Rounders (Collector's Edition)

Amazon.com

A little drunk on its own arcane exotica as a gambling movie, Rounders is a film that takes us inside a world of high-stakes card players but falls short on such essentials as character development, relationships, that sort of thing. Still, it is a real curiosity, written by a couple of guys (David Levien and Brian Koppelman) who appear to know something about the dark underbelly of card hustling for fun and profit. Matt Damon stars as a reluctant law student who can't put aside his subterranean career of playing poker and blackjack for big money. After he loses his post-grad nest egg to a weird Russian kingpin (John Malkovich)--and also loses his disgusted girlfriend (Gretchen Mol) in the process--Damon's character turns to an unreliable old buddy (Edward Norton) for a dangerous game of sharking wherever there happens to be a game underway: frat boys, cops, bad dudes, you name it. Norton appears to be living out every young actor's fantasy of re-creating Robert De Niro's prototypical head case in Martin Scorsese's Mean Streets, and while his performance is burdened by obvious quotation marks, his estimable talent still shines through. Damon's charm and intelligence bring some oomph to the curiously flat proceedings, and while his hushed, soul-bearing scenes with Martin Landau (as a law professor who takes a shine to the kid) seem gratuitous, they're still nice to watch. Behind all this is director John Dahl (Red Rock West), who is not exactly at the top of his game here but who brings his distinctive toughness to the crime-noir tone. --Tom Keogh

Description

Academy Award(R) winner Matt Damon (GOOD WILL HUNTING, Best Original Screenplay, 1997; THE BOURNE SUPREMACY) and Edward Norton (THE ITALIAN JOB) star in this story of passion, risk, and the extreme price of friendship! After losing a high-stakes card game, Mike (Damon) gives up gambling for law school and a fresh start with his girlfriend (Gretchen Mol -- CRADLE WILL ROCK). But then his best buddy (Norton) gets out of prison and in over his head with a ruthless card shark (John Malkovich -- BEING JOHN MALKOVICH). From there, Mike's strong sense of loyalty -- and the lure of the game -- draw him back to the tables in a game he cannot afford to lose! Also starring John Turturro (O BROTHER, WHERE ARE THOU?) and Oscar(R) winner Martin Landau (ED WOOD, Best Supporting Actor, 1994).

Customer Reviews:

Good Performances, Good Action.......2007-08-12

Damon and Norton both shine as Poker hustlers. Damon is the the guy who's studying law and trying to transition into the respectable world of a law student in a committed relationship. Norton is excellent as his friend who is pure hustler and who eventually drags him in deeper than he seemingly wants to be.

Great action sequences and the Poker games are very entertaining. John Malkovich plays a very weird Russian mafia guy named Teddy KGB who is menacing and ultimately taken down by Damon at head to head Texas Hold Em.

DVD has some nice special features including a brief tutorial and some comments from leading Poker pros.

It takes stones to steer clear of trouble andd wrong choices - Turturro.......2007-05-25

ROUNDERS (1998), with an exceptionally well chosen cast (John
Turturro, Ed Norton, Matt Damon, Martin Landay, and John Malkvich) is
a movie that will appeal to those above 25 / 30, considering the
strong mental and rational aspects that the movie emphasizes, coupled
with other human aspects that everyone will relate to, nonetheless.

If you believe that full stars should never be awarded to a story
that has a happy ending, (guy gets the girl and the money), then you
will understand how this movie is a remarkable achievement, yet not
the best I've seen, due to the Hollywood policy of avoiding tragic
endings, steering clear of despair, suffering from gambling
addiction or otherwise, due to entertainment reasons.

The acting is splendid and beyond reproach, from all actors, by
exposing the subculture of gambling as a hobby and as a social
networking and human release tool. It also exposes those players who,
naturally, take advantage and profit insidiously from the humanity
and compelling addition that exists in the weaker players at the
tables.

As such, the story is a somewhat of a microcosm of what goes on in
the financial markets, the greed and fear emotions that go back and
forth among the traders, the majority of whom lose as much as they
gain from the game, in the long run, not knowing when to stop or how
much is enough.

With a pleasing widescreen release, and sharp, professional
technique, and perfect transfer to DVD, the story underlines the
importance of one's reputation and ability to socially network to be
able to get a seat at the tables where the action occurs. It also
brings up the banking aspects, and loan sharks charging "juice", and
of collectors who are called on to act on difficult debts, the
pariah mechanics, the special visual reading skills needed to be
successful in beating opponents.

Perhaps unnoticed, is the aspect of the movie, that contrasts and
compares the various protagonists character, who they really are,
their destinies, how they found their niche, by choosing settings at
peep shows, or libraries of wealthy reputable judges, lawyers, at
police officers messes, intermixed with convicts, gambling addicted
people of all kinds, including innocent tourists to Las Vegas, etc.

Catchy one-liner: "It takes stones to steer clear of trouble and the
wrong choices" ... yet overall, the movie suggests to viewers that
those making no choices, stopped in the middle of the road of life,
still get run over.

A Great Gambling Movie.......2007-05-14

Matt Damon and Edward Norton team up in this Gambling drama about two men who love to play cards. Both men live different lives, and conflicts arise but in the end one thing is never forgotten; How good these guys actually are at what they do.

rounders.......2007-05-10

this is a wonderful story about two guys who cheat at everything. A few ups and a lot of downs. hustlers to the enth degree. very entertaining

Poker Players Only?.......2007-03-25

There seems to be mixed reviews about this movie. One either likes it or has very little if any response. I'm a poker player and I loved the story and the cast is excellent. If you like poker as well as suspense, I believe this film will be very satisfying to you. If you don't fit that description, it's still worth a look.

