Amazon.co.uk Review
Poorly received on its theatrical release, The Art of War is a film which deserves a second look. Plot-wise it's a routinely complicated thriller full of double-crosses and sudden shifts of perspective, as Wesley Snipes, secret fixer for the UN, tries to find out who killed the Chinese Ambassador to stop a trade pact and what it is that interpreter Marie Matiko knows that means people are trying to kill her. There are good performances here--Donald Sutherland as a Secretary General who takes good care not to know what is done in the name of peace, Anne Archer as Snipes' power-dressed controller, and Maury Chaykin as a world-weary FBI man who finds himself dragged around New York in Snipes' high-speed wake--but what is memorable is the look of the film. Presenting a New York of building sites and mirrored apartment buildings and rain on glass in twilight, contemporary techno-noir has never been quite so coherently imagined and set.
On the DVD: This is a film which comes into its own in widescreen and on DVD simply because its visual aspect is most of the point. This disc is not generous with features, simply providing scene access and the theatrical trailer, which makes rather more reference to Sun Tzu's classic of military strategy than the film ever bothers to. However, its combination of Dolby Sound and 2.35:1 widescreen ratio plays to the movie's strengths. --Roz Kaveney
Customer Reviews:
Once again Snipes to the rescue.......2001-07-01
Wesley snipes is enjoying himself. Your reveiwer was suprised to see that such a promising actor in the days of his early hits (jungle fever, new jack city)was probably more comfortable with the action hero tag than straight acting. He's definately done himself out of an oscar. But hey he's happy and why not? Because as an action hero, he's one of the best. Not only an accomplished Martial arts expert but a fine actor too, with enough emotional range to hang with the best of them. That's why he makes this movie.The plot is a clever one and I guess, was probably more complex in it's original form (a book I guess) than the film actually is. The hi tech spy thing has been done a million times over but I don't think that even Mission Impossble or Mr Bond himself have ever been this clever. The action is heavy, snipes looks good, his little chinese sidekick is fine, though I wish she actually had more attitude than the movie initially suggests. All in all a good movie. Why oh why it didn't recieve any major hype in british cinemas I'll never know, but for a stylish, well photographed polictical/spy/action thriler you can't go wrong. My only gripe is that the chinese are given a rough deal and the sentiment almost borders on racism. But credit to snipes wherever this movies fails, snipes comes to the rescue.
A calculating, nitrous techno thriller.......2001-06-17
If you enjoy techno-thrillers, such as the film adaptions of Tom Clancy's books, you will find The Art of War intriguing and--at times-- downright clever.
This little gem bypassed the cinema-goers last year, which is a shame. Then again this IS an intelligent, thought provoking ride... In short James Bond meets Enemy of the State.
Flashy direction can't save a script.......2001-06-14
One of the most dramatic opening scenes for a while, well worth getting just to see that. However, it's been done to many times, the old story of betrail.
Action packed yes, good effects yes, cracking acting yes, cracking story line NO!
PLUS
Expect a predicatable ending, no amazing plot twists and a rip off sequence from 'The Matrix'! Just average.
Customer Reviews:
War and Peace review.......2005-03-15
an excptional perfomance of a very demanding opera in terms of length and number of participant
the excellence goes to the singing-performaing as well as to the great staging.
I shared the opera with many friends and everyone was very touched and impressed. They applauded like they were in a live performance.
Many asked me how to get a copy of the DVD
I myself saw it 4 times and will probably see it again
spectacular production.......2005-01-30
Excellent sound (especially in DTS) and very crisp, good pictures. Well directed - effective both in close up and larger stage pictures. Well indexed and clearly and accurately sub-titled. The choreography in the first half beautifully reflects both the music and the tension of the drama. The battle scenes in the second part with a large number of extras are very impressive. The sets are well chosen and scene changes are very skilfully managed. All the lead parts are both well sung and strongly acted. The conductor tends to keep things moving briskly - particularly in the war section - but it is well played and the instrumental balance - both within the orchestra and against voices and chorus is very finely kept.
