Reviews (172)

Great movie and one of the best anime DVD's around
Perfect Blue is a strange and wonderful movie, and this DVD really does it justice. The menus are beautiful and fit the film perfectly, and the extras are refreshingly good. We actually get interviews with the three main actors and actresses who contributed their talents to the (pretty good) English dub; it's beautiful and kind of strange to hear them speak in a normal conversational tone about the film and its meanings. The interviews with director Satoshi Kon and Japanese voice actress Junko Iwao aren't as good, but at least they're there. Everything else is good for an anime DVD release, and the film... well, you have to see it and make up your own mind. A lot of people hate it and others (like me) think it's great; everybody will agree, though, that it's confusing as hell at times thanks to some crazy editing. The movie tries to take us into the psyche of a crazy person, and for this film that means not knowing what's real and what isn't. You really lose track of reality, because the screenplay keeps turning the old "The character wakes up and it's all a dream" cliche on itself. After a while you forget whether it's a dream or not, and you start to sympathize with the insanity of the various characters. It's a powerful and unusual film, one of those movies you keep thinking about six months after watching it, and I think everyone should experience its lunacy.

Will the real Mima Kirigoe please stand up?
Based on a novel by Yoshikazu Takeuchi, 'Perfect Blue' is one of those anime that successfully attempt the unexpected. Written and paced more like a Hitchcock film than the typical action film, this is a story where the psychological aspects are as compelling as the sometimes-ferocious action.

Mima Kirigoe is an idol singer, part of a moderately successful trio called Cham. Since the career life of these singers is, at best, a matter of a few years, Mima has decided to leave Cham to try her hand at being an actress. She lands a part in 'Double Bind,' a suspense thriller that will test her commitment in many ways, putting her in situations that some of her old fans find uncomfortable. This explodes into her life in a big way when Mima finds an internet website that purports to be written by her.

Whoever is writing the site knows too much about what Mima is going through, and she finds herself stalked by an unhappy fan that has developed a fixation on her. Soon people are dying in gruesome circumstances, and Mima becomes more and more confused about whom she really is and what is real. First time director Satoshi Kon is merciless, making sure that the viewer gets few clues about which reality is real and whether what one sees is in 'Double Bind,' 'Perfect Blue,' or in Mima's mind alone.

This is really a remarkable piece of work. Great care is put into artistic and musical values. It has striking graphic qualities without the viewer ever getting the feeling that the images are overwhelming the story. In addition, I particularly like the imaginative use of color. Of course, the use of music is particularly important in a film about Japanese popular entertainment figures, and Kon makes sure that the film lives up to aural expectations.

This is a rough, gripping film. Violence, murder, and rape are depicted with the deliberate intention of making the watcher uncomfortable. It skirts the edge of being offensive, and is sometimes classified as hentai - animated pornography. It isn't by my standards, but 'Perfect Blue' is graphic enough to offend some people. Take this into consideration before deciding to watch.

The best psychological thriller.
Perfect Blue is one of my all time favorite anime's by Manga. This movie is twisted with a damn good plot, it has some of the best animation and character design's you will find in an anime. It took me about two or three times watching this movie to fully understand what was going on but in time i finaly did, this movie is the s**t. I've loved it ever sence the first time i watched it and hopefully you will come to love it to (it is a masterpeace). I recomend it to fans of Manga Entertainment and to anime lovers, get into anime's for they will change your life.

I really wanted to like it
After I saw Millenium Actress and Tokyo Godfathers, I had the highest hopes for other anime by Satoshi Kon.

I guess he just set the bar so high with those movies that even he can't always meet the standard he created. Perfect Blue is watchable. It says some interesting, even disturbing things about what it means to change. It just didn't have the impact on me that the other movies did.

Severley Over-rated
I found Perfect Blue to be one of the most overhyped anime's to this day. I find little about which is original, memorable or interesting in any way. The story is a farce - anyone who watches mysteries or movies in general can pan out the plot by the middle of movie. What more evidence can you see about this anime's forgettableness then the fact that the last review was posted
August 2003? The animation is average, so is the sound.
I suggest those out there think about whether they really enjoyed this rather then echoing other reader's opinions, or the opinions of what they read on anime review sites. Imitating another reviewers opinion doesn't necessarily make you more open minded or knowledgeable about the whole anime scene. Learn to recognise a crap movie when you see one.
You want something mindbending? Watch Lain, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Akira...et cetera....oh and just for records, Cowboy Bebop is almost identical to Trigun which was made before it and has a much better storyline, humour and characterisation, and while Cowboy Bebop attempts to be a bit more 'adult', it lacks originality. Face it - you just want to jerk over the chick in the tight orange top. Metropolis is a peice of utter **** too. I've never seen a movie which could potentially make a human being go insane if seen a second time. Stay away from these anime's, people - they might represent popular anime culture but in every genre, there's the real deal and there's the commercially viable otaku wannabe fakes. ... Read more

Description

A testament to the goodness of humankind, Akira Kurosawa's Red Beard (Akahige) chronicles the tumultuous relationship between an arrogant young doctor and a compassionate clinic director. Toshiro Mifune, in his last role for Kurosawa, gives a powerhouse performance as the dignified yet empathic director who guides his pupil to maturity, teaching the embittered intern to appreciate the lives of his destitute patients. Perfectly capturing the look and feel of 19th-century Japan, Kurosawa weaves a fascinating tapestry of time, place, and emotion. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Touching Classic
As much as I'm a Mifune/Kurasawa fan I was concerned about the movie being three hours long when I saw the beginning. However after the story developed and gave us insight on the various characters I didn't want it to end. As usual the charismatic Mifune gave a powerhouse performance as Red Beard the head Doctor of the clinic who was very compassionate to his patients as well as those who surrounded him. It's just a pity that this was the last project Kurasawa and Mifune did together. Their collaboration remains sheer magic.

Touching last collaboration; epic on the psychological scale
As Kurosawa intended, the story is a morality lesson for us and details the transformation of a vain young doctor by his internship at a clinic for the poor -- headed by Red Beard (Dr. Niide played by the great Mifune-san.) Despite the incredibly realistic set and great performance by the actors, some of the various subplots can seem too melodramatic for even the slightly cynical. However, there are many unforgetable characterizations and bone-chilling scenes (eg. the calling of the name of a dying boy, Chobo, into a well) that portray an ideal of human goodness all too absent from today's films. Mifune shows off his star power in an incredible action scene also...if you need some incentive to sit for this generally fantastic film , which took an excruciating 2 years to make (a very long production for Japanese films then and now.)

One of the master's best.
Having recently seen "Red Beard" for the first time, I was taken by two things. First that Coppola's "White Dwarf" is a clear-cut remake of this film. Second that this one the best three hours I have spent watching a movie in a very long time.
There is a soul and heart in this film that is lacking in most movies and enough to say that it artfully uses it 3 hours with grace.

Kurosawa's many last things
For those of you who don't know, Red Beard is without a doubt the last film of Kurosawa that is absolutely exceptional. Moreover, this film marks the end of many things for the director. First of all, this is the last movie where he works with Mifune. He spent nearly two years making this! It's understandable that they probably had their differences, which must have put quite a strain in their relationship. Red Beard is also Kurosawa's last black and white film. To most film fans of this genre, this is believed to also be his last film that shows so much emotion and complexity towards humans. One of the things I enjoyed most about this film was the cinematography. There are so many awesome scenes that Kurosawa films through wide lenses and long takes (Which I love). The musical score varies in emotion. This also has one of my favorite endings from a Kurosawa movie. While Seven Samurai had to be one of his best, this one was made after more than twenty years of experience from the most famous director in Japan, if not the world. In other words, Red Beard is the highest point of cinematic perfection for Akira Kurosawa.

