Amazon.com essential video

A favorite film of some of the world's greatest filmmakers, including Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, John Ford's The Searchers has earned its place in the legacy of great American films for a variety of reasons. Perhaps most notably, it's the definitive role for John Wayne as an icon of the classic Western--the hero (or antihero) who must stand alone according to the unwritten code of the West. The story takes place in Texas in 1868; Wayne plays Ethan Edwards, a Confederate veteran who visits his brother and sister-in-law at their ranch and is horrified when they are killed by marauding Comanches. Ethan's search for a surviving niece (played by young Natalie Wood) becomes an all-consuming obsession. With the help of a family friend (Jeffrey Hunter) who is himself part Cherokee, Ethan hits the trail on a five-year quest for revenge. At the peak of his masterful talent, director Ford crafts this classic tale as an embittered examination of racism and blind hatred, provoking Wayne to give one of the best performances of his career. As with many of Ford's classic Westerns, The Searchers must contend with revisionism in its stereotypical treatment of "savage" Native Americans, and the film's visual beauty (the final shot is one of the great images in all of Western culture) is compromised by some uneven performances and stilted dialogue. Still, this is undeniably one of the greatest Westerns ever made. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (120)

A classic western
The Searchers is considered by many to be one of the best westerns ever made, and I cannot disagree with them. The story follows the efforts of two men trying to track down a kidnapped girl from Comanches over the course of five years. The men tracking the tribe are a Confederate veteran and the girl's uncle and the other a family friend and also part Cherokee. The film is beautifully shot as all John Ford westerns are, which adds to the overall mood of the movie. There is a vastness to some scenes which show the futility of tracking down this girl after so many years. The Searchers is a classic that provided John Wayne with a role that was different from any other he had previously played.

John Wayne stars as Ethan Edwards, the Confederate veteran trying to track down his niece after his brother's family is slaughtered by a Comanche raiding party. He plays the role of the racist veteran to perfection. At times it is startling to see him in a role that differs so greatly from most other movies he had done. Jeffrey Hunter plays Martin Pawley, the Duke's partner in his search for the kidnapped girl. He plays a good sidekick to Wayne throughout since they have such differing personalities in the movie. Also starring are Natalie Wood, Ward Bond, Harry Carey JR, Patrick Wayne, Hank Worden, Ken Curtis and plenty of other Wayne stock actors. The DVD is good but could have been much better. You can view the movie in fullscreen or widescreen, with trailers included alongside four documentary shorts. A must have for western fans that is up there with Shane and The Wild Bunch as some of the greatest westerns of all time!

John Wayne at his Western Best now on WideScreen DVD!
"The Searchers" (1956) Anamorphic Widescreen DVD version is one of the best classic westerns ever made! Ranked in the American Film Institute's (AFI) top 100 movies of the last 100 years (1998). Having the best Western Director, John Ford partnering up with his favorite cowboy star, John Wayne can only be the beginning of a grand movie. Adding Widescreen Technicolor, the colorful Panoramic Monument Valley - Utah (Ford's favorite western area to film), a fantastic musical score and top supporting cast leads us on one of the best filmed westerns ever!

Summary - Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) is returning home to his only Brother & his family. After he and a posse of Texas Rangers (Lead by Ward Bond) were decoyed away by distant marauding Indians. The actual Indian raid was on remaining defenseless families left behind. Ethan's returned to find his Brothers family massacured all but his youngest niece, Debbie (played by Lana (younger)& Natalie Wood (older). His vengence takes him on a 5 year journey to recover her. Wayne is brilliant and proves he is a great actor.

"The Searchers" is a powerful 2 hour emotional rollercoaster ride. This movie will leave you with more respect of John Wayne's ability to act, Director John Ford's genius to tell a very complex story. Leaving us forever with a Great Western Classic! Enjoy.

Searchers!!
Ethan Edwards, (John Wayne), finds his way home after the civil war to his brothers homestead. Some cattle are rustled and he and a few men track them only to discover it's a Comanche trick to lure them away while they kill out the folks left behind which is Ethan's brother, wife, and kids. They arrive back too late, all are dead except Ethan's niece who was taken captive. Ethan sets out to find his niece accompanied by Martin Pauley, (Jeffrey Hunter), who Ethan found as a baby years earlier after another Indian raid. Ethan loved his brother's wife which is clear in the book by Lemay but very lightly alluded to in the film. This helps to explain his rage because everything he cared for in the world is gone. He will pursue the Comanche that have his niece until hell freezes over. Along the way he finds that he is still a human being. This film is widely considered the greatest western of all time and a favorite film of Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg if that means anything to you, I thought I would toss it in anyway.

STILL SEARCHING FOR AN ADEQUATE TRANSFER
John Ford was a master craftsman of the American cinema. Though he dabbled in melodrama and action during his directorial career, his everlasting contribution to the movies remains in those galvanic distillations of the old west put forth by an unparalleled series of legendary films. "The Searchers" ranks among his most finely wrought and meticulously hand crafted projects. Indeed it seems to be the film in which the culmination of Ford's own commitment to the power, beauty and frailty of the western frontier tragically come together in a revisionist perspective that exposes both its grandeur and its flaws. The film stars the iconic John Wayne as Ethan Edwards - a strangely majestic antihero who vows bloody revenge after his cousin and family are slaughtered by marauding Comanches. But Ethan's search for his surviving niece (Natalie Wood) becomes a sinister and all-consuming obsession when he learns that she - having been abducted while still a child - has now adopted the ways of her captors and, at least in Ethan's mind, has become one of them. The film tackles racism in the form of Ethan's distrust of one time family friend (Jeffrey Hunter) who is part Cherokee and the sweep and spectacle of Death Valley has never been quite so poignantly captured on film.
THE TRANSFER: While Warner Home Video has made "The Searchers" available in anamorphic widescreen in a print that is light years ahead of anything the film has looked like before for the home film enthusiast, compared to more current DVD releases, the visual splendor of the transfer falls short of expectations. Though colors are rich there's something of a muddiness and lack of balance to them in many of the indoor scenes. Also, several scenes appear to be suffering slightly from color shrinkage, creating a slightly out of focus image quality that is distracting. Age related artifacts are present but do not distract so much as the digital anomalies of pixelization and edge enhancement which greatly plague the background information in most of the long shots. A slight shimmering is inherent in all of the scenes. Black and contrast levels can be solid at times, while sometimes appearing slightly pasty. Ditto for the unnatural flesh tones which are either overly pink or a ruddy orange. The audio has been remastered and delivers a nice expansive presentation which is in keeping with the vintage of the original sound elements.
EXTRAS: Not this time around. Sadly, this film deserves a documentary.
BOTTOM LINE: "The Searchers" is a masterful western, on par with "Stagecoach" and "High Noon". Definitely one to add to your film library.

The Best Western Ever Made
This is the best Western ever made. There's simply too much to say about it here to do it justice. The imagery, John Wayne's character's growth, the comraderie between the "searchers", the supporting cast and the theme will make seeing this film worth the while of even those who "hate" Westerns. It's a classic, and purchasing it will be money well spent.

Enjoy. ... Read more

Reviews (557)

Powerhouse film will enhance your DVD collection
I will admit to being a huge fan of Pulp Fiction from my first 10 minutes into the theater and getting yanked by my shirt colllar into the story and not being released until the final credit rolled. OK, so I'm biased.

BUT...it's not without well-earned bias. This movie easily qualified as an instant classic. The story is top notch, even though it comes in several different, smaller packages, Tarantino earns his directing stripes in effortlessly taking these seemingly random tales and believably weaving them all together. The acting/casting doesn't leave any stone unturned (It's Uma Thurman's best performance to date, Samuel Jackson WAS the best supporting actor winner that year, even if they didn't give him the trophy. Even Willis demonstrates some wicked acting chops in a beautifully understated performance. Christopher Walken, too, provides the most satisfying and memorable cameo!), and even the choppy editing style works.

