Dead Poets Society (Special Edition)

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Robin Williams stars as an English teacher who doesn't fit into the conservative prep school where he teaches, but whose charisma and love of poetry inspires several boys to revive a secret society with a bohemian bent. The script is well meaning but a little trite, though director Peter Weir (The Truman Show) adds layers of emotional depth in scenes of conflict between the kids and adults. (A subplot involving one father's terrible pressure on his son--played by Robert Sean Leonard--to drop his interest in theater reaches heartbreaking proportions.) Williams is given plenty of latitude to work in his brand of improvisational humor, though it is all well-woven into his character's style of instruction. --Tom Keogh

Description

In an age defined by crew cuts, sport coats, and cheerless conformity, he not only broke the mold ... he reinvented it. Academy Award(R) winner Robin Williams (Best Supporting Actor, GOOD WILL HUNTING, 1997) delivers an extraordinary performance in one of the most compelling motion pictures of all time. Williams stars as English professor John Keating, a passionate iconoclast who changes his students' lives forever when he challenges them to live life to the fullest and "Carpe Diem" -- seize the day! Keating's unconventional approach meets with irrepressible enthusiasm from his students, but the faculty at staid, exclusive Welton Academy prep school is, to put it mildly, not amused. Featuring a star-marking performance by Ethan Hawke and over three hours of never-before-seen bonus materials, this Special Edition of DEAD POETS SOCIETY will captivate and inspire you again and again.

Customer Reviews:

teacher to father.......2007-08-07

Interesting film. I saw this when I was young and I emphasised with the teacher who was bold, interesting full of life and passionate about what he believed was right. Now I am nearly 40 I find myself emphasising with the father who was basically playing the averages in the knowledge that this probably was best for his son. This is a brilliant film and one of my favourites of all time. I wonder what I will think when I am 70...In fact I know...Dreams make us alive and Robin reminded me of that.
Thanks.

One of my favorite movies of the 80's.......2007-07-25

This movie tends to grow on you. It is shameless on its manipulative stance on free thinking, poetry, and living poetically. I loved it.

Carpe Diem...Seize the day, gather ye rosebuds while you may.

YAWP!.......2007-07-06

There are a number of movies about a teacher who inspired his or her students. There are a number of stories about prep schools and students that learn to appreciate art and the classics as a way of helping them find themselves.

This movie is sort of the captain of them all. It is the leader. If there is a starting point, this is where it all began. If there is a measuring stick by which all other similar movies are judged, it would be this one. Robin Williams is simply amazing. While his actions are deemed controversial in the times in which he lived, watching the film today, many might think "what's the big deal?"

But it was a big deal. The character Williams portrays brings a boring class to life. He brings a bunch of bored prepschool boys out of their funk. He teaches them to love not only literature but life itself. A lesson that is echoed in many movies that will come after it....

I love this movie and rate it as a MUST SEE!

Absolutely Timeless.......2007-06-16

Some of the more cynical movie critics out there have been quick to slam 'Dead Poets Society', mistaking its beauty and idealism for over-sentimentality. In my view these critics simply need to open themselves up a little more.

The arrival of John Keating in a strict boys boarding school, blows open the lives and minds of all his young students. Perhaps this is where the film finds a place in the hearts of so many viewers. Many people will have spent their schooldays mired in tedium and waiting for someone to truly engage them. This is the gift that Mr. Keating bestows upon his students. The movie is a subtle, beautiful and moving examination of human relations.

The movie works heavily with the idiom that still waters run deep. Todd Anderson is new to the boarding school and extremely quiet. His shy nature is what guides him into the purview of Mr. Keating and allows him to become a sort of poetic protegé. The relationship between these two is one of the most touching parts of the movie and is sure to reach even the hardest of cynics out there.

To any potential viewer of this film, all I would say is open yourself up. This is a beautiful fim and will perhaps show what those schooldays could have been, given a little inspiration in the faculty.

Good for class.......2007-05-07

I used this in my class after reading several of the poems. Outstanding! Gave students a lot to think about.

Sixteen Candles (High School Reunion Collection)

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To nerds everywhere!
Floopy disks
A flame from the 80's
Favorite movie
EXCELLENT 80'S TEEN MOVIE!

Sixteen Candles (High School Reunion Collection)
Starring: Molly Ringwald , Justin Henry , Michael Schoeffling , Haviland Morris , and Gedde Watanabe
Director: John Hughes
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00008438T
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Amazon.com essential video

Molly Ringwald established herself as the teen queen of the '80s in this fresh comedy. The movie is a day in the life of Samantha, whose 16th birthday is turning out to be anything but sweet. All the traumas of teendom come down on one long day, which sees Samantha surrounded by dithery relatives, mooning over a high school hunk, and pursued by a sawed-off Lothario. Sixteen Candles marked the directing debut of John Hughes, and its goofy energy displayed a promising talent with a great ear for high school lingo ... a promise neglected since Hughes became, after Home Alone, a one-man entertainment industry. There are some pretty crass moments (Why the stereotype of the foreign-exchange student from Asia?), but Ringwald's steady appeal smoothes over the rough spots. As the pubescent, self-styled lady-killer, Anthony Michael Hall turns in a hilarious portrait of a young swinger; he and Ringwald would reteam with Hughes for The Breakfast Club, another key teen picture of the decade. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

To nerds everywhere!.......2007-08-31

Sixteen Candles is still a classic like The Breakfast Club. Sixteen Candles is the story of a girl who's parents have forgotten her birthday, and to make it worse she is followed helplessly by a nerd played by Anthony Michael Hall. Molly Ringwald plays the truly tortured Sam, this film still gives me belly laughs everytime. Sixteen Candles is priceless and one of John Hughes's best films to date. I highly recommend this teenage romp out. Enjoy!