Red Beard, black and white emotions
Magisterial and impeccably executed, a perfectly designed, crafted, and carpentered movie. But, very stiff and wooden. Kurosawa's films up to Yojimbo were memorable for their sense of tension. Kurosawa always had a sentimental sermonizing streak, which, however, was thankfully held in check with vitality drawn from European and American influences. Red Beard seems to be modeled on the didacticism of Confucius. Kurosawa portrays the character of Red Beard as noble teacher and the poor as the salt-of-the-earth. Just when Japanese cinema was moving in exciting new directions, Kurosawa made his most old-fashioned movie. Still, it's a work of such fine craftmanship, care, and perfectionism, with such dedicated performances from everyone involved that it has to be considered a masterwork if not exactly a masterpiece. ... Read more

Reviews (34)

A classic of world cinema
The classic film that brought Brazil's bossa nova music to the world outside, this was a wry modernist update of the classical Greek myth of Orpheus and Euridyce, the starcrossed lovers whose passion could not be denied, even by all the powers of Hell. The film is adapted from a bold stage play written by Brazilian poet Vinicius De Moraes, who enlisted a then-unknown Antonio Carlos Jobim to compose the classic bossa tunes that stud the films soundtrack. In this version, Hell is a blend of the futurist modernism that created Brasilia, the sterile and unappealing new capital of Brazil, and the heedless bacchanalia of Carnaval; Vinicius's vision of the lower rings of Hades as a bureaucrat's office is a stroke of pure genius. I first saw this film when I was in high school; viewing it again as an adult steeped in Brazilian popular culture, I certainly got a lot more out of it. Although some Brazilians (prominently, Caetano Veloso) chafe at the fact that this version was directed by a European, director Marcel Camus, I think it's still safe to say that it is a brilliantly made film. Heavy on the textual symbolism and, yes, a bit voyeuristic in its depictation of the happy natives dancing to their catchy samba rhythms, but brilliant nonetheless. It also captures a moment in time -- Brazil's transition into a modern nation, and the heady days before the 1964 coup -- in a way that is precious and ineffable.

poetry in color
tragic love triangle story of simple,passionate people in modern day Rio De Janeiro. You will be deeply affected by the plot,unfolding during carnival time,filmed on location.Artfully blending romance and reality,while allowing the viewer to set aside the appalling poverty of Rio's favellas. The musical score is classic in its genre,the scenic ,practically birds eye,views of Rio are breathtaking,and will linger with you long after you watched the final scene. Standig out,among many memorable scenes,is the religious-spiritual ceremony,in which orpheus seeks contact with his loved one,through a clever spiritual medium. Lovers of Brazilian music are sure to enjoy a musical pearl at the beginning,played by a marching band. The movie,to me,is as powerful today,as when I first saw it,a masterful blend of passion and stark reality,based on Greek mythology.

a good film with famous music
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

This movie is credited with brining Bossa nova music into the spotlight. It is well deserving of this credit as the music is groundbreaking for an internatinal release.

The movie itself is based loosely on the classic Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Only this time it takes place during Brazil's famous Carnival. (similar to our Mardi Gras) The film itself is well written and has good acting. The DVD has an optional English language dubbed soundtrack, but I would suggest watching it in Portuguese as dubbing is often done by bad actors. The DVD also has a theatcical trailer that was used in France.

Spicy
This 1959 adaptation of the Greek myth thrilled me.It is quite rare that I am entertained by books turned into movies. Even though the setting (in Rio de Janeiro,Brazil at Carnival)undeniably differs from the original, I truly admire this film.

A Sad Story
This was a great film but it was sad. Eurydice is being chased by death (a dude in a death mask but the actual grim reaper) and we never know why. Perhaps Eurydice was supposed to have died and she somehow cheated death but she finds Orpheus while visting her cousin only Orpheus is engaged to Mira, a crazy but beautiful woman who immediately becomes suspicious of Eurydice. This film was made in Rio and the cinematography was wonderful considering how dated this film actually is. Be warned that it's subtitled and that it's a pretty depressing ending. ... Read more

Description

Giulietta Masina won Best Actress at Cannes as the title character of one of Fellini's most haunting films. Oscar® winner for Best Foreign Language Film, Nights of Cabiria (Le Notti di Cabiria) is the tragic story of a naive prostitute searching for true love in the seediest sections of Rome. Criterion proudly presents the restored director's cut in a breathtaking new transfer. ... Read more

Reviews (48)

Ah, Fellini, Masina!
A prostitute whose life is a veritable study in the resilience of the human spirit is the subject of "Nights of Cabiria," directed by Federico Fellini. Giulietta Masina stars as Cabiria, a gentle soul at heart who manages to maintain a positive outlook even in the face of adversity. Experiences that would leave those of lesser mettle jaded she is seemingly able to ward off and emerge from intact, with a guarded optimism that nevertheless leaves her open to whatever ills life may have in store for her next. But it is just that optimism and her sense of joy in the simple things that makes her so endearing. She is proud, for example, of the fact that she owns her own house, hovel though it may be. Though not one to be easily duped, she is vulnerable to sincere persistence, which has in the past rendered her victim to those who would take advantage of her, which is succinctly established in the opening scene of the film. Fellini's film is a study of how good may succumb to evil, and yet still triumph in the end (though open to subjective interpretation). It's something of an examination of endurance; how many times can one be knocked down before finally being unable to stand back up again. At the same time, however, it's an example of how purity can prevail against even the utmost cruelty. There is a humanity manifested in Cabiria that somehow gives absolution, not only to her lifestyle, but to those who would willingly do her harm. And it is in that very same absolution that we find a message of hope and redemption. As Cabiria, the diminutive Masina gives a performance that is nothing less than superlative, filled with nuance and expression. She has a face and a manner that convey an unbelievable depth of emotion, and Fellini captures every bit of it with his camera to perfection. It sometimes seems that she is a sprite merely masquerading as a woman; she has a light, almost ethereal presence, though at the same time she exhibits an earthy quality that gives her character such complexity, which removes any semblance of stereotype one may assign to her character as a "lady of the evening." It is a heartfelt, memorable portrayal that quite simply should have earned her an Oscar for Best Actress. Turning in a noteworthy performance, also, is Francois Perier, as Oscar D'Onofrio, the stranger who comes into Cabiria's life with an offer that ultimately seems too good to be true. The supporting cast includes Amedeo Nazzari (Alberto Lazzari), Aldo Silvani (The Hypnotist), Franca Marzi (Wanda), Dorian Gray (Jessy), Mario Passante (Cripple in the "Miracle" sequence), Pina Gualandri (Matilda), Leo Cattozzo (Man with the sack) and Polidor (The Monk). "Nights of Cabiria" is a film of extraordinary depth that is beautiful as well in it's humanity; Fellini has created images, both visually and emotionally, that are stunning and indelibly realized. Highlighted by the performance of Giulietta Masina, this is a film that begs to be embraced, one that will stay with you long after the last shadow has passed from the screen into darkness. In Cabiria, Fellini somehow touches something eternal, for there is a lasting sense of innate goodness about her that simply cannot be forgotten. For seekers after wisdom and truth, this is definitely a film that must not be missed.

a pretty nice film
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

The film's original title is "Le Notti di Cabiria" and was later remade as the film Sweet Charity with Shirley MacClaine.

