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Both epic and intimate, A Very Long Engagement reunites Audrey Tautou and Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the star and director of the hugely popular Amelie. A young woman named Mathilde (Tautou, Happenstance)separated from her lover by World War I refuses to believe he's been killed and launches an investigation into his fate--an investigation that spins in all directions, creating dozens of miniature stories (including that of an Italian prostitute avenging the death of her own lover by elaborate means) that shift to and fro in time. The dazzling curlicues of narrative put brutality and tenderness back to back, shifting between crushing inevitabilities and miraculous rescues with deft storytelling skill and the lush visual style of the director of Delicatessen and The City of Lost Children. Through it all, Tautou--fierce and luminous--anchors the movie effortlessly. She's among the most emotionally engaging actresses in cinema, with the kind of expressive beauty that transcends language. A gorgeous, far-reaching film; the huge cast also includes Jodie Foster (The Silence of the Lambs), Gaspard Ulliel (Strayed), and Dominique Pinon (Alien: Resurrection). --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Ridiculous comments!
I can't help but commenting on the review featured below posted by: Vyto Stoskus "Bookroom regarding the film `A very long engagement'. I respect the fact that the film is not everybody's cup of tea (I personally think it's a masterpiece) in the end, it's all a matter of tastes. But suggesting the French people stick to making comedy because (apparently) it's what they do best is the most ridiculous comment I have ever heard. Some people sadly (and it's a shame) don't much about French cinema!

flying bodies
90% flying corpses and those--bleeding to death--about to be corpses. Great showcase for the make-up dept. 10% storyline: amnesia--big hairy deal. Aren't there any more stories worth telling? Shame on everyone associated with such travesty. The French should stick to what they do best--comedy. Or maybe this was and they're laughing at all us suckers who spent our money and an interminable 2 hours+ watching their multimillion dollar joke on us.

A great artistic film!
Once more the French fertile imagination decides to make a real punch demostration of superb good taste and charm picture, get its goals without apparent effort. The dinamism and engaging script won't let you down. You will face and be part of this sensible drama in search for a love in the middle of the First War. Pierre Jeunet employs the War only as a big frame to tell us a love story and the inexhaustive hope that feeds the soul of Audrey Tautoo, a twenty years old girl who never gives up for his love's life. She suffered of polio in her early childhood but that is not any obstacle to prevail in what she believes.
The script is real web that will involve several secondary stories but the whole ensamble is conceived as a huge watch mechanism, so well articulated and filled of intelligent doses of black humor all the way.
Andre Dussollier, Jodie Foster, Dominique Pinon and all the cast is simply outstanding. The crude war sequences are admirably well filmed, loaded with intense realism and profound humanity before any other circumstance. Jeunet does not judge, he just only watchs and presents the kindness and the abominable horror of certain human beings not only in the War but far beyond the War field. The destroyed indult letter of Poincaré that never came, will work as a complex fixed idea of revenge because the life of these five men will be narrowed linked.
If you like the artistic films, if you want to enjoy of a whole film, without fissures that face you with the reality of those years you will enjoy this one. No doubt just a second and go for this artwork.
Nowadays the lovely, funny and expresive face of Audrey Tautoo. Jeune as Stanley Donen with the other Audrey, and at least fifty million people in the world are simply bewithced with her charisma and outstanding presence. Undoubtedly she would seem to fill the long long time expected emptiness left by the other Audrey, at last.
Pierre Jeunet's handle camera is just equalled by Terry Gilliam in what rapture travellings and close up concern.
A must in your collection.

Sustaining Plot and High Film Art
This film reminds us of how films can be made, with care and sincerity. Each scene renders a time and place with vivid imagery and authentic treatment. The acting is excellent, and story compelling, and editing and directing inspired. It may have deserved the Oscar for best picture last year.

Simply Engaging Story about Love That Prevails
To make a filmed version of French bestselling novel 'A Very Long Engagement' has been THE dream of director Jean-Pieere Jeunet, best known for international hit 'Amelie.'Now Warner Brothers, who owned the right of the book, agreed to co-produce the film with the star Audrey Tautou, and now this is the result of this Hollywood studio's wise decision.Thank you, Warner Bros.

But the film is definitely French, in language and in style, and the story begins NOT with the endearing characters in Paris, but with the rain-soaked trenches during the time of WW1.Five soliders are being court-marshalled for wounding themselves, and they are sentenced to be expelled into the no man's land, the terrirory between the German and French lines.One of them happens to be young Manech (Gasper Ulliel, 100% different from 'Strayed'), who received a terrible shock during the last battle.

But the true protagonist is Matilde (Tautou radiently beautiful as ever).She was in love with Manech, and still is even after the war is over, and the five soliders are supposed to be dead.However, Matilde believes that her love is still alive.Believing in her unfailing intuition, she doggedly follows the traces of the witnesses and clues that are scattered all over France while she needs a wheelchair to travel.

A word of warning first; unlike 'Amelie' in which everything looked charming (but in fact it is not though), some parts of 'A Very Long Engagement,' especially the war scenes, are very violent, though not too graphic.And don't forget that there are some killings (by one mysterious lady Tina).But her MOs are so ingenious that you may be rather fascinated to see them.

The film is well-crafted in whatever way you may think of -- gracefully Gothic visuals, rousing music score (by Angelo Paralamenti known for David Lynch films), and first-rate acting (including by one Jodie Foster speaking French.And she was once in a French film 'Blood of the Others' by Claude Chabrol, so that's no surprsing matter).At the end credit you will find many names familiar to French film fans -- Tcheky Karyo, Jean-Claude Dreyfuss, Dominique Pinon, and ... but making a list may be pointless after all.

