Collateral (DVD) Review

Nominated for two Academy Awards, Collateral is an electrifying, high-energy drama about a paid assassin who kidnaps a cab driver in order to carry out his work. With a high quality performance by Jamie Foxx, Collateral is a movie that draws viewer interest with relative ease. Tom Cruise turns in an outstanding performance as the noted hit man, and Jada Pinkett Smith enjoys one of her more notable roles as a high profile assistant district attorney. One of the best action-packed thrillers of 2004, Collateral is an unforgettable glimpse into the seedy underworld of drug-running and criminal activity. You won't want to miss it...

Collateral centers around the life of a Los Angeles taxicab driver named Max (Jamie Foxx), an easy to get along with guy, a guy with big dreams of owning his own company and vacationing on a beautiful Caribbean island. When he picks up an unusually beautiful fare, an attorney named Annie (Jada Pinkett Smith), the two hit it off real well. Before Annie leaves, she hands Max her card and the two agree to go out on a date. However, Max's next fare has other ideas in mind...

When Max picks up the silver-haired, well-dressed Vincent, he thinks he's got himself just another paying customer. But Max is actually a highly trained professional hit man, and he wants to utilize Max's services for the entirety of the night, in order to take out each of his allotted victims. Regardless of the money flashed in his face, Max doesn't want anything to do with the killings, but Vincent threatens to kill Max if he doesn't comply.

The result is a night in which Vincent methodically carries out murder after murder while Max becomes human collateral, used by Vincent in a war between a murderous drug cartel and eye-witnesses who threaten to destroy them via federal grand jury testimony. As Vincent commits each of his murders-for-hire, the police follow up with an investigation of their own. Slowly, they piece things together. A number of past killings with a similar MO occurred in LA in years ago and always ended with a dead cab driver. As the cops chase after them, the fates of both Vincent and Max become intertwined. Through Vincent's manipulations, Max becomes a tool enlisted to act in other capacities besides driving. And as the night wears on, and Vincent approaches the conclusion of his killing spree, the identity of his last victim becomes glaringly clear, and only Max can stop the notorious hit man before it's too late...

Wrought with suspense and a number of high-energy action sequences, Collateral is an enjoyable film. The blood and gore is not excessive, and the violence is tempered with comic relief, interesting banter, and the evolving relationship between Vincent and Max. The onscreen relationship between the two characters makes an otherwise humdrum script a very fun movie. With stellar performances by Jamie Foxx and Tom Cruise, Collateral is a film well worth seeing.

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a movie review site [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com] where you can find more reviews like this one of the Collateral (DVD) Review [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/collateral-dvd.html].

Big (DVD) Review

The film that propelled Tom Hanks to superstar status, Big is one of the funniest and most family-friendly films ever to hit the big screen. Harboring its own unique charm, the movie wraps a compelling storyline around a cast of likeable characters to create a film audiences will never forget. And, to top it off, Director Penny Marshall became the first woman to direct a film grossing over one-hundred million dollars when Big was first released in 1988 (that's an actual Trivial Pursuit question I ran across that might come in handy someday)...

When a young suburban boy named Josh (David Moscow) attends a local carnival with his family, his young life is turned upside down when the girl he has a crush on is allowed on a rollercoaster while he learns that he is still too young. Distraught, the boy makes a wish on an antique arcade machine. He wishes to be big, and the machine spits out its answer on a small piece of cardboard, "Wish granted." Josh thinks nothing of the reply until he wakes up the next morning as an adult version of himself (Tom Hanks).

Run out of the house by his own mother, Josh turns to his best friend Billy (Jared Rushton) for help. But after convincing his friend, who's only ten-years-old himself, Billy can't provide much help except a small bit of cash and advice on getting a job. When Josh rents an apartment in New York City, Billy comes to visit him periodically. While playing guns in the toy store FAO Schwartz, the two run into MacMillan (Robert Loggia) founder of a toy manufacturer. MacMillan hits it off with Josh (the two step dance a Chopin tune on a giant foot-operated piano in an extremely memorable and famous scene), and the toy titan immediately hires Josh to work for his company in the area of toy-related research.

Climbing the corporate totem pole at MacMillan due to his vast insight into the toy preferences of kids, Josh befriends Susan (Elizabeth Perkins), a top-level executive hoping to learn what makes Josh such a master of the boardroom. But Susan's pursuit of Josh is not looked upon favorably by her colleague Paul (John Heard) who's spent his entire career kissing up to MacMillan only to have the inexperienced Josh appear out of nowhere and become the boss's favorite. This conflict, coupled with the breakdown of Josh and Billy's relationship, causes the adult kid to wish he could be his young self once again...

One of the best scenes in the film is when Susan reveals to Josh that she can't believe she's considering sleeping over at his place. Josh replies by saying he does it all the time and gives her the option of the top or the bottom bunk! Hanks really comes off as a kid trapped in an adult's body, and that's why Big works so well. So well, in fact, that it became an instant comedy classic...

Prior to Sleepless In Seattle, Forrest Gump, and Saving Private Ryan, Tom Hanks took Hollywood by storm with his charming performance in this larger than life movie. Big is a feel-good comedy without any foul language, gratuitous violence, or endless explosions. It simply retells the timeless tale of a young boy who wishes to be grown and doing grown up things, only in this instance, the kid gets his wish. As one of the biggest blockbusters of the 1980s, Big is a definite must-see film. I wouldn't hesitate to see it...

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a movie review site [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com] where you can find more reviews like this one of the Big (DVD) Review [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/big-dvd.html].

The Da Vinci Code (DVD) Review

The Da Vinci Code as a novel is an international bestselling phenomenon, but The Da Vinci Code as a movie is bound to be long forgotten by year's end. Directed by Ron Howard, the Hollywood veteran behind such memorable films as A Beautiful Mind and Cinderella Man, this adaptation of Dan Brown's religious thriller is 149 minutes of monotonous exposition and tedious European spy thriller clichés. What makes Dan Brown's novels so popular is the narrative background on such subjects as cryptography, secret societies, religious orders, and alternative history. But it's difficult to translate such ideas to the big screen, and it's here that The Da Vinci Code fails as a commercial thriller.

Entire scenes are composed of lectures on the history of Christianity and the life of Leonardo Da Vinci. Michael Crichton has a similar style of writing that focuses on scientific breakthroughs and cutting-edge technology, but his novels adapt better to the big screen. Whereas Jurassic Park briefly lectured audiences on the inner-workings of DNA, then quickly jumped to two hours of dinosaurs terrorizing people, The Da Vinci Code keeps explaining, hypothesizing, and lecturing only to leave its audience hanging. The ideas are intriguing, but they make for a far better novel than silver screen blockbuster. Minus the interesting conjecture, the film is nothing more than a poorly written 1970s drugstore spy thriller...

Tom Hanks plays the lead role of Robert Langdon, a Harvard professor of religious symbology lecturing in Paris. When Jacques Sauniere (Jean-Pierre Marielle), curator of the Louvre, is found murdered and strangely positioned in his famous museum, local authorities initially consult Langdon for his expertise. But the professor soon learns from Sauniere's granddaughter, government cryptologist Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou), that he and the prime suspect are one and the same. Creating a diversion for the police, the two discover a hidden trail of clues created by Sauniere in the moments before his death, clues that just might lead them to most elusive treasure in human history - the Holy Grail. With InterPol hot on their trail, and the true murderer still at large, Langdon and Neveu enlist the help of Grail historian Leigh Teabing (Ian McKellen) to teach them the history of the Grail's protectors, The Priory of Scion, and to help them uncover the endless clues that promise to unravel a 2,000 year mystery...

Despite the remarks of most critics, Tom Hanks' performance is not atrocious. Although his character is bland at best, he wasn't given much with which to work. Robert Langdon's lack of development is more attributable to poorly written dialogue and poor choices in direction. Ron Howard tries to cover up some of the excessive dialogue with visual images, but narrative is still narrative even with flashback sequences. Audrey Tautou delivers her lines well, but suffers from the same constraints as her Academy Award-winning screen partner. The only shining performance is provided by Ian McKellen as the eccentric and charming Grail expert, Leigh Teabing. Some of his one-liners add a bit of comic relief, but they're only band-aids on the gushing head wound that is this film. In the end, The Da Vinci Code is a lesson on the distinction between two differing mediums. Movies haven't replaced books, or vice-versa, for a reason. Sometimes, it's just better to read the book. In the case of The Da Vinci Code, this is one of those moments...

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a movie review site [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com] where you can find more reviews like this one of The Da Vinci Code (DVD) Review [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/05/da-vinci-code-dvd.html].

Air Force One (DVD) Review

One of Harrison Ford's better and least appreciated performances, Air Force One is a thrilling film that makes the most of its action hero star and his unique bond with the movie-loving public. In Air Force One, Ford plays the role of President of the United States. In the same way that it's near impossible to envision any other actor in the role of Indiana Jones, it's difficult to envision anyone else as the president in this film. Ford projects the image of such a strong, honorable, and likeable leader that the audience immediately develops a strong attachment to his character. In fact, it's probably this unique ability to connect with both men and women from every strata of life that makes each Harrison Ford movie a bankable blockbuster.

Originally released in 1997, Ford plays President James Marshall, a Vietnam vet turned politician who makes it clear in a stunning Moscow dinner speech that America will now pursue a "zero tolerance" policy on international terrorism (sound familiar?). Boarding Air Force One for the return flight home from Moscow, Marshall is joined by his wife Grace (Wendy Crewson) and his daughter Alice (Liesel Matthews). He's also joined by a contingent of Eastern European journalists led by Ivan Korshunov (Gary Oldman).

Unbeknownst to the President and his fellow Air Force One passengers, the foreign men aren't actually journalists, but an elite team of terrorists bent on taking the president hostage. With a Secret Service agent (Xander Berkeley) among their ranks, Korshunov and his associates maintain intimate inside knowledge of the procedures and safeguards deployed to protect the president on Air Force One. When the agent opens the official weapons cache of Air Force One, his terrorist friends carry out a methodic plan to eliminate the president's security circle...