This film is the story of a prostitute trying unsucessfully to find true love. This edition includes a famous "man with a sack" scene that was cut from from the film and is shown for the first time on home video. The film has good acting and some scenes with great humor.

the special features on the DVD include the original trailer, an audio interview with producer Dino DeLaurentiis, a video interview with Fellini's assistant, Dominique Delouche (conducted at his apartment in Paris) A scene from the film "The White Sheik" which was later released by Criterion, and a demo of the restoration.

The restoration is very impressive and shows how they were able to take a film that had faded severly and make it look almost brand new. The demonstration alone, is worth renting the DVD. If you like Fellini's movies, Buy it.

Another classic that has left me COLD-but I warm easily
"La Notti Di Cabriria" is a fine showcase for the goofball charm of Giulietta Masina. I have no doubt that it has reduced many a mighty soul to tears and trembling. The story is tight and conveyed with authority and conviction. I am certain that this is a "good" movie that most people enjoy thoroughly. I'm going to back and watch it again, but as it stands, it just didn't move me like I expected it to. I can't very well give it a higher rating until it impacts me emotionally.

Still, I recognize that the film has an exceedingly dirty feel to it. Everything from Cabriria's occupation to the filthy beggars crying out for Grace from Maria --reek with a pestilence that cannot be washed off. The film is ugly--and Cabriria is presented like a little beacon of light to guide the viewer through the stinking pit of civilization. Masina does a fine job conveying the sufferings and triumphs of her character. I'm just not a big fan of these types of stories--I watched it because it is a Fellini film and I am trying to work my way through all his work. I will watch this again after I've made more of a dent in his output. I'll probably see it in an entirely different way and perhaps may even like it more.

Ultimately, if you love rooting for the little gal, this film is for you. She is very much like Chaplin's "little tramp" and you will enjoy observing her gritty determination to climb every mountain with a song in her heart. Watch it when you are not cynical, open to sweetness, and not afraid of the tyranny of the sun.

Collector's Gem
Quality counts with the folks at The Criterion Collection, not just technically but in content too. This is one of Fellini's most fully realized films and the nostalgia and unflinching gaze that pervades all his best work is present in every frame. Everyone mentions Giulietta Masina's performance and there's a reason for that. She is brilliant. One of the most heart wrenching performances ever put on film. The DVD includes the "Man with the Sack" sequence that producer Dino de Laurentiis (more recently the production powerhouse behind the Hannibal Lecter franchise) excised from the original release. One can understand why a producer would want to trim it out - but its inclusion here makes the film seem larger somehow and Criterion should be applauded for putting it back in. This DVD is a vital part of your Fellini DVD Collection should you be assembling one. And you are, aren't you?

poignant
I had never seen anything by Fellini when I picked up this movie. Not expecting much, I was astounded by the amazing performance of Cabiria by Masina. Masina gives the Cabiria character tenderness, vulnerability and comedy. I have never before or since seen an actress with the expressions of Masina, she was truly something special and a delight to watch. The transformation of the Cabiria character from beginning to end is fascinating to watch. The movie leaves the viewer with a lot to think about in regards to humanity, grace and kindness. ... Read more

Description

"Beefcake," Thom Fitzgerald's (The Hanging Garden) provocative blending of fiction and documentary, tells the story of Bob Mizer, the pioneering founder of the Athletic Model Guild, a company which produced still photographs and short films extolling the beauty and chiseled physiques of men. The fiction story follows photographer and enterprising businessman Mizer, who teamed up with his mother in 1945 to film his beefy star-wannabes around his sun-drenched pool. It is here that Neil, a naive, right-off-the-bus teen is lured into using his handsome looks to become a model. The wide-eyed Neil soon learns about the world of sex and prostitution. But a police raid and ensuing criminal trial soon threaten both of the men's worlds. Interspersed with the story are rare archival footage and interviews with former co-workers, customers and models. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Phony baloney!
The most frustrating thing about this film is the lackadaisical way it moves back and forth between engaging interviews and authentic 50s/60s film footage and the silly, flacid narrative about a physique magazine photographer who involves his unwitting (?) family in the creation of benign bordello/porn factory. Clearly, the beefcake pictoral magazines depicted were intended to be erotically provokative in an era of censorship when postal regulations prevented anything more graphic from being distributed. But the filmmaker seems devoid of a point of view. The film is little more than a blown kiss to a blessedly bygone era. Any perspective setting comes from the talking heads, the former models (like Joe Dallesandro and Jack LaLanne) and photographers who reflect on what it was like to be in the business back then. Also, frustrating was the failure to address the issue of the prevailing double standard; at a time when Hugh Hefner was taking female nudity into the middleclass mainstream, why was the male body such a persistant taboo? As clever as the intercutting of new and vintage footage is, the vintage films are best appreciated when run in their entirety as DVD "extras" (there are six in all, including one involving alien spacemen with antennas!). Watching them provokes a lot of questions. But alas, the viewer is left to come up with his or her own answers. This could have been the "Atomic Cafe" of gay erotica, but instead it's an after-school special with a little eye candy thrown in.

Please Pass the Beef
First of all, for those of you out who like straight-forward plot lines with twists and turns throughout, object to male nudity and get bored if something doesn't blow up in the first 15 minutes - then do not watch this movie.

As for the rest of us, who can appreciate intelligent mock-u-mentory styled films, "BeefCake" is a fabulous way to spend a Sunday evening. Through flashback sequences, photo clips and interiews with ex-hustlers/models from the 1950's, we receive the story of Robert Henry Mizer and his Athletic Model Guild. The movie jumps around a bit between Mizer's history with his pulp art magazine, his legal troubles for running escorts as well as the interviews, which makes one wonder how scatterbrained director Thom Fitzgerald really is. But the acting is good, the scenes are funny/interesting and there's plenty of male nudity to go around. Where can you go wrong?

Just OK.
An interesting film, respectful and with a touch of humour. Not a "must see" material but nothing I felt sorry after buying it.

With a title like Beefcake...
...you don't expect Shakespeare! But what you do get is an incredibly entertaining look at the birth of gay society's fascination with the male form. If the viewer can tear his attention away from the bountiful eye-candy he/she will also get a glimpse into the hardships and very real dangers that these seemingly cheesey photographers and publishers went through just to give us a glimpse of the body beautiful. Part movie, part documentary...all delightfully delicious!

Nudity galore!
Beefcake is a light-hearted, semi-documentary about the life and times of a muscle-magazine, Physique pictorial. Published during the puritanical 1950ies, it made quite a stir.

PP was the original hunk-o-rama, with hundreds of smiling, tanned and muscled young men flashing their goods at you. Of course, it was not strictly a nude-mag (the models wore small pouches in front of you know what..) but the gay readers had a field time anyway! The publishers also made short films featuring their hunky stars. It was all marketed as "promoting health and physical fitness in young minds"

Looking back at those "innocent" times from this liberal day and age, we can only smile at the cunning and bravery that went into it. The brains behind PP, Bob Mizer, was actually jailed and fined several times on charges of renting out his models as escorts to rich men. Still, the mag continued into the 60's and 70's.

Watching Beefcake is like flipping through those pages of PP, stopping occasionally for some reconstructed dramatic scenes. But the best parts are watching the guys modelling, doing some amateur acting in front of Mizer's camera and generally horsing around. Great fun!

There are several interviews with the guys who posed for the mag, one of them, Joe Dallesandro, apparently did his posing mostly nude! There is, in fact, copious nudity in Beefcake, and the men are all fabulous looking.