A warning, though, to purists - this performance is cut - about 25 minutes - almost all from the war section. I do not feel the performance suffers from this because it is so convincingly staged and performed and the full version can outstay its welcome - but if you really must have every note - this will not be the performance for you.
In brief - a magnificent performance of a very beautiful and moving work.
Outstanding!.......2003-12-06
War and Peace is one of Prokofiev greatest works. It was written after he returned to Russia and developed a more lyrical style. This opera has some of the loveliest melodies he ever composed.
This DVD from the 2000 production in Paris offers an overwhelming experience.
Olga Guryakova is an ideal Natasha. Nathan Gunn has a warm and beautiful baritone and gives a wonderful performance as Andrei Bolkonsky.
All other members of the enormous cast are impressive too.
Francesca Zambello directed a highly effective and moving show.
Sound and picture quality are exemplary. Highly recommended.
Amazon.co.uk Review
Poorly received on its theatrical release, The Art of War is a film which deserves a second look. Plot-wise it's a routinely complicated thriller full of double-crosses and sudden shifts of perspective, as Wesley Snipes, secret fixer for the UN, tries to find out who killed the Chinese Ambassador to stop a trade pact and what it is that interpreter Marie Matiko knows that means people are trying to kill her. There are good performances here--Donald Sutherland as a Secretary General who takes good care not to know what is done in the name of peace, Anne Archer as Snipes' power-dressed controller, and Maury Chaykin as a world-weary FBI man who finds himself dragged around New York in Snipes' high-speed wake--but what is memorable is the look of the film. Presenting a New York of building sites and mirrored apartment buildings and rain on glass in twilight, contemporary techno-noir has never been quite so coherently imagined and set.
On the DVD: This is a film which comes into its own in widescreen and on DVD simply because its visual aspect is most of the point. This disc is not generous with features, simply providing scene access and the theatrical trailer, which makes rather more reference to Sun Tzu's classic of military strategy than the film ever bothers to. However, its combination of Dolby Sound and 2.35:1 widescreen ratio plays to the movie's strengths. --Roz Kaveney
Customer Reviews:
Once again Snipes to the rescue.......2001-07-01
Wesley snipes is enjoying himself. Your reveiwer was suprised to see that such a promising actor in the days of his early hits (jungle fever, new jack city)was probably more comfortable with the action hero tag than straight acting. He's definately done himself out of an oscar. But hey he's happy and why not? Because as an action hero, he's one of the best. Not only an accomplished Martial arts expert but a fine actor too, with enough emotional range to hang with the best of them. That's why he makes this movie.The plot is a clever one and I guess, was probably more complex in it's original form (a book I guess) than the film actually is. The hi tech spy thing has been done a million times over but I don't think that even Mission Impossble or Mr Bond himself have ever been this clever. The action is heavy, snipes looks good, his little chinese sidekick is fine, though I wish she actually had more attitude than the movie initially suggests. All in all a good movie. Why oh why it didn't recieve any major hype in british cinemas I'll never know, but for a stylish, well photographed polictical/spy/action thriler you can't go wrong. My only gripe is that the chinese are given a rough deal and the sentiment almost borders on racism. But credit to snipes wherever this movies fails, snipes comes to the rescue.
A calculating, nitrous techno thriller.......2001-06-17
If you enjoy techno-thrillers, such as the film adaptions of Tom Clancy's books, you will find The Art of War intriguing and--at times-- downright clever.
This little gem bypassed the cinema-goers last year, which is a shame. Then again this IS an intelligent, thought provoking ride... In short James Bond meets Enemy of the State.
Flashy direction can't save a script.......2001-06-14
One of the most dramatic opening scenes for a while, well worth getting just to see that. However, it's been done to many times, the old story of betrail.
Action packed yes, good effects yes, cracking acting yes, cracking story line NO!
PLUS
Expect a predicatable ending, no amazing plot twists and a rip off sequence from 'The Matrix'! Just average.
