Byzantium

Amazingly Well Acted
In a time of many various forms of what it is to be vampire, like in 'True Blood', 'Twilight' movies, and 'Vampire Diaries'. Byzantium is a refreshing take on vampirism. Like the movie 'Underworld: Awaking' we have a mother/daughter team that is trying find their own identity in the world. However, in Byzantium, we get the real deal. What we find is a movie that is portraying a real life relationship between mother and daughter who are fighting to stay alive. To the detriment of an all male vampire league. The strength of the movie comes from the acting abilities of Gemma Arterton and Saoirse Ronan, as the mother and daughter lead. In the world of the 19th century and in present time they both have to deal with a male dominated world. But in the end they find their own strength as women. Showing that women are just as powerful as men, intellectually speaking. However, the ending shows that there is the potential for a sequel. Like Christopher Nolan, if there is a sequel, I...
An original, well-plotted and well-acted vampire movie!
The concept behind Neil Jordan's film BYZANTIUM is compelling: A mother/daughter vampire story. The grabs the attention right away. Jordan as director makes in more interesting, and an eclectic cast that includes the rising Gemma Arterton, the unusual Caleb Landry Jones and the excellent Saoirse Ronan makes it a must-see.

BYZANTIUM is moody, atmospheric, often bloody, sometimes funny and always interesting horror tale. It is not a SCARY movie...nor is it trying to be. Vampires don't really scare anymore...but Jordan proves that they can be interesting subjects for story-telling. BYZANTIUM is also often very slow moving and isn't quite as gripping as it thinks it is. I enjoyed the movie, I guess...but in many ways I APPRECIATED it more than I loved it.

I don't really want to give away too much of the plot, because much of the film is really the slow telling of the backstory of these two vampires. The film is set in modern times and shows how these two make...
twilight wishes it was as good as this film...lol
An amazing new take on the vampire genre film and it most definitely takes you on an interesting journey. The two female leads did an amazing job and the director guided you through this amazing path of love ,fear,hope and death!
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Best of Hullabaloo: 3

Best Of Hullabaloo: 3
For fans of the 1965-1966 Hullabaloo show, MPI is bringing more great performances to dvd in a Best Of Hullabaloo series consisting of 4 separate dvd's available September 10th, 2013. In 2000 to 2002, MPI produced Hullabaloo Vols. 1-4, Hullabaloo Vols. 5-8 and Hullabaloo Vols. 9-12. In these older Volume sets, MPI included some of the Hullabaloo shows on dvd, all in their entirety. The film quality was not the greatest, but seeing the entire shows were fabulous! These Volume Sets from 2000-2002 are now priced out of most people's price range, so being able to purchase these new Best Of Hullabaloo 4 different sets may be a nice alternative.

I truly wish MPI would have made more of the Volume Sets, which include the Hullabaloo Shows in their entirety, instead of these 4 Best Of sets, but I'm happy with any of the old Hullabaloo performances, so I'll take what I can get. I heard the film quality is just like the older Volume Sets- not the greatest, but MPI is including 16-17...
Worth Checking Out!
For 'The Best of Hullabaloo Collection 3', the producers chose the April 20th 1965 episode, trimmed it a bit, and tacked on The Supremes, Woody Allen and Jack Jones from three separate shows. While a whole, unedited episode would be preferable, the result is still entertaining. Highlights include The Animals, Dusty, Jay & The Americans, Lola Falana and The Supremes. Sammy Davis Jr. makes for a great host and all round entertainer. Woody Allen does his typical standup routine, and the Top Pop Medley is a highlight, with Sammy leading The Animals, complete with their Geordie accents, through the old My Fair lady routine: 'the rain in Spain falls mainly in the plain'. The most bizarre, and unintentionally amusing clip, is the ever urbane Jack Jones, onstage on the A Go Go set, rocking his way through 'The Race is On'. Has to be seen to be believed! As a bonus, there's a recent interview with Hullabaloo's producer, Gary Smith.

Of course, the DVD is totally composed of black &...
"Will These Companies Ever Wise Up......?"
Yes, I know, royalties, rights, blah, blah, blah. If a product contains what people want, they will pay the price. Here's a short list of what they could've added (I know a few of these are on these new volumes and the older releases, but the musicians performed multiple songs and some were on multiple episodes, so there's a wealth of unreleased material out there)......

