One Touch of Venus (1948)

After being married to Jennifer Jones (who is/was my particular 1940's screen love goddess), Robert Walker stars opposite a very erotic Ava Gardner, described by film critics in "The Naked Contessa" (1954) as, "...the most beautiful woman in the world", so she was aptly cast to play Venus, the goddess of love, in this 1948 production.

Robert Walker plays Eddie Hatch a lowly paid window dresser at the store owned by Whitfield Savory II (played by Tom Conway a relative of the suave George Sanders).Eddie is instructed to ensure that the curtain will not snag at the forthcoming unveiling ceremony of the recently acquired statue of Venus.When finished, he impulsively (he's finished the boss' drink) kisses the statue which promptly comes to life!! Eddie is to marry Gloria (Olga San Juan), who rather irritatingly, keeps reminding him they are to marry each other.They have drifted into their relationship and marriage just seems the next logical move but who said love is logical!! However, Eddie's friend Joe, (Dick Haymes), is secretly in love with Gloria himself but he doesn't know it.Whitfield Savory II is likewise ignorant of his subconcious love for his efficient secretary, Molly Stewart, played by Eve Arden in one of her typical wise-cracking, comic roles; (see her as Mildred Pierce's efficient manager in the Oscar winning film of the same name (1945) opposite Joan Crawford.

I was mesmerized by Ava Gardner as she spreads her instinctive love to bring all these true lovers together, while working her magic on Eddie himself who is soon in love with her.She seems reluctant to return to Mount Olympus as she is having so much fun here on Earth.She loves helping people but when her task is over, Jupiter, the head of The Gods, (who communicates by thunderflashes), summons her back to Mount Olympus.Reluctantly her effigy returns as a statue at the store, much to the relief of the Whitfield Savory II who thought Eddie had stolen the statue whilst she is in her live alter-ego on Earth.This sub-plot gives rise to some comic Keystone Cops type chases especially when Venus comically turns one of the "gumshoes" into an owl, albeit temporarily as she loves everyone really!.Molly believes Eddie is innocent good for her I say!

Watch out for Sara Algood who plays Eddie's landlady, (see her in previous roles as Mrs Beth Morgan in "How Green Was My Valley (1941) and as Mrs Maile in "Cluny Brown" (1946).The lovely song "Speak Low" is sung by Dick Haymes miming to his own recording while Ava effectivly mimes to another well matched singer's voice.Another song about men, sung in the ladies dressing room as a trio, featuring Ava, Olga & Eve.

The audience feels strong sympathy for Eddie and he is finally given his divine award (including a modest pay rise) when a very beautiful new store recruit called "Venus Jones" (Ava),appears in normal human form to him there.We have to assume this will eventually become another love match engineered by Mount Olympus!

I found this film hugely enjoyable as I love classic 1940's films having made them something of a speciality.It has fewer of the songs than in the original Broadway musical but this seems to fit the plot.It is a difficult title to find on video.I obtained mine by winning an e-Bay auction after searching on Robert Walker.

This 1948 comedy was adapted from a Broadway musical that starred Mary Martin and featured a score by Kurt Weill. Sadly, the music, except for three songs, has been cut from the movie.

The film, directed by William A. Seiter, is reminiscent of TOPPER, HERE COMES MR. JORDAN and other like fantasy-comedies that were popular with movie audiences during the 1930s and 40s.

[During the 1960s, TV shows like BEWITCHED and I DREAM OF JEANNIE filled this void.]

Robert Walker stars as a shy window dresser for a big department store, who impulsively kisses the store's invaluable statue of the Greek goddess, Venus. A moment later, the statue, played by Ava Gardner, has come to life and Walker faints on the spot.

Upon awakening, poor Robert discovers that he's in very big trouble. He's being pursued by the cops for stealing the statute and, if that isn't bad enough, it appears that Venus won't return to her pedestal because she has fallen in love with him. Even worse, his jealous girl friend (Olga San Juan) is convinced that he's been unfaithful.

Dick Haymes, Eve Arden and Tom Conway co-star in what is still a clever, if somewhat silly, romp that should entertain the entire family.

© Michael B. Druxman

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I'm not as well spoken as the previous reviewers, still, I grew up with this movie and watched it every time I saw it listed on TV. In fact, I'm always looking for a black and white copy I can afford to buy. It is just one of my favorite all time movies. I love the characters and most of the actors Eve Arden being my favorite by far and Ava looking so gorgeous, as well as Walker looking so vulnerable, confused and frustrated. It's a fun time 90 minutes or so of losing yourself in a far out comedic love story. I enjoyed the music and I'm one who tires of musicals after awhile this one did not bore me. Dick Haymes' singing is a joy. I recommend it highly to anyone even the more serious curmudgeons who feel they might not like it.

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This adaptation by director William A Seiter of the musical with music by Kurt Weill and lyrics by S J Perelman and Ogden Nash is generally considered a bowlderisation, with songs cut and Mary Martin's stage performance lost in favour of the usual Broadway to Hollywood compromises. However there can be no doubt that casting beautiful Ava Gardner as Venus, the goddess of love, is apt. Here Gardner is more playful than usual, and even making her chase a reluctant Robert Walker can be forgiven. Although it is thought that great beauties are all the more desirable when passive rather than active, Walker not realising Gardner's worth is true to the slapstick comedy tone. The idea of Gardner as a marble statue on display in the art gallery of a department store, brought to life by window dresser Walker's drunken kiss at midnight during a lightning storm, introduces the unrealistic romantic narrative, with songs that appear without the musical genre strictly being adhered to. If I am happy to not have I'm a Stranger Here Myself from the stage show, it's because I don't like the song anyway, and even when Speak Low is presented unsatisfactorily and that Gardner is dubbed whilst singing it, cannot detract from it being one of the loveliest melodies Kurt Weill ever composed. I like how it is used as a siren song, where Seiter intercuts between Gardner and Walker, and Dick Haymes and Olga San Juan, with Gardner and Haymes both singing to departed lovers in a duet. As the only one of the cast who appears able to sing, Haymes also gets the bulk of My Foolish Heart, even if given new lyrics and a generally unappealing romantic partner in San Juan. The other song to survive is That's Him, where Eve Arden gets to join in as Gardner is dressed. Arden talks most of her lyrics but still it's nice to see her in this context, in addition to the barbs she delivers as comic relief otherwise, thanks to the screenplay by Frank Tashlin and Harry Kurnitz. I also liked Walker's line re San Juan "She's so terribly one track minded. Even when we have dinner together she eats rice", and there is a lowbrow moment when James Flavin as a detective is turned into a human owl by Gardner. If the others running around tend to become tiresome, there is still Gardner, looking ravishing in black late in the proceedings, and given a gorgeous closeup. And Seiter adds a sweet conclusion.

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ONE TOUCH OF VENUS is a musical comedy/fantasy about a window dresser named Eddie who kisses a statue of the goddess that then comes to life in the exquisite form of Ava Gardner. Venus falls in love with him; matters are further complicated when Eddie's boss is smitten by her loveliness.

The 1951 version of SHOW BOAT is another stage-to-screen musical that features Miss Gardner.

Parenthetical number prior to title is a 1 to 10 viewer poll rating found at a film research website.

(6.5) One Touch of Venus (1948) Robert Walker/Ava Gardner/Dick Haymes/Eve Arden/Olga San Juan/Tom Conway (uncredited: Arthur O'Connell)

"ONE TOUCH" TRIVIA--

Mary Martin was Venus on Broadway. Elia Kazan directed this S.J. Perelman play.

