2012 Coriolanus Blu-Ray Movie Review

Coriolanus is a Roman warrior who dedicates his life and career to defending Rome from foreign invaders. He has it all: a beautiful wife and son, mother who is patriotic, loyal to the family (and controlling to say the least). Marcus Coriolanus has potential to become a powerful politician. But his patriotism is matched by his sense of entitlement of his class status for greater things, which in turn creates resentment from his political enemies. His enemies turn ordinary people against Corealanus and before long, Marcus' career comes to a screeching holt and Marcus Coriolanus finds himself in exile. Nations and people who were his enemies yesterday become his allies tomorrow and Marcus sets on a mission to get his revenge.....

The film is a classic tale of honor and betrayal. Those who are familiar with Shakespeare's tale would know exactly what this film is all about since its core premise is intact. It is about a man of honor; a man whose integrity feels so out of place in this world. Torn between his own principles and pride, the man chooses to be who he is, and the traditions and responsibilities of the world fall down on him. Fiennes' version of Shakespeare's creation is shot more like a war film that comes complete with bloody, intense gun battles and knife to knife combat. Fiennes knew what he was in for and handles everything with careful accuracy and heed. For a man on his directorial debut, Fiennes wields the story with precision to make the Shakespearean story as timely to modern times while resonating the political strife as only Shakespeare ever could.....

Ralph Fiennes (Voldemort in Harry Potter) comes out with an outstanding performance. He is very believable in his role as someone so proud that he would deny himself being subjected to the `nays' of an ungrateful bellowing crowd. Fiennes exhibited that power and intensity that made him so convincing as both a savior and a destroyer of men and nations. Butler is just as capable in his role, but he was easily overshadowed by Fiennes.

Fiennes does so well in modernizing this classic story. He directed with care and uses his own love for the material that he was able to capitalize on the story's key moments to drive the film's momentum. He was able to cut off the excesses of the play and what becomes is a tightly wound drama-thriller. As a performer in his own film, Fiennes was scary and intimidating; if a little enigmatic. Supported by a strong cast in Butler, Redgrave, Cox and Chastain, "Coriolanus " is a powerful film that is worthy of a look.

This film is brilliant, and most watchers will be pleasantly surprised.

Highly recommend it.



Actors: Ralph Fiennes, Gerard Butler
Directors: Ralph Fiennes
Studio: The Weinstein Company
Release Date: May 29, 2012

2012 Man on a Ledge Blu-Ray Movie Review

2012 Man on a Ledge Blu-Ray Movie Review: Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington) is an escaped, convicted diamond thief with an elaborate plan to clear his name. After checking into an upper-floor room at Manhattan's Roosevelt Hotel, he orders a hefty meal, then exits the window and positions himself on a ledge. People below notice him and soon the police are called in. When a cop attempts to talk him in, Nick asks to speak with a different negotiator, Lydia Mercer (Elizabeth Banks).

Mercer has been ostracized by her peers recently because she lost a previous jumper. Her self-assurance has been tarnished, and she is perplexed as to why this potential suicide has requested her. The cops dust for fingerprints to identify the would-be jumper, but the room is clean. So Nick's identity remains unknown to them for quite some time....

As a thriller, "Man on a Ledge " works reasonably well. A large part of the movie involves an intricate caper that occurs as Nick teeters 25 floors above the street. The mystery unfolds as the police, Nick's family, a wealthy businessman (Ed Harris), dirty cops, and Nick himself converge in the film's denouement.

Actors: Sam Worthington, Ed Harris, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, Anthony Mackie
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Summit Entertainment
DVD Release Date: May 29, 2012

Lethal Weapon Collection 2012 Movie Review

Way, way back in the day, before a traffic pullover and then some breathlessly nflattering words, Mel Gibson was THE man. Mad Max, Braveheart, even Ranson, almost everything he touched was gold. But Lethal Weapon changed everything. The prototypical 1980s buddy flick, teams the unstable Mel Gibson with the stable family man, Roger Murtaugh, played by Danny Glover. Whatever it was, these two had an absolutely magical chemistry on film that defied insanity, death and even bad scripts as the movies went on. 

