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Unanimously hailed as one of the greatest masterpieces in the history of the motion picture, Seven Samurai has inspired countless films modeled after its basic premise. But Akira Kurosawa's classic 1954 action drama has never been surpassed in terms of sheer power of emotion, kinetic energy, and dynamic character development. The story is set in the 1600s, when the residents of a small Japanese village are seeking protection against repeated attacks by a band of marauding thieves. Offering mere handfuls of rice as payment, they hire seven unemployed "ronin" (masterless samurai), including a boastful swordsman (Toshiro Mifune) who is actually a farmer's son desperately seeking glory and acceptance. The samurai get acquainted with but remain distant from the villagers, knowing that their assignment may prove to be fatal. The climactic battle with the raiding thieves remains one of the most breathtaking sequences ever filmed. It's poetry in hyperactive motion and one of Kurosawa's crowning cinematic achievements.This is not a film that can be well served by any synopsis; it must be seen to be appreciated (accept nothing less than its complete 203-minute version) and belongs on the short list of any definitive home-video library. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (294)

Epic tale even though it's decades old.
I was simply amazed watching this film at how simple the tale was but at how masterfully crafted and told the story was written. This movie will seriously play upon your emotions and only a cold hearted person, without emotion wouldn't be able to connect to this plot. Compassion, sadness, desperation, love and triumph are all prominent in this film. And the balance between these elemenys is impeccable.

The cinemetography is masterful. There is an intense to detail. Every shot is masterfully done. The atmosphere will pull you right in. The acting is top notch and there absolutely no room for improvement in the script. It's just hard to say something bad about it. Even being a foreign film, Japanese too -[and you know Japanese and Chinese movies have a lot of mythology involved that is hard for us Americans to understand.]- but the plot is truly one that is worth high praise. Seven Samurai is a roller coaster of emotions and it gives an indepth view into the mind and soul of the warrior spirit. Seven Samuari is the best movie I've seen in a long time and definately one of the greatest movies of all time. I'd gladly recommend this movie to anyone. 5 glowing stars. 10 if they were possible.

Few better than this, anywhere
Quite possibly one of the five or six best movies ever made, anywhere. Simple tale of a peasant village forced to hire samurai to defend them from mountain bandits gains incredible gravity and power as it moves along. Film encapsulates so much of the human condition it's hard to tabulate it all: politics, warfare, violence, the human need to persevere in the face of terrible odds, and on and on. All performances are superb: the everyman-ish Takashi Shimura as the eldest samurai bespeaks great heart and intelligence; Toshiro Mifune as wild-eyed Kikujiro is unforgettable and scene-stealing. Final 45 minutes are unbelievably violent and fast-moving even by today's standards, and never let the viewer out of their grip. Has spawned a host of remakes (most notably "The Magnificent Seven"), as has Kurosawa's "Rashomon", but few if any measure up to the power of the original. Original 208m edition is showcased here on DVD in the correct 1.33:1 aspect ratio; beware shorter prints with much of the drama butchered out. Hard to go wrong with this one in your collection.

a classic that inspired many tributes
A reviewer once wrote that the most amazing thing about Seven Samurai is that one-and-a-half hours into the movie, we're still in the character development part, and nobody's even noticed the movie has been running that long already. sure, it's not for everybody, especially for those who grew up with mostly Hollywood commercial fare that last 70-90 minutes. but for even the borderline film enthusiast, the Seven Samurai is a treat. Here, some of Japanese cinema's greats (Kurosawa, Mifune, Takashi Shimura) come together at the perfect time, to do the perfect job. Here, possibly, is the greatest movie of all time, and you are watching it.

the best special feature, the commentary track, is very detailed, in fact at some point, it is annoyingly too detailed! but if you want to know why toshiro mifune's acting was over the top, or where he was born (Manchuria), or why millet seems so low compared to rice, or why the light seems to change during the scene where we first see Kanbei Ishima (the bald, dignified leader of the samurai, here portrayed by Takashi Shimura), then the commentary track is indispensable. I've seen this DVD twice, with commentary on, and with commentary off. It's quite easy for me since I don't understand Japanese anyway, so the dialogue comes to me strictly through subtitles. needless to say, I highly recommend watching it in the manner I described.

there have been many "tributes" to this movie, from the obvious (The Magnificent Seven, The 13th Warrior), to the not so obvious (Disney/Pixar's "Bug's Life"). In all of them, the idea that a band of warriors would come to the rescue of an obscure village for nothing more than a bowl of rice (what, not even meat to go with that?), or in the case of "Bug's Life" nothing more than the chance to finally give a good show, seems ridiculous and unbelievable. As many reviewers have posted, the wretched farmers don't even deserve sympathy. Until you realize (the commentary helps a lot on this) that these samurai agreed to take the job because it gives them a chance to do what they do. They went there because once again, they can prove themselves worthy.

Must be understood to be watched...?
Watching the 'direction' in this movie, and others by this director, is like seeing the first ever 'lace-up' shoe or the first ever internal-combustion engine. You may happen to appreciate that the 'overused' ideas, employed in the film, were used there for the first time; the originality pervading the movie from beginning to end alongside gritty and convincing acting. However, it is still subject to a style of story-delivery that was original 50 years ago - that modern film watchers are jaded with.
To avoid a long spiel: if you hate black and white; if long silent scenes with no music overplay; if obscured scenes and dramatic angles are not your thing, you just won't enjoy this film. No matter how much of a masterpiece it is. Know your limits, people. And stick to Titanic. This film isn't for you. Now go. Leave.

PS: (...)

Seven Samurai
Akira Kurosawa's heroic tale of honor and duty begins with master samurai Kambei (Takashi Shimura) posing as a monk to save a kidnapped child. Impressed by his bravery, a group of farmers begs him to defend their village from encroaching bandits. Kambei agrees and assembles a group of six other samurai, and together they build a militia with the villagers while the bandits loom nearby. Soon the raids begin, culminating in a bloody battle. ... Read more

Amazon.com

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

Amazon.com

Opening with a Dido theme song and featuring character-driven, sweet-natured melodrama, Roswell was a show with a surprisingly dedicated fandom, who twice won it reprieve from cancellation. One of its main strengths was, of course, the extent to which its premise--alien teenagers trying to sort out their identities while emotionally involved with their human contemporaries--was a free-floating metaphor for race and sexuality issues. Another was the strong ensemble that its cast developed: you believed in the strangeness of the alien trio and thewell-intentioned normality of their three humanfriends. Jason Behr gave the alien Max a quiet authority and Majendra Delfino took the sidekick role of Maria and gave it both intensity and fine comic timing. It was also a show in which you were never sure which adults you could trust--William Sadleir trod a fine line of ambiguity as the local sheriff and Julie Benz was silkily sinister as an FBI agent. Anyone who ever loved this show will want these DVDs--and many others may want to find out what the fuss was about.

Roswell is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. The special features include commentaries on six episodes by writer Jason Kanims, the directors, and various cast members as well as a featurette on the making of the show and another on its adaptation from the original Roswell High series of young adult novels. The commentaries are unusually insightful on the casting process, and the discs also include the auditions for the part of Tess as well as a deleted scene and a music video. --Roz Kaveney ... Read more

Reviews (189)

Disappointed in the extras, but the DVD's still pure Roswell
I received a review copy of this DVD. All of the extras that they promise are not actually on the DVD. There is one deleted scene and six episodes with commentary, but there are only two featurettes and one audition tape for Emilie de Ravin. No outtakes or anything like that.

