Description

Zoinks! Two years after a clash of egos forced Mystery Inc. to close it's doors, Scooby-Doo and his clever crime-solving cohorts Fred (FREDDIE PRINZE JR.), Daphne (SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR), Shaggy (MATTHEW LILLARD) and Velma (LINDA CARDELLINI) are individually summoned to Spooky Island to investigate a series of paranormal incidents at the ultra-hip Spring Break hot spot. Concerned that his frightfully popular resort might truly be haunted, Spooky Island owner Emile Mondavarious (ROWAN ATKINSON) tries to reunite those notoriously meddling detectives to solve the mystery before his supernatural secret scares away the college crowds. Scooby and the gang will have to overcome their personal differences and forget everything they think they know about fake ghouls and phony creatures to crack the case, save themselves and possibly...the world! Ruh-roh! ... Read more

Reviews (295)

Zoinks!! Its Scooby Doo!!
This movie is based on the highly successful Hanna-Barbara cartoon series. It stars Freddie Prinze Jr. as Fred, Sarah Michelle Gellar as Daphne, Matthew Lillard as Shaggy, and Linda Cardellini as Velma. The plot revolves around the group's mystery solving team, Mystery Inc. The group has split up after differences among the members surfaced. However, two years later, each receives a letter from the owner of Spooky Island, a hot spring break resort. Apparently, some supernatural forces have been at work on the island, and the group has been summoned to see if they can help. However, each does not know that anyone else has been invited, so its a shock when everyone arrives at the airport and discovers that they're all going to the same place. Will everyone be able to put their differences aside and solve the mystery?

I thought the acting in the movie was pretty good overall. However, I thought Fred's character was too preppy and self-involved. Sarah Michelle Gellar does a good job as Daphnie, and Linda Cardellini makes a perfect Velma, but this movie belongs to Matthew Lillard. His portyayal of Shaggy is top notch. He even sounds like the old Saturday morning character that we grew up with. His relationship with Scooby is just like I remember as a child. The computer animation is well done, and Scooby Doo seems almost life-like. This is a fun movie and brings back a lot of childhood memories.

Fun and Funny movie
Before I saw the movie, I was skeptical of the cast selections of Freddie Prinze Jr and Sarah Michele Geller, but after seeing it, I think they did a great job. Linda Cardellini made Velma more than a brain and Matthew Lillard IS Shaggy. The entire cast did an incredible job of bringing to life some beloved cartoon characters.

The movie itself was like a longer, live-action, episode of the classic cartoons. Some people would say that some of the action was predictable, but when have you watched the cartoon and not known when the gang was going to split up, or Shaggy and Scooby were going to run away from a ghost, etc? The cartoons followed a formula, and the movie doesn't change it.

And it was funny. Though the kids and adults in the audience had different degrees of laughter at different jokes, they were all laughing.

A lot of people have made a big to-do about the "in jokes" of Scooby Doo. When I was a kid watching the show, the only thing I understood that was never said was that Fred and Daphne were boyfriend/girlfriend. And that's all I got from the movie. Maybe I wasn't looking hard enough, or I didn't want to see anything else. In any case, I'm glad the movie makers kept the spirit of the cartoons unchanged.

The only negative thing I can say about this movie is that I was somewhat disappointed by the ending. I won't give it away, and I'm sure some fans of the show will cheer at it, but I thought it was a little out of spirit.

When I was in elementary school, I knew a girl who had nightmares from the cartoon. I think the movie could have the same affect on littler kids. I would compare the scariness to the green minions in Anastasia (I thought those would be quite scary to a little kid, but I don't have kids so who knows what they think is scary these days).

So, to sum up, go see it, take your kids (if they don't scare easily), and be ready to laugh.

Okay at best, but it doesn't beat the original series
"Scooby-Doo" is okay. It's not that great of a film and it's not that bad. As much as I despise him, I have to say that Matthew Lillard does an excellent job as Shaggy. He's the best character in this flick. Linda Cardellini is good as Velma, but she has a couple of lines(ex. "Let's get jinky with it") that are just atrocious. Freddie Prinze, Jr. wasn't necessarily miscast as Fred, but the character was portrayed in a way that doesn't really reflect the character from the original show. Sarah Michelle Gellar was annoying as Daphne. Nevermind the fact that she pulled out the old kung-fu ala "Buffy," she's just not convincing enough in this role. The CGI Scooby was just that, a CGI Scooby. He looks fake, but dogs can't talk either, so I'm okay with that. His character is actually pretty good.

The best part of this film is the opening scene with the Luna ghost. It looked as if it were straight out of the old series. Everything heads south from there. The characters, excepting Shaggy and Scooby, are weightless. The nasties are just plain silly and the jokes resort to sophomoric humor. I'm sure every thirteen year-old boy in the crowd got a laugh from the farting contest between Shaggy and Scooby. A few cuss words were thrown around, and Daphne puts a whipping on a wrestler-type baddie.

Overall, this film works well with kids between the ages of eleven and sixteen. Younger kids MIGHT get scared by the bad guys, and the language can get a little rough for the really young'uns. For us older folks who grew up with the series, it's nice to see Scooby and the gang in a live-action format. However, I feel that this movie tries too hard to make itself appeal to all age groups. I also think that the director should have decided on whether he was making a nostalgic flick, a spoof, or an updated version using potty humor.

It's watchable and somewhat funny, but you might want to rent this one before laying any money down for it.

Scooby Dooby Doooooo!
After a classic Scooby Doo mystery being solved, Velma gets tired of Fred always taking the credit for her work and quits the gang. Fred and Daphne follow suite and the now lonely duo of Shaggy and Scooby go off on their own.

About a year or so later, they meet up again at the airport where, unbeknownst to them, they are all invited to the newly opened Spooky Island theme park to solve a mystery. Each person vows to solve the mystery on their own, but once they get to their destination, they realize that they must work together once again to solve the mystery of what is changing the vacationing college students from normal teenagers into zombie type strangers.

Shaggy meets a girl who becomes a sort of love interest and sort of casts Scooby off for his new interest. When Scooby realizes there is more to Shaggy's new friend than meets the eye, Shaggy refuses to listen and causes Scooby to become a willing, but unknown participant in the evil doer's plan to take over the world.

Loaded with great special effects, computer animation and a great cameo starring the puppy everyone loves to hate, Scrappy Doo, this movie is great. The characters all kept the same aspects that made the cartoon great. However, there are some things that kept me from giving this movie 5 stars. In the cartoon, Velma never seemed resentful of Fred always taking the credit, Daphne was more than a spoiled selfish brat, Fred did not act stupid even in the least.

If you enjoyed the old cartoon series, you will surly like this live action movie.

A Failure
First of all, my apologies, as this review is based entirely on my personal hopes of what this movie was going to deliver. Other viewers may have found lots of their expectations realised on the screen, but sadly, mine weren't.

The makers of the Scooby Doo movie didn't really have to get a lot of things right to make this film a real laugh, yet they managed to do everything wrong. I was really looking forward to seeing my favourite cartoon come to life, but they messed up on all the basic rules of this classic show. First off, the main characters all only have one set of clothes, but the costume designers for the film couldn't even stick to the simple designs of the cartoon, instead they went for hopeless approximations that just look ill-fitting and careless. Worst offender is Daphne, done up in all sorts of lurid fashions and hairdos, looking nothing like the animated original. Same goes for poor Velma with that odd long lanky brown wig and shapeless sweater. Even Fred had several changes of costume and the wrong hairdo. Only Shaggy came across as the real deal, which is probably more of a tribute to Matthew Lillard's dedication rather than the designers.
Next rule: There must always be a chase down a never-ending hallway with the same scenery going past over and over again. I think there were some chases in the movie, but nothing that brought this much loved (and much lampooned in the past) feature to the forefront where it should have been (Unless it was during a sequence when I dozed off).
Next rule: The monsters must be dumb and easily fooled. Most monsters in the cartoon just went "Graaagghh!" and swiped their arms in thin air as Scooby and co. slipped away from them just in time. The movie monsters are actually quite frightening demons that fly through the air, taking possession of innocent holidaymakers. Frightening is good, but it doesn't belong in this context.

