Titan A.E. (Special Edition) (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)I went to see "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" the second day it came out,(and boy was I dissapointed) during the previews I saw a small teaser trailer for this film with Cale speaking while the Titan escapes the Earth's destruction. I expected that Titan A.E. would be an all-CG film ala "Antz" or "Toy Story" so I was curious. Later on I discovered that it would be a hand drawn animated film combined with CG animation and effects. I grew even more curious, but I was a serious anime fan, and after seeing great stuff like "Akira," "Bubblegum Crisis" and "Ghost in the Shell" I was convinced that I would never see anything the least bit close of quality come out of the U.S., I was in for a huge surprise.
Titan A.E.(in which I went to see the first day of it's release) turned out to be an awesome experience that was just as exciting as any anime I've seen. First of all the animation was simply incredible, the characters were the normal, well-drawn Don Bluth character designs which were good, but the real star was the CG effects and animation that blended with the hand-drawn animation even BETTER than the anime,"Blue Submarine No. 6" did. Plus, it was nothing like anything I've seen out of an American animated movie. No comic sidekicks(which is symbolized in one early scene in a comically violent scene) intense kick-ass music that perfectly complements the tense action and DOESN'T degenerate into a dumb musical. And it contains a number of awesome, visually spectacular action scenes. From the fast- paced chase scene involving spherical hydrogen trees to the final chase at the Ice Rings of Tegrin(Cale's chase with the Wake Angels was an awe-inspiring moment), Titan A.E. is a far cry from anything that Disney has put out. But cynical and angry critics and moviegoers buried Titan A.E. and just saw it as a "cartoon." Which is a real tragedy, cause Titan A.E. deserves a lot more recognition than it's getting.
Overall, I really think people should appreciate this film for what it's trying to be, a mature animated film that is really targeting teenagers and tries to avoid the "Disney" syndrome. Titan A.E. isn't really a movie for children, it can be violent and has content that reaches the PG-13 rating.(which I find even more refreshing) But overall, I can't wait for this wonderful movie to come out on DVD, and I hope that Fox puts plenty of effort into it and provides it with lots of extras. If you just leave your cynicism at the door you will discover an awesome film. Titan A.E. is one of the best (and underated) films of the year, that's even better than Disney's "Dinosaur". American Animation would take a turn for the better if there were more films such as this( and "The Iron Giant" which suffered the same fate.) But unfortunately after the results of the last two movies, that doesn't seem very likely...

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A reluctant young hero holds the key to the future of mankind in the palm of his hand in this eye-popping, sci-fi adventure. In the year 3028 the Drej, a vicious alien race, has destroyed earth. Fifteen years later a young man named Cale learns he possesses a genetically encoded map to the Titan, a spaceship that holds the secret to the salvation of the human race. With the Drej in hot pursuit, Cale blasts off withthe crew of the Valkyrie in an attempt to find the Titan before the Drej destroy it - and with it, mankind's last chance for a home of their own. Featuring an all-star voice cast that includes Matt Damon and Drew Barrymore and an edgy, out of this world soundtrack, Titan A.E. is an intergalactic thrill ride for a new generation.

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Jeremiah - The Complete First Season (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)Why only four stars? Well, I have to knock it down a bit for Sam Egan's episodes because while they did improve as the season went on, they just could never compare to JMS'. I hope in the coming seasons a writer will be able to jump on board and pick up the reins where JMS left off and keep the momentum going. Also, I was a bit disappointed to see that it is not being presented in Widescreen as that would have been the smarter move for MGM to make.
The premise might not be for everyone as it is a dark and grim view of our future but the underlying message is about hope. The characters in this series are at a crossroads -- they can continue to prey off the remains of the "old world" until there is nothing left or they can try to rebuild their world into something better than what came before them.
Season one was a bit of a bumpy ride and perhaps had a slow start but it was worth it in the end. I followed this show after being a fan of Babylon 5 for many years and knew it was going to be worth it if I just held out long enough. Boy, was I was right!
It was fun to pay attention to the little details that were semi-hidden on the first viewing, only to discover that they all contributed to the greater arc of the show. Even the "bad" episodes all tied into the larger picture and became part of a wonderful tapestry called, JEREMIAH.
Some of my favorite episodes that had my head spinning for days at the numerous possibilities presented were FIREWALL, TRIPWIRE and the two-part season finale, THINGS LEFT UNSAID.
If you haven't had a chance to see this show, I strongly urge you to check out this series, as it is one of the most thought-provoking and intelligent shows produced. Give it a season and if you aren't hooked by the end, return it or donate it to your local library. However, I have a feeling that you will either tune into Showtime to see season two or you will be anxiously awaiting the next season's set to arrive at your door.

