and recasts the Caped Crusader as a fearsome avenging angel. That's good news, because the series, which had gotten off to a rousing start under Tim Burton, had gradually dissolved into self-parody by 1997's Batman & Robin. As the title implies, Batman Begins tells the story anew, when Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) flees Western civilization following the murder of his parents. He is taken in by a mysterious instructor named Ducard (Liam Neeson in another mentor role) and urged to become a ninja in the League of Shadows, but he instead returns to his native Gotham City resolved to end the mob rule that is strangling it. But are there forces even more sinister at hand?

Co-written by the team of David S. Goyer (a veteran comic book writer) and director Christopher Nolan (Memento), Batman Begins is a welcome return to the grim and gritty version of the Dark Knight, owing a great debt to the graphic novels that preceded it. It doesn't have the razzle dazzle, or the mass appeal, of Spider-Man 2 (though the Batmobile is cool), and retelling the origin means it starts slowly, like most "first" superhero movies. But it's certainly the best Bat-film since Burton's original, and one of the best superhero movies of its time. Bale cuts a good figure as Batman, intense and dangerous but with some of the lightheartedness Michael Keaton brought to the character. Michael Caine provides much of the film's humor as the family butler, Alfred, and as the love interest, Katie Holmes (Dawson's Creek) is surprisingly believable in her first adult role. Also featuring Gary Oldman as the young police officer Jim Gordon, Morgan Freeman as a Q-like gadgets expert, and Cillian Murphy as the vile Jonathan Crane. --David Horiuchi

Batman at Amazon.com

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Batman Begins 101: A Comic Book Primer
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Batman Begins Soundtrack

Stills from Batman Begins (click for larger images)

DVD Features

The first disc is filled out by the theatrical trailer and a Jimmy Fallon-starring Batman Begins spoof from the MTV Movie Awards. The second disc consists of eight featurettes (about 105 minutes total) on a variety of topics. "The Journey Begins" covers the early stages of the movie, including the casting and how director/co-writer Christopher Nolan brought in co-writer David S. Goyer for his comic-book expertise. "Shaping Mind and Body" covers Christian Bale's fight training, and other featurettes discuss the sets (the Batcave is shown being constructed out of wood and sheets), the Batman costume, the Batmobile, the monorail sequence, and the hazards of filming in Iceland. All the behind-the-scenes featurettes are solid but somewhat routine, and while "The Journey Begins" is the widest overview, there's not really any centerpiece documentary (all are 8 to 15 minutes, and there's no Play All option). Interviewees tend to be the same throughout: Nolan, Goyer, Bale (the only cast member to get much face time), and other crew members (it's nice to hear from the stunt people).

Potentially more interesting to fans is "Genesis of the Bat," which covers the comic books that influenced the film, including The Long Halloween, Neal Adams's Ra's Al Ghul from the '70s, Dennis O'Neill and Dick Giordano's The Man Who Falls, and Frank Miller's Batman: Year One and The Dark Knight Returns. Interviewees include DC Comics editor Paul Levitz and artist Jim Lee, but the latter's involvement eventually degrades the featurette into a pitch for DC's All-Star Batman line. A nice bonus to the Deluxe Edition is a mini comic book (DVD case-sized) that has Batman's first appearance (Detective Comics #27), The Man Who Falls, and a 48-page excerpt from The Long Halloween. (Once you get a taste of Halloween, you'll want to pick up the full-length, full-size version.) Filling out the disc are overviews of four gadgets and eight characters, DVD-ROM features, and a variety of poster-art concepts. To get to the features menu, you have to scroll through a multi-page Goyer-scribed comic book, which is a good read, but you can't skip it the next time you want to watch the second disc. Note that the comic book is also viewable in French, and the second disc offers a French menu and French (but not English) subtitles for the featurettes. --David Horiuchi

Description

Batman Begins explores the origins of the Batman legend and the Dark Knight's emergence as a force for good in Gotham. In the wake of his parents' murder, disillusioned industrial heir Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) travels the world seeking the means to fight injustice and turn fear against those who prey on the fearful. He returns to Gotham and unveils his alter-ego: Batman, a masked crusader who uses his strength, intellect and an array of high tech deceptions to fight the sinister forces that threaten the city.

Customer Reviews:

I liked American Psyco better.......2007-09-12

I got that batmobile for my son thats probably the best part of the movie. They need to make that next movie they hinted at in the end with the joker. Bottom line- roof top batmobile chase, more please, Christian Bale batman eeeygh I don't think so.Batman Begins Deluxe Batmobile Vehicle

Batman Is Worth the extra cash for this HD-DVD.......2007-09-11

Batman Begins as a movie is great. The plot and settings of the movie really makes it feel like a real batman movie. Not colorful and very dark. The HD DVD transfer is amazing, with black levels beyond belief. If you have the standard def version and compare it to the HD version, you will notice a huge difference on any size high def t.v thats over 27 inches. I recommend this to any HD DVD owner, even if you have the standard dvd. a must.

