Shooter (Widescreen Edition)

Amazon.com

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

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

Beyond Shooter

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

Stills from Shooter (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

his best.......2007-09-14

I think this is wahlbergs best yet.Some people may not like the violence but other than that you can't flaw this movie. Good acting and directing and a story that didn't get boring. I am always for the underdog.

Great Action Adventure.......2007-09-13

Excellent storyline. Sadly, the political corruption is believeable. The characters were well portrayed and the story reminds us that sooner or later even if it's just one person, some one has to stand up and corruption has to be brought to light and justice served.

Great Film!!.......2007-09-12

Loved it! Action packed and full of suspense. Great chases and drama! A must see!

Anti-American Propaganda From Start to Finish.......2007-09-10

Anti-American propaganda so blatant it would make Michael Moore blush with shame, disguised as an action flick. Whoever thought this stuff would wash has a very, very low opinion of his audience. Just dreadful.

Action and Depth with a Moral.......2007-09-10

Without giving away any of the movie ~ This is the Italion Job meets Four Brothers. Not only is the movie action packed from snipers to explosions, into Federal Agents kidnapped for a coverup on an inocent Shooter ~ all the while a sadistic "puppet master" pulling strings in different departments. This Movie EASILY rivials any of the Bourne ;)

Average customer rating:

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

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

Action & Adventure | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

General | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

Drama | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Blu-ray | Formats | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000QUEQBS
Release Date: 2007-07-31

Product Description

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

Amazon.com

Beyond Shooter

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

Stills from Shooter (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Average customer rating:

his best
Great Action Adventure
Great Film!!
Anti-American Propaganda From Start to Finish
Action and Depth with a Moral

Shooter (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Mark Wahlberg , Michael Peña , Danny Glover , Kate Mara , and Elias Koteas
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000Q6GUT8
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Amazon.com

Beyond Shooter

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

Stills from Shooter (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

his best.......2007-09-14

Great Action Adventure.......2007-09-13

Great Film!!.......2007-09-12

Loved it! Action packed and full of suspense. Great chases and drama! A must see!

Anti-American Propaganda From Start to Finish.......2007-09-10

Action and Depth with a Moral.......2007-09-10

Average customer rating:

The elegant thriller, as invented by Hitchcock
Masterpiece
Colorized classic
North byNorthwest
the best classic film ever!

North By Northwest
Starring: Ed Binns , Leo G. Carroll , Bill Catching , Philip Coolidge , and Lawrence Dobkin
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs as Low as $7.49 | The Big DVD Sale | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( N ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B0002IQEHI
Release Date: 2004-09-07

Amazon.com essential video

A strong candidate for the most sheerly entertaining and enjoyable movie ever made by a Hollywood studio (with Citizen Kane, Only Angels Have Wings and Trouble in Paradise running neck and neck). Positioned between the much heavier and more profoundly disturbing Vertigo (1958) and the stark horror of Psycho (1960), North by Northwest (1959) is Alfred Hitchcock at his most effervescent in a romantic comedy-thriller that also features one of the definitive Cary Grant performances. Which is not to say that this is just "Hitchcock Lite"; seminal Hitchcock critic Robin Wood (in his book Hitchcock's Films Revisited) makes an airtight case for this glossy MGM production as one of The Master's "unbroken series of masterpieces from Vertigo to Marnie." It's a classic Hitchcock Wrong Man scenario: Grant is Roger O. Thornhill (initials ROT), an advertising executive who is mistaken by enemy spies for a U.S. undercover agent named George Kaplan. Convinced these sinister fellows (James Mason as the boss, and Martin Landau as his henchman) are trying to kill him, Roger flees and meets a sexy Stranger on a Train (Eva Marie Saint), with whom he engages in one of the longest, most convolutedly choreographed kisses in screen history. And, of course, there are the famous set pieces: the stabbing at the United Nations, the crop-duster plane attack in the cornfield (where a pedestrian has no place to hide), and the cliffhanger finale atop the stone faces of Mount Rushmore. Plus a sparkling Ernest Lehman script and that pulse-quickening Bernard Herrmann score. What more could a moviegoer possibly desire? --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews:

The elegant thriller, as invented by Hitchcock.......2007-09-14

When I first saw this movie, I wasn't worldly enough to appreciated the final shot (train plunging into tunnel). After all, I was only 12 years old. I wandered into a neighborhood theatre one afternoon and saw this picture, probably lured by the poster showing Cary Grant being chased by a biplane. This was when neighborhood movie houses showed big-screen movies on a big screen. It was real moviegoing then. The screens have gotten smaller and so have the movies.