The only other real disappointment was the change in some of the songs within the episodes. 'Heatwave' doesn't seem the same without Santana pounding out 'Put Your Lights On' during Michael and Maria's first heavy make-out scene. And while the 'new cutting-edge song' that the Roswell music team found for that scene at the window in 'Independence Day' was an appropriate song, I kept hearing 'Run' in my head while Michael stood outside in the rain.

In spite of all this, the DVD set still exemplifies why season 1 was the best season of Roswell. Even though some of the songs have changed, the picture is crystal clear - a lot better than most of my tapes are right now. And the commentaries offer a lot of insight into behind the scenes on the Roswell set. Listen to Shiri and Majandra comment on Sexual Healing and Crazy. Those are probably the best two.

If you're a fan, buy this set. If you're not a fan, buy this set and realize why so many people fought so hard to save Roswell two seasons in a row. While the extras aren't everything that was promised, the DVD itself brings back enough memories to make it worth it.

You're from Up North??!?!
Why did I not watch this show until the DVD? I was afraid it would be BUFFY meets DAWSONS CREEK -- BUFFY's CREEK or DAWSON THE VAMPIRE SLAYER. Teen shows were hot at the time, and it was hard to keep track! ROSWELL came along quietly with its Sci Fi metaphor - the alienation you feel as a teenager expressed by three aliens...the space kind. It was a totally new way to revel in the timeless drama of ROMEO AND JULIET - impossible first love. Nowhere NEAR as violent or dark as BUFFY, and also more mystical than DAWSON's CREEK - ROSWELL stands on its own quite well in this DVD set covering the first season.

The story is about alien teenagers who live as humans in Roswell, and the impact they have when their secret is outed when a random act of violence forces one of them to save the life of a girl he has loved from afar. Secrets fester, and love rears its head as the whole town begins to suspect something is up ... especially when the FBI comes in under everyone's radar. I gauge good Sci Fi by how much it explores what it means to be "human", and this series does that EXTREMELY well.

The DVDs are in widescreen, and have commentaries scattered throughout. 23 episodes, and a couple of featurettes -- one on the making of the series, and another about the BOOK SERIES this show was based on. A GREAT CAST, a wonderful pilot and set-up, beautiful music (Dido's "HERE WITH ME" in the opening fits so well!), and solid stories make this definitely a DVD to check out.

Why Not?
I really never liked the show when it was on the WB and UPN, that's cause i didn't give it a real chance. After being stuck home for days, because of surgery, with noting on the tv I decide it looked interesting. So i sat and watch a Marathon that lasted from 8am to like 5pm and I really enjoyed it. I didn't want it to end. So Now i watch it on scifi every day at four pm. It the perfect show for people who beleive in fiction storys. And i am one of those many people. I enjoy Roswell, Charmed, Smallville, and some more great shows. But i am sitting her thinking, Why didn't i watch it when it was on the WB or UPN? Maybe my tastes in shows developed as i got older or something. But if you are reading this to decide if you want the dvd, think to yourself do i like sci-fi? If the answer is yes then this is the dvd for you.
Sam

One of the greatest TV show I have seen!!!!
I became fan instantly upon watching the first episode.The only show I have finished watching the whole season in less than a week. Once I started the pilot, I really don't want to stop.

Luckily I don't have much problem with the original songs since I did not really watched the originals. Dido provided a nice touch. But ofcourse I should agree that if they retained the songs it could have been more great but might make the price higher!

Now it's time for me to wait for the Second and third season.

I loved The Show!!!
I loved the show. I am not sure why the network decided to cancel it. I thought it had a huge following. When are the next two seasons coming out on DVD???

:) ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Jen is a cheerleader and Jack's on the football team.I got sane and everyone else went crazy?"That's how Andie (Meredith Monroe) sums up the topsy-turvy beginning to the third season of Dawson's Creek, in which nothing seems to be as it should and the series takes a major turn.It's junior year at Capeside High, and Jack (Kerr Smith), the town's resident gay teen, is indeed on the football team, and Jen (Michelle Williams) finds herself the object of unexpected and unwelcome popularity among her fellow students, especially the freshman quarterback (Michael Pitt). Pacey (Joshua Jackson) finds that his relationship with Andie can't be restored, and Dawson (James Van Der Beek) and Joey (Katie Holmes), after the events of last year, both think it's for the best that they're no longer together--they just never think it at the same time. Significant events include the friends starting to date outside their circle, Dawson's giving up some of his aspirations, a crisis for the school's new principal, a college tour, and the openings of the Potter Bed & Breakfast and Leery's Fresh Fish. But the Dawson-Joey relationship is still the heart of the Creek, and it comes to a head in one of the series' most memorable episodes, "The Longest Day," and then the season finale. Even in its first season without series creator Kevin Williamson, Dawson's Creek still had plenty of punch.

On the DVDs, executive producer Paul Stupin does his usual commentary track for two episodes, and he's joined by Kerr Smith.They discuss the series itself, Smith's character, and Smith's subsequent career more than the events of the episodes.The second-season DVD set disappointed many fans by replacing a large portion of the music, and that trend continues in the third season, most surprisingly in the loss of Paula Cole's theme song.Instead, the opening credits feature Jann Arden's "Run Like Mad," which was used briefly in the international broadcast.Stupin explains the switch as an attempt to do something different and creative, but then admits there was also "a bit of an economic reality."Fortunately, the DVDs do have John Lennon's "Imagine" and Mary Beth Maziarz's "Daydream Believers"--songs that in dramatic context simply could not have been replaced--and it could be argued that a veteran viewer might skip the opening credits anyway.Still, for many fans, the music made Dawson's Creek what it was, and without all of it--especially the theme song--the DVDs seem like a compromise rather than a permanent keepsake.--David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (170)

I like this season, but the DVD is a downer :(
Someone had wrote in a previous review, nobody should write reviews unless they've seen the DVD. I had wrote a previous review based on my like for season 3, but know have a few new comments in regards to the DVD.

They changed the Dawson's Creek theme song??? Granted, every time I hear the song on the radio, I quickly change the station, it's still the theme. I've heard everything from, it's a creative decision, to the rights for the song cost Sony an arm and leg to get. I have a few memorable episodes of season 3 on VHS and had looked forward to finally getting rid of them when season 3 hit on DVD. Nope!!! Not now!!!

The producers did change a lot of the music that flowed through each episode too. Again, cost was one of the main issues I've heard. That doesn't bother me so much, but the mix is really bad. I've only seen the first 3 episodes on DVD and in those 3, it was at times difficult to hear dialog because of the poor music mix. I haven't checked for myself, but from what others have said, they did keep Daydream Believer in which is good considering the impact the song has on the episode "Stolen Kiss".

Granted, there are little things that have rubbed me the wrong way with this DVD, the other gripe is the loss of the recap from episode to episode. I now it's not that big of a deal, but I liked the "previously on Daswson's Creek" recap. I'm a major geek, so who knows.

If you are a Creek fan, it's still worth having. Maybe wait a while longer for the price to drop and cross your fingers they put things back on track for Season 4...probably my personal favorite.