While the movies get progressively worse as they got bigger, with the exception of 2, Gibson and Glover propel this through sheer star power and will. If you want to see two masters at work, doing what they do almost effortlessly, resulting in pure eye candy, check these films out. They are a tad violent and a little sewer mouthed, hence the R ratings, but they are fantastic. Add Joe Pesci to the mix, right off his Goodfellas role, and you got a great movie on your hands.

If these are not the special editions, that would be too bad, because they are fun, but only the first one adds any real grabbers. The scene where Riggs walks into a sniper's line of fire who was shooting kids is chilling and establishes Riggs' death wish quickly and brutally. Modern post-Columbine sensibilities may find it hard to take, but it is an amazing scene. All the other scenes are filler, but really fun filler. 

If you can take a good hard R with lots of great comedy, this is a movie set for you. Just remember it is a product of its times, and people were not as politically correct then. These still stand out literally as some of my favorite films that I never get tired of watching.

Lethal Weapon Collection 2012 Movie Review

• Actors: Joe Pesci, Danny Glover, Mel Gibson
• Genre: Comedy, Action
• Release Date: May 22, 2012
• Number of discs: 5
• Run Time: 476 minutes
• Studio: Warner Home Video

Safe House 2012 Movie Review

The action/drama/mystery film opens with a quick character build up of the multifaceted CIA agent Matt Weston (Ryan Reynolds). He operates a safe house with nobody in it. He wants a European field assignment, but lacks department seniority.

The movie switches to Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington) obtaining an embarrassing electronic file from the MI6 in South Africa. "Frost", because he is cold. Denzel uses his expected savvy to escape. He is a rouge super agent who free lances, buying and selling information. In order to escape the bad guys, Tobin surrenders to the CIA. Now the questions are: Was this his original plan? What is on the file?

Tobin is taken to our aforesaid safe house for intense interrogation. Frost is too important of a person and the top secret safe house comes under attack. The young low level highly trained Matt Weston is now on the run with a man who is a master manipulator of people. To our list of unanswered questions we now add, "Who is the mole?"

Ryan and Washington give us excellent performances. It had elements of the Bourne series that made this story interesting, but it doesn't quite measure up to that film. Cliche ending. I would say if you are a fan of the trilogy, check this one out.

Multiple chase scenes, torture, killings, shoot outs, minor "roof top" jumping, car wreaks without explosions

Overall, one of the best thriller action movies in the past year.

Safe House 2012 Moview Review

• Starring: Denzel Washington, Ryan Reynolds
• Supporting actors: Vera Farmiga, Brendan Gleeson, Sam Shepard, Rubén Blades, Nora Arnezeder, Robert Patrick
• Directed by: Daniel Espinosa
• Genre: Action, Crime, Mystery, Thriller
• Runtime: 1 hour 56 minutes
• Release year: 2012
• US Theatrical Release Date: Feburary 10, 2012
• Studio: Universal Pictures

The Secret World of Arrietty 2012 Movie Review

This film is a must see for anyone who loves hand drawn animation. The animation is gorgeous and possibly even more stimulating since we see virtually no hand drawn animation on the silver screen in North America (though so far this year I've been blessed with the Beauty and the Beast re-release and a Fullmetal Alchemist film at my small town theater). As far as Arrietty is concerned the background designers paid great attention to detail while the characters have that streamlined Miyazaki look but move with fluidity and such realism. It's very captivating to see the familiar concept of creatures living between floorboards in such a new inventive way. Seeing what they borrow from the humans and how they use it is part of the charm of the film. I also have to say that this film, like all Ghibli films, does such an excellent job of capturing the majesty of nature. The outdoor scenes here make one long to go for a hike in such an area.