I was enthralled from start to finished. I resolved to be suave & debonaire like Grant when I grew up. I missed the mark, by just a little. I thought Eva Marie Saint was the most beautiful creature I had ever laid eyes on. The scene where they meet in the dining car is amazing. Any fan of movie romance shouldn't miss it.

I think Sean Connery studied this movie when he got the James Bond part.

Masterpiece .......2007-07-24

One of the great movies of all time. One of Hitchcock's best. rather than go for the boxed set - which includes a few of his lesser lights - decided to cherry pick a gem. North By Northwest is a classic. AFI Top 100. Anyone who's a fan of Hitchcock - or just suspense in general - or great movies specifically - you cannot miss with this one.

Colorized classic.......2007-07-04

An unfortunate aspect of growing up in America is that the turnover in culture is so fast that many older classics are almost unknown to the modern generation. This is especially so with old movies, which, outside of holiday fare like the Ten Commandments or The Sound of Music, do not make comebacks once a decade or so, unlike clothing fashions. This is why so many young people have never seen an Alfred Hitchcock movie. For the longest time, I was one of the ignorant masses, until my mother told me about this great movie-maker. I picked this up at the local library and watched it, and was amazed. This is probably one of the best movies I have ever seen. Part thriller, part romance, part suspense and part action, this movie presaged modern Hollywood fare such as The Fugitive, National Security, and Enemy of the State for example. There is gunfights, chase scenes, set-ups, cliffhangers (literally), and of course the famous cover shot of Cary Grant getting chased by an airplane in an open field. And like many modern action movies, this one has the climax right at the very end, followed immediately by a cut to the closing kiss of hero and heroine.

This DVD restoration is great. The film and audio quality is flawless. The special effects are also top-notch and comparable to anything seen on network TV today. And most importantly, a great storyline. I highly recommend this movie.

North byNorthwest.......2007-07-01

The video quality of this DVD is excellent. Though the package doesn't say that it has been remastered, it is better than my previous DVD version. To me, it was worth the cost to upgrade.

It was by reading the amazon reviews that I chose the latest versions of "North by Northwest" and "To Catch a Thief." I want to thank those of you who submitted the previous reviews, and commented on the quality of the video images.

the best classic film ever!.......2007-06-16

What can I say? This movie is great. It has everything, from intense action and mystery that is built up by the amazing score, to the perfect actors and actresses portraying well written and witty, and sometimes sexy, dialogue. As well as the exoticly filmed locations and that 50-60's style. Recommended for everyone.

Average customer rating:

Ephedrine in film form saying what most people think.
grrrrrreat
Wasn't a bad movie- great HDDVD...
One of the BEST HD titles available

Shooter [HD DVD]
Starring: Mark Wahlberg , Michael Peña , Danny Glover , Kate Mara , and Elias Koteas
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video

General | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video

Drama | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | HD DVD | Formats | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000QUEQBI
Release Date: 2007-07-31

Amazon.com

Beyond Shooter

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

Stills from Shooter (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

Ephedrine in film form saying what most people think........2007-09-02

The director of Shooter Antoine Fuqua knows how to cast and make some cool characters. Denzel Washington's Alonzo was great, when I think of Training Day I think of his character like I would Anthony Hopkin's Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs or Kathy Bates in Misery and they all deservedly got Oscar wins for those roles.

Now we have Mark Wahlberg who he casts in Shooter, the type of guy women want and men wanna be. Wahlberg has that it factor and knows how to play a tough guy whether it be in Fear, Basketball Diaries, Four brothers, or his latest Oscar nomination for The Departed. And I'm not saying that he's not well rounded he's shown us range in Boogie Nights and Three Kings to name some roles that stood out for me. But who better to play a bad blank (it's hard to not use swears in a review of a movie like this) Marine reckon scout sniper who's character's last name is actually swagger and Wahlberg has plenty of that.

Now to the Shooter, Swagger is on a sniper mission with a fellow soldier and they are left behind for dead, as the U.S. shouldn't be there anyway, hmm that sounds familiar, so far it's staying real. His friend is killed because of this and three years later we see Swagger in some remote log cabin with his dog and a long haircut, soon he is approached by men from our government to help assist in stopping the assassination of our president. He says some cool lines and says no but soon gets a model haircut in the mountains somehow and accepts the mission.