Deffects Absent.......2007-09-06

Tim Burton's original Batman was truly groundbreaking and did deserve the huge amounts of praise it recieved (I never really cared for any of the sequels. While the Joker was surreal, at least he was accetable. Batman Returns carried the unreality a little far). However, it was flawed. Mainly, it was small things that caught my attention, such as the fact that Batman's suit was so stiff that he could hardly fight in it (did it bother anybody else that he couldn't even turn his neck?) and the movie made me wonder how organized crime could realisticly be so obvious in a city and no one do anything about it. Batman Begins makes the corruption of Gotham's judicial system and police department very real and makes you realize that an independent like Batman, as unlikely a hero as he is, is badly needed. And instead of skirting around the issues with the batsuit we finally see every part of it explained from the horns on his head to the reason for the design of his cape and(GASP!) it actually seems plausable, even almost likely. Other pluses include: Unlike in so many other movies, the special effects are not just there for themselves, but really add to the story. Other portrayals of Batman make him seem unstable and even dangerous to those he is supposedly protecting, while here he is an immovable, if dark, force for good with solid, sain reasons for doing what he does. (This movie just goes to show how adaptable Batman really is. There are so many good ways to portray him!) The villains, too, are unbelievably lifelike considering their origins (like Batman, the comics), good acting and a well devised plot draw you in and keep you wide-eyed, and, though some may say the movie was just too long, I loved every minute of it!

One of the best to show off your HD system!.......2007-09-01

I've noticed that everyone wants to review the film but nobody talks about its HD muscle. After buying many HD-DVDs I will say that Batman Begins is the overal best combination of amazing picture and fire setting audio! The Dolby TruHD audio track is stunning and somehow manages to make your house sound more like a movie theater than anything else out there. 100% recommended

Chris Nolan's Superhero Film Noir Restarts The Franchise.......2007-08-23

When I was a kid, I'll admit that I kind of hated Batman, thanks to reruns of the 1960s television series. On TV, Batman was sanctimonious, shallow and corny. In 1989, however, the advent of Tim Burton's Batman movie exposed me to a whole new side of Batman: a flawed, moody outsider who lived in a corrupt, gothic metropolis, and who was more than willing to act lethally if he felt it was needed. Batman became a huge success, and was one of the first "summer megahype movies" to benefit from the new Hollywood press machine. While the movie may have emphasized style over substance, seeing Michael Keaton's Batman (using an arsenal of high-tech vehicles and gadgets) take on Jack Nicholson's deformed Joker was pure entertainment. Batman fever reigned high at the time, but Burton's sequel, "Batman Returns", couldn't match the freshness of its predecessor, despite being a quite solid effort. Keaton and Burton left the franchise, leaving Val Kilmer in the unenviable position of tackling the role of Bruce Wayne in Joel Schumacher's inordinately campy "Batman Forever". Val Kilmer's almost psychadelic take on Batman wasn't enough to overcome the gaudy neons and cartoonish portrayals which plagued the movie; nonetheless, the movie was financially successful. With George Clooney as Batman, 1997's "Batman and Robin" was the inevitable straw that broke the camel's back, and was so terrible that it stalled the careers of Chris O'Donnell and Alicia Silverstone, and led Clooney to admit that he "was the guy who screwed Batman up". It looked like the franchise was dead, and the Batman movie license languished for years in development hell. After some false starts, "Memento" director Chris Nolan was the guy who was to revive the Batman franchise with this movie, which chronicles the very beginning of Batman's career.

While it has become fashionable to subscribe to the revisionist position that Tim Burton's "Batman" was a bad movie, the truth is that Nolan was clearly inspired to some degree by Burton. The look of Batman's armored outfit, the militaristic motif of the Tumbler (aka the Batmobile), the gritty take on city corruption- these are all clearly derived from Burton's work. However, Nolan's Gotham, while still dark and menacing, is not steeped in gothic fantasticism, but rather in a slightly more modern take on the classic noir urban setting of the mid 20th century. The characters are all portrayed and explored much deeper than the 1989 movie, and both the hero and villains behave more realistically.

The storyline hews closer to the various Batman comic books as well. The movie begins with Bruce Wayne (played by "American Psycho" star Christian Bale) locked in an Asian prison, being recruited by the enigmatic Ducard for the League of Shadows, a mysterious organization of vigilantes run by the even more mysterious R'az Al Ghul. Wayne trains to become a crime fighter, and through flashbacks, we see Bruce Wayne's childhood shattered when his wealthy and well-intentioned parents are killed by a desperate mugger. After college, he returns to Gotham City to kill the mugger, who is about to be released in return for testimony, but is beaten to the punch by Carmine Falcone's mob organization. Realizing that mere revenge is a doomed path, Wayne disappears to live life as a criminal, and gain insight. Back in the present day, Wayne is about to be inducted into the League, but things turn sour when he learns their true plans. Barely escaping with his life, Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham with an idea in his head- to create an alter ego which will strike fear into the hearts of criminals. Back in Gotham, he finds his father's company is in danger of losing its way, and is about to go public, thanks to the machinations of Earle, who was trusted with the company. Wayne finds allies in family butler Alfred, Lucius Fox, a former Wayne Enterprise executive who was demoted to a dead-end job in research, Rachel Dawes, his childhood friend turned idealistic assistant D.A., and Sergeant Jim Gordon, an honest cop in a district overrun by corruption. However, things are about to get "complicated", with both Carmine Falcone and corrupt Dr. Jonathan Crane (whose alter ego is the Scarecrow) acting as pawns for an even more sinister force preparing to unleash hell on Gotham.

