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Jack Bauer is having another one of his "very bad days" in the second season of the groundbreaking real-time thriller 24. Once again the hours are ticking by with more guaranteed cliffhangers than a convention of mountain climbers. Holed up in a Los Angeles condo and estranged from his daughter, Jack is no longer on the government payroll; unfortunately for him, this small fact doesn't seem to matter to President David Palmer and the NSA, who call him back in to the CTU and give him 24 hours to infiltrate a terrorist organization that is planning to detonate a dirty bomb in the city of angels. All Jack wants is to get his daughter out of the city, unfortunately Kim's new employer, the abusive father of the child she is nannying, has other ideas.

Fans of the original won't be disappointed, as there are more than enough shock moments in the first few hours to hint at the climactic build-up to come, while newcomers can quickly get involved in the lives of Jack and his family. There are some new characters to bolster the veteran cast and, interestingly (although not surprisingly), Jack's character has taken an altogether darker, more psychopathic turn. The danger the characters find themselves in also has a much more global, not to mention topical, impetus, grounded as it is in the war against terrorism.Although the territory is more familiar this time around, this second season is just as much a high-tension, taut, adrenalin-fuelled ride as the first, and one that will have you glued to your TV for the next 24 hours. --Kristen Bowditch ... Read more

Reviews (125)

Day Two: Countdown to Destruction
...And the countdown is on! One of the compelling themes that runs through 24 is the idea that someone, somewhere, is always running out of time. That's a notion that we can all identify with on many levels. Throw in a nuclear bomb scheduled to be detonated somewhere in Los Angeles, a group of renegade terrorists who control the bomb and a retired agent with a tragic past, and you've got a recipe for suspense, action and the unexpected. The major strength of 24 has always been its ability to be twisted and unpredictable. Although some of the surprises aren't as shocking as those in the first season of the show, there are more than enough to ratchet up the tension in this drama until the viewer's nerves become taught with anticipation. Kiefer Sutherland proved himself a top-notch actor in the first season of this unique series and he returns as Federal Agent Jack Bauer. Bauer is a man haunted by his own demons; the tragic death of his wife and the estrangement of his daughter Kim. The last thing he wants to do is help his old friends at CTU with another mission. But he can't bring himself to say no to President David Palmer when he is asked to help hunt down a nuclear bomb somewhere in L.A. Jack is dragged into the middle of it all and finds himself working undercover with a McVeigh-like group of domestic terrorists, a path that will ultimately lead him to a forced alliance with his arch nemesis, Nina Myers (Sarah Clark), the traitor who killed Jack's wife in the explosive finale of season one. The scenes between jack and Nina are probably the most electrifying and intense during the course of the day. Once they worked as partners and lovers, and now they must track down the bomb with an ever-present sense of murderous ferocity between them. Meanwhile, Palmer (Dennis Haysbert), must deal with a conspiracy within his own administration, lead by those who seek to remove him from power any way they can. Things become more complicated when Palmer's duplicitous ex wife, Sherry (Penny Johnson Jerald), arrives on the scene claiming to have information that will help the President during this crisis. Other familiar faces return from the first season, including the rye Tony Almeda (Carlos Bernard), the loyal Mike Novick (Jude Ciccolella) and the apathetic George Mason (Xander Berkeley). Mason was a minor character during the previous season, but his role in this day's events becomes important as he is forced to face his own destiny. We also meet a young lady who is about to marry a Middle Eastern businessman who may or not be a terrorist. The weakest plot thread throughout Day Two involves Kim Bauer (Elisha Cuthbert). Many fans found her exploits annoying during the first season when she was more central to the story, but during this day of building terror, she seems to serve as little more than filler as she tries to help a little girl flea Los Angeles and her abusive father. The purpose of the writers seems to be to put Kim in every conceivable terrifying scenario, from a hostage situation in a convenience store to an unexpected encounter in the woods with a cougar. Still, while they are irritating, the Kim story line doesn't detract from the excellent suspense of the other major plots as Jack hunts down the nuclear bomb and tries to prevent a war from being waged by the U.S. in the Middle East. The real-time format in which each episode represents one hour in this day-long period may create implausibility at times, but its easy to forgive the writers when the tension is razor sharp.

The extras in this DVD package are superb and are far superior to the meager offerings of the Season One set. We are given 44 deleted scenes that can be branched into the shows, episode commentary from all major stars and producers and three behind-the-scenes documentaries that take up an entire bonus disk. The picture quality is excellent and the sound is in clear Dolby 5.1 dynamics. Many fans have compared the two seasons and there seems to be a split decision as to which one is better. While I personally lean a bit more toward season one as the better story offering, both seasons are excellent and I encourage every viewer to check out both packages and decide for yourself. Whether you prefer season one or two, you won't be disappointed with either. It is well worth the money you would invest to own the box set. Once you start watching, you won't be able to stop. Like the previous season, 24 is one hell of a wild ride from start to finish.

No match for season 1
Though still one of the most exciting shows on TV, the second installment of "24" definitely didn't deliver the first season's gritty realism and excitement. (Admittedly, it was a hard act to follow.) The season begins with Jack Bauer called into duty on an imminent terrorist threat, after having gone into an apparent retirement after the first season. Jack's daughter Kim is involved in her own little plot that eventually snowballs into several rather ridiculous situations, all of them having essentially nothing to do with the main plot, unlike her role in season one. After Jack is called back into duty (for a very specific reason) the coincidences needed to keep him working on the case seem pretty unlikely. First, his superior George Mason has a serious health problem, and then Nina Meyers (from season one) enters the fray..

A large portion of the plot is also devoted to internal conflicts in President David Palmer's administration, which the writers make quite interesting. There are some engaging standout episodes and some memorable intense moments. However, a lot of the time it seems like the writers are filling in the show's 24 allotted episodes with material that is either irrelevant or farfetched. I look forward to season three, but at this rate, I don't see how they can come up with enough interesting material to keep Jack Bauer as main character.

www.filmwiseguy.funtigo.com
Season 2 is probably the best of the three. This one is much more gripping and does not include farfetched moments such as sudden amnesia in Season One. Everything in season 2 is suspenseful; from finding the nuclear bomb to the 24th Amendment on President Palmer and the aftermath of the nuclear bomb. "24" is so ingenious in making everything so fresh and original in each episode despite following one guideline throughout the year which is to stop the bomb. The finale is much more exciting with a cliffhanger ending that makes you wish this show would be called "48." I can't wait until season 4 for more suspense that only "24" can deliver.

Well done, but over the edge at times
Anthony, you shouldn't be so hard on Chris. People who talk about the "WORST (or BEST) ever, in history, etc. are either very young or use extremes for discription. Unfortunately that is the trend in this country. I have the first set and will get this one. The reason it is 4 stars is the constant confusion at HQ, with traitors, personal relations, and temper tantrums to a degree NO organization (much less national security) could ever permit. I wonder how long the series can continue--by using "superman" plots it is hard to keep coming up with something the audience will accept. I'll be very surprised if it goes beyond 4 seasons--but maybe the writers can tone it down a bit (which would be good anyway).

Very Entertaining
This is high-quality TV that makes other TV programs and even most movies look amateur by comparison. To those of you who have used words like "ludicrous" and "implausible" to describe the plot of Season Two, how exactly do you know? Truth is a lot stranger than fiction. If you're biased against Kiefer Sutherland to begin with, then you'll find reasons to dislike the program that has revived his career, and nothing will convince you that 24 is worthwhile TV. To all others, try to be objective and calm while watching 24. Refrain from throwing stuff at your TV screen. We've all grown so accustomed to watching schmaltzy, amateurish garbage on TV that causes us to roll our eyes in disgust. But for once the producers, writers, and actors in Hollywood have risen to the occasion. Give them a chance. One warning: Season Two is quite violent. A lot of characters are killed and/or tortured over the course of 24 hours. ... Read more

Reviews (463)

If there was ever an offer you couldn't refuse, it's this!
Francis Ford Coppola and Paramount Home Entertainment held a press conference and street fair in Brooklyn, and yours truly was there! The exciting news, of course, was announcing the release of THE GODFATHER DVD COLLECTION on October 9, 2001! If the preview of the set is any indication, then I must say this will be the crown jewel in any DVD collection!

