Amazon.co.uk Review
Winning a raft of awards, not least of which four Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director, Oliver Stone's Platoon was a box-office smash heralding Hollywood's second wave of Vietnam war films. Where predecessors The Deer Hunter (1978) and Apocalypse Now (1979) were elaborate epics, Platoon simply showed the daily reality of the war from the point of view of ordinary soldiers. Stone's own service in Vietnam gives his work a unique authenticity.
Charlie Sheen gives his best performance to date, enduring a series of increasingly large-scale and bloody battles which retrospectively make one wonder why Saving Private Ryan was hailed as so new. Against this gruelling verity the film falters over the symbolic conflict between good and evil sergeants played by Willem Dafoe and Tom Berenger. Even though this was also based in real life, it strikes a too conventionally Hollywood-like note in a film which otherwise maintains much of the raw power of Stone's other film from 1986, Salvador. Johnny Depp fans should look out for an early appearance by the star. Stone would return to Vietnam with the more sophisticated Born on the Fourth of July (1989) and Heaven and Earth (1993).
On the DVD: The 50-minute documentary "Tour of the Inferno" goes beyond the usual "making-of" to present a personal account both of the film and of Stone's own time in Vietnam. Likewise the two audio commentaries--one by Stone, the other by Captain Dale Dye, fellow veteran and military technical advisor--range between the making of the film and the degree to which the actors came to inhabit their parts, to their own wartime experiences. Both commentaries bring a fresh level of appreciation and understanding to the film. Also included is the original trailer and three TV commercials, together with well-presented stills galleries of behind-the-scenes photos and poster art. Following a credit sequence marred by dirt on the print, the anamorphically enhanced 1.77:1 image is sharp and clear. The many night scenes are very dark but remain easily comprehensible. The three-channel Dolby Digital sound is suitably raw and powerful, though an early sequence featuring rain in the jungle suffers from very distracting repeated drop-outs in the left channel. --Gary S Dalkin
Customer Reviews:
A must own movie.......2008-02-12
I bought this movie for the plain and simple reason that its an absolute classic and should be in any movies collecters stack.
The cast is excellent and a near impossible feat nowadays. The soundtrack is a clear sign of the times and worth owning in its own right.
The graphic and emotional telling of the story of one new recruit sometimes makes for uncomfortable viewing, however without which would lose the horrors of the reality of the Vietnam war.
The battle of wills between the charecters set against an environment where death is a moment away is excellently narrated by the main charecters letters to home and is as gripping as the actual action sequences, which are extremely realistic and have you wondering on the actual point and methods used in war.
This is one the few movies that really changed the way movies are made and presented and as such is a must watch for any movie fan.
=].......2008-01-31
To sum platoon up, it's a masterpiece. The spitting image of vietnam, from Oliver Stone who, himself fought in the war. It's an emotionally moving film and superbly put together with music which fits so perfectly into the film, it's as if the sole purpose of the songs was for this film.
INACCURATE DESCRIPTION.......2007-11-08
The film may be great, but the description of the DVD is a LIE.
The DVD does not contain the special features mentioned: there is no 50-minute documentary, no "Collectable Eight Page Behind The Scenes Booklet" and no photo gallery or TV commercials.
Beware the description.
Been 21 years!.......2007-10-17
I had a bit part in this movie while I was in the Philippines doing stunt and extra work in the mid 80s (i'm one of the marines tossing a body into the pit at the end) and it was good to catch this movie again. Oliver Stone and Dale Dye did a wonderful job of capturing the rawness of the 'grunt' on his first tour. Some truly wonderful memories.
GREAT FILM.......2007-09-25
Probably the best Vietnam war film ever made. Oliver Stone directed the film and i believe he actually served in Vietnam originally.
The cast is excellent, including Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger and Willem Defoe which adds quality to the film.
I enjoyed the fact that Stone didn't glorify the war and highlighted the more seedy side of American soldiering with drugs and the sheer stress of fighting in hellish conditions, thousands of miles from home.
Great action scenes. Really recommend this one.
Product Description
Bastian is a young boy who lives a dreary life being tormented by school bullies. On one such occasion he escapes into a book shop where the old proprieter reveals an ancient story-book to him, which he is warned can be dangerous. Shortly after, he "borrows" the book and begins to read it in the school attic where he is drawn into the mythical land of Fantasia, which desperately needs a hero to save it from destruction.
