Album Description

Import only NTSC/Region 1 DVD. Megan Follows, Tony Award-winner Colleen Dewhurst & Academy Award-nominee Richard Farnsworth give unparalleled performances in this critically-acclaimed motion picture, based on the international best-selling novel. Filmed amidst the spectacular scenery of Prince Edward Island, Canada, this Emmy Award-winning production follows the provocative life drama of orphan Anne Shirley (Follows), from her struggles as an adolescent to her triumphs as a young woman. A delicate epic full of wit, style & emotional power. Special features include behind-the-scenes clips, missing scenes, director's commentary, cast bios, previews, Megan Follows' audition. production stills & scene index. 1995. ... Read more

Reviews (231)

Excellent film!
This is a terrific adaptation of the classic L.M. Montgomery coming of age story. It centers on young Anne Shirley, a strong willed, independent orphan who is adopted by siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert. They originally wanted to adopt a boy to help out at their farm, but instead received a surprise when Anne arrived at the train station. Anne's adventures growing up are both funny and heart-warming. This is a fantastic movie that will please youngsters and adults alike, as there is something here for everyone! Megan Follows is excellent as Anne Shirley, Colleen Dewhurst is wonderful as the stern but loving Marilla and Richard Farnsworth is great as gentle Matthew. The supporting cast also give splendid performances. Highly recommended!

Timeless memories of a Canadian childhood
I can still remember the excitement I felt when I first saw Anne of Green Gables almost fifteen years ago. It accurately and lovingly captures the thrills of childhood, of breathless anticipation, the joys of friendship, and the final moment when we must bid our childhood goodbye and take our place in the grownup world. The performances are flawless and capture the original flavour of each of the characters from the book. Megan Follows IS Anne Shirley, Shuyler Grant is a kindred Diana Barry, and Colleen Dewhurst is the stern Marilla Cuthbert who finds her heart unexpectedly embracing the joys of motherhood.

Everything about Anne of Green Gables is done with the utmost love and respect in regard to the original novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery. Anne is every child, with her eyes open to the world, her thirst for knowledge, her immediate trust, her quest for adventure, and most of all her imagination. Megan Follows captures the timeless appeal of the orphaned Anne with spirit, grace, and wit. Her humorous mishaps, personal struggles, and her newfound love for the Cuthberts as well as her love for Avonlea make her an enduring heroine throughout the ages. Who knows? After seeing this film you may discover that you are a kindred spirit as well!

its a classic!!!
What can i say, I LOVE this movie. I grew up watching this one and Anne of Avonlea(now the sequel) I also read the books when i was young. I still enjoy watching them as an adult. I just wish i had a daughter to watch it with and enjoy with me. (we have two wonderful boys and most likely wont have any more) The characters fit the roles perfectly and are excellent. You just fall in love with them all.

DVD QUALITY GREAT ! I can see the print of the wallpaper
After watching this often on vhs I bought a DVD and I noticed the difference right away! You can see the print of fabrics, wallpaper, and details of everything much better. This is a wonderful story and the music is beautiful. All the actors are excellent. Great movie for little girls with red hair! Its not easy growing up with red hair. I love the way Anne is portrayed in this movie. There is a black and white version made in the 1930's and its okay. This movie also shows a girl taking her education seriously. The only thing I didn't like was that Gilbert is a little too much the lovesick fool. I think most guys would have given up on her, she was very mean to him.

A Favorite For Any Generation
This series has always been in my heart and always will be. I can always see myself in Anne Shirley, just as I'm sure every other young girl will. Kevin Sullivan did a beautiful job of bringing to life the works of Lucy M. Montgomery's series of Anne of Green Gables. I loved this movie the first time I saw it on television on PBS and I was thrilled to finally find it on DVD. Anne Shirley is a young orphan girl with a huge imagination, daydreams, and a huge talker. She's transferred from home to home and then back to the orphanage until she is finally picked to live in a town called Avonlea. She lives with a family Marilla & Mathew Cuthbert (played by: Colleen Dewhurst & Richard Farnsworth). After worrying she wouldn't be adopted because she's not a boy she warms their hearts and starts a new life with them. And she then soon meets her bosom friend Diana Barry (Schuyler Grant) and of course Gilbert Blythe (Jonathan Crombie). We follow the lives of these characters that Anne meets along the way. This series is for any young girl or for any girl at any age to enjoy and the entire family. The fun part is you can also see parts of the cast that end up being in Kevin Sullivan's production of Road to Avonlea. But this series is wonderful, charming, and full of adventures. The supporting cast is quite amazing as well they include: Rachel Lynde (Patricia Hamilton), Miss Stacy (Marilyn Lightstone), & Aunt Josephine (Charmion King) just to name a few of my favorites. This movie is also about life and the human heart that we see through Anne's eye's. The DVD is full of tons of great stuff such as Megan Follow's audition, a small behind the scene's moments, missing scene's, & tons more. So I do highly recommend this film for everyone. ... Read more

Reviews (853)

One of the best movies EVER!
As a musical theater purist, I was concerned that a movie musical with 3 of Hollywoods A list stars would be a hinderance rather than a help in the "revival" of the genre. I must say that I was blown away by the sheer genius and excellence of the film.
Catherine Zeta-Jones' Velma was equal to, if not better than Bebe Neuwerth's ( Brodway revival). Her beautiful voice and masterful dance skill is worthy of the great white way. A Tony may have been a more appropriate award as opposed to her much deserved Oscar. Although Rene Zellwegers voice was a little shaky in the begining she brought out a tough side in Roxy that was not there in neither the original nor the revival stage versions. Then my biggest fear, Richard Gere as Billy Flinn, was in a word perfect. You can't ask for a better fit, and what a shocker to see that wonderful tapdance!
With great costumes,Fosse-like choreography, expert lighting and singing (by many broadway veterans in the chours as extras) this dark comedy shines. Also with great cameos and supporting performances by the great Chita Rivera ( original broadway cast),John C. Reily (oscar nominated),Lucy Liu, and Christine Baranski this film shines as one of the greatest ever made, not just as a musical, but as a film. Rob Marshall's directorial debut deserves all of it's accolades...and all that jazz.

Sizzling and sexy musical entertainment.
I have just seen one of the best movie musicals in years. "Chicago," directed by Rob Marshall and starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger and Richard Gere, will knock you out of your seats. This stylish adaptation is smart, sassy and gorgeously put together.

Catherine Zeta-Jones is red hot as the murderous Velma Kelly. Velma washes the blood of her victims off her hands, and then sings and dances on stage as if killing people is all in a day's work. Zeta-Jones struts across the screen as if she owns it. She is sultry, sexy and a very talented singer and dancer. Renee Zellweger does fine work as the low class Roxie Hart, a selfish and conniving young woman who longs to be a musical star. Like Velma, Roxie lands in jail after committing murder. Richard Gere effectively plays their shyster lawyer, Billy Flynn, with roguish charm and a twinkle in his eye. Also outstanding are Queen Latifah, as an avaricious warden, and John C. Reilly, as Roxie's hapless husband.

The movie takes place in the 1920's during the Jazz Age. It is the era of Prohibition, fast women, and an "anything goes" attitude. Rob Marshall has an assured touch, and he directs this material with panache. The swinging score by Kander and Ebb goes perfectly with the wonderful costumes, sets and choreography. I have not enjoyed a movie musical this much in years, and I recommend "Chicago" highly.