The Aristocats (Disney Gold Classic Collection)

Average customer rating:

SOOOO Cute!!!
The Aristocats is a great movie
How could you not love this movie!
It's like the feline version of Lady and the Tramp!
To Have a 2-Disc Release!

The Aristocats (Disney Gold Classic Collection)
Starring: Phil Harris , Eva Gabor , Liz English , Gary Dubin , and Dean Clark (II)
Director: Wolfgang Reitherman
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305784116
Release Date: 2000-04-04

Amazon.com

Duchess and her three kittens are enjoying the high life with their devoted human mistress until the wicked butler Edgar, with his eyes on a big inheritance, decides to dope them and get them out of the picture. How can these fragile creatures cope in the unfamiliar countryside and the meaner streets of Paris? Only by meeting the irrepressible alley cat O'Malley, a rough diamond with romance in his heart. After they get a taste of the wide dangerous world, he guides them home, and Edgar gets his just desserts at the wrong end of a horse. As always, it's really the voices rather than the animation that are the heart of the Disney magic: Phil Harris is brilliant as O'Malley, Eva Gabor as Duchess is... well... Eva Gabor; but perhaps the most memorable turns are by Pat Buttram and George Lindsay, who turn the old hounds Napoleon and Lafayette into a couple of bumbling Southern-fried rednecks. Their scenes with Edgar, and the musical numbers with Scat Cat and his cool-dude band, are classic. Most striking about seeing The Aristocats now is how deeply Disney's style of animation has changed since this was at the cutting edge in 1970. Perhaps the nostalgic, dated feel are just a result of being plonked down in Belle Epoque Paris, but the illustrations are fussier (a pity) and the animation and overall pace much less frenetic (sometimes a relief) than in more recent efforts such as Aladdin. --Richard Farr

Description

Disney's 20th full-length animated masterpiece, THE ARISTOCATS is an unforgettable mix of wild adventure, colorful characters, and jazzy music your family will find absolutely irresistible! This enchanting tale begins in Paris, when a kind and eccentric millionairess wills her entire estate to her family -- a family of adorable high-society cats. But when Edgar, the greedy butler, overhears her plan, he catnaps Duchess, the elegant, soft-spoken mother, and her three mischievous kittens and abandons them in the French countryside. Soon, they're being escorted home by the charming Thomas O'Malley, a rough-and-tumble alley cat, who takes them to his "pad" along the way, where Scat Cat and his band of swingin' jazz cats perform the memorable "Ev'rybody Wants To Be A Cat." Enriched by "high-style Disney animation" (The New Yorker) and toe-tapping music by Academy Award(R)-winning songwriters the Sherman brothers (MARY POPPINS), THE ARISTOCATS is a timeless treasure and the last animated feature to get the nod from Walt Disney himself.

Customer Reviews:

SOOOO Cute!!!.......2007-08-11

For Persian cat lovers like me (and probably cat lovers in general) as well as those who adore all things French, this film is simply delightful! A darling little tale of a mother Persian cat living the pampered life in Paris with her kittens when the evil butler learns that the mistress of the house plans to leave everything to the cats. So naturally (being an evil butler and all) he decides to throw the cats out into the countryside where he believes that they will be lost forever or surely die. Thankfully, once there, they meet up with a loveable (is there ever any other kind in Disney films?) tramp named Tom who teaches them the joys of the "free" life. Other reviewers have said that this film isn't to the level of many of the other Disney films and they are perhaps correct. However, this is very cute, the animation is beautiful, the voices are rich, and while the music isn't much (certainly can't hold a candle to the Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast), it provides a good enough soundtrack for this cat lover's dream.

The Aristocats is a great movie.......2007-03-24

Howdy, I'm StoryMaker. The Aristocats is a great movie starring Duchess, a gorgeous white cat with three frisky kittens and a VERY rich owner. However, when she decides that when she dies her cats get the money (or maybe just all the cat food and cat toys you can buy with it XD), her greedy butler Edgar gets MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD. So mad that he plots to kidnap the kittens! However, with the help of thier new friend O'Malley the Alley Cat, they manage to get back home. This is a comical and charming movie that I reccomend you watch. When you're looking for humor, the *ever so funny* dogs will satisfy that. If you're looking for music, than you should listen to "Ev'rybody Wants to be a Cat" even if everybody doesn't want to be a cat. One of the only flaws is that at the end, when they got rid of Edgar (duh I won't tell you how), the rich owner (must...remember...name...) sort of just says "Too bad Edgar left". She has no idea that Edgar was the catnapper! I mean it's just so blank. I would like it if she found out. Still, this is a super fun movie! Signed, StoryMaker. "Gotta trust the kid's review!"

How could you not love this movie!.......2007-03-23

I purchased this movie for my 15 YEAR OLD. She remembered this movie and it was one of her favorites when she was much younger. It is such a cute movie. As a matter of fact our next cats are going to be named O'Malley and Duchess. No one can go wrong with the Aristocats - young or old!

It's like the feline version of Lady and the Tramp!.......2007-03-14

Another Collector's clasic to own.Wonderful, lots of action, adventures and love.beautiful animation and music. very funny too

To Have a 2-Disc Release!.......2007-02-28

I heard recently that this excellent and entertaining film is to be released on a 2-Disc special DVD.The release should be sometime in Spring,2007.I am looking forward to it.

