Description

Includes CSI Seasons 1-4 ... Read more

Amazon.com

Judge Dredd is one of those movies that doesn't have a brain of its own, so it can only rip off a lot of ingredients from other, better movies. It's a mishmash of Blade Runner, Total Recall, and The Road Warrior, with a dash of Star Wars tossed in for good measure. As if that weren't enough, it's got Sylvester Stallone, who seems to be the only one in the movie who's in on the game and knows it's all a sci-fi scam. Like The Fifth Element a few years later, Judge Dredd depicts a futuristic megalopolis packed with crowded vertical overgrowth and rampant commerce, where anarchy reigns supreme. Violent "block wars" are fought by lawless citizens with machine guns, and Judge Dredd (Stallone) is one of the city's heavily armed policemen, given free rein to judge and execute the perpetrators of violence. But Dredd himself is subjected to judgment and swift justice when his own gun is identified in the murder of a prominent TV reporter, forcing him to do whatever he can to clear his name. Diane Lane plays his partner in crime-fighting and romance, and Rob Schneider provides juvenile comic relief as Dredd's streetwise sidekick. Impressive special effects are on vivid display, and the movie's fun for what it's worth. Lower your expectations and you just might enjoy it. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (59)

Judge Dredd Comes Through In Exciting Sci-Fi Yarn
Judge Dredd began life as a comic book character in 1977. Since then his world has expanded as a satiric metaphor for law enforcement and related issues.

It became natural that a movie would be made. The result is this exciting and gloriously garish looking spectacle reminiscent of the overrated Batman films, but featuring a better cast and script.

Sylvester Stallone is perfect at Joseph Dredd. In the world of law, he IS the law. Perps don't stand a chance in Mega-City with Dredd, let alone when he receives most potent help from Judge Hershey (Diane Lane). The film explores Dredd's super-hard persona and is quite effective is explaining why Dredd comes off as little more than a machine.

The villain in the film is Rico (Armand Assante), Dredd's biological brother. Along with a renegade member of Mega-City's ruling council, Judge Griffin (a very effective Jurgen Prochnow), and a Nazi-esque scientist named Ilsa (Joan Chen with great cleavage and a horrible haircut), Rico plans to populate Mega-City with a race of obedient clones. But first they must frame Dredd, the Judge who sent Rico to prison. The battle to clear Dredd's name and stop Rico and Griffin takes up the action in the form of several very eye-catching action set-pieces, notably an aerial bike chase reminiscent of the Star Wars films, the lightcycle chase in Tron, and the famed car chases of Bullitt, The French Connection, and The Seven-Ups.

The film's major flaw lies in the lame comedy of Rob Schneider. Given the film's otherwise excellent casting - Max Von Sydow and Mitchell Ryan in particular give superb performances - the presence of Schneider is especially injurious to the film.

Danny Cannon's direction is good - nowhere better than in the scene when Griffin learns to his horror that Rico has doublecrossed him with the clones. The scene includes a great bit of suggestive comedy; Rico bellows to Griffin that "I'm about to become a Daddy," then cuts to a smiling Ilsa, as though Rico's boast is literal.

Despite Rob Schneider, Judge Dredd is an entertaining sci-fi action yarn.

Bring on the Sequel!!!
I have to say that I was not familiar with any Judge Dredd comics, games or had had any other contact with the character apart from this movie so I cannot compare the character to other sources. Therefore, coming from someone that did not "know" the Judge prior to the film I have to say that the movie was FANTASTIC!
There are slight hints of Mad Max and Total Recall, so the movie falls into the action/adventure/science fiction type of category, and what a major hit this action-packed movie is!
Sylvester Stallone, Armand Assante, Diane Lane, and Rob Schneider, have truly outdone themselves with their performances, which are outstanding, making this movie one of the best of its kind. The actors' great talent and chemistry clearly shows, thus providing a film that can be watched over and over again. The plot, the setting, the special effects, the battles and the costumes are all wonderful!
In short, I would definitely line up to watch a sequel!

