Advertising nightmare

Each time you put this Blu-ray into your player you are forced (non-skippable) to sit through 2 minutes of SONY advertising BLU RAY! What pathetic individual at Sony thought they could endear people to their product by forcing them to sit through an advertisement for a product that they obviously have?

Oh and there's tons of product placement in the film but that doesn't matter.

The best of the series

I was surprised by how good this is. I wouldn't describe it as brilliant, but it is the strongest and darkest of all the Batman films. After the dross that was 'Batman and Robin' I wasn't expecting much - so I was gratified by how successful this account of how Batman became Batman is. In many ways it feels like an entirely separate film, with elements of the story not matching up with the other films in the 'sequence'. However, it doesn't suffer from this.

One thing I liked is that this is very much a post 9/11 film, the badies being quasi-religious fanatics who want to destroy New York, rather than just rob it. Interesting to see how the fantasies we create reflect our current fears.

pointless

this isnt a film its a commercial nothing more.dont waste your time on empty noisy rubbish like this

Exceptional TV making and exceptional entertainment

Please disregard the strangely obsessive comments about running time; this series is a treat not a cheat. Splitting what certainly feels like one long season into two (5 and 6) does lead to a slightly perplexing carry-over of the John Kavanaugh/IAD storyline and you might need your memory refreshing if you've allowed yourself a break between seasons. In terms of criticism, that's about it. Exceptional TV making and exceptional entertainment from beginning to end.

The Shield, The Sopranos, The Wire: all different, all outstanding, all hugely enjoyable. It is a little disturbing that serious and seriously violent crime should be the subject matter of such cracking entertainment, but there you are.

WOW

Well!! the best Batman yet!! Christian Bale adds that very dark and devious side to Batman. Let's face it most comic book hero's have a dark side.. More Christian Bale please. Looking forward to seeing Ed Norton as the Hulk now that's a challenge for Mr Ed.

The ultimate BLADE RUNNER

The 4k transfer was controled personly by RIDLEY SCOTT and he put a few new scene's in an tweeked around a bit on other scene's and what came out is the ULTIMATE BLADE RUNNER it's perfect and the sound was remixed from the orignal master's and it is a BLAST believe me this film never sounded so good.And I have a message for mr K.B who wrote a review above,the five disc version from amazon .com includes three HD-DVD's the other two disc's are DVD'S and are code free Disc 1 the final cut in 1080p,disc 2 dangerous days standard def dvd,disc 3 archvial versions U.S. theatrical cut international theatrical cut directors cut all in high def 1080p,disc 4 enhancement archive standard def dvd ,disc 5 workprint in 1080 high def.PS from amazon.de is a 2 disc version 1 HD-DVD and 1DVD with worthwhile info all in english.

Let-Down

I'll probably be lynched for this heresy!... but I wouldn't recommend this one unless you're a diehard fan of one of the actors, or just a special effects geek.
This film wanders around, without much of a plot, relying far too heavily on humour [!??] and special effects. I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen it, but want to, but it destroys relationships, with characters betraying one another instead of standing together.
Not a 'Feel Good' film, and not a PATCH on Pirates I, Curse of the Black Pearl.

Utterly outstanding- an instant classic

Cloverfield is quite terrifying. I've never seen so many people run screaming out of the cinema before.

There's been The Last Broadcast, The Blair Witch Project, The Zombie Diaries, Welcome To The Jungle, Rec, and Diary Of The Dead. Therefore, you'd expect the 'supposedly real, found video camera footage' genre to be a bit worn out by now; but then along comes Cloverfield- the best of them all.

Many have criticized it for having no proper plot (enormous monster attacks New York- hmm, sounds complicated) and having bad characterization and whatever else- but those people have probably totally missed the point. Cloverfield wants you to feel like you're actually experiencing what you see on the screen, to have those feelings of immense confusion, fright and disorientation... and that's exactly what it does.

The Blair Witch Project finally has competition in its genre. Endless other additions have attempted to surpass it through use of zombies, cannibals, ghosts, you name it- but the reason why they've all failed is because the acting was not convincing enough (especially throughout the excruciatingly bad The Zombie Diaries), and acting is basically the key to make these films work. This is where Cloverfield excels; forget the stunning special effects, the cast are who I praise for most of Cloverfield's incredible success.