But in the midst of ensuing gunfire, an escape pod is jettisoned, and the terrorists harbor the impression they have lost their most important hostage, the president. Nevertheless, they retain an entire plane of valuable hostages including the president's wife and daughter. As negotiations with the acting Vice President (Glenn Close) move forward, Korshunov demands the release of General Ivan Radek (Jurgen Prochnow), a communist hardliner who he believes will restore the intoxicating glory of the Soviet Union. Initially, the terrorist demands are met and arrangements are made to release General Radek. But what Korshunov doesn't know is that President Marshall is still onboard Air Force One, having left the escape pod empty, and he's intent on freeing his family and kicking the terrorists off his plane...

Filled with action and some memorable one-liners, Air Force One is a classic Harrison Ford action thriller along the lines of Patriot Games and Clear And Present Danger. In addition, prior to filming Air Force One, the producers were given unprecedented access to the real thing. The result is a film that displays the inner sanctums of Air Force One with stunning accuracy, providing the audience with a glimpse into the actual traveling life of the most powerful man in the world. Overall, this is one movie well worth the time spent, complete with action, suspense, and a bona fide hero...

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a movie review site [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com] where you can find more reviews like this one of the Air Force One (DVD) Review [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/air-force-one-dvd.html].

Office Space (DVD) Review

If Seinfeld is a show about nothing, then Office Space is the hit comedy about one man's "dream of doing nothing"... Arguably the best work-related comedy ever written, Office Space follows the life of Peter Gibbons (Ron Livingston), a computer programmer in his late-twenties who hates his mind-numbing job updating bank software for Initech Corporation. Hilarious from beginning to end, Office Space is the ideal comedy for anyone who's spent one iota of life wasting away in a cubicle...

Office Space focuses on the mundane world of Peter Gibbons and his fellow computer programmers Samir Nagheenanajar (Ajay Naidu) and Michael Bolton (David Herman). All three men are plagued by the condescending, soul-killing management techniques of their Satan-like boss, Bill Lumbergh (Gary Cole), who begins every utterance with a protracted "Yeah..." Terribly unhappy with his job, and discontent with his romantic relationship, Peter whines about his horrible life while sipping coffee at Chotchkie's, a local restaurant where he's infatuated with a beautiful waitress named Joanna (Jennifer Aniston). Just like Peter, Joanna hates her job and her evil boss who forces her to wear "pieces of flair". Samir and Michael encourage Peter to ask her out, but he's too paralyzed by life to do anything.

All that changes, however, when Peter visits a hypnotherapist with his girlfriend. In the act of sending Peter into a state of total relaxation, the hypnotherapist suffers a heart attack. His untimely death leaves Peter in a perpetual state of relaxation, providing his life with a much needed injection of enjoyment. The next morning, Peter sleeps through work, dumps his girlfriend, and asks Joanna out to lunch. The two hit it off, and Peter tells Joanna that he's going to stop going to work.

After a good week or so of neglecting his job, two independent consultants, Bob Slydell (John McGinley) and Bob Porter (Paul Willson), promote Peter to the upper ranks of management. Meanwhile, studious co-workers Samir and Michael are slated to be fired. Armed with this insider information, Peter approaches Michael about concocting a previously mentioned computer program to take the remainders of every bank transaction at Initech and funnel them into a private account owed by Peter, Samir, and Michael. Michael is reluctant until he finds out he's going to be fired.

While the two set out to convince Samir that their plan will work, resident office weirdo Milton Waddams (Stephen Root) is in the process of having his paycheck stopped by the consultants who uncover the fact that Milton was fired several years earlier but is still being paid. When Bill Lumbergh moves Milton's desk into the basement, he quietly vows revenge.

Meanwhile, one of the funniest sequences in the movie takes place when long-time corporate cog Tom Smykowski (Richard Riehle) achieves a lifelong dream when he's severely injured by a drunk driver. Fresh off a seven-figure settlement, and in possession of his prototype "jump to conclusions mat," Tom tells Peter to hang in there, that life has a lot of good things in store for those who wait. In the meantime, Samir and Michael grow nervous when Tom's lawyer reveals that white collar criminals go to federal "pound-me-in-the-ass" prison where they better "beat someone up or become someone's bitch" on the first day. Office Space is one laugh after another, and our heroes' nefarious plan works surprisingly well until it hits an unforeseen glitch. With their well laid scheme going up in smoke, Milton decides to create some smoke of his own...

The brainchild of King of the Hill and Beavis & Butthead creator Mike Judge, Office Space will leave you in absolute stitches. Funny from beginning to end, with a plot mysteriously similar to Superman 3, this is one movie you need to see at least once if you've ever been trapped in a job from hell, and haven't we all?

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a movie review site [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com] where you can find more reviews like this one of the Office Space (DVD) Review [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/office-space-dvd.html].

Must Love Dogs (DVD) Review

One of the least appreciated films of 2005 is Must Love Dogs, an upbeat romantic comedy about two recent divorcees. Directed and adapted to screen by Gary David Goldberg, veteran TV writer for such shows as MASH and Family Ties, the film offers a number of laughs and very little in the way of strained or forced moments. As usual, John Cusack's character appears on the big screen as an amicable and enigmatic personality. Cusack and Diane Lane make for a good onscreen pairing, but the script is somewhat lacking in its ability to deliver. Much like Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail, the concept and the couple are intriguing, but the unmet high expectations leave much to be desired...

Must Love Dogs follows the life of Sarah Nolan (Diane Lane), a recently divorced preschool teacher attempting to move on with her life. Sarah's sister Carol (Elizabeth Perkins) is constantly nagging her to get out and meet Mr. Right, but her prodding does nothing to animate the borderline depressed Sarah. Nevertheless, Carol's well-intentioned act of signing her sister onto PerfectMatch.com provides a handful of prospective leads. One of them is a recently divorced woodworking artist named Jake (John Cusack), and the two agree to meet in the park with their dogs. The encounter is a forgettable one, but the two develop a mild attraction to one another.

Meanwhile, Bob (Dermot Mulroney) the father of one of Sarah's students, develops his own attraction for Sarah, forming a love triangle that leaves Sarah in utter confusion. As Sarah's widowed father Bill (Christopher Plummer) plays the field with much greater success, it only seems to exacerbate Sarah's disillusioned outlook. But when one of her father's new female friends, the likeable and spunky Dolly (Stockard Channing) dispenses some of her own advice on life and relationships, it makes for a more interesting and humorous film. Caught in the lurch between two unknown outcomes, Sarah must choose the relationship that is right for her. But in the course of her hesitation, she risks losing the only relationship of the two which is truly worth her while.

Fun and oftentimes witty, Must Love Dogs has some great scenes and original one-liners. Based on the bestselling novel by Claire Cook, Must Love Dogs will never be confused with a deeply symbolic or Oscar worthy picture, and the plot itself is quite predictable. But the film manages to do the most important job a film can do: entertain. Although it suffers at moments from use of bad dialogue, it's not a total throwaway film. Like another recent Diane Lane movie, Under The Tuscan Sun, the mandatory gay friend with attractive significant other is present for relationship advice. That's just one of a variety of overused Hollywood clichés the viewer will encounter, along with the coincidence of Jake meeting Sarah's father and Sarah's end-of-the-movie race to embrace Jake, of which I must ask, why couldn't she just wait until he got ashore? Because it wouldn't make for a magical romantic movie ending, that's why. Otherwise, Must Love Dogs is a likeable picture with many funny moments most will enjoy...

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a movie review site [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com] where you can find more reviews like this one of the Must Love Dogs (DVD) Review [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/05/must-love-dogs-dvd.html].

Braveheart (DVD) Review

Long before The Passion of the Christ, Mel Gibson directed another cinematic masterpiece, Braveheart. Filmed against the backdrop of majestic mountains and rolling meadows, it tells the historically-based (yet not entirely accurate) story of William Wallace, a common man's warrior who led the Scottish people in rebellion against King Edward I, also known as "Longshanks". Written by Randall Wallace, an American tourist fascinated with a Scottish statue of his namesake, the script collected dust in Hollywood for over a decade before Gibson made the brilliant decision to put it on the big screen. Just like The Passion, it's a decision he would not regret...

Set in the 11th Century, Braveheart catalogues the struggle of Scottish serfs who labor under the brutal oppression of English occupation forces. Amidst these terrible conditions, William Wallace (Mel Gibson) falls in love with Murron MacClannough (Catherine McCormack). Insistent on not sharing his wife (a proclamation by the king gives local rulers "first-night rights" to new brides) Wallace secretly marries Murron. Nevertheless, an English knight assaults her, sparking a fight with Wallace. Fleeing the village, Wallace believes Murron has escaped and will soon meet him at a secret rendezvous point. But Murron is captured and executed by the king's emissaries.

Angered by his wife's murder, Wallace instigates a local rebellion, slaughtering all the king's loyalists in his village. As his rebellion grows, a distraught Longshanks (Patrick McGoohan) dispatches his fabled Northern Army to destroy it. But the heroic Wallace delivers a stirring speech to rouse his men, while deploying an ingenious battlefield trick to defeat the king's cavalry.

With the power and legend of Wallace growing day by day, Longshanks relies on his daughter-in-law, Princess Isabelle (Sophie Marceau) to broker a truce. But Isabelle's power is limited, and Wallace realizes his people can only win freedom if backed by the Scottish nobles. Their appointed leader is Robert the Bruce (Angus MacFadyen) who vacillates between his own idealistic views and his father's pessimistic pragmatism. Will the nobles join with Wallace? Will the Scots win their freedom? Only history tells us the answer...

With elaborate costumes, vivid battle scenes, and a noble hero as its focal point, Braveheart is more than your typical run-of-the-mill action movie. Part history, part Hollywood heroism - its timeless idealism strikes a cord with every viewer. In fact, the movie itself led to a revival in nationalistic pride that fueled the successful Scottish independence movement of the 1990s. It's a testament to the strength and character of the real life William Wallace. A thousand years later, his enduring legacy continues to transform the European landscape, and Mel Gibson captures the noble warrior's passion with an awe-inspiring Academy Award-winning masterpiece...

