Law Abiding Citizen [HD]

Clever, Entertaining Thriller
"Law Abiding Citizen," the new thriller with Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx, is an interesting revenge thriller that takes the viewer to some unexpected places and provokes thoughtful conversations and introspection. Regardless of any drawbacks that the film may have, and it is certainly not perfect, it makes valid points about the sometimes arbitrary nature of the criminal justice system.

Gerard Butler stars as an engineer whose seemingly peaceful life is shattered when two men break into his house, injure him, and kill his wife and daughter. Grieving, but obviously believing that his case is clear cut, he is stunned when the young assistant DA prosecuting the case, played by Jamie Foxx, makes a deal that allows a reduced sentence for the killer of the wife and child in exchange for his testimony against the other man.

Ten years later, as the man convicted of murder is facing lethal injection, Butler's long-planned revenge plot begins to unfold. We find out that...

Law A-breaking Citizen
SOME SPOILERS IN HERE BUT NOT REALLY I love a good revenge movie! And this is one! Good story and an interesting M-O. I loved the idea for this movie. It chose a controvertial topic and really ran with it. The judicial system has been known to have its flaws and sometimes if people want justice they have to take it. A man (Gerard Butler) goes ape s*** for ohhhhh ten years plotting and scheming over the death of his family. Hell bent on his lack of justice after the main culprit of his family's death gets a ridiculous plea bargain. Well, this man decides to enact revenge not just on the killers, but on the whole judicial system. Because, you see, he is a war device inventing genius who has been helping the special forces for years. Sweet! Action thus ensues and you are left wondering, how the hell is he doing this stuff. Well you gotta watch to get this little tidbit. There have been complaints about the ending and while it is tough to make a truely satisfying ending to a movie that...

A Great Movie!
Clyde Shelton is a law abiding family man, and inventor. After his wife and child are brutally murdered an up and coming lawyer hands out a deal to the killer in exchange for his accomplice. Clyde isn't happy about the way the "justice system" functions. Like many of us Clyde wants to right the wrongs in our flawed legal system. He proceeds to track down and kill the man that killed his family. After being put in jail, Clyde starts killing many of the others involved in the court case. The judge and the criminal defense attorney are among his victims. The problem is that he is in jail. It's hard to commit murder when you're locked up. He is pulling it off somehow. His former lawyer, Nick Rice, is determined to bring him to justice. He learns how hard it will be after he finds out that Clyde was a CIA tactician and inventor.

This movie blew me away. The acting, story, and soundtrack are all amazing. This film has action, drama, suspense, and comedy. It's pretty well rounded,...

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The Muse

A Different Take
Maybe it's because I had just started reading Steven Pressfield's "The War of Art" when I saw The Muse, but I had a different take on it. Others have already synopsized the film, so I'll just say: try watching it and thinking of the Muse (Sharon Stone) as, literally, an artist's creativity. What happens? It makes extravagant demands at inopportune times. It wakes you up at three in the morning because that's when it feels like working. It wants what it wants and doesn't care about your pocketbook, your relationship or your convenience. It gets [ticked] off and leaves if you undervalue it or start doubting it. You worry that others' creativity and success might take away from yours. Your female side (Andie McDowell) is maybe a little more comfortable with it (even thinking she will share a bed with it) then runs away when she sees what she's getting into (better to sleep on a cold, hard floor than to get too close to a real creative life). The writer, told he has lost his...

I Was Filled With Inspiration After Seeing This Muse!
I don't know why everyone is picking on this film so much! I wanted to see it really bad after watching so many previews for it on cable. Finally i bought the DVD on just a whim, and I am so glad I did!

Im not going to supply you with a plot because a lot of reviews already did that. I will say I found the film to be very original and charming. The preformaces by the actors, especially Albert Brooks, are prefectly delivered in this material. In addition, I could not stop laughing at some of the brilliant comedy. It's much better then the gross-out sex gags seen everywhere in cinema today.

Some who see The Muse may not like it because they'll compare it to Brook's other films like Mother or Defending Your Life. But, on the off chance you do enjoy it, you will have found a sparkling comedy gem!

Thoroughly Charming!
Forget the Sharon Stone of movies like Basic Instinct, Sliver or even Casino. This is an entirely different role and one that might actually change your opinion of her. Albert Brooks - who was also the writer and director of this little film - is a once successful screenwriter amid a career dry spell. At the suggestion of a friend, he seeks to engage the services of a muse, Sarah - Sharon - who demands gifts, living quarters and perpetual adoration. The initial benefit is questionable as Brooks struggles to realize any positive ideas from Sarah while his wife - Andie MacDowell - comes up with a hundred thoughts regarding the relationship between him and his erstwhile source of inspiration.