There are some great contemporary songs on the soundtrack, as well. A good time movie for the (mostly) gay crowd. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Pedro Almodóvar scored his first international hit with What Have I Done to Deserve This?, cementing his reputation as Spain's bad-boy director of darkly comedic melodramas. Many of the themes that dominate Almodóvar's later films are evident here, especially his sympathetic affection for downtrodden women like Gloria (Carmen Maura), an exhausted housewife who's addicted to No-Dōz tablets and spends 18-hour days cleaning apartments and tending (just barely) to her teenage sons (one deals drugs, the other offers sex to local perverts), neglectful husband, and looney-tunes mother-in-law--all of whom have a particular knack for getting on her nerves. Toss in a prostitute neighbor, an accidental murder, and a pet lizard named "Money," and you've got the makings of a soap opera by way of Luis Buñuel and John Waters, served up with Almodóvar's distinctive blend of compassionate humanity and kinky outrageousness. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Dark Humor Gives the Film its Edge
As a North American, one is subject to films which are essentially shallow, mindless and repetitious. Rarely is there a film that comes as a surprise. However, Qué he hecho yo para merecer esto offers a completely different cinematic experience. Pedro Almodovar's use of dark humor in Qué he hecho yo is what I found most appealing. The film takes a peek into the lives of the members of a poor working class family and explores their many problems in a tragic but comic way. The film opens with a shot of an enormous apartment complex similar to "the Projects" of the United States defining the films dark aspects and the tragic situation of the family. Soon, the close up takes us into the tiny apartment which is decorated in humorously bad taste, "kitsch". This allows the audience to relax and laugh as it reveals the film's dark humor. Furthermore, the film deals with subjects such as prostitution, child molestation, adultery, murder, drug addiction, and poverty. What I found most interesting was the way in which Almodovar manages to poke fun at these issues. A North American film would never even dare to mention child molestation unless it suggested that the criminal would end up dead, however Qué he hecho yo presents a mother who allows her young son to live with his homosexual dentist after he makes advances towards the boy at his practice. Interestingly, it is one of the films funniest moments. Hence, the film is truly a must see for anyone wishing to escape the monotony of American cinema and who enjoys an unconventional dark comedy.

"No-Doz" are caffeine pills
In Pedro Almodovar's fourth film "What Have I Done To Deserve This?" Gloria (Carmen Maura) lives in a tiny high-rise flat in Madrid which she shares with her boorish, lazy taxi-driver husband, Antonio, their two sons--one is a drug pusher and the other is a teen male prostitute, and Gloria's selfish mother-in-law who hoards her own supply of mineral water and cakes in a locked cabinet. Gloria scrapes by with a pittance doled out to her by her begruding husband, and she cleans homes and businesses to supplement their meagre income.
Gloria exists to serve and clean up for those she lives with, but underneath that harried housewife exterior boils a woman of passion--the film makes that clear very quickly, but will Gloria ever have the opportunity to be more than an unpaid maidservant? Gloria looks around at the four walls of her squalid tiny kitchen, and wonders how her life got to this point. She copes with her miserable, joyless existence thanks to an addiction to caffeine pills, but when she runs out of tablets one day, Gloria explodes.
Almodovar films always include deep friendships and loyalties between women, and "What Have I Done To Deserve This?" is no exception to this rule--Gloria's best friend and confidante is Cristal (played with great good humour by Veronique Forque). Cristal is a chatty prostitute who dreams of going to America. Her free-spirited ways are a threat to Antonio who can't really contemplate a woman like Cristal--a woman who may rent her body out temporarily, but she still remains owned by no-one. Cristal is Almodovar's prostitute with a heart of gold. She finds extra work for Gloria, and Gloria's friendship with Cristal eventually leads to trouble. Some of the best scenes in the film involve Cristal--her open approach to life is hilarious, and some of the scenes with her clients are priceless--the professor who is doing 'research' and the exhibitionist who needs more than Cristal to make up an adequate audience. This is darker than some of his later films, and the bleakness may prove difficult for some viewers to see the film. But the comedy is there--black comedy, but comedy nonetheless. The juxtaposition of the television romances next to the squalor of Gloria's real life are marvellously laced throughout the film. Keep an eye open for the dentist who wants to "adopt" Gloria's youngest son, Miguel. Due to themes and language ... this film is not for the kiddies

Classic Almodovar
This Almodovar classic from the early 80's is an excellent dark comedy. Great characters such as the next door prostitute, the little redhead girl with telekinetic powers, the cheap grandma, the impotent policeman, the gay dentist, the two writers, and so on make for an interesting watch. Many classic lines are found in this one, like the newlywed who gets her face burnt from her husband spilling coffee on her "I'll never forget that cup of coffee" and "I'm diabetic? oh, I always forget at dinner time?"
This film is not really driven by plot, but rather by the characters' lives. Like all Almodovar movies, it is a piece of art, a meditation and a comical look at life, sexual orientation, coincidence, destiny and love.

"Wouldn't happen to have a whip, would you?"
In Pedro Almodovar's fourth film "What Have I Done To Deserve This?" Gloria (Carmen Maura) lives in a tiny high-rise flat in Madrid which she shares with her boorish, lazy taxi-driver husband, Antonio, their two sons--one is a drug pusher and the other is a teen male prostitute, and Gloria's selfish mother-in-law who hoards her own supply of mineral water and cakes in a locked cabinet. Gloria scrapes by with a pittance doled out to her by her begruding husband, and she cleans homes and businesses to supplement their meagre income.

Gloria exists to serve and clean up for those she lives with, but underneath that harried housewife exterior boils a woman of passion--the film makes that clear very quickly, but will Gloria ever have the opportunity to be more than an unpaid maidservant? Gloria looks around at the four walls of her squalid tiny kitchen, and wonders how her life got to this point. She copes with her miserable, joyless existence thanks to an addiction to "no-doze" sedatives, but when she runs out of tablets one day, Gloria explodes.

Almodovar films always include deep friendships and loyalties between women, and "What Have I Done To Deserve This?" is no exception to this rule--Gloria's best friend and confidante is Cristal (played with great good humour by Veronique Forque). Cristal is a chatty prostitute who dreams of going to America. Her free-spirited ways are a threat to Antonio who can't really contemplate a woman like Cristal--a woman who may rent her body out temporarily, but she still remains owned by no-one. Cristal is Almodovar's prostitute with a heart of gold. She finds extra work for Gloria, and Gloria's friendship with Cristal eventually leads to trouble.

Some of the best scenes in the film involve Cristal--her open approach to life is hilarious, and some of the scenes with her clients are priceless--the professor who is doing 'research' and the exhibitionist who needs more than Cristal to make up an adequate audience.

While "What Have I Done To Deserve This?" isn't my all-time favourite Almodovar film, nonetheless, I do re-watch it from time to time, and it really is a great film. It is darker than some of his later films, and the bleakness may prove difficult for some viewers to see the film as a comedy. But the comedy is there--black comedy, but comedy nonetheless. The juxtaposition of the television romances next to the squalor of Gloria's real life are marvellously laced throughout the film. Keep an eye open for the ... dentist who wants to adopt Gloria's youngest son, Miguel. Due to themes and language ... this film is not for the kiddies--displacedhuman--www.Amazon.com Reviewer.

