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523,252 | 4,445,210 | 1,041,251 | 9 | A Headless Go-Kart Driver , A Dark Restaurant & Assorted Other Goodies | While " Sara " is being interviewed by " Conrad Ecklie " ( Marc Vann ) , head of the crime unit , on her no-no - meaning having a romantic relationship with a fellow employee " Grissom " ( William Petersen ) we wind up with two murders for this week's episode . The first is dramatically discovered when a severed head in a football helmet comes bouncing down the highway ! The other is a Hugh Hefner-type who is found with a fatal head wound while dining in a " dark restaurant . " Yes , dining in total darkness with blind waiters is the deal in this bizarre story , meaning " normal " for CSI . Interesting to see Karina Lombard again . ( " Pippa Sanchez " ) , the owner of the weird restaurant . I hadn't seen her since 1996 when she had a role in " Last Man Standing " with Bruce Willis . About 39 years old now , Karina looks better than ever and I liked her accent in this episode . Her bio here at IMDb notes she is fluent in five languages ! Meanwhile , is this the end of " Sara Sidle ? " Apparently as I think she made a remark to " Gil " at the end of the show about moving to Sweden or something . I may have heard wrong . She said she didn't want to mess up the CSI team with this " scandal " with " Grissom . " That's a shame ; she will really be missed . The regulars on this CSI show have been here now for eight years and any one of them leaving would be a big loss . ( I've watched this series strictly on DVD the last three years , so I'm a little behind the " real time " of these episodes . ) |
526,637 | 4,445,210 | 167,842 | 9 | Entertaining ' Anthology ' Of Clapton | These are videos of the hits of both Eric Clapton and some of the early bands he was in such as " The Yardbirds " and " Cream . " It guess you could call this an " anthology " as it shows the famous guitarist-singer from the early ' 60s through the ' 80s when this tape was made . Whatever the era , it's simply good rock ' n roll music . Most tunes , even the very early stuff in which I didn't recognize the ultra-young , thin and beardless Clapton , are still good to hear and his guitar work has always been a pleasure . With each video , Clapton's appearance really changes . When the video switches to color and to stereo , it really picks up steam . " Layla , " " Cocaine , " " Forever Man , " and a " Tearing Us Apart " were the highlights for me . The latter was a duet with Tina Turner . " Layla " is uniquely done in that they mix several concert tapings into the song , but keep it cohesive . The last two songs aren't much so I end it with that duet with Turner . It makes the video end on a high note . |
525,088 | 4,445,210 | 60,810 | 9 | A Great Little Story That's Fun For Kids & Senior Citizens | This was a nice little half-hour movie , which reminded me a bit of another film of similar length that was popular 50 years ago : The Red Balloon . " Paddle To The Sea , " made 42 years ago , never got the publicity or achieved the popularity of " The Red Balloon " but if you liked the latter , you'll like this . I enjoyed them equally . This is a Canadian movie which begins by showing a boy whittling this amazing piece of work : an Indian - very stoic looking - sitting in his canoe . On the side of the boat , he asks that anyone who handles this piece of art , " please throw it back in the water . " The boy decides to let this boat go as far as it can in the water . Although he lives on a mountain , he knows once the ice of winter melts , the boat will slide down the steep hill into a small creek and then into a river , into a bigger river and , hopefully , all the way to Atlantic Ocean . We ( the camera ) follow the progress of this little toy boat through several seasons , some human contact , some contact with sea creatures and birds . The little boat navigates down small rivers , rapids , whirlpools , big rivers , small lakes , big lakes , canals . . . . you name it . Unlike most of the reviewers here , I never saw this movie as a kid . I am only seeing it now as a 60-year-old man , but I enjoyed it as much as any kid . This is " good stuff " that should appeal to anyone . |
523,477 | 4,445,210 | 78,788 | 9 | Sheen Shines In This Unique Classic | Well , I've watched this movie for over 25 years now and it's still almost as interesting as when I first saw it . It is definitely one of the most unique films ever made . I still think Martin Sheen got " dissed " big-time in the billing , too . He dominates the film yet gets lesser billing than Marlon Brando , who only appears in the last 30 minutes of this 2 hours , 17 minutes film ( theatrical version ) . How unfair is that ? Sheen is fantastic in here , especially his narration , which runs throughout . It's one of the best narrations , if not THE best , I have ever heard in a movie . His voice is just haunting as he relates his thoughts on this incredible , nightmare-like adventure . I never fail to appreciate his work in this movie . The other thing that strikes me about the film over the years are the number of memorable scenes , ones I have never forgotten , such as . . . . . . Sheen losing it in his hotel room in the movie's first scene ; Robert Duvall and the totally out-of-place surfing scenes and then the ensuing attack with Wagner's dramatic classical music blaring out of the helicopters ; The Playboy bunny entertaining the troops ; Frederic Forrest being freaked out seeing a tiger close up in the jungle ; the weird scenes on the long riverboat ride ; the appearance of hippie journalist Dennis Hopper greeting the crew in Cambodia and then Brando's bizarre character . It goes on and on with strange scenes . That's not to say I enjoyed everything . No , there are a few very unpleasant scenes , such as the one in which an ox is sliced in half ( can't watch that anymore ) , an innocent family is slaughtered on a small boat by Sheen's young stoned-out crew , and the crew is a little too goofy at times . Then , there is the huge amount of profanity , led by way too many f-words . So , there is a lot of good and a lot of bad things in this movie for almost anyone who watches this One thing for sure : it is a film you WILL remember ! |
523,752 | 4,445,210 | 104,511 | 9 | Nothing Like Some Good ' Italian Food ! ' | I've always found this a " guilty pleasure , " an extremely entertaining profane-gross-funny film about a female vampire who likes " Italian food , " meaning she likes to kill members of the Mafia ! ! I am a bit partial in favor of this movie , anyway , because I am fan of Anne Parillaud . She starred in two of my favorite films : Map Of The Human Heart and Frankie Starlight . To me , she's always great to look at listen to , especially with a comedy here . This is about as good as she's ever looked . I also enjoyed her narration . Also , with director John Landis , you almost always get a very entertaining movie . The special effects in here are fun to watch and the general off-the-wall humor is great . If you appreciate dark humor , you'll like this movie . The filmmakers also did not go overlong on the action scenes . The film is almost a put-on about vampire movies . The negatives are too much profanity , too much for a comedy . It sometimes gets ridiculous . Robert Loggia plays most of the profane characters I've ever heard on film , yet is very funny at times . The gore is overdone in parts , too , but nowadays - even watching television ( i . e . CSI ) - we're used to that now . My other complaint is why this DVD is not on widescreen . Why is it only offered in pan-and-scan ? If you don't mind blood , guts and foul language , this is a hilarious film . |
524,317 | 4,445,210 | 96,018 | 9 | A Well-Acted , Powerful Story | I thought this was a powerful movie about ' 60s radicals on the lam for 14 years and a crisis that develops when the family's 17-year-old son is talented enough to enter Juliard School Of Music which means , because of identity problems , they may never see him again . Judd Hirsch and Christine Lahti play the husband and wife and River Phoenix and Jonas Abry are their kids . There is excellent acting in this film and particularly by young Phoenix . The story shows us a good portrait of what it must be like to live in hiding . Politically , people will view this movie as they think ( conservative or liberal ) because it could be viewed a number of ways . To me , it showed the worst of what could have happened to young people in the ' 60s who believed they were doing the right thing but broke the law . . . . and paid the consequence . The sad part , as this shows so vividly , is how it affects the rest of the family and others . I think the most powerful scene in the film is when Lahti meets her dad after 14 years in hiding : very , very emotional stuff and one of the most intense short talking scenes I've ever seen on film . |
526,781 | 4,445,210 | 147,998 | 9 | The Most Entertaining Hot Dogs You've Ever Seen ! | The bulk of this cartoon is a wild chase scene between Flip The Frog and a purse snatcher . Flip is a hot dog vendor at the circus and the opening gags are very funny . Where else but a cartoon to you see the following ? A customer approaches , and asks for one hot dog . Four little dogs come out and dance and the customer picks out his favorite . The hot dog is then told by Flip to lie down ( on the grill ! ) , roll over , then go over and dip his butt into a jar of mustard and then lie on top of a bun . The little hot dog then closes the top part of the bun on himself and waits to be eaten . On the first bite , though , he yells " ouch " and jumps out of the bun . . . . . only to be eaten by a nearby two-head Siamese twin ! That's the wacky world of these UB Iwerks " Flip The Frog " animated shorts , which is why I really enjoy a lot of these . Anyway , a pick pocket comes along , steals a few things and then gets spotted stealing an old woman's purse . The bulk of the cartoon is Flip going after the crook and the crazy scenes that ensue . The two of them go at it while a three-ring circus is in progress , so you get some very wild sight gags , such as the two opponents running up , down and around a big horse while chasing each other . You see them on roller-coaster type motorcycle events , or the high wire . Along the chase are numerous innocent victims , such as a guy who gets eaten by a lion , or another who gets flattened by an elephant . It's another frenetic Flip cartoon , which means it is fun to watch , and with a surprise ending . Definitely recommended . |
524,765 | 4,445,210 | 971,464 | 9 | The Gulf Isn't The Only Thing Muddied In Biloxi | The episode turns out to be quite complicated , much more than the average City Confidential . They must have simplified them after this premiere . We get a judge and his political wife murdered execution-style and those involved are a variety of people , from hired a hit-man to the mayor of the town and the victim's partner , the head of the local " Dixie Mafia " and to a guy already in jail running a homosexual scam . This story has a lot of weirdness to it and reaches into a number of areas , making this gambling city on the Gulf Coast look pretty sleazy . City Confidential doesn't help that image by showing several scenes of strippers and guys putting money into the girls's stockings while discussing this case ! ! Leave it to Liberal TV to make a grungy story even more sordid . Without going into too many details and ruining this for anyone else , I will say the most interesting people , in my opinion , were accused mayor and the daughters of the man killed . His wife , by the way , was going to run for mayor . Being an anti-gambling advocate , she had her enemies in this city which features gambling as a pretty big industry . Her husband , who frequented and represented as a defense attorney a number of people of questionable character , had his enemies , too . Thus , figuring out who killed them wasn't easy . Hiring someone else to commit a murder also makes it tougher to solve , according to a lawman interviewed . It's also tough to figure when your supposed good friend ( s ) are involved ! Yeah , this was a tough case . I don't believe I've ever seen an accused man smile so much and look so confident and smug as Pete Halat , the mayor , going in and out of the court house during the trial . In interviews today , he still is very relaxed and talks like nothing has ever happened . The only difference is that he's sprouted a pony tail , something he didn't do when he was being elected mayor . The history of Biloxi also was interesting , as were some of the scenic shots of the muddy waters of the Gulf Of Mexico and the contrast between some really nice places and a very seedy-looking strip that now has been replaced by big casinos . City Confidential made this look like it could be a rough town , but prosperous . Of course , that was shortly before Hurricane Katrina hit it , and it don't know the city's status at this time . |
525,997 | 4,445,210 | 60,835 | 9 | I Wish They Would Have Kept Going ! | Our pink hero is searching for used cars in a lot when he discovers a James Bond-type Aston Martin vehicle with all the gadgets . This little sports car intrigues and impresses him , so he buys it . As in other Pink Panther cartoons , an inanimate object turns to be human-like , so when our guy brings his new car back home and begins to spray paint the front of it pink , the car balks ! It wants no part of this spray-paint job ! The car - not the Panther - winds up in a drag race against an old lady , who turns out to be " Granny Flash : senior citizens drag champion . " This was hilarious , thanks to Granny , and I hated to see it end so abruptly . They could have continued this for another full cartoon with the just race between the two cars . |
526,541 | 4,445,210 | 70,047 | 9 | Still Shocking After All These Years | Few movies shocked people like this one when it came out . Almost 35 years later , it will still shock you if you've never seen it . It's definitely recommended , but beware of some very gross scenes , brutal language and a sordid and genuinely frightening story . The special effects still hold up . They don't look dated and they are just as creepy . The story starts a bit slowly , but once in kicks in , it's tough to put this DVD on pause . This is still an intense , repulsive and scary movie filled with memorable scenes as a demon takes control over a young girl's body . Two things bothered me in the film that probably don't upset most people : way too much usage of the Lord's name in vain - almost all by the girl's mother , played by Ellen Burstyn . The second - and I am not Catholic - is the pitiful portrayal of yet-another Hollwood weak priest . This priest is smokes , drinks , swears , steals , etc . . etc , and is a pitiful excuse for a cleric : just the kind filmmakers love to portray . One priest - get this - says his idea of heaven is to be a nightclub performer for eternity and have everyone like him . Obviously , people who makes films have NO clue about " religion . " Not a single clue . But , this was ' 70 : the most irreverent film-making period in our history , so it's no surprise . However - to its credit - the film does an excellent job of convincing even the most ardent atheist that demons do exist , that there really is a devil , and that he is not to be taken lightly . It's no joke , and the shock value of this film might have gotten some people to start thinking there is something to all this " spiritual stuff . " Whatever your theology , or lack of it , this movie is one you will never forget . It is beyond anything seen before it or since . I recommend the DVD that advertises this as " The Exorist : The version you've never seen . " That's the best and most complete version of this terrifying film . |
524,869 | 4,445,210 | 87,332 | 9 | Still Very Funny & Entertaining | There is no set definition of the word " classic " but I'm sure this film qualifies as such or will in the near future , since it was so unique and popular . . . . and remains so today , over 20 years old later . It's just one of those films that you remember seeing when it came out at the theaters . I doubt if anyone has forgotten the catchy theme song , either . Despite numerous viewings , I still find this very funny as I suspect many people do , because it entertains so well . I know the story is ludicrous and I don't believe for one second in ghosts so I ignore the " theology " and just laugh at Bill Murray , Dan Ackroyd , Harold Ramis , Rick Moranis , Annie Potts and Ernie Hudson . Murray , as he tends to do , grabs the spotlight more than the rest and delivers more laughs than any of the cast but my favorite was Moranis as the nerdy " Louis Tully . " I wish his role had been bigger . All the guys , however , plus Sigourney Weaver , the love interest of the always-horny Murray , are fun . I even liked the sequel because most of this cast was included . |
527,122 | 4,445,210 | 78,748 | 9 | A Ground-Breaker In Sci-Fi / Horror | Usually I don't care for films that have nothing but unlikable characters and a lot of verbal blasphemy , but this was so well done that I just had to have this on a good DVD because I'll always watch this film every few years . It's just too interesting to ignore . The attractions are the incredible suspense ; excellent photography and set design and memorable horror scenes . They didn't overdo the action scenes , either , as is so often the case with modern-day films . In fact , some of this might be too slow-moving for today's audience . The suspense , as crew members search for the killer alien , is almost unbearable at times and helps make up for the profane cast , all of whom are low-life people who would never be astronauts in real life . I personally applauded when Veronica Cartwright , who had one of the nastiest faces and mouths on screen , met her demise . The rest of the crew wasn't much classier . Since this movie came out , in fact , the sequels to this plus many other science fiction films seem to portray astronauts as trashy people which is the opposite of reality and just plain ludicrous . Anyway , Alien a memorable movie to anyone who has seen it . Who can ever forget the alien emerging from John Hurt's chest ? That's a scene that stays with you forever . Others have tried to imitate the horror of that scene , but never quite been as successful . The restored DVD gives this 25-year-old film a new appearance . It looks fabulous and really highlights the great cinematography and superb direction by Ridley Scott . This is just great entertainment if you want to spend a night on the edge of your seat . |
522,391 | 4,445,210 | 25,688 | 9 | ' Pop " Goes Curly ! | This very early Three Stooges effort starts off differently than almost all their others in that the three don't know each other . Moe is a fight manager looking for boxer ; Curly is a waiter and Larry a violinist . They all meet at this restaurant and when Larry starts playing " Pop Goes The Weasel , " Curly goes nuts and punches everyone's lights out . Moe hires the two so he can get back into the fight game . One day during some roadside training , they meet up with a pretty dame whose car is stuck in the mud . By playing the " Weasel " song , Curly lifts the car and solves the problem . She drives off as he jumps in the back seat ! The next scenes show newspaper headlines as " K . O . Stradivarius " ( our hero Curly ) beats all opponents and is now scheduled to fight for the championship . The last bout is something to see : probably the goofiest fight scenes I've ever seen on film , which includes the great silent comics . Larry Howard ( " Curly " ) was an underrated comic genius and shows it here early on in his career . It's the subtle things he does in this fight that had me laughing out loud . |
