Warner Home Video Western Classics Collection

A pretty good collection of western films from the 50's and 60's
This is a pretty good collection of miscellaneous westerns by Warner Home Video. There is no word on extra features yet, but here are the details on the films themselves and my viewpoint on each one.

Escape From Ft. Bravo (1953) Directed by John Sturges. (4/5)
At the end of the Civil War, Ft. Bravo is being used to house Confederate POWs. William Holden stars as Captain Roper, a man responsible for retrieving escapees from the Fort. He is often brutal in the execution of his duties, but he feels he must be or risk even more escapes. Eleanor Parker comes as a visitor to the fort and butters up Roper. All the while she is helping enable the escape of her true love, a Confederate prisoner. Roper falls in love with Parker's character. When he finds out the truth - after the prisoners escape - he could just leave them to the Apaches. Instead he goes out to rescue and retrieve the prisoners and the girl who betrayed his trust.

Many Rivers To Cross (1955) Directed...

Nice package for a nice price!
Even though I like Westerns, I can't say the movies in this package are all excellent; they range from good to maybe very good at best.

Warner does its job again and the picture quality is very nice and aspect ratios preserved. If you like actors like Robert Taylor, William Holden and Glenn Ford, and Gregory Peck, you may want to consider getting this box set since it also has a good price.

Considering everything, I gave the package 4 stars but the movies would get between 3 and 4 stars from me.

NOT BAD MOVIES......NOT BAD PRICE
I've had my eye on this collection since it came out, but with a real interest in only 3 of the movies due to high cost I held off buying. Yet today at WalMart I found the entire collection of 6 DVDs for $15.00.

I watch western movies and also read many fiction and non-fiction books on the west so several of these films meet my interest. Nothing better than seeing a book you have read brought to the silver screen. Among the better ones here are THE STALKING MOON (From noted western writer T.V. Olsen's book of same name), ESCAPE FROM FORT BRAVO, and THE LAW AND JAKE WADE (Fawcett Gold Medal Book 756, Marvin H. Albert). While the other 3 DVDs are interesting the above 3 are the ones of main interest to me, and was surprised how good a movie such as SADDLE THE WIND turned out to be. I am less interested in CIMARRON (remake from 1931) and MANY RIVERS TO CROSS.

Warner Brothers seems notorious for not opening their vaults to issue many DVDs, even the acclaimed...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups [Blu-ray + DVD Combo]

This will be a new holiday classic
This is a great family movie and will be a new classic for kids of all ages. My younger daughter loves the dogs and my older daughter loved Josh Feldman, the human character who did a great job and will be the next Disney cutie. As a mom I loved the believable cast, great music and an important lesson learned at the end, not to mention that the whole family could sit and watch together. Buy and enjoy.

This children's movie is depressing.
I was looking for a movie for my kids - ages 5 and 2 1/2 - to watch as a treat. This seemed like a safe choice. How can you go wrong with a movie that has cute dogs and Santa? I was wrong. This movie is depressing. A significant part of the plot includes the (human) kids trying to deal with their first Christmas without their mom, who has recently died. I can deal with the sickeningly sappy parts of the movie, but the whole thing about the kids' mom's death is a bit much for a children's Christmas movie.

A fun family movie
This was a cute movie bringing forth the Santa Paws series again. My kids loved the original movie and when they saw that we had received this movie to watch the wasted no time in getting me to put it on. The premise of the movie was fun and the dogs definitely get into some mischief, but in the end they learn some valuable lessons about the Christmas season and about themselves and they share this with the viewers as well. I don't want to give away too much, but this movie was a lot of fun for the whole family, and if your kids are like my daughters they will love the movie and adore the puppies!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Men in Black/Men in Black 2/Men in Black 3 Giftset with Worm Figurine (Blu-ray + UltraViolet Digital Copies)

A cool, sleek looking set for the little alien in all of us.
I got this set today and was surprised by how light it was. I thought there would be three Blu-Ray cases. But, unfortunately the company that released them decided to have the type of set in which the discs just lay there on the sleeves. They were all fine, but I took them out and put them in Blu-Ray cases so I could be sure they would not be damaged by the package. The case that holds the discs is very solid and seems well built though. The case is in a sleeve and you slide it from the top or bottom to get the case out and then the Blu-Rays are inside. It looks very under cover and cool. The figure seems very well made and will look very cool sitting in whatever place I decide to stick it. Each blu ray is packed with special features. Things like photo galleries, behind the scenes, blooper reel, games and commentary. I always watch all the special features, so this is a great thing for me and those who do so as well.

