Mr. Bean's Holiday

Great Compilation!! *and a warning to parents about content on an extra*
I viewed all the episodes and they seem to be in working order. Glitch free and the picture looked good. Sound was fine. I report this because it seems that a lot of dvd releases of tv shows are done crappily that there are lots of justified complaints.
The extras on the 3rd disc of the tv show series were worth viewing. The documentary about how Mr. Bean started was especially cool to see. **The warning to anyone who would like to know, especially maybe for parents, is that the documentary has shots of female frontal nudity that come up without warning.** That footage is from an opening from a comedy series Rowan was a part of in his earlier career. Thought I'd mention it since no other reviewer commented on this. And no, I don't need someone getting smart at me about how other countries are liberal with their tv programming and nudity. I know. I just didn't expect that material on a Mr. Bean dvd set and thought others might like to know.

They used to make them like this
The Dick Van Dyke Show. The Lucy Show. The Odd Couple.

What on earth do these wonderful old T.V. shows have to do with Mr. Bean's Holiday?

Well, not a whole lot thematically, but there is one very significant tie between them. The classic shows mentioned above were not children's programs. They were prime-time comedy series aimed at adults. They were clean as a whistle for the most part, as shows then tended to be, but the subjects of the shows revolved around divorce, marital troubles, problems at the office etc.

Unfortunately, modern entertainment equates "adult" with sex and violence. In other words, the word adult has been appropriated. Nothing could possibly be funny, clever, inventive or exciting if there isn't at least some sex or controversy right? It's a pretty sad state when "adult" has come to mean "15 year-old boy" :/

Now before you roll your eyes, I am as far from being a prude as you can get. I own and admire scores of R-rated...

Paradise for Mr. Bean Fans
"Mr. Bean: The Ultimate Collection" is a seven-disc box set featuring the antics of Rowan Atkinson's alter- ego, the long-legged, goofy-looking guy who manages to create comic mayhem wherever he goes. Mr. Bean, whom Atkinson describes as a child in a grown man's body, was created when Atkinson was a student at Oxford University. Borrowing from silent film techniques, Bean never speaks, relying instead on facial expressions, sight gags, and slapstick to milk laughs. Atkinson is Chaplinesque in the way he sets up gags, plants them, and then illustrates his mortification at how badly things have gone. We feel sorry for his sad-sack ineptness, but still manage to laugh at his constant penchant for getting into awkward, frequently embarrassing fixes. I was reminded of Buster Keaton and even Lucille Ball, two folks who knew how to incorporate and use props comically. Atkinson cites Jacques Tati's earlier character, Mr. Hulot, as another influence.
The box set contains all...

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Megamind

What happens when the supervillain unexpectedly wins?
Megamind is something of a mix, but a good one. On the one hand, it takes the existing traditional tropes of comic-book superhero and supervillain and works within them, but at the same time it ventures into territory that one rarely sees, going one step beyond the traditional to answer two questions: (1) What really makes a supervillain truly 'bad'? and (2) What happens when the supervillain unexpectedly wins?

The film starts off with a traditional hook - Megamind apparently falling to his doom - and then flashes back to the beginning, with the origins of the two classic protagonists, superhero Metro Man and supervillain Megamind, each sent out as an infant in a spacepod from their respective doomed homeworlds. From there, however, things begin to take a twist. Megamind is the supervillain, but more from bad luck than anything else (Metro Man's pod lands in a mansion where he is adopted by rich parents who give him everything, Megamind's pod on the other hand lands in a...

3D Review by a 3D Connoisseur
My ratings are based mainly on the QUALITY OF THE 3D, not the video content.

There are about 173 out of screen effects that extend about 10% of the way, from the screen to the viewer. 22 made it to 15%, 19 out to 20%, 36 more at 25% and 2, 30-35%. That's a lot of OOS effects. In addition there are quite a few quick 25-40% effects piled near the title scenes but the 3D in them is a somewhat flawed. However, very few 3D flaws elsewhere in this film. I would have to say my favorite effect is the baby juggling / drooling sequence around 30% approximately 10 minutes into the film.

This movie earned a 4 way tie for the # 2 position on my shelf. For 3D quality and humor, it ranks right up there with the 3 other animated greats, Open Season, Rio and Ice Age.

*** Another Must see ***
*** Add it to your list ***

MY 3D RATING = EXCELLENT (poor, fair, good, very good, excellent)

Note: As far as the percentages go, everyone's eyes...

A complex plot with an exciting ending...
"Megamind" is the story of good vs. evil - or is it? The movie starts out with a very cute blue baby being sent to earth in a rocket by his parents to save the infant from the destruction of the planet. As the little blue child is rocketing toward earth, a another child (who is very handsome) is also heading toward earth in a similar rocket. Both children crash land on earth, but to different fates. The beautiful child crash lands on a big estate where he is adopted by a rich family and given everything. While the little blue child crash lands in a prison and is adopted by the prisoners who teach him the ways of evil. Both children are highly intelligent, but due to their circumstances, one grows up to be a superhero -Metroman (voiced by Brad Pitt) and the other a supervillain - Megamind (voiced by Will Ferrell).