Another thing that spoils the mood is surrounding the characters with hundreds of extras and other actors. It just shows up the implausibility of the whole gang ever passing for real people. This could have worked hilariously as a parody (a device that worked beautifully for the Brady Bunch Movie), but here it just makes the characters look thoroughly underdeveloped. They can't possibly interact with naturalistic "real-life" characters, only with similarly 2-dimensional ciphers like cackling crones, disgruntled sherrifs or sinister butlers.
Next up, the characterisation. Again, Matthew Lillard steals the show as Shaggy, and truly breathes life into the part. Fred and Velma are boring and under developed, but that kind of reflects the cartoon, so no big deal there, although Velma could have been given more to get her teeth into. Worst of all, again, is Daphne, demonstrated by the insertion of the blatantly inappropriate "Daphne does martial arts" sequence. If Sarah Michelle Gellar can't stay away from playing Buffy, she shouldn't be considered for other movies. She certainly shouldn't bring the character with her. A huge mistake. Finally, Scooby Doo himself. Considering the possible options for bringing a talking dog to life, the movie version is actually quite successful. I thought the interplay between Scooby and the human mambers of the gang worked pretty well, and his character really came through. Shame that the animators decided to give him those bizarre big, bright, human style eyes which the cartoon version never sported. Weird and a bit creepy.

As the the plot, its just far too busy. Anything and everything is thrown in making it clear that the makers could not decide what angle they were going for. They dabble in playing it true to the cartoon (very, very briefly), playing it for modern (Animal House-type) laughs, playing it as a parody, and playing it as a "what if the characters went in this direction?" kind of update. Too many styles, no substance and no chance for the audience to engage with any one mood. A real mess.
As I said at the start, this is only my personal disappointment. I can't tell if other moviegoers had a similar experience, and lots of people seem to have found the film to be a riot. But as far as I'm concerned, it's a serious letdown and a huge wasted opportunity. I'm now waiting to see the second one to see if any of this gets put right...I really hope it does. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

If I Had Known This Was Coming Out I Would Have Waited!
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is my favorite television show but I didn't start watching Angel until this year. Just a few months ago I watched the reruns of season 1 to 4 on TNT and some episodse of season 5 on the WB. Angel is now one of my favorite television shows and seasons 1 to 3 are my favorite seasons and when I finished watching the reruns on TNT I bought the First Season on DVD but since I bought it this box set of seasons 1 to 3 was released and I wish it had been available before I bought the first season individually. If you haven't started buying Angel on DVD yet I highly recommend buying this season 1 to 3 pack instead of buying them individually! BTW: I can't believe that the WB gave this show the axe! Why would they cancel one of the two best shows in their lineup? Now they only have one good show left!

Season 2, wide or full?
Great show at a great price.
One question though. Does anyone, who has bought this set recently or not, know if the second season of Angel is in Widescreen or Full screen?

The reason I ask is because on Amazon and other sites, its listed as being in Widescreen, yet on back of every season 2 box at every retailer I've been to, its listed as Full Screen.
I have a feeling that if I buy this set, season 2 will come in full screen and if the widescreen version is available somewhere else, I'd rather have that version.

Thanx for any information anyone can provide me.
-nw

DVD much? Stake 3 Vamps With One Set...
As long as they keep the prices cheaper than buying the sets individually, this is a fine way for fans of the show or newcomers to catch up on it. Having 3 DVD sets at once ensures, 18 discs of Joss Whedon's great spin off from Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Darker, and a bit more liberal when it comes to the whole demon thing, the show succeeds and stands on it's own. There are 66 episodes to watch...better be on vacation or sabatical!

For those new to either Buffy or Angel, I suugest the seasons of Buffy as well. Watch the first 3 seasons of Buffy, then alternate Buffy Season 4 episode, Angel Season 1 episode, Buffy 4, Angel 1...as the shows at times do intertwine if you really want to be complete.
Bottom line...great DVD's. The Angel sets have commentary on numerous episodes, and all the extras that the Buffy sets have been known for. Good stuff this.

"Numfar, do the dance of Joy!"
(...)To be honest, Season One is fuzzy in my mind so I can't legitimately review it - heck, I'm buying so I'll remember it all - but Two and Three alone have me sold.(Also, from this point forth, there be spoilers; I try to avoid revealing major plot points though.)

Season Two ushers in one of, in my opinion, the greatest exposition-conventions employed in Angel, by way of none other than the dreaded Karaoke Bar. Watching Angel sing "Mandy" is like watching a trainwreck: it's the most painful thing in the world yet you cannot tear your eyes away while rolling on the ground laughing. Ahhh, beautiful. Also great (but this time, really) are the unexpected and wonderful vocals of both Lindsay and Darla, which among other things convinces me that everyone actor involved in the Buffyverse is multi-talented, and we're lucky to have had 'em for as long as we did.

But I digress. One of my personal favorites of the season is episode 2, which sees Angel in the 50s. I've always loved the various scenes of Angel's past, and this particular one is delivered wonderfully by Boreanaz. Interesting themes of the time are raised, and there are moments both chilling and heartbreaking, particularly toward the end of the flashback.

This season also sees the return of Angel's vampire kin, which is at first intriging, then at time poignant yet hopeful, and then again tragic as we see Angel reveal a side that had until now been left untapped. Yet the darkness does not swallow the season whole, as the later episodes reinject priceless comedic moments, including Lindsay's "evil hand issues" (heh) and Joss Whedon's lovely little dance. Yes, he dances.

Season Three arguably is just as dark - and honestly I can't think of how to review without completely revealing plot points, so I won't. >P Suffice to say the writers of Angel are sadistic - the one thing that I've come to expect from this show is that everytime things start going well you know something terrible is about to happen. And so it does.

In any case, if you're a fan and you haven't purchased the first 3 seasons yet, this is a great bundle at a great price. If you snag this, as they say in Pylea, it is time for Numfar to "do the dance of Joy!" ... Read more

Description

C’est vrai!
David Suchet is the definitive Poirot.
Hercule Poirot is the detective, and no actor has defined the brilliant little Belgian’s onscreen persona like DAVID SUCHET, the Poirot. Millions of fans made Suchet’s Poirot the most-watched detective in the history of the PBS Mystery! series and a hit all over again on A&E. Armed only with his razor-sharp wit, Poirot unravels the intricate plots concocted by Dame Agatha Christie, the mother of the modern mystery story. Ablaze with the elegance of its 1930s setting, the series also stars Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings, Philip Jackson as Chief Inspector Japp and Pauline Moran as Miss Lemon.

THE THEFT OF THE ROYAL RUBY — International relations are at stake as Poirot hunts for a stolen Egyptian royal jewel. THE AFFAIR AT THE VICTORY BALL — When two revelers at a lavish costume ball are murdered, small but telling clues lead Poirot to the killer. THE MYSTERY OF HUNTER’S LODGE — Poirot must find a murderer among the members of a quarrelsome hunting party. DVD SPECIAL FEATURES INCLUDE biographies of Agatha Christie and David Suchet, cast filmographies and Agatha Christie materials. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

It's great!
Every once in a while, an actor comes along who not only plays the role of Sherlock Holmes, but actually redefines the role. Well, this has now happened with Agatha Christie's detective, Hercule Poirot! In 1989, veteran actor David Suchet (b.1946) was tapped to play Poirot, and the rest, as they say, is history.

This marvelous DVD contains three(!) of the hour-long episodes of the Adventures of Hercule Poirot:

The Theft of the Royal Ruby - Season 3, episode 8 (February 24, 1991) - When a priceless jewel is stolen from a foolish Egyptian prince, the government turns for help to Poirot.

The Affair at the Victory Ball - Season 3, episode 3 (January 20, 1991) - When a man is murdered in a crowded costume party, and no one saw who did it, Poirot begins to exercise his little gray cells.

The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge - Season 3, episode 10 (March 10, 1991) - Poirot's visit to a millionaire's hunting party turns tragic when he gets a near fatal cold. But, when the host is found brutally murdered, Poirot realizes that only he can bring the perpetrator to justice.

This is a great DVD, one that I highly recommend to anyone who loves a good mystery, or just loves excellent drama. It's great!

MYSTERY MAGNIFIQUE!
It's no mystery why this is the most-watched detective show in the history of the PBS "Mystery!" series --- Christie penned a brilliant Belgian [detective]who solves crimes only using his "little grey cells" and the aid of his affable associate Captain Hastings. And not one hair out of place on his perfectly coifed hairy lip! No mystery why fans shouldn't host sleuthing
fetes: Acorn is releasing the entire canon! Mystery magnifique!