Casual movie lovers will enjoy this as just a great film. Movie fanatics will love this DVD for the satisfying extras it provides.

Too good a DVD for you to pass up!

"Saved by a miracle of God..."
You know what, some people say that this movie sucks because it is way too hard to follow in story. I don't believe a word of that. The first time I watched the movie I wasn't a bit confused about this movie's un-cohesive plot.

This movie is reminiscent of the Pulp comics and magazines from yester-year, with it's high octane violence, graphic depiction of drugs, and of course...sex.

What I personally liked about Pulp was that characters can enter or exit the movie at anytime without much explanation. One minute you see John Travolta...next minute he is blown to bits by a M-16 machine gun. No questions asked.

Quentin definitely establishes that he knows what he doing, with unique camera angles, sparkling script, and wonderful acting...some of it done by the master himself!

I reccomend anyone watch this movie. It's completely awesome if you can handle the content.

oh yeah. "saved by a miracle of God" refers to a memorable line by Samuel L Jackson who plays a hitman that is convinced that the reason he survived near death is beacuse God's mighty hand came down and stopped the bullets. He soon quits his profession while on the other hand John Travolta stays...and we all know what happens to him! heh heh heh heh heh heh

Quentin Tarantino's best before Kill Bill
This classic by Quentin Tarantino was the first ultra-violent movie and it was fantastically well executed. An American Independent movie at its best.

The Most Fun You'll Have Watching A Movie!!
From the beginning five minutes of two people planning on holding up a diner, you know you're in for some fun. This is Pulp Fiction, Quentin Tarantino's undisputed masterpiece. Simply put, a genius rollercoast ride from beginning to end. With a large list of stars, including Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta, Christopher Walken, Bruce Willis and Uma Thurman in some of their greatest performances to date.

The movie is broken up into three stories, all revolving around two hitmen (Jackson, Travolta), a mob boss's wife (Thurman), a boxer planing on retiring (Willis), and a mysterious breifcase, this fast paced film is probably one of the greatest action films EVER. The dialogue is what you would expect from Tarantino, with plenty of funny but memorable lines that you will remember forever.

With a die-hard cast, a chaotic but focused storyline, and an unbelievable soundtrack, including the classic "Miserlou" by Dick Dale and the Del-Tones, this film is definately Tarantino's funniest, most violent, and most fun romp to date, and one of the top ten greatest films ever! See it and you will not regret it.

awsome
this is one of the must see crime movies. very funny and never dull. great acting. not actually that hard to follow like some reviewers say. there are not that many jumps between time. the dvd is great. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Paul Newman gives one of the defining performances of his career, and cemented his place as a beautiful-rebel screen icon playing the stubbornly tough and independent title character in Cool Hand Luke. And before he became familiar as a sidekick in 1970s disaster movies (Earthquake and the Airport movies), George Kennedy won an Oscar for playing Dragline, the brutal chain-gang boss who tries to beat loner Luke's cool out of him. It's a classic rebel-against-the-repressive-institution story in the line of One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest or The Shawshank Redemption. Certain moments have become classics--particularly the hardboiled egg-eating contest, and the immortal line (drooled by Strother Martin, as a sadistic redneck prison officer), "What we have here is a failure to communicate." And don't forget, Luke is also the source of the oft-quoted driving ditty, "I don't care if it rains or freezes, long as I have my plastic Jesus, right here on the dashboard of my car..." He is cool, all right. The digital video disc is in anamorphic widescreen and digital stereo. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (68)

My favorite movie of all time.
And I really mean it. They used to show this film often on the Superstation. When I was twelve, I watched it; the next time it came on, I taped it, and watched it probably more than 50 times over the next few years (I didn't know for a long time that the TV version has several scenes cut out for length, so getting it on video was a new revelation). What is it about "Cool Hand Luke" that is so moving? Well, it starts with Paul Newman's performance. Lucas Jackson is one of the most psychologically complex characters in the history of cinema, and Newman, criminally denied the Oscar for this film, makes him seem larger-than-life without saying much. Everything that comes out of his mouth is a revelation. The Christ allusions, which are fittingly done, heighten the sense of injustice that Luke is being slowly crucified by the lawmen, simply because he won't bend to their rules. On the surface, Luke seems self-destructive and ignorant, but in repeated watchings of the film, it becomes apparent that Luke is answering to a call that is bigger than the prison, bigger than the bosses, bigger than the law itself. I could go on and on about the myriad other ways in which this film is perfect, but why bother? I only get 1,000 words. Suffice it to say that this is the movie that makes George Kennedy, of all people, seem noble. YOU MUST SEE THIS FILM. The only flaw: I grew up in Georgia, and I can assure you that it is not filmed where it is set. Looks more like the Central Valley of California to me.

Just About Excellent
I cannot imagine why this film hasn't been more acclaimed. It is without a doubt one of the best of all time. I think the thing that appeals most of all to me is the unbelievable authenticity of all the characters. Except for Newman (because, hey, he's Paul Newman) nobody here appears to be acting. The guards are done just right--tough, good ol' boys who you don't wanna mess with. The prisoners meanwhile are a fairly diverse lot, some educated, some not, some with a whiff of femininity, but all have a refusal to be stripped of their dignity. Luke magnifies that element to the Nth degree.
The second best thing is the dialogue: Like "The Godfather", "Star Trek II", "Resoirovir Dogs", and "Jaws", Cool Hand Luke has several scenes which you'll easily memorize in their entirety.
Other elements: Boss Godfrey, The Man With No Eyes who doesn't say one word during the movie and who is one of the most chilling characters in a movie ever; Luke's mother, the car wash girl, the egg-eating contest, and Luke's excellent final monologue.
Luke's story has been compared to that of Jesus. When you look at it, you see that if Luke is a savior, he's a terribly flawed one, one who can't save himself. He's anti-authority, he's got nerve, and some major cojones, but he's got no aims, no goals, no beliefs. He's a Rebel Without A Clue. If he'd been born about 15-20 years later he could have made a good hippie. But this is still the early '50s and men who fail to conform end up exactly where he does. IMHO, this film accomplishes what One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest tried to do and does it much, much, better.

One final small note: The Lalo Schifrin score is great particularly during the "tarring the road" scene. Anyone who grew up in NYC in the 70s will instantly realize it as the theme to Channel 7 Eyewitness News!

An essential 60s movie - a touchstone for many
This is the perfect '60s movie. It is anti-authoritarian without being strident, a serious drama with whimsy, gritty and violent with a sexy side (who can forget the car wash scene?). Newman plays the "christ" figure and his prisoners as his disciples and believers (after he wins them over). The guards and the warden are the high priests and the Romans. And of course, they kill him in the end.

But we have some great fun along the way. Luke strips the heads off of a street of parking meters and gets a sentence far out of proportion to such a silly crime. To say that Luke chooses not to fit in is an understatement. It isn't that he takes on the system. Rather, his mere presence and indifference to the system causes it to change or to try and eliminate him as if he were some invading virus.

There are some wonderful and indelible scenes such as the egg eating, the fight with Dragline (George Kennedy), the race to the end of the road, the failure to communicate scene and the severe punishment Luke receives. It seems like you can sit around talking about scenes from this movie longer than the movie itself.

Paul Newman made Luke immortal, but George Kennedy as Dragline and Strother Martin as Captain are also essential to this movie's character and permanence.

Today's viewers might fine the pacing of the movie a bit slow and see some seams that those of us who love it might ignore, but so what? It is a classic and enjoyable film that is a touchstone for many who were young when they first saw it in 1967.

This film does NOT fail to communicate
This is the perfect '60s movie. It is anti-authoritarian without being strident, a serious drama with whimsy. It is gritty and violent and at the same time it has a sexy side (who can forget the car wash scene?). Newman plays the "christ" figure and his prisoners as his disciples and believers (after he wins them over). The guards and the warden are the high priests and the Romans. And of course, they kill him in the end.