Mary Pickford bought the screen rights, intending to bring the original cast to the screen. Later plans included Miss Martin, Frank Sinatra, Clifton Webb and Bert Lahr, but when Mary became pregnant, Pickford sold the rights to UNIVERSAL and the movie was entirely recast. Plans to shoot in Technicolor were also abandoned.

The Venus statue of Ava Gardner originally depicted her in the nude; the studio demanded (and got) a more modest version.

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The Five-Year Engagement (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet) (2012)

(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)There is such a ramshackle charm to this 2012 romantic comedy that I think the term "Apatovian" seems appropriate to describe it since it most definitely feels like the same general creative team led by producer Judd Apatow that guided Knocked Up, Funny People, and Bridesmaids. All the ingredients of the successful Apatovian formula are here likeable principal characters facing the unpredictability of life's events, the familiar challenges of maintaining relationships in a morass of doubt and temptation, the unexpected detours into graphic humor, the pool of scene-stealing comic actors, the slightly overlong running time (this one clocks in at 124 minutes). Directed by Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall), this particular one focuses on a young couple a year into their relationship Tom Solomon, a talented sous-chef at a trendy San Francisco restaurant, and Violet Barnes, a psychology graduate student hoping to win a postdoctoral fellowship at Berkeley.

The movie opens with Tom popping the question on the bayside terrace of his restaurant and Violet responding affirmatively without hesitation. Thanks to the stars' easy charms, the characters are obviously quite compatible and in love. What happens from that point forward is less about formula and more about just life. Berkeley turns Violet down, but she eventually wins a fellowship in a two-year program at Michigan. Tom willingly gives up his much-sought-after job and moves cross-country with Violet to Ann Arbor. She thrives under the tutelage of the suspiciously charming Prof. Winton Childs amid her motley study group. Tom, on the other hand, flails mightily in trying to fit into his new surroundings, eventually landing a lowly job at a sandwich shop and turning into a grizzly-looking house-husband who takes up hobbies like deer hunting and sweater knitting.

While their dilemma doesn't represent new material to the big screen, the treatment of the subject as co-written by Stoller and star Jason Segel is uncommonly well handled with plenty of room for awkward moments filled with both humor and honest emotion. If the film drags, as it occasionally does in the last third, it's because they focus a little too liberally on the principals' relationships with the incidental characters. As Tom, Segel has improved considerably as a leading man since his gangly turn in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, bringing acuity to his character's increasing struggle between devotion and resentment. Emily Blunt brings a welcome softness and open awkwardness to her heretofore crystalline screen persona, and the two actors achieve a natural rapport that brings a centered relatability to their evolving characters. They are surrounded by a crack company of comic actors.

Chris Pratt (Parks & Recreation) brings goofball energy to Tom's wildly inappropriate chef colleague-turned-brother-in-law Alex, while Alison Brie (Mad Men) sports a convincing Brit accent and an off-kilter manner to her hilarious portrayal of Violet's impulsive sister Suzie. One of the film's funniest scenes involves Violet and Suzie having a tense discussion while speaking in the voices of Elmo and Cookie Monster in order to avoid alarming Suzie's daughter. As Childs, Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill) brings the right level of smarminess to his erudite professor, while Mindy Kaling, Kevin Hart, and Randall Park play Violet's fellow PhD candidates with sharp jabs of humor. In a few memorably funny scenes, Brian Posehn plays the oddball sandwich shop owner and Chris Parnell is Tom's too-comfortable fellow house-husband. The movie wraps up on a somewhat pat note rather quickly, but it maintains its goodwill to the very last.

Can't believe this movie only averages 3 stars. I'm not much of a "rom-com" guy but my wife & I both enjoyed this film that has really good performances by all involved and found it to be LOL funny all the way through. I did feel it was a little longer than it probably could have been but that's my only nitpick. Jason Siegel, Emily Blunt and the lesser known supporting actors (Dakota Johnson, Kevin Hart among them) were all great in this. Highly recommended if you want to enjoy a good "date movie".

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I don't see how this is a 3 star movie.

This film has captured the random chaos of love for this generation. Putting things off until their "right," and always finding a reason to postpone vs a shotgun wedding and making it work. I feel I've seen this story play out all around me.

Not only being incredibly true in tone for this generation, the characters are honest and real. Even the bit parts are acted out with fully developed characters. Everyone knew who they were.

Maybe it was the tone. Maybe it was the honesty. Maybe it was the acting, but I laughed hard, out loud, many many times while watching this movie. I give it my highest recommendation.

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I enjoyed this movie. If you enjoyed "Forgetting Sarah Marshall", give this one a try. It's not quite as good but definitely entertaining.

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Funny and insightful. Definitely worth the time to watch if you like comedy movies. I hope you enjoy it as I did.

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Hope Springs (+ UltraViolet Digital Copy) (2012)

Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, and Steve Carell prove their worth as actors in roles they seldom play, but they all did a stellar job. As usual for these box-office hit professionals. Carell as Dr. Feld who takes a week to turn a stagnant 31-yr-old marriage on it's un-bridled love heals. Kay and Arnold are the couple who have to face marriage sexual reality in front of a shrink. Viewers feel as awkward as the characters are portrayed. Good acting makes this good story achieve greatness.

It's scenic, since the Omaha couple travel to Great Hope Springs, Maine for the intense week of therapy. And it's quite believable. It's emotional, like the struggles and high points of a real marriage after 31 years. In Feld's office, it goes from pathetic to comic. Intense to relief. Moments of endearment and others where the revelations become loud and in-your-face. Sometimes I wished I could hide myself, other moments I squeezed my wife's knee. She watched in the theater seat beside me. She immediately informed me we must buy the DVD when available.

OK, it's not for all. It's targeting older, mature viewers.

Teens will growl "gross" during the clothed sex scenes.

Young marrieds may envision their parents or grandparents.

Ladies 40 & over will find it lusciously romantic.

Older men will/can learn a few tips to sweeten your own sweetie. Works for me, 64 and alive.

Anyone calling this well acted encounter "far fetched" just isn't old enough to have been there...yet.

(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)When I saw Meryl Streep play the seemingly facile Omaha housewife she portrays in this 2012 marital dramedy, I had an immediate flashback to an underrated romantic drama she did almost thirty years ago, Ulu Grosbard's Falling in Love (1984), in which she played a young married woman who couldn't help falling for a married architect (Robert De Niro) on a commuter train. I kept thinking of Kay as that earlier character all these years later trying to fan the embers of the passion that erupted so unpredictably back then. Interestingly, her younger character could not consummate the affair either but fell hopelessly in love anyway. Director David Frankel (The Devil Wears Prada) and first-time screenwriter Vanessa Taylor travel to the opposite end of the marital spectrum, a 31-year-old marriage that finds Kay and her accountant husband Arnold sleeping in separate bedrooms having long ago lost any sense of intimacy and passion their marriage once had. The film begins with a seriocomic preface in which Kay awkwardly tries to seduce Arnold, an invitation he rebuffs with the flimsiest of excuses. Knowing their marriage is on auto-pilot, she fears being alone emotionally and ending their lives in emotional isolation now as they go through the motions in their sixties.

An optimist despite the odds, Kay signs them up for a week of intensive couples therapy in Great Hope Springs, Maine, where renowned therapist Dr. Bernie Feld practices. Arnold is predictably resistant but begrudgingly accompanies her when he realizes how serious Kay is about the counseling. The sessions with Dr. Feld initially don't go well with Arnold protesting the doctor's every recommendation for building intimacy in his relationship with Kay. This is when the movie becomes the most surprising because every time a physically awkward moment presents itself, the feelings become heartfelt and sometimes humorous in unexpected ways. While Frankel and Taylor handle the slim story turns with genuine insight, it's the masterful work of Streep and Tommy Lee Jones that elevates the film into an experience that far transcends the Lifetime-TV orientation you would expect otherwise. Unafraid to come across as harshly judgmental, Jones has made a career of playing dyspeptic curmudgeons, so it's nice to see him gradually reveal Arnold's vulnerabilities with skill and delicacy. He has to play Arnold close to the vest but not so insular as to make you wonder what Kay saw in him in the first place. After tackling larger-than-life figures like Julia Child and Margaret Thatcher, Streep is splendid portraying a sheltered woman who contributes as much to the fossilized, inchoate marriage as Arnold does.