Floopy disks.......2007-08-03

They run pricey for a dude like me, can I borrow your underwear for ten minutes?

A flame from the 80's.......2007-07-03

If you enjoyed the Brat Pack in the 80's, you will LOVE this movie as much as I do =)

Favorite movie.......2007-05-27

We had lost our copy of this movie and were so happy to get a new one. It is a great movie with laughs and tears.

EXCELLENT 80'S TEEN MOVIE!.......2007-04-11

This is one of my wife's favorite 80's teen movies. I am a fan, but it isn't as high on my list as hers. The film is very funny and Hall is hilarious as the geek. The DVD transfer is great and a worthy purchase.

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"History? It's just one f****** thing after another."
Good, but Flawed
Teachers and Student Unite
History Boys, Teens, and Gays
Contrived and unlikely

The History Boys
Starring: Samuel Anderson , James Corden , Stephen Campbell Moore , Richard Griffiths , and Frances de la Tour
Director: Nicholas Hytner
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
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ASIN: B000NIVJFO
Release Date: 2007-04-17

Amazon.com

The play's the thing in The History Boys. Unlike most stage-to-screen transitions, Nicholas Hytner assembled the entire original cast for the celluloid version of Alan Bennett's award-winning work. (The two previously joined forces for The Madness of King George.) As in Hytner's National Theatre production, a group of Sheffield sixth-form boys, Timms (James Corden), Lockwood (Andrew Knott), Rudge (Russell Tovey), Scripps (Jamie Parker), Crowther (Samuel Anderson), Akhtar (Sacha Dhawan), Posner (Samuel Barnett), and Dakin (Dominic Cooper)--the latter two standouts--spend an extra term in 1983 preparing for their Oxbridge exams. Hector (Richard Griffiths) and Dorothy Lintott (Frances de la Tour) are their regular instructors (both performances garnered Tony Awards), while Irwin (Stephen Campbell Moore, Bright Young Things) is the enigmatic new history teacher. The Headmaster (Clive Merrison) brings him on board to lend the precocious lads "polish." Irwin, however, is more interested in encouraging them to think creatively--not merely to recite facts. The boys just want to get into Oxford and Cambridge. If that means withstanding the occasional grope from Hector and harsh word from Irwin, so be it. In the end, which boy gets in where isn't insignificant, but Bennett's greater concern is what they learn along the way. If Hytner isn't always successful in reconciling the intellectual with the more earthbound, The History Boys is one of the funniest films yet about Britain's educational system--and education in general. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Stills from The History Boys

Description

From award-winning playwright Alan Bennett (The Madness of King George) comes this delightfully witty comedy of eight boisterous-yet-talented schoolboys hoping to gain admittance to England's most prestigious universities. They're aided on their quest by two teachers, a shrewd young upstart and an inspiring old eccentric, whose opposing philosophies challenge the boys to confront the true meaning of education and the relative values of happiness and success.

Adapted from the original Tony Award winning play and starring the original Tony Award winning cast, The History Boys is an engaging, thought-provoking, and wickedly funny look at history, the pursuit of knowledge, and the utter randomness of life.

Customer Reviews:

"History? It's just one f****** thing after another.".......2007-09-02

I don't know if Alan Bennett thinks it's impossible to be gay and happy or it's impossible for anyone to be happy. This movie (while it does have witty dialogue and an interesting story) is full of the "sad homosexual" character from another era - - in movies like The Children's Hour, The Detective, Advise & Consent.

It's believable that Hector (in his fifties or sixties in the 1980s, when this movie takes place) would have made a loveless marriage long ago and now gropes seventeen-year-olds on his motorbike, but Irwin, the new teacher just out of university, can find lots of gay adult men. It's England in the eighties! Ever hear of Boy George? Elton John? The Notting Hill parades every year? Gay clubs? Personal ads?

Irwin doesn't need Hector's speech about "innoculating" himself against the torment of falling in love with the boys. Not to mention, this perpetuates the idea that grown gay men want boys. (One of the episodes of the Inspector Lynley Mysteries dealt with a gay teacher in a much more believable way.)

The last scene, which brings the boys' lives up to date (presumably to around the year 2000), is even more annoying. One of the boys (also gay) has become a teacher himself. He is apparently unmarried (to anyone of either sex) and has inherited Hector's aura of tragic self-pity along with his erudtion.

It may have been a mistake for Alan Bennett to write a story that must have been inspired by his own school experience, but setting it decades later.

The soundtrack uses eighties music, but not the original versions of the songs. A Muzak version of The Clash - - what's the point? The movie Billy Elliot used period music much better. (Now that I think aboout it, Billy Elliot dealt with several of the same themes - - getting out of an impoverished environment, appreciating art for its own sake, and dealing with someone else's love when you can't return it in the same way.)

Another quibble: a couple of the actors might have been able to pass for "boys" on stage, but they were a little too old for the screen. In one scene it looks like one of the boys is standing next to his father.

But Frances de la Tour's performance alone makes the movie worth watching. Especially her angry speech when she gets fed up with the boys she's tutoring. (Didn't they let women into Oxford and Cambridge in the 1980s?)

