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- Review count78
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- First reviewApril 20, 2008
- Last reviewNovember 15, 2008
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- Average rating4.8
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![The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford [DVD] [2007]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/8684/8684765_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
A lyrical look at the legendary outlaw's destiny
on April 30, 2008
Posted by: CrimsonKing42
This film tells the tale of young Robert Ford, a boy who joins Jesse James's gang, of which his brother is a member, hoping to take some of the legendary outlaw's fame and popularity for himself. As portrayed by Pitt, James is a solemn, pensive man who's occasional outbursts of paranoia and brutality are all the more shocking because of his ordinarily calm temperament. In the end, this is a film about what it is to be famous or to seek fame.
This is above all a character study. Some have previously complained that the film is too long and does not fi the typical conventions of the western. It is fair to note that it is unfair to expect ANY film to simply follow a formula, and to judge this film for not being exactly what one expects is not fair to the film. With that said, this film, though excellent, will not please everyone. It is slow-paced, with a lot of emphasis placed upont the visuals, which are stunning, and the assassination of the title is long in coming. However, this is a beautiful piece, and for those who are willing to go into it without any overwhelming expectations will surely be won over by the acting and cinematography.
This is above all a character study. Some have previously complained that the film is too long and does not fi the typical conventions of the western. It is fair to note that it is unfair to expect ANY film to simply follow a formula, and to judge this film for not being exactly what one expects is not fair to the film. With that said, this film, though excellent, will not please everyone. It is slow-paced, with a lot of emphasis placed upont the visuals, which are stunning, and the assassination of the title is long in coming. However, this is a beautiful piece, and for those who are willing to go into it without any overwhelming expectations will surely be won over by the acting and cinematography.
What's great about it: Impressive visuals and performances by Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck
I would recommend this to a friend!
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2of 2voted this as helpful.
![Michael Clayton [WS] [DVD] [2007]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/8684/8684818_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
Finally a thriller for adults
on April 28, 2008
Posted by: CrimsonKing42
Michael Clayton is tired of his life. He's a "fixer" for a major law firm, meaning that he must deal in deviousness and the problems of rich businesses, and this job has drained him both emotionally and physically and has cost him his marriage and his relationship with his son. Arthur Edens, a friend of Michael's, is the top defense attorney of a fertilizer corporation called U-North in a lawsuit involving health issues that were caused by their products, and during the negotiation process Edens has a breakdown, causing him to strip down and chase a plaintiff through a parking lot. Michael is brought in to repair the disastrous process, but in dealing with Arthur and the information about the lawsuit Michael discovers information that leads him to question his purpose, and his investigation of the matter puts his life in danger.
This film is much like a John Grisham novel, both in its dealings with legal issues and its realistic dangers and twists. Tony Gilroy (who co-wrote the Bourne trilogy)makes his directorial debut with this film, and his calm and thoughtful pacing is admirable. This is a very mature thriller, one that is undeniably geared toward adults. This is not a slam-bang film. There are no carchases or gunfights (or really guns at all, for that matter), and because of that fact, the acting, which is fantastic, bears the major weight of the film.
George Clooney perfectly expresses the exhaustion of his character and Tilda Swinton, in her Oscar-winning role creates a corporate employee who must control a disaster by any means necessary. Tom Wilkinson, however, is the real reason to see the film. His tormented guilt and madness, which slowly converts itself into a conscience-driven reversal of purpose truly moved me, and although all of the other principal actors were FANTASTIC, Wilkinson truly stuck out of the rest.
I highly recommend this film. It is smart and intricate, and in the current film market, it is entirely unique.
This film is much like a John Grisham novel, both in its dealings with legal issues and its realistic dangers and twists. Tony Gilroy (who co-wrote the Bourne trilogy)makes his directorial debut with this film, and his calm and thoughtful pacing is admirable. This is a very mature thriller, one that is undeniably geared toward adults. This is not a slam-bang film. There are no carchases or gunfights (or really guns at all, for that matter), and because of that fact, the acting, which is fantastic, bears the major weight of the film.
George Clooney perfectly expresses the exhaustion of his character and Tilda Swinton, in her Oscar-winning role creates a corporate employee who must control a disaster by any means necessary. Tom Wilkinson, however, is the real reason to see the film. His tormented guilt and madness, which slowly converts itself into a conscience-driven reversal of purpose truly moved me, and although all of the other principal actors were FANTASTIC, Wilkinson truly stuck out of the rest.