First off, with the exception of Katie Holmes' flat portrayal of Dawes, the acting is top notch. The cast is a treasure trove of outstanding actors, including Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Rutger Hauer, Tom Wilkinson, Cillian Murphy, and Linus Roache, to mention a few. While some may object to the slower pacing of the movie, it works well, and creates tension. The movie is saturated with browns, yellows and oranges, creating a warm glow to contrast with the sinister atmosphere brought by the story, while the minimalist soundtrack is appropriately gothic when needed. The movie seems busy at times, with not one but three main villains, and the requisite goons. The action sequences are presented at a frantic pace, and some may take issue with Nolan's filming of fight scenes in such an "indirect", chaotic manner. But in the end, this is a superhero movie of the highest order, which tries to balance the fantastic with the realistic, and usually succeeds. The movie viewer has been pretty fortunate with comic book movies as of late, with Superman Returns, the X-Men movies, and the Spiderman movies. By returning to the noir roots explored by Tim Burton, yet filming things his own way, Chris Nolan managed to restart the franchise without disrespecting what was done well in past iterations.

The single disc DVD version has literally no extras, whatsoever. However, the movie was so good I'll overlook it....this time. Whichever version you get, the movie is outstanding.

The Departed (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD]

Average customer rating:

Scorsese made this?
Departed
The Good & Bad Of 'The Departed'
Wonderful Movie
Big let-down.

The Departed (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD]
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio , Matt Damon , Jack Nicholson , and Mark Wahlberg
Director: Martin Scorsese
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

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ASIN: B000M5AJQ8
Release Date: 2007-02-13

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

Description

Rookie cop Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) grew up in crime. That makes him the perfect mole, the man on the inside of the mob run by boss Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). It's his job to win Costello's trust and help his detective handlers (Mark Wahlberg and Martin Sheen) bring Costello down. Meanwhile, SIU officer Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) has everyone's trust. No one suspects he's Costello's mole. How these covert lives cross, double-cross and collide is at the ferocious core of the widely acclaimed The Departed. Martin Scorsese directs, guiding a cast for the ages in a visceral tale of crime and consequences. This is searing, can't-look-away filmmaking: like staring into the eyes of a con - or a cop - with a gun.

Customer Reviews:

Scorsese made this?.......2007-09-14

First, Scorsese is a genius. He really is. Watch five minutes of Taxi Driver or Raging Bull or Goodfellas and you know it. The Departed is not even close to what he has done before. It's a TV show. Of course, there's Jack Nicholson being JACK. I have to admit that DiCaprio is a great actor, but this isn't really worth the time to watch. It falls short in both narrative and acting.

Departed.......2007-09-14

I'm a loyal fan of Scorsese but this one didn't make it to the top. The plot was twisty and the ending unexpected but it left lots of question marks. It felt incomplete.

The Good & Bad Of 'The Departed'.......2007-09-08

A big collection of well-known male actors headed by veteran Jack Nicholson give standout performances. Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon play guys who are both working both sides of the fence and the big suspense revolves around their characters and if they will be found out. The acting is so good it keeps you riveted to the screen.

I did get tired of all the f-words. Usually I could care less, but over 250 of them? Sometimes it seemed like every sentence. It was ludicrous and after awhile, your senses seemed bombarded with it. Every character in here is a scumbag: an untrustworthy person who will sleep with anyone and lie to everyone. Baldwin's character, as an FBI director, was the most ridiculous of them all. Both of these faults are typical for a Martin Scorcese film. Sorry, Marty, but not every person in the world is a low-life. Nonethelss, to be fair, his movies - like this one - are usually interesting, just the sordid stuff done to excess. If you can put up with the latter, you'll like this film a lot.

I do agree with the Amazon reviewers here who think it's a sad comment this won "Picture Of The Year."

Wonderful Movie.......2007-09-08

Awesome is all I can say. This movie keeps you plastered to your seat. The ending is absolutely unexpected.

Big let-down........2007-09-06

I heard so many good things about this movie so I figured it had to be good, so I bought it. Then the problem came when I was watching it, monotony. For a movie labeled as suspense it didn't have very much. Aside from top-rate acting, this movie suffers from a number of issues regarding the speed at which the story moves, such as: slow, slow, and slow. On top of the story running slow, the ending was the most pitiful attempt I've seen in ages. Anyways, I watch a lot of movies, and this one does not show up on must-watch radar in my opinion.

2/5 stars for Jack Nicholson only.

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

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:

Scorsese made this?
Departed
The Good & Bad Of 'The Departed'
Wonderful Movie
Big let-down.

The Departed (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio , Matt Damon , Jack Nicholson , Mark Wahlberg , and Martin Sheen
Director: Martin Scorsese
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000M341QE
Release Date: 2007-02-13

Amazon.com

Description

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 is to end the reign of powerful mob boss Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson) from the inside. A young rookie, Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) is assigned to 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 crimeboss one 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.

Customer Reviews:

Scorsese made this?.......2007-09-14

Departed.......2007-09-14

I'm a loyal fan of Scorsese but this one didn't make it to the top. The plot was twisty and the ending unexpected but it left lots of question marks. It felt incomplete.

The Good & Bad Of 'The Departed'.......2007-09-08

Wonderful Movie.......2007-09-08

Awesome is all I can say. This movie keeps you plastered to your seat. The ending is absolutely unexpected.