For the star of the film is Audrey Tautou as Matilde.Every audience will fall for her, and be impressed with her strong acting as the independent heroine.Though the film looks awfully whimsical at times with so many characters and incidents, she remains the pivotical presence all through thefilm.

The original novel is written by veteran Sebastian Japrisot, who died one year before the film was completed.(Many of his books had been filmed, 'Rider on the Rain' for example.)As they compressed so many things in the original into 130 minute film, 'A Very Long Engagement' suffers from very confusing relations between so many characters.In book, we can stop and think; in film, well, you can stop your DVD player, but I'D rather not.Let the film keep on telling its story, and enjoy the world of Jeunet's visual genius.You never get bored with the strikingly original images he presents. ... Read more

Reviews (807)

A heart-shaped French delicacy!!!
Amelie is a rare delight. The title character is a painfully shy loner who discovers a small box filled with a little boy's keepsakes. She seeks the rightful owner of the box. The charm of this film is that Amelie wants to perform her little miracles, hiding in the shadows, with no recognition for herself. The characters in this piece are fascinating, each one reflecting back a facet of Amelie's personality. In the end, Amelie's compassion ends up being her own salvation - and that is what makes the film so much of a joy to watch. Hollywood has pretty much exchanged emotion and subtlety for rudeness, crudeness, and over processed digital special effects. Like a good French wine, this motion picture is an experience to be savored - not devoured. Amelie has a look and feel that stands out from anything I've seen in recent years. So many modern films are filtered with a grayish or orange tint, which tricks the viewer's eye into thinking it is watching a stark, gritty documentary. Steven Soderbergh seems to be the reigning master of this technique. Amelie by contrast, with it's deep reds and fluorescent and forest greens accented by cobalt blues and electric yellows, transports you to a world full of magic and hope. The effect is enchanting.

The DVD package is complete with commentaries and documentaries on the making of the film. These added features make it clear that this film was carefully planned by director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, much like "The Sixth Sense." Shots were storyboarded, set up, and orchestrated months in advance. And any extra footage of Audrey Tautou is always welcome in my home. A blend of the beauty and grace of Audrey Hepburn, the humor and physical skill of Charlie Chaplin, and the vulnerability of early Winona Ryder, and the sultry elegance of a sixties European model. Her method of using her eyes, facial expression, and body language (relying less on verbal expression) to create a character is what helps makes Amelie transcend language barriers.

I was a little disappointed there wasn't a version with dubbed English, but after 15 minutes or so, I didn't even notice that I was reading subtitles. There were more than quite a few belly laugh moments, and it became very apparent that this is one of those rare films that is so good it completely transcends culture, language - the universal message is "The good you do for others returns - especially when you don't expect it to." A French delicacy. I just hope we get to sample more of Jeunet, Tautou, and the rest of this team's products soon. Thanks, Miramax.

A Mainstream Hit Dipped In Euro-Sauciness!
The lack of any decent films from the English lingo countries of England and America has given rise to an increase in recognition of some of the finer foreign language exploits into cinema. Earlier this year we had "Amores Perros", and in England we had Japanese shock-fests "Audition" and "Battle Royale" (the latter has to be seen to be believed). The most successful foreign language film this year, bar "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" obviously, was this French trifle that whilst appealing to the fickle tastes of mainstream audiences superbly serves up its romantic hokiness in a touching and cute way. Over-hyped, to be sure, but not without its pleasures.

Jean-Pierre Jeunet's "The City Of Lost Children", which he co-directed with Marc Caro, bears the most resemblance to the look of "Amelie", which looks different to any other film this year with all of its rich, antique-looking cinematography as well as its inclusion of several effects shots that help to render Paris as paradise on Earth. Visual coups include Amelie herself collapsing to the ground as a puddle of water and the titular garden gnome that travels the world much to the chagrin of its owner, Amelie's father. Everything smacks of resplendence in this movie and no cinematic trick is left not utilised.

In all respects, "Amelie" is likely to play better in America than it should in Europe, where its cute benevolence will be welcomed by many, especially after September 11. If you are one of those people who can't help but giggle as bug-eyed little girls stare into the camera with a cheeky smile, then this film is for you (indeed, Audrey Tautou is bug-eyed, cheeky and very good in the title role). If you are like those who criticised "Amelie" for its lack of interracial characters, then don't bother: this beguiling trifle is a fantasy, pure and simple, like "Amelie" herself.

Green and Red beauty and smiles
A beautiful movie about a simple, and pretty weird girl. Pay particular attention to the beautiful color selection and Audrey Tautou's flawless acting. Amelie is the feel-good movie of our times and is sure to bring a smile to anyone's face.

really, what's so great about this?
Its quirky and pretty and all, but then it turns into a typical love story in the end. Dissapointing, I would rather it be a film where she makes everyones lives nicer, and this importance isn't placed on her Only Being Happy If She Gets The Guy. The actress is really pretty, there are nice scenes and ideas, parts are funny, but I don't understand why it has this cult status.

