Feed: Gwyneth Paltrow Movies - AggScore: 27.3

The Tracy Anderson Method Presents Post-Pregnancy Workout DVD Review

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(More customer reviews)Tracy Anderson made a great workout to the abs and butt. Arms sequence is short but after you done it, you fell your arms worked.
My only suggestion is to create chapters for each part of the body (abs, legs/butt, arms), so we can choose the sequences and the parts that we want to train (and don't have to do all the workout, if we don't want to).

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The Intern (1999) Review

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(More customer reviews)If you're looking for an intelligent satirical romantic comedy that's a little outrageous and lots of fun, you've found it! But first a warning: I directed this film, so obviously there's a bias, though I am usually pretty hard on my own work. It was in the 2000 Sundance Film Festival and did very well there. Audiences loved it. I think you will, too. I gave it 5 stars (though I haven't seen the DVD yet) for the above reason(me being the director), but I must confess that the sound quality isn't the greatest. Chalk that up to low budget independent filmmaking. Other than that, the film looks great and is a huge amount of fun to watch. You'll probably need to watch it a few times to get all the jokes and double entendres (and there are a lot of them), and I guarantee you'll catch something new each time.
The film gives you a behind the scenes look at the fashion industry but it's certainly not meant to be a serious expose, although I tried hard (and succeeded) to keep it honest and authentic. The writers, who were both in the Fashion Magazine business as interns, were on the set every day making sure we kept it all true to form. Many of the scenes in the film and even some of the dialogue actually happened to the writers. And most of the characters are based on real people in the business.
Dominique Swain is sublime in the role of Jocelyn. She's likeable, beautiful and vulnerable yet strong. Ben Pullen is charming. Sort of a more accessible version of Hugh Grant. Joan Rivers is very funny and fun to watch. Kathy Griffin is hilarious, Peggy Lipton is also very funny and Paulina Porizkova is beautiful and not afraid to look a little silly. Anna Thompson is fantastic as Antoinette, a totally bizarre hair editor. David Deblinger, who is somehow missing from the credits in Amazon (he is credited in the film, of course), plays Richard, who turns out to be Jocelyn's best friend at Skirt. He came in to audition for a smaller part, but asked if he could read for Richard. I said OK and he nailed it. He really brought alot to the party. All of the rest of the cast is terrific. Lots of strong New York actors. There are lots of fashion cameos- Tommy Hilfiger, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kenneth Cole, Andre Leon Talley, etc.
The story is basically a romantic comedy about Jocelyn (Dominique) who is an intern at Skirt Magazine and her experiences at the mag. She falls in love with Paul (Ben) but he's involved with Resin (Leilani Bishop), a Supermodel with all the expected attributes. Does she get the guy? You'll have to watch to find out. Along the way, she's treated pretty poorly by most of the people she works for. I'm sure any of you who have been interns in your life will totally identify with this.
There's also a corporate espionage B-story about layouts for the magazine being sent ahead of time to Vogue.....Who's the spy?
I wanted to put a comedic commentary on the DVD, but there wasn't quite enough time to pull it off. Sorry about that. I'm told that there is some footage that was taken from the various events at the Sundance Festival-- interviews and stuff like that. I'll make sure to put the commentary on the re-release.....
Anyway, I had a great time making this film and I know that you'll have a great time watching it. It's not for kids (quite a bit of swearing and some gay characters- though my kids love it), but it's fun for anyone else. If you'd like to contact me about the film I've set up a special e-mail address. It's MIKESINTERN@AOL.COM. Please feel free to get in touch. I'm anxious to know what you think of my film.

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Star Trek - The Next Generation, Episode 150: Second Chances (1987) Review

