Editorial Review

Jeremy Irons gives another superb and underrated performance in Read more

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Reviews (17)

Completely implausible plot
I fail to understand what the true story could have been that the film is supposedly based on. The plot is completely implausible. Leaving aside the basic premise of the film that Gallimard can sleep with a man without noticing this man was in fact a man and not a woman... just one example: does anybody really believe that the French police (perhaps with the exception of Luis de Funes) would transport two suspects together so that they can conveniently discuss a common strategy of hiding their former spying activiites? Preposterous if you ask me. Not to mention that there were absolutely no bumps on the road during the whole scene in the police van... (was that perhaps a hovercraft?) And there are also more improbabilities that the average European or American eyes fail to see but that left my Chinese wife totally flabbergasted... I wonder if David Cronenberg ever bothered to consult experts in the field as is the good practice with movies that involve distant regions, long-gone periods of history or special fields of human activity. Now back to the basic premise of the film, and I am not spoiling the final surprise for anyone because you figure out Butterfly is a man as soon as you have a look at the photographs on the box of the videocasette... my only explanation is that Gallimard was in fact bisexual and because of that decided to play the part of Butterfly himself in this weird relationship... be this a postscript to the dicusssion in the previous reviews as to whether John Lone was sufficiently female to be persuasive... All that having been said, the movie has its good moments and an intensive atmosphere, maybe too theatrical at times, but overall worth watching if you are a fan of things oriental or like to explore sexual ambiguities...

Breathtaking
I don't think anyone could have done justice to writing the screenplay to M Butterfly (based on David Henry Hwang's stage play) than Hwang himself.While it is a bit of a departure from the 1988 play based on the true story of a French diplomat who falls in love with a Chinese opera singer and the disastrous outcome of their affair, as a film it could not have been done otherwise. Who's French??
Yet another spectacular tale of love and maddness with a Freudian twist by the great David Cronenberg. There are some slight flaws with the film such as a cast portraying French people, none of which sporting French accents. But I suppose thats better than trying to do a French accent and it being inconsistant. All-in-all though, a really great, really strange (though not as strange as some of his other work) surprisingly poetic movie. Definately a must see for fans of Cronenberg and Jeremy Irons alike. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Drama    2. Feature Film-drama    3. Motion Picture Video    4. Movie   

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Reviews (6)

Effects of dancing the danzón
I would advise any cinefile with a human heart and an appreciation of true art to disregard all reviews (including this one), watch the movie, and judge for himself; lest he miss a unique and uniquely profound experience.
The eroticism made dance!
This original work is an arresting feminist tale about a middle aged woman who rejoins with her forgotten sensuality , performing a ballroom dance known at the danzon. Danzon
This movie is worth watching!It has fantastic acting and a great storyline.It about a woman, Julia, and the dance, Danzon.The dance is much like her life, very rigid and controlled.After Julia's partner of many years stopped showing up for their usual dance, she worries and leaves to go find him.Her journey takes her to Veracruz.There she meets many delightful people who try to help her find him.After she has a love affair with a younger man, she leaves to go back home.While she is on her journey, she discovers a lot about herself and who she is.She left not only to find her partner, but to find herself as well.This movie is great for anyone who is willing to take a risk to find themselves! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Drama    2. Foreign Film - Mexican    3. Movie   

Editorial Review

This 1982, 180-minute television remake of the original MGM feature, produced 30 years before, is the rare makeover of a classic that works quite well under its own steam. Anthony Andrews plays the disinherited knight who returns from the Third Crusades and is determined to raise the ransom to free a kidnapped King Richard (Julian Glover). With his bid rebuffed by his estranged father (Michael Hordern), and the affection of the latter's ward, Rowena (Lysette Anthony), compromised, Ivanhoe looks toward the generosity of the beautiful Rebecca (Olivia Hussey)--whose father (James Mason) he rescued from anti-Semitic Normans--for help. But a plot by faithless friends to discredit Ivanhoe, and his subsequent partnership with Robin Hood (David Robb) to save the day, keep this story from slowing down even for a minute. Originally a miniseries, this production has enough breadth to provide lots of breathing room for the script and cast to mine all the drama they can from Sir Walter Scott's novel. This is also a great-looking movie, with wall-to-wall pageantry, superb costumes--the works. Read more

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Reviews (24)

Fun, but it doesn't do justice to the book
I must admit that I loved the book.I was hoping that this would be an accurate movie or at least keeping with the spirit.I found that it was a bit flat and that it didn't have the flair and excitment that the book had.Well done for a tv series, but not likely to satisfy the die hard fans.

