Collection ID 1476
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Starring: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones, Aidan Quinn, Bruno Ganz, Frank Langella, Sebastian Koch, Olivier Schneider, Stipe Erceg
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures   Release date: 2011   Rated: PG-13   
Language (Country): English, German, Turkish, Arabic (UK | Germany | France | Canada | Japan | USA)
Summary: A biochemist and his dishy wife arrive in Berlin for a conference at which a scientist and his controversial Arab funder will announce breakthrough research. While his wife checks into the hotel, he grabs a cab to return to the airport for his briefcase, left at the curb. En route, an auto accident puts him in a coma, from which he awakes four days later without identification and with gaps in his memory. He goes to the hotel: his wife refuses to recognize him and another man has claimed his identity. With help from a nurse, the cab driver, a retired Stasi agent, and an academic friend, he tries to unravel what's going on. Is the answer in the briefcase?
My Rating:
My Review: Liam Neeson and January Jones (eye candy) star in this action packed thriller featuring amnesia, terrorists and a secretive group of assassins. Liam Neeson plays Dr. Martin Harris - an esteemed biochemist visiting Berlin to lecture at a big agribusiness conference. When he misplaces his briefcase, things start to unravel. A short cab trip produces tragedy. Instead of retrieving his briefcase, he ends up with a rather strange case of amnesia - He knows exactly who he is, but no one else can remember him, including his wife and closest friends. The writing is quite tight, but there's too many cliched plot points and similarities with other movies to make it remarkable. If the writers had focused on the 'corporate espionage' angle, the movie would have been much better. Instead the movie quickly devolves in to a frenetically paced terrorist driven action plot. Liam Neeson performs adequately, and January Jones is smoking hot if not a bit unbelievable in her role. The characters are colorful but lacking in depth. An entertaining summer blockbuster. 4 out of 5.

Collection ID 59
Director: Brian De Palma
Starring: Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Charles Martin Smith, Andy Garcia, Robert De Niro
Genre: Crime
Studio: Paramount Pictures   Release date: 1987   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English, French (USA)
Summary: Federal Agent Elliot Ness sets out to take out Al Capone; because of rampant corruption, he assembles a small, hand-picked team.
My Rating:
My Review: David Mamet's screenplay, Brian DePalma's direction and excellent acting by an all star cast (Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Charles Martin Smith, Andy Garcia, Robert De Niro, and many others) all combine to make an outstanding movie. Based upon the real-life case of Eliot Ness (FBI agent played by Kevin Costner) vs legendary gangster Al Capone (played by Robert De Niro). The set work, costumes, props and music were essential components in this marvelous movie. A dramatic tale of good vs evil. The story is a fictionalized account for those who pay close attention to the facts, but the dramatic liberty makes for great film. The camera work and editing accentuated the film and made for a masterful work of cinema. I give this movie a 5 out of 5. I'm glad I own it, and never grow weary of it's dramatic style.

Collection ID 861
Director: Brian De Palma
Starring: Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Charles Martin Smith, Andy Garcia, Robert De Niro
Genre: Crime
Studio: Paramount Pictures   Release date: 1987   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English, French (USA)
Summary: Federal Agent Elliot Ness sets out to take out Al Capone; because of rampant corruption, he assembles a small, hand-picked team.
My Rating:
My Review: David Mamet's screenplay, Brian DePalma's direction and excellent acting by an all star cast (Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Charles Martin Smith, Andy Garcia, Robert De Niro, and many others) all combine to make an outstanding movie. Based upon the real-life case of Eliot Ness (FBI agent played by Kevin Costner) vs legendary gangster Al Capone (played by Robert De Niro). The set work, costumes, props and music were essential components in this marvelous movie. A dramatic tale of good vs evil. The story is a fictionalized account for those who pay close attention to the facts, but the dramatic liberty makes for great film. The camera work and editing accentuated the film and made for a masterful work of cinema. I give this movie a 5 out of 5. I'm glad I own it, and never grow weary of it's dramatic style.

Collection ID 820
Director: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
Starring: Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson, Delroy Lindo
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family
Studio: Pixar Animation Studios   Release date: 2009   Rated: PG   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: Carl Fredricksen as a boy wanted to explore South America and find the forbidden Paradise Falls. About 64 years later he gets to begin his journey along with a Boy Scout named Russel by lifting his house with thousands of balloons. On their journey they make many new friends including a talking dog and figure out that someone has evil plans. Carl soon realizes that this evildoer is his childhood idol. Will they be able to defeat him and find Paradise Falls?
My Rating:
My Review: Approaching the end of his years, Carl Fredrickson is saddened by the passing of his wife, Ellie. An adventurous spirit, Carl had always promised a trip to South America, but reality always got in the way. As he laments her demise, a big construction company raises the neighborhood around his home. When a regrettable incident forces Carl to give up his home, he sets his mind to Ellie's adventure. When workers arrive to escort him to the retirement home, they're shocked to find an airborne home and defiant Carl. Sailing away on balloons into the wild blue yonder, Carl has escaped to adventure. A young stowaway joins Carl on his journey, and together they make their way to Paradise Falls. An amazing movie. It left me on the verge of tears many times. This animated Pixar presentation features a fantastic lineup of voice talents, excellent direction and a terrific story. Sad, happy, soaring, exciting. Who could ask for more?