The Passion of Joan of Arc - Criterion Collection

Average customer rating:

Good & Bad Of This Extraordinary Film
Ultimate cinema
The Passion of Joan of Arc
The passion of Joan of Arc - The face of Renee Maria Falconetti
Passionate Silent Film

The Passion of Joan of Arc - Criterion Collection
Starring: Maria Falconetti , Eugene Silvain , André Berley , Maurice Schutz , and Antonin Artaud
Director: Carl Theodor Dreyer
Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0780022343
Release Date: 1999-10-19

Amazon.com essential video

Carl Dreyer's The Passion of Joan of Arc is as truly mythic as any film ever shot, its artistic achievement rivaled by its turbulent history. The focal point of controversy when released in 1928, the original film was lost for a half-century until an intact copy of Dreyer's original version was recovered in the early '80s.

Seeing Joan of Arc today remains a cinematic revelation, its approach to storytelling, set design, editing, and especially cinematography (by Rudolph Maté, who also shot Dreyer's visionary Vampyr) radical then, and still strikingly modern many decades later. Influenced by both German expressionist film and the French avant-garde, Dreyer's huge set was designed with asymmetrical doors, windows, and arches, through which Maté's camera moves along equally off-centered, even vertiginous, but fluid trajectories. Although the story is epic in its implications, the film is composed primarily of extreme close-ups, especially of Joan and her principal interrogator, Bishop Cauchon, and medium shots of small groups, often shot from low angles. Dreyer and Maté shot their cast in bright light, without makeup, giving each wrinkle, blemish, or tuft of hair sculptural detail.

For all its visual invention, however, Dreyer's film is most devastating in its central performance by Falconetti (née Renee Falconetti), a French stage actress who made her only screen appearance here--one critic Pauline Kael has suggested "may be the finest performance ever recorded on film." Through Falconetti, Joan's spiritual devotion, simple dignity, and suffering become utterly real; even without a dialogue track and only sparse inter-titles, the film achieves a fevered eloquence.

This meticulous restoration also includes composer Richard Einhorn's beautiful oratorio, Voices of Light, inspired by Dreyer's film and set to texts by women mystics from medieval and early-Renaissance Europe. A luminous work on its own, Einhorn's oratorio matches both the dramatic arcs and tremulous emotions of Dreyer's film, while its juxtaposition of choral and solo voices (with early-music vocal quartet Anonymous 4 evoking Joan herself) echoes the martyr's confrontation with the court. --Sam Sutherland

Description

With its stunning camerawork and striking compositions, Carl Th. Dreyer's The Passion of Joan of Arc convinced the world that movies could be art. Renée Falconetti gives one of the greatest performances ever recorded on film, as the young maiden who died for God and France. Long thought to have been lost to fire, the original version was miraculously found in perfect condition in 1981-in a Norwegian mental institution. Criterion is proud to present this milestone of silent cinema in a new special edition featuring composer Richard Einhorn's Voices of Light, an original opera/oratorio inspired by the film.

Customer Reviews:

Good & Bad Of This Extraordinary Film.......2007-09-13

Many of the times, while watching this for the first time, I thought this was almost the re-enactment of Jesus' last day, seeing the phony trial, the trumped-up charges He endured by legalistic, power-hungry religious leaders of the day who had no clue who God is, and then the tragic end to the central character. Apparently, there were a lot of similarities to Joan of Arc's last day and of Christ's day. However, here it's the Catholic leaders who are the 'bad guys' while in Jesus' time it was the Pharisees and the Sanhedrin. Also, with Joan's story here, she is portrayed far differently in her ordeal than Christ did, the latter taking everything in stride stoically while Joan, without any physical beating, still cried constantly and signed some paper in a moment of weakness (although she later recants that, which costs the woman her life.)

Anyway, while one could write volumes on this film, let me just add what incredible direction and photography was in this production. Scene after scene is pretty amazing and especially so when you consider this was made about 80 years ago! I would like to see the same director and photographer doing work with today's technology.

Another big plus for this film was the addition of "The Voices of Light." They made the music score in here fantastic. I can't recall too many films in which I have been so impressed with a soundtrack. The DVD gives you the option of watching this film with or without that audio. I strongly recommend viewers to take the audio.

There is caution, however, for first-time viewers: this is extremely slow and repetitive story. Shot-after-shot of just Falconetti agonizing or crying and weird-looking men staring at her might drive YOU to tears! If you aren't a devotee of cinematography, this movie could be extremely boring after about 10 minutes.

I'm glad I saw this but, to be fair and totally honest, I can only recommend this to a very select audience who knows what to expect with this film.

Ultimate cinema.......2007-07-04

Dreyer's masterpiece is a work of total commitment. Sheer modernist technique, effacing establishing shots, the exterior world of baubles and parades in favour of the strict claustrophobic logic of people's faces in close up. A film starved of distraction. No backgrounds except for white walls: no original music survives, but none is needed. Watch it silent and be embarrassed at being put face to face with a sense of anguish that has never been equalled in cinema. It's the ultimate film because any more emotion and it would be unbearable: to go "beyond" "The Passion..." would mean the film could never be shown to a civilised audience.

Falconetti "is" Joan Of Arc to an extent that surpasses conventions of actorly involvement in the role: she never acted again on screen because she never acted in the first place.

If great art can be defined simply as that which demands total emotional involvement from its audience, Dreyer's "Passion" is the greatest film of them all.

The Passion of Joan of Arc.......2007-06-20

Dreyer's sensational, groundbreaking depiction of the trial of 15th-century Christian martyr St. Joan of Arc was one of the first on-screen realizations of the principle that film is "the seventh art." Though Dreyer's print was lost for 50 years, its eventual recovery and restoration guaranteed that others would finally be able to appreciate its sublimely expressionistic qualities. Mobile camerawork, unconventional angles, and inspired direction of the entire cast are its legacy, as are hauntingly scrutinous close-ups of Falconetti's noble visage. Suffering never looked this good.