The three films will only be released together in this set. The Godfather and The Godfather Part III will each be on one disc, and The Godfather Part II will take two discs. The first of the good news? Francis Coppola has recorded full-lenth audio commentaries for all three films!

But wait, there's a fifth disc that will blow your socks off! Check this out -- the bonus disc contains 3+ hours worth of special features, including: > "The Godfather Family: A Look Inside" documentary > "Francis Coppola's Notebook", an inside look at taking the book to screen! > "On Location" with production designer Dean Tavoularis! > "The Godfather Behind The Scenes" 1971 featurette! > "The Cinematography of The Godfather"! > "The Music of The Godfather" -- two featurettes! > "Coppola and Puzo on Screenwriting"! > Storyboards from GF2 and GF3! > "The Corleone Family Tree" character and cast bios! > Academy Award® acceptance speeches! > Photo galleries with captions! > Theatrical trailers! > Filmmaker bios! > Corleone Family timeline, with real-life events mixed in! > Never-seen alternate opening of GF3! > And "all" of the extra footage found in the televised Godfather Saga!

The picture quality looked fantastic -- Coppola's American Zoetrope did a wonderful job restoring the films! From what I could tell, the sound quality was perfect, and the on-screen menus looked great. And the DVD packaging looks very nice.

All three films are in widescreen format with English 5.1 surround sound, French mono, and English subtitles.

Perhaps the only "bad" news I heard was that there were no plans at this point to release the chronological version on DVD. Francis said that the films were meant to be seen with the flashbacks, and I tend to agree. The biggest plus of having The Godfather Trilogy or Epic on tape, or watching The Godfather Saga on TV, was all the extra footage included. Well, the bonus disc in The Godfather DVD Collection contains "all" of the extra footage, and even something we've never seen anywhere before: an alternate opening for The Godfather Part III. Francis didn't give a firm "no" though; he cited technical reasons for not being able to include all the extra footage on DVD: the different scenes are in various levels of production ("they weren't mixed and scored"), making it difficult to add them seemlessly with today's technology. Maybe, but they seemed to be okay in the boxed sets and on TV to me.

Do yourself a favor and order the biggest DVD release of all time!

The Godfather Series: Movies You CANNOT Refuse.
What can one say about The Godfather series? All three films were masterpieces. Classics. Part One told the tale of Vito Corleone played by Marlon Brando--the Mafia Don of a family in the 40's and 50's, which eventually is head by his son, Michael (Al Pacino) in the sequel. Part Two also tells the story of Vito as a young man in Sicily played by Robert DeNiro. In the final installment set about twenty years after the original, Michael's dreams of becoming legit are countered by his trigger-happy nephew (Andy Garcia), along with new and opposing foes that make it impossible to go straight and leave his crime backround behind. To quote Pacino: "Just when I think I'm out, they pull me back in," and countless other lines will be quoted for years to come. The performances are absolutely perfect, the screenplay and direction are superb by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola. What more can I say? You must watch all three to appreciate just how great these movies are. At three hours apiece they would be great fun for a rainy day. Pop them in at 8 in the morning and by 6 you'll be a member of the family. Part One is my favorite. Check out GoodFellas, another one of the best films of all time.

A Classic
Ah, the music, the scenery, the horse's head...

Belonging to a family headed by two German matriarchs who married two Italian guys, watching The Godfather every year or so was a family tradition. I felt like I knew the Corleones and loved them, never mind they knocked off a few people who deserved it now and then. This mixed feeling is what makes the series so fascinating.

The story is really about four men - Marlon Brando/Robert de Niro as Don Vito Corleone, the ultimate old-school mob boss, and his three sons - James Caan a force of nature as hotheaded Sonny, who lives to regret going to his sister's rescue one fateful day; John Cazale heartbreaking as Fredo, who's existence depends on his mother's continued good health after he makes the worst mistake of his life, and, most of all, Al Pacino; bonechilling as Michael, who outlives them all but lives to wish he hadn't.

The first movie has most of the cliches - the Italian wedding, the "sleeping with the fishes" line, the amazing baptism/massacre scene, and Brando's whole performance. The second ostensibly deals with the respective rises of Vito and Michael to power and Michael's gripping cat-and-mouse game with wily old Hyman Roth, but I'll bet what everyone never forgets about this one is what happens to poor Fredo. If Michael hasn't lost his soul by the end of Part I, he's lost it by the end of Part II. Part III was inevitable, I suppose, but there's really nothing else to say. A good movie, yes, but the other two are so great that it's almost an anticlimax.

Coppola's legacy enclosed with others
While the original film ranked #2 on the AFI's list of 100 Greatest Movies (#1 being Citizen Kane), many film buffs, afficionados, and audiences believed that the first Godfather film deserves that #1 spot. How many people do you know who know some of those famous quotes like, "I'm gonna' make him an offer he can't refuse," or "Never take sides against the family again, ever..." A few maybe? Or perhaps you grew up in an Italian family like mine and your father can translate the Italian for you while you watch? Now how many people can quote Citizen Kane beyond, "Rooooosebuuuud...."

Despite the excellence of the first film, it is my opinion that Godfather part 2 delves deeper into the family, more into the two-toned life that Michael Corleone orchestrates between the family business and his family. Nowhere is this more apparent than with the relationship he cultivates between himself and Hyman Roth (wonderful performance by Lee Strasberg), cementing the old adage that you keep your friends close and your enemies closer. On the surface they are friends, behind closed doors they are co-conspirators, between each other they are close friends and confidants. Beneath it all, in the depths of each man's heart, they are mortal enemies, Corleone ultimately the victor. The whole movie is a mounting tension between the two, reaching heights as when Hyman fumes over the death of a great man, Mo Green, whom Corleone had killed in the first film. In the end, Hyman becomes just another victim, mowed down by a Corleone footman.

The court proceedings are shot in a way that transmits the claustrophobia and morose tedium of the justice system back in the days of McCarthyism (the eras align somewhat, both post-war 1950's). The court is crowded, people line the walls, journalists write furiously in the heat of the courtroom, in the background, people walk in and out of the proceedings like is was a Wal-Mart. People speak into microphones, their voices drone in the hollow, sparse room.

And then Michael Corleone has his own brother killed. Many would say this is when Michael gives himself over fully to the title "Godfather." This is actually one of the central themes of the first film, when exactly does Michael become Godfather? The first film has a wonderful moment where, in the family office (the predominant colors are brown and orange), Brando gets out of his chair, moves over to the side of the office, Michael gets up from the couch on the other side, moves to the desk, and sits in his fathers chair. This is when Michael becomes Godfather in my opinion, but Coppola is good enough to give us more moments that question exactly, "When?"

Coppola's film legacy lies within this box set, as does Pacino's, Brando's, Caan's, and Duvall's. DeNiro managed to go off and do other things, his legacy lies somewhere else, but to the aforementioned actors, they have never done another film or role as well as what they did in the Godfather films. You don't realize it until you pop in the bonus disc, but composer's Nino Rota and Carmine Coppola also put their legacy into this film with the music. Who can forget Rota's seven-note theme that opens and closes the film? Carmine Coppola adds a more Italiano flavor to the music in the flashback scenes featuring DeNiro as a young Vito Andolini (a.k.a. Don Corleone in the first film).