Lithe and awake.
Jean-Pierre Jeunet makes a welcome return to his home country after the loud but pedestrian 'Alien Resurrection'. In 'Amelie' Jeunet seems to have taken as much influence from Danny Boyle as Francois Truffaut. The accelerated jump-cuts, tracking shots and zooms all make for high-octane energy even if most of it is artifically created. Although 'Amelie' herself is almost too twee to identify with, many of the other characters' faces simmer with restrained intensity (increasingly becoming a Jeunet trademark.) The acting is above average (exception being the always good Domnique Pinon), but it's the quality of the storytelling that shines. Trust the French to be able to remind us that cinema is still relevant in it's second century, that evocative minor epiphinies such as running your hand through grain or the sights and sounds of a market are not just the preserve of the written word but can actually be rendered on screen (and still find an audience!). Through imaginative editing, camerawork and a little help from CGI, Jeunet's film packs in more incident and wonder than most of today's novels are capable of producing. ... Read more

Reviews (172)

Yes, Urban Fairy-Tales Do Exist.
The first time I heard of CITY was after I saw ALIEN: Resurrection (another neo-classic stoner fantasy); I wanted to see more movies by this young French director (or wherever the Deuce he's from). The title impressed me immediately.

THE CITY OF LOST CHILDREN

How can you deny the appeal of such an interesting title? Even better, one of my favorite actors was in it: Ron Perlman, among the top five most versatile American actors. It was a year after hearing about the movie that I actually saw it; believe it or not: It was worth the wait.

Essentially, someone's stealing kids and when those someones steal the wrong kid, D'Henri, the "little brother" of circus strongman, Mr. One (Perlman), it sets into motion a series of events culminating into a beautiful street fairy-tale. It's got a group of child-thieves and a Siamese Twin ring-leader, a Mad Scientist and several clones, a disembodied brain and a midget wife, a group of blind zealots collectively known as the "Cyclops," hypnotizing fleas, and a little boy who can't stop eating. Who can resist all that?

Great color and surprisingly good special effects. It should come out on DVD, if it isn't already. (Hey, I'm talking to you, people who make DVDs. Whoever you are.)

The Greatest Film of all time!
The City of Lost Children is absuloutely the greatest film ever made. From Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro comes a twisted fairy tale with a load of villains and heros. It bases in a strange, twisted, floating city. Where a carnival strongman takes a poor, homeless boy into his home. But the evil Cyclops that terrorize the city kidnap. That's when the adventure begins. He then goes searching for him and teams up with a small girl named Miette. Together, the strong man (One) and Miette. Go searching for the lost boy. They soon enter a strange underworld. Learning that a madman played perfectly by Daniel Emilfork, a Princess, and six bumbling, clumbsy clones are kidnapping childre because the madman(Krank) was created with the others by a perfessor and Krank can't dream. So now they kidnap children and steal their dreams. But all the children fear him and have nightmares. Krank soon buys One's child from the Cyclops and uses him in his master plan. Now Miette and One bind a relationship while two evil twins hunt them down, while meeting a strange scuba diver, a psychotic circusman, and the Cyclops layer. All of the adventure is jammed pack into one movie. It's my favorite, I can't take my eyes off of it. See this film! The Directors and great and also directed a similar film, Delicatessan.

jacque le blew- this blew!!!!!!!!
i take back my title , maybe this movie just wasn't for everyone. the dubbing was awful, and story just dragged on for too long. but all isn't lost........ the movie is visually stunning!! thats it take it or leave it!

The wierdest movie I've ever seen!
This was one of the most bizarre and well done movies I've ever seen. It took me about three times watching it to understand the plot completely, but it was well worth it. The children in the movie are fabulos, and the visuals are really amazing. If you have not already seen this movie, I would highly recommend it.

One of the best
So few movies these days really capture my mind. This is one of those movies from start to finish hands down one of the best. City of Lost Children is not for everyone but it's smart creative storytelling is all there. Dark humor and twisted effects set the tone for this film. if your a fan of a sweet films and dark humor than give this movie a try ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

The Alien Quadrilogy is a nine-disc boxed set devoted to the four Alien films. Although previously available on DVD as the Alien Legacy, here they have been repackaged with vastly more extras and with upgraded sound and picture. For anyone who hasn't been in hypersleep for the last 25 years, this series needs no introduction, though for the first time each film now comes in both original and "special edition" form.

Alien (1979) was so perfect it didn't need fixing, and Ridley Scott's 2003 director's cut is fiddling for the sake of fiddling. Watch it once, then return to the majestic, perfectly paced original. Conversely, the special edition of James Cameron's Aliens (1986) is the definitive version, though it's nice to finally have the theatrical cut on DVD for comparison. Most interesting is the alternative Alien 3 (1992). This isn't a "director's cut"--David Fincher refused to have any involvement with this release--but a 1991 work-print that runs 29 minutes longer than the theatrical version, and has now been restored, remastered, and finished off with (unfortunately) cheap new CGI. Still, it's truly fascinating, offering a different insight into a flawed masterpiece. The expanded opening is visually breathtaking, the central firestorm is much longer, and a subplot involving Paul McGann's character adds considerable depth to story. The ending is also subtly but significantly different. Alien: Resurrection (1997) always was a mess with a handful of brilliant scenes, and the special edition just makes it eight minutes longer.

The Alien Quadrilogy offers the first and fourth films with DTS soundtracks, the others having still fine Dolby Digital 5.1 presentation. All four films sound fantastic, with much low-level detail revealed for the first time. Each is anamorphically enhanced at the correct original aspect ratio, and the prints and transfers are superlative. Every film offers a commentary track that lends insight into the creative process--though the Scott-only commentary and isolated music score from the first Alien DVD release are missing here.

