An American Carol (2008)

Bought this dvd in our base PX on Xmas. I had watched this while doing night shift in the commo cell, and I couldn't stop cracking up. The homage to George Romero with Dennis Hopper (who played in Romero's "Land of the Dead") and General Patton fighting ACLU zombies was priceless. The performances of Robert Davi, Serdar Kalsin, and Geoffrey Arend as the terrorists, Aziz, Ahmed, and Mohammed were wonderfully rememnisant of the old World War II-era Three Stooges classics like "They Stooge To Conga" where the Stooges lampooned the Nazis just as Davi, Kalsin, and Arend lampoons the IslamoNazis. The University scene was all too true, especially with my experience in college dealing with faculty who were still stuck in the '60's. And finally, Trace Atkins' "Angel of Death" and the scene of Hollywood after the IslamoNazis take over was great. Aside from the comedy value, the scenes of alternate history that would have resulted if the advice of Micheal Moore and the liberals was followed, such as in the Civil war or World War II, can make one think.

Notable mentions is Kevin Farley's protrayal as Micheal Moore (Malone) as buffonish, arrogant, hardheaded, selfish, and inconsiderate were right on the mark given reports of Moore's arrogance in real life. Kelsey Grammer was great as General Patton and Jon Voight's protrayal of George Washington was really touching. Dennis Hopper was one good choice that made the George Romero homage scene work (Ken Forre would have been good too and Duane Jones would have been perfect but he's sadly deceased) and it was a good surprise to see regular tough-guy actor Robert Davi can do comedy as a modern day Moe. I don't expect liberals to like it as my dealings with them have shown me that they have no sense of humor whatsoever, but I highly recommend it. I think it would be best enjoyed with a showing of "Team America."

The Amazon review above is an excellent example of why this movie wasn't reviewed by the critics who all tend to be very left leaning. Simply, it would have been grossly panned by them. I liked the movie very much. As a matter of fact, the audience in the theatre was laughing hysterically throughout most of the movie. I had tears in my eyes from laughing too hard! Yes, it had a couple of slow moments, as every movie does. It is both entertaining and refreshing compared to the liberal mantra thats usually presented. Seeing a movie that leans to the right, and sends a few zings to the left was a real pleasure. And, a funny movie too!

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I saw the premire of this movie while attending the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis. If you are a right leaning person, you will love this movie. While it didn't do very well at the box office, I believe that the DVD sales for it will be very good. Every conservative should own a copy for two reasons: 1)We need to support movies like this so Hollywood wont be scared to make conservative movies, and 2)The movie slays so many liberal sacred cows. This is a very politically incorrect movie. I had a great time watching it and I look forward to the DVD release.

UPDATE: I purchased the DVD from a Best Buy on the release date and it was almost sold out by 2 P.M. Great!

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Finally we get a movie SATIRE that spoofs those sacred COWS like Michael Moore and Rosie O'Donnell (how'd that variety show work out there "funny girl"?).

The movie is what it is, a lampoon of mainly the looney left and it takes some shots at the right as well, but the intent was to peel the scab off of the phony elitist, we know what's best for you crowd.

Some out and out belly laughs and was enjoyable as all heck (must be politically correct) and you can watch it with your liberal and conservative friends as everyone with a brain stem should realize that it is SATIRE and nothing else.

If you want great cinema, go rent one of those long and boring 4 hour long movies that hollyweird loves so much, the ones with the great reviews and Oscar nods, that do nothing at the box office.

This did fairly well for the little publicity it got as many gutless networks wouldn't sell time to the indy distributor but they had nightly Obama hour long lovefests (see NBC, MSDNC, CBS, ABC, PBS), but that would make Hollyweird and their media friends the "typical" gutless crowd that we know they are.

Grab some popcorn and invite ALL your friends over from both sides and laugh a while, you are allowed too.

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Be warned there may be unintentional spoilers.

One thing I must mention before getting to the review is the amount of negative criticism aimed at this movie. It is probably the only movie supporting pro-American sentiments among the plethora of anti-American ones. And like pigs to the slaughter, liberals beat this thing down like like a whack-a-mole game. But when conservatives assert their views over liberally biased movies and news/television shows, we are considered ignorant, stupid, unintelligent, (apologies for redundancy). Thank you Zucker for this film, and it's too bad you decided against a sequel. It doesn't help that this movie was shown in an extremely small amount of theaters, thus assisting in its money shortage. Yet movies with liberal bias can't find enough theaters to infest. Now on with the review.

In short, I liked this movie. It was short, entertaining, and quick with the humor, both verbal and slapstick. Farley acts in comparison with his late brother, the only thing that may have made this better, would have been seeing David Spade by his side. I always hoped Kevin would gain a staring role. Maybe this will help him, maybe it will hurt him. This movie doesn't preach war mongering, but the idea of fighting is suggested as needed at the right times. This movie is a conservatively biased movie, yet they use John F. Kennedy, a Democratic President, as a Jacob Marleyesque character. Conservatives are not out to destroy the world, they simply accept that like a school yard bully, words are not always the answer, but they can be a good place to start.

Like "A Christmas Carol" Farly's character deals with three ghosts, Kelsey Grammers ghost being the one most seen. In the end, like in Dickins original, Farley sees the "error" (obviously depends on your political views)of his ways and changes, thus avoiding death and saving the lives of 20,000 people at Madison Square Garden after inadvertently assisting a terrorist earlier on and throughout the course of the film.

The overall plot is silly, and if you read too hard into it, you may have trouble enjoying it. But in my opinion this is a must see for conservatives, especially if you have had enough of the America bashing Hollywood scene.

P.S. College professors beware, there are insults aimed at you during the course of this movie.

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Le Havre (The Criterion Collection) (2011)

In 1992 Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki made his first French movie, "La Vie de Bohème", and now almost 20 years later he returns with a second French-language movie.

"Le Havre" (93 min.) centers around the ordinary lives of people like Marcel Marx (which character incidentally also appears in La Vie de Boheme and where he also was played by André Wilms). Marx tries to get by as a shoe-shiner, but life is hard. The house he and his wife Arletty have is modest at best. Then one day a group of illegal immigrants from Gabon are found in a container waiting to be shipped to London. A teenage boy manages to escape the police and eventually the boy and Marcel Marx link up. I don't want to spoil the plot any further than this, you'll just have to see how it all plays out for yourself.