At 63, the actress allows herself to look even beyond her age, but she's still beautiful in a shopworn way. I love how she almost swallows every word she speaks as if Kay's tentative nature is holding back grand expectations of a romance she can only fantasize about. The two veteran actors have a natural rapport that gives the viewer a rooting interest in seeing them overcome their age-old emotional and physical barriers. There are moments between them especially in the film's last third that are quite heartbreaking, especially when they come to learn that they aren't the people they believed themselves, or each other, to be. Steve Carell plays Feld straight-up without an iota of irony, and his clinical approach works effectively within this context. The rest of the supporting cast makes very little impact, including Jean Smart as Kay's sassy manager at the Coldwater Creek she works part-time, Elisabeth Shue as an equally sassy barmaid counseling Kay on sex, and Mimi Rogers as the final payoff of a joke about a comely (and yes, sassy) neighbor with a trio of corgis. The young actors who play Kay and Arnold's adult children are barely present, but I'm sure that was part of the intention in order to allow complete focus on the couple. Frankel overdoes the soundtrack music when moments of silence would have been far more effective, but otherwise, the tone feels spot-on.

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Reviewed by KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Victoria B, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic.

I went to see this movie with my mom and she was freaking out and covering my eyes in some parts, I thought it was funny and that she was overreacting. After the movie I had to remind her that I am fourteen. This movie is about a married couple of thirty-one years, Kay (played by Merryl Streep) and Arnold (played by Tommy Lee Jones) who love each other so much, but have not been affectionate or intimate with each other in many years. They even sleep in separate rooms, and on anniversaries they get gifts not for each other, but for the house. Kay gets sad at the reality that she and her husband do not have a real relationship. So she gets a book about marriage and calls the couple's counselor and schedules the intense therapy to fix her marriage. At first Arnold refuses to go, but then reconsiders when Kate leaves without him, then reluctantly he goes with her because he does not want to lose her. All throughout the movie Arnold is uncomfortable with therapy, and especially the intimate tasks assigned by Dr. Fields (played by Steve Carrell). While Kay really wants to have a "real" relationship, Arnold is tentative and they battle with this throughout the whole movie. This movie was very sweet in a weird way because it is based around an older and very in love couple that struggles with intimacy and I guess for a young audience, that visual would gross them out. The soundtrack in this movie reminded me of music in a silent film because music is included in most scenes and they describe the scene, even if the words are not there. Tommy Lee Jones is very versatile as an actor. I have never seen him play a domestic character or anyone in a relationship, it is refreshing and he does a great job. This movie makes me see the power in love and determination to sustain it. My mother was shocked by some scenes but then laughed, so this would be a great movie for couples who are in a long relationship. This is a very intriguing movie, I have not seen many with this concept, so I give it five out of five stars. I recommend this movie for mature 13-year-olds and up. This is a good movie for a mature crowd.

Video reviews available at kidsfirst dot org

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I took my mom and sister to see this. Purposely put my sister between me and my mom (I had read it was more drama than comedy. And I had heard about the theater scene). Within 5 minutes I was choking up. Don't get me wrong, there are times of absolute hilarity, the audience was roaring with laughter at a lot of scenes. However, it just struck me as a more realistic portrayal of life. Honest. Everyone's hopes, dreams, wishes.....and the inevitable feeling of those dreams drifting away. But then resulting in a journey of acceptance and love. For me it was an emotional kick in the gut. Maybe that's just me. But this film made me a blubbering idiot. If you have parents that are getting up there in age, and you are feeling this creeping up on yourself as well, fair warning. Do not let this film bypass you. Meryl Streep tore at my heart. Amazing, seemingly effortless work by her. Yes, her again. For those who criticize her work as being too, for lack of a better word, "studied" or "educated", you can throw that out the window with this. Just her facial expressions killed me, no words, just an everyday person's feelings flowing across her face. So realistic. Tommy Lee Jones---hilarious, heartbreaking, a performance that was every bit as realistic. He was awesome. Even though I had tears running down my face practically the entire time, I'm getting this DVD. Can't wait to see it again---but in the privacy of my own home---where no one can see me balling my eyes out. I'm a wuss. Rating: A

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My wife of 42 years dragged me to see this movie. I expected to be lectured, and was, about taking your spouse for granted. What I didn't expect was to be taken in by this movie to the point where I ordered a copy. Streep and Jones took a preachy movie and made it entertaining. Not for young children, though. You will have some explaining to do that will make you squirm.

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Evil Roy Slade & Brother's O'Toole - Double Feature (2012)

Okay, before I write any more here, I have to pass on a warning...

Evil Roy Slade makes this a fun little release, but, oh, attaching Brothers O'Toole to it makes you want to find a way to get through the protective Blu coating to scrape off that latter film.

Evil Roy Slade:

ERS was a 1972 TV-movie featuring John Astin as the most wonderfully nasty Westerrn bad guy. It's a funny 90 minutes, with an abundance of excellent supporting talent, including Mickey Rooney, Henry Gibson, and Dick Shawn...and the lovely Pamela Austin. who can make any man's heart beat faster. Basically, the story sets Slade as an orphaned baby in the Old West who even Indians and wolves refused to take in. He grows up not loving anything except his six guns. Until he falls in love with the prim and proper Pamela Austin, that is. At her urguing, he tries to give up his outlaw ways and go straight. John Astin (The Addams Family) had a field day with this role. Video is quite good (ranging from 3.5 to 4.0), but, considering its 1970s TV roots, will never be compared to any recent movies, please bear that in mind. Sound is clear. There are no extras. Movie: 3.5. Video 3.5. Audio: 3.5. Extras: 0. Overall: 3.5

And then we get to the second film on this disc...

Brothers O'Toole:

Now I must disclose I have not been able to sit through any more than the first 15 minutes of this film, but I could not take any more of it than that. Maybe I am wrong in being so negative about Brothers O'Toole, because I have come across a few reviews of the film by fans who rate it highly. I wanted to enjoy it, honestly, but after 5 minutes, then 10 minutes, then 15, I felt the remaining time in my life is much too valuable to use any of it watching it. The video for B.O. is abysmal, looking like a cheaply-made film that has come nowhere near being restored for DVD, let alone Blu-ray. Think bad VHS. Movie: 1. Video rating: 1. Audio: 3. Extras: 0. Overall: 1.5

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Kino Classics Lina Wertmuller Collection (Love & Anarchy, The Seduction of Mimi, All Screwed Up) (3

The Seduction of Mimi and Love & Anarchy were released as single DVDs in the past with poor visual quality. I owned those DVDs and never realized how bad a job those transfers were done until I bought this set. The picture is pristine for both movies at long last and that goes for All Screwed Up as well (which was not out on DVD prior to this set).

These movies are real classics. The Seduction of Mimi was even remade in Hollywood with Richard Pryor as Which Way Is Up?. The Seduction of Mimi and Love & Anarchy also start the collaboration between Wertmuller and her leading man Giancarlo Giannini. The two went on to make five films together and these are the first two (the others are Swept Away, Seven Beauties and Night Full of Rain.