I easily downloaded the digital copy for each...

Cool Collection!
I had been eyeing this on Amazon for several weeks but worried my wife would not agree to putting out the money for this, and anyway she's not much of a Men in Black fan like I am. I happened to be at a store a couple of days after MIB 3's release and saw this there too & happened to have credit at this place so I picked it up. (Nothing personal Amazon...I do purchase plenty on here though).

The collectible that comes in this collector's set is really rather cool...I set it on our TV stand right next to our TV, upon my wife's approval of course. She may not be a big fan of Men In Black but she does like some of the aliens and stuff in it, LoL.

The trilogy comes in a collectible case with a dust cover, and I think it's pretty cool. I did see ads at some places that 3 was suppose to have a DVD copy but never found one in it. However, I'm not going to rate the product lower because the product itself doesn't say there is a DVD copy...just some various sites got...

Nostalgia Galore
For those of us who grew up with Men in Black, this set is a wonderful dose of nostalgia. Although most will probably ignore the universally disliked MiB2, the first and third movies alone make this set worth purchasing. The first movie is a classic, and the third does an excellent job of tying up loose ends and further exploring the deep relationship between our two favorite agents. While the discs could have been packaged more securely, it isn't a big problem and it surely helps to keep the cost down a bit.

The worm figurine is probably not the primary reason most shoppers will buy this gift set, but it's pretty well made and it's certainly a conversation piece. For those who haven't seen the movies, this would be a great introduction to the trilogy. It's even worth slogging through the second movie. Despite the somewhat average reviews of the third movie, it stands very well on its own and is even better when taken in the context of the previous movies. This box set...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Lawless (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy)

FLAWLESS is Hardy's Performance
I won't paraphrase the storyline as others have done here so well. I will add that the moment
I hit play on the BD Player, I was so engrosed in the film I realized I was still sitting
on the edge of my seat after the first 20 minutes before I made myself comfortable, and never once hit pause.

I was riveted by Tom Hardy's acting, his portrayal was an original. It did not rely on a particular accent, clothing, make-up, mental defect or resemblance to a historical figure. He created an intelligent backwoods bootlegger, who despite his profession and its violence, lived by a code so strong that he appeared invincible. The glimpses of his tenderness he allowed himself were profoundly felt. The film was satisfying in its cinematography, cast, and story.

Good Movie and Well Worth Your Time
I really enjoyed this movie despite the reviews at the time it came out.

Ignore any online reviews by the so called media reviewers because this
movie is well worth it.

I enjoyed it so much I bought some books here at amazon regarding this slice of history
of alcohol prohibition in America.

The acting was superb.

It shows the rampant corruption among politicians and the police forces and shows the story of one family (3 brothers)
who refused to pay the currupt politicians who had the police do their dirty work.

Rent it ..it's a 4 star movie.

A Well Made, If Aloof, Period Crime Drama That Never Really Made Me Care About Its Central Characters
"Lawless" was one of the movies that I most looked forward to this year! A period piece about the outlaw Bondurant family of Virginia, the movie has gritty action set in the time of Prohibition. What's not to love? It also features an incredible A-list cast including Tom Hardy, Jessica Chastain, Shia LaBeouf, Gary Oldman, Guy Pearce, and Mia Wasikowska. An impressive collection! It was also written by the eternally cool Nick Cave inspired by the fantastic biography "The Wettest County in the World." On paper, this had the potential to be one of the best film's of the year. And yet, something never really connected with me about "Lawless." It's a well made film, to be sure, but the story and its characters just didn't come alive enough to separate this from other Prohibition era dramas that have preceded it. I felt like I'd seen this tale many times before, and oftentimes with more depth. "Lawless" may still be worth seeing (especially for the cast), it just never felt particularly...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Inspired: The Voices Against Prop 8

Heartbreaking and Informative
I got a chance to see this documentary at a film fest, and it was eye opening. As a straight guy living in the midwest, I had no idea about the scale of the issues captured in this documentary.