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a movie review site [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com] where you can find more reviews like this one of the Braveheart (DVD) Review [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/braveheart-dvd.html].

It Happened Here - DVD Review

This is a classic film about life in occupied Britain after a successful German invasion in World War II. The film is not so much about the invasion itself, as about what happens afterwards.

The most chilling aspect of the film is the gradual slide towards collaborationism and active involvement in facist activities by both most of the British population as a whole, and by the main character in the film. There is a clear implication that almost everybody is vulnerable to falling under the evil spell of fascism.

The story of how the film was made is also quite interesting. The movie was released in 1966, but work was actually begun 8 years earlier - one of the longest, or perhaps even the longest, production schedule for any film. The film was directed by Kevin Brownlow, who was just 18 when he began work on the movie, and later was to become a prominent film historian. Brownlow was assisted by Andrew Mollo, who was even younger - just 16 - when he started work on the film, and who assisted with the historical details (Mollo later became a military historian). The cast of the film also involved only two professional actors, but hundreds of volunteers. The movie even received some assistance from Stanley Kubrik who donated some film stock. For further information about how the film was made, be sure to read Brownlow's book, "How It Happened Here".

Although the movie has an anti-fascism and anti-Nazi message, the original version of the film included a controversial seven minute section showing British extreme right-winger Colin Jordan, speaking. This footage was removed in the original release of the film, but restored 30 years later by Brownlow after he regained rights to the movie.

Inevitably, given the nature of the production, some compromises were made during making the film. The film was shot on 16mm and has a somewhat grainy character, additionally the sound quality, especially in the early part of the movie, is not the best. The other criticism that I would make is that the ending, to me, seemed somewhat contrived and unrealistic - but I guess that they needed someway to wrap the film up. These criticisms are however relatively minor - the film is a classic, and one that you will want to see. Like many alternate histories of World War II, it shows you what might have been, and how lucky we are that Nazism was defeated.

By S. Tanna. First published at http://www.operationsealion.com/p1_dvd_it_happened_here.php - Visit this link to get the DVD!

For more information about Operation Sealion, the, please visit http://www.operationsealion.com/

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (DVD) Review

Hands down, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is the best Christmas-themed comedy ever filmed. Personally, I make it habit to watch this movie about ten million times between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. Even after seeing the film so many times that I can recite it word-for-word, Christmas Vacation remains as hilarious and entertaining as the previous holiday season. More than just a seasonal film, it's one of those rare comedies that it near perfect from beginning to end.

Christmas Vacation follows the ongoing exploits of Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) and the Griswold family, but this particular rendition of the classic Vacation movies is arguably the best. As in the previous films, Clark's goal is to create the perfect vacation for his family. Only this time, instead of hitting the road for Wally World or flying to Europe, the Griswolds stay at home in suburban Chicago.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (mere months away from signing on for the role of Elaine on Seinfeld) makes several appearances as Clark's annoying, yuppie neighbor Margot, a character accompanied by her equally elitist yuppie partner, Todd (Nicholas Guest). Randy Quaid makes a return appearance as Cousin Eddie, playing the same role from the original Vacation film. As Clark's unsophisticated and backward relative, Eddie is a man whose "heart is bigger than his brain". Beverly D'Angelo also returns in her previous role as Clark's wife, Ellen.

When Clark vows to create "the most fun-filled old-fashioned family Christmas ever," things naturally go awry. With the Griswold family and their in-laws living under one roof, the relatives constantly get on each others' nerves. Clark sets out to decorate the house for Christmas, and his quest culminates in a 25,000 light extravaganza that covers every square inch of the house. In the process, he nearly breaks his neck several times and knocks out Todd and Margot's window with a flying lance of roof gutter ice.

The laughs multiply several times over when Cousin Eddie arrives uninvited and parks his RV in the Griswold driveway. In tow are his wife Catherine, their two kids Ruby Sue and Rocky, and their lovely dog "Snots". The crescendo of disaster steadily increases as Christmas Day approaches with Clark's agony compounded the absence of his annual Christmas bonus. Clark's big Christmas surprise for the family is that he's putting in a pool, but in order to start work as soon as the ground thawed out, he had to put down a hefty deposit which his check won't cover without the Christmas bonus.

After a Christmas Eve in which the turkey explodes, Aunt Bethany's cat electrocutes itself, Uncle Lewis burns down the tree, and a squirrel gets loose in the house, a late night knock on the door provides Clark with hope. A deliveryman hands him an envelope which fell between the seats, the fabled Christmas bonus. But when the bonus isn't quite what Clark expected, Cousin Eddie surprises Clark with an unexpected last minute gift...

Originally released in 1989, Christmas Vacation has surprisingly little content that makes it seem "dated". As such, it's certain to be a holiday viewing tradition for generations to come. With some of the best one-liners in all of comedy, you'll find yourself reciting its dialogue for many Christmases to come. But what makes Christmas Vacation such an enduring film is that everyone who watches it can relate to the events within. Almost everyone has a strange relative like Eddie or a pair of snotty elitist neighbors, and of course, who hasn't had a squirrel ransack their house on Christmas Eve? Overall, this movie is a barrel of laughs. If you don't like it, you probably aren't breathing...

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a movie review site [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com] where you can find more reviews like this one of the National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (DVD) Review [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/national-lampoons-christmas-vacation.html].

The Godfather (DVD) Review

Winner of three Academy Awards including Best Picture, The Godfather was nominated for an additional eight Oscars. The brainchild of celebrated author Mario Puzo, the film is considered the crowning achievement of Francis Ford Coppola's directing career. With intriguing depth, it provides audiences with a glimpse into the notorious underworld of warring New York crime families. As a result, The Godfather transformed a number of relatively unknown actors into Hollywood legends, among them being James Caan, Al Pacino, and Robert Duvall (all three of whom were nominated for Best Supporting Actor). In addition, Marlon Brando turns in, arguably, the most memorable performance of his career. Certainly among the top five films of all time, an excellent case could be made that The Godfather is the most perfect movie ever produced...

The film opens as "Don" Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) hosts his daughter's wedding, where he actively entertains his friends and business associates. Vito's favorite son Michael (Al Pacino) has come home from the war (World War II), and he's determined to do something different with his life, and his ambitious plans don't include joining the family business. An idealist at heart, the young Michael seduces his girlfriend Kay (Diane Keaton) with inspiring tales of the fine and upstanding things he will do with his life. Through the eyes of Michael, the audience learns of the family's various business methods and the hierarchy of its system. Vito's eldest son Sonny (James Caan) is the heir apparent to his father's empire. Middle son Fredo (John Cazale) performs his part in the business, but few consider him a possible successor. Providing legal council to the family is Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall), a long-time friend of the family who Michael treats as a brother.

Life is good for the Corleone family until the day Vito is approached by an opportunistic newcomer named Virgil "The Turk" Sollozzo (Al Lettieri), an ambitious leader who aspires to become the number one distributor of illegal narcotics in New York. He asks for the Don's blessing so he can expand his operations. But Vito sees a big difference between the traditional mafia activities of gambling and prostitution and the less-than-noble profession of selling drugs in schoolyards and family neighborhoods. The Don's preference for placing family above all else creates a direct conflict with the changing landscape of his business world.

When competing crime families are more accommodating to Sollozzo's business proposal, the enterprise sparks a deadly conflict between the crime families which quickly escalates into all-out war. Despite Vito's attempts to put an end to the conflict in its early stages, his beloved firstborn, Sonny, becomes the target of gangland assassination. When an attempt is made on Vito's life, Michael is drawn into the family business despite his reservations, and the overriding theme of "family first" comes to dominant his life in much the same way it's dominated that of his father...

A dramatic story of family and change, of youthful idealism and the pragmatism of adulthood, The Godfather is the greatest mafia film ever produced, and perhaps as the best drama in all of cinema history. Al Pacino would soon follow up his masterful performance with The Godfather II, and countless other films in the decades since, forever cementing his place among the immortals Hollywood. As such, The Godfather is a film all movie lovers should see at least one. Widely heralded as one of the best written films in existence, it's a definite "must-see" for any serious cinema aficionado...

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a movie review site [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com] where you can find more reviews like this one of The Godfather (DVD) Review [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/03/godfather-dvd.html].

DVD Review - District B13

Sometimes you want Cinema with a capital C, and sometimes you just want the escapism that comes with a good action flick. I loved watching this movie for the shear pleasure of witnessing David Belle in motion. Belle is often credited with inventing the sport known as parkour (also referred to as "the art of movement"), where participants jump, vault and climb over obstacles in an exceedingly fluid manner. In this film, set in the near future of a dismal Paris, Belle plays the role of Leito, a young man who grew up in the seedy, lawless District B13, an "Escape from New York" type ghetto run by the criminal underworld. When a neutron bomb gets stolen by one of the criminal kingpins of District B13, Leito is called into service by old friend Damien (stuntman turned actor Cyril Raffaelli), a cop who specializes in deep cover assignments. For the type of escapist pleasure this movie hopes to bring you must be able to suspend your disbelief, and fortunately that's not too hard once the action starts. The thin plot of this movie is all but forgotten and easily forgiven due to the incredible grace and athleticism of its lead actors (Raffaelli is a stuntman/martial artist turned actor), and there is an easy camaraderie between Belle and Raffaelli that makes the clichéd dialog work in the context of the film.

Directed by Pierre Morel (Taken and From Paris with Love) from a screenplay by Luc Besson (director of Angel-A, The Fifth Element, Le Femme Nikita, etc., etc.) and Bibi Naceri. Although it isn't the typical example of why I love French movies, District B13 is 84 minutes of pure, adrenalin filled escapism.

DVD Details:

* Actors: Cyril Raffaelli, David Belle, Tony D'Amario, Bibi Naceri, Dany Verissimo

* Directors: Pierre Morel

* Writers: Bibi Naceri, Luc Besson

* Producers: Bernard Grenet, Luc Besson, Mehdi Sayah

* Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC

* Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1 EX), French (Dolby Digital 5.1 EX)

* Subtitles: English, Spanish

* Region: Region 1 U.S. and Canada only.

* Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

* Number of discs: 1

* Rated: R (Restricted)

* Studio: Magnolia

* DVD Release Date: September 5, 2006

* Run Time: 84 minutes

Special Features:

* "The Making of District B13" featurette

* Extended Fight Sequence

* Outtakes

For more information on French cinema go to I Love French Movies,where you'll find information on some of the best action, comedies, and dramas that the French have to offer, as well as a few American movies that were filmed in France. (C) Will Atkinson

Miracle (DVD) Review

One of the most inspiring films of 2004, Miracle is a Disney rendition of the 1980 US Olympic hockey team's improbable pursuit of Olympic Gold. Based on the true story of the ragtag team that captured the nation's imagination, it connects with audience like few movies of its kind. And the title's reference to fabled broadcaster Al Michaels' famous quote conjures vivid memories of a moment that provided America with a jolt of much needed confidence during one of the lowest points of the Cold War. As such, Miracle is more than just another sports movie. It's a film that bleeds patriotism and individual inspiration...

Miracle follows the life of Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell), a highly successful college hockey coach who just missed being a part of the last US Olympic gold medal ice hockey team in 1960. Several months before the Olympic games, Brooks is given the task of putting together an amateur hockey team derived from relatively inexperienced college students, one that can compete with the mighty Soviet juggernaut which not only boasts some of the best players in the world, but an amazing 15-year winning streak.

Along the way, Brooks faces a challenge from the team's committee members when he decides to form a roster that fails to include some of the best known players in the country. Intent on choosing a team and not just a collection of individual stars, Brooks wins his battle, and most of the final roster is pinned down on day one.

Slowly, Brooks brings the strange amalgam of players together, many of them from competing colleges, to create a truly united team. Following a loss to Sweden in which his players are more focused on girls in the crowd than on winning the game, Brooks pushes his players through a series of conditioning drills. He literally pushes them to the brink of exhaustion, informing them that they don't have the talent to beat the Soviets, but they will be the best conditioned team on the ice.

By exerting enormous psychological and physical pressure upon his players, Brooks finds out who has the mental capacity to take the US team to its highest level possible. When the 1980 Olympic Games arrive in Lake Placid, the Soviets are the overwhelming favorites, setting the stage for a classic David versus Goliath showdown and prompting Al Michaels to utter his famous one-liner "Do you believe in miracles?"

Adapted from the true story that played out during the height of the Cold War, and the pinnacle of Soviet power specifically, Miracle is an inspiring tale of teamwork, freedom's triumph over oppression, and the great heights which ordinary men can achieve. Uplifting and personally touching, this is a film that no sports fan, movie lover, or American should miss. Do yourself a favor and watch Miracle...

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a movie review site [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com] where you can find more reviews like this one of the Miracle (DVD) Review [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/miracle-dvd.html].

Casablanca (DVD) Review

One of the greatest, and certainly one of the most quoted, films in cinema history, Casablanca contains all the essential elements of a Hollywood blockbuster: adventure, romance, intrigue, suspense, and of course, evil Nazi bad guys (if you doubt this last one as an essential element, then reference the success of the Indiana Jones films). With a director (Michael Curtiz) and cast second to none, Casablanca makes a strong case for consideration as the best movie ever made. And although I loath clichés, it is true that they just don't make 'em like this one anymore...

Casablanca unfolds in a place called Rick's, a popular watering hole in Vichey-controlled Morocco on the outskirts of Nazi dominated Europe. An important travel hub, Casablanca plays host to numerous colorful characters with any number of varying agendas. Arms dealers, spies, and revolutionaries walk side-by-side through streets littered with pickpockets. But at Rick's, everyone seems to enjoy themselves. Owner Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) seems content with his life of serving customers and making money, at least until the day she walks in, Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), the love of Rick's life.

Less than two years earlier, as the Nazis moved into Paris, Rick and Ilsa fell in love. But in the act of fleeing the Nazi advance, Ilsa sent Rick a note at the train station informing him that she could not go with him. She offered no explanation. Now, she was appearing in his establishment with her husband, fugitive and Nazi resistance leader Victor Laszlo.

As the hours pass, and the Nazis desperately search for Laszlo in an attempt to cut off his escape, Rick learns the truth about Ilsa and her reason for leaving. For the moment, Laszlo's fate is in his hands. Since his days in Paris, Rick's made a habit of being practical, both in his business life and in his personal life... But will Rick use his influence and connections to help himself or Victor Laszlo? Will his idealism prevail over his hardened pragmatism? The Third Reich is closing in, and Rick must make a decision regarding Ilsa and Laszlo before time runs out...

The recipient of widespread critical acclaim in the more than six decades since its release, Casablanca is one of the few films deemed as a "cinema classic" that actually lives up to the mega-hype surrounding it. The set design, costumes, and direction are absolutely flawless. The dialogue is superb. Bogart and Bergman are perfect as the lovers torn apart, and Claude Rains is unforgettable as Captain Renault. If you have an aversion to pre-1980 movies or some other strange reason for missing out on this one, then I highly encourage you to watch Casablanca. You won't regret it.

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a movie review site [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com] where you can find more reviews like this one of the Casablanca (DVD) Review [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/casablanca-dvd.html].

The Ten Commandments (DVD) Review

Nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, The Ten Commandments is by far the best rendition of the story Moses ever to cross the big screen. Directed by celebrated Hollywood trailblazer Cecil B. DeMille, the film is based on the Old Testament epic which tells the story of the enslavement of the Hebrew people by the Egyptian empire. Burdened by hundreds of years of oppression, God hears the wailing calls of the Hebrews and sends his messenger Moses to demand Pharaoh set them free. With a hardened heart, the ancient monarch refuses, setting the stage for a battle with the Almighty that threatens to leave Egypt in ruins...

The Ten Commandments begins with the birth of Moses, a Hebrew born to slaves. Fearful her son will be murdered, a Hebrew slave woman places her newborn son in a basket to float among the reeds of the Nile. But the child is found by Pharaoh's daughter who accepts the child as her own. As a result, Moses grows up in the palace of Pharaoh as a member of Egyptian royalty, his true identity hidden by the princess and her handmaid, Memnet (Judith Anderson).

The film then fast-forwards to the adolescent years and early adulthood of Moses (Charlton Heston), who has grown into a noble man of strong character much favored by Pharaoh Sethi (Cedric Hardwicke). Moses is also object of the affections of the beautiful Nefretiri (Anne Baxter), a fact which further stokes the ire of Sethi's biological son, Rameses (Yul Brynner), a jealous rival to Moses. Pleased with the efforts of Moses, Sethi eventually names him as successor. But the dark secret of his past can not remain hidden, and when Nefretiri discovers the truth from Memnet, she murders the handmaid. Too noble to turn from his people, Moses faces the truth and acknowledges this newfound fact to Sethi who banishes him from Egypt forever.

Wandering through the desert, he settles in Midian, marries Jethro's eldest daughter, and enjoys a fruitful life. But the peace enjoyed by Moses is soon broken when he encounters a burning bush. The spirit of God inhabits the bush, and God tells Moses to return to Egypt where he will be the instrument by which God will free the Hebrews.

Arriving in Egypt, Moses issues God's commands to Pharaoh Rameses. But Rameses does not listen. In vengeance, God inflicts Egypt with a series of plagues. Nevertheless, Rameses still refuses to free the slaves. Finally, when a curse from his own lips kills the firstborn son of Rameses, he relents and agrees to free the slaves. But when he changes his mind once again, only a miracle from God can save the Hebrews from a certain and imminent death...

Winner of the Academy Award for Best Special Effects (1957), it's readily apparent that The Ten Commandments was not filmed yesterday. However, the movie is not ridiculously dated in its imaging and special effects - at least, not enough to detract from enjoyment of the film. Furthermore, the movie remains a blockbuster to the present day because of the commanding performances put forward by the main characters pitted in conflict: Moses (Charlton Heston), Rameses (Yul Brynner), and God's voice (Charlton Heston). This strong portrayal of various Old Testament characters by seasoned professionals will stand the test of time. The Ten Commandments is certainly one of the top one hundred films ever produced, and a definite must-see for any cinema aficionado...

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a movie review site [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com] where you can find more reviews like this one of The Ten Commandments (DVD) Review [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/ten-commandments-dvd.html].

Field Of Dreams (DVD) Review

Receiving a 1990 Academy Award nomination for Best Picture, Field Of Dreams is as close to perfect as a movie can be (character "Shoeless" Joe Jackson's right-handed batting stance is about the only flaw that can be found). Director Phil Alden Robinson provides a Frank Capra-esque performance with his brilliant adaptation of W.P. Kinsella's remarkable book Shoeless Joe. A rare, family-friendly movie certain to captivate and inspire adults both young and old, Field of Dreams is an amazingly memorable film that transcended its sports theme and penetrated American pop culture. Even after almost two decades, variations of the famous whispering voice find their way into TV commercials, sketch comedies, and print headlines everywhere. Like Hoosiers, it provides the sports genre with a level of depth that such films oftentimes lack.

The film begins with the life narrative of Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner), highlighting numerous events which shaped and defined his life - his father's love of baseball (especially banned Hall-Of-Famer "Shoeless" Joe Jackson), estrangement from his father at a young age, the upheaval of the 1960s, and finally, Ray's love affair with his wife Annie (Amy Madigan). In their mid-thirties, the couple takes a bold step when they purchase an Iowa corn farm and give birth to their first child, daughter Karin.

Following the narrative, the film moves to the present day where one of the most famous movie lines in cinema history is hoist upon the audience. While Ray tends to his cornfield, he hears a mysterious voice whisper, "If you build it, he will come..." Realizing he is the only one who hears the voice, Ray struggles with the idea that he may be going crazy. His thoughts are later reinforced when, late one night, he gazes out his bedroom window and envisions a baseball field emblazoned in the middle of his backyard. Under the impression that if he builds the baseball field, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta) will come to play upon its surface, Ray acquires the blessing of his wife and sets out to make his dream a reality.