I cannot recommend these movies more especially if you discovered the ones I mentioned above. Love and Anarchy is a period piece set during the height of Mussolini's regime prior to the start of the war. This has much more drama than comedy while All Screwed Up and The Seduction of Mimi are contemporary Italian comedies.

This set is more of a companion release to The Lina Wertmuller Collection (Summer Night / The Nymph / Swept Away / Seven Beauties / Ferdinando and Carolina).

Where are editions of SOTTO, SOTTO and A JOKE OF DESTINY, two Wertmuller classics, on DVD? SOTTO,SOTTO seems to have been written for Gianini. Unfortunately he must have not been available, but the movie works wonderfully anyway.

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Chick Flick Blu-ray 3-Pack (Juno / 27 Dresses / The Devil Wears Prada) (2008)

Wonderful, If you like Chick flicks this is the trilogy for you. Gave as Christmas gift. Well received. Will purchase more sets.

I love this! You get three great movies at a really good price. All the movies are worth watching, so if you like these movies then this is the way to go!

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These are all classic chick flicks! Juno wasn't my favorite but the other two I would definitely watch over and over again!

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Arthur / Arthur 2: On the Rocks (2-Movie Collection) (2011)

For the price this is definately worth it. It comes on 2 discs in one case, a must have for comedy fans like me. Dudley Moore is at his best in these to classic 80's comedy hits. This is a plus considering that it's on 2 discs and not on the single 2 sided disc that seems to get scratched all the time and you have to decide which side of the disc you want to keep in good mint condition.

This (Arthur)being a favorite from years gone by, was excited to see it ON BLU-RAY, and 'WIDESCREEN'! Yippee, until I started to watch it. I then compared it to my old "full frame" copy (blu and reg dvd machines, comparing back and forth). Funny what they consider widescreen now days. My original says "formatted to fit your screen". I beg to differ, but the newer "W/S" is. Case in point, I froze the screen at 1 min. 18 sec on both copies, the scene where the streetwalkers are standing in front of a store/restaurant. The full screen has so much more image than the newer wide: the signage is more complete top and bottom, as well as the characters' lower bodies. Left and right also has more picture. It's as if a w/s matte (rectangular shape) was placed over the full screen image, to create a "widescreen" image. Sorry, but I am not impressed. The blu picture (what image they left of it) IS of a brighter nature, and the signage in this particular scene IS now clear to read. The original dvd picture had looked like this scene was filmed in shadows, but the newer (smaller) image is clearer to make out. I have not watched entire film yet, perhaps update later. I, for one, do not mind side bars, if the original screen image is left intact. Still a fan of film, but am increasingly disgusted with modern film marketing tactics. (footnote: this film does not really 'need' to be widescreen, and newer fans will likely not know what they're missing with newer version. Is still head and shoulders above the dreck remake, but I'm an old guy, so what do I know!) UPDATE (4/20/11): Confusion and consternation abound! Comparing a later scene (office receptionist), w/s has more image to the right side of screen, but is cut-off at the bottom, from full screen! Oye! BOTTOM LINE: film is a hoot, in any format (Sir John Gielgud richly deserved his Oscar). The 1.0 audio is ok for a dialogue driven film, but at least stereo would have been nice. Blu-ray has audio dubs in German, French, Spanish; subtitles same, plus English. My opinion, film: 5 stars, blu video: 4 stars (cleaned up, but not 'eye-popping': it's an older film!), and 3 stars for overall blu-ray release (pluses for language options, picture improvement; negatives for 1.0 audio, zero extras, and weird formatting.) Bonus update #2: Finally watched A2. UGH! I lost count of how many none-too-subtle references/rip-offs to original film there are, and the delightfully scripted/acted original characters (Linda's Dad, A's grandmom, Burt Johnson) are dreadfully treated in #2. Almost tarnished my enjoyment of original (file under "What Were They Thinking?").

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So i've always been a Dudley Moore fan, and I wanted to buy the classic Arthur before that idiot Russell Brand screws up the franchise by polluting it with vulgar humour and sleazy sex jokes (at least more vulgar and sleazy than the original). Dudley Moore just brings a level of class and sophistication and even sympathy to everyone's favorite drunken playboy!

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'Arthur' is a true classic. After Dudley Moore's star rose , starting with 'Foul Play' and continuing with the great '10', 'Arthur' is a film with an almost perfect script, casting, music, production design and direction. It succeeds in pulling your heart strings and stands up as well today as it ever did, maybe even more so. 'Arthur 2On The Rocks' , while enjoyable, is an anemic squeal at best but at times succeeds in capturing some small glimpses of it's predecessors genius and warmth.

With that said, this review will focus on the actual video and sound quality rather than the film itself so you the reader can decide whether this Blu Ray disc is a good upgrade from your standard VHS or DVD versions.

This release of both the original 1981 'Arthur' and it's 1988 sequel 'Arthur 2-On The Rocks' is presented on one 50GB BD housed in yet another el-cheapo "eco case" with no real artwork on the disc itself other than the film's titles. No extras other than the original film trailers are included.

So how does 'Arthur' fare on Blu ray? Is it worth your hard earned cash and what should you expect? This movie is one of my all time favorites and I have to admit to being disappointed somewhat in this BD presentation.

For starters, both films have been cropped slightly from their original aspect ratios to fill our HDTV screens. It is nothing too drastic but I always prefer seeing films the way they were shot, not minding a bit of black border here and there.

Bottom line is this: For now, this is the BEST 'Arthur' has looked (or probably ever WILL look) on home video. Nevertheless, the original film sports a slightly troubled transfer. With a relative low bit rate and an apparent lack of caring on the Blu Ray authors part, 'Arthur' has trouble with both image stability (telecine wobble) and contrast issues, namely some major blooming with bright light sources. The wobble is nothing that should worry the casual viewer, but videophiles will notice it each time it happens. Check out the headlights on Arthur's limo as it is parked in front of the restaurant he has taken "Princess Gloria" to. The limo is parked, but the lights keep shifting position. And notice the massive blooming from any indoor scene that includes outside windows. YIKES! My display is properly calibrated so what you see is what you get here.

Fine detail is frequently obscured by something appearing to be an overzealous application of DNR, but it doesn't introduce any other negative artifacts into the picture such as smearing or blurring. It is obvious to me that this film was basically run thru the scanner set on "Auto" and no human being sat and watched the finished results because the blooming alone would have been reason enough to ADJUST the relative Bright/Contrast levels for a much better and pleasing result. As it is, at times the transfer looks pretty darn good (Arthur, Hobson and Linda at the City bus stop is a good example) and alternately pretty bad (Arthur in his father's office whenever the outside window is in the frame)

On the positive side, the colors are solid and the color timing is beautiful.

'Arthur 2On The Rocks' fares much better picture wise. The image is stable, the contrast levels are much better, for both day and night scenes and the color timing mimics that of the previous release.

If you LOVE the original 'Arthur' like I do, while being slightly disappointed with the original films treatment from this rather shoddy transfer, you will have to admit it is the best it has ever looked in your living room or home theater. If only it could have been brought up to the visual level of the 2nd film, I would have nothing to complain about regarding the picture quality.

How about the sound? 'Arthur' is presented in it's original mono, albeit in uncompressed DTS-HD Master Audio. While not demo material for your surround system, the sound is good with nice, crisp dialogue and decent sounding music. The audio is actually better than the visual. On the other hand with 'Arthur 2' , the picture is much better but the audio is NOT. In fact if you watch and listen carefully you will notice the entire first reel of 'Arthur-2' has been 'looped' in post production and sounds like it is coming out of a cardboard tube. This improves as the film progresses and the sound on this one is at least presented in it's original stereo mix and again using DTS-HD.