"If I could only get my strength back!"
"Ivanhoe" is a curiosity of literature; a long adventure novel whose hero spends most of the plot unconscious, a medieval romance with a not-so-subtle rail against prejudice, and a tale that proves when all else fails, have Robin Hood show up. This made-for-TV adaptation follows the book fairly closely, and it stars the always welcome, decidedly delicious Anthony Andrews to boot.
Love Affairs and Pageantry
From what I remember of the 1952 version, it was all about Robert Taylor and whether or not he would wind up with Elizabeth Taylor or Joan Fontaine.Today it seems like a different world, of course, and even in 1952 Taylor was a bit long in the tooth to play Wilfred of Ivanhoe properly, while Liz Taylor was a good 20 years younger than him and way younger than Joan Fontaine (who plays her successful rival, a lesson that even the mature women can still get a man--a lesson we heard very seldom in the 1950s).
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Subjects:  1. Drama    2. Feature Film-action/Adventure    3. Movie    4. TV Shows   

Editorial Review

Emma Thompson scores a double bull's-eye with this marvelous adaptation of Jane Austen's novel. Not only does Thompson turn in a strong (and gently humorous) performance as one of the Dashwood sisters--the one with "sense"--she also wrote the witty, wise screenplay. Austen's tale of 19th-century manners and morals provides a large cast with a feast of possibilities, notably Kate Winslet, in her pre-Read more

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Reviews (292)

A beautiful peice of classic cinema
What a wonderful movie!
Sense and Sensibility
Jane Austen was so wonderful at creating reality on the printed page. She sent up society by spot-on accurate portrayals of it. I feel like stressing this point. It sends up pretension by accurately portraying it. It is humour and realism at the same time. I can think of nobody better at doing this.
A fine adaptation that will please most viewers, sans Grant
This film looks beautiful with that particular fresh and green loveliness that typifies the gentlefolk's 18th / 19th century England. It's a delight to watch, and the screenplay itself is wonderfully done, combining the sensible and likeable characters with the truly absurd characters, not to mention those whose characters are morally enfeebled. Jane Austen's depiction of human frailty as well as goodness has always impressed me as being true and very apt, striking home not merely with insightful viewing of human beings but also the very particular aspects that define a person of English gentility in the 1800s.
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Subjects:  1. Comedies    2. Comedy Video    3. Drama    4. Feature Film-drama    5. Movie   

Editorial Review

This 1991 comedy by Gabriele Salvatores was knocked for notbeing deep enough, but it is what it is, and it's actually an easygoing, sunnymovie about eight Italian soldiers who manage to strand themselves on a tiny Greek island paradise during World War II. The sort of mutts who would shoota donkey for not knowing the proper password, these clumsy warriorsbecome a comic variation on the Lotus Eaters of myth, their fighting spirit evaporated in the midst of so much beauty and sexual availability among the local women. There are also sundry opportunities for the men to find another purposefor their lives (one particularly artistic fellow works on the restorationof a church, for example). Amid the sometimes coarse jokes and gratuitous nudity, there are subtle themes about the contrast between what men are truly like in their natural state versus what they are like as killers. (Read more

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Reviews (38)

Time Out from War
"Mediterraneo" is a FUN movie.It's a very likeable story of a group of Italian marines who follow an assignment to occupy an obscure Greek Aegean island during the early period of WWII.Due to a series of escapades, they lose their contact with the outside world.Instead, they get caught up in their own little world for the next three years.That may sound like a boring movie but things happen from time to time and the excerpts we see are generally pretty funny.The different personalities emerge and their variety allows the writer and the actors plenty of room for development.In the end, the marines are "rescued" by their new allies; the British.Initially, all of the soldiers were focussed on getting out of this forsaken island.In the end, the island had become their home and their "rescue" was a mixed blessing.A post script ending brings the feeling together in a poignant way.
Where is the DVD?!?!?!?
Where the heck is the DVD for this grand movie?? What the heck are the morons at Miramax and Disney doing???? RELEASE THE DVD IN THE USA!!!!! Che Piccato!!!!