Each movie is complemented by a separate disc packed with hours of seriously detailed documentaries (all presented in full-screen with clips letterboxed), thousands of photos, production stills, and storyboards, giving a level of inside information for the dedicated buff only surpassed by the Lord of the Rings extended DVD sets. A ninth DVD compiles miscellaneous material, including an hourlong documentary and even all the extras from the old Alien laserdisc. "Exhaustive" hardly beings to describe the Alien Quadrilogy, a set that establishes the new DVD benchmark for retrospective releases and looks unlikely to be surpassed for some time. --Gary S. Dalkin ... Read more

Reviews (187)

Forget requisite overview of all 4 and just focus on Alien3
Sure, ALIEN is a masterpiece; it's what started this saga. ALIENS was always a childhood favorite of mine, even though that damn Queen gave me nightmares. ALIEN3, however, has slowly but surely become my favorite of all of them. The 'special edition' featured in this boxset alone is worth the price of admission. Forget ALIEN RESURRECTION; it should have ended with this movie. If you're like me and consider ALIEN3 a magnificent standalone movie as well as great ALIEN movie, then you'll love this fully realized workprint version. I have minor problems with it, ones I'd love to see fixed (re-release another DVD of just ALIEN3, Fox!):

1. Bring back the necessary actors to improve on the ADR that's kinda scratchy in some of the restored scenes.
2. Update the CGI; get WETA or somebody to redo the alien and Ripley's suicide plunge :)
3. Put back in the 30 minutes that was cut out of the 'Making of' featurette (for those of you who don't know, it was originally called "Wreckage and Rape: The Making of Alien 3"... go to digitalbits.com for more info)
4. And don't forget.... DTS SURROUND SOUND!!!

Yeah, that'll probably never be done... but hey, who knows? I'll keep my fingers crossed :) Otherwise, I'll just watch all the discs in this boxset over and over (except RESURRECTION). BUY IT TODAY!

THE ULTIMATE ALIEN BOX SET!!!
What more could you ask for! The perfect box set! Any science fiction fan would love to have it!!!
MY RATINGS RANGE FROM 1-5, 5 being the highest, 1 being the lowest.

DISK 1: ALIEN
RATING: Theatrical Release-****
Director's Cut-*****
DIRECTED BY: RIDLEY SCOTT
Presented in Anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) with 5.1 DTS Audio.

Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerrit, Veronica Cartwright

Disk 1 contains the Theatrical Version (117 min) and the 2003 Director's Cut Version (137 min). Of course I would pick the Director's Cut. It contains footage that was never seen in the Theatrical Version. We also get Commentary with Ridley Scott and crew. We also get anamorphic menus.
Overall Alien is a Kick-Butt film that is scary and suspenseful!

DISK 2: Alien Special Features
Rating:*****

Disk 2 contains these wonderful special features that you will love to watch over and over! Nine brand new in-depth featurettes on the Making of Alien. Such as Creature Design, On Location, Casting, etc., deleted and Extended Scenes, Sigourney Weaver screen test, and more!!!

DISK 3: ALIENS
Rating: Theatrical Version-****
Special Edition-*****
DIRECTED BY: JAMES CAMERON
Presented in Anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1)

Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Lance Henricksen, Jenete Goldstein, Carrie Henn, Bill Paxton

Disk 3 contains the Theatrical release (137 min) and the Special Edition (154 min). The Special Edition I think is the best. A whole lot of never before seen footage was used to pack this Special Edition. Don't forget the commentary. Overall Aliens is an action packed thrill ride!!!

DISK 4: Aliens Special Features
Rating:*****

Disk 4 contains many mind blowing features!!! 11 brand new Featurettes!!! Including Weapons, Creature Design, On Location, Casting, and more! Everyone will love these featurettes!
They Will Blow Your Mind!!!

DISK 5: Alien 3
Rating: Theatrical Version-***
Special Edition-***1/2
DIRECTED BY: DAVID FINCHER
Presented in Anamorphic Widescreen (2.85:1)

Starring: Sigourney Weaver, David Fincher, Charles S. Dutton, Lance Henricksen

Disk 5 contains the Theatrical Version (114 min) and the Special Edition (155 min). I am not too big of a fan of this sequel. I think it's the oddball. I like the Special Edition the best. But in the special version when Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) jumps into the fire to keep the alien inside her from surviving, it doesn't show it burst out of her. In the original version it showed the alien burst out of her! And it didn't in the S.E.
We also get commentary with director and crew.
Overall this movie was average. Some of the computer generated alien effects were very fake looking.

DISK 6: Alien 3 Special Features
Rating:*****

Disk 6 contains 11 featurettes for this average movie.
Storyboards, still galleries, and much more!

DISK 7: Alien Resurrection
Rating: Theatrical Version-****
Special Edition-****1/2
DIRECTED BY: JEAN-PIERRE JEUNET
Presented in Anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) with 5.1 DTS Audio

Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Winona Ryder, Ron Perlman

Disk 7 contains the original and S.E. I guess I would have to go with the S.E. even though it only had 10 minutes added. It also contains commentary. Overall Alien 4 was pretty good. Great computer generated effects!!! Loved the Aliens!!!

DISK 8: Alien Resurrection Special Features
Rating:*****

Disk 8 contains 12 featurettes! First Draft screenplay by Joss Whedon, still galleries, and much more!!!

DISK 9: MORE BONUS FEATURES
Rating:*****

Disk 9 includes...
Theatrical Trailers and TV Spots for each Alien film
Comicbook Gallery
"Aliens in the Basement" Featurette
DVD-ROM (Script-to-Screen)

OVERALL: THIS BOX SET IS PERFECT!!! THE BEST I HAVE EVER SEEN!
EXELLENT BONUS FEATURES FOR CLASSIC MOVIES!!!