There's so much to go over, the least of which is film #3. But the contents of the other three discs justifies the cost, which could actually be higher. But really, this collection is an offer you can't refuse, or do I have to put a gun to your head??

Godfather collection~ a def. 5 stars
personally, I thought Godfather II was the best out of the three films. I loved the fact that the movie kept fading from Michael's reign as Godfather to Vito Corleone's in 1920s New York and his olive oil (wink wink) business. great storytelling on Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Copolla's respective parts in II.
Godfather was a classic, no mistake in that..what's weird is that the movie makes the audience love the mafia...never have I seen the mafia world portrayed from the inside out so unbelievably.
part III was a bit disappointing...really made us want more of Michael Corleone and the rest of the family. ... Read more

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Like its predecessor Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve is a piffle of a caper, a preposterous plot given juice and vitality by a combination of movie star glamour and the exuberant filmmaking skill of director Steven Soderbergh (Out of Sight, The Limey). The heist hijinks of the first film come to roost for a team of eleven thieves (including the glossy mugs of Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Bernie Mac, and Don Cheadle), who find themselves pursued not only by the guy they robbed (silky Andy Garcia), but also by a top-notch detective (plush Catherine Zeta-Jones) and a jealous master thief (well-oiled Vincent Cassel) who wants to prove that team leader Danny Ocean (dapper George Clooney) isn't the best in the field. As if all that star power weren't enough--and the eternally coltish Julia Roberts also returns as Ocean's wife--one movie star cameo raises the movie's combined wattage to absurd proportions. But all these handsome faces are matched by Soderbergh's visual flash, cunning editing, and excellent use of Amsterdam, Paris, and Rome, among other highly decorative locations. The whole affair should collapse under the weight of its own silliness, but somehow it doesn't--the movie's raffish spirit and offhand wit soar along, providing lightweight but undeniable entertainment. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (197)

Please spare us Ocean's Thirteen
Genre: Comedy, Mystery

Genre Grade: A-

Final Grade: B-

This was a good follow-up to the first movie, although it did not even get close to matching the thrill of it. The story was MUCH weaker in this one, most of it contrived so confusingly that when you find out the outcome you are mad at how they took such an easy way out. You either like the tricks they do in this movie or you feel cheated. Or you feel a little of both, as I did.

I can't say much about the plot because there are so many spoilers, but I will say there is a big surprise with one of the characters from the first movie that is quite funny. Some people hated it (one of the "cheap" moments) but I thought it was great. There are many plot holes but director Soderbourgh keeps you so interested in the characters and flashy style of the movie that you might not even notice them. No other director could get away with it, that's for sure.

There is mild controversy over who, exactly, is Ocean's twelfth member. I honestly can't say 100% for sure because there are three people who could be considered as such. But there is one person who seems a little more likely to be that person because of a certain...event?

In conclusion, I hope that if Soderbourgh decides to give us another helping of this franchise that he gets a much more clever story for Ocean's Thirteen...

The real theft;steal your money with a bad sequel!
Hollywood returns to "independent" type cuts, erroneously assuming that it is the latest cash crop craze.So they hire youngsters to waste film and money shooting scenes that distract from quality dialogue, acting, and storyline.This is an excellent example of how NOT to make a movie.Don't waste your time unless you are a film student wishing to learn from others' mistakes.Not worth the price of popcorn!

Don't Waste Your Money
This movie should never have been made. It was dull and unispiring. The acting seemed forced and rather then everyone playing a part, a few characters were seen through out and nothing more. If you truly liked Ocean's 11 then leave it at that. My personal recommendation is that you do not watch this movie and rather just stick with the first film. You will be better off by far.

Save your money
Wow - what a bad movie. The all-star cast needs to exercice better judgment before accepting parts like these. The favorite side characters you'll remember from the first movie and played by solid/enjoyable actors (Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, etc...) are left with meaningless lines and no part to play. Brad Pitt's on camera eating habits in the first movie were something to smile at, in this one, it's simply annoying. Julia Roberts pretending to be Julia Roberts - what a stretch for the writers! The camera action is exhausting and attempts to add pace to a movie that does not have any. The plot is so twisted, it's unbelievable and ... without any interest. Soderbegh has done some excellent movies - this is probably his worst. Save your money, don't fall for the marketing hype. If you want Clooney at his clever and charming best, get "Out of Sight". If you want some good Soderbergh (nice camera work, interesting cinematography), get "Traffic". And I can't come up with something decent to suggest for Pitt since "Seven" or "Fight Club".

Much better than expected
Quite a few people I know told me the movie wasn't good so I didn't go see it on big screen. Now that I've watched in on DVD, surprisingly I quite like it and actually think it's as good as its prequel [in a different way though].

I like the combination of light action, romance, comedy, and a bit of suspense here. The strongest point of the movie must be a medley of huge stars [Clooney, Pitt, Damon, Garcia, Zeta Jones,Roberts]. Even supporting actors are all first-class! All of them play their parts really really well and even the supporting cast could hold their own against the big actors. It is amazing that you can feel a burst of energy and charms from these people in almost every scence. I actually felt like watching a celebrity party in a way, LOL.

Another thing I like in the movie is the sizzling romance. They didn't even have to use cheap sex scenes to tell the story. The chemistry between Clooney and Roberts is okay and the Pitt-Jones pairing is just incredible.

More good things: neat script with lots of funny quirky lines, good editing and delicious outfitting [but well we all know that Clooney, Pitt, Damon, Zeta Jones, and Roberts would look good even if they wore paperbags!]

Okay, now the weak points: The plot is kinda weak and not very believable. The movie could be confusing at times. I had to watch it twice to pick up some of the details. Also, those who go in expecting series of action would surely be disappointed. There is not a single violent scene in the movie if I remember correctly. The suspense element is not too good either. What else, there is not a whole lot of high tech gadgets for this Ocean's 12. Maybe these are why some people don't like this sequel as much as Ocean's 11.

So to sum it up, I think it's a fun movie if you watch it as a romantic comedy. The movie can't quite boast its action and suspense elements though.

Recommendation: Rent it and you'll get good two hours of entertainment. I bought the DVD just because I like many many funny scenes in the movie and wouldn't mind watching them over and over again.



... Read more

Description

The complete first season of Rod Serling's classic, groundbreaking series exploring the fantastic and the frightening. ... Read more

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The third season of Alias found super spy Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) waking up in Hong Kong with a monster hangover and two years in the future with nary a memory. What's worse, her world has been turned upside-down with the evil Sloane (Ron Rifkin) now a world-famous humanitarian and philanthropist, and, even worse, her true love Vaughn (Michael Vartan) married to a seemingly great gal. Nice way to go back to work, eh? After coming up with one heck of a cliffhanger in season 2, Alias proceeded a bit aimlessly through these 22 episodes, and as a result, the parts were truly greater than the whole. With Lena Olin no longer around as Syd's duplicitous mother, and the addition of admirable yet bland Melissa George as Vaughn's wife Lauren, Garner found herself for the first time without a compelling female foil to play off of. By dividing its focus equally between the quest for the enigmatic Rambaldi device, Syd and Vaughn's now-contentious relationship, and the uncovering of Syd's missing years, Alias lost a little of its power without a larger story arc. The loss of regular cast members Merrin Dungey (Francie/Alison) and Bradley Cooper (Will)--both of whom do make great guest appearances--also divest the show of the personal life that kept Sydney human and approachable. Still, Garner is stellar as always, the plot twists come fast and furious, and secret identities are revealed. This season does have a great panorama of guest actors including Ricky Gervais, Justin Theroux, Djimon Hounsou, David Cronenberg, Quentin Tarantino, Vivica A. Fox, and Isabella Rossellini as Syd's long-lost aunt. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (57)

Not quite as good, but still a decent season
The third season of Alias picks up right where the second left off with Sydney waking up in Asia two years after the events in season 2, with no memory of how or why she got there. When Sydney makes it safely into CIA custody, she learns that fellow CIA agent and boyfriend Michael Vaughn( Michael Vartan)thought Sydney was dead,and moved on to marry another woman named Lauren Reed(Melissa George), her father Jack Bristow( Victor Garber) is in prison, Dixon( Carl Lumbly) is now the director of the CIA office she worked for, and her greatest enemy Sloan ( Ron Rifkin)is now a changed man who is running one of the most respected charity organizations in the world. Sydney manages to get Jack released, only to discover through videotape evidence from Jack that Sydney murdered a man in cold blood during the mysterious two years of her life that she went missing. This would begin the chain reaction of events for the rest of season 3 which include Sydney finding out who took the two years from her life and what happened during that time, as well as fighting her feelings for Vaughn.