Customer Reviews:
How I loved this movie.......2007-12-04
OK, I'm reviewing this movie with the last time I watched it being when I was a kid. And my thoughts are... it's still pretty good. In places, the effects work has dated terribly! In others, it exceeded my memory. Weird.
It's really more of a kid's movie, there's not much here for a mature viewer - unless you want to feed the child inside of you (I mean that in a metaphorical way, if you're pregnant, don't go feeding your unborn baby DVDs, they're not very nutritious!).
The movies biggest strength is the wide-eyed wonder of it all. The unashamedly fantastical nature of everything. It's not realistic, it's not believeable, but there is genuine magic to some of the concepts here, and they are all quite original.
Also, unlike most fantasy stories aimed at kids, this movie isn't afraid to confront you with some disturbing moments. One moment in particular, even watching this as a more mature viewer, is still desperately sad - but an undeniably potent piece of storytelling.
One of the '80s better fantasy films.
Same One Than The American Version.......2007-11-23
Warning, this movie last for 1 hour and 30 minutes (90 minutes) not 100 like the box says.
this is the american version of the film.
but it has a nice 5.1 mix sound.
Customer Reviews:
Great mini-series but still not the proper restorative attention it deserves!.......2007-10-17
The miniseries is the best program I have ever seen and now thankfully own thanks to my significant other. Even though the young Kunta Kinte is only in the first two episodes, LeVar Burton is what made the show for me. Levar Burton is a revelation and it surprises me that he isn't doing more movies. He reminded me of those silent film stars who show with their eyes. The rest of the actors performed their characters just as well, and it gave me an impression of them playing their characters with the whole of their hearts. In this story Kunta is a good, brave young man who loves his village, his family and Allah. He is only 17 and has just completed manhood training and dreams of having a family of his own; the young warrior is out gathering food for his family when he hears a twig snap and turns to see a white man rushing him. Haley gets inside Kunta's mind and you feel his horror. Kunta fights bravely, he fights like a wild animal, but is overpowered and taken captive and then brutally abducted and put on a slave ship. Haley's book was so much more graphic; it showed scenes the TV show couldn't. To really grasp Kunta's nightmare, you need to read the book. The story eventually follows 200 yrs. of the descendants of this family who's strong will and striving finally brings them to Justice and Freedom.
I think that different directors were assigned to different movies in the series... which could be the reason why movie began to grow weak after Kunta Kinte leaves the storyline. I thought the beginning was rather powerful... displaying the savagery of the white man's actions... entering the peaceful villages in Africa and pulling everybody out in shackles onto their ships' dark and musty cargo holds, and slowly, try to bring the main character into submission once he arrives in America. The rest is...Watchable... but has much less to offer than the first 2. This film is history, it has held up well over almost 30 years since it was originally televised. Racism is still rampant, and not just in the South. By being informed it helps each of us to have compassion and to inventory our beliefs and question our teachings.
This particular DVD version, however, is a little disappointing. I guess I was expecting a little more by way of restored/improved video and audio quality, but this version definitely shows its age. On the other hand, I enjoyed watching this 4 disc anniversary edition. Only 3 discs were related to story. This was not the entire series though. It seemed some scenes were cut out making this typical of an anniversary set. Apart from feeling like I am missing parts of the movie the picture and sound was good. There are one or two new extra features on this DVD that are very interesting, but I would not recommend purchasing this version if you already own the older DVD version unless your copy has been worn out.
Amazon.co.uk Review
A sweet and sassy comedy about the bonds of sisterhood, Mystic Pizza offers the opportunity to see some solid young actresses early in their careers. Three sisters of blue-collar Portuguese descent work in a pizzeria in the coastal town of Mystic, Connecticut. Each has her own unique romantic entanglements. One is the fast girl in town (Julia Roberts) who falls for a rich kid but wonders if she'll ever be accepted; one is the lifelong local girl (Lili Taylor) in love with her fisherman boyfriend (Vincent D'Onofrio) but scared of what marriage will do to their sex lives; and the youngest sister (Annabeth Gish) dreams of going to Yale but during a summer of babysitting has an affair with a married man. Through it all each sister depends on the others regardless of the complications. It's the alluring charm of the three disparate leads that makes Mystic Pizza the delightful experience it is. --Robert Lane, Amazon.com
Customer Reviews:
Mystic Pizza.......2006-08-28
Deinitely one for the girls. It follows the lives of three very different but very close friends in Mystic. It sees their romantic liaisons and hopes for the future. There really is very little else to the story. It is a sweet romantic comedy which you will enjoy simply for enjoyment's sake.