This is not an "action" movie. Instead, it observes the ordinary lives of ordinary people, and in addition it is a love note of sorts to the city of Le Havre, which, like the characters in this movie, has seen better days but remains resilient. This movie was very well received at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, and it is easy to see why. The acting is superb throughout, none better than by lead actor André Wilms. I enjoyed this movie from start to finish, but obviously this is not for anyone in a hurry or looking for the next Harry Potter franchise. Highly recommended!

Director Kaurismäki has created a story that is appealing as you watch it, but whose images and motifs will linger with you for days after you see it. His use of colour and lighting makes this visually alluring and his choices in casting have given him a pallet of wonderful faces to explore in his artistic manner. I had the impression at times of seeing a series of paintings of the Old Masters in an Art Gallery.In addition, there is a gentleness and a timelessness about this film which lifts it beyond the confines of its plot and setting. As other reviewers have stated this is not an action film as its plot is neither frenetic, nor full of the normal thrills many movie goers seek in such films.Another strength of this film is the strong acting from all members of the cast. There is a wonderful French feel about this film and many of the shots of the port city are quite lovely. I highly recommend it to those who are seeking more than simple entertainment and who would like to have a beautiful artistic experience.

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Criterion has done another great job rescuing a little seen gem from Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki. Set on the French coastal port of Le Havre, an aging Marcel (Andre Wilms) ekes out a living on the street as a shoe shiner. He lives in a small apartment in a poor neighborhood with several small markets nearby.

A cargo ship unloads a container ultimately headed for London. Authorities discover it contains 20 or so people from North Africa. One teen age boy (Blondin Miguel) manages to get away and finds his way to Marcel while he is having his lunch. Marcel shelters and feeds the boy even though he worries about the authorities ultimately catching him and deporting him back to Africa. He also has to contend with his wife (Kati Outinen) who is in the hospital for what appears to be stomach cancer. Her prognosis is grim but she hides the probable outcome from Marcel.

Using his sympathetic neighbors and an unlikely police detective (Jean-Pierre Darroussin) for support, Marcel finds out that young Idrissa was enroute to London to reunite with his mother. He manages to get a neighbor and former headliner rock musician Little Bob to hold a fund raiser in order to pay to have the boy smuggled into England. Kaurismaki, who also wrote the script, never plays this too serious. But it's not a comedy either. You really have to think of it more as a fantasy. And a good one it is. The film ends with an unexpected surprise. Check it out.

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This film shows the best of the 'heart' of the French people under the onslaught of African immigration. It is both beautiful in its atmospheric cinematography and classically well-acted as well. A humble man with a very sick wife has the chance to rescue a wonderful young boy. Well...the wife is too sick to know anything about what happens... but in this script her husband is superb in his humanity. This is so different than the 'hip' and 'cynical' French films we are used to admiring! I can't believe how often I plan to use 'superb' in this review. The cinematographyand the sets are as evocative as any Francophile could wish. The characters are 'true to life', not the least because this is a French film for a French audience. The ensemble is beautiful, marvelous and genuinely heart-warming. I have rarely seen a film as worthy of viewing as is this one.

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The story of Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki's latest work takes place in Le Havre, a port city in north-western France. A former Bohemian artist Marcel Marx (Andre Wilms) makes a living as a shoeshine with his Vietnamese assistance Chang (Quoc Dung Nguyen). He may not be rich, but with his loving wife Arletty (Kati Outinen) his life is not bad.

One day Marcel meets Idrissa (Blondin Miguel), a young refugee boy from Gabon running away from the police. While Marcel decides to raise money so that the boy can meet his mother in London, Arletty, ill and now in the hospital, conceals a fact that she knows would shock her husband.

The theme of "Le Havre" overlaps that of a 2009 French film "Welcome," but Kaurismäki's approach is less political, focusing the everyday life of ordinary people, described with Kaurismäki's deadpan humor/sentimentality. Kaurismäki's longtime photographer Timo Salminen's careful use of muted colors is another plus, adding a realistic touch to the modern-day fable.

André Wilms (who 20 years ago played "Marcel," a down-and-out artist in Paris in Kaurismäki's "La Vie de Bohème") turns in quiet and understated performance as the aged shoe shiner determined to do something for the boy. Kati Outinen, the director's muse since the 1980s, is also outstanding as the protagonist's ailing wife, and so is Jean-Pierre Darroussin as Monet, softer version of Inspector Javert trying to catch the boy.

I like the film for its positive, life-affirming message, though I for one prefer such films as "The Man without a Past" and "Ariel," in which darker events happen and characters have to struggle more. Perhaps with an exception of cameo Jean-Pierre Léaud, there is no "villain" in "Le Havre," which marks a new phase in the respected director's long career.

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A New Life (1988)

Maybe Alan Alda has yet to have success in the movies that would rival his television popularity, but it can't be from lack of quality work. A NEW LIFE is perhaps as good as any film he's made outside of his roles in Woody Allen's flicks.

One reason A NEW LIFE stands out is Alda's will to let others steal scenes. Hal Linden proves up to the task, playing a dead-honest happily divorced middle-ager dating women half his age in this comedy about life on the romantic rebound.

Portraying Alda's ex-wife, Ann-Margaret stands out in A NEW LIFE. I don't want to spoil the story, but as her woman-who-loves-too-much character realizes her problem, you will be rooting for her to find herself.

As for Alan Alda, who wrote and directed A NEW LIFE, he has the courage to portray someone as flawed as, well, the rest of us. He deserves even more applause for creating an engrossing, funny film without resorting to nudity (A NUDE LIFE?) and profanity (A RUDE LIFE?). See A NEW LIFE!

Alan Alda,the star of the hit TV sitcom M*A*S*H,wrote,dircted and starred in this romantic comedy where his character Steve Giardino never wanted a divorce. Steve's wife Jackie(Ann-Margret) decided to call it quits. Jackie studied for a degree in special education. Steve,a stocktrader on Wall Street,finds a new love,his doctor Kay Hutton(Veronica Hamel). Steve is referred to Kay after falling ill during a tennis game. Steve receives advice from his buddy Mel(Hal Linden) how to score with women. Steve colors his hair and beard and buys some new clothes and shoes. The clothes and shoes are stolen by a male robber in drag whom Steve meets in a bar. Jackie meets a sculptor who goes by the name "Doc"(John Shea) at a party that she and Steve both attend. Of course,Jackie and Steve have an argument after they leave the party. Also,the Giardinos' daughter Judy(Beatrice Alda,Alan's daughter) gives birth to their grandchild. Steve and Kay,after falling in love,get married and Kay becomes pregnant despite Steve's belief he's too old to become a father again. In one scene,Steve and Kay are taking a shower together and Kay removes the black dye from Steve's hair and beard(the hair is permed),revealing the natural gray and white combo with little remaining black. In another scene,Mel meets the robber in drag,"Sybill", in the same bar that Steve was at in an earlier scene. This film received mixed reviews. It was not a major hit nor a flop. Personally,I loved it.