The Cyrkle
The Yardbirds
Gerry & The Pacemakers
The Hollies
The Bobby Fuller Four
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
The Vogues
The Byrds
Paul Revere & The Raiders
Gary Lewis & The Playboys
The Mamas & The Papas
The Moody Blues
The Marvelettes
The Turtles
The Lovin' Spoonful
Sonny & Cher
The Strangeloves
The Searchers
Marvin Gaye
The Young Rascals
Sir Douglas Quintet
Chuck Berry
The Four Seasons
Freddie & The Dreamers
The Kinks
The Band Of Angels
The Shangri-Las
The...
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Best of Hullabaloo: 4

Best Of Hullabaloo: 4
For fans of the 1965-1966 Hullabaloo show, MPI is bringing more great performances to dvd in a Best Of Hullabaloo series consisting of 4 separate dvd's available September 10th, 2013. In 2000 to 2002, MPI produced Hullabaloo Vols. 1-4, Hullabaloo Vols. 5-8 and Hullabaloo Vols. 9-12. In these older Volume sets, MPI included some of the Hullabaloo shows on dvd, all in their entirety. The film quality was not the greatest, but seeing the entire shows were fabulous! These Volume Sets from 2000-2002 are now priced out of most people's price range, so being able to purchase these new Best Of Hullabaloo 4 different sets may be a nice alternative.

I truly wish MPI would have made more of the Volume Sets, which include the Hullabaloo Shows in their entirety, instead of these 4 Best Of sets, but I'm happy with any of the old Hullabaloo performances, so I'll take what I can get. I heard the film quality is just like the older Volume Sets- not the greatest, but MPI is including 16-17...
A Mediocre Entry At Best.
Culled largely from Hullabaloo's second episode (January 19/65), with clips of The Supremes and Little Anthony &The Imperials added for good measure, Hullabaloo Collection 4 is in my opinion, the weakest entry of the set. Paul Anka hosts, and introduces Dionne Warwick, a young Liza Minelli and pianist virtuoso Peter Nero. Rockers Johnny Rivers and The Nashville Teens are also present, but do little to enliven this set, and the whole episode is a bit of a snoozer. Even the Top Pop segment, usually a highlight, is one of the poorer offerings. Why? It was an early episode and perhaps the show was still finding its feet. The May episodes, late in the season, seem the more lively and better balanced, and I think its no surprise they were the hour long episodes released in their entirety years ago.

In Black & White, the DVD is transferred from kinescope, so picture and sound are mediocre. The bonus is an interview with Lada Edmund Jr., the frenetic Hullabaloo dancer best...
55 Minutes of Mostly Mediocrity
What an embarrassing look-back on an exciting era.

Hullabaloo was a fun, lively, entertaining show. You wouldn't know it from this strange concoction of clips. Granted, Paul Anka, Liza, and Dionne were nice touches in this DVD, but the rest of it fell flat on its face.

The "bonus" content was just a badly edited rehash of an interview done during a PBS funding drive.

MPI has done a remarkable disservice to fans and to the show. The suggested retail price is outrageous; you get 55 minutes of mediocrity. Shop around; copies can be found in major chains for half the price.

And by the way: There are ZERO color clips in this DVD, even though the cover art is nothing but full-color photos. Another MPI deception.
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Java Heat

Dark And Disturbing Or Lightweight And Comical? This Action Thriller Simply Can't Decide
The action thriller "Java Heat" isn't necessarily a terrible movie, it just ends up being entirely forgettable and somewhat empty-headed. The movie looks like it will be a contemporary political puzzler, but never makes the most of its exotic locale and intriguing premise. What might have been an intricate and relevant look at religious strife and political maneuvering quickly goes somewhere far less interesting from a plotting standpoint. And when all the truths are revealed, my gut reaction was "who cares?" On the plus side, the movie is set in Indonesia which provides for plenty of local color. The action sequences are well executed, even if there aren't any real stand-out moments. And the movie features a really appealing lead performance from Indonesian actor Ario Bayo as a local detective. My principle negative, though, (aside from a rather mundane story) has got to be Kellan Lutz in the biggest role. Lutz is a man committed to a mission, supposedly with plenty of...
(2.5 STARS) 1980-ish Buddy-Buddy Movie in Indonesia
"Java Heat" re-uses or recycles the conventions of Hollywood buddy-buddy cop movies of the 80s, that "Hot Fuzz" effectively parodied, but director Conor Allyn takes them very seriously. Kellan Lutz, best known for his role as Emmett Cullen in "The Twilight Saga" franchise, plays an American named Jake, who is interrogated by a no-nonsense Indonesian police detective Lieutenant Hashim (Ario Bayu) about a terrorist bomb attack that killed Princess Diana.

Of course, Jake is not what he says he is. Like Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Belushi in Walter-Hill-directed "Red Heat," our two heroes team up rather reluctantly at first, but in the course of hunting down the villain and occasional bickering, they come to understand each other.

The scenery-chewing Mickey Rourke in white jacket plays the villain named Malik. He is sort of a criminal mastermind living in a gorgeous mansion, whose motive for criminal behavior is not very convincing.

