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SHANY 12 Color Shimmery palette – Travel Size-Retail —-! Sale Only $4.95!
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SHANY 12 Color Shimmery palette – Travel Size Description:
Customer Reviews:
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OPI NLP02 Nomad’s Dream
Product: OPI NLP02 Nomad’s Dream-Retail —-! Sale Only $4.99! List Price: —- Amazon Price: $4.99 Add to cart to see low price@ Availability: In Stock Usually ships in 24 Hours Free Shipping Available |
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From the classic collection: spreads more quickly, evenly, and delivers a smooth, streak-free application. Color Number: NL P02/ Size: 0.5 FL oz – 15 ML
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Gangs of New York Blu-ray Review.
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Gangs of New York Blu-ray Description:
Gangs of New York may achieve greatness with the passage of time. Mixed reviews were inevitable for a production this grand (and this troubled behind the scenes), but it’s as distinguished as any of director Martin Scorsese’s more celebrated New York stories. From its astonishing 1846 prologue to the city’s infernal draft riots of 1863, the film aspires to erase the decorum of textbooks and chronicle 19th-century New York as a cauldron of street warfare. The hostility is embodied in a tale of primal vengeance between Irish American son Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his father’s ruthless killer and “Nativist” gang leader Bill “the Butcher” Cutting (Daniel Day-Lewis, brutally inspired), so named for his lethal talent with knives. Vallon’s vengeance is only marginally compelling; DiCaprio is arguably miscast, and Cameron Diaz (as Vallon’s pickpocket lover) is adrift in a film with little use for women. Despite these weaknesses, Scorsese’s mastery blossoms in his expert melding of personal and political trajectories; this is American history written in blood, unflinching, authentic, and utterly spectacular
Customer Reviews:
Where is the director’s cut?!?!
One of the big controversies surrounding this film was that Martin Scorcese was forced to cut nearly an hour of footage from his final vision in order to get the studio to release it. That’s understandable, as not many people will be willing to sit through a 4 hour movie in theatres. So with the release of it on DVD, we should get the complete version, right? Well… it doesn’t seem so.
The details on this DVD mention nothing about extra footage. Isn’t one of the benefits of the DVD format that we get to see what the director intended before politics and marketing step in? I for one would like to see the COMPLETE movie, the movie that Scorcese wanted to make, rather than the movie which was released, even though that movie was quite good.
I have a feeling that the studio is just doing the usual DVD scam of releasing the theatrical version as soon as possible to catch people while they are still hyped on this movie from the theatrical release and post-Oscar boost. After a few months, hopefully they will release a director’s cut, causing many people to go back and buy the DVD a second time. I, for one, will wait as long as it takes until the full version comes out. I’m sick of getting scammed by these studios into buying one version, and then seeing a “special edition” with all sorts of extras come out a few months later. Not gonna happen this time, buddy-boy.
Godawful Blu Ray disk
Disney just slapped the old transfer made for the DVD on this BD disk. The DVD was notorious for bad image quality with grotesquely overdone digital sharpening and noise filtering. The Blu Ray is the same, justh with additional resolution to see all the uglyness with enhanced clarity.
This is a crap transfer that should be withdrawn immediately or it will damage Disney’s reputation of releasing high quality HD disks. Yes, it is this bad compared to the state of the art from Disney and other studios.
Scorsese’s compromised epic
Gangs of New York has a lot of problems. (1) Cameron Diaz and Leonardo DiCaprio are miscast. They have no chemistry, Diaz’ role is confusing, and DiCaprio appears to be stoned in almost every scene. (2) Their love affair is a needless distraction from the revenge plot. (3) The set design is amazing, but it seems to take up too much of the screen. It’s anything but subtle. In Scorsese’s other films, he creates a world to surround the characters, but he doesn’t call attention to it. (4) The movie is split over two DVDs. There’s no reason for it. I have other films of the same length on a single disc. The extras could have been placed on the second disc, and the entire film on the first. (5) There was a lot of controversy about the production of this film, including cost overruns and fights with the producer. That story is not mentioned anywhere on the two DVDs. It’s a whitewash.
And then there are the good things. (1) Jim Broadbent and Daniel Day-Lewis are great. I could watch those two guys all day. They work the scenery, they work the costumes, and they know when to overdo it to keep the story fun and colorful. (2) All of the historical moments are well-done. Scorsese has a knack for cutting away from the plot, giving you background, and then getting back to his characters. The best example is Casino, whre he spent the first 45 minutes teaching you about Las Vegas. Here, he shows you everything from immigration to racism to corrupt politics and draft fees. (3) The movie is packed with stunning shots, such as the moment at the beginning when Bill’s gang silently emerges from between the houses to form a mob in the snow. Or the climax, with cannons firing into the city and looters storming the mansions. (4) Scorsese’s audio track is worth listening to.
Overall, Gangs of New York is a “chocolate cheeseburger” — a movie that tries to please everyone and ends up pleasing no one. Scorsese should have edited it mercilessly, cutting out the romance (as much as possible) and paring it down to an ultra-violent 2-hour epic. He would have lost a few casual viewers, but they ended up offended or bored anyway. I recommend this to anyone who likes Scorsese movies, simply because its an important part of his body of work. But for those of you who stayed away because you thought you wouldn’t like it — well, you probably made the right choice.