I have been a huge fan of Alias for the last three years, and I have never missed a single episode. The first season of Alias provided for an original, sexy, and fresh spy thriller that was packed full of great action and dialogue. The second season of Alias managed to somehow be even better, and had an outstanding cliffhanger that left fans of the show feeling anxious to find out what happens. Season 3 did have a lot of momentum going in. But with Vaughn being married to the unlikeable Lauren Reed, and Sloan offering no suspense as a changed man, season 3 could not seem to find the same rythm as the previous two seasons. However, after the initial speedbump in the beginning of the season, season 3 still manages to offer plenty of twists, action, suspense, great cliffhangers, and the sexy Jennifer Garner. Overall, fans of the show will still be satisfied for the most part. The only problem, is that the first two seasons set the bar so high, that season 3 could just not go any higher.

The DVD package itself still manages to live up to its predecessors however. The extras are first rate with commentary from cast and crew, deleted scenes, and two featurettes. However, the blooper reel is what I am looking forward to the most. The blooper reels in the last two sets have been hilarious, and I have no doubt that the one for season 3 will be just as good. With great DVD features and a good overall season, the season 3 DVD set is definately worth owning.

A solid 4 stars...

Alias Season 3
Have you ever wondered what the world of espionage, high tech gadgets and the goings-on of the CIA is like, this should answer a few questions for you.

Alias the 3rd season was great, although it may not have been the most action filled year of the three, it was a building on Sydney's emotional aspects, as well as Vaughn's. I never missed an episode.It kept you on your toes, as well as on the edge of your seat.

Sydney is just a great role model, sure the clothes can be a bit scary, but the girl underneath is great, Jeniffer Garner, known as Sydney on Alias and in the movie Daredevil as kick-butt girl Elektra, also known for her lead role on the summer of 2004 hit 13 going on 30!

Alias had an awesome season, with a great cast, Ron Rifkin,Merrin Dungey,Michael Vartan,Greg Grunburg, Melissa George,Victor Garber, David Anders, CArl Lumbley, and Kevin Weisman. With plenty of great guest stars this season including: a return of Will, Bradley Cooper,as well as Mia Maestro,Isabella Rossellini, David Cronenberg and Quintin Tarentino.

In other words, what I'm saying is you have got to see these, they are great episodes.If you are waiting for the next season (season 4) in the states or just in the middle of season 3 in the UK, you have just gotta see this!!

Disapointing Third season for Alias
After two incredidibly good seasons, Alias came back to earth in season 3, which Alias creator JJ Abrams himself admitted being terrible. Indeed, Lena Olin's absence from the cast was deeply felt, as well as a lack of exciting ideas. The first half of the season about Sidney's disappearance was plain boring. Still, the second half rocked and gives hope for season four. So season 3 is not a complete failure but is still a huge disapointment compared to the prfection of season 1 and 2

Alias - The Best Show On TV
I started watching Alias since the pilot episode of the first season. Then later on I got excited over the show because its the best show on television right now (on sundays that is). Alias is my #1 favorite show to watch any time and any where. Now that I own the first two season on DVD, its great collecting the DVD to watch over and over. I am so addicted to this show, more than words can say... Also I buy the Alias magazines which comes out every two months. I love having Alias on DVD to watch at home. Its a priceless item for such a fan of Alias. Seasons 1 & 2 were great, and season 3 was full of twists and turns which was really a shocker to learn that Sydney Bristow (aka Jennifer Garner) has a half-sister whom dad is Arvin Sloane. And finally Syd & Vaughn back together in the last epiosde of the season. 2 thumbs up for Alias! The most addicting show ever!!!

Fan Commentary.... Priceless!
Many critics agree that Season 3 was not this show's most shining moment. But all the more reason to pick up the DVD though! Why? Because the "fan commentary" on this set comes from none other than TelevisionWithoutPity.com's "Alias" recapper extraordinaire, Regina, who--along with a winner of a Chicago radio contest--recaps the premiere ep of Season 3, "The Two." As the saying goes, hilarity ensues.

Credit the show's producers with allowing snark of this magnitude to be attached to the official product by buying a set. At least they have a sense of humor and an ability to not take themselves too seriously. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It was a family affair in the second season of J.J. Abrams's wonderfully inventive Alias, as super secret agent Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) came face-to-face with the mother of all super secret agents--her own mother, Irina Derevko (Lena Olin), a former KGB agent presumed dead but alive and more dangerous than ever. After shooting poor Syd, Irina later shows up at the doorstep of the CIA, offering to turn herself in and work for the good guys. But can she be trusted? Alias set up so much duplicity in its second season that it might have been hard to keep track of who was doing what to whom, but thanks to a great ensemble cast, fast-paced writing and direction, and some cannily cast guest stars, Alias rode a stunning emotional roller-coaster and never broke its momentum, even when halfway through the season, the show reinvented itself. With episode 13, "Phase One" (which aired after the Super Bowl to the show's biggest audience), Syd's original nemesis (and employer) SD-6 changes forever, yet the kick-butt agent still finds herself going up against the malevolent leader Sloane (Ron Rifkin) and his ever-changing set of henchmen. Action fans got plenty of fighting, while romantic Alias watchers swooned as Syd and the dashing Vaughn (Michael Vartan) finally consummated their unrequited love.

The critically acclaimed show owed a debt to Buffy the Vampire Slayer for its mix of action, romance, mystery, and moral quandaries, but in this season Alias truly came into its own--with a climax that came as a total shocker and prepped the show for an emotionally volatile third season. Guest stars included the phenomenal Amy Irving as Sloane's wife, Faye Dunaway as a nefarious bigwig, Christian Slater as a kidnapped scientist, and Ethan Hawke as a fellow CIA agent (or rather, two of them), but it was the dysfunctional nuclear family of Syd, Irina, and father Jack (Victor Garber) that gave Alias its heart and its strength, whether the three perfectly cast actors (all Emmy nominated) were just bickering or undertaking deadly hand-to-hand combat. And you thought your family had problems! --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (81)

Best Show on TV Last Season
Season two of Alias was awesome. That's one of the best ways to describe it. I picked this DVD up on a Friday, and watched it over the next two days. I couldn't turn it off. The show has all the right twists in all the right moments, all the drama at exactly right time. This season we see the end of the Alliance, in one brilliant assault at the same time across the globe. Thus, Rambaldi becomes the focus of the CIA for the remainder of the season. There are many plot twists and dramatic moments which made me scream at the screen. If the first season of Alias was the build-up, then the second season is definitely the downward slope of the roller coaster. The episodes are:
1. The Enemy Walks In
2. Trust Me
3. Cipher
4. Dead Drop
5. The Indicator
6. Salvation
7. Counteragent
8. Passage (pt. 1)
9. Passage (pt. 2)
10. Abduction
11. Higher Echelon
12. Getaway
13. Phase One
14. Double Agent
15. Free Agent
16. Firebomb
17. Drak Turn
18. Truth Takes Time
19. Endgame
20. Coutdown
21. Second Double
22. The Telling