it's brilliant.......2005-08-05
the film is basically the story of three girls who work in a pizzaria all having diffrent problems and all are easy to relate to i think the best part of the film is when julia roberts emtys a truck full of fish into her b/f's retro car and then finds out that he wasn't cheating on her after all it really is a good film and i love it
Mystic Pizza.......2005-06-30
A good girlie feelgood movie if you needed one. (Although it is starting to look rather 1980's in places now!) A lot of fun to watch - Get a pizza and a bottle of wine, invite your girlfriends round and enjoy a night in reminiscing about times gone by.
A 'feel good' film..........2004-07-02
It's one of those 'snapshot of life' films where you love it, but you're not sure why!
Despite this film being such an early example of some great work by the cast, the acting is wonderful and the film itself, a very 'feel good' alternative to all the other films of a less idealistic genre in the late 80's.
Best watched on a rainy day with a barrel of biscuits!
MYSTIFIED!!.......2001-11-11
One of Julia Roberts' first films and certainly not one to be missed. As the title of the film suggests, the film is about pizza and is set in ¨Mystic¨ a small town in America. You rapidly get to know all the characters and their many problems which adds to the charisma of this film. The only downer is that you never find out the secret recipe for the pizza! Appeals to both sexes- even my brother liked it!! Definitely one for the collection...
Amazon.co.uk Review
Based on Alex Haley's bestseller, the 1977 TV mini-series Roots told the harrowing story of one man's ancestors, commencing with African warrior Kunta Kinte, captured, transported to America, stripped of his dignity, his rights, and even his name. He tries but fails to escape before accepting he can never return to Africa. He marries and bears a daughter, Kizzy, who is callously sold, then raped by her new "master". However, her son, Chicken George, a resourceful dab hand with gamecocks, lives long enough to see his own children attain a liberty of sorts following the Civil War.
Roots is told in the same, accessible televisual language as The Waltons or Bonanza, yet it is never bland or evasive. It leaves no doubt as to the torment and abuse suffered by blacks, and although the series' conclusion is fictionally satisfying, for many of the black characters their only hope lies in generations yet unborn.
It is sturdy enough drama but its greatest, most revolutionary effects were social. It persuaded American audiences to regard their history from a black perspective, and to see how--against odds far more desperate than those the pilgrims faced--Africans laid claim to their status as free African-Americans. Roots was massively popular, triggering a craze for genealogy and paving the way for series like 1979's Holocaust, which similarly raised the public's awareness of the slaughter of the Jews under Hitler. Most importantly, Roots changed forever the way black people were depicted on American TV.
On the DVD: Roots is presented in 1:33:1 format and is visually extremely well-preserved. Extra features include a "Roots Family Tree", a copious, informative audio commentary featuring members of cast and crew, and a documentary, "Remembering Roots". Although this consists only of interviews, these convey the extraordinary emotional grip this project had on those who took part in it.--David Stubbs
Customer Reviews:
Excellent series.......2007-10-12
This film is even been used in school history lessons now.
After viewing again after 1977 it still has not aged.
Stll powerful compelling with outstanding character acting.
Hard to beat, would watch again.
Alex Haley's epic novel turns into a great mini series.......2007-06-27
I just had seen Roots saga on DVD. For me it's the first time I've seen it since 1977. I watched it within a day and came away from it moved and intrigued. Roots is a true classic and one of my favorite books. The miniseries is the best program I have ever seen. Kunta was my favorite character in the book as well.