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A stunning sci-fi epic that re-envisions the future of mankind, this top-rated, action-packed original series is "intriguing" (Associated Press), "fascinating" (Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel) and "deep and intense" (Science Fiction Weekly)! Luke Perry ("Beverly Hills 90210," "Oz") stars as Jeremiah, one of the many young survivors of the "Big Death" that claimed the lives of every adult in the world 15 years ago. Now forging his way through a bleak wilderness fraught with danger and conspiracy, Jeremiah and his most trusted friend, Kurdy (Malcolm-Jamal Warner), are plunged into thrilling adventures that test every facet of their humanity…and ultimately the fate of the human race itself!

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We Live In Public (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is perhaps the most relevant movie I have ever seen on the subject of modern society and the internet. That's an understatement. I wondered at some points if this was a mockumentary, since the claims were unbeleivable, and I'd never even heard of Media-God Josh Harris or his insane experiments. Its not. This man is a founding father of our internet age, for better or worse. His accomplishments and failures will haunt our society forever. When our private lives completely vanish into the public eye, when our most intimate of moments are broadcast willingly, when the sky can see us and becomes a grid of corporate properties, I will look back into the camera and think of one name. Not Big Brother. Josh Harris. This is a baffling, exciting, and disturbing film. Relevant. 5 Stars.

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Ten years in the making and culled from 5000 hours of footage, WE LIVE IN PUBLIC reveals the effect the web is having on our society, as seen through the eyes of the greatest Internet pioneer you ve never heard of, artist, futurist and visionary Josh Harris. Award-winning director Ondi Timoner (DIG! which also won the Sundance Grand Jury Prize in 2004 making Timoner the only director to win that prestigious award twice) documented his tumultuous life for more than a decade to create a riveting, cautionary tale of what to expect as the virtual world inevitably takes control of our lives.Harris, often called the Warhol of the Web, founded Pseudo.com, the first Internet television network during the infamous dot-com boom of the 1990s. He also curated and funded the ground breaking project, Quiet, in an underground bunker in NYC where over 100 people lived together on camera for 30 days at the turn of the millennium. With Quiet, Harris proved how we willingly trade our privacy for the connection and recognition we all deeply desire, but with every technological advancement such as MySpace, Facebook and Twitter, becomes more elusive. Through his experiments, including a six-month stint living with his girlfriend under 24-hour electronic surveillance which led to his mental collapse, Harris demonstrated the price we pay for living in public.

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Batman Beyond: Season Three (DC Comics Classic Collection) (1999) Review

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(More customer reviews)The third, and last, season of Batman Beyond was a big step above the decline in quality that was found in the sub-par second season of the animated series, and thank God (or Paul Dini and Bruce Timm) for that. As the third season begins, Terry McGinnis (voiced by Will Friedle) has his hands full as the Batman of the future as old villains Ink, Zeta, and the Royal Flush Gang return. It gets better though, as Talia Al Ghul, the daughter of Ra's Al Ghul, returns and makes a stunning offer to the aging Bruce Wayne, with huge results and an even bigger twist. This episode is worth picking this DVD collection up for alone as we get to see Bruce and Terry side by side fighting. It gets better with the two-parter "The Call", as Terry gets the call of a lifetime from Superman (given a great new futuristic look) to join the Justice League in an effort to uncover a traitor, with even more shocking results! Batman also takes on Big Time, a former friend from Terry's past, and then goes toe to toe with KOBRA. Sadly though, the series comes to an end with these episodes, but there would be more Batman Beyond. The Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (the director's cut that is) was an excellent film which saw the return of Batman's greatest enemy, and as a previous reviewer already mentioned, we would see an older Terry in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Epilogue" in which Terry learns a shocking secret about his real origins (and yes, it would have been oh so nice if that episode was included in this et, because that is the true end of the series). That aside, the third season of Batman Beyond is a fantastic pick up for fans of the series or Batman in general, and if you've never seen "Epilogue", you should pick up the first season of Justice League Unlimited for that alone.