Poirot continues to be wonderful!
The Theft of the Royal Ruby - While it's interesting to see Poirot on his own, I still missed Hastings and Miss Lemon. But what turned my away from this one is the mystery. It's just not that interesting and revolves too much around coincidence. - 3 stars

The Affair At Victory Ball - This episode combines a great atmosphere, intriguing characters, and chilling murder, with many great plot devices inclucing the six coustumed-characters and the final radio broadcast. While at first I thought this awkward, in the end I love it cause it just captures how much Poirot loves to show off, and I love the comment made about the broadcast at the end. GREAT TELEVISION! - 5 stars

The Mystery of Hunter's Lodge - Some repetitive plot devices, but still solid and Poirot's "One can Leave!?" comment has becomoe a staple in the quotes I say way too much. - 4 stars

Box Set Overall score (Not an Average) - 4 stars

wonderful mysteries with an added bonus
The Poirot series in general stands as a wonderful example of how good the much-maligned medium of television can be. Obviously the attention to period details is wonderful, but that in istelf is not nearly the greatest of the program-makers' achievements. Rather the quality of the writing and acting is what deserves the most notice, and this sixth set from the folks at Acorn Media is no exception. All of the mysteries here are highly enjoyable.

As a fan of radio, "The Affair at the Victory Ball," with its broadcast-focused climax is great fun and "The Mystery of the Hunter's Lodge" is classic Poirot. My personal favorite in this set, though, is "The Theft of the Royal Ruby," because it's one of the uncommon cases where we get to see Poirot without his familiar sidekicks. David Suchet is always marvelous as Poirot, but here he makes the fullest use of the full spotlight.

And, if three great Poirot mysteries wasn't enough to make me happy, Acorn Media has included an excellent little guide-book to the show with this set called "The Poirot Casebook." Not only did it give cast and credits for the many episodes of the series, it included quotes, trivia and an introduction written by David Suchet. I don't know if this is a limited time offer, but if you're a fan of Poirot, this book is a must-have item.

Suffers only in comparison with the earlier sets
At last, the final set in this series of video mysteries. I say "this" series, because the friendly people at Acorn Media assure me that other entries are to follow in the not too distant future. Please see my reviews of sets 1-3 for general comments about these offerings.

"The Theft of the Royal Ruby" starts with both Miss Lemon and Hastings away (probably a holiday for Pauline Moran and Hugh Fraser) and Poirot all ready to spend Christmas alone with a box of chocolates. He is urged by a high official to retrieve a priceless ruby that a young and arrogant Egyptian prince has foolishly lent to an adventuress who vanished with it. The way in which it is retrieved halfway through the episode is stretching things a bit too far; and Poirot's plot to trip up the thieves is even more far fetched. A lot of fun, but not a really successful episode.

"The Affair at the Victory Ball" involves Commedia dell' Arte costumes; and somehow the Detective's explaining the solution over the radio simply does not work. The business of cocaine abuse among the upper classes, though, always has its effect; and by a coincidence, Acorn Media released this set at the same time as the Peter Wimsey "Murder Must Advertise," which also deals with drugs in the England of that period.

"The Mystery of the Hunter's Lodge" uses the by now familiar device of the attractive woman disguised as a homely one, but it is the most satisfactory of the three. Although the relationships between the characters at the lodge are revealed sporadically during a hunt in which the dialogue is difficult to follow, this episode comes closer to film noire than does any other in the series and that makes it unusual.

Although I feel bad being so negative in this review, I realize that we have the 16th to 18th dramatizations of Christie's short Poirot mysteries and that most of the better ones have already been used. Still the production values and the acting are superior to the relentless realism of what now passes for "crime" television series and I must give it the top rating. If it suffers in comparison, it is only in comparison with the earlier offerings in this same series! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Comparing Godspell to its near-contemporaries Jesus ChristSuperstar and Hair is unavoidable, but Godspell has developed its own unique following. With their thrift-store-meets-circus-performer garb, the characters in David Greene's adaptation of the popular off-Broadway production may look more like the hippies in Hair than the biblical personages of Superstar. But Godspell isn't really about the "Age of Aquarius," nor does it adopt a dark or operatic tone towards its subject matter, the Gospel according to Matthew. The mood is, instead, upbeat and uplifting (at least until the crucifixion sequence).

The film opens with youthful city dwellers from various walks of life dropping their activities to follow John the Baptist (David Haskell from the original New York production). They sing ("Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord") as he leads them into a fountain where they are (metaphorically) baptized. There they meet Jesus (Victor Garber). Frizzy hair and mime makeup aside, the handsome young Garber (Titanic, Annie) is convincing in his film debut. Once baptized, they follow him around various scenic New York locations, singing and acting out passages from the Scriptures.

The largely unknown cast is talented and charismatic, but the film is only fitfully engaging on an emotional level because only Jesus, John, and Judas (Haskell again) emerge as distinct characters. Stephen Schwartz's pleasing pop-rock score, however, helps to smooth over the rough spots, and Robin Lamont's hit version of "Day by Day" remains a highlight. --Kathleen C. Fennessy ... Read more

Reviews (105)

When wilt thou save the people?
I love Godspell, but this film won't be for everyone. The plot is confusing, since it's basically just Jesus and his disciples acting out parables from the Bible as the plot meanders along, somewhat faithful to the Gospel of Mattthew. The cast mugs a lot, using a ton of cartoon-y voices and facial expressions, which can get annoying.

My favorite part of Godspell is the music. I love almost every song. "Save The People," "Bless The Lord," "By My Side," "Beautiful City," "Day By Day," "Turn Back, O Man" are just some of the classics that appear in this film, sung with an exciting innocence, and staged somewhat inventively, especially the "All For The Best," number.

The cast is great - fans of ABC's "Alias" television series will be shocked to see Victor Garber as an Afro'd Superman shirt singing Jesus. I know I was! The great Lynne Thigpen, sadly passed away, gets a great rollicking number in "Bless The Lord," and the rest of the cast is entertaining as well in their own ways.

So this movie may not be for everybody - if you don't think you can handle a movie based on Bible parables, then don't bother buying this. But I suggest giving this a try - I did, and it turned into one of my favorite movies.

The Best Religious Musical Ever!
I am in a production of "Godspell" myself at my high school as John the Baptist. The movie was the perfect way to really see how David Haskell performed it. Not only that, but the power of the final scene made realize just exactly what I'd undertaken. The music, the characters, and the scenery made this a very moving show. The only bad comment that I would have to make is that the sound quality on some of the songs deteriorates, which made me a little edgy. However, I cannot believe that someone could call it a mockery of the New Testament. I consider it one of the best. Suddenly we can see Jesus, in a modern-day situation, and relate to him. The songs add more brilliant color to the movie, with songs varying from jubilant (Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord), to sad (By My Side, On The Willows). I would say that even if you aren't a religious person, the music and the acting is worth watching.

Better than Superstar
Someone said that this musical is horrible and if you wanted to see a Bible-based retelling of the Gospels to see Jesus Christ Superstar or !Hero. First of all, Jesus Christ Superstar is not Biblical and denies the diety of Christ (the writers aren't even Christians). !Hero is a well-intentioned try, but it's not the Bible, its paralellism (like sandwiches out of a backpack instead of bread and fish for feeding the 5000). Godspell, while at first seeming entirely bizarre and maybe even mocking, once you take a good look at it, you can see that they are really presenting the teachings of Jesus (whereas Superstar only presented the 'drama' of the story) in a fun and creative way that doesn't take away from the message. The songs are great too, although they may need some time to grow on you (because it is very very 70's).
One thing to keep in mind is that this movie is told in presentational form, where the audience is acknowledged and talked to. The actors in the movie are playing *actors*. The movie is meant to be understood that the people in the movie are *actors* acting out the stories. Once you get this, it's a very entertaining movie with great songs, dancing, and creative ways of modernizing some aspects of the Gospel without completely changing the message. I suggest getting it if you enjoy musicals in general, or if you're looking for a good alternative to Jesus Christ Superstar.