Even with a less than stellar transfer and shoddy sound on the 2nd film I still have given this product FIVE STARS and the reason is because of the content (2 films with one being a classic) and because of the current very low asking price.

To sum it up, if you are a fan of this film or it's sequel, then this purchase is a must have and should be a no brainer. While this is far from the ideal presentation and falls somewhat short of my expectations and what could have been achieved with even the slightest amount of human involvement in this transfer, it is pleasure to finally watch and enjoy 'Arthur' in High Definition.

Recommended for fans and the curious alike, just don't get your hopes up too high for a great transfer as it isn't there.

Want Arthur / Arthur 2: On the Rocks (2-Movie Collection) (2011) Discount?

It was a good deal for the money (two films on Blu-Ray for under $15). I watched the first movie and didn't feel ripped off like I did watching some other Blu-Rays (First Blood and Total Recall), but was not impressed. The video quality was okay, but not great (I suspect better than a standard DVD). There was little or no grain, but it just did not look that great. But, it was okay for a movie that old, and at that price. The audio was "DTS-HD Master Audio", but was in MONO! What is the point of that?

I put in the second movie (Arthur 2) and immediately noticed grain. I didn't think it looked as good as the first movie. I skipped through it, and there was grain throughout the movie. But still, probably better than a standard DVD, which I have never seen. Grain just bothers me. I don't think you should see it on a Blu-Ray disc. The second movie had stereo sound at least, which was still a disappointment, but better than the original Arthur (first movie).

Still a good deal at this price, unless you are a big fan of the "Arthur" movies.

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Trotsky

"The Trotsky" is one of those films that I wholeheartedly loved for at least half of its running time. A deliciously dark comedy about a Canadian youth who imagines he's the reincarnation of Russian revolutionary leader Leon Trotsky, this film begins as a strong satire of idealism gone awry. The running joke, throughout, is that our hero has very little to rebel against--he's just in love with the idea that he is a relevant trailblazer. But, in fact, he's no trailblazer at all. He's just trying to mirror his life according to the facts of Trotsky's existence--right down to his love life. It's a sly and smart skewering of politics and teen rebellion. The fact that his activism has very little real world context is quite amusing as there is no obvious cause to be fought. But just as the picture had won me over--a subtle shift starts occurring and we're meant to take this arbitrary and absolutely meaningless struggle seriously. A completely implausible, and somewhat creepy, romantic entanglement doesn't help. Once I felt like the movie was asking me to embrace the student as a hero, my good will went south pretty quickly as the movie didn't seem to be in on its own joke anymore.

Jay Baruchel capably plays our wannabe revolutionary. The film begins as he organizes a hysterically inept hunger strike at his father's factory. The early family scenes work equally well as Baruchel verbally spars with his father (a great Saul Rubinek). The twist of seeing this privileged youth fighting for the teeming masses elicits many laugh out loud moments as he is seemingly disconnected from the hypocrisy of his lifestyle. His father takes a page from the real Trotsky and forces his son to attend (gasp!) public school. However, this being Canada--the school is quite lovely. For no discernible reason (slight dress code infractions are the only real issues apparent), a campaign to start an actual union to represent students is initiated. Still quite funny, the film has our hero rallying the troops for the most spectacularly inane rebellion. Soon, however, the film starts to take things a bit far and the student's apathy may turn to support. Why? Because school isn't fun. That ends up being the unifying force. Deep, huh?

Amidst the increasing nonsense, Baruchel stalks a 27 year old graduate student. Let's just say this really didn't add to my good will because you can imagine where this storyline is headed. And it's not a good place! Baruchel never comes to terms with the fact he's been an ungrateful tool to his father, but let's not dwell on the negative. Baruchel starts off as a awkwardly out-of-place antihero, but by the end--I found him insufferably self-involved AND we're meant to admire him for it! This satire started at a rollicking four stars for its first hour and ended at two stars for its shift of tone. A true disappointment. I guess I'll split the difference. It's a shame--I'd recommend the first hour to anyone, but I ended up hating it! KGHarris, 3/11.

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Bam Margera Presents: Where the #$&% is Santa? (2008)

BAM MARGERA PRESENTS

WHERE THE #### IS SANTA

I bought this DVD for my girl for Christmas and she could not have been any happier, she is absolutely in love with Bam. So it was a big hit with her which made me a big hit with her, nice. Any way I watched this with her that night which was ok because I am a fan of Bam and all them so it was cool. It has been a while since anything new has come out from these guys so I was excited to watch it, I knew it would good.

The movie is all about Bam and company taking a trip to the Arctic Circle some where in Finland trying to find the real Santa Claus. Apparently the only thing left for Bam to get his wife Missy since she has everything she could possibly want he decides that the real Santa is the only logical gift. Accompanying him on this trip is his brother Jess and Chad I. Ginsburg from CKY, Mark Hanna, Joe Frantz, and a personal favorite of mine Brandon Novak. Back at home Missy and Bam's parents have to put up with not only two members of The Bloodhound Gang [including the ever funny Jimmy Pop] but also S***Goose, and Mark the Bagger. One of the main driving points behind this film is the two bets that are going down with the Bagger, one with Novak and one with Bam. With Novak is a bet to see who can get the most girls, and with Bam it is whether or not the real Santa is in Finland. The prize for the Bagger against Novak is a sexy robot and with Bam it is none other then Bam's wife Missy, yes he bets her.

In Finland the boys harass each other and by that I mean mostly Bam messing with Novak pretty hard, I feel so bad for this guy all through the entire film. Also along the way they decide that they need a map so Hanna is volunteered to get a horrible map tattooed on his stomach. Of course it would not be a Bam related film if HIM is not involved some how, so while in Finland they stop of at HIM's rehearsal studio to get directions and advice and also film a performance. Also the 69 Eyes and a few other bands pop up every now and then, but it is the appearance of the Dudesons that excites me. These guys are crazy beyond words and I love that they do not just cameo they are threw out the entire film. These guys just add a whole new dimension to the movie and even are involved in one of the grossest parts of the movie. All I am going to say is it involves eye balls, Novak and a male's part [if you know what I mean] from a dead animal.

Back in the states Missy and Bam's parents are hard at work at working on a huge surprise party for Bam, while the B.H. Gang and the Bagger are out looking for girls. The girl hunting parts are hilarious, especially when Jimmy Pop dresses up as Bam and gives the Bagger the worst advice on getting girls ever. Of course when they finally get some girls to come back to castle Bam with them two very funny players from Bam's new movie "MINGHAGS" show up, classic moment. Mean while back in Finland all the guys have to hike, travel by dog sled, reindeer, and snow mobile to reach Santa's house only to find Santa is on vacation. Do they ever find him before they head home, you will have to watch and see but there is a nice party waiting for them when they return home and all ends well {sort of} for Novak eventually. He even gets one over on Bam; excellent moment indeed [well played sir, well played].

Bam as always is his usual jerk yet funny self all through out this entire movie, as is Jimmy Pop and the Bagger [the funny part not jerk]. Chad and Jess are great as well, great to see those guys in this [OVER HERE], you will get that once you watch it. Hanna and Frantz as expected are just as funny as the rest; still Hanna's best thing was his over the top laugh on "Haggard". Everyone else in the movie is great but the show stealer is definitely Novak {who is the star, and rightfully so} with out a doubt, he is this movie's Dico I guess you could say. And of course you know the Dudesons are hilarious only adding nothing but laughs, poor Novak he hates these guys. And yes people this is a movie, a thought out written down in screenplay format movie based in reality. Bam, Frantz, and Joe De Vito wrote a hilarious film and Bam and De Vito's direction is seamless, Bam also serves not only as a producer but as an Executive producer as well.