523,874 | 4,445,210 | 1,091,617 | 9 | Let Freedom Ring | Watching this documentary , I couldn't help of that hit song of the ' 60s by Janis Joplin called ' Me and Bonnie McGee " where a key line in the song is " Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose . " That's what this film is about : freedom . It's not about the argument over who or what created the universe ; it's about the freedom to bring up the topic and / or discuss it . That fact that freedom has been taken away in this area has veteran actor Ben Stein , the narrator and star of this documentary , hopping mad . For conservatives , this extreme intolerance in academia is not a revelation ; it's been known for decades , but this documentary should open eyes for those unaware . Stein and others in this movie illustrate that today's intolerance shown by academia and by scientists is so pervasive that it can be compared to the fascism of Hitler . The beliefs of the Left , disregard for human life and their elimination of freedom are discussed in this film . Even worse , as we see in this film , if you even mention the words " intelligent design , " you are toast in the academic or scientific community . Stein interviews people are a testimony to that ; people who were dismissed from teaching for just utterly ( without preaching ) those horrible two words . Along with examples , we see how Darwinism is tied in with a lack of respect for life . The last segment of this documentary is a tour of some of those horrific places in Germany in which people were exterminated , not just for racial reasons but because they were physically or mentally challenged . They weren't fit for breeding and thus , according to the twisted beliefs of Hitler and his mentor , Charles Darwin - as pointed out in this film - were murdered . Academia - no surprise - reveres Darwin . Stein ties all of these things together . All of this is alarming but it's preaching to the choir because few people on the Left will look at this film and those that do , will not be tolerant to any of it's facts and opinions . As Stein informs us , we just hope this country doesn't totally give in to the PC Police , today's version of the Gestapo . His analogy to that in here is real and he calls folks to stand up for freedom to express one's opinions . For atheists , this movie will be annoying at times but at least they get a number of opinions from their side , including the most famous non-believer , Richard Dawkins . For those with open mind , this film is highly recommended . Stein , with his dry sense of humor , takes a troubling , important subject and prevents it from being too grim , although this is serious stuff , and he knows it , which is why he did the movie . |
526,247 | 4,445,210 | 360,009 | 9 | One Of Kilmer's Best Performances | Secret Serviceman extraordinnaire Val Kilmer tries to retrieve a kidnapped politician's daughter in this surprisingly-good thriller . There isn't a lot of violence in this modern day tough rescue story , but when it occurs , look out ! Kilmer is very good in here , one of his best performances ever and the film is nicely photographed . The only warning I would give viewers is the language , which contains about 25 f-words . The best plug I can give this film is that it was very entertaining , start to finish , and that's what most of us are looking for - entertainment . It keeps your attention the full 100-plus minutes , so what's not to like ? As mentioned , Kilmer is very , very good in here and , make no mistake : he's the show . Everything in the story really revolves around him . There was anything that struck a sour note with me , it would be the story with the kidnapped girl's father . I don't think he was realistic , but I won't say more in fear of spoiling anything for those who haven't seen this . Nonetheless , an under-publicized excellent film of 2004 . |
524,255 | 4,445,210 | 910,970 | 9 | Absolutely Stunning B-D Visuals & Audio | Boy , the visuals were as stunning as I had read they were ; absolutely spectacular . I hate to use this cliché , but this is a " must " for Blu-Ray fans . You have to see - and hear - this film in HD because it is a great treat for your senses . The surround sounds are everywhere while the colors and artwork are something to behold ! And , yes - it's still very pretty on a regular DVD , too . The story is " cute , " but nowhere near the visuals and audio . It's okay , subtlety humorous , dramatic and romantic parts . It gets a tiny bit preachy with the usual environmental digs and a comment about how fat we humans can get by lying around too much , but otherwise just plays it for comedy and cool-looking characters . Everyone and everything in this film is pretty amazing-looking . It's kind of a strange story , with much of it taking place on a big space ship . My favorite parts were in the beginning on Earth with the little robot WALL-E and his cockroach friend . There is so much to see in this film , it makes multiple viewings all the more attractive but , I'll assume , you're always going to catch some things you didn't see the first few times . Overall , not a super story but yet an amazing film , one that is one you want to show off your Blu-Ray DVD player to friends . This sets yet another new standard in animation . |
522,620 | 4,445,210 | 1,170,556 | 9 | ' Show Me The Money ! ' | This is a pretty , upscale , classy town that was quiet and peaceful until the fall of 1991 when a terrifying crime " shattered this idyllic town , " as narrator Paul Winfield says in the introduction . This is the kind of town Winfield and the City Confidential writers like to discuss : a place that looks almost Eden-eque until the dark side of human nature tears it apart . They love it , when that happens . This area in Rhode Island , debated by many if it is really a town or a suburb , is located between Providence and Newport . It has been home to many Italians . It features nice people , great schools , good beach front property and , most of all , safety for its families . The upscale Yuppies discovered this place in the ' 70s and ' 80s and in 1989 , the Brendel family became the latest family to flee big-city life for the peace-and-quiet of Barrington . They - Ernest , Alice and young daughter Emily - had come from New York City . Meanwhile , Christopher Hightower had a become a fixture in town , respected even though he himself hadn't much . He had been more of a " pie-in-the-sky kind of guy , " according to CC . He was an investor , however , and Brendel had money to invest . The two met and hit it off right away . However , a financial feud began when Hightower blew anywhere form $11 , 000 to $18 , 000 that belonged to Mr . Brendel . The latter then demanded his money and wrote a letter to the Trade Commission . The next thing people knew was that the Brendel family - all three of them were missing . Here's where it really gets bizarre , and makes this episode very interesting . Hightower announced that he had gotten a phone call from the Mafia and that they had kidnapped the family and wanted $250 , 000 . Hightower contacted Brendel's sister and told her they wanted $75 , 000 by tomorrow . She called the FBI . It was weeks before the family's dead remains would be discovered , accidentally by a dog , after police dogs and half the town couldn't find them . When Hightower wound up being arrested and the trial started , it got even more weird . All of it unfolded on TV , too . I don't want to spoil anything so I'll leave it there . Suffice to say this was an interesting case . |
522,243 | 4,445,210 | 130,827 | 9 | Innovative Film That''s Always Fun To Watch | This is one of the more inventive movies of the last decade , I would think . It was new , fresh and very different when it came out in the late ' 90s and still is unique and enjoyable as of this review in early 2006 . It's short - 81 minutes - but plenty long when you consider it's three versions of the same story , each version about 25 minutes after an opening introduction . That may sound too repetitive or boring for those who haven't seen this , but it is anything but overplayed thanks to the innovative camera-work and interesting angles on the same story . Watching it on DVD was better than the theater because the 5 . 1 sound is superior , plus you have the option of a good dubbed version or the original German with English subtitles . I use either , depending on my mood but I lean toward the German with subtitles . Franke Potente , who has since gone on to become better known around the world from the " Bourne " films , is the centerpiece of this film and very , very interesting . The looks of shock on her face , her flaming red hair and wild general appearance and the crazy things that happen to her are always fun to watch and hear . Added to the unique cinematography , which includes tricks here and there , is a pulsating electronic soundtrack that brings added life to this already kinetic , involving film . The high rating I give this film could really be summed up in two words : DIFFERENT and FUN . |
526,767 | 4,445,210 | 43,137 | 9 | One Of The Better Westerns Of That Era | I was very impressed with this film . I would have to rate it as one of the better classic-era westerns . I say that for the whole thing : the acting , mature dialog , no - nonsense story and excellent cinematography . Director Anthony Mann , who did several well-photographed film noirs around this same era , also made some westerns such as this one . It has that same film-noir look . Mann and Jimmy Stewart collaborated on several westerns during this period . . If you like this movie , I recommend the Mann-Stewart film " Bend Of The River . " In a nutshell , the story is about a man , " Lin McAdam , " ( Stewart ) who owns this prestigious Winchester 73 rifle , a weapon he won fair-and-square in a contest . It is then stolen and passed on from villain to villain . All of those villains are interesting characters . Aiding Stewart act out this interesting tale are Shelley Winters , Dan Duryea , Stephen McNally , Millard Mitchell , Charles Drake , Will Greer and J . C . Flippen . All of them are fun to watch . It was a bit of a stretch , however , to see Rock Hudson playing an Indian ( " Young Bull " ) , but you can't have everything . |
525,917 | 4,445,210 | 420,223 | 9 | Involving Story & Great Low-Key Performance By Ferrell | Most times , I find it interesting to watch a comedian pay a dramatic role . Here , will Ferrell plays an extremely straight , low-key character : an IRS agent who is part of a as strange story . Yes , the title to this movie is 100 percent accurate : " Stranger Than Fiction really describes this bizarre tale of a man whose life is being lived out as a writer of fiction stories types it up . In other words , the fiction writer's main character is a real-life guy . Emma Thompson comes out of semi-retirement to play the role of " Karen Eiffel , " a writer whose novels always end up with the hero getting killed . Also , she narrates the story to the lead character , who is the only one who can actually hear her voice . Slowly , as the story unravels , her latest subject , a " Harold Crick " ( Farrell ) discovers what is going on and tries to get her to change the ending ! Along the way , in a secondary part of the film ( the romance angle ) , " Crick " becomes involved with the unlikeliest of women : " Asa Pascal " ( Maggie Gyllenhall ) . Crick also makes a new friend who is an expert on authors . He seeks him out because that guy , " Professor Jules Hilbert , " ( Dustin Hoffman ) is the one who helps him discover whom the author is , the person who plans to kill him off . ( It's not easy to explain all of this in a handful of sentences , written off the cuff . Sorry . ) This all may sound like a suspenseful thriller but it isn't . It's a human-interest story which could have many interpretations . I read a few long reviews ( not here ) on this movie afterward and got two very diverse viewpoints : one with religious overtones and other totally secular . I didn't read anything into this except it being an interesting and original screenplay and well - acted . Ferrell was outstanding in his performance . I'm not really a fan of his irreverent comedies but I was very impressed with him in this movie . The only unlikable character was Thompson's but she comes around with a nice touch near the end . If you are looking for something different , and something to get your brain working a little bit , this is recommended . For those expecting the normal Will Ferrell wackiness , stay away : it's hardly that . I hate to use the cliché phrase " thought-provoking , " but I think it applies here . |
527,125 | 4,445,210 | 78,346 | 9 | Superman Takes Off On The Big Screen | It's interesting that another re-make is coming out this year . Man , time flies because I vividly remember when this movie came out and the excitement it caused . This was the first Superman anyone had ever seen with modern-day special effects , so it was pretty cool , to say the least . It's still very entertaining , and the more I watch this the more I'm amused with the villain ( Gene Hackman as " Lex Luthor " ) and the lines he delivers . He's a funny guy . Christopher Reeve , meanwhile , was always a popular " Man Of Steel " and the special effects are still fun to watch , from the long opening scenes showing the end of the planet Kryton all the way to the ending credits . There's a solid soundtrack to this , too . Personally , I didn't care for Margot Kidder as Lois Lane but then again , Lane's character in the 1950s TV series was a bit annoying , too . I guess it comes with her character . However , being a kid growing up with that series with all its innocence ( it's now on DVD , by the way , and worth a purchase ) , it was just too weird hearing Lois ask Superman what color her panties were ! Anyway , this is simply great entertainment . As a superhero , Superman has always been THE MAN . Three sequels followed this film , the second one being the best in my opinion . |
524,591 | 4,445,210 | 1,066,642 | 9 | The Biggest Killer : Sickness & Disease | What a tough year - 1862 - with thousands and thousands of men killed in several famous battles . We get a profile of the South's " Stonewall " Jackson ; we hear a condemnation again on Union General McClellan's inept leadership of the Union forces , and the Emancipation Proclamation is made by President Lincoln after the battle of Antietam . The most amazing fact in this " volume three , " I thought , was that twice as many men died in the war from sickness and disease than from battle ! Also amazing was the Union army losing 25 percent of its force to deserters . The account of this war almost made me root for the South , which I never have , simply because I ( and most others ) like to root for the underdog and the South is so badly outnumbered in almost every battle , it's astounding they ever won anything . They exhibited incredible guts and fortitude . |
526,547 | 4,445,210 | 26,102 | 9 | A Unique Popeye Cartoon In Several Areas | This Popeye cartoon is unusual in that Bluto not only doesn't know Olive Oyl but insults her when he first sees her , calling her a " long-legged scarecrow ! " In addition , he tells her to mind her own business . This Bluto is a mean guy , a guy who is mistreating the horse that is pulling he and an over-sized load of produce . The horse is ready to drop but Bluto won't even let the animal get a drink of water , taking a nearby tub of water and drinking it all himself and then constantly whipping the horse and punching him in the face ! Wow , this sort of thing wouldn't be shown today , even in jest . This guy is worse than Michael Vick with dogs ! After insulting Olive , Popeye confronts the big lug when he himself gets whipped . Bluto then throws a big bunch of bananas and hits Olive in the head . Wow , this is really different from the norm . In a way , I kind of liked it as Olive could be a pain . Animal lovers will really enjoy the " justice " at the end of this cartoon ! Note : This was not the voice I have ever heard doing Popeye . It sounded weird . I looked it up here and it's Floyd Buckley , who only voiced one Popeye cartoon - this one . |
524,589 | 4,445,210 | 1,066,647 | 9 | Famous Battles And The Role Of Women | The famous year of 1863 is portrayed here , beginning with the infamous battle of Gettysburg in the first week of July . The carnage of Pickett's suicidal charge , ordered by the usually - reliable Gen . Robert E . Lee , is described vividly . It's not a pretty picture with heads literally flying in the air and other brutalities . The women's role in the Civl War is detailed in this segment . They help the men by supplying food and medical help , as well as moral support . Women , especially in the South , were anything but casual bystanders . Once again , the South has almost no resources and the average citizen's ' house is turned into a hospital . Also interesting here was the account of the shelling of Vicksburg , where people were literally living in made-do caves to escape the intense bombing . |
525,140 | 4,445,210 | 1,066,645 | 9 | Tragedy , Sadness , Re-Uniting & Reflection | As in the first episode of this nine-part series , there are so many facts and memorable statements in here it would make your head swim . The statistics of the Civil War are staggering and unprecedented . To this day , more Americans were killed in that war than ALL the wars combined . After awhile , one almost gets numb hearing the list of physical damage done to the people of this country from this horrific time in our history . One of the biggest losses of course , came five days after the war was officially over when President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated . John Wilkes Booth shooting Lincoln at the theater and Lincoln's death the following day was not described in detail here , as I assumed it would be . There were a couple of moving tributes , however , to this great man and it was interesting to hear a little about the long train trip with his casket from Washington to Springfield , Illinois , his final resting place . Little was said , too , regarding Booth's escape and end . The rest of this concluding segment dealt with what happened afterward . Oddly , the final skirmish of the war wasn't until the following month and the South won that battle . A large segment at the end dealt with what happened to other principal characters of this war and opinions of the war in general , and whether we are still fighting it . I was particularly moved by the tribute to Robert E . Lee and by the comments made by historian Barbara Fields . It was interesting to see the white-bearded veterans of both sides embracing years later . I came away from this series with a great of sadness for all the suffering it brought . |
524,590 | 4,445,210 | 1,066,644 | 9 | Fredericksburg , Grant , Proclamation , Stonewall & More | The North puts on a valiant , courageous effort in storming Fredericksburg but loses over 10 , 000 men in what really amounted to a suicide mission . The South continues to win key battles mainly because the North has such inept generals , according to this Ken Burns TV documentary . Finally , after numerous strategic mistakes by Northern military leaders , Lincoln turns to Ulysses S . Grant to lead the Union . Conditions continue to be brutal , not just for the undermanned but for the North . Food and supplies are scarce and costly . Men are going AWOL by the thousands The Emancipation Proclamation has made Lincoln very unpopular , both with the South and North . Thousands of blacks are shipped off to Texas , so they don't wind up fighting against the South . ( Reportedly , there are many northern sympathizers in the South and they fight for the Union . ) Thomas " Stonewall " Jackson dies midway through the year , a huge loss for the Confederates . Next to General Robert E . Lee , Jackson is the most beloved soldier the South had , I believe . ( See the motion picture , " Gods and Generals , " by the way , for a thorough look at Jackson . ) |