(Just a quick word of warning: don't -as I did- get the 2 disc edition hoping that the alternate endings will be totally alternate! That's all I'm saying.)

At the end of the day, be assured that if you look up the word 'amazing' in the dictionary, you'll find the word 'cloverfield'. It's head and shoulders above 99% of other recent horror movies, covering up its massive flaws with (as another reviewer has described as...)"plain spectacular awesomeness".

This really is just what cinema is all about. So believe the hype: Cloverfield rules.

Classic...the best horror franchise known to mankind

well where do i begin...everyone else seems to have said what all the films are like and just how classic,scary,thrilling and epic they are.
Alien is by far the greatest horror film ever made and is my favourite horror film(along with Aliens obviously).
Alien-10/10-a classic horror film made for everyone,from horror fanatics to people who dont know the genre,everyone will be shocked by some of the scenes and terrified by the artistic creation that is the Alien...its very atmospheric and extremely scary(even by todays standards)Siguorney Weaver was brought into the A-list and has remained a very successful actress,all the actors are on their top form and make this both enjoyable and an unsettling experience which is what films(in general)are lacking at the moment...and with the desolate setting of space it makes it a very uncomfortable experience as the crew are far,far away from any help and have to learn to survive...and Ellen Ripley was made a cult icon for the genre.

Aliens-10/10-a very ambitious sequel that really upped the ante,and in many ways was equally as successful as its predessesor,it contained the fabulous Siguorney to add depth to Ripleys character,more thrills,chills and again superb acting all around...my god the queen alien was terrifying and those visuals are still amazing...the definative sequel!!!

Alien 3-7/10-a very good sequel that may not be as amazing as the previous installments but it is a very atmospheric one...and Ripley makes a brave return...this time on a prison planet...only one alien this time round...and a different breed too...and my god that conclusion...tear jerking.

Alien:Resurrection-8.5/10-a lot better than the previous effort...a better cast with Siguorney(and hair)as a cloned version of Ripley...and the aliens are back doing what they do best...scare the daylights outta you...good effects and a very good sequel...just a shame that the franchise hasn't been laft alone.

this is a definitive collection of the franchise with many,many,many extras and alternate versions of the films.
these are the greatest horror films known to mankind...ignore the recent alien vs predator films...they are amateur and just plain stupid...i have currently seen the first two films approx 45 times and it still has the same effect on me(but leave a gap in between to get the same effect)and i keep seeing new things in the films everytime which makes it enjoyable viewing.
purchase this stunning boxset now for this astounding price...its worth it if you dont own the films already or haven't seen them yet.
this is the complete series and by far the most consistant horror franchise to date with the first two being genuine classics and the latter two being very,very good.
and as i said ignore the alien vs predator films...they dont know what the hell they are doing!!!
IN SPACE NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU SCREAM

Movie: 4/5 Picture Quality: 4.75~5/5 Sound Quality: 4.5~4.75/5 Extras: 3/5

Version: U.K / Region Free

Version: U.S.A / Region: A
MPEG-4 AVC BD-50
Running time: 1:54:44
Movie size: 28,400,265,216 bytes
Disc size: 41,222,521,067 bytes
Average video bit rate: 25.24 Mbps
DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

Enjoyable to Watch

I am a kind of person who has such a thirst for knowledge (in all branches) and discoveries, even for an adventure. And, this movie is an adventure and quite enjoyable to watch.

I have read a great deal on Masonic history as well the American history. And, there are bits and pieces of histories into this movie, but one cannot get the full understanding or knowledge of histories from watching this movie.

However, I found this movie to have a stretchy plot to which is not new, as it is typical. One would have to keep in mind that this is one of the Disney films, so this movie is suitable for kids as well enjoyable for adults. And, this film is more close to the line of the films,"The Da Vinci Code" and"Pirates of the Caribbean," or so I think.

Nevertheless, this film is fun to watch.

A GOOD DOSE OF ACTION! AND ESSENTIALS FOR THE SELF RESPECTING MAN!