Metroman and Megamind spend their lives locked in the classic battle of good vs. evil with Megamind always losing and ending up in jail. Until one day, Megamind's...

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127 Hours

A Powerful, Impactful Story
"127 Hours", director Danny Boyle's ("Trainspotting", "28 Days Later") follow-up to "Slumdog Millionaire" is a near great film. I honestly can't tell you the last time I was so moved by a piece of celluloid. "127" has created both pleasant and nightmarish memories, memories that will stay with me for many, many years to come.

Aron Ralston (James Franco) quickly grabs some supplies and heads out to his favorite spot, the canyons near Moab, Utah. As soon as the sun rises, he jumps on a mountain bike and heads out to explore and enjoy the great outdoors, heading to a spot some twenty miles away. He crosses paths with two young women, Kristi (Kate Mara) and Megan (Amber Tamblyn) and agrees to show them the way to their destination. Once there, they swim and dive and have fun. After a few hours, they head on to complete their individual journeys. As Aron navigates a narrow crevasse, a small boulder comes loose, causing him to fall and wedging his arm between the wall and the...

Resourcefulness And Perseverance--A Harrowing, Yet Life Affirming, Struggle For Survival
From the macabre paranoia of "Shallow Grave" to the comedic debauchery of "Trainspotting" to the disturbing creepiness of "28 Days Later" to the fanciful romanticism of "Slumdog Millionaire," director Danny Boyle has made kinetic films that really connect to the viewer at a visceral level. Very much a visual stylist, Boyle uses every tool at his disposal--quick cut editing, frantic camera movement, fantasy sequences, jarring music--to really delve into the emotional core of whatever story he is telling. At first glance, "127 Hours" would seem an odd follow-up to the Oscar winning "Slumdog." Stripped down to the most primal level, "127 Hours" is one of the simplest, most straightforward narratives you're likely to encounter. And yet, through the technical bells and whistles and an earnest James Franco performance, you are immersed in a world of madness, desperation, perseverance, hope, struggle and ultimately survival. And there is no denying that this very matter-of-fact tale...

Resourcefulness And Perseverance--A Harrowing, Yet Life Affirming, Struggle For Survival
From the macabre paranoia of "Shallow Grave" to the comedic debauchery of "Trainspotting" to the disturbing creepiness of "28 Days Later" to the fanciful romanticism of "Slumdog Millionaire," director Danny Boyle has made kinetic films that really connect to the viewer at a visceral level. Very much a visual stylist, Boyle uses every tool at his disposal--quick cut editing, frantic camera movement, fantasy sequences, jarring music--to really delve into the emotional core of whatever story he is telling. At first glance, "127 Hours" would seem an odd follow-up to the Oscar winning "Slumdog." Stripped down to the most primal level, "127 Hours" is one of the simplest, most straightforward narratives you're likely to encounter. And yet, through the technical bells and whistles and an earnest James Franco performance, you are immersed in a world of madness, desperation, perseverance, hope, struggle and ultimately survival. And there is no denying that this very matter-of-fact tale packs a...

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The Snapper

"We all do stupid things when we're drunk, don't we?"
Soon after a wild night at the pub, twenty-year-old Sharon Curley (Tina Kellegher) finds herself expecting a little "snapper" by a man she loathes. Her refusal to name the father sets in motion a family drama involving her three brothers, two sisters, and her parents, along with her employers and all her friends. Kellegher, playing the role as a coarse, earthy, yet remarkably sensible young woman (with the exception of her excessive drinking during her pregnancy) soon discovers who her friends really are, as some people tease and torment her, some make remarks to her siblings, some force her father to take direct action in her defense, and all spread gossip.

Des Curley (Colm Meaney), Sharon's father, shows the whole world in his face, his emotions ranging from outrage toward Sharon for embarrassing the family to tender concern as her time draws near. As the eight-member family trips all over each other emotionally (ironically symbolized in their battles for the one...

Wickedly funny
Based on the second book in Roddy Doyle's Dublin trilogy, The Snapper is a wickedly funny glimpse into the lives of a working class Irish family. The eldest daughter of a large family becomes pregnant and refuses to name the father. Not your traditional comic premise, but in this case it works beautifully. The characters are fully developed and presented in such a manner that you care deeply about them, and experience their pain as well as their joy. Veteran actor Colm Meaney (Star Trek DS9), who appears in the other two films that make up the trilogy (The Commitments and The Van), masterfully carries the story as the father of the unruly brood. He comes across as a good man who tries to do the right thing and loves his family, but is painfully human at every turn. The rest of the cast is mostly unknown but very believable and capable. I highly recommend this film (and the books, too). It may be the closest you ever get to Dublin without actually crossing the...

A realistic view into an Irish home.
No other film has ever captured the zeitgeist of Irish life as well as the snapper. Roddy Doyle was teaching in a North Dublin working class school when he wrote this book. Much of the dialoge that you hear in the film is directly out of the mouths of his students.