He plows up his cornfield and builds a full-size baseball diamond, but when an uneventful year passes by, Ray begins to question the wisdom of his decision. As he and Annie struggle to keep the farm afloat financially, Karin points out that a man is standing on daddy's baseball field. The mystical appearance of "Shoeless" Joe Jackson sparks a chain of equally startling events as long-deceased icon ushers other ex-ballplayers from the depths of the mysterious corn to practice and play ball. More importantly, Ray starts to hear voices once again...

Following his dreams with reckless abandon and placing his faith in the voice, Ray is brought into contact with estranged writer Terence Mann (James Earl Jones) and a charming small town pediatrician named Archibald "Moonlight" Graham (Burt Lancaster). But ultimately, it's the unlikely appearance of another individual that transforms Ray's life when he learns the true meaning of the phrase "If you build it, he will come..."

With an emotional ending certain to touch even the most hardened of audience members, Field of Dreams is a cinematic masterpiece that combines American nostalgia, and love for life into an inspirational and memorable tale of a man bold enough to reach for his dreams. Amazingly, the film has zero explosions, zero sex scenes, and no profanity (unless you count stuff like "gosh darn") yet the film enjoyed widespread commercial success. It's a testament to the timeless nature of its story and the universal reach of its theme of family, faith, and redemption. Overall, unless your spirit is dead, you're certain to be moved by this film...

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a movie review site [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com] where you can find more reviews like this one of the Field Of Dreams (DVD) Review [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/03/field-of-dreams-dvd.html].

DVD Review - OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies

Set in 1955, this is the movie that did what the Austin Powers franchise could not: it managed to spoof the spy genre while staying true to the form of classic spy films.

Jean DuJardin stars as Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath, agent OSS 117. DuJardin's performance is absolutely brilliant. Agent OSS 117 looks suave and sophisticated, but beneath his fashionable tux beats the heart of a well-meaning but clueless imbecile. On assignment in Egypt, moments after meeting her, he manages to insult his contact (the stunning Berenice Bejo as Larmina El Akmar Betouche) by bursting into incredulous laughter when she mentions that over a million people speak Arabic. "Silly girl, do you know how much a million is?!" The insults don't stop there. OSS 117 is clearly a man with unnaturally high self esteem, and some of the best comedic moments stem from his overconfidence.

This spoof hits all the right notes, winking at western colonialism and our sexist past. Clueless racism is also poked fun at, as OSS 117 asks the Egyptian foreman at his "cover" job as a chicken importer how many children he has. "Eight, nine?" he inquires, his voice dripping with concern and sincerity.

The action sequences acted as the straight man in this movie, and the choreography for the fight scenes were enjoyable to watch, but one of the best surprises about this film was its cohesiveness. Most parodies are a string of jokes loosely bound together to make a movie, but "OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies" feels like a complete film. Much of the credit has to go to DuJardin; his willingness to make a complete ass of himself a key element in the success of this French comedy.

Product Details

Actors: Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, Aure Atika, Philippe Lefebvre, Constantin Alexandrov

Directors: Michel Hazanavicius

Format: Anamorphic, Color, DVD, NTSC

Language: French, English

Subtitles: English

Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only.)

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Music Box Films

DVD Release Date: September 30, 2008

Run Time: 95 minutes

For more information on French cinema go to I Love French Movies, where you'll find information on some of the best action, comedies, and dramas that the French have to offer, as well as a few American movies that were filmed in France. (C) Will Atkinson

Chicago (DVD) Review

Winner of six Academy Awards including Best Picture, Chicago is a brilliant big screen adaptation of choreographer-director Bob Fosse's 1975 Broadway musical of the same name. The story's ingenious jabs at tabloid fame and the fleeting tastes of the popular mindset, omnipresent in both the 1920's (the movie's setting) and the 1970's (the date of its writing) is just as relevant today in an age where criminal celebrities such as O.J. Simpson, the Menedez Brothers, and Scott Peterson dominate the pop culture airwaves. Set in Capone's backyard in the midst of the Roaring 20's, Chicago boasts an all-star Hollywood cast that breathes much needed life (i.e. box office success) back into the big screen musical. Broadway fans and movie viewers in general won't be disappointed...

Chicago stars Renee Zellweger as Roxie Hart. Roxie, wife of sweet, boring Amos Hart (John C. Reilly), has an affair with furniture salesman Fred Casely (Dominic West) who she thinks knows the right people to get her a gig as a singer at a swanky nightclub. But when Roxie finds out that Fred is just using her, she shoots him dead right there in her bedroom. When Amos returns home, he sticks up for Roxie, telling the police that he shot the intruder. At least, until he finds out that the dead man is Fred Casley, the man who recently sold them their furniture. Retracting his story, the police arrest Roxie for Fred Casely's murder.

Meanwhile, sexy songstress and half of a famous Chicago nightclub sister act, Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones), sits in jail herself awaiting the day of her trial for the murder of her husband and sister who she caught performing their famous number "the spread eagle". Roxie asks Velma for help, but gets the cold shoulder. But at least one person in the prison is willing to help Roxie. Matron "Mama" Morton (Queen Latifah), overseer of the woman's prison, will do anything for anyone for the right price. For fifty bucks, she places a phone call to the greatest defense lawyer in modern-day times, Billy Flynn (Richard Gere). But a phone call only gets her in the door. Roxie's husband Amos must come up with the money to pay Billy, which he does prior to his being quickly forgotten...

Manipulating the media to the best of his ability, Billy turns Roxie into an overnight celebrity - the hottest sensation to sweep Chicago since, well - since the next one that will come along. Velma Kelly fades from the headlines, and the two rivals compete with each other for the public's and Billy Flynn's attention...

Chicago is a refreshing escape from the drudgery of modern day box office blockbusters with its insightful peering into the mob mentality of the public psyche and its colorful characters. Queen Latifah steals the show with her portrayal of Mama Morton in a film packed with knockout performances by Hollywood mainstays. All of the stars sing their own numbers, and the soundtrack is simply spectacular. Broadway purists may be critical of the final product, but no one can doubt that Chicago is as big a hit on screen as it is on stage. Do yourself a favor and don't overlook it...

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a movie review site [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com] where you can find more reviews like this one of the Chicago (DVD) Review [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/chicago-dvd.html].

Amistad (DVD) Review

Another Steven Spielberg cinematic triumph, Amistad garnered four Academy Award nominations - among them, Best Music Original Dramatic Score (John Williams) and Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Anthony Hopkins). Based on the true story of the 1839 slave revolt aboard the slave ship Amistad, the film provides a dramatic visual glimpse into the horrors of 19th Century slavery. Just as Spielberg's masterpiece Schindler's List created an onscreen record to account for the Nazi atrocities of the Holocaust, Amistad stands as a testament to the evils of the Atlantic slave trade and its infamous relationship with the United States of America. As such, be prepared to watch a film with graphic portrayals of human bondage and mistreatment...

Cinque (Djimon Hounsou), the central character of the film, is lured from the safety of his African village, trapped like a wild animal, and placed in bondage aboard a large slave trading vessel bound for the Caribbean. Chained to the floor and crammed side-by-side in the hull of the galleon, hundreds and hundreds of kidnapped Africans endure brutal and barbaric treatment. They are rarely fed (and very little when food is given), and each must use the bathroom where he sits, vomit where he sits, and some even die while chained to others. The conditions are best described as a literal hell on earth.

These opening scenes, just like Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan, are the most vivid and powerful of the entire movie, conjuring an abundance of images certain to brand themselves in your mind forever. In one such scene, around fifteen to twenty African captives are shackled together and bound by a series of chains when one is thrown overboard. This barbarous act results in a chain reaction that drags each of the connected persons to the bottom of the sea.

But the men and women of Amistad don't submit easily. One of them decides to fight back. Late one night, the opportunity for revolt presents itself and Cinque sparks an uprising against the ship's crew. He and his fellow countrymen take the ship by force and kill their captors. Now free from bondage, the men attempt to sail home to their native land, but in the darkness of night, they inadvertently sail to America instead.

The grounded ship gains national political interest when the survivors of the Amistad are treated as slaves. Even President Van Buren (Nigel Hawthorne) takes an interest in the matter. When a young and idealistic lawyer named Baldwin (Matthew McConaughey) and a freedman named Joadson (Morgan Freeman) take up the task of representing Cinque's interests in an American courtroom, the case takes on a life of its own. Cinque reveals the tale of his capture, details of the island sorting facility where future American slaves are processed, and the general torture and mistreatment of human beings in the pursuit of monetary profit. When the case goes before the Supreme Court, former President John Quincy Adams (Anthony Hopkins) enters the picture in an attempt to win a victory for freedom and individual rights...

One of the more dramatic and important films of the decade, Amistad opens your eyes to past injustice and provides a general sense of gratitude for the times in which we live. It will make you angry at the horrible practices of preceding generations. But more importantly, Amistad serves as a reminder to both current and future generations that freedom is not to be taken for granted. It is the birthright of all men, and it is our obligation to fight for it whenever we can. This important message, and its historical lessons, make Amistad one movie no American can afford to miss...

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a movie review site [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com] where you can find more reviews like this one of the Amistad (DVD) Review [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/amistad-dvd.html].

The Lion King (DVD) Review

Winner of two Academy Awards for Best Music, both Original Score and Original Song, The Lion King would have won Best Picture had it not been an animated film. Arguably the greatest full-length animated Disney feature of all time, The Lion King is a drama of epic proportions, and a film that forever extended the boundaries of the animation genre. Hans Zimmer creates an original score that is second to none in cinematic history, and Elton John's hit single "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" swept the nation upon the film's release. With powerful and often mesmerizing visual sequences, the use of a timeless plot device, and brilliant direction, the film will stand the test of time as one of the best movies ever produced.

The Lion King takes place in Pride Rock, a serene jungle paradise on the African plain. In Pride Rock, every animal lives as part of a harmonious ecosystem, ruled by the greatest animal of all, the strongest and wisest lion, King Mufasa. When Mufasa's wife gives birth to the lion cub Simba, the young heir's Uncle Scar begins plotting the overthrow of his brother and the taking of the kingdom by force. Forming a conspiracy with a pack of wild hyenas, Scar's evil plan is to lure Simba and Mufasa into a valley where the hyenas stir up a herd of wildebeests which end up trampling Mufasa and leaving him clinging for his life on the edge of a cliff. With his Mufasa's life hanging in the balance, Scar seizes the opportunity to send his brother hurling to a bloody death.