He ends up getting framed and the rest of the movie is a lot of action and gratuitousness which is not always believable but it's a fun and cool time.
The other part of this film which is believable at all times is Antoine Fuqua being subtle using things as a metaphor for our system in place now, and then eventually comes out and makes the statement, how we can have the sect. of Defense go on national television and say were invading a country for wmds when everyone knows it's for oil.

So to recap you get a good action film dealing with conspiracy and trying to show our flawed and corrupt system so perhaps adrenaline junkies going to see this get a little more to contemplate when coming out of the theater and perhaps sparking some debates amongst viewers. Along with some laughs and love interests an entertaining film from start to finish.

The HD DVD had a very good picture and sound. I've seen about 50 hd dvds now and this is in the upper class of picture quallity and sound.

grrrrrreat.......2007-08-16

Beautiful on my 360 HD-DVD player. Great contract, deep, rich blacks, awesome detail. Good story line and a great HD movie for any FPS gamer, or action movie fanatic.

Wasn't a bad movie- great HDDVD..........2007-08-06

The movie is pretty much what you would expect. It was pretty good. The HD-DVD picture is in fact- very good. A few soft areas but overall- great. No annoying grain/noise. The movie itself is a little "contrasty" so the dark areas are black; but that's a director thing. Great picture quality and the DD+ track is good. No DDTrue that I remember.

One of the BEST HD titles available.......2007-08-04

Everything about this movie was great, really good story line, excellent sound and picture quality. I recomend it to anyone who owns a HD DVD player.

Average customer rating:

indeed, apparently the Amazon reviewer was on crack
Artistic and Odd
Well worth the 2 hour playing time
Totally Awesome!
Dead Man

Dead Man
Starring: Johnny Depp , Gary Farmer , Crispin Glover , Lance Henriksen , and Michael Wincott
Director: Jim Jarmusch
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Action & Adventure | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Cowboys & Indians | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00004Z4WX
Release Date: 2000-12-19

Amazon.com

This disappointment from Jim Jarmusch stars Johnny Depp in a mystery-Western about a 19th-century accountant named William Blake, who spends nearly all his money getting to a hellish mud town in the old West and ends up penniless and doomstruck in the wilderness. A benevolent if goofy Native American (Gary Farmer) takes an interest in guiding Blake on a quest for identity in his earthly journey, but the film is really just a string of endless shtick about inbred woodsmen, dumb lawmen, and a trio of irritable killers. With Robert Mitchum, Iggy Pop, Gabriel Byrne, Alfred Molina, and a noodling soundtrack by Neil Young. --Tom Keogh

Description

Johnny Depp (CHOCOLAT) delivers a remarkable performance in this highly acclaimed tale of adventure and intrigue in the wild, wild west! A young man in search of a fresh start, William Blake (Depp) embarks on an exciting journey to a new town ... never realizing the danger that lies ahead. But when a heated love triangle ends in double murder, Blake finds himself a wanted man, running scared -- until a mysterious loner teaches him to face the dangers that follow a "dead man." With an outstanding supporting cast including Gabriel Byrne (THE USUAL SUSPECTS) and Robert Mitchum (CAPE FEAR), and a sizzling soundtrack, DEAD MAN is another motion picture triumph from filmmaker Jim Jarmusch.

Customer Reviews:

indeed, apparently the Amazon reviewer was on crack.......2007-08-20

One of the best films of all time. A departure from Jarmusch's other films into a more somewhat spiritual phase that included later Ghost Dog. I never tire of watching this gorgeous, funny, sad, existential and moving film. It is one of the few DVDs I deem worth owning. Do not miss it.

Artistic and Odd.......2007-08-16

I read a lot of the reviews before watching this movie. I am a Depp fan, so I decided to see for myself what it's all about.

It's artsy, and you have to get used to the format. The black and white cinematography, I thought, was very good. The format is more of a series of vignettes than a continuous flow of story and dialogue. You get the hang of it pretty quickly. The music isn't your normal kind of score. Sometimes it fits the scene really well, and other times it borders on being annoying. The acting is very good. Don't expect some sort of "Ocean's Thirteen" cast with witticisms and glitzy movie-making. It's not that kind of film. If you're familiar with much of Depp's work you won't be too surprised that this film is avante garde.

