Sherlock Jr. / Three Ages (1924)

This Buster Keaton classic has never looked better than than on this newly released Blu Ray disc......Sherlock Jr is 44 minutes of perpetual motion............not a half second of down time in his baby. This movie is VERY funny with jaw dropping stunts by Keaton himself. I can see why Welles and other giants consider Keaton the best director ever.

This movie deserves 10 stars especially considering what passes for 5 stars on Amazon.

Not to be missed!!

Wow. This is great.

I really did not need Three Ages on Blu-Ray, but it's nice to have.

Sherlock Jr., though, is fantastic. A very nice transfer, with a tiny bit of missing material added. Some good featurettes added as well. Nice music choices for the soundtrack as well. (THis is the one Alloy Orchestra score I like.)

It just looks GREAT! Kudos, Kino!

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The Blu-Ray AND the regular ("Ultimate 2-Disc Edition") dvds have the best prints I've ever seen of these films. The Blu-Ray is marginally sharper, but you really have to compare the two versions back-to-back and almost microscopically to tell the difference (I do have both versions).

The "Three Ages" is a problematic film due to nitrate decomposition; I agree that on both films, Kino would have done us a big favor by "enhancing" the movies with some digital cleanup: given the clarity of the Blu-Ray, I believe you would never notice any "compromise" in the quality of the picture even with the digital noise reduction. At the very least this should be done in the titles and the fade-outs, where scratches are most noticeable. (I certainly see no loss of quality in the digitally "enhanced versions" on Kino's set of Keaton's 19 short films.) Nevertheless, the image itself is certainly as sharp as you're ever going to get, and the pictures have adequate contrast but with lots of detail.

The music is a different matter. I very much like the Robert Israel soundtrack for "Three Ages". However, it seems to be out of sync around the middle of the film (sound is a few frames late to the picture), then goes back in sync a little later. It's not terrible, but I always notice this when it happens (when Keaton whacks his rival on the head and there is a musical highlight at that moment, I just naturally expect the sound to match the picture, and if it's late I'm disappointed).

It surprises me that given three different sound tracks for "Sherlock Jr." not one of them is completely successful. The Mont Alto score works the best for me. Mont Alto is a very professional small ensemble and they always play pleasant and winsome music. But their skill at matching music-to-picture is wildly variable. They do such satisfying work with their scores for the Flicker Alley anthology "Georges Melies: First Wizard of Cinema" that I have often put on a film just because I like their music so much! On the other hand, their music for "Chaplin at Keystone" ranges from pleasant to curious to maddening: Chaplin is dashing about, leaping and (literally) kicking rear-ends; people are tumbling and flying through the air madly at super-sonic speeds... and the Mont Alto is playing a slow waltz. What in the world were they thinking? Were they even watching the movie?

Similarly, in "Sherlock Jr.", there are times when the Mont Alto players seem unaware that there is actually a COMEDY going on. They begin the film with mock-serious music to play along with Keaton's character, who is taking himself too seriously; but the music is so austere and lacking in whimsy that it stops working for the irony and only bogs down the comedy (their 'crime-investigation' music, see below, is much better). But their next couple of choices are better...until the Other Suitor enters the living room. Here the music is pretty cold. One moment in particular leaves me shaking my head every time I think about it: while Mont Alto plays slow and frankly rather gloomy music (as if for a tragedy!) Keaton takes a mind-boggling, back-breaking prat fall; the music just continues to drone on slowly and grimly. Rather than being funny, the effect is odd. A little later, when the movie actually becomes, temporarily, tragic, the music is very effective.

Even given their many miscalculations, I still prefer the Mont Alto soundtrack over the Club Foot Orchestra, which quickly becomes annoying, and over Jay Ward's scratchy and hissy "vintage jazz score", which is not sensitively compiled. The Mont Alto score is full of engaging and memorable tunes. And I must give them their due: once they decide to play more up-beat and up-tempo music to match Keaton's rhythm as he "shadows the suspect", their music becomes a perfect match to the action, and really charming. Their `crime-investigation' music (while Buster plays pool) is a good fit to the picture, being both mock-serious AND very witty; but they start this particular music about a minute too late (it should begin just after Keaton enters the home and removes his coat). And their chase music (again, they start too late) is great stuff, really adding to the delight of the film. They end the movie with appropriately thoughtful music. The music from the chase to The End fits the picture so incredibly well, is so appealing and rememberable that it is now impossible for me to imagine the movie without this music.

