Showing posts with label gene hackman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gene hackman. Show all posts

No Way Out (1987) Review

No Way Out (1987)
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If only the ending could be just a tad different, this would be twice as popular as it ever got. The topnotch, passionately made film largely goes unsung, a bit like "The Siege," only because it threw away all the riveting plot twists when it reached its ho-hum finale (some may call it a great final twist).
Quibbles aside, this fast paced nail-biter may be one of the quickest 2 hours of cinema ever filmed. Costner plays a Navy commander assigned to a high level post in the DOD, where he, and the Secretary of Defense become embroiled in a murder/scandal. The bulk of the film chronicles the Departments Under Secretary's attempts to quash the problem. A high level Russian mole in the U.S. government is being pursued throughout the film. The chase keeps narrowing down more and more drawing the government officials closer and closer to the culprit. The tension became almost unbearable as the mole was about to be trapped.
Costner, for a change, is really convincing in his role, the tight dialog helping him immeasurably. Sean Young actually smiles in this movie and looks twice as good as all her other newer movies put together. Gene Hackman has the usual commanding screen presence.
All in all, a fabulous politically charged thriller you ought not to miss!

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Imagine being a hunter leading highly trained bloodhounds in pursuit of a killer...and the trail leads directly to you! Starring Academy-AwardÂ(r) winners Kevin Costner* and Gene Hackman,** No Way Out is "a mesmerizing look at Washington power" (The Hollywood Reporter).Capturing a well-deserved four stars from critic Roger Ebert, this "taut [and] stylish" (Newsweek) thriller is fast-paced and powerful"a perfect nailbiter" (Variety)!In a fit of rage, Secretary of Defense David Brice (Hackman) murders his mistress. To keep a lid on the scandal, Brice's loyal aide (Will Patton) creates the perfect cover-up: he "invents" a more enticing killera Russian spyand then enlists naval commander Tom Farrell (Costner) to find him. But as achilling twist of fate would have it, Farrell also has a strong connection to the victim and now all the clues he's been hired to uncover are leading straight to him! In a desperate race against time, Farrell's search for the killer is not only a matter of national security, but also a matter of saving his own hide. *1990: Director and Picture, Dances with Wolves**1971:Actor, The French Connection; 1992: Supporting Actor, Unforgiven

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The Package (1989) Review

The Package (1989)
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Bravo MGM; you've managed yet again to screw up a great movie with a terrible DVD. -It's actually an ORION picture, and I'd hoped that they would've cared more about its appearance, but no such luck. Of my 100+ DVDs, this is one of the worst looking with dull colors and a fuzzy image. (Let's hope they're more careful with their upcoming Woody Allen ORION collection.) This is a rather oldfashioned straight-ahead action suspenser like they just don't make them anymore in Hollywood, but it's difficult to be thrilled about that when you know you can enjoy a much sharper version on TV. Hackman, Heard, Cassidy and Jones lead a good cast, but in order to see them clearly we desperately need a remastering of this otherwise wonderful movie. Until then, avoid like the plague.

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From the director of The Fugitive comes a brilliant, explosively entertaining action/thriller featuring powerful performances by OscarÂ(r) winners* Gene Hackman (Unforgiven) andTommy Lee Jones (Men in Black). Featuring a superb supporting cast that includes Dennis Franz ( N.Y.P.D. Blue ), Pam Grier (Jackie Brown) and John Heard (The Pelican Brief), this'top-notch thriller(The Associated Press) really delivers!Sergeant Johnny Gallagher (Hackman) thinks he's been given a routine assignment: to escort a rebellious American soldier (Jones) from Europe to the U.S. for a military court martial. Gallagher soon learns, however, that the assignment is anything but routine, when he uncovers a terrifying military conspiracy. The clock is ticking down to a historic superpower summit, and Gallagher must stop the deadly plot before it's too late...for him and his country. *Gene Hackman: Actor, The French Connection (1971); Supporting Actor, Unforgiven (1992); Tommy Lee Jones: Supporting Actor, The Fugitive (1993)