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I cant get enough of this movie. I've lost count how many times I've watched this movie. This was my first clean romance movie that I've watched when I was in my teens. I laughed, I cried and I sighed when watching this movie. It is touching. It is never to late to fall in love and you are never to old to start life anew. love knows no age.

It reminds me of Danielle Steeles movie "heartbeat".

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I was glad to see they were able to both adjust to their new lines. Good acting, alan aldan was very good

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This is one of my favorite movies, with some really good one-liners. I have watched it many times and still laugh each time

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ef: A Tale of Melodies - Complete Collection (2012)

Ef a tale of melodies is more complicated than the first season and very tragic. I'd call it a mix of inhumane and beautiful. I won't spoil the ending, but its good at the best (Clannad After Story still beats them all), especially for a psychological thriller like this. If you havn't watched ef a tale of memories yet, I'd give that a go first or else you won't understand anything that's happening in a tale of melodies. I actually played a fan translation of the visual novel before I watched this season and there are many differences included in the series than what is seen in the game. Most of the cast from Clannad is here playing the English dub, there's EVERY textless opening and ending clip as the bonus features, DVD credits and Sentai previews, advertising Clannad After Story (even though that was released last year), A-Channel and four others. The music in this anime is very deep and beautiful and fits perfectly in tragic scenes. The art is breathtaking and has a unique style of seeing illusionary characteristics that only a particular character is aware of. For example, Kuze sees himself wearing masks all the time, Mizuki is seen with a red string of fate on her hand, she's seen in sky colors like the first season and Yuko has a bunch of Renassance art behind her (make sense?). For those of you looking for a good, solid romance/high school drama/psychological anime, this one hits the target. You won't be disappointed. Just be mentally prepared for the thrill ride this 12 episode series will bring you through. Some things are just hard to accept, but like I said, this series ends very beautifully.

Sailor Channel

This Second Part of the series, The first story takes place in the past. Himura Yuu meets a girl, Amamiya Yuuko who seems to know him, but he doesn't know her. However, he soon remembers that she was a girl whom he knew from long ago. Yuuko then tells him something which he never knew. He was her first love since then, and her first love has not ended yet. The second story takes place in the present, just after the events of ef a Tale of Memories. Shuuichi Kuze meets the cousin of Aso Renji, Hayama Mizuki and spends a lot of time with her. Unknown to Mizuki, Kuze had contracted a fatal illness and has little time left to live. Kuze had decided to break all romantic ties, but things go bad when Mizuki tells him that she loves him. Is great series, part 2 just got better can't wait to watch it again ^^

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I read the visual novel and enjoyed it quite a bit, so I got this and the first season and after watching both they stay true to the spirit of the novel. There are certain things changed that make it so you don't instantly know everything that is going to happen, and the stories are tied up together better in the anime than in the novel, but otherwise it stays very true to the original novel. I must complain that two of the episodes are kind of bad at one part (you'll know when you see it) but if you're a fan of the visual novels you should definitely not second guess yourself when it comes to supporting the creators and getting yourself a nice no click-version of the novel. Awesome awesome, and more awesome; although if the dubs are terrible but you probably already knew that

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This is the second "season" of an anime that is based off of a visual novel. If you haven't seen ef ~ A Tale of Memories: Complete Collection [Blu-ray], the first season of this show, you should consider watching it first. I have seen many different animes during my time as a fan, and most of them have been of the romance and drama genre. This review will not contain any spoilers, but I will address a few of the plot issues I had while watching the series.

Some people have labeled this show as a masterpiece, but I must disagree. I've watched hundreds of animes centering on Romance and Drama so I do think my opinion is well aged and seasoned with many different sources of inspiration. The main problem I have with this entire season is the forced drama. Please understand that I am not suggesting that drama created by the author is a bad thing. I understand that is what writing a story is. However, I take issue with what I would consider poor writing without essential build up or reasoning for events to take place.

In a perfect world, I would hope that any story revolving around romance would focus primarily on the characters. Romance is a story about people and their interactions with others, it's not something that can be explained to an audience in one scene. The setting, background information, and supporting characters are all important, but they should never replace the characters as the focal point of the story. In Melodies, we are hit with two different plots that essentially force us to care about something that we don't have any connection to. I don't want to go into detail due to my concern for creating spoilers, but for half of the shows focus there is close to no build up or information for why something is going to happen. You are hit over the head with it and then forced to accept it as a truth. Instead of a gradual and well rounded story its almost as if you were to turn the page and find yourself in a completely different setting with completely different characters.

It's unnerving how little the audience was considered.

All of that being said, from a technical aspect the show is by no means a push over. The art style, music, and characters are all reasonably solid and make for an enjoyable watch. However, this is a very drama heavy series and I would be tempted to say it has nothing to do with Memories other than introducing supporting characters. (Hey, they had to let the audience connect to the show somehow... because it sure wasn't going to be the story.) If you're watching this because you really enjoyed Memories and want to see more of the characters and their interactions, this is NOT the show for you.

If you're more into mature and adult themed shows and really enjoy dark themes, this will be an excellent series for you. Keep in mind I would only offer this as a recommendation to those who can get over the pacing of the story and how far removed it is from the prequel. Some may enjoy this series, but unfortunately it was not for me.

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This is the 2nd season of ef series. It focuses on some of the supporting characters of the 1st season. Kuze and Mizuki have been spending time together and become romantically involved. Kuze is suffering from a fatal heart disease and doesn't have much time left. Himura and Yuko's past is also the other part of the story. Both stories are very tragic and emotional, especially the one between Himura and Yuko. I finally understand why he was so melancholic in season 1. He's a strong person. I never liked Kuze very much in the 1st season, but he makes a major personality improvement from being with Mizuki in this season. He's not such a bad guy after all.

