Claire Danes

Average customer rating:

A thousand carats gem!
One of the best movies ever made
Argueably the best anime I've ever seen.
Must See
Excellent movie

Princess Mononoke
Starring: Hisaya Morishige , Jada Pinkett Smith , Billy Bob Thornton , Yuko Tanaka , and Yoji Matsuda
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Feature Films | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video

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Fantasy | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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( P ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Spirited Away
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Howl's Moving Castle
Castle in the Sky
Kiki's Delivery Service

Accessories:

My Neighbor Totoro
Kiki's Delivery Service (Widescreen Edition)
Princess Mononoke: Music From The Miramax Motion Picture

ASIN: B00003CXBK
Release Date: 2000-12-19

Amazon.com essential video

This epic, animated 1997 fantasy has already made history as the top-grossing domestic feature ever released in Japan, where its combination of mythic themes, mystical forces, and ravishing visuals tapped deeply into cultural identity and contemporary, ecological anxieties. For international animation and anime fans, Princess Mononoke represents an auspicious next step for its revered creator, Hayao Miyazaki (My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service), an acknowledged anime pioneer, whose painterly style, vivid character design, and stylized approach to storytelling take ambitious, evolutionary steps here.

Set in medieval Japan, Miyazaki's original story envisions a struggle between nature and man. The march of technology, embodied in the dark iron forges of the ambitious Tatara clan, threatens the natural forces explicit in the benevolent Great God of the Forest and the wide-eyed, spectral spirits he protects. When Ashitaka, a young warrior from a remote, and endangered, village clan, kills a ravenous, boar-like monster, he discovers the beast is in fact an infectious "demon god," transformed by human anger. Ashitaka's quest to solve the beast's fatal curse brings him into the midst of human political intrigues as well as the more crucial battle between man and nature.

Miyazaki's convoluted fable is clearly not the stuff of kiddie matinees, nor is the often graphic violence depicted during the battles that ensue. If some younger viewers (or less attentive older ones) will wish for a diagram to sort out the players, Miyazaki's atmospheric world and its lush visual design are reasons enough to watch. For the English-language version, Miramax assembled an impressive vocal cast including Gillian Anderson, Billy Crudup (as Ashitaka), Claire Danes (as San), Minnie Driver (as Lady Eboshi), Billy Bob Thornton, and Jada Pinkett Smith. They bring added nuance to a very different kind of magic kingdom. Recommended for ages 12 and older. --Sam Sutherland

Description

Claire Danes (THE MOD SQUAD), Minnie Driver (GOOD WILL HUNTING), and Billy Bob Thornton (ARMAGEDDON, SLING BLADE) head a cast of hot Hollywood stars who lend their talents to this exquisitely animated, overwhelmingly acclaimed adventure epic! Inflicted with a deadly curse, a young warrior named Ashitaka (Billy Crudup -- WITHOUT LIMITS) sets out for the forests of the west in search of the cure that will save his life. Once there, he becomes inextricably entangled in a bitter battle that matches Lady Eboshi (Driver) and a proud clan of humans against the forest's animal gods, who are led by the brave Princess Mononoke (Danes), a young woman raised by wolves! Also starring Gillian Anderson (THE X-FILES) and Jada Pinkett Smith (SCREAM 2), this monumental struggle between man and nature will have you transfixed as stunning artistry blends with epic storytelling to create a uniquely entertaining motion picture!

Customer Reviews:

A thousand carats gem!.......2007-06-19

The Princess Mononoke is a contemporary fable, an outstanding story, a vibrant and emotive warning for us, the human beings, but besides, iot's an invitation and (if I may)a smart returm to the roots of myth and the encounter with the Geeat Spirit of the Forest, wolves and characters that have aprofound specific weight and transcendence into we denominate the primordial essence of the nature's scream.

Far beyond its relevant significance, there is a lot of significative issues that you should take into account, because the kinetic script involves you from start to finish.

Don't overlook this picture, beacuse it's much more mature than many pretended films for adults.

Fabulous is the word to qualify this extraordinary novie. Don't miss it!

One of the best movies ever made.......2007-05-31

It's an allegory about the moment when Humankind stopped living with the Natural and Spirit worlds, and sought to master them. Man's need for Nature, BTW, was also a major theme of Miyazaki Hayao's earlier classic "My Neighbor Tottoro". The English dub is okay, but do yourself a favor and listen to the Japanese Audio with the subtitles "on". Don't be put off by the "Anime" tag. This isn't about transforming superheroes or kiddy card games. It's a heart-felt epic, and you'll forget you're watching animation within a few minutes of hitting "play". If at least one Miyazaki film isn't on your list of "Best Movies-Ever", then truly you are missing out.

Argueably the best anime I've ever seen........2007-05-23

I am a huge fan of anime. I have watched everything from Naruto (unfortunately) to Bleach (highly recommended) but this anime movie is the best I have ever seen. It is a good watch for anyone, even those who simply think of anime as simply a "cartoon." The characters are incredibly deep and the usual sense of right and wrong is blurred creating for an incredibly interesting ride. I highly recommend this film to everyone. Hope you enjoy!

Must See.......2007-05-14

My family LOVES this movie. It is "One of Roger Ebert's top 10" for a reason. The cast is great, the story is moving and the animation is breathtaking. The really cool thing about this DVD is you can watch it in English or in Japanese with English subtitles.

Excellent movie.......2007-05-13

After I saw Spirited Away I was interested in this type of movies. I am very satisfied with this movie. Highly recommended!

