Reviews (1)

British Humor
This refers to the DVD version. This is my first exposure to this popular British series. I am used to "As Time Goes By" "Keeping up Appareances" "Waiting for God"- all shown on BBC America and PBS. None of these shows prepared for "The Darling Buds of May." The closest comparison I can make is to the 1959 film "The Mating Game" starring Debbie Reynolds and Tony Randall. Randall plays an up-tight (I don't have a life) tax man who comes to collect back taxes from a large family living a simple life on a farm. It turns out that the family has never filed an income tax return. Randall quickly falls for Reynolds, the comely, if a little too innocent, elder daughter (yet another incarnation of her popular "Tammy" character). He sees the life he's been missing and succomds to the family's simplicity and charm, later defending them against his bosses who come to find out why Randall hasn't submitted his report. Pretty standard, gentle and non-offensive fare. This is the same premise as "Darling Buds." Catherine Zeta-Jones plays the comely daughter, a virtual "wood nymph" who snares the gentle heart of the young tax man. Interestingly, in the pilot episode, we learn that she probably is (but maybe isn't) pregnant. When her father asks his wife who the father is, the wife responds that their daughter "hasn't decided yet." There are other, standard British "small village"" characters, most of them as up-tight as the young tax man, and also very class conscious. If only they could see the family the way the young tax man does, they would loose their stiff collars and live "the good life." That's basically it. Although I love British TV programes, and watch what comes to American television, I found it difficult to get with the somewhat leasurely pace of this show. I don't mean to dismiss it at all. It is definately just a matter of taste. ... Read more

Reviews (51)

Well-cast crud
"Sinbad-Legend of the Seven Seas" is a well cast and performed forgettable fantasy. While Brad Pitt, Michelle Pfieffer, Dennis Haysbert, and Catherine Zeta-Jones loan excellent talent to the movie, there's little for them to work with. Ultimately, it's a waste of talent of actors who seem natural for the roles.

Brad Pitt shines behind the microphone as Sinbad, the charming rogue, and Michelle Pfieffer also glows black as the evil Eris, goddess of discord. (Her hair is practically a character itself.)

But, the story is formulaic and predictable, and seems to be driven on just enough for the next high speed chase. And the animation seems to poorly mesh, and often seems to be stuck 10 years behind the current technology. (And is it my imagination, or does every single Dreamworks character seem the same?)

All in all, it's not bad, but there's a lot better out there.

Absolutely Fantastic!
I had the good fortune to be invited to a premiere of this movie in New York, and it was FABULOUS! The audience was packed with people of all ages, and everyone had a great time. And how could they not? The movie has something for everyone! Fun, adventure, phenomenal graphic artistry, romance, humor, and a bouyant spirit! The characters are also brilliantly brought to life by the actors. I never would have thought of Brad Pitt as Sinbad, but he gives such a goregeous rough-voiced humor to this pirate that you can't help but love him. Catherine Zeta-Jones is perfect as the fiercely passionate Marina, Joseph Fiennes gives a heroic nobility to Prince Proteus, and Michelle Pheiffer is deliciously wicked as the goddess of chaos, Eris. The crew is also fantastically lovable and deserves high praise. Go see this film! You won't be disappointed! I can't wait to see it again!

Marvelous effects can't salvage a waterlogged script!
An exciting battle at sea with a monstrous "crab-octopus", an awesome excursion through siren-infested waters, and a rollicking (if overlong) encounter with a snow eagle are three of the major scenes involving the melding of traditional animation with CGI effects. These are marvelously executed and show the technicians' craft to the best of their abilities.

That said, the script isn't very thrilling, concerning a voyage to retrieve a valued book and restore Sinbad's credibility, as well as save his friend from execution.

Brad Pitt, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Michelle Pfieffer do as best to be expected with the lines that they must deliver. And poor Dennis Haysbert gets to voice the stereotypical "bulging muscled black" crewman.