This movie is worth every penny in my opinion and is beyond a rental, I suggest you buy this because it truly is a funny movie. If you liked Jackass, Viva La Bam, CKY, and especially Haggard then you will love this. And sure Dico, Dunn, Rake, and Raab are nowhere to be found on this DVD, but those who are make this hilarious. And who knows maybe in the future all of them will eventually work together again, maybe a "Where the #### are those guys" will be in the works. Still you can catch all those guys plus all these guys in "Minghags".

love this movie. i couldnt stop laughing, cant wait for more movies i own most his movies

Buy Bam Margera Presents: Where the #$&% is Santa? (2008) Now

I bought the DVD on 12/2/08; and let me tell you that I laughed so $&%*ing hard!! Bam hasn't lost his touch when it comes to his pranks and humor. The movie reminded me a his CKY days and I really felt sorry for poor Brandon Novak being the brunt of his jokes! Bam's wife, Missy Margera, is looking pretty as ever, Jessie looks good, glad to see Chad I. Ginsburg, Mark Hanna is a mess, and Joe Frantz was funny too. Really wished that Rake Yohn, Brandon DiCamillo, Ryan Dunn, and Raab Himself was with Bam in this movie, but I still enjoyed it! This DVD is a must for Bam Margera/CKY fans.....I highly recommend it!

Read Best Reviews of Bam Margera Presents: Where the #$&% is Santa? (2008) Here

When Bam was up to his old hi-jinks on Jackass and (at least initially) on Viva La Bam, he and his crew were fun to watch. The casts were a bit different depending on the era, but there was a stable core to the friend group that lent some enjoyment to watching them act like idiots. To a certain extent, the old material felt real and honest it was alot like they'd just taken a camera along while they were goofing off.

But this new material is absolutely nothing of the sort. Bam's new friends are all complete idiots and self-absorbed jerks, and the show is so scripted and edited that it's basically just Reality TV (tm) for mook-addicted MTV flunkies. "Bam's Where is Santa?" feels fake, contrived, forced, drawn out, artificial, planned line-by-line, etc. It's joyless and not funny. It seems the days when Bam (and company) was fun to watch are long gone.

They need to go back to the beginning and be real again, or quit making TV.

Want Bam Margera Presents: Where the #$&% is Santa? (2008) Discount?

WHERE THE F**K IS SANTA is about Bam Margera from the JACKASS crew and his group of misfits (Jess Margera and Chad Ginsburg from CKY, Brandon Novak, and a few others) taking a trip to Finland to find "the real Santa Clause". Half of the movie is typical Bam stuff that you would see in his Camp Kill Yourself videos with stunts, drunken hijinx, and skateboarding footage set to Norwegian Rock music. Half of it is obviously staged, similar to the VIVA LA BAM television show.

While Bam and crew are overseas, his wife and family remain at home to plan for a Christmas Party while their uninvited house guest, Jimmy Pop from the Bloodhound Gang, is on a mission to get his slightly retarded sidekick Mark The Bagger (a Whack Packer from the Howard Stern show) laid. Meanwhile Bam and company meet up with various rock star friends like HIM and The 69 Eyes, as well as Andy McCoy from Hanoi Rocks who gives them clues as to where they might find Santa's lair. In the process one of the guys gets a tattoo of a map of Finland on his stomach that they all use as their guide and they eventually get lost somewhere near the Arctic circle and have to sleep in freezing conditions.

There's not really much to say about WHERE THE F**K IS SANTA other than the fact that it's exactly like Bam's other stuff, which isn't a bad thing. As much as you try to hate the guy, the bottom line is that he and his crew are so over the top, obnoxious, and funny that you can't help but enjoy it. If you like VIVA LA BAM, JACKASS, CKY, and BAM'S UNHOLY UNION, you'll like this. Just think of it as an extended and uncensored Christmas episode of VIVA LA BAM, except without Rake Yohn, Ryan Dunn, Raab Himself, Brandon DiCamillo, and (fortunately) Don Vito present. Their absence isn't really explained but it also isn't really much of an issue anyway because if Bam is involved then trouble and mayhem will follow regardless. The film also has a ton of good music from the likes of Dimmu Borgir, GWAR, Clutch, CKY, Five Finger Death Punch, The 69 Eyes, Viking Skull, and HIM, just to name a few.

The DVD doesn't really have a lot of Extra Features except for a photo gallery and about twenty minutes of Deleted Scenes, including a scene involving an ice sculpture of Bam's naked dad sitting on a toilet, the guys doing shots of melted candle wax, and a full performance by HIM that had to be cut out of the film due to one of Bam's friends rocking out a little TOO hard.

3.5 stars

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A Christmas Story: Ultimate Collector's Edition (2009)

Released this fall, the "Christmas Story" collector's edition is really a 20th anniversary version of the classic. First, let me say I can't believe it's been out for 20 years. I thought 12, at the most 15. Wow.

Briefly, for readers who may not be intimately acquainted with the film, I strongly encourage you to purchase "A Christmas Story" and make it a regular part of your holiday routine. It will grow on you with each viewing and you'll soon find its one-liners making their way into your everyday vernacular. Which version should you get? That's why you're reading this review.

The original DVD release of "A Christmas Story" had no extra features. Nothing. No commentaries, no interviews, no documentaries. Just the movie. This was greatly disappointing, since I'm a big fan and was interested in the making of the film, what the actors are doing now, etc. So naturally I was looking forward to this special edition.

Well, I can't say I'm too satisfied with the reissue.

1. The documentary is very uninformative. The one positive aspect of it is the simple fun of seeing the actors all grown up. Ralphie is 30 now, but looks about the same. Flick has changed more in his appearance and his career choices. (Career choices? You'll have to look that up yourself. It's not on the DVD and I'm not about to ruin Christmas for you.) There just isn't that much to glean about the movie from the special features. If you would like to know what Ralphie wanted for Christmas when he was 10, or what the worst Christmas present Schwartz ever got was, then you'll likely be absorbed. I wasn't. What could've been an in-depth look at the making of this low-budget masterpiece, intermingled with musings from the actors turned into a Nickelodeon-style "what's your favorite color" type of Q&A session. What was particularly annoying was the graphics and sound effects that the editors added (e.g., if Ralphie says "my mom put her foot down," there's a big crashing sound with a monolithic stone foot superimposed over him. Just stupid). Bottom line, it's good for the serious fan who wants a peek at the grown up kids, but beyond that it's useless.

2. The other "special features" are even more lame. There's a trivia challenge (yawn), a decoder game where you match the dialogue from the scene, a history of the daisy rider BB gun, and the original radio readings from Jean Shepherd (the narrator). You might do these once, but it's nothing worth buying the DVD for.

3. The one bright spot is the commentary, and if there's a reason to buy the special edition, it's this. The director (Bob Clark) and Ralphie (Peter Billingsly) do provide some more insight into the making of the film, and if you're the type that enjoys commentaries, you'll find it's worth it.

4. Lastly, I don't think the film was restored in any way. We're talking 20 years here. The film was pretty marked up and I was disappointed they didn't go to any effort to fix it in the 20th anniversary edition. For those of you that don't know (and don't worry, I'll spare you the 1000 word treatise on the mechanics of film that another reviewer felt the need to share), artists go into the original film and frame by frame they remove specks of dust and dirt, and in some cases they even add paint to touch up obvious artifacts. This apparently didn't occur in "A Christmas Story" and it badly needed it. This would've gone a long way to help the value of this DVD set.