Terminator 3 - Rise of the Machines (2-Disc Widescreen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Second DVD reveals the real "stars" of the film
Good movie, looks amazing in HD
Tame third instalment
Good Quality - Not the Best of the Trilogy
T1 and T2 in a blender

Terminator 3 - Rise of the Machines (2-Disc Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger , Nick Stahl , Claire Danes , Kristanna Loken , and David Andrews
Director: Jonathan Mostow
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

The Terminator (Special Edition)
Terminator 2 - Judgment Day (Extreme DVD)
Batman Begins [HD DVD]
The Mummy [HD DVD]
Superman Returns (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B00005JM0B
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Amazon.com

With a reported budget of $172 million, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines starts in high gear and never slows down. The apocalyptic "Judgment Day" of T2 was never prevented, only postponed: John Connor (Nick Stahl, replacing T2's Edward Furlong), now 22 and disconnected from society, is being pursued yet again, this time by the advanced T-X, a sleek "Terminatrix" (coldly expressionless Kristanna Loken) programmed to stop Connor from becoming the savior of humankind. Originally programmed as an assassin, a disadvantaged T-101 cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger, bidding fond farewell to his signature role) arrives from the future to join Connor and his old acquaintance Kate (Claire Danes) in thwarting the T-X's relentless pursuit. The plot presents a logical fulfillment of T2 prophesy, disposing of Connor's mother (Linda Hamilton is sorely missed) while computer-driven machines assume control, launching a nuclear nightmare that Connor must survive. With Breakdown and U-571 serving as worthy rehearsals for this cautionary epic of mass destruction, director Jonathan Mostow wisely avoids any stylistic connection to James Cameron's Terminator classics; instead he's crafted a fun, exciting popcorn thriller, humorous and yet still effectively nihilistic, and comparable to Jurassic Park III in returning the Terminator franchise to its potent B-movie roots. --Jeff Shannon

Description

A decade has passed since John Connor (NICK STAHL) helped prevent Judgment Day and save mankind from mass destruction. Now 25, Connor lives "off the grid" - no home, no credit cards, no cell phone and no job. No record of his existence. No way he can be traced by Skynet - the highly developed network of machines that once tried to kill him and wage war on humanity. Until?out of the shadows of the future steps the T-X (KRISTANNA LOKEN), Skynet's most sophisticated cyborg killing machine yet. Sent back through time to complete the job left unfinished by her predecessor, the T-1000, this machine is as relentless as her human guise is beautiful. Now Connor's only hope for survival is the Terminator (ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER), his mysterious former assassin. Together, they must triumph over the technologically superior T-X and forestall the looming threat of Judgment Day?or face the apocalypse and the fall of civilization as we know it.

Customer Reviews:

Second DVD reveals the real "stars" of the film.......2007-06-17

Though the casting is perfect (Arnold again in his trademark role, Kristanna Loken as the sexy and equally as destructive "female" cyborg, and Nick Stahl appropriately looking like the spawn of Linda Hamilton and Michael Biehn) and the direction and pacing is tight and relentless, the DVD provides insight into the technical artists that are responsible for the fantastic effects of the movie, along with the preceding films in the franchise.

The second DVD in the compilation profiles Stan Winston, visual effects director, and his talented staff as they explain the many "tricks" of the trade in the making of this movie.

Though it might be a bit disconcerting to discover the process behind "movie magic," just revelations are informative to those that are really into the technical aspects of filmmaking.

Much has changed in the almost twenty years since the first film was made and this sequel; and the filmmakers are anxious to explain the "how's" and "why's" of said change.

Good movie, looks amazing in HD.......2007-06-14

The video quality is nothing short of spectacular.

Tame third instalment.......2007-05-08

Passable only extension to the terminator franchise, this serves only to set the stage for more potential films. As a stand alone product it's pretty futile, Sarah has died, John is still living on the fringes whining a lot, a new improved terminator wants him dead and Arnold wants to keep him alive. Much of this repeats stuff you've already seen in T1 & T2, but tamer as they clearly want to keep the rating as low as possible. Scenes that went over well in the first two get recycled almost unchanged in three, it's depressingly derivative.
Linda Hamilton wisely bailed, Arnold needs so much make up to combat the ravages of time he looks rubberised, the new caste members aren't really good enough to take up the load and the jokes are so laboured they creak. It's entertaining enough, but you really wonder why they bothered.

Good Quality - Not the Best of the Trilogy.......2007-05-07

The HD DVD comes with excellent picture quality. The sound is amazing.
But Terminator 1 was definately the best one of the trilogy.
Anyway if you like it, this HD-DVD is a must in the home collection.

T1 and T2 in a blender.......2007-04-20

As with the years that passed between the first and second films, the speculation as to wether or not a third film was going to happen at all was very high. We all heard the conflicting statements of both Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Cameron. Finally Cameron said he would do it if 20th Century Fox would release it. Obviously that didn't happen and Arnold changed his mind after saying No.

The story of T3 is mediocre to average at best and I'll tell you why. To begin with, a lot of necessary exposition is missing. The writers essentially left out a major plot point with the former Cyberdyne Systems and Miles Dyson. Having a situation where Dyson designs Skynet's hardware and Brewster designs the software would have tied T3 a lot more strongly to the franchise. Another thing is what happens to Sarah Connor. This character has basically been the pennacle of the Terminator mythos. If the reigns have to pass from Sarah to John that's fine. But it would have worked better that we see her killed trying to escape after Skynet comes online.