Amazon.com
Gangs of New York may achieve greatness with the passage of time. Mixed reviews were inevitable for a production this grand (and this troubled behind the scenes), but it’s as distinguished as any of director Martin Scorsese’s more celebrated New York stories. From its astonishing 1846 prologue to the city’s infernal draft riots of 1863, the film aspires to erase the decorum of textbooks and chronicle 19th-century New York as a cauldron of street warfare. The hostility is embodied in a tale of primal vengeance between Irish American son Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his father’s ruthless killer and “Nativist” gang leader Bill “the Butcher” Cutting (Daniel Day-Lewis, brutally inspired), so named for his lethal talent with knives. Vallon’s vengeance is only marginally compelling; DiCaprio is arguably miscast, and Cameron Diaz (as Vallon’s pickpocket lover) is adrift in a film with little use for women. Despite these weaknesses, Scorsese’s mastery blossoms in his expert melding of personal and political trajectories; this is American history written in blood, unflinching, authentic, and utterly spectacular. –Jeff Shannon
From The New Yorker
Daniel Day-Lewis, returning to movies after a spell of shoemaking in Florence, disports himself with royal assurance as the voluble thug William Cutting (Bill the Butcher) in Martin Scorsese’s generally unsuccessful epic about nineteenth-century gang life in New York. Wielding knife and cleaver, this vengeful brawler makes spectacles of blood that he knows are gratifying to others. He’s a self-amused monster, and Day-Lewis does what he can to give this semi-coherent production some theatrical panache. Scorsese and his screenwriters (Jay Cocks, Steven Zaillian, and Kenneth Lonergan) never succeed in linking together the intimate personal dramas and the endless gang war between the nativist Yankees (i.e., Protestants) and the new waves of Irish immigrants. The movie isn’t boring, but it’s heavy-spirited, obvious, and grisly, with an emphasis on knives and blood that borders on the fetishistic. Scorsese shot “Gangs” in Rome’s Cinecittˆ, and the picture has some of the depressive feverishness of “Fellini Satyricon,” which was also shot there-the jeering spectators mounted in multitiered sets, the furtive life of the crime-ridden metropolis, with its hapless poverty, its barbaric entertainments, its obscure and unredeemed suffering. The movie also stars a sullen, stolid Leonardo DiCaprio as a young Irish immigrant eager to avenge the death of his father, Cameron Diaz as a prostitute and pickpocket, Liam Neeson as a fallen Irish leader, and Jim Broadbent as the corrupt political boss William Tweed. -David Denby
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker
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Crochet Stitches In Motion Leisure Arts #3911 DVD Discount.
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Crochet Stitches In Motion Leisure Arts #3911 DVD Description:
With this groundbreaking DVD, it’s so easy now to improve your crocheting and increase your confidence. Simply sit “shoulder-to-shoulder” with our friendly expert as she puts crochet in motion for you. With close-up photos from the crocheter’s point of view, you’ll learn 12 intriguing pattern stitches that can energize your projects, from the beginner-level Single Crochet Ridges to the Snapdragon Stitch, Honeycomb, challenging Cross Stitch, and more. The Stitch-Along format automatically pauses periodically, waiting until you click “Play” to set your own pace, and a commentary shares invaluable advice as you crochet. Then you get to practice what you’ve learned with 8 fun projects: a stroller blanket, flower, adult hat and scarf, kerchief, mobius wrap, placemat, and dishcloth. Paired with a comprehensive reference library, A-to-Z Index, basic refresher course, and inspiring ideas, this DVD is like having your own personal instructor 24 hours a day. Enjoy!
Customer Reviews:
So inspiring and easy-to-follow!!
I was recovering from surgery and had lots of time on my hands. I was watching lots of DVD’s (movies mostly) was getting tired of that. I came across these crochet Leisure Arts DVD’s and thought I’d give them a try. I crocheted a while ago and figured this would be a good time to get back into it. This DVD has a “basic refresher” section which was perfect. Everything came back and I was ready to dive into the 12 pattern stitches.
Wow! This is so much fun!! The act of crocheting was so relaxing and it felt great to be creative. There’s a nice selection of projects to make with the stitches you learn and you may even feel daring enough to make up some projects of your own.
I loved this DVD so much, I also bought “Crochet Fashions In Motion”, which I also reviewed.
DVD–Crochet Stitches In Motion
Crochet Stitches in Motion (DVD) is wonderful. I am a complete novice at crocheting. I find it very easy to follow at all times. I am left handed so I really have a hard time learning any stitches from anyone because of this. Anyone who really has a hard time following someone else’s instructions, I suggest that you purchase this. It’s just great and very reasonable. You can learn at your own pace.
Peggy (Sicklerville, NJ)
Good but not as good as I Can’t Believe I’m Crocheting in Motion DVD
My husband bought me the “I Can’t Believe I Am Crocheting in Motion” DVD last year. I Learned everything about crocheting that a beginner needs to know. I knew nothing about crocheting. Thanks to the DVD my husband bought me I have crocheted a scarf and a granny square mini purse. Thanks to Melissa Leapman’s great teaching. I was excited about watching “Crochet Stitches In Motion”. I figured since it was the same DVD series that Melissa would be the instructor but she is not unfortunately.
I Found this DVD at my local library. I popped the DVD into my player as soon as I got home. I was disappointed by the instructor. She is not as precise with instructions as Melissa Leapman from the “I Can’t Believe I Am Crocheting” DVD.
