Forrest Gump (1994) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Forrest Gump is a rare movie that succeeded on all levels. It was a box office smash ranking among the top five highest grossing movies of all time. But it was also a critical darling, garnering across the board praise and a truckload of awards. The movie became a cultural phenomenon, spawning cook books, quote books, a top ten soundtrack album and lines like "stupid is as stupid does" and "life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get" have permeated our dialect. The movie has a nostalgic, feel good vibe thanks to the dimwitted Forrest's trek through 60's and 70's touchstone events. Underneath all those warm feelings lies a darkness. Bad things happen to just about everyone Forrest comes in contact with. His best friend Bubba is killed in Vietnam, his other friend Lt. Dan loses both his legs, his mother dies of cancer and his beloved Jenny dies of AIDS. Even the famous people Forrest comes across meet with disaster, President Kennedy & John Lennon are assassinated, George Wallace is shot and Elvis Presley dies young. There are superb performances all around. Sally Field is feisty as Forrest's mama, Mykelti Williamson is funny as Bubba, Gary Sinese as Lt. Dan is a perfect rough edged foil to Forrest and Robin Wright as Jenny portrays the confusion that young people of the times felt perfectly. While all those performances are of high quality, Forrest Gump is Tom Hanks' tour de force. He is utterly brilliant as Forrest. He is in virtually every scene of the movie and never once does he fail to astound. He becomes Forrest and makes you care what happens to him. Mr. Hanks deservedly won his second consecutive Best Actor Oscar for the role and cemented himself as the best actor of his generation and one of the best of all time.

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Forrest Gump [VHS] (1994)Tom Hanks (Actor), Robin Wright (Actor), Robert Zemeckis (Director) | Rated: PG-13 | Format: VHS Tape

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The Polar Express (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)I went to see this movie tonight with a mentally handicapped friend - "Michael" -- (from a L'Arche home here in Winnipeg, Canada). We were the first persons in the theatre for the very first evening showing in this city - and we were the last to leave. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves - enchanted by the movie's subtleties and happily exhausted by its roller-coaster rides.
Time and again, Michael (who is sensitive, compassionate and with a good sense of humor) turned to me in the darkness, smiling in appreciation at the exact same moments I turned to see his reactions. Each time this happened, it was at a moment in the film when some little detail, perfectly captured through superb 'cinematography,' brought moisture to my normally cynical eye, and a warm smile to Michael's innocent face.
Some examples: There is a lone, black child on this apparent 'dream train' to the North Pole - a girl of about ten or eleven years, and like a painting come to life, the miraculous technology at work in this film captures the particular sensibilities of this compassionate, black youngster --- We see small mannerisms of someone comfortable with herself in a way the other (ten or so) white kids on the train are not. And the effect is profound --- the movie audience, including some children of that same age group, went silent at such moments in the film.
My friend Michael - who has a 'savant' genius for perceiving my emotions, and expressing them for me out loud in public --- Michael turned to me with a delighted smile when the girl on the train reaches out to hold the hands of the poorest boy, sitting alone in the rear compartment; and later, she hugs two other boys, (one of them the central character) --- at their final parting. At that moment I held up a finger to my lips to try to hush Michael, but couldn't prevent him from saying aloud: "She's such a sweetheart." There were murmurs of appreciation in the darkness around us, responding to this innocent sentiment.
There is a sublime moment, on the back platform of the moving train -- the Northern Lights glimmering in the distance -- when the young girl joins in song with the poorest kid on the train (a younger boy from a dilapidated home on the "far side of the tracks"). I admit to being overcome with emotion during this duet (a lovely, strong melody with poignant lyrics) - and I blurted out loud to Michael, after the first chorus: "What a wonderful song!" The refrain includes the words "When Christmas comes to town." [It's a song so good that, with some future 'cover versions' by serious musicians who could do it justice --- this "Christmas Comes to Town" song could, I believe, deservedly join the small list of true, Christmas 'classics.']
I'd have to agree with anyone who thinks this movie is a little short on plot. And yet . . . once you've suspended disbelief -- beginning with an earth-shattering, Christmas-eve arrival of a steam-puffing, passenger train on a small-town Michigan street, directly outside the home of the movie's central character -- once we've swallowed that premise, the movie disarmingly embraces the child in us, (including our fears) and our reservations vanish without our noticing.
Just as great `realistic' painters, (think Rembrandt or Vermeer) worked wonders of light & shadow that no mere photograph could ever capture, so too this computer-animated marvel takes your breath away through an accumulation of tiny but acute observations that could never be captured by conventional cinematography. Prime examples from the opening scenes:
A shaft of light illuminates the boy's bedroom, and he is reflected in a chrome, automobile hubcap leaning against a wall; at once we share his view -- through the keyhole of his bedroom door - we can see only the backs and the dressing gowns of mother and father, as they say goodnight to the boy's young sister, after determining the state of her belief in Santa's existence - a belief no longer shared by the older brother, whose eye is at the keyhole.
Later, on the train, there's an exquisite close up of the boy's face, a slight blemish above the pores on his upper right cheek; the `camera' pans in rotation, capturing perfectly, the texture of the boy's hair, and that of the young black girl sitting beside him -- subtleties of such perfection one wonders if the unique, artistic accomplishment of "Polar Express" could ever be surpassed.
The film's last scene, consists entirely of a close-up view of a small, silver bell (of the type associated with sleigh rides) with its attached 'ribbon' of red leather. The little bell helps make the final point about `Belief' --- in things unseen, (or forgotten, and thus inaccessible to some adults). So simple, so powerful, so enlightening an image. My friend Michael turned to me at that moment, with a radiant smile. And we just shook our heads in awe.
----
Yes, this movie must have SOME shortcomings - one or two moments that don't quite work as intended by the creators. But right now, in the afterglow, I can't recall what they were. The film was just too satisfying an experience!
I'm a 57-year-old grandfather who happens to believe that "The Polar Express" is the first, true Christmas classic in almost 60 years. Not since the original Kris Kringle "Miracle" movie of 1947, has any film (to my jaded eye) so transcended our secular, commercial views of the Holiday Season, with such uplifting and fresh reminders of the timeless and true spirit of Christmas.
Mark Blackburn
Winnipeg Canada.