The passion of Joan of Arc - The face of Renee Maria Falconetti.......2007-04-16

"The Passion of Joan of Arc" (1928) by Carl Theodor Dreyer is simply one of the greatest films ever - silent or no silent and what considered by many critics, the greatest performance by any actress on the screen. Renee Maria Falconetti, a French stage performer, was persuaded by Dreyer to play the Maid of Orleans even though she had no film experience. From her very first shot, we can understand what a visionary Dreyer was. The director asked the actress to crop her hair and to strip her face of any makeup. Filmed mostly in close-up, the agonized face of Falconetti's Jean, free of all cosmetic artifice, appears more moving and human, and expresses so many emotions that it literally stays in a viewer's soul.

A German designer Herman Warm ("The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" and "The Tree Lights") constructed the austere sets for the film; the photography of Rudolph Mater also contributed to the films universal power. The composer Richard Einhorn wrote in 1989 the composition "Voices of Light" which is included in DVD that I saw and effectively enhances Dreyer's impressive images. With all that said, I couldn't help quoting Ingmar Bergman who said once, "The human face is the great subject of the cinema. Everything is there". Faces tell the tale of the Maid of Orleans in this movie, and above all, one unforgettable face - that of Renee Falconetti in her only film appearance

Passionate Silent Film.......2007-03-31

'The Passion of Joan of Arc' differs from expectations of a silent film. Not having any reading material, I am going out on a limb and say it was innovative for its time. Maria Falconetti plays Joan with intensity, conveying courage, fear, and fragileness with expertise througout. The Inquisition are presented as smug and patronizing, making the drama even more realistic. Director Carl Theodor Dreyer skillfully interweves shots that broaden the film, and his attention to details is ground breaking. The close ups and editing are of the caliber that today we take for granted. The pace of the frames flows along like real life, unlike, say Charlie Chaplin's silent films do. Presenting a trial and the burning at the stake that never seem fake, 'The Passion of Joan of Arc' is a real triumph. Even as a silent film, the facial expressions say more than words. The film, which like Joan herself, was thought to be lost in a fire, has been resurrected for the benefit of all.

Average customer rating:

Good Performances, Good Action
It takes stones to steer clear of trouble andd wrong choices - Turturro
A Great Gambling Movie
rounders
Poker Players Only?

Rounders
Starring: Matt Damon , Edward Norton , John Turturro , Paul Cicero , and Gretchen Mol
Director: John Dahl
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305268789
Release Date: 1999-02-09

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Good Performances, Good Action.......2007-08-12

It takes stones to steer clear of trouble andd wrong choices - Turturro.......2007-05-25

A Great Gambling Movie.......2007-05-14

rounders.......2007-05-10

this is a wonderful story about two guys who cheat at everything. A few ups and a lot of downs. hustlers to the enth degree. very entertaining

Poker Players Only?.......2007-03-25

Average customer rating:

INTERESTING FILM, BUT FLAWED! 3 1/2 STARS!
Terrible!! Too much profanity and bad language!
This movie is money!
Great to Learn about Yuppies
Couldn't Sit Through It

Two for the Money (Full Screen)
Starring: Al Pacino , Matthew McConaughey , Rene Russo , Armand Assante , and Jeremy Piven
Director: D.J. Caruso
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
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ASIN: B000CBCWRQ
Release Date: 2006-01-17

Amazon.com

Two for the Money has a formidable cast: Al Pacino, Matthew McConaughey, and Rene Russo (Get Shorty) play compulsive personalities caught up in the high-testosterone world of sports betting. Brandon Lang (McConaughey, Sahara), a once-promising football player sidelined by an injury, has an uncanny knack for totting up the statistics and personalities involved in any football game and picking the winner. But he doesn't gamble himself: He offers tips via a phone line. His string of successful picks attracts the attention of Walter Abrams (Pacino, The Godfather, Dog Day Afternoon), a man building a media empire on sports tips, even though he himself can only resist his own gambling addiction thanks to the fierce devotion of his wife, Toni (Russo, Tin Cup, Get Shorty). Brandon swiftly becomes Walter's protege and transforms into an aggressive, high-risk salesman, even going so far as to change his name to create a new self. But when Brandon starts to think of his knack as magic, everything Walter has built around his golden boy starts to teeter. Two for the Money starts with punchy dialogue and razzle-dazzle acting, but midway it starts to founder; the characters never quite feel real, the plot grows labored and implausible, and the basic themes--gambling, addiction--turn vague and fuzzy. The actors have charisma to burn, but they can't overcome an unfocused script. Also featuring Jeremy Piven (Entourage), Armand Assante (The Mambo Kings), and Jaime King (Bulletproof Monk). --Bret Fetzer

Description

Academy Award winner Al Pacino and Matthew McConaughey star in this adrenaline-charged thriller about the sexy, high-stakes world of sports betting, where fortunes can be made and lost with a flip of a coin.

When Brandon Lang (McConaughey) becomes the protégé of sports gambling's power player, Walter Abrams (Pacino), he swiftly becomes the golden boy of the high-rolling world for consistently picking football winners. Now, with millions on the line, he finds himself in a deadly game of con-versus-con with his new mentor.

Also starring Renee Russo and Jeremy Piven (TV's Entourage), Two For The Money sizzles with intense, non-stop thrills!

Customer Reviews:

INTERESTING FILM, BUT FLAWED! 3 1/2 STARS!.......2007-08-24

Pacino and McConaughey are very good in this tale about men who predict the outcome of sports events and the morons who believe someone can do this! If you don't like gambling & profanity don't watch this movie! The DVD transfer is very good.