"I am the Law!"
The career of a Hollywood Star goes through various ups and downs. This excellent film came out at a point in Stallone's career when it was simply his turn to get reviewed harshly by the Hollywood community. He was getting older, his career had drifted considerably, and another Sly action picture was simply going to be a very hard sell. It took a much-underserved whipping when it was released.

As I say, that is a real shame, because Judge Dredd was one of the best comic book adaptations to ever make the cross into film. It perfectly captures the 70's/80's British comic book about a futuristic cop who reins supreme, given the power to arrest, judge, and execute wrongdoers in a world gone rampant with crime.

This was a big budget production, and the sets and special effects are magnificent. The story is extremely engaging, and it is packed with great action. The film really doesn't take a misstep throughout.

What makes the film a real treat are the supporting performances. Stallone himself delivers a perfect-pitch job as the Judge, nicely capturing all the stern dedication of the comic book, and as the film progresses, his character is beautifully and even touchingly rounded out. But I find myself remembering the lesser roles, such as Armand Assante as the arch villain, Rico, a man holding extreme power in his madness. When his temper flairs, everyone jumps back. The old veteran, Max Von Sydow, displays a pro's commitment in his portrayal of the aging Chief Justice Fargo, holding on to his power simply through a towering dignity. Diane Lane, Jurgen Prochnow, and Joan Chen are on hand to lend superior support, as well as Rob Schneider, who did a great job in giving the movie the touch of comedy needed to truly capture the original comic book. This film even has the great Scott Wilson on board as Pa Angel, a leader of a criminally mutated family that dwells in the "cursed earth."

Amazon reviews got it completely wrong. Their condescending review was typical of the kinder reviews given when the film was released. There is certainly no need to "lower your expectations" to enjoy this film.

You will do just fine if you come to this picture expecting great things.

--Mykal Banta

For in those days Judges walked the land....
The more I see this film after all the hype has died down, the more it grows on me. This is probably the best thing that Stallone ever did in my opinion. If you ever read the British comic book series you realize that he nailed the essence of the main character. I mean, Judge Dredd is a completely one-dimensional character, and Stallone still managed to bring him to life.

The entire movie, and the original comic book series, was based on the fact that the Judges were incorruptible. These are not just good lawmen; these are walking law books- THEY ARE THE LAW. They have to be, for they are not merely law enforcement officers, they are also judge, jury, and executioner. Only someone raised from birth to live the letter, essence, and spirit of the law could be trusted with this. Certainly, a mere human could not be trusted with such power. That is the fascination of a character like Dredd- he isn't human. Here is a man so completely identified with duty that there is no room for personal feelings. This is essential, for a Judge must be completely impartial and unswayed by personal opinion and feeling. A Judge judges the rich and powerful, and the poor and weak, by absolutely the same standard. That is why you can never write Dredd and the other Judges off as fascists- it is equal judgment for all in the name of the public good, of public survival, in an apocalyptic Cursed Earth. And God save the Judge that breaks his oath....

Max Von Sydow was also especially good as Dredd's mentor. I mean, if they could get an actor of his quality interested in this project then you know that he also saw something more to it. Playing off Stallone you actually see the one bit of humanity in the character. The scene where Sydow takes the last walk to bring judgment to the unjudged still chokes me up.

Sure, there is plenty of action and special effects here- good ones. They also managed stay fairly close to the details and characters of the original stories. But, I've slowly come to see that there really is more to it. Not bad for a project that originated from a comic book.

A sleek, juicy slice of Ultraviolence, served piping hot!
Who couldn't like this slick, sleek, happily depraved and utterly self-contented violent romp in the near future? It's got Sly Stallone in a fine, full-bodied role as the fascistic Judge Dredd---and hey, He's the Law! You got a problem with that? You got objections, Perp? He KNEW you'd say that! (sound of Perp being knocked unceremoniously in the head by Judge Dredd's side-arm).

Let me count the ways I love Judge Dredd:

1)It's all Action, all the time---and it Looks so Good! And best of all, it's action done by a competent, experienced crew: Adrian Biddle ("Aliens", "1492", "Thelma & Louise") for cinematography, and set design by Peter Young, who did the look for "Batman" and "Sleepy Hollow".