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Saving Private Ryan (1998) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Saving Private Ryan" is, by all accounts, an American masterpiece and one of the premier World War II films. Its release on Blu-Ray has been highly anticipated and, for the most part, it doesn't disappoint. First of all, the transfer is every bit as astonishingly sharp as expected. I am by no means a videophile, but there didn't appear to be a single moment of artificial enhancement of the film. The print is appropriately accompanied by a slight sheen of grain whilst still retaining a high level of detail. As far as I'm concerned this is an easy five star transfer. The film runs 2:49:28 and features audio and subtitles in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. Prior to the menu loading are two easily skippped trailers for the "Minority Report" Blu-Ray and the long overdue home video release of "The African Queen".
There are no features on the first disc, not even a commentary track (Spielberg is well known for his dislike of commentary tracks). The special features are included on the second disc and all are presented in standard definition with the exception of the two film trailers. This is disappointing but not surprising, as it's something of an industry trend. There were no new features produced for this release, which is especially surprising considering the wealth of new high definition features that were produced for the "Minority Report" Blu-Ray. The positive side is that it pulls the features from all previous DVD editions. So even if it is all in standard definition, at least the consumer is presented with the complete special features collection. Most of the titles are rather self-explanatory, but here's a complete rundown of the features:
1) "Introduction" (2:35) - Director Steven Spielberg discusses what attracted him to this project. This would've made more sense if it was included on the first disc with the film, as most will only put the second disc in after watching the film, thus making this more of an epilogue!
2) "Looking Into the Past" (4:40) - This functions as a sort of extension of the introduction, as Spielberg discusses the influences that ultimately led him to creating this film.
3) "Miller and His Platoon" (8:23) - This feature discusses the different personalities of the principle characters with particular focus on Tom Hank's character. Spielberg and Hanks also speak candidly about their interest in World War II in general. There's some interesting on-set footage included as well.
4) "Boot Camp" (7:37) - This features the great Captain Dale Dye discussing how he helped train the actors for their roles, as well as the unique boot camp the actors participated in during production.
5) "Making Saving Private Ryan" (22:05) - A strong making-of feature which highlights Spielberg's directing style relative to the film with some outstanding behind the scenes footage. This is far better than the typical promotional fluff studios place on video releases with a "making of" label attached.

6) "Re-Creating Omaha Beach" (17:58) - An interesting feature discussing how the crew mounted the most impressive battle scene of the film.

7) "Music and Sound" (15:59) - Composer John Williams discusses how he went about scoring the film.

8) "Parting Thoughts" (3:43) - A nice bookend feature that contains bits of interview footage with Hanks and Spielberg.

9) "Into the Breach: Saving Private Ryan" (25:01) - A standard behind-the-scenes feature covering production of the film. This feels like a promotional piece that was bumpered between films on television during its theatrical run. This feature was ported over from the original DVD release of the film and is in rather poor quality (even for standard definiton). I'm definitely glad they included this, but the "Making Saving Private Ryan" feature is far superior.

10) "Shooting War" (1:28:05) - Tom Hanks (in full beard, as this was filmed while "Cast Away" was under production) hosts this feature focusing on the men who filmed and photographed World War II. This is perhaps the strongest feature here, bolstered by plenty of amazing war footage and anecdotes from veterans.

11) Theatrical Trailer in High Definition (2:16)

12) Re-Release Trailer in High Definition (2:05)
To be fair, all the features truly do look quite excellent with the notable exception of the "Into the Breach" feature. I've been spoiled on the clarity of Blu-Ray, however, so it's still something of a disappointment. Aside from that, this is by far the best release of the film yet. The print is fantastic, it's a huge upgrade over the DVD, and the features are expansive and plentiful. Highly recommended!
UPDATE 05/11/10: Apparently this Blu-Ray has been recalled because of an audio sync problem that occurs after Chapter 15 (about two hours into the film). I was aware of the claims on its release date, but even after watching my copy twice I never encountered any issues. Still, for the company to take this sort of action proves the problem is indeed legitimate, so hopefully Paramount's response will be swift and painless for those who have already purchased this product.
FOLLOW-UP 05/26/10: The Blu-Ray issue has been resolved, Amazon only offers the corrected copies for sale and all other retailers should have them on the shelves now. If buying locally, the easiest way to tell the difference is to check the backside of the Blu-Ray for a yellow UPC sticker. Also, whereas the original defective discs were grey, the new corrected copies are blue discs.