The instructor did not seem very professional. I found her voice annoying. She sounded to sweet. From the way the woman talks it sounds as if she is talking to kindergarten kids.
The instructor does not give helpful hints along the way like Melissa did. Also Melissa acted as if she was sitting next to you from the way she talked.
I knkow for a fact that I am not purchasing this DVD. IF I need to see it again I will check it out from my library. This DVD is not worth the $20 it costs. Now if Melissa Leapman had been the instructor it would be worth the price.
If there is another Crochet DVD released for the in motion series I just hope that Melissa is the instructor. I wish this DVD would be redone with Melissa as the teacher. I would buy it then.
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Body Heat Deluxe Edition Sale-$7.99!
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Body Heat Deluxe Edition Description:
William Hurt and Kathleen Turner strike sparks in Lawrence Kasdan’s Body Heat, a sexy, haunting tale of desire and skullduggery that echoes 1940s film noirs but is charged with an energy and passion that could only flare in the ’80s. Aided by a sultry John Barry score, Kasdan’s assured directorial debut foreshadowed the emotional textures he would bring to later films The Big Chill, The Accidental Tourist and Grand Canyon. Sit back and bask in this contemporary classic’s wicked warmth.
DVD Features:
Additional Scenes
Featurette:Body Heat: The Plan Body Heat: The Production Body Heat: The Post-Prodution
Interviews:1981 Interview Footage with Kathleen Turner and William Hurt
Theatrical Trailer
Customer Reviews:
AFI’s Great Love Stories: #94 Body Heat
The most important thing you need to know is that most of the women I know consider “Body Heat” to be the sexiest movie they have ever seen. Now, I do not feel that way, but I am pretty sure I can explain the difference in judgment. Then again, writer-director Lawrence Kasdan created sexual tension between Princess Leia and Han Solo, so we should not be surprised at what he can accomplish in a galaxy closer to home.
Attorney Ned Racine (William Hurt) is one of those lawyers whose life is in cruise control, the sort that usually find redemption in those John Grisham novels. Instead he meets Matty Walker (Kathleen Turner), a sexual siren with a well-to-do husband who leads him willingly down the path of damnation. Kasdan gets credit for taking 1940s film noir in which love goes terribly wrong and bringing it into the sexually provocative 1980s, but it is Turner who breaths the fire and passion into this film: Think Lauren Bacall’s throaty voice put into the sculptured body of a sex goddess and covered in the sweat of a hot and humid Southern summer night. The plot takes some delicious twists and turns as well. “Body Heat” paved the way for every every other sick and twisted tale of bad love to come down the road since, from “Fatal Attraction” to “Basic Instinct” and beyond.
Most Romantic Lines: “You’re not very bright, are you? I like that in a man.” That pretty much sums up this film’s idea of “romance.”
If you like “Body Heat,” then check out these other films on AFI’s list: #49 “The Postman Always Rings Twice” and #84 “Double Indemnity.” Why? Because they are also movies where a guy meets the sort of gal he would kill to be with–and he does.
Review of new edition of “Body Heat” is it worth it? Yep.
Matty: “You’re not too smart. I like that in a man”
Ned: What else to you like? Lazy? Ugly? Horny? I got’em all.
Matty: You don’t look lazy.
Finally upgraded on DVD this top notch film noir looks better better than the previous edition on DVD. It isn’t perfect (image appears a bit soft at times but part of that was intentionally due to the soft diffuse photography by Richard Kline the other part of that could be due to the interpostive negative aging)We can practically see the heat and humidity sweat through the TV screen. It also has some very nice extras for fans of the film. John Barry’s sultry score sounds rich and creamy in the 5.1 remix on this disc.
William Hurt plays criminal lawyer Ned Racine who gets pulled into an affair with married woman Matty (Kathleen Turner). She has a solution to all of their woes when she suggests they murder her wealthy husband (Richard Crenna). Featuring strong performances from a top notch supporting cast including Mickey Rourke and Ted Danson “Body Heat” recalls films like “The Postman Always Rings Twice” with its noir plot but has its own unique twists and turns.
The previous edition had very little in the way of extras. This re-release includes three featurettes on the production of the film covering everything from pre-production to post -production. We find out for example that George Lucas personally agreed to underwrite any budget overruns but did so quietly without telling Kasdan and did it on his own accord. Also Alan Ladd Jr. insisted that Hurt shave his mustache as he felt it made him look too sleazy (precisely the point). Kasdan just went ahead and shot it his way. After they saw the dalies they never complained about it again. Other interviews include new comments from Hurt, Turner, Danson, Editor Carol Littleton, cinematographer Richard Kline and director Kasdan discussing various aspects of the production. Hurt has always marched to a different drum and that’s evident in both the new and original 1981 interviews included with this set. He’s certainly off-beat.We also get five deleted scenes and the original theatrical trailer. While it might have been nice to integrate some of the deleted scenes back into the film they wouldn’t have benefited this already tightly coiled film.
This along with “The Big Chill” and Kasdan’s revival of the epic western “Silverado” continues to be the highlight of his career as a hyphenate. Although he would go on to writer/direct other challenging and memorable films such as “The Accidental Tourist”, “Grand Canyon” and “Wyatt Earp” (not to mention the underrated “I Love You To Death”) “Body Heat” established his mastery of both the written word and fleeting image of cinema.
This is Great Noir with the gloves off!