What you see in this film is as close as an outsider is ever likely to come to an understanding of working class Irish life. The unmarried daughter giving birth accounts for 1 in four of all children born today in Ireland. This is as real a situation as you can have. The language, the wit, the sarcasm and the lifestyle are all iminently recognised by Irish people as being true to daily life.

The bonus of the Snapper is that you get a bellyaching laugh at the same time. There are few films as funny as this.

Absolutely brilliant!

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Airspeed

"It's not good or bad, it just is."
Well, if you are looking for a good movie to make fun of, this is certainly it. The plot is rather ridiculous, and lacks realism to the max. Somehow a plane is struck by lighting, and this destroys several control components, and injurs the pilots. Somehow, the lights and radio are still functional, but a hole has been ripped in the side of the plane. But it's a good thing that the hole only sucks things out at oppoutune moments, but allows the girl to walk by without flying out of the plane on several occasions. And it's a good thing she has a cell-phone on board, for when the radio mysteriously explodes. And since there was no "do not attempt these stunts at home" disclaimer, I think I'll try jumping off the back of a refueling plane onto the landing gear of a nearby plane, hopefully suffering no personal injury, despite the high velocity at which I would be traveling.

Yes, a bad movie, but definitely worth seeing, it's a good laugh.

Oh yeah, and the box...

Elisha Cuthbert is great!
Elisha Cuthbert, the lead, is one of the best child actresses i have seen! I love this movie and hope it makes it to DVD!

Not Bad.....
A by-the-numbers thriller aimed at the family market (no real violence, the lead is a teenage girl). Familes concerned with what their kids get exposed to won't mind it. Anyone else will find it satisfactory, in that it keeps moving and usually keeps things in order:no outlandish plot twists or exasperating acts of stupidity to keep the suspense going. However, it is rather perfuctionary and, inevitably, disposable entertainment.

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Challenge To Be Free

Challenge to Be Free
This is an excellent true story, one of the gems of mountain man folklore, set in 1930's Northern Canada. This Mike Mazurki version is however, a rather sterile version, of the story. Made in a style akin to an early Walt Disney movie.

When you get passed the large animal cast. It's still a passable enough version of the mystery of the "Mad Trapper".

Outstanding
I have watched many many movies but this one, I've watched over and over again to the point of almost wearing out my VHS tape..

Here is a story about a man who just wanted to be left alone, to live his way, as god intended, but was interrupted by someones greed.. Put yourself in this man's place and see what you would have done...

This is an EXCELLENT movie to watch...

An all-time classic
As much hype and hoopla movies like A Bug's Life and Alladin carry with them ... movies like Challenge to be Free tend to fall to the side as unimportant figments of a different decade. This movie is not unimportant by any means ... it takes you on a wonderous journey ... leaving you in the end to realize the importance of trying to respect and understand the ways of not only the people around us, but the people we identify as our foes.

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Proof

Riveting drama
Proof of a mathematical equation and proof of madness are the two driving forces in John Madden's film. Catherine (Gwyneth Paltrow) who cared for her brilliant mathematician father Robert (Anthony Hopkins) is afraid that she's inherited his other "gift"-mental illness. Catherine cared for her father Robert during the end. When Claire (Hope Davis) Catherine's sister arrives home for the funeral she expresses concern for Catherine's mental state. Catherine begins to doubt her own teetering sanity. Robert's assistant Hal (Jake Gyllenhaal) rummages around Robert's papers the night before and after the funeral trying to find an important equation her father was working on before he died. Featuring a group of strong performances, "Proof" is a compelling drama about grief, madness and emotional seclusion. Although Madden's drama suffers from the stage origins of the play but the emotional high wire act the cast performs makes it worthwhile. Whether or not there's "proof" of this film being a...

appreciate it for the writing.
It's interesting that most people tend to have a problem with the screenplay for this movie, when it is almost word for word the stage play, which is renowned for its elegance and simplicity. Perhaps the issue comes up in the flashbacks and the ending, both of which disagree with the play. Still, as a stage adaptation to film, Proof does the job beautifully. The characters remain true to their original 2-dimensionality; it is the apparent lack of emotion that actually lends itself to intense feelings from the viewer.

A Perfectly Integrated Film, Played as a Fine String Quartet
PROOF is one of those rare films that transfers a superb play directly to the screen without losing a bit of the power of the play, but enhancing the story with the advantages of the camera. With a tough story like this one it takes a brilliant cast and director to fine-tune the work and in this instance it all works to perfection.

The story is well known from all the PR of the theatrical screening: recounting it in a review does not add or subtract the importance of the film or the experience of the viewer. The premise, mathematician Robert (Anthony Hopkins) and his caretaker daughter Catherine (Gweneth Paltrow) who also is an uncommonly bright 27-year-old mathematics mind and has spent the glowing years of her youth caring for her recently deceased father. They converse in flashbacks, a means of realizing the closeness of their bond emotionally, mentally, and probably parallel mental illness proclivities. Robert left notebooks filled with thoughts and clues to a...

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