Some action film...
Uneven JAVA HEAT Tastes Like A Bad Cup of Coffee
Throughout all of filmdom, there's some debate about when the cop buddy film actually came about. Most critics seem to accept that the contemporary version of it was a product of 1970's and 1980's filmmaking, and I figure that's probably more right than wrong. If the buddy film didn't originate somewhere in those two eras, it certainly made its most significant step forward culturally during that time. That said, JAVA HEAT feels more like the outcome of someone trying to recapture that dynamic for an all-new generation of movie-goers. While some may find that admirable, I'd just rather go back and re-watch all the great buddy films of the past than have to sit through an inferior retread any day of the week.

(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and characters. If you're the kind of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I'd encourage you to skip down to the last three paragraphs for my...
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Something in the Air

Assayas' Rich Evocation of the World That Shaped Him
Something in the Air (aka Apres Mai), 2012: As the French title suggests, this film is less about the spirit of 1968 than about the slow but sure dissolution of that spirit. Assayas sets his film in the Paris of 1971 and focuses on a group of high school students whose main form of entertainment is covering their school grounds with revolutionary posters and graffiti at night. Assayas captures the excitment the kids feel when printing subversive literature and riding their mopeds to the site of yet another of their revolutionary night raids, but its also clear that he views them as hopelessly privileged and therefore more than one step (and social class) removed from the realities of working class conditions and revolution. The film is supposedly about Assayas' own youth but if this is a memoir it is an extremely strange one because we never get very close to the main character, Gilles. Its as if Assayas wants to revisit the era but is hesitant to revisit (or reveal much about) his...


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Simon Killer

An Atmospheric Mood Piece That Maintains An Unsettling Vibe, But It Shouldn't Be Oversold As A Thriller
Despite an advertising campaign that might suggest that this is a pulse pounding thriller, writer/director Antonio Campos has fashioned a slow burn character study in "Simon Killer." What's particularly unusual about this presentation, however, is that we don't know very much about the central figure even though we spend every moment of the film with him. As bits and pieces of his personality and story emerge, we're never really sure of the whole truth. Is he a likable misfit? A needy loner looking for love? A obsessive type that won't let go? Or is he something inherently more disturbing? As portrayed by Brady Corbet, in easily his most compelling performance to date, Simon is an enigma. He has many layers, but you're never sure you want to peel off his mild mannered exterior. His choices are questionable as are his motivations, but what exactly drives him? "Simon Killer," in an intriguing choice, leaves you to make up your own mind about a lot of these questions. Through...
Fantastic but definitely not for everyone
Told almost as a modern-day version of the novel In a Lonely Place, Simon Killer places us with a young American man fresh upon arrival in Paris (or so he says). He is struggling with getting over his ex, and falls in love with a French prostitute, also with (literal) scars. As seen in the trailer (so no spoilers), the two devise a scheme to blackmail her clients for cash. This doesn't quite work out.

The narrative, though, is secondary to the extraordinary and wholly disturbing vision that is presented to us. The sex scenes, while erotic, are almost joyless, with Simon's lovers' heads often out of the shot, giving us a view of Simon leering at their nude bodies, or forcing them to turn around and face the opposite way, further dehumanizing his sexual partners.

The unique experience of this film is further developed through the contrast of highly cinematic, "fake"-feeling camera work with exceptionally neorealistic dialogue and acting. The very long shots feel as...
A socopath too chicken to be Tom Ripley
Story of a young man who is a totally amoral bastard. But he's a mamas boy which doesn't fit the type. FrenchSenegalese director Mati Diop in a major acting role is a real find. She added a couple of stars to my rating,
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Maniac [Blu-ray]

Rare remake that is worth it.
As a huge fan of the Joe Spinell original, I have to say I was more than impressed with this retelling of one of the more unique horror films from the 80's. I was more than skeptical about the POV style, and of any remakes lately, but Elijah Wood was fantastic as the tortured psychopath. The special effects were great, if you like some good, bloody slasher movie effects, and the overall mood was dark and brooding, the way a slasher film should be. Highly recommended for the old school horror fan.
A side of Elijah Wood that you've never seen before
Banned in New Zealand? You have got to be kidding me. Maniac is a stylish low budget horror film and remake of the original version. This movie is about a man with psychological issues who goes on a rampage killing women and scalping them for mannequins. Different kind of movie.
Great film and amazing soundtrack!
Don't let the negative nancy reviews from this movie stop you from renting this movie, if you are looking for an amazing visual horror/thriller film with a very memorable soundtrack that ties the movie EXTREMELY well, then check out this movie! Also, if you saw Elijah Woods in "Sin City" and loved his character in that movie, then you can expect even more amazing performance by Woods in this Maniac movie as well.
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As Cool As I Am [Blu-ray]