Characterization is also well done. While the characters may not seem as standout or unique as previous Ghibli releases they are all distinct and have formed personalities that are revealed in such refreshingly subtle ways, you don't get a bunch of exposition explaining characters you just see who they are through how they move and act. In this light it was also nice to see traits from the original borrowers material carried over into this representation (the mother being very worrisome, etc.). Arrietty is rightfully the most compelling character, a girl venturing into the larger world for the first time with fear but also curiosity and courage. One note, I would have liked to see more of the other characters, especially Sho/Shawn, but I was very pleased with what I did get to see.

Voice acting is something I really have to give Disney credit for. Dubs are very hard to get right and I've found that they've put good effort into the casting and voice directing of their Ghibli dubs. The voices all sound like they are coming from the characters (with perhaps the debatable exception of David Henrie as Sho/Shawn, who does a great job but sounds a bit deep voiced for the young character), and 99% match the lip flaps. Bridgit Mendler as Arriety does a standout job, Amy Poehler and Will Arnett are charmingly cast as her parents and Carol Burnett is humorous as the house cleaner, Hara. The performances, like the film itself, are understated but very engrossing (for fans of this genre at least). I look forward to being able to listen to the original Japanese dialogue for comparison purposes but I think even those who don't enjoy dubs should give this one a try if it's the only option at your local theater.

Lastly there is the sound. A key component of establishing the reality in any animated film. In Arrietty the sound has been well selected to evoke the feeling of an idyllic summer, especially in outdoor scenes. Sound was also extremely well used to establish Arrietty's unique perspective of the human world. For example, in one scene where Arrietty enters a human kitchen for the first time, the familiar sounds of appliances humming and an empty room at night are used to create a sense of unfamiliarity and vastness. In addition to the excellent sound design I must compliment the score of the film, the music fits well and has a Celtic influence that captures Arrietty's lively spirit.

The Secret World of Arrietty 2012 Movie Review:

• Actors: Bridgit Mendler, David Henrie, Amy Poehler, Will Arnett, Moises Arias
• Directors: Hiromasa Yonebayashi
• Studio: Buena Vista
• DVD Release Date: May 22, 2012
• Run Time: 94 minutes

The Woman in Black 2012 Movie Review

The Woman in Black is a pretty traditional haunted house story that focuses on atmosphere and the lingering feeling of dread instead of CGI gore and horror. If you've read the book, you'll be familiar with the unsettling nature of the story - a general sense that translated well to the stage play and here to the film. The filming locations capture the remoteness of a house cut off by tide and tragedy and the general production design makes great use of a set to spring some fairly major jumps.

Daniel Radcliffe is well cast in bringing an innocence to a pretty dire situation where children keep dying every time the woman in black shows up, and he's clearly going to keep going beyond Harry Potter. The rest of the cast do well to portray the town that doesn't want Radcliffe there too. All of the tension and surprises rise from the situation and some clever camera shots and even the most hardened horror fan should get quite a few scares.

It's all a fairly solid production until the ending. Susan Hill's book transcended the genre with the end of her story (which has since been copied many times) but this movie doesn't stay faithful to the original material in an attempt to spare the audience the downer.

The Woman in Black 2012 Movie Review

• Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Ciaran Hinds
• Directed by: James Watkins
• Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller
• Runtime: 1 hour 36 minutes
• Studio: CBS Films

Red Tails 2012 Movie Review

First, as of 22 Jan 2012, "Red Tails" is the number two in the country, with a $19 million dollar purse for the first week! Secondly, there was an apparent miscalculation by the movie industry writ-large, that the American public has somehow lost interest and draw power in a TRUE story of Americans overcoming overwhelming odds and adversity to fight for their country and for racial equality.

Red Tails delivers outstanding performances by both A-listers Cuba Gooding Jr. and Terrence Howard as well as the up-and-coming supporting actors. The action, tempo and effects were great. The storylines for the characters were good as well. The movie allows Americans the opportunity to review first-hand the bigotry and sheer ignorance of that time period, in hopes we will rise above it today. And that perhaps by remembering racism and prejudice in the context of such magnificent sacrfice and human struggle will minimize the impact of the small pockets of poison that still lingers within our society, even today.