Lawrence Kasdan has done a lot of great stuff as a writer (a small, indie film called Raiders of the Lost Ark comes to mind) but in Body Heat he demonstrates a great touch with the 40’s noir style as a director.
Kathleen Turner sizzles, and I mean sizzles, as a smart, ruthless, greedy, and incredibly hot married women who’s can’t hide her lying eyes. William Hurt is naive, innocent, and believably dumb as her intrepid lover/lawyer/sap.
I dont’ want to spoil too much of the plot, but it’s dark, atmospheric, and well directed with great lighting that only the dvd shows well. The vhs version is terrible. Pan and scan ruins films like this one, and shadows used this effectively need dvd.
You’ll like this film if you like noir, or if you just like exciting murder/romance stories, or even if you just like steamy love scenes. It’s got it all.
Amazon.com essential video
While scoring high-profile credits as a screenwriter (including The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and Raiders of the Lost Ark), Lawrence Kasdan made his directorial debut with this steamy, contemporary film noir in the tradition of Double Indemnity and other classics from the 1940s. In one of his most memorable roles, William Hurt plays a Florida lawyer unwittingly drawn into a web of deceit spun by Kathleen Turner (in her screen debut) as a married socialite who plots to kill off her husband with Hurt’s assistance. Kasdan’s dialogue is a hoot (sometimes it borders on satire), and the sultry atmosphere is a perfect complement to the perspiration-soaked chemistry between Hurt and Turner, whose love scenes caused quite a stir when the film was released in 1981. John Barry’s score sets the provocative mood, and both Ted Danson and Mickey Rourke are splendid in memorable supporting roles. –Jeff Shannon
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I’m Not There Two-Disc Collector’s Edition
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Inspired by the life and songs of Bob Dylan, I’m Not There is “a profoundly personal and passionate film” (A.O. Scott, The New York Times) that captures the essence of this elusive genius. Six different actors — including Heath Ledger, Christian Bale, Richard Gere and Oscar® nominee Cate Blanchett in a “soon-to-be-legendary performance” (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone) – each embody part of the Dylan legend: from Greenwich Village folk singer to electric guitar trailblazer to born-again preacher. Directed by Academy Award®-nominated writer/director Todd Haynes (Far From Heaven), I’m Not There is “unquestionably the year’s most original American movie” (Thelma Adams, US Weekly).
Dylan Mosaic Blends and Clashes
After `Don’t Look Back’ and Martin Scorsese’s `No Direction Home’ Bob Dylan – No Direction Home what’s left? With a subject as complex and multi-faceted as Dylan, it only makes sense to do more. Just look at Dylan’s memoir/autobiography, `Chronicles’. We were given so much in Volume 1, but we know there’s much more to come. And that’s just from him. To capture all aspects of Dylan, there’s `I’m Not There’. With portrayals by six actors, each representing an aspect of his life, we get a Dylan mosaic that both blends and clashes.
This is partly true because of Dylan himself, but it’s also true because of the nature of the project. At its best the movie is an effectively surreal portraiture. At its worst it becomes a lingering still life that quickly needs the next piece in the gallery or provides some substandard reflections. More than half of the songs are Dylan’s originals, but some of the covers are fairly effective, too. I was personally glad to have so many songs from his (subjectively greatest) masterpiece, ‘ Blonde on Blonde’, but there is a wealth of material they use throughout. Their selection is nearly flawless.
One thing’s for sure it’s comprehensive. Having read the first `Chronicles,’ having seen the aforementioned films, and owning several of his recordings, most of the time director, Todd Haynes, is right on the money. Not having read Dylan’s own thoughts in ‘Tarantula’ or seen his portrayal in ‘Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid’ there are gaps that inevitably are provided for us. Still, the mosaic of Dylan effectiveness depends on the actor as well as the scene.
How does each actor do? Marcus Carl Franklin is Woody, the young, aspiring Dylan. It makes sense to have an African-American play the boy Dylan because in ‘Chronicles’ Chronicles: Volume One (Chronicles) his blues influences are amply noted, and we certainly know where the name came from. Remembering Robert Shelton’s reflections of among his first interviews, I thought the circus vagabond aspect of his life was pure folklore, but maybe even that fits. Ben Whisham is Arthur Rimbaud, the rebel Dylan, facing a parole board before he’s famous. So far it’s a good blend.
Heath Ledger is Robbie Clark or Dylan, the lover and movie star. This is the Dylan whose underbelly is shown to be chauvinistic at times, but also someone who yearns for a stable family life. Picking Ledger makes sense. Christian Bale is sometimes the stage Dylan (Jack Rollins), and, well…sometimes the born-again Christian (Pastor John). Kate Blanchett is Jude Quinn, the incredulous rebel interviewee who refuses to be pigeon-holed or answer questions based on the elders’ self-centered assumptions. Comparing ‘Don’t Look Back’ Bob Dylan – Don’t Look Back (Single Disc Remastered Edition) she’s dead on. Both Jack Rollins and Jude Quinn represent the controversial period when Dylan went electric, and some of the best scenes are found during this era.
I came shocked and surprised coming into the movie noting there was a woman playing the part. I gave myself a pep talk to keep an open mind, and found her the most convincing Dylan. Ledger and Bale have their moments, but my biggest problem is that I kept thinking of Heath Ledger and Christian Bale more often than I thought of Dylan. Richard Gere plays the Dylan role in the movie `Pat Garrett…’ Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (Two-Disc Special Edition). Here he’s Billy the Kid. He looked like Dylan, but reminded me the least of him.