Good, but Flawed.......2007-08-23

THE HISTORY BOYS is a compelling, though imperfect film. It tells a absorbing story. A group of young men from working class England circa 1983 take exams which show they are of above average intelligence and have excellent shots at getting into either Oxford or Cambridge. We meet the young men after they have taken the exams. The headmaster (played by Clive Morrison) knows that the students have been well prepared by teacher Dorothy Linnott (Francis de la Tour) but fears what they've learned from a teacher affectionately known as Hector (Richard Griffiths). So that the young men can be "polished" the Headmaster hires Irwin, (Stephen Campbell Moore). Irwin obliges the headmaster but knows what it is the boys truly need, namely an edge that makes them different from the other applicants, and he does his best to try and shape his young charges in a short period of time.

If the film had consistently stuck to this story line, it probably would have been more convincing, but there are a number of subplots which at times distract from the overall story. One involves Hector. Hector enjoys giving his students a lift home on his motorcycle which includes a" friendly" bit of groping which seems to be accepted by the students as a small, almost endearing quirk. The school discovers his actions and decides to dismiss him at the end of the semester to avoid controversy. Perhaps this could happen, but in working class England in 1983, this behavior would hardly be acceptable nor would the pining of love by Possner (Samuel Barnett) for fellow student Dakin (Dominic Cooper). American audiences and critics found this a bit less than believable, especially the nonchalant reaction to the abuse of students by Hector, and a friend from England who attended a similar school told me that his compatriots would not have accepted it either, nor would a young man like Possner be so forthcoming about his feelings in such a setting. While one person from England's "two cents worth" may hardly be an exhaustive survey, my feeling is that his opinion is accurate. These subplots seem to keep us from getting to know some of the other characters, namely Lockwood (Andrew Knott) and Rudge (Russell Tovey) who seem to be more interesting than either Posner or Dakin, at least in my opinion. Also, there is a scene where Linnott discusses what happens in the future to may of the characters and while it probably works well on stage, it's somewhat confusing in the film version.

Still while it may be a less than perfect film, it does maintain a viewer's interest and presented a good story. The characters can be multifaceted which makes them interesting and there are a number of ironies in the film which likewise gives it strength. Perhaps on stage it would work better, as can be the case with so many stage works. Still, in spite of its weaknesses, it's still an enjoyable film.

Teachers and Student Unite.......2007-08-10

Well written, well structured, well directed and well acted. Did you apply to go to the Ivy League? Do you know your SAT scores? Do you value education? Please watch this movie at least once.

History Boys, Teens, and Gays.......2007-08-10

This movie is beautifully shot, very low key, and fairly entertaining. However, one of the implications in the film is that the homosexual groping of teenage boys is forgivable when done by a quirky "intellectual", and that boys are willing able and to tolerate it. Also,the "bad guy" is the head of the school who fired him for his bad behavior. If you can overlook those themes in a movie you may enjoy it, otherwise pass on it.

Contrived and unlikely.......2007-08-08

This film came highly recommended so I checked with our local library to see if they had it and, lo!, they did..with one catch: There was a waiting list of 35 (unprecedented in my experience) waiting to get it. I added my name; months later I got an email saying my turn had come. I approached the movie with high anticipation considering its simultaneous popularity and (to me) obscurity.

I have to say I was very disappointed. None of the movie rang true except perhaps the most basic of premises, i.e. a bunch of underdog students trying to better themselves.

The friendships between the "boys" did not seem real, nor did the student/teacher relationships, or, for that matter, the teacher/teacher relationships. The frank sexual interactions between the faculty and the students was not convincing, either, neither in the way it was protrayed nor in the way it was dealt with by the other factulty/students once "discovered." It seemed more like wish fulfillment-and disturbing wish-fulfillment, at that--on the part of the playwright/screenwriter.

Melodramatic, theatrical (in the bad sense of the word), forced...these are the words that come to mind to describe it. Fortunately, they assembled an excellent cast, the film's most redeeming quality. If they'd had better material to work with, it could have been an excellent film.

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Kenny Loggins, Kevin Bacon, high school mayhem, oh yeah!
Rock To Footloose .
Footloose fun
Thank Goodness for Dancing
An American Classic

Footloose (Special Collector's Edition)
Starring: Kevin Bacon , Lori Singer , John Lithgow , Dianne Wiest , and Chris Penn
Director: Herbert Ross
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0002JP4L4
Release Date: 2004-09-28

Amazon.com

Director Herbert Ross (The Turning Point) pulled a winning movie out of this almost self-consciously archetypal tale of teenage rock rebellion. Kevin Bacon stars as a hip city kid who ends up in a Bible-belt town after his parents divorce. An ill fit for a conservative community where rock is frowned upon and dancing is forbidden, Bacon's character rallies the kids and takes on the establishment. Between a good cast really embracing the drama of Dean Pitchford's screenplay, and Ross's imaginative, highly charged way of shooting the dance numbers, you can get lost in this all-ages confection, and you won't even mind Kenny Loggins's bubbly pop. Bonuses include one of John Lithgow's best performances (a bit reminiscent of Jimmy Stewart), and Christopher Penn (who sure doesn't look the same anymore) as a good-natured hick who learns to boogie. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Kenny Loggins, Kevin Bacon, high school mayhem, oh yeah!.......2007-08-11

More than just an 80's teen movie, Footloose is a film that just gets it all done. Okay sure you have the classic scene that takes forever when K-Bacon is running around a giant warehouse like spider man, but it is more! So much more people, these kids you see they are in this town that outlaws dancing. The kids want to have a prom and then this guy that K-Bacon plays, well he blows in from like, Chicago or somewhere. Now this was filmed in some small mill town in Utah but in the movie I do not recall them saying what state this is in. Anyways it does not matter, cuz K-bake is a threat because he is an outsider and different and is into expression. So it is really about how dancing is expression. So K-Bake kicks but all the way around. The scene at the meeting where the girl actually quotes from the bible about how they "celebrated and danced" is totally awesome (no 80's pun intended) because dude the strict do-gooders in the film are hearing this in the town meeting or whatever and they about have a friggin hernia! Heads almost explode, yeah! Just a fine movie and K-Bacon steals the show! And yes, 20 years later he would go on to be in Stir of Echoes and spend half a movie digging his backyard up with a shovel.