Joy
This is an excelent movie, which has not lost any of its appeal since the release. Charming, romantic and philosophical with beautiful scenery. It flows like a sailing boat on a nice day. If you'd like to escape from this world (even for only 1.5 hours) just like the movie characters did - you got to watch it. This is one of those movies I have to have. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Foreign Film - Italian    2. Foreign Film [Dub Or Subtitle]    3. Movie   

Editorial Review

Bernardo Bertolucci does the nearly impossible with this sweeping, grand epic that tells a very personal tale. The story is a dramatic history of Pu Yi, the last of the emperors of China. It follows his life from its elite beginnings in the Forbidden City, where he was crowned at age three and worshipped by half a billion people. He was later forced to abdicate and, unable to fend for himself in the outside world, became a dissolute and exploited shell of a man. He died in obscurity, living as a peasant in the People's Republic. We never really warm up to John Lone in the title role, but this movie focuses more on visuals than characterization anyway. Filmed in the Forbidden City, it is spectacularly beautiful, filling the screen with saturated colors and exquisite detail. It won nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. Read more

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Reviews (124)

Pu Yi : prisoner No. 981!
This film is really mesmerizing. The sumptuous locations that worked out as real stages to tell the tragic story of the raise and fall of the last Emperor of a very reduced territory of a huge nation. Enclosed in this zone, prisoner of the conventionalisms, his castrated childhood, slaved by his own power, became a fervent fan of the Western way of life thanks to the wise advises of his British mentor: R.J.
Accomplishes the impossible
Ask any director in a world not yet blessed with The Last Emperor whether it might be possible to create a film that documents, with reasonable depth and historical accuracy, the modernization of China--from imperial days through the Cultural Revolution--and that does so while managing also to capture the immeasurable gravity, ethos, and pathos of the twentieth century and all its billions, and you'd be told in so many words that such a task was absolutely, without a doubt, impossible, no matter the allotted length.
A masterpiece
The Last Emperor is one of those movies that dazzle us even after 18 years of its original release. The acting is fantastic, the Photography simply beautiful, and the locations,(specially the Forbidden city sequences) are breathtaking.
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Reviews (13)

The Greatest
In our house, this is one of the all-time favourite movies. *Everyone* is perfectly cast, the style constantly changes (on-stage, off-stage, fantasy projections of how numbers could be staged...) and it manages to be convincing as a small-time theatre production while at the same time being colourful and imaginative. Covent Garden could learn a thing or two about staging from this movie. This is Ken Russell's greatest movie. We want a DVD!

TAGLINE SAYS IT ALL
"A Glittering Super Colossal Heart Warming Toe-Tapping Continuously Delightful Musical Extravaganza"

Fluffy, silly, ridiculous, and I love it!
I have one copy of this tape and I guess I'd better get a backup -- doesn't look like it's coming out on DVD anytime soon and I'm gonna wear the poor thing out! It is a perfect portrayal of a bunch of wannabes who definitely will never-be... OK, except Tommy Tune who's probably just too good to perform as barely adequate. Christopher Gable likewise performs like a pro. (Is that perhaps a failing in this particular flick, which is all about a bunch of folks who aren't really that great?) Twiggy is perfectly cast. She's delightfully amateur as a singer; she's so likable, such an underdog, so frightened, how can she not be a sympathetic character? Even the awkward edits, which would be unforgivable in a more serious film, are perfect amateur glitches here (watch the jumpy splices in the "Perfect Young Ladies" number--really horrible, but just exactly the right thing to leave in on this movie). My favorite over-the-top silly bit is Polly's extended Grecian nymph fantasy. Tommy Tune leading the chorus of nymphs off to save the day is hysterical. And the whole thing takes place in the space of time it takes for Polly to make quick eye contact with Tony offstage... and ends when he winks back at her. Two seconds of real time. What girl hasn't had an extended fantasy compressed into a few seconds? It's all so cheerfully, delightfully cheesy. Not a guy's film. It's a chick flick. Perfect for the end of a really yucky day: curl up with your Teddy bear and something chocolate, plug this movie in, and enjoy the ride. It asks nothing of you, just happily delivers a series of giggles and a Yay! at the end. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Movie    2. Musicals    3. Musicals & Cast Recordings   

Editorial Review

For a couple of hours in 1990, David Lynch took over the network airwaves and subtly, subversively transformed American television forever. Amazingly, the TV series that followed this rich and strange feature-length pilot became an international phenomenon as people all over the world became obsessed by one question: Who killed Laura Palmer? Read more

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Reviews (20)

This is the Best Show That has EVER been on Television.
Mindblowing...mezmerizing...incredible. This is the best show that has ever been on television.