Big let-down........2007-09-06

Average customer rating:

HANNAH MONTANA POP STAR PROFILE
So Far, So Good
Greatest
The episodes are on Disney Channel all the time, and the 'EXTRAS' ARE A JOKE!
Hannah Montana on top of the teen world

Hannah Montana - Pop Star Profile
Starring: Miley Cyrus , and Billy Ray Cyrus
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000OLGCFC
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Amazon.com

Stardom can be a heavy burden for a teenager, but Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus) has always risen above the temptation to flaunt her fame, and firmly resolved to keep her true identity as teen rock star Hannah Montana a secret from her classmates, in favor of being perceived as a typical teenager. Miley's resolve begins to falter in this foursome of episodes when famous television star Jake Ryan (Cody Linley) suddenly shows up as a new student in Miley's class. Initially assuming that Jake is just another snooty superstar, Miley's distaste quickly turns to confusion and jealousy over all the attention her fellow students, including her smitten best friend Lilly (Emily Osment), are lavishing on him. Miley's inner turmoil results in an impulsive confession of her true identity to Jake and a local reporter. Miley's father Robbie Stewart (played by Miley's real-life father and famous country musician Billy Ray Cyrus) helps convince the local reporter that Miley is just another drama-loving teenager with grandiose dreams and typically wacky schemes. A visit from Aunt Dolly (played by country music icon Dolly Parton) helps Miley realize the importance of taking chances and reaching for her dreams. In the end, everyone learns an important lesson about being open-minded and staying true to one's goals and beliefs. Bonus features include a "Nobody's Perfect" stage performance video and a brief "The Real Miley Cyrus" featurette in which Miley talks about her childhood, home life, and relationship with her co-stars. (Ages 7 and older) --Tami Horiuchi

Description

You've got an all-access pass to the exciting life of a celebrity in HANNAH MONTANA: POP STAR PROFILE! Relive Hannah's drama when another big star comes on the scene and shakes things up. Plus, meet Miley Cyrus's real-life family and experience Hannah live in concert! There's a new kid in town, and he might just be more popular than Hannah Montana! Not only is Jake Ryan (Cody Linley) a hottie, he's also a famous actor and the star of his own TV series. While "Miley" tries to keep her superstar identity (and her secret crush) under wraps at school, "Hannah" winds up guest starring on his show -- with an on-screen kiss! As usual, her friends and family come to the rescue, but not before she makes her way through all sorts of hilarious adventures and learns not to judge people -- especially celebrity-type people -- by appearances alone. Y'all are gonna love being insiders in Hannah Montana's rockin' world!

Customer Reviews:

HANNAH MONTANA POP STAR PROFILE.......2007-08-13

THIS WAS A GIFT FOR A FRIENDS CHILDREN AND THEY LOVE IT. BUT THEN WHO WOULDNT ITS HANNAH MONTANA. THANK YOU JANICE AYERS

So Far, So Good.......2007-08-06

"Hannah Montana-Pop Star Profile" takes four episodes of the highly popular Disney Channel series and boxes them into one disc which includes a brief feature on Miley Cyrus (Hannah/Miley Stewart) and a concert performance from the series. The four episodes focus on the relationship between Hannah and her secret crush, Jake Ryan (Cody Linley). For those unaware, Miley is the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus of "Achy Breaky Heart" fame. Sure, that was his first and biggest hit, but there's a whole lot more to the man than that one song. He struggled for a long time with his band in order to make it. Unfortunately the Nashville machine destroyed a wonderful star before he really ever got started with his commercial success. Those years of struggle (and some solid values) bleed through on this DVD and the TV series as a whole. Cyrus' daughter doesn't dress or act like a tramp, respects her dad and other elders (as witnessed with her interaction with the legendary Dolly Parton who shows up as her aunt on one of the episodes), and is generally a very good kid. That, my friend, is rare in Hollywood these days.

The tween and early teen stars of the show are actually very fun to watch, and pull off some very comedic moments for kids and adults without having to make vulgar remarks or resort to sophomoric humor to get a laugh. Yes, it can get silly and giggly at times, but that's what life is like for youngsters between the ages of ten and fourteen. Cast members include Emily Osment (Lilly), Mitchel Musso (Oliver), Billy Ray Cyrus (Robbie) and Jason Earles as Miley's goofy brother, Jackson.

To top things off, the music featured in the series is actually very good pop music. It's clean, inoffensive pop that's never boring. Heck, I catch myself singing "Best Of Both Worlds" sometimes.

The bottom line is this: If you don't want your daughter (or son) copying the bratty, questionable looks and behavior of Avril Lavigne, Ashlee Simpson, or any other soon-to-be-former pop princesses, give "Hannah Montana" a shot. It's fun for the whole family.

Greatest.......2007-07-27

I purchased this for my 9 year old grand-daughter, I became an instant star in her eyes! She just loves it

The episodes are on Disney Channel all the time, and the 'EXTRAS' ARE A JOKE! .......2007-07-25

Plainly and simply, the contents of this DVD to not live up to the commercials on Disney Channel.

The ads are filled with hype about all the extra features, especially the exclusive look at Miley's personal life. The exclusive look is in fact a really - REALLY - quick peek, as it is nothing more than a 5 minute featurette. The other extra is just a Hannah Montana music video, and I won't count the never ending string of previews as extras because they are nothing but ads for other Disney products.

Aside from the less than 10 minutes of bonus material, there are four complete episodes of Hannah Montana. That's great - if you don't have Disney Channel and can't see all of the same episodes several times a week already.