Even though the young Kunta Kinte is only in the first two episodes, LeVar Burton is what made the show for me. Levar Burton is a revelation and it surprises me that he isn't doing more movies. He reminded me of those silent film stars who show with their eyes. The rest of the actors performed their characters just as well, and it gave me an impression of them playing their characters with the whole of their hearts. In this story Kunta is a good, brave young man who loves his village, his family and Allah. He is only 17 and has just completed manhood training and dreams of having a family of his own; the young warrior is out gathering food for his family when he hears a twig snap and turns to see a white man rushing him. Haley gets inside Kunta's mind and you feel his horror. Kunta fights bravely, he fights like a wild animal, but is overpowered and taken captive and then brutally abducted and put on a slave ship. Haley's book was so much more graphic; it showed scenes the TV show couldn't. To really grasp Kunta's nightmare, you need to read the book. The story eventually follows 200 yrs. of the descendants of this family who's strong will and striving finally brings them to Justice and Freedom.
I think that different directors were assigned to different movies in the series... which could be the reason why movie began to grow weak after Kunta Kinte leaves the storyline. I thought the beginning was rather powerful... displaying the savagery of the white man's actions... entering the peaceful villages in Africa and pulling everybody out in shackles onto their ships' dark and musty cargo holds, and slowly, try to bring the main character into submission once he arrives in America. The rest is...Watchable... but has much less to offer than the first 2. This film is history, it has held up well over almost 30 years since it was originally televised. Racism is still rampant, and not just in the South. By being informed it helps each of us to have compassion and to inventory our beliefs and question our teachings.
Still very powerful.......2007-04-06
If you leave aside the very cheap and tacky trailer used to introduce the episodes there is very little to criticise here. I wanted to rewatch the series after having been moved by it as a kid. Let me tell you: Roots has lost none of its power. I even felt tears trickling down my cheeks at the end. Couldn't help but feel ashamed about how black people were treated. As you'd expect the blacks are the heroes of the piece, the whites the villains. But it's not presented in quite as simplistic a formula as that. You see some whites reaching out a hand of friendship. Some blacks are portrayed as implicated in the rounding up of the slaves in the first place. The heroic characters are well rounded. Each has his/her faults. Although slavery was abolished 200 years ago it is still practised in parts of the world. Lessons can be learnt from a programme which is about maintaining one's dignity in the face of dreadful trials. A first class series which everyone should watch.
Brilliant And Exciting.......2006-11-03
brilliant dvd set very good i would watch every minute of it over and over again its very good and touching if you want some exciting muinutes watch this very very good
Africa to slavery to freedom!.......2006-10-31
This DVD set is based on a book called Roots that was written by Alex Haley. He remembered his grandma telling him stories about the line of his family right back in time to Kunta Kinte who was born in Gambia in Africa. From there Kunta was caught by slave-traders and taken to America and sold into slavery. However he was determined to reclaim his freedom. He made sure his daughter Kizzy also felt this way and told her about the time before he was in slavery and so the story passed from Kizzy to her son Chicken George and from him to his son Tom and so on.
The DVD box-set includes 9 hours of film with each episode being one and a half hours long. However there are enough scene-breaks for you to stop the DVDs at any time and come back to it at a later stage.
The story is a fantastic story following the generations of the family line from the birth of Kunta Kinte through to the author of the book, now deceased, Alex Haley. Along the way you will see just how much hardship black slaves had to suffer in America over this period.
Eventually the family does reach freedom and this is a great moment when you remember how much effort they have gone to over the time.
This is the 25th anniversary boxset but the pictures don't look to have aged at all and the story will stand-up for many generations into the future.
The extras include a family tree, a 20 minute documentary by the people involved 25 years on discussing their roles in Roots and the impact it made, and also full commentary by the same people.
All in all a great boxset with hours of viewing at a bargain price.
Customer Reviews:
Pleasant family film.......2007-08-09
15-year old Patrick (Zac Efron) is new in town and has problems: He can't seem to please his jock father (William R. Moses), and he runs afoul of Randy, the town bully, when both boys are attracted to the same pretty girl. Patrick's only friend is one-time horse trainer and long-time alcoholic, Houston Jones (Bill Cobbs), who sees something special in Patrick. Houston gives the boy a horse and trains him to ride in the State Steeplechase Cup race, but Randy, the reigning champ, decides to make Patrick's life miserable.
This low-budget but pleasant 2005 family film was never shown in cinemas, but has been released on DVD following Zac Efron's mega-successes in "High School Musical" and "Hairspray." There's no denying Efron's Tiger Beat-cuteness, and he does a fine job in an undemanding role, but if you want to see a real actor, take a look at the wonderful Bill Cobbs. He's been playing small character parts in TV and movies for years, but this time he's the star and absolutely owns the screen. His craggy face and gravelly voice masterfully express the only real emotion in the film and he's a pleasure to watch.