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The Christopher Reeve Superman Collection (Superman - The Movie/ Superman II/ Superman III/ Superman IV - The Quest for Peace) (1987) Review

The Christopher Reeve Superman Collection (Superman - The Movie/ Superman II/ Superman III/ Superman IV - The Quest for Peace) (1987)
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All of the Christopher Reeve Superman movies arrive on DVD once more after being given the V.I.P. treatment by WB! Here are the specs for this DVD set:
SUPERMAN THE MOVIE (Four-Disc Special Edition) contents:
DISC ONE
* Original 1978 theatrical version with soundtrack in Dolby Digital 5.1
* Commentary by producer Pierre Spengler and executive producer Ilya Salkind
* Theatrical trailers, TV Spots
DISC TWO
* 2001 expanded edition movie with commentary by director Richard Donner & consultant Tom Mankiewicz
* Soundtrack in Dolby Digital 5.1
* Music-only audio track
DISC THREE
* Taking Flight: The Development of Superman
* Making Superman: Filming the Legend
* The Magic Behind the Cape
* Restored scenes
* Screen tests
* Audio-only bonus: additional music cues
DISC FOUR
* The Making of Superman the Movie vintage TV special
* 1951 Movie Superman and the Mole-Men, starring George Reeves
* 9 Fleischer Studios Superman cartoons mastered from superior vault elements
SUPERMAN II (Two-Disc Special Edition) contents:
DISC ONE
* Movie with commentary by producer Pierre Spengler and executive producer Ilya Salkind
* Additional scenes (over 8 minutes worth)
* Soundtrack in Dolby Digital 5.1
* Theatrical trailer
DISC TWO
* The Making of Superman II & Superman's 50th Anniversary vintage TV specials
* First Flight: The Fleischer Superman Series featurette
* The Remaining 8 Fleischer Studios Superman cartoons mastered from superior vault elements
SUPERMAN III (Deluxe Edition) contents:
* Movie with commentary by producer Pierre Spengler and executive producer Ilya Salkind
* The Making of Superman III vintage TV special
* Additional scenes (over 19 minutes worth)
* Theatrical trailer
SUPERMAN IV: THE QUEST FOR PEACE (Deluxe Edition) contents:
* Movie with commentary by screenwriter Mark Rosenthal
* Additional scenes (over 30 minutes worth!)
* Theatrical trailer
The Supergirl Movie and Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut are not included in this set and are sold separately. This set is also not to be confused with the 14-disc Superman Ultimate Collector's Edition, which features a ton more additional content. To appease all the fans, WB is targeting the more affordable Christopher Reeve Collection for the general public and the more expensive Ultimate Collection for the collectors. Despite owning the 2001 DVDs of the Superman movies, I was still excited to add these new releases to my collection as all of the movies have supplemental material this time around, instead of just the first film. It's also fitting that Christopher Reeve's name has been added to this collection, as it shows how synonymous he's become with the Superman legacy. His brilliant performances brought a larger than life appeal to the Man of Steel that still has yet to be eclipsed. The Superman movies may have their fair share of flaws, but they're still wildly entertaining even after all these years and worth adding to anyone's collection!

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Includes: SUPERMAN THE MOVIE 4-DISC SPECIAL EDITION 2000 Expanded Edition Movie with Commentary by Director Richard Donner and Creative Consultant Tom Mankiewicz 2 Loaded Bonus Discs: Documentaries, Additional Scenes, Screen Tests, Gag Reel, Additional Music Cues, Vintage Movie Superman and the Mole-Men, Starring George Reeves and 9 1940s Fleischer Studios Superman Cartoons. SUPERMAN II 2-DISC SPECIAL EDITION Commentary by Executive Producer Ilya Salkind and Producer Pierre Spengler New Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio " Music-Only Audio Track New and Vintage Making-of Documentaries and 8 1940s Famous Studios Superman Cartoons. SUPERMAN III DELUXE EDITION Commentary by Executive Producer Ilya Salkind and Producer Pierre Spengler Vintage Making-of Documentary " Additional Scenes. SUPERMAN IV THE QUEST FOR PEACE DELUXE EDITION Commentary by Screenwriters Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal Superman IV: The Missing Scenes - An Examaination and Recreation of the Original Tested Version.