This anime is great. The animation is top quality, the music is beautiful and the characters are compelling. The story of these four characters is amazing. The love they share is a beautiful thing. Even though it is mostly a sad story it's very uplifting as well. This is one of the most well written animes I've seen, and I own over 200 different series. I really hope you check this one out and enjoy it as much as I do. If you like Clannad, Kanon, Air, or Angel Beats, you will like ef as well. If you haven't seen the others I've mentioned; they are a must have as well.

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Breakfast at Tiffany's (50th Anniversary Edition) (1961)

Excellent!

A word that can describe the Centennial Collection release of the 1961 film "Breakfast at Tiffany's", the classic romantic comedy starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard.

Having reviewed previous versions of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" before on DVD, I'm sure many Audrey Hepburn fans are probably wondering how else can Paramount improve from the 2006 45th Anniversary Edition on DVD? Well, I can tell you right now... plenty! Please read on.

A film that stars quite a bit of talent, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" remains not just one of the most memorable romantic films of all time but a film that exemplifies the beauty of Audrey Hepburn, the chic style of the times and more (which I will discuss more in the special features portion of my review).

VIDEO & AUDIO:

The film is presented in widescreen format, enhanced for 16:9 TV's. A lot of the Centennial Collection releases have been remastered for high definition and having the previous DVD's, I can tell you that the DVD looks great. But I can only imagine how this film would look in 1080P if released in Blu-ray.

Audio is featured in Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround/English, Restored Mono, French Mono and Spanish Mono. The film of course is dialogue-driven but sure enough, the music of Harry Mancini is alive and well when blaring through your speakers.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

As mentioned before, there have been several releases of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" prior to this Centennial Collection, the older DVD's really hardly came with anything but the trailer until the 2006 "Special 45th Anniversary Collector's Edition" which came with a good number of special features and a commentary by producer Richard Shepherd.

Well, what I can tell you is that the Centennial Collection contains all of the special features from the Anniversary DVD release but also adds quite a few new lengthy featurettes as well. On the first disc, the first disc contains the movie and the same commentary from the Anniversary disc by Producer Richard Shepherd. You can tell that Shepherd gets drawn in to the film and doesn't speak in the commentary until he feels necessary.

So, for those wanting a verbose commentary, Shepherd doesn't do that. But it's actually quite fine because when he does speak, you learn a lot of things from him about the filming. For example, the opening shot featuring Audrey Hepburn in front of Tiffany's in Fifth Avenue. Where the place is typically packed with cars and people, for that time... there was hardly any traffic and no people. So, a very lucky time in filmmaking for the crew.

Also, Shepherd is quite apologetic about casting Rooney as Mr. Funiyoshi and he does that quite a bit in the commentary. You realized he didn't want the yellow face routine (Caucasian actor looking like an Asian stereotypical character) but it was kept in. Also, commenting of how certain scenes worked then but would never fly now. But most of all, his continued feeling of Audrey Hepburn as a class act. Overall, a very good commentary that you learn a lot from.

The special features on disc 2 are as follows:

* A Golightly Gathering A 20-minute featurette that reunites the talents who were in the cocktail party scene from "Breakfast at Tiffany's". One of the coolest parties ever on film, it's great to see the talent from the film reunite and discuss their experiences of filming that part scene 40-years later. I had no idea the party-scene took 8-days to film but it was great to hear everyone talk about their scene, working with Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard and Blake Edwards. But what a great featurette and so happy of it's inclusion.

* Henry Mancini: More Than Music This nearly 21-minute featurette is a wonderful featurette that features interviews with Henry Mancini's wife, daughter and son. Seeing private photos and even videos of Henry and having their family talk about him and what they remember about him, winning the two Academy Awards for "Moon River" and working on other films is just wonderful.

* Mr. Yunioshi: An Asian Perspective A 17-minute featurette. Despite the popularity of the film, the black cloud that has lingered on this film was the casting of Mickey Rooney as "Mr. Yunioshi". A talented actor, the "yellow face" role was just wrong and acknowledge by the director, producer and a cast member was just terribly wrong in casting Rooney for that role. This feature has interviews with representatives of the Media Action Network of Asian Americans. I'm glad that Paramount did include this featurette on this collection.

* The Making of a Classic Originally from the Anniversary release, this segment features interviews with Producer Richard Shepherd and Director Blake Edwards. A 16-minute featurette and you definitely learn a lot about the film, especially from Blake Edwards. One could image how his director's commentary would have been if included, especially with what he had to say on this featurette.

* It's So Audrey: A Style Icon An eight minute featurette with interviews with designers, Hepburn's son and companion. How Audrey Hepburn made simple things quite sexy. How Audrey never thought of her body proportions that sexy but she did have a good eye for style and how she became a fashion and style icon.

* Behind the Gates: The Tour This 4 minute featurette gives people a look behind the gates of the Paramount lot. A good promotional for those who would like to tour the Paramount lot.

* Brilliance in a Blue Box A six minute featurette about the history of Tiffany's. Originally featured on the Anniversary DVD.

* Audrey's Letter to Tiffany A two minute featurette about the letter Audrey wrote for the preface of the 150th Anniversary book for Tiffany's.

* Original Theatrical Trailer The original two minute trailer with its dust, scratches and all.

* Galleries Featuring production stills, movie stills and publicity shots for the film.

The Centennial Collection also comes with a booklet that features information of facts of the film, from how Capote wanted Marilyn Monroe for this film, information on Orangey the cat and how the "New York Site" that was filmed at the Paramount lot is now forever lost due to the big Paramount fire back in 1983 that destroyed historical sets.

And the DVD is just classy with it's black and gold packaging (which most of the Centennial Collection are packaged) and ditching the pink and white packaging.

I absolutely love this film. From the memorable dialogue, that first scene with Holly standing in front of Tiffany's, the cocktail party, Holly Golightly singing "Moon River" on her guitar, the cat and of course the final scene between Holly and Paul.

"Breakfast at Tiffany's" is a classic Audrey Hepburn film that is a must-own. I know that the film has been re-released many times on DVD and the 45th Anniversary was just a pleasure when it first came out and at the time, it was a definitive release. But now, with this "Centennial Collection" featuring a remastered version of the film and the new (and quite lengthy) featurettes that is included on this collection, this is the definitive version on DVD.

Personally, I can only imagine how this would look once it becomes available on Blu-ray but for now, these Centennial Collections from Paramount are just wonderful. Especially "Breakfast at Tiffany's", I'm really amazed how far Paramount went in order to make this release much more special.