So, 10 stars out of 5 for "Sherlock Jr." as a masterwork of cinema, 4 out of 5 for "Three Ages"; 4 out of 5 for Kino's crisp and clear reproductions (minus half a star because they did nothing to clean up the scratches, and another minus 1/2 for the sound-sync problem), 4 stars for the music to "Three Ages" (both the music for the complete film, and the organ scores for the re-cut versions are good), and varying from 2 to 5 stars for the music to "Sherlock Jr."

If you've got the extra money, love Keaton, and you do not have a local vintage theatre that shows these films with excellent live accompaniment, then I do recommend buying this dvd.

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SHERLOCK, JR. (writ./dir. Buster Keaton, 1924, 45 minutes) is a Buster Keaton masterpiece that is truly unbelievable at that short length. Not too typically short, not feature-length, SHERLOCK, JR. is a much-cited, deeply loved comedy silent film from the absolute Founder of Film himself. Sadly, due to its length, I can only include it here with Keaton's THREE AGES one of his works I haven't seen. Sorry!

Of course, SHERLOCK is really BK's first truly great silent feature, far outstripping his The Navigator of the same year. His first feature-length, Sherlock Jr. / Three Ages [Blu-ray] made just the year before, is available with SHERLOCK and I suggest you get that or one of the other double-bill DVDs.

BK (as I love to call him) stars as a theater projectionist who longs to be a detective he carries around a guidebook for amateurs with him wherever he goes. When he is falsely accused of stealing a watch from the boardinghouse where he lives, thus losing his fiancée in the process, he falls asleep on the job and dreams of being Sherlock, Jr., world's greatest detective.

This is the BK film famous for having him walk right into the movie screen and into an ongoing film. It may also be the very first time in film history that has featured a film-within-a-dream-within-a-film ... BK was such a genius there really is no word for his genius!

There are several scenes I recommend to all and sundry:

1 the billiard game with the exploding 13 ball

2 the motorcycle ride (first time a camera was mounted on the moving object)

3 Sherlock's trusty assistant Gilette in a special costume

4 the busy street scenes

5 the dash off a moving train only to be hit with the rush from the water tower (and yes, this is the famous scene in which BK broke his neck and actually just walks away from the camera)

6 best of all, BK shows the beautiful emotions on his face that he almost always showed. I do not know why he was nicknamed the Great Stone Face; he had a Buddha's face, which is something very different! What he specialized in showing us was a fearless, determined character no matter what, a strong man, a true man.

Finally, I believe this is the first film in which BK does not regularly wear his trademark hat (a modified Stetson fedora which he hand-shaped). It made hilarious appearances regularly but he did not wear it as part of his costume here for the first time. In fact, he prominently hangs it on a peg at the beginning and basically ignores it for the rest of the movie. A lot of critics have said BK communicated certain messages to the audience via his hat, but here I can only surmise he's telling us he won't be doing his usual schtick.

You should get this in the combination of Our Hospitality/Sherlock, Jr. (see my review of the other film). No matter how you do it, though, DO IT! Do not let yourself pass on without having seen this!!

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THREE AGES (1923) is the least regarded of Buster Keaton's features, but for me it is just as great as all the "classics." This double-bill also includes the miraculous SHERLOCK JR. (1924), which also is top-notch Keaton. Buster's antics regarding love in THREE AGES are wonderfully comic, and you will be amazed by the laughs and the incredible visual wonder of SHERLOCK JR. Two of the greatest comedies ever made in a perfect KINO blu-ray package :-)

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Pawn Shop Chronicles (Blu-ray + DVD) (2013)

The first part of this movie is awesome! Paul Walker was the best, it's really sad that he doesn't get the credit that he deserves as an actor. He really needs to do more movies like this, ones that really show his skills. All acting in this movie was superb and Wayne Kramer's directing was great too. Good movie overall, but the high rating is for the first part.