I will say that Hannah Montana is a great show that my whole family enjoys. In fact, the quality of the show is what keeps me from giving this DVD a 1 star rating. However, it did not live up to the expectations set by Disney's advertisments, and was nowhere near worth the money spent on it.

Hannah Montana on top of the teen world .......2007-07-20

Hannah has grown big time in poularity since she has hit the scene. Her music and show spotlight the talent of the young Miley Cyrus. She is a huge hit with teen and preteen girls especially. I think lots of young girls can relate to Miley.The show deals with many trivial problems teen girls have such as school and boys. The show also portrays Miley as someone searching to find who they are but remain grounded. Whether its the music or the lessons Hannah Montana is good program for teens and a bit younger.

National Lampoon's Animal House (Widescreen Double Secret Probation Edition)

Average customer rating:

JOHN LANDIS IS A BABY KILLER
John Belushi at his best
Fun Times
Toga - ToGA - TOGA
Double DOUBLE probation!

National Lampoon's Animal House (Widescreen Double Secret Probation Edition)
Starring: John Belushi , Tim Matheson , John Vernon , Verna Bloom , and Tom Hulce
Director: John Landis
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000A02TZ
Release Date: 2003-08-26

Amazon.com

This is one of those movies that works for all the wrong reasons--disgusting, lowbrow, base humor that we are all far too sophisticated to find amusing. So, just don't tell anyone you still think it's a riot to watch John Belushi as the brutish Bluto slurp Jell-O or terrorize his less-aggressive fellow students. This crude parody of college life in the '60s spawned many imitations, but none could match the fresh-faced talent or bad taste of this huge box office success. (Remember all those toga parties in the '80s?) The first of the National Lampoon movies, this was originally released as National Lampoon's Animal House. Keep an eye out for a very young Kevin Bacon in his first credited screen appearance. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Customer Reviews:

JOHN LANDIS IS A BABY KILLER .......2007-09-12

That's correct.
He killed two small children on the set of "Twilight Zone".
Look it up.

John Belushi at his best.......2007-08-17

What can I say? This movie is one of my all time favorates. The cast of characyers here are awsome.

Fun Times.......2007-07-23

Being in college never looked so good. As part of a fraternity that never graduates, two guys are pledged into the fraternity and let the games begin. There is the toga party and stealing of food from the supermarket. the best part of the film is when they get booted off campus and everything is stripped from their frat house. John Belushi is funny in trying to cheer up everyone. And the most favourite part is the street fair. These guys certainly had fun in college. A great classic movie to watch even now, has a great following. And i am sure there will be more generations to come to discover this movie and take it to their hearts as well.

Toga - ToGA - TOGA.......2007-07-12

A movie that you won't forget. I can't say my college days were anything like the movie, but this is how most people would want to remember the experience. Every person in the movie is a person we have known - the class comedian, the jock, the coolest gal on campus...
Send the kids to grandmama's, draw the shades and turn up the volume, invite a few close friends over and enjoy.

It is that fun, the DVD is a keeper (bottom shelf, locked drawer)...

Double DOUBLE probation!.......2007-07-03

I have a dirty little secret. I hate to admit it, but I will just for you folks: I only recently finally watched ANIMAL HOUSE for the first time. I realize it's been on T.V. a zillion times, but I always deliberately missed it because I have a serious issue with censorship. If I'm going to watch a movie, I want to watch it EXACTLY the way it was supposed to be shown as opposed to some watered-down version that has been edited with a hack-saw.

So, finally, I got around to watching it / buying it. And, it was GREAT! Like a fine wine, it was worth waiting for. This is one of the pioneering movies of the party movie genre. In fact, it could even be considered the grand-daddy of them all!

ANIMAL HOUSE set the standard for everything that the best party films have to offer: raunchy humor, lots of males flunking out of college, an eccentric professor (or two), a sneak-peek @ the frat house milieu, an utter dis-respect for authority and (most importantly for me), lots of gratuitious nudity! If you watch pretty much ANY party movie today, you will readily see the influence of AH. The best ones took the best parts of AH and went off into different directions, while the worst party movies merely tried to rehash aspects of AH in a generic fashion.

There is no question that party movies are not for everyone. If any of the above offends you, you most assuredly will do best to skip over this flick. Nor would I recommend movies like AH to be used as didactic films. Rather, party movies (to me) are kind of a catharsis in that the characters do actions which I would never do myself, but secretly have wanted to.

On another topic, the cast contains quite a few actors who would become big names, such as John Belushi (this is the role he's typically most known for), Kevin Bacon, Donald Sutherland and Karen Allen. For the sake of nostalgia alone this film is worth a look. Just remember: it's OK to visit Animal House every so often - just be sure you don't decide to live there!

Average customer rating:

This was one great "first" movie
Please enter a title for your review
A Comic Book Movie Done Right
best of the Spiderman movies so far
Nothing special

Spider-Man (Widescreen Special Edition)
Starring: Stanley Anderson , Gerry Becker , Jack Betts , Bruce Campbell , and Willem Dafoe
Director: Sam Raimi
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JKCH
Release Date: 2002-11-01

Product Description

Directed by Sam Raimi, Spider-Man centers on student Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) who, after being bitten by a genetically-altered spider, gains superhuman strength and the spider-like ability to cling to any surface. He vows to use his abilities to fight crime, coming to understand the words of his beloved Uncle Ben: "With great power comes great responsibility."