The addition of "A Golightly Gathering" featuring the actors who took part in that cocktail party was awesome, the Henry Mancini featurette for those who just love his musical work will love this featurette and of course, for those who have felt the pain of the "yellow face" segment in the film, Paramount going the extra step by including a featurette dedicate to that on this DVD.

But in the end, this DVD is indeed a special tribute to Audrey Hepburn. Hepburn is just an icon of style and elegance and this DVD does a great job of giving special attention to such an incredible film. And after seeing this film so many time times, I still have not grown tired of it. It's one special film that I highly recommend

"Breakfast at Tiffany's" is flawless blend of a crowd-pleasing star-vehicle for the effortlessly charming Audrey Hepburn and a bittersweet, painfully beautiful look at love, life, and happiness. Director Blake Edwards, the man behind "The Pink Panther" series, "The Party", "Operation Petticoat", "Victor/Victoria", etc., has crafted a truly timeless film based on the novella by Truman Capote. Though numerous elements of Capote's story were altered, the film still has a strong core and message that urges audiences to examine their own lives, loves, and happiness.

Everything about this film is classic. You have the timeless Hepburn and her defining performance as Holly Golightly, a sophisticated, sassy call-girl with a secret past who is ultimately one of the most vulnerable characters Hepburn ever played. Then there's George Peppard, a vastly under-appreciated actor who manages to hold his own next to Hepburn while playing a struggling writer living off an older married woman. Peppard's boyish good looks and surprising depth make him the ideal match for Hepburn's Golightly.

Then of course there's Henry Mancini's wistfully romantic score and the tremendously popular theme-song, "Moon River", a true gem of a song that capture's the film's essence perfectly. In addition, you have Hepburn's fabulous, style-setting wardrobe courtesy of her lifelong friend Hubert de Givenchy. In this one film alone, Hepburn and Givenchy practically invented the "little black dress", popularized ballet flats, and introduced capris as a stylish alternative to regular pants.

My favorite quote:

Holly Golightly: You know those days when you get the mean reds?

Paul Varjak: The mean reds, you mean like the blues?

Holly Golightly: No. The blues are because you're getting fat and maybe it's been raining too long, you're just sad that's all. The mean reds are horrible. Suddenly you're afraid and you don't know what you're afraid of. Do you ever get that feeling?

Paul Varjak: Sure.

Holly Golightly: Well, when I get it the only thing that does any good is to jump in a cab and go to Tiffany's. Calms me down right away.

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I love this film despite two major flaws. 1.) they toned down the fact that Holly Golightly is a call girl (probably to maintain Audrey Hepburn's sweet image) and 2.) the awful inclusion of Mickey Rooney as an Asian. Both blunders make me mad. However, they didn't hide the fact that George Peppard's character was a kept man by the icy Patricia Neal. Nonetheless, the film succeeds as one of the most romantic stories ever filmed. Hepburn is utterly charming and her performance would have had a more interesting shade had Holly's true means of support not been practically erased. But when we learn she's run away from a very sad family situation---we see a glimpse of the true Holly. It's also an interesting note that two people living off of others for different reasons should find each other and fall ROMANTICALLY in love. The theme "Moon River" pulls every drop of poignancy from the tear ducts as does the scene with the kitten in the rain. I'm as jaded as they come and that scene gets me every time. I always choke up. This is a great film but could have been greater if the more adult aspects of the story had just been played out. Still I recommend this for lovers of shamelessly romantic movies. You really can't go wrong with this charmer.

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"Breakfast At Tiffanys" is the vintage romance classic based on the novel by Truman Capote that pits the elegant Audrey Hepburn (Holly Golightly) against stoic George Peppard (Paul Varjack). He's a would be writer, being kept by a rich, married lady. She's the lost soul runaway who's abandoned her husband and family after her beloved brother dies while serving his country in the military. This is vintage Capote. Even with the glaring omissions to the text and Mickey Rooney's garish, over-the-top performance as a Japanese landlord, this is still one of the all time great date flicks.

Unfortunately, Paramount Home Video hasn't done a very vintage job on this DVD. They've presented the film in its original VistaVision widescreen process (anamorphically enhanced) and remixed the sound to 5.1. That's a start. But the visual characteristic of the transfer on this DVD is digitally harsh, suffering from edge enhancement, aliasing, shimmering fine details, pixelization and digital grain.

Colors are generally well balanced but there are several instances where flesh tones appear a little bit on the yellowish side. Contrast levels are weak with black levels usually registering a dark gray instead of black. There's an excessive amount of chips and scratches in the opening title sequence as well as some general color fading associated with film stock of this period. As for the 5.1 surround, it's strident and not very natural. Dialogue is forward sounding. The Henry Mancini score is nicely presented, particularly Moon River, but over all this is a mono soundtrack with very few scenes that engage any of your other speakers.

NO EXTRAS! What a shame!

BOTTOM LINE: This is vintage Hollywood presented at bargain basement quality. Decide for yourself. I'd wait in the hopes of a complete digital restoration.

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The blu-ray 50th anniversary release of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" occurred on September 20, 2011. All reviews posted earlier than that date refer to earlier DVD releases and will confuse those seeking information on this new blu-ray edition. I am happy to report that the blu-ray edition (based on a complete 2011 restoration of the film) is amazing and is the one to have in your film library. The image detail is so clear and clean! The audio is outstanding in its clarity! The special features appear to be the same ones from the Centennial Collection DVD edition.

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Midnight in Paris (2011)

"All men fear death. It's a natural fear that consumes us all," says a character in "Midnight in Paris"... "However, when you make love with a truly great woman, one that deserves the utmost respect in this world and one that makes you feel truly powerful, that fear of death completely disappears."

Paris is her name. She has seduced writers for centuries, and in "Midnight in Paris" writer/director Woody Allen makes love to her with his camera, in the most poetic of ways.

Or perhaps he's referring to art, to achieving such intimacy with your craft and such artistic climax that you become immortal, like Hemingway, Matisse, Fitzgerald, Picasso, Dali, or Allen himself.

Gil Pender, the protagonist in Allen's new film, has never experienced that kind of artistic height. Played quite convincingly by Owen Wilson (in a surprising and refreshing role that Allen had to re-write for him), Gil is an aspiring novelist who is visiting Paris with his girlfriend (Rachel McAdams) and her parents. But while they prefer to shop and visit museums, Gil chooses to wonder about. "No work of art can compare to a city," he says.