Terrible!! Too much profanity and bad language!.......2007-07-16

It was painful we had to stop watching this because of the constant profanity. My husband and I started getting a headache and could not enjoy the movie. We don't gamble and we don't use bad language so this was too much for us. I can't believe Al Pacino has such a dirty mouth. Don't waste your time and money!

This movie is money!.......2007-02-17

This movie is all about Sports Handicapping!

It's based on a true story. I know the guy it's based on and Matthew McConaughey does a great job portraying him!

I am a top rated professionally sports handicapper, check out my website!

Great to Learn about Yuppies.......2007-02-16

I should have known this movie would be terrible because it stars Matthew McConaughey. McConaughey plays one thing well - the smarmy yuppie. Having grown up in a working class Manhattan family, I know the type well. He does an excellent job at this one role for which he is type cast again and again. This film is no exception. The worst thing about this movie is that even though I only watched about 2/3, I had to use grease-cutting cleaner to clean my tv screen free of all the slime.

Couldn't Sit Through It.......2007-02-11

I'm giving this movie two stars becuase McConaughey looks really good with his shirt off (one star) and it has Pacino and Russo (the other star). After twenty five minutes, I decided I was wasting valuable time of my life watching this forgettable and worthless story.
The end.

No Limit: A Search for the American Dream on the Poker Tournament Trail

Average customer rating:

Wow
No Limit? Says who? I saw none
Well... a poker journey
Mindnumbing
One of few poker docunentaries.

No Limit: A Search for the American Dream on the Poker Tournament Trail
Starring: Doyle Brunson , Daniel Negreanu , Phil Hellmuth , David Sklansky , and Mike Sexton
Director: Tim Rhys , and Brian O'Hare
Manufacturer: Taking a Shot, LLC
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000J4P818
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Description

This is true story with amazing poker insights from all the top players.

Is high-stakes poker a metaphor for the American Dream? A bi-coastal couple, Susan and Tim, carry their independent film company and four-year-old son on an eight month ride through the world of tournament poker. Their goal is to win $125,000 to develop a feature film. Business and formerly romantic partners, Susan and Tim often disagree. Susan is a self-directed, high energy gambler who has won poker tournaments before. Tim is her sensible but anxious mate and often her unwanted conscience. Along the way, we get to meet the peculiar players from around the globe who populate the poker world and hear their thoughts on poker's connection to the American Dream. None are boring, and many have become superstars in their sport. While exploring themes of The American Dream, individualism, talent and freedom, this International Award Winning Documentary guides us through an offbeat world few of us will ever enter.

Featuring interviews with (partial list):

Amir Vahedi

Annie Duke

Barry Greenstein

Bobby Baldwin

Charlie Shoten

Chip Jett

Chris "Jesus" Ferguson

Chris Moneymaker

Clonie Gowen

Daniel Negreanu

David "Devilfish" Ulliot

David Sklansky

Doyle Brunson

Evelyn Ng

Hendon MOB

Howard Lederer

James McManus

Jennifer Harman

Kathy Liebert

Kenna James

Larry Flynt

Layne Flack

Linda Johnson

Lou Krieger

Mark Seif

Mel Judah

Men "the Master" Nguyen

Miami John Cernuto

Mike Sexton

Phil Gordon

Phil Hellmuth

Puggy Pearson

Scotty Nguyen

Steve Lipscomb

T.J. Cloutier

Thor Hansen

Yosh Nakano

Customer Reviews:

Wow.......2007-08-26

They depicted the real life of a poker player. The ups and downs, and the highs and lows of a true gamler.

No Limit? Says who? I saw none.......2007-06-27

Ok first off, starting a poker documentary with nothing but shots of your kids and how great your family is and then saying "two single parents from opposite coasts" probably isn't the best thing for a film about gambling. I knew I was in trouble when this was the case. In reality, they are two people whom used to be married to each other and are now working together. You can obviously see why they are not together. Both have different goals and outlooks on life.

Next, the poker content. What poker content? All we see is the main character whining about how "cold" she runs but how great she plays. She relies so heavily on luck that I believe her to be completely dillusional about the games she's actually playing. She doesn't play No Limit one time in the film, like the title would lead you to believe. Every tournament is either Omaha 8 or Stud 8 and that is all. The main character of the movie just got insanely annoying when every table draw was lucky or unlucky, a shirt...yes a friggin shirt on her chair was her excuse for losing despite being at a "lucky" table. She gets seated at table 44 seat 3 and says..."oh 11, this is really lucky!" only to bust after just a few hours and blame something for her bad luck and cold cards. I mean, seriously. Are you going to try to turn pro and play poker tournaments for a living and dangle your every decision or result on how lucky you are?

Third, there are a ton of inaccuracies in the film. Just a few are stating the Harrahs owns the former Binion's Horseshoe on Freemont street, which is 100% incorrect. They own the WSOP and MTR has owns Binion's since Becky sold it in 2004. Harrahs only managed it for 6 months until MTR got their people properly trained. Others included the text on the screen saying "tournament 2 day 1" when it was actually her third event. There were no "day 1" or "Day 2" of any events. Everything she played was a single day event. Why call all the individual tourneys at one location as just one tournament when in fact they are not?

The only saving grace of this movie is some of the interviews with top pros. There is a lot of insight as to what makes these guys tick but it always seems to be money and nothing but. There are no talks of charity, family, life, just how much money they can get so that buying things means nothing to their overall bottom line. Devil Fish talking about how he rides in limos and takes private jets, and others talking about the same things. It pretty much paints the pros out to be nothing but money hungry people with nothing to offer society after they've been trying to change this image for years.