THIS MUSICAL IS TERRIBLE!!!
THIS MUSICAL DOSN'T MAKE SENSE! IT'S STUIPED! WHY DID THEY PUT JESUS ON A BASEBALL GATE INSTEAD OF PUTTING HIM ON A CROSS?!?! THIS MUSICAL CAN NEVER BE MADE SO IT WOULD BE BETTER.

THE FIRST SONG IS OK, BUT I'M STILL CONFUSED WITH THE WHOLE SUPERMAN SHIRT THING.

I CAN HARDLY REMEMBER THE OTHER SONGS. I SAY IF YOU WANT TO SEE A GOOD BIBLE BASED ROCK OPERA, YOU SHOULD SEE !HERO OR JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR.

When.. you.. feel.. sad..
My sister and I have been fans of this movie almost since it came out. It is by far my favorite musical.

I love most of the musical numbers, except for "Alas For You", which scared me when I was a kid... but, I'm over it now. No, really, I am. :)

There aren't too many bonuses on the dvd (which is my reason for four stars instead of five): a couple of short text bios of a few of the stars and some trailers of the movie. The scene selection choices were well done, so if you have one favorite song from the movie, you can go straight to it.

The only two stars from this, that I know of, that have had a long lasting acting career, are Victor Garber who plays Jesus (I still can't believe this is the same guy that plays Sydney's father on Alias) and the late very great Lynne Thigpen.

Out of my dvd collection, this one has the strangest list of foreign language subtitles: English, Spanish, Portugese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai. I'm guessing the movie wasn't all that popular in Europe.

Soooo, when you feel sad or under a curse, this movie should definitely lift your spirits. Enjoy! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good, old, HBO horror series
They really should bring this series back. To those of you who have been living under a rock for the last 16 years, this is basically a very good, revamped-gory version of the twilight zone. Some great short horror stories!
Side note: I still have the old Crypt keeper dolls (still in their boxes) in my closet. I bought them at Spencer's gifts ages ago, maybe someday they will be worth something.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who's the FEAREST of them all?"
Welcome to my review, horror freaks! So glad you could join me and read about the 6 eerie episodes of HBO's "Tales from the Crypt," the very ones that helped the series rise from its tomb back in 1989. It's been 9 long years since the show went off the air, and until now, I've been waiting for the Crypt Keeper's putrid puns and awful alliterations to be forever preserved on DVD format. And why not? The show lasted a full 7 seasons and featured many of the biggest actors and directors in Hollywood. Each tale carefully incorporates the grisly black humor William M. Gaines EC comic books, which were almost banned in the 1950's. Did I say 'almost?' Anyway, as other HBO programs like "Dream On," "Deadwood," and "Carnivale" were packaged and displayed on Best Buy shelves, I wondered if "Tales" would ever be among them. Well, the time has finally arrived, creeps! As stated by John Kassir himself, Warner Brothers wisely chose to create these discs so we ourselves can scare the next generation of kiddies to come. Even better is the fact that the second disc of this Season 1 set will contain a sickening array of never-before-seen extras. I don't want to give the surprises away, but I will briefly tell you the stories you are about to see. Enter, if you dare!
"Dig that Cat...He's Real Gone" stars Joe Pantoliano as Ulric, a homeless alcoholic who becomes a rich and famous sideshow performer after a mad doctor (Gustav Vintas) surgically implants a cat's gland into Ulric's brain. This procedure allows him to die and return to life nine times. Morbid hilarity ensues as a carnival barker (Robert Wuhl) presents Ulric the Undying to astounded audiences who watch him get electrocuted, hanged, drowned in a tank, and shot with an arrow (among other things).
In "The Man Who was Death," Bill Sadler (who eventually starred in the 1995 Tales from the Crypt film "Demon Knight") plays Niles Talbot, a state executioner who loses his job after spending 12 years pulling the switch. This resulted because the government unexpectantly repealed the death penalty. However, not wanting to abandon his favorite occupation, Niles drifts to the other side of the law by killing criminals who were acquitted by the courts.
The frightening and festive "And All Through the House" stars Mary Ellen Trainor as a devious housewife named Elizabeth, who brutally bludgeons her husband with a poker to collect on an insurance policy. Just when she is ready to eliminate the corpse, a homicidal maniac donning a Santa Claus costume (Larry Drake) terrorizes her with an axe. Even worse, Elizabeth can't call the police for fear of being convicted of first degree murder and losing custody of her daughter.
Vanity and greed play a central role in "Only Sin Deep," a tale about a street prostitute named Sylvia Vane (Lea Thompson). After killing a pimp and stealing his gold jewellry, she willingly sells her beauty to a strange pawnbroker (Britt Leach) in exchange for $10,000 cash. At first, Sylvia wins over the affections of a suave playboy millionaire. But immediately afterward, as a result of some black magic performed by the pawnbroker, she gets increasingly distraught as her face quickly ages. Desperate to buy back her looks, she shoots her rich lover dead, but is then forced to avoid prison by staying ugly for life.
Prepare for a honeymoon hell in "Lover Come Hack To Me." Here, a cunning bachelor named Charles (Stephen Shellen) marries a naive Peggy (Amanda Plummer) for her inheritance money. On a rainy night, after accidentally getting stuck in an abandoned mansion, the two go up to the bedroom and make perfect love for the very first time. Originally, Charles was going to kill Peggy and stage the crime to look like a burglary. But he soon discovers that her family history is cursed, and that much darker skeletons lie in the bride's closet.
Last but not least is one of my favorite episodes, "Collection Completed." M. Emmet Walsh plays Jonas, a grouchy tool salesman who finally gets to retire after 47 years on the job. His slightly odd wife Anita (Audra Lindley) has developed a fondness for pets...alot of pets. In fact, she keeps a zoo-full of cats, dogs, and birds in the house. On top of that, she talks to squirrels and runs an aquarium in the bathtub. Obviously, such an attachment to animals is enough to drive Jonas up the wall! Inevitably, he gets sick and tired of not having enough attention, and he gleefully takes up taxidermy as a hobby. But those poor animals weren't the only living creatures that ended up getting stuffed.

Tales from the Crypt
I have written HBO countless e-mails over the years begging for this dvd set. I never received one e-mail response from HBO. Oh, well. I really did not expect one.
This is one of the best horror shows, period. Some of the top horror/adventure writers and directors wrote and directed these episodes. I believe this series ran for seven seasons. This can be intense stuff, not for children because of the nudity, sex, graphic violence, superb gore effects, language, and more. Some of these stories are truly the stuff of nightmares. They will haunt you.
If you have never seen Tales from the Crypt you are in for a treat, if you are a fan of horror. Go to your local book store and pick-up a trade paperback of the old EC comics these stories are based upon to get a feel for the translation from comic book to television show. Wait until you meet the Cryptkeeper, who introduces each episode, for a meeting of the surreal and insane and just plain weird. And, you will see some big name stars come to fantastic demises. Just wait, you'll see.
Now, where are Tales from the Darkside and Friday the 13th the series. These are two more violent horror series from the pre-politically correct present day.

Great Series Finds It's Footing In A TV/DVD Obsessed World
Yes, It has finally happened: Warner Bros./HBO Productions has announced that a 2-Disc, First Season set of "Tales from the Crypt" will be released on July 12th. The first season consisted of six episodes that fit quite nicely on this set's first disc. They are: "The Man Who Was Death", Dig That cat...He's Real Gone", "All Through The House", "Only Sin Deep", "Lover Come Hack To Me", and "Collection Completed". The second disc will hold bonus features that are rumored to include 2 Featurettes: One on "Tales From Comic Books To Television" and the other on "The First Season's History." Plus a new introduction by "The CryptKeeper"(John Kassir). Now this has not been confirmed, so it's pretty much a rumor but these are the possibilities. So far, there is no cover art or any other materials but stay tuned to tvshowsondvd.com for more news info which should be coming soon! Tales From The Crypt: Season One, July 12th! ... Read more

Description

Seasons 1 and 2 of the 4-time Emmy Award-winning Drama available together on DVD. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent Episodes. Not so great extras
The DVD version of this series is dangerous because the story arch is so compelling you'll find yourself sitting and watching episode after episode unable to stop just to see what happens next. If you've already seen the shows you'll watch them in great anticipation of those dynamic character moments contained in each episode (Yo-Yo Ma at the White House, sparing between the Bartletts, the moment when Donna learns of the President's medical condition). It's incredibly enjoyable to spend time with these characters and Mr. Sorkin's writing tickles us and touches our hearts such that we're reluctant to leave this amazing world and these equally amazing people who populate it.