I really liked it. If you see the trailer for it, and you think it's going to be good, you are in for a treat. This story was woven together better than any other like this I've seen.

It is shocking, wrong, twisted, and hilarious.

That said, it is NOT for everyone. Some of the scenes will make you cringe

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I loved this movie!! This was the funniest movie! The second story was awesome!! Lots of big names!! Loved it!!

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This movie isn't something you should let your children watch. It's star-studded by some of the biggest actors in recent film history and while you think they'll be prevalent throughout the moviethey're not, at least visually. Pay close attention to little details, as each of the stories is tied to the next, because that ending will have you gasping in your seat. The first story is hilarious, Paul Walker's accent as a hillbilly is on point! Make sure you keep your eye out for that Elvis impersonator too! This movie isn't one of those blockbusters and it isn't meant to be one, if you watch it, do it with that in mind. It's not meant to keep you on the edge of your seat but rather to keep you laughing. If you get into it enough, you'll want to rewatch it for anything you may have missed.

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Big Fan of Vincent D'Onofrio ...as usual, he did not disappoint! Loved it! If you are a fan of his ( and you should be) you will love his role in this movie.

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Kino Classic's The Selznick Collection (Nothing Sacred, A Farewell To Arms, A Star is Born, Bird of

Last week I gave away an Electrolux vacuum cleaner. It was purchased by my mother in New Jersey in 1968. It cleaned our homes in New Jersey and Florida for 15 years, and it is still functioning perfectly. I only gave it away because today's lightweight vacs are much easier to tote. I tell this story because there was a time in this country when companies took pride in their products and ripping consumers off was unheard of, or at the very least, it seldom occurred. But the years have passed and companies don't care about quality anymore. Now it's all about getting top dollar for inferior products that promise you everything and deliver nothing. Such is the case with Kino's The Selznick Collection. All five films in this boxed set claim the following: MASTERED IN HD FROM AN ORIGINAL NITRATE 35MM PRINT PRESERVED BY THE GEORGE EASTMAN HOUSE MOTION PICTURE DEPARTMENT. If this is actually true I am willing to eat all five DVDs and then the cardboard box itself. All five films are of substandard quality, some of them so awful that they are barely viewable. The most disastrous of them all is BIRD OF PARADISE, with the lovely Dolores del Rio, which is not only marred by visuals worthy of bad public domain piracy but is also afflicted with a distortion of its soundtrack from the very beginning of the film, making the dialog unintelligible, to say nothing about Max Steiner's fabulous score, which is distorted beyond recognition. I have seen public domain copies of this film which are superior to this absolute merde Kino claims came from an original nitrate negative. Sound and image problems plague all five releases. The two Technicolor classics, A STAR IS BORN and NOTHING SACRED suffer from color variations which go from a pinkish hue to something that looks like three-strip Technicolor. At no time during these two films does one get any semblance to real Technicolor or anything close to it. The best of the worst are LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY and A FAREWELL TO ARMS, which is not saying much because the visuals are still substandard and so is the sound. It's just that compared to the other three aberrations, these two fare a little better. But I would like to stress that the entire set is no better than a bad public domain copy of any of these films. Kino has added no extras whatsoever, not even English subtitles. It's a no frills package of unacceptable prints at premium prices. This is an insult and a slap in the face to consumers and collectors. There should be an agency that handles situations such as this, and Kino should be made liable, and be forced to reimburse EVERYONE who has fallen prey to their false claims and advertising and has purchased these five films, whether singly, or all together in a boxed set. So be warned, if you spend any money on any of these 5 releases, you are just throwing your money away. If you absolutely must have one or more of these films, I suggest borrowing them from your public library or renting them and making dubs. It's exactly what Kino deserves for putting out crap like this.

I watched all the Kinolorber Selznick Collection and that the DVD transfers were good quality. Mr. Fina complained of inferior picture quality and poor sound. I did not see the poor picture quality or pick up any sound distortions. I have viewed a number older movies from the same period and found the quality the same. I am sure if Mr. Fina would to take the time he would see the same for other older films. He should take the time to buy the Blue Ray and and view it on his HDTV!