Happy shopping Creekers.
+
Scott Patric

Huge Fan - Please help out!
Hello DC Fans! I just purchased season 4 today. And as I was browsing the net - I came across this review section. I almost read all 169 reviews - and most of them I concur with - the problem with the music. I am deeply disappointed with the replacement music and hope things have changed for the better for future DVD releases. But if they haven't - I would like to request from some of the die-hard fans to please research and post the Sony website - e-mail address or physical address so we can all voice our opinions on the reasons why we would like the original music put back into the episodes. I also agree with paying a little more money to have them do this! The music was so intertwined with the show, the characters and the emotions - that it feels like something is missing or just a little off with each episode! Hope to see any type of information in future reviews! Thanks everyone!!! DC forever!!!

Creek Pacey-Joey Fan
ok...i love season 3 beacuse i am a die hard Pacey-Joey fan and this is my favorite season out of all six of them and because its when pacey and joey fall in love! the only thing i dont like is that they didnt keep the original music because it was *amazing* music. my favorite episode on this dvd is either the anti-prom or true love...they are both amazing, but almost every episode is good. buy this dvd!

Call it Dawson's Insanity
the episodes of this series that I did see were so terrible both in casting and writing that I almost burst out laughing at how poorly done it really was. I've seen better writing and romance on Spanish soap operas.

Season 3....
OK The new theme song is a little slow, and I am just as fond of the original theme song. But people this is not the place to bash the DVD. If you want them to know your displeasure email sony........They will direct your complaints to the proper sources. The Music changes for the rest of te shows were hardly noticable. The important songs like Finally found You, PRomise Me This, Hold On, and My Invitation were still in there and in there right spots. They did not butcher it as much as they did Season 2 when in the end not one song was there from the original.

As for the season, it is still a great season. I still think that Pacey and Joey are a far better couple than Dawson and Joey. The producers were able to run with it, where as the Dawson and Joey one was stagnent.

I also agree that the commentary sucked!!! Email Sony and complain. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Makes me want to RETCH !!!
This movie is something like a fusion of "Escape from Witch Mountain" and "The Girl with Silver Eyes."But it's a BAD, BAD fusion.Don't get me wrong -- I'm a HUGE fan of the "kids with special powers" sub-genre.I've seen or read all the classics: SLAN, Psion, The Chrysalids, Spell for Chameleon, Firestarter, and on and on.So please TRUST ME when I tell you that THIS MOVIE IS PUTRID.TOTALLY PUTRID.The story is unbelievably slow and tedious.The themes have all been done to death already.It's just a really poor rip-off of a handful of other books and movies, and generally the sort of thing that gives the SciFi genre such a bad name.It literally made me sick to watch it.This may be partly due to the fact that the movie's producers seem to be under the delusion that "Indigo Children" really exist.If they do, I hope they will band together and use their powers to prevent the filming of a sequel.

Loved it
I loved this movie.I was impressed how will it was made.
My husband went with me to see it just to keep me company.
He actually liked it and mentioned it to his friends thru out the day.
It makes you feel good and gives you hope for humanity.
I can hardly wait for the next one (INDIGO CHILDREN).

Important Message
I gave this movie a 5 star to balance of those bad reviews (1 stars - JEEZ). I persume that these harsh reviewers may be a bit discontented from their hearts and want to keep everything everso logical. Well, guess what, the time of reason is a'changing, and even though this movie does not boom with celebrated movie stars or a famous director, it has a sweet innocense that is rarely seen in mainstream movies. Made with a modest $500,000 budget, I feel that the creators behind this work wanted to do good and I am glad someone finally tried to do something on the topic of indigo children. For those who simply DON'T BELIEVE in these kids, I have personally seen many of them and don't doubt at all. And no, they don't all have attention deficit disorder. Look in their eyes and open your hearts and perhaps it will lead you beyond your analytical side of your brain. It is definately a film worthwhile a look, even if it doen't have OSCAR written all over it! So, there you have it!! Enjoy!

Embarrassing to Watch
I had looked forward to this movie, and I was disappointed from the beginning. There were so many moments where I felt embarrassed for the characters uttering their canned lines I can't count them. However, what made the movie so utterly hopeless was the way indigo children were portrayed. The indigo girl (The movie was so forgettable, I don't remember her name) was supposed to be wise beyond her years, a teacher for the unenlightened adults who were guiding her. However, she came across as smug and quite proud of her ability to knock off one psychic parlor trick after another to impress the adults surrounding her. She didn't exude wisdom; she exuded arrogance. The scene in the park where the two indigos connect via invisible radar reminded me of something I might see on a B-rated robot movie of the 50s.

Although Walsch is clearly not an actor, I'm not sure he could have done much better with the script. How can one act with such poor writing? The characters were so stereotypical that they came across completely unbelievable, beyond cardboard cutout. And the happy ending was so contrived it went beyond Lifetime or Hallmark, in fact.

I don't believe the movie rates even 1 star because of the great disservice the producers have done to this important topic. After viewing this poorly written movie, I imagine mainstream audiences will either consider this topic as more New Age hooey, or they will discount the idea of indigos entirely. I find this distressing because many mainstream parents are trying to deal with indigos, and with the right information, they might not turn to Ritalin so readily, but look for the gift these sometimes difficult children can bring them.This movie certainly won't help them understand.

An extremely important film.
Indigo was written and produced based on the actual experiences of James Twyman with Indigo Children.Mr. Twyman is an informed and interesting spiritual leader and has produced several important courses involving sppirituality and now his experiences with actual Indigo children. He wrote the film to introduce people to these remarkable kids and their message to mankind.Not a wealthy man, many of the subscribers to his writings donated much of the money to get the project started. He was fortunate to have a Director of the caliber of Steven Simon to work on this and another spiritual giant - Neale Donald Walsh" to be a part of this undertaking.It is a film that everyone should see to have in idea of what these children represent.Their message is for the good of all people and whether you believe it or not, maybe it's time to look at the message and not the messenger.Twyman laid everything he had on the line to produce a work to carry an important message, regardless of sacrifice and should be applauded. If a couple of million dollars more were available it could have been a little fancier, but not better.The film was (I believe) the most viewed opening world premier of any independent film this year - Certainly worth another look by the skeptics. An important message of where we are going and where we are not!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Optimism shines in this classic 1960 Disney film starring Hayley Mills. When the newly orphaned Pollyanna comes to live with her wealthy aunt in Harrington Town, life looks promising. Despite her aunt's insistence on propriety and modesty, Pollyanna's cheerful, optimistic ways spread throughout the town--converting even a cantankerous recluse and a whining hypochondriac. Only Aunt Polly has trouble welcoming her young niece into her heart. In a clash between the townspeople and Aunt Polly over local politics, it's Pollyanna's influence that helps individual townspeople find the inner strength to stand up for their own beliefs. When Pollyanna is involved in a serious accident, Aunt Polly finally realizes how much she loves her niece. Can Aunt Polly and the entire town somehow restore Polly's optimism and ensure a full recovery? Pollyanna is wholesome entertainment that will leave the entire family eager to play the "glad game." --Tami Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (20)

The Glad Movie
My mom picked up this movie at our library because we didn't have anything to watch and it looked interesting. Well, it was more than interesting, it was fantastic!

Hayley Mills was awesome as Pollyanna, and Jane Wyman, Nancy Olsen, and Richard Egan were all very well cast and played their parts beautifully.

It was in this movie, incidentally that Hayley Mills made her debut into Disney movies, and she went on to make other wonderful movies for Disney, the most memorable one, "The Parent Trap" (See my review for that movie also!)

The DVD has literally millions of extras, including a documentary, commentary with Hayley Mills and director David Swift, and sound tracks of Hayley singing the 'The Glad Song,' which unfortunately is not in the movie.