526,548 | 4,445,210 | 26,111 | 9 | A Popeye ' Opera ' With A Satisfying Ending | This was another different type of Popeye cartoon that one only saw in the beginning years of Popeye , in which a song sometimes opened the story , like a Betty Boop cartoon . Here , Popeye and Olive sing about " Barnacle Bill The Sailor . " Olive tells Popeye she can't marry him because she's in love with Barnacle Bill , so both sing different lyrics , depending on how they feel about " Bill . " In later Popeye cartoons , our sailor wouldn't be singing upon hearing bad news like that . He'd get sad , depressed or violent , but he wouldn't sing about it . Nonetheless , you know Popeye isn't going to take this lying down ; he never does despite Olive being the most fickle woman in the history of the big screen . A good portion of this is almost like an opera , sung to that " Barnacle Bil " tune , but it's a catchy song and has fun lyrics , depending on who's singing it . Bluto chimes in with his version . Like the other reviewers here , I enjoyed listening to it . The ending is terrific , one of the best I've seen mainly because that fickle woman gets what she deserves ! |
523,466 | 4,445,210 | 313,043 | 9 | After Four Years Of Watching , A Handful Of Observations | Well , by now I have watched four years of this show , along with five years of the first CSI and two years of CSI-New York . . . . and I could say a lot but will try to condense my thoughts to just a handful of opinions , namely : 1 - This is the best-looking of the three CSI series on DVD . All of them look great on disc but the colors in here are the boldest and the most spectacular of any . Each episode is a tremendous visual treat . 2 - I know David Caruso is a controversial topic among CSI fans because of the way he delivers his lines , but I personally find it great . It's so outrageous it's fun . Sometimes I just laugh . Hey , it makes him different from William Petersen ( CSI : Vegas ) and Gary Sinise ( CSI : NY ) . I may be in the minority but I enjoy Caruso's overly dramatic delivery . 3 - This series has gotten better and better . I had some doubts the first year . It didn't seem half as good as the Las Vegas show , but it has improved significantly and I now rate it higher than the original CSI . 4 - As a guy I appreciate all the beautiful Miami women in this show , and there are tons of them , but I also think the show is geared more toward the 20-something crowd which leaves me out , being considerably older than that . Too many of these " kids " are sleazy , too , but that's what leads to problems and crimes . 5 - All the supporting actors on the show are good , too , as they are in all the CSI shows . I was sorry to see Rory Cochrane ( " Tim Speedle " ) quit and hope we don't lose any more of the " team . " |
523,423 | 4,445,210 | 1,144,607 | 9 | Couldn't Fill His Father's Shoes So He Kills His Mom ? | One of the most interesting facts brought out in this City Confidential episode was that Tyler , Texas , never suffered through the Great Depression . While the rest of the USA went through that horrible period in the 1930s , Tyler flourished and did quite nicely , thank you . This city never had any hard financial times until the late ' 80s when this particular crime story featured on this show took place . Tyler , known for growing millions and millions of roses , hit the jackpot with " black gold " ( oil ) in the ' 30s . Soon , 3 , 600 wells were up-and-gushing in this East Texas area . After that , there was a big Army training base at Tyler and many , many soldiers were so impressed with the friendliness of the area ( including a lot of new girlfriends ) that they came back and settled here after World War II . Tyler just kept on booming . Few people made a bigger success out of their business than Baker Lucas II , who built houses and provided real estate for these WWII vets and the Baby Boomers . A very likable guy , Lucas quickly rose to the top , had a wonderful home , a new baby boy , joined the richest country club and ran for mayor . He was elected , and re-elected . Nobody enjoyed his success more than his wife Bette , who spent her days on the Tyler social scene while taking a lot of time for shopping , getting her nails and hair done all the time and looking and acting as glamorous as she could . While good at social climbing , she wasn't good as a mother . Being a mother hindered her social activities . She once told her young son Steve that she wished she'd had an abortion and never had the kid . That's nice to hear when you're young ! Steve left town when he was adult , trying to see if could make it on his own . His daddy's shadow was too big and his mom - well , no love lost there . Disaster struck the Lucas family ( the date was never mentioned ) when the elder Lucas was in a car crash and died suddenly . His wife was lost without her husband's business sense , money , moral support and standing in the community . In 1986 , her son Steve came back , with his family , to Tyler to see if you could revive his father's real estate business . He couldn't , being a poor worker and one with poor business sense . He couldn't fill his old man's shoes and soon was sponging thousands of dollars off his mother . When the mom got tired of giving Steve money and decided to cut him out of her will , another tragedy struck . He says it was an accident , that the mom was carrying a VCR up the stairs at home , tumbled down them and was killed . Most other people think it was no accident , that this woman was so spoiled that she never carried anything in her life , much less a VCR up a lot of stairs . Cause of death was " blunt force trauma " and prosecutors think a brass candlestick was used to beat the woman to death . In November of 1988 , Steve was charged with murder . The trial , in 1991 , wound up as a hung jury , eight voting to convict . . The re-trial was moved to Dallas , thinking Tyler was too involved to hold another trial there . Lucas made out poorly in the second trial , convicted of murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison . Meanwhile , on a more pleasant note , people who live in Tyler , Texas , sure love it . . . . at least all the ones interviewed on this program . They think this " self-proclaimed rose capital of the world " ( as narrator Paul Winfield puts it with is normal sarcasm ) is about as good as it gets . They love the town , the annual Rose Festival - which has always been a very big deal and the nice-looking town " which is more whispering willow than Old West . " One wishes Mrs . Lucas could whisper back from the grave and confirm whether her death was an accident or murder . |
527,092 | 4,445,210 | 69,762 | 9 | Slower Is Better In This Crime Tale | Made in the early 1970s , this was more of classic type crime story than a modern-day one in that the violence wasn't overdone and it was a slower-paced story than what you would see if re-made today . That slower pace makes for a better study of the two main characters , who were based on the real-life serial-killing duo of the 1950s : Charles Starkweather and his girlfriend . Martin Sheen's Starkweather-type character " Kit Carruthers " is amazingly low - key for a killer and Sissy Spacek , playing his girl , " Holly , " shows some really strange reactions ( she hardly reacts after Sheen shoots her father ) while providing fascinating narration . In fact , the more I watch this film , the more Spacek's narration is the highlight for me . It's great stuff . Being a Terrence Malick-directed film , you know you are going to get some nice photography . He really loves closeups of nature . Another plus is the absence of profanity . There is very little of it . |
527,000 | 4,445,210 | 365,017 | 9 | All You Want - Or Need - To Know About This Bizarre Movie | This 76-minute behind-the-scenes documentary is broken into five sections : Development , Production , Special-Makeup Effects , Music and Reaction . They all run anywhere from 13 to 21 minutes apiece to give a comprehensive look at this controversial film dealing with the infamous fictional serial killer " Hannibal Lecter . " PRODUCTION - For Dino DeLaurentis and his daughter Martha , things didn't look too good at the start . They were dying to make the movie but their direction Jonathan Demme , who did " Silence Of the Lambs " didn't want any part of this and neither did the star actor , Anthony Hopkins . Mr . Hopkins during this time , you may recall , announced in 1998 he was through with acting . He also read Tom Harris's ' book " Hannibal " and thought it was " too bizarre . " Yet , things worked out as Ridley Scott was talked into reading the book and loved it and agreed to director , and Hopkins changed his mind when he knew they had another great director and a tremendous screenwriter in Steve Z , whom DeLaurentis said " is the best writer in the industry . " They weren't able to retain the services of the other costar of " Silence , " Jodie Foster , but were pleased to get Julianne Moore for the role . Hopkins favored her among five leading candidates because he had prior filming experience with her , and liked her . In another interesting note , Hopkins was shown signing autographs as the Italian crowd all swarmed him . " I fee like Mick Jagger or Sting , " Hopkins joked . PRODUCTION - This dealt with the city of Florence is just magnificent , with its centuries-old architecture , Tuscan hills in the background , just a beautiful place . Actress Francesca Neri said it " is really the heart of Italy . " Filming there was made difficult because of all the tourists . " There are more tourists there , literally , than residents , " someone observed . They also showed some interesting shots of the infamous scene in which Ray Liotta's character is having his brains eaten . Liotta had to make a body cast of himself , so there was a perfect duplicate of him also sitting at the table which we viewers never saw . It was dummy's brains that were taken , not Ray's , thankfully ! Liotta said it was the eeriest feeling ever to sit there and look at himself across the table . It really freaked him out . MAKEUP - They all had nothing but highest praise for working with Ridley Scott . The biggest challenge , of course , was the character of Mason Verger . " It was tough ; everything wee did looked like a zombie until we finally could get something realistic looking . " commented Greg Cannom , of special makeup effectsPoor Gary Oldman , who had to endure five hours of makeup each time and another one for clothing - six hours of preparation to look like Verger . Also discussed are some of the other big effects scenes , some of them too disgusting to even talk about , like the pigs eating a human . This film was not for the squeamish , as you know , if you've seen it . MUSIC - Hans Zimmer , the composer , is the main man interviewed in this segment . He , too , laughs and jokes and remarks how he enjoys working with Scott . Both men explain how they go about their work and how it affects the film . By the way , check out Zimmer's resume . I can't believe how many " name " films he's scored . REACTION - This a fun , stargazing segment as we saw all the film participants except Scott ( who's mom had just died ) at a premier screening in Hollywood and then another in New York City . There were tons of recognizable faces and the comments by some of actors , like Hopkins , were interesting . |
526,234 | 4,445,210 | 104,815 | 9 | This First One Still The Best In The Trilogy | This movie put director Robert Rodriguez " on the map . " He followed up with two sequels : " Desperado " and " Once Upon A Time In Mexico . " Not surprising , the best of the three was this low-budget opening film . As Rodriquez had more and more money to spend on the sequels , the stories got more and more carried away with too many explosions and special-effects , losing the charm of this first effort . Unlike the sequels , this Mexican-made , so it is in Spanish with English subtitles . Don't let that scare you away . There isn't a great deal of dialog so keeping up with the subtitles is very easy . The movie has very interesting camera closeups and angles as Rodriquez showed he was going to be a stylish director . The story is simple but effective , suspenseful and even with some humor . Unnlike his subsequent films in this trilogy , the action is not overdone here . The length is also is a plus . At 80 minutes you can be thoroughly entertained in less than an hour-and-a half . The only disappointment to me was the print quality on th DVD , but I got an early edition . There might be better editions out since . It's not fuzzy but it's not sharp , either . Anyway : highly recommend for actions / crime buffs who like style in their photography , or saw the sequels and would like to know the history of this particular " Mariachi . " |
525,939 | 4,445,210 | 148,288 | 9 | Dylan Shocks The Folkies While Jimi & Pete Smash Guitars | Half of this hour-long episode is a tribute to poet-singer Bob Dylan and the other half is the continuation of the history of rock ' n roll , as the DVD title suggests . To this day , I still think Dylan is one of the worst singers I've ever heard but there is no denying his songwriting and his influence on music which is why , obviously , he got so much air time on this series . So far , nobody has gotten that much publicity on this Time-Life series , even Elvis or The Beatles , which doesn't make sense . Whatever , Dylan wrote a lot of great songs and is spoken of in God-like terms by other musicians interviewed here . Since Dylan started out as a folk singer , that genre gets a segment here on this fifth episode . Since it's not rock ' n roll and , it's admitted here by someone that " folkies " hated rock music , then why is it included in this series ? My guess is that folk music was so " socially aware , " so Left Wing , the editors here just had to give it huge notice and praise . We listen to some songs and hear comments by " bohemians from coffee houses " who hit it big in the ' 60s such as Joan Baez , Judy Collins , Dave Van Ronk , Phil Ochs , Richie Havens , Arlo Guthrie and Peter , Paul and Mary . The 1965 Newport Folk Festival , however , changed things bigtime , as we see . Dylan shocked people with electric material , literally , which is why this episode is called " plugged in . " Give Dylan credit ; he had guts . He teed off all the " folkies . " Where was his " integrity ? " they asked . Gee , what elitist snobs . Where is their tolerance ? Good for Bob . The second half of this hour-long show features , among others , Roger McGuinn and The Byrds , John and Michelle Phillips and The Mamas and the Papas ; Brian Wilson did not want to tour with the famous Beach Boys , wanted to make better music - " Pet Sounds " spiritual and sophisticated - and that was big breakthrough " Underground radio " begins and the first big star was Jimi Hendrix , who went to England , blew the other musicians ' minds , and came back to do the same here in the States . He is now of legendary status . What a shame he died early . Later , we hear from Pete Townsend , Peter No one ( " Herman's Hermits " ) , Eric Clapton and a few others as rock goes electric in a big-way and blues is introduced to white kids . The Monterey Pop Festival of 1967 is the first time Hendrix and others played for American audience . " That concert was the real ground-breaker for rock ' n roll , " remarks Al Kooper . Hendrix and The Who exhibited , as we see , a new theater , smashing up their guitars after their sets . The Who demolished about everything The rock ' n roll scene was really heating up ! |
524,499 | 4,445,210 | 113,419 | 9 | ' Omri " One Of The Most Likable Kids Ever On Film | I'm a sucker for nice kids , not those snotty ones seen so often in films from the ' 60s to the present . In here is a wonderful neat-looking little kid , Hal Sardino , who is unusual in that this is the only movie he ever starred in . To his credit , Scardino went on to live a " normal " life after this film , eventually going to college as a regular student like you and me with no celebrity status . The film is anything but " normal , " a fantasy about a young boy who receives a cupboard that transforms little toy figurines - in this case , an Indian and then a cowboy . - into miniature real-life people . Each time he opens or closes the box with the figures in them , they change to either real or back to plastic . Scardino , who plays Omri , " is fun to watch , if for no other reason than the great expressions on his face . He has to be one of the most likable children I've ever seen on film . Meanwhile , his best friend " Patrick " is the only villain , so to speak , only because he's a bit " defiant , " as his mother labels him and he almost spoils everything for " Omri . " It's a solid family film that is fun for both the parents and kids to watch at the same time . Both will get a lot of entertainment out of it . With just a bit of profanity early on and a bit of obvious political correctness , there is nothing in here which should offend viewers . Critics didn't seem to care for it , so you know it truly was a nice , wholesome film . . . . and fun to watch . |
525,877 | 4,445,210 | 863,168 | 9 | Ozzie : A Kid At Heart | This episode has to be seen to believed . Imagine a grown man of about 40 watching a little kids ' show , being interested in a toy they are promoting through a root beer company , sending away for the toy and then winning a bicycle . All the while he has to hum-and-haw about being an adult and doing all of this when it should be a little kid doing this . The really unique part is that no one makes fun of him for doing this , not the two Nelson kids or Ozzie's wife . That's how nice a family this is - it's amazing ! An even bigger ( or juvenile ) " kid " is " Thorny , " the next door neighbor , as we see in the final scene . This episode was fun because it was so different . I couldn't believe some of the things I saw and heard . The scenes at the TV station with " Captain Salty " were subtly clever . |
524,400 | 4,445,210 | 113,451 | 9 | Much Better Than The Critics Would Have You Believe | Make no mistake : ( 1 ) this IS a sordid crime story and ( 2 ) is is FAR better than the national critics - and the ones here - would have you believe . I have found it fascinating the three times I've watched it and look forward to seeing it again . It surprises me each time , being better than I remembered . It's nicely photographed , too . Why I can't get a widescreen DVD of this , I don't know , but all that seems to be available is full screen . William Friedkin directed this which usually means ( 1 ) a riveting story ; ( 2 ) stylish cinematography . That's the case here . I rate this movie so high mainly because it's so entertaining . And it doesn't overstay it's welcome at a short hour-and-a - half . There are some stunning action scenes with cars hitting people , cars hitting cars and a long , wild car chase through a parade in San Francisco's Chinatown . My only complaint is the normal Liberal in-your-face bias that Hollywood always seems to show . They just can't help giving you their pro-Democrat , anti - Catholic , anti-authority bias . Early scenes provide some cheap shots on Nixon and Reagan and later we see the film's two male starts talking irreverently in church . The governor is a sleaze in the story and the cops are corrupt . I've just come to except these modern-day film clichés and not let it interfere with my enjoyment of the film . Speaking of actors and characters , David Caruso and Chazz Palminteri are the two male leads I referred to in the previous paragraph . They are both good . Why Caruso didn't make it in the movies must have been due to the roles he took , not his acting . Linda Fiorentino does what she does best - plays a whore . There isn't a moral person in here , at least with the lead actors . That's no surprise since " sleaze king " Joe Eszterhas wrote the script . Nonetheless , those three actors are very good with Caruso , as the cop , the best . It's a crude story at times ( there was a NC-version available of this , as well ) , but it's very interesting start-to-finish , has some memorable scenes , nice San Francisco scenery and a nice soundtrack from Celtic singer Loreena McKennitt . |