With the king gone, and Simba too young to defend the kingdom, Scar and the hyenas ascend to power. Pride Rock is soon reduced to a desolate wasteland as its newest rulers ravage the landscape, while Simba is forced into exile. Fleeing to a faraway land free of predators, Simba befriends Pumbaa and Timon, a warthog and meerkat who live carefree lives feasting on grubs and insects. But as time passes, a chance encounter reunites Simba with his childhood destiny. Can Simba return to Pride Rock and reclaim his rightful position as king, or will he succumb to the temptations of an easy life, free from conflict and responsibility?

Widely considered the greatest animated film in Disney's arsenal, and certainly the best of the computer-generated era, The Lion King is a cinematic masterpiece in any medium. If you tend to shy away from animated films as childlike or simply just not your cup of tea, you would be well advised to make an exception for The Lion King. It's quite simply an extraordinary epic, replete with dazzling choreography, well-blended musical scores, and characters the audience loves to root for. In one particular scene, the Disney animators' use of Leni Riefenstahl's patented camera angles to capture the hyenas marching in lock-step under the singular review of Scar creates an abundance of subconscious images reminiscent of Hitler and the Third Reich.

This illusion plants a manifestation of evil in the mind of the viewer that is instantly connected to Scar and his evil intentions... That's the type of symbolic and all-engrossing power Disney utilizes in this wonderful masterpiece - loved by children, yet a deeply probing and breathtaking film for adult audiences. A perfect 10 of a movie...

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a movie review site [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com] where you can find more reviews like this one of The Lion King (DVD) Review [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/03/lion-king-dvd.html].

Major League (DVD) Review

Featuring a motley band of eccentric baseball teammates, Major League ranks as one of the best sports comedies ever produced. Released in 1989, it follows the story of the then hapless Cleveland Indians (winners of numerous division titles in the decade since) who are inherited by their dead owner's self-absorbed, bitchy wife, Rachel Phelps. Uncovering a clause in the team's contract that will allow her to move the team to Miami if attendance falls below two million for the year, Phelps does everything in her power to make the Indians not just lovable losers, but the worst team in baseball history. The result is a memorable and unorthodox adventure into the annals of baseball playoff history...

Hiring Lou Brown (James Gammon), an ex-Toledo Mud Hens manager turned tire-shop manager, as the new leader of the Indians, Rachel Phelps constructs a team destined to finish in last place. It's all part of a scheme designed to land her in the far more preferable and climate-friendly city of Miami. To keep Brown company in the dugout, she imports an entire team of oddballs, rejects, and misfits. Among them are the charismatic Willie Mays Hayes (Wesley Snipes), a lightning bolt speedster who can't hit, Jake Taylor (Tom Berenger), an aging catcher with bad knees, Roger Dorn (Corbin Bernsen) a high-priced, low-talent free-agent acquisition, Pedro Cerrano (Dennis Haysbert), a power-hitter who can't hit a curveball to save his life, and Ricky "Wild Thing" Vaughn (Charlie Sheen), a fireball pitcher who can't hit the broad side of a barn. It all adds up to a pathetic display of baseball futility the likes of which major league baseball has never been seen before, and most likely, will never see again.

Longtime Indians announcer Harry Doyle (Bob Uecker) provides a plethora of hilarious one-liners and perfect comic relief while, with whiskey in hand, he follows a magical season in the history Cleveland's troubled franchise. In fact, Uecker's outtakes alone would make for an extremely entertaining sketch comedy. Off-the-field stories also crop up with Jake's pursuit of his old flame Lynn Wells (Rene Russo), and Ricky Vaughn's affair with rival teammate Roger Dorn's wife Suzanne (Stacy Carroll).

But in the end, only one thing in the world can motivate this strange amalgam of rejects to develop into a contender - a mutual dislike of Rachel Phelps. Punishing the team for each win, she eventually has them flying to games in an antique bi-plane and traveling cross-country by bus. Can the team overcome their personal demons, internal conflict, and an owner determined to see them lose? It's a load of fun finding out...

Written and directed by the multitalented David S. Ward, creator of such Academy Award-winning films as The Sting (1973) and Sleepless In Seattle (1993), Major League is an amazingly well-written comedy classic that truly delivers. As far as comedies go, you'll be hard-pressed to find one better than this. Love of baseball is a plus, but not a necessity for one to enjoy it. In the end, a funny movie is a funny movie, and a good laugh is a good laugh. Both extend far beyond the boundaries of the sports world. As such, I wager a shot of Bob Uecker's whiskey that you'll fall in love with these Cleveland Indians...

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a movie review site [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com] where you can find more reviews like this one of the Major League (DVD) Review [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/major-league-dvd.html].

There's Something About Mary (DVD) Review

No doubt the funniest comedy of 1998, and one of the best comedies of the decade, There's Something About Mary launched the careers of stars Ben Stiller and Cameron Diaz into the stratosphere. Directed by Farrelly brothers Bobby and Peter, producers of such films as Dumb & Dumber (1994), Kingpin (1996), and Fever Pitch (2005), There's Something About Mary ranks as one of their best films. Veteran screenwriters Ed Decter and John J. Strauss manage to combine onscreen romance with brilliant humor, making this film a definite must-see comedy on any cinema lover's list...

There's Something About Mary follows the life of 30-year-old writer Ted Stroehmann (Ben Stiller). While in therapy, Ted realizes he can't go on with life until he finds out what happened to his old high school flame Mary Jensen (Cameron Diaz). Taking to the advice of his friend Dom Woganowski (Chris Elliott), Ted hires a private investigator to track her down. But the investigator, a shady guy named Pat Healy (Matt Dillon), lies to Ted and tells him Mary is a fat pig in wheelchair with several illegitimate children. Meanwhile, he packs his own bags to move down to Miami, where she really lives, so he can get close to the real Mary Jensen who is a sexy, intelligent, sports-loving doctor. But when Ted decides he still wants to see Mary, even though she may not be everything he remembers, the plot takes a sudden twist.

Ted soon discovers the truth about Pat Healy, and the truth about numerous admirers who all want to be with Mary. In fact, one such admirer has been stalking Mary for over a decade. Reunited with Mary and her disabled brother Warren (W. Earl Brown), the couple picks up where they left off. But the jealous Pat Healy and his fellow stalkers aren't going to give up easily, and when Mary's ex-fiance the Packman resurfaces, it looks like it might be the end for Mary and Ted...

This film is rich with some of the funniest scenes you'll ever see in a movie. In one such scene, Ted picks up a hitchhiker on his way to Miami, and the hitchhiker turns out to be a serial killer. At first, the police think Ted is the killer, and the result is a hilarious exchange of dialogue that will have you rolling on the floor in laughter.

But when Mary starts seeing more of Ted and less of Healy, Healy teams up with Mary's supposed architect friend, Tucker (Lee Evans), who's really a pizza delivery boy who fell in love with Mary while delivering a pie one night. The two concoct a series of ploys to sabotage both Ted and each other in the quest to win over Mary. Matt Dillon turns in a brilliant performance as the loathsome private investigator, and his initial approach of Mary and pathetic attempts at sensitive dialogue by themselves make this movie a winner.

Overall, There's Something About Mary is a witty and downright hilarious comedy that will leave you in a perpetual state of laughter. Ben Stiller is at his best in this one. If you loved Zoolander or Meet The Parents, you'll fall in love with There's Something About Mary...

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a movie review site [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com] where you can find more reviews like this one of the There's Something About Mary (DVD) Review [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/theres-something-about-mary-dvd.html].

The Game (DVD) Review

One of Michael Douglas's least appreciated films, The Game is an intriguing movie dripping with suspense. With a heightened intensity few films can rival, The Game quickly moves from one surprising scene to the next, always catching its audience off guard and creating a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat atmosphere. If you haven't seen The Game, you have no idea what you've been missing...

The Game follows the life of Nicholas Van Orton (Michael Douglas), an extremely wealthy San Francisco banker, living in an opulent estate just outside of the city. But Nicholas is not a happy man. He generally spends his time alone, the exception being when he spends time with his clients brokering lucrative business deals. Nicholas even spends his birthday alone, and on his forty-eighth birthday, he is forced to reflect on the fact that his father committed suicide at the same age.

However this year, Nicholas's birthday takes an unexpected twist when his estranged younger brother Conrad (Sean Penn) arrives unannounced at the Van Orton estate. A former drug addict involved in all sorts of nefarious schemes in the past, Nicholas remains skeptical of the true motives behind his brother's return. However, Conrad soon manages to convince Nicholas that his only reason for returning is to provide his lonely, boring brother with a birthday present he'll never forget. So what exactly is the gift?

It's a very expensive entertainment package provided by a firm called Consumer Recreation Services (CRS). Curious as to what sort of entertainment they provide, Nicholas visits CRS where he undergoes a series of mental, physical, and psychological tests to make sure he can handle what they offer. In return, CRS agrees to customize the adventure of a lifetime for Nicholas, just as they do for famous and wealthy executives all over the globe...

But following this initial testing phase, a series of strange occurrences take place and each is followed by a number of seemingly horrendous events. As a result, Nicholas must make use of his intellect and his instincts in order to survive. Fearing the events are part of a misguiding sense of humor on the part of the employees at CRS, Nicholas arrives at their office building prepared to cancel the entertainment package. But to his dismay, the office space is vacant and the landlord has never even heard of CRS. Even worse, Nicholas finds out that every financial account he owns has been wiped clean and that a criminal organization has been pulling similar heists on wealthy industrialists all over the world. Uncertain of his future, Nicholas sets out to discover the truth, and in doing so, he finds out the truth about himself...

