Fracture (Widescreen Edition)

Amazon.com

Anthony Hopkins plays a brilliant, pathologically serene killer outwitting the good guys at every turn and taking a shine to a twentysomething law enforcer who can't conceal a rural accent and rugged origins. Could it be...? No, not The Silence of the Lambs, but an original mystery, Fracture, which plays a little like Lambs as an episode of Columbo, minus Columbo. Which means the film tells us from the get-go that Hopkins' character, a wealthy engineer, shoots his philandering wife (Embeth Davidtz) and leaves her in a vegetative state. From there, it should be a simple matter for young, assistant District Attorney Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling) to nail Crawford, who provides a full confession and even eschews counsel. That's good for Beachum, a slick winner with a vague background of deprivation, rapidly on his way out of public service after attracting the attention of a deep-pocket, private firm. What he doesn't know, however, is that Crawford has masterminded more than vengeance against his wife, and that the state's case against him is full of pre-arranged holes and a huge time-bomb that will send Beachum scrambling to keep the pieces together.

The story, conceived and co-scripted by Daniel Pyne (Doc Hollywood), goes down easily with a minimum of blood and violence, and should easily appeal to mystery buffs as well as old fans of Hopkins and new admirers of Oscar nominee Gosling (Half Nelson). The latter holds his own in multiple, two-character scenes with the masterful portrayer of Hannibal Lecter, pacing Beachum's reactions to Crawford's polite provocations so everything spills onto his youthful face: torn loyalties, confusion, gullibility. Director Gregory Hoblit (Hart's War), still best-known for decades of distinguished television work (NYPD Blue), brings the necessary intimacy to make the stars' chemistry work effectively. His noirish atmosphere is a little over the top, sometimes pushing the audience to a level of expectation that the film isn't really ready to deliver, but this, overall, is an enjoyable work. --Tom Keogh

Description

Academy Awardï¿½ winner Anthony Hopkins and Academy Awardï¿½ nominee Ryan Gosling are brilliant in this "exceptionally suspenseful nail-biter" (Rex Reed) that's so smart it "doesn't let go, even after the final twist" (Gene Shalit, "Today"). Ted Crawford (Hopkins) brutally murders his wife and calmly waits for the police to arrest him. With the weapon and a signed confession in hand, Deputy D.A., Willy Beachum (Gosling), believes a conviction is a slam dunk; that is until the case completely unravels. Now, with little evidence, Beachum goes head to head with the cunning Mr. Crawford in a desperate search for the truth and the answer to one burning question: How is this guy getting away with murder?

Customer Reviews:

Fracture.......2007-09-17

only Anthony Hopkins can play this type of role and do it justice. The book kept you tied to your chair until it was finished. Spellbinding!

Overly Tricky Plot Makes for Glib Entertainment Thanks Mainly to the Two Leads.......2007-09-17

There's a familiar bag of tricks at work in this 2007 courtroom-driven suspense thriller, and it goes beyond Anthony Hopkins' deliberate echo of Hannibal Lecter in his malevolently amusing performance as Ted Crawford, a wealthy and cuckolded industrial engineer. It involves the intricately plotted, marginally credible screenplay by Daniel Pyne and Glenn Gers, which reminds me of an old episode of Columbo. That's not necessarily a bad thing since those Sunday night shows could be entertaining whodunits, but the derivative veneer of this movie purposefully shortchanges logic for contrived twists. In fact, the central conceit of the film is that we know Crawford shot his beautiful, adulterous wife point blank. The film is really about how he plans to get away with it and how young Willie Beachum, an ambitious and unflagging assistant D.A. bucks the odds and seeks the truth in this case.

Giving away any more is unnecessary, as director Gregory Hoblit is no stranger to the courtroom giving us the equally twist-infested Primal Fear eleven years ago. While the twists are not as pronounced here, they also don't feel as hard-earned here primarily because Crawford and Beachum feel more like archetypes than flesh-and-blood characters. This is where casting helps considerably since Hopkins can evince menace with minimal effort - a blank stare, veiled smirk, the delusion of befuddlement in the courtroom - before you can say The Silence of the Lambs. Impressive in last year's Half Nelson, Ryan Gosling plays Beachum in a likeably braggadocio manner with a heavy Southern accent and a variety of idiosyncratic tics. It is his character that goes through something of an arc from accepting a high-paying job at an exclusive private firm to a personal catharsis over his crusade for justice.

The two principal actors are well matched in their scenes together, even though one is a virtual replay of the one between Hopkins and Jodie Foster in Lambs. The rest of the actors aren't given much leeway to provide any meaningful depth to their characters - David Strathairn, in a complete role reversal from this year's Bourne Ultimatum, as Beachum's moral conscience and current boss, D.A. Joe Labruto; Billy Burke particularly lackluster as the indiscreet detective caught in the middle; Embeth Davidtz making her precious few moments count as Crawford's dissatisfied wife Jennifer; and former Bond girl Rosamund Pike as Nikki Gardner, Beachum's boss at his new firm. Her romantic relationship with Beachum seems like a particularly absurd plot convenience given the impropriety of a senior partner bedding an associate.

The twisty ending satisfies for the obvious reason but is tethered in legal precedents that seem strangely arbitrary (pardon the pun). As part of its set of extras, the 2007 DVD contains two alternatives to the final ending, both making the inevitable a more Baroque-level experience that borders on silly. The other deleted scenes are of marginal interest including two extended variations on the romantic coupling between Gardner and Beachum. While a trailer is included, there is surprisingly no commentary track from either the director or the two principals. For what it's worth, the film is a fun ride for the undemanding because a moment's thought afterward will inevitably spoil your memory of it.