The unfortunate part of the DVD package is the extras. The commentaries are just plain awful. They are stilted, awkward and boring, offering very little insight into the making of the show, backstage with the actors or any technical information - or what we're all hoping for -- some real gossip. In the published scripts of the show, Mr. Sorkin has written introductions which provide fascinating anecdotes about what was going on around the construction of the script and/or what was the inspiration for the story. That doesn't happen on the DVD. The outtakes or gag reel is short and not very satisfying. And where are the taped interviews with the actors and show's creators? I wonder if the departure from West Wing by Mr. Sorkin and Mr. Schlamme (which seemed to happen not be their choice) has created a situation in which pulling together some meaningful documentary regarding this significant television drama undoable.

Buy the DVDs to watch the episodes over and over (and you will, I'm sure). Buy the published scripts for the real "behind the scenes" stuff that adds a bit of color and depth to an already deeply colorful and moving television show.

Fantastic First Season & Superb Second Season
I didn't start watching The West Wing till early in the second season, but it quickly became my favorite show (replacing Aaron Sorkin's other masterpiece, 'Sports Night', which had just been dropped by ABC). It was killing me that I'd missed so many episodes, so I was ecstatic when I heard that Warner was finally releasing the first season on DVD! Having the episodes on DVD is great, even for episodes you've seen. If you've seen The West Wing, you know how rapid-fire the dialogue is; with DVD, it's easy to back up a few seconds to catch a line you missed.

Sorkin is an amazing writer. He is able to weave a compelling and entertaining storyline involving real issues facing our country and world. The characters debate those issues in a way that illuminates both sides of the argument. You'll likely find yourself thinking, 'I'd never looked at it that way', at least a couple times every episode. It may be fiction, but it is fiction that inspires hope that our political system CAN work.

The show is definitely a thought-provoking drama, but that certainly doesn't mean it's dry or boring. There is a huge dose of witty banter and a fair share of light-hearted sub-plots in every episode. Great writing, great acting, great sets and music, all come together to form what has become my favorite TV show ever. Get these DVD's to get caught up on early episodes you missed, or to revisit the incredible beginnings of this masterpiece.

SEASON ONE:
Pilot
Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc
A Proportional Response
Five Votes Down
The Crackpots and These Women
Mr. Willis of Ohio
The State Dinner
Enemies
The Short List
In Excelsis Deo
Lord John Marbury
He Shall, from Time to Time
Take Out the Trash Day
Take This Sabbath Day
Celestial Navigation
20 Hours in L.A.
The White House Pro-Am
Six Meetings Before Lunch
Let Bartlet Be Bartlet
Mandatory Minimums
Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics
What Kind of Day Has It Been?

SEASON TWO:
In The Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part 1)
In The Shadow of Two Gunmen (Part 2)
The Midterms
In This White House
And It's Surely To Their Credit
The Lame Duck Congress
The Portland Trip
Shibboleth
Galileo
Noël
The Leadership Breakfast
The Drop In
Bartlet's Third State of the Union
The War at Home
Ellie
Somebody's Going to Emergency, Somebody's Going to Jail
The Stackhouse Filibuster
17 People
Bad Moon Rising
The Fall's Gonna Kill You
18th and Potomac
Two Cathedrals

(You can look up an episode guide if you want a quick summary of the plots; I didn't want to spoil any surprises here. My favorite guide is at epguides.com.) ... Read more

Amazon.com

When Ally McBeal premiered on the Fox network in 1997, the series was already riding high on critical praise, with its upscale mix of savvy humor and hot-topic legal drama. Created, produced, and written entirely by the amazingly prolific David E. Kelley, the show immediately found an appreciative audience of women drawn to the title character's frank perspectives on dating, sex, and career objectives, and men lured by a cast full of attractive, outspoken women with vibrant personalities and flattering wardrobes. (If you think that's a sexist observation, you haven't tuned in to the show's brilliant balance of male chauvinism, feminist attitude, and hilariously turbulent office politics.)

This two-disc compilation of episodes from the show's first season is aptly titled, because Ally McBeal--a Boston lawyer played by Calista Flockhart--is defined by her seemingly perpetual singlehood, her sexual and emotional yearnings, her professional passions, and--by one of Kelley's creative masterstrokes--her flights of imagination (often visualized via amusing computer-generated effects) that give the series a constant, unpredictable edge of humor and emotional depth.

These well-chosen episodes offer a comprehensive summary of the first season's major developments, including the emotional history shared by Ally and her now-married colleague Billy (Gil Bellows); the notorious "dancing baby" (in "Cro-Magnon") symbolizing the insistent ticking of Ally's biological clock; the amiable quirks of John "the Biscuit" Cage (Peter MacNicol); and the dubious pearls of wisdom known as "Fishisms." Here we witness the sublime chemistry of the ensemble cast, and each member is given ample time in the spotlight. Regular guest star Dyan Cannon is strongly featured in "Silver Bells," prior to the second-season addition of Nelle (Portia DeRossi) and Ling (Lucy Liu). That leaves plenty of room to establish Ally McBeal as the lively focus of the series--confused, opinionated, sexy, neurotic, frustrated, ecstatic, intelligent, emotional... and never, ever boring. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (58)

Do you want every bit of Ally? Come to the UK!!!
Ally McBeal is an American TV show so I do not understand why Americans have only been given this small bundle of episodes when over in my home country England we have ALL the seasons available with special features!

For you hardcore Ally fans I'll give you some handy advice. Save up for a multi-region dvd player or a computer that plays dvds. Go on over to amazon.co.uk and purchase the season box sets!

Good luck!!!

UPSET!
I love the show Ally Mcbeal, and I am upset that there is only one season released here in the US! I ordered three seasons from the UK website only to get them in the mail and find out that they are not compatible with the systems of the U.S. so either way I am still with out any of the episodes!It cost me $32.00 to send it back to the U.K., and I'm not even sure amazon.uk will refund the cost of the sets! So I am out of over $100.00 trying to buy the series of this wonderful show. I am upset at the entire situation!

What an insult!!
While I might be inclined to believe that the seris was a cult fav, it still was extremely popular. This DVD release is an insult to all the faithful followers and just a tease to those who are unfamiliar with the ironic yet hilarious humor. There is a bit of Ally in all of us. Does Fox even know how frustrating it is to know that Ally is available in just about every country but the U.S.? I had to buy season one off a jerk on ebay and it was burnt and it sucked! I did get season four from a fabulous person in another country. Expensive song rights or not, give your loyal fans what they deserve and make it good with deleted scenes and lots of special features!!!!

ally mcbeal boxed set PLEASE
i am a fan of ally mcbeal and would love to be able to buy the entire series of episodes on dvd. i see sex and the city, friends, buffy, etc...there are so many people that love ally mcbeal, i would LOVE to see this set put out.
becky

Where's the rest of the seasons???
I was planning on buying this cd as a gift for an Ally Mcbeal fan but after reading the reviews I changed my mind! This show was great, I cannot believe the entire collection is not out on DVD, I'm going on amazon.co.uk to see what I find? ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Few directors polarize audiences like Peter Greenaway, a filmmaker asinfluenced by Jacobean revenge tragedy and 17th century painting as by theFrench New Wave. The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover isboth adored and detested for its combination of sumptuous beauty andrevolting decadence. A vile, gluttonous thief (Michael Gambon, TheSinging Detective) spews hate and abuse at a restaurant run by a stoicFrench cook (Richard Bohringer, Diva), but under the thief's nosehis wife (the ever-sensuous Helen Mirren, Prime Suspect) conductsan affair with a bookish lover (Alan Howard, Strapless). Clothing(by avant-garde designer Jean-Paul Gaultier) changes color as thecharacters move from room to room. Nudity, torture, rotting meat, and TimRoth (Reservoir Dogs) at his sleaziest all contribute theatmosphere of decay and excess. Not for everyone, but for some, essential.--Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (74)

Even Worse Than Gummo
I cannot fathom how this horrendous onslaught of depravity masquerading as a film has received such good reviews. There is no plot so I'll sum up what "went on": a classy lady is inexplicably married to a grotesque, low-class criminal, and she goes with him and his gang of thugs nightly to this restaurant that, if I have deciphered the terse grunts serving as exposition correctly, he owns, where he wreaks havoc on the staff and other patrons. The wife endures this for awhile and then decides to have an affair with some guy who also goes there every single night.