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The Sting (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) (1973)

I just bought this DVD for my father because this movie IS a classic, no matter what anyone says. But, when it came in the mail, I was surprised to see "Full Screen" on the front of the box. So I did what many of you did NOT do (with the exception of reviewer cammonro dated Sept 2, 2003), I went to the Universal web site and emailed their Home Entertainment division.

From Universal Studios Home Entertainment:

'The Sting' is only available on DVD in the 1.33:1 aspect ratio, which in this case displays the same picture information side-to-side as was seen theatrically. Also, more information is shown top-to-bottom than in the theatrical version because of the way the film was originally shot.

One process used in creating movies for theatrical exhibition is to place 'mattes' over the top and bottom of the 35 mm film frame to alter the aspect ratio to 1.85:1 'Widescreen.' To avoid black letterboxing bars on the top and bottom of the picture when it is displayed on standard television, the original mattes are removed in a process known as 'Open Matte.' (This is not to be confused with 'Pan & Scan,' a completely different process of transferring film to Video and DVD.) 'Open Matte' was used with in the production of 'The Sting.'

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT. For all of you complaining about how this DVD is PAN-AND-SCAN, you are WRONG. And for all of you still waiting for WIDESCREEN, you ALREADY HAVE IT with this DVD if you understand what Universal is saying above; you are actually seeing MORE than what you'd see in the theater version because of the "Open Matte" process Universal used, NOT pan-and-scan.

If anyone begs to differ with these facts, argue with the source, Universal.

Please stop whining about this DVD's aspect ratio. It's not "full-screen." It's widescreen with the original top and bottom sections restored.

According to film historian David P. Hayes, THE STING was filmed in 4:3 (equivalent to "full-screen") ratio because director George Roy Hill wanted it to look like an old movie. The studio (and/or the exhibitors) apparently had second thoughts about it, though, so theatrically-released prints had the top and bottom sections blocked ("matted") to fit the widescreen format.

What you see on this DVD is not "pan and scan" (with missing left and right content), but the original format with the top and bottom restored.

(...)

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Honestly i've seen better HD DVD's but still this one is remastered like crazy,its a hell of alot clearer than the original dvd release and its amazing to see what they can do with movies such as old as this one. I mean 1973 this movie comes out and after watching the HD DVD you would think it was a new release. All in all to keep this short this is an amazing film and you should pick it up on HD DVD right now!

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The most successful "sting" occurs when a victim never realizes that she or he has been "stung." In this Academy Award winning best film, that would be Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw), a mobster/gambler in Chicago in the 1930s who is bilked out of hundreds of thousands of dollars by Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman) and his associates who include Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford). Credit George Roy Hill with brilliant direction of an especially talented cast. The musical score is eminently appropriate, devised by Marvin Hamlisch based on the works of Scott Joplin. A great deal of real or apparent blood is shed as elaborate preparations for the sting are completed. Most of the characters are not who and what they seem. We know what Gondorff and Newman are up to, of course, which adds to the fun. But there is a twist near the end of the film which fooled me. The narrative is seamless. The pace is expeditious but unhurried. In all respects, this is a thoroughly entertaining film but also one which at least suggests some darker regions of human nature. Those who enjoy it may wish to check out The Grifters (1990) which also has a bittersweet flavor at times. For broader humor, I suggest Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988).

NOTE: My comments are limited entirely to the film itself. Although the image and sound are clearer than in the VHS format, the supplementary features are unworthy of this Academy Award winning best film.

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The acting is wonderful, the suprises are unpredictable, and overall, this is one of the most original movies I've ever seen in my life. There can be no duplicates. And evey time i watch this movie, some how I notice about five things I've never seen before, like it changes every time. And no, I'm not an old movie collector or total classic lover, actually, I'm only sixteen. But this is easily one of my favorite movies in history. My favorite scene is with the card playing on the train.

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The Slammin' Salmon (2009)

First off: Don't buy it on Blu-Ray. There is no reason to, and you can save a few bucks if you just buy it on regular DVD. The movie itself is very entertaining. It has a breezy tone that is great. The characters are all funny, especially Nuts. Broken Lizard movies hinge on the chemistry of the actors, and where they faltered with "Club Dread", they succeeded with "The Slammin' Salmon". All the actors work well together, with major props going to Michael Clarke Duncan. He was much funnier than I was expecting, and had some of the best lines. I highly recommend this movie if you are looking for an entertaining, light-hearted comedy.