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(More customer reviews)In "Second Chances," the consequences of a long-ago accident resurface to give Commander Riker a glimpse of the road not taken, in his life. In the process, we get a more thoughtful look at one of Star Trek's most basic premises.
A few key science fiction concepts have always been Star Trek staples: phaser weapons, warp drive, transporters. However, surprisingly few Trek stories have dealt directly with the issue of how such technologies might "warp" basic facts of human life. "Second Chances" really does so, imagining the unsettling results of a transporter malfunction. As anyone who's ever watched the show knows, "transporters" enable matter to be instantaneously "de-materialized" at one location & "re-materialized" at another--literally recording the (molecular?) "pattern" of an object & faithfully reproducing it at second site. As difficult & dangerous as this sounds, the Trek universe presupposes that ordinary people routinely (& safely!) travel this way, 300-400 years from now.
Earlier stories have dealt with some obvious risks of this technology: for example, travellers killed as their "patterns" were lost or scrambled in transit. They have also dealt with improbable outcomes: a man split into "good" & "evil" twins, for example. Here, something more intriguing happens:
Years before the episode, a malfunctioning transporter had re-materialized Will Riker *both* at his intended destination & at his point of departure, in effect creating 2 absolutely identical men out of 1 original. One is left stranded & alone in an abandoned base on a remote planet. The other has a brilliant career, leading to his assignment to the Enterprise. Originally the same man, they have lived lives as different as Robinson Crusoe & Horatio Hornblower. Despite these different experiences, neither can be said to be the "true," "original," or "real" Will Riker. So that when the castaway Will Riker is rescued, both men must come to grips with the their different lives--as well as their feelings for the same woman: Riker's longtime love & best friend, Deanna Troi.
The story of the "castaway" Riker later resumes in the pivotal DS9 episode, "The Defiant," in which TNG & DS9 storylines involving the Maquis, the Cardassians, & the Dominion also come to an important crossroads.

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Why Shakespeare : National Endowment for the Arts Review

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(More customer reviews)Presented by the National Endowment for the Arts, this is a short documentary (21 minutes) with a lot of additional commentary bonus material.
The documentary is comprised of clips of famous actors, directors and writers who speak of their experience with acting in Shakespeare productions in their school years and how it affected them in a positive way. Also interviewed are students who are acting in Shakespeare productions in schools. We hear of how acting in live stage productions (not just reading Shakespeare in classrooms) has positively affected the lives of inner city minority students. We hear that it was Shakespeare who saved some from joining gangs or dropping out of high school.
Another clear message is that Shakespeare's words are poetry and although they are not in the modern English we use today, his words, the characters and their struggles are still relevant to modern American culture.
The importance of experiencing live acted Shakespeare plays and the benefit of students acting in stage productions is a clear message in this documentary. Rafe Esquith's Hobart Shakespearians program for English as a Second Language students is mentioned briefly.
Sprinkled throughout we hear the actors reciting their favorite lines or telling who their favorite character is, and why.
The bonus material contains a bio and additional commentary from the people. On that menu page for each person are bullet points stating the main points of what they say in the bonus material (making it easy to find statements to match what you want the viewers to see).
It is obvious that the purpose of this documentary is to convince viewers, probably school systems and teachers, to create or continue to offer programs for school students to act in live stage productions of Shakespeare plays. The documentary seems ideally suited to show to audiences that need convincing of this fact, whether they are school administrators, Boards of Education or Boards of Finance, or private investors who may donate money to productions for children to participate with (such as the Hobart Shakespeareans that takes donor money).
This documentary was well done and it was convincing. In just twenty minutes a powerful message is delivered. After watching it, I felt that in an ideal world every child would have an opportunity to act in a Shakespeare production and that all who ever have a chance will be affected in different ways, but definitely in a positive way.
What This Documentary is NOT
This movie is not an in-depth exploration of Shakespeare's work. This does not teach a school teacher why or how to teach Shakespeare as literature in a classroom. This does not teach a drama teacher how to run a live stage production of Shakespeare's plays. This is not an analysis of Shakespeare's plays. This is not Shakespeare 101. If you are looking for any of those things, you will be disappointed. I pointed out the strengths of the production and my hunch on why the production was made, for those purposes and those audiences this is an effective and useful twenty minute tool.
It is unfair to judge a documentary for not being what someone wishes it was. There is hardly any marketing material on the packaging and no promises are made that are not delivered.
NOTE: A second title is used on the packaging and on the documentary itself "Shakespeare in American Communities". That is the title of a national initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts. You can read more about it on their website.
NOTE: My edition is clearly marked "Not For Resale" and it does not have a retail price on it. According to the National Endowment for the Arts this item was released only to educators free of charge.