But we have some great fun along the way. Luke strips the heads off of a street of parking meters and gets a sentence far out of proportion to such a silly crime. To say that Luke chooses not to fit in is an understatement. It isn't that he takes on the system. Rather, his mere presence and indifference to the system causes it to change or to try and eliminate him as if he were some invading virus.

There are some wonderful and indelible scenes such as the egg eating, the fight with Dragline (George Kennedy), the race to the end of the road, the failure to communicate scene and the severe punishment Luke receives. It seems like you can sit around talking about scenes from this movie longer than the movie itself.

Paul Newman made Luke immortal, but George Kennedy as Dragline and Strother Martin as Captain are also essential to this movie's character and permanence.

Today's viewers might fine the pacing of the movie a bit slow and see some seams that those of us who love it might ignore, but so what? It is a classic and enjoyable film that is a touchstone for many who were young when they first saw it in 1967.

Paul NewMan as Cool Hand Luke what a classic
newman (old blue eyes) stars as cool hand luke jackson, a war hero, who gets himself in trouble with the law, and is repeatedly beaten both mentally and physically savagely by the main boss of the prison he is in.

the main boss hates luke for several reasons: everyone likes luke. he is the typical rebel , yet he has a certain aura around that people love. even the people working in the prison like luke. the boss also hates luke, because he keeps escaping out of prison, which makes the prison's security and himself look bad. the movie from beginning to end, is one of the entertaining and powerful movies by newman. throughout the movie, we see luke's exploits including his status as "cool hand" which basically says that he can do anything. there is no better scene that shows this that luke's bet that can he eat 50 eggs in one hour. this scene is terrific and humorous to watch, time and time again. george kennedy plays greg dragline, luke's best friend and prison inmante. dragline's love of luke is evident through the whole movie. whenever, luke is mistreated dragline is there to try to pick up his spirits. whenever, luke is beaten severely for trying to escape the prison, dragline is one of the first friends that is there to pick him up and attend to him. then of course, this oscar worthy film has the memorable tunes and lines that all audiences all familiar with:

"what we got here is a familiar to communicate" is paul newman, legendary and household line that critics and audiences remember. this line has also been used in over a hundred, movies and tv shows including comedies, crime drama movies and much more. the line is a piece of cult phenomena and america which symobolizes a bad situation.

paul newman was nominated for best actor for this film, but didn't win. newman over his career has been nominated over 10 times for this aw ard: "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" , "Malice", "Nobody's Fool", are several of the great movies that NewMan has been nominated for. "Cool Hand Luke" stands as one of the American movies ever made. It represents the abusive and mistreatment that a couple of prisons have. It also represents an intelligent and popular fellow who all through his life had one bad situation after another, yet like Greg points "Ah Luke, always had that great smile." Luke's character in a way is a reflection on individuals like himself, whose life have been filled with pain and aggravation yet people like these never give up. Taken from a novel by Donn Pearce and directed by Stuart Rosenberg this film is a bonified classic. ... Read more

Description

An ambitious epic romance that traces the course of two men through their initial meeting as teenagers in 1973 until the mid 80’s. Alan is a member of the Young Republicans and an aspiring journalist. He’s working on a book about the evils of homosexuality, and invites Tommy, a gay rights activist, over for dinner and to interview him for the book. Thus begins a friendship that leads to a love affair told against the background of Anita Bryant, radical politics and the emerging gay rights movement. A hugeaudience hit during its festival and National Theatrical release, THE TRIP is a funny, touching and powerful film. ... Read more

Reviews (77)

Fantastic movie!!!!
Moving love story! Entertaining, emotional...this film will take you back to memories of your first love, you know - the one who in your youth brought you out of your closet kicking and screaming. The Trip is a romantic comedy that manages to show love at its best and worst, deepest and shallowest, most joyous and most tragic.
It's an hour and a half in the dark after which you won't lament the price of admission. In this era of TV-show adaptations and There's Something About Mary rip-off's, this renders it just shy of a gem. The triumphs and tragedies of love, not to mention a host of uncomfortable social situations, transcend the era of the film and create scenarios with which most gay men can relate.
Sirena Irwin is hilarious as Alan's hippie chick lover turned power yuppie entrepreneur. MTV alumnus Julie Brown turns in a totally gnarly cameo as a receptionist with a flare for eighties style. But former Bond girl Jill St. John steals the show in her supporting role as Alan's meddlesome, liberal, and alcoholic mom. Finally something bigger than just a movie. Finally a gay romantic comedy that is not about two boys meeting-cute-and spending twenty four hours in extended, cheesy bliss. The Trip aspires to be a gayer version of The Way We Were.The Trip follows two men (wonderfully played by Larry Sullivan and Steve Braun), as they meet through recent gay history. Watching their {Tommy & Alan} tentative attempts to reconcile time and distance is alternately sweet and heart wrenching. A touching love story, The Trip is also an entertaining, Cliff's Notes version of the history of gay rights and the evolution of the gay community.

Incredible first film!
The Trip is a romantic comedy that manages to show love at its best and worst, deepest and shallowest, most joyous and most tragic.
It's an hour and a half in the dark after which you won't lament the price of admission. In this era of TV-show adaptations and There's Something About Mary rip-off's, this renders it just shy of a gem. The triumphs and tragedies of love, not to mention a host of uncomfortable social situations, transcend the era of the film and create scenarios with which most gay men can relate.
Seamless acting, a clever story and just the right pitch between comedy and drama mark this as a standout. The Trip is a surprising refreshing entry into
this very open arena. Jill St. John who appears as a showgirl turned conservative housefrau, who proves she has lost none of her edge or street smarts, is an unexpected surprise. She really does have a sense of humor
about herself. First time Director Miles Swain has a unique ability to tell a story without the story sounding dull or expected. The film is a seamless somewhat serious somewhat comedic piece of story telling that manages to
make points without hitting anyone over the head with a hammer. Mixing politics with passion, the many points made about coming out, political trends and the change of the American climate over the last few decades is handled skillfully. Unlike so many period pieces, or films that cover the passage of many years, this one keeps the focus on the subjects rather than making a big production about contrasts between things then and now. The Trip is a
superb first time effort from Director Miles Swain and he has ever reason to be proud. If you are looking for a polished well written well cast film about coming out, for now The Trip is as good as it possibly gets. You must see this movie. It is one of the best films I've seen in years, gay or straight. It is funny, touching and provocative all in the span of an hour and a half. It's romantic and political and funny. It's about honesty, parental allies and the costs of turning a blind eye. It's a history lesson for many and a trip down memory lane for others. When guys from 20 to 60 all laughed, cried and found something they were moved, you know you have a great film.

A true love story...
This is the best gay love story I have seen yet! The entire story pulls you into the lives of Alan and Tommy. It's comical, intense and tearful. A great movie! Congrats to Miles Swain, the Writer and Director. Buy the movie, you'll love it, over and over again.

A real gay love story... Finally!!!
I really enjoyed this film because I feel it actually focused on the love shared between two gay mean instead of the stereo-typical drama perpetuated by most gay genre film. Though it can be a bit "campy" in a few elements; I feel, as a gay man, this is one of the most inspiring gay films Ive ever seen. It truly gives hope to those of us out there not sure if real love is possible aside from the club and sexual scene.
Thank You

Loved it - Funny, moving and entertaining!
Do not even listen to all the negative reviews, you guys. This movie is really good. I laugh so hard every time I watch it! Rent it first and decide for yourself. I took a chance and bought the DVD and THIS time I am glad I did.