It's Andie that strikes gold first through the presence of Sarah, leading to comic angst from her husband - and perhaps no one has as much angst as Albert Brooks. Cameo appearances by a number of Hollywood characters playing themselves help to keep your interest through whatever slow spots...

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Dead Ringers [HD]

Great Minds Think Alike
After creating the viscerally charged and bewildering Videodrome, Cronenberg took on a few projects with a bit more mainstream appeal: The Dead Zone, The Fly, and this film: Dead Ringers.

It's not just a clever title (in fact, the movie was going to be called "Twins" until one of Cronenberg's old producers, Ivan Reitman, asked if he could use the title for a movie he was working on with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito). The movie stars -- and stars again -- Jeremy Irons as twin gynecologists, Beverly and Elliot Mantle. Although they are physically identical, their personalities take divergent paths as they grow older. Elliot grows into a confident womanizer, a sponge for the spotlight. Beverly withdraws into books, confident in little else other than...

Cronenberg-Irons tour de force.
'Dead Ringers' may indeed be David Cronenberg's best film. Jeremy Irons performance is truly extraordinary. As for not being able to tell the difference between the two brothers, I could sense immediately which brother was which by simple body language and how each brother carried himself. Which is a testiment to the subtlties of Iron's acting, that he could make you believe he was two different people at the same time on screen. This belief was also helped by the amazing motion control camera sequences which allowed Irons to "act with himself" in the same frame. The clean perpendicular lines of the twins' appartment was especially chosen to make it easier to cut the film together.

Viewers should be warned beforehand that 'Dead Ringers' is not a horror movie, it's more of a psychological character study. The twin brothers have an unusual gendered relationship. Elliot as the suave unfeeling male who's "no good with the serious ones" and Beverly, with the girl's name, as the the...

Jeremy Irons does more than just clone himself in this role!
The Mantle brothers, Beverly and Elliot, are more than just identical twins. They're like two aspects of one person's internal character turned into two separate external realities. They're both brilliant gynecologists specializing in infertility problems with women and have spent their whole lives living as if they were one individual. They live in the same flat, work at the same clinic and share the same unsuspecting women until Beverly falls in love and no longer wants to share. This emotional break initiates an evaluation of the self, ultimately calling into question the very nature of the brothers symbiotic relations. Can they survive without each other? Jeremy Irons does more than just clone himself in this role, but engenders the brothers Mantle with two distinctive characterizations that are convincing and compelling. Based on an actual case.

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Young Guns 2 [HD]

Yoohoo! I'll make you buy this!
Not many sequels surpass their original sibling but this DVD does. Billy's back, so is Pat Garrrett (although he is played by a different actor) and this is the showdown. This movie is the story of an old man claiming to be Billy who is after the pardon he was promised almost a lifetime ago. This movie picks up pretty much a year after Young Guns left off with the surviving regulators being round up and set for a hanging. Meanwhile Billy is being promised a pardon by the governor in return for testimony against his old enemies who killed John Tunstall. Of course there is no pardon and Billy must escape and rescue his pals. Pat Garrett is of course paid a lot of money to turn on Billy, track him down and bring him to justice.

Out of the two Young Guns movies this is the more well known story of the life of Billy the Kid. You don't actually need to have seen the original to enjoy this movie but the original is pretty good too so you might as well.

The trailer...

Young Guns II: Great Fun in the Wild Wild West!
How many times have we seen a sequel that was better than original? Let's face it: something like that is rare.

Young Guns, the film from 1988 was a succes at the box office, so a sequel came in 1990. Well folks, I'll tell you: Young Guns II entertains and is even better than the original.

The story of Young Guns II basically takes of where Part I stopped.

Cast members Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland and Lou Diamond Phillips are united once more for some more fun in the wild wild west.

The story may be historically inaccurate, the story is nice and gives a lot of entertainment and surprises.

Emilio Estevez is back as Billy the Kid and gives an even more satisfying performance than in the first one. He gives his crazy, triggerhappy character an extra touch and even shows a more emotional side of the character.

Kiefer Sutherland plays a good role as Doc and even if his role may feel a bit smaller than in the first one,...

An Era Lives On
Western films have slowly deterierated in quality since the passing and changing of certain actors souch as John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. It is good to see a western that captures the same hearts as did earlier westerns. We need more movies like this one.