526,166 | 4,445,210 | 43,044 | 9 | Looks Good , Feels Good | This was a wonderful , feel-good movie with tons of songs , many of them appealing . There also were some great dancing scenes , no surprise there since Fred Astaire is one of the stars . Astaire and Vera-Ellen paired up well for those numbers . This is one of the few films , even in the musicals , in which all the characters were nice people . In other words , there were no villains , no nasty people , which is refreshing to see now and then . It is supposedly the true-life account of songwriters Bert Kalmar ( Astaire ) and Harry Ruby ( Red Skelton ) . Ruby is good at writing tunes , but not with lyrics . Kalmar supplies the lyrics and dance . Skelton also shows he had a decent singing voice . The only unhappy moments in the movie are the squabbles between the two leading men , but that's not overdone and sometimes it's humorous . Skelton's character is the nicer of the two . The leading ladies are wholesome-looking beautiful women . Vera-Ellen is a Shirley Jones-type pretty blonde with a great dancer's body . She's enjoyable to watch . Arlene Dahl , who was stunning , is the other leading female but her role was minor , unfortunately . The movie is a good mixture of song , dance , comedy and drama and is an underrated film in that it that doesn't get a lot of publicity . Astaire was quoted as saying this was his favorite film . I agree . It's my favorite of his , too . |
523,361 | 4,445,210 | 818,059 | 9 | The Endless Search For Water | It's understandable if you get thirsty watching this episode . All the creatures in the desert , it seems , spend most or all spend their time looking for water , to survive . When water does arrive , in the form of a shower , or a flash flood from miles away , the animals and birds get busy and drink as much of it as they can . Some places rarely see moisture . There are some incredible things , though , in deserts around the world . In one place , fog provides the only moisture , and that's for about one hour before the sun bakes it off . However , it is noted by narrator David Attenborough , that " it is not the heat or lack of water which kills most life in the desert : it is lack of food . " Some of the best sights , for those of viewing this series on DVD , include fantastic aerial shots of long sand dunes . The smoothness and shapes , I think , are some of the prettiest sights on this planet . |
522,272 | 4,445,210 | 166,331 | 9 | Very Humorous & Entertaining Episode | This was a hoot ! " Norman Shendley " ( Denholm Elliot , of " Raiders of the Lost Ark " fame ) , plays a man both haunted and delighted by his dreams . The dreams are so real that he , and we , aren't sure what's reality and what isn't . However , we can see the purpose of the " dream " as the story goes along : getting a man to murder his wife and run off with his hot secretary ! The dreams are a combination of sexual fantasies and nightmares . Regarding the fantasies , Lucy Gutteridge is the most fun to watch and gives a perfect demonstration on how wigs and clothes can make a woman look totally different . In each dream sequence , she's always " Lolly " but with a totally different look and character , although always the bimbo until the real and normal Lolly appears at the end . She does a great comedic job with this role . James Laurenson's facial expressions as " Raburn " are funny and Pat Heywood gives a realistic performance as Norman's wife " Emily . " She reminded me a bit of Anne Ramsey in " Throw Momma Off The Train , " but not as gruff . Actually , the more the story went on , the less of a villain she appeared . She and Norman , frankly , deserved each other ! I won't say more because I don't want to give away everything in this very inventive episode . I've only seen a few of these Hammer TV episodes , but this is my favorite so far . This was a great mix of horror , comedy , fantasy and suspense , with a heavy emphasis on the humor . |
525,321 | 4,445,210 | 985,709 | 9 | Informative & Interesting For All Beer Lovers | This program did a nice job giving the history of beer here in America . You get some good time-lines regarding the who and when of the growth , decline and then growth again of this very popular beverage . I was amazed to find out that in the days before the Mayflower dropped off the first Americans on this soil , beer had been considered than water in Europe . That's because in the process of making it and boiling it , it boiled off the impurities . The Europeans didn't figure out that the same should have been done to water , and people by routinely get sick drinking the H2O . Thus , the Pilgrams brought over barrels of the stuff and women , kids , etc . , drank it morning , noon and night . Anyway , the program explains a little bit what ingredients go into beer and how it's made , not going overboard to where it gets boring . We also learn about who started brewing it here in America , and how someone figured out how to keep it cold so it could be transported to other places . Eventually we wind up in Milwaukee and learn all about the big three Miller's , Pabst and Schlitz . Then history takes us to St . Louis and we hear the story of Adolphus Busch and the growth of the biggest brewery of them all : Anheuser-Busch ( Budweiser et al . ) We learn about the invention of bottled beer , how WWI and then Prohibition affected the business , and then how beer in cans and great advertising brought it back to prominence . From there we learn about " lite beer " and eventually micro-breweries . . . . . all aspects of the history and business of this beverage , which is today the most popular in the world . This was a very informative and fast-moving program . |
523,632 | 4,445,210 | 358,678 | 9 | These Guys Just Keep Going and Going and Going . . . . . | This isn't listed as such here since this was only available at a national electronics chain store , but it was a four-disc compilation of three major concerts the group did in their 2002 tour . The first concert filmed , at New York City's Madison Square Garden , is the best of the three , in my opinion , so it's appropriate it's mentioned here under its IMDb title . As many times as I watch these guys ( the Stones ) , and I've probably seen a half dozen of their concerts on either DVD or tape , I am constantly amazed at their energy level , and the good shape these performers are in to do this . They make look like hell facially , and I wouldn't want to guess all the chemicals and other bad stuff they've put in their bodies over the years , but they've obviously worked out a lot , have no fat on them , and have super endurance . Like the Energizer bunny , they just keep going ! Mick Jagger is the male version of Tina Turner , or she's the female version of him . Both are incredible to be dancing around stage as they do despite being 60-plus years old . Turner has finally retired from live performances but Jagger keeps going . So does Keith Richards , Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts . The latter , the drummer , is the only guy who doesn't look like a degenerate . It's hard to say who's the scuzziest looking between Richards , Jagger and Wood . At least Jagger doesn't smoke on stage as the other two guys do in every concert . Anyway , the group has always been smart enough and rich enough to afford excellent supporting help . The best here might be keyboardist Chuck Leavell , who has been with them for a number of years . Bobby Keyes and the brass section is still top-notch as are the singers and new bassist Darryl Jones , who replaced the legendary Bill Wyman . Their songs may not be as diverse and well-done as the Beatles , but after watching this collection of three concerts on DVD , I have to think these guys must be the greatest rock band in history . They sound better 40 years later than when they were " kids " in the early ' 60s . Modern technology as given the band access to big screen , split images and all kinds of background entertainment that also helps these concerts become fun to watch as well as listen . The highlight of the Arena ( MSG ) show , to me , was the 11-minute version of " Midnight Rambler . " The " Stadium Show " also was very good , much of the same stuff as in the New York City concert with several other classics added such as " Gimme Shelter , " " Sympathy For The Devil , " and " Paint It Black . " You can't go wrong watching either concert . The third disc , " The Theater Show , " filmed in Paris , is weak with songs that weren't that good , too slow and without the normal Stones energy . There is a fourth disc with documentary material but I haven't checked it out yet . Overall , this is a worthwhile purchase . Too bad it's only available in one place . |
523,539 | 4,445,210 | 60,245 | 9 | Insane Premise Makes This A Good One | This is one of the wilder story lines I've seen so far in this collection of " Inspector " cartoons . It's so ridiculous it's funny and is going to sound strange just describing . Our Two Heroes have to go to the Marquis ' château to find a stolen diamond , which is the biggest you've ever seen - guaranteed . Since the Marquis has hired nothing but chickens as servants , our famous detective must question the chickens . Of course , he has to learn their language first and then use his chicken disguise . Then he tells one " suspect " a joke to get in the chicken's good graces . I can't go on - this is too crazy ! Suffice to say this certainly is an " original " story and I enjoyed the absurdity of it . Speaking of that , the ending is really absurd and is so abrupt , it leaves you saying , " huh ? That's it ? " The ending is either totally weak or genius , depending on how you view it . |
527,254 | 4,445,210 | 443,900 | 9 | Public Enemy : An Outraegous Film In ' 31 And Still That Way ! | Although several " film experts " are in this documentary on the great classic gangster film , " Public Enemy , " most of the opinions are expressed by current movie director Martin Scorcese . You could just tell that if Jimmy Cagney was in his prime today , Scorcese would have him as his main actor . He loves him . . . . . but who doesn't ? Of all Scorcese's comments here , the one I liked the best ( and I think he did , too ) concerned the reaction the young people had when he showed this movie while filming " The Aviator . " Leonardo DiCaprio , other actors and a bunch of 20 - something guys who worked behind the cameras , all watched " Public Enemy " on a big screen on the set . They all loved the movie and applauded at the end . Nobody thought this film was dated and they were awed by some of the startling scenes they saw in this movie . " Public Enemy " is over 75 years old and young people still find this very entertaining ! It speaks volumes for the film . Scorcese also noted something else that I found very interesting : none of the violence in this movie is ever seen ! It's all done off-screen . You don't see it , but you are in the same area in which it happens and you get the idea of its brutality through reactions of other people , or their screams . It's very effective and impresses Scorcese , who admits his shortcoming in being unable to do this in his own violent movies ! He thinks it makes some of the violence much worse . He makes his point by showing us some good examples in this documentary . Also in this 20-minute DVD bonus feature , we hear comments about actress Jean Harlow and director William Wellman , and we see some of the famous scenes in this movie and what makes them effective . . . . . in addition to the violent ones noted above . First and foremost is " the grapefruit " in which Cagney mashes a grapefruit in the face of Mae Clarke . I agree , though , with Drew Casper , who thought more startling than that was the scene in which Cagney grabs Clarke by the hair and drags her across two rooms and boots her out the door ! According to the commentators here , that's what a lot of these gangsters acted like in real life : cocky and brutal . Cagney , who grew up on the tough streets of New York , was a realistic guy to be playing roles like the one he did here . He had the toughness , the accent and the screen " presence , " a word Scorcese likes to use . That's what " Public Enemy " has in spades : screen presence . If you have the DVD of this famous film , please check out this bonus feature . It's entertaining , too . |
527,435 | 4,445,210 | 86,979 | 9 | Memorable Modern Noir | This was the Coen Brothers first movie and I think it might rank second-best to more-famous " Fargo . " This is suspenseful neo-noir ( modern-day film noir ) filled with fun direction by the Coens : low camera angles , closeups , concentration of sounds such as the whirring of an overhead fan , some dramatic pauses , strange characters and even stranger events taking place . The only thing missing I'd like to have is 5 . 1 surround sound . Warning : some bloody scenes in here are downright gross , but they sure produce some memorable scenes . Character-wise , Dan Hedeya proves to be the toughest man to kill I've ever seen in a movie ! Frances McDormand is young and looks pretty , the best I've ever seen her look . John Getz's character is strange and sometimes to frustrating to watch and Emmet Walsh is outstanding at playing the sleazy private detective . Those four , along with Samm-Art Williams , comprise almost all the speaking parts in this film . This is an involving movie . Once started , you're hooked on this strange story . I wish the Coens would have made more movies like this . |
526,968 | 4,445,210 | 51,554 | 9 | Is This The Best Dracula Film ? Maybe ! | I'm not a big fan of horror films but I was very impressed with this one , titled " Horror Of Dracula . " ( For some reason , it's just called " Dracula " here on the IMDb site . This is a solid re-telling of the Dracula story with some legitimate thrills provided to the viewer along with pretty photography and sets and a tasteful lack of blood . I'm curious how this looks and sounds on DVD . Story-wise , they might have embellished some of the action scenes and made Dracula a little more powerful . ( I can't see him feeling a regular human being which he did here in the end . ) Other than that , it's a well-done movie with no exaggerated characters , nice colors , no problem understanding accents . . . . one of the better Dracula films ever made , just maybe the best . It's that good ! It also features two of the best classic ' horror " actors of all-time : Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee . Highly recommended , particularly for people who might be hesitant to watch a " Dracula " film . I'll think you'll like this version . |
523,501 | 4,445,210 | 443,680 | 9 | So Many Things You Can Say About This Film ! | Do you notice how long many of the reviews are in here about this movie ? That's because there is so much one could say . This is an unusual movie , especially for a modern-day-filmed western . Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck are the " stars " of this movie but the biggest star to me was Roger Deakins , the man who photographed this film . Wow , this is beautiful ! It's so stunning to look at in so many spots that there were many times I was more involved in the visuals than the story . In that sense , it reminded me of the marvelously-photographed films of Terrence Malick . Kudos to Andrew Dominik for a similar style directorial performance here . Regarding the story , here's a warning to those who are expecting the normal western fare and want to see the usual amount of gun battles and related action scenes . This film is 2 hour and 40 minutes and there are not many " action " scenes . If you are hoping to see another " 3 : 10 To Yuma " re-make , you will be very disappointed . This story is slow . It's a character study of Jesse James and the man who killed him , Robert Ford . That said , I still found it a memorable film . The photography , the great acting and the uniqueness of the story were all good enough to keep me interested throughout . For once , I was glad to see James portrayed more realistically . Despite what you've seen on film in the past , this man was not a hero , folks . Sure he was a likable guy at times , and a nice father at times , too , but he was a thief and , much worse , a cold-blooded killer . You see that in this film . I have to say I can't remember a film I've seen in recent years in which the two lead characters ( James and R . Ford ) were so strange and unpredictable . For that , I have to really compliment the work of Pitt and Affleck . They were amazing and kept me guessing throughout the movie . They played very complex people . Another facet that I found unusual were the numerous scenes in which a person's eyes told the story better than any dialog could . The tension in this drama was almost unbearable in many instances . Except for " Once Upon A Time In The West , " I can't recall a film with so many tense scenes with long pauses depicting shots of people's eyes relaying their either their fears or suspicions . Pitt , as " Jesse James , " does a fantastic job in this department . He made us go inside his James ' brain , assuming we were knowing what he's thinking about Robert Ford , and wondering what he would say or do next . James is shown in this film to be a twisted and ( justifiably ) paranoid criminal who doesn't trust anyone . For example , he's constantly moving his family . On the other side of the coin , you have the Ford brothers and other members of James ' gang who are constantly terrified of their boss , knowing he could snap and shoot them any minute . The terrified looks in their eyes were , to me , frightening to watch . This movie is filled with scenes depicting jittery people . Affleck , as " Robert Ford , " the man with the nervous smile , and stuttering-like speech , was one of the strangest characters I've seen on film . Sam Rockwell , as Ford's brother , " Charley , " has a big role in this movie , too , and doesn't really get the billing he should . I thought he was right up there with Pitt and Affleck . I might be in the minority with this opinion , but I found the best part of the film to be the last 20 minutes , depicting how America reacted to the killing of Jesse James and what happened to the Ford brothers . All that was fascinating to me . Overall , once I realized this wasn't a " shoot-em-up " western , and just sat back and appreciated the storytelling , wonderful visuals , low-key narration , fabulous sets , scenery and acting . . . . I ended up being very impressed . So , a key is to know what to expect before you see this film . |
522,735 | 4,445,210 | 94,510 | 9 | A Unique TV Show - Would Love To See It Again | Here's a television program I haven't watched since it went off the air over 15 years ago , and I'd give anything to see it again on a DVD package . Gary Cole , as " Jack Killion , " was THE coolest guy on TV at that time , and I mean the kind of " cool " associated with Craig Stevens of TV's " Peter Gunn , " or Steve McQueen in the 1950s and ' 60s movies . Cole a . k . a . " The Nighthawk " in here was just cool . . . . what else can you say ? Jack was a combination late-night radio talk show host and an ex-cop . If I recall , he was off the force after a tragedy cost the life of his partner and the event was still haunting him . He would hear a bunch of troubled people on the radio , some needing assistance quickly or they would be a crime victim . Jack would help them out . The atmosphere was very moody , the music was good and the whole thing was just different , very different from most " crime shows . " Until I looked at the title page I couldn't remember anyone else on the show but I've never forgotten this program . I can only hope I see it again some time . |