Laura Palmer is dead . . . wrapped in plastic . . .
I am taking a trip to the Seattle area this week and decided that I wanted to have lunch at the Great Northern Hotel, owned by Benjamin Horne (est. 1927).The hotel, which offers its guests a spectacular view of Whitetail Falls, is located slightly north of Twin Peaks, just below the base of Black Lake.The Great Northern is actually the Salish Lodge, perched on a hillside just above Snoqualmie Falls.To prepare myself for the experience, and to indoctrinate my oldest daughter into yet another cult television show, we watched the first season of "Twin Peaks" together starting with the two hour pilot episode that originally aired Sunday, April 8, 1990 on ABC.Fifteen years later, this pilot episode written by Mark Frost ("Hill Street Blues") and David Lynch ("Blue Velvet") still stands up.
Start here.
This is pretty much what any fan of the show or David Lynch needs to start with. It's the original movie/pilot, and is a great piece of work. The story, the characters, and the whole northwest environment really make for an interesting and sometimes creepy watch. Many cool actors showed up in "Twin Peaks", among them Kyle McLachlan, Lara Flynn-Boyle, Sheryl Lee, Jack Nance, and the sexy Sherilyn Fenn. If you enjoy this, seek out the VHS collectors series, episodes 1-7. Or the DVD first season, which is also episodes 1-7, minus this pilot. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Movie    2. Mystery / Suspense / Thriller    3. TV Shows    4. Television   

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Reviews (18)

Memorably tragic
Sansho the Bailiff projects a bleak and depressing view of medieval Japan.The director Kenji Mizoguchi was masterful, providing an authentic and unforgettable immersion into feudal Japan.This Japanese folktale describes the kinds of sacrifices that may have been required to overcome some of humanity's basest instincts, and a sad and mesmerizing story it is.The acting is wonderful, and the music excellent.There are a number of scenes that would likely be startlingly beautiful if shot in color, but fit the starkly tragic mood in black and white.Hopefully this great movie will soon be restored and transferred to DVD.Highly recommended.

So great, so beautiful!
"Sansho Dayu" is so great and so beautiful. It is one of my very favorite films.
Magnificent Masterpiece - R2 DVD available
This is one of the most beautiful and heart-breaking films I've ever seen.
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Subjects:  1. Drama    2. Foreign    3. Foreign Film - Japanese    4. Foreign Film [Dub Or Subtitle]    5. International    6. Movie   

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Reviews (10)

A Great Ripping Yarn!
They don't make movies like this anymore, and that's a sad fact. The movie recounts Winston Churchhill's life before he entered politics, and boy what a life he led before his 25th birthday! If Winston had never entered politics, he would still have gone down in history as a noted soldier/writer.
Churchill light
If you want a good but "light" version of W.S.C. life then this is a good place to start. I just wish that someone would do say like Manchestors books on him into a film. It is one hell of a good story that needs telling more now than ever. I frankly feel that Churchill will be rated the Man of the 20th Century and a sort of Cassandra to boot. He had that much vision into the future.

Fine bio pic
Winston Churchill's early years make for a fine movie. By all rights young Winston should have been an upper class twit or a hopeless depressive. Although born in a palace he had a childhood none of us would want. His parents were terrible as the movie plainly shows. Her father was a brilliant, complex man and is wonderfully portrayed by Robert Shaw (Quint from Jaws and Red Grant in From Russia with Love). On his good days Lord Churchill is a distant father, and a poor husband but Robert Shaw makes you care about him when he destroys his career and you pity him when his mind starts to decay.
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Reviews (20)

Being there.
While I love this movie, I don't think it is as good as the Aussie classic,`Gallipoli'.Having said that, it holds a very special place in my heart.
Uncut Dvd Please!!!
This film has long been a favorite for me, even without the 15 minutes an earlier reviewer described. There is no excuse for a beautifully filmed movie such as this not to be available on dvd in its entirety.

Please release it on DVD!
This film needs to be released on DVD with anamorphic widescreen treatment.I'm so tired of waiting for it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Drama    2. Movie   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (115)

Girl's night out, in a sense...
This film stars two wild and crazy gals who go on a breezy and uninhibited spree of revenge that ultimately ends in disaster, but getting there is what's entertaining about this movie. The film features several wild chase scenes, exploding tanker trucks, pantomimed oral sex, whole squads of police cruisers on the trail of the wayward women, a sympathetic cop who wants to save them, and a law enforcement establishment which has been embarrassed by being unable to stop their spree of violence and that wants them dead. Overall a pretty decent flick despite it's somewhat downer message and ending. But the action keeps the film moving along and Keitel, Davis, and Sarandon turn in fine performances, as usual.