Great dark comedy
Almovodar's Best! (Terrible first date movie, however, with the opening sex scene). Humor along the lines of "Eating Raul". ... Read more

Amazon.com

Federico Fellini's breakthrough film, the 1953 I Vitelloni, is one of the cinema's seminal stories about slacker males, and a highly entertaining one at that. Following the unfortunate failure of his comedy The White Sheik, Fellini prepared to shoot La Strada (he would release that early masterpiece in 1954), but decided at the last minute to make an autobiographical feature about mischievous, drifting, 30-ish losers in a small, seaside town. I Vitelloni clicked with international audiences and remains an obvious influence on such later classics as Breaking Away and Diner. But there's nothing like Fellini's almost self-mocking fusion of gritty neo-realism with the audacious, illusionary style he would later be entirely linked. The ensemble comedy follows the ever-diminishing fortunes of five young men who can't define, let alone jump-start, their dreams, particularly the caddish Fausto (Franco Fabrizi), who thinks nothing of molesting the wife of his father-in-law's best friend. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Eye of the Needle is a superbly effective World War II spythriller from the Ken Follettbestseller of the same name. Donald Sutherland is "the Needle," a German spy in England bearing critical information on Allied invasion plans that he must deliver personally to the Führer. He's so named because of his preferred method of assassination, the stiletto. As played by Sutherland, he's a coldly calculating psychopath, emotionlessly focused on the task at hand, whether the task is to signal a U-boat or to gut a witness to avoid exposure. On his way back to Germany, a fierce storm strands him on an island, occupied only by a woman (Kate Nelligan), her disabled husband, and the lighthouse keeper. A romance of sorts develops between the woman and the spy, due to an estrangement of affections between the woman and her husband, whose accident has rendered him emotionally crippled as well. Much of the suspense of the latter half of the movie has to do with this romance, and the way it begins to reveal the Needle's motivations and whether there's a sympathetic personality buried somewhere inside him, though he remains by-and-large tantalizingly enigmatic. Early on, we discover that he may not enjoy the hand life has dealt him. When a courier asks him about the way he lives, and "What else can one do?" the Needle answers, "One can just stop." But as the film makes amply clear in its final third, one doesn't stop, does one? The direction by Richard Marquand (known primarily for thrillers such as this one and Jagged Edge, although he also did Return of the Jedi) is crisply done, boasting numerous suspenseful episodes, including a deadly encounter between Sutherland and the disabled husband, which is jaw-droppingly surprising. --Jim Gay ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Marvellous.
Sutherland and Nelligan are brilliant, in this old favorite of mine. It's the kind of classic spy movie you never get tired of. However, I think you probably need to be familiar with the movie already, in order to really appreciate it. -By that I mean, its pace might actually be a little too slow for someone watching it now for the first time. But this of course happens to be one of the many good things about it; it takes the time it needs to tell the story, establish the mood and the cold persona of the ruthless "Needle". (It's quite sad to think just how much most certainly would've been considered a waste of time, and ended up on the cutting-room floor if made today.) The picture on the DVD is quite good and sharp most of the time, especially the outdoor-scenes at daytime. By the way, there's an aternative ending of the movie in existence (with cop Bannen arriving by helicopter), and it would've been nice if MGM had included it as an extra bonus treat. Still, this simple tale is a true classic and well-worth getting.

Finding a needle in a hay stack
There are not enough stars to describe this movie. As with any movie, if the entire book " ISBN: 0451163486" were portrayed, the movie would take eight hours "Audio Cassette ISBN: 1561000116." Therefor they could only show the relevant parts and had to do some voice over action to explain the missing logic. But they did not change the plot or the essence of the plot. And I would not think in a million years that Donald Sutherland would be picked to play Henry Faber. Yet now that I see the movie, He is the only person that could be believable as an attractive aloof German spy. Where did they find Kate Nelligan, who played Lucy so well? The island "Isle of Mull, Scotland, UK" looked just like the book. I am glad this is on DVD, as the as tapes tend to ware out.

A PIERCING NEEDLE
Donald Sutherland has tended to be one of our finest actors, overlooked and dismissed by many critics. Sure, he's done some floppers (e.g. Virus), but in this movie he shows why he's such a riveting performer. He plays the Needle, a cold, psychotic killer, who is a German spy and holds the key to knowledge of the D-Day invasion. He ends up shipwrecked on a lonely island, inhabited only by a reclusive cripple and his devoted, if lonely, wife. Kate Nelligan (so good in "Dracula" with Frank Langella) is perfect as Lucy, the woman whose need for love leads to an affair with the Needle. Christopher Cazenove turns in a good performance as her husband, whose bitterness over his auto accident, has turned him into an uncaring, selfish man. Director Richard Marquand keeps the movie moving at a leisurely pace, but packs some powerful suspense scenes; the score by Miklos Roza is admirable, and the scenery is lush and beautiful. I havent' read Ken Follett's novel, but this is a great movie and hopefully did it justice.

Happy Petersen
MARVELOUS, keeps you rivitrd to the story. One of my favorite Follrt works. ZThe book is sensational. I edon't have a DVD

Magnificent.
This saga of a German WWII spy is absolutely fantastic. Donald Sutherland turns in a wonderful performance as Faber ( a great performance is not always given by Sutherland).

The use of the stiletto to enforce Faber's secrets is truly an inspired touch by the director.

This movie is tragic, yet cunningly directed and acted. All of this while starring relative unknowns (excepting Sutherland).

This is definitely the best spy movie of all time. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Watch a REAL Indian dance sequence
We begin in a small village. It is monsoon season (nearly as requisite to an Indian film as tumbleweeds in a Western). Our protagonist has returned from the big city to visit his family. His father is a pretentiously orthodox Brahmin, a pillar of his community (of which he repeatedly reminds anyone who will listen to him). One day a butterfly flaps its wings in Paris, and the resultant gust of wind blows up a Muslim woman's veil -- after a single glimpse of her face, our hero is irrevocably in love.

Several dance sequences and illicit meetings later, the parents of the two find out, and the results are as hideous and explosive as if a black man had whistled at a white woman in Mobile, Alabama. The couple go to Bombay and, after some amusing post-nuptial frustrations, have children.

At that point, the movie becomes more serious, with scenes from the Muslim-Hindu riots of Bombay in the early '90s. Being a Bollywood movie, after all, some pieces are cartoonishly done (watch the part where our hero gets to save his family), but the truth of the riots is present and terrifying.

The movie was well shot, the principals are both very charming, and the dance sequences feature plump, dark women -- a very nice slice of life if you've been watching too many Kareena Kapoor/Shah Rukh Khan extravaganzas.

This is certainly my favorite Bollywood musical, it's very sincere and sweet.

Must see
For those you want a nice movie filled with a good story line, not heavy on emotion and above all a scintillating music this is a good movie to see.

Made with the backdrop of the Bombay communal riots, doesn't offer a solution, but instead shows the pain and suffering of common people.

the only negative was that the censor board decided to cut scenes which were objectionable to Bal Thackery and his goons nad also to appease the Muslim community. ... Read more

Reviews (83)

This movie is deliciously German
I now love Tom Tykwer! He created 2 amazingly complex and believable characters and then spun them into a world so spellbinding and original that I don't even know where to start...

First of all the cinematography is breathtaking. I've been to the city of Wuppertal, but I NEVER saw it like this. The shots of the Schweberbahn were otherworldly. And the heartbreaking shots of Sissi in her yellow raincoat, the psychiatric hospital she lives in, Bodo's messed up life, etc.

Second of all the pacing. As with Run Lola Run, Tykwer creates an original pace unique to this movie. This one is much slower and calmer than Run Lola Run, but never lags or becomes dull. Tykwer creates a realer than real-life, postmodern esthetic--simultaneously drawing the viewer into a mesmerizingly believable, deliciously dark German fictional world and at the same time using all kinds of cool, surprising film techniques to create an itching sense of Verfremdung (aka alienation) and the uneasy awareness that you're watching a freaky posthuman fairy tale.