Manipulating the System
The 2002 Oscar winner for Best Picture,"Chicago" is a musical which has the late Bob Fosse's choreography stamped all over it, although it's really anybody's guess as to whether or not he would have been pleased with this film version of his 1975 stage hit. Happily, the acting was great and the leads did their own singing and dancing.
The story is based on the real-life cases of Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner, renamed respectively as Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly (There was a real Roxie Hart as well, who committed murder in Indiana in the 1910s), who were exhonerated of murder charges by a flashy lawyer in the 1920s.
The story begins on a snowy night at the Onyx Club in the Chicago of Al Capone, where the booze flows heavily despite Prohibition laws, and a brassy Velma (Catherine Zeta-Jones) arrives at work late, stopping to hide the gun she has just used to kill her husband and sister after catching them in bed together. She performs the rousing number, "All That Jazz" shortly thereafter as if nothing has happened.
Watching her is ex-chorine Roxie, played by a slender, shiny-complexioned and pixie-faced Renee Zellweger, whose unquenchable desire for fame has led her to cheat on her mechanic husband with a slickster furniture salesman (Dominic West)who falsely claims he has connections that can revamp Roxie's career.
Soon, Roxie and Fred Casley scurry over to the Hart's apartment to continue their affair. When Roxie asks Fred, as she has before, when he will introduce her to the club manager, and help her return to showbusiness, Fred admits that he lied. The following confrontation becomes violent and Roxie fatally shoots Fred as he tries to leave.
Amos Hart, Roxie's dim-witted but devoted husband(John C. Reilly) tries to cover for her at first as Taye Diggs' Bandleader/Announcer leads us further into the action by introducing Roxie's first number, "That Funny Honey", which changes tones as the investigator mentions the victim's name and Amos becomes aware of his wife's infidelity.
Roxie is arrested and taken to the Cook County Jail, where Chita Rivera, who originated the role of Velma Kelly on Broadway,has a cameo appearance as inmate Nickie.
We are then introduced to Matron Mama Morton(a pretty, regal, and matronly Queen Latifah), and the vaudville numbers continue as she sings the racy and more-than-highly suggestive "When You're Good to Mama".
As she begins her time in prison, we get to know Roxie's inmates during "The Cell Block Tango". Judging from the visuals, where most of the inmates' handkerchiefs came out red as they finished giving details of their crimes and the Hungarian immigrant's was white, we are to believe that Katalin Helinszki (Ekaterina Chtchelkanova), who was accused of the most heinous of the murders, is innocent.
Soon after, Mama Morton pulls a few strings, Defense Attorney Billy Flynn (Richard Gere, whose early training in stage musicals, like that of Catherine Zeta-Jones' serves him well here) arrives to represent Roxie, who also has push-over journalist/sob-sister, Mary Sunshine(Christine Baranski)in her corner.
The song "We Both Reached for the Gun" is based on headlines from the actual case, and has the feel of a hymn sung at a revival meeting. It is reflective of Roxie's false repentance for her misdeeds.
As the publicity surrounding Roxie grows, and the opportunistic Flynn begins to devote more time to her than to his previous client, Velma, another potentially lucrative case appears for Billy when Lucy Liu's pineapple heiress, Kitty Baxter committs a triple homicide(Note that his discussion of this case with dinner guests would not have taken place today), forcing Roxie and Velma to use a few tricks to win back Billy's attention, including a fake pregnancy.
Onstage, as the murder-as-entertainment scenario continues, we are treated to the long-suffering but loyal Amos' "Mr. Cellophane", and his devotion to his unfaithful and ungrateful wife is heart-rending. But at least he gets more attention than the offscreen family of Fred Casley, who might have given the story an interesting perspective if included.
Roxie's falling-out with Billy over his selected courtroom attire for her ends abruptly upon her observation of the tragic results of a poor woman's inability to get proper representation. Noteworthy is the strong anti-immigrant sentiment of the time.
Ultimately, Flynn, Velma, and Roxie, razzle-dazzle 'em in court. Lies win out over truth, and style, in the form of Flynn, Velma and Roxie, wins over substance in the form of Colm Feore's prosecutor, Martin Harrison, Katalin Helinszki, and Amos, and the Hart's neighbor, Mrs. Borusewiz (Jayne Eastwood), who also took the witness stand, as often happens in life.
Although acquitted, things didn't end so happily for the real Beulah Annan, whose life ended in a sanitarium in 1928.Belva Gaertner lived to see her story told onstage the year before.
But the man-manipulating Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly live to dazzle the world again, and our rollicking tale of cynical truth ends on a positive note for our main players.
All one could do in the end is heave a sigh, enjoy the show, and "All That Jazz"!

Too Much Music
I saw nothing on the cover to indicate this was mainly a musical. The minimal story line was squeezed in between 110 minutes of singing and dancing..... I would describe as "interpretive modern jazz". We finally used "fast forward" to speed through this dancing and at the end threw the VHS tape in the rubbish. What a disappointment.

The DVD release is shameful
Don't get me wrong. I love this movie more than just about any other movie in existence. The problem is that whenever you get a big-budget, Oscar-winning movie, the initial release on DVD is always going to have at least 2 discs and 2-3 hours of special features. So naturally, I eagerly awaited the release, so I could bask in the sheer excessiveness of the entire product, but instead, I watched as the curtain rose to reveal a DVD that, from my perspective, can only boast of having a 3-minute-long musical number deleted from the theatrical cut of the film. I was crestfallen, and proceeded to wait until they unveiled the real prize, the multi-disc extravaganza that I had expected from the start. But still I wait, so I am forced to say that the DVD is only worth renting, but not worth the $20.00 that the distributors continue to ask for. The movie is incredible from start to finish, but it's just not worth spending $20.00 on this, only to see Miramax release a 4-disc set the moment you take the plastic off the case. I personally will wait until they release it in a DVD set that truly does this masterpiece justice. ... Read more

Description

When Max Renn goes looking for edgy new shows for his sleazy cable TV station, he stumbles across the pirate broadcast of a hyperviolent torture show called "Videodrome." As he unearths the origins of the program, he embarks on a hallucinatory journey into a shadow world of right-wing conspiracies, sadomasochistic sex games, and bodily transformation. Renn’s ordinary life dissolves around him, he finds himself at the center of a conflict between opposing factions in the struggle to control the truth behind the radical human future of "the New Flesh." Starring James Woods and Deborah Harry in one of her first film roles, Videodrome is one of writer/director David Cronenberg’s most original and provocative works, fusing social commentary with shocking elements of sex and violence. With groundbreaking special effects makeup by Academy Award®-winner Rick Baker, Videodrome has come to be regarded as one of the most influential and mind-bending science fiction films of the 1980s, and The Criterion Collection is proud to present it in its full-length unrated edition. ... Read more

Reviews (66)

Videodrome - It's Watching you!!!
David Cronenberg is obsessed with technology and body modification - especially how all of this equates to sex and death. How do things CHANGE us? VIDEODROME is probably one of his most blatant statements about television, and the dangers of being more than a voyeur. There is a danger lurking in every scene of this movie, and even the sex scenes take on a disturbing horror vibe. Graphic and disturbing? Yes. But also very thought-provoking, and well-done. The DVD lets you see the movie in its widescreen unedited gory glory. Also included is a very disorienting trailer that was produced on a COMMODORE 64! The performances are outstanding including James Woods at his most likeable, and Debbie Harry as a distant emotionally cold woman who is turned on by the atrocity that is VIDEODROME. The plot centers on Woods as a slimey cable producer looking for hardcore programming to launch his cable channel. He stumbles across a show called VIDEODROME that is pure sex and torture to the point of death. Is it real? Where is it coming from? And why does everyone who watches it become a part of it? EXIStENZ is VIDEODROME's bookend - the gaming side of this theme.

Outstanding Horror
TV will rot your brain, some say- and in the world of Videodrome, that's exactly what happens. A group working with a media philosopher (a nice parody of Marshall McCluhan) has created a signal that can be superimposed on a video program that will, quite literally, mutate the brain. It may be a tumor- or it may be a new organ. It's infected cable TV president Max Venn (James Woods), and is starting to change him and his world in bizarre ways.

Videodrome is a wonderfully original movie that mixes a well crafted script with some novel (for the time) special effects and a marvelous darkly comic sensibility. Puns abound; the president of "Spectacular Optics"- itself a pun- is named Convex. Brian Oblivion (the Marshall McCluhan parody) founded the "Cathode Ray Mission" (as in "cathode ray emission"), where the homeless and destitute are re-integrated into society by providing them with exposure to television.

Underneath this is a dark, sexual theme- Max's attraction to the images of bondage and sadism that are his undoing, and to radio psychologist Nikki (Debbie Harry, in a compelling if inartful performance) who is willing to go a lot farther than is Max in her pursuit of kinky thrills.