2)It's got Armand Assante and Jurgen Prochnow as crazed, Machiavellian evil villains (Assante crazed, Prochnow Machiavellian)!

3) It's got veteran uber-actor Max von Sydow as Chief Justice Fargo, and boy the guy looks hip and happening in a trenchcoat with a big super-duper hand cannon!

4) It's got a violent Mega-City where the angry inhabitants don't have backyard barbecues, they have block wars!

5) It's got an angry War Robot designed to control crowds---with extreme prejudice! Oh, it likes to pull peoples' heads off, too.

6) It's got angry unfinished Clones, all of whom are imperfect copies of Assante!

7) Aspen, Colorado is a penal colony! What a great world!

8) It's got starlet action! A villainous Joan Chen in tight leather hotpants! It's got the genetically perfect Diane Lane as the unfortunately named Judge Hershey (I don't know. Don't ask.)!

9) It's got a periodically amusing Rob Schneider and gratuitous Balthazar Getty! It's got a family of inbred religious cannibals who make the family in "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" look like pikers---and the razor-toothed Number 1 Son has what appears to be a minute-timer embedded in his skull!

10) Finally, it's just all around fun: the chase on Lawmasters through the neon heights and aeries of Mega City One has to be seen to be believed, and it is far more enjoyable than anything in the Star Wars prequels. And in addition, it's a pretty fine adaptation of the Judge Dredd graphic novel series.

So get past your need to see 'serious' cinema, sit back, and pop "Judge Dredd" on the hopper. Besides, He's the Law----and failure to appreciate the subtle glories of this film is a Violation, Citizen---Punishment? You don't want to know. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

must see
I'm a big fan of Bjork's music, but had never really seen any of her full videos until a friend showed me this DVD. I had to go out and buy it the same night. The surrealism and diversity of the videos makes for a DVD you can watch straight through without getting bored. It's difficult to pick a favorite video, but I was most impressed with Pagan Poetry because of the way she really sewed pearls into her skin, tugs on the strings, etc. While a lot of the other videos are impressive for their costumes and surreal effects (among other things), Pagan Poetry is especially raw and hypnotizingly bold in its erotic imagery.

My friend also showed me the Inside Bjork DVD, which is a documentary. I'm going to be picking up that one soon, too. I recommend it if you enjoyed this DVD, it gives more insight into the "characters" Bjork was in for each album.

Icy Magic
This DVD should please fans of the Icelandic pop goddesses quirky videos. It's basically the whole of the original 'Volumen' with newer videos from the 'Vespertine' era and two previously unreleased clips.
Personally, I still feel that Bjork's music is complimented best by the work of French director Michel Gondry, who helms classic videos like 'Human Nature' and 'Bachelorette.' Most of the newer vids have an interesting visual impact, but lack the childlike magic of the earlier works. As a cutting edge leader in the worlds of art, music, and fashion, it seems that Bjork herself is an entirely necessary component to each of her videos as well. The new track, 'Nature is Ancient,' suffers from a rather dull video treatment, due largely to the fact that the singer is nowhere to be seen in the piece. Still, this DVD is a musical must-have, both for rabid fans and the more casual Bjork listener alike.

The goods, and the not so good.
Having bought Volumen on VHS, I didn't feel too cheated when I bought Greatest Hits on DVD, even though most of the material was the same. I'm sure that some fans would have liked some interviews, a la Vessel, but this is a tremendous amount of music on one DVD, so it's hard to complain.

Looking back on this retrospective, I realize how much the "cute factor" was employed early on. Cute, as in "oh, Bjork looks cute cooking an egg, or look at her eat that slice of watermelon." Not to say that Venus as a Boy or Possibly Maybe were bad videos. The one video that has weathered the worst, in my mind, is Violently Happy. Basically, it's one big euro-trash cliche, by a director that had much greater success with Madonna. I understand the whole insane-asylum concept, but cutting up a teddy bear, and shaving your heard, and clipping Raggedy Ann is too cliched for me.

The first really good video is Army of Me. We must be thankful that this wasn't released post-9/11...I can only think of how the conservative right would have had a field day with this. This was a dark moment in Bjork's life (yes, she b@#^h slapped that reporter). It's interesting how she saves an Asian man...
I can't help but feel that there's a political message there.