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Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994) Review

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(More customer reviews)The biting and caustic wit of Mrs Parker is bought superbly to life by the versatile actress Jennifer Jason Leigh who plays the brittle writer, critic and sometimes playwright to vulnerable perfection.
This is not an easy film to watch and I can understand why some people found it hard to get into. I mean the 1920s were supposedly a time of fun, jazz, speak easy booze and laughter all around, the Great War was over and life was back to normal.
However watching the desperation of Mrs Parker's generation, the bright young things drink themselves silly, take drugs and lash out at each other in a perpetual game of verbal cat-o-nine-tails makes you realise that perhaps everything was not as "normal" as most people hoped.
The film jumps back and forth through Mrs Parker's life, some of the best scenes are in black and white, and we are treated to subtle barbs, cruel wit and tasty treats in the guise of a crackingly good cast, with Mathew Broderick doing himself proud as the sweet talking but brutal rouge who abandons his pregnant lover (Mrs Parker), Andrew McCarthy as Mrs Parker's husband Eddie, fresh from war and addicted to morphine.
All in all this is a deliciously complex film that will you need to see more than once, well worth an evening in with a box of pop-corn and a friend to share the sarcasm, and the very satirical humour that runs through the film from beginning to end.

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Cruel Doubt (1992) Review

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(More customer reviews)The novel by Joe McGinness kept me up all night, and the miniseries kept me just as involved. A North Carolina woman is attacked in her sleep and her second husband is fatally wounded by an unknown assailant. She recovers and is released from the hospital, but her nineteen year old son is acting awfully strange. Gripping and intense, and sure to put a lump in your throat. Another book about this case is "Blood Games" by Jerry Bledsoe. Look for a young David Arquette, and real life mother and daughter Blythe Danner and Gwyneth Paltrow play mother and daughter here.

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How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)Kate Hudson plays Andie Anderson a columnist for Composure magazine. Even though she has a degree from Columbia, she is stuck writing a "How To" fluff piece for the magazine. Her latest assignment is to pick a guy, and do all the stupid things girls do to chase a man away. "How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days" is Andie's next challenge to write. Ben is the perfect man for her column!
Matthew McConaughey plays Benjamin Barry an ad executive wanting to break into a market he has never represented before. To market diamonds, his boss believes you have to understand what true love is, so Ben has to make a woman chosen for him, fall in love with him. Of course, Andie is the women Ben has to woo.
Kate and Matthew have so much chemistry on screen that they sizzle. This is such a fun movie. There are many funny moments, and some touching serious ones. You will want to see it over and over again.

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The Bell Jar (1979) Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been looking for this title on video/DVD for more than a decade, and was very surprised to suddenly see it listed here at Amazon. Unfortunately, upon placing the disc in my player, my anticipation turned to extreme disappointment.
This "digitally remastered" DVD looks like it was transferred to the medium from a really old, faded and probably moldy VHS tape. The image is blurry, and the colors are washed out. The sound is quite tinny, as well.
Under no circumstances should you consider buying this title. It's practically unwatchable, and would be a waste of money.

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This stirring drama is based on the internationally best-selling autobiography by renowned poet Sylvia Plath.It is the story of a gifted young poet, Esther Greenwood, whose inner genius has trapped her in a private world of terror.Like author Plath, a

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Sense and Sensibility (1995) Review