Amazon.co.uk Review
A visual knockout, Titan A.E. is an ambitious animated feature that combines traditional animation, computer-generated imagery and special effects in the service of a science fiction adventure plotted with narrative conventions familiar from Star Wars and Star Trek. Credit directors Don Bluth (An American Tail, The Secret of NIMH, Anastasia) and Gary Goldman with crafting a vivid, convincing look to this deep space saga, which conjures some stunning images: a tense opening sequence climaxing in the destruction of Earth; a watery planet where delicate but deadly hydrogen trees float; joyriding in a starship while pursued by playful "space angels"; and a nerve-wracking journey through a lethal maze of massive ice crystals each qualify as mesmerising sequences in any film context.
What's visually stunning proves intermittently stunted on the narrative front, however. Orphaned when the evil Drej atomise Earth, protagonist Cale (voiced by Matt Damon) must journey across space to unlock the mystery of his late father's final project, the Titan spacecraft, in a test of faith and filial identity that echoes Star Wars. The Titan itself ultimately poses a cosmic potential familiar to admirers of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Comical sidekicks (Nathan Lane, Janeane Garofalo, John Leguizamo), a sultry love interest (Drew Barrymore) and a roguish mentor (Bill Pullman) all verge on the generic, narrowly redeemed by dialogue from a writing team including Buffy the Vampire Slayer-creator Joss Whedon.
It's likely that Titan's target audience of young males prompted the filmmakers to walk a tightrope between softer family features and more violent, hard-edged anime. Although it's brief bloodshed and coy nudity stops short of more adult terrain, younger viewers might be unsettled by the violence. Young teens will find the proceedings tamer than the video games and anime fantasies that have influenced it. --Sam Sutherland, Amazon.com
Customer Reviews:
Boys own action sci fi........2007-09-14
Its a shame films like this don't do well comercially, its like starwars et al. Pulp sci fi, which many may call dumb, but it certainly has its place. I enjoyed this, which I watched at the age of twenty three, and while it probably has more appeal to ten year old boys it certainly has enough going for it to entertain the family.
"The human race is circling the drain - it's outta gas kid!".......2007-09-05
For a studio unknown for supporting and creating animated films, this time they created one of the most enjoyable science fiction animated movies in years.
A typical space action adventure for both the Star Wars and Star Trek generations, this movie will delight fans of both and is great fun for kids and adults alike.
The basic story centres around Cale, a young boy who was forced to leave the Earth when it was attacked and destroyed by an alien race called the Drej.
Humans have now become outcasts in the universe and regarded by aliens as second class citizens. Cale is 'rescued' from his life as a slavage worker by Korso, captain of the Valkyrie, who says that he is very important to the future of humanity and that he is the only key to finding the ship that Cale's father built, The Titan. He is propelled into an adventure that crosses the galaxy and back, with the Drej hot on his tail in search of the Titan.
The film has all the elements of a classic sci-fi movie; great locations, space battles, adventure, aliens, comedy and an evil species determined to exterminate the entire human race.
The animation is first rate, a mix of traditional hand painted cells and CGI giving a rich and clean image for the film. Some elements are almost photo-real, making you forget that this is an animated feature.
The characters are all well realised and voiced with talent by the likes of Bill Pullman, Nathan Lane, Drew Barrimore, Matt Damon and many others. The interplay between Korso's crew is well written, full of humour (especially the guard sequence on the Soros!) and fun.
There are some truly spectacular moments in the movie including when the Earth is detroyed and the amazing fight in the ice fields of Tigrin - a worthy successor to the classic Battle Of The Mutara Nebula in Star Trek II.
All in all, Titan A.E. is one of the best animated sci-fi films in the last decade and well worth a look.
Titan Flies On To DVD.......2007-07-21
This animated space adventure is one of the best attempted animations by a studio not known for animation the ainmation is very detailed these film sprang from the advancmemt of doing lot more with a PC that paint and cells.
The studios haven't done much else Don Bluth is well known for his animation.
The only other great film from this time peroid from a more live-action studio was Anastasia the mystery of the last princess of Russia an the Mad Monk made good his threat and the Romanoff Reign ended badly and the Princess was never seen again.