In terms of the story, I'd recommend relaxing and taking the journey. Each person will find something different in it, I think. The story isn't hard to follow. The choices that Depp's character makes result in the twists and turns of the story. Don't waste time trying to figure out logic - you'll figure out pretty quickly that logic isn't part of the random sorts of things that happen. Why does Depp's character do what he does? He just does. Could he do otherwise? Yes. But he doesn't. He seems swept away by his circumstances - that's part of the interest of the story. Obviously Native American spiritualism guides Farmer's character. If you have any understanding of Native American myth you'll be able to figure Farmer's character, "Nobody," out. As to whether he's "real" or imaginary, that's part of the individual interpretation involved in watching the film. That's part of what makes it artsy instead of "hollywood." Everything isn't spelled out and spoonfed to the viewer.

If you want to walk away with a resolved ending and a happy feeling don't waste your time. Likewise if you're sensitive to things that are dark and logic that is more random than systematic, you won't like this film. In my opinion those who are very critical of this movie either try too hard to find the "meaning," or are frustrated by the dark mood and random manner of the events because they're trying to order things and find the natural flow. There isn't a natural flow here. If you're able not to take things too seriously and you're interested in something that will make you think a little bit, wonder a little bit, and philosophize a little bit you'll like this movie. Likewise students of film will appreciate the format and other aspects of the non-traditional way this film is constructed.

Well worth the 2 hour playing time.......2007-08-11

I am not a huge fan of westerns, but I gave this one a shot and I wasn't disappointed. The first 10 minutes sets the scene as Johnny Depp, playing a staid accountant from Cleveland, Ohio, William Blake, makes his perilous way by train to the Old West. His situation in the hellish town of Machine becomes dire rapidly, and his urbane sensibilities become hardened with the issues of mortality, violence, escape, and mysticism, with the aid of an Indian friend, Nobody, who thinks he's the real poet William Blake. It's a Western road movie, filmed in glorious black and white and scored musically by Neil Young. Seems many folks here didn't care for Neil's guitar-based soundtrack; I thought it mesmerized. Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man is an atmospheric, almost spooky Western that doesn't fail to entertain.

Totally Awesome!.......2007-06-19

If you are a real free thinker than this movie is for you. If you need to have everything scripted and compartmentalized than this movie is not for you. The story line and soundtrack are a perfect marriage. Watch this movie when you are not distracted and can concentrate on the subtle dialogue ... Some pretty cool stuff here. Great characters. This film plays itself out like a hazy dream. Not everybody's cup of team, but it sure is mine. I can't think of another film that approaches this dream state.

Dead Man.......2007-06-11

Johnny Depp. I have never been disappointed by Johnny Depp on the screen. Not an action packed thriller, but if you don't "PAUSE" before leaving the room and don't rewind you'll miss something.

Average customer rating:

The Fugitive Revisited...
Suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat!
The Fugitive
Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones deliver towering performances in this gripping thriller
Nice job!

The Fugitive
Starring: Harrison Ford , Tommy Lee Jones , Sela Ward , Julianne Moore , and Joe Pantoliano
Director: Andrew Davis
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Blackmail, Murder & Mayhem | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00005ATZT
Release Date: 2001-06-05

Amazon.com essential video

Do you know anyone who hasn't seen this movie? A box-office smash when released in 1993, this spectacular update of the popular 1960s TV series stars Harrison Ford as a surgeon wrongly accused of the murder of his wife. He escapes from a prison transport bus (in one of the most spectacular stunt-action sequences ever filmed) and embarks on a frantic quest for the true killer's identity, while a tenacious U.S. marshal (Tommy Lee Jones, in an Oscar-winning role) remains hot on his trail. Director Andrew Davis hit the big time with this expert display of polished style and escalating suspense, but it's the antagonistic chemistry between Jones and Ford that keeps this thriller cooking to the very end. In roles that seem custom-fit to their screen personas, the two stars maintain a sharply human focus to the grand-scale manhunt, and the intelligent screenplay never resorts to convenient escapes or narrative shortcuts. Equally effective as a thriller and a character study, this is a Hollywood blockbuster that truly deserves its ongoing popularity. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Catch him if you can. The Fugitive is on the run! Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones race through the breathless manhunt movie based on the classic TV series. Ford is prison escapee Dr. Richard Kimble, a Chicago surgeon falsely convicted of killing his wife and determined to prove his innocence by leading his pursuers to the one-armed man who actually committed the crime. Jones (1993 Academy Award and Golden Globe winner as Best Supporting Actor) is Sam Gerard, an unrelenting bloodhound of a U.S. Marshal. They are hunted and hunter. And as directed by Andrew Davis (Under Siege), their nonstop chase has one exhilarating speed: all-out. So catch him if you can. And catch an 11-on-a-scale-of-10 train wreck (yes, the train is real), a plunge down a waterfall, a cat-and-mouse jaunt through a Chicago St. Patrick's Day parade and much more. Better hurry. Kimble doesn't stay in one place very long!