Is Max really being physically transformed, or is it all in his head? Is the New Flesh real, or another delusion? All in all, a compelling and original film that will delight any fan of cult films and erotic horror.

David Cronenberg Scores Again With Videodrome!
David Cronenberg is one of the greatest horror film directors to come on the scene. His stylish mix of science fiction and horror gives us surreal films easily compared to directors like David Lynch amoung others. Videodrome is probably my favorite Cronenberg film.

The film is about a television station that specializes in showing softcore pornography and other disturbing types of film. Max Renn, played wonderfully by James Woods, has people go out and find new footage for the network to play. In his search, Renn comes across a video entitled Videodrome, which contains footage of a brutal torture of a few woman. The video becomes an obsession of Renn's and begins to control his life.

An incredible film, with amazing performances from Debrah Harry, singer for the band Blondie, and Woods. The film gives a surreal look at how what we see on television can control our lives. I recommend it to anyone who loves Sci-Fi or horror movies. Definately a classic.

"I want to play something for you."
Max Renn (James Woods) is the CEO of a sleazy little cable channel that is eking out its niche in the market by offering violence and soft-core pornography. Always on the lookout for something tougher, he becomes excited by the pirate broadcasts of a program called Videodrome, 30 minutes of torture with no pretense to any plot. He decides to track down the makers of the show, little realizing that he is already in way over his head...

David Cronenberg is a consistently interesting filmmaker and his major themes are on display here-the question of identity and the ways, both physical and psychological, that man is transformed by his technology. "Videodrome" is prescient in the way it forecasted the ever-increasing levels of depravity and sensation that has become available in the media. The film becomes increasingly surreal and phantasmagoric as the story progresses, but stick with it and think about it afterward. All the pieces fit together.

Thank you Criterion.
This film is finally getting the treatment it deserves, a double-disc Criterion edition. It will be re-discovered and newly discovered by Cronenberg & Criterion fans alike.

The soundtrack and the dialogue were always more disturbing to me than the imagery, which still shocks and creeps under your skin more than any CGI effect ever could. It's the organic nature of Cronenberg's style that sets him apart from everyone, period.

It's also his most prophetic work, a warning for how television can and has warped our sense of reality.

"The battle for the mind of North America will be fought in the video arena, the Videodrome." ... Read more

Reviews (853)

One of the best movies EVER!
As a musical theater purist, I was concerned that a movie musical with 3 of Hollywoods A list stars would be a hinderance rather than a help in the "revival" of the genre. I must say that I was blown away by the sheer genius and excellence of the film.
Catherine Zeta-Jones' Velma was equal to, if not better than Bebe Neuwerth's ( Brodway revival). Her beautiful voice and masterful dance skill is worthy of the great white way. A Tony may have been a more appropriate award as opposed to her much deserved Oscar. Although Rene Zellwegers voice was a little shaky in the begining she brought out a tough side in Roxy that was not there in neither the original nor the revival stage versions. Then my biggest fear, Richard Gere as Billy Flinn, was in a word perfect. You can't ask for a better fit, and what a shocker to see that wonderful tapdance!
With great costumes,Fosse-like choreography, expert lighting and singing (by many broadway veterans in the chours as extras) this dark comedy shines. Also with great cameos and supporting performances by the great Chita Rivera ( original broadway cast),John C. Reily (oscar nominated),Lucy Liu, and Christine Baranski this film shines as one of the greatest ever made, not just as a musical, but as a film. Rob Marshall's directorial debut deserves all of it's accolades...and all that jazz.

Sizzling and sexy musical entertainment.
I have just seen one of the best movie musicals in years. "Chicago," directed by Rob Marshall and starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger and Richard Gere, will knock you out of your seats. This stylish adaptation is smart, sassy and gorgeously put together.

Catherine Zeta-Jones is red hot as the murderous Velma Kelly. Velma washes the blood of her victims off her hands, and then sings and dances on stage as if killing people is all in a day's work. Zeta-Jones struts across the screen as if she owns it. She is sultry, sexy and a very talented singer and dancer. Renee Zellweger does fine work as the low class Roxie Hart, a selfish and conniving young woman who longs to be a musical star. Like Velma, Roxie lands in jail after committing murder. Richard Gere effectively plays their shyster lawyer, Billy Flynn, with roguish charm and a twinkle in his eye. Also outstanding are Queen Latifah, as an avaricious warden, and John C. Reilly, as Roxie's hapless husband.

The movie takes place in the 1920's during the Jazz Age. It is the era of Prohibition, fast women, and an "anything goes" attitude. Rob Marshall has an assured touch, and he directs this material with panache. The swinging score by Kander and Ebb goes perfectly with the wonderful costumes, sets and choreography. I have not enjoyed a movie musical this much in years, and I recommend "Chicago" highly.

Manipulating the System
The 2002 Oscar winner for Best Picture,"Chicago" is a musical which has the late Bob Fosse's choreography stamped all over it, although it's really anybody's guess as to whether or not he would have been pleased with this film version of his 1975 stage hit. Happily, the acting was great and the leads did their own singing and dancing.
The story is based on the real-life cases of Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner, renamed respectively as Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly (There was a real Roxie Hart as well, who committed murder in Indiana in the 1910s), who were exhonerated of murder charges by a flashy lawyer in the 1920s.
The story begins on a snowy night at the Onyx Club in the Chicago of Al Capone, where the booze flows heavily despite Prohibition laws, and a brassy Velma (Catherine Zeta-Jones) arrives at work late, stopping to hide the gun she has just used to kill her husband and sister after catching them in bed together. She performs the rousing number, "All That Jazz" shortly thereafter as if nothing has happened.
Watching her is ex-chorine Roxie, played by a slender, shiny-complexioned and pixie-faced Renee Zellweger, whose unquenchable desire for fame has led her to cheat on her mechanic husband with a slickster furniture salesman (Dominic West)who falsely claims he has connections that can revamp Roxie's career.
Soon, Roxie and Fred Casley scurry over to the Hart's apartment to continue their affair. When Roxie asks Fred, as she has before, when he will introduce her to the club manager, and help her return to showbusiness, Fred admits that he lied. The following confrontation becomes violent and Roxie fatally shoots Fred as he tries to leave.
Amos Hart, Roxie's dim-witted but devoted husband(John C. Reilly) tries to cover for her at first as Taye Diggs' Bandleader/Announcer leads us further into the action by introducing Roxie's first number, "That Funny Honey", which changes tones as the investigator mentions the victim's name and Amos becomes aware of his wife's infidelity.
Roxie is arrested and taken to the Cook County Jail, where Chita Rivera, who originated the role of Velma Kelly on Broadway,has a cameo appearance as inmate Nickie.
We are then introduced to Matron Mama Morton(a pretty, regal, and matronly Queen Latifah), and the vaudville numbers continue as she sings the racy and more-than-highly suggestive "When You're Good to Mama".
As she begins her time in prison, we get to know Roxie's inmates during "The Cell Block Tango". Judging from the visuals, where most of the inmates' handkerchiefs came out red as they finished giving details of their crimes and the Hungarian immigrant's was white, we are to believe that Katalin Helinszki (Ekaterina Chtchelkanova), who was accused of the most heinous of the murders, is innocent.
Soon after, Mama Morton pulls a few strings, Defense Attorney Billy Flynn (Richard Gere, whose early training in stage musicals, like that of Catherine Zeta-Jones' serves him well here) arrives to represent Roxie, who also has push-over journalist/sob-sister, Mary Sunshine(Christine Baranski)in her corner.
The song "We Both Reached for the Gun" is based on headlines from the actual case, and has the feel of a hymn sung at a revival meeting. It is reflective of Roxie's false repentance for her misdeeds.
As the publicity surrounding Roxie grows, and the opportunistic Flynn begins to devote more time to her than to his previous client, Velma, another potentially lucrative case appears for Billy when Lucy Liu's pineapple heiress, Kitty Baxter committs a triple homicide(Note that his discussion of this case with dinner guests would not have taken place today), forcing Roxie and Velma to use a few tricks to win back Billy's attention, including a fake pregnancy.
Onstage, as the murder-as-entertainment scenario continues, we are treated to the long-suffering but loyal Amos' "Mr. Cellophane", and his devotion to his unfaithful and ungrateful wife is heart-rending. But at least he gets more attention than the offscreen family of Fred Casley, who might have given the story an interesting perspective if included.
Roxie's falling-out with Billy over his selected courtroom attire for her ends abruptly upon her observation of the tragic results of a poor woman's inability to get proper representation. Noteworthy is the strong anti-immigrant sentiment of the time.
Ultimately, Flynn, Velma, and Roxie, razzle-dazzle 'em in court. Lies win out over truth, and style, in the form of Flynn, Velma and Roxie, wins over substance in the form of Colm Feore's prosecutor, Martin Harrison, Katalin Helinszki, and Amos, and the Hart's neighbor, Mrs. Borusewiz (Jayne Eastwood), who also took the witness stand, as often happens in life.
Although acquitted, things didn't end so happily for the real Beulah Annan, whose life ended in a sanitarium in 1928.Belva Gaertner lived to see her story told onstage the year before.
But the man-manipulating Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly live to dazzle the world again, and our rollicking tale of cynical truth ends on a positive note for our main players.
All one could do in the end is heave a sigh, enjoy the show, and "All That Jazz"!