Love it, love it, love it. ... Read more

Reviews (160)

Mary Poppins on DVD
This is probably one of Walt Disney's best films, if not the best. It is the most excellent realized combination of live action and animation. It contains eternal charm, wit, and magic as it introduces us to the "practically perfect" nanny who brings profound change to the Banks family of London in the early twentieth century. Every song composed by Richard and Robert Sherman is pure magic. The believable visual effects, the heartfelt scripting, and the solid performances by Julie Andrews and the heart rendering Dick Van Dyke are truly eternal. Every element of production came together at their zenith to create a treasure of cinematic endearment. The DVD is excellent. The supplemental material is very good and nostalgic. One of the best films ever made. The superb cast also includes: David Tomlinson, Glynis Johns, Elsa Lanchester, Arthur Treacher, Ed Wynn, Hermione Baddeley, Reginald Owen and Jane Darwell as The Bird Woman. Director, Robert Stevenson is at his best.

Do Movies get much better than this???
This is my favorite musical of all time. It's wonderfully done, and the story is excellent. Julie Andrews did a great job in her first ever cinematic role, she plays a magical nanny that comes to a rich man's house in order to bring the family back together. What I love about her performance is that she looks very confident and so straight forward and firm, not as playful as you may think. The film also has Dick Van Dyke in the role of Bert, who is a very good friend of Mary Poppins and also handles magic very well. That role was funny and very entertaining(the accent is a bit confusing though), and i loved all of his dance numbers, especially Step In Time, the dance on the roof-top. Another excellent performance was David Tomlinson, who did the role of George Banks, the father of the children. He is very firm and strict, but he can also be very clumsy and forgetful, which is another reason I liked him. His song The Life I Lead was also great. This film was prized with five well-deserved Academy Awards, for the excellent Film Editing, the Visual Effects, like the jump into the pavement picture, the tea party on the ceiling and the smoke ladder, the excellent score, the song Chim Chim Cheree, which may have not been the best song, but one of them had to win, and last but not least, the excellent (oscar-winning) performance by Julie Andrews. I cannot find any more words for this film, so I'll leave you with one word. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

"Perfect Nanny"
Mary Poppins is my favorite movie. I love the charictors, the singing, the dancing. It is fun for the whole family. When I was alittle girl I watched it over and over again. I love to dance with the chimeny sweeps; I can't do everything they do, but still. This is the best master piece Walt Disney ever created besides Micky and friends. I love it and I am a teen.

It is about a fun nanny who has magic. That is probobly why I like her. There is never a dull moment when Mary Poppins is around: fox hunting, laughing in the air, riding a merry-go-round without the going arout. One of the best parts of all, supercalafagilisticexpialadocious.

My Kids Love it!
I have a preschooler and a kindergartener. They both watch it together. They get up and dance to "Step in Time" and "A Spoon Full of Sugar". We purchased the music CD, and listening in the car, makes the time go faster.

This Movie is Defintately a "Jolly Holiday"
I had not seen this movie for a very long time until last week I borrowed a copy from my cousin and it was very good.It was so much better than I remembered.My favorite part of this movie is the scene where Mary,Bert,and the children go into the painting and they see the pinguin waiters who do a very funny dance with bert,and they sing my favorite song in the movie called "Jolly Holiday".This is a very good movie.I recomend this movie to anyone. ... Read more

Reviews (43)

A great cast helps this movie to shine
The Dirty Dozen is one of the classic movies about World War 2 with an all star cast. Released in 1967, it tells of a mangy group of men which bands together to pull off an amazing WW2 escapade. The target is a German-controlled chateau in Reims, Brittany.

Lee Marvin is the Major that gathers the group together. The cast includes Donald Sutherland, Charles Bronson, Telly Savalas and many other greats. John Cassavates, who plays "Franco", was nominated for best supporting actor. The movie did win an oscar for best sound effects.

The group heads out to an English field , creates a camp, and begins to train. With a series of ups and downs during six weeks they become a strong fighting force. The test comes during divisional maneuvers in Devonshire, when they have to take on an elite force and take control of the HQ. Of course they do the job, with a good dose of cunning and subterfuge.

On to the French chateau. Amazingly, this was a huge set built just for the film that is destroyed in the finale. Indoor scenes were done at the MGM British Studios in Borhamwood, England.

While some might find the storyline unbelievable, the following year's release was a movie which told a true story of The Devil's Brigade - about a run-down group of misfits who went on to fame and glory.

High action war classic
The Dirty Dozen is one of those classics you can watch over and over again. It tells the story of Major Reisman, who has to train 12 convicts for a suicide mission behind enemy lines. We see the training and then finally the Dirty Dozen's attack on their target, a French chateau full of high-ranking German officers. The action scenes are excellent. The movie never slows down from the beginning even with a running time of 150 minutes.

The performances in the movie are great. This huge list of Hollywood notables took part in this movie. Lee Marvin is awesome as Major John Reisman with Charles Bronson, John Cassavetes, Jim Brown, Donald Sutherland, Telly Savalas, Clint Walker, and Trini Lopez as some of the Dirty Dozen. Also starring are Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Ralph Meeker, and George Kennedy. This is a great movie that shouldn't be missed. The DVD transfer is perfect. Also included are a trailer and a behind the scenes documentary about the movie. If you like the movie, check out the book by E.M. Nathanson.

An Edge-Of-Your-Seat Style Of Movie
Are you looking for a movie with a great plot, perfectly timed action, and superb acting and directing? Look no further. This film, set in World War II, chronicles the covert operations of a group of military convicts, and their non-convict leader behind enemy lines. It is their task to sneak in and assassinate a large group of key German officials.
The movie starts with the commander (played by Lee Marvin, in arguably his greatest role) picking out some of the best, but also some of the most expendable men in the Army. He goes to the prison and gives them a deal. If they will fight, their sentences will be dismissed and they will be free. Most of these men are awaiting execution, while others have long prison terms. His first goal is to make them ready for combat, which proves to be no easy task, as these guys, who seemingly have nothing to lose, give him a hard time. But eventually, under his command, he creates an elite team of fighters. Now, the next objective is to learn the layout of the area they are to infiltrate, which is a huge French chateau, then sneak in and attack. But will they make it? Of course I will not tell you, you will need to see the movie yourself. But what I will tell you is that this is one of those films with an all star cast and loads of edge-of-your-seat action!!! Besides Lee Marvin, you have Telly Savalas, football great Jim Brown, the late VERY great Charles Bronson, Donald Sutherland ( Sutherland fans will also love the movie Kelly's Hero's), Ernest Borgnine, Clint Walker ( who also starred in the film Night Of The Grizzly), George Kennedy (who co-starred in the hilarious Naked Gun films), and a host of others too numerous to mention. Besides Action, the film incorporates a delicious amount of drama, suspense, comedy (the war games part will give you a good laugh), Horror (when Telly Savalas goes off the deep end), and intrigue.

A tough-as-nails WW2 classic!
Lee Marvin was just made for this role! Being a decorated WW2 vet he wasn't just acting in this classic! Add Charles Bronson, Telly Savalas, John Cassavetes, Donald Sutherland, & Clint Walker to the mix & you've got an "elite" group of psychos & killers that even would've scared [any dictator]! The movie is 2 1/2 hours but is never dull. There's great character development, plenty of humor, & big-time slaughter of [enemies] at the end! What more could you want from a war movie! For those who love WW2 behind-the-lines suspense, this is highly recommended.