When I saw that character, I could only think of how often he appears in film from Michael Clarke Duncan in "Armageddon" to the "doctor" in Disney's animated "Atlantis, the Lost Continent" to Isaac Singleton in last year's hit "Pirates of the Caribbean".

Maybe this is more than a younger audience can detect, but, to an experienced filmgoer like myself, it's getting rather old.

Outta Sight!
This is not only one of the best recent animated films I've seen, but is actually an epic piece of cinema. The visuals are stunning, spectacular, highly imaginative, whatever adjectives one can drum up!

It's the singlemost imaginative creative endeavor onscreen that I've seen in the past five years. If you're a fan of THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN or TIME BANDITS, you're going to love this movie. It's in the same spirit, but also employs all the state of the art CGI effects and pixel animation innovations that have brought new standards to the industry.

The story is actually involving, and the voice overs are masterfully done. The animation is full '60s Trip level. Do yourself and your family a favor and make this one a part of your permanent collection! This is truly artful animation of the highest order.

BEK

A Good Animated Feature!
"Sinbad Legend of the Seven Seas" is an animated feature that was made by the studio that made "Shrek," and more recently "Shrek 2." This is hand drawn animation while the two Shrek movies are made by computers. Sometimes the hand drawn animation can be better, because there is more talent. They have to make so many smaller drawings. "Sinbad Legend of the Seven Seas" does have a small share of computer animation, but it is mostly hand drawn. It has the voice talents of Brad Pitt, Catherine Zeta Jones, and Michelle Pheiffer, and I feel that they all did their part for these characters. Only they were able to brings these characters from the paper to the big screen. The stories of all the different gods and goddess always interest me, and that's why I liked a recent historical epic "Troy." "Troy" is from Greece, and it's about the Trojan War. "Sinbad Legend of the Seven Seas" is a little different, but it involves the same kinds of people, and the same time period.

The story involves Sinbad, who is a sailer and a thief who is going on a quest to find the Book of Peace. The book protects twelve cities and the people that live in them. He gets the book, and sails his ship with the book, but the Prince of Syracuse, Proteus, and Sinbad's old friend wants the book back. But, they are not the only two people who want the book. Eris, the Goddess of Chaos wants the book so she could make the world a much more horrible place. She makes a deal with Sinbad to get her the book or he'll die. He agrees and goes to get the book, bit Eris takes it and his shape and everybody thinks that he stole the book. Sinbad is sentenced to death, but Proteus decides to take his place. Sinbad is giving ten days by the council to get the book back or his old friend is going to die. Sinbad doesn't want to do it, and he decides to go where he wants to go because he is guessing that the king is not going to kill his only son. Proteus' fiancee doesn't like what Sinbad is planning on doing and she decides to go with him to get the Book of Peace back.

"Sinbad Legend of the Seven Seas" is a fun little animation romp. I thought that it was better than "Shrek" and probably equal to "Shrek 2," but not as good as "Finding Nemo" or "The Triplets of Belleville." But the thing is, these are all different movies with different stories. This is an action and adventure animation, and I feel that it'll appeal to all audiences. It has a really good story as well, and those who are fans of myths and things related will like this. The animation is stunning, and art fans should give this a look. It also has great acting, even though it is animated. Without acting, the voice talents cannot bring emotions to these people. I thought that Brad Pitt did good as the voice of Sinbad. I don't really like him, and I felt that he ruined "Troy" and "Oceans 11." I couldn't really think of anybody else to provide the voice of Sinbad, because I could see alot of Pitt in this character. The stunning Catherine Zeta Jones provided the voice of Marina, and she was good for that character. Phiffer plays Eris, and she was the one who wasn't that great. Her voice didn't really match the character, and I didn't see the evilness based on her voice. A person that I could see voicing the character is Charlize Theron. She could make he voice sound evil as she proved in "Monster."