Throughout the entire film there are gratuitous disgusting images which never ever let up. The characters are like a child's set of Fisher Price dolls: "Nice Guy," "Nice Lady," "Innocent Little Boy," and we are expected to care what happens to them. The villain comes out looking the best because he is the only one who's not a doormat, and the lead actress (Helen Mirren) is completely unsympathetic. They could have stuck a cardboard cut-out in any of her scenes and achieved the same effect. Not only does the whole movie look like gangrene, but the actors are also purposely made unattractive, so the viewer doesn't even have that to chalk up as a redeeming quality.

I know it's supposed to be challenging and contraversial and blabla...it fails. The two stars are for Gaultier's costumes. Go buy Un Chien Andalou.

Oh my goodness!
I went into Peter Greenaway's "The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover" with blinders on. I had absolutely no idea what to expect as the movie started, none whatsoever. I slightly suspected the director made "art" films due to a faint recollection of a discussion I saw on a bulletin board years ago, but that was all I could remember. Heck, I thought Uma Thurman was in this film for some reason! Obviously, this was my first experience with Greenaway, a director I have since learned is noted for creating disturbing films designed to upset audiences. I'll bet this masterpiece had arty types fleeing for the doors! Boy, I wish I'd seen this in an art house when it came out. I'm used to seeing films dealing with subject matter far worse than this one, but viewers who spend their time watching pictures about relationships and strolls through a park on a sunny day aren't. Yes, Greenaway's film deals with abhorrent themes expressed in undeniably grotesque forms. Yes, the picture has ugly scenes of violence. Yes, relationships of a decidedly revealing nature play a big part in the plot. What did you expect from a NC-17 rated picture? Don't worry-you can handle it. Actually, you'll probably be glad that you sat through it because this is a marvelous movie.

"The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover" starts on a particularly memorable note. Big time gangster and thief Albert Spica (Michael Gambon), his wife Georgina (Helen Mirren), and his entourage pull up to the back door of a fancy restaurant run by the fabulous French chef Richard Borst (Richard Bohringer), ready for a night of fine dining and obnoxious behavior. Spica is a notorious brute, a beefy, sadistic thug who enjoys tormenting everyone around him, especially his wife Georgina. Greenaway sets the tone immediately by having a pack of dogs snap and snarl outside the restaurant as Spica presides over the humiliation of an underling. The bad behavior continues inside as Spica and his miscreants throw food, insult the staff and fellow customers, and generally make fools out of themselves. Night after night, Spica and his band of dangerous ruffians return to the restaurant, tormenting Borst and his staff as the restaurant's business drains away. No one, it seems, wants to spend an evening eating next to a guy like Spica.

One gentleman seems relatively unbothered by the ruckus a couple of tables over. Michael (Alan Howard), a scholarly looking librarian who always reads a book while he eats, simply ignores Spica's loud theatrics. When he makes eye contact with the gorgeous Georgina, however, sparks fly. Within minutes the two are in the bathroom madly pawing away at each other. The clandestine affair continues night after night, with both Michael and Georgina continually aware that Albert Spica or one of his goons could discover the tryst at any moment. Eventually, the staff of the restaurant plays a part in helping the two lovebirds meet, allowing them to use the nooks and crannies in the cavernous kitchen and deflecting any suspicions posed by Albert. Georgina uses Michael as a respite from her vicious husband, a chance to escape his obnoxious behaviors if even for a few precious minutes. Spica's wife soon finds the strength to flee from Albert, moving in with Michael in his library. The thuggish Albert flies into a rage over his wife's disappearance. It's not that he cares for her in any way (he definitely doesn't), but his massive ego cannot stand the idea of her being with another man. Spica tracks down Michael and has him murdered by stuffing pages from a book about the French Revolution down his throat. The conclusion to the film is one of the most memorable in recent film history.

After I watched Greenaway's film, I looked a few things up. Some bright film critics in England see this picture as a critique of the Thatcher years, with Spica standing in for the right wing, Georgina as England, and her lover as the hapless political left. Maybe, but I didn't see any of that in the film. I spent too much time chuckling over the coarse behavior of Spica and his goons-one played by Tim Roth in an early role, by the way-and enjoying the stunning Helen Mirren. She's so beautiful here that your heart aches over the indignities she suffers at the hands of Albert. She's also not afraid to do some daring scenes, a lesson she probably learned from her role in the Tinto Brass and Bob Guccione classic "Caligula," made some ten years before this film. If you still need to a reason to watch the movie, if the political symbolism and charged situations leave you cold, check out the great musical score by Michael Nyman and the sumptuous atmosphere of the restaurant. The colors and décor of the dining establishment take your breath away, and Greenaway further uses color by having people's outfits change hue as they walk from room to room. What does it all mean? Who knows, but it's fun to watch.

The DVD version of the film I saw didn't have much in the way of extras besides a trailer and a widescreen picture transfer. No matter, though. The movie is challenging enough to make you forget all about commentaries, stills, and any other of the usual extras. After watching "The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover," I would like to see other Peter Greenaway films. Unfortunately, most of them have not received a reissue on DVD. If the subject matter is as disturbing as this film, no wonder! I recommend renting this movie and then inviting some friends over to watch it. Don't tell them anything about it beforehand, though. Just sit back and watch the jaws drop.

Great Film; has it aged well?
Remember seeing this film when it first came out and loving every aspect about it - from the artistic direction, sets, costumes, music to the story line. Now, more than ten years later, after watching the DVD, I've noticed that the movie isn't as shocking as it was the first time around. I still wish the DVD version had subtitles in order to fully understand the thick, heavy British accent. Still, the movie can be enjoyed without even understanding the dialogue - almost as if it were a Silent movie.
And after ten years the only thing about the movie that looks aged are the trendy costumes that Gaultier designed.
The film's visual imagery continues to be its strongest asset with allusions to the Flemish and Spanish Masters of the Baroque Era

disgusting trash
Yuk! How do I give this a negative 5 star rating?

i got a question.
i want to buy "the cook,the thief,his wife & her lover",but i
want to know if there's an audio french version,or subtitles;if
it is,i'll buy it right now. ... Read more

Description

Vin Diesel stars as a DEA agent on a deadly vendetta to take down the powerful drug cartel that killed his wife. ... Read more

Reviews (70)

A Man Apart-Not the Best yet Not the Worst
A Man Apart,the new action flick starring Vin Diesel is virtually pointless. This is simply one of those simple, decent action flicks of the year. Vin Diesel with his limited acting abilities plays a DEA agent by the name of Sean Vetter. Vin is working on a big case, capturing a deadly drug lord. After a successful hit on drug deal, Sean's wife is killed. Vetter who only feels vengeance throws away the rule book and searchs for the reasons to the tragic loss. His buddy played by Larenz Tate offer the laughs in this decent film. Fans of most cop movies would judge that this film offers reasonably good plot twists and bloody mayhem in a bad formulaic mix. Though this film is no
where near a work of cinematic art, it can be a bit entertaining.
Director F. Gary Gray creates something here, but had much more success with the recent remake "The Italian Job," now in theatres. A Man Apart is rated R for Strong Graphic Violence, Language, Drug Content and Sexuality. The film consists of bloody though somewhat hard to watch gunfights, a brutal head bashing, mild sexual innuendo and strong profanity. I saw this one in theatres, but it wasn't worth it really. Not really worth getting on Video or DVD unless it's under $$$. See it, if you're just a fan of Vin Diesel, but even Vin can't make this movie worth watching. On Video and DVD, September 2, 2003.

Great Outing by Diesel
Vin Diesel stars as a DEA Agent out for revenge in "A Man Apart" and the results are solid.

THE STORY:

Former gang banger turned DEA Agent Sean Vetter makes the biggest bust of his career taking down the biggest drug distributor on the West Coast. Before he can celebrate his victory his wife is killed in a plot of revenge. Vetter must cope with his lose while setting out to find the people who killed his wife while keeping a new drug lord from taking over the turf.