2/5 stars only because of the production quality and some of the insight into the way the pros think.

Well... a poker journey.......2007-05-14

It presents a girl going thru different omaha tourneys, but no good poker content... it shows that it's hard to become a pro, but i don't like the way that the girl relays on luck, but you can feel so many times like the main character on this movie... it will not help you to improve your game.. but will tell you that u cant win all the time

Mindnumbing.......2007-04-15

I was quite excited this afternoon as I found this DVD in my mailbox and settled onto the couch to watch yet another film about one of my favorite topics. Within fifteen minutes, I'd decided that the two filmmakers/documentarians were so appallingly annoying I had to stop watching. I must have missed the best bits which were sure to follow. In the off-chance that they read this--beginning a poker film with cloying, kid-hugging moments is almost always a bad play.

One of few poker docunentaries........2007-04-06

You gotta feel for the filmmakers of this film. It's clearly a shoestring operation filming Susan's quest to win big money in poker tournaments to make more movies.

So the story is appealing: the quest against impossible odds, the ultimate triumph, the ... wait there is no triumph. It seems at first that Susan is a rather poor Omaha player or an unlucky one. Later on, she redeems herself with better results.

Ir is worth seeing for the numerous famous player interview clips. To keep the story moving, all the players appear in mini video bites.

However, there are differences between what you see and what you get here. No game that she plays is no limit as it is mostly Omaha, a pot limit game. And while poker fans will be expecting, Texas Hold'em, it's missing. There's just Omaha and stud, fine games, but not at the center of the poker frenzy.

I wish I could have seen a few of Susan's live cash game, as apparently she trounced the table.

This is worth seeing for the sheer chutzpah of the entire enterprise.

P.S. I read reviews here and elsewhere online and this seemed like a must-buy, or rather a must-rent. It's nowhere to be rented.

Average customer rating:

INTERESTING FILM, BUT FLAWED! 3 1/2 STARS!
Terrible!! Too much profanity and bad language!
This movie is money!
Great to Learn about Yuppies
Couldn't Sit Through It

Two for the Money (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Al Pacino , Matthew McConaughey , Rene Russo , Armand Assante , and Jeremy Piven
Director: D.J. Caruso
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000CBCWRG
Release Date: 2006-01-17

Amazon.com

Description

Also starring Renee Russo and Jeremy Piven (TV's Entourage), Two For The Money sizzles with intense, non-stop thrills!

Customer Reviews:

INTERESTING FILM, BUT FLAWED! 3 1/2 STARS!.......2007-08-24

Terrible!! Too much profanity and bad language!.......2007-07-16

This movie is money!.......2007-02-17

Great to Learn about Yuppies.......2007-02-16

Couldn't Sit Through It.......2007-02-11

Average customer rating:

The Con Man's Bible
Decent flick...Would recommend to poker fans/Stallone fans
TEXAS HOLD'EM POKER and various hustlers on the make
This movie is tight.
A heartfelt tribute to Cincinnati Kid

Shade
Starring: Patrick Bauchau , Mark Boone Junior , Tony Burton , Gabriel Byrne , and Jason Cerbone
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0001XAQB4
Release Date: 2004-05-25

Description

The hand is quicker than the eye in LA's underground gambling scene, hustlers getting hustled and fortunes ride on every deal. Three small time grifters devise with a plan to beat the ultimate card mechanic- The Dean. But a seat at The Dean's table doesn't come cheap

Customer Reviews:

The Con Man's Bible.......2007-07-05

There's something in all of us that wants to "get over" on somebody else, thus this movie deals us all a great hand and can be watched many times over. Love the special features!

Decent flick...Would recommend to poker fans/Stallone fans.......2007-05-20

The movie all around wasn't bad, but not to say it was anything memorable. It does throw some twists and turns. A short-lived section of the movie with Jamie Foxx and his antics, Sylvester Stallone and his ability to "play it cool". Some of the acting could have been better, the movie was pretty short as well. I liked it, but again I've seen better.

TEXAS HOLD'EM POKER and various hustlers on the make.......2007-03-29

This movie, starring Sylvester Stallone as a master TEXAS
HOLD'EM POKER player, with other competitors, played by the
charismatic, laid back, and relaxed actors Gabriel Byrne, and
Stuart Townsend, has that typical, surprise ending, that will
knock most people's socks off, as was the case with "Nine
Queens" or "MatchStick Men", for example. You really don't see
it coming at all, just when the movie seemed to have reached its
peak.

Among the strong points of this picture, is the tasteful
soundtrack, that is modest, not drawing the attention of
viewers from the story, or the quality wide-screen release, or
the fine acting.

The editing is innovative, as it tries to avoid a one -
dimensional unfolding of the story, by presenting multiple
flash-backs, at the start and towards the middle of the movie,
allowing the audience to catch up with who is who, and where the
movie is heading, so the story unfolds rapidly, wasting no time.

Obviously, the movie's, when taken as pure entertainment, works
fine as successive grifters and poker players using various
cheating techniques, get "eaten" by their fellow "carnivores" in
one scam or other. The audience will perhaps consider that they
had it coming to them, sooner or later.

Melanie Griffth is lovely, and Stallone does an outstanding job,
in bringing a certain world-class status to the movie, by
simply being himself, both enjoying themselves over the course
of the 90 mins.

Clearly, this is a fun picture for people who've enjoyed poker
and card games, and cynically wonder whether there is something
else going on behind the scenes when certain participants
repetitively meet success. Theatrical or DVD release, SHADE is a
winner.