So what's the bottom line? If you intensely love this movie and have for years, then buy the DVD. It will be worth it. But if you're on the fence, maybe you've already got the first issue of the DVD, maybe you throw it in during the holidays, then save your money. And if you're just getting into the movie and don't yet own a copy, well, you should probably get the reissue since we're only talking about a few dollars in price difference.

This review applies mostly to readers who already have the first release and are considering getting the new version. If the features I mentioned appeal to you, then go for it. Otherwise, you might be better off just sticking with the original release and using your 20 bucks to get the "Christmas Vacation" reissue, which actually is worth it.

Amazon has combined the reviews for the Blu-ray and standard DVD versions of this set, which aren't exactly the same in their features. This review is for the Blu-ray version. My review of the standard DVD version is here too, so be sure you're reading the one you're interested in.

The movie is excellent, a Christmas classic (see below). Should you upgrade to the new Ultimate edition if you already have the 2006 Blu-ray edition? That depends on how much you like memorabilia. The new edition is a repackaging of the 2006 edition, with a couple new non-DVD extras:

-a collectible retro Christmas cookie tin (the container for the set)

-a strand of leg-lamp Christmas lights (Blu-ray exclusive)

Those look like fun, if you're into that kind of stuff. Amazon has a photo of the tin and a second photo that shows the tin and the leg-lamp lights. (The announcement for this set said that the items from the standard DVD set (here) would be included in this one, but that isn't correct.)

The Blu-ray DVD won't be remastered from the previous one. The video quality of the 2006 release was only fair for hi-def, soft with fairly good color, with fair mono sound.

The 2006 Blu-ray didn't include everything that was on the HD or the 2-disc SD set. Here's what's actually included:

-audio commentary by director/co-writer Bob Clark and star Peter Billingsley (Ralphie)

-Another Christmas Story featurette, includes interviews with Clark and a few members of the cast

-Get a Leg Up featurette, about the making and ongoing sale of the (in)famous leg lamp

-A History of the Daisy Red Ryder featurette, on the object of great desire's actual history

-original theatrical trailer

The features from earlier editions that aren't included are trivia and decoder games, readings (audio only) from Jean Shepherd, and an ad for the real leg lamp.

Now, about the really good stuff, the movie. A Christmas Story is that odd film that appeals to a cross-section of viewers who often can't agree on what to watch. Fans of sweet Christmas cheer are happily joined by people with a more jaundiced eye to the holiday. To be sure, the movie leans more to the sweet than the sour, but it has enough edge and good-natured twistedness to please some of our darker Christmas angels too. It conveys a genuinely warm nostalgia and some sharp, sometimes pretense-deflating observations about human nature.

The story is set at some indefinite time around 1940 in an Indiana town approaching the holidays. Young Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) wants only one thing for Christmas, the Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action 200-Shot Lightning Loader Range Model Air Rifle with a compass in the stock. (That is, a BB gun, a very particular one.) He plans carefully well in advance how to lay the groundwork for this while avoiding the dreaded rebuff, but almost everyone says it anyway: "You'll put your eye out!" The relentless struggle for the one true gift develops alongside several other small stories and amusing details, a tongue-on-frozen-pole triple-dog dare, facing the local bully, the notorious leg lamp, the Santa slide, Peking Duck for Christmas, and several others, each memorable in itself.

The actors aren't very well known, but they're all just right. There is narration throughout, representing an older Ralphie, done by the originator of the story, Jean Shepard, also just right.

This movie, made in 1983, has gradually become a favorite Christmas classic, now shown in an annual 24-hour Christmas marathon on cable, which attracts a huge number of viewers. If you've never seen it, give it a try, even if you have a little Scrooge in you, and you'll probably enjoy it.

Buy A Christmas Story: Ultimate Collector's Edition (2009) Now

Revised 12/09: The 2003 "Anniversay" edition of the DVD is now out of print, making this the only deluxe version of the movie available at the current time. A year ago, there were two identical Christmas Story DVD sets on the market at the same time, and this was the more expensive of the two. Seeing as how this is no longer and issue, I'm upping the score for this item from three stars to five.

Original review:

Don't get me wrong I love "A Christmas Story," and I would give the film a 5-star review. The issue here is that the 2008 DVD release is EXACTLY the same as the 2003 version (aside from some slightly different artwork on the slipcover and case). There are no new special features, and the print quality is the same as before. There is absolutely no need for the studio to release this needless double dip DVD. If you don't already own the 2003 version, then this is a must have DVD; if you do, there's no need to buy the new version, unless you go for the Ultimate Collector's Edition, which has some neat extras (which admittedly aren't worth the price if you already own the film on DVD). Check out the Blue-ray version if you're looking for slightly improved picture quality.

Read Best Reviews of A Christmas Story: Ultimate Collector's Edition (2009) Here

As many other reviewers have queried: Why isn't this movie in widescreen format? And couldn't the producers come up with any extra features? The DVD itself gets 3 stars, but the movie deserves 5.

These gripes notwithstanding, this movie is a modern-day Christmas classic. It captures the joy and fear and exhilaration and disillusionment of what it was like growing up in an America of a by-gone era. The late Jean Shepherd is from my parents' generation, but I can still relate completely to Ralphie, Randy and all their friends -bullies at school - Not getting what you really want for Christmas -having your mouth washed out with soap and fantasizing about the day when they'd all be sorry... It's all there!

Darren McGavin is great as the blustery but sentimental dad and Melinda Dillon as the mom who is wiser than her kids give her credit for. The movie is touching and hilarious at the same time. It's so hard being a kid sometimes!

This is one of the few movies I can watch over and over again and still laugh.

Want A Christmas Story: Ultimate Collector's Edition (2009) Discount?

I was almost finished recording "A Christmas Story" on last Christmas morning. Fifteen minutes before it ended, my father walked in and said that we would get the special edition.

That I didn't go postal at losing an hour and a half on something that would shortly be redundant shows how much I love "A Christmas Story." This 1983 classic is not just a heartwarming little story about a loving (if bickery) family in the dour America of the late 1940s, but a hysterical comedy about what it's like to be a kid at Christmas.

Ralphie Parker's (Peter Billingsley) Christmas wishes are simple: a official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle with a compass and a "thing that tells time." But his mom says he'll shoot his eye out. So Ralphie begins a quiet crusade to get it as a present -he writes an essay on it and even asks Santa, only to get the same terrible reply: "You'll shoot your eye out."

As the days tick down to Christmas -with no sign of an air rifle -Ralphie hits other obstacles when he clashes with bullies, says "the mother of all dirty words," and watches his parents battle it out over a tacky "major award" (leg lamp). But there are surprises in store for the Parker family on Christmas morning -and some of them involve smelly bloodhounds.

Yes, the plot is pretty simple -it's the delivery that makes it special. It's narrated by an adult Ralphie who offers his slightly sardonic take on everything ("We plunged into the cornucopia quivering with desire and the ecstasy of unbridled avarice"), mingled with a hint of nostalgia. And it's completely tuned in to how kids think, and how a toy can seem like the most important thing in the world.

Fortunately the scriptwriters never condescend to the audience by adding some kind of syrupy message -after all, real life doesn't work that way. Instead there are all sorts of classic moments -the leg lamp, Chinese turkey, the terrifying visit to Santa ("HOOOO HOOOO HOOO!"), and Ralphie's fantasies of defending his family with "Ol' Blue" against a bunch of inept, unarmed bandits.

And Jean Shepherd -the co-writer and narrator of the movie -deserves especial credit for bringing this movie to life. He covers the movie with a snowstorm of one-liners and hilarious dialogue: "Over the years I got to be quite a connoisseur of soap." "He looks like a pink nightmare!" "Oh FUUUDDDDGGGE!" and others.

