American Beauty (Widescreen Edition)

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From its first gliding aerial shot of a generic suburban street, American Beauty moves with a mesmerizing confidence and acuity epitomized by Kevin Spacey's calm narration. Spacey is Lester Burnham, a harried Everyman whose midlife awakening is the spine of the story, and his very first lines hook us with their teasing fatalism--like Sunset Boulevard's Joe Gillis, Burnham tells us his story from beyond the grave.

It's an audacious start for a film that justifies that audacity. Weaving social satire, domestic tragedy, and whodunit into a single package, Alan Ball's first theatrical script dares to blur generic lines and keep us off balance, winking seamlessly from dark, scabrous comedy to deeply moving drama. The Burnham family joins the cinematic short list of great dysfunctional American families, as Lester is pitted against his manic, materialistic realtor wife, Carolyn (Annette Bening, making the most of a mostly unsympathetic role) and his sullen, contemptuous teenaged daughter, Jane (Thora Birch, utterly convincing in her edgy balance of self-absorption and wistful longing). Into their lives come two catalytic outsiders. A young cheerleader (Mena Suvari) jolts Lester into a sexual epiphany that blooms into a second adolescence. And an eerily calm young neighbor (Wes Bentley) transforms both Lester and Jane with his canny influence.

Credit another big-screen newcomer, English theatrical director Sam Mendes, with expertly juggling these potentially disjunctive elements into a superb ensemble piece that achieves a stylized pace without lapsing into transparent self-indulgence. Mendes has shrewdly insured his success with a solid crew of stage veterans, yet he's also made an inspired discovery in Bentley, whose Ricky Fitts becomes a fulcrum for both plot and theme. Cinematographer Conrad Hall's sumptuous visual design further elevates the film, infusing the beige interiors of the Burnhams' lives with vivid bursts of deep crimson, the color of roses--and of blood. --Sam Sutherland

Customer Reviews:

Touching.......2007-09-07

American Beauty is a spectacular movie of hope and life that has captured the hearts of so many people. Sam Mendes, the director, and Alan Ball, the screenwriter, both succeed in displaying the lonely life of Lester Burnham, a middle-aged man who takes a closer look at the world he lives in, and progresses on a journey to get his life back. The beginning tone of the movie is dull and uninspiring as Lester Burnham embarks on another boring day. He is seen as a prisoner looking out onto a world of beauty, a world that he once knew. He seems to be trapped behind bars everywhere he goes.

Sam Mendes was born in Reading, England in 1965. American Beauty was his first feature film in 1999 and it won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. He is now happily married to actress Kate Winslet. They have one child.

In the beginning of the movie during Lester's monologue, the audience finds out he is going to die, but at this point he seems already dead. His life is lonely and he has a low and tense relationship with his wife and daughter. Every aspect of this broken family is distant and isolated. Colors are dark and dull except for the red roses that so regularly appear throughout the course of the movie. The roses in the movie represent fantasy and life. The life of a rose depicts the direction of the movie and also the life of Lester. A rose begins as only a seed, waiting to be nurtured and cared for. It then transforms into a bud after it has grown and grown, and is only seconds away from blooming into the next phase - the American beauty. After the rose has had its beauty, it dies, satisfied and fulfilled because not only did it live, it lived a life of beauty.

Throughout the course of the movie and the introduction of all the characters, one specific character stands out more than any. Ricky, a teenage kid and the Burnham's new neighbor, brings light and beauty to the suburban family. He influences every character, directly and/or indirectly, and shows them how beautiful life really is. Lester begins to break free from his life of imprisonment and manages to live life without a care in the world. At one point Lester states, "I'm just an ordinary guy with nothing to lose." This movie illustrates that there are always preconceived notions about people and life, but in reality, there is usually a lot more going on. People are always searching for meaning in their lives, and Lester Burnham finds that meaning... that beauty.

American Beauty is a movie that will surely touch the lives of anyone who should watch it. It is a film that can be viewed by both young and old and never cease to send a beautiful message.

I'd just like to add..........2007-08-19

...a small ending to Gary F. Taylor "GFT"'s review by telling that a very significant thing is (like in real life) that the only decent and nice guy is the one who gets killed. Of course, American people seem to think that getting rid of those who make life miserable for those around them would not be compatible with 'Beauty' as they see it. Cast and crew are perfect.

Amazing.......2007-08-17

twisted but amazing the whole time your excpecting somthing only to realize what you think youve vigured out isent what it seems at all!