Red Tails is AWESOME true-story of America at its best, while simultaneously being at its worse. Its a great movie to take young teens to, just as a reminder, although we havent quite attained "the dream", perhaps they can step closer to attainment in their generation.

Red Tails 2012 Movie Review

• Starring: Nate Parker, David Oyelowo
• Directed by: Anthony Hemingway
• Runtime: 2 hours 5 minutes
• Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, History, War
• Release year: 2012
• US Theatrical Release Date: January 20, 2012
• Studio: Fox

This Means War 2012 Movie Review

"This Means War 2012" Movie Review. When two CIA agents find themselves vying for the same woman, their rivalry is epic! Lucky Reese Witherspoon, to be one-third of an eternal triangle with these guys!

Even though this is a romantic comedy, CIA activities and skirmishes are couched in enough reality that we invest a little skin in the game. But the banter and camaraderie between two hunky heroes keep it cartoony and light. Furthermore, the conversations between our heroine and her best friend are hilarious, particularly when they are being overheard by the guys.

Reese Witherspoon, tests products and facilitates focus groups, but she hasn't quite recovered from her last break-up. Her best friend offers sage advice that positively drips with envy. Chris Pine is the smooth man about town, a CIA-trained lady killer with blue eyes you could get lost in. Problem is, Reese isn't about to fall. She may be tempted, but she won't fall. Tom Hardy is the third side of this triangle, who pretends to be a travel agent, which contributed to the end of his marriage. Now he's competing with Chris Pine for Reese's affections and not doing too badly, either, despite being British.

If you're in the mood to sit back, laugh, and not have to think too much this is the movie for you! It's the perfect combination of Comedy, Romance, and Action. The cast has good chemistry and are sexy to boot! As with any romantic comedy, you can't over analyze...you just have to sit back and enjoy!

This Means War Movie Review 2012

• Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine
• Directed by: McG
• Runtime: 1 hour 38 minutes
• Genre: Action, Comedy, Romance
• Release year: 2012
• Studio: Fox 

The Godfather Collection

The new transfers for The Godfather Parts I and II are stunning. It really is like seeing them for the first time. All of the murky, faded colors have been restored to their original glory while still retaining the warmth of the film stock. Gordon Willis' then-controversial cinematography can finally be seen they way it was intended on these new discs. If you have the original box set, it is worth it to double dip if only for the restoration job on these two films.

Carried over from the original set are all of Francis Ford Coppola's commentary tracks for the three films. On The Godfather one, he appropriately enough, starts off by talking about the film's famous opening scene and how it was supposed to start with the wedding but a friend suggested he do something else. Coppola talks about how he organized the elaborate wedding sequence and shot it only 2-3 days! He talks about the pressure he was under by the studio and in read danger of being fired because they didn't like what he was doing. This is pretty solid track that we've come to expect from the veteran filmmaker.

Coppola's contributes another excellent commentary for The Godfather Part II. Initially, he had no interest in doing a sequel and dealing with studio bureaucracy. He suggested Martin Scorsese for the job. The studio balked at this idea and accepted all of Coppola's terms. The veteran filmmaker talks at length about the development of the Corleone family from Part I. Coppola is engaging and very articulate, delivering a top notch track that is well worth a listen for any fan of this movie.

Finally, there is Coppola's commentary for The Godfather Part III. One of the heated debates the filmmaker had with the studio was over Pacino's hair. He wanted Michael to look older and like a man in crisis, while the studio didn't want to mess with Pacino's distinctive looks. Coppola defends his casting of Sofia and feels that she delivered a "real" performance because she wasn't an actor. He also addresses the scathing criticism she received as in fact an attack on him. This is a solid track with good observations and analysis by Coppola -- better than the film itself.

The rest of the supplemental material is spread out of two discs. Thankfully for those who did not buy the first box set all of the extras from it have been carried over with a whole other disc of brand new material.