This film (Titan AE)is very action packed Star Trek and Star Wars fans may find something in it for make them wtach it at least once.
I'munsure of it's rating but even if it is a U some kids mavehave be too young to sit thought orignally, now they will be old enough to enjoy it may think they are too old for cartoon but I feel you never really get to old for feature cartoons.
So if you want a break for the swamp of Disney film which are greatas well this paired with the other I spoke about above will give that to you anmd I beilive Amazon can provide both.
Higly enjoyable.......2006-01-09
I really, really enjoyed this movie, even after the numerous times I have watched it.
It is visually spectacular, with a great mix of traditional animation and innovative for the time extensive use of 3d.
The look of the Don Bluth characters is always really beautiful and their personalities always very much developed.
Highly recommended.
Save the planet and lose everthing else..........2005-12-23
'Titan A.E.' is a fun movie. I enjoyed it thorough, despite being well outside the demographic to which this sort of movie was intended to appeal.
--Basic plot--
Don't do any heavy analysis on the plot on this one. It won't stand up to expert scrutiny. But it is a reasonably good tale. The earth has encountered a powerful enemy which threatens, and eventually does, destroy the planet. During the course earth's destruction, various spacecraft escape, including one legendary, perhaps mythical craft, named the Titan. No one is quite sure exactly what this vessel is, save that it contains the hope of all humankind, for their survival in a hostile universe.
Enter our hero, Cale (voiced by Matt Damon). A child on earth, he has grown up in space to young adulthood as a person without a home, without a planet, and thus without respect. One drifter among many, as what remains of the human race have become cosmic gypsies and vagabonds, who live as best they can while travelling around, interacting with alien cultures. As with all human beings, some are good, and some are not, and it isn't always easy to tell the two types apart. And, as with all aliens, the same is true for them.
Our hero, Cale, being the son of the Titan commander, contains within himself (unbeknownst to himself) the key to locating the Titan. Thus, the cosmic chase is on! Befriended by some who try to help, relentless pursued by the dastardly alien foes, the Drej, betrayed by those he trusted, he finally finds the Titan. Will he be able figure out the key to its operation before its destruction? Will he be able to save the human race?
--Basic plot holes and other criticisms--
This review would go on far too long if I tried to go into all of these. One must remember that the intended audience for this movie is supposed to be early teenage boys. However, one thing that the producers of this movie failed to neglect is that many teenage boys will pay sufficient attention to realise the plot deficiencies. Suffice it to say, an enemy powerful enough to destroy earth in the first place would certainly be able to destroy the Titan solution. And given the unlikelihood of our hero even surviving to adulthood, where would the human race have been left in such an occurrence? Etc., etc. As I said earlier, the movie won't stand up to such scrutiny. But for those of us who like some scientific method with our science fiction, it becomes a problem. So, strike one for the movie.
Alas, we know nothing of the energetic alien enemies - why they are enemies, why they continue to be enemies even after earth's destruction, and how it is that this all powerful enemy is wholly contained within one ship, whose destruction signals the destruction of them all. Oh well, again, I'm thinking too much for this film...
Strike two comes from an under-promotion of the star power of the film. I know many who might have gone to see this had they known, for instance, that Drew Barrymore, Bill Pullman, Janeane Garofalo and Nathan Lane were character voices.
--The movie that saved the human race and lost a job--
Strike three comes from the targeting. The intended, intentionally-developed market for this was to be early teenage boys, a lucrative movie audience target. However, to produce an animated film for this group, who are just freeing themselves of being thought of as children, and thus leaving things like `cartoons' behind for being child-ish, was a monumental miscalculation.
Bill Mechanic, chairman-CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment (the studio behind this film) lost his job because this miscalculation (among a few others that summer). In 1994 he spearheaded the creation of the very expensive Fox Animation Studios. While they produced the wonderful and successful Anastasia a few years ago, 'Titan A.E.' ended up being a box-office flop. Costing nearly $80 million to produce, it opened to less than $10 million the first weekend, and went steadily downhill from there.
Alas, Fox Animation Studios is now completely closed. And Mechanic is out. Which is too bad really.