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The Polar Express (Widescreen Edition) (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)I went to see this movie tonight with a mentally handicapped friend - "Michael" -- (from a L'Arche home here in Winnipeg, Canada). We were the first persons in the theatre for the very first evening showing in this city - and we were the last to leave. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves - enchanted by the movie's subtleties and happily exhausted by its roller-coaster rides.
Time and again, Michael (who is sensitive, compassionate and with a good sense of humor) turned to me in the darkness, smiling in appreciation at the exact same moments I turned to see his reactions. Each time this happened, it was at a moment in the film when some little detail, perfectly captured through superb 'cinematography,' brought moisture to my normally cynical eye, and a warm smile to Michael's innocent face.
Some examples: There is a lone, black child on this apparent 'dream train' to the North Pole - a girl of about ten or eleven years, and like a painting come to life, the miraculous technology at work in this film captures the particular sensibilities of this compassionate, black youngster --- We see small mannerisms of someone comfortable with herself in a way the other (ten or so) white kids on the train are not. And the effect is profound --- the movie audience, including some children of that same age group, went silent at such moments in the film.
My friend Michael - who has a 'savant' genius for perceiving my emotions, and expressing them for me out loud in public --- Michael turned to me with a delighted smile when the girl on the train reaches out to hold the hands of the poorest boy, sitting alone in the rear compartment; and later, she hugs two other boys, (one of them the central character) --- at their final parting. At that moment I held up a finger to my lips to try to hush Michael, but couldn't prevent him from saying aloud: "She's such a sweetheart." There were murmurs of appreciation in the darkness around us, responding to this innocent sentiment.
There is a sublime moment, on the back platform of the moving train -- the Northern Lights glimmering in the distance -- when the young girl joins in song with the poorest kid on the train (a younger boy from a dilapidated home on the "far side of the tracks"). I admit to being overcome with emotion during this duet (a lovely, strong melody with poignant lyrics) - and I blurted out loud to Michael, after the first chorus: "What a wonderful song!" The refrain includes the words "When Christmas comes to town." [It's a song so good that, with some future 'cover versions' by serious musicians who could do it justice --- this "Christmas Comes to Town" song could, I believe, deservedly join the small list of true, Christmas 'classics.']
I'd have to agree with anyone who thinks this movie is a little short on plot. And yet . . . once you've suspended disbelief -- beginning with an earth-shattering, Christmas-eve arrival of a steam-puffing, passenger train on a small-town Michigan street, directly outside the home of the movie's central character -- once we've swallowed that premise, the movie disarmingly embraces the child in us, (including our fears) and our reservations vanish without our noticing.
Just as great `realistic' painters, (think Rembrandt or Vermeer) worked wonders of light & shadow that no mere photograph could ever capture, so too this computer-animated marvel takes your breath away through an accumulation of tiny but acute observations that could never be captured by conventional cinematography. Prime examples from the opening scenes:
A shaft of light illuminates the boy's bedroom, and he is reflected in a chrome, automobile hubcap leaning against a wall; at once we share his view -- through the keyhole of his bedroom door - we can see only the backs and the dressing gowns of mother and father, as they say goodnight to the boy's young sister, after determining the state of her belief in Santa's existence - a belief no longer shared by the older brother, whose eye is at the keyhole.
Later, on the train, there's an exquisite close up of the boy's face, a slight blemish above the pores on his upper right cheek; the `camera' pans in rotation, capturing perfectly, the texture of the boy's hair, and that of the young black girl sitting beside him -- subtleties of such perfection one wonders if the unique, artistic accomplishment of "Polar Express" could ever be surpassed.
The film's last scene, consists entirely of a close-up view of a small, silver bell (of the type associated with sleigh rides) with its attached 'ribbon' of red leather. The little bell helps make the final point about `Belief' --- in things unseen, (or forgotten, and thus inaccessible to some adults). So simple, so powerful, so enlightening an image. My friend Michael turned to me at that moment, with a radiant smile. And we just shook our heads in awe.
----
Yes, this movie must have SOME shortcomings - one or two moments that don't quite work as intended by the creators. But right now, in the afterglow, I can't recall what they were. The film was just too satisfying an experience!
I'm a 57-year-old grandfather who happens to believe that "The Polar Express" is the first, true Christmas classic in almost 60 years. Not since the original Kris Kringle "Miracle" movie of 1947, has any film (to my jaded eye) so transcended our secular, commercial views of the Holiday Season, with such uplifting and fresh reminders of the timeless and true spirit of Christmas.
Mark Blackburn
Winnipeg Canada.

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When a doubting young boy takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.