Rock To Footloose ........2007-05-23

Hey i just love this film footloose brings me back to those carefree days i had as youth. i just dug the story about an outsider from a big city shaking things up in a small town but for a good reason. not being allowed to dance come on! it's part of our culture so i found that law in the film a little silly and thought it was just made up for the film until i saw the bonus stuff on this disc recently. the film hasn't aged that much other than some of the fashions being what they were in 1984 and they're were artifacts left. but nothing that would take away from the enjoyment of watching the movie, but what i like most about it was the music, the classic tracks that i heard and did'nt realize they were in the film until i viewed it again. the reason why i gave it four stars is the fact that top gun special edition came with the music videos from the film, that would've been nice to see the music videos from this film on here but oh well, can't win e'm all.

This Film Was shot In Utah. Lehi , American Fork and few other places.
The Mill still stands but is surrounded by resturants and gas stations , once there was nothing there but the mill and few houses and school, oh how times have changed.

When I see the Mill it brings back some fond memories, May It always stand.

Footloose fun.......2007-05-07

I loved this movie in highschool. Now my daughters can enjoy it too!! It was fun seeing the actors all grown up.

Thank Goodness for Dancing.......2007-03-23

A feel good movie for the whole family. Teaches the youngters that if you want something, you have to go for it and be willing to fight for it. This movie is one I recommend for everyone's library.

Let's hear it for the boy...

An American Classic .......2007-03-19

An American classic dance movie. Also watch the special 2-part feature on the making of the movie. It was forward and backward looking in so many good ways, anticipating the break out of pop music into mainstream culture through MTV as well as telling the story of a real small town in Oklahoma which had banned dancing for 95 years before one senior class petitioned the town fathers for a prom.

Although it contains some clichés, then, the story is still a meaningful one, and the very human performance of John Lithgow as the baptist minister and father of the rebellious Lori keeps the filim from descending into stereotype. Of course, Kevin Bacon in the lead role of "Ren" is just riveting. The dancing, choreographed by Lynne Taylor-Corbett, is good but not too good. Although there are clearly some ringers in the film (which makes the extravaganza closing scene just that much more fun), for the most part she worked with the native talents of the actors she had, who were not professional dancers. Just an all-around fun movie with foot-tapping music.

Average customer rating:

The Two Coreys and a cheap price!
One of the funniest movie ever..STILL!
Good DVD, absence of subtitles in Language English.
License to Drive
These two Corey's, definitely 80's teen idols!

License to Drive (Special Edition)
Starring: Corey Haim , Corey Feldman , Carol Kane , Richard Masur , and Heather Graham
Director: Greg Beeman
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
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ASIN: B0007LPSKO
Release Date: 2005-05-03

Product Description

For teenager Les Anderson (Corey Haim), the two most important things in life are getting his driver s license and getting together with the hottest girl in high school (Heather Graham in one of her first film roles). But when Les fails the exam, he borrows the family s prized 73 Cadillac for his big date. An innocent girl. A harmless drive. What could possibly go wrong? Try a fearless best friend (Corey Feldman) with an insane plan, a high school hottie with too much to drink, angry drag racers, crazed militants, a police roadblock, a crash course in car theft, a very angry father (Richard Masur), a very, very pregnant mother (Carol Kane) and much more! Nina Siemaszko and Grant Goodeve co-star in the awesome 80s comedy hit now loaded with exclusive extras, including all-new interviews with Corey Haim and Corey Feldman!

Features

Widescreen Presentation enhanced for 16x9 TVs

Theatrical Trailers

TV Spots

Corey Haim Interview

Audio Commentary with Director Greg Beeman and Writer Neil Tolkin

Corey Feldman Interview

Deleted Scene

Screenplay (DVD-ROM)

System Requirements:

Running Time 90 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

The brief 1980s mania surrounding "the Coreys" peaked with License to Drive, a modest but surprisingly still enjoyable adventure comedy. Les (Corey Haim, Lucas) has a chance to date his dream girl, Mercedes (Heather Graham, Boogie Nights, in her first significant movie role)--but he's just failed his driving exam. Motivated by a mixture of pride and hormones, he steals his grandfather's Cadillac and heads out on the town with Mercedes for a night that swiftly becomes an escalating series of disasters, made worse by the foolhardy antics of Les' best friend Dean (Corey Feldman, Stand by Me). Despite some egregious '80s fashion disasters (Graham gets the worst of them), License to Drive holds up surprisingly well--it's no work of genius, but it is a solidly made and entertaining teen comedy that's more coherent than most. The depiction of parent-teen relations is fairly honest and particularly well-played by Richard Masur (Risky Business) and Carol Kane (In the Soup) as the parents. The DVD includes a very funny and rambunctious audio commentary track by the screenwriter and director, as well as interviews with the grown-up Coreys. A must-have for fans of '80s nostalgia. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

The Two Coreys and a cheap price!.......2007-05-13

Came fast, good condition. Was good, haven't seen it since i was like 8 and you see a young Heather Gram. Which i never noticed before.