System Requirements:
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Kirsten Dunst, Tobey Maguire.
Directed: Sam Raimi.
Running Time: 121 Minutes, Color.
This film is presented in "Widescreen" format.
Copyright 2002 Colombia Pictures Industries, Inc.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

For devoted fans and nonfans alike, Spider-Man offers nothing less--and nothing more--than what you'd expect from a superhero blockbuster. Having proven his comic-book savvy with the original Darkman, director Sam Raimi brings ample energy and enthusiasm to Spidey's origin story, nicely establishing high-school nebbish Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) as a brainy outcast who reacts with appropriate euphoria--and well-tempered maturity--when a "super-spider" bite transforms him into the amazingly agile, web-shooting Spider-Man. That's all well and good, and so is Kirsten Dunst as Parker's girl-next-door sweetheart. Where Spider-Man falls short is in its hyperactive CGI action sequences, which play like a video game instead of the gravity-defying exploits of a flesh-and-blood superhero. Willem Dafoe is perfectly cast as Spidey's schizoid nemesis, the Green Goblin, and the movie's a lot of fun overall. It's no match for Superman and Batman in bringing a beloved character to the screen, but it places a respectable third. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

This was one great "first" movie.......2007-09-14

I've been a comics fan since the 1950s. I loved all the superhero comics.

Spider-Man was introduced in the early 1960's, along with several other Marvel Super Hero comics. I just loved them all.

In many ways I identified mostly with Spider-Man and Daredevil. They are "human" people, in addition to being superheroes. They have their own emotional problems, and their own challenges in their personal lives.

I anxiously awaited this first Spider-Man movie. I wondered how they could handle a character who's been a part of the comic scene for over 40 years. How could they appeal to "comics veterans" like myself, and to younger people who might be seeing Spider-Man for the first time?

I just loved the movie. It reached me on so many levels. Yes, I loved the thrill of action. I loved Tobey Maguire as Spidey, Kirstin Dunce, as MJ... All of the actors seemed just perfect for the parts they played.

Yes, I can't say it enough. I just loved the first Spider-Man movie, and the second one as well.

Please enter a title for your review.......2007-09-10

If you calculated how many other scenes each scene has relevence to you could show this movie to be statistically less cohesive than most. That's the problem with comic book movies, they try to be an origin story and an ultimate showdown between good and evil and cram it all into 90 minutes. There's no ongoing story throughout most of the movie, every marked out plot point is hit and then forgotten, none having an elaborate enough resolution to engage you before they're over.

A Comic Book Movie Done Right.......2007-09-07

When Spider-Man came out people were finally happy to see a comic book movie do justice. The X-Men movie also came out around this time but before this, Superman: The Movie reigned as the best example of a comic book movie, and this is in no way to say that Superman: The Movie or the first Batman are done badly. They could have been even better.

Spider-Man gives you a great character, plenty of action, and a great storyline. It's what action movies strive to do. And Sam Raimi was the perfect director for this one. With The Evil Dead (Book Of The Dead Limited Edition) and The Evil Dead 2 (Book Of The Dead Limited Edition) people knoew he could give these films justice...and did he ever.

These are two of the most packed DVD's in history. It disects the movie from every angle. Two commentaries, a trivia track, plenty of featirettes, and who knows what else are included on these discs. A Must Have for all comic book fans.

Highly recommended.

best of the Spiderman movies so far.......2007-08-03

I've seen all three of the Spiderman movies and I think that the first one is the best of the franchise so far. It's a great introduction to Spiderman - how he got his powers, etc. Good blend of action, humor, and romance.

Nothing special.......2007-07-14

I've been a spidy fan for ever and when I saw they were making a movie I thought Awesome.The move was'nt bad but tobey in the peter Parker role was a disapointment for me after reading the comics.He made a pretty good spidy but Peter he did not.

Average customer rating:

Fun Spy Flick
alternative
Know In Advance This Is Not An Action Film
A Parable for our times
Sleep-Inducing

The Good Shepherd (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Alec Baldwin , Matt Damon , Robert De Niro , Keir Dullea , and Michael Gambon
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000MXPE7O
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Amazon.com

A complicated movie about the Central Intelligence Agency and its agents, The Good Shepherd isn't your typical spy movie. Though it stars Matt Damon (The Bourne Identity films) and Angelina Jolie (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Lara Croft franchise)--actors with considerable experience in the action-espionage genre--The Good Shepherd requires that they play more subdued and (much less interesting) characters here. The movie focuses on the career or Edward Wilson (Damon), a privileged Yale graduate who goes on to help found the CIA. He is a quiet, serious, and guarded man, even in the most intimate moments with his civilian wife (Jolie, in a role that wastes her talent). Set against a backdrop of real-life events such as the Bay of Pigs, The Good Shepherd is meticulous in creating a realistic timeframe. The film gets a jolt of excitement when Robert DeNiro (in his first directing role since 1993's A Bronx Tale) peppers the screen with appearances by Joe Pesci, Alec Baldwin, and William Hurt. But those moments are too infrequent. At 157 minutes long, the film is crammed with many factual details, but the characters are shortchanged when it comes to development. Viewers have to wonder why anyone, much less someone like Wilson who has everything going for him, would devote his life to a thankless job that brings so little happiness to himself and his family. The Good Shepherd is an ambitious but flawed film. The actors do a formidable job with a well-intentioned but meandering script. However, we meet so many characters and learn so little about each that it's difficult to drum up much empathy for any of them. --Jae-Ha Kim