Pender is actually mesmerized by the City of Lights and fantasizes about what he believes was Paris' Golden Age, the 1920s with the Lost Generation of American writers walking its streets, writing in sidewalk cafés, and frequenting smoky bars and flamboyant parties. One evening at midnight, trying to find his way back to the hotel, something magical happens to Gil. Really! But no reviewer should give that magic away.

Getting lost in the city seems to be a symbol for how lost he really is, as a person and as a writer, and although he's somewhat insecure and anxious (he even carries a bottle of Valium with him), he's actually a likable guy and soon meets a few bohemian friends (played by Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, among others) who give him much-needed advice about life and the creative process.

From the beginning, "Midnight in Paris" grabs you with its witty and sophisticated dialogue about art, culture and literature, and in the second half the dialogue gets even better. For instance, my favorite line comes from one of the bohemian characters, who believes that: "the job of the artist is not to succumb to despair but to find an antidote for the emptiness of existence."

Another piece of wisdom comes from one of the antagonists who criticizes Gil for being infatuated with the past: "Nostalgia is denial...a flaw in the romantic imagination of people who find it difficult to cope with the present." Think about that one while watching the film, for I believe, there lies the moral of this fabulous fable about the past and the present.

At age 75--with more than 40 films under his belt--Allen has created a film that literally glows. Its dazzling cinematography, inventive plot, and Parisian score, combined with the top-notch acting and set-design, makes for an almost-perfect film, one that's not only clever and thought-provoking, but also entertaining and accessible--even to mainstream audiences.

A much welcomed escape. Went to see it at the movies twice and will buy a copy for my DVD library. Romantic, great story, excellent characters and depictions of the late-greats are tops. I'll refrain from fawning over this movie too much as I don't want to spoil it for the others. It's magical. What can I say but go see it and that we need more movies like this. Refreshing break from melting buildings, crumbling sidewalks, 50 car pileups, crude, rude humor and stacks of shot up bad guys. A breath of fresh air.

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This review may contain minor spoilers...

Woody Allen's 41st film opens with several minutes of exquisite shots of Paris set to Jazz music. Cinematographer Darius Khondji elegantly captures these beautiful sites and effectively sets the tone for the film in which Owen Wilson plays Gil Pender, a Hollywood screenwriter working on his first novel while in Paris with his fiancée Inez. After running into old acquaintances Paul and Carol (Michael Sheen and Nina Arianda), Gil goes on a walk to get away from it all and finds himself transported to the 1920s France, an era that he adores. There, he meets literary and cultural giants such as Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zelda Fitzgerald, Picasso, Gertrude Stein, and Salvador Dalí, among others. He also meets and becomes fascinated with Adriana (Marion Cotillard), Picasso's mistress, whose ideas about time are in synch with Gil's own.

From the first frame, Midnight in Paris is one of Allen's most charming films in years. I've never seen a Woody Allen film I didn't like and there are only a few I wouldn't bother watching again. The general consensus is that his recent films are weak, especially in comparison to his earlier work. I am of the opinion that he's never made a bad film and each new film he made would be held in higher regard if not for the (many) films that had come before it. Whatever your stance is on Allen's films, both past and present, I think you'll agree that this is one of his best films in years. All of the elements; the casting, the setting, the style, and the story come together perfectly to create a magical romantic-comedy/fantasy. Midnight in Paris has many references to classic literature and film that certain audiences may not catch, but this movie is just so likeable that knowledge of the subjects involved is not necessary to enjoy it. It may cause you to seek it out after the film has ended however, but since when is knowledge a bad thing? It's certainly an accessible film, make no mistake about it, but it's also for a certain audience. If you're the casual moviegoer, you'll find little to dislike about it. If you're part of the audience this is intended for, you'll find almost nothing to dislike about it.

The musical score is so brilliant that it couldn't possibly be original. While many parts of the score are recognizably made of classic jazz music and some Cole Porter songs, I figured the main theme was original; alas, there is no original score for the film. The use of music and the music used is brilliant, as well as essential to the effervescent tone of the film. I can't rave enough about Khondji's cinematography as it truly evokes the beauty of Paris and captures it in exactly the idealized way that Gil sees it. The whole film is beautifully shot, from the first frame to the last. The cinematography is a loving testament to the otherworldly beauty of Paris and the beautiful sites that the camera lovingly lingers on makes the film work almost as a visual tour of the city, but don't think for a minute that this is a bad thing. This is a fantasy film and Khondji makes Paris appear as the ultimate fantasy.

As usual, Allen has assembled a wonderful cast lead by Owen Wilson in the Woody Allen role. Wilson shares some of the same mannerisms and speech patterns we'd expect if Allen played the role, but brings a distinct giddiness that only Wilson can convey. Gil is a memorable, extremely likeable protagonist whose wide-eyed wonder reflected my own. Allen never misses a chance to take jabs at pedantic, pseudo-intellectuals and Michael Sheen plays one perfectly, providing some great back-and-forth banter with Gil. Every actor makes an impression with their characters, with Kurt Fuller and Mimi Kennedy being especially funny and well utilized as Inez's judgmental, materialistic parents. The historical figures throughout the film are given wonderful characterizations, with Corey Stoll turning in a vivacious, poetic performance as Hemingway and Kathy Bates making Gertrude Stein exude warmth and intelligence. Adrien Brody has an inspired cameo as the great surrealist Salvador Dalí and his scene was certainly a highlight ("I see...rhinoceros"). With the First Lady of France, Carla Bruni, making an appearance as well, Allen's strong group of actors are one of the driving forces behind the reason this movie works so well.

Midnight in Paris features some of Allen's best writing years. The characters are well-developed of course, but the story is more inspired than usual. The dialogue is clever and witty (one of my favorite examples being Gil suggesting the plot of The Exterminating Angel to director Luis Buñuel). Allen even takes a moment to take some light-hearted jabs at Tea Party politics. The "earrings scene" meanwhile is the most well-executed comedic scene that Allen has filmed in some time. This is Allen's 41st theatrical film since 1972 and while he's admittedly had some hits and misses, he proves that at the age of 75 he's still capable of churning out a genuinely great film. After making a huge per-theatre average on only six screens, Sony slowly expanded Midnight in Paris and it has consistently remained in the top 10 movies at the box office since. This is a huge feat for a Woody Allen film. Audiences have responded because Allen has made a charming, lovely, whimsical fantasy film that shows Allen at his most accessible and most consistent. With 41 films under his belt it's hard to say where Midnight in Paris fares amongst those other releases, but based on sheer likeability and quality I can safely say it's my favorite film of 2011 thus far.