Truly beautiful in an alarmingly tragic way..........2007-08-02

Standing tall as one of my all time favorite films and one of the most deserved Best Picture wins of all time, `American Beauty' never loses its impression on me. I'm forever in awe at its overall magnitude; its presence that is so overwhelmingly absorbing. From Kevin Spacey's fantastic Oscar winning performance to each and every supporting player the cast is golden and the charisma and chemistry is dynamic and ultimately unrivaled. What makes `American Beauty' so enthralling and captivating to me is the sheer relatable atmosphere and utter honesty that it portrays. This is a life not unlike our own, with the same dilemmas and controversies, the same dreams and ambitions and no matter how perfect we think we have things there is always something missing, and sooner or later we're going to have to make a change in order to find our center. Brilliantly, and I mean that with every fiber of the words very meaning, `American Beauty' fleshes out that very innate desire.

The film follows Lester Burnham as he goes through his mid-life crisis, realizing that his wife doesn't love him anymore, his daughter finds him creepy and uninteresting, his job infuriates him; basically that his life in general is far from what he wants it to be. Through a catalog of events he begins to make serious changes, starting with his growing infatuation with his daughters cheerleading friend Angela. He begins to work out more, eat better and enjoy a little recreational drug provided by his neighbor's son Ricky. He quits his job and starts up working at the local burger joint where he can slack off and live life a teenager. He buys the ridiculously expensive sports car because he wants to and develops an attitude that repels those around him intent on dragging him down. In essence Lester becomes the man that everyman wishes he could become but lacks the `balls' to do it himself. Lester is everyman, just pushed to the limit of what any man can take.

But this film is far more than just about a single man and his crisis. Lester's wife Caroline is also going through a bit of a mid-lifer herself. She's finally come to the realization that she is more than Lester will ever be and she wants, no she needs someone that's a better fit for her. Lester proves himself a constant embarrassment to her, and his newfound identity is making it difficult for her to function in their life together. Lester's daughter Jane is pulling away from her parents due to their apparent insanity. She can't take them anymore, her mothers constant bickering and hysterics, her father's pedophilic lust for her best friend and sudden `cool guy' syndrome. She distances herself from Angela and forms a closer connection with her neighbor Ricky, a boy who opens her eyes to the real beauty that surrounds her.

But both Ricky and Angela themselves offer insight into the growing pandemic surrounding the American public as a whole. The film effortlessly exposes the common issues that are present in almost every home and exist within almost every human being. Ricky exists in a household run with a cold fist by his father. His every move is scrutinized and so he acts out in rebellion by living his life the exact opposite of his father's wishes, albeit behind his back. Angela is the classic case of girl-hates-self, girl-needs-attention but here she feeds off her characters energy, and most of all Spacey's energy and helps create a character that is in the end so touching and so real. Her final confrontation with Jane and Ricky is so heartbreaking and her feeling of rejection from Lester is so real. I actually was moved by her character almost as much as Spacey's.

The entire cast, not just Spacey, pull out all the stops here. Annette Bening is flawless as Lester's controlling and hysterical wife (and I mean hysterical in both of its forms, both hilarious when needed and outrageously dramatic when needed). Thora Birch is also dynamic as Jane, and Wes Bently brilliantly captures his characters unique outlook at adolescence. Mena Suvari though really stood out for me as Angela, as did Chris Cooper who plays the domineering and controlling father effortlessly. Peter Gallagher also develops a nice supporting character, although he comes off more as a cameo, and that's hard for me to acknowledge since under normal circumstances I find him nauseating. Here though he is fantastic, both charming and endearing while equally repulsive and condescending. How he manages to pull that off is beyond me. Each and every actor here benefits greatly from the brilliant script, that's for sure.

So, in closing, `American Beauty' is everything that is beautiful about American cinema. It's engrossing, entertaining, refreshing but most of all moving and emotionally investing. I often battle my feelings about Spacey's win only because the competition that year was so steep and I feel Crowe gave the performance of a career, but every time I watch this brilliant film I'm reminded of why he deserved his win. He was so invested, so grounded in Lester that he created one of the most likable sinners of all time, a man who we grew to love and embrace despite his faults. `American Beauty' will always be one of the most deserving Oscar winners to date and will be remembered every time we look in the mirror.

It's in the bag. .......2007-08-01

Suburban angst turns funny then tragic. We should all reach the spiritual level Kevin Spacey's Lester Burnham reaches in his last hours.
The kid with the video camera becomes a surprising focal point thanks to a superb acting performance by Wes Bentley. The kid and his recording of the floating plastic bag hold the key to the spiritual treasure of "American Beauty."
This first-time collaboration of director Sam Mendes and screenwriter Alan Ball is a prime example of what Hollywood could deliver more of if the studio executives ever got their heads out of the sequels and the comic books. I'm convinced there are other fine scripts floating around waiting for the will and the daring to produce them.