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(More customer reviews)When Emma Thompson was approached with the suggestion to write a screenplay based on Jane Austen's first novel "Sense and Sensibility" (1811), she was somewhat doubtful because, as she explains on the DVD's commentary track, she felt that other Austen works, like the more expressive "Emma" and "Persuasion" or the sardonic "Pride and Prejudice" (already the subject of several adaptations) would have been more suitable. Four years and 14 screenplay drafts later (the first, a 300-page handwritten dramatization of the novel's every scene), "Sense and Sensibility" made its grand entrance into theaters worldwide and mesmerized audiences and critics alike, resulting in an Oscar for Thompson's screenplay and six further nominations (Best Picture, Leading Actress - Thompson -, Supporting Actress - Kate Winslet -, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Score - for 20 minutes' worth of composition - and Costume Design); and double honors as Best Picture and for Thompson's screenplay at the Golden Globes.
More than simple romances, Jane Austen's novels are delicately constructed pieces of social commentary, written from her rural Hampshire's perspective. Mostly confined to life in her father's parish, she was nevertheless well aware of early 19th century England's society at large, and fiercely critical of the loss of morals and decorum she saw in its pre-industrial emergent city life. Moreover, experience and observation had made her acutely aware of the corsets forced onto women in fashion terms as much as by social norms, confining them to inactivity and complete dependency on their families' and their (future) husbands' money. And among this movie's greatest strengths is the manner in which it maintains that underlying theme of Austen's writing and brings it to a contemporary audience's attention. "You talk about feeling idle and useless: imagine how that is compounded when one has no hope and no choice of any occupation whatsoever," Elinor Dashwood (Thompson) tells her almost-suitor Edward Ferrars, and when he replies that "our circumstances are therefore precisely the same," she corrects him: "Except that you will inherit your fortune - we cannot even earn ours."
Rescuing much from the first draft dramatization of Austen's novel and amplifying where necessary, Emma Thompson and director Ang Lee ("who most unexplainably seems to understand me better than I understand myself," Thompson said in her mock-Austen Golden Globe speech) produced a movie scrupulously faithful to what is known about Austen's world and at the same time incredibly modern, thus emphasizing the novel's timeless quality. Paintings were consulted for the movie's production design, and indeed, almost every camera frame - both landscapes and interiors - has the feeling of a picture by a period painter. Thompson cleverly uses poetry where the novel does not contain dialogue; and again, she does so in a manner entirely faithful to Austen's subtleties - most prominently in the joint recital of Shakespeare's Sonnet 116 by Marianne Dashwood (Kate Winslet) and John Willoughby (Greg Wise), where an ever so slight inaccuracy in his rendition of a sonnet he claims to love foreshadows his lacking sincerity.
"Sense and Sensibility" revolves around Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, their quest for a suitable husband, and the sisters' relationship with each other. Emma Thompson maintains that she did not write the screenplay with herself as Elinor in mind and would not have been accepted for that role but for the success of her previous films ("Howards End," "The Remains of the Day"); yet, it is hard to imagine who could have better played sensible Elinor: "effectual, ... [possessing] a coolness of judgment, which qualified her, though only nineteen [and thus considerably younger than Thompson], to be the counselor of her mother." And real-life 19-year-old Kate Winslet embodies sensitive, artistic Marianne: "eager in everything; [without] moderation ... generous, amiable, interesting: ... everything but prudent." (As an older actress was sought for that part, her agent presented her as 25.) An early scene in which Marianne recites Hartley Coleridge's Sonnet VII ("Is love a fancy or a feeling? No. It is immortal as immaculate truth") symbolizes the sisters' relationship and their personalities, as Marianne mocks Elinor's seemingly cool response to Edward's budding affection. (Mostly taken from the novel, the scene is embellished by the screenplay's sole inexactitude: Coleridge's sonnets were only published 22 years later). Yet, when all her hope seems shattered, Elinor, in a rare outburst of emotion, rebukes her sister: "What do you know of my heart?" - only to comfort her again when she sees that Marianne is equally distraught.
Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman similarly perfectly portray the sisters' suitors Edward Ferrars and Colonel Brandon, both embodying the qualities Austen considered essential: simplicity, sincerity and a firm sense of morality. Willoughby, on the other hand, while entering the story like the proverbial knight on a white horse who rescues the injured Marianne, does not live up to the high expectations he evokes; he causes Marianne to unacceptably abandon decorum and, just as he misspoke in that line from Shakespeare's sonnet, his love eventually "bends with the remover to remove." Similarly, Lucy Steele (Imogen Stubbs), the near-stumbling block to Elinor's happiness, ultimately proves driven by nothing but an "unceasing attention to self-interest ... with no other sacrifice than that of time and conscience" (Austen) and is, despite a fortuitous marriage, as marginalized as the Dashwoods' greedy sister-in-law Fanny (Harriet Walter). Conversely, the boisterous Sir John Middleton and his garrulous mother-in-law, while annoying in their insensitivity, are essentially goodnatured; and marvelously portrayed in their flawed but warmhearted ways by Robert Hardy and Elizabeth Spriggs.
"Sense and Sensibility" came out at the height of the mid-1990s' Jane Austen revival. Of all movies released then, and alongside 1996's "Emma" (which has "Hollywood" written all over it) and the BBC's "Pride and Prejudice" (which finally established Colin Firth as the leading man in the U.S. that he had long been in Britain), Emma Thompson's "Sense and Sensibility" is one of those adaptations that future generations of moviegoers will likely turn to in years to come. And it is truly an experience not to be missed.
Also recommended:
The Complete Novels of Jane Austen (Wordsworth Library Collection)
Jane Austen Collection (Sense & Sensibility / Emma / Persuasion / Mansfield Park / Pride & Prejudice / Northanger Abbey)
Pride and Prejudice (10th Anniversary Collector's Set) (A&E, 1996)
Persuasion
Howards End - The Merchant Ivory Collection
Shakespeare's Sonnets (Folger Shakespeare Library)
Sonnets from the Portuguese: A Celebration 0f Love