GRADE: A

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This is the best movie I've seen in years! Finally an entertaining movie with intelligence, humor, lovely scenes of Paris, great music and a message. No crashing cars, burning buildings, or blatant and meaningless sex. A marvelous and intriguing story line....And one could actually hear the dialogue in the absence of background noise so increasingly annoying lately. I saw it in a theater and recommend that if it's still out near you but I will also have to own this one. Woody Allen....a master.

jean

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Midnight in Paris is, without a doubt, one of the most enjoyable films that I have seen in a long time. Masterly crafted by director Woody Allen, it is a well paced film, full of beautifully shot and magically captured moments of Paris. A film of romance and love, Midnight in Paris also uses the science fiction device of time travel to create a very fun and compelling story. The ensemble cast is wonderful and entertaining. This could easily be considered one of Woody Allen's best films.

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Baarìa (2009)

BAARIA is another masterwork form the consummate film artist Giuseppe Tornatore. Tornatore is so highly regarded in Italy and Sicily that famous actors fight for the opportunity to work in one of his luminous films, agreeing to take minute walk on roles just to be near the director: Monica Belluci, Ángela Molina, Beppe Fiorello, Raoul Bova etc. This film deserves close attention form the viewer and in some ways it may be better to view the DVD's Interview with Giuseppe Tornatore BEFORE watching this film so that the writer/director's concept and technique is understood before the story unfolds.

Baarìa is Sicilian slang for Bagheria where Tornatore was born and this is an autobiographic epic of three generations in the Sicilian village where he was born. It begins in the 1920's where Giuseppe "Peppino" Torrenuova lives with his brother Nino and his parents in a hovel. They are so poor that Peppino's father advises him to become a shepherd in order to help support the family. Peppino progresses to taking a cow around the town to fill the milk buckets of the townspeople, struggles through school, progresses to young adulthood when he falls in love with Mannina and going against Mannina's family's dream of having their daughter marry money, the two elope in the home of Mannina! and it is here that the characters become the adults who carry the film. Of note, Tornatore elected to cast the main characters with little known Sicilian actors: Peppino is Francesco Scianna and Mannina is Margareth Madè both brilliant in their roles. From this point the time passes through historical references to Il Duce, the mafia, WW II and the coming of the Americans, but more important is Peppino's idealistic concept that his future lies in politics. He becomes a Communist, rises in the ranks, eventually even visiting Moscow to meet with Stalin, and returns to Baaria to help the people struggle for land reform and socialism, all the while he continues to have children with Mannina and follow his dreams of being a successful politician, a dream that is as fragile as it is unattainable.

The film flashes back and forth in time and has no linear story line: Tornatore is more interested in taking snippets of his memories of his past life growing up in Baaria than he is in keeping the audience clear about the characters who flash in and out of the story. His use of children is magical they seem more wise in their innocence that the adults. But take the movie for what it is a mélange of remembered moments in the writer/director's life and witness some of the most beautiful moments ever created for the screen, such as the eventual death of Peppino's father who passes his wisdom to his son, and Peppino's advice to this oldest son as the son takes the train to Rome: the son asks 'Why do people call us hotheaded?' to which Peppino answers 'Because we think we can embrace the Universe, but our arms are too short.' Peppino's wisdom he passes to his son is to follow his heart at all costs and there will he find satisfaction. This film is overflowing in such moments and watching it is like opening a treasure trunk full of dazzlingly memories. The musical score by the evergreen Ennio Morricone is absolutely one of his finest a score the composer created in conjunction with Tornatore.

There is a problem with the DVD that hopefully someone will solve: the English subtitles (the film is in Italian and Sicilian) are very difficult to read so bleached out are they over backgrounds of bright Sicilian light. It is a post-production flaw that needs to be corrected for non Italian speaking audiences, but even with that minor problem, this is one of the most touching and tender and emotionally satisfying films this viewer has ever seen. 10 stars! Grady Harp, October 11

With both a literal and a figurative nod to Federico Fellini, Italian auteur Giuseppe Tornatore has created "Baaria." A personal epic spanning five decades in the life of a typical Italian family, there is undeniable beauty and lyricism in Tornatore's vision. His beloved "Cinema Paradiso" was a striking blend of nostalgia, whimsy, fantasy and heartfelt drama that struck a chord with both viewers and critics. It won an Oscar, as well as a slew of other awards, and is widely considered a modern masterpiece. With "Baaria," he adheres closely to a similar formula but with decidedly mixed results. I had heard one of two things about "Baaria" prior to catching it on this presentation. Some said it was a masterpiece, some said it was an utter disaster. And in truth, I do believe the film to be divisive. I expected to fall in love with the movie, but I ended up admiring individual elements as opposed to embracing it in its entirety. Part of the film's unusual quality is that it seems both completely intimate to the filmmaker but more noticeably aloof to the viewer. In the film's construction, Tornatore advances through the years and presents some compelling moments without ever slowing down enough to let us actually become invested. This choice might be embraced by some, but the lack of emotional connection is what will create the film's strongest detractors.

As always, Tornatore's film is a beautiful physical specimen. The technical aspects of art direction and cinematography enhance the movie's appeal, and it really looks crisp and clean. Taking place in a small Sicilian hamlet called Bagheria (of which the title Baaria is a nickname), the bulk of the film deals with a small boy who advances through his life to old age within the narrative. Not only do we see his world and family, but we see the political structure of the country change around him. I enjoyed much of this perspective as there were subtle lessons in history sprinkled throughout the piece. Certain moments have a pleasant sweetness, some are more tough. It's as if we are catching random glimpses of the characters as time progresses. And in truth, I really liked the idea of the film. However, if I'm being completely honest--the device, while interesting, is also what caused me to disconnect from the story. Just when something of interest happens, you move on. Nothing has time to resonate. How can you watch someone's life story and still not particularly know them or care about them? That is ultimately how I felt with "Baaria."

And yet, I still can't completely discount Tornatore's conception. It's big, bold and adventurous. Sure, it veers to the fantastical once too often--but here is a filmmaker with a specific point of view. It wasn't wholly successful for me, but it didn't lack in ambition (which so many films do). The movie itself ranks at about 3 1/2 stars for my taste. But the DVD features are enough to make me round up and should be appreciated by Tornatore fans. He is front and center in a commentary track, in behind the scenes footage, in an interview, and at the film's premiere. In addition, some deleted scenes are also present. Clearly, this was a personal and important project for the director. I just wish that I had felt the same passion as he has for the work. KGHarris, 10/11.