The Last Picture Show (Definitive Director's Cut Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

A Super Video And Story Line!
The Last Picture Show
The Last Picture Show
A Ghost Town Masterpiece
dusty, but good

The Last Picture Show (Definitive Director's Cut Special Edition)
Starring: Sam Bottoms , Timothy Bottoms , Eileen Brennan , Jeff Bridges , and Gary Brockette
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: 0767827902
Release Date: 1999-11-30

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Like Easy Rider, Bonnie and Clyde, The Wild Bunch, and The Graduate, The Last Picture Show is one of the signature films of the "New Hollywood" that emerged in the late 1960s and early '70s. Based on the novel by Larry McMurtry and lovingly directed by Peter Bogdanovich (who cowrote the script with McMurtry), this 1971 drama has been interpreted as an affectionate tribute to classic Hollywood filmmaking and the great directors (such as John Ford) that Bogdanovich so deeply admired. It's also a eulogy for lost innocence and small-town life, so accurately rendered that critic Roger Ebert called it "the best film of 1951," referring to the movie's one-year time frame, its black-and-white cinematography (by Robert Surtees), and its sparse but evocative visual style. The story is set in the tiny, dying town of Anarene, Texas, where the main-street movie house is about to close for good, and where a pair of high-school football players are coming of age and struggling to define their uncertain futures. There's little to do in Anarene, and while Sonny (Timothy Bottoms) engages in a passionless fling with his football coach's wife (Cloris Leachman), his best friend Duane (Jeff Bridges) enlists for service in the Korean War. Both boys fall for a manipulative high-school beauty (Cybill Shepherd) who's well aware of her sexual allure. But it's not so much what happens in The Last Picture show as how it happens--and how Bogdanovich and his excellent cast so effectively capture the melancholy mood of a ghost town in the making. As Hank Williams sings on the film's evocative soundtrack, The Last Picture Show looks, feels, and sounds like a sad but unforgettably precious moment out of time. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

A Super Video And Story Line!.......2007-09-16

I love this DVD! Cybil Sheppard is my favorite actress and her performance here is awesome. She was very young but still excellent! You'll love the story line and your interest stays peaked all the way through!

The Last Picture Show.......2007-09-14

I had never seen the movie, but read the book. That's when I
decided I had to watch the movie. Although I prefer the book, the movie was very good.

The Last Picture Show.......2007-08-01

Being a Ben Johnson fan, I wasn't disappointed. I was surprised Larry Mc Murtry actually wrote something worth while. It is an interesting story most people growing up in the '50s can relate to, even if not raised in a small town. Good acting by big names getting a start on their careers. Worth watching.

A Ghost Town Masterpiece.......2007-07-27

The cold wind that blows through the town at the beginning of the movie is perfect symbolism; this same cold wind blows through the lives of the people in it. This movie expresses what Thomas Wolfe wrote about loneliness being central to the human existence. That has been explored and expressed beautifully in films before, such ones as Sling Blade,The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter, Member of the Wedding, Taxi Driver...Likewise for this incredible film. The acting in this movie is superb on all levels,with Cloris Leachman's Oscar-winning performance clearly the film's most incredible, amazing acting of all. The direction:perfect. The first time I saw this, I wondered why it was done in black and white; by the end of the film, I realized it could be no other way. The music (there's no score, thank God; music comes from radios and jukeboxes, playing classic country and western weepers, mostly)only adds to the poignancy. Loneliness is everywhere in the sense of everyone looking for connection desperately. This movie points out the void or voids in our own lives, where they may lie. It is not solely about loneliness, by far, that is just the underlying theme; in fact, this movie has some scenes of such sensuality (many scenes, actually)with a passion rarely seen in movies; of course,desperation increases the need, the want, the desire, the release. It's no wonder many in this are consumed by desire and lust. Take Jacy, played by the beautiful young Cybill Shepherd; it's easy to see how she could wield such power over young men, with her looks; but as P.F. Sloan once wrote, "a pretty face can hide an evil mind", and that is the case, for she is the most scheming, self-centered, duplicitous character you will ever see...
The charcters in this are complex, as they should be, and due to the fact that nothing in this movie seems contrived, forced, or fake,it leaves you with a feeling that you rarely see in a movie; that it relates to real life as much as possible as a movie can; few movies are this way.
While there are some characters we don't know much about,there is the feeling, the loneliness that pervades, that even when little is given about a character, something is clearly amiss, such as poor Miss Mosey; we know little about her, but the few things she does say, and her expressions, tell us all we need to know. The main characters(played by a terrific, then-unknown ensemble of talented actors), are all well-fleshed-out, three-dimensional ones with well-defined motivations,with interesting stories (to put it mildly!); yet they live in a ghost town. And it's fascinating. This movie is a must-see for any and all fans of dramas. Just stupendous, this movie is one for the ages.

dusty, but good.......2007-07-11

Sonny (Tim Bottoms) can barely get his truck to run in the dusty, dilapidated Texas town of Anelene, in the opening scene. His physical impotence, furthermore, is manifested by his inability/unwillingness to tackle his opponents when playing on his high school football team. But, despite his gentle-natured passivity, things soon get moving for him and his life becomes increasingly complex. In the process he looses his virginity, but ironically retains much of his innocence. His relationship with the elderly Sam the Lion, and with the mentally handicapped Billy demonstrate his guilelessness. Other characters--Jayce, Duane, Lois, Abilene and others--reveal their flawed moral character.