Third of all, although neither Sissi nor Bodo are the kind of people I normally hang out with, Tykwer made me love them. Hats off to him for creating characters who are so flawed and, in some ways, scary and at the same time making them endearing.

I can't wait to gluttonously feast on all the other Tykwer films I can get my hands on!

Better than Run Lola Run
Before I saw The Princess and the Warrior I had certain expectations because I had been a fan of director Tom Tykwer's masterpiece Run Lola Run. But this is a totally different bird. While Tykwer wrote The Princess and the Warrior with actress Franka Potente in mind, the film focuses on not only her character Sissy but also her set-up-by-fate love interest -- the troubled ex-military man Bodo (portrayed by Benno Furmann).

Set in the beautiful German town Wuppertal, The Princess and the Warrior tells the story of how Sissy, a nurse in a mental institution going through the motions of her life and living more for those around her than for herself, escapes her reality and tries to find love with a mysterious man named Bodo, a man who is so wrapped up in troubles of his own life and who is in so much pain over the loss of his wife that he cannot even begin to emotionally deal with Sissy's affections.

Without going into much more detail, this may sound like your average girl-meets-boy love story... but it's not. Like Tykwer's Heaven -- and even, in some ways, like Run Lola Run -- Tykwer's characters are written so that they appear to be destined to be together he always adds plot twists to make sure their relationship doesn't run smoothly, or even traditionally for that matter.

Sprechen Sie Deutsch?
Run Lola Run would be a hard act to follow, but German actress Franka Potente has out done herself again. She potrays a young nurse at a mental hospital, whose life is semi dull until she gets in an accident, and meets her soul mate. She then goes on a journey looking for her savior, hoping it will change her boring life. Together they struggle through many situations, while overcoming there own personal demons.

If you liked Run Lola Run, or just looking for a deep movie buy The Princess and the Warrior. I am a German major in college, and have watched many German movies, this is by far the best!

One of my favourite sentimental movies in the whole world.
This is an excellen movie from Tom Tykwer after the Run lola movie. Franka and Benno Fuermann are very good actors and make the watcher believe every part they play. The story is very deep and very great filmed. I love also the music. The main title is sung by skin (skunk anansie) and to hear at the end of the film, called "you can't find peace".

Not just another heist movie. [4.5+ stars]
Two individuals cross paths in a most unlikely manner: after Sissi, a psych ward nurse, gets struck down by a truck Bodo, a disturbed and violent man, runs to her safety and saves her life. From this point in time both of their lives become forever intertwined, although not always in a healthy and positive manner. While Bodo just wants to let events rest in the past Sissi becomes obsessed with him and won't leave him alone. She frequently ponders whether her rescue of Bodo was an act of fate or coincidence, and as the events of this film unravel the audience is also perplexed at the true meaning.

Meanwhile Bodo and his brother are planning a bank heist and desperately wish that Sissi would leave them both alone, even to the point of throwing her out in the middle of a rain storm. But Sissi is relentless to reach out to the disturbed Bobo and the demons that lay in his head.

There is little doubt that this is a dark and twisted film -- but at the same time it is entertaining and engrossing. The character development is finely executed resulting in a finely tuned film full of action, emotion, and depth. It's a shame that I never heard of this DVD only until recently. Why? It truly deserves more publicity and praise. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Amazon.com

F.W. Murnau's last German production before leaving for Hollywood is avisually dazzling take on the Faust myth. Pushing the resources of the grand oldGerman studio UFA to the limits, Murnau creates an epic vision of good versusevil as devil Emil Jannings tempts an idealistic aging scholar with youth,power, and romance. The handsome but wan Swedish actor Gosta Ekman plays themade-over Faust as a perfectly shallow scoundrel drunk with youth, and thelovely Camilla Horn (in a part written for Lillian Gish) is the young virgincourted, then cast aside, by Faust. The drama falters in the middle with atedious courtship and bizarre comic interludes, but the delirious images of theopening (Jannings enveloping a mountain town in his dark cloak of evil) and thehigh melodrama of the climax (Horn desperately clutching her baby whilecrawling, abandoned and lost, through a snowstorm) triumphs over suchshortcomings. The sheer scale of Murnau's epic and the magnificent play oflight, shadow, and mist on his exquisitely designed sets makes this one of themost cinematically ambitious, visually breathtaking, and beautiful classics ofthe silent era. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Epitome of an Epic
For all intents and purposes, this is THE silent film to own, if one can own just one. It has everything. Drama, special effects, comedy, allegory, myth, good vs evil. Murnau is a director par excellence and displays his visionary propensities to splendid effect in this classic Goethe tale. The inimitable Emil Jannings plays a hearty, red-blooded Mephisto. Jannings as a silent screen actor invokes in one look, or a singular movement, what some contemporary actors could not hope to capture within a fete of endless dialogue. Camilla Horn plays a heartbreaking Gretchen, and the scene in which she wanders the snow with her dying baby is as evocative as it gets. Grab a hankie and do not feel shamed to find yourself swept along for the ride, of which there is a most splendid one included in this film, where Faust and Mephisto glide above a world in miniature. Amazing, exhilarating, absorbing. You shan't be disappointed.

Murnau's Best!
Murnau's interpretation of Goethe's brilliant epic is by far his best film. Ever overshadowed by the more popular "Nosferatu," "Faust" shows a creativity and ingenuity rarely seen in film making since. Murnau's genius shines through every shot of the film.

Emil Jannings, a staple of German expressionist film, steals the show as Mephistopheles capturing perfectly the malicious glee which Goethe depicted. Camilla Horn is the perfect tragic figure in the role of Gretchen, amazingly pulling off the character's fall into insanity. Gösta Eckman, though the least memorable of the three, plays Faust well, clearly illustrating his arrogance and intelligence.

It is, however, Murnau himself who truly makes the film shine. From Mephistopheles' unleashing of the plague to Gretchen's wanderings in the snow, every shot is magic. His use of effects far beyond their time is not overbearing but truly effective in illustrating the story. It is honestly his best film, far outclassing the rest.

Kino has done a nice job in its distribution and restoration of the film. The orchestral soundtrack fits the film for the most part and the transfer was done well, leaving a very enjoyable silent film.

I could not recommend this film more.

faust
on one level this is a supreme accomplishment in visual imagination and a special effects extravaganza. it brims over with overwhelming, powerful, sublime images. the world really seems veiled under an evil spell. sinister sense of doom pervades through every valley, seeps thru every crack.
human intellect, will, imagination, and even hope all seem helpless against or easily tricked by the temptations of worldly glory. murnau's use of images is allegorical, illustrating how the inner sanctum of the human soul is easily reached by the sharp yet seductive claws of darkness. it is bleak and tragic, showing us how we are either damned by being denied what we most desire and for what we would sacrifice to attain that which is denied us. the saddest yet the most beautiful thing in the movie is its view of death, that perhaps only death can liberate us from this life, as a moment of realization, acceptance, and resignation. indeed, is there anything more meaningful in this life than to die with final illumination of the self, the meaning that resolves all contradictions?