The best fun war movie ever made!
I've always thought the Dirty Dozen was and still is the most fun a person can have watching a war movie if that seems possible! Fortunately for me and by coincidence, about ten years ago, Clint Walker (Posey) became one of my best friends. I wish hollywood still made movies like this. Unfortunately, there just aren't the same kind of actors around anymore. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When you consider its unfortunate production history, Cursed turned out surprisingly well as a werewolf thriller that horror buffs will appreciate. It's hardly the disaster critics made it out to be, but extensive rewriting, reshooting, recasting, and lengthy delays in production and release (including the elimination of R-rated gore to earn a PG-13 rating) clearly took their toll. The result is a fun but flawed monster-show that begins when a young talk-show producer (Christina Ricci) and her teenaged brother (Jesse Eisenberg) are bitten by a werewolf, setting the stage for a horror-in-Hollywood scenario that reunites director Wes Craven and screenwriter Kevin Williamson, creators of the Scream franchise. What could have been a classic horror comedy is instead a fairly solid, if unremarkable, exercise in Los Angeles lycanthropy, featuring werewolf makeup by Rick Baker (combined with CGI transformation effects, of course) and some of Williamson's snappy dialogue and trademark pop-culture references. The title of Cursed doubles as a description of this movie's ultimate fate, but in a market filled with straight-to-video horror fodder, it's anything but a lost cause. The supporting cast includes Shannon Elizabeth, Portia de Rossi and Joshua Jackson, so genre aficionados should definitely check it out. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Description

A group is introduced to the supernatural through a 90-year old New England haunted house. Be prepared for hair-raising results in this classic horror film! ... Read more

Reviews (274)

I've eaten casseroles scarier than this
Refreshing as it is to see a horror film rely more on the power of suggestion than on buckets of blood, "The Haunting," Robert Wise's 1963 adaptation of Shirley Jackson's novel, never really becomes as frightening as it clearly wants to be. Occasionally tense and mildly spooky but more often talky, overly melodramatic, and just downright silly, this is one of those films that would benefit a great deal if its characters would just shut up once in a while.

Or at least stop thinking, so we wouldn't be forced to listen to their irritating voice-overs. Granted, there's only one character erring in that direction, but unfortunately, it's Eleanor Lance (Julie Harris), a whiny, disturbed, introverted old maid who's got some serious bats in the belfry--she's feeling (what else?) guilt over the recent "natural" death of the sick old mother she's nursed for the past eight years. Eleanor, of course, proves to be the most susceptible to the eerie but invisible apparitions of Hill House, an abandoned old estate where she and three other guests (well-played by Richard Johnson, Claire Bloom, and Russ Tamblyn) are embarking on a search for the supernatural.

Harris does the best she can, but watching her wander about like Alice in Wonderland on crack, murmuring awful dialogue like "The house wants me, the house is alive," is more likely to evoke laughs than chills. There's also a protracted early scene in which Harris is driving toward her unfortunate destination, plagued by anxiety, fear, and that ever-present voice-over, that is a complete rip-off of the same scene Janet Leigh did in "Psycho" (and I apologize for even mentioning the name of that superior film in this review).

The idea behind all this prolonged psychobabble, of course, is that "The Haunting" can be considered as either a genuine ghost story or simply a story of a woman's deteriorating psyche, and that the ambiguities of the human mind are ultimately far more frightening than the sight of actual spooks. It's an excellent idea, but there's also such a thing as being too vague; in fact, the scariest moment in the entire film occurs when it finally decides to actually SHOW us something scary, rather than anesthetize us with obtrusive close-ups and creaky music. (Humphrey Searle's score blares so incessantly it could turn you off to soundtracks altogether.) Certainly, an excess of gore isn't the recipe for a successful horror movie, but if there's one thing that "The Haunting" demonstrates, it's that an excess of anything else is hardly an improvement.

The Wise choice for the Occult!
Call it horror or a supernatural thriller, "The Haunting" (1963) ruled out the pitfalls that made others of the genre seem pretentious. On first sight you are treated to a mansion set in an evil aura with baroque décor and looming statues. Doctor Markway (Richard Johnson) presides over the investigation, supplying us with an excellent catalog of phenomena to fuel our apprehension. Eleanor Lance (Julie Harris) is the hysterical spinster whose emotional fears become bound with ours. Then there is the wild soundtrack. Humphrey Searle composed a creepy score with a strong arrangement of brass and strings, creating an abstract and crazy effect to attack the senses. A perfect plot, script, narrative and good casting builds the horror through the viewer's own imagination. The best example of a movie to triumph over gore, intense violence and CGI. More evidence that "black and white" is not an obsolete format but an underused film technique. Robert Wise is a versatile director who showed a genuine skill in fright. You will not find "The Haunting" in any shallow top ten list with other famous horror films. You will find it taking refuge in your personal list of what you fear. A movie with a formula to survive repeated viewing and perpetual quality on DVD.

One of the scarest 60's films in the world.
Most people see the remake and won't bother with this one, but this film is really truely pure horror unlike the remake, one of the scarest films ever made, it also tells a classic story of a repressed women and a house that makes her lose her mind, the film is so much more than all of that though, it has all the events timed perfectly as it keeps bulding more and more untill the frightning conclution, If you're a true horror fan give this one a shot, you'll love it.

A chilling movie about an evil house
HIll House has been standing empty for almost 90 years. Whipsers of strange phenomena have kept would-be ocupants away for a long time; not even the owners will live their. That is, until Dr. John Markway assembles a small team to invesitgate the supposed supernatural events of the house. He invites Theodora, a psychic who lives a very different lifestyle; Eleanor, a sheltered young woman who recently lost her canterkaerous mother and has had experienece with poltergeist phenomena; and Luke Sanderson, soon to inherit Hill House and acting as the family's representative. Together, they begin to study the house, it's history and architecture. Or, has the house chosen one of the team for its own purposes?

Horror film director Robert Wise does a magnificent job with this adaptation of the Shirley Jackson novel. Very few visual effects are used, instead relying on lighting (the one scene with the wallpaper in Eleanor's room is eerie), atmosphere, sound and the viewers own fear to create a creepingly chilling film. They make the viewer feel like actors in the movie instead of bystanders. All the actors give fine performances: Clair Bloom as Theo, Russ Tamblyn as Luke, and Richard Johnson as Dr. Markway. But, Julie Harris' performance of Eleanor makes the film. Her almost childlike confusion, fear and determination to stay the course keep you enrapt in the film.

It's very refreshing to see a horror film that doesn't rely so much on expensive special effects to get the chills across, instead using acting, lighting and story to convey terror and fright. This is a classic horror film that still delivers to this day.

Good, but lacks the depth of the novel
I probably would have liked this movie a lot better if I hadn't read Shirley Jackson's brilliant book first. The Haunting is a decent haunted house film, not terrible by any means, but it is an inadequate adaptation. Maybe a more faithful adaptation of the book would have been impossible, since the novel depends so much on psychological suggestion and an unreliable (and possibly deranged) protagonist. That sort of subtlety is more difficult to express on film: there is the truth of what the camera is seeing, that is all. Ambiguity of perception cannot be easily communicated on film.

The most crucial change (to me, anyway), and one that makes me wonder if the screenwriters really read Jackson's book at all, is that Theo is made into a stereotypical "predatory lesbian" character. Eleanor's relationship with Theodora is more layered and complex in the novel, and her conflicts with Theo have a lot to do with her increasingly fragile mental state. In the book, /Eleanor/ pursues Theo. Theodora's rejection of Eleanor (directly or indirectly) leads to the outcome of the story. The "manifestations" in the house are more about Eleanor's essential loneliness and need for belonging than ghosts. The filmmakers of The Haunting definitely grasp this (unlike the filmmakers of the completely awful remake), but removed from its context, Eleanor's sense of rejection in the film is hard to understand. I suppose the filmmakers transferred Eleanor's romantic interest to the doctor rather than Theodora due to the controversial nature of homosexuality, but by doing this, the context of Eleanor's breakdown is removed, and movie Eleanor is a lot harder to relate to.