The supporting players are essential. Julianne Moore is one of the best in the show as Alice Fabian (Joan Baez). Matching her is Charlotte Gainsbourg as Claire (Sarah) his wife. The playful vignettes with The Beatles and Alan Ginsberg are a joy to watch. Dylan’s manager, Morris Bernstein (Albert Grossman), is represented as every bit as protective, resourceful, and demanding as one would expect. One of the best scenes is with needling newspaper man, Keenan Jones (or “Mr. Jones” if you will) played by Bruce Greenwood.
This biopic blends more than not. Their methods seem better than the random hop-scotch ‘La Vie en Rose (Extended Version)’ tends to do. Especially when we’re at a chic cocktail party, and we see all kinds of images projected fully on the walls; it’s very well done. Jerry Rabinowicz’s editing does much for the flow of scenes, except when the ‘Pat Garrett’ scenes lingered too long, and when the criss-cross of time frames and aspects of his life were distracting and lacked focus.
Despite its flaws, ‘I’m Not There’ is a brave and magnetic portraiture of Bob Dylan. As a bold experiment it mostly succeeds and satisfies. The very fact that the 2:15 movie makes as few demands as it does on its audience shows that the results are a labor of love that mostly ring true.
Extras-Packed Collector’s Edition!
Director Todd Haynes has reinvented the musician biopic by manipulating its conventions to suit its subject instead of the other way around which is what has always been done in the past. I’m Not There invites us into Bob Dylan’s brain and has look at the world through his eyes. We also see how Dylan is perceived by the media and his fans. Because Haynes is pushing the genre to its extremes the film is quite hard to follow at times as we jump all over the place in time and are confronted by various takes on Dylan. However, I think it is a film that will only improves on subsequent viewings as what Haynes is doing becomes more apparent and understood.
On the first disc there is “An Introduction” featuring four text essays that help one get a handle on the film. “Who’s Not There: Six Faces of Dylan” explains who each of the six Dylans the actors are playing and what they represent. “Tangled Up in Clues” claims that Haynes’ film is “an homage to 1960s art films.” It does an excellent job of breaking the film down to its basic elements. “Decoding an Entertaining Enigma” examines each incarnation of Dylan in the film. “Notes on I’m Not There” is written by noted critic Greil Marcus and features a solid analysis of the film.
There is an audio commentary by co-writer/director Todd Haynes. He talks about how he rediscovered Bob Dylan’s music and his life via biographies. Haynes talks about how he pitched the project to Dylan and how he was inspired by the cinema of the 1960s because that was the time period where most of the film was set. Haynes certainly knows his Dylan history and does a great job analyzing his film and talking about the changes he made while shooting it. This is an engaging and informative track.
There is also an option to have the lyrics to the songs that appear on-screen.
The second disc features two theatrical trailers and an unreleased flash card trailer done in the style of the famous “Subterranean Homesick Blues” video with the cast.
There are “Audition Tapes” for Marcus Carl Franklin and Ben Whishaw. They both do a good job embodying the character they would eventually play.
Also included are two deleted scenes with Blanchett as Dylan messed up on drugs and another with Gere as Dylan during his western phase.
There are four alternate/extended scenes that provide an interesting, different take on these scenes.
An “Outtakes” gag reel features the cast and crew goofing around.
“A Tribute to Heath Ledger” features a montage of clips of the late actor in character and on the set. It is a sobering reminder of what a great talent has been lost with his tragic death.
“The Red Carpet Premiere” in November 2007 features footage of Haynes and his cast walking the red carpet and interacting with the press.
“Making the Soundtrack” examines how they mixed covers of Dylan’s songs with original versions by the man himself. Haynes enlisted Sonic Youth’s Lee Ronaldo to supervise some of the music and musicians like John Doe recorded their versions of key songs in the film. Assembling the soundtrack was as unconventional as the film itself.
“Conversation with Todd Haynes” features the director going in detail about his film explaining the title, the origins of the project, and so on. It’s a nice compliment to his commentary track even if there is some overlap.
“Dylanography” includes the one-page proposal Haynes sent Dylan in order to get his approval for the film. There is also a chronology of the musician’s life, a discography of his extensive output, books he’s written, pages from the director’s notebook, and stills of the various characters.
Amazing, but only for a very particular group of people.
I adored this film. It is more like a puzzle or mosaic than a story, but it comes closer than anything yet to painting a good picture of such an interesting man.
This film is nonlinear and abstract – people who like a concise, plot based story are not going to like it. People who don’t know or care much about Dylan’s career probably won’t get much out of it.
But for those of us who are diehard Dylan fans and enthusiasts, it is a very rewarding experience. You will recognize particular scenes and shots. You will marvel at how many known aspects of the man are shown.
I recommend this film, but only to diehard Dylan fans and fans of nonlinear storytelling.
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I Am Because We Are
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I AM BECAUSE WE ARE (DVD)
I am Because WE Are
I saw the entire movie when it was free on HULU and I’ll buy it because it truly touched me.
The stories told by the village people in the country of Malawi are surprising to anyone who has no idea where in the world this country is, and even to anyone who has never left the United States. There is a different world out there and I’m glad Madonna chose to create this film to tell her story to the world.
Making a Change
Interesting film and what about we need to know what we need to do for our brothers and sisters.. Not only show and do nothing.. We need to act.