The Best Show of the Season
Season two of Alias was awesome. That's one of the best ways to describe it. I picked this DVD up on a Friday, and watched it over the next two days. I couldn't turn it off. The show has all the right twists in all the right moments, all the drama at exactly right time. This season we see the end of the Alliance, in one brilliant assault at the same time across the globe. Thus, Rambaldi becomes the focus of the CIA for the remainder of the season. There are many plot twists and dramatic moments which made me scream at the screen. If the first season of Alias was the build-up, then the second season is definitely the downward slope of the roller coaster. The episodes are:

1. The Enemy Walks In
2. Trust Me
3. Cipher
4. Dead Drop
5. The Indicator
6. Salvation
7. Counteragent
8. Passage (pt. 1)
9. Passage (pt. 2)
10. Abduction
11. Higher Echelon
12. Getaway
13. Phase One
14. Double Agent
15. Free Agent
16. Firebomb
17. Drak Turn
18. Truth Takes Time
19. Endgame
20. Coutdown
21. Second Double
22. The Telling

Alias is AMAZING
I would just have to say that this season is great. I picked up Alias during the second season, which was a bit rough trying to keep up with things that I had no clue about, but it is a great season. It is full of things that keep you thinking through each episode.

Quite simply the best!
This show is quite simply the best that Tv has to offer currently. You can't help, but get involved in the story and characters. The casting is brilliant and Jennifer Garner is incredible as the heroine Sydney Bristow. This is a must have for the intellegent TV watcher. Great acting, a great story and a wonderful interwoven storyline that keeps you guessing. GREAT SHOW and a GREAT DVD!

Still Addicted
The second season of Alias is even more addictive than the first. I am rationing out the viewing of the episodes, waiting for the release of the third season on Sept 7th. ... Read more

Amazon.com

There's not one cougar to be found in 24's dynamic third season, and that's good news for everyone. After Jack Bauer's daughter Kim (Elisha Cuthbert) survived hokey hazards in season 2, she's now a full-time staffer at CTU, the L.A.-based intelligence beehive that's abuzz once again--three years after the events of "Day Two"--when a vengeful terrorist threatens to release a lethal virus that could wipe out much of the country's population. Jack (Kiefer Sutherland) attempts to broker a deal for the virus involving drug kingpin Ramon Salazar (Joaquim de Almeida), whose operation Jack successfully infiltrated at high personal cost: to maintain his cover, he got hooked on heroin. That potentially deadly triangle--drug lords, addiction, and bioterrorism on a massive scale--sets the 24-hour clock ticking in a tight, action-packed plot involving a potential traitor in CTU's midst; the return of TV's greatest villainesses in Nina Meyers (Sarah Clarke) and former First Lady Sherry Palmer (Penny Johnson Jerald); a troubled romance between Kim and Jack's new partner Chase (James Badge Dale); and a scandalized reelection campaign by president David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert), who monitors CTU as they struggle to (literally) save the day.

The intricately woven subplots that are 24's greatest strength are masterfully developed here, and character arcs are equally strong, especially among CTU staffers Tony (Carlos Bernard) and his wife Michelle (Reiko Aylesworth); CTU director Ryan Chappelle (Paul Schulze), who is season 2's tragic bargaining chip; and the annoying but well-intentioned Chloe O'Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub), who makes pivotal contributions with by-the-book efficiency. It's 24's superior casting that overcomes the series' occasional lapses in credibility, and season 3's twists make marathon viewing a nerve-wracking delight. By the time it's all over, with a high body count and the surgical reattachment of a main character's severed hand, 24 once again leaves you gratefully exhausted. As always, Sutherland anchors the series in the role he was born to play. When Jack takes a private moment to release 24 hours' worth of near-fatal tension and psychological anguish, Sutherland proves that 24's dramatic priorities are as important as its thriller momentum. DVD extras include behind-the-scenes featurettes (about the prison break sequence, climactic F-18 Hornet air-strike, and real-life bio-weaponry) that pay welcome tribute to the series' hard-working crew, who create Emmy-worthy television under pressures as intense as 24 itself. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Well worth watching, but more uneven than Seasons One or Two
Season three begins 3 years after season two. Jack Bauer has returned from a deep undercover assignment, where he infiltrated and won the trust of the Salazar brothers, two drug dealers with ties to terrorist cells. Jack's assignment ended successfully with the capture of Ramone Salazar, and the season begins with Jack paying a visit to Salazar in jail.

At the same time, a mysterious van drops off a dead body at a National Health Services facility in Los Angeles. The body had been infected with a weaponized virus, and the delivery is clearly a signal that terrorists are threatening to unleash havoc in L.A.

Are these two events connected? Jack has to find out, but he is struggling with an incredible burden that may affect his job performance. As in the previous seasons, Kiefer Sutherland again is exceptional, and easily worthy of the awards he's earned for his performance in 24.

The third season brings back a few characters from Season Two, and introduces many new ones. Tony Almeida is back, and is running CTU side by side with Jack. Michelle Dessler, another CTU worker that was Tony's love interest in Season Two, is also back, and by the second half of Season Three, Michelle becomes a very important character. Reiko Aylesworth, who plays Michelle, really shines as her character takes on new importance and new responsibilities. And finally, Dave Chappelle, a by-the-book guy from "Division", returns from Season Two. Chappelle has the authority to oversee CTU, and usually disapproves of Jack's unorthodox methods. Chappelle played a minor role in Season Two, and does again in Season Three, except that he becomes the center of a particularly thrilling episode late in the Season.

Season Three also sees the return of Nina Myers and Sherry Palmer, the two villians we love to hate. Nina's entrance into the storyline is too coincidental to be plausible, but you quickly forgive the writers for this, because her storyline is very good. If you are familiar with Jack and Nina's history, you will find the climax of Nina's storyline in Season Three to be thrilling. Both of these women are complex characters, and their relationships with their "men" (Nina to Jack and Sherry to the President) are complex and interesting.

Jack's daughter Kim is back, and is now working at CTU as a computer geek. It seems that Jack got her the job so that he could keep an eye on her and insure that she wouldn't get stuck in any mountain lion traps. The writers mostly avoid the mistakes they made with Kim's character in Season Two.

There are new characters, I will only mention two. Jack has a new, young partner named Chase Edmunds. Chase is a young version of Jack, highly competent and willing to step over the line to get results. Chase also idolizes Jack, though events during Season Three will put their relationship to the test.

The other new character is a young computer expert named Chloe. She has no social skills (she is frequently and unintentionally rude to her co-workers, and after a while this behavior gets to be a running joke), but Chloe makes up for it with exceptional skill at her job. There are many times when Jack, Tony, or Chappelle give her a near impossible task that would ordinarily take hours, but they need it done in minutes. Chloe always rises to the occasion.

That's as much as I can tell you without giving anything away.

Now, as to the quality of Season Three: There are some truly great episodes, and the plot has some really neat twists and turns. However, like most critics, I believe that Season Three is more uneven than Seasons One or Two, and has more episodes that are just "okay" rather than truly great. Still, Season Three is well worth watching, and I really respect the writers for reinventing "24" every season - they don't repeat the same formula every year, they work hard to come up with something new and different and exciting, and for the most part, they succeed.

Another reviewer here said the season finale was lackluster. I respectfully disagree, I thought it was as good as the finale to Season Two. In order to appreciate the very last scene, you need to remember all the trauma that Jack has been through in this long day; viewers who didn't see every episode, or didn't remember everything, probably cannot feel the impact of the final scene. But if you watch Season 3 on DVD, you can see all the episodes without waiting a week or more between episodes, so you will remember everything and really enjoy the final scene.