THE COOL THINGS:

This is your standard macho tough guy "take no prisoners" movie. Diesel's cool "tough guy" persona shines through as he makes the rounds kicking butt and taking names of all the bad guy drug dealers out there. The powerful undertones of loss and companionship as Vetter's boys help him out makes the movie touching as well as a good action flick.

THE DVD EXTRAS:

DVD special fiends are in for a disappointment here as the movie only has 7 deleted scenes (all crappy) and trailers to speak for it. Surprisingly there's no commentary or featurettes to speak of.

THE VERDICT:

"A Man Apart" makes a solid rental for the evening and is definitely worth a watch. As far getting the DVD goes, with no features to speak of this one is probably only worth the pick up by true Diesel fans and collectors.

Final Grades:

Movie: 4 stars
Extras: 3 stars

Total: 3.5 stars

An Flawed Action/Drama.
A Former L.A. Gang Member turned DEA Agent-Sean Vetter (Vin Diesel) is a ideal undercover narcotics officer. Sean's loyal partner Demetrius Hicks (Lorenz Tate). Together, They have succeed in taking down the Mexican Cartel's (Geno Silva) top drug lord. Once the Cartel's is in Prison, a ruthless new trafficker mysterious man named Diablo takes control of the Cocaine Empire. But things changes for Sean, when they murder his beautiful wife (Jacqueline Obradors) in Sean's home. Vowing Revenge, Sean tries to make a deal with the Cartel's and Sets out his harsh brand of street justice.

Directed by F.Gary Grey (Friday, The Italian Job-2003, The Negotiator) made a flawed action packed thriller. Diesel and Tate delivers good performances in the film. Which is a bit of a shame, because Christian Gudegast & Paul Scheuring did still needed work in their writting scirpt. Maybe Diesel's good role is Wasted, because there's not enough pain to feel sorry for Diesel's Character-Sean losing his wife in the film. This is One of these films, where Style over Substance wins this film over. Nothing could top Jack N. Green (Unforgiven) terrific cinematography in this one. DVD has an fine anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer (also in Pan & Scan) and an strong-Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD Extras are 10 Minutes of Deleted Scenes, Theatrical Trailers and DVD-ROM Content. This film was a Box Office Disapointment, this film seems to be better viewing on Video. This film feature also a fine music score by Oscar-Winner:Anne Dudley (The Full Monty). Diesel is also One of the Film's Producers. Filmed in between 2000 and 2001. Super 35. Grade:B+.

Worth owning if a Vin fan, at least one viewing otherwise
This is, as everyone knows, Vin Diesel's proof that he has range and depth with a character emotionally. He himself has said he loves getting in tune with a character. (Obviously moreso with his "Riddick" character of course.) So A Man Apart never seemed to be even hyped so much as a fantastic movie but moreso that Vin Diesel had to be a fantastic actor.

The plot was very tired as everyone has pointed out. There are dozens of movies similar to this. A cop's significant other/child/family was murdered (sometimes, and in this case as well, the main character was supposed to be killed right along with them) ordered by a convict whom this said cop busted in some way. Cop seeks revenge. Cop gets revenge.

A Man Apart is the same way, but carried by a normally rough-and-tumble action star (ironically, even this movie is labeled "Action") showing that he can pull off these extreme emotional stakes. Many thought it would be laughable to see Vin Diesel nearly loose his mind and go on a killing spree to avenge his wife. But like the man or not, he pulled this role off powerfully.

Sean watching his wife die under him while she was smiling through bloodied teeth repeating "I'm okay, I'm fine.." while he couldn't even speak on the phone to the police was wrenching to even watch. The bloodshot eyes (when drinking on the beach behind his house), the few seconds when realization first struck in while crying his wife's name (when Demetrius had to hold him down in his hospital bed), and the "come down" after the purposely insane shootout after he beats the man who actually did kill his wife, cleaning his wedding ring on his hand were undoubtedly the most powerful scenes in this movie. It was impossible not to empathize somehow with Sean Vetter during some points during this film.

If you like Vin Diesel and want to see his range in a not so emotionally strong role, this is a good flick to add to your collection.

The DVD itself was awful, the deleted scenes were up to three minutes max, no behind the scenes or making-of, and no commentary that you would think/hope this kind of movie would have. If you want Vin DVD's that are WELL worth the money, buy XXX and the new unrated directors cut of Pitch Black (that also has many The Chronicles of Riddick extra also), you won't be disappointed.

Worth watching
Rating System:
1 star = abysmal; some books deserve to be forgotten
2 star = poor; a total waste of time
3 star = good; worth the effort
4 star = very good; what writing should be
5 star = fantastic; must own it and share it with others

STORY: DEA agent is out to take revenge on the drug dealers that killed his wife.

MY FEEDBACK:
1) Forget XXX or Fast & Furious, this is a much better Vin Diesle movie (Pitch Black is still his best though). Vin does some decent acting and his general charisma carry a large portion of the movie.

2) Good attempt at developing the relationship of Vin's character with other characters in the movie

3) Not a huge action flick but enough guns to keep this drama moving

4) Some suspension of belief is needed in this movie

5) Seemed the editing didn't explain a plot twist or two but cut things out leaving gaps in the story.

OVERALL: We enjoyed the movie and didn't feel like we wasted out time with it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Hauntingly beautiful folk music and stunning Appalachian scenery take center stage in this winner of the 2000 Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize for outstanding ensemble performance. Musicologist Dr. Lily Penleric has a deep love of English folk ballads. After a humiliating failure to make full professor, she heads off to visit her sister's tiny school in rural Appalachia and finds herself in folk music central. Lily is entranced, but the locals are suspicious of the outlander's motivations. Issues of tolerance, clashing cultures, and Big Bad Men abound, but Songcatcher wisely focuses on the music. Janet McTeer does fine with the "repressed academic gets in touch with the earth" role, but her truly outstanding work is in revealing scholar Lily's rapture in her discoveries. McTeer leads a truly great cast, including the wonderful Pat Carroll, and a just-for-the-hell-of-it cameo by bluesman Taj Mahal. Songcatcher has a healthy respect for the mountain people it portrays, and an absolute reverence for their music. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (78)

A Must for the Study of Southern Culture.
To preserve Southern culture is to preserve a culture with strong roots for many Americans. Just as this film depicts an attempt to preserve old English ballads that have survived nearly intact because of the isolation of the mountain people, the film itself is important because it, itself, is an attempt at cultural preservation. The mountain setting of the film is extraordinarily rich, the characters are thankfully more real than stereotypical, and the story is rich and fullfilling. Pat Carroll's performance is exceptional.

One of the major plusses of this movie is the way the set design and cinematography contributes to the story. In one key scene shot inside a cabin, the crude conditions are clearly shown by the daylight winking through the walls. The plight of the characters' living conditions is certainly obvious in the story, but that cabin told the rest of the story. In another scene, several people are dancing outdoors and the camera is positioned so that the viewer seems to be standing in the crowd. The scene develops as all but two of the characters dance and the movement of the camera around the dancers to a high angle shot from the trees stretches and isolates the scene so that the dancers are shown to be some distance from the two non-dancers. This shot establishes not so much a rift between the characters, but a separation.

This film is very similar to Donald Davidson's novel, The Big Ballad Jamboree (University Press of Mississippi), and I strongly recommend both the movie and the book to everyone wanting to enjoy the richness of true "hillbilly" life and music.

A FILM TO BE TREASURED...
This is a beautiful and unusual film, made even more so by its joyous celebration of folk music. Beautifully nuanced, well paced, and highly absorbing, this haunting film is an absolute gem. It is no wonder that it won the 2000 Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance. The performances in this film are simply stellar and worthy of recognition.

The year is 1907, and the highly independent and intelligent Dr. Lily Penleric (Janet McTeer), a noted musicologist, has once again been passed over for promotion by the college at which she teaches. Angry, she decides to pull up stakes and go and visit her sister, Elna (Jane Adams), who is one of two women teaching at a settlement school in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina.

When Janet arrives, she hears one of her sister's helpers. Deladis (Emma Rossum), singing an old folk song that she recognizes. It is being sung in a way that she has never before heard it sung. Upon discovering that the song was handed down generationally in this insular community, she realizes that she may actually be hearing the song as it may originally have been intended to be sung. Excited by her discovery, she sets about capturing as many songs as she can from these fiercely proud, mountain people. In effect, she is memorializing a rich, oral, musical history.