One of the funniest movie ever..STILL!.......2007-02-17

I watched this movie back in the 80's when I was a kid, and here it is 25 years later and this movie is still the funniest movie of all time. Surprisingly, I actually like most (I won't say all) of the movies the 2 Corey's did in the 80's, but I would say that "The Lost Boys" is my absolute favorite semi-horror flick, and "License to Drive" is my favorite comedy.

Good DVD, absence of subtitles in Language English........2007-01-14

The participation of Corey Haim is spectacular. The story is cool (good entertainment). The absence of subtitles in Language English and in other languages is lamentable.

Tidus

License to Drive.......2006-11-13

Wow there are so many parts of this movie i just simply did not remember. But still a great movie, especially with the deleted scenes. They are not up to scratch but i am not holding it against afterall the movie is 18 years old. But still allot of fun to watch.

These two Corey's, definitely 80's teen idols!.......2006-08-24

This movie is totally an 80's flick, but non the less it always brings back feelings of nestalgia! It brings back memories of being that 16yr old that can't wait to get their license. Both Corey Haim and Corey Feldman are perfect for the role. Even though Corey Haim's character fails the written exam, this teen somehow prevails and the outcome is hilarious! And even though this movie is almost 18yrs old, all teen agers can relate to it! This movie is timeless!!

Average customer rating:

A remarkable look behind four shows
This Road has a few potholes
A True Valentine to One Tumultuous Broadway Season Full of Insight and Energy

Show Business: The Road to Broadway
Starring: Boy George , Alan Cumming , John Lahr , Joe Mantello , and Jason Moore
Director: Dori Berinstein
Manufacturer: Liberation Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

ASIN: B000UAE7NG
Release Date: 2007-10-16

Description

The real drama happens behind the curtain in this fascinating and rare look at four high-profile Broadway musicals (Wicked, Taboo, Caroline, Or Change, and Avenue Q) and their fearless journey to the Tony Awards®. Including a star-studded cast, this enter

Customer Reviews:

A remarkable look behind four shows.......2007-08-22

As this film's ending makes perfectly clear, Broadway is brutal: far more shows fail than succeed. Show Business followed four musicals (Wicked, Taboo, Avenue Q, and Caroline, Or Change) through pre-production to (some would say premature) closing, unveiling the huge amount of work expended to put these productions on the stage. Not only is it a valentine to the musical, but to the art form's fans. A must-see for anyone who loves Broadway.

This Road has a few potholes.......2007-08-19

I am giving this documentary 4 stars because of the backstage access and how well the film is done. However, after hearing about the film and seeing interviews regarding the film where the makers talk about stumbling into this interesting season, it does not feel complete. The one major thing missing from this movie, and I think it was intentional, was the big campaign by Avenue Q for the Tony. We do not see the theater all bedecked in the streamers that they hung, and the acceptance speach at the Tonys where voting your heart was mentioned is nowhere to be found. For those in the theatre community and for those who follow the theatre closely, we all know about the big push Avenu Q made to win the Tony. It is interesting that they covered the problems Tonya Pinkins was having in her personal life and touching on the controversy surrounding Taboo and Rosie O'donnell, but not a word about how "aggressive" Avenue Q was at Tony time. This makes this documentary just average. it is great to be taken through the rehearsal process of these 4 shows and getting a peek at backstage life. And the inclusion of the chats between theatre critics was also good. But with the exclusion of the Avenue Q "mini controversy", this documentary could have been filmed during any season. I was so looking forward to seeing this after hearing good things about it. Will I buy the DVD? Yes. And why? because any peek behind the scenes of the theatre is worth buying to me. Just wish this one was better.

A True Valentine to One Tumultuous Broadway Season Full of Insight and Energy.......2007-07-28

The odds against a Broadway musical becoming a profitable hit make Hollywood studio film deals seem like a sure thing by comparison. However, there is a more palpable energy to live theater and arguably a genuine sense of risk. Filmmaker Dori Berinstein has captured this high-wire dynamic in spades with this enthusiastic 2007 documentary, which covers the 2003-04 Broadway season culminating in the Tony Awards held in June. There are plenty of random shots from the season's shows and even coverage of a little-known rehearsal ritual of having the most prolific cast member wear a gypsy robe before opening. Berinstein's focus is primarily on four disparate musicals - the successful $14-million Wizard of Oz-inspired extravaganza, Wicked; a socially conscious period piece, the powerful Caroline, or Change; the glam-rock Boy George autobiography, the financially stunted Taboo; and the season's underdog, the adult-oriented comic paean to Sesame Street, Avenue Q.

Bouncing between the productions in various stages of development, the filmmaker intersperses brief interviews with the producers, directors, writers and principal actors, as well as scabrous roundtable conversations about the spotlighted shows among the influential theater critics who have the power to close a show with a scathing review. The diverse combination of perspectives provides interesting fodder, even though given the wealth of material gathered here, the treatment sometimes feels truncated and cursory, for example, composer Stephen Schwartz and star Idina Menzel are given plenty of attention on "Wicked", but not nearly as much is lavished on co-star Kristin Chenoweth or the other creative forces behind the show. Intriguingly, the near-legendary backstage turmoil behind "Taboo" is mentioned, but very little of that tension is evident in the rehearsal scenes or the interviews with producer Rosie O'Donnell, Boy George or stars Euan Morton and Raúl Esparza.