This is why we have movies today!
Do you know that many older people dream all or in part in black and white? Our dreams (and perhaps that is what movies are) were framed by our visions of movies and TV. Murnau's, "Faust" is one of those visual images that sets in your mind and comes forward when you reflect on movies. It is that good, it is that powerful. Like his later movie, "Sunrise," Faust is a visual feast that is more colorful in black and white than it could possibly be in color. (I ALWAYS maintain that Kurosawa is more colorful in b-&-w than in color)
The story is simple. It is the story of Faust, a man who sells his soul to the Devil. The movie does slow down in the middle. But the imagry of the beginning and the end are worthy of the finest film crafting of all time.
I taught histoy for many years and an important facet of history is getting and understanding of where the world of today came from. We have cars because 100 years ago people grew fond ofr cars. We have airplanes because 100 years ago people grew to want planes. And we have movies because 100 years ago people made them part of their lives. Faust is one of those beautiful works of art that people love then and can still admire today.
Praise goes to Kino for producing a clear well scored DVD of a work of art for us to study and admire.

Stunning reproduction and photography, good art film
I'm not a silent film buff. But the story of Faust was enough of a temptation. The black and white photography, alone, makes this worth watching. The textures, gray tones, and authentic and artistic style kept me a captive audience. The orchestral soundtrack is something you would expect from Wagner. All in all, an excellent viewing experience. ... Read more

Reviews (176)

An Unexpected Delight
Jim Jarmusch doesn't do films like anyone else and let's all say a big 'thank-you' for that. With 'Ghost Dog', he demonstrates an understanding of Japanese culture and film traditions than far exceeds the likes of Tarantino, and at the same a connection to contemporary hip-hop, the likes of which hasn't been seen in celluloid since 'Do the Right Thing'.

The film centres around the eponymous hero, a black hitman, or 'retainer' as he puts it, for a local mafia clan, who follows the Samurai code, meditating and practising his swordplay in his modest rooftop hut which he shares only with his pigeons. In this role, Forest Whitaker puts in an outstanding performance full of understated power and pathos, at once bulky and balletic, that emphasises how criminally neglected he is, and indeed black actors are more generally (Washington and Berry's Oscars notwithstanding), by Hollywood.

Ghost Dog is estranged from the city as he struggles to follow his archaic code of honour, his only human connections made to a Haitian ice-cream vendor who speaks only French, and a little girl who loves reading. They aren't the only ones: coping with the absurdity of the uncaring city, its bleakness, poverty, lonelines and racism is a key theme in 'Ghost Dog'; those who survive need something to connect them to the real and to the transcendent: at one point, Ghost Dog and his Haitian friend come across a Hispanic man building a full-sized boat on a nearby roof-top, a labour of love that has no practical use.

The film is infused with genuine but very edgy humour: Ghost Dog's almost empathic understanding with the ice-cream vendor somehow transcends their mutual linguisitc imcomprehension is joyous and affecting. There are some genuine moments of slapstick and absurdity from the outdated, incompetant and decidely dishonourable mafia men who give Ghost Dog his orders and eventually decide to have him eliminated, in particular their leader's bizarre love of Public Enemy's Flavor Flav, and their inability to cope with Ghost Dog's carrier pigeons.

The sound-track by the Wu-Tang Clan's RZA is a far more complex jazz-inflected hip-hop confection than you might have hoped for, meshing perfectly with the moodily-filmed cityscpes, and he also makes a very brief - but perfectly judged - cameo appearance!

Occasionally you stumble across a film that turns out to be an unexpected delight. 'Ghost Dog' is one of them.

what is this rubbish?
I think this movie COULD have been great. There are some funny moments: the icecream man scenes, and the mob members trying to catch those pigeons. But this movie was bizarre, and it dragged. There were countless shots of birds flying in the sky...no kidding. It was painful to watch from the begining to the end, i had to take frequent breaks to work my morale back up. I'm very glad i borrowed this from a friend instead of paying money to see it.

Whittaker Shines
Forrest Whittaker is certainly one of our most talented and underrated actors. This role probably allows him the greatest latitude to express a wide range of emotions since he starred as Charlie Parker in Clint Eastwood's "Bird" or in the gender-bender "The Crying Game." As Ghost Dog, he winds his way through Jim Jarmusch's script with grace & depth.

In adopting the way of the Samurai, GDog latches onto Louie, a mid-level mob boss played by John Tormey. The mix of cultures is a familiar Jarmusch theme that is exceptionally well realized in this DVD. One of the most interesting aspects of the film is GDog's relationship to his French-speaking best friend Raymond. The two often converse, not understanding each other's language but almost mirroring each other's thoughts as the subtitled French indicates. Isaach de Bankole does a great job as the ice cream truck-driving friend. Also very pivotal to the film is the wonderful screen time given to Camille Winbush as Pearline, a child who GDog loans a copy of Rashamon to. There is a great rapport between the two.

The Italian crime bosses are ironically played for laughs with Cliff Gorman's inept mob boss front & center. As Vargo, Henry Silva who has such a great ethnic look and has played in "Dick Tracy" & "Oceans 11" does a great job of being hard-edged and incompetent. His daughter Louise is a witness to one of GDog's early executions and eventually orders Louie to perform the hit on our star.

With the aspects of carrier pigeons and a guy building an arc on a city rooftop, we see numerous interesting cultural aspects and humor combined in the drama. This is an interesting film melding Asian culture with modern crime, kind of a Hip-Hop version of Kung Fu. Whittaker keeps us glued to the screen for a most interesting performance. Enjoy!

Good, could have been great
I liked this movie for the most part but it was the ending that put me off. I really did not want to see Ghost Dog die in that way, at the hands of a white man who did not understand him or his philosophy. I wish that Forrest Whitaker's character could have shown more determination to fight and survive, with more of what the samurai author of Hagakure would have called "martial valor". But then isn't it the juxtaposition of the cold, efficient samurai code with this gentle, somewhat bemused giant part of what makes the film interesting? Come to think of it, the samurai were more concerned with an honourable death than with mere survival. A better ending, at least for me, would have had Ghost Dog choosing, at the very last moment, to survive rather than follow the samurai code into the grave.

Surreal and entertaining
This was another gem from the director Jim Jarmusch, who previously brought us the incredibly underrated zen spaghetti western Dead Man. Which mixes some of the same elements, taking several genres, and blending them together in a believable and respectful way.

Forest Whitaker is playing the main character. A street punk who follows a bushido code and considers himself a modern day samurai. He lives his life by this strict code of honor, and has pledged his life to a mobster who saved him. So he works for this gangster as a contract killer. Never questioning the reasons for his killings, just like a samurai, there is no good and evil. You follow your the will of your master to the death. Through all this you definitely get the feeling that he is alone in this world of his, duty is what concernes him. His only friend is an ice cream vendor that doesn't speak english, just french, which Forest Whittaker's character doesn't.

The second part of this film is the Mafia themself. A comical group of broken down gangsters who are starting to show their age. They are having trouble making their bills, and are suffering from internal conflicts. Obviously their glory days are long gone, and they seem to be waiting for the inevitable.

This movie blends to the two genres well, making them both entertaining and believable for the premise. As we all know the Mafia lost most of it power through the late 70' to the mid 90's. They show this with the age of the mobsters and the fact that they can't even make their bills. The Bushido code wasn't practiced on a grand scale since World War 2 with the Japanese, when they lost the war, a lot of that part of their culture started to dissappear from their lives. So you have two groups that were once held a great deal of power and respect, but now are a shadow of themeselves, being slowly forgotten.

He also manages to make this as surreal as his previous pictures. Not like the sledgehammer to head stylings of Greg Arraki, or force fed surrealism of David Lynch, but more subtle. Lots of people watch cartoons, there are silent interludes where ambiant soundtracks play and you just feel the intensity of the main character, the world has a subdued and detached feel to it, like you are looking from the outside in, the philosophies still hold relavence today despite their age,......