Collection ID 1560
Director: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
Starring: Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson, Delroy Lindo
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family
Studio: Pixar Animation Studios   Release date: 2009   Rated: PG   
Language (Country): English (USA)
Summary: Carl Fredricksen as a boy wanted to explore South America and find the forbidden Paradise Falls. About 64 years later he gets to begin his journey along with a Boy Scout named Russel by lifting his house with thousands of balloons. On their journey they make many new friends including a talking dog and figure out that someone has evil plans. Carl soon realizes that this evildoer is his childhood idol. Will they be able to defeat him and find Paradise Falls?
My Rating:
My Review: Approaching the end of his years, Carl Fredrickson is saddened by the passing of his wife, Ellie. An adventurous spirit, Carl had always promised a trip to South America, but reality always got in the way. As he laments her demise, a big construction company raises the neighborhood around his home. When a regrettable incident forces Carl to give up his home, he sets his mind to Ellie's adventure. When workers arrive to escort him to the retirement home, they're shocked to find an airborne home and defiant Carl. Sailing away on balloons into the wild blue yonder, Carl has escaped to adventure. A young stowaway joins Carl on his journey, and together they make their way to Paradise Falls. An amazing movie. It left me on the verge of tears many times. This animated Pixar presentation features a fantastic lineup of voice talents, excellent direction and a terrific story. Sad, happy, soaring, exciting. Who could ask for more?

Collection ID 824
Director:
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Genre: Documentary
Studio:   Release date:   Rated: Unrated   
Language (Country): English (United States)
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Collection ID 1562
Director:
Starring:
Genre: Documentary
Studio:   Release date:   Rated: Unrated   
Language (Country): English (United States)
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Collection ID 513
Director: Bryan Singer
Starring: Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio Del Toro, Kevin Pollak, Kevin Spacey
Genre: Crime
Studio: PolyGram Filmed Entertainment   Release date: 1995   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English, French, Spanish (USA)
Summary: Five villains in New York are rounded up by police in an unconventional manner that worries them. After release, they get together for a spot of revenge, but someone else is controling events.
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Collection ID 1218
Director: Bryan Singer
Starring: Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio Del Toro, Kevin Pollak, Kevin Spacey
Genre: Crime
Studio: PolyGram Filmed Entertainment   Release date: 1995   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English, French, Spanish (USA)
Summary: Five villains in New York are rounded up by police in an unconventional manner that worries them. After release, they get together for a spot of revenge, but someone else is controling events.
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Collection ID 637
Director: James McTeigue
Starring: Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea, Stephen Fry, John Hurt
Genre: Action & Adventure
Studio: Warner Home Video   Release date: 2006   Rated: R   
Language (Country): English (USA, UK, Germany)
Summary: "Remember, remember the fifth of November," for on this day, in 2020, the minds of the masses shall be set free. So says code-name V (Hugo Weaving), a man on a mission to shake society out of its blank complacent stares in the film "V for Vendetta". His tactics, however, are a bit revolutionary, to say the least. The world in which V lives is very similar to Orwell's totalitarian dystopia in 1984: after years of various wars, England is now under "big brother" Chancellor Adam Sutler (played by John Hurt, who played Winston Smith in the movie "1984"), whose party uses force and fear to run the nation. After they gained power, minorities and political dissenters were rounded up and removed; artistic and unacceptable religious works were confiscated. Cameras and microphones are littered throughout the land, and the people are perpetually sedated through the governmentally controlled media. Taking inspiration from Guy Fawkes, the 17th century co-conspirator of a failed attempt to blow up Parliament on November 5, 1605, V dons a Fawkes mask and costume and sets off to wake the masses by destroying the symbols of their oppressors, literally and figuratively. At the beginning of his vendetta, V rescues Evey (Natalie Portman) from a group of police officers and has her live with him in his underworld lair. It is through their relationship where we learn how V became V, the extremities of the party's corruption, the problems of an oppressive government, V's revenge plot, and his philosophy on how to induce change.
Based on the popular graphic novel by Alan Moore, "V for Vendetta"'s screenplay was written by the Wachowski brothers (of "The Matrix" fame) and directed by their protégé, James McTeigue. Controversy and criticism followed the film since its inception, from the hyper-stylized use of anarchistic terrorism to overthrow a corrupt government and the blatant jabs at the current U.S. political arena, to graphic novel fans complaining about the reconstruction of Alan Moore's original vision (Moore himself has dismissed the film). Many are valid critiques and opinions, but there's no hiding the message the film is trying to express: Radical and drastic events often need to occur in order to shake people out of their state of indifference in order to bring about real change. Unfortunately, the movie only offers a means with no ends, and those looking for answers may find the film stylish, but a bit empty. "--Rob Bracco"

Beyond "Vendetta"
The graphic novel by Alan Moore and David Lloyd
More by Alan Moore
From Graphic Novel to Big Screen
More by Natalie Portman
More by Hugo Weaving
More by the Wachowski Brothers
My Rating:
My Review: Screen-play by the Wachowski brothers (of the Matrix trilogy), directed by James McTeigue (assistant director on all three Matrix movies), starring Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving. An explosive, action packed, sci-fi thriller which asks the question; "Are you afraid of your government?". The story is one of conspiracy, deceit, abuse of power, revenge and revolution. An oppressed people are inspired to revolution by a masked crusader intent on exposing corruption in the highest places. There is some incredible dialog in this movie. The sets, locations, and costumes create an eerie near future setting that convinces us that this could happen in our life-time. I bought a copy and I'm happy I did.