The fourth disc features all the brand new material and starts off with "Godfather World," which takes a look at how The Godfather films influenced popular culture, including parodies on The Simpsons and South Park, and how it informed the characters on The Sopranos. All kinds of celebrities, from William Friedkin and Alec Baldwin to author Sarah Vowell who sing its praises with clips of shows and films that reference it.

"The Masterpiece That Almost Wasn't" tells the story of how Hollywood had changed at the end of the 1960s with the demise of the studio moguls and the rise of the film brats, the first generation of film students who became filmmakers. One of them, Coppola, ended up being picked to direct The Godfather. This is an excellent look at how the director almost didn't get the gig and why.

"...When the Shooting Stopped" examines the post-production phase of the first film. Coppola battled with the studio over the length of it. Executives initially did not like Nino Rota's score for the film and samples of some of his original and revised cues are played.

"Emulsional Rescue: Revealing The Godfather" takes a look at the newly restored transfers for Part I and II and how they preserve Gordon Willis' gorgeous cinematography. This feature takes us through the restoration process, showing before and after examples.

"The Godfather on the Red Carpet" is a forgettable feature shot during the premiere of Cloverfield with various minor celebrities gush about the films.

"Four Short Films on The Godfather" features celebs citing which one they prefer, Part I or II. Another one has Richard Belzer, and the man who adapted the films for the stage, quote their favorite lines, which turns out to be quite funny. The third one sees Coppola talk about his love of cannoli and how made it into the film. Finally, Coppola answers the question about what happened to Clemenza in Part II and why he died.

The fifth disc starts off with "A Look Inside," a feature-length documentary about The Godfather trilogy done when Part III was being made. As a result, a lot of the major players were interviewed. We see Coppola at work on this film with on-set footage of the director working with Pacino. We also see Coppola working on the script with author Mario Puzo. The doc then goes back to the first film with Coppola's battle with the studio over casting Brando, Pacino, et al. with fascinating vintage screen tests and rehearsal footage. This is an excellent extra that goes into great detail.

"On Location" revisits key locations in the lower east side of New York where they shot parts of all three films and how they transformed them into various historical periods.

"Francis Coppola's Notebook" examines how he adapted Puzo's book into the first film. Coppola shows us his notebook that he used as his master document that he would constantly refer to. This featurette provides fascinating insight into the man's creative process.

"Music of The Godfather" features an audio excerpt of a conversation Coppola had with composer Nino Rota about the music for the film. Also included is footage of composer Carmine Coppola (Francis' father) working on Part III. Francis talks about working with his father.

"Coppola and Puzo on Screenwriting" features the author talking about the origins of his novel while Coppola discusses adapting it with Puzo into the films.

"Gordon Willis on Cinematography" features the man talking his approach to the look of the film and the choices he made and why.

"Storyboards - Godfather Part II and Part III" allows you to see sketches for the look of both films and see how Coppola planned to shoot them.

"The Godfather: Behind the Scenes 1971" is a vintage promotional featurette done at the time of the production of the first film. This is a fantastic snapshot of the times.

"The Filmmakers" are text biographies of key crew members.

Also included are 30 additional scenes from the four eras, spanning the entire trilogy. Much of this footage was inserted into the first two films when they were shown on television.

"The Family" gives you a handy organization chart for the Corleone family. You can see who everyone is and how they are related.

Finally, there are "Galleries" with trailers for all three films, stills, a collection of portraits of enemies of the Corleone family, and footage of the Academy Awards wins for the first two Godfather films. 

Five Minutes of Heaven (2009)

When friend Vika (Anamaria Marinca) asks Joe Griffen (James Nesbitt), the brother of a man killed in 1975 by one Alistair Little (Liam Neeson), if killing Alistair would not be good for him, Joe replies ' Not good for me? My five minutes of heaven!' And so runs the razor sharp dialog and acting and power of this little film from the UK that relates the story of a 1975 event in Northern Ireland when Catholics and Protestants were at war and the young Protestant Alistair Little (Mark David), as a UVF member (Ulster Volunteer Force), gathers his friends and 'kills a Catholic' - but the murder happens in front of the victim's 11-year-old brother Joe Griffen. 