Different Kind of Murder/Suspense Movie!.......2007-09-15

I enjoyed watching this movie a lot as it had some twists and turns in it that I haven't seen in other movies.... this way you won't have figured out the ending before it happens!!

In "Fracture", Anthony Hopkin's character attempts to kill his wife for having an affair with another man. It is no secret that he has attempted to kill his wife as he admits to shooting her to the police. He gets rid of nearly all the evidence, including the murder weapon.

So, now the movie in turn, focuses on how the police and district attorney's office go about making a case for attempted murder. The case seems to be straight forward ENOUGH and SHOULD PROVE TO BE AN EASY TO PROVE..... BUT PROVES TO BE OTHERWISE! Watch Anthony Hopkin's character play cat and mouse with a young, hot shot attorney from the district attorney's office!

'I shot my wife. Prove it.' .......2007-09-13

It has been quite a while since I've seen such a great thriller. This is just a fabulous movie with Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling playing battling characters who engage in a battle of wits. Hopkins plays a husband who discovers his wife having an affair, shoots her, confesses the same night and then has things cleverly arranged where it's almost impossible to convict him. Gosling plays a young, hotshot prosecuting attorney on his way to bigger and better things with a change of scenery to corporate law but gets stuck with this open-and-shut case right before he switches firms. The trouble is, it's a lot more than he figured and he isn't used to losing. Hopkins knows this, of course, and plays on his vanity.

Gosling evolves from a me-only lawyer to someone who really wants justice, even if it costs him. Both characters are cocky and smart and the twists and turns just add to the fun.

I could have watched this story unfold for another two hours and would have been happy to do so, am I'm not one to sit still for long periods these days. That's how good this was. Highly recommended.

Who's the good guy?.......2007-09-06

This film was entertaining, but it was conflicting to see the cat and mouse being played between Gosling and Hopkins. Every time Hopkins was on screen he dominated the dialog, but it was Gosling who managed to portay his own character growth from a disinterested prosecutor with one foot out the door to act like the great lawyer he was supposed to be. My main issue with the movie is that Hopkins is consistently portrayed as a maniacal killer, craftily outsmarting police, and essentially evil incarnate. The fact is that yes, he killed his wife; he killed his cheating wife after having conclusive proof that she was guilty of having an affair. He also managed to ruin the cop who was her lover, and he did so brilliantly. He should have been the hero of this movie, not the villian.

Average customer rating:

I hate it when I know the story from the first five minutes.
If you look close enough, you'll find everyone has a weak spot :-)
Interesting crime but less than stellar delivery
Not 2 Bad
3.5, Ok, But Not Great.

Fracture (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Anthony Hopkins , Ryan Gosling , David Strathairn , Rosamund Pike , and Embeth Davidtz
Director: Gregory Hoblit
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000R4SMD6
Release Date: 2007-08-14

Description

Customer Reviews:

I hate it when I know the story from the first five minutes........2007-09-04

This movie was pretty good, except as a mystery it gives too many clues from the onset. The whole time I felt like talking to the screen. Although the acting was much better than average and the cinematic directing very engrossing, the story was too weak to match, and failed to engage any empathy with any of the characters.

Overall a pretty good but far from great movie.

If you look close enough, you'll find everyone has a weak spot :-).......2007-09-02

This is a very smart movie. I really enjoyed it (although some parts moved too slow). Anthony Hopkins is as on top as ever and he really delivered a great performance. Ryan Gosling also did a fantastic job and was very believable as a district attorney out to prove Hopkins guilty of shooting his wife.
I found this gripping and engrossing and there were enough surprises in it to keep me guessing. While there was one or two predictable parts, the ending was great and I like the fact that we were left to do a little bit of wondering. I don't know that it's the kind of movie to go out and buy to watch over and over, but as a first time viewing and maybe once more after you've pieced it all together, I really recommend you at least see this once. Very entertaining.

Interesting crime but less than stellar delivery.......2007-08-31

This ho-hum thriller starts slowly, once Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins) shoots his wife for cheating on him. Young prosecutor Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling) is assigned the case - believed to be an easy and immediate conviction - as he is about to leave for a lucrative corporate law position. A game of cat and mouse ensues between Willy and the arrogant and educated Ted, once Ted gets all the evidence against himself thrown out of court. The ending is fairly interesting, but it's a long, slow haul to get there. In between, the viewer must endure a stale romance between Willy and his new boss - an anorexic blond with the charisma of cardboard whose only acting skills are opening her gaunt eyes wide and intensely staring at Willy as if he was a sandwich she would kill to get a bite of. Hopkins sleepwalks through a toned down version of Hannibal Lector, albeit without the interesting homicidal nuances of that character. And Gosling, who showed he has true talent in Murder by Numbers - seems to flounder as a lower class, Midwesterner clawing his way to the top in LA. His accent and body language feel forced, and he isn't ever believable as a successful attorney. The whole movie has the feel of trying too hard, yet never quite succeeding at gripping the audience.
-Jessica Teel, MA

Not 2 Bad.......2007-08-26

I would say this was a really good movie. I would recommend to watch. i don't know about buy though. It was kind of predictable if you actually look at all the clues , think about the what's going on, and know something about law. Than it probably want be as interesting in the end, but it was still a good movie.

3.5, Ok, But Not Great........2007-08-19

Hopkins is a great actor and can always pull off any character he plays. The story line was too weak. It had the potential to be a good suspenseful story, but lacked enough substance. It was ok for a rental. I wouldn't buy this movie.