Even though it is not remotely a warts-and-all type of film, there are refreshingly candid comments from O' Donnell and Boy George about the unfair press coverage "Taboo" received from the New York Post's smarmy Michael Riedel. There are also moments that are surprisingly poignant like "Caroline, or Change" star Tonya Pinkins recounting her grief-filled back story and Morton near tears as he talks about his post-close struggles. Easily the most amusing scenes spotlight the young, precocious composers of "Avenue Q", Jeff Marx and Bobby Perez, who seem to have accidentally backed into their show idea and ironically came out the season's true victors. The interviews with Marx's proud but dumbfounded father are especially hilarious. As a Broadway aficionado, I couldn't help but wish there were more musical moments included beyond the snippets shown, in particular, more of Pinkins' stirring turn in her show or the wildly talented Esparza's cross-dressing turn in "Taboo". But otherwise, this all-access peek into the Broadway theater scene is genuinely insightful and wonderfully entertaining.

Some Kind of Wonderful (Special Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

80's Culture!
Excellent piece of work by John Hughes
Review of Some Kind of Wonderful
Some Kind of Good Movie
Some Kind of Wonderful

Some Kind of Wonderful (Special Collector's Edition)
Starring: Eric Stoltz , Mary Stuart Masterson , Lea Thompson , Craig Sheffer , and John Ashton
Director: Howard Deutch
Manufacturer: Paramount
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ASIN: B000FZETKC
Release Date: 2006-08-29

Amazon.com essential video

After dominating the teen-movie genre for the bulk of the 1980s, writer-producer (and sometimes director) John Hughes proved that he had at least one good movie left in him before squandering his talent on lame comedies throughout the 1990s. Like The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink, Some Kind of Wonderful treated its teenaged characters like real people with real feelings, hopes, fears, and desire. Mary Stuart Masterson gives a great performance as a tomboy drummer named Watts who's secretly in love with her best friend, Keith (Eric Stoltz), an aspiring artist who is oblivious to her affection because he's got a crush on Amanda (Lea Thompson), the popular high school beauty. Watts will even go so far as to chauffeur a date for Keith and Amanda, if only to prove--after a lot of patient, emotional anguish--that she's better for Keith than Amanda could ever be. The movie's drama comes from Keith's gradual realization that there's more to love than surface attraction, and Hughes gets extra mileage out of the romantic confusion by allowing Thompson's character to be more than a shallow campus cutie. All three of the leads are good fits in their roles, and this was one of the few teen films of the '80s to add genuine depth to its mainstream appeal. It's one of the few John Hughes movies to stand the test of time. --Jeff Shannon

Description

A young tomboy, Watts (Mary Stuart Masterson), finds her feelings for her best friend, Keith (Eric Stoltz), run deeper than just friendship when he gets a date with the most popular girl in school, Amanda, (Lea Thompson). Unfortunately, the girl's old boyfriend, Hardy (Craig Scheffer), who is from the rich section of town, is unable to let go of her, and plans to get back at Keith.

Customer Reviews:

80's Culture!.......2007-07-23

this movie has to be one of my most favourite movies from the 80's. Eric Stolz plays a quiet guy who likes the popular girl in school, who has a boyfriend is such a player. Then he has his best friend Watts, who is so in love with him and this sets up a triangle of sorts. The best scene is when Keith (Eric Stolz), turns up at the party that Arty is having, and stands up to him in front of all his friends. Just goes to show that the tough guy can be intimidated and look like a loser. Great soundtrack too, and it's so 80's that i love watching it over and over.

Excellent piece of work by John Hughes.......2007-06-28

This is a movie that didn't get the attention of others movies in the 80's (Weird Science, Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club) but it sits right up there with them, this film has one of the best soundtracks of the 80's but is missing to songs Beats so Lonely from Charlie Sexton and Catch my Fall of Billy Idol.

In some parts is like Pretty in Pink but with a more real feel to it, all the young actors are in the top of there game (Eric Stolz, Lea Thompson, Mary Stuart Masterson and the always good Craig Sheffer) here but Candace Cameron and Elias Koteas steal this film with there portrait of Keith Sister and the School Badie, vintage John Hughes for the people that where in High School that time this is a must have DVD in your collection of great eighties films about High School crowd.

Review of Some Kind of Wonderful.......2007-06-27

This is a well-acted film about young love and all its ups and downs. The three main characters are excellent in their roles, and there's a good supporting cast. If you want a happy ending, you'll get it with this movie!

Some Kind of Good Movie.......2007-06-27

I have been a big fan of the 80's movies and this one is one of my favorites! The story flows well with the characters, and the cast works very well together and they seem very believable. My favorite character was the typical bad boy who became friends with Eric Stolz and the party scene towards the end was the real highlight of the movie for me. It was somewhat predictable but has a great ending. I can watch this movie over and over again and not get sick of it. Enjoy!!

Some Kind of Wonderful.......2007-06-20

Wonderful movie. One of John Hughes best efforts.

Average customer rating:

Billy Elliot
CALLING ALL MUSIC & BILLY ELLIOT LOVERS!!
Oscar-worthy in every sense
Powerful, Fun, Touching, and poignant
The Truth Will Set You Free

Billy Elliot
Starring: Stephen Daldry , Julie Walters , Jamie Bell , Jamie Draven , and Gary Lewis (III)
Director: Nicola Blackwell
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
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ASIN: B00003CXPD
Release Date: 2001-04-17

Amazon.com

Foursquare in the gritty-but-heartwarming tradition of Brassed Off and The Full Monty comes Billy Elliot, the first film from noted British theatrical director Stephen Daldry. The setting is County Durham in 1984, and things "up north" are even grimmer than usual: the miners' strike is in full rancorous swing, and 11-year-old Billy's dad and older brother, miners both, are on the picket lines. Billy's got problems of his own. His dad has scraped together the fees to send him to boxing lessons, but Billy has discovered a different aptitude: a genius for ballet dancing. Since admitting to such an activity is tantamount, in this fiercely macho culture, to holding up a sign reading "I Am Gay," Billy keeps it quiet. But his teacher, Mrs. Wilkinson (Julie Walters, wearily undaunted), thinks he should audition for ballet school in London. Family ructions are inevitable.