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Crimson Tide (1995) Review

Crimson Tide (1995)
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The original DVD release of Crimson Tide occurred at a time before the trends of including cut scenes, commentary, and animated menus. While it makes sense to re-release the film with what we now considered the standard features, missing from the original, I found the overall experience somewhat disappointing.
For die-hard fans of Crimson Tide, this DVD is worth getting just to see the 7 minutes or so (Original release was 116 minutes, this version is supposed to be 123) of exra footage. The title menu is much nicer than before, and the addition of the documentary is a great bonus. But under deleted scenes, we're shown only three very short "scenes": an extra line of dialogue onboard the crew bus, a longer version of Radchenko's speech to the reporter, and a half-minute long nearly silent waiting scene before the panel at the end of the movie. All three are shown as raw footage, without any cleaning, or explanation.
All of the content in the deleted scenes is in the primary feature, in a cleaned-up and nearly seamless state. None of the new footage is more than a few seconds in length, but it's clear that all of it consists of short pieces of dialogue removed either for time constraints or clarity. What this means is that throughout the movie we're treated to bursts of extraneous dialogue that the editor had originally removed, usually for a reason. It's interesting from the point of view of a film student, but as a consumer release I think it degrades from the experience ever so slightly. Crimson Tide is all about suspense, and anything that distracts the focus of the audience is consequently lowering the quality of the movie. None of it is very overt, but there's enough of it that it might harm the experience of a first-time viewer of the film.
Overall, the extras contained in this release make it a must-have for previous fans, but for new buyers I would still recommend the original DVD cut.

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Dynamic Denzel Washington (TRAINING DAY) joins Hollywood favorite Gene Hackman (ENEMY OF THE STATE) along with Viggo Mortensen (THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy) and James Gandolfini (TV's THE SOPRANOS) in this intense action thriller that's a smash hit with audiences and critics alike! In the midst of a global crisis, the USS Alabama receives an unconfirmed order to launch its nuclear missiles -- signaling the start of Word War III! The tension quickly rises as the sub's respected commander (Hackman) and his brilliant executive officer (Washington) clash over the validity of their orders ... battling each other for control of the sub! As this epic struggle rages under the sea, CRIMSON TIDE brings motion picture excitement to a new level -- and you to the edge of your seat!

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The Replacements (Snap Case) (2000) Review

The Replacements (Snap Case) (2000)
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As shocking as it may be, when you think about it, the football movies of the past, to include Oliver Stone's excellent but dark, "On Any Given Sunday" simply do not match this film. I will even place this film in the all-time greats like "Pride of the Yankees" and "The Natural".
First, we don't need to watch any more tragedies on film, we need to see something that inspires us to overcome, and this film delivers: I'm surprised its considered a comedy! Hackman should get an oscar for this film because his narration and actions drive the film and create yet another complex character from the mind of the master. Hackman's Coach knows that the men he wants to be his replacements are great, he is frustrated that life hasn't shown them that and he wants to set them up for success, not failure. He believes in them as human beings, not just as football players, that if they can get a "second chance" they will shine. His talks with Keanu Reeves' charachter, reveal a candor and leadership style you should really consider. He tells him flat out he wants to see the man and the ability come together because it will be wonderful to see or words to that effect, his belief in the REALITY that Reeves can deliver are stupendous. Later he instructs his Quarterback, in the hour of decision, the leader wants the ball in his hands.
Along the way, Reeves meets a sexy head cheerleader and there is a nice romance where she begins to believe in him, too. The football action scenes are the best yet to grace movie screens, you feel like you are in shoulder pads/helmet again. What I like was how just before the final game that would decide whether they go to the play-offs or not, Reeves gets canned by front-office politics in favor of the arrogant Joe Theismann-type "all pro" quarterback who is afraid he will lose his job. You are not really sure how the film will end at this point, the team follows the leadership of Reeves but are losing under the arrogant vet. The coach gets a phone call.
I will not give away the ending but Hackman's voice over after the game, clinches it, I paraphrase: "All men once they have touched greatness in their lives are changed forever".
AND THIS IS THE POINT!
Just once, do something great in your life! Go all out and let yourself know that you can do it, once you know this you will be changed forever. The world doesn't let you or want you to know that greatness is within your grasp, this is why it beats you down. Find your gift you have been given and act on it, this is the true attitude "replacement" we need and this film shows us how to get it.