Sex, and in practically every imaginable variety makes up a big part of this coming of age film. The rich kids, the poor kids, the handicapped kid, the preacher's kid, and those who aren't kids anymore. Infidelity, bestiality ("my uncle has a heifer"), group nudity, pedophilia, and prostitution. But it was done in a such an artful manner that the film has naturalness and continuity. Based on the eponymous novel by Pulitzer Prize winner Larry McMurty, it is definitely a literary film.

I think this movie well made. The black-and-white filming is quite effective, the acting is excellent, and the artistic aspects make it worth watching. Again.

Average customer rating:

Cher
I'm stuck on Moonstruck
DVD Quality
A different romance
One of my all-time favorites

Moonstruck
Starring: Cher , Nicolas Cage , Vincent Gardenia , Olympia Dukakis , and Danny Aiello
Director: Norman Jewison
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
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ASIN: 0792838963
Release Date: 1998-06-30

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Remember the outfit Cher wore to the Oscars when she won an Academy Award for her performance in this 1987 film? Ay-yi-yi. The actress' more retiring character in this infectious comedy leaps several psychological hurdles just giving her hair a permanent. But then the original screenplay by John Patrick Shanley (Joe Versus the Volcano) is a wonderful, gently satirical tale of an Italian-American family dealing with repression and dissatisfaction against a backdrop of cultural expectations. Cher is focused and funny as a widow who feels she should marry an older fellow (Danny Aiello), but then falls for his black-sheep brother (Nicolas Cage). Olympia Dukakis and Vincent Gardenia are perfect as her parents, and John Mahoney (of TV's Frasier) has a memorable, small role as a middle-aged man on the make who gets a lecture from Dukakis's character. Shanley's dialogue is comically stylized in a way that makes one appreciate how much words can inform an actor's performance. Taking its cues from him and director Norman Jewison (And Justice for All), the cast immerse themselves in a pool of hilariously operatic emotion. --Tom Keogh

Description

Fall under the delightful spell of Moonstruck, the mesmerizing romantic comedy from director Norman Jewison (Fiddler on the Roof) and OscarÂ(r) winner* John Patrick Shanley. Academy AwardÂ(r) winners** Cher, Nicolas Cage and Olympia Dukakis excel in this explosively funny tale which also features flawless performances by Danny Aiello, Vincent Gardenia and Frasier's John Mahoney. Cher is "devastatingly funny, sinuous and beautiful" (Pauline Kael) as Loretta, an unlucky in love Italian widow who finds romance through the intervention of the Manhattan moon. With her wedding to a close friend just weeks away, she meets and falls hopelessly in love with his younger brother (Cage)! Her dilemma and her equally passionate and hilariously eccentric family make for an unforgettable film you'll find "beguiling" (Time), "enchanting" (Newsweek) and "irresistible" ("Today Show").

Customer Reviews:

Cher.......2007-07-26

Cher is one of my all time favorite people and I can watch this movie time and time again.

I'm stuck on Moonstruck.......2007-05-19

This is a delightful romantic comedy. Cher does a wonderful job of changing from a frumpy, overworked fiancee to a glamorous, sexy girlfriend of Nicholas Cage. Good performances by everyone.

DVD Quality.......2007-02-14

The first disc was defective. Returned it for replacement. The replacement is very slightly out of sync of video and audio at the end of movie. Shows poor quality control.

A different romance.......2007-02-12

A very good yet different comedy romance. Cher and Nickolas Cage are a great team in this movie!

One of my all-time favorites.......2006-11-10

I love this movie so much that I've watched it countless times and enjoy it every time I've seen it. I wore through my VHS copy, so it was time for a replacement. A very funny romantic comedy!

Reds (Special 25th Aniversary Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Gone with the Wind Meets Joseph Stalin...
REDS
Russian Revolution With American Movie Stars
At the risk of sounding crass and superficial,
Fantastic movie

Reds (Special 25th Aniversary Collector's Edition)
Starring: Kerry Armstrong , R.G. Armstrong , Roger Baldwin , Ramon Bieri , and Phil Brown
Manufacturer: Paramount
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ASIN: B000GG4Y32
Release Date: 2006-10-17

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Warren Beatty's lengthy 1981 drama about American Communist John Reed and his relationships with both the Russian Revolution and a writer named Louise Bryant (Diane Keaton) is a compelling piece of little-known history told in a uniquely personal way. Beatty plays Reed as he did the title gangster in Bugsy and Senator in Bulworth, as a visionary likely to die before anyone fully recognizes the progressiveness of the vision, including those who are supposed to be on the same page. Jack Nicholson has an interesting part as fellow intellectual Eugene O'Neill, and the late author Jerzy Kosinski--himself a refugee from then-Soviet-controlled Poland--makes a strong impression as Reed's problematic Russian liaison. --Tom Keogh

