Empire (2002) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I love empire. i think that John leguizamos(Hangin with the homeboyz,Moulin Rouge,The Pest) and first time director Franc Reyes did an execellent job putting together this film about everyday struggles for us young Puerto Rican Americans growing up in the urban streets of new york city. Movie Critics like Siskel and Ebert and many other movie experts don't rate this movie above average because of all the violence and foul language scenes that this movie contains but this is definately a classic and i hope that some time in the near future we can see another movie similar to this one.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Empire (2002)

This powerful, gripping action-thriller features John Leguizamo in a riveting performance the Los Angeles Times hails as "superb." "One of the best performances of the year!" The gritty streets of the South Bronx meet the white-collar world of Wall Street in Empire, a hard-hitting story about the pursuit of fast money and the high price of greed. Featuring Denise Richards, Isabella Rossellini and rap superstars Fat Joe and Treach, Empire is a high-intensity, urban thrill-ride!

Get 20% OFF

Click here for more information about Empire (2002)

Elegy (2008) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)When I saw this movie - which in itself was not an easy task because it was relegated to obscure theaters at inconvenient times - only six other people were present. Clearly this movie was not made with popular appeal in mind. No guns, no CGI, no well-cued schtick and obvious dialog. Just stunningly acute direction and acting that takes the breath away.
I have never seen a film containing so much pain yet so beautifully delivered. Kingsley and Cruz turn in exquisite performances, though of course Kingsley dominates as the eternally commitment-shy academic David. It is a testimony to Kingsley's power as an actor that he enables us first to feel sympathy with David's desire to seduce his student, and then sympathy with his moral and emotional equivocation, and finally sympathy with the utter devastation that comes from the loss of his beloved.
Aside from the scenes in which David interacts with his estranged son - scenes that really could have been deleted without harming the film in any way - there is never a spare moment. This is a movie about isolation, loneliness and desire - the desire for contact, connection, and ultimately for hope. It is spare, terse, and under-stated. Unfortunately we do not live in a time when these virtues are appreciated, and many professional reviews have been very wide of the mark with their myopic criticisms.
The direction of the movie is light and assured, a million miles from the heavy-handed journey-work of most directors. Nothing is over-emphasized. Kingsley turns in what must be one of the top two or three performances of his career. The movie assumes an intelligent audience - perhaps the reason why so few people have actually seen it, and why fewer still have appreciated its richness. But for anyone who enjoys film-making at its very best, this is a must-have for the DVD or BlueRay collection.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Elegy (2008)

Respected cultural critic and author David Kepesh (Ben Kingsley) is a middle-aged college professor who, for years, has lived in a state of "emancipated manhood." His romantic conquests are many; his lasting commitments, few. But when a stunning young student named Consuela Castillo (Penelope Cruz) enters his life, her otherworldly beauty captivates him to the point of obsession. Soon, their erotic relationship evolves into an undying and passionate love in this gripping drama that explores the power of love to blind, reveal and transform.

Get 33% OFF

Click here for more information about Elegy (2008)

Shattered Glass Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is a superb directorial debut by Billy Ray, who also wrote the script for this engrossing film. It tells the true story of how one journalist, Stephen Glass (Hayden Christiansen), a star journalist for the self-styled, in-flight magazine for Air Force One, "The New Republic", bamboozled his editors for years with bogus stories. This was to have a devastating impact on a magazine that was well-respected in the political community.
The film is a riveting study of a pathological liar who had the need to be the center of attention. For years, Stephen Glass had regaled his colleagues with journalistic feats, only to have them eventually discover that they were mere mumbo jumbo, as few of them had little more than a grain of truth to them. Stephen Glass is portrayed as a slightly obnoxious, self-deprecating character, who binds his colleagues to him through his smarmy, somewhat ingratiating. personality.
Michael Kelly (Hank Azaria) is the first editor of "The New Republic" with whom Stephen Glass worked. When Kelly finds something questionable in one of the stories submitted by Glass, Stephen is able to explain it away, and the incident is glossed over. When Kelly is fired by the publisher, Chuck Lane (Peter Sarsgaard) takes over under difficult circumstances, as the staff is loyal to Kelly and resentful of Lane. Still, Lane perseveres, occasionally crossing swords with Stephen Glass.
All comes to a head when a reporter from another publication questions the veracity of one of Stephen's stories. An inside investigation by an anguished and angry Chuck Lane clearly shows that Stephen's story is not fact based but, rather, an elaborate deceit, false from beginning to end. Stephen's journalistic house of cards comes tumbling down around him, rocking the integrity of The New Republic. Chuck Lane is placed in the difficult position of exposing the full breadth of Stephen's journalistic perfidy, which ended up being widespread.
The cast of the film is excellent overall, though I did find that Hayden Christiansen's portrayal of Stephen Glass paints him as too obvious a liar. I found it a tad difficult to believe that his colleagues gave him as much credence as they did. Chloe Sevigny contributes a fine performance as fellow journalist, Caitlin Avey, who was one of Stephen's bamboozled friends.
Hank Azaria gives a fine portrayal of popular editor Michael Kelly, which shows that he can handle serious dramatic roles as adeptly as he handles comedic ones. The stand out performance, however, is that of Peter Sarsgaard, whose understated, poignant portrayal of Kelly's replacement, the beleaguered, unpopular Chuck Lane, is sensitive yet very powerful and complex.
The DVD has first class audio and visuals, as well as an excellent audio commentary by both the director and Chuck Lane. It also has a must see 60 Minutes interview with Stephen Glass, which took place about five years after the events in the film. It is well worth seeing.
All in all, this is an outstanding film that will keep the viewer riveted to the screen. It is one that is well worth having in one's personal film collection. Bravo!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Shattered Glass