Customer Reviews:

The Fugitive Revisited..........2007-09-13

1993's "The Fugitive" stars Harrison Ford as the title character in a very worthwhile movie remake of the 1960's television series that starred David Janssen.

As in the TV series, Dr. Richard Kimble (Ford) is falsely convicted of having murdered his wife but escapes from custody during a spectacular train wreck. Kimble returns to Chicago to seek the one-armed man who really killed his wife, while trying to stay one step ahead of his relentless pursuer. Tommy Lee Jones reprises the role of Gerrard, the obsessed detective of the TV series. Kimble's search for the real killer will end in a dead heat with Gerrard's pursuit of the runaway doctor inside a Chicago hotel.

Although obviously lacking the extended suspense of the four-year TV series, the movie captures the essential elements of its predecessor. The Fugitive tracks the real killer through a thin string of clues. At the same time, he must stay on the move and off the grid to avoid his relentless police pursuer. Along the way, his random acts of kindness for total strangers convince the viewer of his real innocence.

Harrison Ford is entirely credible as the doctor on the run, in a more emotional portrayal than the stoic David Janssen. Tommy Lee Jones as the pursuing U.S. Marshal is a more complete and sympathetic character than Barry Morse's grim, humorless rendition in the original series, enough so to rate a OSCAR and his own sequel (U.S. Marshals).

The availability of modern special effects and the need to pack the story into a feature length movie makes for breathless pacing, as the Fugitive makes a series of spectacular escapes from the law, beginning with the train wreck that saves him from the death house. Of necessity, Kimble's trail of clues is fairly intact and leads him fairly quickly to the one-armed man, and to an unsuspected and deadly conspiracy.

Fans of the 1960's TV program will enjoy this well-done movie if they can handle the time compression; viewers arriving fresh to the story will find this a breathless and thrilling chase with a surprising ending.

Suspense that keeps you on the edge of your seat!.......2007-08-19

This movie with Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones no doubt will leave you on the edge of your seat! From the moment it begins to the end it is first rate drama. Well worth the two hours of your attention! Best drama movie around for my money!!

The Fugitive.......2007-07-17

A textbook example of a first-rate thriller, buoyed by Davis's breathless pacing and a picture-stealing performance from Jones, who won an Oscar. Drawing from his Indiana Jones days, Ford is just right as the besieged hero always one step ahead of disaster, but Jones's Gerard, whose drive is offset by a wry, folksy humor, is intensely charismatic as the intrepid hound-dog on Kimble's trail. Over ten years after its initial release, it's worth another peek if you haven't seen it since. First-timers should definitely plunge.

Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones deliver towering performances in this gripping thriller.......2007-06-18

Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones deliver towering performances in this gripping thriller.

PLOT SYNOPSIS

Dr. Kimble (Harrison Ford) arrived home one night to find his wife Helen on the verge of death after being brutally attacked by a one armed maniac. Before she died, she was able to make a desperate call to 9-11, so the police arrive shortly after the incident, just in time to find Helen dead. The police notice that Kimble is all scratched up, as though he had just been in a fight or had just murdered his wife himself. Despite Kimble's description of the true culprit, the police arrest him and charge him of his wife's murder. The trial goes badly and Kimble is sentenced to death by execution.

On a prison bus, on his way to the facility that housed the chamber that would eventually kill him, some other convicts attempt to pull off an escape. There is a violent uprising inside of the bus and the lumbering vehicle tumbles down a hill and stops on a railroad track. The oncoming train collides with the bus and creates one of the most spectacular train wreck scenes to ever appear on film. By chance, Kimble, and another convict, make it out of the crash alive and set out on foot to escape the law enforcement personnel who are sure to appear once they learn about the disaster.

Unfortunately for Kimble, the federal marshal who is put in charge of the operation is none other than Sam Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones), who is completely determined, quick-thinking, and efficient. He is unbendingly bound to his duty and will stop at nothing to catch his man. This is revealed in the famous tunnel scene, when Kimble points a gun at him and says "I did not kill my wife," Gerard retort is the cold "I don't care."