However, I agree with that reviewer's disappointment over the fact that Season Three brushes off major plot points from Season Two without satisfactorily explaining them - namely, the assassination attempt on President Palmer, and Jack's relationship with Kate. Clearly, the writers decided to abandon these storylines and wanted to wrap them up with minimal effort on their part.

The Most Compelling Season yet!
I think about all that has happend and it's a lot. Jack races against time to stop a deadly virus from being spread. He has to make huge decisions to stop the virus from spreading and some are pretty contriversal. However you understand he's just doing what has to be done so millions don't die. President Palmer has to make huge choices as well in-order to save the careers of him and his brother.

He also has to deal with a dangerous terrorist in-order to keep the virus from spreading. One is to have a CTU member killed. He has no choice to deal with the terrorist because he already knows what he's capable of after the virus is let loose in a motel building. 24 season 3 is the most unpredictible season yet. You never could predict who would live and who would die. When the seasons do end, none of them end with a happy ending. In season 1, Jack found his wife dead. In season 2 President Palmer passes out after getting some sort of flesh eating virus. So compared to those endings, seasons 3's ends a lot less shocking but still it's a fitting ending when you think about all Jack went through that one day.

By Far The Most Intense Season By Far
Season 3 starts the way season 2 ended. We are stuck in a plot that is completely unknown, and pointless. Half-way through the day, the action starts to really pump up and explode, and who cares that it has cornball plotting? Even before the day ends, 24 delivers more of it's unexpected formula, including a outbreak of a deadly virus killing nearly 1,000 people, which is shown very graphicly, and the final episode will leave your heart pounding. This season alone makes up for what season 2 failed in. This season finished with all barrels blazing. 24 is spectacular.

The Best Season Yet
I haven't acutally bought the DVD so I don't know what the special features are but I own the other two seasons and saw the third season on television and I have to say that this is by far the best season yet, the relationships and action are much better than the other two, you will really start to love tony and michelle, if you havnen't already. This season also only focuses on one problem that CTU faces this year: an airborne virus, and this problem keeps you watching for the whole season!

Why isn't it coming?
I loved 24 season 3. it was one of the best shows i watched all year. i hope it comes out on DVD, because it will make alot of money. I know a lot of people who watch this show. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) is a super (and super sexy) spy, fighting nefarious villains and working for the good guys--or so she thinks. Recruited as a college freshman for espionage work, Sydney found her true calling with SD-6, a secret division of the CIA. When her hunky doctor-boyfriend proposes to her, she decides to let him in on the truth she's not supposed to tell anyone: she's not a grad student with a demanding job for an international bank, but a secret agent who constantly puts her life on the line for the free world. But when SD-6 discovers her security breach, her fiancé is brutally assassinated, and Sydney suddenly finds herself face-to-face with the truth: she's been working for the bad guys. Deciding to become a double agent for the CIA and bring down the evildoers, Sydney gets one more surprise--her estranged father (Victor Garber) is also working for SD-6, and the CIA as well. Welcome to the family, Syd!

Confusing? This is all just in the first episode of Alias, the brainchild of Felicity creator J.J. Abrams that plays like a cross between Buffy the Vampire Slayer and James Bond. With its double-edged tension (how long can Syd play double agent?) and one heck of a MacGuffin (the dreaded Rambaldi device, the mythic creation of a Renaissance genius), the show leads its viewers from episode to episode with visceral, compelling action, not to mention the nascent romance between Syd and her CIA handler, Vaughn (Michael Vartan), and her clashes with her heretofore distant father. Sharp, smart, and always suspenseful, Alias' center was held by the gorgeous Garner, a stellar action heroine and an even better actress who could pull off Sydney's exotic undercover missions and conflicted emotions with equal dexterity. By the end of this first season, which concludes with a breathtaking cliffhanger, you'll be seduced into Alias' world with, happily, no desire to escape. --Mark Englehart ... Read more

Reviews (257)

An excellent show, with one crippling flaw...
I'm sure a lot of people are surprised that I'm not giving this DVD and show five stars. Don't get me wrong, I love "Alias". The acting is great, the show is really well-shot, the action is heart pounding and there is a twist in every episode. I was extremely excited to buy this DVD. But then I figured something out. Let me clarify.

For starters, let me just say that the packaging of this box set is really great. The carboard box holds three snap cases (like what a normal DVD comes in) each with two discs in it. I prefer this format to the fold out format used in other box sets (like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Friends"). The menu is easy to use. The picture quality is outstanding. The only thing I disliked about the DVD itself is the fact that each episode begins with the background information about Sydney and the "Previously on Alias" section. I got really sick of both of these.

Now, for the reason I took away a star. It has to do with "Alias" as a show. I've already told you that I really love this show. We all like how the plot is continuous and important twists are revealed in every episode. But that's sort of a problem. The episodes are so laced into the overall series arc (backstory, missions, Sydney as a double agent) that no single episode is better than any other. They're all good, but none are excellent. No individual episode is a classic. My three favorite shows- "Buffy", "Angel", and "Friends"- all have individual episodes that you can go back and watch as a stand alone. "Alias" doesn't have this. After you watch the whole season, you won't be going back and saying "I'm in the mood to watch ENTER A SPECIFIC EPISODE HERE". You sort of have to watch the whole season to keep up the effect of the action in each episode. They are completely reliant on each other.

Still, this is a great show and you should buy it, by all means. I just wanted to voice my opinion.

Alias
Alias is the best show EVER!!! It's all about Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) and how she is a double agent for the CIA working under cover at SD-6, an evil corperation dealing with weapon sales and inteligence posing as the CIA. SD-6 director Arvin Slone (Ron Riffcin) is a part of much larger corperation called the aliance. Sydeny's father, Jack Bristow (Victor Garber) who she was never that close to, also works as an under cover agent. She joined the CIA after SD-6 murdered her fiance. Sydney's hot CIA handler Michel Vaughn (Michel Vartan) watches out for her and is secretly in love with her (I Think). Sydney tries to live a normal life and hang out with her friends Francie and nosey reporter Will Tippen, but it's hard.
Near the end of last season you learn Sydney's Mom (Lenna Olin), presumed dead after a car crash 20 yrs. ago,is a secret agent for the bad guys. Also, you learn that she killed Vaughn's dad!!! Meanwhile Will is investigating her fiance's death and learns about SD-6. In the season ender, Will is captured by the organisation Sydney's mom runs and Sydney, Jack, and Vaughn try to go and rescue Will. While Jack gets Will, Sydney and Vaughn go inside the building to destroy a device called the Circumference. Along the way Sydney and Vaughn split up. The device is filled with water so when Sydney destroys it, it floods the building. As she runs for her life through the hall ways of the building with water gushing behind , Vaughn shows up. Now they are both running Vaughn barely behind Sydney. The only door out is automatically closing, Sydney slips through but Vaughn isn't that lucky. And that's how it ends!!! Watch Alias Sunday's at 9 to find out if he lived.
Alias is adicting with fast paced music,a great plot, and Vaughn!!!

Everything that entertains
The first season of Alias was the best season of any drama in television history. Packed with adventure and plot twists it has enough action to keep you on your seat. But what really makes it great is the integrating of Sydney's personal life with her secret double life. Each episode is filled with enough entertainment value and suspense to have you look forward to the next, and with 22 episodes they earn the value of your dollar.