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In some ways, Warren Beatty's 195-minute film about the radical movement at the beginning of the 20th century is the last Hollywood studio epic. A peerless reporter, John Reed, mixes with the intellectuals of the time who see socialism as the answer to end what would become the First World War. As with epics, we go on a journey--from Portland to New York to Europe and finally Russia--just in time to witness the revolution that would make Reed famous upon publishing "Ten Days That Shook the World." But Reed had more ambition, and Beatty's ambition is splendidly captured on the screen, matched by a tremendous cast and stunning visuals (shot by Oscar-winner Vittorio Storaro). Reds doesn't have the action or vistas as a David Lean epic, but travels on the road less taken--here, seeing the birth of communism. Beatty and Trevor Griffiths lace their talky script of ideas with plenty of humor and fashion a poignant love story. Reed's infatuation with the rebel without a cause, Louise Bryant (Diane Keaton), turns into a love triangle with playwright Eugene O'Neill (Jack Nicholson at his most sublime). As Brooks becomes more complex and stalwart, the love story becomes something more. Keaton is perfect in following the arc of Brooks, just another spot-on casting decision by Beatty. Also impressive is Oscar winner Maureen Stapleton as feisty activist Emma Goldman and author Jerzy Kolinsky (Being There) as a Russian diplomat. The boldest stroke is hearing from real "witnesses" talking about the times. They are funny, poetic, deft, provide musical accompaniment and, most importantly, expertly set up scenes. The uninitiated will learn about this time in remarkable fashion; the cineaste can marvel in the ground Beatty covers, never better then a montage ending first half as Reed and Brooks are literally swept up in the revolution.

Beatty states at the top of the DVD extras he's not a big fan of talking about a movie (and did no publicity for the film upon its release in 1981). So there is no commentary track, just an expertly produced 90-minute retrospective with interviews from most of the major players, minus Keaton. We find out why Beatty's best performances are the ones he doesn't direct, while Nicholson provides the reason why Beatty had to star. Beatty talks about the process to interview the witnesses, and when we see bits of unused footage, it whets the appetite for more. Certainly, an hour of witness outtakes would have been something special, and would allow Beatty not to speak about his masterpiece. --Doug Thomas

Description

Reds is the story of the love affair of John Reed and Louise Bryant in a war-torn world and how the Russian Revolution shook their lives.

Customer Reviews:

Gone with the Wind Meets Joseph Stalin..........2007-07-30

A wonderful epic, the genius was in making it a romance. Diane Keaton was the perfect choice for his co-star, as she and Beatty are both believable as intellectuals.

Don't be scared off by the subject matter of Communism, the romance is a great story and the movie seems to have as it's motto, "the grass isn't greener". Beatty made a great movie, epic and insightful, summed up in his final words, "I wish I were in America."

REDS.......2007-07-09

Writer-director Beatty's Oscar-winning portrait of leftie scribe John Reed and his paramour Bryant is equal parts sweeping historical epic, tragic romance, and paean to the once influential voices of early American socialism. His ingenious use of actual interviews with those who knew the Greenwich Village couple--including Henry Miller and Rebecca West--gives the picture an extra depth and dramatic veracity. But it's the chemistry between Beatty's uncompromising Reed, a man devoted to the principle of class struggle, and Keaton's fiercely independent Bryant that's sure to rouse your inner rebel. With terrific support from Maureen Stapleton (as Emma Goldman), and Jack Nicholson (as cynical playwright Eugene O'Neill), "Reds" is a film that embraces love and politics without giving short shrift to either.

Russian Revolution With American Movie Stars.......2007-07-05

Hollywood's been waiting a long time for this one. The Cold War pretty much made the Revolution a taboo subject. By the time Beatty got around to it, the proletariat had disappeared to be replaced by American college kids with trust funds and drugs arrests. Still, it is good to see this extraordinary historic event dramatized so well and performed so memorably, even if it stars Beatty playing a whiny, post-Watergate-type journalist who believed in the truth. The Bolsheviks had to put him wise on a few things. Jack Nicholson plays Eugene O'Neil, the great cynical playwright, whose marvelous performance put young Diane Keaton's silly Woody Allen impersonation in a new light. Overall, it is unique in its mainstream use of interviews to extend (pad?) the narrative. I found these interviews a real high light, especially the extended use of Henry Miller who is a hoot. Beatty never really fulfilled his promise after this stunning film. Like Costner, his seems to have had one masterpiece in him and then he shrank back to size.

At the risk of sounding crass and superficial,.......2007-07-05

this film (and many of his other films) shows that Warren Beatty is far more than just a "pretty face". My hat's off to "WB".