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A comedy based on the 1987 professional football players' strike. Gene Hackman plays the coach of the team, Jack Warden is the owner, Brett Cullen is the All-Pro quarterback that goes on strike and Keanu Reeves is the "scab" who replaces the star QB.

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Bonnie and Clyde (1967) Review

Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
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Warner Home Video is releasing newly remastered transfers of Bonnie and Clyde, with new special features, in several editions. Amazon is taking orders at the following links:
Standard DVD 2-disc Special Edition
Standard DVD 2-disc Ultimate Collector's Edition
Blu-ray
HD
The first three were released on March 25th; the HD version is due out on April 15th. Warner Brothers has announced that it won't support HD after May 31, 2008, so there may be a limited window to get the HD version.
The new transfers have been made from the "original elements," meaning stuff like original negatives or original prints. (See below for an update on the video and audio quality.) The special features announced, included in all the new releases, are these:
-- the full-length History Channel documentary about the real Bonnie and Clyde called "Love and Death: The Story of Bonnie and Clyde" (43:10)
-- a new three-part documentary about the making and releasing of the film and its relation to the real Bonnie and Clyde:
. . . "Bonnie and Clyde's Gang" (22:35)
. . . "The Reality and Myth of Bonnie and Clyde" (24:07)
. . . "Releasing Bonnie and Clyde" (18:06)
-- two newly discovered deleted scenes (5:23)
-- two trailers (4:11)
-- Warren Beatty's wardrobe tests (7:39)
The HD and Blu-ray editions will also include as a "high-def exclusive" a hardcover book (34 pages according to Amazon, 32 pages according to dvdbeaver) with a detailed production history, star/director filmographies and rare archival behind-the-scenes photos. The book is an integral part of the case. This isn't included in the standard DVD Special Edition.
The Ultimate edition will also include some non-DVD extras. Details are given in the earlier reviews of the Ultimate edition (January 17, 2008).
No commentary was announced, so I subtract one star. For some the making-of features may partially make up for the lack of commentary.
As for the movie itself, it's a landmark, but there are already many helpful reviews here about that ....
Update on the video and audio quality of the new releases (March 27th)
I haven't got my copy yet, but I've checked out some early professional reviews. All the ones I've seen that compare to the older DVD agree that the video quality of the new releases is much improved. I'll give some details from a sampling of reviews here for anyone interested, but the upshot is that everyone is pleased with both new transfers (HD not being out yet).
Standard DVD
DVD Beaver, which specializes in DVD image evaluations and comparisons, says the standard DVD 2-disc Special Edition video is "very strong," clean, with minimal noise. They report improved detail, contrast and color from the older DVD. Skin tones are said to be a bit on the red side (which is what most people prefer to accurate color). The image is said to have a glossy look at times, perhaps the same look described at DVD Town as "a little glassy."
The sound is the original mono, described by DVD Beaver as "clear and consistent." No one raves about the sound, but everyone finds it good overall, for mono.
The review at DVD Town finds the new transfer "excellent for a movie some forty years old." It mentions noticeable grain in some shots, but this may refer to scenes in which there was intentional grain introduced for effect. Also mentioned are occasional softness, skin tones a touch dark, but overall color "quite realistic." Says the definition is superb for standard DVD, contrast strong.
DVD Verdict says, "The remastered print looks very good, with strong colors and high contrast, and superb detail ...," with a little grain at times.
Blu-ray
DVD Beaver says the Blu-ray version is, as would be expected, even better. The darks are darker than on the new standard DVD, the brights brighter, very strong detail, with a touch redder skin tones, very minor noise. The image is said to retain a natural look.
The sound is described with very same adjectives as for the standard DVD: clear and consistent.
Home Theater Forum's reviewer calls the Blu-ray transfer's color fidelity "outstanding" and overall quality "excellent," including sharpness and detail. Blacks are said to be very black, though less so in the later part of the movie.
A review at High-Def Digest praises the Blu-ray image quality very highly, particularly the color, which it describes as vibrant, smooth and natural.
(I've posted the links to the reviews cited in the first comment for this review.)

