sorry but one star... and i usually love sopranos

This is definitely the series where the sopranos lost their way completely. It didn't just take a step toward the quirky and obscure, it jumped in with all arms, legs and kitchen sink.. there is no other way to put it, it was just plain weird and boring at that. If the franchise had back to back series of that style and standard it would die right there, no doubt.

As an avid fan myself i know you are gonna buy anyway. you know you are gonna buy anyway, but i advise for you to set those expectations to low to avoid disappointment. Series 5 is way below expectations.

Now series 6... is another story...

American Beauty

In the first season we are introduced to the Soprano family. The most impressive thing here is that we're not just introduced to `the family' but we're introduced, quite intimately, to Tony Soprano's immediate family, wife, daughter and son. Like the shows creator David Chase said on the dvd extras, this is a story about a gangster who is living the same life we all are, taking his children to school and putting food on his families table. That's what makes this show so culturally valuable. It doesn't just illuminate the clichéd assumption of crime families but it really strips these human beings down to the rudiments of their very existence. We get to experience Tony Soprano for the man he really is and not the façade that he may want to put up, the tough guy exterior that all gangster assumedly possess.

The first season exposes struggles within the family, both immediate and professional. With the death of one family boss comes the birth of a new boss, and while Tony may be the overall favourite for the position he must decide if taking the job is worth the distain between family, namely his Uncle Junior. The stress of his particular situation is taking a toll of Tony's health and this is manifest in sudden blackouts. For this he concedes to visit a therapist, Doctor Melfi, who ends up being one of the key essential characters in Tony's life. Throughout the season the issue of loyalty is explored, whether doing the right thing by your `family' is the right thing morally. This issue is explored even further and with greater detail and delicacy in season two as the apparent handling of the disloyal takes an emotional and even physical toll on `the family'. Season one is mainly here to introduce and make nice, get us accustomed to and comfortable with the cast of characters. Everyone here becomes so real to us.

I'm a huge campaigner for the idea that James Gandolfini has single handedly created the greatest television character in the history of television. His performance in the Sopranos (watch him in THE MEXICAN with B.Pitt & Horse-Chops Julia Roberts as he steals the movie from them) is above and beyond what many have been able to accomplish in their entire careers. Gandolfini is able to really get inside Tony's head and flesh him out for us. We discover and fall in love with this man who is only doing what he knows how to do and he's only living the life he knows how to live, but underneath that criminal veneer he is just like you and me, with wants and desires and pains and fears and responsibilities that he does his best to take care of. And yet while you realize all of this Gandolfini is doing something utterly marvelous. He's making you sympathise and rationalise with a killer, a philanderer and a liar among other things. You look at the man that Tony Soprano is upon outside appearance and you'll find yourself disgusted, yet when you watch this show you find yourself fascinated and ultimately understanding. This I tell you now is the power of brilliant and dare-I-say `iconic' acting.

The other actors in this series are phenomenal as well. Edie Falco is just fantastic as Tony's wife Carmela. She plays Carm with the perfect mixed bag of admiration and exasperation. Michael Imperioli is also brilliant as young Christopher Moltisanti, and Tony Sirico is flawless as Paulie. Lorraine Bracco doesn't present a whole lot on the outset but as the season presses forward her character becomes more central to Tony's life and thus makes a strong impact. I will admit to never really finding myself adjusting the character of Silvio Dante, and it's not that I feel Steve Van Zandt does a bad job playing him; it's just that the character himself never really grew on me. The real standouts, at least in season one that is, aside from Gandolfini and Falco were none other than Dominic Chianese and Nancy Marchand as Uncle Junior and Tony's meandering mother Livia.


The other actors here are given their opportunities to shine, but most of this will happen in later seasons. Take for instance Vincent Pastore who plays Tony's best friend Pussy. While he has his moments within the first season it's really his second (and final) season that prove to be his finest accomplishment on the show, and Christopher's girlfriend Adriana, played by Drea de Matteo, is really nothing more than a prop within the first season but as the show progresses, especially in seasons four and five, she flourishes beautifully. Speaking of flourishing, both Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Robert Iler who play Meadow and AJ Soprano (the children) establish themselves within the first season but really gain steam as the show presses on. As they grow up with the show they really come into their own as actors and ultimately as characters, especially Meadow. Aida Turturro also makes her presence known and heard as Tony's loudmouthed, self centered, ultimately horrid and detestable sister Janice, and she does this effortlessly and orgasmically as the series progresses.