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Forrest Gump (Sapphire Series) (1994) Review

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(More customer reviews)Forrest Gump is a rare movie that succeeded on all levels. It was a box office smash ranking among the top five highest grossing movies of all time. But it was also a critical darling, garnering across the board praise and a truckload of awards. The movie became a cultural phenomenon, spawning cook books, quote books, a top ten soundtrack album and lines like "stupid is as stupid does" and "life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get" have permeated our dialect. The movie has a nostalgic, feel good vibe thanks to the dimwitted Forrest's trek through 60's and 70's touchstone events. Underneath all those warm feelings lies a darkness. Bad things happen to just about everyone Forrest comes in contact with. His best friend Bubba is killed in Vietnam, his other friend Lt. Dan loses both his legs, his mother dies of cancer and his beloved Jenny dies of AIDS. Even the famous people Forrest comes across meet with disaster, President Kennedy & John Lennon are assassinated, George Wallace is shot and Elvis Presley dies young. There are superb performances all around. Sally Field is feisty as Forrest's mama, Mykelti Williamson is funny as Bubba, Gary Sinese as Lt. Dan is a perfect rough edged foil to Forrest and Robin Wright as Jenny portrays the confusion that young people of the times felt perfectly. While all those performances are of high quality, Forrest Gump is Tom Hanks' tour de force. He is utterly brilliant as Forrest. He is in virtually every scene of the movie and never once does he fail to astound. He becomes Forrest and makes you care what happens to him. Mr. Hanks deservedly won his second consecutive Best Actor Oscar for the role and cemented himself as the best actor of his generation and one of the best of all time.

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"Stupid is as stupid does," says Forrest Gump (played by Tom Hanks in an Oscar-winning performance) as he discusses his relative level of intelligence with a stranger while waiting for a bus. Despite his sub-normal IQ, Gump leads a truly charmed life, with a ringside seat for many of the most memorable events of the second half of the 20th century. Entirely without trying, Forrest teaches Elvis Presley to dance, becomes a football star, meets John F. Kennedy, serves with honor in Vietnam, meets Lyndon Johnson, speaks at an anti-war rally at the Washington Monument, hangs out with the Yippies, defeats the Chinese national team in table tennis, meets Richard Nixon, discovers the break-in at the Watergate, opens a profitable shrimping business, becomes an original investor in Apple Computers, and decides to run back and forth across the country for several years. Meanwhile, as the remarkable parade of his life goes by, Forrest never forgets Jenny (Robin Wright Penn), the girl he loved as a boy, who makes her own journey through the turbulence of the 1960s and 1970s that is far more troubled than the path Forrest happens upon. Featured alongside Tom Hanks are Sally Field as Forrest's mother; Gary Sinise as his commanding officer in Vietnam; Mykelti Williamson as his ill-fated Army buddy who is familiar with every recipe that involves shrimp; and the special effects artists whose digital magic place Forrest amidst a remarkable array of historical events and people.

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A League of Their Own (1992) Review

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(More customer reviews)Why is Geena Davis an Oscar-winner? Watch this flick; you won't need to ask that again. Her sensitive portrayal of Dottie Hinson highlights the many facets of Davis' talents as an actress. I loved watching a piece of history (however dramatized) which took place during my early childhood. Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell were surprisingly good as the loudmouth-but-secretly-caring-and-feeling Mae and Doris. You'll fall in love with Ann Cusack's "Shirley Baker", and poor, homely but super-star batter Marla Hooch is someone you just gotta root for. Tom Hanks gives us his usual fine performance as the arrogant, boozy and cynical (but in for some surprises) coach Jimmy Dugan. The chauvinistic/sexist way the female players were treated (professional baseball in a cocktail waitress costume!?) by management, the public and the press ("...after all, they're only girls.") will incense many viewers, but it's the way things actually were then. For the movie to be made any other way would be less than truth. The way that the real Dotties, Kits, Maes, Dorises and the others dealt with those attitudes surely contributed to social change and enlightenment about the abilities of the female half of our population. A compliment, also, to the casting people; where did they find the older look-alikes? Notably, Lynn Cartwright as "Older Dottie" and Eugenia McLin as "Older Ellen Sue". This movie is for everyone. Comedy with poignant drama. If you like teary endings, bring the Kleenex. The nostalgia scenes will start the flow. Great, great movie.