Lastly the concept of The Terminatrix. Now just to be clear, I don't mind a woman being a Terminator. What I do have a problem with is the writers splitting hairs trying to differentiate the T-X from the T-1000. Now we could all see the difference between Arnold and the T-1000. But if the best they can do is showing the T-X endo during a copy, then that won't cut it. There are ways to come up with new concepts on something established. Maybe that's where Cameron could have worked some magic.

The only two things that worked for me were Arnold's description of what will happen in the future in terms of the war. The ending surprised me though. It set up the fourth film pretty well. The missing elements Cameron's nightmarish vision and storytelling smoothness are what crippled this film. Not bad, but could have been better.

Average customer rating:

Napoleon and Josephine: A Love Story - Mini Series
Justice vs. Mercy
Worst adaptation of the novel ever
Les Miserables
Pretty Impressive

Les Miserables
Starring: Liam Neeson , Geoffrey Rush , Uma Thurman , Claire Danes , and Hans Matheson
Director: Bille August
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Les Miserables - The Dream Cast in Concert
The Count of Monte Cristo
Les Misérables (Signet Classics)
A Tale of Two Cities (Masterpiece Theatre, 1989)
The Man in the Iron Mask

ASIN: 076781505X
Release Date: 1998-11-03

Amazon.com

Frenchman Jean Valjean (Liam Neeson), imprisoned for stealing bread, is paroled after nearly two decades of hard labor. A gift of silver candlesticks from a kindly priest helps him begin anew. Forging a decent and profitable existence, he finds success as a businessman and as the mayor of a small town. He even takes in a pregnant young woman (Uma Thurman) and raises her daughter as his own. When a former prison guard (Geoffrey Rush) recognizes Valjean, his past catches up to him. Director Bille August culls mesmerizing performances from his cast, but loses us with an ending that panders to teen audiences. The focus shifts dramatically, and uncomfortably, from the haunted Neeson and his hawk-like pursuer, to his daughter (Claire Danes) and her romance with a handsome revolutionary. After this narrative shift, the script leaves behind the Victor Hugo classic's themes of revenge and redemption to focus improbably on teen angst--hardly what Hugo had on his mind. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Customer Reviews:

Napoleon and Josephine: A Love Story - Mini Series.......2007-06-13

When will this be available in dvd:

Justice vs. Mercy.......2007-05-29

It should be obvious to anyone that the task of adapting a 1400 page book of the complexity of Les Miserables into a two hour movie is going to be tough. Of course things were left out!!

If you take the film on its own merit, without making comparisons it can be tremendously moving. I found the story to be deeply touching--it's not just about an ex-convict trying to make a better life for himself and for others. But the way he managed to forgive, over and over, as he had been forgiven by the Bishop, is amazing! I admit that I wanted him to shoot the inspector when he had the chance, in the alley and I groaned when he let him go. I groaned some more when he let Cossette stay one more evening to meet her beloved, instead of just grabbing her and carrying her to safety. The power of his forgiveness and intense self-sacrificial love was amazing. And I loved the ending!

I found Liam Neeson to be superlative as ValJean. His strength and tenderness touched me deeply. Jeffrey Rush as ValJean's nemesis, is very good at embodying rigid legalist righteousness. These two mirror one another in a perfect way! Uma Thurman is good as the beautiful, pathetic woman whom ValJean befriends. I found Claire Daines a little disappointing as Cossette. Her lapses into an American accent seemed jarring and her behavior seemed at times too "modern" and trivial for the story. She seemed more like some girl you'd see shopping at the Mall, than a girl raised in a strict French convent with an adoring "father." I found "Marius" less than impressive, too. This did weaken the last portion of the film that focused on their romance. It did seem improbable that such a deep love would have formed in such a short time, but I guess that's how it is in times of war...!

However the power of the story and the performance of Neeson make up for the flaws. See it---you'll want to be a better person!

Worst adaptation of the novel ever.......2007-05-29

This is the worst adaptation of the novel that I ever watched. The acting was average. Javert and Fontine were acted out excellently. In fact, they are some of the best that I have ever seen. Unfortunately, their stellar performance was shadowed by the wrong cast and poor performance by the acting of Valjean and Cosette. Valjean was portrayed as a handsome man in his forties (if not younger), which totally betrays the original novel's depiction of the character. The reason for the bizarre young portrayal of Valjean seems obvious though. In the beginning stage, the relationship between Valjean and Fontine (Cosette's mother) is romantically described. This is something that only Hollywood can think of. However, the worst part is yet to come. In the last scene, Valjean walks away feeling liberated (almost in glee) after Javert kills himself. It totally misses the original novel message of redemption and liberation through the act of self-sacrificial love. Please stay away from this movie by all means and spend your money elsewhere.

Les Miserables.......2007-05-07

This was a very well done movie. Having seen the play/musical in New York makes it difficult to rate beause the New York production was so great.

Pretty Impressive.......2007-04-12

This was a great movie. They didn't quite follow the book...but it was good anyways. The reason I rate this only four stars is because of Marius. His make-up and acting in this film was horrible. Me and my sisters try to imitate him being annoying, like he is in the movie. We laughed our heads off. Liam Neeson did a great job playing the role of Jean Valjean. Fantine's life is miserable, as in the book. I think this is a great movie, minus Marius.