This is the story about equality told through the eyes of the people that Prop 8 affected. Through series of interviews and footage of protests across California, the filmakers captured the frustration, hurt and anger that Prop 8 levied on the gay community. It also captured the feeling of hope as well. Hope that through protests, information and outreach that they can work to overturn the effects of the law. It worked too, and the movement is spreading.

As a supporter of equality rights, this spoke to me. Its films like this that are helping the movement of gay rights in the U.S. As one of the producers was quoted as saying 'You've never heard of a civil rights movement that failed. It just takes time."

Great movie
I saw this movie at a few film festivals and it was really great. Having lived through the Prop 8 campaign in Long Beach and Los Angeles, I thought the film did a great job of capturing the emotion and anger after Prop 8 passed. I was impressed with the film's ability to capture diverse voices and opinions.

The documentary is raw, engaging, and at times funny. It's easy to watch, and a must see for anyone interested in the gay rights movement.

Inspired is inspiring!
Inspired: The Voices Against Prop 8 is a must see. It is an amazing tool in political/marriage amendment work, but, more importantly, it is also a powerful reminder that the GLBTQ community is NOT just gay, white and male.
It really helped me to start thinking 'outside the box!'

Click to Editorial Reviews

Elf-Man

Great Christmas Movie for the whole Family!!!
I got a chance to watch Elf-Man and have to tell you how wonderful this movie is!!! Its visually amazing and the Acting was so enjoyable with a cast of characters that light up the screen! You will laugh out loud with the incredible story and hilarious hijinks that ensue. And within all the mayhem, I especially enjoyed Mirelly Taylor's roll as Amy. She brings such a charmingly-funny and romantic-beauty to the role, that sucks you in and grounds the movie to pull everything together.

It is everything you'd want in a Christmas movie, with all the bells and whistles, laughs and jingles, that only the holiday season can bring. I recommend this movie to everyone for any occasion. Its a movie that just, down right makes you want to smile!!!

Christmas surprise
This was really an all-around pleasant surprise. The Elf-Man himself is of course the eye candy we came to see and deserves every accolade we can offer him -- he's wry, spry, and wise. The rest of the cast is also terrific, the kids are particular stand-outs, but everyone is solid. And so is the overall production itself right down to the clever special effects. This really is the perfect Christmas sock stuffer. A real treat:)

Heartwarming, Funny, Great Kid's Christmas Movie!
Finally, a good old fashioned kid's Christmas movie that's actually appropriate for the whole family! I went to the premier of this film in Frederick, Maryland where it was filmed and the kids - and adults in the packed theatre LOVED it! It's heart warming. It's funny. It's silly. It's romantic. It's exciting, it's clean and it's VERY well done! Everyone in the cast was perfect for their role. Even the bad guys were loveable! I look forward to watching this every Christmas season and I predict it will soon be a Christmas classic for many!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Silent Night (Blu-ray + DVD)

This should have been the original
I remember when I was a teenager and I heard they were doing a slasher film with a killer Santa Claus. 20/20 and everyone was up in arms about this concept and Silent Night, Deadly Night's hype was born. And to any horror fan or movie nut in general, when people complain and try to ban a film, those are the ones you have to go see first. The sad news is most of us did get to see this film when it hit home video a year later we did not think it was warranted of what the uproar was about. Now that being said, if Silent Night which is directed by Steven C. Miller would have been the film coming out at that time, I would have seen what the uproar was about. While this is a very loose remake of Silent Night, Deadly Night make no mistake about it, this film is a million times better than any other Christmas slasher film I have seen so far. In a small quiet town in Wisconsin, Santa Claus seems to be coming to town a day early and seems to know who has been naughty and nice. This film has...