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A SOMEWHAT ROMANTIZED ACCOUNT OF THE CAREER OF THE NOTORIOUSLYVIOLENT BANK ROBBING COUPLE AND THEIR GANG.

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Absolute Power (Snap Case) (1997) Review

Absolute Power (Snap Case) (1997)
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At the start of "Absolute Power" Luther Whitne (Clint Eastwood), cat burglar par excellence, finds himself in a very strange situation. While robbing a rich man's safe in a large bedroom closet, he is interrupted by the appearance of a man and woman who head straight for the bed. While hiding in the closet, where he sees what is going on through a two-way mirror, he watches while the sex play gets rough: the man hits her, she stabs him with a letter opener, and then two men come into the room and shoot her. Luther gets out of there, but while his presence was undetected it does not go undiscovered. The problem is that the man he was watching happens to be the President of the United States (Gene Hackman).
Now, I have to stop at this point and tell you that one of my cinematic pet peeves is the idea that the United States Secret Service will let the president do anything, no matter how stupid or reckless, without batting an eye. Indeed, in "Absolute Power" there are two such agents, who help to cover up the murder and then try to track down Luther and kill him. However, the actors playing those two agents happen to be Scott Glenn and Dennis Haysbert, which is an important fact because a lot of the faults in this film area absolved by the casting, the credit for which goes to the film's director: Clint Eastwood.
The hook for this thriller is the idea that the president, his Chief of Staff (Judy Davis), and the Secret Service are out to get Luther, whose stated intention is to get out of town and get lost as quick as possible. But the key to this film ends up being a rather odd romantic triangle that exists between Luther, his estranged daughter, Kate (Laura Linney), and the D.C. homicide cop, Seth Frank (Ed Harris), who is assigned to the murder. Frank interviews Luther, not because he thinks the old con is a murderer, but because he is one of the few that could have pulled off the heist. He then moves on to Kate, hoping to get her to persuade her father to turn himself in before the wrath of the rich man (E.G. Marshall) whose wife is dead comes crashing down on him. Frank clearly likes Kate and is rather impressed by Luther, which is good because I like smart cops. For his part, Luther clearly has some admiration for the detective and also likes his taste in women.
My favorite scene in this movie is when Frank takes Kate to her father's house, where she has never been, and (knowing where Luther hides the key), takes her inside. In one room she finds a gallery of photographs, of all of the key moments in her life after her father left. "She was at none of these," she insists to Frank, although clearly that was never the case and we can see in an instant that she is rethinking her entire relationship with her father. As much as it is fun to watch Luther outsmart the cops, the Secret Service, and the hitman sent by old man Sullivan, the heart of this film is between Luther and Kate. Even when she sets him up, believing it to be the only way of helping keep her father alive, he surprises her by showing up. His reasoning? He did not want her to believe he was a murderer. Besides, his daughter wanted to see him.
I understand the script by William Goldman is quite different from David Balducci's novel, but that simply has to do with Eastwood playing Luther (if you read the novel you will understand why this would matter in terms of the significant changes). Eastwood's direction is competent as always, and, as I mentioned above, he gets the credit for being able to bring together such a solid cast for one of his projects (who would turn down a Clint Eastwood movie?). Final Note: the White House Tour Guide is played by the director's daughter, Kimber Eastwood.