Average customer rating:

A noble but ultimately flawed effort
A timeless classic of growth and transformation.
Thank God for sick days!
Beautiful Movie
THE MOVIE BEHIND THE MOVIE

Little Women (Collector's Edition)
Starring: Winona Ryder , Gabriel Byrne , Trini Alvarado , Samantha Mathis , and Kirsten Dunst
Director: Gillian Armstrong
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

The Secret Garden
A Little Princess
Emma (1996)
Little Women (1933)
Anne of Green Gables

ASIN: 0767851013
Release Date: 2000-04-25

Amazon.com essential video

The flaws are easily forgiven in this beautiful version of Louisa May Alcott's novel. A stirring look at life in New England during the Civil War, Little Women is a triumph for all involved. We follow one family as they split into the world, ending up with the most independent, the outspoken Jo (Winona Ryder). This time around, the dramatics and conclusions fall into place a little too well, instead of finding life's little accidents along the way. Everyone now looks a bit too cute and oh, so nice. As the matron, Marmee, Susan Sarandon kicks the film into a modern tone, creating a movie alive with a great feminine sprit. Kirsten Dunst (Interview with the Vampire) has another showy role. The young ensemble cast cannot be faulted, with Ryder beginning the movie in a role akin to light comedy and crescendoing to a triumphant end worthy of an Oscar. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews:

A noble but ultimately flawed effort .......2007-05-22

I was fortunate to recently have seen both the 1949 version and then this modern adaptation a short time apart. The first time I saw this version I liked it well enough; however, after seeing the 1949 version and then watching this one again, I was reminded how superior the former version is in both cast and content.

I didn't find myself identifying nearly as strongly with the characters as I did in the older films. Here we have a waif-like Winona Ryder, who portrays a delicate, frail-looking, and far-too-feminine version of Jo. Counter these distinct contrasts with June Allyson's rough and tumble, tomboyish portrayal of Jo that was much closer to the book for accuracy. (In the novel, Jo is described as 'very tall' with 'big hands and feet' and coltish in appearance). The only thing the fictional Jo has in common with Winona is brown hair.

Susan Sarandon is a great actress in her own right, but for some reason she overwhelms the role of Marmee. All I could see here was "Susan Sarandon". I think a lesser-known actress may have been more effective here. Mary Astor's performance in the older movie seemed more believable. Not that Sarandon doesn't act sincere or warm, but she seems somehow miscast anyhow.

One especially notable difference is that Margaret O'Brien's portrayal of Beth in the 1949 version is much stronger and more heart-rending than Claire Danes' modern interpretation; Danes makes Beth appear whiny or as another reviewer noted, possibly even dim-witted. This Beth wasn't a particularly sympathetic character. I never felt her character was developed enough to be interesting. Another reviewer noted that Danes has that big strapping farm girl look, which doesn't mesh with the book's image of a frail and fragile Beth. I agree. Danes' pinched, flared-nostril expressions are strange and at times downright scary.

There are some other diversions from the original text and older movies that make this version a paler shadow. There are the laughable injections of politically-correct speeches and feminist rants that other reviewers have noted, but the real travesty I thought was in completely omitting the very special relationship between the grandfatherly Mr. Laurence and Beth.

In the book this unfolds as the terribly shy Beth is coaxed over time to go over and practice her music on the grand piano in the elder Mr. Laurence's house. By way of thanks, Beth knits the lonely old gent a pair of house slippers, which he later returns a gift in kind in the form of the beautiful piano. He asks her to play it and keep alive the memory of the little granddaughter he lost. It's a heart-wrenching scene in the book and earlier films.

Yet in his version, the piano simply appears as a surprise joint Christmas gift from the whole family to Beth with no explanation, and that special relationship between Mr. Laurence and Beth is never truly acknowledged or shown. I feel this is an example of one of the sadder oversights of this version of "Little Women".

It's true there is artistry in the scenery and the costumes, but the special magic or chemistry is missing from this film. I suspect the miscasting of major roles has much to do with it, but if you can enjoy the movie without looking for authenticity to the book, it's still a fine way to while away an afternoon.

A timeless classic of growth and transformation........2007-05-21

Little Women is a timeless classic. Written by Louisa May Alcott, this novel was first published in 1868. This novel is about a New England family composed of a mother... "Marme" played by Susan Sarandon, and four daughters growing up during the American Civil War.

The author wrote about her own experiences as a child in Concord, Massachusetts, where she lived with her three sisters, Anna, May, and Elizabeth.

Their father is away fighting. Times are tough, money is scarce, and needs are many. But these women valiantly work hard at continuing their studies while trying to survive.

Louisa May Alcott wrote about young women overcoming character flaws. The March girls are: Meg, who is vain, Jo who is hot tempered and stubborn, Beth who is introverted and shy, and the youngest, Any who is selfish and vindictive.

Jo, played by Winona Ryder, is an outspoken, vivacious, playful dreamer, who wants to become a writer. A very young Kirsten Dunst plays the part of the younger daughter, so selfish and vindictive that because she does not have a ticket to go to the theatre with her sisters, she destroys a story her sister Jo was writing.

The movie is set in Vancouver, British Columbia, and the scenic beauty of this film is magnificent. During the course of the story, these girls become friends with the next door neighbor, who soon joins them in their intricate games and character reproduction of the writings of Jo.

The twists and turns of the lives of these women are simply a rare joy to watch.

Thank God for sick days!.......2007-05-05

I first saw this version of Little Women years and years ago, when I was staying home from school with the flu. My mom had bought it, and she left it out for me to watch. I fell in love with it, and have since learned the entire movie word for word.