Description

Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie and Robert De Niro star in this powerful thriller about the birth of the CIA. Edward Wilson (Damon) believes in America, and will sacrifice everything he loves to protect it. But as one of the covert founders of the CIA, Edward's youthful idealism is slowly eroded by his growing suspicion of the people around him. Everybody has secrets…but will Edward's destroy him? With an all-star cast including Alec Baldwin, Billy Crudup, William Hurt, Timothy Hutton and John Turturro, it's the gripping story David Ansen of Newsweek hails as "spellbinding."

Customer Reviews:

Fun Spy Flick.......2007-09-17

I saw this movie in the theaters when it was out and really enjoyed it. I always like Matt Damon in this type of role and all though Angelina Jolie's was a small role she did it beautifully. Matt Damon always seems to get himself stuck in some kind of conspiracy and has to fight his way out. It is the type of role besides Ocean's Eleven Comedies that he has been born for. I would recommend renting this flick.

alternative .......2007-09-10

try "The Company", from TNT. More accurate portrayal of what really happened in the CIA's early days.

I wish I could travel back in time so I could stop myself from watching this movie and go get a cow branding on my a*s instead.

Know In Advance This Is Not An Action Film.......2007-09-07

I had a huge advantage before watching this on DVD. I was told by a good friend that it was extremely slow, and be prepared to be bored out of "my mind." Well, I wasn't bored, maybe because I now expected a slower, non-action-packed CIA-type film....and I wasn't disappointed. Actually, I liked it, mainly because of the cinematography. This is stunning in its photography. Kudos to Director Robert De Niro and Director of Photography Robert Richardson for their work in here.

I also appreciated the low profanity in here. After watching "The Departed," this far-cleaner film was a treat for the ears, too. Yes, there are a handful of 'f-words," but not much else including no blasphemy.

The story winds up presenting an interesting question which is posed to Matt Damon's character, "Edward Wilson." He plays an extremely loyal CIA man, a guy who is straight-arrow and one whose priority is country-first. The dilemma occurs at the end when he must choose between what's best for his son or his country.

It's a thought-out, interesting story that takes a few sides to the left of center more than the right, but is not really a movie with any heavy-handed political agenda, mainly pointing out what it takes to be a successful "spy" and that this unemotional detachment can be rough on some people and their families.

This movie, I suspect, will either put you to sleep or fascinate you.

A Parable for our times.......2007-09-04

I saw more in this movie than a story about the CIA. I saw an exaggerated tale of what many men close to power, whether in the business or political worlds, go through to achieve their business ends. Yes, family and a semblance of humanity are not always sacrificed, but there are those -- call them workaholics, drudges, whatever -- to whom work and order are more important than family and friends. These men enter a cerebral world where they have to live by something not taught at Yale -- their wits -- to survive.

These men (and some women) are all around us. There are decisions made thousands of times a day to put business or political objectives before family and friends, though not always with the dramatic alienation that this movie depicts. But every such decision, compounds over time to produce alienation from loved ones. This movie offers a tale of how a bright and apparently sensitive young man can be molded into a husk of himself by devotion to "pleasing his superiors" and success at all costs, rooted in a 'love of country'.

Matt Damon gives a particularly fine performance.

On a lesser scale of importance, the movie provides a much-needed public airing of the connections between the Bonesmen and the CIA.

Sleep-Inducing.......2007-08-31

I have three things to say about this film:

1. The pace was so incredibly slow that the film was rendered unenjoyable. I get that it was intended to be serious, but it was serious to the point of stagnation. It was serious like a graduate school lecture is serious, but not particularly enjoyable.

2. The lighting was too dark. Again, I get that it is supposed to be a film with a dark, grave subject matter, but I would also imagine that the audience is supposed to be able to actually see the film. I found myself squinting and wishing that someone would turn on the lights.

3. The characters left me cold. I was unable to care about any of them, even Angelina Jolie, and I usually like Angelina Jolie. I just found myself wishing that the film would end. It had a high "so what" factor. This was compounded by the long length and overly complicated plot.

I really liked Robert De Niro's previous directorial effort, "A Bronx Tale." Delightful film. What happened?

Average customer rating:

In summation: Outstanding
WOW
So funny!
Always a great movie!
Good, could have been great

Mulan (Special Edition)
Starring: Miguel Ferrer , Harvey Fierstein , Freda Foh Shen , June Foray , and James Hong
Director: Barry Cook , and Tony Bancroft
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00024I2Z4
Release Date: 2004-10-26

Amazon.com

Solid entertainment from a new group of Disney animators. The story source is a Chinese fable about a young girl who disguises herself as a man to help her family and her country. When the Huns attack China, a call to arms goes out to every village, and Mulan's father, being the only man in the family, accepts the call. Mulan (voiced by Ming-Na Wen, sung by Lea Salonga) has just made a disastrous appearance at the Matchmaker and decides to challenge society's expectations (being a bride). She steals her father's conscription notice, cuts her hair, and impersonates a man to join the army. She goes to boot camp, learning to fit in with the other soldiers with some help from her sidekick, Mushu, a wise-cracking dragon (voiced by Eddie Murphy). She trains, and soon faces the Huns eye-to-eye to protect her Emperor.