HOW CAN PEOPLE WATCH THIS S***
OKAY I LOVED DARK ANGEL AND BUFFY WAS ALRIGHT BUT I HATE ALL THESE DRAMA GIRLS KICK ASS SHOWS. THEY'RE SO ALIKE AND BORING. CAN'T WE EVER GET GOOD TELEVISION. AND LIKE SHE WOULD BE HITTING ON SOMEONE AFTER HER HUSBAND DIED. IT IS A USELESS SERIES WITH USELESS GRAPHICS AND ACTING. I COULDN'T EVEN WATCH THE WHOLE SERIES, IT WAS SO BAD. I ENDED UP SELLING THE COLLECTION TO MY FRIEND FOR 15 EURO AFTER BUYING IT FOR 150 EURO. WHAT A RIP OFF. BETTER OFF WITH DARK ANGEL ANYDAY

I'M A NEW FAN!
Just got this DVD set. I had never watched the show on TV, but it always looked good. I watched the first 2 episodes, and now I can't stop watching the rest of the season! I have seen 8 episodes already in 2 days. I cant wait to finish this season and get Season 2 and 3. ... Read more

Reviews (663)

Watch Out For That Wascally Wabbit...
Donnie Darko has quickly become one of my all time favorite movies. How can I describe it? It is strange, dark (of course), cool, mysterious, enigmatic, scary, funny, serious, sarcastic, bleak yet hopeful, mystical, and even charming. Jake Gyllenhaal is Donnie, who is absolutely believable no matter what he says or does. Time travel? No problem! A seven-foot rabbit named Frank who predicts the end of the world in 28 days? No problem! Donnie's earnestness is mesmerizing. The rest of the cast is an incredible ensemble of big stars in small, crucial roles. Drew Barrymore (E.T., The Wedding Singer, Charlies Angels) plays the only teacher in Donnie's school who seems to realize that what's being passed off as an "education" is actually a long, dull course in mind-numbing mediocrity (hmmm... sounds like my highschool). Noah Wyle (ER) is the science teacher who has wild theoretical conversations with Donnie about time travel, then cuts him off competely when Donnie asks if God might be involved. Donnie's mom is played by Mary McDonnell (Dances With Wolves, Grand Canyon). She loves him while being frustrated and afraid of his condition. Katharine Ross (The Graduate, The Stepford Wives) is Donnie's psychiatist, trying to probe his mind and help him. Patrick Swayze (Dirty Dancing) plays Jim Cunningham, tele-guru and local self-help author, who is exposed by Donnie (and Frank) for who / what he REALLY is. Jena Malone is Donnie's new girlfriend Gretchen. She's got problems enough of her own. Together, this cast of characters orbits perfectly around Donnie's dark center of gravity. Do not expect the typical hollywood bucket of swill here! Donnie Darko took actual thought to create. It's style and story are unique. I had never even heard of it due to a less than half-hearted ad campaign (I'm a TV addict, yet saw not one DD commercial). I just happened to see the DVD on the shelf and took a chance. You should too...

Gyllenhaal is outstanding in this haunting film
How to describe "Donnie Darko," the dark psychological drama written and directed by Richard Kelly? After seeing it I thought of the film as a sort of "Ordinary People" meets "Being John Malkovich," with a touch of "Pi" and "American Beauty" thrown in. But ultimately that equation is unfair; "Donnie" is, in the end, a true original.

The film takes place in 1988. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as the title character: a troubled, sleepwalking teenager who has recurring, frightening visions. Donnie is a quest to understand the forces that are affecting his life and sanity.

Gyllenhaal's outstanding performance helps to hold the film together. He is a quirky, offbeat leading man; at times frightening, at times appealingly vulnerable. Gyllenhaal's work is superbly complemented by that of an eclectic ensemble cast which includes Katharine Ross, Drew Barrymore, and Noah Wyle. I was particularly impressed by Patrick Swayze's turn as a creepy, oily motivational speaker.

"Donnie" defies genre classification. It blends together elements of serious family drama, 80s period piece, horror, satire, and science fiction. In a sense, it is a deconstruction of the whole 80s teen movie genre. The script makes intriguing use of 80s pop culture.

"Donnie" has scenes of weirdness and absurdity, and is often punctuated by bizarre dialogue and strange, frightening imagery. And there are some really moving scenes that tap into the universal experience of human loneliness and the need for love. If there was ever a movie that had all the elements to make it a cult classic, it's the haunting "Donnie Darko."

Undoubted young talent produces pretentious film-making
I have high hopes for Richard Kelly as his talent, ideas, motivation, enthusiasm and everything you need for a good career in directing is evident in this movie.

Sadly, this time around, its a painful experience for the viewer, unless you are so into puzzles, sci-fi, symbolism and finding out what a movie means AFTER watching it that you can forgive what is, after all, really poor storytelling.

Hint - A really good movie doesn't need multiple websites stacked with backstory and explanations.

And, as usual, its all the fault of the script, which isn't a film script at all. Its a / Philosophy/ Religiousy / Science Fictiony puzzle (although I left out a few things there). This puzzle unfolds as a series of vignettes masquerading as scenes, related by Kelly's 'themes' but little else.

The majority of the characters are little more than pawns whose job is just to move the puzzle plot on... nice..... and.......... slowly (with the odd music montage and cute-dialogue sketch thrown in, as if they were ad breaks).

The main character was ok and most of the actors did well with what little they had to work with, but the MAJORITY of them should have been cut from the finished film, they are so redundant.

There is no drive in the film and little sense of progression. We know loosely what the main character is ultimately facing, but never immediately so there is never any sense of anticipation, suspense, hope or fear for the viewer. We are simply passed more information and explanations to debate and question later with our fellow sci-fi-symbol buffs.

I'm not saying you sit there waiting for things to happen because things do happen (to be fair some of the "scenes" are entertaining in their own way). But you do sit there waiting for a STORY to develop so you can start experiencing something (which is what we pay our money for, isn't it?).

But there is no drama, no connection and NO STORY.

All you get is a cool song and a plot twist (explained). Some people are happy with that I guess

Lagomorph Odyssey
The young Richard Kelly, director of this film, graduated from USC Film School in 1997. This was his first feature film. He has spun a dark multi-layered vision, part dramatic comedy, part science fiction, part fantasy and allegory. The movie almost needs to be classified as three genres stirred gently. He set the world of the film as autumn 1988. It is, in part, a story of adolescent teenae angst, the familiar turf of a John Hughes project, but actually it is more like John Hughes meets David Lynch meets Steven Spielberg. Kelly has put several interesting twists into the high school yarn. It is like a hip FERRIS BEULLER'S DAY OFF.

Jake Gyllenhaal, from MIDNIGHT MILE & OCTOBER SKY, played Donnie Darko brilliantly. He was a young man smarter than his teachers, his parents, and his friends. An intrepid curious lad who could ask those questions very few wanted to answer. He is a kid who is being treated for mental illness, even though he may not have been clincially ill. He was outspoken, outrageous, and socially boorish...like most smart teenagers. Roger Ebert wrote," Donnie is appealingly smart yet sarcastic, more quixotic than eccentric, more curious than frightened.

The film's prologue is bang on target. A bright sunrise on dark foothills, suddenly interrupted in the frame by the insertion of the black silhousette of a young man's head. Donnie Darko, there on the hard ground near his bicycle, far from home. After he cycles home, his arrival is treated as familiar behavior; sleep sojourns, adventurous forays into the darkness. That very next night, we witness him roused from his slumber by someone calling his name. He slips outside and we meet the presence that has beckoned him...a medium longshot of someone in a rabbit suit...someone named Frank. But this rabbit, tall as HARVEY, is not a benign companion. Its face is twisted into a demonic death mask. With Darko away from the house, we see an accident happening. Something has fallen out of the night sky, and crashed directly into Donnie's bedroom; a 707 jet engine. If he had been there when the engine came acallin', he would have died instantly. Frank sends Donnie off to do devilish chores; flooding the school, and burning down a house.