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Hiroshima (1995) Review

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(More customer reviews)Remarkable "made-for-cable" docudrama, easily one of the highest-quality productions I have seen in a "TV movie." Fascinating if you care about turning points of modern history (which tend to affect us all, care or not). The story begins April 12, 1945 (one of those Infamous Dates in the US, like December 7, 1941 and November 22, 1963, and more recently, of course, September 11, 2001) and continues beyond Truman's "Rain of Ruin" speech in August, heard live around the world, declaring in essence that the Second World War would soon end and that the era of nuclear terrors had begun.
At the time, that first point made a much deeper impression than the second on the 12 million people in US armed services who were expecting a long and bloody invasion of Japan. After years of a war not of their country's choosing, they had thought that the worst remained ahead. It was also a war with a history of atrocities committed in the name of Japan against civilians and military prisoners in several Pacific-Asian countries. The peoples of those countries remember (some of them have told me first-hand) even if others prefer not to learn. Goldstein, in the photographic history _Rain of Ruin_ (ISBN 1574880330), which this film partly parallels, argues that selective awareness of the many horrors in the Pacific war is a factor impeding perspective today. Another factor is modern "Japanese history books [with] very little about World War II, its origins and progress ... One gains the impression that modern Japanese history begins with the atomic bomb ... leaving conveniently vague the chain of events" before it.
Truman spoke August 6 (midmorning in the Americas, afternoon and evening in continental Eurasia, and midnight August 6-7 in Japan). A great many people worldwide were awake and had access to radios. One of them was my father, a GI in France, having a glass of wine in the restaurant on the Eiffel Tower. To the serving US soldiers, Truman's words were profound; it was as if their futures had been handed back to them. "We then had several more glasses of wine."
This film stresses intrigues and negotiations in the US and Japanese governments near the end of the war. A few scenes echo the spate of Manhattan-Project documentary in the 1980s that commenced with the great film _The Day After Trinity_ and extended to TV movies, mini-series, and books. It's rich in complexities and details (some of them recently available) absent from lesser documentaries and from popular treatments like Hersey's or Hachiya's books. Central is the struggle of clear-headed Japanese civil and court officials, and some in the military, who were ready to accept peace terms even before the atomic bombings, but feared a seizure of power by military leaders (who had a strong hand in the government anyway, by the constitution at that time). The production is a collage of re-enactment, wartime footage, and recent interviews with people bearing witness, from Hiroshima residents to Clark Clifford to Edward Teller. It is tied together with narration, sometimes poignant, in subtitles.
There was little US involvement in this film. It came from parallel production teams in Canada and Japan (reminiscent of _Tora, Tora, Tora,_ which had a US rather than Canadian team, but also for which the 1995 film could possibly be seen as a very apt sequel.) As with TTT (despite the break with Kurusawa in that film and the subsequent omission of most of his footage) the Japanese unit is superb, with sensitive, nuanced portrayals of key figures such as Kido (Kei Sato), War Minister Gen. Korechika Anami (Kohji Takahashi), and the new Prime Minister ex-Adm. Bn. Kantaro Suzuki (Tatsuo Matsumura). (For some reason, even such a comprehensive source as the IMDB currently omits most of the Japanese cast.) They got a good ringer for the young emperor too. But also, the Canadian team succeeded in something notoriously hard: a faithful portrayal of Truman complete with mannerisms and rough edges (Kenneth Welsh). He and they deserve enormous applause, for this has scarcely ever been achieved (it is the film equivalent of getting a good blue fire in fireworks). Truman, the new, politically chosen vice president to FDR, left out of executive activity until FDR's sudden death, was a statesman conscious of his responsibilities before history, but he also had a crude streak, illustrated in his offhand dismissal of Stalin (who was not even Russian) as a "little Russian twerp."
At one point in the film Marquis Kido (one of the pivotal figures) asks Prince Konoye to go to Russia to persuade Stalin to mediate with the Americans. Kido pushes his servants from the room, prompting Konoye's observation "it's rather bourgeois to abuse one's servants, Kido!" Kido complains "your servants probably aren't someone else's spies."
If you've seen _Tora, Tora, Tora_, you remember the slow building of tension while Wesley Addy, as the Navy crypto officer, makes the rounds of Washington at night delivering intercepts of impending trouble, chauffeured by his wife, who presses him with limited success for hints of what's up (the "look, step on it, dear" scene). Addy reappears in this 1995 film as Secretary of War Stimson, especially in a crucial argument with Groves, vetoing Kyoto as a nuclear target.
Naval aviator Capt. Mitsuo Fuchida, the Japanese military hero who managed to be on the scene at both Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima, is among those who have remarked that Japan tried to develop atomic bombs and would certainly have used them if successful. Goldstein points out "it is possible to pity the victims of the atomic bombs without attempting to rewrite history" to suit one's preferences. As far as I can tell, this 1995 film is faithful to that goal.

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Beginning in the frenzied final months of World War II, Hiroshima rockets back and forth between Truman, Churchill and Hirohito to reach behind the headlines and tell the story of the men and women - both public and private - whose lives and careers would be forever changed by this event, creating a balanced portrait of the political, moral and above all, human cost of this historical decision. Hiroshima weaves an unforgettable tapestry of those events which led to the decision which would indelibly change the course of human destiny.

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Forrest Gump (Two-Disc Special Collector's Edition) (1994) Review

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(More customer reviews)Forrest Gump is a rare movie that succeeded on all levels. It was a box office smash ranking among the top five highest grossing movies of all time. But it was also a critical darling, garnering across the board praise and a truckload of awards. The movie became a cultural phenomenon, spawning cook books, quote books, a top ten soundtrack album and lines like "stupid is as stupid does" and "life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get" have permeated our dialect. The movie has a nostalgic, feel good vibe thanks to the dimwitted Forrest's trek through 60's and 70's touchstone events. Underneath all those warm feelings lies a darkness. Bad things happen to just about everyone Forrest comes in contact with. His best friend Bubba is killed in Vietnam, his other friend Lt. Dan loses both his legs, his mother dies of cancer and his beloved Jenny dies of AIDS. Even the famous people Forrest comes across meet with disaster, President Kennedy & John Lennon are assassinated, George Wallace is shot and Elvis Presley dies young. There are superb performances all around. Sally Field is feisty as Forrest's mama, Mykelti Williamson is funny as Bubba, Gary Sinese as Lt. Dan is a perfect rough edged foil to Forrest and Robin Wright as Jenny portrays the confusion that young people of the times felt perfectly. While all those performances are of high quality, Forrest Gump is Tom Hanks' tour de force. He is utterly brilliant as Forrest. He is in virtually every scene of the movie and never once does he fail to astound. He becomes Forrest and makes you care what happens to him. Mr. Hanks deservedly won his second consecutive Best Actor Oscar for the role and cemented himself as the best actor of his generation and one of the best of all time.

