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It's a Wonderful Life, a review by Antares

It's a Wonderful Life





Year: 1946
Film Studio: Republic Pictures, Liberty Films
Genre: Drama, Family, Classic
Length: 130 Min.

Director
Frank Capra (1897)

Writing
Frances Goodrich (1890)...Screenwriter
Albert Hackett (1900)...Screenwriter
Frank Capra (1897)...Screenwriter
Philip Van Doren Stern (1900)...Story By

Producer
Frank Capra (1897)

Cinematographer
Joseph F. Biroc (1903)
Joseph Walker (1892)

Music


Stars
James Stewart (1908) as George Bailey
Donna Reed (1921) as Mary Hatch
Lionel Barrymore (1878) as Mr. Potter
Thomas Mitchell (1892) as Uncle Billy
Henry Travers (1874) as Clarence
Beulah Bondi (1888) as Mrs. Bailey
Frank Faylen (1905) as Ernie
Ward Bond (1903) as Bert

Review
       At the time of its release, Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life was derided by critics as being out of touch with mainstream life in America, and an antiquated form of filmmaking. In the aftermath of World War II and the atrocities of which were just coming to light, this films message seemed out of date with the general movie public. Although most people in this country would hark back to the simpler times portrayed in this film, the overall response for this movie was lukewarm at best. The results would be a poor showing at the box office and the tag of affixed to this films legacy.

      Forty years later with the advent of cable television and the films entry into the public domain, it was once again derided for its overexposure to mainstream audiences. I myself had relegated it to a position of obscurity in my collection by purchasing it on DVD and for two years never viewing it. Then one night in a moment of inner turmoil, as I was thumbing through my collection to find the film that would help me escape, I selected this film. It was a most fortunate choice, for it would re-awaken me to the fact that this is one of the truly great films in the history of cinema.

      Four years of making patriotic propaganda films for the government had left Frank Capra with a desire to turn back the hands of time, and remind the country of the moral values which had forged our nation and for which some of our countrymen had made the ultimate sacrifice. It's now sad to think that this message is deemed as archaic by the cynical and media blitzed public of today.

       We may never be able to go back to the times and values portrayed in this film, but we can still dream and hope. For when a country fails to dream of better times and loses its desire to hope for a light at the end of the tunnel, it ceases to be. We all can learn from the message in this film.


Review Criterion
5 Stars - The pinnacle of film perfection and excellence.

(From It's a Wonderful Life (1946) on November 5th, 2010)

Murder-Set-Pieces, a review by Jimmy

                 

Title: Murder-Set-Pieces (2004)

Genre: Serial Killer
Director: Nick Palumbo (Nutbag)           
Rating: Unrated (but certainly a NC-17)
Length: 1h30
Video: Widescreen
Audio: English
Subtitles: No Subtitles

Stars:
Sven Garrett (A Miami Tail)
Valerie Baber (Emmanuelle vs. Dracula)
Jade Risser (Sinister)
Gunnar Hansen (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre)   
Edwin Neal (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre)

Plot:This movie is a great exemple of a public relation failure or to write it differently an exemple of what not to do to market a film. I think that I've to explain this statement a little bit. If you frequent genre film forum the chance are really high that this film title sound very familiar to you, since the PR was directed at those boards. Not that it was a bad idea since the usual member of these forum are the peoples who buy this genre of film. But, the marketing on the board was too much and all of this became a flame war and hate discussion when some employees of Nick Palumbo insult some people. In the genre film forum that I frequent (dvd maniacs) this is one of the worst discussion that we have had about a film (another subject is Victor Salva, but the majority prefer to ignore his project and yes I'm one of them) and Palumbo enter in the discussion and repair the bad job done by his employee the best that he can. Ok, now that I've precise this we can go for the film itself.