If you haven't got theses movies already, then this set is a good buy and good value! Unlike many boxsets where the movies are usually devoid of extras, each film has a reasonable amount of special features (more than the Rocky boxsets!). I've actually got the box set with Rambo 1-3, and Rambo 4 as a separate DVD - this set is basically the same as the set I have with the new film added to complete the series (that is until Rambo 5 is released, seriously look it up on Wikipedia - it's coming!).
A quick run down of the films:
First Blood (1982); Set in the US, the most realistic of the series and more down to earth action than what followed. Often reminiscent of the likes of Deliverance and Southern Comfort, in it's forest settings as Rambo relies more on self made traps & hand to hand combat to evade capture from the authorities before finally laying hands on the beloved M60 Machine Gun in a scene that would inspire countless 80's action flicks! The violence is far less cartoonish here, and the use of wooden spikes, spears and THAT knife will often make you WINCE!

Rambo: First Blood Part 2 (1985); A complete change of pace and perhaps the best known of the series. Shifted to Vietnam, with a storyline identical to Chuck Norris'(earlier) Missing In Action series, this is where character & plot now took second place to BIG action setpieces. Helicopter gunship battles, huge explosions, and the M60 again - but even more OTT! Stallone by now at the peak of physical shape, and the Rambo character every inch a Force Of Nature. Rambo 2 also saw the first appearance of the infamous compound bow, and the explosive tipped arrows, as effective against Russians as against the Vietcong, the two enemy forces at foul play here.
Stallone would reunite with director, George. P. Cosmatos, the following year for the excellent Cobra.

Rambo 3 (1988); seemingly the most criticised, I actually preferred it to
Rambo 2. I found the action setpieces to be better orchestrated (although by now even more OTT). Now set in Afghanistan, the movie in the past 20 years has shifted from dated to now sadly relevant! As with Rambo 2, the Soviets are a major adversary for Stallone, and the sheer amount of firepower unleashed on screen is incredible! I understand that this was the most expensive movie ever made in it's day, and say what you like about it, but every dollar is on the screen! This film looks the most epic, with the most spectacular action setpieces. The film was cut for theatrical release in 1988 but is restored uncut for this DVD, and it is second only to Rambo 4 in it's levels of violence.

Rambo 4 (2007); I wont bang on too much about this as I've reviewed it separateley in more depth. Suffice to say, It's a return to the jungle warfare of Part 2, this time in Burma. Stallone is WELL up to it, and the action scenes are easily the bloodiest ever put on film! It's an absolute bloodbath - the earlier films showed a lot of kills but the actual detail of the casualties here is almost pornographic!

In conclusion, a great set of films, all different in ways & classics of the time! They aren't rocket science and they don't pretend (with the exception of First Blood) to be serious studies of War!
I certainly prefer them to much of todays sub-Matrix style rubbish.....

Richard Crenna (Colonel Trautman) RIP.

So much wrong - but the myth nearly carries it

There's so much wrong with this film, its hard to know where to start. The gifted cast have a stunned look of horror at the script they have to work with. The historical accuracy of the story is best summarised as a brief wave at a history book... The landscapes of Cumbria and Northumbria are obviously somewhere in eastern Europe, with dark age citadels represented by late medieval castles.

If you can imagine a road accident between a student version of Lord of the Rings, the cast of HBO's 'Rome' on their day off, and a souped-up episode of the 1970s serial 'Arthur of the Britons', you're probably about there...

BUT

The cast is very strong and give the ludicrous script some transient dignity. The historical moment, when late antiquity began to fade into the mythology of the early Medieval period is fascinating, and the process of Roman citizens morphing into Britons is touched on. The central idea is quite touching, and the raw power of this myth still carries an undiluted spark of magic which can't be snuffed by the stodgiest treatment. Watch with one eye closed and release your inner 13-year old!

blade runner. the final [?] cut

originally released in 1982, this is a science fiction movie featuring harrison ford as a man who tracks down androids from outer space who have come to earth illegally. set in a permanently rainy near future city, he tracks the androids down, but may be in danger of falling for one in the process. and could it be that they are just a little more human than him?