Far from a blockbuster commercial success following its initial release in 1997, The Game is an unknown entity among most casual movie watchers. As such, those who stumble upon The Game will be duly impressed with the quality of this cinematic gem. Featuring two show-stopping performances by Michael Douglas and Sean Penn, The Game is an instant fan favorite among those who've seen it. Boasting one of the more suspense-riddled screenplays of the past decade, The Game is pure Hollywood entertainment at its best, featuring an abundance of drama, suspense, and action/adventure all pulled together by ingenious "what if" plotline...

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a movie review site [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com] where you can find more reviews like this one of The Game (DVD) Review [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/03/game-dvd.html].

DVD Review - The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Ladies and Gentlemen, do I have a movie for you. It's called "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo."

Like Ali used to say, I'm a poet and don't know it.

"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" is a Swedish-made movie with English subtitles, but don't think for a moment that "Made in Sweden" is the stamp of an inferior movie. This one rivets you from the very start, and not once during the 2 hour and 35 minute movie did I think it was dragging and running much too long. Since being released in Sweden in 2009, and in America in 2010, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" is already the highest grossing Swedish movie of all time.

"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," which was brilliantly directed by Niels Arden Oplev, is based on the first of a trilogy of novels by Stieg Larsson novel entitled "Men Who Hate Woman." That fact is horribly evident, as in this movie, woman are brutalized and killed, and in one scene, horribly raped. Most of the murders, and there were a sting of them spanning 55 years, are discovered after the fact, and it isn't until the movie's surprise ending that we fully realize the scope of the atrocities.

The movie starts with the trial of Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist), a journalist who works for the powerhouse magazine Millennium. Blomkvist is falsely convicted of libel against a corrupt Swedish industrialist, and he and the magazine are ordered to pay damages, while Blomkvist is ordered to serve 6-9 months in prison. While waiting to serve his sentence, Blomkvist is approached by Henrik Vanger, the eighty-something member of the wealthy Vanger Group, to find the murder of his niece Harriet some forty years earlier, when she was only 16. What makes things more spicy, is that her body was never found, and we're left with the impression in the back of our minds that maybe she isn't really dead after all.

After he begins his investigation, Blomkvist realizes he's being followed, photographed and his computer hacked by punk rocker (complete with dual nose rings) Lisbeth Salander, played by Swedish/Spanish actress Noomi Raspeth, in one of the most memorable female performances of the past 25 years. Lisbeth is an expert hacker, who has a troubled past and who may have even set her own father on fire, to stop his sexual advances.

During the course of the movie, she gets beaten up by a gang of punks, has a lesbian scene with her lover and is forced to perform oral sex on her evil probation guardian. Then on her next visit to him, he brutally rapes her, in a scene that made my hair stand straight on end. But good triumphs over evil (well, sort of) when Lisbeth exacts her revenge in a scene so deliciously brutal and visually satisfying, a rousing round of applause was in order and was gladly given.

As the plot begins to unfold, Lisbeth sends Blomkvist anonymous clues to help him find the truth about the disappearance of Vander's niece, and soon they are both working together, sleeping together (there's one great sex scene), and fighting the forces of evil together. He gets brutally beaten, shot at and grazed in the cheek, and finally hung from his neck by a pulley manned by the movie's ultimate bad guy. Lisbeth rides to his rescue, on a motorcycle of course, and saves the day. After getting Blomkvist's neck out of the noose, she chases the bad guy in his car until he crashes. Then she watches him pleaded for help (as she smirks), and his overturned car goes up in flames. Oops and Ka-Boom!

The movie doesn't end here and we are treated to another half hour of tension, as the murders of scores of women, dating back to Hitler's days, are uncovered and explained.

Already an American version of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" is in the works, but I can't imagine any other actress playing the part of Lisbeth. Yet Rapace said she has already withdrawn herself from consideration for the American movie.

"I lived in Lisbeth's body and mind for 18 months," Repace said in a recent interview. "I want her out of my life so I can get on with my life."

"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" was universally lauded, with special kudos given to Repace.

Jason Zingale, movie reviewer for the website Bullz-eye.com, said, "It should come as no surprise that Noomi Repace has become the face of the franchise, because she is nothing short of magnificent in the buzz-worthy role. The gorgeous Swedish actress is virtually unrecognizable as the tortured hacker who looks, as Larsson writes 'as though she has just emerged from a week-long orgy with a gang of hard rockers.' The much talked about rape scene involving Lisbeth (and the events that follow it) pretty much guarantees that every young actress in Hollywood will be campaigning for the part in David Fincher's American remake."

Too bad Angelina Jolie is pushing 40. If she were 10-15 years younger, she'd be perfect for the part. But then again with today's makeup..........

"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" is such a fabulous movie, that on a one to five star basis, I give it a full five stars. This movie is so outstanding, I can't help but think I'll be disappointed by the soon-to-be-made American version.

King Of The Hill (Season 3) DVD Review

Initially aired following the 1997 Super Bowl, King of the Hill discovered an instant audience niche that has the followed the show loyally ever since. The brainchild of Beavis and Butthead creator Mike Judge (also known for the hit movie Office Space), King of the Hill is a unique animated series in that it doesn't rely on "cartoon" suspension of reality or outlandish antics. In fact, the show would arguably be just as successful if it were not animated at all. Nevertheless, it's Mike Judge (voice of Hank Hill) and his unique brand of humor that make King of the Hill a must-see TV series...

Set in the fictional town of Arlen, Texas, King of the Hill follows the life and exploits of Hank Hill and his traditional nuclear family. Hank is a red-state propane salesman who loves beer and apple pie, but he's constantly inundated with modern liberalism and grapples with the demands of political correctness. Hank is joined by his wife Peggy (a substitute teacher), his son Bobby (an awkward pre-pubescent youth), and a trailer park-like live-in niece named Luanne... Providing added comic relief to the series are Hank's off-the-wall friends Bill, Boomhauer (who is inaudible), and Dale (who believes everything is a government conspiracy)... Hank's Laotian neighbor Kahn (whose daughter Bobby is quite fond of) and his family live next door, providing Hank with a continuing dose of culture shock...

The King of the Hill (Season 3) DVD offers a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere "Death of a Propane Salesman" in which Hank and Luanne narrowly escape a propane explosion at the Mega Lo Mart, prompting Hank to develop a job-threatening fear of propane. Meanwhile, Luanne (who had her hair burnt off in the explosion) follows in the footsteps of Sinead O'Connor and becomes a community activist... Other notable episodes from Season 3 include "Pregnant Paws" in which Hank becomes obsessed in his effort to breed his dog, and "The Wedding of Bobby Hill" in which the Hill family, in order to teach Bobby a valuable lesson, manage to convince him that he'll have to marry his cousin Luanne...

Below is a list of episodes included on the King of the Hill (Season 3) DVD:

Episode 36 (Death of a Propane Salesman) Air Date: 09-15-1998

Episode 37 (And They Call It Bobby Love) Air Date: 09-22-1998

Episode 38 (Peggy's Headache) Air Date: 10-06-1998

Episode 39 (Pregnant Paws) Air Date: 10-13-1998

Episode 40 (Next of Shin) Air Date: 11-03-1998

Episode 41 (Peggy's Pageant Fever) Air Date: 11-10-1998

Episode 42 (Nine Pretty Darn Angry Men) Air Date: 11-17-1998

Episode 43 (Good Hill Hunting) Air Date: 12-01-1998

Episode 44 (Pretty, Pretty Dresses) Air Date: 12-15-1998

Episode 45 (A Fire Fighting We Will Go) Air Date: 01-12-1999

Episode 46 (To Spank with Love) Air Date: 01-19-1999

Episode 47 (Three Coaches and a Bobby) Air Date: 01-26-1999

Episode 48 (De-Kahnstructing Henry) Air Date: 02-02-1999

Episode 49 (The Wedding of Bobby Hill) Air Date: 02-09-1999

Episode 50 (Sleight of Hank) Air Date: 02-16-1999

Episode 51 (Jon Vitti Presents: Return to La Grunta) Air Date: 02-23-1999

Episode 52 (Escape from Party Island) Air Date: 03-16-1999

Episode 53 (Love Hurts and So Does Art) Air Date: 03-23-1999

Episode 54 (Hank's Cowboy Movie) Air Date: 04-06-1999

Episode 55 (Dog Dale Afternoon) Air Date: 04-13-1999

Episode 56 (Revenge of the Lutefisk) Air Date: 04-20-1999

Episode 57 (Death and Texas) Air Date: 04-27-1999

Episode 58 (Wings of the Dope) Air Date: 05-04-1999

Episode 59 (Take Me Out of the Ball Game) Air Date: 05-11-1999

Episode 60 (As Old as the Hills) Air Date: 05-18-1999

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a movie review site [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com] where you can find more reviews like this one of the King Of The Hill (Season 3) DVD Review [http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/king-of-hill-season-3-dvd.html].

Dear SF Film Makers: Give These Plot Points a Rest

John Scalzi is an award-winning science fiction writer.And now, for no particular reason other than I get paid to write things like this in public, here are some science fiction tropes in movies that I would be happy to see filmmakers not use again for, oh, at least five or ten years or so:

1. Stone-faced government officials seeking and/or hiding aliens. This one got trotted out again this year with Super 8, and was the most wearisome part of an otherwise pretty entertaining flick. Look, Area 51 and officious looking g-men and scads of government minions invading a town have had a good run, and back when they showed up in E.T., they were still a little scary. But that was thirty years ago, and now, when you see them you know they're the token opposition. Too easy. Move on.

2. The overwhelming alien invasion. Most recently essayed in Battle: Los Angeles, but, of course, going all the way back to War of the Worlds. It's not that I don't enjoy watching apparently superior alien forces blow the hell out of large buildings while a rag-tag team of humans fights back, eventually finding whatever chink in the alien armor, be it the power source of the invading armada or a bunch of water glasses lying around the house, that will allow the humans to score a major victory and turn the tide against the alien horde. But as the previous sentence may suggest, the folks making these sorts of films are relying a little too heavily on one particular plot engine. No matter how you deck out the details it still runs the same.