Since Kimble has already been convicted and sentenced to death, his chances of resurrecting any kind of life are exceedingly grim. He can either hide out for the rest of his life, or try to lead law enforcement to the real culprit. In order to accomplish the second option, Kimble would have to investigate himself, and somehow, based on the scant evidence at his disposal, somehow find the criminal. But can he do it before the brilliant Gerard closes in on him?

ACTING

Tommy Lee Jones' performance is one of those performances that won, and actually did deserve to win the Oscar. Every second of Jones' performance is absolutely convincing. It is rare that an individual's character can be developed so fully in a two hour film. He is more than the stereotypical, "success at all costs" law enforcement office. From his persuasive scowls when he hears of Kimble's successes, to the tone of his voice when he barks orders and makes observations, his performance alone is enough to watch this movie several times.

Harrison Ford logs in another solid performance. Over the course of the last 30 years, Ford has been one of the most consistent actors of all time. The Fugitive is actually one of his better roles. He plays the part of Richard Kimble to near perfection.

It is not uncommon to see two huge stars on one film at the same time, but it is uncommon that they perfectly fit the characters that they are asked to portray, and it is nothing short of a rarity that they interact in such a memorable fashion as they did in the fugitive.

The more minor actors are nothing special, but they are not bad either. Jerome Krabbe played a respectable Dr. Charles Nichols,, with his hair parted neatly to the side and his somewhat nerdy smile, he represented what most Americans picture when they imagine a highly educated doctor. Joe Pantoliano played Cosmo, Gerard's assistant. We get a lot of sarcasm in a high pitched voice, and that is what Pantoliano is known for. It added some extra entertainment and made the mechanical law enforcement machine slightly more human-like.

SO DOES IT THRILL?

How does the fugitive stack up against other thrillers? Most thrillers, even some successful ones, have a small amount of tension causing elements. The movie-makers work with a somewhat limited script, and get as much thrill as they can on two or three suspense-provoking fundamentals. Sometimes these movies do an excellent job at thrilling us, and leave us satisfied. The producers, directors, and actors of the fugitive did not need to stretch out every possible element for cheap thrills, the script, which took years and million dollars in development, thrills the audience on multiple levels. Even mediocre actors would have turned this script into a nail-biting experience, the super performances by Jones and Ford only make it even better.

This one is definitely a classic in its genre. If you still haven't seen it, do yourself a favor and check it out.

Nice job!.......2007-05-10

I rec'd the dvd in a timely manner and in good condition. Thanks!

Kansas City Confidential (MGM Film Noir)

Average customer rating:

Kansas City Confidential
A fool-proof heist...A framed man...Falling for the beautiful "dame": The suspense of Film Noir
KC OK
True Grit
Finally - The Official MGM DVD Release! Great Film Noir!

Kansas City Confidential (MGM Film Noir)
Starring: John Payne , Coleen Gray , Preston Foster , Neville Brand , and Lee Van Cleef
Director: Phil Karlson
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000PMFRVK
Release Date: 2007-07-10

Amazon.com

Tightly plotted and perfectly cast, Kansas City Confidential is film noir at its finest. An obvious influence on Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs, this riveting 99-minute potboiler builds its escalating suspense on the fate of reformed ex-con Joe Rolfe (John Payne), whose floral delivery truck matches a duplicate truck used in a Kansas City bank heist. Joe's been randomly framed by disgruntled, double-crossing ex-cop Tim Foster (Preston Foster) who masterminded the robbery, and in an effort to clear his name, Joe follows a trail of suspicion to a Mexican hideaway, where Foster's accomplices (a sublimely hardboiled trio played by Lee Van Cleef, Neville Brand, and Jack Elam) have gathered to split their $1.2 million haul. Under Phil Karlson's skillful direction, this nerve-twitching scenario unfolds as a clever case of hidden and assumed identities (having worn masks during the heist and getaway, none of the robbers knows the others' identities), and Payne gives a smart, sweaty-browed performance as a hard-luck case who finds time for romance with Foster's daughter (Coleen Gray) as he struggles to turn his fate around. For noir lovers, this movie's pure bliss as Brand, Van Cleef, and especially Elam fill the screen with slimy greed and infectious mistrust. As an iconic example of gritty film noir, Kansas City Confidential remains exciting, unpredictable, and thoroughly entertaining. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Kansas City Confidential.......2007-09-04

If you love the old movies of the Silver Screen era you will probably like this movie. The movie has several well know supporting cast "Bad Guy" type actors. If you are lookng for high tech action forget this one.