Average customer rating:

A wonderful movie for all ages.
We are getting hooked on that Captain Johnny
Good!
Enchanting !
A great movie

Finding Neverland (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Julie Christie , Johnny Depp , Ian Hart , Kate Maberly , and Vanessa Redgrave
Director: Marc Forster
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0007CNXUK
Release Date: 2005-03-22

Amazon.com

Sweetness that doesn't turn saccharine is hard to find these days; Finding Neverland hits the mark. Much credit is due to the actors: Johnny Depp applies his genius for sly whimsy in his portrayal of playwright J. M. Barrie, who finds inspiration for his greatest creation from four lively boys, the sons of widow Sylvia Llewelyn Davies (Kate Winslet, who miraculously fuses romantic yearning with common sense). Though the friendship threatens his already dwindling marriage, Barrie spends endless hours with the boys, pretending to be pirates or Indians--and gradually the elements of Peter Pan take shape in his mind. The relationship between Barrie and the Llewelyn Davies family sparks both an imagined world and a quiet rebellion against the stuffy forces of respectability, given physical form by Barrie's resentful wife (Radha Mitchell, High Art) and Sylvia's mother (Julie Christie, McCabe and Mrs. Miller). This gentle silliness could have turned to treacle, but Depp and Winslet--along with newcomer Freddie Highmore as one of the boys--keep their feet on the earth while their eyes gaze into their dreams. Also featuring a comically crusty turn from Dustin Hoffman (who appeared in another Peter Pan-themed movie, Hook) as a long-suffering theater producer. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Award winners Johnny Depp (PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL), Kate Winslet (ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND), Dustin Hoffman, and Julie Christie (TROY, HAMLET) star in this magical tale about one of the world's greatest storytellers and the people who inspired his masterwork "Peter Pan." Well-known playwright James M. Barrie (Depp) finds his career at a crossroads when his latest play flops and doubters question his future. Then by chance he meets a widow (Winslet) and her four adventurous boys. Together they form a friendship that ignites the imagination needed to produce Barrie's greatest work! An enchanting big-screen treat with an acclaimed cast of stars, FINDING NEVERLAND has been hailed as one of the year's best motion pictures!

Customer Reviews:

A wonderful movie for all ages........2007-09-04

I went to see this movie with my friends. I didn't even know what movie we would be seeing, I just went to be with them. At the end of the movie I was so moved, I could have cried. This movie is beautiful, powerful, and the acting is top notch.

Not only do Johnny Depp and Freddie Highmore give wonderful performances, but the supoirting cast of Kate Winslet, Julie Christie, Dustin Hoffman, and the other boys are just as magical. A brilliant film from start to finish and easily, one of the best of 2004. An absolutely wonderful move for all ages.

The DVD features A Filmmaker's Commentary, Deleted Scenes, Outtakes, and a few featurettes. I definitely recommend this movie. A delight for all ages.

We are getting hooked on that Captain Johnny.......2007-09-03

Pirates are Johnny Depp's curse for ever and even when he becomes a Lord in late Victorian London he manages do choose the author of Peter Pan and thus gets some Captain Hook to shake his hand. But his role is a composition of the best and most difficult type, the type of stunts you don't need a stuntman to do in your place. The film is a real gem for two main reasons. First of all because it is a love story in a time when love was some kind of forbidden goods in the aristocracy. And the love story is so pure, so beyond any doubt that he avoids melodrama when death decides to play his own game with that Johnny who invades the widowed mother's life a little bit too much. Dramatic but not tear-wringing. And the second reason of the beauty of that film is also the reason why it remains feeling intense without being heart rending or heart breaking. The whole film is centered on a bunch of boys and brothers and Peter is so young that we are amazed by his being so present, so good, so mature in his performance. He does not miss a word, a sentiment or an emotion and his so deep acting touches us a lot more than the obstinacy of Death to come and take away what he considers his owed property. And all the rest is nothing but the clothing and beefing up of that power. Johnny Depp becomes a real prodigy in this composition and he looks so serious that we forget the genial clown he is quite often in other films. Peter Pan is a legend and his author is like the Peter of Heavens, the guide and majordomo of our imagination who can introduce us to what real spiritual happiness can be. And we discover we are still able to dream because somewhere the film wakes up the child or even the baby who has never died completely in our life of needs and wants and remembers the cradle that a motherly hand was rocking in a regular and powerful rolling that has inspired our most intimate desires as soon as we were big enough to sleep flat on our stomach in an adult bed. Regular and religious rhythm of that rocking. The religion of coming out of the dream to wake up in a sunny world of pure tenderness.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines

Good!.......2007-07-31

This is a good movie. I can't help but to think there was an unspoken love between Barrie and Sylvia. They never said, but I think it was true, and in the end Barrie said he loved her. I think that is kind of an adult theme, Barrie was a married man who fell in love with another woman.

Enchanting !.......2007-07-28

While many would pass this off as a "chick flick" they would be wrong, however if you "don't believe" even for a second...you will miss the magic!

A great movie.......2007-06-28

This movie really touched my heart. It's based on the man who wrote Peter Pan, and in my opinion his story is more remarkable than the play he wrote. A man who struggled to write a hit play, struggled to find happiness within his marriage, and struggled to find himself. He finds a young boy named Peter who's mom is played be Kate Winslett. He becomes involved with this young boys family and his whole life changes. This is a touching story, and dare I say will bring a tear to your eye. My wife and I thouroughly enjoyed this movie. I hope you do as well.