You will not be disappointed if you see this fantastic movie. It's a timeless classic that will never grow old.

Pollyanna touches every heart.
Grab your pillow, your favorite stuffed animal and head into the family wagon! Wait! Come Back! Okay, the days of the Drive-in movie are all but gone. But, the folks from Disney have created a terrific alternate experience with their "Vault Disney" DVD series. Each film fully restored, commentaries and documentaries galore and a cartoon short (Mickey Mouse in THE NIFTY NINETIES) preceding it making the evening a family event just like the Drive-in... without the fumes or the fighting with your brother.

After losing her parents, Pollyanna is sent to stay with her wealthy controlling Aunt Polly. But Pollyanna is innocently immune from her Aunt's control. Gradually, the browbeaten town starts to brighten up in conjunction with Pollyanna's optimistic viewpoint. Eventually, it all comes to a head when Pollyanna is given tragic cause to sour her own attitude. Try as you will to avoid it, tears will fall.

Pollyanna elevated Hayley Mills to Super Stardom and an optimistic reputation that she still can't shake. And her effervescence makes the hoopla worth it. Pollyanna's optimism comes out of Mills mouth as if it were her own. Several wonderful performers including Jane Wyman, Agnes Moorhead, Karl Malden and Disney favorite Kevin Corcoran surround her. Director/Screenwriter David Swift does a great job bringing the favorite novel to the screen. So much so that he was asked to helm Hayley next film THE PARENT TRAP.

The Disney Organization continues to provide its fan base with many smiles with its DVD output. The vault collection also includes other family favorites THE PARENT TRAP, SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON and OLD YELLER. They have also started their archive collection, which includes THE SILLY SYMPHONIES, the entire DAVY CROCKETT series, important episodes of DISNEYLAND, and color MICKEY MOUSE cartoons. Let's keep 'em coming!

Oldy But Goody
I grew up watching Pollyanna, so I decided that I HAD to have it for my collection. I just re-watched it yesterday and remembered why it was one of my favorites.

Pollyanna's parents die and she must go live with her rich aunt Polly. Pollyanna is so optimistic, but everyone in Harrington Town is so pessimistic and it's all because of strict aunt Polly. Pollyanna tries to turn the town around by teaching them the glad game - basically the idea of being optimistic. It's a cute story and teaches a good lesson.

My only complaint - for a Disney movie it is LONG! 2 hours and 15 minutes.

The Glad Movie Everyone Should See!
I was 9 years old the first time I saw Pollyanna on the Wonderful World of Disney back in the early 1970's. I had read the book and was thrilled to see it on the screen. Haley Mill's performance is outstanding and is worthy of an Academy Award nomination. Jane Wyman, Agnes Moorehead and Adolph Menjou also give first rate performances as Aunt Polly, Mrs. Snow and Mr. Pendergast. Throughout the circumstances of life Pollyanna has a choice: she can either give into the circumstances which surround her while adopting the attitude of defeat or rise above the circumstances and "be glad". This is a movie which will inspire you!

A Touching, Moving Film!
When "Pollyana" came out in theaters in 1960, I went to see it with the other neighborhood kids. I was a boy of 9 at the time, and didn't think too much of it.
Seeing it again as an adult, the emotional depth of it hit me very hard. You have to live a lot of those things yourself in order to appreciate them. It's no corny cliche that love has the power to transform the lives of people it touches.
Pollyana did nothing more than give her own simple kindness to the townspeople, and many of them were quite taken aback at it. But it wasn't wasted. The townspeople thronged back to Pollyana in gratitude when she needed them most. It moves me to tears. All the actors make it a believable, special story.
By all means, show this DVD to the kids. But don't forget that it contains a lot of good things for adults, too! ... Read more

Reviews (30)

Star-Studded Recounting of Legendary Nazi Trials
This star-studded film vividly captures the characters on all 3 sides of the spectrum: The accused, the victims, and the international tribunal judging the perpetrators of unspeakable atrocities against fellow human beings. It is shocking to see how many of the people responsible for the gruesome deaths of millions justified their actions.

After hearing witnesses who often were tortured, mamed by sadistic doctors, and had their loved ones murdered, I can not grasp the fact that the majority of those on trial were released after serving minimal prison terms. Some of them are still among us, while millions of victims lie in their graves at the hands of an evil minority!

Stellar performances by an International cast. Most noteworthy are Montgomery Clift and Judy Garland as testifying victims, Maximilian Schell as Prosecutor (Oscar Winner), Marlene Dietrich as wife of a defendant, and an elderly Spencer Tracy, trying to make sense of it all.

Effective use of B&W photography, first rate sets and costumes, along with many other production values, make this a timeless Classic. Although considerd over-long by some, I recommend this film to be shown to high school classes as a reminder that these things happened in a not so distant past.*****

SCHELL, TRACY, GARLAND, LANCASTER, CLIFT & WIDMARK GREAT!
This is a superb film by Stanley Kramer with an unbelievably great cast at the height of their craft. Each of the legendary actors were at the top of their performances in the reinactment of the Judge's Trial at Nuremberg. The world was tired of the Nuremberg trials. This one was a mopping up operation. Against a backdrop of an escalating Cold War with the Soviet Union, the selling out of justice by prominent Nazi judges serving the Third Reich is put on trial. Spencer Tracey plays Judge Dan Haywood, a retired Maine circuit court judge brought out of mothballs to serve as the chief justice. Amazingly, the usual action actor Burt Lancaster plays the top Nazi judge who at first does not recognize the Nuremberg tribunal's authority to judge him. For some mysterious reason, critics over the years failed to acknowledge the tremendous acting job he did in convincingly carrying off what was perhaps this film's most dynamic character change. However, my personal favorite was Maximillian Schell whose quintessential Germanic Hans Rolfe, the defense attorney released the full range of this incredible actor's virtuosity. For this he deservedly won an Academy Award Oscar.

One thousand words are not enough to celebrate this timeless film: Judy Garland (in perhaps her last film role) delivers a heartbreaking middle aging Irene Hoffman, reliving her experiences of Nazi cruelty on the witness stand; once again. However, not very good was the young Canadian actor, William Shatner playing Army Captain Byers, the aide de camp to Judge Haywood (Tracy). [The Starship Enterprise didn't seem to improve Shatner's skills any.] Richard Widmark (the moody, hostile prosecutor) and Montgomery Clift [who begged for the role he was willing to play without pay!] were excellent. Clift plays a slightly retarded German laborer, sterilized by Nazi doctors because of his mental slowness. This is among the very best films made by Kramer in the decade of the 1960s. Amazingly, it was released one year after INHERIT THE WIND, another Tracy-Kramer classic!

MASTERPIECE
What happens when Stanley Kramer teams Tracy, Dietrich, Garland, Schell, Clift, Lancaster and Widmark in a drama based on the trials in pos-war Nuremberg??? It`s vintage Hollywood; still 1 IF not THE BEST about the horrors from World War II ..... The film should be in every school-library across the world

MASTERPIECE
What happens when Stanley Kraner teams Tracy, Dietrich, Garland, Schell, Clift, Lancaster and Widmark in a drama based on the trials in pos-war Nuremberg??? It`s vintage Hollywood; still 1 IF not THE BEST about the horrors from World War II ..... The film should be in every school-library across the world

Wooooooooow
Ok, you`ll get Garland, Dietrich, Clift, Tracy, Widmark & Schell - the production headed by Stanley Kramer.... the result is pure Hollywood vintage combined with horrors from the 2nd World War??? But indeed; it is a masterpiece.... It should be in every school-library all over the world:-) ... Read more

Reviews (495)

A cinematic masterpiece!
Meet Oskar Schindler. A German living in occupied Poland during World War II. A member in good standing of the Nazi party. A womanizer, a war profiteer...and ultimately a man of conscience. A man who became one of the great unsung heroes and humanitarians of the war.