I've never read the book, but I know that I would most likely enjoy it.

It's appropriate for absoloutely any age level, and the costumes and sets are extremely accurate to the period. I would highly reccomend this film to anyone and everyone!

So stop reading reviews and buy it! You will not regret it.

Beautiful Movie.......2007-04-21

The lovely sets and costumes make this a joy to watch. And though there are some changes from the book it sticks pretty close to Alcott's story which I admittedly was obsessed with as a child. I took one star off for Winona Ryder's performance since to me she was a bit too pretty and socially polished to be the Jo the book portrays. Still this is a great movie for family viewing or for anyone who likes nostalgic movies set in the 19th century.

THE MOVIE BEHIND THE MOVIE.......2007-04-06

I was a little anxious before the projection of Australian director Gillian Armstrong's LITTLE WOMEN. I vaguely remembered the 1949 version with Elizabeth Taylor as Amy and that was about all I could say about that classic of American literature. Two hours later, everybody was happy, my wife and my daughter had their share of emotions and Kleenex and I had at least understood why such a smart director as Gillian Armstrong who directed MY BRILLIANT CAREER and MRS. SOFFEL, two movies about strong women characters, got interested in directing LITTLE WOMEN.

In my opinion, the director wished, by describing the lives of these four sisters, to portray four historical phases of the status of the women in the western society. Claire Danes as Beth is the model of these women who, for centuries, waited that their family chose a husband for them and, often, didn't marry because they were too poor or because they had to take care of their aging parents. Meg portrays the woman who has the chance to marry the man she's in love with, a man accepted by the family even if he doesn't give to Meg the possibility to rise socially : it's the classic marriage who's gained more and more popularity from the mid XIXth century. The third phase of this allegory is portrayed by Amy, a woman who knows from the start on that she will marry a wealthy man who'll support her and, at least, we have Jo who doesn't care to marry a poor man as long as this man won't stop her doing what she wants during her life. In this perspective, LITTLE WOMEN can provide some pleasure even to those of us who don't specially like this kind of classic family movie.

A DVD zone use your head.

William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet (Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

A surprisingly original idea
the gay romeo and juliet = a waste of time by !idee
English teacher gives this DVD an A-
The classic tale..
Incredible modern adaptation

William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet (Special Edition)
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio , Claire Danes , John Leguizamo , Harold Perrineau , and Pete Postlethwaite
Director: Baz Luhrmann
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

Romeo & Juliet
Hamlet
The Odyssey
Shakespeare in Love (Miramax Collector's Series)
William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet: Music From The Motion Picture (1996 Version) [Enhanced CD]

ASIN: B000060OFT
Release Date: 2002-03-12

Product Description

This brilliant and contemporary retelling of the world's most tragic love affair makes this wildly inventive "Romeo & Juliet" unforgettable. This special edition DVD contains audio commentary by Baz Luhrmann, early rehearsal scenes and an inside look at the making of the movie.

Baz Luhrmann's dazzling and unconventional adaptation of William Shakespeare's classic love story is spellbinding. Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes portray Romeo and Juliet, the youthful star-crossed lovers of the past. But the setting has been moved from its Elizabethan origins to futuristic urban backdrop of Verona Beach.

System Requirements:
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Claire Danes, Brian Dennehy, John Leguizamo, Pete Postlethwaite, Paul Sorvino, Diane Venora.
Directed By: Baz Luhrmann.
Running Time: 120 Min., Color.
This film is presented in "Widescreen" format.
Copyright 2002 Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Baz Luhrmann (Strictly Ballroom) takes a shot at reinventing Shakespeare's story of star-crossed lovers as a visual pastiche inspired by MTV imagery, Hong Kong action-picture clichés, and Luhrmann's own taste for deliberate, gaudy excess. The result is explosive chaos, both in terms of bullets and visual sensibility, which some may find impossible to stick with for more than a few minutes. Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes play the leads, though not with much distinction, while Pete Postlethwaite makes a huge impression as this movie's version of Friar Laurence. The film is successful in spots, but overall its fever-dream game plan is difficult to ride out. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

A surprisingly original idea.......2007-06-09

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

In my personal opinion, I believe Shakespeare's writing is way too obscure and out there, and when hearing people say "Shakespeare wrote for the common people", I can only cringe in terror at what plays written for educated people must have sounded like.

This movie doesn't change the dialect or dialogue of the movie, and gives it a weird sort of artistic modern setting, which makes it not only a surprising and original twist, but makes it much more watchable to see a timeless tale truly tested with its claim to timelessness. Even if it took place in the year 3010 AD, it'd still be the same.

I love the way the adults on the newscasts and police speak, and the way the police officer at the end of the movie scolds the Capulets and Montagues, and the beginning scene, with the Montague nerds biting their thumbs at the Capulets was amusing.

Harold Perrineau as Mercutio is spellbinding, and John Leguizamo is equally spectacular in this movie.

What keeps this movie from being a great one in my opinion is the two lead characters played abysmally by Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. DiCaprio, normally a great actor, sounds like he's just memorized the lines and is reciting them like a schoolchild forced to read them aloud in class--lifeless, with little to no emotion, and an apparent lack of understanding as to what he is saying.

Claire Danes is even worse, delivering lines in such an awkward manner as to make me cringe. It sounds literally like a giggling, bubbly school girl reading from a script for the first time while distracted by something else.