Too Much Music
I saw nothing on the cover to indicate this was mainly a musical. The minimal story line was squeezed in between 110 minutes of singing and dancing..... I would describe as "interpretive modern jazz". We finally used "fast forward" to speed through this dancing and at the end threw the VHS tape in the rubbish. What a disappointment.

The DVD release is shameful
Don't get me wrong. I love this movie more than just about any other movie in existence. The problem is that whenever you get a big-budget, Oscar-winning movie, the initial release on DVD is always going to have at least 2 discs and 2-3 hours of special features. So naturally, I eagerly awaited the release, so I could bask in the sheer excessiveness of the entire product, but instead, I watched as the curtain rose to reveal a DVD that, from my perspective, can only boast of having a 3-minute-long musical number deleted from the theatrical cut of the film. I was crestfallen, and proceeded to wait until they unveiled the real prize, the multi-disc extravaganza that I had expected from the start. But still I wait, so I am forced to say that the DVD is only worth renting, but not worth the $20.00 that the distributors continue to ask for. The movie is incredible from start to finish, but it's just not worth spending $20.00 on this, only to see Miramax release a 4-disc set the moment you take the plastic off the case. I personally will wait until they release it in a DVD set that truly does this masterpiece justice. ... Read more

Reviews (76)

OW OW! I LOVE it!
YOW! The perfect modern Christmas classic! Believe me, I've seen far too many horrible kids' movies in my day, and horrible Christmas flicks, but this is far above them all. Methinks everyone will love this movie, not just the kids...
OK, so what's so great about it? It's funny and different, but still quite sweet and simple. There's some hilarious little gimmicks, but overall it's an honest, just plain sweet story. Tim Allen's great for the role of cynic-turned-Santa I that I would never have expected...really! He IS Santa, man. Eric Lloyd, who plays Santa's son, is an adorable but atypically not-[cruddy] child actor! yow! Judge Reinhold, who you may last have seen in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" in a Pirate hat, now plays the eternally-unhip Neil. (The new step-father, general Christmas-skeptic, psychiatrist, and wearer of LOUD sweaters.) Everyone's got to deal with Scott (Tim Allen) becoming Santa Claus, and learning to BELIEVE. ("Seeing isn't believing, believing is seeing.")
BUT the best part of all??? One word: BERNARD. Portrayed by the magnificent David Krumholtz, he's the cranky head-elf who manages to DEAL with the new Santa. Come on, everyone loves Bernard. Shows up, shoves a pita sandwich down his gullet, comments on Neil's sweaters, and saves Christmas! WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE?!?
All right, so I havn't done a great job convincing you to see/buy this movie. It sounds cheesy, you say. WELL IT'S NOT! It's actually a preety darn touching story of grumpy old cynical adults coming around to Christmas magic, father and son bonding, a new magical look at the North Pole, and one fabulous head-elf. What more do you want from a Christmas movie? I promise you won't regret seeing this movie. Go rent/buy it for the kids! No kids? Go to the store and make like you're renting/buying it for "the kids." Enjoy!

One of my favorite Christmas movies
It's hard to believe that "The Santa Clause" isn't more of a Christmas classic. Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) and his son Charlie (Eric Lloyd) go on a mission to save Christmas after the original Santa Claus falls off a roof and passes away. Scott doesn't know it at first, but when he puts on Santa Claus's suit, he becomes the new Santa Claus.

"The Santa Clause" has a lot of parts that are hilarious such as when Scott starts getting fat and tells everybody that he was stung by a huge bee. But it's not only a great comedy movie, it's one of the best family movies. This is one movie that anybody, no matter how old they are, can enjoy. Tim Allen gives one of his best performances, and so does Eric Lloyd. I can't think of anything that's wrong with the movie. It's hilarious, it has a dramatic plot, and it never gets old.

"The Santa Clause" isn't one of those Christmas movies that are just good to watch during the holidays, it's a great movie to watch any day of the year. It's a classic in my book. I recommend anybody to get "The Santa Clause."

Good Yuletide fun!
There are some films that just have to be watched every Christmas and this is one of them. It is a feelgood film for a feelgood time of year.
The story is simple. Scott Calvin (note his initials) is a divorced father who frequently lets his young son down due to his busy working life. That is until he accidentally kills Santa Claus. To his disbelief and dismay, and his sons delight, he has to become the new Santa. The film follows his changing life and attitudes and shows the newly developing relationship between father and son.
There is nothing taxing or complex about this movie, just a heart-warming, funny story that is ideal for all the family. Watch and enjoy.

One of the best Christmas movies of all time!
The Santa Clause is one of the best christmas movies of all time. All of the actors are really good in this movie especially the head elf,Bernard, played by David Krumholtz. I think that he deserves more recognition than he truly gets because he does the role of the elf really good. This movie has lots of catchy lines in it that make you laugh right out of your seat.

The Moose Hole - 'Santa' Delievers Holiday Magic
Here we are once again! It's the usual time of the year when the holiday themed feature films are out in full force, flooding multiplexes across the country for the Thanksgiving holiday and going into December. And it seems work as usual for the Walt Disney Company with their release of The Santa Clause, but what makes this project unique is the concept it uses, one that has never fully been developed on the big screen before. The feature is also unique in that it stars Tim Allen, who is best known for his hit television show, Home Improvement, on ABC. Does that mean an automatic is lying in the waiting to flock to theaters for Allen's flick? Not necessarily. Granted there are people who are die hard fans who will love the actor/actress for whatever work they do but for others, they are pretty critical of television stars who believe they can easily make the jump to the big screen. Can Allen pull it off? Only the holiday box office will tell.

The story centers around a man who goes from being divorced, self-centered business man to possibly the most care-free, charitable man on the planet, Santa Claus. Scott Calvin works for a toy company, has recently divorced from his wife, and is stuck on Christmas Eve with his son, who is just as excited as his father is being together for the holidays. Once he tucks his kid into bed for the night, Scott hears a noise on the roof and goes to investigate. When he tries to confront the man on the roof, he falls off and when Scott encounters him, the mystery man is dressed like Santa Claus. He and his son enter the sleigh and the puts on the Santa suit, all thanks to the urging of his son. When the sleigh returns to the North Pole after a long Christmas Eve, Scott discovers that he is the new Santa, thanks to the Santa Clause, which is a contract stating who ever puts on the suit becomes the new Santa Claus. He notices physical changes like the color of his hair and his weight but soon he notices that he feels more and more like Santa on the inside. The story for The Santa Clause is quite possibly one of the most original holiday films in years, which is surprising considering the concept is such a simple one that it is hard to believe that it has never fully been attempted before. The feature does a wonderful job at mixing comedic elements with emotional values, which is hard to do at times. The Santa Clause defies that and presents how it can be done right.