Nothin is linear or logical in Darko's dreamlike world. His parents are too understanding. His new girlfriend, Jena Malone, is really too easy to get to know. Physical laws, like an axe being buried in a bronze statue, are tweaked and violated. The film can only approach some level of cohesiveness if one is able to conjure up a premise, a through line. For me, most of the characters presented are probably actually a part of Donnie's
"real" life, but as they were mostly presented in the bulk of the narrative, they were peopling his "dream" life. One possible explication for the whiplash lunges from drama to comedy to satire to science fiction and fantasy, was that most of the film's narrative occurred from the time Donnie was awakened in his bed, either by Frank's voice, or the faint sound of the 707 engine whistling and plummeting down toward his bedroom. Time was compressed, like in THE INCIDENT AT OWL CREEK BRIDGE on the Twilight Zone, a sort of Alice through the Looking Glass dream squeezed into those precious elongated seconds.

This film poses more questions than it offers answers for. There are theories that we, as spiritual entities, can sustain more than one version of our "Self" in parallel dimensions similtaneously. Somehow, it seemed that Donnie called on one of his alternate selves to swing through those last few brief moments, those seconds that stretched out into 30 days. Perhaps time is relative, and does not exist on the other side. I think this movie requires several viewings to begin to be fully appreciated. It is an original vision, bizarre yet strangely familiar, and immediate with it's punch to the emotional gut. It is eccentric, yet appealing.

AMAZING
i didn't know a movie could change your life, 'till i saw donnie darko. this movie is stunning, it grabs you, i highly reccommend it. unbelievable soundtrack too, gary jules, joy division, echo in the bunnymen, 5 stars. see it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Despite an abundance of gaping plot holes, White Noise serves up enough spooky atmosphere to make it worth a look-see for fans of supernatural thrillers. Even when hampered with a shoddy, clumsily written screenplay, Michael Keaton brings professional conviction to his role as a grieving widower who is introduced to the mysterious (and according to paranormal researchers, highly documented) existence of EVP, or Electronic Voice Phenomenon, which allows the dead to communicate (one-way only, it seems) from the great beyond, through images and voices recordable on a variety of electronic media such as VCRs, computers, etc. Seeking contact with his recently deceased wife, Keaton finds dire warnings of evil in the afterlife, with connections (all too convenient) to killings and disappearances in his Vancouver, British Columbia vicinity. British TV director Geoffrey Sax brings slick style to this hokum, and a few moments of genuine eeriness, but you may find yourself giggling too much to appreciate the highlights. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (87)

Great Film: A few drops in the DVD qualitry
I enjoyed the film in the Theatre immensely. The DVD version is great, especially the clarity, and the BAM factor in the audio. I saw comments that noted so-called plot holes before seeing the movie, and I still do not see any of the so called plot holes mentioned in the editorial.
This film is well instructed, and done with an exactness and economy that is impressive.After listening to the commentary, its because the director is a BBCalumni. The commentary is not advertised on the box at all, nor on any extras details that I am aware of. I would have given the film 5 stars if it were not for the fact that because of a DVDproduction mess up, Keaton had to leave 15 minutes before the film's end for him to go on a holiday. Whilst the commentary is not the greatest, it does make the key point that this film was forced into a PG-13 rating by the makers of the film cutting some of the key scenes. The studios are getting way too much influence from the right wing Neo-Cons.
Anyways, the extras are great. The key thing about this film, is you will enjoy it, as Kaeton notes, if you buy into the idea of EVP, well, if you have, then these extras will totally chill you !!! They are fun, and totally awesome. The audio on this film is well done, and in 5.1 all I can say is WOW... what a great watch, and a chilling listen ( good audio mix too).

The best of it's kind since "THE RING"!more static please!
Whether you believe in EVP or not, I'd like to think of it from an agnostic standpoint:It can neither be proved, nor disproved.

White Noise has some of the same cliché's as other supernatural based movies (deceased spouse trying to reach husband, think Firefly or What lies beneath, Frequency) but what makes WN a movie apart from the rest in many ways, is that these are not people coming back to haunt or scare.They are ordinary people who's lives were cut short, and with no closure, are trying to reach back to various people so they can send that one last message to a loved one before moving on...

...What moves this movie from different to bizarre is the fact that Michael Keatons character, "Jonathan Rivers", is starting to receive messages in the form of EVP (think of the most annoying thing in the world, Radio Static and Snow TV...now think of once in a while, a message of some sort coming across, like the very energy of their departed soul is still lingering just enough to transmit through electronic means) that are showing him that it's not all about events or people or signs that are within one's past...

...and another thing that is interesting, is the preview of the notion that yes, for every good person out there trying to reach back, there's a bad one as well!Their messages are a mixture of love, hate, direction, and question.

I'd like to think when someone passes away, that their compassion, energy, and capability of love and hate, are strong enough that they do not just burn out like a light-bulb as their physical form does.I find EVP to be a fascinating phenomena.

This movie has many scary moments that will make you jump out of your chair, but more often than not, it's not about SCARING, it's about trying to understand communication from someone who is no longer among the living.

The overall cinematic appeal is excellent, the simple yet driven home glimpses of cassette recorders all the way to high tech digital equalizer equipment sets the mood for a strange and unexplained science that is feared or scoffed by some, reveled and marveled by others.

Michael Keaton is great in his role as an architect who's becomes fascinated with the phenomena of EVP and digs deeper and deeper into it, trying to communicate with a certain someone who's sending him a message.

PROS:Keaton and the surrounding cast are great
EVP is a phenomena that is not proved nor disproved....but voices and images in general recorded static tends to make you shiver....
Cintematically great, it' views of the recorder machines help take us into the sanctum of recording messages from "another side".

CONS:Could have been a little more intense in terms of the surrounding characters and plot.We get tons of Michael Keaton and static and all, but we needed a little more intrigue and mystery on the surface with some of the things (the missing woman) that is going on.
Why is It nearly every drama, crime movie, or intense horror thriller, the husband is an architect?Can we not come up with any other high-profile job?And yes Doctors, Lawyers, and Writers have already been covered!
Why is it every drama dealing with a city has to have something happen in an abandoned Warehouse or Industrial Complex?Are you really meaning to tell me there are not any homeless people hanging out here? Or drug dealers?Or perhaps there's a security guard or cop in the area?

EVP was fun because it delved into a subject that has not really been covered before.Overall I enjoyed the movie and have no major criticisms.Considering all the crap that we are saturated in when it comes to these kinds of films (where 99% are haunted house hashes of some sort) this one is actually overwhelmingly intellactually refreshing!

This film did what it was SUPPOSED to do...
This film did what it was SUPPOSED to do...

Regardless of what you thought of this film, or will think of this film, it does what it is ultimately supposed to do - make you aware of, and perhaps pique your curiosity about Electronic Voice Phenomenon.

I've read what seems like hundreds of reviews here on Amazon.com and haven't seen a single comment on what was REALLY going on with the antogonist(s) here. Read other reviews for the plot and for story spoilers, then read the following and insert it into your thinking. The movie will NOT explain the following, but it helps if you know it.

The film features, more and more as it wends it's way towards drama, an image of menace in the form of a trio of dark spirits. This trio of low spirits FEEDS on the pain and suffering and negative drama of our mortal existences. They go a step beyond feeding and begin CAUSING these empowering negative emotions by affecting the living (EVP researchers) and coercing them to do their sadistic bidding or else killing them as they did Raymond Price if their demands are refused. The more a person is tortured, afraid and just stressed out, the more negative energy they produce for these spirit low-lifes to consume.This is a common basic premise for some cult activities - human sacrifices are pretty bland unless the sacrificee has been tortured and is in a state of utter panic, fear, dread and morbid disarray.The more horrified and suffering the more tasty and nourishing the spiritual energy.

This film could have been a complete freak out psychological horror fest had it focused on the trio and their successive attempts to affect more and more EVP enthusiasts into doing their evil bidding. A chilling scene would have been of our protagonist (Keaton) dying (at the hands of a 'darkly brainwashed' EVP ent