Another thing which surprisingly irritated me was the SCREAMING. In many scenes, there was mindless screaming at the hands of Juliet's mother and maid, especially that scene where Romeo is at Juliet's window, and the maid calls for her, and Danes (awkwardly) says "By and by I come", the maid's line is literally a grating, irritating scream: JULIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET! for at the very least, 3-5 seconds long

There's a lot more screaming at the maid's hand and Juliet's mother, though thankfully it's limited just to that scene and scarcely any other. But it is SERIOUSLY annoying having her scream like that when Juliet is CLEARLY shouting back "By and by I come"

All in all, the show is all but stolen by John Leguizamo and Harold Perrineau as Tybalt and Mercutio (respectively), while the lead actors are weak in their roles.

3.5/5

the gay romeo and juliet = a waste of time by !idee.......2007-05-23

review

During the past week I saw the movie, Romeo and Juliet, directed by Baz Luhrmann and starting Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.
The story is based on the play written by Shakespeare but there are many differences.
For on there are guns that are called swords in the movie which I find totally ridiculous. Another difference was the fact that it was set in modern times, which made the movie very hard to understand
Also I think that the actors and actresses were very flat. I think this is because of the setting and language doesn't really go together, and therefore it is really hard to get into the characters mind set.
Over all I think that the movie wasn't very good at all and it is definitely a waste of money and time.

English teacher gives this DVD an A-.......2007-05-23

Let me begin my review by addressing those who are undecided whether to purchase this version (Luhrman) or the Zeffirelli. There seems to be a bias amongst educators (bordering on the arrogant) that the Luhrman version is somehow less "authentic" than the Zeffirelli. Simply performing "Romeo and Juliet" in doublet and hose, however, does not make it any more "Shakespearean". In fact, I would argue that modern-dress is more in keeping with the spirit of the original as Elizabethan drama had no elaborate sets or costumes; doublet and hose WERE modern-dress in Shakespeare's time. If we discount "updating" as a reason to discount the Luhrman version (which in my experience is invariably the excuse), we have to judge the movies on how well they illuminate/connect/inspire Shakespeare's words for our students. In my opinion, the Luhrman version does a better job of this than the Zefferilli.

First, the updating works (for the most part). My students clearly understood gangs and rivalries; presenting the Montagues and Capulets as such, eliminated questions as why the two families hate each other or how the feud got started (answers which are outside the text). The guns and cars appealed to the boys; the love and romance appealed to the girls. My students could see themselves in the context Luhrman provided; they could relate to what was going on screen as present and relative, not merely events from 400 years ago.

Secondly, casting famous actors (DiCaprio and Danes) as the leads hooks many of my students at the beginning. They watch the movie BECAUSE Leonardo DiCaprio is in it, but soon the magic of the Bard's words (which they struggle to follow at first) keeps them interested. DiCaprio IMO is uneven; some scenes he performs better than others. Danes's performance (other than her fake crying in the Capulet vault) was generally strong and very believable; her words did not seem "acted" but rather natural. The supporting cast was also very good with Tybalt and Benvolio standing out.

There were some scenes that didn't work well for me. The Capulet ball in particular was strange. Mercutio came dressed in drag and this (unfounded) homosexual subtext was amplified by him prancing around on the stairs with some Chippendale dancers. Just plain strange. Also, the Queen Mab speech was weird and luckily cut short; Luhrman did try to tie it into the events as a sort-of intoxicated rambling at the "pre-party" (complete with Ecstasy) before Romeo crashes the ball. Another weak performance was Lady Capulet who played it for laughs (which again I couldn't see from the text), and it was an unconvincing performance played that way. The only time Lady Capulet seemed believable was when she played it serious (Tybalt's death, the argument with Juliet and Capulet). Some students also didn't care for all of the musical numbers, but most liked how Luhrman tried to include contemporary songs into the movie.

Some of the sequencing of scenes are a bit off, but this is a movie students definitely love and get into... which I think is how Shakespeare would want it.

The classic tale.........2007-05-09

..Re-done and beautified. Some parts are wacky but this is a very good story if you enjoy Romeo and Juliet. The dialogue is the same as the story, by the way.

Incredible modern adaptation.......2007-04-26

Truly an amazing cinematic experience, this flick totally flies out of the box by sticking to the original Old English dialogue while still maintaining the portrayal of a modern setting. Every actor gives an impressive performance and each shows their understanding of the Old English dialogue they use to express themselves. In fact, I gained a greater understanding of some of Shakespeare's terminology by the inflection and timing the actors used to speak the playwrite's words. Well worth the watch. An impressive piece of cinema.

Average customer rating:

Great courtroom drama putting the insurance industry on trial will be available in anamorphic
I love Grisham movies...
Read the book first
Heartwarming, Inspiring
Too true to Life

The Rainmaker
Starring: Matt Damon , Danny DeVito , Claire Danes , Jon Voight , and Mary Kay Place
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Firm
The Client
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A Time to Kill