The film revolves mostly around Tim Allen's character and generally that is all that really matters for the film but at the same time the character can be ruined if he doesn't interact with supporting cast members. Fortunately this doesn't happen here or at least not very often. Allen is marvelous in his role as Scott Calvin aka Santa Claus. He successfully translates the comedic magic he had on his television show and amplified it ten times. There is also a lot of emotion behind scenes that he has with his son, Charlie. David Krumholtz, who plays Bernard the head elf at Santa's workshop, is quite possibly the most enjoyable highlight of the film. He work extremely well with Allen as the two are able to play off each other in several moments within the film, that if they had been performed by anybody else would have been flat. The character of Charlie, Scott's son, is moderately played out by Eric Lloyd. Lloyd begins to get pretty annoying and whiny as the film progresses but then again what can you expect from a cute little kid?

Overall, The Santa Clause, just like the big man himself, spreads holiday magic to every boy and girl, nobody how young or old they are. It is such an original concept, one that hasn't been seen and may never be seen again for many years. Though there is much to praise the film on, there are also slight things to pick at. The messages that the film tries to convey, though meaningful and expressive, came off as being too forced. It would have been better if the filmmakers had slowly sunk the ideas in the heads of movie-goers rather then what they ended up doing. And, as was stated earlier, Eric Lloyd came as being too cute and annoying at times in the film but this is something that doesn't necessarily mean anything major, just a small squabble. Make sure to avoid the tacky holiday films like the remake of Miracle on 34th Street and make it your duty to catch The Santa Clause instead, which is sure to become a new holiday classic for the entire family. ... Read more

Reviews (51)

The best Care Bear's Movie I've ever seen!
I love this movie!! My older sister got this from our mom for a Easter present, and we watched it right away!! This movie is great for kids of all ages, I'm 12, and I loved it! :) I can't stop singing some of the song's, too! LOL. It's about a kid named Nicholas who doesn't have any friend's, and is possesed by a ... spirit, to make everyone in the world stop caring! When the Care Bear's, and they're new friend's Kim and Jason (who are visiting Care-A-Lot) find out, it's up to the Care Bear's to save the day!:)

This movie rock's, and I recommend this movie to any Care Bear fan, and for kids of all ages!

You've got to see it at least once in your life!
I think I was six years old when I suffered the "ignominy" of being dragged into my first visit to the local cinema by my parents because my little sister so desperately wanted to see the Care Bears' Movie. I'd had no interest in the Care Bears before this time, as I had thought they were just for girls. However, I loved it - and I was absolutely captivated! Even now, some eighteen years later, I can't remember anything more memorable that I had the pleasure of viewing as a young boy.

This is a truly sensational movie! It brings back some great memories from my younger life (not least my massive crush on the lovely Share Bear!!!)

Keeping true with the Care Bears' aim stamping out hate, malice and hostility and encouraging love, kindness and friendship, this film could teach a lot to today's seemingly uncontrollable nation of loutish youths.

The main storyline centers around Nicholas, a lonely boy who goes about looking for friends but believes he may never find them, and who is fooled by the obnoxious Spirit Book to assist her in her plans to turn the world into a hate-zone. Enter the two orphans, Kim and Jason, who, with the help of the Care Bears and their animal friends (who subsequently become the Care Bear Cousins), convince Nicholas to turn his back on the Spirit Book. He ends the film as a changed man.

Add to that some excellent songs and some cooky side adventures along the way including the confrontation with a lion and the two orphans being kidnapped by an enemy tree (!!), the intellectual and interactive charm and the educational value of this film simply cannot be denied.

Good, clean, innocent fun for even the most cynical pair of young eyes - whether they belong to a girl or a boy.

ONLY for small fry
I cannot believe people want to defend this movie as a message for caring. Ugh. Give me a break! Others say "what isn't tied into merchandise?" Well, the Care Bears merchandise didn't happen after this movie or their TV shows, it happened WELL before it. Deliberate merchandise planning overshadows any "real" message for kids. The dialogue is horrible, playing down to kids. the animation is before the 90s animated revolution so it's extremely crude 80s crap. The songs are totally forgettable, especially the Carly Simon-"I gotta pay off some bills and the IRS"-song. Cutesy dumb caring names for the bears only makes it that much more annoying for any parent that actually had to go to the theaters with their kids and watch this drivle. And Mr Cherrywood. Where they hell has this guy been all day while Mrs Cherrywood takes care of a house full of kids?? All he does is tell some lame bedtime story. Well, my kids seem to enjoy it, so it keeps 'em quiet for more than an hour so I guess I shouldn't complain. But any parent who's had to sit through this lobotomising feature can relate to this review...

Care Bears Movie Great for Kids
Ah, The Care Bears, one of the more popular cartoon characters in the mid 80's next to "The Transformers", "He-Man" and other
cartoons.

However, unlike these other two classics, "The Care Bears" would have a somewhat short run. They would fall into the category of a forgotten fad, because no one nowadays
even knows or even has heard of them, unlike "Transformers" and "He-Man" which are still popular even today in 2003. The Care Bears were the product of Nelvana Entertainment/Unlimited who rode the profitable merchandise of the characters till their demise.

The movie itself (I've watched it a couple of times for nostalgic reasons) isn't that bad at all. The only thing about
the movie is the Care Bears message about friendship and caring is something unheard today, in todays greedy corporate
and selfish lives, and the "every man for himself" mentality.

The movie deals with the Care Bears having to deal with a boy named Nicholas, who has dreams of becoming a great magician
(he is simply an apprentice) who wants to have alot of friends. However, things go wrong with Nicholas's magic act, which end up with alot of kids laughing at him.

Nicholas, does not take this well, and stumbles upon a magic book that is inhibited by an evil spirit who promises Nicholas
that will have great power and wizandry for him (kind of like the evil version of Harry Potter. lol).

The spirit convinces Nicholas to set her free by saying that Nicholas will have many friends because of his powers, or
have the ability to ruin everyone else's lives on earth.

Meanwhile , TenderHeart Bear, sees what's going on and tries to warn the other Care Bears about what's happening, but it's too late. The spirit breaks through, and unleashes
alot of havoc and uncaring around the world.

This has alot of repercusion as "Care Alot" land, the land of the Care Bears becomes almost destroyed, including the Care
Meter, which measures the caring of the world. As one Care Bears puts, when the meter reaches zero, no one in the world will care.

So Care Bears, and two orphans Kim and Jason, who have become the Care Bears friends, work together to stop Nicholas
and his evil spirit friend.

The animation for the movie, is pretty good, considering that the Care Bears tv series was just a kiddy show. However,
the animators did a pretty good job, doing alot of things with the movie that they obviously couldn't do with the budget of
the tv series.

There are also a couple of nice twists in the movie, like when a couple of Care Bears get stuck in an alternate universe in between Care Bear Land and Earth. The voices are not that bad either including Mickey Rooney for one.

All in all "The Care Bears Movie" is not bad at all, definitely alot better than those other cheap movies based on kids tv series (like Might Morphin Powers Ranger,
or as like to call the Mighty Retard Power
Rangers).

Definitely recommended for kids.