"Sinbad Legend of the Seven Seas" is not a perfect film, but it is a good one. It is perfect for fans of animation and people who enjoy watching action and adventure stories. It is a fun movie, and it has some moments that are funny, some moments that are touching, and some moments that could have people gripping onto the edge of their seats. I missed the movie in the theatres, but if I saw it there, I would have felt that it was well worth it.

ENJOY!

Rated PG for adventure action, some mild sensuality and brief language. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Bucolic
THE DARLING BUDS OF MAY (Vol.1) comprises the first four 50-minute episodes from the British TV series originally broadcast in April 1991. I wouldn't have gotten by the title and taken a look had it not been for the presence in the cast of 22-year old Catherine Zeta Jones. (Insert wolf howl sound bite here.)

The series revolves around the Larkin family: Sidney "Pop" Larkin (David Jason), "Ma" Larkin (Pam Ferris), daughter Mariette (Jones), son Montgomery, and daughters Primrose, Petunia, Zinnia and Victoria. The last five children mentioned are almost non-entities, at least on this DVD. It reminds me of the youngest children in the American TV series THE WALTONS, who were essentially ignored by the scriptwriters until they grew up enough to have personalities. And, by the way, Ma isn't married to Pop; her real character name is Flo Parker. Living in sin doesn't prevent fruitful multiplication, apparently, even in the realm of the Church of England.

Pop Larkin owns 22 acres of farmland in Kent. His family's lifestyle indicates a comfortable prosperity. Perhaps it's because of the under-the-table deals Pop has going on the side. And it doesn't hurt his bottom line that he's never filed an income tax declaration or paid into social insurance.

As episode one begins, the Larkins are visited by Cedric "Charley" Charlton (Philip Franks), a young soldier for the Inland Revenue Service sent down to tidy things up between Pop and Her Majesty's tax gatherers. Would Larkin be so kind as to fill out an income tax declaration? As the first two episodes progress, Charley is first invited to Friday lunch, then Friday dinner, then persuaded to stay through Sunday, and finally convinced to take sick leave and remain all the following week so he can go strawberry-picking. Charlton's sense of duty crumbles in the face of Larkin hospitality and the pleas of the beguiling Mariette. Charley is obviously over his head with this canny clan, and is soon, well, pretty much a member of the family.

The third and fourth episodes revolve around Larkin's high-handed shenanigans to acquire and re-sell the run-down manor house of the cash-strapped minor aristocrat living across the hedge, and Pop's personal difficulties after the new owners move in.

THE DARLING BUDS OF MAY is pleasant and likable enough. My objection is that it doesn't know whether to be a comedy or a drama, and is therefore neither, or a bland version of either, whichever you prefer. (I'm spoiled by several superb BBC productions that have made it across the Pond.) Since it proved to be one of the most popular shows on English television, the problem is perhaps that I'm not a Brit. (My wife likes it more than I do, and she's of Polish heritage. OK, I'm a curmudgeon.) And even though the series is filled with eccentric and sympathetic characters, Pop Larkin is, for me, not one of them. While he has a multitude of virtues - he's a charming, generous, loving, and congenial family man - he's also a too-slick manipulator that I wouldn't trust with anything too precious. On the other hand, I might have been better drawn to the character if he was more overtly mischievous and less bland. Perhaps a rascally Sean Connery type, if you will.

For me, the reason to watch is Catherine Zeta Jones. (Replay the wolf howl here.) And Charlton is also fun to watch, especially when he just doesn't have a clue - a chicken among foxes, he is. Pam Ferris is terrific as the earthy Ma Larkin, who can cook up a breakfast of eggs, tomato, bangers and bacon to die for. My kind of woman.