Despite popularity, somewhat disturbing film
I understand why this film got such wide acclaim.Great acting, interesting storyline, great cinematography.However, I found this film quite violent, bordering advocating violence as a means for letting out frustrations, suicide as glorious end, etc., that I couldn't condone.
Susan Sarandan is perfect
Even though I'm very young I stilled loved this movie. Its one of my favorite movies with Susan Sarandon. They do and outstanding job as criminals on the run. I loved how the hot sexy Brad Pitt was in it. It has a bit of fowl language but it wouldn't work without it. Perfect to cheer up the mood. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Drama    2. Feature Film-action/Adventure    3. Movie   

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Reviews (51)

Disneyfied sequel, passable but not great
The original movie is one of my all time favorites. A classic in its own right. The sequel is a passable piece, but lacks the greatness of the original. Some of the plot details are implausible. I can't see that many lower class people following a rich brat in a horse stealing scheme, when that (in those days) was a death penalty crime. A wild horse is not going to go tame for one important ride as if he understands everything. The overall plot was "Disneyfied" which was a detraction from the original characters. Also some details from the first movie were forgotten, such as the fact that Jim Craig owned his father's half share in the mine. However, it was nice to have a wrap up of the characters we knew and loved in the original. Brian Dennehy does a good job in his role as Harrison, but is so different from Kirk Douglass that it was challenging to accept. Tom Burlinson and Sigrid Thornton were wonderful in their roles, and its too bad they didn't get more movie roles to show thier stuff in.

Oh PLEASE People--a Little Critical Thinking Here
Can anyone possibly think that if a horse was in fact killed in the making of this film, that ANY studio--much less DISNEY--would be stupid enough to release actual footage of its death?! In this, the era of CGI?! Does this mean that the dog playing Old Yeller was actually shot, too? Can you say "cover-up?" How about "lighten up," followed by "wise up?" This isn't Tarkovsky!
C'mon Disney, Release Movies in their Original Aspect Ratios!
BUYER BEWARE!This movie was originally in widescreen but is not released in anamorphic as the first one was/is - what's the deal, Disney?I guess people with tiny tv's want full screen so they can actually see the image, perhaps?Widescreen versions should at least be made available in tandem so that those people of discerning taste in cinematic entertainment can truly enjoy the film.Some Disney movies only ever existed in full screen aspect ratio, but there were many made for the big screen that have only been released in full screen transfers to date.Boycott them and make Disney see the error of its ways!(the three star rating is for the average between 5 stars for the film and 1 star for the dvd release) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Comedies    2. Feature Film-action/Adventure    3. Movie   

Editorial Review

You can't write off Francie Brady, apple-cheeked hero of Read more

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Reviews (57)

DVD from Germany
There's a release of this fascinating movie on DVD . If you have a multizone player you can enjoy the moviefromwww.amazon.de (Germany.)It is stereo only and on zone 2 .

Dark Brilliance
A film of dark humour; typically Irish with all the associated peculiarities.Alcoholic parents, small village life, aberrant clergy, teenagers growing up (or not), all set against the anxiety-filled zeitgeist of the cold war nuclear threat.
Pat McCabe + Neil Jordan = incredible movie
One of the best book-to-film adaptations I've ever seen.The narration is handled brilliantly, preserving much of the sinister charm of McCabe's narrational style. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Drama    2. Feature Film-drama    3. Movie   

Editorial Review

This sweet and genuine Tibetan comedy was promoted as a feel-good foreign flick--but anyone looking for guffaws and big feel-good moments will miss out on all the small, quiet pleasures Read more

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Reviews (14)

They are Still Serving Rice in Tibet
Khyentse Norbu's Phorpa or The Cup is going to be difficult to sell in the US because it deal with two subjects that a US audience is not particularly interested in - Tibet and Soccer. In short, (on the surface) the story is about two young boys who escape from Tibet, land in a Bhutanese monastery, join up with other more established monks in waiting who are crazy about soccer, have an adventure and live happily ever after. Sure it is all this - but it is much more. Phorpa calls us to question some very fundamental issues that continue to haunt us - a nation's and a people's right to free expression in the guise of a bunch of everyday kids who just want to watch Soccer.
Beautiful Tibet, Innocent Story, and Entertaining Content
Any time I watch this film I feel peaceful. Those innocent monks, the beautiful view of tibet, sound of chanting, beautiful ancient religious designs, and humble yet happy life all make me feel happy. This is a happy movie. No violence, no death, or anything sad in the film is seen. I find it releaving because of its innocence. It is hard to find a movie without bad conent, but this one doesn't have anything bad. Though they are all monks, there is no religious persuasion or hidden message there. I don't think the movie was made for religious purpose. It seems to me that the innocent passion to soccer (yes, the sports where a ball is kicked around) in the community where civilization is lacking is the main thing here.

Delightful on many levels
This is a charming film, filled with humor and enticing glimpses into the way of life in a modern Buddhist monastery, and how the old and new schools are melding.Read more

Subjects:  1. Comedies    2. Feature Film-comedy    3. Movie   

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Reviews (3)

Outstanding!
Although this film centers on Deafness in France, the closely related language, culture and people appeals t