Enjoyable entertainment for your young ones
I first encountered Care Bears when my baby sister started watcing them even though they've been around in my time. I have to say they're really addicting to watch. She loves them and has about 30 of them which she plays with them by having a Care Bear Conference and it's no suprise she loves this movie. I've always been a fan of Mickey Rooney and he was wonderful in this film. This story follows the care bears as they battle an evil spirt who has tricked a boy named Nicolas into destroying all the caring in the world. They encounter the care bear cousins as they search for the two remaining children who care in the world. The story teaches lids about caring and loving and it is a great movie for children. My only problem with this movie is that they change the story in the next movie but overalll it is a must buy and your kids will want to watch it again and again. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Love it or loathe it, David Cronenberg's 1983 horror film Videodrome is a movie to be reckoned with. Inviting extremes of response from disdain (critic Roger Ebert called it "one of the least entertaining films ever made") to academic euphoria, it's the kind of film that is simultaneously sickening and seemingly devoid of humanity, but also blessed with provocative ideas and a compelling subtext of social commentary. Giving yet another powerful and disturbing performance, James Woods stars as the operator of a low-budget cable-TV station who accidentally intercepts a mysterious cable transmission that features the apparent torture and death of women in its programming. He traces the show to its source and discovers a mysterious plot to broadcast a subliminally influential signal into the homes of millions, masterminded by a quasi-religious character named Brian O'Blivion and his overly reverent daughter. Meanwhile Woods is falling under the spell, becoming a victim of video, and losing his grip--both physically and psychologically--on the distinction between reality and television. A potent treatise on the effects of total immersion into our mass-media culture, Videodrome is also (to the delight of Cronenberg's loyal fans) a showcase for obsessions manifested in the tangible world of the flesh. It's a hallucinogenic world in which a television set seems to breathe with a life of its own, and where the body itself can become a VCR repository for disturbing imagery. Featuring bizarre makeup effects by Rick Baker and a daring performance by Deborah Harry (of Blondie fame) as Wood's sadomasochistic girlfriend, Videodrome is pure Cronenberg--unsettling, intelligent, and decidedly not for every taste. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (66)

Videodrome - It's Watching you!!!
David Cronenberg is obsessed with technology and body modification - especially how all of this equates to sex and death. How do things CHANGE us? VIDEODROME is probably one of his most blatant statements about television, and the dangers of being more than a voyeur. There is a danger lurking in every scene of this movie, and even the sex scenes take on a disturbing horror vibe. Graphic and disturbing? Yes. But also very thought-provoking, and well-done. The DVD lets you see the movie in its widescreen unedited gory glory. Also included is a very disorienting trailer that was produced on a COMMODORE 64! The performances are outstanding including James Woods at his most likeable, and Debbie Harry as a distant emotionally cold woman who is turned on by the atrocity that is VIDEODROME. The plot centers on Woods as a slimey cable producer looking for hardcore programming to launch his cable channel. He stumbles across a show called VIDEODROME that is pure sex and torture to the point of death. Is it real? Where is it coming from? And why does everyone who watches it become a part of it? EXIStENZ is VIDEODROME's bookend - the gaming side of this theme.

Outstanding Horror
TV will rot your brain, some say- and in the world of Videodrome, that's exactly what happens. A group working with a media philosopher (a nice parody of Marshall McCluhan) has created a signal that can be superimposed on a video program that will, quite literally, mutate the brain. It may be a tumor- or it may be a new organ. It's infected cable TV president Max Venn (James Woods), and is starting to change him and his world in bizarre ways.

Videodrome is a wonderfully original movie that mixes a well crafted script with some novel (for the time) special effects and a marvelous darkly comic sensibility. Puns abound; the president of "Spectacular Optics"- itself a pun- is named Convex. Brian Oblivion (the Marshall McCluhan parody) founded the "Cathode Ray Mission" (as in "cathode ray emission"), where the homeless and destitute are re-integrated into society by providing them with exposure to television.

Underneath this is a dark, sexual theme- Max's attraction to the images of bondage and sadism that are his undoing, and to radio psychologist Nikki (Debbie Harry, in a compelling if inartful performance) who is willing to go a lot farther than is Max in her pursuit of kinky thrills.

Is Max really being physically transformed, or is it all in his head? Is the New Flesh real, or another delusion? All in all, a compelling and original film that will delight any fan of cult films and erotic horror.

David Cronenberg Scores Again With Videodrome!
David Cronenberg is one of the greatest horror film directors to come on the scene. His stylish mix of science fiction and horror gives us surreal films easily compared to directors like David Lynch amoung others. Videodrome is probably my favorite Cronenberg film.

The film is about a television station that specializes in showing softcore pornography and other disturbing types of film. Max Renn, played wonderfully by James Woods, has people go out and find new footage for the network to play. In his search, Renn comes across a video entitled Videodrome, which contains footage of a brutal torture of a few woman. The video becomes an obsession of Renn's and begins to control his life.

An incredible film, with amazing performances from Debrah Harry, singer for the band Blondie, and Woods. The film gives a surreal look at how what we see on television can control our lives. I recommend it to anyone who loves Sci-Fi or horror movies. Definately a classic.

"I want to play something for you."
Max Renn (James Woods) is the CEO of a sleazy little cable channel that is eking out its niche in the market by offering violence and soft-core pornography. Always on the lookout for something tougher, he becomes excited by the pirate broadcasts of a program called Videodrome, 30 minutes of torture with no pretense to any plot. He decides to track down the makers of the show, little realizing that he is already in way over his head...

David Cronenberg is a consistently interesting filmmaker and his major themes are on display here-the question of identity and the ways, both physical and psychological, that man is transformed by his technology. "Videodrome" is prescient in the way it forecasted the ever-increasing levels of depravity and sensation that has become available in the media. The film becomes increasingly surreal and phantasmagoric as the story progresses, but stick with it and think about it afterward. All the pieces fit together.

Thank you Criterion.
This film is finally getting the treatment it deserves, a double-disc Criterion edition. It will be re-discovered and newly discovered by Cronenberg & Criterion fans alike.

The soundtrack and the dialogue were always more disturbing to me than the imagery, which still shocks and creeps under your skin more than any CGI effect ever could. It's the organic nature of Cronenberg's style that sets him apart from everyone, period.

It's also his most prophetic work, a warning for how television can and has warped our sense of reality.

"The battle for the mind of North America will be fought in the video arena, the Videodrome." ... Read more

Reviews (272)

Dumbed down for todays audiences
This film could have been much better. As with any horror film, the big pay-off is the creep-out factor. Just the premise alone here is ample reason for nightmares. The world culture has collapsed and the recently dead are walking around with a taste for human flesh?! That's plenty of nightmare, all by itself. Unfortunately, this time around, newcomer director Zack Snyder chose to give the zombies the ability to run, fight, jump and stalk. What this shows is that the director just doesn't understand. You don't NEED go any farther than promote a feeling of dread and dire hopelessness to make this film work. You don't need (and shouldn't have) running combat scenes as if this were some horrific "re-imagining" of "Die Hard."
This film is, of course, a remake of the 1978 film of the same name. The overall plot is vaguely similar, with several people hold up in a shopping mall surrounded by thousands of the undead outside, banging on the doors. But there the similarities end. Ana (Sarah Polly) is a nurse who wakes to see her husband being killed, who then promptly gets up and attacks her, too. After the mad dash, she hooks up with Ving Rhames and some others who run into a mostly vacant shopping mall. After it becomes evident that no help is forthcoming, our motley bunch must use their wits (what's left of them) to survive.
I must say that I wanted to like this film. I recently saw a piece of the original "Dawn" on TV and even 15 minutes scared the wits right out of me. When I was younger, I'd seen this film many times and it never failed to scare me. What the original had, which this updated version lacks, is the hopelessness. The feeling of overwhelming dread. BECAUSE the older films didn't have special effects to fall back on, they had to have more inter-personal story. I wish this new version would have given us some time to get to know these people, add some back-story.
That is not to say that there weren't some chills. There were some scenes where my nerves were tested. But even in those scenes, they were tense mainly because the director constricted the field-of-view or turned down the lights. These are old, tired cinematic tricks. That, and the characters were doing foolish things like wasting ammo target shooting at zombies, for fun. I must say, I fail to understand why our hapless band are smiling and laughing. There is nothing at all funny about this situation:

*They are surrounded by a sea of zombies who mean them harm.
*NO ONE is coming to save them.
*For all they know, this is a world-wide meltdown.
*All of their family and friends are likely dead, or worse.
*They have a finite food and ammo supply.
*They have absolutely no idea where they can go for safety
*or how they're going to get there, if they did
*they're in a building with hundreds of unguardable doors and windows
*They are ALONE, unprepared, under siege, and will likely die---tomorrow, or maybe in the next 10 minutes...