526,539 | 4,445,210 | 71,562 | 9 | Not Far Behind The First Film | This isn't quite as powerful as the first Godfather , done two years earlier , but it isn't far behind . It's another magnificently filmed effort , wonderfully acted and a hard film to stop once you've put it in your tape or DVD player . What makes this a notch below the first Godfather is the absence of Marlon Brando and a little too much disjointedness with flashbacks . Also missing from this film was the volatile James Caan . He was shown in a flashback scene near the end , and that was it . One thing was just as good if not better than the first film , and that was the cinematography . The browns , blacks , greens and yellows are just great treats for the eyes . I especially love the Italian houses and scenery . Why this was not even nominated for an Academy Award in cinematography is mind-boggling . The story centers around the brutal vengeance of youngest brother Michael ( Al Pacino ) . It also gives a good demonstration of how the gangster lifestyle may look attractive on the outside but really is an unhappy one despite the wealth . There are some excellent supporting performances in this film , too . I especially would cite the roles played by Michael Gazzo and Lee Strassburg . |
522,921 | 4,445,210 | 44,926 | 9 | The Real Deal | This is one of the most interesting biographies I've ever seen on film . Until I acquired the DVD , I never fully realized how beautiful this film looked , either . I was stunned to see how spectacular the colors were and how much it helped capture the flavor of the dance hall and the cobblestone streets of France 100 years ago . . . . . and , of course , Tolouse-Lautrec''s great artwork . This movie is a feast for the eyes . The DVD also offers an opportunity to do something I suggest other fans of this movie try : use the English subtitles . This way , you don't have to strain to understand the French accents , notably Colette Marchand's , and it makes this intriguing story even better . Story-wise , it's a bit of a soap opera but one I still found fascinating , thanks mainly to Lautrec's dialog . He had some really interesting things to say , mostly in a cynical way . That cynicism , unfortunately , caught up with him in the end . Jose Ferrer captured this tortured soul about as well as any actor could expect to do . I'm sorry he didn't win an Academy Award for this performance . Younger viewers who only saw the more recent " Moulin Rouge ! " missed the real story . That movie was a farce ; this is the real thing . |
527,550 | 4,445,210 | 71,598 | 9 | Memorable Story Which Stays With You | Every once in a while - but less and less these days - a movie comes around that has some impact , in that you find it hard to get it out your mind for awhile . That's what " Harry and Tonto " did to me , recently . It wasn't the world's greatest film but it was great storytelling , sometimes a lost art among filmmakers in recent decades . " Harry " is a retiree and " Tonto " is his cat . The movie follows the two around as the pair travel from the East Coast to the West . It all begins when Harry's building is demolished as part of " urban renewal . " He quickly finds out he doesn't want to live with his quirky son and his even-stranger kids , so he hits the road to Chicago to seek out other relatives . It goes from there . The movie is filled with little vignettes . For instance , how the cat adapts for doesn't adapt to some modes of travel and the interesting and very diverse people Harry meets on the way ( which winds up going all the way to Los Angeles ) . Art Carney as " Harry Coombes " got the Academy Award for best actor . My vote might have gone to the cat . If you've ever owned a cat , you can appreciate how unbelievably-trained this feline was in the film . Tonto was amazing ! Almost everyone in this film is a good person who tries to befriend Harry and Tonto , so you get a good feel throughout this almost-two-hour movie . It's one memorable short story after another - some funny , some sad . I hate to use this cliché , but it's the kind of slow-moving , human-interest story movie you don't see anymore . That's a shame , because these kinds of films you don't forget . |
526,301 | 4,445,210 | 1,178,015 | 9 | A Greedy Landowner & A Scorned Wife | This was an unusual episode in that there was none of the usual agendas : no city or town - bashing , church-bashing or rich people-bashing . It was just simply the story of a crime that took place 20 years ago just outside Chattanooga , Tenn . It even made the area pretty darned attractive . Chattanooga comes out looking pretty good in this story . It's a beautiful-looking area and appears to be a nice small city . " It has all the spoils of a big city but with the small - town charm , " it's stated here on this episode . This is the home town of tow-trucks , miniature golf , Glenn Miller and moon pies ! One of the nicest areas was just north of the city in a place called Signal Mountain . Up there , there was a favorite , clear-blue swimming pond called The Blue Hole . For over 100 years , people would go up there , swing on a big rope and splash themselves in the chilly water to cool off on a steamy summer day . However , one day someone else bought the land where The Blue Hole was located , and he didn't want people cluttering up his nice swimming hole with ATVs and beer cans . He got downright adamant about it . He'd hear someone approaching and would race up to the entrance and take down their name , address and license plate . He also carried a shotgun and would yell sometimes . He was a bit scary . That man - Fred Casteel - to condense the rest of the story , was accused of killing three " tresspassers " in the summer of 1988 and burying their bodies 12 miles away . A lack of evidence against Mr . Casteel made the prosecutor's case drag on and on and on . . . . . until the murder case finally went to trail in 1996 . A key piece of new " evidence " was the testimony of a very dangerous person : a scorned woman - Casteel's ex-wife . |
524,512 | 4,445,210 | 218,896 | 9 | Real Pros , And Not A Bad Song In The Bunch | This is outstanding concert featuring most of the famous singing duo's best songs , of which there were many . There is a good mix of fast and slow songs and so-so stereo . Too bad they couldn't have re-mixed this in 5 . 1surround for the DVD . Simon and Garfunkel are such pros . The two harmonize so well it's amazing and even though they were live , playing in front of a mammoth crowd , most of their songs sound like perfect studio takes . Yes , a couple might not sound as good as those original studio recordings but some - thanks to the great backup band here - sound even better than the originals ! Most are equal . . . . and ALL of them are winners . There are no " clunkers " in this group . The boys looked a bit smug , but when you can draw literally hundreds of thousands of fans to a concert , I guess it's hard to be humble . They were real superstars of their music era . |
525,533 | 4,445,210 | 36,050 | 9 | Painfully Funny | Elmer Fudd is laughing while lounging in his easy chair and reading his comic book , his dog comfortably nearby sleeping in front of the fireplace . All is peaceful until a flea comes bouncing by . ( The flea is dressed in a farmer's-type outfit with a big sombrero and is carrying a satchel with the name " A . Flea " on it . ) He gets out his telescope and spots the dog . ( We see a big shot of the dog's butt and the flea whistles in excitement , screaming " T - Bone ! " He then sings , " There's food around the corner ; there's food around the corner ! " ) That sets up the storyline of this cute-but-obnoxious flea tormenting the poor dog . The mutt is hilarious as he reacts to the flea . The drawings of his huge teeth chomping right next to the fleeing flea are clever and the dog's dialog made me laugh out loud a few times . This might be the funniest canine I have ever seen in a cartoon ! The poor pooch , under a threat of having to take a bath , as to NOT react when the stupid flea causes him pain . It's almost painful to watch as the flea uses pickaxes , jackhammers and the like on the dog . He puts firecrackers in the dog's behind . It's brutal ! |
525,567 | 4,445,210 | 311,519 | 9 | Unique & Fun , Start-To-Finnish | I've watched this twice now , and throughly enjoyed both viewings , finding this film to really be a unique one . It's a Finnish film , which is unusual to start with , at least here in the U . S . because we don't see too many films from Finland . It's a black comedy , meaning deadpan looks with subtle comedic lines . In English , it's titled " The Man Without A Past . " The main actor , Markuu Peltola , is perfect for this movie with one of the most deadpan faces you'll ever see . He is amazing to watch and Kati Outinen , as his love interest , is similarly strange and fascinating . Part of their charm are their unusual looks . This is not a romance between people who look like your normal handsome film stars . Simply , this is just something very different from anything you've seen , a combination of drama , comedy and romance with some of the strangest dialog I've ever heard on film . If you appreciate dry humor and a bizarre but touching story , you should see this . |
527,438 | 4,445,210 | 51,201 | 9 | EntertainingTrial Movie That Still Holds Up | This is one of the best " trial movies " ever made . It's an outstanding film that is just as good today as it was almost 50 years ago when it was released in the theaters . The shocking ending caused quite a stir back then , too . The only part of the movie I thought looked dated and unrealistic was Tyrone Power's character being able to interrupt the trial with outbursts and not be reprimanded for it . There is no way that would be tolerated , at least today . Otherwise , it's a pretty solid film with a good cast that includes two fascinating characters played by actors who know how to entertain : Charles Laughton and Marlene Dietrich . Laughton , who plays Power's defense attorney , grabs the spotlight in the story but Dietrich almost steals the movie in her role as Power's wife . Laughton's dialog is terrific throughout , bringing a number of laughs to this serious film . He's just a joy to watch . Dietrich is even more riveting but just doesn't have anywhere near the same amount of screen time as Laughton . Not to be overlooked is Elsa Lanchester , playing Laughton's nurse . She , too , demonstrates her comedic talent and significantly adds to the fun of watching this film . If you like some fine drama , storyline twists , a little humor thrown in and great acting and dialog , this is a classic film to check out . |
526,185 | 4,445,210 | 218,836 | 9 | Extremely Informative | I totally agree with the first statement made in by narrator Patrick Macnee in this behind-the - scenes feature " that is part of the special-edition " Goldfinger " DVD . Macnee stated , " For many Bond fans and film historians , Goldfinger is the 007 movie that had it all - a high - octane cocktail of action , lust , greed and one of the world's greatest villains . " We get some history about how writer Ian Fleming got the idea for his seventh Bond book in 1959 . Goldfinger was the third James Bond movie and had a budget of $3 million , which wouldn't get you even started today , of course . Other memorable comments , of many , in this feature : It was noted this was the first of the Bond films in which the pre-opening credits action sequence had nothing to do with the story . That turned out to be something they continued to do , just making outrageous opening scenes that were not connected in any way with the actual story . . . . . but sure were attention-grabbers ! Regarding that opening scene , they had hired a guy who was a cat burglar to play someone who was going to try to kill Bond . However , the guy got arrested the day before the shoot and they had to quickly hire someone else ! The man they got , stuntman Alf Joint , got second-degree leg burns on the shot where Bond electrocutes him after the villain gets thrown in the bathtub . One of the best moves they filmmakers made was choosing the Aston-Martin as Bond's famous car , which became almost a legend thanks to this movie . All of the gadgets on the car seen in the movie were not implemented . The car wouldn't have been able to hold them all , plus special-effects back in the early ' 60s wasn't advanced enough to show what they could do today . Thus , many of the action scenes with the Aston-Martin were big challenges to pull off and make look realistic . A good five minutes in this " documentary " is devoted to this car and it's all interesting . They show a screen test by Theodore Bickel for the role of Auric Goldfinger . As fine and actor as he was , Bickel doesn't come across anywhere near as effective as German Gert Frobe did and , of course , the latter got the part . One problem , though : Frobe couldn't speak English ! He still got the part . They just dubbed in his voice . A man named Michael Collins voiced Frobe's words for the movie . Amazing . Honor Blackman , who played the famous " Pussy Galore , " got the job because she was " hot property at the time and I knew judo , which the part required . " She mentions that Connery " was the sexiest , most virile man I've ever met . " Everyone remembers Goldfinger's bodyguard , " Oddjob , " too . Well , Harold Sakata , who played him , was a pro wrestler from Hawaii and a silver medalist in the Olympics . Connery said a karate chop Sakata gave him still hurts him once in awhile today ! Sakata , too , was injured in this film , burned on his final scene with he was electrocuted on metal jail-like bars in Fort Knox . Another memorable person , although only in the film for less than five minutes , was Shirley Eaton as " Jill Masterson " who wound up being painted gold all over her body . To avoid suffocation , a doctor was on the set and they shot the scene as quickly as possible . There are all kinds of interesting comments about this film , such as the difficulties they had with the " laser shot " in Goldfinger''s " Rumpus Room " where Bond was about to be laser-ed in half ; Desmond Llewelyn who played " Q , " talks about some of the gadgets , etc . Connery and Eaton's comments , by the way , came from archival footage . They weren't done recently as the others were , but they fit in seamlessly here . This was the film that made James Bond movies famous . Sadly , Fleming died a month before this movie was released and never saw how famous his character became . This is one of the more interesting behind-the-scenes features I've watched so far . |
522,738 | 4,445,210 | 1,143,262 | 9 | How They Let This ' Low-Life ' Go Is Mind-Boggling | This is the worst verdict I've seen yet , in the 30-or-so episodes I've watched of this program . It makes me totally lose faith in the jury system . You wonder : " what are these people thinking ? " ere , a man with 16 charges against him including eyewitnesses who saw him shoot and kill a man , and then drive off in a stolen police car . . . . . got off , on all counts ! Unbelievably , Daniel Martinez , beat the rap , thanks to a high-profiled and slick lawyer who obviously fooled a stupid jury . Martinez , everyone agreed , was the town " low-life , " a guy with a rap sheet " longer than the Rio Grande , " as narrator Paul Winfield puts it . Martinez wound up playing both sides of the fence : a full-time criminal and a snitch for the police . The combination didn't work out , and a " Good Samaritan , " wound up losing his life because of it . The details of the story I'll leave for you to discover by watching this episode . I didn't understand another thing : why the victim in the case just simply didn't call the police instead of slipping out of his house in the middle of the night to investigate a woman's screams and other suspicious noises . Well , his heart was in the right place . The history of this criminal , the Sante Fe police department , which didn't come off looking good , either , and a fascinating look at " The City Different , " comprise this hour-long show . Sante Fe , one of the art capitals of the U . S . , looks fascinating but it's not just one long art festival . It has crime , just like everywhere and by the early ' 90s , the rapes and murders came were highlighted by this bizarre case . Oddly , justice did prevail a year later . . . . but not concerning this case . |
525,477 | 4,445,210 | 1,143,261 | 9 | One Greedy Husband = 2 Dead Wives And 3 Orphaned Kids | This is another interesting glimpse at a city in the United States . In this case , it's the " Iron City , " a mixture of the oldest population in the U . S . with a revitalized downtown that has gone from steel to high-tech . Like it's sports teams , Pittsburgh sure has run the gamut between good and bad times . Steel production made this place a Boom Town by the end of World War II but three decades later , things looked bleak . . . . and it wasn't just the pollution from the steel mills . Hey , where I live we can relate - a lot of big steel mills went belly-up leaving the Steel City feeling like the last-place team the Steelers were for so long until the likes of Terry Bradshaw , Mean Joe Green , Jack Lambert , Lynn Swann and the like helped produce four Super Bowl winners . Meanwhile , the crime story involves a Pittsburgh born-and-raised kid named Tim Buczkowski , a guy who wanted money and did what he had to , to get it , in a nutshell . Unfortunately , that meant drowning two wives in a bathtub or hot tub and cashing in on their life insurance policies . ( No , he didn't get away with the second one , but he did the first and benefited from that for a long time . ) In the end , the saddest part of this story are the three kids who lost moms and horribly discovered their father was a killer . Imagine what that does to you . Buczkowski had moved to North Carolina to seek being a ice-cream king but that didn't work out . After killing his wife , he moved back to Pittsburgh , married another nice woman and raised the kids from his first marriage , only to have the same thing happen . He looked and acted so guilty on the second murder , doing it so amateurishly , that it was obvious from the start and the guy got what was coming to him . Unfortunately , two nice women were violently murdered and three kids will suffer forever with these memories . |
525,721 | 4,445,210 | 923,752 | 9 | Real Life Almost Always Stranger Than Fiction | I love these strange documentaries , where real-life people are interviewed , followed around and we get to witness yet another example of how life is often " stranger than fiction . " In this case , it's video game geeks . And , man , I mean " geeks . " That's the main story here , more specifically , is the quest between two of these " players " to become the top " Donkey Kong " video game champion in the world . I'll get this out front first : yes , these are real people doing their thing but a lot of this is very contrived and set up for dramatic purposes . The " good guy " is made to look even better than what he probably is , and the " villain " is made to look like the bad guy so much so it's laughable . I mean , come on , man ! It's just tooooo hokey . Steve Weibe looked like the only normal human being in this film , but if you read the ending graphics , you have to ask how many " nomral family men " would be traveling all over the U . S . to set a video game record ? The black-hat-and-clothes villain Billy Mitchell was a little too bad to have credibility . Yeah , he's arrogant , and I do believe he his one of those guys who lives on past glory and is deathly afraid of losing in front of a crowd . But , they ( with his cooperation , of course ) made him into a cartoon character in this film . It was ludicrous . . The more believable parts still made me shake my head in wonder how some people are just plain nuts . . . . . . and don't know it ! " Nerds " is good word to describe almost all of the old arcade video-game zealots . I think the oddest one might have been the " referee , " Walter Day , the bearded transcendental meditation guy . He's is the third leading " character " in this documentary . Actually , he didn't appear too wacked until the second half of the film when we saw and heard him trying to sing , among other things . And by the way , if you've ever read about guys who set multiple records in the Guiness Book Of World Records , they are , indeed , a strange lot . Notice the intense , Charles Manson-type eyes on a lot of these people ; it's scary ! Like other documentaries about unusual people or controversies ( i . e . " My Kid Could Paint That , " " Crazy Love " ) this will keep your interest throughout and having you rooting for the good guy , big-time , even if it is contrived . In the end , manipulated or not , we care about what happens in this story , so director Seth Gordon did his job well . |