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I'm not familiar with the Broken Lizard troupe, but this movie was a great and humorous surprise. Michael Clark Duncan is hilarious as Slammin' Cleon Salmon. While this movie will never be considered one of the great cinematic masterpieces of all time, it is a dang funny movie with a hilarious cast. This is the perfect move to watch with a group of slightly drunk friends on a Friday night. If the movie is lacking anything, it would be a weak link. This is comedy at its best.

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If you love the Broken Lizard gang (Super Troopers, Beerfest) and you have been in the service industry, you will LOVE this movie. Bring "Waiting" into the Broken Lizard gang, and you have one hell of a funny movie. Don't even think about it...Just buy it!

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THE BEERFEST AND SUPER TROOPERS GUYS DO IT AGAIN... IF YOU EVER WORKED IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY AS A WAITER THEN THIS MOVIE IS FOR YOU.. BETTER THAN WAITERS WITH RYAN REYNOLDS... OR ALONG THE SAME LINES BUT WITH A MORE COMPHREHENSIBLE STORY LINE.... NOT THEIR BEST WORK BUT STILL FUNNY

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If you haven't seen this kick yourself and then see it! Hilarious!!! By far the best film Broken Lizard has done including Super Troopers...

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Playing for Keeps (+UltraViolet Digital Copy)

I saw this in the theater with my mother yesterday afternoon. I'm not going to try to tell you that Playing For Keeps is an Oscar contender (it's not) or that it's not corny, formulaic or predictable in spots (it is). It's certainly not on a par with Mr. Butler's previous films Coriolanus or Machine Gun Preacher, nor did I expect it to be.

I think that professional critics are missing the point of a film like this one. They're so busy analyzing movies frame by frame for profundity, hidden meanings and plot twists, looking for that epiphany, that they tend to forget that the rom-com genre, by definition, IS usually somewhat corny, formulaic and predictable.

I wouldn't classify Playing For Keeps as a romantic comedy and perhaps that's part of the problem. If critics went solely by the trailer, they expected pure light-hearted fluff when in actuality it's much more of a family drama with some humor sprinkled in.

Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel & Noah Lomax are totally believable as a dysfunctional family unit. George's vulnerability in some scenes will break your heart and those somber moments featuring George, Stacie & Lewis will bring a tear to your eyes. The supporting cast didn't fare as well although they did fine with what they were given to work with (I blame the writers). The only minor characters I disliked were the husband & wife played by Dennis Quaid & Uma Thurman. What an ugly couple, and I don't mean that in a physical way.

Anyway, for fear of spoilage, that's all I'm going to say about it other than I really enjoyed it and I hope you get out there to see it before it disappears.

George Dryer (Gerard Butler) is a retired soccer star living in Virginia to be near his son living with his ex-wife Stacie (Jessica Biel). George still loves his ex and doesn't take the news of her up coming wedding too well. Having financial difficulty causes George to coach his son's (Noah Lomax) mixed league soccer team to the joy of soccer moms.

Being a good looking guy with an accent, women such as Catharine Zeta-Jones, Uma Thurman, and Judy Greer all throw themselves at him. George is not a man accustomed to saying no, but Jessica Biel is a tough act to follow, just ask her if you don't believe me.

This is not a guy's film. Soccer is in the background and knowledge of the sport doesn't make the film any better. This is perhaps a chick flick for people who don't want to get emotional. Might make for a mediocre date night film if you haven't seen "An Officer and a Gentlemen" 10 times already. Good acting. Weak script.

Parental Guide: No f-bombs or nudity. Implied sex. Use of "SOB".

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"Playing for Keeps" starring Gerard Butler (Phantom of the Opera, The Ugly Truth and many other so-so movies), is about a former soccer star named George that played alongside David Beckham in his hay-day and has fallen far from grace. He's a guy who's a natural at getting things and being given things, but horrible at making decisions, knowing when people are taking advantage of him and growing up. So, when he returns to the hometown of his former love, Stacie (Jessica Biel), to patch things up and reunite with his son, the typical romantic movie story begins to play out.