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As the new Batman, Terry has all the high-tech gear and gadgets he needs, plus Bruce Wayne's research skills and instincts. Season Three became the final season for the series, as Terry joined forces with the JLU (Justice League Unlimited) The series ended with the episode "Unmasked" which told the story of one of Terry's first missions under the cowl. Experience all the suspense and excitement of the final 13 gripping adventures in a 2-disc collection featuring the fiendish villains of the city's gritty future -- and the one hero who can stop them! DVD Features:Interviews:"Close-Up On" -- Sit down with the creative minds behind BATMAN BEYOND as they discuss their favorite moments from key episodes of the series final season: "Out of the Past"; "The Call, Part 1"; "The Call, Part 2"; "The Curse of Kobra, Part 1"Other:"Inside Batman Beyond: Volume 3'- Join the producers of BATMAN BEYOND (Bruce Timm, Alan Burnett, Paul Dini & Glen Murakami) and moderator Jason Hillhouse for the last installment of their in-depth panel discussion, focusing on the spectacular final season of the superhero series.

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Logan's Run (1976) Review

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(More customer reviews)UPDATED FOR BLU-RAY VERSION 11/12/09
For those thinking of upgrading to the Blu-ray of "Logan's Run" there's good news and bad news. The bad news is that while this does improve on the original DVD, it's not a huge jump in quality. The film needs some restoration and it appears this is a new transfer (the same one that was used for the reissued DVD with the same cover). The image quality is soft throughout lacking the sharp image quality that you'd expect from a recent film or one that has been restored.
The other bit of bad news is that we get none of the extras that were included on the old three disc laserdisc instead getting only the original special features ported over from the DVD (which is good news in a way since this could have been bare bones). We get the original promotional featurette (which looks really, really bad), the commentary track featuring director Michael Anderson, star Michael York and costume designer Bob Thomas discussing the making of the film.
Anderson points out in the commentary track WHY there are some plot holes (the film under went some heavy editing to allow more showings per day)but it's a pity that none of this footage has been found or and restored for a director's cut more than likely the footage is missing.
The flaws in the film are less of an issue for me 33 years later. Sure, the production design can be cheesy at times but "Logan's Run" is a product of its time. The themes examined by Anderson and screenwriter David Zelag Goodman still does a good job even if the last third of the film falls apart.
The 5.1 mix sounds pretty good overall which is more good news but it would have been nice to have Jerry Goldsmith's wonderful score available as an isolated track.
Many of the visual effects look dated with the miniature work in particular leaving a lot to be desired but the for time it was pretty good. The matte paintings by Matthew Yurichich are one of the few highlights of the visual effects in the film.
Logan's Run started off with a pretty amazing concept--(courtesy of science fiction writers William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson)what if our youth obsessed society put everyone over the age of 30 (21 in the novel)to death as a means of population control? This film version of a classic cautionary tale is intermittantly successful. David Zelag Goodman's screenplay condenses and changes around several key characters.
The basic plot--In the future our society is enclosed in domes. As a means to control the population, everyone has a life clock crystal on their hand. When you reach 30 you have the option to become "renewed" in a ceremony attended by the citizens. Logan (Michael York) and Francis (Richard Jordan) are Sandmen who hunt, capture/or kill runners (people who choose to not go through renewal and try to escape).
Logan is sent undercover by the computer that runs the city to find the location of Sanctuary and uses Jessica (Jenny Agutter "Walk About")who helps runners escape. He and Jessica discover more than they could possibly imagine.The film is quite good despite some gaping plot holes. Michael York gives a impassioned performance as Logan 5. Jenny Agutter is enchanting as Jessica. Richard Jordan shines as Logan's former partner Francis who feels betrayed and hunts Logan down. Roscoe Lee Brown is exceptional in his cameo as the demented cyborg Box. Logan's Run attempted to tell an adult cautionary tale in a world of light weight escapist movies. It's a commendable film and the film makers frequently bite off more than they can chew. I'd rather have a film that's too ambitious than not at all.
Still, I appreciate the ambitions if not the execution. It's nice to finally have this fine if flawed movie on DVD. The transfer is quite good although the print has a number of flaws. There's also quite a bit of dirt evident on the print. These probably could have been cleared up with a direct digital transfer. Additionally, the 5.1 soundtrack occasionally sounds "tinny" and when played in the stereo format can be quite difficult to hear.
3 1/2 stars.