Average customer rating:

An eerie, sometimes JOLTING winner.
Evil Room

1408 (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: John Cusack , Samuel L. Jackson , Tony Shalhoub , Mary McCormack , and Kate Walsh
Director: Mikael Håfström
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000TJ6PBK
Release Date: 2007-10-02

Description

(Thriller) Based on a short story by Stephen King, a man who specializes in debunking the paranormal checks into the infamous room 1408 in the Dolphin Hotel, only to discover… the terror is real.

Customer Reviews:

An eerie, sometimes JOLTING winner........2007-07-22

Stephen King's literary horror fests (often well-written;almost always in need of editing)are very uneven in their cinematic adaptations. CARRIE;DEAD ZONE and SILVER BULLET are my favorites and nominations for solid screen horror thrillers. I regard Stanley Kubrick/Jack Nicholson effort at"epic"horror,THE SHINING, as great disappointment bordering on abject(pretentious) failure.
Not so 1 4 0 8. This,in my estimate,is nifty,minimalist effort(much of it comprising SHINING-like riffs)that eminently succeeds.The movie(not striving for iconic SK "film"-osity)has superb ambiance and atmospherics
(though once or twice it skirts an unnecessary "Apocalyptic" lurch).The plot is good-to-gripping.ACTING is great.John Cusack's protagonist almost-hero-writer,Mike,is appealing,convincing and complex.(When he gets the s..t scarred-out of his cynical self,so do viewers.)Samuel L.Jackson's role as Hotel Manager/anti-Keeper of the Flame is good as usual.[He's cinematic equivalent of occult mythology's Watcher-on-the Threshold~he "referees"Mike's descent into Hell,keeping score.]
Room 1408 is a nasty,PURGATORY portal.Heaven or Hell will be the outcome in a movie which is occult Quest(comprised of classic SUMMONS;ORDEAL;..
TEMPTATIONS to the max;and RETURN).The initially eerie...eventually terrifying,monster-from-the-Id villain...is ROOM 1408 itself. Signature CARPENTER'S ditty,"We've Only Just Begun" sets a schizo-wacko tempo of the film from annoying to menacing to starkly horrific:HOTEL HELL-CALIFORNIA to the max!

As usual, King's comprise of classic horror elements and "existential" reality--& skepticism--is employed. In 1 4 0 8 it works. By not overdoing the brew(SHINING-it up too mucho),the viewer is treated to good horror with enough authentic jolt to make him not wish for more,and glad that he's not a guest in 1408.

Evil Room.......2007-07-17

Stephen King. What does one think when one hears the name Stephen King? The Master of Horror, a writer of complete schlock that puts the rain forests in danger of extinction, or a mediocre writer who somehow became the world's bestselling writer? As for me, and millions of others, King was my introduction to "adult" fiction when I read The Eyes of the Dragon almost two decades ago. Like many teenagers I went through a major Stephen King period devouring his brick thick books like so many ears of corn. As I grew older and began to read "literary" fiction for the most part I moved away from King's books, but that didn't stop me from reading one or two a year and along with King's books, I have always enjoyed the films, mini-series, and made-for-television films that have been released over the last three decades. Some have been good, some have been bad, and some have been god awful, but they have always had a great entertainment value and sometimes, like his books, they can be truly creepy.

When a friend of mine asked me if I would like to go watch 1408 with him, I knew nothing about the film besides that the room 1408 was located within the Dolphin Hotel which is supposedly homage to the writings of Haruki Murakami. If that is true or not it left me hoping that the film would be more of a psychological horror film than a gore fest. My hopes were answered quite well. 1408 stars John Cusack as Mike Enslin a failed writer of literary fiction who has turned to writing such books as Top Ten Haunted Lighthouses and the like to little acclaim. A bordering alcoholic, Mike does not believe in the supernatural and is more determined to debunk claims of the super natural than anything else. One day after a very unsuccessful book signing, Mike receives an unaddressed post card with the name Dolphin Hotel on it along with the room number 1408. Mike calls the hotel to reserve the room, but is repeatedly turned down. However, supposedly there is a loophole in the law that states that he cannot be turned down to stay in the room, so he is able to make his reservation. There the receptionist directs him to the manager: Gerald Olin portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson. Mr. Olin informs Mike of the numerous deaths that have occurred in the room from suicides and natural causes. Pestered for the reason why he does not want Mike to enter the room Mr. Olin answers that he does not want to deal with the cleanup and asked what the deal with the room is, Mr. Olin answers, "it's an evil f#cking room!" Mike makes his way up to the room and quickly tries to debunk the room because of its mundane features, but things begin to become odd: mints appear on the pillow, the clock radio begins by itself, windows shut violently on their own, and the heat continues to rise. All is relatively fine until the alarm clock begins ticking down from sixty minutes because no one has ever survived more than sixty minutes in the room.

Earlier in this review I mentioned that the luxury hotel was called the Dolphin Hotel in a supposed homage to Murakami Haruki's novels. Within his novel Dance Dance Dance, the dolphin hotel, the original one at least, houses the narrator's memories. Room 1408 is similar to Murakami's Dolphin Hotel, but instead of only housing Mike's memories it also uses them to attack him. 1408 is a very claustrophobic film. Little of the action takes place outside of Room 1408 and the sense of being entrapped is increased by the muted lighting and creative camera angles. The film works on tension. My body felt as if was made of stone at some points because of the tension created while waiting for something to happen and when something did happen it almost made me jump out of my skin. Many have complained that the film's second half is not as good as the first and that it derails a bit. I thought so also, but after reflecting on the film for the last couple of days, room 1408 might be even more sinister that Mr. Olin's line "it's an evil f#cking room" gives it credit for.