I am because we are is a NEED IT TO WATCH
This is a great documentary, and I found very well done made it and informative. Make me wondering many things… and the most loving more the children and their needs, and trying to see how I can help them more. Bravo Madonna.
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Oblivion
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In The Year 3031…It’s Cowboys And Aliens.!!!!!!!!
Not since robotic cowboys strutted the dusty streets of Westworld has a sci-fi western caused such a ruckus! Oblivion’s a rough and tumble frontier outpost with all sorts of bizarre creatures wandering about. But when Redeye (half man, half lizard and all mean) swaggers into town, all hell breaks loose!
Featuring a posse of favorites including Julie Newmar as the racy saloon hostess, George Takei as the tipsy local “Doc,” Carel Struycken (The Addams Family) as an eerie mortician and Meg Foster playing a robocop with a quick draw and a heart of gold-plate.
Classic, high camp… with MUSETTA VANDER
I love this movie… I first saw it eight years ago and only recently hunted it (and its sequel, Backlash) down as an exorbitantly-priced VHS, even though it meant playing it on a tiny, tinny-sounding TV/VCR.
So, it’s a “Sci-Fi Western.” Let me see… Was it hokey? Heck, yeah! That’s what MAKES the movie. Basically, toss Clash of the Titans, the original Star Trek series, The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai Across the Eighth Dimension, and a little Jim Henson puppetry into a blender, and you’ve got a fairly representative perception of what it’s like. I have no idea what the budget was, but what it looks like is NOT mainstream Hollywood, NOT trendy-Indie, but very hip and quirky and campy on a well-designed shoestring budget.
The characters are waaay over the top… waaay waaay OVER over the top… even the seemingly straight-played parts by Richard Joseph Paul and Jackie Swanson (Little House on the Prairie really was this tragic, it just wasn’t meant to be). And YES, George Takei pokes fun at his Star Trek pigeonholing with wincingly blatant one-liners, but it’s so FUN to see him cutting loose (Sulu was awfully straight-laced). Musetta Vander is absolutely DELICIOUS as the black leather-clad, electric whip-wielding Lash. If you’ve always had a soft spot for really wicked women (with a Bettie Page thing going), you’ll fall for her after seeing this. Carel Struycken is so freaking cool, I want to hug him. His voice (I sooo dig his voice) and kind of innocent savant demeanor (but with bits of cold practicality peeking through) reminded me of Andre the Giant in The Princess Bride.
If you live for the credits, here you go:
Directed by Sam Irvin and written by Charles Band, Peter David (I), Mark Goldstein (II), John Rheaume, and Greg Suddeth. The credits include Richard Joseph Paul as Zack Stone, Jackie Swanson as Mattie Chase, Andrew Divoff as Redeye, Meg Foster as Stell Barr, Isaac Hayes as Buster, Julie Newmar as Miss Kitty, Carel Struycken as Gaunt, George Takei as Doc Valentine, Musetta Vander as Lash, Jimmie F. Skaggs as Buteo, Irwin Keyes as Bork, Mike Genovese as Marshall Stone, Frank Roman (I) as Wormhole, Jeff Moldovan as Spanner, Joe Muzio and Craig Anthony Muzio as Two Head, Tim Miller (I) as the Stinking Turncoat, Peter David (I) as Cowhand, Nadine Emilie Voindrouh as Josephine, Sam Irvin himself as the “Whipping Boy,” and a bunch of techs and extras who probably laughed and partied their way through the entire (for Pete’s sake, go find a copy of the freaking film and watch it already) filming.
What are you waiting for? A newsletter and button?
Nebula boy.
>=)
“This world dries up your soul.”
Several years ago, I remember watching a VHS enjoying my beverage and eating my popcorn as I watched through the previews. On this particular movie (I don’t remember what it was), there were trailers for several films that I had never heard of before. One of them was for OBLIVION. I don’t know why, but I found the trailer for OBLIVION to be hilarious and decided that if I ever had an opportunity to rent the movie, then I would. It took me almost a decade to locate a place that had the movie to rent, but now I’ve finally watched the movie whose trailer I found so humorous and intriguing all those years before.
OBLIVION is set over two thousand years in the future on a barren planet that is reminiscent of the Western landscapes of the United States. In fact, not only does the landscape remind one of the American wild west, so do the way people live and how they behave. For instance, mining is popular occupation of spectators, gunfights are common, and horses are a relatively common form of transportation. However, despite the similarities, there are also a lot of differences, e.g. the bank has an ATM; there are spaceships; the outback is populated my giant, ferocious, flesh-eating scorpions; and one of the chief villains is a humanoid reptile from another planet.
The story begins with a shootout between the Marshall of Oblivion (Mike Genovese) and the power-hungry lizard-man, Redeye (Andrew Divoff). Redeye has set a trap for Marshall Stone and Marshall Stone falls for it. With his death, Redeye takes over the town of Oblivion and begins turning the place into his home base for his various illegal activities. News of Marshall Stone’s death reaches his only son, Zach (Richard Joseph Paul) who is working in the Outback mining for the highly precious metal dreconian. Zach heads back to Oblivion with a native he rescued from death and Oblivion’s funeral master. Zach has no intention of getting even for his father’s murder, but when he gets to Oblivion and sees how much damage is being caused by no one standing up, he decides to take control and bring law and order back to town.