I'd suggest that you read the book *and* watch the movie, to give yourself some basis for comparison. Ordinarily I don't think it matters if movies are not faithful to the books they were adapted from, but in this case I think it significantly alters the essential meaning of the story (and The Haunting of Hill House is more than simple genre horror, no matter what anyone might say.) ... Read more

Amazon.com

The African Queen meets Swept Away in this sometimes labored romantic comedy by director Ivan Reitman. Fortunately, he cast an old pro in Harrison Ford, as Quinn Harris, a South Seas charter pilot who must ferry New York fashion editor Robin Monroe (Anne Heche) from one island to another--a hop that falls flat when they fly into a mammoth storm that causes them to crash on a deserted island. The pair resent and resist each other, until they are forced to team up to escape from the island--and some modern pirates who want their heads. If that part of the story is unconvincing, you can always focus on the smoldering comic chemistry between Heche, who displays strong comic instincts, and the ever-reliable Ford. The script is just an excuse for these two flinty characters to strike increasingly romantic sparks off each other, which is always enjoyable to watch. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (97)

A flight into fantasy
Castaway movies are fun. They have to be or no-one would watch them. Given transparent plots and inevitable circumstances, characterization is all that remains to redeem them. The choice of Harrison Ford as lead was inspired in this film. Too many Ford roles seem below abilities exhibited elsewhere, but he carries this one well. As his foil Anne Heche was a pleasant surprise. She displays an exceptional talent, even in a role nearly doomed by the trite story. They make a great castaway team, bringing some engrossing subtleties to play.

Ford's an island hopping pilot in the Western Pacific, ferrying passengers and cargo as opportunity arises. It's not an easy life, nor financially rewarding, but there are benefits. There's the scenery, including the human type. There's freedom. And there's flying. Ford as the pilot of a DeHavilland Norseman brilliantly takes on the role every pilot, even of only a four seater, must assume - he's "the captain". Inevitably, that brings him into conflict with Heche's part as the modern, corporate, self-assertive woman. It's a beautifully portrayed clash, fully liberating this film from the mundane. In the best scene in the film, Ford's actually invisible as he tries to regain control over events.

Survival, however, means teamwork and the pair do settle down to the business of escape or rescue. Heche's arrogance virtually eliminates the second option, and the arrival of some unwelcome visitors nearly obviates the first. But the team is now functional and they evade an unhappy fate through cooperative effort. The suspense builds nicely until that situation is resolved. The collective action reaches a fever pitch [when do they eat?] as they strive to engineer an escape. The mechanism of their return to the resort might be considered contrived if some astute producer hadn't settled on the choice of the Norseman as Ford's aircraft. No other airplane could have survived the indignities this film bestows on it.

There's really only one other meaningful character in this film. David Schwimmer is a perfect Frank Martin as Heche's fiancee. And why not? He's simply playing himself with no acting involved. He doesn't need to develop any skills if the directors continue to run him in similar roles. Schwimmer's typecasting was done in an iron foundry. Fortunately, the role is needed, so we can't argue that he detracts from the film or story. The fine job done by Ford and Heche nearly make Schwimmer superfluous, but Heche needs him to set her character properly.

This film seemed pretty lightweight at first look, but is well worth repeats. It's entertainment value has few peers in the type and the scenery alone is worth review. It's still a mystery, however, as to why Bob Marley was chosen for the closing music. Perhaps the producer, having shot his bolt in selecting the Norseman, thought the story takes place in the Caribbean.

Predictable, but still fun...
"Six Days, Seven Nights" is a light, romantic, comedy adventure, that follows a familiar formula. A crusty older man, and a younger woman, who come from different worlds, are brought together by circumstances, and then something special "happens".

Harrison Ford plays "Quinn Harris", a no frills free lance pilot operating his small plane between tropical islands in the South Pacific. Anne Heche is "Robin Monroe" a magazine writer from NY, on vacation with her fiancé Frank (David Schwimmer), on the island of Makatea. When she unexpectedly needs transportation to Tahiti to get an interview, she reluctantly hires Ford to fly her there. Running into bad weather, the plane is forced down, and crash lands on the beach of the proverbial "uncharted island".

Surviving the crash, the pair begin the task of survival, getting on each other's nerves while exploring their lush surroundings. Much of this film was shot on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, and we are treated to some truly beautiful topical scenes. Pirates unexpectedly appear offshore, breaking their solitude and forcing them into a different kind of survival mode. Finding the wreckage of a plane in the jungle, gives Quinn the material he needs for a dangerous attempt at a return to civilization.

The movie finishes in a predictable fashion, but could it ever be any other way? Logical or not, love will find a way, at least according to Hollywood. This formula works again, because of the charm and chemistry of the two stars. When this was released, it was already common knowledge that Heche and Ellen DeGeneres were a couple. This may influence how you view her performance. I found Anne Heche totally convincing, charming, and cute to boot. Heche's and Harrison's acting styles complement each other, and they really benefit from some very clever dialog, and the direction of Ivan Reitman. There is no denying that Ford (56 when this was made), is slowing down a bit, but though a bit grizzled, he still has the ability to take command of the screen, either with his physical presence, or his boyish charm.

If a sappy romance between an older stud and an intelligent young woman doesn't turn you off, by all means give this a chance.

Great movie
Litte late to be reviewing this, I don't own the movie, but I've rented it a few times, it's about 2 people being stranded on an island after crashing in a plane in a heavy storm, and they have to survive for six days, and seven nights, this movie is a great adventure, and also funny in some parts, check it out today, if you haven't seen it already.

Can't Believe It ... I love This movie
I was very sceptical about Anne Heche as an actress in a romantic comedy role but, her quick feisty wit is the perfect foil to Ford's more deadpan humor. This movie is so much fun that my wife and I now watch it at least 3-4 times year. The south seas setting feels mighty good too on a MN winter movie night.

If you enjoyed movies like; Romancing The Stone, Crocodile Dundee, Hopscotch, and The Electric Horseman then you'll love this movie too.

EXCELLENT!!!!!!
Harrison Ford & Anne Heche hit the bullseye on this one! ... Read more

Reviews (63)

A must for Python, Beatles fans
What's genius about the Rutles is this: Watch the Rutles, and then watch one of the Beatles documentaries (the Compleat Beatles, etc) - then note that the Rutles was made PRIOR to any of the decent Beatles documentaries, yet looks like a parody of the real deal.
This mockumentary pre-dates Spinal Tap, and takes a different approach - by chronicalling supposed "source" material - news reels, press conferences, etc. The approach works well for Eric Idle, and the music by Neil Innes is perfect - slightly silly, but more Beatles than Weird Al.
The knowledge of the Beatles - their personal history, their tv appearances, their scandals, etc - is so well known by Idle - makes this mockumentary spot-on accurate, and all the more funny.

The DVD is worth having. If you have this on VHS, you've got a pretty lousy transfer from the original 16mm film. The film was restored and retransfered for DVD, and it casts the movie in a whole new light of clarity.

The bonus material isn't much to write home (or Amazon) about, but it's nice to have the stuff added on such a low priced DVD.

terrific sendup of Beatlemania stands up well after 25 years
In 1978 it was easy to remember Beatlemania, and this sendup of the mass hysteria was spot-on and hilarious. Starting as a skit for Saturday Night Live, and popular enough to get built into a feature-length film, this Eric Idle project is layered with jokes, spoofs, terrific songs, and great cameos by George Harrison, Mick Jagger, Paul Simon and Idle's wife, and it is still very funny 25 years later.

DVD extras are quite good. Eric Idle's commentary is excellent -- informative and entertaining. There are also 4 deleted scenes that last about 18 minutes; a photo gallery with 29 pictures; a "Play Songs Only" option, where you ee only the film's songs (Goose Step Mama, Number One, Between Us, With a Girl Like You, Hold My Hand, I Must Be in Love, Living in Hope, and Ouch!).

The look and sensibility of the film are exactly right, the writing is VERY funny, and the songs are surprisingly Beatle-like and quite listenable. If you are a Beatles or Monty Python fan, or if you just love good comedy, you will probably get a real kick out of this.

Side Splitting Hilarious
The movie was made more than 20 years ago, but retains its relevance as the Beatles continue to be a cultural icon. While the Rutles was not originally intended to be a full length movie, the product is great.