Superb
Though I did not become a fan of the Alien Saga until the Sequel Aliens. The first Alien movie did not do it for me and was just to plain and boring. But in the Sequel aliens with the MArines and all the shooting, not to mention the aliens were a little more scary looking and more aggressive, not to mention there were about 1,000,000 of them compared to the one little alien in the first movie. Aliens 3 was okay not as good as Aliens 2 but it was not a bad flick, but again there was only one alien and no guns to combat it with. Aliens Ressurrection was darn good with the guns and the way how they explain Ripley's return when she died in th third film, lots of shooting and lots of aliens, but was not as good as Aliens 2 although it did come close to being as good as aliens 2. Overall Aliens Quadrilogy is a must get although I find the first alien film relatively boring, it still is a must get particulary just to complete the collection, but other than that the remaining three are excellent jaw dropping thrillers worth watching over and over again.

the ultimate edition of the Alien saga
If you are a fan of the Alien saga, or a buyer of blockbuster movies, you must have this collection. Not only are the extras (see the Amazon review by Dalkin for all the technical details including; documentaries, commentaries, storyboards, illustrations and post-production notes) what you would expect from any serious DVD package these days, you also get two versions of each movie.

It is an interesting exercise to compare the different versions of each film. Alien Resurrection isn't altered much, and the director's cut of Alien is inferior to the theatrical version. Cameron's director's cut of Aliens enhances the original while a special edition version of Alien 3 (not endorsed by Fincher) is worth having, despite some flaws with sound and overall quality.

Some reviews have criticised the packaging and quality of the DVD's. My DVD's were in perfect condition with no scatches or glitches while playing. These complaints may be related to a certain batch, and couldn't possibly be typical of the product.

While the packaging isn't brilliant, these criticisms should not disuade any prospective buyer. If you take care it should last. But really, who buys a DVD package for the cardboard?

As I wrote above, if you are a fan of the series you must have this product. I also recommend collectors of box sets to invest in this superior product. I doubt the Alien saga box set can or will be improved upon in the future. This is the ultimate edition, despite a slightly cheap package.

oh my god
It does not get better then this folks. This box set is so damm cool and all four movies are great in their own way. The extras are okay but the extended versions is why you should buy this. 2 versions of all four movies on each disc. The box is very cool done but the case where the DVDs are held is poorly done. Buy this if you like alien movies or horror in general. ... Read more

Reviews (283)

Real animation.
As a sequel to the Alien trilogy, the general consensus is that 'Alien Resurrection' scraps the bottom of the barrel. It goes for melodramatic impact with predictable deaths and corny action movie one-liners. A massive setback for a highly acclaimed sequence of films but not a bad adaption of a comic book series. Indeed the premise behind 'Resurrection' seems to have been lifted mostly from the Dark Horse comic's 'Alien' stories. The characters are richly 2-dimensional. Bad acting? When you're playing a comic-book character, there's no need to wander through the depths of human emotion, just play it as it is on the page. Jean-Pierre Jeunet's style in his French language films do portray a highly animated sense of reality and much of the set designs and action sequences in 'Alien Resurrection' do seem to have been directly influenced by the comic stories. The previous films worked hard on displaying an imaginable sci-fi future, where human emotion and interaction still managed to take precedence over technology. In 'Resurrection' we are blasted with endless amounts of explosions and gore, the only tinge of humanity coming from an androyid (ironically played by the rather 'wooden' Winona Ryder).

I would love to see Jeunet tackle the sci-fi genre again, maybe a film where he could harness some of his own vision in the story, as well as in the direction. Terry Gilliam's 'Brazil' was a wonderful example of how a highly imaginative director could create his own pseudo-sci-fi world without the cuddly trappings of George Lucas. If you're a sci-fi comic book fan then, 'Alien Resurrection' is definitely one to see.

A Joke!
This almost doesn't even qualify as an Alien movie and feels more like some spin-off of the franchise and really ruins the power of the 1992 third Alien movie. Why would anyone want to clone Ripley and an alien anyway? The acting, even by Weaver is weak and this movie's plot is laughable! What a sad ending to a great movie series. It should've ended with Alien 3!!!!! End of story!

This final installment is on shaky ground.
1997's fourth installment in the "Aliens" movie franchise is my least favorite of the bunch for many reasons even though it also has it's own merits. In all honesty, while there's plenty of things to enjoy, this movie is missing something that made the first two movies so incredible and even the third one which has it's own flaws of it's own.

This movie takes place 200 years after the events of "Alien 3". Ellen Ripley's DNA has been successfully recovered and a mix of Ripley and the alien's DNA have been successfully cloned and now Ripley's 'descendant', actually a clone of her has been brought to life to wage her final battle against the predatory aliens that are now approaching the planet Earth. The 'new' Ripley has Alien DNA within her that makes her capable of 'caring' for the alien creatures. A band of vicious smugglers however comes on board to steal the Alien DNA only to discover that the new breed of aliens is more dangerous than any other ever before and now the aliens are hunting both 'Ripley' and the smugglers and now they must destroy the alien and prevent them from getting to Earth and also try to make it home alive.

This movie cuts both ways for me. While certainly not a bad movie overall, "Alien Resurrection" suffers the most from serious flaws more than any of the previous "Alien" movies. While the movie is enjoyable for its special effects and awesome action sequences, I for one agree with many that this was almost not even necessary to be made like this especially since the 1992 third entry was where it should've ended. A lot scenes are pretty gross to look at especially the ones where 'Ripley' tries to 'calm' down the alien creatures or even tries to act like some 'mother' figure to them. I for one feel that this movie is more of like some 'alternate timeline' movie spin-off of some sort that almost feels completely detached from the previous three and that it's almost like thrown together leftovers from them as well.