As far as films go, OBLIVION really isn’t terrible. The story is a typical Western-type story, but the production values are fairly decent.
The movie does have a very campy feel to it, however. This is because of two major reasons. To begin with, the film doesn’t follow the pattern of any one genre. The movie is most like a Western, but it’s not like any other Western I’ve ever seen. There’s lots and lots of comedy, including dumb one-liners and off-beat visual effects, e.g. the funeral home looks like a casket and there are overhead fans outside. There’s elements of sci-fi with the alien bad guy, the power metal of dreconian, and the giant scorpions. There’s a little bit of gore, romance, and even some innuendo of bondage. The movie seems to start off wanting to be a straight action piece, then shifts gears into high comedy, before ending in the action genre again. The other reason for the campiness is the unusual well-known B-movie cast secondary stars. Julie Newmar (who played Catwoman in the 1960s BATMAN tv series) is dressed in a skintight cat costume portraying a woman named Miss Kitty who has some feline attributes and runs the local saloon, George Takei portrays the local doctor/inventor, Doc Valentine, and constantly says lines directly ripped from STAR TREK, Isaac Hayes plays a tavern/pawn-shop owner named Buster who has a soft and squeaky voice, and Carel Struycken (famous for Lurch on THE ADDAMS FAMILY movies) plays the funeral director and undertaker Gaunt. There are several other performers who parody other roles they have played which provide for some laughs, but is also something that becomes dry after awhile.
Overall, OBLIVION isn’t a terrible movie and if you don’t mind the camp-factor, then it can provide for a relatively fun ninety minutes of cheesy entertainment.
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Roger And Me Sale-$18.49!
Compare & Purchase Roger And Me at Amazon by clicking here! List Price: $19.98 Amazon Price: $18.49 |
Roger And Me Description:
Michael Moore is a hometown hero who tries to get to the man at the top, General Motors Chairman Roger Smith, and persuade him to visit Flint, Michigan and do something about the hard times that have come there.
Genre: Documentary
Rating: R
Release Date: 19-AUG-2003
Media Type: DVD
Customer Reviews:
Maybe this movie is even more powerful in 2004?
I’ve seen all of MM’s movies and this is one of his very best.
His first movie, “Roger & Me” is perhaps his best. Michael Moore is the voice to the voiceless in this true story about big business taking advantage of the little guy. GM closes it’s factories in Flint, MI putting thousands of people out of work. The entire film revolves around the hardworking people of Flint as well as Moore’s quest to find GM CEO, Roger Smith.
The movie is 15 years old, nevertheless it is still extremely realistic. We still have the same issues concerning the sluggish economy and corporate downsizing. Maybe the movie is even more powerful in 2004?
Michael Moore is a genius and I hope he will keep speaking up for the everyday workers of America. If you’re interested in other Michael Moore projects I also recommend the movie Bowling for Columbine & the book Downsize This! Random Threats from an Unarmed American.
Bunnies for pets,……or rabbits for meat?
This hilarious, disturbing, and completely original documentary launched its director, Michael Moore to fame. Moore’s film shows what happens when General Motors decides to close down its plant in Flint, Michigan. 30,000 people lose their jobs and Flint’s economy plunges into depression.
The film details Moore’s attempt to get an interview with GM head Roger Smith to show him what he did to Flint. Instead, Moore is given the run-around as he is informed that Smith is out, unavailable, or busy.
Undaunted, Moore points his camera at the people of Flint to show us the viewers what GM did to Flint. We are shown a man who suffered a mental breakdown after losing his job. We are shown a spaced-out woman who has formed a most interesting business to ward off unemployment. We are treated to pictures of the upper class living in complete oblivion to the poverty surrounding them (“Get a job!” one woman informs Moore). We are informed that the crime rate has skyrocketed in Flint since the plant shut down. But not to worry, this provides a new source of employment. Laid-off employees can now get jobs as security guards locking up their former co-workers.
A few scenes that really stood out in my mind: One was the way the sheriff goes from house to house evicting people with a bored expression on his face. When Moore questions him about how he feels about doing this, the sheriff looks completely baffled. Instead, he talks about how he is looking forward to his upcoming holiday. Doesn’t he realize he’s on camera? Another scene that stands out, the people of Flint trying to offset unemployment by developing a theme park dedicated to celebrating Flint’s GM heritage. When the park fails to attract tourists, the people are left looking pretty stupid.
There’s also that scene where Ronald Reagan shows up to treat the unemployed workers to pizza and give them a lecture about finding employment. He then forgets to pick up the check.
It’s important to realize that GM didn’t close the plant in Flint because they were in an economic downturn, but because they didn’t want to spend a little extra money keeping people employed. GM devastated Flint’s economy so that the people at the top could get a little richer. Moore’s film transcends being just a revenge comedy and becomes a stinging indictment of the dark side of capitalism.
You can’t help but feel that Roger Smith would have been better off if he’d agreed to the interview. Instead, Michael Moore chose to point his camera at Flint, giving Smith a much more damning indictment than an interview ever could.
I’ll be looking forward to seeing Moore’s new film “Bowling for Columbine” when it’s released in October. I hope its as good as this film.