--Stunning special effects--
Even for an animated film (which often gives more flexibility in doing such things as defying gravity, etc.) the effects were great. The cat and mouse game between the spacecraft in the ice region of space, with so many reflective surfaces and crashing/breaking sound effects was truly breathtaking, worthy of acclaim among any science fiction film.
In all, Titan A.E. is a good film for its genre, poorly targeted and somewhat lacking in the execution. However, if one is willing to overlook the plot holes (in the name of suspension of disbelief), this can be enjoyed. And yes, a teenage boy will most likely like it, despite it being a `cartoon'.
Amazon.co.uk Review
Poorly received on its theatrical release, The Art of War is a film which deserves a second look. Plot-wise it's a routinely complicated thriller full of double-crosses and sudden shifts of perspective, as Wesley Snipes, secret fixer for the UN, tries to find out who killed the Chinese Ambassador to stop a trade pact and what it is that interpreter Marie Matiko knows that means people are trying to kill her. There are good performances here--Donald Sutherland as a Secretary General who takes good care not to know what is done in the name of peace, Anne Archer as Snipes' power-dressed controller, and Maury Chaykin as a world-weary FBI man who finds himself dragged around New York in Snipes' high-speed wake--but what is memorable is the look of the film. Presenting a New York of building sites and mirrored apartment buildings and rain on glass in twilight, contemporary techno-noir has never been quite so coherently imagined and set.
On the DVD: This is a film which comes into its own in widescreen and on DVD simply because its visual aspect is most of the point. This disc is not generous with features, simply providing scene access and the theatrical trailer, which makes rather more reference to Sun Tzu's classic of military strategy than the film ever bothers to. However, its combination of Dolby Sound and 2.35:1 widescreen ratio plays to the movie's strengths. --Roz Kaveney
Customer Reviews:
Once again Snipes to the rescue.......2001-07-01
Wesley snipes is enjoying himself. Your reveiwer was suprised to see that such a promising actor in the days of his early hits (jungle fever, new jack city)was probably more comfortable with the action hero tag than straight acting. He's definately done himself out of an oscar. But hey he's happy and why not? Because as an action hero, he's one of the best. Not only an accomplished Martial arts expert but a fine actor too, with enough emotional range to hang with the best of them. That's why he makes this movie.The plot is a clever one and I guess, was probably more complex in it's original form (a book I guess) than the film actually is. The hi tech spy thing has been done a million times over but I don't think that even Mission Impossble or Mr Bond himself have ever been this clever. The action is heavy, snipes looks good, his little chinese sidekick is fine, though I wish she actually had more attitude than the movie initially suggests. All in all a good movie. Why oh why it didn't recieve any major hype in british cinemas I'll never know, but for a stylish, well photographed polictical/spy/action thriler you can't go wrong. My only gripe is that the chinese are given a rough deal and the sentiment almost borders on racism. But credit to snipes wherever this movies fails, snipes comes to the rescue.
A calculating, nitrous techno thriller.......2001-06-17
If you enjoy techno-thrillers, such as the film adaptions of Tom Clancy's books, you will find The Art of War intriguing and--at times-- downright clever.
This little gem bypassed the cinema-goers last year, which is a shame. Then again this IS an intelligent, thought provoking ride... In short James Bond meets Enemy of the State.
Flashy direction can't save a script.......2001-06-14
One of the most dramatic opening scenes for a while, well worth getting just to see that. However, it's been done to many times, the old story of betrail.
Action packed yes, good effects yes, cracking acting yes, cracking story line NO!
PLUS
Expect a predicatable ending, no amazing plot twists and a rip off sequence from 'The Matrix'! Just average.
DVD:
- The Blue Kite [1993] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- The Cutter [2005]
- The Deadly Companions [1961]
- The Dukes of Hazzard: The Complete Seventh Season (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- The Escapist [2002]
- The Frogmen [1951] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- The Getaway (Deluxe Edition) [1972]
- The Hole [2003] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- The Last Samurai [HD DVD] [2004] [US Import]
- The Legend Of Robin Hood [1975]
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