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Episode 4

6 star 1700s period courtroom drama SUSTAINED
Quickly has become one of my favorite shows of all-time. Garrow's Law Series 2 confirmed as BEST HISTORICAL LEGAL DRAMA, tops Rumpole. Near perfection for late-18th century historical reproduction in sets, costumes, & dialogue. It's more realistic 1700s scenes than the true period. Stunning visual detail. The plots, cases, and people are from real British Old Bailey criminal court data- the beginning of justice. Sir William Garrow (1760-1840) initiated "Innocent until proven guilty." This TV series, accurately reveals him idealistic, rescuer for wrongly arrested. He's young, eager, belligerent, rash, arrogant, and a winner. Since Garrow was champion to the poor, this series gives viewers an accurate look at commoners' life. 18th century low class was often taken advantage of by aristocrats. Modern law has inherited much legal good begun by Garrow.

Stellar returning cast and powerful portrayals:
Andrew Buchan (Cranford) as barrister Wm Garrow could be played no...

Garrow's Law
This is one of the best series and I hope they do more. Great courtroom drama, love story and characters and the very best of actors. This is a must for collectors, and those who love the english language.

Garrow's Law
This is an excellent and historically correct period courtroom drama. It puts anything I've seen on American TV to shame!

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Copycat [HD]

Good story, great suspense...
If you like suspense, mystery, a good story, and for the most part, good acting, then this movie is a good choice. What I like about Copycat (besides Sigourney Weaver) is how it seems to come full circle. It feels complete to me. It starts at the beginning, doesn't backtrack with flashbacks or start in the middle and leave you wondering what's going on. You're able to follow along and not get distracted by unnecessary gore (sure there is some, but not much). It's a psychological thriller, and I like that much better than the slash and dash type of movies. It makes you think and allows you to try and figure out what the outcome will be.

Sure, you expect the star to live, but it's not always a given. The ending kind of hints at a sequel but as far as I know, there isn't one. If they can make one as good as the first, I think it would do well (at least those who enjoyed this one, might see the second). It's rather interesting to see the Harry Connick Jr. play a serial killer...

Remarkable display of talent...
Here you have two tough broads, a good cop and the nastiest of killers. How can you lose? Actually, the pairing of Sigourney & Holly is wonderful, in this age of films so lacking in strong women's roles. Sigourney, in particular, after years of kicking alien-butt, withdraws as the victim of an almost lethal attack and subsequent nervous breakdown. Her house-bound recluse still shows fire and rage, well-controlled and centered; a really great performance. Holly, too, in a slightly less showy role, shows drive and command of her role. These women are magnificent, in their own ways, and carry this film through plot-twists and strange turns that are always compelling. Also compelling is the very taut direction of John Amiel, never missing a chance to include the audience in everything, though you don't realize it at the time. A very handsome Dermot Mulroney makes an auspicious presence as an "almost" sex-object for the women, and William McNamara is greatly effective as the ultimate...

ONE FINE THRILLER
Amidst all the suspense, shocks, and chills of this superbly made thriller stands the awesome performances of Sigourney Weaver and Holly Hunter. Ever since she pioneered the "female buttkicker" in the Alien movies, Sigourney has stretched her range to show the immense amount of talent she possesses. Her role as agoraphobic Helen Hudson is one of her finest; she lets us feel every nuance of her frustration, her terror, her anger, her intense ability to be strong even when she admits she's weak. Matching her performance is the understated portrayal of cop M. J. Monahan by Oscar-winner Holly Hunter. Hunter's bravura etching of this likeable cop is extremely effective in counterbalancing the tormented Weaver. Although the fate of Dermot Mulroney as Monahan's partner is questionably appropriate, it does serve as a motivating factor in Hunter's pursuit of the serial killer. William McNamara's performance as Peter Foley may seem underplayed, but it serves to heighten the...

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If You Meet Sartana Pray For Your Death

Classic Must SEE Spaghetti Western
Okay, first off, the video quality is not great, but its a Italian Western so that is often expected. Also, I read lots of complaints on Amazon about the voice dubbing so here is a little help on that score. Almost ALL Spaghetti Westerns (Italian Westerns) were shot silent and dubbed into all languages (even Italian). They will always have the look of a strangely dubbed movie; its just the way it is.

Now about this actual film. I think its a GREAT example of the genre with one the classic Spaghetti Western characters (Sartana) and one of the classic actors (Gianni Garko). The plot is very convoluted so pay close attention to the betrayals as it matters. I have seen the movie several times and I still have to pay attention.

There is lots of Spaghetti Western gun play and great Italian death scene over acting. Just fantastic.

The cast list is a whos-who of classic Spaghetti Western actors:
Gianni Garko
William Berger
Klaus...

Splaghetti western...
Meh...Obvious Clint Eastwood ripoff - second rate spaghetti western. Plot? Box of rocks. Cheesy sound effects. Couldn't get through it...

Dont let the date fool you...
Like an old spaghetti western but not as good. I couldn’t make it all the way through the movie. I thought by the date that it was going to be a modern western.

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