Her project takes Janet on a voyage of self-discovery, both personal and professional. Along the way, she becomes immersed in the the lives and traditions of these mountain people, realizing what an integral part music plays in their lives. While poor in terms of creature comforts and leading a harsh, hardscrabble sort of life, these mountain folks have a culturally rich, oral tradition and are a veritable treasure trove of old songs.

While catching the music and lyrics of these old songs for posterity and wider appreciation, notating her discovery of these songs for a book that she hopes to write, Dr. Penleric makes the acquaintance of a number of mountain men and women, including a tough old bird, Viney Butler (Pat Carroll). This leads to meeting with her suspicious but intelligent, talented, and good looking grandson, Tom Bledsoe (Aidan Quinn), with whom she ultimately developes a passionate relationship that correlates nicely to her passion for music.

A number of other subplots are woven throughout this film. One involves her sister, Elna, who becomes involved with a love that dare not speak its name. There is also a love triangle between two of the mountain woman and the husband of one of them. Young love and coming of age is also a theme touched upon. Meanwhile, a mining company seeks to buy out the land from under these people for a mere pittance. All of these subplots serve to illustrate the often harsh reality of life in the mountains. The only problem that I found was with the subplot involving Elna and her lover, Harriet, in terms of the complacency that surrounds what ultimately happens to Harriet. It was a most disturbing resolution that did not ring altogether true. Still, the overall strength of the film is such that it overcomes this, overall.

Janet McTeer gives a no nonsense performance, and the way that the music seems to transfix and transform her is a joy to behold. Jane Adams, as the sister who is having a same sex love affair, gives an exquisitely beautiful and sensitive performance, as does E. Katherine Kerr in the role of Harriet, the settlement school teacher with whom she is involved. Aidan Quinn gives an intelligent and thoughtful performance as a mountain man who has been to the outside world and found it wanting. Pat Carroll is sensational as Viney Butler, the mountain woman who takes the vicissitudes of life in stride and wears many hats: mother, grandmother, midwife, musician, singer, and oral historian. Emma Rossum, however, is positively radiant as the young, fresh faced, mountain lass with a smile and voice that will tear your heart apart. She is a wonderful, young performer with operatic training and the ability to sing like Dolly Parton. What a find!

Cameo appearances by Taj Mahal, Iris Dement, and others serve to further enrich this film. The music and songs are played and sung live, which makes them resonate with authenticity and adds a vibrancy that might otherwise be lost. The folk dancing is a joy to watch, as the mountain people gather aound for a jamboree. The film, shot on location, captures all the physical beauty of the terrain, as well as the rusticity and harshness of life in the mountains. This is simply a great film that is well worth having in one's personal collection.

All in all, it is a must have film for music lovers, as well as for those who simply enjoy a well made and beautifully acted film. Bravo!

A confusing piece
Quite often while watching this film I was left wondering what the director was really trying to convey. A interesting look into the lost songs carried to America? A woman coming to terms about her life and purpose? A look into the lives of lesbians at the turn of the century? Loss of Appalachian culture to the coal industry and modern society? A social commentary on culture exploitation? There are so many doors this film opens, yet refuses to step inside one and explore anything deeper than it's emotional surface. The storytelling in this movie feels like it took a second place to the "gimick" of the actual songs.

...and music is the real star of this film and would be better served with a good soundtrack, a book about these folk songs and people, and a good documentary.

What's left is a mediocre and only mildly passionate love story between two people, surrounded by events that don't lead to anything specific or profound. The "climax" of the story does not have any lasting resonance in the main character's lives and feels random.

The acting, mostly by Janet McTeer is acceptible, given the whirlwind she's been thrown into. The supporting cast are also great/charming, especially those who give performances of the more musical sort.

Hopefully someone will revisit this topic with a more serious statement and explore it a little more deeply than what has been done here. Somewhere in this mess is a great historical biopic or even a small quite film/documentary here that got muddled by late 20th century political ideals concerning religion, homosexuality and stereotyping that really do this topic, the music, and all the characters involved a disservice.

Pleasantly surprised!
I wasn't really expecting much when I first rented this movie because I had never even heard of it, but boy! was I surprised! I absolutely loved it! Bluegrass music doesn't really do much for me, but I wouldn't really call this bluegrass. The songs and music are more earthy and emotional. The characters are so down to earth and real. I loved these people--I wanted to go to the mountains and find people and music like this. I got on the internet and bought a copy of the movie and the soundtrack. I have watched this movie more than any other movie that I own.

Dr. Quinn, Music Woman
OK, so maybe it's not THAT bad. Still, I was so disappointed by the second half of this film that I can't find a four-star rating in me.

It's a gorgeous film set in the Appalachian Mountains, an early 20th century story of a highly intelligent lady musicologist who is obsessed with capturing the history of the folk music of the British Isles. When she hits the glass ceiling of her day, her college passing her over yet again for a man in spite of her extreme qualification, she heads for the hills. Literally.

Her younger sister runs a school in the mountains among that most derided minority, the hillbillies (or, more properly, "mountain folk"). Big kudos to this film for playing more or less fair with the poor people of the mountains, with few caricatures and mostly just good-hearted people who distrust "the world beyond." Here the good doctor finds a wealth of old British folk music that has been handed down from generation to generation, as the ancestors of these folk came from the islands themselves.

"Songcatcher" is well worth seeing, due to its brilliant handling of its unique subject matter. It is also a cautionary tale for filmmakers who think they have to throw too much into their story. It could be said that the multiple tragedies in this film are a way of thematically representing the repetitive theme of tragedies in the old folk music the doctor is collecting, but it's overkill, pure and simple, and further ruins such effect with a silly ending. I'm glad I saw it, but would prefer to have an edited version featuring only the musical performances, which are stunning.

There is a lot to love about "Songcatcher." It's a treasure trove for an education in how music was developed in those pre-commercial days, and the lengths to which its devotees had to go for its preservation. If you love any kind of music, you owe a big debt of gratitude to people like this. It is mesmerizing to see the mountain people performing the music of their heritage in its natural setting.

Beyond that, it's a typical formula story, and that's what leaves me cold about this confused film. Formula element 1: The Outsider who learns to communicate with and appreciate a society in which she is initially very uncomfortable, while said society learns to deal with her as well. Some will not accept her, but she wins most of them over. Formula element 2: A forbidden romance causes serious unrest and, ultimately, tragedy. There are actually two such story lines in this film. Formula element 3: An ambitious woman, living in less rational times, deals with the frustration of being thwarted in her dreams. Formula element 4: The happy ending you could see coming a mile off.

I really hate that the filmmakers felt they had to throw so many elements into what could have been an excellent little film. Most unsettling is that they set up several confrontations that all reach a climax within a minute or two of each other, completely fouling up the otherwise nice pace they had set to that point in the film's final half-hour. ... Read more

Reviews (117)

One Of My Very Favorite Movies!
I LOVE this movie. It was the first vdeo I ever bought for myself and is one of the sweetest, most romantic, and funniest movies I've seen. DB Sweeney is gorgeous as the loveable, girl chasing,less than brilliant ex-hockey god, and Moira Kelly plays an excellent, evil, spoiled typical rich primadonna figure skater from Connecticut. Techncally, it is hard to believe a hockey player could be transformed into a figure skater, but view it with an open mind and you will fall in love with this movie too!

Entertainment at its finest
Kate Mosley, a tempermental figure skater without a partner, and Doug Dorsey, a former hockey player knocked out of the game after taking a bad shot to the head, team up to become a pair of figure skaters with hopes of going to the olympics. That, in a nut shell is the basic premise behind this movie, but the journey of getting there is the real heart of this movie.

The romance which develops between the two lead characters adds nothing new to the genre and follows the standard formula almost to the letter. The initial hostility they shared towards one another at the beginning, the byplay that develops as they get to know one another, the leading towards romance, the inevitable misunderstanding, and then finally getting together. However, the two leads are both attractive people, and they have a strong onscreen chemistry together which makes their romance seem believable, and a joy to watch.

The figure skating in the movie is highly enjoyable to watch, even for someone like me who isn't into figure skating as a general rule. I do have to wonder whether the f