A fool-proof heist...A framed man...Falling for the beautiful "dame": The suspense of Film Noir .......2007-09-02

This is a film noir. Made in 1952 in Black and White, it has the cynicism, it has the interesting plot twists that draw you into the story, it has the lead male in desperate circumstances beyond his control, but no femme fatale, no chiaroscuro, no stylishly odd camera angles. This is one of the heist-themed noir films. I found it very engaging and satisfying. The story was believable, the acting was at times inspired, at other times just a bit lackluster, possibly due to a few weak spots in the script. The DVD picture and sound are both excellent, and the disc has no extras. Strange, but I found the leading male resembling Kevin Spacey at times, Jimmy Stewart at times, and Robert Mitchum at times...fun, but a bit distracting. There are three "heavies" who stand out: Lee Van Cleef, Neville Brand, and Jack Elam are all famous for work they did in the 1950's through the 1970's, and it is very interesting to see them here as young men (without cowboy hats, too!) These men have all brought their characters to life with great performances. This film is in the second tier of its genre: Very good, but not essential. Overall, I can strongly recommend it to fans of 1950's crime movies and film noir. 4 1/2 to 5 stars.

KC OK.......2007-08-27

A good,clever plot.John Payne,usually playing light leading men,ys very convincing as a desperatr ex-con trying to proove his onnocence.excellent suppoert from Lee Van Cleef,Neville Brand snd Jack Elam as a trio of justifiably paranoid heavies.My only cavil is the Hollywood happy ending,whish forsed the character played by Payne to allow himself to become a better person via the love og a good,and un-necessary(for this filn) good woman.

True Grit.......2007-08-13

Before larger budgets put a kink in his style Phil Karlson was in a class with Sam Fuller and Don Seigel. His crime films were gritty, low-rent and when people got slugged you winced. "Kansas City Confidential" gave him a dream cast to work with. He had already helped affable song-and-dance man John Payne to re-invent himself as an embittered proletarian hero in "99 River Street," and here Payne is joined by one of the best line-ups of heavies ever to grace a 50s crime film--Jack Elam, Lee Van Cleef and Neville Brand. Karlson ultimately lacked the pessimism to be a great noir stylist. He likes happy endings, and even his ex-cop mastermind proves to be a stand-up guy at heart, all set to turn his three stooges over to the law in exchange for a shot at redemption. (Quite the opposite of the similar character played by Ed Begley in "Odds Against Tomorrow.")
While "Kansas City Confidential" falls short of being a true film noir, it certainly delivers the goods as a tough, tense crime thriller. Well worth seeing for its cast alone.

Finally - The Official MGM DVD Release! Great Film Noir!.......2007-06-03

For years Kansas City Confidential has languished in the Public Domain Hell. Released in a woefully substandard version from Alpha (watch the video wiggle at the bottom of the screen every 10 seconds), and a much better, but still flawed version from Image (the picure is just a bit too dark and has some minor print damage), along with several "dollar" DVD versions that were even more flawed than the Alpha and Image releases, Kansas City Confidential was a movie that most Film Noir fans thought would never see an "official" DVD release by MGM (owner of the master print, and - presumably - the negatives).

But here it is - MGM is actually releasing (or has released, depending on when you read this) the "official" DVD for this fantastic Film Noir. Based on their track record of releasing official versions of movies previously relegated to public domain releases (see He Walked By Night as an example - MGM's DVD is flawless!), this should see a drastic improvement in both image and sound quality over all of the previous versions released to date.

The movie itself is a tightly written, well acted (John Payne is fantastic, and the supporting cast of Preson Foster, Lee Van Cleef, Neville Brand, Jack Elam, and Coleen Gray are all near perfect in their roles), and extremely well directed by Phil Karlson.

This is a classic crime/wrong man framed and sets out for revenge movie. For fans of Film Noir this is truly a, "Must Have," DVD.

Update - The DVD is, as expected, a HUGE improvement over the Image release, which istself is much better than the Alpha version. MGM/Fox have done a very nice job on the quality of this release - the print used is excellent. Even if you already have a previous version of Kansas City Confidential you still may want to get this one for the much improved picture and sound.