This movie is tight........2007-01-04

Great cast, excellent plot, and just enough twists to keep you guessing. Props to R. Paul Wilson for teaching the non-magicians proper slight of hand.

A heartfelt tribute to Cincinnati Kid.......2006-04-28

One of the most delicate factors to take into account at the moment you decide to make a remake (of such emblematic movie like the Cincinati Kid has meant through the yeras)is to play hard, to strike with a sonorous punch, giving that touch of genius, and avoiding to fall into common places.

The anecdote has been told too many times (The Big Lewoski, for instance), the classical challenge between the young and inexpert apprentice and the master champion.

The poker is probably, one of the most exciting card games. It demands from you the absolute and total domain of the wide gamut of psychological profiles; cold blood and that intuitive perception about when to play hard or retire. In this sublime instant of concentrated eternity, the copious adrenaline and the cold sweat so typical of this special moment.

Sylvester Stallone and Gabriel Byrne were specially effective I this hair raising movie where the emotional tension reached a true climax in the last sequence.

Average customer rating:

GONI CABRON
"Politicians offer marvels--heaven, earth and sea, but they never come through."
"We are going to win this election if we choose the right frame. The frame for us is crisis. We must brand crisis"
It's about the art of political campaigning and the spreading of free-market capitalism (not democracy)
Fantastic and courageous film!

Our Brand Is Crisis
Starring: Tad Devine , Carlos Mesa (II) , Manfred Reyes Villa , Robert Shrum , and James Carville
Director: Rachel Boynton
Manufacturer: Koch Lorber Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000GDIBSO
Release Date: 2006-09-05

Amazon.com

"We must own crisis and we must brand crisis." So says advertising consultant Tad Devine in this insightful documentary. Along with James Carville, Jeremy Rosner, and other Greenberg Carville Shrum (GCS) pollsters and strategists, he's helping to shape the campaign of Bolivian presidential candidate Gonzalo "Goni" Sánchez de Lozada of the MNR Party (Goni first held office from 1993-1997). That was in 2002. As with most American elections, things start off on a positive note and soon turn negative as the "crisis" changes from the economy to the competition, Evo Morales (the MAS Party) and Manfred Reyes Villa (the NFR Party). Goni's own campaign manager believes that his age and perceived "arrogance" are stumbling blocks (and possibly the cigar-smoking millionaire's wealth, since only the very rich can afford GCS). Rachel Boynton's debut feature tracks the process from start to finish: 100+ days of brainstorming sessions, focus groups, and television appearances. It's The War Room, Part II: The Bolivian Years. Unfortunately, Bolivia is not America and Goni is not Bill Clinton. The violent anti-government riots that break out in 2003, as the country's economy remains in tatters, bring to mind the old saw, "Be careful what you wish for..." In the end, it's easy to demonize GCS, but Boynton doesn't point fingers--with a true populist like Clinton, their plan just might have worked. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Description

A Film by Rachel Boynton

For decades, U.S. strategists-for-hire have been quietly molding the opinions of voters and the messages of candidates in elections from the Middle East to the South American jungle. Our Brand is Crisis follows James Carville, Jeremy Rosner and a team of political consultants as they launch a media-savvy campaign for Bolivian presidential candidate Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada. With unprecedented access to think sessions, media training and the making of smear campaigns, witness a shocking example of America "spreading democracy" overseas and its earth-shattering aftermath.

"Momentous…astounding!" - Laura Kern, The New York Times

"a fascinating glimpse of the Americanized marketing of international politics" - Premiere Magazine

WINNER
International Documentary Association
IDA Award

Customer Reviews:

GONI CABRON.......2007-06-09

The political campaign-consultant firm of Greenberg-Carville-Shrum are hired to help neoliberal Gonzalo Sanchez se Lozada squeak through in the '02 presidential election in Bolivia.

As is the real problem with the U.S. Democratic Party in recent years, these consultants (who are famous US Democrats) end up pushing a Washington Consensus program on poor Bolivia. Goddamned DLC Democrats are to the right of what mainstream GOP were a generation ago!

This is why the documentary is titled as it is. These Washington Consensus whores really care only about hefty fees they'll be paid for their expertise, rather than assisting in promotion of the well-being of the majority of Bolivians. "Our Brand" is nothing other than a product to be sold.

So, by default they end up pushing the candidate of the wealthy minority, because a genuine statesman such as Evo Morales would not stoop to have himself marketed as a product. And it's probably also true that these DLC Dems actually agree on issues more with de Lozada than they do Morales.

So, they get to pimp de Lozada, get paid handsomely for doing so, and even sleep at night (?).

"Politicians offer marvels--heaven, earth and sea, but they never come through.".......2007-03-17

The political documentary "Our Brand Is Crisis" illustrates the behind-the-scenes realities of getting a candidate elected. The candidate in this case is Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozado "Goni" and the country is Bolivia. Goni, who served as Bolivia's president from 1993-1997 opened national companies to foreign investment--an action that was not particularly popular with many of the country's inhabitants who saw Globalization as the 'selling' of their country with the result of the loss of jobs to foreign workers. With this negative view of his past performance as the country's president, but still wanting to win the 2002 election, Goni employed American consulting firm, Greenville, Carver and Strum (GCS) to help him win. "Our Brand is Crisis" refers to the strategy Goni's team decided to employ for the purposes of winning the election and regaining the presidency.

