Christmas Carol - The Movie (2001) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Yet another 'Carol' has traditional 2-D animations with great voice cast -- Simon Callow, Kate Winslet, Jane Horrocks, Nicholas Cage, Rhys Ifans, Micheal Gambon, and Juliet Stevenson. You also have a chance to listen to Kate's sister Beth Wislet's voice (who can be seen in a film 'Bodywork') and plus, you hear beautiful songs by Welsh singer Charlotte Church and Kate Winslet herself! And Ms Winslet is very good at that.
So, you ask, why 2 stars? OK, listen up, please. The story is a famous one, so you don't need my summery. And Scrooge is anyway going to be a good guy. But the process is the point, or the life of the story, and the film misses it very wide.
In fact, Scrooge (Simon Callow) in the first act is totally a bad guy here, feeding a mice, giving a chunk of cheese. After showing another side of him, the film is very slow in establishing his character, which should be more simple. To make it worse, Scrooge. out of the window, throws a jug of cold water (and it's winter) upon the chorus group on the street singing, among which you see the face of Tiny Tim, poor boy, drenched to the skin. And ... sorry if I'm wrong, but -- Did Dickens write that way?
There are many, many, unnecessary addtions and changes, which I do not introduce here. The real problem is, however, the animation itself. Jimmy T. Murakami is best known for 'When the Wind Blows' a quiet but very unnerving animated film about two elderly man and wife, who too innocently follows the government guidance to make a handmade shelter for the coming nuclear war. His 2-D animatiton worked at that time, but after about 14 years, it is no longer possible to grab our attention with that technique without good storyteling, character, or original designs. This 'Christmas Carol' has none of them, just making itself look like a Cliff Note of animation.
Sorry if I sound harsh, but as to this eternal classc, there are better choices out there, Alastair Simm or the Muppets (with Michael Caine, and the film is good), so why not them? The only good thing I could find about this version is Kate Winslet's wonderful yuletide song, which deserves more attention.
[VHS VERSION] lacks the opening and ending live-action sections in which Simon Callow plays Charles Dickens himself, touring in Boston, America, in 1867 (Dickens's celebrated reading performance in mind). If you want to see everything of this film, DVD is a better choice.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Christmas Carol - The Movie (2001)

Capture the spirit of Christmas with this delightful animated classic! Based on one of the most beloved holiday tales of all time and featuring the voices of some of today's brightest stars, this enchanting, heartwarming film is a very merry treat the whole family can enjoy! "Bah humbug,"says Ebenezer Scrooge, the grumpy miser who would rather count his money than celebrate Christmas. But as Yuletide cheer spreads through all of London and two friendly mice try to change Scrooge's ill-tempered ways, Scrooge receives three unexpected visitorsthe Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Futurewho take him on a wild and wonderful journey and help him discover the true meaning of Christmas.

Get 66% OFF

Click here for more information about Christmas Carol - The Movie (2001)

Valley Girl (1983) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I had this movie on vhs for years and must have watched it a million times as it's just that kind of film I like to watch over and over and never get tired of.
Then, the day after my birthday last summer, it came out on dvd. It seemed like perfect timing..I thought for sure I'd get it as a gift. I didn't. I did get a late Christmas present from my husband a few days ago, and this was it.
It is the most romantic gift he gave me next to the sparkly diamond stud earrings. I think this movie belongs in the class.
Why? Well, first off, I am 34 yrs old, which make this movie one of many of my generation. It brings me back to those glory days of 1980's high school.
"Valley Girl" is a romantic comedy/drama, that has so much heart and such a clear and simple message of it's what inside that counts. Frederick Forrest, who plays the father to Julie, who is played by Deborah Foreman, and is Valley Girl extradionare, delivers some of the best lines of the movie in the scene where he talks to her about what really matters in life.
This is a very 80's version of Romeo & Juliet instead it's Randy & Julie. Randy, who is played by a very young Nicholas Cage, is the punker dude type that Julie falls in love with. Their's is a typical teenage romance with phony friends and a jilted ex boyfriend trying to tear it all to pieces.
"Valley Girl" has a bittersweet quality to it. I always cry when I watch it, and my heart swells up like a balloon. It sounds corny, but it's true. I still adore it after all these years.
The dvd had some good extras, I'm still checking some out, can't comment on all of them. One really good bit of trivia I learned is that Michael Bowen, who played Tommy, the Valley dude boyfriend of Julie, has appeared in a few Quention Tarentino films. It seems QT is a fan of this small, indy film..Gee, I wonder why? It's totally cool to know that now. I am only sad that Deb Foreman is not among the stars that came back after 20 years to be interviewed for this special edition disc.
I highly recommend this to fans of 80's films, or even just films about the 80's, or fans of love stories...Oh to heck with it, all movie fans will find something to appreciate in the movie "Valley Girl". My husband did.
Eileen F.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Valley Girl (1983)

Julie's cool, Randy's hot. She's from the Valley, he's like'so not! Nicolas Cage and Deborah Foreman star in this "sweet, fast, unpretentious [and] funny" (Los Angeles Times) romance that mixes preppies, punkers and a "hit-filled soundtrack" (The New York Times)including The Plimsouls and Modern Englishinto an iconic cult film that's "entertaining" (New York)'to the max! Julie is, like, so over her preppy boyfriend, she dumps him on the escalator at the Galleria. And when she meets punker Randy, her eyes practically bug out because she thinks he's sexy even though he makes her friends gag! But even if Randy's ready to stop the world and melt with her, can Julie risk her losing her friends and her super-popularity at school just to be with him?