Flash forward to 2008 when Alistair Little (now Liam Neeson) has served his prison term and is set up by the media to relate the story of the incident and supposedly meet and shake hands on camera with the now mature Joe Griffen. It is a film about youthful involvement in terrorism and the sequelae that haunts or obsesses the victim's family and the perpetrator. The confrontation between Alistair and Joe is a devastating one.

Guy Hibbert wrote this excruciatingly visceral screenplay and Oliver Hirschbiegel directs a first rate cast. Though Liam Neeson is billed as the star, the film belongs to the powerful acting by James Nesbitt as the vengeful Joe Griffen. The cinematography is dark and dank like the atmosphere in both the warring fog of 1975 and the attempt at reconciliation in 2008. There are subtle pieces of thoughtful enhancement, such as the use of the Mozart 'Requiem' in the near hidden score. In all, this is a moving film about truth and reconciliation that deserves the attention of us all, especially in this time of random acts of terrorism and their possible imprint on our minds and on society.

Recommended Movie: The Bourne Trilogy [Blu-ray]

First, you know that the movies are amazing. The action starts strong and never lets up over the course of all three films. Aside from one or two quibbles (why does Mr super-spy who memorizes every license plate in a parking lot at one glance need to have something implanted in his hip to remind him of his bank account? Just in case he loses his memory?) the movies themselves are wonderful.

Here are the pros and cons of this particular edition of the films:
Pros:
-the blu ray transfer is good, with a fine picture and sound.
-the extras are fun.

Cons:
-These are the single-disk versions of the movies. No dvd or additional disks such as digital copy.
-At times the picture quality was not as good as I might have hoped. Still very good, but a bit off.

All in all, highly recommended. If you like Bourne, you will like this package. If you like action films, you will love Bourne.

If you don't like action films, then why are you reading this at all? 

• The Bourne Identity 
• The Bourne Supremacy 
• The Bourne Ultimatum

Harry Potter: The Complete 8 Film Collection [Blu-ray]

I'm actually very pleased with this product! It's very cheap, and very good quality. There are, however, a couple of things that I feel I should point out.

First, the case that it comes in is a standard mass production case that most multi-disc sets use. Don't expect a lavish collectable case, especially for the price. The case is still very durable, and allows all of the movies to be stored in a small amount of space.

Second, the films in this set ARE NOT THE SPECIAL EDITIONS. They are standard edition, as if the first disc from each movie was put in here. While there are some special features, there are not a lot.

Next, the discs themselves appear to be great quality. All of mine worked extremely well, and there were no defects whatsoever, save one thing. The disc that I received for Deathly Hallows Part 1 is missing a cover. The disc is all black, and the title and copyright information are on there, but there is not picture. This, however does not in any way affect the viewing of the movie, and is only an aesthetic concern.

Also, the box that the DVDs come in is not the absolute best quality, but it is sturdy. It serves it's purpose, and it looks very nice!

Please note, if you want something that's collectible, DO NOT BUY THIS SET. There are others out there that will better suit your needs. However, this set satisfies all of the casual viewers' needs. It presents the movies in an accessible, affordable manner, and is absolutely a great buy! I recommend this to all Harry Potter fans who wish to have all of the movies!

Game of Thrones: The Complete First Season [Blu-ray]

I usually don't review an item before the product is released, but there has been so much discussion about this series, I figured I'd try to approach it a bit differently. I expect the blu ray discs will be fine, but if they aren't, I will update this review.

The first thing I noticed is that the casting was just about perfect. The actors were all well chosen for their roles. No Hollywood cuties here. To theirs and the directors' credit, there was no "over-acting". Everyone stayed true to character. Some characters gave you an instant impression of where they were on the spectrum of good and bad, while others had a bit more subtle...just as they were in the book. The sets were superb as were the locations. Each region had its own feel and nothing was laid on too heavily. You got the feeling you were looking at a "real" place.