ASIN: 6305181810
Release Date: 1998-11-17

Amazon.com essential video

When viewed from a cranky perspective, this by-the-book David vs. Goliath story doesn't offer any surprises, and it's a bit sad to watch director Francis Coppola (who also adapted John Grisham's bestseller) squandering his once-glorious talent on such conventional Hollywood fare. In a more charitable light, however, there's great pleasure to be found in Coppola's intelligent, no-nonsense handling of a plot that's every bit as involving as it is formulaic. Coppola also knows how to bring out the best in a stellar cast, and this is the movie (released in November 1997, just a few weeks before Good Will Hunting) that signaled Matt Damon's arrival as a major-league star. Damon plays Rudy Baylor, a young rookie lawyer in Memphis (location of many Grisham stories) who takes on a powerful insurance company (led by a sharklike lawyer played by Jon Voight) by representing the family of a boy who was denied potentially life-saving treatment for leukemia. Rudy also comes to the rescue of an abused wife (Claire Danes) and learns the tricks of the legal trade from a seasoned paralegal (Danny DeVito), who sees Rudy as his ticket out of the sleazeball practice run by a shady lawyer (Mickey Rourke). There's no mystery about where this plot is going, but Coppola takes us there in high style with a sharp script, and Damon strikes just the right note of naivete and strategic intelligence. When Goliath inevitably falls, this courtroom David wins fair and square. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Great courtroom drama putting the insurance industry on trial will be available in anamorphic.......2007-04-10

I will not dwell on the details of this John Grisham story that puts the insurance industry on trial. The purpose of my comments are to let Amazon viewers know that Paramount has set July 24, 2007 for release of this wonderful movie as an anamorphic Special Collectors Edition. For those of you contemplating buying this DVD, wait until July for a nicer version without those black bars. I hope this is of help to my fellow Amazon viewers.

I love Grisham movies..........2007-03-13

and this is one of my favorites. Matt Damon does an excellent job. Devito couldn't have done a better job. I love it when he plays a serious/funny situation. He made this movie ease up when the tension got high. If you are looking for a movie that gives justice in the end, this one is for you.

Read the book first.......2007-03-09

Would have enjoyed movie more if I hadn't read the book first. Book was terrific, movie left out a lot of important details.

Heartwarming, Inspiring.......2007-01-07

Matt Damon stars as a freshly minted lawyer fighting a large insurance company that simply collects insurance without paying benefits - in this case they denied payment for life-saving treatment to a dying young man. The insurance company's side is taken by highly-experienced attorneys billing at up to a thousand dollars/hour. Aided by intelligent but six-time bar exam flunker Danny DeVito and his contacts, Damon wins the suit along with a monumental punitive award. Unfortunately, the insurance company is but a shell, having been looted by its CEO (Roy Scheider), and no damages are paid.

We are left with two memorable images: 1)Damon pondering his future in law - should he continue (and undoubtedly end up using the law to fight justice - as did his opponent, Jon Voight), or take his love of the law and go into teaching? 2)DeVito heading out the door in pursuit of another attempt at passing the bar.

Too true to Life.......2006-09-21

I read the book when it was first published and then a friend had a son diagnosed with leukemia and went through the same thing as the Mom in the book. Fortunately he had a lot of advocates that pushed him to ignore the insurance company and his son finally found a donor match but it was too late. So I feared that this movie would not be up to the book. My fears were unfounded, the casting was brilliant and I loved this movie, even though it is tough to watch, I still catch it in reruns on the satellite occasionally and "must watch". That is how good it is.

Average customer rating:

The family Stone
Outrageous
Wonderful, quirky, unexpectedly touching film
zero
What a Movie

The Family Stone (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Claire Danes , Diane Keaton , Rachel McAdams , Dermot Mulroney , and Craig T. Nelson
Director: Thomas Bezucha
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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Rumor Has It... (Widescreen Edition)
Failure to Launch (Special Collector's Edition)
In Her Shoes (Widescreen Edition)
Match Point
The Devil Wears Prada (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000EMGJ7C
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Amazon.com

For anyone who views holiday gatherings with equal parts joy and dread, The Family Stone offers plenty of comedy to identify with. Writer-director Thomas Bezucha's slapstick premise begins when Everett (Dermot Mulroney) brings his fiancé Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker) home to meet his family for Christmas. It's an instant disaster when parents Sybil (Diane Keaton) and Kelly (Craig T. Nelson) agree with their gay, deaf son Thad (Ty Giordano, who is actually hearing impaired), pot-smoking son Ben (Luke Wilson) and daughters Amy (Rachel McAdams) and Susannah (Elizabeth Reaser) that Meredith is way too uptight to be welcomed into their family. Meredith recruits her sister Julie (Claire Danes) to help her thaw the Stone family cold front, and after building a solid emotional foundation for his holiday comedy, Bezucha starts to stack the deck with plot developments that, while heartwarming, border on the absurd. You either go with the movie's flow or you don't, and with this appealing cast (featuring some really nice work by Keaton, Nelson, Parker and Danes) it's easy to forgive Bezucha's unlikely blend of yuletide cheer, petty animosities, and romantic tables turned in the blink of an eye. Toss in a case of terminal illness and you've got a sad-happy tearjerker that works in spite of itself. If you don't recognize at least part of your own holiday clan in The Family Stone, you probably haven't been paying attention. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Sarah Jessica Parker, Diane Keaton, and Rachel McAdams lead an all-star cast in The Family Stone. Join the eccentric Stone family for a holiday gathering filled with unexpected surprises. Before the festivities are over, love affairs will unravel, new ones will form, outrageous secrets will be revealed and the family will come together like never before.

Customer Reviews:

The family Stone.......2007-06-08

This movie has a great cast and is funny and serious at the same time, has a great family story that is typical of todays families that seem to get together only once or twice a year. I have watched it several times already and have enjoy it each time I watch it.

Outrageous.......2007-05-28

With 167 reviews in the can already, I can only say that I really hated this movie. Thankfully, I saw it on DVD and was able to stop whenever I wanted, which was often. The movie was simply overdone to the point of viewer exhaustion. If you have to see it, rent it or catch it on a movie channel. Don't waste your money on this bad flick.