...and there is something to smile about? I don't think so. I don't see what's so darn funny. What should have been a story to chill the blood instead deteriorated into a cookie-cutter film not much different from your typical "them against us" action-oriented fare.
At the end of the original film, it ends on the roof with a helicopter, something like this: "How much fuel do we have?" "I don't know.....Not much." "all right then, let's go." And they fly off into the abyss.

I only wish this remake could have given us at least that much feeling. Instead, it was something more akin to teen slasher film, unworthy of its namesake.

Dawn of the Dead-lacking but effective
Yes, there is no denying Hollywood marketing executives have "contaminated" this film to cater to their targeted demographic. I refer to the extreme grunge music which bookends the film for the benefit of young males. And yes, state of the art special effects have caught up to zombie films. In this case, as in so many others, they tend to overshadow or sacrifice character development entirely. Like I always say special effects do not a movie make. Even one of these elements can "murder" a film's quality but this film hasn't completely "expired".There were two factors which salvaged Dawn of the Dead.<br /> <br /> Naturally being a re-make, the movie loosely followed the story line of the original and even made references to other zombie flicks by presenting character types and situations from Day of the Dead, 28 Days Later and others. This film did what the other zombie films didn't. The film presented the guidelines of the genre and broke the rules. The signs of hope, the overcome struggles, the glimmers of a possible future and escape routes were all closed off leading to a "dead" end. (Sorry, I had to do it). I found it to be eerily caustraphobic.<br /> <br /> The most important thing which saves this film from an agonizing "death" ironically is the zombies themselves. These are without question the scariest i've seen in any film. The attention to detail, the make-up and special effects isn't what i'm talking about here. There seem to be alot of thought put into how these zombies would behave. They do move quickly and rabidly like in 28 Days Later but they react to threats, wonder aimlessly at times,and they lurk and stalk in groups as they growl like wolves. <br /> <br /> Maybe this remake doesn't "live" up to the political and social commentary of it's predecessor. So what! we're talking about zombies here. Maybe the character development is a little weak but theses things didn't stay with me after seeing the movie. This film tapped deeply enough into a childhood fear to keep me looking over my shoulder for days. <br /> <br /> I think I can forgive its short comings <br /> <br /> <br />

Best movie ever!
When a mysterious virus plauges the world a small group of survivors band together to survive. Where to go, of course where else a Mall. But the mall has already benn takin by the infamous janitors. After a attitude showdown the janitors agree to let them stay but now the undead numbers have grown beyond dreams and the streets are no longer safe. This movie is filled with laughs, thrills, and kills and should only be watched in the darkness of night for maximum scare factor but for yuo light hearts there is the R rated version. Pick your choice wisely but no matter wat one you choose the movie is still awesomely great.

Were running zombies the best new concept?!
Okay, when you're remaking a movie satirical to consumerism what's the first thing you do? Hire a director whose only experience is commercials. That's like getting Michael Moore to direct 'Red Dawn'. Now, I don't mind a dumb horror movie ever so often but can't Hollywood have a dumb horror movie that doesn't smack a good original in the face and desecrate everything good about the movie in question?
Apparently not. Zack Snyder's 'reímaginging' or 'reconceptualizing'a good movie for a quick cash in scares me more than his wretched movie did. Lets break the problems down piecemeal...
PROBLEM 1:
Too many characters. The original got it right when it spent time on only 4 characters rather than waste screentime on morons I don't care about that are going to die soon anyway. You could actually connect with the original's 4 (Peter, Roger, Flyboy, and Francine. See, I know the names and I've only seen the movie 2 or 3 times.) But when someone dies in the remake I don't even know or care who they were half the time. Remember when those 2 people get chainsawed to death in the bus, I'd probably have to watch it again to find out who the hell they were. For awhile I thought the rich guy was having sex with the nurse but it turns out its some other blond. Also, the characters aren't characters; they're types. The rich jackass is a prime example. Instead of developing him he's just an a-hole and instead of developing others they're just considered the 'good guys.' The cast could've easily been shaved down to 6 or 8, but I guess fanboys want to salivate over more deaths and more carnage despite any real relevance to any story.
PROBLEM 2: Nothing new to the table. Snyder nixed the "Masque of the Red Death"concept but for what? All his movie is about are people trapped somewhere who want to escape elsewhere. Wow, that's original. Nothing new comes to the premise, not even within the zombie subgenre. Even the pregnant mother was ripped off from Dead Alive and the fast zombies copied from 28 days later.
PROBLEM 3: Logical loopholes. How come in this post-modern time haven't people in zombie movies not seen or heard of a zombie? The logic behind most of the characters is to forward the plot and for no other reason. Why did that girl go through a horde of zombies to rescue a dog? Why did the zombies just happen to be near the mall hanging out (Its explained in the original but not this one)? Why did the security guard kill himself on the bus when he could've easily fought his way out? The characters make the dumbest decisions anyone else would've avoided.

There are of coure more idiotic things but I've got to do something with my life now.

Great Demonic Movie
This movie was awesome. Non-stop horrific action and fun.
It was a mixture of Night of the living dead, Resident Evil and 28 Days Later-But it beats them all.

The little girl freaked me out when he bit his dad's neck off, then it all becomes mayhem in the neighborhoods, streets and the city.

There's no happy ending in this movie- And that's fantastic. It left you disturbed and frighten the way scary movies should be.

Rent it! Buy it! Own It! Movie to be called a scary movie in history. ... Read more

Reviews (76)

OW OW! I LOVE it!
YOW! The perfect modern Christmas classic! Believe me, I've seen far too many horrible kids' movies in my day, and horrible Christmas flicks, but this is far above them all. Methinks everyone will love this movie, not just the kids...
OK, so what's so great about it? It's funny and different, but still quite sweet and simple. There's some hilarious little gimmicks, but overall it's an honest, just plain sweet story. Tim Allen's great for the role of cynic-turned-Santa I that I would never have expected...really! He IS Santa, man. Eric Lloyd, who plays Santa's son, is an adorable but atypically not-[cruddy] child actor! yow! Judge Reinhold, who you may last have seen in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" in a Pirate hat, now plays the eternally-unhip Neil. (The new step-father, general Christmas-skeptic, psychiatrist, and wearer of LOUD sweaters.) Everyone's got to deal with Scott (Tim Allen) becoming Santa Claus, and learning to BELIEVE. ("Seeing isn't believing, believing is seeing.")
BUT the best part of all??? One word: BERNARD. Portrayed by the magnificent David Krumholtz, he's the cranky head-elf who manages to DEAL with the new Santa. Come on, everyone loves Bernard. Shows up, shoves a pita sandwich down his gullet, comments on Neil's sweaters, and saves Christmas! WHAT'S NOT TO LOVE?!?
All right, so I havn't done a great job convincing you to see/buy this movie. It sounds cheesy, you say. WELL IT'S NOT! It's actually a preety darn touching story of grumpy old cynical adults coming around to Christmas magic, father and son bonding, a new magical look at the North Pole, and one fabulous head-elf. What more do you want from a Christmas movie? I promise you won't regret seeing this movie. Go rent/buy it for the kids! No kids? Go to the store and make like you're renting/buying it for "the kids." Enjoy!

One of my favorite Christmas movies
It's hard to believe that "The Santa Clause" isn't more of a Christmas classic. Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) and his son Charlie (Eric Lloyd) go on a mission to save Christmas after the original Santa Claus falls off a roof and passes away. Scott doesn't know it at first, but when he puts on Santa Claus's suit, he becomes the new Santa Claus.

"The Santa Clause" has a lot of parts that are hilarious such as when Scott starts getting fat and tells everybody that he was stung by a huge bee. But it's not only a great comedy movie, it's one of the best family movies. This is one movie that anybody, no matter how old they are, can enjoy. Tim Allen gives one of his best performances, and so does Eric Lloyd. I can't think of anything that's wrong with the movie. It's hilarious, it has a dramatic plot, and it never gets old.

"The Santa Clause" isn't one of those Christmas movies that are just good to watch during the holidays, it's a great movie to watch any day of the year. It's a classic in my book. I recommend anybody to get "The Santa Clause."