Christmas Slasher film , well done !!!!
I was totally shocked to see this film so well & done they don't make slasher films to well anymore but this one is neat and well done. No cheesy parts on this movie That i recall I gave this movie 5 stars and I do really recommended it to everyone that likes slasher films only. If u are offended it by the gore and blood don't watch it is not for you ...got to have big cojones to watch this one great Christmas slasher to own for the collection. Also check this other great horror slasher films: silent night. , deadly night, Christmas evil, don't open till Christmas, to all goodnight , P2 , Jack Frost 1 & 2 , black christmas , Santa slay , Saint Nick etc....

ANOTHER REMAKE THAT PAYS DECENT TRIBUTE
There seem to be three roads to take when making a horror film these days. The first and least used path is to make something original. Unfortunately few in charge these days are willing to risk anything to make an original film. The second is to make a sequel. The sad part here is that when an original film is made that succeeds it tends to go this route to far lesser productions. The last road is that of the remake. The bad news is that some people feel they need to improve what can be considered a classic and update it for the times, more often than not by adding a few more scenes of titillation or more gore. Most of these fail. But once in a while...

SILENT NIGHT is not actually a remake of the classic bad movie SILENT NIGHT DEADLY NIGHT, the film that caused such an outrage when it was released years ago. Yes, a few of the memorable items from that film are here including a killer dressed in a Santa costume and the antler scene. But this film feels more like a tribute...

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Qatsi Trilogy (Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

Incredible!
i've seen all of the versions of Koyaanisqatsi, VHS, LaserDisc, DVD, IRE DVD. The Criterion transfer is a completely different movie.

I'm not technical when it comes to film, but, for lack of a better description, the Criterion transfer has rock solid frames (no jitter). In a normal movie this wouldn't be as big of a deal as it is in Koyaanisqatsi. The time-lapse filming is just transformed into something that is magnificent. Everything looks awesome and my favorite scenes are just incredible.

The contrast of the film seems to be double. I am not sure if that is more a product of the transfer or the format, but the cloudscapes and cityscapes are unbelievable. I could watch The Grid over and over again.

This is the best Blu-Ray disc. Period. If I could give it 10 I would.

Thank you Criterion!

The Best Trilogy On (or about) Earth
This is obviously not a review of the Blu-ray set, but a comment on the release of this amazing trilogy. I have been waiting since the dawn of time (okay, the dawn of blu-rays) for this to be released in this format. And to find out that Criterion will be putting them out leaves me in a state of sheer joy!

Three of my favorite films of all time, "The Qatsi Trilogy" is a work of art that virtually nothing else can compare to. A series of gorgeous films, not documentaries (though some have called them this) but moving, living art, that depicts man and Earth's relationship, man and society's relationship, and man and machine's relationship.

"Koyaanisqatsi - Life Out of Balance" delves into the beauty of the planet, and man's intrusion upon it. As in all three films, time lapse photography, stunning aerial footage, and some of the most brilliant cinematography you will ever witness (by Ron Fricke, director of Baraka, which is a distillation of this trilogy in my...

Not easy to review, not easy to describe, it may not be for everyone but a trilogy that was worth the experience!
One of the most fascinating and also important American fillmmaker of experimental documentary films, Godfrey Reggio will be known as the creator of the Qatsi Trilogy. Three films that were taken from the Hopi language, "Koyaanisqatsi" (which translates to "Unbalanced Life" and created back in 1982), "Powaqqatsi" (which translates to "Life in Transition" and created back in 1988) and "Naqoyatsi" (which translates to "Life as War" and released in 2002) are films that are meant for one to watch and give their own interpretation.

And now all three films will be released on Blu-ray and DVD courtesy of The Criterion Collection in December 2012.

It's important to note that these films are without dialogue, they are in essence films of visual poetry and everyone will have their own interpretation. These are films that are meant to be experienced and truthfully, going into summaries about these three films will make this film seem weak by reading it, as the purpose of...

Click to Editorial Reviews