Get 47% OFF

Click here for more information about Valley Girl (1983)

Moonstruck (1987) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)When MGM first released Moonstruck on DVD they inexplicably did so with an inferior pan and scan transfer. They've rectified this situation with a new deluxe edition that restores its proper aspect ratio and with a collection of new extras. Moonstruck was the My Big Fat Geek Wedding of its day only infinitely better and about an Italian family as opposed to a Greek one. Watching Norman Jewison's film again, you realize just how much Nia Vardalos' film is heavily indebted to it. If Moonstruck is La Boheme than Greek Wedding is Tony and Tina's Wedding.
It's time to use your old disc as a coaster as this edition is definitely worth the double dip. MGM has taken TBS' dinner and a movie to the next level by including three recipe cards with fine Italian meals so that you can do your own cooking and eat it while watching the movie.
Carried over from the previous edition is the audio commentary by Cher, director Norman Jewison and screenwriter John Patrick Shanley. Both Jewison and Shanley talk about their fascination with death while Cher talks about the importance of costume and how it helps her get into character. This is a solid commentary with smart observations and excellent anecdotes from everyone.
"Moonstruck: At the Heart of an Italian Family" takes us through the genesis of the film mixing interviews done at the time of filming (Cage and Cher) and new ones (Aiello and Dukakis). There is great, behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage as Jewison and Shanley take us through the film telling several entertaining anecdotes.
"Pastas to Pastries: The Art of Fine Italian Food" is a tour of some of the best restaurants in Little Italy, in particular on Mulberry Street. You have six different places to choose from and their chefs demonstrate how to make a few choice foods guaranteed to make you hungry. If you love to cook and eat than this extra is for you.
Finally there is the "Music of Moonstruck" that examines the role that music plays in the movie. The first screening went badly because the music was all wrong.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Moonstruck (1987)

Fall under the delightful spell of Moonstruck, the mesmerizing romantic comedy from director Norman Jewison (Fiddler on the Roof) and OscarÂ(r) winner* John Patrick Shanley. Academy AwardÂ(r) winners** Cher, Nicolas Cage and Olympia Dukakis excel in this explosively funny tale which also features flawless performances by Danny Aiello, Vincent Gardenia andFrasier's John Mahoney.Cher is"devastatingly funny, sinuous and beautiful" (Pauline Kael) as Loretta, anunlucky in loveItalian widow who finds romance through the intervention of the Manhattan moon. With her wedding to a close friend just weeks away, she meets and falls hopelessly in love with his younger brother (Cage)! Her dilemma and her equally passionate and hilariously eccentric family make for an unforgettable film you'll find"beguiling"(Time),"enchanting"(Newsweek) and"irresistible"("Today Show").

Click here for more information about Moonstruck (1987)

It Could Happen to You (1994) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Very sweet movie. I loved it, and I think true Romantics will love it too. Based on a true story, it follows the adventures of a cop who wins a lottery and shares his winnings with an out-of-luck waitress. Rosie Perez did an excellent job as the Cop's overbearing and greedy wife, as did Ms. Fonda and Mr. Cage.
I nearly cried at the end when the citizens of NY came through for the kind-hearted Cop and the Waitress.
When you find out what happens to the Cop's wife at the end of the movie, you will laugh out loud.
I couldn't get through Sleepless in Seattle, and found this movie to be much better than the usual so-called Romantic movies.

Click Here to see more reviews about: It Could Happen to You (1994)

IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU - DVD Movie

Get 20% OFF

Click here for more information about It Could Happen to You (1994)

Bringing Out the Dead (1999) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Bringing Out the Dead is one of Martin Scorsese's better movies. It is not quite up to the level of Mean Streets, Goodfellas, or Raging Bull; but is is better than most of his other works. Personally, I liked it more than Taxi Driver, the movie to which it is most often compared, but it may be too early to tell which is truly the better film. Nicholas Cage gives the best performance of his career, and the other actors are perfect for their roles. My favorites were Tom Sizemore, Cliff Curtis, Mary Beth Hurt and Ving Rhames. The screenplay is much better than it got credit for being, and is thought provoking, darkly hilarious, and maybe even profound. As expected, the cinematography and film editing are astounding, and the soundtrack is amazing. No other director could have handled this material as well as Martin Scorsese. So many other directors would have made it into some kind of tearjerker, but he takes a huge risk by making it funny (this risk didn't seem to pay off commercially, as BOTD didn't do too well at the box office)as well as dramatic. This was one of the very best movies of 1999 and it deserves to be remembered for years to come.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Bringing Out the Dead (1999)

Forty-eight hours in the life of a burnt out paramedic who is haunted by the memories of people he could not save.Genre: Feature Film-DramaRating: RRelease Date: 8-AUG-2006Media Type: DVD

Click here for more information about Bringing Out the Dead (1999)