The film does an excellent job of showing how a candidate is packaged for the voters. The GCS team package Goni as a product, and they create an image they think will get the votes--specifically by the use of focus groups. Information gained from the focus groups is then analyzed and Goni is molded accordingly into the sort of candidate his political strategists think the people will vote for. In candid moments, it's quite clear that the attitude of the 'real' Goni is far different from the official presentation. And the behind-the-scenes clips of Goni's little trips out into the countryside to meet the peasants don't reflect flatteringly on this extremely wealthy man who is frequently seen as "part of the oligarchy." But the mission of GCS is to get their candidate elected--and--an old familiar phrase here--spread the "democratic process."

There's something overwhelmingly wrong with this set-up. Here's a wealthy Bolivian, educated in the US who uses his resources to influence an election. It seems unlikely that the resources used to gather information from the focus groups are available to the other candidates, Evo Morales (Movement Towards Socialism), for example. We see Goni and his team using the word 'crisis' throughout his campaign, and we also see GCS's strategy of smearing a "dirty candidate." It seems so ludicrous, at times, to see the poverty of the Bolivian people when compared to the wealth and privilege enjoyed by Goni.

While I really enjoyed this film (and if you enjoyed "The War Room" chances are you'll enjoy this too), some questions remain unanswered. Did Goni fund GCS himself, or did he receive some sort of assistance? It doesn't take a great deal of imagination to project just how much it costs to fund this large GCS team for a long period of time. Also, why did Goni continue to use the services of GCS after the election? What exactly was their function then? The film implies that GCS remained in an adviser capacity to monitor the revolution barometer of Bolivia but these questions remain unanswered. Directed by Rachel Boynton, the film is in English and Spanish with subtitles--displacedhuman

"We are going to win this election if we choose the right frame. The frame for us is crisis. We must brand crisis".......2007-02-17

"Our Brand Is Crisis" (2005) is an extremely interesting documentary that tells us about the campaign of Gonzalo Sánchez de Losada to become president of Bolivia. How did he become president, and why did he decide to "brand crisis" in order to run a successful campaign? What role did the American political strategists he hired played in the 2003 Bolivian elections? And what ended up going wrong, after he was elected? The answers to those questions, and more, can be found in this dvd.

I would like to highlight the fact that this documentary is made out of real life footage of meetings between Sánchez de Lozada and his advisors (before, during and after the campaign), and also contains some footage of the events that led to his resignation. This is not fiction, but reality, and that is one of the reasons why it is so illuminating.

I believe that this dvd should be seen by those who are interested in political campaigns, political advertising or mass media, but also by the kind of people who like to watch an engaging documentary that helps them to understand the world we live in. "Our Brand Is Crisis" shows us that a presidential candidate is promoted in more or less the same way a product is advertised. However, if you buy the wrong product you can always return it. If you choose a president that is not good for your country because you believe what a wonderful advertising campaign designed through polls tells you, your country suffers.

All in all, I am very happy I watched this dvd. It is the kind of documentary that you don't forget, and that gives you food for thought. Highly recommended!

Belen Alcat

It's about the art of political campaigning and the spreading of free-market capitalism (not democracy).......2006-12-24

This documentary traces the re-election campaign of Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada (Goni), which was largely run by paid, American political consultants. Their challenge: to get their candidate re-elected even though as president his highly unpopular free-market policies had done nothing to alleviate the extreme poverty and unemployment the country was facing, and even though he was perceived as an arrogant, elitist, fair-skinned, American-raised "gringo" who was out of touch with the poor, indigenous majority of Bolivia.

Despite all these obstacles, we see how the consultants were able to use polls, focus groups, negative attack campaigns and advertisements to successfully market their candidate (Noam Chomsky always talks about how political campaigns are like selling toothpaste; here we see a perfect example). They also benefited from a political system in which a candidate could win with a plurality of the vote: the vote ended up being divided between three main candidates, allowing Goni to win with only 22% of the popular vote.

However, as Goni continued to implement unpopular policies even after the election, the Bolivian people took to the streets en masse to demand his ouster. Goni fled to the U.S., where he now resides, while his vice president took over until the next election in which the indigenous, left-wing candidate Evo Morales came to power with an overwhelming majority of the vote.

What I found most amazing was how little the paid, American political consultants knew about the policies that "their" candidate was implementing and how adversely they were affecting the people. Knowing that he was the "free-market" candidate (a supporter of the so-called "Washington consensus"), was enough to convince them to work for his re-election; and these are the people who represent the "left" in the U.S. (James Carville and the like). It was also shocking and disappointing to see how easily people are manipulated (i.e., Goni is not faring well in the polls so the political consultants run some ads discrediting his opponent and re-inventing Goni's image; the next focus groups and polls show that it has had the desired effect: people now like Goni better than his opponent). People always say they know political ads are bogus, but yet they clearly work each and every time. One questions the viability of "real democracy" when so many people are so easily manipulated.

Personally I would have liked to see more information about the mass protests that ousted Goni and brought about the rise to power of Evo Morales. But, I suppose that would really be another documentary. Still, this one is worth watching.

Fantastic and courageous film!.......2006-11-10

What a shocking image of how powerful political consultants can be when they decide to spread American democracy to other countries. Provocative film!

Average customer rating:

unedited version=Good Action
Editing
Amazon needs to sell the unedited Director's cut
Some info for reviewers and a review
An excellent pick

Mezzo Forte
Starring: Mezzo Forte
Manufacturer: Anime Works
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005O5AP
Release Date: 2001-11-13

Customer Reviews:

unedited version=Good Action.......2006-08-12

In the unedited version...it's better. More action and I mean in all genres. Of course in the edited version, there is going to be things that are left out but in the oringinal unedited version it explains it all with blood, violence and sex? yes the oringinal has more sex scenes, panty shots,nipples and other things which could be considered rated 'H' but it's still very good with the action as it delivers. If you are looking for bloody action w