Another fantastic video is Isobel, with its sepia tones. Wonderful concept.

From her third album, Joga is kind of a downer, not enough Bjork in there, but Bachelorette and Hunter are superb, especially Hunter, with Bjork unleashing her inner animal. I was blown away the first time I saw it. The main draw from this period, though is All is Full of Love. Someone I know says its disturbing, because underneath our skin we are just bones, not too different from the half-assembled robots in the video.

Alarm Call, despite being a collaboration with bad boy designer Alexander McQueen, is kind of a letdown. There are wonderful green colors thoughout the video, but the concept is too straightfoward. It's in Our Hands ups the ante, with Bjork cavorting in the dark with other nocturnal animals.

The dud video of the latter half is Hidden Place. After 30 seconds, that whole migration of bodily fluid becomes a boring concept, and we have to endure it for the rest of the video! Pagan Poetry and Cocoon are better, especially Cocoon, which I'm sure just baffled the hell out of the critics.

Well, Bjork could never be accused of being boring. This is the best evidence, on the whole, of how music videos can be art forms.

Highly creative collection
Although I am not a big fan of Bjork's music, her videos have always blown me away. This collection is a must-have for anyone who's remotely interested in creative film making. The styles are widely varied, yet all fit with the music. Michel Gondry, Spike Jonze and Chris Cunningham are among the directors featured here, and they do their best work with Bjork - probably because her prodigious talent and uninhibited energy bring out the best in anyone she meets. She is a unique spirit and an extraordinary talent, surrounding herself with the best music directors in the world. No special features on this one, but her music and performances say everything.

Completely Satisfied
Whether you're a new Bjork listener or a devoted fan, you're going to be pleased. This is one of the best video collections I own. In fact, of all the videos, there is only one I didn't enjoy: Play Dead. Everything else on here is really, really good. I especially enjoy the later videos like Cocoon, It's in Our Hands, Hunter, and All is Full of Love. Some of the earlier videos by Michael Gondry are somewhat dated, but charming. Highly reccomended. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

An American in London
There is a strange ambiance in this movie, as if we were dealing with spies in an Cold War era..You would expect Keitel's character to walk in the next Cafe Rouge to meet a Russian couple for dinner and ...well, conversation...Dave Arnold's music is just great, adding the necessary eerie side to the foggy London streets on which our DEA man chases his prey. Great work altogether, and a must see for Americans in Europe...

This Is A Great Film Starring A Great Actor
I caught this movie on TV one Saturday afternoon while flipping through the Channels. Seeing Harvey Keitel got my attention but the movie itself kept it. It's a really good movie. I was suprised that I hadn't heard of it before. Check it out. Its a great deal especially at the price Amazon offers it for.

Super British Film Noir
I thought that I had seen all of Harvey Keitel's films but, due to the inexplicable failure of this film to attain a theatrical distributor in the U.S., I had never even heard of this one. Then I caught it on Bravo a few weeks ago and it knocked me out! It's a gritty, tough British crime film in the tradition of THE LONG GOOD FRIDAY. The cast is very good - of course, Keitel is excellent as a weary American liaison to the English police, but Craig Kelly (currently in the Brit TV series QUEER AS FOLK) is also impressive as Chris, a young man struggling to survive the mean streets of London. This film is truly a pleasant surprise. ... Read more

Amazon.com

There was so much story left to tell after I Know What You Did Last Summer that the filmmakers brought back all the beloved, surviving characters from the first film for this sequel. Ray (Freddie Prinze Jr.), Julie (Jennifer Love Hewitt), and Julie's white tank top (Jennifer Love Hewitt's white tank top) return to once again face a hook-wielding maniac.Not satisfied merely to repeat a theme, director Danny Cannon and screenwriter Trey Callaway add variation by introducing Karla (Brandy) as Julie's best friend in the whole wide world.Karla and Julie have won a summer trip to the Bahamas with their current infatuations but find that they've arrived at the start of the storm season and that at their hotel "Do Not Disturb" signs should flip to say "R.I.P."One can only hope to hang just such a sign on this repetitive, tedious franchise, especially since this version is less scary than the price of beer in those little hotel room refrigerators.Definite contender for Gratuitous T&A Shot of the Year (it's of Hewitt and that's not meantas a recommendation). --Keith Simanton ... Read more