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Saving Private Ryan (Special Limited Edition) (1998) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Saving Private Ryan" is, by all accounts, an American masterpiece and one of the premier World War II films. Its release on Blu-Ray has been highly anticipated and, for the most part, it doesn't disappoint. First of all, the transfer is every bit as astonishingly sharp as expected. I am by no means a videophile, but there didn't appear to be a single moment of artificial enhancement of the film. The print is appropriately accompanied by a slight sheen of grain whilst still retaining a high level of detail. As far as I'm concerned this is an easy five star transfer. The film runs 2:49:28 and features audio and subtitles in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. Prior to the menu loading are two easily skippped trailers for the "Minority Report" Blu-Ray and the long overdue home video release of "The African Queen".
There are no features on the first disc, not even a commentary track (Spielberg is well known for his dislike of commentary tracks). The special features are included on the second disc and all are presented in standard definition with the exception of the two film trailers. This is disappointing but not surprising, as it's something of an industry trend. There were no new features produced for this release, which is especially surprising considering the wealth of new high definition features that were produced for the "Minority Report" Blu-Ray. The positive side is that it pulls the features from all previous DVD editions. So even if it is all in standard definition, at least the consumer is presented with the complete special features collection. Most of the titles are rather self-explanatory, but here's a complete rundown of the features:
1) "Introduction" (2:35) - Director Steven Spielberg discusses what attracted him to this project. This would've made more sense if it was included on the first disc with the film, as most will only put the second disc in after watching the film, thus making this more of an epilogue!
2) "Looking Into the Past" (4:40) - This functions as a sort of extension of the introduction, as Spielberg discusses the influences that ultimately led him to creating this film.
3) "Miller and His Platoon" (8:23) - This feature discusses the different personalities of the principle characters with particular focus on Tom Hank's character. Spielberg and Hanks also speak candidly about their interest in World War II in general. There's some interesting on-set footage included as well.
4) "Boot Camp" (7:37) - This features the great Captain Dale Dye discussing how he helped train the actors for their roles, as well as the unique boot camp the actors participated in during production.
5) "Making Saving Private Ryan" (22:05) - A strong making-of feature which highlights Spielberg's directing style relative to the film with some outstanding behind the scenes footage. This is far better than the typical promotional fluff studios place on video releases with a "making of" label attached.

6) "Re-Creating Omaha Beach" (17:58) - An interesting feature discussing how the crew mounted the most impressive battle scene of the film.

7) "Music and Sound" (15:59) - Composer John Williams discusses how he went about scoring the film.

8) "Parting Thoughts" (3:43) - A nice bookend feature that contains bits of interview footage with Hanks and Spielberg.

9) "Into the Breach: Saving Private Ryan" (25:01) - A standard behind-the-scenes feature covering production of the film. This feels like a promotional piece that was bumpered between films on television during its theatrical run. This feature was ported over from the original DVD release of the film and is in rather poor quality (even for standard definiton). I'm definitely glad they included this, but the "Making Saving Private Ryan" feature is far superior.

10) "Shooting War" (1:28:05) - Tom Hanks (in full beard, as this was filmed while "Cast Away" was under production) hosts this feature focusing on the men who filmed and photographed World War II. This is perhaps the strongest feature here, bolstered by plenty of amazing war footage and anecdotes from veterans.

11) Theatrical Trailer in High Definition (2:16)

12) Re-Release Trailer in High Definition (2:05)
To be fair, all the features truly do look quite excellent with the notable exception of the "Into the Breach" feature. I've been spoiled on the clarity of Blu-Ray, however, so it's still something of a disappointment. Aside from that, this is by far the best release of the film yet. The print is fantastic, it's a huge upgrade over the DVD, and the features are expansive and plentiful. Highly recommended!
UPDATE 05/11/10: Apparently this Blu-Ray has been recalled because of an audio sync problem that occurs after Chapter 15 (about two hours into the film). I was aware of the claims on its release date, but even after watching my copy twice I never encountered any issues. Still, for the company to take this sort of action proves the problem is indeed legitimate, so hopefully Paramount's response will be swift and painless for those who have already purchased this product.
FOLLOW-UP 05/26/10: The Blu-Ray issue has been resolved, Amazon only offers the corrected copies for sale and all other retailers should have them on the shelves now. If buying locally, the easiest way to tell the difference is to check the backside of the Blu-Ray for a yellow UPC sticker. Also, whereas the original defective discs were grey, the new corrected copies are blue discs.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Saving Private Ryan (Special Limited Edition) (1998)

A small band of u.S. Soldiers are sent on a mission during the tumultuous battle at normandy to find the lone survivor of four brothers in steven spielbergs brutally honest world war ii epic. Special features: cast and filmmakers bios: production notes: interactive menus: two theatrical trailers and more.Studio: Paramount Home VideoRelease Date: 02/14/2006Starring: Tom Hanks Tom SizemoreRun time: 169 minutesRating: RDirector: Stephen Spielberg

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Toy Story 3 (2010) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)My review is brief as others have almost said it all. I just want to say that I am 62 years old, and just the thought about the way I felt when I saw this movie in the theatre makes me tear up. It is a nostalgic feeling in a big way. Reminds you of your childhood and those special feelings about growing up. You want to grow up and get on to being an adult in the worst way, but thinking back now your childhood was such a very special time. So fleeting and if we're lucky, such a special time in our lives.
I highly recommend the purchase of this movie to add to your collection.
I honestly feel that the series should stop here. Perfect right where it was left.