Fantastic movie.......2007-06-18

A wonderful film that I just never got around to before. Everything about it was well done. Warren Beatty should have won best actor Oscar as well as the one for director that he was awarded. Enjoyed it a lot more than Doctor Zhivago.

Average customer rating:

Accurate Title
charming
Another Good One
Total waste of Film
Do Not Disturb

Do Not Disturb
Starring: Doris Day , Rod Taylor , Hermione Baddeley , Sergio Fantoni , and Reginald Gardiner
Director: Ralph Levy
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000JJSJPA
Release Date: 2007-01-30

Description

"Doris Day continues her reign as America's sweetheart" (Motion Picture Herald) in this "bright, colorful comedy of marital misunderstanding" (The Film Daily). Co-starring Rod Taylor (The Glass Bottom Boat) and featuring whip-smart dialogue, a hilarious plot, sumptuous locales and costumes and the song "Au Revoir Is Goodbye With a Smile," Do Not Disturb is a delightful romp from start to finish!

What's a devoted wife to do when her husband spends more time "working" with his sexy secretary than helping her with their new home? For Janet Taylor (Day), an American who has relocated to England with her executive husband Mike (Taylor), there's only one solution - make him jealous by inventing an admirer. But as soon as Janet creates her make-believe Romeo, a real suitor arrives, whisks Janet off to Paris, wines and dines her...and comes face-to-face with an insanely irate Mike!

Customer Reviews:

Accurate Title.......2007-08-31

Do Not Disturb is a frothy and light romance starring the lovely Doris Day and the charming Rod Taylor. There was one thing about this movie that prevented me from fully enjoying it, however, and it took me a while to pinpoint what is was. Surprisingly enough, it was Miss Day herself. She seems to be taking the dizzy blonde American character to an extreme here, and comes across as trying too hard (almost frenetic in the last half) throughout the entire film. Rod Taylor, on the other hand, appears as relaxed and effortless as ever. The chemistry the two demonstrate in The Glass Bottom Boat is sadly not in play here, and the movie suffers for it. Great Sixties fashion and snappy dialogue still need well-rounded characters to provide that special interplay that can draw in repeat viewers. Only for hard-core Day or Taylor fans, although perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon while flipping through magazines.

charming.......2007-08-24

a charming, pleasant sentimental comedy. not a bad film after all (unreleased in France)that seems to be not such a good souvenir in Doris' opinion. 40 years after remains an entertaining movie, with a je-ne-sais-quoi from the good old days...sorry, Day, of course!
beeing French, why do US directors see Paris that way, I will never understand! anyway, have fun with this movie! DD charming as ever.
a plus: French subtitles! thanks!

Another Good One.......2007-08-23

I just love the Doris Day movies. A little fun,a little love,a little mystery. Another DD classic.

Total waste of Film.......2007-07-03

There is little positive to say about this bad script, miscasting of actors and poor acting in general. I stopped the movie after about an Half Hour of viewing. This was a Birthday gift for my wife, who is a fan of Doris Day, Rock Hudson and Paul Lynne. None of who are on my favorite lists.

The Best part is probably where it says, "The End."

Do Not Disturb.......2007-05-08

This was one of the few Doris Day movies without Rock Hudson or James Garner but it was very enjoyable. Doris Day had very nice chemistry with Rod Taylor. And who can get past that cleft in Mr. Taylor's chin?

Average customer rating:

A feel good film for ALL women!!!!!
Waiting to Exhale DVD
Understanding!
Desperate women who need to BREATHE.
Read the book and saw the movie!

Waiting to Exhale
Starring: Whitney Houston , Angela Bassett , Loretta Devine , Lela Rochon , and Gregory Hines
Director: Forest Whitaker
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
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ASIN: B00000ILEE
Release Date: 2001-03-06

Amazon.com essential video

Based on a novel by Terry McMillan, this weepy melodrama about four African American women and the men who wronged them became an instant cultural phenomenon when it was released back in 1995. It's easy to see why Exhale struck a nerve: the movie boasts an attractive cast of African American actresses and personalities, including Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett, and Lela Rochon. Unfortunately, though, Exhale sags under the weight of its soapy, crisis of the week plotting and relentlessly cheery "you go, girl!" optimism. And African American men, cast here as insensitive lovers and pigheaded materialists, get the very short end of the feminist stick. Perhaps moviegoers were simply responding to the brilliant soundtrack by R&B superstar Babyface, who provided the movie's only real groove. --Ethan Brown

Description

Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett star in this funny and touching film about four women who find strength through their rare and special relationship. Savannah, Bernadine, Robin and Gloria are all searching for the Real Thing: true love. Bernadine thought she had it, until her husband left her for another woman. Savannah and Robin are successful in business but their love lives are bankrupt. And divorcee Gloria is getting back in the game by flirting with her new, very eligible neighbor. Based on Terry McMillan's best-selling novel, and featuring the #1 smash hit "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)," "Waiting to Exhale" is the film you and your friends have been waiting for! Original score by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.