Wonderful, quirky, unexpectedly touching film.......2007-05-23

Anybody who has a family that is "different" or has had to go through hard times together will appreciate this movie. All of the reviews that spoke about this movie being "unrealistic" should really get a clue. Realistic is very relative (there are some families where the kids go nuts and murder the parents - would that have been more realistic?). I thought the family dynamics in this film were excellent and well-acted.

It is easy to see why the family Stone doesn't like the eldest son's prospective fiance, Meredith (played by SJP to a "T"), because in the beginning she is so, well, unlikeable! Its easy to believe that the family's opinion of Meredith is so heavily influenced by the youngest daughter Amy (played by my favorite actress Rachel McAdams, and anyone who has said, "who is she" should see the amazing movie "The Notebook"), who met Meredith at a prior time and didn't like her. Why? Because how many times has your sister/brother/daughter gone on about a person that they don't like and has made you dislike them? This is because you tend to side with the person, who, DUH, you've known all your life as opposed to someone you've never even met.

Some of the plot lines may have been a bit far-fetched, i.e. the brother falling for his girlfriend's sister and the girlfriend falling for her boyfriend's brother in the matter of a day. But what this really meant to illustrate, is, that a) you never know when you are going to find true love b) you shouldn't walk away from it just because it may not be the perfect timing c)life is too short to spend it with the wrong person. I thought the scene with Meredith's sister Julie (played by Claire Danes who looked beautiful in this movie) and Everett (the oldest son) where she talks about the man with the "hole in his heart" is really a foreshadowing metaphor for Everett, who is with Meredith but is obviously walking around with a big hole in his heart that needs to be filled.

Addressing the terminal illness part - if you watched the movie you know that the mother is dying of breast cancer (DUH for all the people who asked, "what kind of cancer is she even dying from anyway"). The scene that OBVIOUSLY demonstrates that is when she opens her shirt to reveal her mastectomy scar. While some people were offended by that, the fact that she is not ashamed of this disfigurement and that her husband isn't turned off by it just demonstrates the depth of their love for each other. Other reviews have remarked that well, she looked healthy, which I think is just an absurd remark. The movie didn't show her on a treadmill for God's sakes. It even shows her napping in the middle of the day. People are so over-critical. I'm sure nobody wanted to be beat over the head with overwrought scenes of the mother showing how ill she was. Plus she was trying to keep it a secret from her children.

The last scene that I'm going to get on my soapbox about is the Christmas Eve dinner scene. The one where Meredith makes the well-intentioned but cruel remark about the gay son Thad not being "normal" and being "challenged" because of his sexual orientation. People are outraged because they thought the family's reaction to her statement was too mean. And I challenge everyone who thinks that to put themselves in that family's shoes. I have a deaf mother and I am fiercely overprotective of her, even to a fault. Our culture is not friendly to people who are different - everyone knows that. Is it so hard to believe that a close-knit family like the stones would overreact when an outsider criticizes a family member? Especially one that has probably had to deal with more than his share throughout his life?

Sorry for the novel. I just get so irritated when people criticize things without truly thinking it through. This is an excellent movie and I highly recommend it.

zero.......2007-05-04

This movie went in the garbage because that is what it was. If you love God , this is not a movie for you.

What a Movie.......2007-04-04

Although marketed to be another awkward comedy like what poor Ben Stiller had to face in Meet the Parents, The Family Stone is anything, but simply eccentric. Yes, the fiance is uptight, grating and at times humorless, but this movie is far less about uncomfortable comedy than about uncomfortable reality. In truth, its an intense drama about life, love, growing up, growing old and facing death with only your family(as dysfunctional as everyone's are)to hold it all back with you. Superb performances from the unconventional cast and Diane Keaton's character is especially nuanced and heart-breaking in her depth and courage.

Terminator 3 - Rise of the Machines [HD DVD]

Average customer rating:

Second DVD reveals the real "stars" of the film
Good movie, looks amazing in HD
Tame third instalment
Good Quality - Not the Best of the Trilogy
T1 and T2 in a blender

Terminator 3 - Rise of the Machines [HD DVD]
Starring: David Andrews , Earl Boen , M.C. Gainey , Moira Harris , and Christopher Lawford
Director: Jonathan Mostow
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

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Similar Items:

The Terminator (Special Edition)
Terminator 2 - Judgment Day (Extreme DVD)
Batman Begins [HD DVD]
The Mummy [HD DVD]
Superman Returns (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B000E1MTYU
Release Date: 2006-09-26

Amazon.com

Description

A decade has passed since John Connor (NICK STAHL) helped prevent Judgment Day and save mankind from mass destruction. Now 25, Connor lives "off the grid" - no home, no credit cards, no cell phone and no job. No record of his existence. No way he can be traced by Skynet - the highly developed network of machines that once tried to kill him and wage war on humanity. Until, out of the shadows of the future steps the T-X (KRISTANNA LOKEN), Skynet's most sophisticated cyborg killing machine yet. Sent back through time to complete the job left unfinished by her predecessor, the T-1000, this machine is as relentless as her human guise is beautiful. Now Connor's only hope for survival is the Terminator (ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER), his mysterious former assassin. Together, they must triumph over the technologically superior T-X and forestall the looming threat of Judgment Day - or face the apocalypse and the fall of civilization as we know it. DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
Deleted Scenes
Documentaries
Easter Eggs
Featurette
Gag Reel
Introduction
Photo gallery