This is how a documentary should be made
When I attended the premiere screening of Roger & Me at the Sundance Film Festival several years ago, things were already abuzz about this controversial film, and it was making headlines in movie trades, newspapers, talk shows, and social circles, about this unconventional unknown teddy bear of a guy named Michael Moore who set out with just Bingo winnings and a camera in the pretense of getting a personal audience with GM Chairman Roger Smith, and offer Mr. Smith a tour of the deteriorating town where “rats exceeded its population” and was named the worst city to live in by Money magazine. The film is a daring and cynical poke at a capitalistic system that, with smugness and phony piety, can turn out and lay off 30,000 factory workers for the sheer purpose of profit. But, rather than giving in to the easy way of anger and resentment, Michael Moore retorts with a gentle and entertaining masterpiece, a splendid statement, rich in irony, humor, and pathos, that should be viewed by anyone whose social conscience has been impinged by what so many people pursue as the “American Dream”. But this American Dream is work hard, the company makes money – and you lose your job. If I had more than 2 thumbs, they would go way up for this highly provocative film!!
Amazon.com essential video
Roger and Me is a loose, smart-alecky documentary directed and narrated by Michael Moore, an everyman host with a devastating wit and a working-class pose. When his hometown is devastated by the plant closure of an American corporate giant (making record profits, one should note), the hell-raising political commentator with a prankster streak tries to turn his camera on General Motors Chairman Roger B. Smith, the elusive Roger of the title, and the film is loosely structured around Moore’s odyssey to track down the corporate giant for an interview.
While Moore ambushes his corporate subjects like a blue-collar Geraldo Rivera, a guerrilla interviewer who treasures his comic rebuffs as much as his interviews, his portraits of the colorful characters he meets along the way can be patronizing. The famous come off as absurdly out of touch (Anita Bryant appears for some can-do cheerleading, and hometown celebrity Bob Eubanks tells some boorish jokes), and the disenfranchised poor (notably an unemployed woman who sells rabbit meat to make ends meet) all too often appear as buffoons or hicks. But behind his loose play with the facts and snarky attitude is a devastating look at the victims of downsizing in the midst of the 1980s economic boom. This portrait of Reagan’s America and the tarnish on the American dream comes down to a simple question: what is corporate America’s responsibility to the country’s citizens? That’s a question no one at GM wants to answer. –Sean Axmaker
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Johnny Cash – Live From Austin TX
Product: Buy Johnny Cash – Live From Austin TX At Amazon! List Price: $16.98 Amazon Price: $15.49 Add to cart to see low price@ Availability: In Stock Usually ships in 24 Hours Free Shipping Available |
Compare Prices on Johnny Cash – Live From Austin TX
The legendary Man In Black’s performance on the Austin City Limits TV show is now available on DVD, with added songs that were not included in the TV broadcast. The DVD also features a duet with June Carter Cash. From “Ring Of Fire” to “I Walk The Line”, this amazing DVD will be a must have for Cash fans and a great introduction for new fans. Also available on CD.
I really like this DVD!
I just picked this DVD up. I skimmed through it once, watching the hit songs. But it was when I really watched it all the way throught that I discovered how really good it is. Some of the songs I was not familiar with are among the best on the DVD, particularly John Prine’s “Sam Stone” and also “Let Him Roll”. I was glad to see “The Fourth Man” on the DVD as I remember the song from an LP that I have.
Having June Carter Cash and the Carter Family on the DVD is a plus. The affection and chemistry between Johnny and June is obvious. One other thing that makes this DVD special for me is that I saw him in concert at about this time (1987) when the record companies weren’t too interested in him, but he was still immensely popular with the public. The DVD brings back nice memories.
I steered clear of the “Live at Montreux” because of reports of poor sound quality. This DVD does not suffer from any lack of audio or visual quality.
Austin City Limits 1987 concert
I was delighted to find that this DVD was available in record shops here in Sydney a month before North America. I remember watching the concert on PBS in Ottawa in 1987. I was a bit take back with the DVD, it is packaged well, but since it is from the programme ‘Austin City Limits’ which has become an institution on the Public Broadcasting System (PBS)I expected better.
I was hoping for the intro I recall in 1987. The DVD concert quickly goes into the concert. Cash appeared a bit tired with limited emotion singing the old standards (Ring of Fire and Folsom Prison Blues), but this was the time when many considered his career was in a slump. He was signed to Mercury records and country radio industry was pretty much ignoring the reliable artists that helped build country radio in exchange for ‘New Country’ which sadly is not as I see it true country. I was relieved to see that his spirirt picked up for ‘Sunday Mornin’ Comin Down’ and did a fine job with John Prine’s ‘Sam Stone’ and a duet with June Carter with ‘Where did we go right?’.
I recommend the DVD for Cash fans. I am pleased to own a copy. I give the DVD 3 stars, a good grade not the typical 5 that the so many overly eager ‘reviewers’ hand out. I only wich that Cash had a concert filmed and packeged to the equivalent of Elvis Presley’s ‘The ‘68Comeback Special’ and ‘The 1973 Aloha concert’ because he deserved it.
Good audio and video, fair concert
I was mildly disappointed with this DVD. Nice clear video and great sound [especially in DTS]. Maybe too much time spent on closeups of Johnny. Music performance uninspired. Johnny looks and sounds tired. Band members playing as though they were on the last leg of an exhausting tour. The Rick Rubin American Recordings several years later really brought out the great soul that Johnny was [is]. It was an emotional moment for me when June Carter Cash joined Johnny on stage and I really appreciated Johnny covering songs by John Prine and Guy Clark, but despite the great venue this was a rather mediocre concert.