I plan on watching the next volume in the DVD series. Perhaps it'll grow on me. And it's better by far than most of the pathetic drivel currently on American television.

join the family!!!!! they are perfick!!
Meet the larkins and fall in love. David Jason as Pop Larkin, Pam Ferris as Ma and Catherine Zeta Jones as the lovely Mariette play Perfick roles as the larkins. If you cant afford the collectables, (which is rather expensive) I recommend buying this dvd first as it is the start of the beginning series. I was so hooked I found myself wishing I could pack me bags to live with the larkins in Kent,UK. (Of course I would have to travel back into time about 50 years)!! but maybe just a trip to the Garden of England will do. A very soft and touching story about the larkin family written by H.E.Bates. ... Read more

Reviews (168)

Entrapped by itself.
When this movie was originally released in theatres, I was warned not to see it on the big screen. I was told it was a bad movie, not worthy of watching. I didn't understand why so many people told me that; I mean the film has Sean Connery, contains a seemingly interesting plot, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. There was also a lot of discussion over the fact that Sean Connery was old enough to be Catherine Zeta-Jones' grandfather, yet he was playing her love interest. Luckily, I didn't see the movie in theatres and I am grateful for that.

ENTRAPMENT starts off on the right foot. The film's early scenes are interesting and demand attention. However, about thirty minutes later, the movie takes an unexpected twist into territory it should not have entered: romantic entaglement with bad dialogue and no chemistry. Even though Sean Connery is pushing 75, he's still considered by many to be one of the sexiest men alive. Catherine Zeta-Jones is a beautiful young woman and attracts the eye of many men. Nevertheless, just because two people are physically attractive does not mean that there will be any chemistry between them. In this film the chemistry between Connery and Zeta-Jones is like the chemistry between the same sides of a magnet: instead of uniting, the two objects pull away from each other. Of course, it doesn't help that the movie is full of bad dialogue and many of the emotional scenes of Zeta-Jones are totally forced with no reality or logic to them at all. The screenwriters should have kept to the basics instead of relying on dazzling special effects to save the film.

There are a few good action scenes, especially at the beginning. However, towards the end even those are so blown out of proportion that you begin wondering when the masked superhero will arrive that can match Connery's superhuman skills and foil his evil plans. Overall, ENTRAPMENT is a movie that had a lot of potential, but ending up getting entrapped by itself.

Sean and Catherine Magically Transcend and Transform!!
I apologize, this is probably nothing more than a "3-star" (or even two!) movie in the traditional sense. However, Catherine Zeta-Jones has emerged as the brunette version of positively and literally the most beautiful and majestic woman to ever grace the legendary Hollywood screen: Princess Grace Kelly. The presence and charisma of Sean Connery, of course, has always transformed mediocre films into true spectacles. Now, delicately introduce the tender and multi-talented Zeta-Jones, and you enjoy a relationship that combines the eloquence of James Stewart and Donna Reed ("It's A Wonderful Life") with the mesmorizing qualities of Elvis Presley and Ann Margaret ("Viva Las Vegas"). At this point, if you can possibly manage to persuade your brain to overlook some far fetched and perhaps ill conceived plot twists, you're probably ready for the home stretch: A razzle dazzle conclusion with gut wrenching suspense and cool special effects. There is something sleek and silky smooth about this DVD production and its main characters that defies description. If you seem to like what you're hearing (and seeing) so far, trust me: This special DVD version is worth its weight in gold. But for heavens sake, what's up with "Suave Sean" slurring his "s" words and butchering the "r" sounds?? A few quick speech therapy sessions to address this mild regression, and I'd be tempted to give the sequel "five stars" (but only if Connery keeps his partner in crime who is also a highly romantic companion)!

Entrapment a DVD review
Catherine Zeta Jones and Sean Connery star as two ingenious jewel, painting, and money burglars who plan a huge heist at the turn of the millenium during New Years Eve in 1999.

Zeta is actually an insurance detective, Virginia Baker trying to find, the person responsible for a couple of burglary crimes in the area.