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He was there he shouldn't have been and saw what he shouldn't have seen. Now, who will believe the word of a career thief and ex-con? Who will trust Luther Whitney when he says he saw a woman killed and that the man responsible for her death is the President of the United States? Clint Eastwood portrays Whitney and directs this crisp, finely acted thriller based on David Baldacci's best-selling novel. A stellar cast which includes Gene Hackman and Ed Harris creates well-rounded characters that intensify constantly spiraling game of cat and mouse between Whitney, local police and the highest levels of White House power. Eastwood is a master at steadily raising the stakes in thrillers. Here his mastery is absolute.

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Wyatt Earp (1994) Review

Wyatt Earp  (1994)
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Larger than life and with twice as many brothers, "Wyatt Earp" struts onto the DVD scene in a "Special Edition" that looks stunning but is less filling than one might have expected. This sprawling episodic tale begins with Wyatt as a child preparing to run away from home and join the Union army like his brothers Virgil and James. His father (Gene Hackman in a brief but powerful performance)catches him as he leaves and returns him back home. While Wyatt clearly yearns from the adventure he feels his brothers are experiencing, his father knows the truth about war and sets him straight.
Later, James and Virgil return home both exhausted and beat up from serving in the army. Their father has put on his traveling shoes and announces that the family will be moving West where there's opportunity for a lawyer and rich land is ready to be farmed.
Wyatt after many trials and tribulations ends up out west as a lawman. He manages to interest his brothers in coming out to help clean up Dodge City as well. We also get the thunderous conflict at the OK Corral as part of the conclusion of the film and witness a wonderful performance by Dennis Quaid as Doc Holliday. While the narrative is a bit too episodic and flawed, the film manages to retain one's interest throughout it's 190 minute running time due to Costner's unassuming portrayal as Wyatt. The real highlight, though, is Quaid as Doc capturing the fragile gunfighter as he fights the consumption that eats him alive.
With the long wait for "Wyatt Earp" to appear on DVD, one would have hoped to have a special edition with a commentary from director Lawrence Kasdan, star Costner and a look back at the film's reception when it was first released a decade ago. Unfortunately, the Warner Special Edition sticks to the basics for the most part: we get the original 190 minute theatrical cut of the film (sans the extended scenes that were added to the video version); two documentaries one "new" one that includes vintage interviews and the other a 1994 TV special; "lifted scenes", i.e., the footage included in the special video edition and the theatrical trailer.
Let's stark with the good stuff first. The stunning anamorphic widescreen transfer finely does justice to Kasdan's epic vision for this larger than life western biography. The remastered 5.1 sound captures just about every nuance from the original theatrical exhibition 10 years ago. Honestly, "Wyatt Earp" hasn't sounded this good since it was first released in 1994.
The negatives are few but worth noting. The documentaries are pretty good although a bit too brief. Perhaps Kasdan preferred his original theatrical cut to the extended version. That could explain why these sequences show up on the second disc and aren't integrated into the film. The lack of a commentary track is a big minus for the disc, though, as 1)Knowing how the film compared to the life of Earp would have been fascintating and 2) Kasdan's plans while shooting the film and comments would have been welcome.
With the recent deluxe release of "Open Range", I would have hoped for better from this release. On the other hand, great care was used in transferring this for DVD and the extras are roughly what "Unforgiven" received when it was re-released. Kudos to Warner for such a marvelous looking DVD although, again, more extras should have been included.