The cast is hit and miss for me. Sigourney Weaver as the 'new' Ellen Ripley is fantastic as usual and is the only one in my opinion who really carries this movie all the way through. Her character is still very good although a step or two down from the previous movies. The rest of the cast however really don't fare anywhere near as good. Winona Ryder really drops the ball on this one and the character she plays is boring and without character or personality even though she isn't as she is thought to be. The male cast comes off being excessively dry and unconvincing and one in particular is almost enough to tick you off at his attitude towards Ryder's character in this movie. The directing by Jean-Pierre Jeunet is really good and this combined with Siguorney Weaver's acting as usual really do a lot to make this flawed movie a good movie worth watching.

The movie has its merits though. The special effects are top-rate and the movie has a really suspenseful tone but it starts getting to the point that the formula has been a bit tried since it has already been done three times already. The newest species of alien is really scary and but the face and head look almost like a human skull or even a deformed Freddy Krueger. The movie is saved by a really awesome but gruesome ending which I'm not going to mention out of fear of spoiling it. The ending alone saves this movie along with the special effects. While many movie series seam to suffer from a pattern called the "Fourth Installment Syndrome/Curse" or whatever you call it with examples like "Batman and Robin" or "Jaws: The Revenge", "Alien Resurrection" avoids a lot of this with great special effects and awesome sequences. For a 'Part 4' movie, this really fares so well for a fourth installment and maintains some freshness even if the cracks in the franchise start showing through.

The "Director's Cut" edition of "Alien Resurrection" does little to improve this movie and is only like ten minutes longer than the original and of the revamped versions of all of the "Alien" movies, "Alien Resurrection" benefits the least out of them all and the result is disappointing. The movie also has a new intro to it. The second disc like the other films on their newest re-issues has lots of great extras with 'making of', commentaries, and lots of cool Easter eggs. There are plenty of extras in this movie that are worth looking at though and the DVD is really excellent. The picture quality was good to begin with but this "Collector's Edition" really improves the picture quality and the sound quality is amazing to the point that if you have surround audio speakers or can connect your TV to the stereo speakers, then it will feel almost like you're back at the big screen again! The final result for me is that this gets a rating that rounds off to 3 solid stars but at the same time, this movie while good on its own, just never can find it's own place against the shadows of it's predecessors and is ultimately a movie that is more for the die-hard Alien audiences.

Looking back on it now, I have to say that despite the weaknesses especially on the last two parts in the series, "Aliens" stands as one of the best sci-fi/horror/action movie franchises of all time and that Sigourney Weaver may be the most remembered by her roles in all of them.

THE DARKEST CHAPTER IN THE SERIES.
Some people think that "Alien 3" is the worst movie in the series. Others think that "Alien Resurrection" is the worst. I think that "Resurrection" is slightly better than "Alien 3", but I also think that we all agree that both "Resurrection" and "Alien 3" aren't even close to the level of excellency of the first two movies.

Anyway, "Alien Resurrection" does have interesting things: the atmosphere is dark and it's very stylish. Finally we can see a pretty face in the series, Winona Ryder plays a supporting role in this movie. Also, "Resurrection" has scenes packed with bullets, explosions and action.

However, "Alien Resurrection" also has low points. Yes, Winona appears here, but her acting talent is kinda wasted. Some plot twists feel very forced, and the movie has its share of grotesque and pointless scenes. But all those things are OK, however, the thing that I can't forgive as a fan of the series is the Alien / human creature, that thing is so grotesque and infamous that the damn thing makes that the final scenes look like an ultra-cheap horror movie.

In the final countdown "Alien Resurrection" still is good enough to score a solid 3 stars rating in my scale, but to be honest I would recommend you only the first two movies, "Alien" and "Aliens".

WHAT THE...?!?!
'Alien' was excellent. 'Aliens' was superb. 'Alien 3' was.. well.. it was okay. At least I found it to be a respectable sequel in its own right. But this... THIS?!!?! Let me just say 'Resurrection' should've been SHELVED AND NEVER HAVE SEEN THE INSIDE OF ANY THEATER!!! This movie sucks on so many levels it's unreal. Bad acting, bad plot, lame, boring, dumb... I still can't believe Sigourney Weaver would go along with such an inane project. Must've been the money, cuz reportedly she got a lot of it to play in this travesty. And what about that freaky 'Mummy Returns' reject of an alien at the end?? LAME!!!

Movie sucked. Stick with the first two definitely, and possibly the third... This one sucks big time. ... Read more

Reviews (283)

Real animation.
As a sequel to the Alien trilogy, the general consensus is that 'Alien Resurrection' scraps the bottom of the barrel. It goes for melodramatic impact with predictable deaths and corny action movie one-liners. A massive setback for a highly acclaimed sequence of films but not a bad adaption of a comic book series. Indeed the premise behind 'Resurrection' seems to have been lifted mostly from the Dark Horse comic's 'Alien' stories. The characters are richly 2-dimensional. Bad acting? When you're playing a comic-book character, there's no need to wander through the depths of human emotion, just play it as it is on the page. Jean-Pierre Jeunet's style in his French language films do portray a highly animated sense of reality and much of the set designs and action sequences in 'Alien Resurrection' do seem to have been directly influenced by the comic stories. The previous films worked hard on displaying an imaginable sci-fi future, where human emotion and interaction still managed to take precedence over technology. In 'Resurrection' we are blasted with endless amounts of explosions and gore, the only tinge of humanity coming from an androyid (ironically played by the rather 'wooden' Winona Ryder).

I would love to see Jeunet tackle the sci-fi genre again, maybe a film where he could harness some of his own vision in the story, as well as in the direction. Terry Gilliam's 'Brazil' was a wonderful example of how a highly imaginative director could create his own pseudo-sci-fi world without the cuddly trappings of George Lucas. If you're a sci-fi comic book fan then, 'Alien Resurrection' is definitely one to see.