She suspects Mack (Sean Connery aka Robert MacDougal) is the person behind it, but rather than try to bring him in, she decides to get the man's confidence, and convinces him to try to pull of a big heist thus implicating Mac some more and
getting the evidence she needs to put him behind bars for a long time.

Mack is not an idiot, and he distrusts her from their very first meeting.
By the end of the film, one of the film will have pulled a great heist while the other
will either be in jail for a long time or worse. Their 2 contrasting styles in the movie, and their styles in pulling of different heists in the movie is really fun to watch.

The acting and special effects and stunts are also great including the culminating
climatic scene near the end where Mac and Virginia plot their big escape after
a heist.

There are some problems with the film however. Virginia is young and naive and
she takes the lies and garbage that Mac says at face value. Mac is not even a good
liar yet Virginia's character is dumb enough to believe this old thief'ss lies.

Now on to the dvd itself:

The DVD is very well done and contains a great
number of features:

* Deleted scenes

The deleted scenes in the movie are actually quite good, in fact, I think they were alot better than a couple of the scenes in the finished draft of the movie.

One great deleted scene is the car chase that Mack and Virginia get into while trying to dodge a couple of hitman that are tracking them down.

The scene has a great climax at the end that has you guessing what's going to happen next.

The scene is actually in the film, but what you get in the finished movie is actually
less than half of the original scene!!

Needless to say, I think this scene was great and should have been put in the original film.

Other features in the DVD include:
* Special feature on the making of the film

*Special commentary on the film itself

The commentary is teriffic, the director Jon Amiel, provides a lot of great insights and fact into the characters and Catherine Zeta herself, that fans may not
know.

*Alternate ending to the film!!!

The alternate ending in the film is actually very similiar to the original ending
with minor differences.

*Special trailers of the film
* Production Notes and much more!!!

Entrapment from head to toe is one of the best heist/thriller movies in quite a long time.

It gets predictable in a couple of areas, but the film is entertaining from beginning to
end.

Rent the DVD and enjoy it, along with the film itself.

HONOR AMONG THIEVES?
Let's get the sexist comment out of the way: Catherine Zeta-Jones is simply one of the most beautiful women to ever grace a movie screen!
Now, with that out of the way, ENTRAPMENT is an enjoyable heist movie, and we're never sure who's zoomin who!!! Sean Connery is elegant, if a bit lethargic, in his role, but always an actor who is fun to share a couple of hours with. Zeta-Jones does a good job in her role, but her acting chops have certainly matured since this film.
Ving Rhames and Will Patton are adequate, but other actors could have done just as well.
There are some really breathtaking scenes, especially with Jones in the initial heist and the jawdropping escape from the bank. It's not the best movie either one has made, but in spite of Jon Amiel's routine direction, I enjoyed it.

Give Me a Break...Sean connery's HOT
First off, I'm tired of people harping on the age difference bewteen CZJ and Sean. Some of the classic Hollywood pairings have been older men with younger women: Bogie/Bacall, Clark Gable/Marilyn Monroe, Cary Grant/Audrey Hepburn, even Julia Roberts/Richard Gere. So...move on. What matters is if the pair work well together, and Catherine and Sean are great together. By the way they never actually hook up, but if they had, it would have been very intense. The chemistry between the 2 was very evident to me throughout the entire movie, I was egging on a romance. But Sean's character is above the physical involvement level with partners, so Catherine is held at bay. The movie reminded me of a classic thriller, a movie loaded with action...but thank God, not an "action movie". Enough of a hint at romance to keep us gals interested...but certainly not a romance. And on top of everything it was smart and well done. It took me on lots of twists and turns, and I loved them all. I'd gladly watch Catherine Zeta-Jones & Sean Connery (now 3 years older) re-pair in a sequel. By the way...I'm 19, and I'd take 53 year old Richard Gere any day over some of the young guys I see posing and looking pretty in movies today. As long as we see more Sigorney Weaver in Tadpole type roles for women (older woman dates younger man) keep 'em coming. ... Read more