good, watch me.
This is good! I had no expectations, but love Claire Danes. She doesnt disappoint - the characters are rich and abundant, if extremely flawed, - and acted well.... ahh the movies. Makes you feel good about life essentially - in an unexpected way.
Good premise
As far as coming of age and parents gone wild films go, this one is not bad. The actors and actresses all deliver solid to excellent performances. It's just the execution of all these moving parts where something mis-fires. I love slow movies like Out of Africa and Age of Innocence, but this one was slow without engaging me. The resolution of the film is touching but felt incomplete.
Pretty depressing but very much worth watching & I highly recommend. If you like What Maisie Knew you will love this. I say B+
"If memory is malleable then the future is too." Lucy is a sixteen year old girl who is too smart for her own good. She spends her free time learning how to cook and hanging out with her friend Kenny. Her mother (Danes) and father (Marsden) had her when they were young and not ready for that responsibility. Now with her dad gone all but 4 times a year and her mom acting like a kid herself Lucy is left to discover life for herself. This is a movie that again proves my point that a movie can be entertaining and worth watching involving great acting rather then special effects. This is a movie along the line of What Maisie Knew only involving an older child rather then a 6 year old. Parents that should not have been allowed to have children and a child who is more mature then the parents. You really root for Lucy the entire time and by the time the end come you feel extremely sorry for her as well as relief. That is a hard combination to achieve but that's what great writing and acting...
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Dirty Wars

Scahill Hits A Home Run Of Truth Telling
This award winning book and film are thought provoking and should be a first choice for anyone interested in the truth about America's current foreign policy and drone wars. The book and film allows the viewer to see how America's questionable policies and use of drones may be having exactly the reverse effect that CIA and military secretive war makers intended. It points out how these policies continue to enraged millions around the world and strengthened the hand of America's enemies. It uncovers what many would consider war crimes. Jeremy Shahill is a fearless impartial national treasure and a dying bred of journalist who still seeks to get to the bottom of a story and reveal the truth no matter how culturally unpopular it may end up being. 'Dirty Wars' helps to shines a bright fact filled light on US war making that many Americans would be surprise to know goes on in their name.
...As Opposed to Clean Wars?
...as opposed to Clean Wars?

This documentary submitted by the USA to the 2013 Seattle International Film Festival is directed by Richard Rowley and is based on investigative reporting by Jeremy Scahill, a reporter for The Nation. This exposé centers around an organization known as JSAC, which conducts top secret missions at the behest of the President of the United States. JSAC has existed for almost ten years but has enjoyed unprecedented fame with the capture and death of Osama bin Laden. Joint Special Operations Command answers to no military agency, not the CIA, not the United Nations, nor Congress.

Jeremy Scahill first came on the international journalistic radar as the author of Blackwater, an exposé of the hidden world of America's covert wars being conducted by contractors, not the American military. Scahill stumbled into bits and pieces of JSAC and quickly drew fire from the military and from the lap dogs who pretend to be television...
hope you like truth
a must-see documentary for anyone who wants to know the brutal truth about the war on terror. investigative journalist jeremy scahill asks the tough questions and gets haunting answers that will stick with you long after the film's over. and it's all presented in an engaging, audience-friendly narrative that will keep you on the edge of your seat. this better get a best documentary nod come oscar season!

and buy the book too! the film is an excellent introduction but there's way too much information than can be contained within a 2 hour film. if you're anything like me, you'll leave this movie outraged and hungry for more knowledge.
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Maniac

Rare remake that is worth it.
As a huge fan of the Joe Spinell original, I have to say I was more than impressed with this retelling of one of the more unique horror films from the 80's. I was more than skeptical about the POV style, and of any remakes lately, but Elijah Wood was fantastic as the tortured psychopath. The special effects were great, if you like some good, bloody slasher movie effects, and the overall mood was dark and brooding, the way a slasher film should be. Highly recommended for the old school horror fan.
A side of Elijah Wood that you've never seen before
Banned in New Zealand? You have got to be kidding me. Maniac is a stylish low budget horror film and remake of the original version. This movie is about a man with psychological issues who goes on a rampage killing women and scalping them for mannequins. Different kind of movie.
Great film and amazing soundtrack!
Don't let the negative nancy reviews from this movie stop you from renting this movie, if you are looking for an amazing visual horror/thriller film with a very memorable soundtrack that ties the movie EXTREMELY well, then check out this movie! Also, if you saw Elijah Woods in "Sin City" and loved his character in that movie, then you can expect even more amazing performance by Woods in this Maniac movie as well.
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