Average customer rating:

Action packed
Worst Film Ever
Great movie
A Grain of Salt Review
It's a fun, vicarious thrill ride, not an art film

Double Jeopardy
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones , Ashley Judd , Benjamin Weir , Jay Brazeau , and Bruce Greenwood
Director: Bruce Beresford
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Action & Adventure | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

Mystery & Suspense | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0792160215
Release Date: 2000-02-22

Amazon.com

Young Libby Parsons (Ashley Judd) is happy as a clam, and why not? She's got a loving, successful husband (Bruce Greenwood), an adorable son, and an island home to die for. One morning, after a romantic sailing expedition with her husband, Libby finds herself covered in blood. Her husband's missing, the boat resembles a murder scene, and there's a knife on the deck. One might stop right there and call for help; Libby, however, takes matters--or, more specifically, the knife--into her own hands, and the moment she does, there's the Coast Guard. Faster than you can say frame-up, Libby's been charged with murder and jailed, with her young son stripped from her custody. It's all cut-and-dried, except for one thing: Libby's husband isn't dead, and she's about to track him down. And thanks to the Fifth Amendment's double jeopardy rule, she can't be charged twice for his murder.

Double Jeopardy has a singularly seductive revenge premise and, in Judd, one of the most seductive leading ladies to grace the silver screen in recent years. So then why does this thriller feel like it came from the bottom of the Lifetime television movie barrel? Instead of taking a gritty, hard-boiled approach, the film plays up all of Libby's mushy emotions--tellingly, the director here is Bruce Beresford, whose best film, Driving Miss Daisy, is as far from thriller territory as you can get. No matter how stoically or deviously Judd plays her, Libby comes across as a soccer mom with a slight taste for blood. Only in a few scenes, specifically when she tracks her wily husband to his new identity in New Orleans, does Judd get to strut her stuff, stealing an evening gown and crashing his charity auction. Most of the time, though, this thriller offers only a smattering of suspense. Well, at least like Libby, the filmmakers can't be condemned twice for the same crime. With Tommy Lee Jones duplicating his Fugitive role, as Libby's conscientious parole officer. --Mark Englehart

Customer Reviews:

Action packed.......2007-08-09

Very good story and done well. Tommy Lee in top form and Ashley Judd in fine form also.

Worst Film Ever.......2007-08-02

Not only did they get the concept of double jeopardy wrong - Ashley Judd's character actually could have been tried as the murder of her husband would not legally have been considered the same crime - but they also made a terrible movie. The ending is a movie cliche that was used to get the writer out of a bind and tie up the lose ends.

Great movie.......2007-06-30

Ashley Judd is beyond beautiful. Tommy Lee Jones is one of my favorites. The story is creative and original. Great movie.

A Grain of Salt Review.......2007-05-22

If Ashley Judd is in the movie, I AM GOING to see it. Period. It could be a four-hour documentary on elephant bathing and I'm going to watch it if Ashley Judd makes an appearance. I say that only so that people considering my review can better understand where I'm coming from in my admittedly biased review of this movie.

HOWEVER....

I did truly love the plot of this movie. It could have starred Grover from Sesame Street and Jeff Phat from the Wiggles and I would have enjoyed it pretty much the same. (well okay maybe not, but still... the actors merely ADDED to a plot that was truly amazing.)

The plot can be summed up best with one of Ashley's more famous lines. "I can shoot you in the middle of Mardi Gras and they can't touch me..."

She'd already been convicted of a murder that had never even taken place. The guy faked his own death! And in the end, he learns a very valuable lesson... Karma is a witch... and so is Ashley Judd Scorned!

It's a fun, vicarious thrill ride, not an art film.......2007-05-21

Critics can trot out all the evidence they like: Gaping plot holes, legal inaccuracies, cliched improbabilities, etc. It doesn't matter. 'Double Jeopardy' was a surprise box-office hit in 1999 because it was exciting, had two immensely likable powerhouse leads, and one intensely despicable villain. Ashley Judd's passionate unstoppability in pursuit of Bruce Greenwood's bottomless evil kept viewers riveted till the last frame. They couldn't wait to see him get his payback. And that coffin scene was extremely intense in a darkened theater. It was the talk of the season!

Don't rent this. Buy it. You'll thank me later.

Minority Report (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Underrated & A Film To Think About
Spielberg doing what he does best.
Has Spielberg ever disappointed you?
philosophy meets crime prevention meets sci-fi
Engaging

Minority Report (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Colin Farrell , Arye Gross , Jessica Harper , Steve Harris , and Patrick Kilpatrick
Director: Steven Spielberg
Manufacturer: Dreamworks Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Gen