A Joke!
This almost doesn't even qualify as an Alien movie and feels more like some spin-off of the franchise and really ruins the power of the 1992 third Alien movie. Why would anyone want to clone Ripley and an alien anyway? The acting, even by Weaver is weak and this movie's plot is laughable! What a sad ending to a great movie series. It should've ended with Alien 3!!!!! End of story!

This final installment is on shaky ground.
1997's fourth installment in the "Aliens" movie franchise is my least favorite of the bunch for many reasons even though it also has it's own merits. In all honesty, while there's plenty of things to enjoy, this movie is missing something that made the first two movies so incredible and even the third one which has it's own flaws of it's own.

This movie takes place 200 years after the events of "Alien 3". Ellen Ripley's DNA has been successfully recovered and a mix of Ripley and the alien's DNA have been successfully cloned and now Ripley's 'descendant', actually a clone of her has been brought to life to wage her final battle against the predatory aliens that are now approaching the planet Earth. The 'new' Ripley has Alien DNA within her that makes her capable of 'caring' for the alien creatures. A band of vicious smugglers however comes on board to steal the Alien DNA only to discover that the new breed of aliens is more dangerous than any other ever before and now the aliens are hunting both 'Ripley' and the smugglers and now they must destroy the alien and prevent them from getting to Earth and also try to make it home alive.

This movie cuts both ways for me. While certainly not a bad movie overall, "Alien Resurrection" suffers the most from serious flaws more than any of the previous "Alien" movies. While the movie is enjoyable for its special effects and awesome action sequences, I for one agree with many that this was almost not even necessary to be made like this especially since the 1992 third entry was where it should've ended. A lot scenes are pretty gross to look at especially the ones where 'Ripley' tries to 'calm' down the alien creatures or even tries to act like some 'mother' figure to them. I for one feel that this movie is more of like some 'alternate timeline' movie spin-off of some sort that almost feels completely detached from the previous three and that it's almost like thrown together leftovers from them as well.

The cast is hit and miss for me. Sigourney Weaver as the 'new' Ellen Ripley is fantastic as usual and is the only one in my opinion who really carries this movie all the way through. Her character is still very good although a step or two down from the previous movies. The rest of the cast however really don't fare anywhere near as good. Winona Ryder really drops the ball on this one and the character she plays is boring and without character or personality even though she isn't as she is thought to be. The male cast comes off being excessively dry and unconvincing and one in particular is almost enough to tick you off at his attitude towards Ryder's character in this movie. The directing by Jean-Pierre Jeunet is really good and this combined with Siguorney Weaver's acting as usual really do a lot to make this flawed movie a good movie worth watching.

The movie has its merits though. The special effects are top-rate and the movie has a really suspenseful tone but it starts getting to the point that the formula has been a bit tried since it has already been done three times already. The newest species of alien is really scary and but the face and head look almost like a human skull or even a deformed Freddy Krueger. The movie is saved by a really awesome but gruesome ending which I'm not going to mention out of fear of spoiling it. The ending alone saves this movie along with the special effects. While many movie series seam to suffer from a pattern called the "Fourth Installment Syndrome/Curse" or whatever you call it with examples like "Batman and Robin" or "Jaws: The Revenge", "Alien Resurrection" avoids a lot of this with great special effects and awesome sequences. For a 'Part 4' movie, this really fares so well for a fourth installment and maintains some freshness even if the cracks in the franchise start showing through.

The "Director's Cut" edition of "Alien Resurrection" does little to improve this movie and is only like ten minutes longer than the original and of the revamped versions of all of the "Alien" movies, "Alien Resurrection" benefits the least out of them all and the result is disappointing. The movie also has a new intro to it. The second disc like the other films on their newest re-issues has lots of great extras with 'making of', commentaries, and lots of cool Easter eggs. There are plenty of extras in this movie that are worth looking at though and the DVD is really excellent. The picture quality was good to begin with but this "Collector's Edition" really improves the picture quality and the sound quality is amazing to the point that if you have surround audio speakers or can connect your TV to the stereo speakers, then it will feel almost like you're back at the big screen again! The final result for me is that this gets a rating that rounds off to 3 solid stars but at the same time, this movie while good on its own, just never can find it's own place against the shadows of it's predecessors and is ultimately a movie that is more for the die-hard Alien audiences.

Looking back on it now, I have to say that despite the weaknesses especially on the last two parts in the series, "Aliens" stands as one of the best sci-fi/horror/action movie franchises of all time and that Sigourney Weaver may be the most remembered by her roles in all of them.

THE DARKEST CHAPTER IN THE SERIES.
Some people think that "Alien 3" is the worst movie in the series. Others think that "Alien Resurrection" is the worst. I think that "Resurrection" is slightly better than "Alien 3", but I also think that we all agree that both "Resurrection" and "Alien 3" aren't even close to the level of excellency of the first two movies.

Anyway, "Alien Resurrection" does have interesting things: the atmosphere is dark and it's very stylish. Finally we can see a pretty face in the series, Winona Ryder plays a supporting role in this movie. Also, "Resurrection" has scenes packed with bullets, explosions and action.

However, "Alien Resurrection" also has low points. Yes, Winona appears here, but her acting talent is kinda wasted. Some plot twists feel very forced, and the movie has its share of grotesque and pointless scenes. But all those things are OK, however, the thing that I can't forgive as a fan of the series is the Alien / human creature, that thing is so grotesque and infamous that the damn thing makes that the final scenes look like an ultra-cheap horror movie.