The story plays like an After School Special; all obstacles are easily overcome - the kid goes from non-rider to race winner, bonds with his father, and gets the girl - all in a matter of weeks. Adults may find it predictable and a bit bland, but the wholesome message about finding your passion and working hard for it makes "The Derby Stallion" just right for family viewing.
Amazon.co.uk Review
Stephen King wasn't exactly in peak form when he wrote Firestarter, so this 1984 movie adaptation was at a disadvantage even before the cameras rolled. There were so many King movies being made at the time the weaknesses of this one became even more apparent. In her first film role after her memorable appearance in E.T., Drew Barrymore stars as a little girl whose parents acquired strange mental powers after participating in a secret government experiment. From this genetic background she has developed the mysterious ability to set anything on fire at will, especially when she's angry. That makes her very interesting to government officials seeking to exploit her skill as a secret weapon. Her father tries to protect her by using his powers of mind-control, while George C. Scott plays an Indian who believes the girl must be destroyed. There is a routine climax involving a lot of impressive pyrotechnics, but none of this is grounded in a dramatically solid foundation, and none of the characters are developed enough for us to care about them. Director Mark L. Lester, who the following year made Commando with Schwarzenegger, keeps the pace cracking along, but nevertheless the movie gradually turns into a laughable thriller with no suspense whatsoever. It's a movie only a pyromaniac could love. --Jeff Shannon
On the DVD: This is a largely no-frills presentation, albeit with a decent anamorphic print. The only extras are the original theatrical trailer and a nicely presented menu. A fold-out booklet has informative liner notes and a reproduction of the film poster.
Customer Reviews:
GREAT FUN AT BARBEQUES.......2007-10-26
This little blonde haired cutie is the offspring of a mum and dad who underwent some clinical trials, that went horribly wrong.
Mum was killed by the shady government dept responsible and was found in the airing cupboard by husband/dad, who can control the minds of others by thought control. Their little girl, however, can set people on fire !!
Despite being an innocent little thing, this is a girl who can boil a kettle without turning it on, set a brick wall on fire and eventually split the planet in half, if left to her own devices.
Great film
A TROUBLED KING FILM.......2007-10-26
On the run together, Andrew McGee, (David Keith) and his daughter Charlene, (Drew Barrymore) manage to escape from government agents. Tortured by his past with his wife, Victoria Tomlinson, (Heather Locklear) and their life together, they are tracked by Captain Hollister, (Martin Sheen) the person who sanctioned the government experiment that brought them together and John Rainbird, (George C. Scott) his top agent. Managing to get recaptured after a number of encounters with their agents, they learn the true intentions of the project and their desire to study their bizarre psychological powers. Learning of a trail of deceit in the facility, they plot their escape together in a blaze of glory.
The Good News: There are a few things to like about this, but they're all really good. The best features, and the only thing to really like about this, are the fire and pyrotechnic displays. The four scenes, two fights and two tests, are all that this has going for it and they use them to full advantage. The first test isn't that bad, with the fire slowly starting and then being hurled with a vengeance telepathically at the heads of those watching and monitoring it. The second one is far better, with an incredibly unlikely target being blown apart and engulfed in flames in a spectacular display. The surroundings are also liquefied and torched, and it all looks quite fantastic. Bar none, though, the two fights in the film are it's cornerstone, and each one is pretty good. The ending one is a pyro display almost unseen in the genre, as fireballs shooting out in every direction explode on contact a large amount of destruction, including trucks, people, helicopters, house columns, and just about anything that moves. Just about everything blows up, and it stays on it, giving a good view of the damage done and not cutting away to barely get a glimpse of it. There's also some really cool individual sequences, where the fire snakes out into separate trails to follow fleeing guards in different directions or blowing up a truck that speeds by as a flaming wreck, barely missing. The first one isn't that bad, and is mostly about setting people on fire until the end, where a series of cars explode, with one setting another person on fire. These are the main reasons to see this film.