526,928 | 4,445,210 | 265,651 | 9 | A Solid Crime Movie , Thanks To Three Leads | This was good ; a solid crime story . It's the " Tom Ripley " of " The Talented Mr . Ripley , " but now older and being played by John Malkovich instead of Matt Damon . He's also , at least to me , a totally different character so this story stands on its own . There's no tie-in to that previous filmMalkovich plays his normal role , playing the kind of character he's good at playing : the smart , sarcastic and sadistic villain with the interesting vocabulary . In this story , he blends in with the locals as somewhat of a nondescript guy but inside he's a man with no conscience who is a killer . Late in the film , he admits and brags about having no conscience . The plot in this movie revolves around Ripley having someone else do some of the latest killings for him , an " average Joe " that no one would suspect . That role is played by Dougray Scott , a young Englishman with a wife and young son , but a man who is dying of leukemia and could use a little extra money for his family when he's gone . That seems to be the lure when the evil Ripley and his partner give him the murder sales pitch . It takes some convincing , but " Jonathan Trevanny " eventually gives in to some persuasion , shall we say . Scott's reaction after the killing is very interesting . . . and he gets another assignment . Ripley's partner " Reeves " also is an intriguing guy , played by Ray Winstone who also often portrays this time of character : a vicious , profane thug . If you saw " Sexy Beast , " you'll know the type of guy Winstone plays hereAnyway , without giving the story away , suffice to say this wound up a pleasant surprise : great dialog , good photography and acting , some dark humor along with good suspense and just the right amount of action and lulls . It is heavy on the profanity , so beware of that . This is a film one doesn't hear much about and is recommended for those who enjoy modern-day , tough crime films . |
523,596 | 4,445,210 | 793,715 | 9 | Ship Of Fools And Other Undesirables | Everyone's worst nightmare in the ocean : being attacked by sharks . That's what happens to some guy who is heard yelling for help , treading water next to a big cruise ship . He gets the attention of sunbathers , including his wife , and the captain . The latter fires three shots in the water , trying to scare away the sharks but it's not enough . The sharks eat him . Since the death occurred within three miles of Miami shoreline , the local police - " Det . Frank Tripp ( Rex Linn ) and CSI's " Lt . Horatio Caine " ( David Caruso ) investigate on-board ship . They quickly see a little blood on the side of the boat where the man fell in and what what looks like scuffle marks from shoes . This is not an accident : someone pushed him over the railing . It also turns out he was drugged prior to his " accident " and was robbed of $70 , 000 , too . Suspects range from the wife-of-three days , to her step-daughter , to some of the ship's personnel from the captain on down . There are kinds of little stories in this episode , and everyone on this ship from crew to passengers is devoid of morals . ( This is a true " Ship Of Fools . " ) We also have a possible bird flu epidemic and , in three sidebars ( 1 ) someone is out to destroy the CSI lab , spying on them looking to shut them down ; ( 2 ) the continuing soap opera of CSI worker Natalia and her relationship to former boyfriend Eric Delko and now Ryan Wolfe , and ( 3 ) in a real shocker , Horatio tells Marisol that , yes indeed , he would be willing to marry her ! Lots of dramatics , obviously , in this episode . |
523,588 | 4,445,210 | 793,716 | 9 | An Over-The-Top But Very Dramatic Episode | There's a wild start to this as Horatio is seen in an ambulance , attending to his brand-new bride , Marisol . Apparently she's been shot ( it doesn't show that ) . Then , someone stops the ambulance , Horatio gets out . . . . and . . . . . they flashback to what led up to this , namely : A leader of the Mala Noche gang , featured in a couple of episodes earlier in the year , is on trial . At the trial , the witnesses on the stand , some spectators and the janitor all conspire to help another get a gun , fire away and all hell breaks loose with the leader and one of the conspirators escaping from the courtroom . The CSI team begins tracking down all this could have happened when the courtroom was swept for all weapons and ammunition right before the trial . More big dramatics occur when Eric and his sister are shot , with Marisol in serious condition . One of the suspects is an ex-girlfriend of Delko's , a nutcase stalker . Obviously , this is a very intense - and a bit over-the-top , especially with the ex-girlfriend - episode . In leaves with a sad note . It already mentions " tragedy " on the IMDb homepage , so you can guess what it is : Marisol dies . Horato and Eric find the killer in the final seconds and want to know who ordered the " hit . " I assume they are going to get the last remnants of this vicious gang so they can be totally eliminated from the Miami crime scene . |
523,144 | 4,445,210 | 824,806 | 9 | ' Spice ' Is The Act ; ' Sugar ' Is The Real Ann-Margret | Ann-Margret may have a " sex kitten " image but the TV episode shows she's really a wonderful , devoted , almost old-fashioned type lady . I mean , how many Hollywood couples are married once and are the same sweethearts they were when they first met ? Ann-Margret and Roger Smith are . . . . and friends will tell you it's no accident . Both of them are great people . All the actors interviewed in here - and there were some famous ones like Lemmon - all say she is a sweetheart off screen . After watching this episode , I also had some respect for Ann-Margret's determination to succeed . Her road to fame started off with a bang , being " discovered " by comedian George Burns and signing a seven-year contract with 20th Century Fox at the tender age of 19 . However , her career soon started leveling off and then rapidly declining with a bunch of " B " movies . Nobody really took her as a serious actress until 1971 with her role in " Carnal Knowledge . " Suddenly , it was " Wow , I didn't know Ann-Margret could act . " Yet , she still played the " siren " role throughout most of her film career and became but became just as well-known as a singer and Las Vegas entertainer , and a great contributor to the USO doing shows for the troops in Vietnam with Bob Hope . Speaking of Vegas , one of Ann-Margret's most memorable moments came when she fell over 20 feet during a performance and was seriously injured . This TV programs tells what happened , how her husband reacted and then her amazing comeback afterward . Ann-Margret seems to be a woman of comebacks , even today . . . . and if you've seen her you'll be shocked that a woman her age can look that good ! This Biography episode shows Ann-Margret to be a very impressive woman , not just one with a beautiful face . This was an interesting show and recommended . |
522,395 | 4,445,210 | 443,632 | 9 | An Entertaining Political Thriller . . . . . Period ! | I enjoyed this film . I thought it was an excellent political thriller about something that's never happened before - a Secret Service agent going bad and involved in an assassination plot . Unfortunately , for Michael Douglas ' character , " Pete Garrison , " they think HE's the mole but he isn't . He's just a morally-flawed agent having an affair with the First Lady ! Since he's doing that , he's unable to give an acceptable polygraph exam and that makes him suspect number one when it's revealed there is a plot to kill the President . " Garrison " is forced to go on the lam but at the same time he's still trying to do the right thing by protecting the President . Douglas does a fine job in this role . I don't always care the people he plays but he's an excellent actor . Keifer Sutherland ( " David Breckinridge " ) is equally as good ( at least in here ) as the fellow SS boss who hunts down Douglas until convinced he has been telling the truth . When he does the two of them work together in the finale to discover and then stop , if they can , the plot . The crooks are interesting , too , by the way . Also , I have never - and never will , unfortunately - see a First Lady who looks as good as Kim BasingerThis is simply a slick action flick that entertains start-to-finish . Are there holes in it ? Of course ; probably a number of them , and a reason you see so many critical comments . However , it is unfairly bashed here . It just isn't intelligent enough for the geniuses here on this website . My advice : chill , just go along for the ride and enjoy all the action and intrigue . Yes , it gets a little Rambo-ish at the end but otherwise it gets high marks for entertainment . . . . . which is what movies are all about . |
526,540 | 4,445,210 | 71,230 | 9 | The Film That Made Brooks A Star | Mel Brooks made several very popular and memorable films in the ' 70s but I doubt any was more popular than this one . Made just several years after the morals ' code had been lifted in Hollywood , it was able to provide humor in a new and shocking way . People could fart , swear , have old ladies use the n - word , men could punch horses in the face , make fun of any religion , creed , race or whatever was there to make fun of . . . in other words , no holds barred when it came to trying to get a laugh . Nothing was sacred at this time in Hollywood history and few capitalized on this as well as Brooks , especially with this film . The film doesn't have much shock value anymore but it's still fun to watch and probably always will be , thanks to the outrageous characterizations in here . On the negative side , especially if don't know Brooks does whatever he can to get a laugh and isn't all that political , this film might be too politically-correct with its reverse racism , bias against religion and overly crude situations . But - a big but - there are so many funny lines in here , so many funny scenes you never forget and never fail to laugh no matter how many times you see it ( the campfire scene alone has made men cry in laughter for 30 years ) that you can overlook about anything in here . In summary , a true " classic " guaranteed to entertain for many more years to come . |
525,402 | 4,445,210 | 94,364 | 9 | Hard To Explain , Better To Just See It | There is no story in this animated short : just wild and crazy contortions drawn on a face who is singing a song about " your face . " As he sings , almost every conceivable oddity occurs , such as facial parts changing position , head being twisted , cut , pulled inside-out , being chopped into pieces and reforming and so many things you can't describe . This really is a three-minute piece showing the imagination of the artist . It kept me riveted to my seat , wondering what crazy thing will I see in the next few seconds . Basic , but fascinating material . It was up for an Academy Award . You can see it on the DVD called " Plympton : The Complete Early Works Of Bill Plympton . " |
524,062 | 4,445,210 | 129,290 | 9 | Not-That-Sugary Look At A Good-Hearted Man | There are a lot of sugary clichés I use - in a nice way - to describe this story about a doctor with a good heart who truly believes in the healing power of laughter . Based on a real-life person ( who looks a lot wackier than Robin Williams , who plays him in this movie ) , the story has its usual rebel fights-the - straight-laced-establishment cliché but is a warm , sentimental film that can't help but make you feel really good when it's all over . It's hardly all sugar , either , as there are not only frustrations but an immensely-shocking tragedy in here . For a nice " family " movie , the profanity and sexual innuendos are a little much , so I don't think is one for the kids . ( They wouldn't like it anyway . ) Adults shouldn't mind . The language isn't that bad , anyway . " Patch's " remedy for not only sickness but to get-the-girl is humor . It takes him awhile but he softens the hard-shell woman he's after ( Monica Potter ) and even the super stiff-ass roommate ( Philip Seymour Hoffman ) in the end . This film is tailor-made for Williams and his great sense of humor and ability to ad-lib . He has a lot of funny lines in here . There is one little kid in here who's smile is one of the best I've ever seen on a human being , and I wish the boy had more scenes . The touches of sentimentality he brings , along with the laughter , is wonderful to see and heart - warming , to say the least . This is an inspiring story with comedy and romance and drama . That's what makes it so effective : a good combination of genres . One minute you're laughing , a few minutes later you have tears in your eyes . A wonderful story , nicely acted and nicely told . |
522,951 | 4,445,210 | 10,146 | 9 | Lots Of Good Stuff In This Harold Lloyd Silent Short | This Harold Lloyd silent film is fun because it has fast-moving story , plenty of chase scenes and sight gags , good camera-work and some great expressions on the actors ' faces . It also has a couple of endearing people such as a poor little girl and her lame dog , and a good-hearted woman . Of course , being a " silent , " I expect exaggerated facial expressions , but some in here are ones that made me laugh out loud . You see all kinds , from shady winks to eyebrow raising to evil-looking smiles . Hey , it's a story about a crooked lawyer and a bunch of thugs ( almost the same ) . One of the lawyers is named " Leech . " The little girl , called " The Waif , " is played by cute Peggy Courtwright . " Waif " is a common term in these silent films , which Charlie Chaplin and others featured a lot : homeless , extremely poor creatures , male , female , children and dogs . " The Girl " as she is called , is played by Mildred Davis . It was her first appearance in a Lloyd film . Four years later , she and Harold were married . Another interesting feature in this film was the sudden switch to a blue tint in the second half . It would be shown for a couple of short scenes . The ending , of course , was the best . You will have a smile on your face at the very last scene in the diner . These wild endings are the norm for silent comedies and are great fun to watch . . I loved how Harold rounded up the cops . |
525,233 | 4,445,210 | 121,766 | 9 | They Really Did Save The Best ' Til Last | I was never one of the millions of Star Wars groupies . I enjoyed the films , except for Attack Of The Clones , but wasn't a huge fan . Having seen the first five , I eventually got around to checking out this last one , if for no other reason than curiosity . Wow , it changed my whole outlook . I cannot believe how impressed I was with this film , how well the writers wrapped up the whole saga and put all the pieces together . This was an excellent film , the best of the entire series . It inspired me to buy the latest DVD set which had the first three movies released and then reacquire the Clones film to complete my DVD collection of it . I'm writing this review months after seeing " Sith . " so it's just a few general thoughts . I remember thinking , after watching the wild opening , that this was going to be another one of the modern-day action films with too much action . . . . but it settled down and wasn't vastly overdone in that area , although it could have toned it down a bit . Better than the action or special effects was simply the way the writers tied everything up , how Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader , and his son wound up being the hero " Luke " that we saw in those early episodes of the 1970s and 1980s . The special effects were , of course , top-notch . When you go back and see those early films you really see how far Hollywood has advanced in this area . I cannot imagine how many hours of work it took the put these storyboards and computer artwork in this film , there is so much detail . It's mind-boggling . I know a lot of fans of this series feared the writers would mess up the final but their fears were not realized : this was a super ending to a memorable saga that endured for almost 30 years amazing . |
526,602 | 4,445,210 | 71,402 | 9 | Classic Remedy For Instant Satisfaction | I guess by now you could call this movie a " classic . " It would meet most definitions . It was so popular that it spawned a number of sequels , but they just got dumb and dumber . This is one of the most famous " revenge " movies ever made and still stands up today . This was a very , very simple story and it panders to our base instincts which is probably why it was so successful . Most people want justice , and they want it now . . . . which is what this movie preaches . At the time , the movie was shocking . If it came out today , it wouldn't have nearly the impact . However , the early scene of the mother and daughter raped and killed is still horrifying . That will never change . The story then slows down as we see the transformation of the husband , from conscientious objector to vigilante . When Charles Bronson hits the streets , the film picks up big-time . The movie also ends on a very satisfying note . |
524,580 | 4,445,210 | 465,502 | 9 | Well , I Liked It | I don't know why this movie doesn't get more positive recognition ; I thought it was terrific , and I've seen most the feature-length animated films of the past several years . This holds it own against most of them . For an animated film , it has exactly what you want : fantastic colors and colorful characters - most of them very funny and entertaining to view and hear - and a good story with some interesting twists to it . The artwork in this film is just amazing , especially on Blu-Ray . ( I've discovered that's how to watch these new animated movies - in high-def , because most of them look awesome . This film certainly is no exception . ) There were many times I just wanted the freeze-frame the picture and take in all the wild artwork . I might do that on a second viewing . Also no surprise is Steve Buscemi , who always gets humorous roles in these animated films and makes everyone laugh . He usually plays a rat , too . I mentioned that to a friend and he said , " That's because he looks like one in real life . " I wouldn't go that far , but I understand where he's coming from . Actually , all the leading voices - Buscemi , John Cusack , Molly Shannon , Sean Hayes , John Cleese , Jay Leno and more were all great . I'll give a special nod to the voice that cracked me up more than all the others , the one of " Hedi , " done by Jennifer Coolidge . She was hilarious ! If you enjoy the famous Frankstein monster story , or wild characters in a monster-lab-type setting , you should enjoy this parody . It's an underrated film and looks super on DVD . |
522,856 | 4,445,210 | 756,427 | 9 | Good Story , Spectacular Visuals | A frantic woman is seen desperately racing down a street as some unseen motorist is terrorizing her , crashing into her . She loses control of the car , crashes and dies . Well , at least it looks like that until later it's determined another blow to the head - not from the collision - is what really killed her . In the trunk of her car is a dead man , but early on we discover who and why he there . That means one killer is in custody , but who killed the driver ? The usual twists and turns occur and two instances of abuse - one a surprise because it involves a CSI worker - are uncovered . The story is interesting but the colors in here are even better . The visuals in this episode are exceptional , even a notch above the very-high standards of this series . |