WHAT A FILM!

this film was awsome, i have never given gangster films a chance, i always thought of them as blokes films but i gave goodfellas a go. the acting was spot on, along with the story line, effects etc etc, everything was brill!! i could have watched it again straight after. i really really enjoyed every second of it, and i have now watch many more gangster films but this is by far my favourite. De Niro is a superb actor and pulls of his part with style. if you havent watched this movie you are missing out. 10/10

Lynda La Plante - The Commander - Vols. 4-6

Realling looking forward to this box set as I think these 3 stories are even better than in the first box set BUT as the previous reviewer said


Just one question though: What happened to Blacklight? I want that one on DVD and that part came before these three and its not on the first DVD set...



what is with leaving it out, doesn't make sense???????????

best season so far

bearing in mind iam watching this show on dvd and not tv , i have as im writing this just finished season 4 and personally think it is the best overall so far though is a slow burner . the best two episodes are :WHOEVER DID THIS and WHITECAPS.
Brilliantly acted dark realistic and disturbing . you need this dvd set in your collection

Not me cup'o'tea' matey..

Snatch is a British gangster action film, actors were great esp. Brad Pitt and Guy Ritchie. The storyline is OK, wouldnt say perfect. Has some funny bits, BUT most of the scenes about the pikies and gypsies just annoying. it gets boring throughout the film. Its funny at first but then its predictable after and it just killed it.
This is not the sort of film you would keep watching and watching, well not for me anyway. But for its price, its pretty cheap so Buy it and judge for yourself. If its not your 'cup o tea' then theres always the Amazon Marketplace you could sell it on.

Sopranos - Off the Scale Again!!

Brilliant!!

James Gandolfini has a charisma that leaps off the screen in a character (Tony Soprano) that evokes sympathy as well as disgust from the viewer. The fascination of Tony Soprano (JG) is absorbing and irresistable, what's he going to do next? The tension and the need to know 'what happens next' is great - serious entertainment. J.G's acting and the writing is so good that the viewer feels they get to 'know' Tony to the point of guessing how he might react to the varied situations he faces.

Like Series one, the magic starts with the punchy theme tune and continues through the episodes, the great storylines/acting carried along with great music.

Marvellous!!

SUPERB

I don't think I have ever seen a better film of this genre.

The whole film just works. It's brilliant to say the least.

I just wish I had been to see this in the cinema to see peoples reactions at the end.

Superb.... Brilliant.... BUY THIS FILM !!!!!!!!!!!

i love csi ny

cant wait for this dvd to be relesed. I missed most of season 4 and the few episodes i did see looked great roll on 14 july cant wait to watch mac stel and the team they are they best csi show by far. The cover looks great aswell.

A Modern Classic!

This review relates to the 1997 film starring Charles Dance and Emilia Fox. It is totally puzzling why most of the other reviews concern the original version, but never mind!

I borrowed this from a library, but was so impressed I have bought a copy for myself. Charles Dance is superb as the brooding, tortured aristocrat, Maxim de Winter, who attempts to find love and contentment with his second wife (Emilia Fox) after the tragic loss of his first spouse, the much admired and beautiful Rebecca. His charming, but shy, new wife struggles to cope with the demands of her new role, a situation made worse by the constant interference of the obsessive housekeeper Mrs. Danvers (terrific portrayal by Diana Rigg) whose devotion to her first mistress reaches beyond the grave!

A terrific supporting cast includes Geraldine James, Timothy West and Faye Dunaway. Some remakes are a total disappointment, but this is pure class and the scenery is absolutely stunning. Highly recommended to all!

A slice of Lime.

The DVD cover sums this film up brilliantly (even giving away the twist!) with the angled black and white image. The wonky camera work was dismissed by many at the time, but in retrospect it reflects the feel of disorientation Holly Martins must feel when in an unfamiliar place, with no money, and discovering varying accounts of his friends death - a friend he was due be staying with. The slanted shots also mirror the broken feel of Vienna, a beautiful city ravaged by the Second World War and now home to jagged piles of broken bricks.

The strong lighting (typical of black and white films) is used to emphasise the shadows in the dark. The beautiful cinematography of Viennese streets capture a unique period in history. Most scenes have no music to accompany them, but when it does kick in, you instantly recognise it - either from watching this film in the past, or for the numerous films since which have borrowed the iconic Harry Lime theme. The natural performances mean the characters seem flawed, real, believable. And Harry Lime has a constant presence despite barely appearing on screen.

All the above make this an absolute corker of a film - but the most impressive thing is, it all feels so effortless. The film never looks as though it's *trying* to be something that bit special, it's almost as if it *knows* it has a unique chemistry which will ensure a status of `classic' for years to come.