The Bad News: Quite simply, there isn't a lot to like, and most of it is the scenes around the pyrotechnic displays. Since the ability is given to us in the beginning of the film, there's no real suspense to be had, as if having a strange power that just starts appearing out of nowhere would've been. That makes the opening chases pretty dull and the whole capture and imprisonment in the facility even worse, as they're given the impression of being time-wasters just there to pad out the running length since there's no tension or suspense there. They all play out much to long as well, taking forever to end and all going on far beyond their intent. Each of these scenes only distracts from the real purpose of the film, which is the fire-hurling, and they feel like it. They're maddening to sit through and very distracting. Another thing that really bugs are the several scenes where it's hard to believe that a seven-year old girl would know about. The scene with the Army guard at the airport and the scene in her room with the cleaning agent being the biggest examples. It's not that easy to believe that she would know what's going on and react in a manner according to each. The hair thing did get old after a while, and really stands out as being incredibly annoying after a while. Otherwise, this was just fine.
The Final Verdict: With several really good parts to it and a few not-so-decent ones through in as well, this is about in the middle of the road as far as King adaptations are. It's not the best, but not really the worst, so if you're a huge King fan, give it a shot if you haven't seen this one yet, while others can give it a go.
Totally Brilliant!!.......2007-09-10
Excellent!!
Its not really scary like you would think a Stephen King movie would be but it is really good and you do feel sorry for the little girl.
One to own
Quite different to many other movies i've watched.......2007-01-22
This is quite a hard movie to describe and definitely almost impossible to compare . It's a film you would either love or you would hate! It amused me however, still i am not a huge fan of this film.
A short symphosis- about a young girl whom develops a power in able to start fires in a click.
It's quite a thrilling film, with those suspiscious parts, which make this quite an enjoyable movie.
firestarter ( 1984 ).......2005-06-23
excellent!
Amazon.co.uk Review
Wolfgang Petersen (In the Line of Fire) made his first English-language film with this 1984 fantasy about a boy (Barret Oliver) visualising the stories of a book he's reading. The imagined tale involves another boy, a warrior (Noah Hathaway), and his efforts to save the empire of Fantasia from a nemesis called the Nothing. Whether or not the scenario sticks in the memory, what does linger are the unique effects, which are not quite like anything else. Plenty of good fairy-tale characters and memorable scenes, and the film even encourages kids to read. --Tom Keogh
Customer Reviews:
The best film EVER made........2007-12-17
I loved this when I was a kid.
Now I'm old (haha) and have kids of my own.
We sat down together this weekend to watch this film.... I knew it would be good and that the kids would love it, but I had forgotten just how good it really is.
Every scene in the film is intense - exciting, sad, funny, scarey...
There is no let up from begining to end.
One minute you want to cry because all seems lost and the scene is overwhelmingly sad.
The next, your flying on the back of a dragon-dog all excited and enchanted.
Having watched hundreds of films in my lifetime so far - I have to say that this is the best film I have ever seen.
An absolute triumph.
"Artex! your sinking...turn around...YOU HAVE TO NOW!".......2007-12-16
Awesome family film and the very first movie I saw as a child along with Legend, Starchaser The Legend of ORin. This movie is fantastic one which I am gonna get however the sequel isnt bad it certainly isnt great and dont get me started on the 3rd (featuring Jack Black before he was semi famous!) and that TV series they made...ugh!!! Before throwing youth away to Harry Potter and all them crap fantasy films they seem to be spewing out try them with this first. It is well written, acted and the puppetry is great. This truly is a film that has aged well I am glad it is here for the ages instead of dwindling away like so many other family classics.
Neverending Joy.......2006-10-18
Superb modern fairytale with a message that is not cloying that is a delight to adults and children alike. It will make you laugh, cry and cheer in equal measures. I have loved this for so much for so long, I have made a decision to never watch the sequels for fear of tarnishing my love of the original. If in doubt as to whether or not you should watch it - just watch it - you will not be disappointed
Best Film Ever.......2005-07-08
I don't care what certain people say...this is truly the best film ever!
A Fantastic Adventure.......2005-06-14
Bastian is having a hard time dealing with his mother's death, school, and bullies. Granted, the fact that his father doesn't know what to do isn't helping matters. His only escape is the world of his imagination. One day, he hides in an old bookshop to get away from the three bullies chasing him. It's there he finds a book that isn't safe for him to read. See, the story won't end when he puts the book down. Unable to resist, Bastian borrows it and hides in his school attic to read. It's the tale of a warrior on a quest to save his country from the Nothing. But the more Bastian reads, the more he finds himself drawn into the story. Might he be called upon to save the day?