524,874 | 4,445,210 | 44,659 | 9 | Artwork Really Captures Christmas | This is another winner from the Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume Two , with fantastic artwork that captures the colorful Christmas setting magnificently . We open with a beautiful depiction of an old house under a snowfall . It's " the night before Christmas and all through the night . . . . " Sylvester interrupts the calm narrative voice and spits out " oh , goody , Santy Clause has been here and I've been a good pussycat " as he admires all the gifts under the tree . He opens one of them and discovers a rubber mouse , which doesn't exactly thrill him . In seconds , he hears a bird singing " Jingle Bells . " It's Tweety in his cage , gift-wrapped " to Granny . " Sylvester switches tags and puts " to kitty " on the birdcage instead . Suffice to say , without spoiling anything , Sylvester is not in Christmas spirit , only wanting to eat Tweety , and when a big bulldog jumps out of another present and eats Sylvester , Granny has to keep on top of things or there will be nothing left of either Tweety or Sylvester . Granny sums it up best : " Land sakes alive : what a house ! " |
526,537 | 4,445,210 | 71,315 | 9 | A Bit Confusing But Always Fascinating | No sense going into a detailed review describing what this film is about because there are enough reviews already . I'll just say it took me several viewings to finally figure out what was going on . It's not an easy to story to follow . It's also unusual : a crime story dealing with rights to water . To many people , that's odd but water has always been a precious commodity in southern California . There is nothing confusing about how this film looks . It's a treat for one's eyes , especially if you love that 1940s look , which I do . This movie just drips with Los Angeles film noir atmosphere : a rich-looking piece of cinema with great period detail . What stands out in most people's memory of this film is another odd thing : a man's nose getting sliced . Here , it's Jack Nicholson getting a " nose job " courtesy of some thugs . Jack , playing " Jake Gittes , " will forever be known ( among wild roles ) as the guy with a bandage on his nose , thanks to this movie . As interesting as he is , along with Faye Dunaway and the rest of the cast , I always get a kick out of seeing John Huston in here . I love the way he sounds and acts , and I'm sorry he had such a short role . Overall , an always-fascinating film no matter how many times you watch it or how well you understand it . |
523,766 | 4,445,210 | 25,385 | 9 | Boxing Was Big Back In The ' 30s | It's Bluto , " the champ , " verses Popeye , " the sailor man , " in the " fight of the century . " I think this theme - a big boxing match between these two guys - was used in a couple of other Popeye cartoons down the road , but I enjoyed this one the best . Boxing was a subject used in a lot of feature films in the 1930s and ' 40s . In the ' 30s , three sports ruled in the United States : baseball , horse racing and boxing . Anyway , this cartoon has the insane sight gags of the ' 30s I enjoy where inanimate objects are anything but that , such as microphones turning into mouths and correcting each other's grammar ! How about Bluto working out on a 1 , 000-pound iron punching bag , which he pulverizes and turns into an automobile ? ( Popeye did a lot of these things in these early cartoons such a punch a big fish and having it turn into hundreds of sardines . Things like that . ) The big fight , held at " Yank-Um Stadium , " another pun used many times in cartoons of the ' 30s and ' 40s , This might have been the first cartoon in which Popeye uttered a popular phrase describing himself : " I am what I am and that's all that I am ! " He says that after Olive comes into his pre-fight dressing room and says if he boxes , she's going to leave him . The boxing match , of course , was funny with some unique aspects that drew some laughs from me . Just one example : Bluto's trainer cooling him off waving a towel at his chest and the tattoo of a sailboat sailing off with the breeze . It that's kind of cartoon lunacy that makes this genre entertaining . |
524,671 | 4,445,210 | 44,625 | 9 | One Of The Wildest , Action-Packed Tom and Jerry Cartoons | Whether this was a rip-off of the Tweety-and-Sylvester ' toon called " Kitty Foiled " or not was immaterial to me once I watched this because this was outstanding . ( So was " Kitty Foiled . " ) The sight-gags , pratfalls , slapstick nonsense , etc . , were almost all very clever in this short as Tom tries one thing after another to either get the canary or Jerry . It's mayhem , with one catastrophe after another happening the hapless cat . Is imitation of a flying bat is pretty wild . Actually , it's almost too much action . After awhile , you want to say : " stop ! slow down for a second ! " Overall , however , it entertains nicely and provides a lot of laughs , which is the idea . The artwork in here is pretty good , too . |
525,167 | 4,445,210 | 44,421 | 9 | Love Those ' Asides " & The Music | I almost always laugh when a cartoon character turns to us , the audience , and makes a remark . Early in this animated short , Sylvester , turns and whispers to us , " How naive can you get ? " That's after Tweety is asking him what he wants as the cat reaches into the cage , trying to steal him from the front window at " Stacy's " Department Store . Also funny , and usually taken for granted by us viewers , is the music . I liked the violin strings being plucked each time Sylvester would tiptoe around that department store front window and then in the main store as he stalked Tweety ( who had flown away just before being eaten as a sandwich ) . There are the normal amount of great sight gags in here , such as Sylvester making a ladder out of mannequins and then becoming part of the mannequin , or the goofy cat trying on women's hats or the chase through the doll house . This is very entertaining all the way with great gags and great music . |
526,190 | 4,445,210 | 86,423 | 9 | A Drama With Realism , Heart & Dignity | This is a movie with a lot of " dignity . " It has such realistic people , it kept me fascinated because it seemed so different from most films I've watched . There aren't a lot of dramatic things that happen in the story yet , as a whole , it's a wonderful tale that stays with you . It's a lot more than just seeing an Oscar-winning performance by Robert Duvall as Texan and former C & W singer and writer , " Mac Sledge . " It's simply good storytellingI can't say I am a fan of Duvall's country singing , but that is the only thing I didn't like . Well , maybe " Dixie " ( Betty Buckley ) , who played a bitter ex-wife of Duvall's in here . She was not pleasant , but others were really nice , likable people . Yet , this is not some sappy movie just because most of the people are good folks . As in film noirs in which the viewer has a sense of dread , knowing something bad is around the corner , I felt the same thing in this film , even though it didn't necessarily happen . I mean with the main characters : Mac , Rosa Lee and Sonny . There was underlying tension , probably because of Sledge's alcoholic and violent past , that made me fear that any minute he was going to ruin the nice setup he had with a good woman and nice stepson . Duvall , as usual , makes his role a fascinating and unpredictable one . With many of the people he has played over the years , you never am sure what his characters are going to do next . Tess Harper , as Mac's new wife , and Alan Hubbard , as her son , are two of the most realistic characters I've ever seen on film . It helped they were from the area so their accents were real . This is a just straight drama , with a solid screenplay by Horton Foote and direction by Bruce Beresford ( " Driving Miss Daisy " ) . In addition , actors Buckley ( who can sing , too ) , Wilford Brimley and Ellen Barkin all give memorable supporting performances . It was an interesting tale of something I have rarely seen on film in the past 50 years : a good Christian woman lifting up a man to her level . She never had to do it verbally , never nagged or preached to the man , just set example of how to act and be a loving , supportive spouse . There is a lesson for people here with how well " Rosa Lee " handled situations . Nice . . . . . very nice . |
524,496 | 4,445,210 | 114,388 | 9 | Emma Can Break Your Heart | Wow , here's an emotional story that gets you involved and wears you out by the end . I wears you out not from action , but from watching two good ladies suffer heartbreaks one after the other . This is not my normal viewing fare but I am big fan of two things this movie has to offer : ( 1 ) Emma Thompson and ( 2 ) incredible visuals . Few people were better in the 1990s at playing the sensible-sweet-wholesome and pretty and-always unfairly ignored woman than Thompson ( see The Remains Of The Day and Howards End ) . Your heart aches for this woman whose characters always deserve better than what they receive . . Her facial expressions alone convey pain better than anyone I've ever seen on film . This is perhaps her best work and it was justice she was honored for it . It was refreshing to see Alan Rickman actually place a nice guy and Kate Winslet was appealing , too - a far cry from spoiled brat role in the film that gave her stardom , Titantic . One tip that I found useful in watching this movie . If you are not British , you might switch on the English subtitles to better understand the dialog and the phraseology of early 19th century England , in which this story takes place . The only problem with using the subtitles is that it detracts from marveling at these visuals . This is one of the prettiest films I have ever seen , on both the inside and outside scenes . It's just gorgeous cinematography frame after frame with beautiful colors . Nice music score , too . This kind of story is a bit too soap opera-like for my normal tastes but to watch Thompson and to ogle the colors , sets and scenery makes it all a rewarding experience . For women who like these kind of Jane Austen stories , this must really be a special film . For the rest of us , it's still very much worth seeing , and adding to one's DVD collection . It''s great film-making . |
525,785 | 4,445,210 | 44,522 | 9 | Lots Of Good Sight Gags | Mascot Tom has been hired aboard a cruise ship . He has the assignment to make sure there are no mice on board . " If I find one , you'll be fired , " says the ship's captain . Minutes later , here comes Jerry on his way on-board , complete with straw hair and playing his banjo . He's going to Hawaii aboard the U . S . S . Aloha . As he gets to the top , however , Tom is there to greet him and boot him back onto the dock . Now Jerry has to find a way to get on the ship , past Tom . He tries several clever ways , climbing a rope , pole vaulting , etc . , and finally succeeds when he hitches a ride on the anchor , which is being hoisted out of the water . The rest of the cartoon is Tom discovering Jerry and trying to get rid of him before the captain spots the mouse . En route , there are lots of good sight gags making this an entertaining short . A clever scene had the two cats winding up in a room where they were showing a Tom and Jerry cartoon ! |
522,408 | 4,445,210 | 120,901 | 9 | A Fun Movie For Film Buffs | Since " The Fugitive " is one of my all-time favorites , this takeoff on it was fun and enjoyable for me to watch . Hey , sometimes it's best to laugh at ourselves and the things we like . For much of it , this movie was laugh-out-loud funny . It helped not only to know " The Fugitive " story well but also " North By Northwest , " " Casablanca " " Titantic , " and many , many other films , both classic and modern-day . The more familiar you are with movies , the more of these " inside " jokes are going to make you laugh . Being a movie buff , a lot of these gags connected and made me really have a good time watching this Leslie Nielsen farce . Be warned , parents : this is not a family comedy . There are tons of sexual innuendos , so typical of today's comedies . |
522,892 | 4,445,210 | 413,300 | 9 | Gives You Your Money's Worth Of Entertainment | I suppose a film like this will fall into one of two categories for fans of this series : either this was the best of the three or the worst . My vote goes to it being the " best " although I prefer Superman and Batman over Spidey in the superhero category , anyway . However , I did find this movie extremely entertaining . Silly ? Yes , but it's a Marvel Comics cartoon-come-to-life , so anything goes . A little too long ? Probably . . . . . yet I was never bored watching this , and I - and I assume most people - certainly got their money's worth for action , special effects , cool villains , romance , sentiment , good vs . evil , revenge vs . forgiveness , etc . Even two main characters : Spider-Man and his pal Harry - both had two different personalities in this story . There is so much material packed into this movie , it almost too much for one sitting . The film can wear you out ! . Myself , I thought " The Sandman " was the coolest part of this movie . I've read a few of the comic books and thought he was the most interesting of the villains so I was curious to see how he'd be presented in here . I was not disappointed . His scenes were awesome ! This is a rare film : a ton of action and , at the end , a sincere message of forgiveness , not revenge , being the answer . Wow , is that refreshing to hear . Yes , the revenge is more fun . . . . . . but never as satisfying . For a little over two hours of totally escapist entertainment , this fills the bill . |
524,113 | 4,445,210 | 304,421 | 9 | Age Hasn't Slowed These Guys , Either | This was much better than I had expected , not that I didn't expect a decent performance from these guys . I just didn't know exactly what to expect since they were long past their " prime . " However , like a number of other ' 60s groups that are still playing , these guys are still very good . Age doesn't seem to hurt their ability to sing , play instruments and entertain in concert . Most of the songs were the classics of the group , the ones that made them famous . These gray-haired " old-timers " were very animated and really into the concert , and did a great job with their old songs . The concert had some electricity to it . The crowd appreciated their efforts and made this a fun DVD to watch and hear . Overall , this is solid music by a classy group , who may look old but can still rock and sing with the best of ' em . |
522,705 | 4,445,210 | 389,860 | 9 | Funny & Touching - A Good Combination | This was a funny and - near the end - a touching movie . That's a nice combination to have . My only complaint is that it certainly isn't " family fare " for a nice story and should have been rated " R , " not PG-13 . There's simply too much sexual material ( and and f-word ) for PG-13 . With some editing , this could have been a great story for everyone . However , for us adults who like to laugh , there is plenty in here to do that . The jokes come pretty fast , right from the get-go . The premise would good : with a ( television-like ) remote control , you could control your life . You could fast-forward through all the unpleasant scenes in your life , or freeze frame something that is happening now , or you could go back into time with your life . It all sounds good , but as our main character " Michael Newman " ( Adam Sandler ) found out , it's not so cool . That's a key message here , too , that avoiding the bad things is not necessarily what's best for us . The major message , however , was that spending time with your family is more important than putting your job ahead of them , as far as priorities go . That theme leads to some touching scenes in the final 30 minutes of this comedy . As funny as this film is , you would be hard-pressed not to have some tears in your eyes at some point near the end of this film . Sandler plays a typical role for him , and utters some great lines and uses sight gags as well for plenty of his laughs . Kate Bekinsale , who plays his wife " Donna , " looks absolutely beautiful , the prettiest I've seen her since " Pearl Harbor . " She plays a nice lady in here , too . Their little kids - especially the girl ( Tatum McCann ) - are cute and funny at times . I won't mention the dog . I can't without being crude . Christopher Walken is here , and that usually means good news as he tends to play fun-and-interesting characters . Unfortunately - just a warning - this comedy , as so many modern-day ones are , has its share of crude moments , some language and the above-mentioned sexual material . Overall , it was extremely , entertaining , however . |
524,484 | 4,445,210 | 120,912 | 9 | 5 Reasons Why I Like This Sequel Better | This sequel to a popular first film was a pleasant surprise to me . In fact , I think I like this better than the original , much better . Why ? Well . . . . . 1 - It is extremely entertaining and just an hour-and-half long ; 2 - It has a much softer edge to it with more humor than the original ; 3 - the special effects with the variety of little aliens are excellent ; 4 - it's easier on the profanity than the first film , making this more kid-friendly ; 5 - at 90 minutes the length of the movie is just right . Yes , the story can be stupid at times , but so was the first one , and the good qualities listed above far outweigh that negative . Tommy Lee Jones is fun to watch again and Will Smith isn't as arrogant as he was in the first movie . This is a no-brainer played strictly for laughs and it succeeds beautifully in that regard . |
527,426 | 4,445,210 | 120,917 | 9 | High Praise For This ' Kids ' Film | You've often heard the sales pitch , " adults will love it , too ! " almost always referring to a kids ' movie and in particularly , an animated movie for children . Well , in this case I agree . Even as a middle-aged adult , I enjoyed this . The dialog is adult-friendly but at the same time not coarse or crude with no sexual innuendos , no profanity or even a hint of it . Yet , it's hip with some very clever lines . The story is interesting and offers a few unique twists . David Spade does a fabulous job narrating , has a very pleasing voice , one that's fun to hear . I actually do think adults would like this more than children . |
525,407 | 4,445,210 | 95,062 | 9 | Another Inventive Effort By Bill Plympton | At first , this is deceiving . It appears to be a lesson about how to draw , but " the magic line _ - the narrator - quickly gets sidetracked and this turns out to be a very funny story and a cartoon that was fascinating to watch , especially if you like the creative process of art . I can't draw worth a lick so I've always enjoyed seeing some of these speed-ed-up images of someone drawing something . That's what happens here as our Chris Hoffman , our narrator , tells of his sad relationship with " Vera . " This is one of these strange Bill Plympton early animated efforts where you almost have to see it to explain it . Words don't come easy trying to describe the crazy images Plympton comes up with in some of his material , such as this one . He just draws out his story - quickly - and adds in the color as he goes from sentence to sentence , becoming emotional ( which is humorous to hear ) as he tells his sad tale of woe . The story of " the line " and how he tries to pick up other women after losing Vera is really entertaining . This , and some of Pympton's other cartoons , are offered in a unique DVD titled , " Plymptoons : The Early Works of Bill Plympton . " You can see the picture of it at the upper left of this title page . |