Customer Reviews:

A feel good film for ALL women!!!!!.......2007-07-04

I have to say that this is one of my favorite films of all time. Everyone did a good job in this film, especially Whitney Houston. My favorite character in the film would definitely have to be Bernadine. This film makes you laugh, cry, and also makes you aware of the fact that you do need friends to get you through the difficult times, especially when it comes to dealing with no good men!!!!

Waiting to Exhale DVD.......2007-06-15

Great Movie! I am glad to have it as part of my collection.

Understanding!.......2007-03-09

As a female, I enjoy watching what men call Chick Flicks but never watched them more than I had to. I enjoy horror movies, suspense, actions...
Watching Waiting to Exhale when I was a bit younger, I did not totally understand the concept of their struggles, often wondering why it is that the one girl would repeatedly put herself through a man that obviously did not really want anything to do with her but for sex only to hook up with a man that she obviously is not attracted to just for him to treat her coldly in the workplace. I could not understand why Bernie would burn some of her husband's belongings even the car then have garage sale with the rest, I could not understand why Gloria was hung on her very gay son's father hoping he would come back to her, I could not understand why Savannah would not hook up with the hunky fine chocolate brother... I could not understand why most of the things happened, but going through life itself, having children and friends I now do understand, which is why I decided to purchase this movie for my collections. Because inside of every female, there is a Savannah, Bernie, Robin and a Gloria.

Desperate women who need to BREATHE........2007-01-23

At first I loved this movie, it was one of my favorites. As a young lady who just turned 21, at that time I completely related to their struggles. A year later, I re-watched the film with more maturity. Surprising, my perspective of it was totally different.

Essentially, it is the story of four horny black women who think men are the key to happiness.

Yes, everybody craves sex at some point, some people more than others. The audience can resonate with their lust for sex, the characters' weaknesses, and minor faults. Still, after watching the movie a couple times, I realized that the characters in this film are simply naive.

I'm not trying to imply that females should be totally independent, and should never desire to date. However, they need to have standards!

Since the four characters are desperate for sex and a stable relationship, they lower their standards. This compromises their self-respect, morals and personal interests in order to "get a man". Obviously, they lure the sleaziest men the world has to offer. Even the four characters know that the men they're dating are worthless, as they repeat to themselves throughout the film. Nevertheless, the ladies waste time on these dogs in order to fuel they need for sex and attention.

At the end, it seems that they find more solidarity and happiness amongst each other. Though they don't seem to have fully learned from their mistakes, and seem likely to repeat the immature behavior.

To conclude, they need to breathe first, and with that added energy, they should cultivate some sense.

Read the book and saw the movie!.......2007-01-04

Read the book and saw the movie! NEXT!

Average customer rating:

A rare film....an American film treating sex with intelligence and seriousness...
Henry & June Review
Drags On and On
Sensual, Gritty, Erotic--Women AND Men...A MUST SEE!!!
Henry Joseph Rychlicki New Henry Miller

Henry & June
Starring: Fred Ward , Uma Thurman , Maria de Medeiros , Richard E. Grant , and Kevin Spacey
Director: Philip Kaufman
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0783230559
Release Date: 1999-02-23

Amazon.com

Anaïs Nin (Maria de Medeiros) is a young woman in 1930s Paris whose husband is slowly defecting from art to working in a bank, leaving her very bored. When the then-unpublished Brooklyn writer Henry Miller (Fred Ward) enters her life, she embarks on a journey of seduction and sexual exploration that eventually leads from the writer to his wife, June (Uma Thurman), who finances her husband's life in Paris so he may praise her beauty in his writing. Unhappy with her husband's writing and her lovers' affair, June enters a jealous rage, forcing Henry into suffering-artist mode and Nin back to her husband. Despite having one of the more erotic scenes of the 1990s, between Nin and June, the film does not live up to its subject, largely due to a mediocre screenplay and flawed direction. The strength of the original material and Medeiros's decidedly unflawed performance, however, make it worth viewing. --James McGrath

Customer Reviews:

A rare film....an American film treating sex with intelligence and seriousness..........2007-03-24

I really liked this film. I am a major admirer of Henry Miller and Anais Nin, and this film is very accurate in the depictions of them. It's also one of the rare examples of an American director (in this case Philip Kaufman) making an erotic picture that's mature, intelligent, and serious about sex. Most sex in American pictures is played for laughs. It's almost as if Americans (and American filmmakers) are deathly afraid of it. Sure, there's a lot of smutty talk in films and TV, but it's not erotic, not intelligent, and it's more on the level of a 6th grader. Kaufman is the only one who has made some great erotic films (this one and The Unbearable Lightness of Being) that can stand up to the best Europe has given us. This film is a great film, showing Miller's struggle in finding his voice in Paris, and Anais Nin's support of his writing and her affair with him. The period flavour is wonderful, and the performances are first rate. Fred Ward (whatever happened to him?) gives a great performance as Henry Miller, and Maria de Mederos gives a lovely performance as Anais Nin. Uma Thurman is quite engaging as June Miller, Henry's estranged and very temptuous wife. Kevin Spacey has a small but effective role as one of Henry's writing friends. This was the first film to officially receive the "evil" NC-17 rating, and I wish that rating didn't have such a stigma over it. Adults have a right to see films aimed at adults. We should stop allowing Hollywood to make us feel ashamed over wanting something mature, erotic, and intelligent.