I highly recommend this film. It is smart and intricate, and in the current film market, it is entirely unique.
What's great about it: A very satisfying, intelligent thriller
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![American Gangster [Extended Edition] [3 Discs] [DVD] [2007]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/8698/8698457_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
An excellent film in its own right
on April 26, 2008
Posted by: CrimsonKing42
American Gangster is far too often compared to Scarface. Both films are about men chasing the dark side of the Amercian Dream through drug-running. That is where the similarities end. This film presents the dual stories of Frank Lucas, a black mob peon in Harlem who takes over his dead boss's heroin trade and of Richie Roberts, the straight-laced New Jersey cop who refuses to give in to the rampant police corruption that has engulfed his world and seeks to take down the drug kingpins that are flooding 1970's America with drugs.
What makes this film so great is the parallel performances of Denzel Washington as Lucas and Russell Crowe as Roberts. They do not meet until the very end of the film, and through this decision director Ridley Scott and the film's writer Steve Zaillian allow both of these great actors to masterfully control the screen.
The 3-disc set is excellent. Iit's full of great features that range from music videos to documentaries to commentaries. As a bonus, the box it comes in is fantastic and really makes the film stand out in your DVD collection, and it comes with a cool booklet full of interesting facts. Your collection isn't complete without it.
Oh, and one more thing. A lot of people complain about the length of the film. It's totally worth it, and unlike some longer films which slow down for periods of time, every part of this movie serves to furthering the plot and characterization, and there is never a dull moment. Give it the 2hrs and 38 mins. You won't regret it.
What makes this film so great is the parallel performances of Denzel Washington as Lucas and Russell Crowe as Roberts. They do not meet until the very end of the film, and through this decision director Ridley Scott and the film's writer Steve Zaillian allow both of these great actors to masterfully control the screen.
The 3-disc set is excellent. Iit's full of great features that range from music videos to documentaries to commentaries. As a bonus, the box it comes in is fantastic and really makes the film stand out in your DVD collection, and it comes with a cool booklet full of interesting facts. Your collection isn't complete without it.
Oh, and one more thing. A lot of people complain about the length of the film. It's totally worth it, and unlike some longer films which slow down for periods of time, every part of this movie serves to furthering the plot and characterization, and there is never a dull moment. Give it the 2hrs and 38 mins. You won't regret it.
What's great about it: Fantastic acting and direction
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![I Am Legend [WS] [Special Edition] [2 Discs] [DVD] [2007]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/8724/8724892_sa.jpg)
Director Francis Lawrence's I Am Legend arrives on DVD in a handsomely packaged yet curiously lacking two-disc special edition courtesy of Warner Home Video . Presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, the picture is near flawless and the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack makes excellent use of the film's inventive sound scheme -- the sound of the encroaching vampires (courtesy of vocalist Mike Patton) shifting from speaker to speaker in a manner that's genuinely unsettling. Four visually striking animated shorts originally released to promote the film offer variations on the themes that drive I Am Legend, are decidedly downbeat yet undeniably beautiful to behold. Unfortunately, viewers seeking to learn anything at all about the production will have to have a computer in able to do so, as the "Intense Bonus Material Databank" is only viewable via a DVD-ROM PC Weblink. A director's commentary track would have been a welcome addition given that the filmmakers were forced to re-shoot the ending of the film, but sadly the only additional features other than the animated shorts are trailers for Lost Boys: The Tribe, The Dark Knight, Speed Racer, and a promotional spot for Blu-Ray. The inclusion of an alternate theatrical version is indeed something to be celebrated as the original cut more faithfully conveys the tone and ideas of Richard Matheson's original novella, yet the decision to include it on an extra disc rather than simply branching the original film is a curious one give that there's only a four-minute difference in running time. One can only suspect that a more feature-intensive special edition is being prepared for future release.