The film is gorgeous to look at, with a superior blend of classic and computer-generated animation. Directors Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook make the best of it: a battle in the snowy mountains is as thrilling as the best Hollywood action films. The menacing Huns are not cute but simple and bad. The wickedness is subtle, not disturbing. The film is not a full-fledged musical, as it has only five songs (the best, "Be a Man," is sung during boot camp). Eddie Murphy is an inspired choice for the comic-relief dragon, but his lines are not as clever as Robin Williams's in Aladdin. These are minor quibbles, though. The story is strong, and Mulan goes right to the top of Disney animated heroines; she has the right stuff. --Doug Thomas

Description

1. "An impressive achievement ranking with BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and THE LION KING!" -- Roger Ebert 2. Deleted Scenes -- Never-Before-Heard Song; Alternate Openings 3. Songs of MULAN 4. Music Videos Featuring Jackie Chan, Raven, And Christina Aguilera 5. "Discovering MULAN" -- Embark On A Behind-The-Scenes Adventure With The Filmmakers 6. Early Presentation Reels 7. Progression Reels 8. DisneyPedia: "Mulan's World" -- Explore The Fascinating World Of Ancient China With Your Host, Mushu 9. MULAN Fun Facts 10. Audio Commentary 11. Storyboard-To-Film Comparisons

Customer Reviews:

In summation: Outstanding.......2007-07-13

This is the best animated movie Disney ever made, bar-none. The sum total is greater than the parts, which are oustanding: story, music, artwork, voices, characterization, etc., etc. After umpteen viewings I still laugh at Mushu's zingers. I appreciate even more the un-politically-correct [yuch] honesty: why the culture is male oriented, Mulan's dillemma, her conflicted path and the ultimate truism: nothing succeeds like success.

WOW.......2007-06-27

This is probabily the second best film in the world-next to Pocahontas that is. The songs are all really catchy and the animation is spectacular.

So funny! .......2007-05-23

This is probably one of my favorite Disney movies. (This and Emperor's New Groove). I love when Disney has a sense of humor and you can clearly see it in this one.

Always a great movie!.......2007-05-13

I loved this movie when I was a kid. Even now, when I watch it again, it still is just as great. Perfect for the entire family!

Good, could have been great.......2007-03-19

Being Chinese, I really wanted to love this movie, but it lacks a few key story elements that set "Masterpiece" animated features such as 'Beauty and the Beast' and 'Aladdin' apart from the rest. The animation and sound are fine as they should be and the mountain pass scenes are really cool, especially the part where the huge Mongol hoard comes charging down towards the protagonists in an endless wave of cavalry. The main musical theme "Reflections" is also well written and expresses Mulan's feelings and desires with emotion.

My issues with the movie:

1) The bad guy is certainly bad. He looks bad and he acts bad. However, there isn't really any clear logic or motivation to why he is doing what he's doing. In Beauty and the Beast, Gaston is driven by his egomaniacal desire to have Belle, the one woman in the village who shows no interest in him at all. In Mulan, the bad guy rapes and pillages China because... well... just because. There doesn't appear to be any goal or motivation for him. He destroys simply because he can, which is certainly possible, but makes for a rather flat character. Gaston, Jafar, and Ursula are much more interesting villains.

2) Mulan's romantic partner is kind of a "himbo". He's a pretty boy who doesn't really do much and isn't all that bright. It's not clear to me why Mulan would really want to get together with him other than the fact that he's a good looking dude. Besides that, he doesn't add much to the story. Which leads to my next issue:

3) In the other great Disney features, the lead and their romantic interest share in the resolution of their conflicts and defeat the villian as part of the resolution of the conflict in their romance. In Aladdin, Jasmine and Aladdin battle Jafar together as part of the resolution of the problem where Aladdin lied about being a poor street kid because Jasmine is the Sultan's daughter. Ariel and Eric battle Ursula as part of the romantic conflict brought on by the fact that he is human and she is a mermaid. Eric sees that Ariel is a mermaid in the end and doesn't care. He still risks his life fighting Ursula together with Ariel. In Mulan, it's pretty much just her and the romantic part of the story is an afterthought and they never really get into the issue of resolving that she is "doing a man's job" and shouldn't be in the Chinese army as part of their romantic conflict. It just gets OK'd in the end because she saves the emperor. They don't resolve it between themselves as individuals. Actually, up until the end he still does not accept her until the emperor accepts her. Not very romantic.

4) Finally, the supporting characters don't add much to the story either. The dragon and cricket add a little comedy here and there, but not much else. Some of the soldiers in Mulan's unit had potential, but don't really fully get there.

So, overall I liked the movie, but I didn't love it. This could have been one of their classics if they spent a bit more time developing the story and characters. It looks great, but needed some more under the hood of the story.

Spider-Man 2 (Widescreen Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

This was an excellent sequel
The Best Superhero Movie Ever
My favorite Spider-Man Movie of all three
"Spider-Man 2" Weaves a... Depressing Tale?
Spiderman II..............widescreen

Spider-Man 2 (Widescreen Special Edition)
Starring: Tobey Maguire , Kirsten Dunst , James Franco , Alfred Molina , and Rosemary Harris
Director: Sam Raimi
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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