Average customer rating:

hillarious movie
What more can I say?
Matt and Trey: Media Masterminds!
Genius....pure genius
You Can't Help But Laugh

BASEketball
Starring: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , Dian Bachar , Yasmine Bleeth , Ernest Borgnine , and Bob Costas
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0783230338
Release Date: 1998-12-29

Amazon.com

Gross-out comedy reached its peak (or nadir, if you will) when this celebration of juvenile crudeness was released in the summer of 1998. There's Something About Mary was a surprise box-office smash at the same time, and it's a much funnier and (dare we say it?) more intelligently conceived comedy, but there's something to be said for a couple of dudes who blissfully embrace bad taste and improper decorum. As they proved with their popular cartoon series South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone are shameless purveyors of scatological humor, and no bodily function escapes their baser instinct for gutter-level guffaws. Here they play a couple of guys who are fed up with the hyper-commercialism of professional sports, so they invent "baseketball"--a hybrid of baseball and basketball--and soon find themselves in the middle of a booming national craze. As baseketball leagues thrive, so does the movie's appetite for puerile shock-jokes and disgusting gags. There are some great throwaway lines and a lot of funny cameos by the likes of Bob Costas, Al Michaels, Jenny McCarthy, Robert Stack, Reggie Jackson, and others, but let's face it--a little of this stuff goes a long, long way. If you laugh a lot, you may be suffering (as Parker and Stone clearly do) from an acute case of arrested development. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

hillarious movie.......2007-02-27

This is a great movie for South Park fans or simply fans of Matt Stone and Trey Parker (the ones whom created South Park and who star in this flick). It's truly funny, though has times which are a bit crude. If you wish to watch something and roll around laughing (as well as you are open-minded and not easily offended by sexual innuendo and the like). The story line is ultimately about 2 losers whom wanted to look cool by creating a new game (a mix of basketball and baseball; hence the name) and by some miracle the game went world wide. This is a great movie for fans of movies like "Major League"

What more can I say?.......2006-08-03

What more can I say about this comedic masterpiece. Is there anything that Trey Parker and Matt Stone can't do? They have looked into the face of adversity and farted right back at them Terrance and Philip style. This movie is a gem from start to finish. Trey keeps the slapstick going the whole time, something Family Guy likes to rip off of the comic duo often (as we have seen in a recent episode of South Park entitled "Cartoon Wars"). The best thing about this movie is Kenny AKA "Little Bitch." When I thought i could't laugh anymore, his character always took it too the next level (much like in Orgazmo as well).

To be honest, the minute I finished watching this movie I got my buddies together and tried to play this wonderful front yard game. It didn't last too long, but the laughs from this movie will.

Matt and Trey: Media Masterminds!.......2006-07-03

Basketball is one of my favorite movies. I'm a guy that has very limited shelf space when it comes to movies, but with Basketball there was no question. I put off seeing this movie for years, but when I finally did I couldn't get enough! The story, plot, jokes, and some original songs, are genious!!! I now own several other feature length films by this comic duo, and I am looking forward to more. If your a skeptic like I was, just give it a try, you might be pleasantly supprised.

Genius....pure genius.......2006-06-29

Baseketball is about a group of friends who form a winning team and experiences the trials and tribu.....ah who care! This is a Parker and Stone moive! It's crude. Its childish. It's disgusting. It's Homophobic. It's awesome! This movie will make you pee your pants laughing. But it's not for anyone looking for any kind of clean comedy. It's raunchy just like verything else that Trey and Matt do. A must have for any Southpark fan.

You Can't Help But Laugh.......2006-05-25

South Park writers and creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone star in this hilarious film "BASEketball" as they form their own professional sport and find themselves lives. While being loaded with outrageous moments of sheer hilarity, this film also has a statement to make about how professional sports are money hungry. Through the combined rules of baseball and basketball, Joe Cooper(Trey) and Doug Remer(Matt) find themselves a new sport that requires know athletic skill whatsoever. There talent lies in the ability to psyche out the opponent, and they certainly have great success doing so. Filled with great cameos, great scenes in the hospital, and during games, this a great comedy for any fan of South Park. The humour certainly has its moments of grossness, but it is a pleasure to watch. Highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

I liked it-good acting by Cusack.....
1408....early DVD Review
Good
Defying gravity

1408 (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: John Cusack , Samuel L. Jackson , Tony Shalhoub , Mary McCormack , and Kate Walsh
Director: Mikael Håfström
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

ASIN: B000TJ6PBU
Release Date: 2007-10-02

Description

(Thriller) Based on a short story by Stephen King, a man who specializes in debunking the paranormal checks into the infamous room 1408 in the Dolphin Hotel, only to discover… the terror is real.