Customer Rating
4
THe Alternate Version Saved the Movie
on April 24, 2008
Posted by: CrimsonKing42
With I Am Legend, the Alternate Cut of the film is the only way to go. This cut is oonly available on the Two-Disc edition, which is really unfortunate because it means that most people won't see it, but the alternate ending which is presented in that version is the good one. The ending of the theatrical version all but ruined the movie for me when I saw it in theaters, and the alternate version, with its more thematic ending is the reason why I went ahead and bought this movie. It's the story of Robert Neville, the only survivor of a viral pandemic that killed nearly everyone on the planet and turned a few survivors into zombies (as opposed to vampires, like in the original novel). The first hour of the movie iis pretty much genius, and the secoond half is decent. If you buy this movie, you have to get the Two-Disc.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![The Mist [Collector's Edition] [2 Discs] [DVD] [2007]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/8689/8689733_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
Another fantastic Frank Darabont film
on April 23, 2008
Posted by: CrimsonKing42
Frank Darabont, who previously adapted Stephen King's "The Shawshank Redemption" and "The Green Mile" finally turns his skills to one of King's horror tales with this suspenseful yarn of a group of small-town Maine residents who are trapped together in a grocery store when a mysterious fog brings on terrifying creatures from another world. Though much of the suspense comes from the beasts outside the store, the true drama is created by the increasing tension between the humans inside. Darabont really knows how to squeeze emotion out of this situation, as he did in his previous work. The 2-Disc edition features a black-and-white version of the film, which was Darabont's original intention. Don't miss out on this excellent thriller.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street [Collector's Edition] [2 Discs] [DVD] [2007]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/8775/8775649_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
A bloody, thrilling musical
on April 22, 2008
Posted by: CrimsonKing42
Tim Burton's adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's hit musical is nothing short of brilliant. The brooding world that Burton has created perfectly complements the grim tale of a barber who returns from a forced exile to get revenge on the man who stole his family and destroyed his life. It's not a film for the weak of stomach, since Burton has in no way compromised the bloody premise of the original production. Still, for fans of Burton, Johnny Depp, or musicals in general, this is a must-see, and even those who swear off of the musical genre will find plenty to like about this gothic tale.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![No Country for Old Men [DVD] [2007]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/8684/8684569_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
Haunting and brilliant film
on April 21, 2008
Posted by: CrimsonKing42
This film won four major 2007 Oscars (Best Picture, Directors, Supporting Actor, and Adapted Screenplay), and deservedly so. It's the haunting story of Llewelyn Moss, a lower-class Texan whose life is torn apart when he finds a bag full of drug money at the scene of a gang massacre. A cat-and-mouse game ensues between him, the local sheriff, and Anton Chigurh, a sociopathic hit man who leaves a trail of death everywhere he goes. The film's themes of death and fate make this a must-see, unforgettable film.
What's great about it: Best Picture winner full of suspense and fantastic themes
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![There Will Be Blood [Collector's Edition] [2 Discs] [DVD] [2007]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/8706/8706493_sa.jpg)
The 2-Disc Collector's Edition of Paul Thomas Anderson's brilliant There Will Be Blood, the first of 2007's Best Picture nominees to receive the multiple DVD treatment, offers a superb transfer, a fact that should come as no surprise to those aware of Anderson's admiration for DVD. Although some may quibble with there being only eight chapter stops for a 160-minute film, the truth is that each of the eight has been perfectly chosen and titled, so viewers can find what they need easily. The most interesting of the extras on the bonus disc is "The Story of Petroleum," a silent movie from the 1920s made to educate the public about various aspects of the oil industry. Jonny Greenwood, whose musical compositions contributed greatly to the overall effect of Anderson's film, created a wholly new soundtrack for this nearly 100-year-old short. Another portion of the bonus disc showcases old movies, drawings, and still pictures from the time period juxtaposed with scenes from the film. This section illuminates the level of research done by the filmmakers. The collector's edition also includes the original theatrical trailer, as well as the absolutely brilliant teaser trailer. There are a smattering of deleted scenes, the longest being the "fishing sequence," wherein the audience sees Daniel Plainview and his crew attempt to recover materials lost down the well during drilling. Those who care about the remarkable craft and intelligence that went into this amazing film will find the two-disc edition as fascinating as the movie itself.
Customer Rating
5
An American Masterpiece
on April 20, 2008
Posted by: CrimsonKing42
There Will Be Blood is an epic on the same level as Giant or Citizen Kane. This film is likewise the tale of a larger-than-life American success figure whose success is synonimous with his loss of morality. The Oscar-winning cinematography and Daniel-Day Lewis's unforgettable turn as the morally-deprived Daniel Plainview make this film a must-have for anyone who appreciates quality film.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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