Daldry's film sidesteps some of the politics, both sexual and otherwise, but scores with its laconic dialogue (credit to screenwriter Lee Hall) and a cracking performance from newcomer Jamie Bell as Billy. His powerhouse dance routines, more Gene Kelly than Nureyev, carry an irresistible sense of exhilaration and self-discovery. Among a flawless supporting cast, Stuart Wells stands out as Billy's sweet gay friend Michael. And if the miners' strike serves largely as background color, the brief episode when visored and truncheon-wielding cops rampage through neat little terraced houses captures one of the most spiteful episodes in recent British history. --Philip Kemp

Customer Reviews:

Billy Elliot.......2007-07-18

nchored by Bell's soulful lead performance, "Billy Elliot" is an intelligent, often humorous coming-of-age drama by veteran stage director Daldry about masculine prejudice and the promise of escape from grinding, oppressive circumstances. Set against the backdrop of the 1984 miners' strike in Durham County, "Elliot" has an acute eye for working-class sensibilities, but the main focus of this exhilarating story concerns Billy's efforts to translate raw talent into self-realization. An irresistible mix of fancy footwork and feel-good entertainment.

CALLING ALL MUSIC & BILLY ELLIOT LOVERS!!.......2007-07-10

I am soooo frustrated!! In the film, what is the name of the piano ballad that is played when Billy is alone at the dance bar with Mrs. Wilkinson and they are rehearsing? (This is after the scene where Billy has imagined his mother in the kitchen). I have been searching for this song for years! Why oh why did they not include ALL OF THE SONGS from the movie on this sound track? Please help! Thanks in advance.

Oscar-worthy in every sense.......2007-06-26

I was absolutely blown away by this movie. At first the N. England accents were really tough for me to hear w/o turning up the volume quite a bit, but then suddenly they were clear. Don't know if it was the DVD or me. I've since watched Bell in other movies, and he's incredible. This movie is extremely heartwarming. His dad and bro are tough-as-nails coal miners, and Billy likes ballet. No, he lives for it. There are people who believe in him that get him through until his family finally come around, and then dad comes around big time. The ending screwed up the believability factor a bit for me, but all in all very well done.

Powerful, Fun, Touching, and poignant.......2007-05-17

I wasn't too sure how I would enjoy a story about a 13 y/o boy but right from the start I was hooked on it. I first watched this movie when I borrowed it from a friend but I quickly knew I had to have a copy for myself. "Billy Elliot" takes place at time and place that give the story a powerful background and places it deep in to the culture of the English working class. The characters feel real, the music is great, the dancing is full of energy and the plot keeps you in the story. Billy's family is fully of love shown in the caring they have for each another and the lengths they will go to support one another. I highly reccomend this movie to anyone that likes a good ending. It is great for the whole family. Enjoy!

The Truth Will Set You Free.......2007-03-25

A wonderful movie about a boy whose family are coal miners in Ireland. This young boy wants to dance instead of following him father and brother into the coal mines. He rises above the ridicule of him family and friends and finds a mentor who helps him fulfill his dreams. What I love so much about this story is that one realizes you don't have to follow the norm in order to be happy and succeed. What we need to do is follow our hearts. I loved this movie and I believe you will too.

Average customer rating:

Takes you back
This is a classic
Travolta's Defining Role!
Dance the night away
TRAVOLTA CARRIES THIS MOVIE!

Saturday Night Fever
Starring: Shelly Batt , Val Bisoglio , Julie Bovasso , Joseph Cali , and Sam Coppola
Manufacturer: Paramount
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ASIN: B00003CXCH
Release Date: 2002-10-08

Amazon.com essential video

Saturday Night Fever is one of those movies that comes along and seems to change the cultural temperature in a flash. After the movie's release in 1977, disco ruled the dance floors, and a blow-dried member of a TV-sitcom ensemble became the hottest star in the U.S. For all that, the story is conventional: a 19-year-old Italian American from Brooklyn, Tony Manero (John Travolta), works in a humble paint store and lives with his family. After dark, he becomes the polyester-clad stallion of the local nightclub; Tony's brother, a priest, observes that when Tony hits the dance floor, the crowd parts like the Red Sea before Moses. Director John Badham captures the electric connection between music and dance, and also the desperation that lies beneath Tony's ambitions to break out of his limited world. The soundtrack, which spawned a massively successful album, is dominated by the disco classics of the Bee Gees, including "Staying Alive" (Travolta's theme during the strutting opening) and "Night Fever." The Oscar ^®-nominated Travolta, plucked from the cast of Welcome Back, Kotter, for his first starring role, is incandescent and unbelievably confident, and his dancing is terrific. Oh, and the white suit rules. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

Takes you back.......2007-08-26

Originally saw this in the theatre when I was a kid. Still watch it from time to time. Great movie.

Corey Cotta, Author of All of Yesterdays Tomorrows.

This is a classic.......2007-07-23

Disco dancing! John Travolta doing Danny Tario's moves. This is burned in the consciousness of anybody over the age of 12 in 1979. Travolta was so cute back then (and he's still dancing!). Yes, it may be cheesy, but the 70's were cheesy - and I miss them!

Travolta's Defining Role!.......2007-04-28

Tony Manero (played brilliantly by John Travolta) is a 20 year old paint shop assistant living with his devout Catholic mom and his hard working dad. He doesn't get along very well with them. There are a lot of tense moments at the dinner table.