In the final countdown "Alien Resurrection" still is good enough to score a solid 3 stars rating in my scale, but to be honest I would recommend you only the first two movies, "Alien" and "Aliens".

WHAT THE...?!?!
'Alien' was excellent. 'Aliens' was superb. 'Alien 3' was.. well.. it was okay. At least I found it to be a respectable sequel in its own right. But this... THIS?!!?! Let me just say 'Resurrection' should've been SHELVED AND NEVER HAVE SEEN THE INSIDE OF ANY THEATER!!! This movie sucks on so many levels it's unreal. Bad acting, bad plot, lame, boring, dumb... I still can't believe Sigourney Weaver would go along with such an inane project. Must've been the money, cuz reportedly she got a lot of it to play in this travesty. And what about that freaky 'Mummy Returns' reject of an alien at the end?? LAME!!!

Movie sucked. Stick with the first two definitely, and possibly the third... This one sucks big time. ... Read more

Reviews (63)

A black comedy about having the neighbors for dinner...
What can you possibly say about a post-apocalyptic surrealist black comedy about the landlord of a decaying apartment building who creates cannibalistic meals for his tenants who are some of the weirdest characters you will ever find on film? This is a world in which protein is hard to come by and the little old lady across the hall is starting to look good. "Delicatessen," a 1991 French film directed by Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet, is certainly imaginative but equally rude, a world in which good taste is certainly a relative concept. Of all the tenants trying to avoid being served up as dinner by their neighbors, the best is the woman who keeps trying to commit suicide but whose attempts, um, go slightly astray (I will say no more). This film is certainly on my evolving list of Top 10 Black Comedies, certainly much better than "Eating Raoul," the obvious American cinematic counterpart.

This is especially for francophiles!
This movie is my all-time favorite and for many reasons. If you see it for no other reason, the coordination between the bouncing on the bed, cello playing, painting, mooing toys, etc is well worth it. This scene is a perfect example of why this movie is so amazing. I saw it for the first time on the Independent Film Channel and jumped at every chance afterwards to see it again. The characters are brilliant and you lose yourself in their quirks. Even those who don't speak French will appreciate the movie as a lot of the beauty of the film isn't in the dialogues, but in the style, backgrounds, and subtleties throughout. If there was one movie that everyone should see, this is it. It gives a nice picture of the dark side of humanity without being too frightening and preachy. Plus I am a big fan of Dominique Pinon.

A pity this isn't available
I find it hard to believe this isn't available on DVD when there is so much junk out there that is still available. This film isn't that old. I really hope they bring it out on DVD. I first saw it when I was learning French and years later when I could speak French. Both times it was great.

Dark movie shining bright.
If there is a Hollywood director closest to Jeunet, then it would have to be Tim Burton. Domnique Pinon's character brings to mind a French version of Edward Scissorhands or Ichobald Crane from 'Sleepy Hollow'. The out of place new guy who's blatantly unaware of the machinations that lie behind the faces he sees. In 'Delicatessen' Jeunet spends a lot of time focusing on faces and you get the feeling that it must have been a lot of fun casting this film. Each actor seems to have been chosen as much for their extraordinary face as for their acting abilities. Not a frame is wasted as every facial tick bears with it the same intensity of expression as every action sequence.

Like Burton, Jeunet also came to film direction through animated shorts and it's this animated sensibility that has given him the discipline and vision to create truly amazing live action films. Which is one of the main reasons why this subtitled film seems to be such a success with American audiences. It thrives on that most American of cinematic sensibilities, a heightened sense of unreality. Most European movies prefer to dwell on the emotions that lurk beneath the mundane aspects of everyday life. Not so stateside where such an elevation of the ordinary is met with the Homeric cry of "Bo-ring!" It's not surprising then that European directors such as Jeunet and Pedro Almodovar will continue to have success across the water as long as their fantastical and colourful stories glitter bright in the land that likes to dazzle.

STUNNED...
That was my impression after watching through this very strange movie.

I had started watching it expecting a "weird French film", and that was indeed what I got at first. I couldn't believe the atmosphere that the directors had created in this film, though I imagine it might have been somewhat familiar to some Francophones living in the destruction after WW2. The introductory sequence to this film is MASTERFULLY shot, and it raised my expectations quite a bit.
Unfortunately, the same level of energy didn't seem to last when the movie really started. The atmosphere was fantastic, yes, and the inventions that were made in this movie (a MUSICAL SAW?) were totally unique. However, no amount of weird atmosphere can amend a movie if the story and characters aren't up to the job. In fact, it's a lot harder to create good characters & plot for a movie like this, because the movie has to make sense within its own unique world and yet make us the viewers feel like something REAL is at stake.
For a while, it seemed like Delicatessen was only as deep as its cover; scenes whose only purpose seemed to be to show the inventions of the movie dragged on too long, and the various conversations that the tenants of the apartment building had (I'm assuming you know the general story here) seemed to have no meaning. The Troglodytes that came in about 1/2-way through also didn't quite seem to fit in.
However, by the end of the movie all was justified. I realized just what an enormous task the movie had done; this is not a story of just the two main characters, but a story of at about a dozen tenants of the apartment building. By the end of the movie, each tenant of the apartment building was portrayed as a unique individual, and each had their own story. These mini-stories are masterfully weaved through the main plot of the movie, and much to the movie's benefit, because I came to care for these secondary characters as much as for the main ones.

The movie was also DEEPLY disturbing for me to watch. It doesn't wince at talking about the subject of cannibalism, and the true worth of a human being. It was very disconcerning when I realized, near the end, that this movie had something to say about OUR world as well, and it was not a very approving message.

As strange as it may sound, this could really happen.
Watch the film, and think about it. ... Read more