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Item Name: Logan's Run; Studio:Warner Home Video

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Gattaca (1997) Review

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(More customer reviews)Gattaca (1997) is a beautiful movie that takes place in the not-so-distant future where genetic manipulation prior to birth brings out the best qualities of the parents while eliminating the worst, specifically, predispositions to diseases, additions, poor eyesight, etc. That is, if your parents choose to do so...
The film tells the a story about Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke), a man born naturally, a 'God-child', one who didn't benefit from advanced technology during his development within the womb, and subsequently has various conditions many are familiar with like poor eyesight, heart problems, etc. Vincent has his sights set on the stars, wanting to travel to distant planets, visit far away places (I mean really far away) but due to advanced science, he has no chance as people can now determine the status of your health, your future health, by any number of ways, a strand of hair, a bit of spittle on a cup, a flake of skin, and while biases due to genetic profiling are illegal, the practice is common and widespread, resulting in Vincent relegated to working in less than desirable jobs like cleaning offices.
This practice of genetic stereotyping has lead to a new kind of crime, one where a person of impeccable genetic make-up but who has found themselves a victim of fate due to a permanent injury or such, can broker their identity to a natural born person, supplying that person with various blood and urine samples, strands of hair, flakes of skin, allowing that person to pose as a 'valid' individual, and garner a choice position in corporate society. Jude Law plays Jerome Eugene Morrow, a superior individual who suffered a crippling accident and has now agreed to sell his identity to Vincent Freeman, in exchange for Vincent supporting the lifestyle Jerome was accustom to prior the accident. This involves a very elaborate daily routine by Vincent, including a complete scrub down of his entire body to remove any 'loose' material that could possibly be found, analyzed, and give him away. In order for Vincent to pose as Jerome, he must carry on him samples of Jerome's blood, urine, and other identifiers at all times.
Vincent manages to pull off the sham, securing himself a position at Gattaca, a 'corporate' NASA, and is on the fast track to achieving his dream of space travel...but for one problem. A high-ranking official in Gattaca was recently murdered, and the police are thoroughly investigating all individuals. Will Vincent's shell of deception crack under close scrutiny of a murder investigation?
I really enjoyed this movie, watching for a second time last night. The picture has a very texturized feel, with the subdued lighting, immaculate sets and costumes giving the entire movie a very `noir' quality. The story was very well laid out, allowing for rich development of the main characters, creating a real interest and empathy for me for the proceedings on the screen. Ethan Hawke and Jude Law played their roles wonderfully, one as the struggling `inferior' with dreams that reach beyond his genetic make-up, and the other as the spoiled near-perfect specimen forced to deal with a physical infirmity due to fate, one that couldn't be corrected for with pre-natal DNA manipulation. Followed up with a strong supporting cast including Uma Thurman, Alan Arkin, and Elias Koteas, we are presented with a very plausible science fiction tale, one that may cause you to give some thought and provoke conversation on the concept of human messing around in Mother Nature's domain.
The picture here looks wonderful, and is available here in both full screen and wide screen anamorphic formats. Special features also include a trailer for the film, a featurette, deleted scenes, and production notes.
Cookieman108

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Next (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)While I've never read the Philip Dick story this movie is based on, I'll have to say this story has some strong points on its own. Nicolas Cage is great as "Frank Cadillac" or Chris, as he prefers to be called. He can see two minutes into his own future, and this opens some interesting possibilities. It's funny to see him run through several different pick up scenarios before finally finding one that will work with Jessica Biel. This ability also saves his life several times.
The storyline moves along at a good pace. While there are some boring scenes, there are enough "Wow!" moments to keep you hooked until the end.
Ah, the end...there's our problem. In an attempt to pull out a great plot twist, we end up with a very cheated feeling. It's almost as if we don't get to see how it all ultimately works out. This could have been fixed with about 5 minutes more screen time, but we don't get it. I'm pretty sure the DVD will probably have an alternate ending in there somewhere because I can't believe this is how they originally envisioned it.
As a whole, this was a good movie and I really enjoyed it. It wasn't perfect, and seemed to stumble under the weight of its plot a couple of times (who were the terrorists? where did they get the bomb? Why would a woman like Jessica Biel agree to drive a man she'd just met across the desert...especially when the guy looked like a psycho?), but it was worth the time it takes to watch it.