3. The dreary, oppressive dystopia. This year Priest ran with this one, chucking in a vampire plot twist in an effort to shake things up (it might have been more effective had not Resident Evil and Ultraviolet gotten there first). Most films with oppressive dystopias borrow heavily from Blade Runner or The Road Warrior or both; the problem is that, as with E.T., both are three decades down the time stream now, which means filmmakers borrowing from them now aren't showing anything we haven't seen dozens of times already.

4. The very special youngster. This is more often the domain of fantasy (hello, Harry Potter!) but it was given a science fictional run-through this year with I Am Number Four, and of course Star Wars trotted out Luke, whiny as he was. These run down a checklist. Orphaned? Of course! Having special powers waiting to be unlocked? Yes, indeed! Found and trained (and protected) by a wise mentor? How could it be otherwise? Hunted by the forces of evil? That goes without saying. When this very special youngster shows up, we know where he's going. Best to leave him in hiding.

5. Super heroes. I know, I know. No chance of that. But I thought I would throw it out there. And actually, it's not so much super heroes that I'm bored with, than it is origin stories -- which is to say, the whole set-up of how said super hero got his powers, how he fumbled a bit with them before he figured them out, how he felt alienated from the world, blah blah blah blah blah, man, I get tired just thinking about them at this point. You know, one of the very salient reasons why Spider-Man 2 and The Dark Knight are considered better than their predecessors is that they didn't have to spend any time setting up the super hero; they could just focus on the story they wanted to tell. But of course it's difficult to get to those films without doing the set-up exercises. It's a catch-22, it is.

And now, having written this, I have no doubt that someone in Hollywood will make a film about a boy, orphaned in a dystopian world, who develops super powers just in time to thwart an alien invasion -- that is, if he can evade the government agents trying to track him down. And when this film is made, and it will, I am certain of one thing: It will be in 3D.

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DVD Review - The Lake House (2006)

If you are looking for a romantic story that shows an extremely independent woman and a very self-reliant man fall head over heels in love, even though they are literally out of sync with each other, The Lake House is a perfect movie for you to see. The story is set in the woodsy northern Illinois area of Lake Michigan, which makes a gorgeous background to watch two people try to sort out their demanding careers and lonely frustrating lives.

The film stars Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves, both former co-stars of the film Speed. This romance is actually a story retold from the Korean movie "Siworae". Masterfully directed by Alejandro Atresti, Lake House reveals a mystery centered on a typical looking mailbox right in front of a house on Lake Michigan that somehow is able to bridge time between these two strangers.

Long after she has moved away from her lakeside home, Bullock who plays a lonely physician, starts to write letters to Reeves, who plays a frustrated architect while he is living in the very same lakeside house. After exchanging a series of letters, they both eventually discover that they are living two years apart in time.

Through several life changing events in both of their lives, the two distant lovers can only share their joys, frustrations, humor, tragedies, and dreams by mail. As other lovers come and go, as parents pass away, and even as birthdays pass, they can still only share these life changing events over the years by mail. Life keeps throwing them twists and turns, causing even their best schemes to meet each other in person, to slip just beyond their reach, or in this case, time.

Sandra Bullock plays her role brilliantly as a hospital doctor with long hours at work and a cat to play chess with, with both relentless compassion and gentle humor. During the film, her life spans time in her life during an era in college, to when she has another boyfriend, and then during her time spent in her lonely, busy career as a physician.

Keanu Reeves has added his own finesse by portraying a very creative architect, living with the disapproval of his extremely well known and famous architect elderly father who has held his son back from building a business with his younger fellow architect brother. He yearns for someone to love, to share his creative dreams and his passion for life.

Although at first, neither the physician nor the architect particularly like one another, however as more letters get exchanged, they became increasingly involved with each other's life and develop a love for each other that only grows stronger as the years pass by.

The Lake House was made in 2006 and is rated PG for some strong language and disturbing images.

Tom Straub is a successful author, and webmaster of DVD Reviews web site, where you can see more of your favorite DVD movie releases and reviews.

Q&A - Cameron Diaz Talks Timberlake, Tough Times for Hot Chicks, and Being the Bad Teacher

Sean is a senior critic for Filmcritic.com.

What with budget cuts, staff layoffs, and falling test scores, our nation's public-school system had enough problems before Cameron Diaz's Bad Teacher arrived on the scene. The jaded blonde vixen takes on an optimistic principal (John Michael Higgins), a horny gym teacher (Jason Segel), and an irrationally clean-cut middle-school instructor (Justin Timberlake) in the deranged black comedy from Walk Hard director Jake Kasdan. Before the school bell rang, Diaz spoke to FilmCritic.com about playing awful characters, finding sugar daddies, and the teacher who messed with her as a little kid.

Q: I can't think of the last time you've actually played such an unlikeable character. Is there a freedom that comes with playing someone this awful?

A: Totally. I mean, there's no reason to try and get anybody to like her. [Laughs] She doesn't even like herself. Clearly! Truthfully, she doesn't like anything, and that was very liberating. You don't have to put out any sunshine for it.

Q: But then your character is surrounded with impossibly optimistic characters as a way to balance the tone and find the humor of the situation.

A: Right; exactly. And that's the wonderful thing about the spirit of J.A.M.S., or John Adams Middle School, where I teach. That was their whole thing -- being as enthusiastic as possible -- and my character, Elizabeth, was just thinking, "Are you kidding me? This is hell for me. This is where I come to sleep. Everybody, be quiet! I am busy!" [Laughs]

Q: Almost everyone in the cast has a distinct memory of an experience with a teacher who made them feel uncomfortable and who has really stuck with them. Do you have such a memory?

A: I do. I had a teacher who wasn't very nice to me. She didn't like me, and she'd try to call me out in class for nothing, really. She'd also try to give me life lessons.

Q: Because they really stick at that age.

A: Right. I was just sort of, "Woman, what are you talking about?" But she was trying to do it more as a way of trying to embarrass me. Or maybe that's just what it felt like when I was that age. But I also grew up with parents who treated me like a person, like an actual human being instead of just a kid. So when I met this teacher, it actually was like, "Really? You are going to talk to me like that?"

Q: I also found it interesting that you played Elizabeth like the ultimate con artist, and the only time she woke from her uninterested haze was when she was able to work a con on some unsuspecting naïve teacher.

A: Oh, well, that was the best part about her because that was the only effort she ever makes. I look at Elizabeth as being in a time of economic crisis. She's looking for a man who can take care of her, and there aren't that many guys like that who exist anymore.

Q: Certainly not in the education field.

A: Well, definitely not in education. [Laughs] But it used to be easier for hot girls to find someone who would give you a credit card and a car and let you stay in their fancy house. It doesn't happen that often anymore. So she is really having to work. Times are tough. She still has to work at school. So when she suddenly sees an opportunity to mess with people in the place where she feels captive, she lights up, gets ready, and becomes the evil person she was meant to be.

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If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front

Chris Barsanti has been a Filmcritic reviewer since 2002. So there.If you were looking for the least usual suspect to be hauled in as part of a terrorism case, then Daniel McGowan would be a good fit. An average-looking kid from Queens, the son of a cop, who worked in public-relations and environmental cause offices, McGowan was arrested in 2005 for being part of the Earth Liberation Front. A radical environmental activist group, ELF had been labeled domestic terrorists by the government and more vividly branded "eco-terrorists" by the media.  Co-directors Marshall Curry (Street Fight) and Sam Cullman come to this fascinating story via a personal route - Curry's wife was McGowan's employer when he was arrested - but handle it all in an impressively judicious manner.

Unlike the great majority of environmentally-themed documentaries, If a Tree Falls comes at its subject from a personal and criminological perspective - this is as much a law-and-order story as it is one about the fight over environmental issues. The filmmakers want to describe McGowan's journey from well-balanced kid from Queens to environmental saboteur but almost more importantly to use him as a way of putting the whole micro-movement under a microscope. The story of how a muscular anti-logging campaign devolved into sectarian turmoil that shot off radicalized cells like burning cinders is ultimately what drives the film and makes it so rewarding.

When the film begins, McGowan is virtually imprisoned in a Manhattan apartment, an ankle bracelet keeping him there until the authorities determine his fate. He walks viewers through a snapshot of his exceedingly normal upbringing (narration interjected only when necessary) before leading them into his involvement in environmental campaigns of the early-and-mid 1990s in the Pacific Northwest. The filmmakers then rope in other parties, from fellow activists who did a better job at staying out of the law's way, to prosecutors and cops who ultimately brought the ELF down. Together they graph how a number of confrontations in and around Eugene, Oregon in 1996 and 1997, which saw police indiscriminately pepper-spraying and beating down marchers, convinced a number of those protestors that stronger actions were necessary.

Not long after, a carefully calibrated campaign of arson was ignited. Ranger stations, lumber company buildings, offices of professors researching genetically modified tree strains, the targets were widely dispersed. The perpetrators, which included McGowan and a knot of other disaffected activists, left no clues behind, as one of the more genial investigators acknowledges, in the tone of the cop who appreciates occasionally having competent adversaries. Though tactically deft, the ELF's motives seem transparently ill-considered. Having abandoned the way of peaceful protest (even though one famous 1995 action detailed here impressively held off logging in Oregon's Warner Creek area for a year), the ELF members come off as less true believers than impatient adolescents, seduced by the romance of stealth guerrilla actions. Protestations that their actions were planned as being nonviolent appear naïve at best, discounting the possibility that one of their bombs (planted when they believed nobody would be around) could have gone off later than intended.

If the film has a failing, it's only in the relatively uninteresting observations of most of the ELF members themselves. It's very likely that most of them were too nervous to go into much soul-searching detail on-camera, given the weight of charges laid on them. McGowan is particularly guarded in his interviews, and unwilling to delve deeply into any of his or his compatriots' motivations. Given this lack of insight or thoughtfulness, when some complain later about being branded eco-terrorists (which could lead to multiple life sentences), it will prove difficult for even the most environmentally conscious viewer to have much sympathy with their plight. After all, those viewers were more likely to be the ones out doing the long, boring scut work that such movements require to accomplish even the most minor social change, instead of playing with bombs in the woods.

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