SHATTERED GLASS - DVD Movie

Get 50% OFF

Click here for more information about Shattered Glass

In the Electric Mist (2009) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is the second film adaptation of one of James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux series, the first being "Heaven's Prisoners" with Alec Baldwin horribly miscast as Robicheaux.
In this film, Tommy Lee Jones is perfectly cast as Robicheaux, capturing all the nuance of the literary character: the alcoholic obsessions, the need to impose justice, his essential toughness and goodness.
This is a pretty faithful adaptation of the novel, and captures the flavor of the books, as well as the Louisiana settings. In all honesty, this was almost exactly how I'd pictured it from reading the books.
But a caveat: if you haven't read the books, you're probably not going to enjoy this movie, which is probably why in the USA it was released directly to DVD. Burke's novels are very introspective, which makes for interesting literature, but slow movies. There's plenty of drama, with several murders, corruption, and depravity to spare. But the books - and this movie - are at their hearts character studies of the Robicheaux character. This is more akin to "Smilla's Sense of Snow" than "Dirty Harry".
I loved it; your mileage may vary.

Click Here to see more reviews about: In the Electric Mist (2009)

Academy Award winner Tommy Lee Jones leads an all-star cast in this psychological thriller based on the bestselling novel by James Lee Burke. While on an investigation into a series of grisly murders, veteran detective Dave Robicheaux (Jones) navigates his way through the Louisiana bayou and the dark, sultry world of New Orleans mobster "Baby Feet" Balboni (John Goodman). Layers of corruption and long-dead secrets reawaken grudges and a lethal alliance A tangled web of killings, past and present, converges in a shocking showdown with stakes that become deeply personal to Robicheaux and his family. Featuring music from five-time GRAMMY Award-winner Buddy Guy, this film takes you deep into Cajun country's hidden worlds. *Best Supporting Actor: The Fugitive, 1993

Get 47% OFF

Click here for more information about In the Electric Mist (2009)

Orphan (2009) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I saw this film when it opened on July 24, 2009. Mixed reviews from fans and critics were the usual flair upon its release, but something struck me about this movie. The film went on to gross $37 million at the box-office despite the thrashing it took from critics, but everyone couldn't help but notice the Oscar-nomination worthy performance of its 12-year-old star Isabelle Fuhrman. I just viewed the film on DVD for the first time since its theaterical run and I'm still seeing just how riveting and engaging this movie really is.
"Orphan" is NOT a horror film. It's more along the lines of a SUSPENSE THRILLER. When I think of horror films, I think of sex-crazed teenagers being sliced up one-by-one by a machete-wielding maniac (Jason Voorhies, Freddy Krueger, Micheal Myers, etc.). The only real weapons wielded here is just a hammer, a knife, and a .38-caliber pistol. You think scary when it comes to horror films and "Orphan" isn't scary. Has some frightful moments, yes, but scary? Wishful thinking!
Set in the winter-bound parts of Conneticut & Canada, the story centers on the Coleman family: Kate (Vera Farmiga), a Yale University music teacher recovering from alcoholism and bouts of depression after having a stillborn from her third pregnancy; John (Peter Sarsgaard), an architech whose nice guy persona overshadows his increasing issues with Kate that led to past affairs; Max (Aryana Engineer), their deaf 5-year-old daughter who communicates through sign language and their oldest son Daniel (Jimmy Bennett), who feels bitterly neglected & increasingly isolated from his parents. As a way of coping with the loss of their would-be 2nd daughter, Jessica, and to amend their existence as a family, Kate & John make a fateful decision to adopt a young girl at the local orphanage.
It is here where they meet Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman), a sweet-looking 9-year-old Russian girl harboring some deep-seeded issues of her own despite her angelic smile and sympathetic mannerisms. Upon arriving home with new stepdaughter in tow, a series of events unravel to make everyone question the background and sincerity of this little girl. Daniel dislikes her immediately, Max forms an unhealthy bond with her new stepsister, Kate begins to seek out further information about Esther's background, & John just plays Devil's Advocate with all that occurs involving Esther. What's wrong with Esther? Is it true that behind the smile of this little angel beats the heart of a psycho killer?
The answer, and the big secret about who she really is, lies within the confines of this 123-minute thriller. I agree with everyone here that it moves at a near-torturous snail's pace, that being the film's major fatal flaw. But the story itself is so entralling and engaging, you can't help but to excuse that misfire. Fuhrman's performance alone keeps you involved in the twists and turns entrenched here. Only a young, superbly talented actress like Fuhrman was able to pull off a psychological undertaking of switching from sympathetic manipulator to disturbed sadist and it's why I feel she should've gotten an Oscar nod. But due to the overall dislike of the film itself from most critics and for her young age, she didn't get anywhere near sniffing distance of the balloting.
Nonetheless, I was so inspired by this film and became such a fan that I created my own 20-song, hard-rock CD Mix (liner notes & all) of songs inspired by the movie (my own psuedo-soundtrack, if you will, but John Ottman's score was cool). Seemingly destined to go down as a cult favorite, if not a classic, "Orphan" was a solid & enjoyable thrill ride that's essentially "The Hand That Rocks The Cradle", "The Good Son", "The Crush", and a more mean-spirited version of "Problem Child" all rolled into one. That's why this movie isn't a horror despite being classified as one. This film has a depth, substance, and intuitiveness to it that Jason, Micheal, & Freddy couldn't touch with a bloddy axe. Just take sweet, little Esther home and let her hold you, thrill you, kiss you, .... kill you!!! Can someone out there please say "CULT CLASSIC"? - DEM -

Click Here to see more reviews about: Orphan (2009)

ORPHAN - DVD Movie

Get 40% OFF

Click here for more information about Orphan (2009)