All in all it is a very good movie. Be warned it isn't an action movie, dont' expect any John Woo style gun fights or sword wielding killers, that isn't what this is about. It is something deeper and more introspective. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Although Sunshine was made by a Hungarian, István Szabó, and deals with the history of Hungary as refracted through three generations of a Jewish-Hungarian family, you might be more inclined to give it three hours of your own life if you approach it as a David Lean movie in spirit. It is an English-language picture, and Maurice Jarre's music recalls his score for Doctor Zhivago. Szabó emulates Lean's intimate-epic style of merging the sweep of history with the crystalline detailing of individual lives, so that the shape of destiny is glimpsed through personal moments that feel at once evanescent and eternal. His lighting cameraman, Lajos Koltai, is one of the handful of cinematographers equal to capturing these moments in lapidary images--cinematic sunshine of the highest order.

"Sunshine" is a literal translation of Sonnenschein, the family name of the central characters. And "destiny" is one meaning of Sors, the name three Sonnenschein offspring choose for themselves to better assimilate as subjects of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Two are brothers, Ignatz (Ralph Fiennes) and Gustave (James Frain); their sister (by adoption) Valerie (Jennifer Ehle) is really their cousin. Both men love her, and Ignatz rocks the ultratraditional family by taking her as his wife. Nevertheless, the Sonnenscheins and the Sors enter upon the 20th century in loving solidarity, grateful to live under a liberal and tolerant regime. That's all swept away by the Great War, the rise of Nazism, and its replacement, the new fascism of Stalinist Communism. Valerie survives them all--though she's played later on by Rosemary Harris, Ehle's own mother. For his part--or parts--Ralph Fiennes goes on to embody two later generations of Sonnenschein/Sors men, the proudly patriotic Adam and his son, the rudderless Ivan, whose guilt over being a compliant prisoner at Auschwitz leads him to buy into the passionate puritanism of the Stalinist purges. Fiennes rises to the awesome challenge of creating three utterly distinct characters who all share the same congenital weaknesses and aching potential for greatness.

This is a film of considerable beauty and sometimes shattering power. Even three hours is not enough to do justice to all the characters, all the wrenching turnarounds of history and political allegiance and rectitude. But the film is never less than gripping, and as an essay on "family values," it's well-nigh definitive. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (55)

GLORIOUS. BUT COULD HAVE BEEN AN EPIC.
Can't remember the last time I sat through a movie for a full 3 hours, but Sunshine had me riveted. What a glorious message of love and joy subordinating almost every other pursuit in our lives.

We follow the travails of a Hungarian family through three generations -- and three political/ideological regimes. The first forty minutes are replete with their own elaborate costume sets and gorgeous locales of Budapest. The second and the third generations depicted find themselves smack in the middle of the Holocaust and the follow-up Stalinisque regime. As the Sonnenchiens (the Sunshine family) live through these times with a great loss of life and blood, there're also invaluable lessons to be learnt.

I felt the movie did not sufficiently capitalize on the emotions between men and women except for the first Sonnenchiens. Instead, there's a lot of unnecessary nudity. I'd be stupid to mind seeing Rachel Weisz (The Mummy) and Deborah Kara Unger (Crash) in ecstasy but it got to be almost redundant because the man was the same, Ralph Fiennes playing a different generation. The music for such an epic could have and probably should have been much more memorable, it was just any generic symphony you'd expect from a romanticized epic-mode film.

But these are petty quibbles. Like other movies of its kind, e.g., "House of Spirits" or "American History X", Sunshine certainly has its faults, but its messages about tolerance, humanity, and redemption are absolutely glorious.

For a 3 hour film, the DVD could surely have done a lot better by breaking the movie into Sors I, Sors II and Sors III sections. It is still a very worthy rental especially if you care about period peieces, political ideas, Ralph Fiennes, or Hungary.

take my wife please
A lighthearted romp through Hungarian history, "Sunshine" follows the trials and tribulations of three generations of the Sonnenshein family. Ralph Feinnes, in great comic form here, plays all three roles: Grampa, Pops and Junior. While the director was obviously thinking of structuring this movie along the lines of Alec Guinness's great "Kind Hearts and Coronets," in which Guinness played (I think) seven roles, many times "Sunshine" seems to have more in common with an Eddie Murphy film like "The Klumps." Be that as it may, the laughs keep coming when the recipe for the fabled health drink, which has brought the family fame and fortune, becomes lost. Add a few crazy women as love interests (including Deborah Kara Unger who seems ready to reprise her role in "Crash" here) and you've got the kind of film Mel Brooks used to make before "Blazing Saddles." "Sunshine" also has its serious side, as it is set against the backdrop of WWII and Stalin's pogroms. Still, in the tradition of Chaplin's "The Great Dictator" and Jerry Lewis's "The Day the Clown Cried," the serious undercurrent never gets in the way of some inspired sight gags, fabulous one-liners (listen carefully during the "pass the salt sequence") and general silliness.

What a fantastic movie!
This movie is a must-see!
It is a relativly long movie but you won't feel the length since it is very amusing and it absorbs all your attention so well that you barely notice the passage of time.

Epic multi-generational view of the last century in Hungary
By taking a slice of Hungarian history spanning roughly the last century, this movie chooses a historical setting which provides a concentrated message of human frailty and idealism amidst social and political change. In this microcosmic world of a century of Hungarian history, we encounter some broader familiar themes of social mobility (both economically and politically) of a religious minority in a country with its own conflicted sense of national identity through different political regimes. Ralph Fiennes (of the more familiar movie "The English Patient") superbly plays multiple roles, as a male member of three successive generations of a Hungarian Jewish family, spanning the end of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the two World Wards to (briefly) modern post-communist Hungary. Fiennes' presence throughout this movie in multiple roles lends a curious continuity to several recurrent themes in this tale of political and family loyalty and betrayal. Haunted by the image of his impotence at watching his father being tortured and killed in front of several hundred Jewish prisoners, the leading male character struggles to expiate his guilt and avenge the shadowy forces of anti-Semitism. But his own ideals are dashed as his police interrogator role in communist Hungary leads him to confront the hypocrisy of yet another regime in which ideological purity and political expediency are hard to distinguish. With his own fanatical commitment to pursue the fascist elements in post World War Two communist Hungary, the leading character shares much in common with his grandfather's loyalty, as a high level magistrate, to the monarchy of a crumbling empire of which Hungary was a part, and with his father's blind faith in the willingness of the newly recreated Hungary to assimilate a Jew who converts to Catholicism as he also becomes a national Olympics fencing hero. In the end, all three characters of three generations of the same family become victims of different political regimes, all of which learn to use their willing victims as pawns who become betrayed with their blind loyalty. Oddly, it is the several women characters who invariably become amorously entangled with different male characters, who seem most skeptical of the promises of different regimes. Unfortunately, it is not often we find this kind of epic movie which personalizes large swathes of history through the saga of several generations of a single family - and it is often compared to Dr. Zhivago. Highly recommended.

A masterpiece of WWII storytelling
If you were appalled by films such as Schindler's List, wait till you see this one. Many people consider WWII storytelling an exhausted topic, which is simply not true, as witnessed by the popularity of The Pianist and Adrien Brody's consequent though well deserved stardom.
"Sunshine" has all the elements of a great movie. A top of the line cast, to start with Ralph Fiennes whose performance is superb (in my opinion Fiennes' greatest masterpiece). You might be put off by the length of this movie, though the story carries itself very well. Simply told, it will move you. ... Read more