523,471 | 4,445,210 | 335,119 | 9 | Slow But Wow , Is This A Visual Treat ! | I can't imagine a lot of people , especially anyone under 40 , sitting through this extremely slow film . . . . but I thought it was excellent . However , I am biased because I love great cinematography and stories about famous painters . Sometimes the cameras stay on subject longer than normal , affording the viewer time to really soak it up . If you can stay awake , this film offers some of the prettiest images I've ever seen on film . Scene after scene looks like a classic painting come to life . Scarlet Johannson says very little but is fascinating to watch . For the first-time viewer , there a tension that builds throughout the film leaving wondering what bad thing is about to happen . The story is not an upbeat one , yet not depressing either . One time , I watched this film very early in the morning , something I rarely do , and with the subtitles on . It wasn't a bad way to watch it - a quiet film in the quiet of the pre-dawn hours . The film offers another demonstration of why doesn't have to shed all their clothes to be erotic . This inspired me to read the book , and I enjoyed that , too . |
524,111 | 4,445,210 | 296,840 | 9 | Pleasant Voice , Pleasant Concert | The stage-opera-pop star gives a concert in Fort Lauderdale , Fla . , as part of her " La Luna Tour . " I am guessing the year was 2000 ( it doesn't say ) . Of the several DVDs I have watched of Brightman's I think this one has the best collection of songs . In all there 26 songs giving up an hour-and-a-half of her singing . The visuals are okay , but I've seen better ( her Las Vegas disc , for example ) . I thought the production was excellent , although there is a lot blue in here . That's the dominant color . However , I bought this for her voice , not worrying about the visuals . I am not a fan of female opera singers , but I enjoy her voice and she does enough pop numbers to offset any preponderance of the latter . Her repertoire goes back and forth . This concert offered a few songs I hadn't heard her do before , and ones I really liked such as " He Doesn't See Me " and her version of the Simon & Garfunkel tune , " Scarborough Fair . " It was good to see another great singer , Josh Groban , join her for a number , too . In all , a pleasant concert that you can either watch or be content to use as surround-sound CD while you do something else . |
523,043 | 4,445,210 | 59,898 | 9 | Driving A Poor Custodian Crazy | It's the Pink Panther torment a night-time department store custodian . I guess our hero is a kind of homeless type of guy who hangs out wherever he can find a warm , indoor spot . In this case , he's lying comfortably in the rug section . Problems ( and some very good sight gags ) start when the Panther goes inside a tiger-skin and the janitor gets lazy , trying to sweep the dust and stuff inside the tiger's mouth . The PP shoves the dust right back at him . From that point , the Panther , undetected by the employee , drives the poor man crazy , appearing and re-appearing in different departments of the store , including the escalators . In the meanwhile , the PP takes a bath in a washing machine , and tries out a few other things in the store such as the " Miracle chair . " Most of them are have pretty funny results . Overall , this was very entertaining . |
526,940 | 4,445,210 | 24,578 | 9 | The Strangest Snow White You'l Ever See | This is another of those Betty Boop cartoons that feature two things : music and an insane storyline with wild visuals where crazy things happen one after the other . Back in the late ' 60s , we would have thought the cartoonists who made this had to be stoned . I say that because this is not any Snow White story you've ever seen . It's so strange , and it's almost hard to describe . In one fairly long scene , we hear the voice of the great Cab Calloway while some ghostly spirit-like figure dances through some Dante's Infero / hello underground . It's really bizarre ! Earlier , we get the ugly queen talking several times to her " looking glass " ( mirror ) with dialog such as , " Am I the fairest in the place ? " The mirror answers , " If I was you , I'd hide my face ! " I'm telling you ; these guys MUST have been on acid who wrote and drew some of these early Betty Boop cartoons ! They are so wild , it's unbelievable . |
524,744 | 4,445,210 | 863,930 | 9 | Some Very Funny Scenes In Here | While in the paddock area with a horse called " Bell Boy , " Bilko is making sarcastic comments to Henshaw and Rocco about that horse . They had received a tip from a new recruit , fresh off the farm in Kentucky - a kid who knows all about horses who told Bilko to bet this horse . " Hey , " explains the recruit " Pvt . Carter , " " he has good breeding . He's from the family of Native Dancer . " " Yeah , " replies Bilko , " that explains the slow mambo he was just doing . How am I going to face my platoon when I've lost half their money on this horse ? " After Bilko finds out the horse is for sale for $100 and the kid discovers second later that the horse has a leg problem he could fix . " When he's cured , the horse could make thousands winning stakes races , " says the new recruit . His greedy Bilko is hooked and buys the horse . The problem is " how do we hide the horse from Colonel Hall ? " Later , it also becomes , " How do we feed the horse , get blankets , medical supplies , etc ? " To make matters worse , there is going to be a surprise inspection by old " spit and polish , " which has Col . Hall very concerned . This was a fun episode with a couple of memorable scenes , such as the four guys in the platoon having to eat oats for four days and the Colonel being woken up each night at 4 a . m . hearing a horse race by his window . |
524,701 | 4,445,210 | 1,188,230 | 9 | Young Boys Witness Brutal Slaying Of Their Mom | This was an interesting look at the big city of Atltana , " which is about as southern as a can of Boston baked beans , " according to narrator Paul Winfield . His point was , as most people know , Atltanta has a lot of northern people living it in . Northern money rebuilt the city after Gen . Sherman burned it down in 1864 during the Civil War . . . . and Atlanta hasn't stopped growing since . We get some astonishing skyscraper views in this " City Confidential " episode , along with a few shots of the major road systems and horrendous traffic that residents have to endure daily . You really get the feel of a big northern city . We learn about the businesses , leading off with Coca-Cola , who built up the area and provided tons of jobs for those Yankees who invaded the area . We also learn about where the Atlanta folks moved who wanted to raise families in the safest areas : they moved north of the city . One such couple were the Tokars who were single people from the Buffalo , New York , area who moved to Atlanta . Sara Ambrusko was a beautiful girl , the daughter of a prominent physician in a Buffalo suburb . One day on Atlanta TV , she spotted an old high school friend , Fredric Tokars , on the screen and called him up . She was homesick and wanted to talk to someone from her home town . Three months later , they were married . How many times have you wound up seeing that being a mistake : dating for that short a period and getting married ? In this case , it turned out to be a fatal mistake . Fredric Tokars didn't wind up being the handsome , dashing lawyer he looked like on TV . Oh , he was successful ; first as an assistant district attorney and then as his own boss as a criminal defense attorney . The problem was he began to be in cahoots with some of his shady clients . It turns out Sara was very happy being a stay-at-home mom and loved raising her two little boys in a high-class neighborhood in Marietta . He was a immoral kind of husband who frequented prostitutes , got mixed up in the drug business and , well . . . . . was just a bad guy . When he wouldn't grant her a divorce , she wound up getting the goods on him and rather than her spilling what she knew about his illegal activities , he hired one of the thugs he had gotten involved with , to kill her . . This took place in December of 1992 . The worst part about this story is hearing that the two little boys witnessed the murder , all three sitting in the front of their car when the hired murderer kidnapped them when they arrived home from a trip . They never even got out of their car . About a mile down the road in the ultra-quiet neighborhood , Sara screamed and the killer blasted half her head off with a sawed-off shotgun . The boys were covered in blood and ran for help . ( Try living the rest of your life with those memories . ) This episode , as almost all City Confidental episodes are , is very biased . All the people interviewed are on her the woman's side ( mostly Sara's sisters ) and nobody is pictured saying anything good about the husband . Of course , in this situation , how can you ? You can't . The only question was : " Will Tokars get the death penalty ? " Tokars did not get the death penalty , which did not please the family and friends of Sara's . . |
524,498 | 4,445,210 | 114,287 | 9 | Powerful , Involving Story | This is one powerful film . The first time I saw it , the Scottish accents made it tough for me to understand a lot and that ruined the viewing experience . I gave up on it but then acquired the DVD , used the English subtitles when I needed them , and really got into this movie , discovering just how good it is . It is excellent . The widescreen picture makes it spectacular in parts , with some wonderful rugged scenery and the story reminded me of Braveheart , an involving tale of good versus evil . Here , it's Liam Neeson ( good ) vs . Tim Roth ( evil ) . Both do their jobs well . Few actors come across as despicable as Roth . Man , you really want to smack this guy in his arrogant , irritating puss . ( He is so nasty and vile the sick critics love his character more than anyone else's here ) . Neeson is a man's man and a solid hero figure as Gibson was in Braveheart . Jessica Lange is strong in here as the female lead . The movie draws you in and gets you totally involved , so prepared to have an emotional experience viewing this . |
523,618 | 4,445,210 | 358,912 | 9 | ' Son Of Sam ' Is Now ' Son Of Hope ' | I felt this was one of the more interesting Biographiy episodes because of all that preceded the main story and was tacked on at the end , about a man who terrorized New York City in the mid 1970s . David Berkowitz , a . k . a . Son Of Sam and a . k . a . The . 44 Calibre Killer , certainly doesn't look and talk like the same man he was in the 1970s . He is one of the few murderers who sounds legit when he talks about his conversion to Christianity . I rarely believe those guys , but Berkowitz convinced me . Does mean he should be released ? No , of course not , and he admits it , too . The point is , it was interesting to see and hear him today , some 30 years after he made national headlines with his killing spree . Berkowitz's childhood , and one reason why he turned out as he did , centered around the fact that he was adopted . Years ago , that was a big deal and often a sore spot among kids . Other kids would taunt you about it . It's hard to believe , but it's true . Horrified by this , David wound up a mama's boy , a loner , a child who poisoned the family parakeet so he could get more attention . At 10 , he saw a child psychologist , but it didn't help . He was a " closed book , " very private . Biography goes on to explain his life in the military , and how Berkowitz's insecurity got worse all the time , how he thought he was worthless . The program then details his quest to find out who his real parents were and how that didn't turn out well , either . He finally met his birth mother and was very disappointed . He turned to Satanic cults . Mentally , things go worse and by 1976 , he had come to the conclusion he needed to kill a woman to make up for the suffering his real mom and other women had given him . So in July of 1976 , the killings began . Oddly , the TV program notes that Berkovitz - while cruising the city nightly for good places to kill people - also carried with his first aid equipment because he wanted to be a hero ! ( I told you his story here was fascinating . ) Anyway , after the fifth killing , a new American citizen female from Bulgaria , police knew they had a crazed killer on their hands and dubbed him " the . 44 caliber killer . " By the sixth murder , Berkowitz leaves police a note and refers to himself as " Son of Sam . " It goes on until a parking ticket , of all things , leads to his arrest . It was almost anti-climactic . The cops didn't even know who they had when they arrested him . Berkowitz told them , " Well , you finally got me . " " Who do we have ? " " You have ' the Son of Sam . ' " He didn't go easily after the trial , claiming he only killed three people that the Satanic cult did the rest . He seems to have peace with himself now , though . In 2005 , David Berkowitz wrote a book called " Son Of Hope . " Amazon reviewers give it five stars . |
525,624 | 4,445,210 | 86,190 | 9 | One Of The Best In The Series | Up until the sixth and last episode of the Star Wars saga , which finally ended in 2005 , I had always looked at this 1983 entry as my favorite film of the long-running series . The varied action scenes and really different characters ( Jabba The Hut , furry woodland creatures , etc . ) made this a particularly appealing movie . None of the action ever focused too long in one spot , either . The last half hour exemplifies this the most as the scene switches every few minutes from the woods to the battle among space ships to the individual laser-duel between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader . Another nice characteristic this film had that the two previous did not was the absence of in-fighting between two of the stars . Gone was the incessant bickering between Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford . Finally , everyone was on the same page ! It was nice to see . In the end , this was simply a wonderful adventure tale , more than anything else . |
524,478 | 4,445,210 | 421,238 | 9 | A Different Kind Of ' Western ' | Wow , what a brutal " western . " I put " western " in quotes because most people think of the western half of the United States as being the locale for western movies . This movie was made and set in Australia but the time frame is similar : around 1880 . What's " brutal " about the story is the violence , bloodshed and language - but only in spots . The language is odd in that the vocabulary of most of the people is above-average , but be warned there are a number of f-words . I question whether that word was around in the 19th century , but it's prevalent in this film . Actually , the violent scenes will be more offensive to viewers than the profanity . Like the profanity , however , the violence only comes in spurts . Most of the film has much calmer moments , surprisingly low-key . One thing that is there throughout the 104 minutes is the excellent cinematography . This is a pretty film , nicely shot with some beautiful scenery and colors , stylish at times , too . To me , this was the best part of the movie . It's indeed a visual treat . Benoit Delholmme deservedly won several international awards for his camera-work in here . The story is uniquely presented , different enough that it kept me very involved wondering what was coming next . For those expecting a brainless revenge story or shoot ' em up western , they will be disappointed . There is a lot of thought to this film , and it varies scene - to-scene from classy to crude . Guy Pearce , Ray Winstone and Emily Watson are three actors I am familiar with , and I enjoyed all three of their performances . This is not a well-known movie here in the States , but if you like tough westerns and something a bit different , check it out . |
523,073 | 4,445,210 | 25,029 | 9 | Bluto As Fred Astaire - Yup ! | Dance contests were pretty big back in the old days , especially during the Depression . People , desperate for money , would do about anything to get a cash prize The worst , of course , were the grueling " marathon dances , " but many times the contests just involved regular dances and judging what couple looked best . Fred Astaire featured some of these type of contests in his movies . The chief judge here , Wimpy , has a unique way of eliminating couples . He pulls a switch and the floor gives way in that section , making the people disappear with an " ohhh , " a thud and a bang ! This guy was a brutal judge . Anyway , Popeye is no Astaire , but Bluto is pretty slick ( with his hair , too . ) He grabs Olive and waltz's her pretty good around the floor . He's actually impressive as a hoofer . A dejected Popeye claims , " I guess I have no sex appeal . " He forlornly walks back to his table and eats a bowl of spinach . Well , that spinach goes right to his feet - and , look out ! This was different in that I wouldn't picture these two macho guys competing as dancers , but it made for another entertaining cartoon and I'm sure audiences who were familiar with all dances back then , loved it . Both the guys - and Olive , who was almost like Ginger Rogers with her moves - were steppin ' out ! Good fun all-around . |
523,579 | 4,445,210 | 94,963 | 9 | Last ' ' Dirty Harry ' ' And A Good One | This was the fifth and last " Dirty Harry " movie with Clint Eastwood playing the hero again , Inspector Harry Callahan , cleaning up the streets of San Francisco from all the scumbag criminals . I've always found " The Dead Pool " to be one of his best in this series . It's entertaining with pretty taut suspense and always fun to go back and see a young Jim Carrey . It's always cool , too , to watch those little remote-control cars with bombs attached go speeding through the streets underneath automobiles . At an hour-and-a-half , there are no dry spots in this film , either . The female lead , Patricia Clarkson , is not one of my favorites . Eastwood seems to like those skinny blonds . Evan Kim , playing " Harry's " new partner , " Al Quan , " was a likable guy . Even Harry's slightly more low-key in this movie , his language more tame and he gets in a few comedic zingers as well . Carrey plays a totally-despicable drugged-out rock star but he doesn't last long in the film . Carry and Liam Neeson play low-life people and combine to put some sleaze into the story . Despite the usual less-than-credible action scenes at the end ( where the villains miss from point-blank range , etc . ) , this is still a very entertaining movie and one of my favorites among the " Dirty Harry " films . Clint went out in style with this film . |
527,339 | 4,445,210 | 25,071 | 9 | Sleepwalking Slapstick Has To Be Seen To Be Believed ! | Sometimes a theme song , so to speak , accompanies these early Popeye cartoons , and that's the case here as we listen to " Have You Ever Seen A Dream Walking ? " Well , Popeye does here with Olive Oyl . So does Bluto . These two spot Olive outside walking on a flagpole and on the roof of their high-rise building and both vow " to save her . " In this episode , both guys have rooms on the second-to-the-top floors and Olive lives on the top floor . Both guys have Olive's picture above their bed and Olive has both guys ' photos above hers ! Yes , this is the first of instance of many years of fickleness by Olive . Prior to this , the first 14 cartoons had Olive strictly interested in Popeye only . As the years went on , she played the two guys against each other all the time . Tons of sight gags make this an excellent Popeye cartoon . Olive taking giant strides from rooftop to rooftop to a construction sight are very good ; the shots the two guys trying to save her are clever . . . . very clever with all three of them sleepwalking on the high beams at one point . You really have to see this as a description doesn't quite do it justice . The ending , though , isn't justice for poor Popeye . This was a hoot to watch and looked fantastic on that restored DVD package of cartoons featuring Popeye from 1933 to 1938 . They did great job from the master prints of these theatrical releases . |
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