Good Yuletide fun!
There are some films that just have to be watched every Christmas and this is one of them. It is a feelgood film for a feelgood time of year.
The story is simple. Scott Calvin (note his initials) is a divorced father who frequently lets his young son down due to his busy working life. That is until he accidentally kills Santa Claus. To his disbelief and dismay, and his sons delight, he has to become the new Santa. The film follows his changing life and attitudes and shows the newly developing relationship between father and son.
There is nothing taxing or complex about this movie, just a heart-warming, funny story that is ideal for all the family. Watch and enjoy.

One of the best Christmas movies of all time!
The Santa Clause is one of the best christmas movies of all time. All of the actors are really good in this movie especially the head elf,Bernard, played by David Krumholtz. I think that he deserves more recognition than he truly gets because he does the role of the elf really good. This movie has lots of catchy lines in it that make you laugh right out of your seat.

The Moose Hole - 'Santa' Delievers Holiday Magic
Here we are once again! It's the usual time of the year when the holiday themed feature films are out in full force, flooding multiplexes across the country for the Thanksgiving holiday and going into December. And it seems work as usual for the Walt Disney Company with their release of The Santa Clause, but what makes this project unique is the concept it uses, one that has never fully been developed on the big screen before. The feature is also unique in that it stars Tim Allen, who is best known for his hit television show, Home Improvement, on ABC. Does that mean an automatic is lying in the waiting to flock to theaters for Allen's flick? Not necessarily. Granted there are people who are die hard fans who will love the actor/actress for whatever work they do but for others, they are pretty critical of television stars who believe they can easily make the jump to the big screen. Can Allen pull it off? Only the holiday box office will tell.

The story centers around a man who goes from being divorced, self-centered business man to possibly the most care-free, charitable man on the planet, Santa Claus. Scott Calvin works for a toy company, has recently divorced from his wife, and is stuck on Christmas Eve with his son, who is just as excited as his father is being together for the holidays. Once he tucks his kid into bed for the night, Scott hears a noise on the roof and goes to investigate. When he tries to confront the man on the roof, he falls off and when Scott encounters him, the mystery man is dressed like Santa Claus. He and his son enter the sleigh and the puts on the Santa suit, all thanks to the urging of his son. When the sleigh returns to the North Pole after a long Christmas Eve, Scott discovers that he is the new Santa, thanks to the Santa Clause, which is a contract stating who ever puts on the suit becomes the new Santa Claus. He notices physical changes like the color of his hair and his weight but soon he notices that he feels more and more like Santa on the inside. The story for The Santa Clause is quite possibly one of the most original holiday films in years, which is surprising considering the concept is such a simple one that it is hard to believe that it has never fully been attempted before. The feature does a wonderful job at mixing comedic elements with emotional values, which is hard to do at times. The Santa Clause defies that and presents how it can be done right.

The film revolves mostly around Tim Allen's character and generally that is all that really matters for the film but at the same time the character can be ruined if he doesn't interact with supporting cast members. Fortunately this doesn't happen here or at least not very often. Allen is marvelous in his role as Scott Calvin aka Santa Claus. He successfully translates the comedic magic he had on his television show and amplified it ten times. There is also a lot of emotion behind scenes that he has with his son, Charlie. David Krumholtz, who plays Bernard the head elf at Santa's workshop, is quite possibly the most enjoyable highlight of the film. He work extremely well with Allen as the two are able to play off each other in several moments within the film, that if they had been performed by anybody else would have been flat. The character of Charlie, Scott's son, is moderately played out by Eric Lloyd. Lloyd begins to get pretty annoying and whiny as the film progresses but then again what can you expect from a cute little kid?

Overall, The Santa Clause, just like the big man himself, spreads holiday magic to every boy and girl, nobody how young or old they are. It is such an original concept, one that hasn't been seen and may never be seen again for many years. Though there is much to praise the film on, there are also slight things to pick at. The messages that the film tries to convey, though meaningful and expressive, came off as being too forced. It would have been better if the filmmakers had slowly sunk the ideas in the heads of movie-goers rather then what they ended up doing. And, as was stated earlier, Eric Lloyd came as being too cute and annoying at times in the film but this is something that doesn't necessarily mean anything major, just a small squabble. Make sure to avoid the tacky holiday films like the remake of Miracle on 34th Street and make it your duty to catch The Santa Clause instead, which is sure to become a new holiday classic for the entire family. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

The Best Movie I've Seen Depicting The Homeless
If I had known in advance that this was a movie about the plight of the homeless, I might not have watched it. I'm so glad I did. A wonderful movie about about a loveable little girl and a loving mother in a terrible (but unfortunately not uncommon) predicament.

A Must See!!
Moving simply Moving, wish it was on DVD or VHS

My Favorite Movie In The World
I Thought this movie was very uplifting.It shows the plight of the world. It shows us how the other half lives and what its like to be homeless and have nothing. I just thought it was a fabulous movie and would love to add it to my collection.

Should be required viewing for social workers
Mare Winningham, one of most versatile and gifted actresses in the business today, is memorable in this telefilm from the late 80's. As other reviewers have stated, this is a real tearjerker for it reveals the trials and tribulations of a single parent trying to cope in a society that is filled with bureaucracy red tape that ultimately works against her.

Grace Johnston is also a triumph as Winningham's young daughter, Hillary. It is hard to imagine that she is an actress playing a part; so realistic is her portrayal. Dorian Harewood makes a small but pivotal appearance as the social worker assigned Winningham's case.

The film ends on a less-than-cheerful note that only reinforces the desperation of Winningham's situation.

A truly powerful film is "God Bless the Child."

An eye-opener
I recently saw this movie and watched it in a large co-ed group...It was so moving that the men had tears in their eyes. "God Bless the Child" is truly a touching movie that every american should see.
It is about a mother, Theresa, and her young daughter Hillary. They live in a large city, and when they get kicked out of their soon-to-be razed apartment building, they take to the homeless shelters. Theresa loses her job and the two run out of money. Soon they are living off what little food they can they recieve from others and sleeping on dirty cots in shelters.
A social worker finds a small house for Theresa and Hillary in a bad neighborhood. Theresa is overjoyed to be living in a house despite the rats that overrun it. Hillary makes friends with a girl next door and all is well until Theresa makes a complaint about the rats to the Health Department. She gets kicked out of her house by the landlord, and again takes Hillary to the shelters. However, Hillary soon develops a severe sickness and is taken to the hospital.
Theresa soon realizes that she will never be able to provide for her daughter the life that she wants Hillary to have. After speaking with the social worker, she makes a heart-breaking decision, that will change the course of Hillary's life forever.
I give this movie two thumbs up...it will open your eyes to those less fortunate than yourself and give you a better understanding of poverty in America. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the wake of the phenomenal success of My Big Fat Greek Wedding,it seemed an obvious choice to build a sitcom around writer-star NiaVardalos's family life. But the sitcom was cancelled after half aseaon--which is too bad, because though My Big Fat Greek Lifedoesn't capture the same relaxed, storytelling rhythm of the movie,almost the entire acting ensemble returns (Andrea Martin, MichaelConstantine, Lainie Kazan, Gia Carides, and Louis Mandylor; only JohnCorbett, due to other obligations, was ably replaced by Steve Eckholdt asNia's non-Greek husband), and their skilled interplay makes My Big FatGreek Life an entirely satisfying show. Most of the episodes staystrongly entrenched with family issues, playing with the contrasting tugsof family obligation and the desire for independence, all anchored byVardalos's smart, engaging presence. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Big, Fat still Funny
I rented the dvd last night and I'm glad I did. I laughed hard
and even watched some episodes twice. Constantine shines again and so does the rest of the cast. Brilliant acting, they seem to enjoy it. I don't know why the show was cancelled or why some people don't understand the difference between movie and sitcom. The writers also deserve credit cause they really did capture the spirit of being Greek and presented Greek life as it really is. So don't be a xeno to a good sense of humour. Rent/buy this dvd.

Why did they bother?
As soon as I saw the teasers on TV for the series "My Big Fat Greek Life", I knew we were in trouble. Sure enough, I thought the first episode was terrible. Gone were the heartfelt performances, creative writing, and general good fe