Reviews (276)

not bad, but pointless....and what's with the ending?
this has got to be the most pointless sequel ever made.I hated the fact that it completely ignored the ending of the original. the plot did not make sense and the ending was even more ridiculous than the entire movie. I know what you did last summer was one of the few slasher films that could have and should have stayed away from a sequel. I actually want a third in the series to tie up all the loose ends and ridiculously bad ending in this one. Not bad as a slasher pic, but pretty pointless sequel....

Lots of gore, lots of predictability
I really liked the first film because it focused more on suspense than gore. With the sequel, suspense took a backseat. It was basically just hooks in the eyes, throat and chins, and no curiosity as to what might happen next. Now don't get me wrong. I think Jennifer Love Hewitt is hot as hell, but the filmmakers could've made it less cheesy if they didn't have her running around in a wet t-shirt for the duration of the movie. It was such a throwback to those 80's slasher films. Also, I knew right from the beginning who the killer's accomplice was. Will Benson! That sounded a little too much like Ben Willis. I knew originality wasn't in Hollywood's dictionary, but they could've come up with a name that wasn't so obvious!

Sometin' Kool review on Sometin' FUBAR
You know, if they try to be like Friday the 13 movies with all the sequals, i would not be surprised that in 20 years, they make one where the stalker has alsymers disease and I think they should call it "I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DID THAT SUMMER" -Sometin' Kool

The movie is real cool
The movie is a real cool movie but it had brandy but it's still a good movie jennifer looks even more finer in this movie the movie is real cool and scary and real intense

Not 1/2 as good as the first
Without the very talented Kevin Williamson writing the screenplay for the sequel to his earlier hit, this movie was much too obvious, but I must admit that it was a more than decent movie, with a great ending. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The "Forget it, Jake, this is Chinatown" line in this well-cast contemporary noir comes near the story's end, when a female truck driver tells wounded fugitive-cop Harry Collins (Ray Liotta) that the desert town of Phoenix--built on sand and sustained by diverted water--has "no right to exist." Well, that would explain the sense of blurred virtue and vice portrayed in this film, the tale of a detective with a gambling problem and his three partners (Anthony LaPaglia, Daniel Baldwin, Jeremy Piven) manifesting varying levels of corruption. Written by Eddie Richey and directed by Danny Cannon, this expletive-rich and violent movie immediately strikes one as yet another Tarantino knock-off. But a handful of genuinely original ideas and scenes, aided immeasurably by a terrific cast that almost seems to lunge at the roles (including Anjelica Huston as an angry bartender who could let herself drift into an affair with Harry), keeps this drama on track. Yes, the plot does include an obligatory screwed-up heist mishandled by the male principals (wearing animal masks--how original!). But in the hands of Liotta and his pals, it all seems well worth it. Nice marks, too, for Tom Noonan's weird portrayal of a cruel bookie, Giancarlo Esposito's poisonous work as a loan shark, and Kari Wuhrer's all-too-brief scenes as a faithless wife. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Good Flick
What happens when all the cops are bad, but in different degrees. Liotta is as corrupt as they come, but he's got a soft spot. Good action, good flick.

God is this movie awesome
I'm so happy I have this in my dvd collection. Ray Liotta is a great actor of our time. We should all appreciate his presence onscreen. Want to watch another incredible performance by Ray: Watch "NARC".

Spellbinding.
Okay, to start off, this movie uses a Tarintino plot ... . LA Confidential was the obvious inspiration. Back to the movie, this movie was amazing and Liota was incredible.

Dreadful collection of cliches
A boring, predictable film with every plot and visual cliche in the book. I simply got tired of the pointless, meandering plotline. Halfway through the film, I realized that virtually every single scene change began with someone lighting a cigarette, and it then became humorous and ridiculous to watch the cliched cigarette lighting routine every 30 seconds.