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I have spent quite a lot of time trying to find the Sicilian version of this movie in the U.S. and when I finally watched the America release in "Italian" I found that the movie had a lot of Sicilian. Sicilian being my first language it was music to my ears. Sicilians are a unique and passionate people. Our language is so expressive and truly musical. I only wish there were more movies that were made in our native language. I'm guessing that this was released and marked as Italian because Americans will not notice the different languages...One scene in particular, when Peppino is running to school in the very beginning the teacher is yelling for him to hurry he shouts, "Sperugiate" (please excuse the spelling), but that is Sicilian. It happens many times in the film and appropriately (Sicilian being the conversational/familiar language used with friends and family, while Italian is spoken formal settings). Growing up in a Sicilian family we speak Sicilian at home and with our relations and neighbors, but with other Italians or when conducting serious business we speak in proper Italian. Anyway, I hope the people who watch this film experience the same satisfaction and feel the same nostalgia that I did when watching this film. Some of the nostalgia comes from my own experiences as my parents sent me Sicily as a child several times to spend summers there and some of the nostalgia stems from the verbal history my grandparents imparted on us.

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takes place right after WWII in a small town in Sicily. How a young boy had to suffer all his adult life because of his political beliefs, and poor family. a great movie

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Bellisima filme! Gorgeous film, beautiful scenery and wonderful acting. This movie comes from the same director as Cinema Paradiso. Cinema Paradiso was my first introduction to foreign films. I was 12 years old when I first saw that wonderful film. I HIGHLY recommend this Italian gem.

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Meatballs (1979)

Update: Just received mine last week (6/14/07) and it is ONE disc, not two. Picture quality is BEAUTIFUL! The night scenes are actually not one big black blob!

Just an update on the 2007 2-disc Special Edition of Meatballs, since Amazon is not providing any information and all the reviews on this page deal with the less than stellar previous dvd release. The 2007 Special Edition is digitally remastered in Widescreen 1.85:1 Color (Anamorphic). It is in 5.1 Dolby Digital Stereo [CC] and it features subtitles in English, Spanish and French.

DVD Features:

Commentary with Director Ivan Reitman

"Summer Camp: The Making of Meatballs" Featurette

Amazingly, no theatrical trailer is included. Also available in Blu-Ray.

Technical Specs:

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Digitally Re-mastered

Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1

This is one of my favorite movies from childhood, and I still love it (I'm now 27).

Bill Murray is terrific as head counselor Tripper Harrison in this warm and funny feel-great movie. All of the players in the ensemble cast are good, and the music is also really effective. If you like summer, good times, goofy humor, if you were born in the seventies (or even if you weren't) check out "Meatballs". It's a great way to spend a Friday evening--make something strange for a midnight snack and put on "Meatballs".

As for the DVD transfer, here are a couple of comments:

1. It does include the trailer. 2. It's a "matted" widescreen version, which means you actually see less than you do on the full-screen VHS version, because they simply lay black bars across the top and bottom of the full-screen image (I compared the two versions scene-to-scene). 3. For some reason, some of the music has been changed in the DVD version. I found this unfortunate, because the music is one of my favorite parts of the movie. Whenever the song "Meatballs" plays, for instance, an alternate version is played. Also, the "Makin' It" song at the "big social" scene is cut differently.

Aside from these few complaints, I'll still give the disc five stars, because I love the movie so much.

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As a person who spent many of my summers at camp I found this movie to be excellent. It also doesn't hurt that this movie stars Bill Murray...one of my favorites. I've owned this movie on VHS for many years now and have watched it numerous times. I just bought the DVD and noticed that the actual song titled "Meatballs" (originally written and performed by Rick Dees) is different than it is on the VHS version. The DVD version is actually sung (or more like halfway spoken/rapped) by Bill Murray himself. There is also about ten seconds of footage added at the end of the cafeteria scene that isn't on the VHS. Not much, but to a fan of the movie it's kind of cool. I wish the DVD had more features on it (like deleted scenes), but none the less this is still probably the best camp movie you could ask for.

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Ivan Reitman's 1979 comedy hit stars Bill Murray, who effortlessly parades around campgrounds and cliches found in many a kids' outdoor comedy, in this warm and satisfying summer-camp classic, packed with all the genre hallmarks one would anticipate.

You may have seen other movies like it, but "Meatballs" is still the seminal camp movie, with its semi-raunchy humor (you'd never see a PG rated kids comedy now with as much adult material as this), fun mix of Elmer Bernstein score and songs (many written by Elmer and Norman Gimbel), and steady stream of laughs making for a good time for one and all.

Surprisingly, "Meatballs" had something of a turbulent post-production process. Reitman's original version of the film focused mostly on the adventures of the various camp counselors, but when the director went to cut the film down, taking out nearly an hour of footage, he found himself with a 70 minute feature that needed "more." The director then decided to develop more material around the relationship between Murray's counselor and young Chris Makepeace, resulting in an enhanced emotional center at the heart of the picture (those scenes also stand out since Makepeace looks noticeably older).

An independent production that's bounced around various video labels over the years, "Meatballs" was last issued by Sony in a Special Edition DVD that included a decent retrospective documentary. That edition was supposed to be released on Blu-Ray but never happened, leaving fans to wait until this excellent new Lionsgate HD package materialized. While the BD lacks the Sony documentary and other extras (it does retain a fascinating commentary track with Reitman and co-writer Dan Goldberg), the 1080p transfer is spectacular: crisp, colorful, and freed of DNR. The DTS MA stereo audio is likewise fine, and the original Paramount logo is retained (Paramount beat Fox and Universal for the rights to distribute the film theatrically in 1979). For Murray fanatics and comedy fans, this is a terrific catalog release that comes highly recommended.

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Murray's interactions with the boy are so good that I used excerpts from the film for a final exam on basic counseling I taught at a graduate school the students had to identify the techniques used by Tripper and suggest alternatives. This may be a far more educational portrayal of counseling than any of the wierd therapist-involved movies Hollywood has produced over the past decade.

Beyond all that, this is a film of good-natured humor that has sympathy for its characters. Among the very best things that Bill Murray ever did.

And where is Tripper today when we need him?

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