Henry & June Review.......2007-03-08

Beautiful, erotic feast for the eyes. The story drags a bit late in the middle. A great couples movie. Save for one, the characters are difficult to like. Anais must have been a treat to know!

Drags On and On.......2007-02-06

This account of the life and love affair of Henry Miller and Anais Nin seems endless. The director attempts to show character traits and development via an endless parade of sexual liaisons, which becomes more than tedious after the first hour and a half of the movie. Henry, June, and Anais deserve better.

Sensual, Gritty, Erotic--Women AND Men...A MUST SEE!!!.......2007-02-01

This "period" movie has got intrigue, eroticism, a sensual pace, a great (true) story, and hypnotic visuals--it is an aphrodisiac on film. The actors are superbly engaging, whether the feminine and subtle is your cup of tea, or the masculine and gritty is your double-shot of scotch. It's really an exquisite film, and if it's of any interest, it gets women so heated-up and turned-on that discussion of the film's point will invariably have to take place AFTER the wild lovemaking session that WILL follow! It's also may be of interest to lovers of "Pulp Fiction" that this is almost CERTAINLY where Quentin Tarantino discovered that he wanted to use both Uma Thurman and Maria de Madeiros in Pulp Fiction, because they were both in "Henry and June"--Uma's performance was a true transformation--I respect her as an actress more because of her performance here.

Henry Joseph Rychlicki New Henry Miller.......2007-01-14

Hello I happened upon this fine gem of a movie, I couldn't look away as I became enchanted with Anais Nin.
...Being the author of Fragments Of My Life A Sex Fiction, By Henry Joseph Rychlicki, a modern day Henry Miller, I was compelled to study every nuance from this portrait movie, if I was to die after seeing this very movie, I would have no regrets...
Yours Truly Henry Joseph Rychlicki The Author

Average customer rating:

Men who cry in the dark
Not Bad
not impressed
Great Play
Wouldn't recommend this to anyone

Men Cry in the Dark
Starring: Allen Payne , Rhona Bennett , Richard Roundtree , and Christopher Williams
Director: Je'Caryous Johnson
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000KGGZYE
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Description

The future has never looked better for Derrick Reed. Bachelorhood is great, he has a group of guys he can really call friends, and he's the publisher of a magazine that he named after his philosophy of life, Happily Single. Little does Derrick know that appearing on Atlanta's hottest radio station morning talk show will send him on a whirl-wind ride, which will eventually take him to the heart of a woman who will change his life forever. He finds the perfect woman and the perfect reason to stop womanizing and make a commitment. This mystery woman is about to have a lasting impact on Derrick's life by changing the way he thinks and feels about women and relationships.

Customer Reviews:

Men who cry in the dark.......2007-09-13

I saw the play first and then I bought the DVD, I have watched this play over a dozen times. I am glad that I have added this to my collection and you will be too!

Not Bad.......2007-09-13

I liked this but I did not like the abrupt ending. If you like happy endings don't watch this. It is a stage play and the singing did go on a bit but all in all it wasn't a bad production. If you can get over the ending it is worth watching it again.

not impressed.......2007-08-16

i'm not a fan of the "chitlin circuit" plays, it was an unintentional purchase and i was affirmed in my dislike. however, if you are not as picky, you may find it entertaining.

Great Play.......2007-07-10

Men Cry in The Dark was a GREAT stage play. I personally can relate to the plot line, being a writer myself. The actors were well chosen, The play itself was funny witty and very believable. I read some of the other reviews, and some people said it sucked, well to those reviewers. PLEASE DON'T WRITE ANYMORE REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wouldn't recommend this to anyone.......2007-07-07

I purchased this DVD because I heard from a friend that it was good. I liked the play the Maintenance Man, so I assumed this would be just as good...I was totally wrong. This was the longest and most boring play I have ever seen. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone---save your money.

Average customer rating:

Mary Astor shines in a Stunning Simple Story
one of the finest adaptations of a novel into a movie
The happiness is a wild flower!
An Excellent, Mature Film; Walter Huston Is Exceptional
Dodsworth

Dodsworth
Starring: Mary Astor , John Barclay , Harlan Briggs , Spring Byington , and Horace B. Carpenter
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005PJ6U
Release Date: 2001-12-11