"Schindler's List" chronicles Oskar Schindler's spiritual odyssey from war profiteer to humanitarian and hero. Winner of seven Academy Awards® in 1993, including Best Picture, this harrowing and heart-rending film is Steven Spielberg's masterpiece, and perhaps one of the finest and most important movies ever made. It depicts Schindler's ultimately successful attempt to rescue 1,100 Jews from Hitler's "Final Solution" by getting them to safety outside Poland.

Dynamic performances abound in this beautiful movie, Especially noteworthy are Liam Neeson as the suave Schindler, Ralph Fiennes as the monstrously depraved Nazi colonel, Amon Goeth, and Ben Kingsley as the dignified, principled Jewish prisoner Itzhak Stern.

"Schindler's List" is definitely not light entertainment! This beautiful movie allows viewers to feel like they're actually a part of one of the darkest, most horrific periods in history. (I'm sure this is the reason the film was shot in black-and-white, with only minor "colorized" bits included.) The story of the Holocaust needs to be told over and over again, in hopes that future generations can understand the horrors perpetrated on an entire race of people and prevent future occurrences. "Schindler's List" is perhaps one of the best and most effective vehicles for telling that story I've ever experienced.

Whoever Saves One Life Saves the World Entire!
That's the tagline of Steven Spielberg's 1993 holocaust epic, SCHINDLER'S LIST (a film that has inspired me with my own film, TRIANGLE). What is this film? A documentary? A memorial service? A biopic? The answer is all of the above. It is a realistic look at a man who began as a womanizing criminal and ended as a sympathetic savior to thousands of Jewish people.

Based on Thomas Keneally's bestselling novel, it is passionate look at the Jewish struggle during the ghetto liquidation by the Nazis and in the concentration camps.

Filmed entirely on location in Poland and in black-and-white, with some color aspects, SCHINDLER'S LIST brings to life one of the saddest chapters in history. Starring Liam Neeson as industrialist Oskar Schindler; Ralph Fiennes as Amon Goeth; Ben Kingsley as Schindler's accountant Itzhak Stern; and Caroline Goodall as Schindler's wife, Emilie.

This is a film too sad to imagine, but also very important to watch and shameful to miss. Neeson does an extraordinary job in showing us the man who saved so many lives. A man whom most would call a pirate, he has shown us a brighter light. But, honestly, the one who impressed me (and shocked me the most) was Ralph Fiennes as a Nazi superior. Fiennes was known for playing romantic heroes on the London stage before playing such a dastardly role. (In the end, you can't help but cheer when he is eventually hanged.) And to Ben Kingsley (Oscar-winner for GANDHI), always the dependable one! His Stern provided me enough time to breathe a sign of relief and smile at his nervously mousy character. From his being trapped inside the train to his trying to reason with Schindler about the one-arm man's dependability working in the factory (a rare comedic moment in the film).

This is a triumph in every way possible! To watch a man, whom we never even heard of, save thousands of lives is heart-breakingly wonderful. Good job, Steven!

Winner of 7 Academy Awards including: Best Picture - Steven Spielberg, Branko Lustig & Gerald R. Molen; Best Director - Steven Spielberg; Best Adapted Screenplay - Steven Zaillian; Best Cinematography - Janusz Kaminski; Best Art Direction/Set Decoration - Allan Starski, Ewa Braun; Best Score - John Williams; and Best Film Eediting - Michael Kahn.

Approximately: 3 HOURS and 17 MINUTES

**Schindler's List **
This film from Steven Spielberg was shot in black and white and is very effective as a film to portray what happened to the Jews in Germany/Poland etc.. from the ghettos to the concentration camps. The film is very realistic in its portrayal and the environment of that time in history of the 1930's and 1940's. This is a film that you may only want to watch once. It is an excellent film. The acting is very good, the reality of the killings is very graphic. The cinematography is excellent. The only reason I think that is a film to viewed once or twice in one's life is due to the depressing nature of the film. I think it is a film that younger generations (teenagers and some people in their 20's) should see because many are coming out of school without even knowing who Adolf Hitler was and what he had done. I think it's important that they see what occurred so a repeat of history does not happen. This is an important film, but not necessarily one you want to view over and over again.

Some other reviewers on this forum start bringing up that "other genocides occurred in history" and how come only this one is made into a film. I'm afraid folks that Spielberg didn't make an all encompassing film to include all of the past atrocities that happened in the past 1000 years. He focused just on the Holocast. Also it is just pure ignorance to deny that 5-6 million Jewish civilians were killed/murdered. Even if it was 10,000 Jews, it does not make it any better. It doesn't really matter if they were Jews or any other religion. The fact is that 6 million PEOPLE who were civilians were murdered. They were Germans, Polish, French and many other nationalities. It just happened they were of the Jewish faith that was targeted by the Nazis(Jews were used as a scapegoat to blame all of Germany's economic ills as a country on. The Nazis also killed and murdered gypsies too. The people (men, women and children) killed were white people (Jewish is not a race. It is a religion).
Actual documentation of what the Nazi's did is on film shot by British news cameras as the American and British soldiers entered these concentration camps throughout 1945. Disease was rampant in these camps due to all the mass graves and thousands of bodies that were left to rot (by the Germans) as the British bulldozers needed to bury these corpses. My father and grandfather were in the 2nd World War as part of the American and British invasion of Germany and witnessed it first hand. That's enough proof as far as I am concerned. Yes. Not all Germans were bad people, but there were enough of them to throw the world into a World War in 1939 and to allow this to go on just a few miles from their towns and villages.

This is a good film. Good coverage of a very bad time in world history.

Not the best Special Edition one can expect, but still...
Although this 5 time Academy Award winning film certainly gets a beautiful presentation on disc, I both do and do not understand the complaining of the DVD presentation of Schindler's List. But first, let me discuss the benefits of the disc first.

The picture here is impressive, although there are noticeable flaws. The 1.85:1 anamorphic picture showcases excellent detail and rich black levels; at times the picture looked so good I thought that the movie was remastered by Lowery Digital Services. But then minor flaws show up, such as excessive grain and minor print flaws (such as in the sequence where Schindler Jews are calling out their names, I spotted a vertical line). Flaws aside, the picture is still beautiful and Janusz Kaminski's photography is put to good use here.

The audio is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 Surround. All Dolby and DTS tracks give a sense of place to the film, and while the tracks aren't bass-heavy, they fit the movie's tone perfectly. It demonstrates excellent stereo separation and bass response, all the while not calling attention to itself. The two-sided disc cuts down on cost, and the menus allow one to access each part of the DVD with considerable ease. (The movie is also given French and Spanish spoken languages and subtitles, while the extras have optional subtitles in English, French, and Spanish.)

Now, the disadvantages. I know people were expecting an extras-packed version of this movie, but we only have two real extras included; the "Voices From the List" Featurette and "Behind the Shoah Visual Foundation" Featurette. Both are good extras detailing the various stories recounted by actual Schindler Jews, and while these are substantial enough, I had the feeling more could've been added. If Spielberg were to do commentaries, I would appreciate one done for this film, and the addition of the theatrical trailer would help too. Inclusion of those two extras would've added much more to the DVD.