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The creative minds behind Disney•Pixar's groundbreaking animated blockbusters invites you back inside the Toys' delightful world for a heartwarming and hilarious Hi-Definition movie experience you'll never forget.All the original voice talent returns (including Tom Hanks and Tim Allen) plus new talent including Michael Keaton as Ken and Ned Beatty as Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear. It's "the biggest, best, most exciting Toy Story of them all," raves Access Hollywood.
As Andy gets ready to leave for college, Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the rest of the gang wonder if this is the end of the line.But, when a mix up lands them in the Sunnyside Day Care Center where they meet 14 new toys, they soon discover that a wild new adventure is just beginning!Take an amazing journey with some of the most beloved characters in movie history and discover what being a friend is truly all about.

"It's everything a movie should be: hilarious, touching, exciting and clever," says USA Today.Buzzing with hours of exclusive bonus features, including an interactive trivia game and the Pixar short film Day and Night, Toy Story 3 goes to infinity and beyond on Blu-ray Hi-Def!

Meet the Characters
Meet the voices behind your favorite characters:(From left to right) Tom Hanks as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz, and Joan Cusack as Jesse

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Saving Private Ryan (Sapphire Series) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)"Saving Private Ryan" is, by all accounts, an American masterpiece and one of the premier World War II films. Its release on Blu-Ray has been highly anticipated and, for the most part, it doesn't disappoint. First of all, the transfer is every bit as astonishingly sharp as expected. I am by no means a videophile, but there didn't appear to be a single moment of artificial enhancement of the film. The print is appropriately accompanied by a slight sheen of grain whilst still retaining a high level of detail. As far as I'm concerned this is an easy five star transfer. The film runs 2:49:28 and features audio and subtitles in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. Prior to the menu loading are two easily skippped trailers for the "Minority Report" Blu-Ray and the long overdue home video release of "The African Queen".
There are no features on the first disc, not even a commentary track (Spielberg is well known for his dislike of commentary tracks). The special features are included on the second disc and all are presented in standard definition with the exception of the two film trailers. This is disappointing but not surprising, as it's something of an industry trend. There were no new features produced for this release, which is especially surprising considering the wealth of new high definition features that were produced for the "Minority Report" Blu-Ray. The positive side is that it pulls the features from all previous DVD editions. So even if it is all in standard definition, at least the consumer is presented with the complete special features collection. Most of the titles are rather self-explanatory, but here's a complete rundown of the features:
1) "Introduction" (2:35) - Director Steven Spielberg discusses what attracted him to this project. This would've made more sense if it was included on the first disc with the film, as most will only put the second disc in after watching the film, thus making this more of an epilogue!
2) "Looking Into the Past" (4:40) - This functions as a sort of extension of the introduction, as Spielberg discusses the influences that ultimately led him to creating this film.
3) "Miller and His Platoon" (8:23) - This feature discusses the different personalities of the principle characters with particular focus on Tom Hank's character. Spielberg and Hanks also speak candidly about their interest in World War II in general. There's some interesting on-set footage included as well.
4) "Boot Camp" (7:37) - This features the great Captain Dale Dye discussing how he helped train the actors for their roles, as well as the unique boot camp the actors participated in during production.
5) "Making Saving Private Ryan" (22:05) - A strong making-of feature which highlights Spielberg's directing style relative to the film with some outstanding behind the scenes footage. This is far better than the typical promotional fluff studios place on video releases with a "making of" label attached.

6) "Re-Creating Omaha Beach" (17:58) - An interesting feature discussing how the crew mounted the most impressive battle scene of the film.

7) "Music and Sound" (15:59) - Composer John Williams discusses how he went about scoring the film.

8) "Parting Thoughts" (3:43) - A nice bookend feature that contains bits of interview footage with Hanks and Spielberg.

9) "Into the Breach: Saving Private Ryan" (25:01) - A standard behind-the-scenes feature covering production of the film. This feels like a promotional piece that was bumpered between films on television during its theatrical run. This feature was ported over from the original DVD release of the film and is in rather poor quality (even for standard definiton). I'm definitely glad they included this, but the "Making Saving Private Ryan" feature is far superior.

10) "Shooting War" (1:28:05) - Tom Hanks (in full beard, as this was filmed while "Cast Away" was under production) hosts this feature focusing on the men who filmed and photographed World War II. This is perhaps the strongest feature here, bolstered by plenty of amazing war footage and anecdotes from veterans.