The project was completed long before John Lennon's murder, so all four members could approve the project. The Beatles are spoofed by the characters in the unique personality traits possessed by each member of the fab four and their scandals. The one-liners and song parodies prove Eric Idle's value to Monty Python and strength as comedic writer. The parody on Yoko Ono being "... a Nazi who's father invented World War II" is hilarious. Look for a scene midway through the song "Ouch!" in which Idle can not even control his own laughter at the monsterous woman in a bikini. I bet it a was too hard to get through a take with a straight face. This is a must for Beatles fans and Monty Python fans.

Idle and Innes compliment each other perfectly
This little treasure is something that all Beatles fans, Python fans and early SNL fans should own. It's the one thing that Idle says he is most proud of, and for good reason. His little bits, which perfectly parody the Beatles that Idle so adored, fit seamlessly into Innes' fantastic songs. Idle comments that Innes' songs added another dimension to the Beatles songs they're based off of rather than becoming shameless parodies (are you listening Weird Al?) and he is quite right.

The film contains moments of comic genius, but mind you they're mostly subtle moments of comic genius. The people I've run into that didn't think this film is funny at all tend to like the blatant, loud, American-style humor. So be patient with the humor, enjoy the music and discover the true genius of the Rutles.

By the end of the film, I almost cared more about the fictional Rutles than I did about the actual Beatles. (And I'm a huge Beatles fanatic) It's just a fantastic, fun film for those who can appreciate the true, witty humor.

Attention All Beatle Fans: BUY THIS!
If you're a Beatle fan, and for some reason you've never heard of this film, immediatley purchase this DVD!
IT is the ultimate parody of Beatlemania. The Rutles was initially released as a made for NBC TV film in 1978. Created by the Saturday Night Live team and Eric Idle (Monty Python), it has a distinct British flavor and Pythonesque sense of humor. It is basically a "mockumentary". Here's an example: after "Nasty" (John Lennon) proclaims the Rutles are bigger than God, the public is outraged, and start burning Rutle records. Record sales soared, people were buying them just to burn them! It turns out that the journalist who interviewed Nasty was hard of hearing. Nasty said the Rutles were bigger than "Rod" (Stewart)!!
The mockumentary covers the entire Beatle phenomenon up to their break-up.
The film gained more fans on video, and is now a bonafide cult classic. The music by Neil Innes (who wrote songs for Python) is superb, and he is perfect as John Lennon. Eric Idle plays McCartney and directs. The songs parodies are also on cd. They are amazingly Beatle-like.
The film is never critical, but made as a tribute with large doses of humor. The harsh aspects of Beatlemania are lightened. For example, Brian Epstein does not die in Rutleland, he accepts a teaching post in Australia.
Even if you are not a Beatle fan, this film is still a lot of fun, although you may not get all of the references. ... Read more

Reviews (817)

I Found A GREAT Film in "Finding Nemo"!
Disney's PIXAR studios have re-defined the world of animation time and again with their many film efforts. Such movies as "Toy Story," "Toy Story 2," "A Bug's Life" and "Monsters Inc." have introduced audiences around the world to the potential of computer animations as a medium for creating the "next generation" cartoon.

But nothing yet compares to the unparalleled quality of animation, storytelling and pure magic that was produced in their most recent effort "Finding Nemo".

The story centers around a clown fish whose son is taken by divers somewhere off the coast of Sydney, Australia. Marlin, father to Nemo, is an overly protective dad who will do anything to keep his son from danger. You see, his mate and all their other offspring were lost when they were attacked by another fish. So in a desperate act to save his one remaining child, Marlin sets out across the ocean to rescue his son.

The movie brings the ocean to life with rich, vibrant colors that are serene and immensely beautiful. The close attention to detail in this film gives the settings, characters, indeed the entire film, a level of depth and quality not commonly seen in a "cartoon". The animation is so completely convincing that viewers often lose sight of the fact that they are watching a cartoon and instead they become immersed in the beautifully detailed world created by this team of animators from Pixar.

The movie has many wonderful characters created by a cast of all star talent. Marlin is played by Albert Brooks, whose voice has so much inflection in it that he gives a vitality to the character that equals or surpasses the animation of his character. Ellen Degeneres plays "Dory", an absent-minded lady fish who serves as Marlin's companion on his adventure and serves much of the comic relief of the film. Other celebrites making an appearance in this film include: William Defoe as Gill, and Geoffery Rush as Nigel, an empathetic pelican who helps save the day.

The movie mixes humor with human emotion, giving "Nemo" a vitality most animated films lack in this current medium. The film is at once touching and compassionate, clever, witty and funy, combining tongue-in-cheek humor with a tender honesty that will make all audiences young and old a fan of this film.

The DVD set contains enough extras to keep families entertained for hours, even after the film itself has ended. Provided in this collection are both wide screen and full screen editions of the film, along with several shorts from Pixar studios, and a particularly memorable and entertaining short documentary "Exploring the Reef", which stars Jean-Michael Costeau (son of famed undersater explorer Jacque Costeau), as well as some of "Finding Nemo" favorites.

So, for those of you who have reservations about watching a "kids" movie, set them aside and give this one a chance. It is really a film for all ages, with enough humor, action, adventure and entertainment to provide entire families with an experience not soon to be forgotten.

Scott Kolecki

Pleasing, funny family film
Finding Nemo was one of last summer's big box office smashes and, given the success of past Pixar movies, and the cool image portrayed by this movie, it's easy to see why. The story has Marlin (voiced by Albert Brooks) trying to find his only son Nemo after he is scooped up by a scuba diver and forced to live in a dentist's aquarium. Along the way Marlin meets with mild-mannered Dory (Ellen Degeneres), who can't remember things for more than a few minutes, but has a heart of gold.

And there we have it, a simple journey plot through the ocean, meeting weird and wonderful creations courtesy of the wonderful special effects at Pixar. They really are incredible - the water effects especially are brilliant. Remember when Monster's Inc came out and the big development was the minute details of Sulley's fur. Well, this is even better technically. However, there's a certain breed of familiarity here that makes you think that the people at Pixar are capitalising on their previous films' success, because Finding Nemo is probably the least distinguishable of the lot. Of course, the Toy Story movies have already deservedly achieved classic status, but the key different between the previous Pixar movies and Finding Nemo is that they focus a lot less on the adult audience and more on the children. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, because as a kid's film Nemo is fantastic, and much more endearing than something like Shrek which, although good, was never really as layered as Toy Story. For instance, all of the characters are endlessly endearing; from the cute little Nemo, to the lost Dory to Squirt, the baby turtle. This isn't to say Nemo doesn't have its flairs. There are a few more adult jokes along the way, not least a group of sharks professing that fish are friends and not food, desperately trying to rid themselves of their stereotypes. The turtles using 'surfer' talk are also very well observed. Add to the mix a great turn by Willem Defoe as Gill, a hard-bitten aquarium fish who helps Nemo escape, Geoffrey Rush as a pelican, manic seagulls screeching 'Mine, Mine!' and you've got an effective engaging movie. Still, it's a shame that every Pixar film will live with the shadow of its predecessor hanging over it, especially when this is a brilliant family movie, but the nagging resonance of the brilliant Toy Story is always in your head.

It should be called EATING NEMO.
If I sit through Finding Nemo ever again, I swear I will shoot myself.
It is probably the worst movie I've ever seen, with jokes that lead nowhere.
Althought the animation was pretty good, a cutsie aspect was terrible and pretty unbelievable.
Monsters Inc was better for the kids and adluts.
Im sick and tired of people saying that Finding Nemo is the best Disney....ARE THEY FORGETTING THE LION KING and other classic such as Beauty and The Beast, Aladdin and Sleeping Beauty.

This movie so totally rocks!
From the very begining, as every Disney Pixar movie does, Finding Nemo touches your heart. This is a very heart warming wonderful tale of a clown fish boy and his father, who go through two quite magnificent journeys. Along the way they run into some wonderful fun loving characters, who you can really relate to in your own life. This movie is great for the whole family and has something for everyone adventure, action, and plenty of comedy. It has a great all star cast. Finding Nemo will keep you glued to the screen unto the very end. Thank you to Disney and Pixar for another well put together masterpiece!