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Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore and Jessica Biel join forces to bring you the heart-pounding thriller that is Next. Cris Johnson (Cage) earns his living in a seedy Las Vegas magic act, but his ability to see a few minutes into the future is authentic. Government agent Callie Ferris (Oscar nominee Moore) knows this, and relentlessly recruits him to help thwart a terrorist group from detonating a nuclear bomb in the heart of Los Angeles. Will the reluctant hero join the desperate race against the clock by daring to see what is Next? Featuring non-stop action, explosive special effects and adrenaline-charged Special Features, this is an exciting adventure you won't want to miss!
Special FeaturesMaking The Best Next Thing The Next "Grand Idea" Two Minutes In The Future With Jessica Biel Visualizing The Next Move

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Idiocracy (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)If you hated this movie you either didn't get it or were one of the people that the opening narration talks about. This film is a scathing satire about the culture that is breeding things like Paris Hilton, Jerry Springer, and Girls Gone Wild and taking a look at where the United States could be if that culture continues to grow unchecked. The Result is a movie that while not as funny as Office Space, offers a humorous although somewhat frightening look at our society and pop culture. I think this movie is one of those films that will eventually become a cult favorite and generate an even larger following that Office Space has. If you are troubled by your little niece's obsession with being like Paris Hilton or are dismayed by what passes for entertainment these days then you need to see this movie.

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From Mike Judge, one of the creative minds behind Beavis and Butt-Head, King of the Hill and Office Space, comes an outrageous sci-fi comedy that'll make you think twice about the future of mankind.Meet Joe Bowers (Luke Wilson). He's not the sharpest tool in the shed. But when a government hibernation experiment goes awry, Bowers awakens in the year 2505 to find a society so dumbed-down by mass commercialism and mindless TV programming that he's become the smartest guy on the planet. Now it's up to an average Joe to get human evolution back on track!Filled with razor-sharp sarcasm and outrageous sight gags, Idiocracy will make you laugh out loud whether you're an absolute genius or a complete idiot!

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Metropolis (Restored Authorized Edition) (1927) Review

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(More customer reviews)Once again Amazon have taken all the reviews for all versions of this film and lumped them together. This Blu-ray hasn't even been released, so unless you have seen the now truly restored film at the TCM Film Festival during the summer of 2010, you're reviewing previous releases of the film.
For those who don't already know, a 99% complete version of the film was discovered in Argentina just last year. ALL previous DVD releases are not as complete as this Blu-ray.
Bill Hunt at The Digital Bits has a thorough and very highly recommended review here: [...]

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METROPOLIS - DVD Movie

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Soylent Green Review

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(More customer reviews)Soylent Green (Richard Fleischer, 1973)

So what's the difference between schlock and one of the 100 best films ever made? Sometimes, I'll admit, it's a pretty blurry line. That's the case with this gem from the Richard Fleischer stable, a tale of a New York City with a population of forty million and a food supply that comes in little squares of red, yellow, and green.

Thorn (Heston) chews scenery. Roth (Edward G. Robinson) spends his life moaning about how things were better in the seventies. (If only they knew.) The two of them try to get through their lives scavenging from the rich, like everyone else in New York. They have an edge, with Thorn being a cop who treats corruption like a confortable pair of undershorts. A high society murder tips Thorn off that all may not be well with Soylent, the company that makes the majority of the world's food supply, and Thorn and Roth start digging deeper deapite warnings from the victim's old bodyguard (Stephen Young) and Thorn's lieutanant (Brock Peters). The production values are strictly seventies, and it's great to poke fun at various things in the film ("my god, it's 2022 and they're still listening to bad lounge music?"). And yet there's something undefinable about this film that propels it from the realm of bad seventies science-fiction exploitation into the realm of true genius. What that thing is, I don't know; when I figure it out, I'll tell you. But something clicked. Heston's patented god-guns-and-guts character is perfect for the role. Robinson actually looks convincing salivating over a stick of celery. And somehow the movie's last lines are delivered convincingly. It's incredible. Whatever magic they managed to make with this one, Hollywood needs to make more of it. **** 1/2

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The is the year 2022. Overcrowding, pollution, and resource depletion have reduced society's leaders to finding food for the teeming masses. The answer is Soylent Green - an artificial nourishment whose actual ingredients are not known by the public. Thorn is the tough homicide detective who stumbles onto the secret so terrifying no one would dare believe him.

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