Still, quibble about the extras aside, the disc release of this film gives newcomers a chance to be introduced to one of Spielberg's greatest cinematic achievements ever made, with great picture and sound. It may not always be easy viewing, but the impact it leaves is indelible and unforgettable. For fans of Spielberg's work and this movie, this disc is a must-have, despite the slim extras. (If you're intent on having more, the gift set is a viable option. Along with the DVD, it also includes a booklet, the movie's soundtrack CD, certificate of authenticity, a photo still book and a Plexiglas keep case.)

History repeating it's self?
Why don't we hear about other genocides, like the ones in Russia and Turkey that inspired the German one? The movie was so distorted and stereotypical it's ridicules. The nazi's weren't all-bad and the Jews weren't all good. Jews aren't as innocent as they are portrayed. This could be due to Hollywood being monopolized by them. See how much trouble Mel Gibson had when he tried make a movie that portrayed Jews as less than perfect. If they had really went through all that trauma, why would they go to Palestine and commit the same atrocities only decades before to the Arabs? Schindler's List is just one of the yearly Jewish propaganda films that are thrown at us, like the pianist for ex. And worst of all, every year schools have to show this movie to young children. And Disney show's this movie every yr on the wonderful world of Disney. Why is this gruesome movie targeted at kids I have no idea. "so we won't forget the past my A**" ... Read more

Amazon.com

The brilliant writer-director Mike Leigh (Topsy-Turvy, Secrets and Lies, Naked) has crafted an utterly compelling movie about one of the most controversial of topics. An irrepressibly hopeful housecleaner in 1950s London named Vera Drake (Imelda Staunton, Antonia and Jane, Shakespeare in Love) mothers everyone around her, from her own family to helpless shut-ins and lonely men living in tiny, isolated apartments. None of these people know that Vera also helps young women get rid of unwanted pregnancies, until the police appear and tear her world apart. Vera Drake isn't just an inspired character portrait; through simple and straightforward scenes, the movie weaves a quiet but mesmerizing portrait of how people--both wealthy and poor--cope with adversity. Though wrenching, Vera Drake has too much life to be depressing. Leigh is deservedly famous for his work with actors; every character brims with truth and Staunton's performance deserves every award it could possibly win. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (50)

** Subtly Beautiful **
The main actress (Imelda Staunton) who plays the charachter Vera Drake did a fine job in this movie.The movie does not hit you over the head with moral preaching about abortion ... it gives you very subtle emotions based on how those around Vera Drake respond to what she is doing when she is found out.There is no happy ending here.It is not a feel good movie, but just the same it is beautiful.I believe Imelda Staunton was nominated for an Oscar for this role.Hillary Swank (who I love) won the Best Actress Oscar this year for her role in Million Dollar Baby (another fabulous movie).I'd say between the two of them, its a tough call.

Incredible film
Genre: Drama, Foreign (English language)

Genre Grade: A

Final Grade: A

This was an amazing film about a nice little old lady doing something she believed was right. She was so innocent in her ways that she did not realize the gravity of what she was doing. Or perhaps she did but truly did not feel any remorse or wrongdoing in what she did. The acting from Imelda Staunton was superb (no wonder she was nominated for so many awards), and the story itself is extremely sad but holds a powerful message. It offers no strong conclusion, but leaves it up to the viewer to decide whether the fate of Vera Drake was fair or not.

I have my own views on abortion (which most of you know that I am strongly against it), but I can't help but appreciate the message this movie brings forth. It reminded me of The Cider House Rules in that its message gave some hint to how pro-choice people feel. It is important to me to understand controversial issues before making firm opinions on them, but even then I am never for sure, because I strongly believe that it is up to the individual to believe what they wish to believe. I am anti-abortion, but I don't think my views should be enforced on people who feel differently.

Sorry for the social commentary, I realize this is only supposed to be a movie review. Just pass it off as bad journalism.

Overwhelming
This is an important movie about the moral dilemma posed by abortion. Abortions, legal or illegal, have always been performed, and women from all social strata, have always found themselves in need of a helping hand, whether the law upheld that kind of help at particular times or not. The movie shows this by juxtaposing the women whom Vera Drake helps, who cannot pay for abortion, with those who can pay to have an abortion done by a doctor, or by showing that in some cases at least, abortion cannot be totally repudiated. We witness two such cases in the film as one woman becomes pregnant, we understand, after a man forces himself on her, or as another woman, who already has seven children, and whose husband just doesn't understand how consuming this is, cannot have an eighth. The film convincingly shows how women have to deal with their problems in secrecy, in back chambers, and continue to live life as usual and pretend that these things don't happen.

Vera Drake is a kind and generous woman, too kind and too generous, the movie shows, for the world surrounding her, the cruelty of which is encapsulated in the woman who procures "clients" for her, pocketing money from these women without Vera's knowledge, as well as doing Vera the favour of selling her various food products (such as sugar) of which, we understand, there was a shortage in those postwar years.

Imelda Staunton gives an overwhelming performance, exhibiting Vera's kindness, reliability, generosity, naivete, heartbreak, sense of shame, and, finally, despair, with great credibility. I agree with some of the other reviewers who state that the movie doesn't try to take sides. And yet I think that the police detective and the woman police constable's kindness to Vera suggest that they feel sympathy for her and even understand what she did and why she did it. I especially felt that as a woman, the female PC knows that this is a problem all women are in danger of encountering, and this could be a pointer towards interpretation of the movie. I don't know whether this is what the director intended to suggest, but I think that this is something that came across, the way I saw it at least. This is possibly one aspect of the strength of this film, that it allows for this interpretation.

All performances were riveting and convincing, the cinematography superb, the 50s austerity convincingly recreated. As some reviewers have already noted, the film is quite bleak and depressing. It is supposed to be, given the subject that it treats. It is a matter of the viewer coming prepared for a film which tackles a hard to swallow, painful, yet central,social issue. The series of abortions that Vera performs is emotionally draining, though not graphic, and the end is demoralizing. But all the more realistic and powerful in being so.

I highly recommend the film, provided the viewer knows what to expect. It's not meant to be a feel good movie, but a movie to make one think and debate. It may depress you to some extent, but I don't think it will leave you indifferent. Personally, I felt that the film is subtly but convincingly suggesting that there is no use trying to pretend that abortions don't happen / shouldn't happen,won't happen, and that the law and society do not / did not have the compassion necessary to deal with this problem faced by women. You may come to a different conclusion, but the point is that the film is strong enough to provoke discussion and possibly disagreement amongst its viewers.

Masterful
What a difficult pleasure "Vera Drake" is.It is a film that has great acting and writing, yet deals with a controversial subject that is no less hard to approach now than it was in 1950, when the story takes place.The word "abortion" isn't even mentioned until the film is near it's end, but the watcher knows precisely what is being dealt with long before that.