Billingsley is a little stiff as Ralphie, but gives the portrayal of this everykid his charming, slightly frenetic best. Melinda Dillon and Darin McGavin are the comic geniuses here, with their slightly kooky but loving parents (one of the highlights is Dillon's "show me how the piggies eat!" scene, and McGavin's revolted response), and there's an array of very convincing bullies and classmates too.

"A Christmas Story" didn't get much notice when it came out in 1983. But now it's one of the quintessential holiday movies, and a must-see at Christmastime. HOOOOO HOOOOO HOOOO...

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Coen Brothers Collection (Blood Simple/Fargo/Miller's Crossing/Raising Arizona) (2011)

Four great Coen Brothers early works from Fox, and a couple licensed from MGM. Blood Simple, Raising Arizona, and Miller's Crossing are all instant classic films from the Coen catalog, and Fargo is an Oscar favorite bundled with this set and previously available. The die-hard Coen fans probably already own Fargo, making its inclusion here a little annoying for them, but it's still a better value (at current prices) than buying the others as individual discs. For those who have been waiting to get Fargo, or want a headfirst introduction to some of America's coolest filmmakers, this is a great bargain and a fantastic set; for the rest of us who are already Coen converts, buy the set, enjoy it, resell or give your extra Fargo to a friend, and try not to stew too badly thinking about Barton Fink, which yes, would have been better suited for this set.

Fox has given us individual cases for each movie, which I like a lot better than the cheap cardboard packaging of other sets. The discs themselves look and sound great. Most knowledgeable Blu-ray buyers know that there's a sliding scale, the age of the film and the cost invested in the release will determine how good it will look, and those films that have suffered from poor storage or mishandling are special challenges. I think, on the sliding scale, the Coen Brothers films included here look fantastic. These are mostly independently made films, in the range of twenty to twenty-six years old (excluding Fargo), none of them using Hollywood blockbuster money. I think Fox has done a bang-up job on their MGM license releases, and the Coen Brothers set continues that streak. The colors are as vibrant as each film's color palette allows, and a welcome amount of detail is brought out on Blu-ray. For artistic and intelligent films, the Coen Brothers employ a lot of kinetic camerawork and striking visuals, more in line with big-money Hollywood films, and these releases showcase that better than the DVDs I've seen. Occasional softness or a little grain notwithstanding, these are very well-done Blu-ray, and I think easily the best these film have looked since they first hit theaters.

The sound is very solid, though I have to admit my system isn't the best way to test that. No noticeable flaws to me. English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby Digital Surround on Arizona and Miller's, Blood Simple is English 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio. Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and French 5.1 DTS on Arizona and Miller's, no other language tracks on Blood Simple. Fargo is the same as before, English 5.1 DTS Master Audio and Dolby Digital Surround, Spanish, French, German, and Italian 5.1 DTS, Portugese and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital. All are 50GB dual layer discs, ACV @ 39 MBPS (Blood Simple), 31 MBPS (Raising Arizona and Fargo), and 30 MBPS (Miller's Crossing).

Special features are a little thin, but we would be complaining about the wait if Fox put off these releases until the Coen Brothers wanted to contribute more in-depth features and commentary. Raising Arizona essentially gets nothing (trailers and TV spots, and if ever a film was overdue praise, it's this one. A loaded special edition may be planned for some time (25th anniversary is next year), but for anyone who wants the film looking its best (or pretty damn good), this edition is commendable. Blu-ray buyers know the bread and butter of most studios are new releases, not catalog titles, so this is nothing we haven't seen before, and better than a lot of them.

Menus and playback features are pretty stylish. Studios seldom get credit for that, but the extra work is appreciated.

It would have been downright heroic to get Barton Fink with these other early Coen Brothers favorites for the same price, but Fox probably makes a better profit including a previously-released film which has already been paid for, and they've been pretty generous to make the other three titles individually available, if you only want one or two. Not a bad compromise. These are excellent films, fantastic stories and great acting, incredible directing and original ideas, must-owns for me, and if they haven't been given Lord of the Rings-level attention, they've at least been treated pretty respectfully. I'll wait for Barton Fink to get its own release, and get my Coen Brothers fix in the meantime with the four that are included.

I got this at Best Buy on sale for $19.99. Not sure if it is worth more unless you do not own a previous DVD version of any of these movies. Fargo is missing an extra feature found on the Special Edition DVD version -the Charlie Rose Interview with the Coen Brothers and Frances McDormand. This makes no sense why it was not included.

Buy Coen Brothers Collection (Blood Simple/Fargo/Miller's Crossing/Raising Arizona) (2011) Now

This is a great collection for a great price; there isn't a bad Coen Brothers movie and they run from great to pretty good (the worst being Intolerable Cruelty which is not part of this collection). This includes three early films and the Oscar winning Fargo. Virtually all Coen films are tales of morality and what happens when one crosses the line into immorality; their first, Blood Simple, is included here and is their first foray into film noir. Their second, the offbeat comedy Raising Arizona, is one of my favorites and is their first foray into allegorical story telling. Their third film, Miller's Crossing, is another film noir offering with a character who manipulates, and is often manipulated by, other gangsters as he operates under a code of morality known only to him. FInally, Fargo is another film noir that examines the "domino principle" and what happens when one crosses the morality line, tapping the first domino that causes them all to fall while spinning wildly out of control. It's also one of two films in history that I can recall that successfully mingles comedic elements with stark violence. The Coens contrast the quirkiness of midwesterners with the stark harshness of violent crimes. By the way, the other film that does this successfully? A Clockwork Orange. The interesting thing for me is when I think back on A Clockwork Orange I remember it as very violent and when I watch it I realize how funny it also is. When I think back on Fargo I remember the comedy and then when watching I realize how serious and violent it is.

Regarding the transfers, Blood Simple and Miller's Crossing are fair, Raising Arizona and Fargo are very good. Still, to get these four movies you can't beat the price.

Read Best Reviews of Coen Brothers Collection (Blood Simple/Fargo/Miller's Crossing/Raising Arizona) (2011) Here

It is likely that the people complaining about this set are the type to walk through life looking for things about which to complain. "Didn't have this extra" or "transfer was bad" or "was fullscreen and not widescreen..." that one made me laugh as I would bet money that person has a blu ray player that he/she/it has yet to set up properly.

The transfers are great, the sound is great, the price is fantastic, the movies are excellent and they ARE, beyond any shadow of doubt, widescreen. One or more aren't your favorite? Buy them separately. Simple. Have a problem with how long it took to get your item or what kind of shape it was in when it arrived? Take it up with the seller or with Amazon and leave it out of the product review. No one cares.

In other words, buy this. You can't go wrong with such great movies at such and unbeatable price. Mr. Split Infinitive wants to complain about 4 blu rays for around $5.00 each? THAT is disappointing, highly.

Want Coen Brothers Collection (Blood Simple/Fargo/Miller's Crossing/Raising Arizona) (2011) Discount?

Gotta admit, the title of the box set is kinda dumb "From the minds of ...". But it's a good decision to put these four movies together. All are crime-gone-wrong movies (what the Coens are best at), although some may argue that Raising Arizona is out of place here as it's the only full-on comedy. Since Blood Simple is an early Coens film, can't expect much from the Blu-ray transfer. The rest are quite good transfers to high-def, although not top-notch reference-disc material. Raising Arizona's colours are especially vivid, since its palette fits the slapstick cartoonish action. Miller's Crossing has a stately picture quality and the classy cinematography is very much aided by the high-def, where colours are correct and shadows are strong. The obvious lack here are extras. But I believe there are not many extras on the individual releases either, so what's there to complain really.

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