11) Theatrical Trailer in High Definition (2:16)

12) Re-Release Trailer in High Definition (2:05)
To be fair, all the features truly do look quite excellent with the notable exception of the "Into the Breach" feature. I've been spoiled on the clarity of Blu-Ray, however, so it's still something of a disappointment. Aside from that, this is by far the best release of the film yet. The print is fantastic, it's a huge upgrade over the DVD, and the features are expansive and plentiful. Highly recommended!
UPDATE 05/11/10: Apparently this Blu-Ray has been recalled because of an audio sync problem that occurs after Chapter 15 (about two hours into the film). I was aware of the claims on its release date, but even after watching my copy twice I never encountered any issues. Still, for the company to take this sort of action proves the problem is indeed legitimate, so hopefully Paramount's response will be swift and painless for those who have already purchased this product.
FOLLOW-UP 05/26/10: The Blu-Ray issue has been resolved, Amazon only offers the corrected copies for sale and all other retailers should have them on the shelves now. If buying locally, the easiest way to tell the difference is to check the backside of the Blu-Ray for a yellow UPC sticker. Also, whereas the original defective discs were grey, the new corrected copies are blue discs.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Saving Private Ryan (Sapphire Series)

Steven Spielberg directed this powerful, realistic re-creation of WWII's D-day invasion and the immediate aftermath. The story opens with a prologue in which a veteran brings his family to the American cemetery at Normandy, and a flashback then joins Capt. John Miller (Tom Hanks) and GIs in a landing craft making the June 6, 1944, approach to Omaha Beach to face devastating German artillery fire. This mass slaughter of American soldiers is depicted in a compelling, unforgettable 24-minute sequence. Miller's men slowly move forward to finally take a concrete pillbox. On the beach littered with bodies is one with the name "Ryan" stenciled on his backpack. Army Chief of Staff Gen. George C. Marshall (Harve Presnell), learning that three Ryan brothers from the same family have all been killed in a single week, requests that the surviving brother, Pvt. James Ryan (Matt Damon), be located and brought back to the United States. Capt. Miller gets the assignment, and he chooses a translator, Cpl. Upham (Jeremy Davis), skilled in language but not in combat, to join his squad of right-hand man Sgt. Horvath (Tom Sizemore), plus privates Mellish (Adam Goldberg), Medic Wade (Giovanni Ribisi), cynical Reiben (Edward Burns) from Brooklyn, Italian-American Caparzo (Vin Diesel), and religious Southerner Jackson (Barry Pepper), an ace sharpshooter who calls on the Lord while taking aim. Having previously experienced action in Italy and North Africa, the close-knit squad sets out through areas still thick with Nazis. After they lose one man in a skirmish at a bombed village, some in the group begin to question the logic of losing more lives to save a single soldier. The film's historical consultant is Stephen E. Ambrose, and the incident is based on a true occurance in Ambrose's 1994 bestseller D-Day: June 6, 1944.

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The Incredibles (Four-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)Did you ever read comic books as a kid? Did you ever wish you had super powers? If you answered yes drop everything and go see this movie now. I have been increasingly blown away by the quality filmmaking Pixar has brought to cinemas over the past decade, but The Incredibles marks the first time I've been overwhelmed. Everything you've ever loved about superheroes is addressed in this film, from secret identities to the danger of wearing a cape. Add to the mix an amazingly complex family drama and you have the absolute best film of the year.
Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson), once the super hero of the year is now relegated to a cubicle in an insurance company, still trying to save the day (quietly) one claim at a time. His wife, Helen, a.k.a Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) has also turned in her spandex, using her special powers to juggle the task of raising three kids instead of wrangling villains. Their son, Dash, wants nothing more than to use his super speed to propel him to athletic glory. Violet, who has the ability to turn invisible and enclose her self within a forcefield broods like any normal teenager. The baby, Jack Jack doesn't seem to have any super powers at all, unless you include making funny faces in a high chair.
All of this is due to a Super Hero relocation program enacted by the government after public outcry over property damage and personal injury( a very sharp and poignant jab at our own litigious nature). Forced to hide greatness behind a shroud of mediocrity the Incredible family do their best to blend in with normal society, and for the most part succeed.
Of course events unfold to bring all of the Incredibles super powers to light, and for this to occur you need to introduce the mad genius villain, Syndrome (Jason Lee). Parents, here's where the PG rating comes from, because this is one really, really bad guy. A former superhero fan with an enormous chip on his shoulder Syndrome is like every James Bond baddie rolled into one. His gadgets are unique, insanely cool, and above all extremely deadly. Some dark thematic elements and violence cemented the MPAA's decision to slap Pixar with its first above G rating. However, this movie could not have been done properly without giving the audience such a nefarious nemesis to loathe.
In costume and out you will constantly root for the Incredibles, this movie is what going to the theater is all about, non-stop entertainment. The action sequences are positively synapse blowing. The script is Oscar worthy in its ability to seamlessly weave domestic drama and comic book daring-do. Of course the animation has to be seen to be believed, and your eyes will bulge for the film's duration.
I can't imagine this film not being successful but I hope it destroys box office records and mends the wound that has Pixar and Disney going their separate ways. Because if ever there was a film that demanded a sequel it is The Incredibles. An animation masterpiece!

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Incredibles (Four-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) (2004)

Known to the world as superheroes, Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl, Bob Parr and his wife Helen were among the world's greatest crime fighters, saving lives and battling evil on a daily basis. Fifteen years later, they have been forced to adopt civilian identities and retreat to the suburbs to live "normal" lives with their three kids, Violet, Dash, and Jack-Jack. Itching to get back into action, Bob gets his chance when a mysterious communication summons him to a remote island for a top secret assignment. He soon discovers that it will take a super family effort to rescue the world from total destruction.
Exploding with fun and all-new bonus features available only on Blu-ray, this spectacular 4-disc combo pack is edge-of-your-seat entertainment for everyone.

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