In a nutshell: If you've never seen this film then this might seem like you've seen it all before - but this was the first to do it with style. Often imitated, never bettered.

Fantastic film!

Wow! Just finished watching this and wanted to find similar films straight away! Keeps your attention throughout. Don't think you can get rid of the subtitles which is a bit of a shame if you don't want them but definetly worth watching.

This is aces

If you like crime shows, working out who did it, character led action, great acting, interesting characters and fancy american shows then start from series one, sit down with an IV drip, a potty for your doings and a big load of haribo and watch straight through to this series. It's fanciful, it's fun, it's big and it's good. I wouldn't recommend it if you hate all of the above. But then you're not worth recommending anything to anyway.
Oh, and P.S. it's not 24

a return to form

much better than the rest of scorsese's recent output.its a very entertaining thriller with great performances

A season of shakeups

Season 3 starts off with the reemergence of Tom who we last saw wading into the sea at the end of season 2. Tom is adamant he's been set up and is on a quest to prove his innocence but his betrayal has shaken MI5 and the Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee sees his chance to seize control of MI5.

There's the usual round of problems for the Spooks in season 3 - terrorists, assassination attempts, hostage taking etc. But the biggest change we see in season 3 is the introduction of new faces and the exit of old faces. I was sorry to see so many changes but loved the episodes involved as they were typical edge-of-your-seat episodes. Yet again Spooks had me hooked but left me begging for more at the end of episode 10!

The best season yet......

I recently got hooked on Spooks after catching re-runs on tv. I have just finished season 4 and my biggest complaint is that there isn't enough episodes of Spooks per series!

Each episode in season 4 was fantastic from 1-10. Martine McCutcheon was a brilliant addition to episode 1 but the best episode as you'd expect was episode 10. Season 4 sees the usual betrayals, backstabbing, power-struggles, terrorists and conspiracies that we're used to seeing with Spooks but the finale to season 4 is by far the best finale yet! I wish they'd hurry up and get season 5 on dvd as I'm getting withdrawal symptoms already!

revenge is in us all

Much like director shane meadows 'this is england',here again the director caused me to think long after the credits had rolled,to evaluate all that i had seen and to work out if there is more than meets the eye and the answer is yes.The way this story unfolds is careful and deliberate,tense and taut,and while the emphasis is very much on revenge there is something deeper here in my opinion and that is why i rate this film so highly.
The film starts with flashback footage of two brothers playing and growing up via the use of old camcorder footage,this leads to a modern day shot of the same two brothers presumably,walking through the country and chit chatting.It soon becomes clear that the older brother,richard,played with shocking brilliance by paddy considine,has malice and revenge in mind as he seeks retribution on those that tortured his brother years before and richard really is as subtle as a brick in the face,never hiding away,making himself known to those he seeks to destroy,he is as cold as ice and just as dangerous.
The film is a powerhouse of drive and emotion and blood flows and all of it in a good name,richard unravels before the viewer as a man that has no fear,just a death wish and there lies a clue that this film may not be 100 percent original as this is much like 'get carter' but like that movie there is depth to the main character and his brother who performs like a champion here as well,the ending is brutal and twisted and all in all this is a mother of a film,powerful.

Disappointing

I found We Own the Night rather disapponting, even though I wasn't expecting much. It felt like the writer/director (often a bad sign in itself) had drawn cliches out of a hat, mixing-up the"two very different brothers" cliche with"cop goes undercover in dangerous drug dealer land". If either of the two main characters had been anything other than cardboard cut-outs that might have been interesting. I also just couldn't understand the Phoenix character's motivation for such an abrupt change of direction - and couldn't decide if that was either bad writing (no depth of, or empathy with, the character) or a strange choice of emotionally shut-down style from Phoenix.
Not really even good enough for put your feet-up and switch off brain time.

Not just the best 24, but the best TV drama in years

After 4 years of watching Keiffer Sutherland avert disasters it was hard to imagine where 24 and particularly Jack Bauer could go. The series remained consistently entertaining, action packed and addictive but I couldn't help feeling that it was never going to match the achievement of the first season. Season 5 blew me away. It has everything. The high lights for me were a truly explosive opening episode (the best the show has ever achieved) to the incredible performance by Gregory Itzin as the president. The DVD extras do not disappoint either, but leave them alone until you're watched the episodes for `here be spoilers'.
If you're new to 24 then do yourself a favour and watch the previous 4 seasons first. If you're interest in the show has waned in recent years then season 5 is the perfect place to jump back on.