I had heard ravings about the movie since it came out. I only now got a chance to watch it. I must say even though I knew almost everything about it, I really enjoyed it. It certainly has an 80's feel to it between the costumes, music, and special effects. Looking past that, I found myself getting caught up in the story waiting for Bastian to save the day. My biggest complaint is how abruptly it ended. I felt it needed at least another few minutes to resolve some things in Bastian's life. Of course, I see that this was only half the book, which actually makes all that make sense.
Little kids could be scared by some of the things in the story, but older kids will enjoy this fantasy escape. It may be dated, but it's still fun.
Customer Reviews:
NICE ONE CLINT.......2007-09-26
Clint Eastwood at his very best and playing grizzled US Army veteran Gunny Highway. Highway is assigned a reconnaissance platoon of U.S Marines, who are lazy, undisciplined and scruffy and has to litterally kick their backsides into a proper, professional unit.
The unit are sent to Grenada, as US Marines rescue U.S students from communist baddies. A great film from start to finish.
Very Good.......2007-07-18
Heartbreak Ridge is a very enjoyable film and a good way to spend a couple of hours. It is a Clint Eastwood film so you know pretty much what to expect but it is very well scripted and acted. All in all a very good film.
Essence of Clint Eastwood.......2004-07-06
I grew up on Eastwood movies from his Cowboy era to Dirty Harry and beyond. I have to say this movie is as good in its way as any of the previous.
The story has been told many times over of a rough tough unconventional leader shaping up a rag tag misfit group into a cohesive force to be reckoned with. Many times using unconventional or vary conventional ways. Not only in the military field but also many other fields. So it is more the delivery than the story that one would want to watch this movie for.
Marine sergeant (Clint Eastwood) facing retirement and trying to cope with a failed marriage and ex wife is tasked with turning a rag tag bunch of individuals into marines. He is hampered by self glorification self credit seeking people on all sides. If he fails many will die. So will he succeed and if so at what cost?
Suede.......2003-05-20
yes probably the most enduring memory I have of this movie is when the platoon all chant Suede and the big guy comes in to fight Clint. Of course he gets his ass handed to him but at least he tried. a very good film, which is very eay to watch and is rewatchable.
I reccomend it (there is no higher accolade)
THE BEST FILM EVER.......2003-04-27
Clint Eastwood's best film EVER. Gunny Highway ( Clint Eastwood ) plays a war relic in this army farce . He becomes platoon leader of marine squadron 2 with hillarious concequences at first they detest him and want rid of him but and i quote the reply "Dream on ........ ". The story and film itself is'nt funny it's clint's lines that make this movie pure class - " I eat concertina wire and piss napalm and can can fire a round through a fleas ass from 200 metres " . So buy this film now.
Customer Reviews:
Suspencefull . . . scarier than the first.......2008-02-16
This movie is very suspencefull. All the time that the family are in the house you know that something bad is going to happen and that it's going to be scary - you just dont know what it is that will happen or when it will happen.
A new family movie into the Amityville house and the eldest child, Sonny, slowly gets possessed by the evil of the house as it take sover his mind and body, making him have incest with his sister and ultimatly try to kill his family. The local priest tries to save him from the demon that possesses - but will he succeed before it's too late?
Probably as good as - and scarier than - the origional Amityville Horror.
JUST AS GOOD AS THE FIRST.......2007-10-31
Moving into a new house in Amityville, Long Island, Anthony Montelli, (Burt Young) and his family Dolores, (Rutanya Alda) Sonny, (Jack Magner) Patricia, (Diane Franklin) Jan, (Erika Katz) and Mark, (Brent Katz) settle in together. On the first day, tensions among Anthony and Sonny erupt at dinner time, and then just go even more out of control that night. After collecting themselves, Dolores decides to call in a local priest, Father Adamsky, (James Olson) to help out, and when Anthony gets mad at him, the rest of the family agrees to go to church, leaving Sonny alone in the house. After a series of weird events, goes to Father Adamsky for advice, who comes to bless the house. After seeing the house, he wants to have an exorcism performed on the house, but no body else believes it. After one horrific night in the house, Father Adamsky tries to get the exorcism approved on the house. he discovers that a secret room in the basement with a swarm of flies was responsible for the horrific events, and tries to stop them.