a classic of science fiction cinema, and a landmark in many ways as it introduced a style of future vision that has been often copied. not an action flick, it's quite slow at places but it's thoughtful and makes you consider the nature of existence.

originally released with a voiceover and a tacked on happy ending there have been several amended releases over the years, which lost both these elements and added some extra footage. this version is the latest one. they call in the final cut. we shall see! the picture and the sound have been restored, although the age of the film means it looks good rather than great as a result. beyond that the director has made a few minor changes to the movie but I really couldnt spot anything major.

some films you need to see, whether you end up loving or hating them. and this is one such, because it's so talked about and has had an awful lot of influence.

the first disc in this contains the movie. with direct scene access.

a very short introduction from the director.

a commentary from him. and two other commentaries from various members of the production team.

it offers language tracks in english castillan spanish german and polish.

subtitles in english finnish swedish danish norwegian greek polish german and castillan spanish.

and closed captioned subtitles in english and german.

all the above foreign language options are on disc one only. the second disc contains a documentary about the film. this is an amazing piece of work, divided into eight sections that run from 25-30 minutes in length, and you could not possibly imagine a more comprehensive documentary as it goes into incredible depth. and has a few bits of strong language so you may want to watch out for that.

do you need this new version of the film? that's up to you. definitely worth seeing the documentary though

the best bond movie

terrific hard edged action thriller with a great performance from daniel craig.it may 20 minets too long but thats a minor quibble

Magically Compelling

"Precious, in any case, is a word with two meanings, which both might apply to"The Darjeeling Limited." This shaggy-dog road trip, in which three semi-estranged brothers travel by rail across India, is unstintingly fussy, vain and self-regarding. But it is also a treasure: an odd, flawed, but nonetheless beautifully handmade object as apt to win affection as to provoke annoyance. You might say that it has sentimental value." AO Scott

Surrounded by the vision of India, we find two brothers joining the third on a voyage across India. Frank, played by Owen Wilson, has convened the group to bond, as they once did. Frank has his head and face swathed in bandages, after he tried to"off" himself by running his motorcycle into a tree. Their father died a year ago, their mother left then to join a convent, and we are left to wonder 'what is this all about'? Adrian Brody plays Peter, and he wears his father's sunglasses, and tells his brothers that their father loved him best. Jason Schwartman plays Jack, the youngest and the one who loves the sweet lime and the sweet women.

So, here they are, each of them with several pairs of Louis Vuitton baggage left by their father, traipsing across India trying to loosen and leave their virtual baggage behind. They travel by train until they so annoy the Indian conductor he throws them off. Then by foot and taxi, off they go. We learn a little bit about each of them. They meet up with their mother who has become a nun in a monastery, and there they try to unload their emotions. She listens but apparently it doesn' take. Frank tries to let go of his scars. Peter tells them his girlfriend is about to deliver a son, and he is confused about it all. Jack breaks into his ex-girlfriends voice mail and relishes what he learns. All in all a melancholy trip, a humorous trip and a compelling trip. I found the films a little on the weird side, but I could not stop watching. What was going to occur next? We never know what is around the corner- it keeps us off-guard. Did the brothers achieve their goal? The layers of emotion come undone in a way when they confront their mother, the nun, played by Angelica Houston, in a role like none other.

"The movie meanders. It will therefore inspire reviews complaining that it doesn't fly straight as an arrow at its target. But it doesn't have a target, either. Why do we have to be the cops and enforce a narrow range of movie requirements? Anderson is like Dave Brubeck, who I'm listening to right now. He knows every note of the original song, but the fun and genius come in the way he noodles around. And in his movie's cast, especially with Owen Wilson, Anderson takes advantage of champion noodlers." Roger Ebert

Jack, the youngest listens on his IPod to a song that will stay with you throughout the movie and swirl around your head. The song by Peter Sarstedt 'Where Do You Go To My Lovely?" It is a lilting, catchy song that resonates with me.