That being said, this movie has been a subject of numerous poor reviews from national critics and I would have to say that for some reasons, criticism is justified, but the movie is nowhere near as bad as it is being portrayed. The script is strange. It portrays Butler's character realistically, but occasionally gets farcical at random times. He's a ladies man and always has been. Women flock to him, so when he accidentally ends up coaching his son's soccer team, he becomes the target of many players Mom's; single, disturbed, married, manipulative. Then of course there's the Indian neighbor who seems to have no life, but watching George hosting numerous women from the guesthouse that he is renting.

George is a hard character to like. Although I found his character realistic in portrayal as someone who has numerous women who want him and everybody treating him like a celebrity. Quite simply, he takes it. Most would. Yet, as predictable as the script may be, I found the things that happened in the movie justified. George grows throughout the movie and he battles with his maturity. There are many valuable lessons that many will relate to in the film. For the most part, being a parent requires a lack of selfishness and that is George's biggest challenge.

Look, I'm not going to call this movie great or anything like that, but romantic comedies are like horror movies these days, they're all the same. I found "Playing for Keeps" unique and I found the characterizations and characters realistic, with the exception of a few times when the movie tried to be silly.

"Playing for Keeps" is certainly a better alternative to the unrealistic portrayal's of men in Nicholas Sparks movies. In Sparks movies, "Dear John", "The Lucky One" and "The Notebook", the men are pristine, they have no depth, they are just perfect people who serve no purpose but to provide motivation for the women that pursue them. At least in "Playing for Keeps", the male character has tremendous flaws and we can all relate because we all do.

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This movie has a lot to like – a nice story, humor, meaningful relationships, etc. Unfortunately, it also features a main character choosing casual sex with several women, none being his ex-wife whom he supposedly still loves. I wish Hollywood would stop portraying casual sex as a joke, or as a "normal" part of life that just happens. I wanted to root for the restoration of a marriage and family, but the film-makers decided to take a twisted path. Too bad, it could have been a real winner.

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Soccer is the perfect Playing for Keeps metaphor slow, meandering and pointless with "extra time" put on the clock for no discernable reason except perhaps, to prolong the agony. Even by the trifling standards of the garden variety romantic comedy, PFK (under the AWOL direction of Gabriele Muccino) offers a redemption and reconciliation tale so poorly told that continuity, script supervision and character development were apparently early morning electives that Mr. Muccino must have decided to sleep through.

Although I wasn't expecting much, in more skillful directorial hands a first-rate cast populated by Gerald Butler, Jessica Biel, Catherine Zeta Jones, Dennis Quaid, Uma Thurman and Judy Greer should have at least guaranteed a minimum level of weekend watchability.

The story pivots around Gerald Butler's George, a retired David Beckham-esque soccer superstar who has returned to Virginia to reclaim his family and fortune decimated by a decade of bad decisions and bad luck. In an effort to re-impress and reintroduce himself to his son Lewis (admirably played by Noah Lomax) George commandeers control of Lewis' junior soccer club and while teaching the team real skills inadvertently dampens the wardrobe of the gaggle of soccer moms (Thurman, Greer, Jones) who dutifully attend each practice and now race to bed George.

This is where the film really comes of the tracks as each seduction scene reveals women with such pervasive insecurities and below-zero self-esteem that it is hard to imagine any of them as the accomplished and affluent inhabitants of the take no prisoners Beltway culture that they purport to be charter members of. All in all it's Wisteria Lane meets Hysteria Lame with not even a tangential connection between storylines.

As if that weren't enough scripted ridiculousness for one sitting, all of these sleepy-time worst behavior hijinx takes place under the jaundiced eye of George's ex-wife (a Jessica Biel mail-in performance) who gamely decides that her naughty boy soccer stud is still the love of her life, compelling her to blow off the sturdy life and relationship that she has created post-divorce with no plausible rationale as the clock ticks drearily towards the end credits. As an aside, I have too much respect for Dennis Quaid to even delve into his inexplicable presence in this film. Playing for Keeps is just a case of bare minimum expectations not even met.

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