PIXARS BEST!
THIS MOVIE WAS WONDERFUL!ME AND MY BROTHER WATCH IT ALL THE TIME!A GREAT MOVIE FOR AGES 2 AND UP! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Charlie's Angels: The Complete Second Season has no shortage of the good-natured cheese and eye candy that made the primetime television show's debut season wildly popular in 1976. The Angels had a new look in their second year: Farrah Fawcett, arguably the most popular of the show's three actresses, departed before the sophomore season and was replaced by another blonde dazzler, Cheryl Ladd. (Ladd's character, Kris Munroe, was the younger sister of Fawcett's Jill Munroe, whose exit is explained in the premiere episode as a liberated woman's career move: Jill has decided to race cars in Spain.)

No sooner does Kris settle in than a crisis sweeps through off-screen Charlie's private investigation agency. While cavorting on Oahu in the two-part "Angels in Paradise," Charlie is kidnapped by a smuggler (France Nuyen), who demands the Angels break her husband out of jail in exchange for their boss's life. Bubbly Kris, brainy Sabrina Duncan (Kate Jackson), beauteous Kelly Garrett (Jaclyn Smith), and sidekick Bosley (David Doyle) are compelled to soak up rays and sip fruity mixed drinks in Waikiki while fighting crime in various guises, re-establishing, for another season, Charlie's Angels' dramatic and aesthetic game plan for every episode: start slow with lots of idle chatter, put the girls in a ridiculous undercover situation, and get them out of their clothes as much as possible.

The pattern continues in the silly "Angels on Ice," starring old hands Phil Silvers and Jim Backus, in which our heroines join an ice show to find out who kidnapped a pair of skaters. "Pretty Angels All in a Row" finds Kelly and Kris reluctant entrants in a "Miss Chrysanthemum Pageant" (no, you won't find Kate Jackson in a swimsuit this year, either) rigged by organized crime. "Circus of Terror," co-starring James Darren, enlists the Angels in the carney life. If there is anything to complain about regarding season 2, it is that the novelty of Charlie's Angels has worn a little thin, and every episode feels the same. Still, there are surprises: "The Sammy Davis Jr. Kidnap Caper" stars the late rat-packer in peril and much bemused by the presence of three comely bodyguards.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (20)

PERSONAL FAV
This is my personal favorite season as my favorite angel is and will always be Cheryl Ladd as Kris Munroe. I find her stunning and a great replacement for Farrah. I like the episodes in this season quite a bit more than the first season.

The picture quality is pretty good, the first few episodes show their age well with lots of scratches in the film etc but don't let that discourage you from buying this set. The sound is very good and the packaging is great! Instead of having to fold out all of the dvds on a couch or the floor you open it like a book here and each dvd flips like a page in a book! Simply amazing set! Can't wait for season 3!

Season 2 At Last...
I have to say that I love Charlies Angels and have all the episodes taped from the TV (even the 4th and 5th seasons) and bought Season 1 when it came out as soon as it hit the shelves so I stumbled onto this little gem by accident an pre-ordered it at once. Does anyone know what the extra's are if any the last box set had very little but the picture quality was excellent and the sound fab!.
as for season 2 i feel of the Kate Jackson Seasons this is the weakest thats not to say it is not excellent but I prefer season 3 and season 1 will always be a classic...
For me there is way to much slap-stick style humor in this season with episodes like "The Sammy Davis Jnr Kidnap Caper" "Pretty Angels All In A Row" and "The Jade Trap" being good examples of this though the latter is not a bad episode.
Also "Angel in the Wings" is truly an awful episode (yes I know Cheryl Ladd can sing but to build a whole episode around it....).
Moan outta the way there are mostly good eps standouts are the baby selling racket of "Angel Baby" the Angels trapped on a Plane with the pilot out for the count in "Angel Flight" The Psyco killers of "The Sandcastle Killer" "Little Angels Of the Night". all in all well worth buying but i cannot wait for season 3....(Will they do 4&5 I wonder)

Imagine Sabrina wherever she goes . . .
The second season of Charlie's Angels is interesting at first because it includes the first change in the series' cast. Once you get over that (and it is not lingered upon by the characters), the second season is much more enjoyable than the first, with the Angels involved in some off-the-beaten-track locales (an antique-car rally, a circus, Sammy Davis Jr.'s Hollywood mansion, a football field) and indulging in some good comedy. The cases seem more varied, though, as in season one, each episode involves a change of venue. The Angels, however, have a wider range of undercover assignments; we expect them to play prostitutes, but Jaclyn Smith's pose as an alien, Cheryl Ladd's disguise as a Swedish film star, and Kate Jackson's turns as a bag lady and a farm boy are true surprises.

The most successful episodes are those that don't follow the usual Angels pattern; that is, a crime followed by a briefing by Charlie, then off to solve the crime. Consequently, the best episodes include The Sandcastle Murders and Hours of Desperation. Some episodes have great setups (Angel Blues, Angels on the Run) that turn altogether conventional, and some (Angels in the Wings, Angel Flight, Angels in the Backfield) are obvious from beginning to end and are perfectly dreadful as a result. The best episode of the season is the season opener Angels in Paradise, with its many twists and turns, its sumptuous locale, and its well-conceived villainess (played by France Nuyen). The first runner-up is the hilarious Pretty Angels All in a Row.

This second season is a showcase for Kate Jackson. Smith, though she does some good work, disappears into the woodwork far too often in this collection. Ladd does some surprisingly good work as well, but Jackson outshines the others in terms of range. She does some outstanding work in Angel in Love, and her French designer disguise in Magic Fire is so obviously bad that it cannot be taken seriously and touches the heights of hilarity. Far more interesting is her come-on to an executive in The Sandcastle Murders -- the writers don't allow us to see how she gets out of what has plainly become a steamy situation, which is unfortunate. She also does the bubble-head routine in Angels in Paradise, a characterization usually reserved for the other Angels. Nobody shakes down a criminal like Sabrina, and immediately following her empty-headed interplay with Mr. Blue, Jackson gets down to business with her customary cool.

Though there are no commentaries, no subtitles, and no extras (except for yawningly boring trailers of the Charlie's Angels movies), I recommend this collection as better than the first season. However, I may have reached my Angels limit; we'll see what kind of mood I am in when season 3 comes out.

Charlie's Angels Rules!
I bought this as soon as it came out. Of all the Angels Cheryl Ladd was my favorite. Reading and earlier review it stated that Kate Jackson (Sabrina) and Cheryl Ladd (Kris) didn't get along. When you watch you can see it. Most of Ladd's scenes were with Jaclyn Smith (Kelly). But still this was a great series. I remember in college rushing home to watch it on WGN who showed the whole series in chronological order.
I can't wait for seasons 3-5.

Once Upon a Time....
Once upon a time...there was this great show with gorgeous Kate Jackson (who received Emmy nominations/not Grammy's), lovely Jaclyn Smith, and cute Cheryl Ladd, and of course, don't forget sidekick Bosely (David Doyle). Even though Farrah left in the second season, Cheryl Ladd, as her sister, filled the seat. Give her(Cheryl Ladd) credit for being the follow up to that! The new DVD set is excellent! Kate shines without the Farrah phenonmenon and Jaclyn is radiant as ever! The new trio in the second season made the show stronger, and it is evident in this DVD set. Only downside is knowing that Kate Jackson and Cheryl Ladd did not get along with one another. Knowing this now, I'm constantly watching their interaction between each other as actresses. It's subtle...but who cares, the second season know doubtingly deserved higher ratings then the first season. I would recommend this DVD for any TV enthusiasist. I can not wait, and hopefully, the third season, and (yes) fourth season with chic Shelley Hack (I actually liked her character~they should have kept her), and the street-wise Tonya Roberts will be released soon on DVD too. ...