To be fair, the series doesn't cover everything in the book. If it did, it would have to have 50 episodes, rather than 10. But it does keep the storyline intact and understandable. Besides, we don't absolutely need to know all the things they wore and ate, or just how frequently they had sex. Yes, there is sex in the series. I didn't feel it was gratuitous. some of it was absolutely necessary for the plot and the rest gave an insight into the mores and habits of the different peoples. Were there differences between the book and series? There were a few, but when they occurred, it was to make the series more understandable without some of the details contained in the book.

There are two questions I'll try to address. If you haven't read the book, will you enjoy the series? Yes, if you lake a well told story that is fantasy, but not the kinds that kids like. Will you like the book if you see the series first? Absolutely. If you like stories where everyone lives happily ever after and the good guys always win, this isn't for you. But if you like a well told, well acted story with plenty of twists and turns to keep you coming back for more, this is it! 

James Bond Complete 22 Film Collection [Blu-ray]

This review is about the item and its value. To put it simply, if you are going to buy the entire series of James Bond movies and you have a Blu-ray player, this is the bargain to buy. I have been picking the movies up individually from Amazon for between $9.49 to $9.99 each. A great deal. However, if I had known about this offer, I would have gone for the entire collection. 22 movies for $200.00 comes to about $9.10 each!

Each of the individual movies I have seen so far makes the Blu-Ray upgrade well worth it. The video quality of each is un-surpassed. Details, only guessed at, are impressive. The audio of each is, also, incredible. Each has the DTS HD Master 5.1 plus the original Mono or Dolby Surround soundtrack (there is a depth to Shirley Bassey's "Moonraker" openning that I found almost...moving).

I have about a dozen of the individually released movies. If you can't wait, maybe Amazon will have the others for the price mentioned above. If you CAN wait, this set is the best deal and well worth it.

Masterpiece: Downton Abbey Season 1

A transporting miniseries from PBS, the crisp and delightful "Downton Abbey" is easily my favorite Masterpiece Theater presentation since the impeccable "Bleak House." Perhaps not as austere as you might expect, "Downton Abbey" combines an "Upstairs, Downstairs" drama with some rather soapy plot points and a healthy dose of scathing British wit. While many of the recent successful Masterpiece Theater productions have benefited from a distinguished literary pedigree, this original creation was whipped up with considerable verve by Julian Fellowes--who mined similar territory and won an Oscar for the screenplay of "Gosford Park." Aired on U.S. television stations in four longer parts, this set appropriately reconfigures the program into seven distinct episodes as they were originally intended.

Simply put, "Downton Abbey" tells the story of one English estate consisting of the Crawley family and their household staff in the years preceding World War I. Fellowes does an incredible job introducing his massive cast. Sometimes when dozens of characters are thrown at you immediately, it takes a while to sort everyone out--but no such problem here. Within the first half hour, I had everything I needed to know about the house dynamic and the role everyone played in it. There are many plot strands threaded throughout the production, but the main drama stems from the fact that the apparent heirs for Downton Abbey are killed on the Titanic. Unable to appoint a female inheritor (the Crawleys have three daughters), a distant and middle-class relative is next in line. When this city lawyer and his mother arrive to become acquainted with the property, the drama starts to unfold.

There is a LOT going on in this house--both in the servants quarters and in the master chambers! Some of the plotting is remarkably textured, some a bit far fetched--but there wasn't one moment of "Downton Abbey" that wasn't thoroughly entertaining. There is romance, cover-ups, villainy, manipulation, politics, and everything under the sun. Deftly handled by the well balanced screenplay, stories are juggled with dexterity. And almost everyone in the cast gets their moment to shine. Headlined by the terrifically understated Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern, there are far too many great performances to highlight in this brief format. Maggie Smith is, as usual, curmudgeonly perfection! Her battle of wills with Penelope Wilton are pure comic delight. Michelle Dockery, as the eldest daughter, and Dan Stevens, as the new heir apparent, carry much of the story and both are appealing even when they're not very likable (Dockery, in particular, is quite a brat but has the largest character arc). And among the servants, I particularly enjoyed the oily menace of Rob James-Collier who created trouble for the sake of his own amusement.