A yawnfest, I only watched the whole thing because there was nothing else on TV.

Where's RAY LIOTTA's Oscar for this one!
RAY LIOTTA is an incredible and intense actor and this movie showcases his talent better that any movie I've seen. And that's saying a lot. I have to say that RAY is one of the most underated actors to have ever graced the Silver Screen. Everyone should see this amazing movie. RAY was cast as the lead character in this film and rightly so. (He was also co-producer.) His 'Harry Collins' as a cop with a gambling problem lets us see a person losing his self-respect but still living by a code of ethics that won't let him welsh on a bet. Right there you know this guy is setting himself up for big trouble, which finds him, in spades (so to speak). Damn, this man can act!! As we watch him resort to ever desperate measures to get out of the mess he's in, you hope against hope that his bad luck will turn. Not helping matters are his cop buddies who even offer to whack his bookie, Chicago, for him! He declines the offer. He's got a better plan. Why not rob Louie, the loan shark instead? Yeah, why not? How do you think it's going to turn out? (For more information on this movie, check out the AllLiotta.com website. Not only is there a review but lots of pictures as well.) ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great if you don't own season 1 already
This is a Canadian release that I bought about 3 months before the complete season 1 was released (after which I had to find the Canadian release of the Early Cases vol. 2 to get the rest of season 1). As for the sound issue someone brought up, remember that this is only a Dolby Digital 2.0 recording, not a 5.1 like season 2. Therefore, you will really enhance your listening experience if you add a digital audio receiver with optical input and then listen to the episodes in Dolby ProLogic or ProLogic II. When I watch in PL II, I experience none of the problems you have encountered.

I think I know.....
I stumbled upon this item looking for information on the 3rd Season release. I've searched around on other sites and *apparently* this DVD set is the first 12 episodes of Season 1. It *apparently* is a Canadian release, but who knows. All I know is if you own the Season 1 set, don't buy this. Mind you, all this is second hand info, but I found it on a site I trust. I myself don't own this set, I do own the 1st & 2nd Season sets, though, and HIGHLY recommend them. Hope this helps.

Help Please?
Sooooo..... is this part of CSI the series? If so, where does it fit in? Is it a single DVD that's got stuff that's part of what's been released in a set, is it something completely different? ...I'm a bit confused and don't want to buy it if I'm going to get stuff that's already in the complete series set.

Anyone out there know?

Great show, really bad sound
My sister bought CSI: Early Cases. I'm watching the second episode right now. The show itself is great fun to watch, although I did have to get through the whole "it doesn't really work that way" thing (husband and dad are cops, friend is CSI).
My problem with this set is that the sound varies wildly in volume. Anything with music is too loud, anything with speech is too soft. There is no happy medium. I've been watching it with the subtitles on (a nice feature) because the sound is so bad.
The video looks good, but I probably wouldn't buy this for myself and I sure won't be buying the full series until I find out if the sound is better. ... Read more

Description

THE YOUNG AMERICANS: They're hip.They're tough.And they're methodically annihilating thecity's most powerful crime bosses.They're THE YOUNG AMERICANS, a newand deadly order of gangsters.HARVEY KEITEL (Reservoir Dogs, ThePiano) is John Harris, a Drug Enforcement Agent on the trail of CarlFrazer (VIGGO MORTENSEN, Boiling Point, The Indian Runner).Frazer willstop at nothing to seize the mob's drug trade, recruiting violent streetpunks to do his killing.Harris' only hope is to enlist Chris, aconfused dead-end kid whose only allegiance is to his friends. But when Frazer's murderous ways hit too close to home, Chris crossesthe line between honor and deceit to infiltrate the gang.Ultimately,both he and Harris must face Frazer's wrath in a deadly confrontation atpoint-blank range...

BAD LIEUTENANT: He has survived on the streets for twenty years.He's a gambler... athief... a junkie... a killer and a cop.Now he's investigating themost shocking case of his life, and as he moves closer to the truth hisself-destructive past is closing in.Harvey Keitel gives a searingperformance as an out-of-control police detective on a collision coursewith disaster in director Abel Ferrara's brilliant and deeply disturbingmelodrama. ... Read more