Customer Reviews:

I liked it-good acting by Cusack............2007-09-02

This movie was made from a short story by Stephen King, 1408 is like a minibar version of Stanley Kubrick's take on The Shining: everything that made that film great has been reduced here into something smaller in scale that's easier to consume but significantly less satisfying. Another film about a writer being driven insane by an evil hotel, it offers a refreshing stop-over for horror fans seeking a rest from the torture porn excesses of Saw and Hostel, yet boasts none of the complexity, the intellectual nourishment or the intense creepiness of Kubrick's thematically similar horror masterpiece.
What it does have in its favour is John Cusack.
He plays Mike Enslin, a failed novelist who has managed to make a living debunking the presence of ghosts, ghouls and poltergeists in a series of bestselling guidebooks to America's most haunted hotels. His usual trick is to travel to some roadside motel where he'll be eagerly greeted by proprietors ready to regale him with tales of grizzly suicides and malign spirits haunting the rooms. He then tries to settle in for a good night's sleep, after making some effort towards, if not quite professionalism, then at least taking the job half-seriously.
This all changes when he receives an anonymous postcard imploring him not to enter room 1408 in Manhattan's upscale Dolphin hotel. His interest suitably piqued, he calls up to reserve the room, only to be told it's unavailable - at all times. With the aid of his publisher's legal team, however, he manages to secure a reservation and flies from his home in California to check in, only to be greeted by the hotel's creepily officious manager, Gerald Olin (Samuel L Jackson), who pleads with him to take an alternative suite.
His reasoning is simple---Four people have died horrible deaths under his watch and, in its 95-year existence, a litany of people have lost their lives by torturous means. Nevertheless, Mike is determined to check in and, sensing he's fighting a losing battle, Olin allows him to do so, ominously leaving him at the room's door to face a whole host of personal demons and malevolent spirits.
Once he's shut off and isolated in the room, Cusack is also the kind of actor you don't mind spending the majority of a movie with, and he's great when Mike's cynicism gives way to disbelief and outright terror. The film has a few neat touches, too--I won`t give then away....
It's too bad the film eventually goes overboard with CGI effects, but heck it kept me interested for a couple of hours.

1408....early DVD Review.......2007-08-23

I know what your saying, "This DVD isn't out yet" Well, your right. Living in NY and having access to the right sources, I stumbled upon this Stephen King based movie. *Quick Shout to the source who gave me this sweet copy* With a movies such as Pet Semetary I and II, Children of The Corn II-IV, Dreamcatcher, and Firestarter 2, lets just say Stephen King doesn't have a great track record when it comes to movies (Green Mile and The Shining are a few exceptions). 1408, however could join those exceptions....

Plot: When Mike Enslin's (John Cusack) daugher died, Enslin became obsessed with the paranormal and "other side." After years of being a paranormal investagtor and writer, he hasn't made contact with any one or any thing. Until one day, he hears about the Dolphin Hotel and room 1408. He decides to stay in the room, even against the wishes of Hotel Manager Mr. Olin (Sam L. Jackson). Mr. Enslin wants to see if 1408 is as haunted as Mr. Olin is leading on...

Synopsis: 1408 is a well written and acted movie. Rather force feed the audience gore and blood like Saw or Hostel, they get under your skin from a psychological approach. 1408 never gets explained, it is a room where your personal demons come to the forefront and you have to confront them. Instead of dealing with a Jason or Michael Myers, Enslin has to deal with his mind and images that try to confuse him. All while trying to keep his sanity.

John Cusack shines in this movie, his character is a believable guy. For him to hold your focus while in a room for an hour, he has to be doing something right. On the other hand, Samuel L. Jackson is a waste of character. Anyone could have played that role and told Enslin to stay out the room.

Final Analysis: While not a bad movie, 1408 isn't that good. I would have to place it in between his great (The Shining) and terrible(Rosy Red) movies, some where next to Thinner. Granted it is only an hour and a half, but some type of background for the room or even getting to know Mr. Olin more, would have help the story. There are certain movies, that a director wants the audience to come up with their own ending, and this is one of those movies. If I wasn't in the pleasure of my house, I would have thrown my pretzels at the TV screen. Thanks to a weak ending and too many loop holes, I have to give this movie....
6.5 out of 10!

Good.......2007-08-21

1408 is a great story but dont expect to much horror. Its John Cusack's performance is amazing and its a great look at how people can go mad. Samuel L Jackson has a great part but its a bit part. The movie starts basically with a few little giggles but dont expect to much horror. Its about a man dealing with the lose of his child. I thought the ending was cheap but alas, it wasnt the ending. Id highly recommend this movie. The real ending brought chills up my spine and that is something that never happens.

Defying gravity.......2007-08-18

Surely the best horror movie that I have seen for a long time. A magnificent one-man-show by Cusack. Yes, Jackson is also there, in a good small part. Everybody else is secondary. Of course apart from the hotel room.
Cusack is a possibly talented (how would we know?) young writer who wastes his talent with trashy non-fiction about haunted places. You see where this leads, but it is so far above expectations. Of course he also has his private tragedy in his bio, which of course plays an important part in the story.
A question for literary research: is there a relation between King's story and Murakami's novel about the Wild Sheep Chase? Who is quoting whom with the odd Hotel Dolphin? Of course King's hotel goes quite a few steps further than Murakami's. On the other hand, the time warp with the surf board is straight out of a Murakami novel. Not to forget it is also a quote from Ambrose Bierce.
Marvellous stuff for unserious people who hate bad workmanship. There is none here.

Average customer rating:

The Patriot Act in an apartment building?
WOW! WOW! WOW!
A Sharon Stone Porn Movie!
More about obsession
Sharon Stone. Often semi-clothed. Enough said...