Imelda Staunton is truly powerful in the title role, a simple woman who only wants to help others.As soon as she appears on the screen, one is drawn into her life and family.We follow Vera as she does what she can to make life easier for those around her. We see the consequences of Vera's "assistance" in areas that the world she lived in hadn't figured out how to deal with yet. In the end, I left the film wondering why we still haven't come to grips with this issue 55 years after the events in this film took place.

this movie is so beautiful
I always thought that this movie was going to be bad and boring, but I was wrong, this one is brilliant, it's very special for it's content, Imelda makes a great performance, it's plot is very dramatic,it's so beautiful, if you are looking for good drama don't miss this one. ... Read more

Amazon.com

NASA's worst nightmare turned into one of the space agency's most heroic moments in 1970, when the Apollo 13 crew was forced to hobble home in a disabled capsule after an explosion seriously damaged the moon-bound spacecraft. Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, and Bill Paxton play (respectively) astronauts Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise in director Ron Howard's intense, painstakingly authentic docudrama. The Apollo 13 crew and Houston-based mission controllers race against time and heavy odds to return the damaged spacecraft safely to Earth from a distance of 205,500 miles. Using state-of-the-art special effects and ingenious filmmaking techniques, Howard and his stellar cast and crew build nail-biting tension while maintaining close fidelity to the facts. The result is a fitting tribute to the Apollo 13 mission and one of the biggest box-office hits of 1995. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (137)

Engrossing, Excellent, Awesome & Inspiring!
We really enjoyed this DVD... it's one of our "keepers" and definitely worth owning and viewing regularly -- it will remind you (as it has our family) that is is so very good to be born/raised/live in this country.

It begins with a voiceover by Walter Cronkite (and yes, our announcer is the real thing!) which introduces us to the heroes as they walk across the gantry, and pays tribute to the three we lost in that disastrous fire on the launch-pad....

The movie follows those fateful days (beginning in pre-launch) and then in orbit, and it focuses on the united effort in bringing our boys home. These men are so smart -- all of them (not just in space but at Mission Control) and is a realistic view of the times. You'll see the old Izod shirts (remember the Alligators?) and Corvettes, Mission Control (hey, they smoke -- this was not a purified/Politically Corrected re-enactment/revision of truth)... I appreciated that.

Oh, and it's not all drama. There are moments of smiles, and it's not too intense excluding the JOYOUS moment when we hear them respond after four minutes coming through the atmosphere.... Still, I wouldn't suggest youngsters under age eight view it alone.

[Note: our family is protective of our children and they have not been raised on a diet of broadcast television. Yours may be used to intense programming -- please use your own judgment. There is nothing bloody-gruesome in the movie, nor in the commentary. That said, you will CARE DEEPLY about all the people you see.]

One more little (out of sequence) note: The end has Tom Hanks (who plays Jim Lovell) narrating a mini catch-up to present of the whole story. We learn what happens to the individuals in the movie. It's a wonderful "wrap" to an amazing six days in space.

If we are going to do a docu-drama, one might also suggest that future writers/directors view this one to get an idea that they public will spend perfectly good money on QUALITY shows that are truthful, accurate and not hack-jobs. (End mini-rant!)

I found the scenes compelling and recall the "lump in throat" of those days. To me though, seeing the families perspective broadened the effect. Oh, and Mrs. Lovell is a force to be reckoned with -- I liked her a lot! She's a classy lady.

Minor Quibbles: In two places there are swear words (Mrs. Lovell -- who in the commentary states she doesn't "talk like that" -- when discovering the magnitude of Jim's problems swears... I thought that extraneous. Also, in another section one of the astronauts uses a bad word (appropriate maybe, but basically, unnecessary).

The Best Stuff: After the movie we are provided with a mini-movie on how they filmed it all. NASA cooperated and many of the scenes were filmed in those planes that "deliberately plunge toward the earth" so the actors/film-makers/lighting guys et al were weightless. One of the brave actors in particular didn't want his testosterone questioned but... ;)

I particularly enjoyed the interviews... you could really see how much the whole crew wanted this to be an *excellent* movie, one to last through the ages. It's brought out that the movie will be (at some point in history) a look back on the whole era. We (the USofA) have some incredible individuals to be proud of... this is perhaps one of the best patriotic movies I have ever seen -- notwithstanding war epics. It makes me glad to be an American.

Okay, so you also see the real gents appearing on the Johnny Carson Show too. One more thing -- at the very end of the movie you see Jim Lovell -- he's the Captain of the ship that picks up the astronaut. His wife appears once too, but don't blink! (grin)

Also, the Bonus Materials include two voice-over commentaries. The first is made by Director Ron Howard (you know, he's good -- very good!) and tells inside things about the creation of this movie. I enjoyed it.

The best Commentary though was done by Mr. and Mrs. Lovell -- ah, and Ron -- that con-trail isn't supposed to be there. (winks)

All in all, this is one of our favorites... I'd go so far as to suggest you Pay Retail, and maybe even opt for First Class shipping so you won't have to wait. It is that good!

Fellow Reviewers, I Have a Problem
I posted a review of this film some four years ago after I had purchased the "Collector's Edition". About a year later, I watched the movie one more time. Since that time, my DVD has been stored in its jacket, safe and sound. About one month ago, I was going to view the film again but my DVD player tells me, "This Disc Cannot be Played on this Player". Cleaning and otherwise re-inserting the disc proved useless. I have since tried the disc in both my computer's DVD drives, two other different DVD players, a laptop and one more computer, all to no avail. I keep getting the same message. Does anyone know what happened to my disc while stored safely in its jacket? Why did it play well two times, and now says it can't be played, on the same player. Has anyone experienced this problem? Thanx...........

A bit of history hits the big screen...
Nominated for nine Academy Awards including Best Picture, Apollo 13 is one of the best movies of its decade. Despite prior knowledge of the historical outcome, it's guaranteed to keep viewers steeped in suspense. Director Ron Howard creates yet another fantastic picture, solidifying his transformation from Mayberry's favorite son on Andy Griffith to one of the most accomplished director/producers in all of Hollywood. Standout performances by Gary Sinise and Tom Hanks (on the heels of their Oscar-caliber portrayals from Forrest Gump) make Apollo 13 especially enticing to the movie connoisseur. Based on the true story of the Apollo 13 mission, the film stirs emotions of all types - hope, fear, and patriotism among them. In the end, it's one of those rare movies where the characters are able to intimately connect with the audience. In short, Apollo 13 provides a true glimpse into the lives of those who defined history...

Tom Hanks plays the role of real life astronaut Jim Lovell, member of the three man crew of Apollo 13 - the 1970 lunar landing mission. Accompanied by fellow crewmates Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon), Lovell rockets into space in pursuit of his dream of walking on the moon. Unable to make the flight, fellow astronaut Ken Mattingly (Gary Sinise) reluctantly remains on the ground.

Meanwhile, Americans show little interest in this latest lunar mission despite the fact that barely a year has passed since Neil Armstrong's famous words. Apollo 13 is perceived as "routine" and the flight gets little press coverage until Lovell utters some famous words of his own, "Houston, we have a problem"...

When things go horribly wrong on Apollo 13, the mission changes from one of moon landing to astronaut survival. Lovell, Haise, and Swigert feverishly work to uncover the problem. Meanwhile, in Houston, flight director Gene Kranz (Ed Harris), bumped crew member Ken Mattingly, and the legions of NASA ground control work around the clock to maintain contact and bring the astronauts home safely. As the minutes pass, the entire world holds its breath in anticipation of the outcome...

Following on the coattails of Tom Hanks back-to-back Academy Awards for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump - Apollo 13 hit the movie theaters with widespread anticipation. The monumental expectations of movie goers were not without merit as the film's multiple Academy Award nominations will attest. But what makes Apollo 13 such a strong and emotion-driven epic is its connection with the historical record. The events that unfold happened for real, and at the time, no one knew the final outcome. Unlike today, traveling to space was not routine (or at least not as overlooked as it is now). The men who flew the Apollo 13 mission were true heroes in every sense of the word.