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WYATT EARP - Blu-Ray Movie

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Behind Enemy Lines (2001) Review

Behind Enemy Lines (2001)
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I just saw this movie tonight(opening night) and I thought it was the best action movie I have seen at the movie theater this year. The story is about a Navy officer(Owen Wilson) who is about to quit the Navy due to the lack of excitement and the fact that there are wars going on so he only gets to go out in a plane and then come right back. But when the Navy commander(Gene Hackman) sends him out on another mission, Wilson travels into a Bosnia war base where his plane is shot down. After wilson and his partner land, the Bosnians find his partner and kill him, leaving Wilson all alone to defend himslef and try to stay alive behind enemy lines. Every scene has something exciting heppening. There are great twists and the plot is just perfect for a war/action movie. If you are looking for a good action-packed war-type movie, Behind Enemy Lines is the best one to find.

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Fighter navigator Chris Burnett (Owen Wilson) wants out of the Navy: he was looking for something more than boring recon missions he's been flying. He finds himself the lone Christmas day mission over war-torn Bosnia. But, when he talks pilot Stackhouse into flying slightly off-course to check out an interesting target, the two get shot down. Burnett is soon alone, trying to outrun a pursuing army, while commanding officer Reigert (Gene Hackman) finds his rescue operation hamstrung by politics, forcing Burnett to run far out of his way.

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Uncommon Valor (1983) Review

Uncommon Valor (1983)
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Over the years we have had Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, Siege of Firebase Gloria, Rambo II, Hamburger Hill and other Vietnam war movies. These movies showed the harrowing, gritty, and savage aspects that the Vietnam war doled out on soldiers.
Now, what about those soldiers that did not come home? Those soldiers that were left behind? Those soldiers that the U.S. Government did not think were worth rescuing because it was not politically feasible? Well, that brings us to Uncommon Valor.
This is a movie about Prisoners of War who were not forgotten by a group of Veterans who put aside everything, put themselves in harms way, and dared to defy the U.S. Government to do the right thing and bring those soldiers home.
We have Gene Hackman who is the retired Army colenel risking all to find his son and bring him home. Very powerful portayal here by Hackman who is determined to surmount all obstacles and do whatever is necessary and lead his group of men to find the prisoners.
Fred Ward, in a very good role, is an ex-tunnel rat that is still very haunted by a quite traumatic experience he had in a tunnel in Vietnam replete with vivid nightmares. Just as Hackmans character is still haunted by nightmares from the Korean war. Ward, accepting his fears and the trials and tribulations to follow, knows that they cannot leave POW's behind.
Randall "Tex" Cobb is another one recruited who never quite regained touch with society after the war but is admirable in the way that he gives everything in his soul to make sure this mission is a success.
Reb Brown, not a widely known actor as compared to some other characters in this movie, does a fine job as a demolitons expert who gives his life to ensure the success of bringing the boys home.
Patrick Swayze is the young but tough-as-nails ex-Marine who will go to Hell and back to be part of this mission due to his father being shot down in Vietnam and who is Missing in Action. When the other Veterans learn of Swayze's fathers status, they adopt Swayze as one of their own and Swayze does an excellent turn as an inexperienced but very, very determined team player.
Tim Thomerson and Harold Sylvster are the helicopter pilots that absolutely refuse to quit, and, no matter what the odds, they will fly that team and those POW's out of danger no matter what it takes. Both give excellent performances as great pilots under heavy stress.
Lastly we have Robert Stack who, like Gene Hackman's character, has a son who is missing in action and has a vested interest in this mission. Stack finances the whole operation and holds his ground when he is threatened by officials within the government to call off the mission. Stack portrays his part very nicely.
This movie is truly excellent and sends a very clear and decisive message. The United States government thinks it is not worth the effort or politics or trouble to retrieve men lost in a very ugly and very horrifying war. After what those men have been through in the war and in a prison camp, it is worth every dollar, every ounce of pain, every drop of sweat, every tear shed and every conviction of what is right to go and get those men out of that Hell hole and bring them home. There should be no hesitation whatsoever. You DO NOT leave anyone behind.......ever. I would give this movie 10 stars if I could.