The Good News: I really think this one is better than the original film. The one sequence that will always force a chill is the sequence in the basement, when after an encounter with a demonic creature, a character slowly backs out of the room and through the house for several minutes, looking intently at an unseen floating in front of him. It's an insanely creepy moment that is so simply in design and gets the most out of it's execution that it really packs a punch. The other supernatural elements on display are nothing to sneeze at either, and make for some fantastic scenes as well. The early scenes, where we prowl through the house at night, are tremendously effective and the use of light and shadow is masterful. In this one, far more than in the original, the house itself seems to become a character and a sinister undercurrent when nothing much is happening is wonderfully evoked. The mid-section murder sequence is also chilling, not only in what happens but also in the mood presented. Highly suspenseful, a couple of great scares, and it sets a great mood. The saving grace is the incest theme, which gives off a disturbing quality but mostly works due to the fact that it's a disturbing quality, and in this kind of film, that's highly commendable.
The Bad News: I don't care if it's integral to the plot, but child and spousal abuse is not my idea of entertainment. It is just plain wrong, and having scenes with that in a film makes me morally disgusted. It is a real problem and doesn't need to be sensationalized in films. It's still a few small scenes, but any film that depicts that act isn't one that cries out "repeat viewings." The only other problem with the film is that it borrows heavily and from different sources. Generally, all of them occur in the final half hour of the film, which really drags it down a lot. There are several different films that it borrows from, and no attempt is really made to disguise them as such. With them being highly noticeable, it can detract from the overall experience. These are the two biggest factors against it, however.
The Final Verdict: While the original may be a classic film, I think this one is better. It's creepy, violent and very imaginative. One of the better Haunted House films to boot. See this one if you like creepy ghost films or want to see a forgotten classic.
A good time waster.......2006-01-04
Being the supposed prequel to the first amityville film I'd have thought it would have been more accurate. The scenes where the family are killed do not correspond at all with those in the beginning of the first film apart from the fact that everyone is shot with a shot gun. The make up in the film is good and the storyline doesn't bore too much but becomes extremely far fetched in places. It's a good time waster but not a very good prequel.
Horrible transfer of a decent film.......2004-03-02
I would rate the film about a 7 out of 10. However, this DVD looks like it was transferred from a Videocassette tape... and an overly used rental copy at that. Even my Digilink II / Rock Pro scaler couldn't do it justice!
SECOND JUST AS GOOD!.......2002-07-15
Amityville two is an exceptable film, which continues the ghoulish horrors of the infamous amityville house....
An unaware family move in, but in a matter of scenes all hell breaks loose... With shocking events, bleeding walls and things that go bump in the night..
Although not as good as the first it certainly is a great contender for the franchise...
Forget the other Amityville's after this one.. the first and the second are the true Amityville horrors!
DVD:
- Playtime [1967] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- Postman Pat Clowns Around [2004]
- Postman Pat - Popstars
- Prokofiev: Romeo & Juliet [2000]
- Real Pirates Of The Caribbean
- Richard Burton's Hamlet [1964] (NTSC)
- Rugrats - Christmas
- Rugrats - Mysteries
- Sesame Street: Elmo's World - Food, Water and Exercise! [2005] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- Sesame Street: Let's Eat! - Funny Food Songs [1999] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
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Saving Private Ryan [1998]
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The Thin Red Line [1999]
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We Were Soldiers [2002]
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Black Hawk Down (2 Disc Set) [2002]
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Good Morning, Vietnam [1988]
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![Rich Man, Poor Man - Book 2 - Complete [1976]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000O75I9C.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
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![I Love Trouble [1994]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00006AFH1.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
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![Firestarter [1984]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/217KBEGN0RL.jpg)
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![Stephen King's Cat's Eye [1985]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00006JY2N.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
![Firestarter 2: Rekindled [2002] (REGION 1) (NTSC)](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00006CXH0.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
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![Neverending Story - Vol. 1 - The Beginning [2001]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00008OP4K.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
![Neverending Story - Vol. 2 - The Gift [2001]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00008OP4M.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
![Heartbreak Ridge [1986]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21PKHW2DTAL.jpg)
![Firefox [1982]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00007L3SE.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
![In The Line Of Fire [1993]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00004CYAU.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
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