And although they failed to reach the moon, the astronauts of Apollo 13 are immortalized in history in ways they never would have been had their flight gone off without a hitch. Tom Hanks, Ron Howard, and their colleagues do justice to this classic story of man's triumph over adversity. Compelling, suspenseful, and filled with drama, Apollo 13 is an unforgettable film - and a definite must-see movie...

The DVD Report

10th Anniversary Package Makes Superb Movie Soar Even Higher
I will always remember those tense three days in April 1970 when the Apollo 13 astronauts seemed suspended in space, and this was well before the days of 24-hour coverage by CNN and Fox. For those who have yet to purchase this movie on DVD, the tenth anniversary two-disc set is a must-have for any adventure film-lover, especially for those like myself who were obsessed with the nation's space program in the 1960's and early 70's. Ron Howard, the director, came of age with this thrilling recreation of the aborted Apollo 13 mission, as defining a moment in NASA's history as the tragic Challenger explosion. The 1995 movie was a faithful depiction of what went wrong with the flight and how the mission changed dramatically to one of saving the three astronauts from being marooned in space forever. One would think that knowing the ending would rob the viewer of the suspense factor, but Howard does an amazing job in making the story feel fresh by guiding us through the heroic acts both in the capsule and at NASA's Mission Control in vividly realistic detail. He also evokes the atmosphere back then with emotional and visual accuracy, showing how anti-climactic the mission was perceived in light of Neil Armstrong's first steps on the moon just the year prior. A rupture in the oxygen tank changed things completely as the movie illustrates a desperate attempt at survival with computer systems turned off, the capsule moving toward freezing temperatures and the three men relying on their gut instincts to maneuver the capsule home.

What I appreciate most about the movie is that Howard does not derail the basic story with unnecessary subplots or flourishes of melodrama. He realizes the real story is more than enough to engage the viewer and that the attention to detail, often technical in nature, is not off-putting.Howard even creates blood-pumping suspense out of the ground effort to jerry-build a scrubber to clean carbon dioxide from the capsule's air supply.This kind of film is all in the details, even the more predictable home scenes where family members try to confront their increasing sense of fear. The movie has a solid testosterone-heavy cast - Tom Hanks stalwart as always as Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell; Bill Paxton as Fred Haise; Kevin Bacon as last-minute substitute Jack Swigert; Ed Harris as determined flight director Gene Kranz; Gary Sinise as grounded astronaut Ken Mattingly; and bravely leading the homefront is Kathleen Quinlan as Lovell's wife, Marilyn. Even though the move is full of familiar suspense elements and the characters' interactions are often just officious, there is hardly a wasted dramatic moment in the entire film, pretty impressive given its 140-minute running time. This is a superbly done real-life adventure film and docudrama and aside from Philip Kaufman's 1983 adaptation of Tom Wolfe's "The Right Stuff", probably the best movie about the space program.

The smoothly edited, 116-minute IMAX version (produced in 2002) is on the second disc, and the widescreen orientation coupled with the enhanced sound makes for great viewing as well. There are three documentaries included spread across both discs: the comprehensive making-of feature, "Lost Moon: The Triumph of Apollo 13 - The Making of Apollo 13", which has interviews with Howard and the cast, as well as insight into how the space shots were created; "Conquering Space: The Moon and Beyond", a 48-minute general overview of the race to the Moon and the exploration of Mars, produced mainly for the uninitiated; and a twelve-minute NBC Dateline feature called "Lucky 13: The Astronauts' Story", which contains interviews with the astronauts and members of Mission Control for the Apollo 13 mission. There are two alternative commentary tracks, the first with Howard who is extremely knowledgeable and highly infectious in his descriptions of the shoot, the other with Jim and Marilyn Lovell providing valuable insight as to how it really felt as the events were unfolding. A truly excellent package.

The NASA Mission That Began 35 Years Ago Today
People can sometimes become complacent when it comes to technology and forget that it is the product of human endeavors that are far from perfect.Usually, engineers and builders do their best to ensure that the technology to be used is safe.However, mistakes can and sometimes do happen.Such was the case during NASA's Apollo 13 moon mission that was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on April 11, 1970.Intended to be the third landing and human exploration of the lunar surface, many people had lost interest in the program following the huge success of the previous two missions that included the first-ever manned landing on the moon.However, such complacency was quickly replaced by fear and anxiety, as the fates of the three Apollo 13 astronauts were unknown following a potentially lethal accident.These fears, anxieties and hopes were beautifully captured by director Ron Howard in his 1995, Oscar-nominated film aptly named "Apollo 13".

In the film, the three Apollo 13 astronauts, Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon), have a flawless launch as they set out for the moon.Jack Swigert was not originally supposed to be part of the Apollo 13 crew though.It was supposed to be Ken Mattingly (Gary Sinise), but when NASA doctors thought that he might have the mumps, he was grounded and Jack Swigert replaced him.This caused some minor consternation among all involved, but the mighty Saturn 5 rocket was launched on April 11, 1970 anyway.Everything appeared to be going normally until April 14, some 205,000 miles away from the Earth.Jack Swigert was instructed to mix the oxygen tanks, which, when he did, caused an explosion.The explosion caused multiple failures on board making the Mission Control personnel initially think that there was simply a communications or monitoring equipment failure.However, once Jim Lovell & Fred Haise regained control of the damaged ship, Jim Lovell reported to Mission Control those immortal words, "Houston, we have a problem."Once Mission Control personnel realized the severity of the situation, they considered ordering the crew to turn back, but there was no way to know whether the main rocket booster had been damaged.Instead, they opted for the safer, but longer route that would have the damaged ship go around the moon, then begin its return to Earth.Since the crew had to shut off power and had no active guidance computer, the tension was very high as Jim Lovell & Fred Haise manually operated the lunar-lander's rocket to cause the ship to return to Earth.Other problems included the intense cold (since there wasn't enough power for heat), having to adapt the square air filters from one ship to work in the round filter holes in the other so that they would not die from asphyxiation, boredom, not knowing whether or not the ship's systems would come back on properly, not knowing whether the heat shield had been damaged and Fred getting sick.This was truly one of NASA's finest moments in being able to assist the otherwise helpless crew be able to return to Earth, including Ken Mattingly working hard on the ground to help ensure that the Apollo 13 crew would be able to turn on what they need with the little power that they had available.

Other memorable characters in the film include Mission Control chief Gene Kranz (Ed Harris), Marilyn Lovell (Kathleen Quinlan) and Blanch Lovell (Jean Speegle Howard, 1927-2000).For its overall realism, wonderful cinematography, engaging story and wonderful acting, I rate "Apollo 13" with a resounding 5 out of 5 stars.The film won two Oscars for Best Film Editing and Best Sound, but was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Visual Effects, Best Art & Set Decoration and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.Additionally, Ed Harris received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor, as did Kathleen Quinlan for Best Supporting Actress.If you have never seen the film, but aren't sure that you want to purchase a copy, I highly recommend seeing it at least once. ... Read more

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Season 2 of Felicity not only sees the massacre of star Keri Russell's golden locks (at one point, a minor character refers to the new, short-cropped Felicity as "Chia-Head") but endless turmoil--most of it quite addictive to watch--in perhaps seven or eight overlapping romances.

First there's the issue of season 1's cliffhanger. Did Felicity spend her summer with former high-school crush Ben (Scott Speedman) or he