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A man tries to find his son, listed as \missing in action" in Laos"

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Unforgiven (1992) Review

Unforgiven  (1992)
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There are a plethora of reviews of the movie, but my review is mostly a comparison of the BD vs DVD version. I won't discuss its merits as a western, which is a classic and worthy of 5 stars. This BD disk is 3 stars for its technical quality.
The BD version is worth buying if you don't own the 2 disk special edition, which has the better DVD transfer, and cost more, even after discounts! But if you own the better DVD version and are looking to own the best version for home viewing, hold on.
While the audio is crisp and clear, there is no magic in its mastering or imaging, its just clearer sound than the DVD.
The BD transfer is generally sharp, but there are moments so dull, I thought I was running the DVD version. The high resolution of BD removes jaggies seen in diagonal lines and pixelation revealed by DVD resolution projected into a large HDTV, but this BD's colors are often washed out, and edges of objects blurred. This lack of resolution is much worse in the night scenes including the finale scene, and is 80% less during daylight shots. Some of the daylight shots do appear as blurry as the night shots. Unlike better BD out there, overall the background elements do not have more striking detail over the DVD. By comparison, a stellar transfer exists even in old movies. If you are a fan of WWII airplanes, see the 1969 'Battle of Britain' or the classic 2001: Space Odyssey.
However, if you don't own the 2 disk set, this BD disk incorporates all the extras of the 2 disk set into one disk, and a better buy than the original DVD release.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Unforgiven (1992)

Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman play retired, down-on-their-luck outlaws who pick up their guns one last time to collect a bounty offered by the vengeful prostitutes of the remote Wyoming town of Big Whiskey. Richard Harris is an ill-fated interloper, a colorful killer-for-hire called English Bob. And Best Supporting Actor Oscar winner Gene Hackman is the sly and brutal local sheriff whose brand of law enforcement ranges from unconventional to ruthless.

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Superman - The Movie (Four-Disc Special Edition) (1978) Review

Superman - The Movie (Four-Disc Special Edition) (1978)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This is a tough one to review. For a film made in 1978, I don't think it could look any better. I'm willing to bet this Blu-ray disc is as good if not better than the premiere screening of Superman back in 78. Great care must have been taken to clean up and restore this picture. It is practically free of scratches and dirt. It is detailed, far above standard definition. Colors are balanced and eye catching. Contrast is natural and evenly spread. Inserted scenes are consistent with the rest of the film. Never looked better. Still, 1978. There are a few scenes with plenty of grain and most of the film gives the impression of being a little out of focus, a little blurred. Five star transfer, four star visual impact. I doubt if a 1080p display is getting much more out of this picture than a 720p display.
(PS3 - 1080p projector - 92")


Click Here to see more reviews about: Superman - The Movie (Four-Disc Special Edition) (1978)

A box-office smash, an Academy Award winner* and a fan favorite since it first flew into theatres in December 1978, Superman: The Movie assembles a cast and creative contingent as only a big movie can. At its heart (just as in three sequels) is Christopher Reeve's intelligent, affectionate portrayal of a most human Man of Steel. Watching Superman again isn't just like being a kid again. It's better. The movie's legacy soared even higher when director Richard Donner revisited this beloved adventure 22 years later and integrated eight minutes into the film. Enjoy more footage of the Krypton Council, a glimpse of stars of prior Superman incarnations, more of Jor-El underscoring his son's purpose on Earth and an extended sequence inside Lex Luthor's gauntlet of doom. Reeve, Marlon Brando (Jor-El), Gene Hackman (Luthor) and Margot Kidder (Lois Lane) give indelible performances that fuel the film's aura of legend. Looks like a swell night for flying. Why not come along?

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