But on the weekends, Tony rules the disco! But this dancing champion of the New York disco scene needs to learn about how to treat other people like champions. He talks sassy to his mom, and he treats females with disrespect. He even blows off and ignores a friend who admires him and needs him most (the boy who commits suicide by jumping off the Verrazano Bridge).

But Tony starts to change when he meets a slightly older and more mature disco queen. He learns from her that treating people with respect is just as important as being good at what you do.

All the while, the movie is propelled by one of the greatest soundtracks in movie history, certainly the best disco album ever assembled. You also get a look at one segment of the late 1970s New York youth culture scene.
The movie still hits hard after 30 years.

Dance the night away.......2007-04-17

This movie is about a man and a woman, in the prime of their lives fighting the New york city meat grinder. They both find one another in a smoke filled bar and lit dance floor.They equally appreciate glances as one impresses the other on the dance floor. In the sounds of the legendary "Bee Gees" you find your self dancing your imagination away as the leading actors fight against each others impossible love that will never happen. Both actors find resolve in dance, and agree to be friends in the crazy world that is entertainment.

TRAVOLTA CARRIES THIS MOVIE!.......2007-04-11

Like another reviewer said, I too grew up hating this film. I was a young teen and a rocker and would not be caught dead watching this film. I have seen it many times now and I think it captures that 70's disco time period perfectly. Travolta is the whole show and of course the classic music soundtrack. The DVD has a good transfer and weak extras.

Average customer rating:

Good and Bad
Oliver!
Without a doubt my favorite movie!
One of the best kid musicals ever!
Love the songs!

Oliver!
Starring: Ron Moody , Shani Wallis , Oliver Reed , Harry Secombe , and Mark Lester
Director: Carol Reed , and Ronald Saland
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: 076781326X
Release Date: 1998-08-12

Amazon.com

Film buffs and critics can argue until their faces turn blue about whether this lavish Dickensian musical deserved the Academy Award for Best Picture of 1968, but the movie speaks for itself on grandly entertaining terms. Adapted from Dickens's classic novel, it's one of the most dramatically involving and artistically impressive musicals of the 1960s, directed by Carol Reed with a delightful enthusiasm that would surely have impressed Dickens himself. Mark Lester plays the waifish orphan Oliver Twist, who is befriended by the pickpocketing Artful Dodger (Jack Wild) and recruited into the gang of boy thieves led by Fagin (played to perfection by Ron Moody). The villainous Bill Sikes (Oliver Reed) casts his long shadow over Oliver and his friends, but the young orphan is still able to find loving care in the most desperate of circumstances. Full of memorable melodies and splendid lyrics, Oliver! is a timeless film, prompting even hard-to-please critic Pauline Kael to call it "a superb demonstration of intelligent craftsmanship," and to further observe that "it's as if the movie set out to be a tribute to Dickens and his melodramatic art as well as to tell the story of Oliver Twist." --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Good and Bad.......2007-08-11

The musical is exactly what I wanted. I was disappointed that the DVD itself was completely plain (no label). I didn't think the second act was on it! So I returned it and was sent another exactly like it. Only then did I realize that in the tiniest print around the hole in the middle it said Side 1 on one side and side 2 on the other side. A word of explanation with the packaging would have been helpful.

Oliver!.......2007-06-28

The considerable talents of British director Carol Reed and composer/lyricist Lionel Bart combine to create an exuberant musical worthy of its revered source. The cast, both young and old, excel, and songs like "Consider Yourself" and "As Long As He Needs Me" stand the test of time. "Oliver" won six Oscars, including Best Picture, a rare feat for a musical. Watch this and you'll say: "Please, sir, may I have some more?"

Without a doubt my favorite movie!.......2007-01-21

I was thrilled to find this on dvd! Growing up in children's institutions in upstate NY, we were taken to see this when it first came out. It had an enormous impact on us. I remember we used to act out as much of the movie as we could remember in the playground. Just like Oliver, we took stong offense to anyone talking about our parents, who many of us did not know. We all fought over who would get to play the artful Dodger. I must have hummed many of these songs to myself hundreds of times over the past 30 years. And now it all comes back : - ) I was one big goose bump re-living all this!

Fagin is the kind of person children cherish and really need in their lives. Ron Moody's Fagin perfectly epitomizes what is most missing in today's culture - empathy! He is someone who takes the time to see the world through the eyes of children. Ron Moody is truly a master of his craft. It is just pure pleasure to watch him play Fagin and listen to him sing so beautifully. Dodger was who we as kids all wanted to be like. An enormously confident and charming kid who holds his own with grown-ups.

Oliver! is a kid friendly movie that happily distances itself from today's endless materialism (agreeing with a previously made point). Oliver is vulnerable but steadfastly defiant, standing up for what is rightly his. It was so easy to see ourselves in his tattered shoes.

Finally, the soundtrack. If you haven't done this, buy it. Take it with you where ever you drive and bath yourself in these happy tunes. I love nothing more than speeding off to work in the morning to Fagin's "In this life, one thing counts, in the bank large amounts..." : - ))) The cd is full of these memorable and uplifting songs.

Without a doubt my favorite movie!

One of the best kid musicals ever!.......2007-01-10

Despite my 5 year olds (yes, twins) being way past their bed time, they were riveted and watched the movie to the very end; usually they'd fall asleep...

Highly recommended as one of the best must-see family movies ever!!

Love the songs!.......2007-01-09

I like this movie, my favorite thing about it is the songs. I wish I could find the soundtrack for it!
:-)

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