While "Downton Abbey" is not without imperfections, I loved it simply in terms of sheer entertainment value. I cared about the characters and wanted to see their stories progress. The series ends rather abruptly (but Season Two is fast on its way) and, in our household, we were sorry to have to say goodbye for now. A grand and funny showcase for some of the year's best performances, this one is a winner! KGHarris, 2/11.

Synopsis: Downton Abbey -- a sprawling, lavish Edwardian mansion nestled in the Yorkshire landscape -- needs an heir. Dame Maggy Smith stars as Violet, the stubborn Dowager Countess of Grantham matriarch of Downton. Hugh Bonneville stars as her son, the stoic, unflapple Lord Crawley. Elizabeth McGovern is his far-sighted American wife, Cora. From Academy Award-winner Julian Fellowes. This is the original un-edited UK version of the program.

Season year: 2010

Recomended Movie - Moneyball

Every year, I get wary of the inevitable film set in a sporting arena where an underdog player or team must triumph against adversity to become unlikely heroes. As accomplished or heartwarming as many of these films can be, they never seem to be able to break free of the conventions that we've all seen a hundred times. While I can't say that "Moneyball" isn't inspired by the genre, I will say that it looks at the phenomenon from a decidedly different angle. Based on Michael Lewis's non-fiction account of the same name, this is actually an intriguing story ruled by the business of baseball as opposed to the emotions the game elicits. As such, it seems like something entirely new. Director Bennett Miller (Oscar nominee for Capote), along with heavyweight screenwriters Aaron Sorkin and Steve Zaillian, has created one of the brainiest and least sentimental baseball films you're likely to see. "Moneyball" tells the true story of how the Oakland A's GM Billy Beane rebuilt the team for the 2002 season with enormous financial constraints using computer analysis and statistics. While admittedly, this might not sound like a particularly sexy plot--it was a pivotal moment in sporting history well worth documenting. And despite knowing the outcome, the film is never less than fascinating.

"Moneyball" refers to the inherent unfairness in the sport as teams with deep pockets can rule the game by outspending their smaller competitors when selecting the top tier players. When Oakland lost its powerhouse line-up, the team was left scrambling for replacements. Eschewing traditional recruitment methods, Beane (Brad Pitt) placed his trust in a new assistant (Jonah Hill) that had a new way of looking at statistics to determine the game's most undervalued players. Against all advice, he assembled a team of misfits that no one thought could succeed--including his own manager (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who constantly challenged and opposed Beane. What happens at the start of the season only cements the team as a league (and national) laughingstock and has the country thirsting for Beane's sacrificial blood. But against all odds, things start to gel and history is made.

Pitt plays Beane with a world-weary grace. It may, in fact, be his most grounded performance to date. Aloof at first, we see how he thaws to his own superstitions to become an invaluable part of the club. Through flashbacks and interludes with his daughter, we see different sides of a man who has dedicated his life to the sport. Jonah Hill plays it straight as the assistant who is instrumental to the team's new direction. Hill is surprisingly good, deadpan even, and he and Pitt develop a chemistry that is as unlikely as it is effective. Hoffman has a small, but vital, role and is spot-on. The actors that comprise the team all turn in solid work as well, but fundamentally this is Pitt's picture from start to finish. And understatement is the name of the game. A smart screenplay, an interesting topic, effective performances--it's all handled with a refreshing minimum of schmaltz (a key element in many sport's films). By tackling the back office side of baseball, "Moneyball" sets itself apart as a true original. A film that doesn't just love the game, but really understands it (foibles and all). A rarity and a surprisingly adult entertainment, about 4 1/2 stars.

Synopsis: The story of Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane's successful attempt to put together a baseball club on a budget by employing computer-generated analysis to draft his players.
Starring: Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill
Supporting actors: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robin Wright
Directed by: Bennett Miller
Runtime: 2 hours 14 minutes
Release year: 2011
Studio: Columbia Pictures