First there are 2 versions of this movie : the director's cut (the one I own and review here) and a R rated version release by Lions Gate (never seen it and I can see what rest of this movie with a R). This is a serial killer movie and probably one of the most violent that I've seen (so if you have found Maniac or Henry disturbing don't think to watch this film). The killer is what he is and they don't try to explain why (a lot of reference are made on his German background, but that it's not use as an explaination), I like that since in real life a psychopath is a psychopath because he is that's all. The killer when he lost control and kill talk  in German, I don't understand the language and I find that great (it bring a lot of insecurity when you are unfamilliar with a language and, don't take it wrong, this language sounds so agressive). The murder effects are well done, all is old school no stupid and unrealistic CGI. Two actors are especially good : Sven Garrett who play the killer (don't hope to see him in different role, he will be typecast) and Jade Risser, this is her first movie (she is 11 years old) and she is incredible (I've never seen a young actress that good, the young boy in the Sixth sense doesn't have half of her talent.). Tony Todd and Edwin Neal did a good job with their cameo. I can't say the same with Cerina Vincent, but she's a very weak actress with no real talent to begin with. One thing ,even if I don't have a problem with that, that risk to disturb some viewer is the fact that some children are killed too (one of them graphically).

In fact there are only two things that I don't like in the movie. The majority of the girls are not natural (fake breast and other chirurgy) and that's what I hate in the actual cinema industry (I don't like a lot of other things, but that's what I hate the much). The other happen when one woman is kill at her home and the killer go to see her baby. The baby is clearly traumatize by this : the actress is his mother and he is very affraid of Garrett and it's heartbreaking to see the child when he go to his dead mother.

I can't tell you if I recommand it or not. You have read the review, so if you like the genre you will like it. But as I've said this movie is hard to watch at times. The only recommandation that I can make is to avoid the R version, I've not seen it but it's impossible that this movie can be good with a R (75% of the film is easilly NC-17).

Rating :   

Trailer : Sorry the disc is copy protected, I can upload it

(From The little known movie review depot on March 3rd, 2008)

Smallville: The Complete Second Season, a review by addicted2dvd

Smallville: The Complete Second Season (2002/United States) Superman's roots grow deeper in Season Two of Smallville. This 6-disc collection includes all 23 episodes plus bonus materials worthy of a superhero. This year finds Clark Kent grappling with his calling as he explores his true origins: was he sent to Earth to save humanity or destroy it? Lana and Clark grow closer than ever before. Lex gets married. Lionel lures Chloe toward the dark side. Martha and Jonathan Kent receive miraculous news. And Pete becomes a keeper of Clark's secret. One thing we can't keep secret: the legend grows stronger in Smallville! Episodes 1. Vortex 2. Heat 3. Duplicity 4. Red 5. Nocturne 6. Redux 7. Lineage 8. Ryan 9. Dichotic 10. Skinwalker 11. Visage 12. Insurgence 13. Suspect 14. Rush 15. Prodigal 16. Fever 17. Rosetta 18. Visitor 19. Precipice 20. Witness 21. Accelerate 22. Calling 23. Exodus

---

Stars:
Tom Welling as Clark Kent
Kristin Kreuk as Lana Lang
Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor
Sam Jones III as Pete Ross
Allison Mack as Chloe Sullivan
John Glover as Lionel Luthor
Annette O'Toole as Martha Kent
John Schneider as Jonathan Kent

Extras:

• Scene Access
• Audio Commentary
• Deleted Scenes
• Featurettes
• Outtakes/Bloopers
• DVD-ROM Content
• Closed Captioned
• The Chloe Chronicles

Can you believe it? I actually finished off the entire second season of Smallville in only a day and a half! This season starts the season long story arcs... where season 1 was really nothing more then "freak of the week" type episodes. I enjoy it both... but I am glad to get into the season long storylines now. I really enjoyed every minute of watching the season again... especially seeing Christopher Reeve in one of the episodes. In the early seasons we get to see Clark develop his powers. In season 1 we got to see him get his X-Ray Vision. In season 2 we got to see him get his Heat Vision. So I guess that leaves Super Hearing for season 3.

I am still very much into watching more of the series. So looks like I am about to pop in the first disc of the 3rd season.




(From Addicted2dvd's Random TV Series Watched on August 20th, 2011)