'But where do you go to my lovely
When you're alone in your bed
Tell me the thoughts that surround you
I want to look inside your head'

Highly Recommended. prisrob 05-13-08

The Big Bounce (Widescreen Edition)

The Pianist

Sixth Season

I have to say that this isn't the best season of Smallville ever. But I'm a huge fan, so I liked it anyway. The best episodes were Zod, Sneeze, and Combat. Though I was a little disappointed that the fight between Zod and Clark was so short. I think it should've spanned two episodes at least. I like the episode Combat because it was the first time Clark actually put up a fight against someone as strong as he was; before he got his butt kicked.

Brandon Simpson

Far better than I expected

I was sceptical watching yet another Die Hard movie, but actually, I was very pleasantly surprised. The action was fast paced throughout and the sheer audacity of the plot kept me fully absorbed. McClane, although looking pretty much older these days, is still plausible as the energetic lone hero determined to do his duty and conquer evil. Yes, the plot was totally unbelievable but why would you want to depress yourself with realism - take a look at the daily news for that! I appreciate a good bit of escapism and this really fits the bill. If you like a movie with a good deal of ass-kicking and where unsuspecting, ill-equipped good guy/lone hero outwits gang of highly skilled, technologically well-equipped and thoroughly organised assasins then this could be the movie for you! And it looks to me like the daughter - a chip off the old block - could be the star of future Die Hard movies assuming her father's mantle?? - now that would be a good movie !!! Give it a go - what have you got to lose?

A gorgeous hypnotic odyssey

I felt in two minds about watching this film , half expecting it to be dolorous ,sombre, dull art-house exercise requiring resolute cinematic stamina . Not for the first time I was completely wrong .The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford is as gorgeous and hypnotic a film as I have ever seen .
The title does of course give way what is going to happen in this film but the real drama comes from the way the narrative explores the relationship between the two men and how circumstances dictate what fates befall both of them.
When we meet them both its September 1881 and they are both preparing to rob a train as part of the infamous James gang . Most of the gang we are informed by the films lyrical voice over ( Hugh Ross)are either dead or in prison but the two remaining James brothers Frank (Sam Shepard) and Jesse(Brad Pitt) are leading the heist. Also part of the gang are the Ford brothers Charley (Sam Rockwell) and Robert (Casey Affleck) Robert has a fan worship thing going on with Jesse and this marks the start of their bond , though not before the more worldly wise Frank says of Bob Ford"I don't know what it is about you, but the more you talk, the more you give me the willies."
It's a perspicacious comment as Bob is a bit creepy and is brilliantly portrayed by Affleck as such - ostensibly a sort of cowboy stalker. Jesse finds him amusing at first then comes to trust him before an all round paranoia and brooding malevolence takes over his character . These two borderline psycho's are well matched in many respects but the film adapted by director Andrew Dominick from the book by Robert Hansen takes its time in getting under the skin of these two characters so we understand implicitly how Ford comes to shooting Jesse James .This is complex and fully requires the lengthy running time in order to do it full justice.
Interestingly the film also explores Fords life post the shooting where he becomes a media celebrity in his own right yet is wracked by guilt and is thoroughly miserable.
The acting is top-notch throughout. Affleck as I alluded earlier is spookily good while Pitt is someone I often find irritating because he mumbles, but in this he's terrific- veering convincingly from wide eyed boyish enthusiasm to menacing glowers or explosive rage. Paul Schneider as gang member Dick Liddil a laconic poetry spouting lothario is especially good, though Mary Louise Parker as James wife Zee is given an underwritten role.
The real star of the film though is the cinematography of Roger Deakins, whose work with the Coen brothers has garnered plaudit's .He gives the film a sepia nostalgic glow but captures the landscape , vast fields of swaying corn or barren snow covered homesteads , magically. The landscapes become more frigid echoing the increasingly frosty relationship between the characters. The scene of a train robbery at night is one of transcendental and startling beauty. The soundtrack by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis is eerily spot on too.
Yes this film is slow but it's also thoroughly engrossing . It is truly insidiously compelling and though many will feel it's padded out , which is often my opinion of many films,I feel that not a frame is wasted in this movie. It truly is a masterpiece of the cinematic art -an all too rare commodity nowadays. Hugely commendable .