Sliver (Unrated Edition)
Starring: Patricia Allison , William Baldwin , Jim Beaver , Tom Berenger , and Anne Betancourt
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000EQ5SRK
Release Date: 2006-03-28

Amazon.com

After her success with Basic Instinct, Sharon Stone opted for familiar territory with this campfest that purports to be a sexualized thriller about voyeurism but in reality is more of an excuse to get Stone and costar William Baldwin out of their clothes. Rear Window it ain't. Stone plays it drab and quiet as a successful career woman on the rebound from a bad marriage who moves into a mysterious Manhattan high-rise. Once there, she discovers that she has a few admirers: a hunky and enigmatic neighbor (Baldwin), a popular writer of crime novels (Tom Berenger), and someone who seems to enjoy watching her every move on the building-wide surveillance system. And is one of them the serial killer who's stalking the comely female tenants? Scripted by the erstwhile Joe Eszterhas (Basic Instinct and Jagged Edge), Sliver follows the standard Eszterhas plot line of a protagonist suspecting that his or her lover may or may not be a vicious killer, the tension mounting as clue upon clue is discovered. Unlike both Instinct or Edge, though, Sliver delivers little suspense, thanks in part to a reshot ending that changed the original identity of the killer in the Ira Levin novel and confounded students of rational thought. However, if you're looking for an unintentionally funny thriller with loads of extraneous nudity, Sliver is an enjoyably huge hunk of cheese. --Mark Englehart

Product Description

Young publishing executive Carly (Stone) takes an apartment in an exclusive "sliver" building in New York, only to learn that the previous tenant, who bore a great resemblance to Carly, died in a mysterious fall from the apartment balcony. When other tenants of the building begin to die likewise mysteriously, Carly begins to suspect that a killer may be inhabiting the building and that it may be either Zeke (Baldwin), the voyeuristic building owner with whom she's become involved romantically, or Jack (Berenger), a mystery writer with a suspicious quality.

Customer Reviews:

The Patriot Act in an apartment building?.......2007-08-12

I just don't know about these Baldwin boys, so here this one is in this apartment complex and he is watching everyone on these television screens. Then yeah he does bed down Sharon Stone but by now we have all seen basic instinct so we are expecting the Douglas clan to come and join in on the fun. I guess if you want to see this guy get it on with her that is fine, but really people it is scary that they are watching you know? And I mean this film is dated because now we all have Google Earth anyways so we really do not need the millions of tv screens in the dark room effect.

WOW! WOW! WOW!.......2007-04-03

What a great movie! Erotic and scary at the same time. Talk about the ultimate in voyeuristic tendencies. This film has it. The ending will totally surprise you, though. It did me.

A Sharon Stone Porn Movie!.......2007-04-03

One line.....great sex scenes. Sharon, you little sl**! Watch it and beat it!

More about obsession.......2006-11-12

While this movie is somewhat predictable, who doesn't love gorgeous faces and hot love affairs? Stone and Baldwin give great performances in their exotic and obsessive affair. The screen play speaks directly to the viewer about our obsession with other peoples lives. This movie is not overly artistic, but entertaining all the same.

Sharon Stone. Often semi-clothed. Enough said..........2006-09-21

Ah, the power of sex, and sexual images and thoughts, tawdry or otherwise. For some reason, I respond to seeing SS on the SS (silver screen) no matter how bad the script. I even liked her in "Casino" and "Basic Instinct 2". Of course, "Basic Instinct" is the Grail of SS movies. This one has many flaws, but it was never intended to be a Turner Classic Movie. As mere entertainment which offers a break from the often heart-breaking daily news, "Sliver" is not as bad as the critics said.

Bruce Lee Ultimate Collection (The Big Boss / Fist of Fury / Way of the Dragon / Game of Death / Game of Death II)

Average customer rating:

A hit for my husband's birthday
I thought it was good
Bruce Lee Collection
Great Bruce Lee Collection
Good Enough

Bruce Lee Ultimate Collection (The Big Boss / Fist of Fury / Way of the Dragon / Game of Death / Game of Death II)
Starring: Bruce Lee
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000A9QK9Q
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Description

Contains: *Widescreen Feature: The Big Boss *Widescreen Feature: Fist of Fury *Widescreen Feature: Way of the Dragon *Widescreen Feature: Game of Death *Widescreen Feature: Game of Death II

Customer Reviews:

A hit for my husband's birthday.......2007-08-13

My husband is a big Bruce Lee fan. I bought this collection for his birthday and he loves it. It has all his favorite movies. The DVDs are of great quality.

I thought it was good.......2007-08-05

These DVDs aren't top notch quality, but hey - they allow you to see Bruce Lee kicking butt. The sound is OK. Remember, the original Bruce Lee movies weren't all that great as far as picture and sound quality go either. I would recommend.

Bruce Lee Collection.......2007-07-27

This is a good collection. The quality of the picture and sound are acceptable considering these movies were filmed over 30 years ago and the technology was limited. There are a few times of static or hissing during the dialog and music. The voice over dialog does not always match the closed captioning so it was better to turn off the closed captioning when watching these movies. Overall, this is a good choice.

Great Bruce Lee Collection.......2007-07-12

The Best 5 films from bruce lee at a great price. Original filming remasterized, they look sensational. A great purchase

Good Enough.......2007-04-03

This set is good enough. I mean, how can an old production be made to today's standards without altering the original content. Come on. This and Enter the Dragon is all I need to start with for my collection. Bruce is a legend, and to have a set like this is good enough in my opinion.

Average customer rating:

A beautiful and well masterfully crafted film.
Soderbergh tackles Solaris
Interesting and dream-like
Does Philip Glass make films now?
99.9% Cocoa

Solaris
Starring: George Clooney , Natascha McElhone , Viola Davis , Jeremy Davies , and Ulrich Tukur
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00009ATIX
Release Date: 2003-07-29

Amazon.com

A curious mix of science fiction and metaphysical love story, Solaris centers around Chris Kelvin (George Clooney), a psychologist sent to investigate why a space station orbiting an alien planet has stopped communications. The planet has the power to delve into human psyches and re-create lost loved ones--in Kelvin's case, his dead wife (Natascha McElhone), whom he then wants to bring back to Earth. Director Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Erin Brockovich) fills almost every shot with faces and bodies, as if to emphasize the human soul rather than outer space as the movie's true subject. Unfortunately, the vagueness of the environment--combined with a script that implies more than it shows--serves to dislocate our ability to engage with the characters, rendering Solaris emotionally inert. Jeremy Davies, as a lingering crew member, brings a hint of humor to the otherwise serious-minded proceedings. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Superstar George Clooney turns in a stellar performance in this "brilliant sci-fi movie" (New York Daily News) from Academy Award winners Steven Soderbergh (2000 - Best Director, Traffic) and JamesCameron (1997 - Best Picture, Titanic). Aboard a lonely space station orbiting a mysterious planet, terrified crew members are experiencing a host of strange phenomena, including eerie visitors who seem all too human. And when psychologist Chris Kelvin (Clooney) arrives to investigate, he confronts a power beyond imagining that could hold the key to mankind's deepest dreams?or darkest nightmares. Co-starring Natascha McElhone and Jeremy Davies, Solaris is "mind-bending!" (Rolling Stone)

Customer Reviews:

A beautiful and well masterfully crafted film........2007-09-10

Solaris is an amazing film that tackles incredible human emotion with wonderful production, cinematography, direction and performance. Also, the sound track is crucial in bringing it all together.
A masterpiece of SCI_FI Cinema that tackles some of the most basic human questions.
Right on to Steven S. For giving the public masses something important to "chew" on.

Soderbergh tackles Solaris.......2007-08-16

According to a good portion of reviewers here this movie is a remake of the Tarkovsky's film... so I guess in a same misguided sense Coppola's Dracula is a remake of Murnau's Nosferatu, etc... ummm, Riiiiight.

Anyway, the fact that many reviewers here dismiss the film up-front because they think it's a remake and not an adaptaion of the book is interesting.

The film itself is of course another shot at Lem's novel. Again, with emphasis put on different aspects than the book (contact with an extremely alien `intelligence'), and different aspects than in Tarkovsky's film (spirituality? god? can't say for sure...).
This one concerns itself with the relationship between character Kelvin and his wife or possibly between Kelvin and his memories of his wife, depends on how to look at it.

The film has a smallish feel to it, a big wholywood spectacle it isn't. Good sense of the future from the presence of many suitable props in the scenery, I'd say 95% of the scenes take place in a confined space, a room, a space station, etc. Strong acting. Bittersweet ending.
It's a psychological drama, not an action fest...

Never understood why they replaced Sartorius(?) with a completely different character (Gordon?)

Overall, more like 4.5 stars really, but i gave it 4 from fear of being ridiculed by the oh-no-a-remake-of-Tarkovsky's-masterpiece crowd

Interesting and dream-like.......2007-08-04

I enjoyed Solaris. It isn't a film for everyone and I don't think it tries to be. The pacing is good - nice and slow! Just the way I like it! Too many films seem to want to rush me to some place before I have had a chance to really engage with the visions, sounds, words, music and ideas inside the film. Solaris did give me a bit of breathing space in this respect.

It is a very handsome film and the special effects, although modest in comparison to some recent science fiction films, are effective.

In some respects this film is really a fantasy rather than a science fiction - it deals with a very strange "what if?" and this question is not about technology, society or man's relationship with his artefacts and machines. It also looks at some psychological reactions.

I was only disappointed by the fact that we were give so little information about the apparently sentient planet, Solaris. Surely, the people would have gained some information about this strange object?

The quiet, ambient music composed for this film was particularly good and I wholeheartedly recommend the soundtrack. It contains some of the most mysterious and beguiling ambient music I've heard.

Does Philip Glass make films now?.......2007-07-02

This film is an unbearably boring, irritatingly pretentious waste of celluloid. Were it filmed digitally, it would have been a waste of precious binary code. It raises rather under-elaborated metaphysical questions about life and death (at a sub-glacial, coma inducing pace) then fails to provide any meaningful message. After 90 minutes of waiting for something to happen, something actually does, for which I was extremely grateful: the credits rolled. Video stores should be forced to apply warning stickers to the boxes.

99.9% Cocoa.......2007-06-24

Some people just don't like dark chocolate. This movie gets short shrift from reviewers who don't care for its slow pace and that it requires a bit of thinking. The reviewer below suggests that Clooney would rather not have done this film. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, Clooney applied for this role. This is a love story and a psychological mystery/sci-fi/thriller. It's an intensely suspenseful and fascinating story in which all the actors give excellent performances.

Average customer rating:

Open Your Eyes
Okay, so I'm the one guy who didn't think it was all that and a bag of chips.
An Experience that will Stay With You For Some Time To Come...
loved it
Ridiculous ending, not worth watching!

Open Your Eyes
Starring: Carola Angulo (II) , Gérard Barray , Joserra Cadiñanos , Penélope Cruz , and Ion Gabella
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005LZOD
Release Date: 2001-08-21

Amazon.com

Imagine if an actor's director like Eric Rohmer--whose films consist almost entirely of conversation between pairs or small groups of people--made a film that incorporated elements from movies like Dark City, eXistenZ, The Thirteenth Floor, The Truman Show, and Total Recall. The result might resemble Alejandro Amenabar's remarkable second feature, Open Your Eyes, which favors ideas over effects and offers twist upon twist with mind-warping agility. This film rewards multiple viewings, pushing the viewer toward on