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Sydney (1997) Review

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(More customer reviews)Paul Thomas Anderson is, by his own admission, a big fan of dvd/laserdisc commentary tracks, where, if you are lucky, you'll hear the director, actors, writers and/or the cinematographer of the movie you are watching talk about how it was 'all done'.
Hard Eight, or "Sydney" as it is better known to the people that made it, is a superb example of what a DVD presentation has to offer. There is the marvellous widescreen transfer - the movie LOOKS great, then there are TWO commentary tracks, the first by P.T.A. and star, Philip Baker Hall on 'Audio 2', and the other track is a great combination (the first I've seen like this) where the director interviews cast and crew members himself (on the set during the production of Magnolia) - you get their thoughts and comments cleverly sandwiched in-between the movie's music cues - so you essentially get an isloated music track and second commentary on the 'Audio 3' track. The isolated music track is, in places, different to what actually appears in the film too.
On top of this there are deleted scenes from the movie and footage from a Sundance Institute Filmakers Lab, which show scenes that were shot as an experiment/example of what the real film could/would be.
PT Anderson's commentary tracks are very enthusiastic, honest and extremely informative. If you have any interest in filmaking this is a really good one!
Oh, and it's a good film too.

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Sliding Doors (1998) Review

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(More customer reviews)I actually passed on seeing "Sliding Doors" several years ago because of a review I read by Roger Ebert. I knew about the basic premise of the film, which is that a character played by Gwyneth Paltrow gets on a subway train and does not get on a subway train. The film goes back and forth between the two plotlines, basically playing out both sides of Robert Frost's two paths diverging in the woods. Ebert's complaint was that taken independently neither of the plotlines was worth watching, which was enough to convince me to see something else.

Well, now I have seen "Sliding Doors" and while I agree with Ebert's critique, I want to argue that what is interesting about this film is not the two plotlines but the way they interact. Think of it as two wrongs making a right or the total effect being greater than the sum of the two parts or whatever makes sense to you. Writer-director Peter Howitt makes "Sliding Doors" into more than just a gimmick film. It is not in the class of "Groundhog Day" or "Memento," but it is certainly on a level with "50 First Dates."

Paltrow plays Helen Quilley. One morning she goes off to work, leaving behind her lover, Gerry (John Lynch). As soon as she gets to work she is sacked. On the way home she both catches and misses the subway in a sequences that is rather clumsily staged, but you get the idea. The Helen on the subway gets home in time to catch Gerry in bed with his supposedly ex-lover, Lydia (Jeanne Tripplehorn). The Helen who misses the subway gets hurt when her purse is stolen and gets home after Lydia has left and therefore knows nothing about the affair.

Because of the near mugging Howitt is able to have one Helen look different from the other because of a bandage on her head after the hospital visit. By the time that heals the other Helen, trying to put Gerry behind her, has shortened her hair and bleached in blonde. The other key distinction is that while one Helen is still with Gerry, working two jobs in order to support him while he (does not) write a novel (and does continue to see Lydia), the other is seeing James (John Hannah), a nice man she met on the subway home and who believes the Monty Python line "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition" helps to put life in perspective (which is certainly true).

It seems fairly obvious that both Helens should be with James and leave Gerry far behind, but it seems clear that Howitt is going to work the irony angles as much as possible in this film. It is not so much that these are parallel stories as their are recurring elements of symmetry and at some point I decided that what was going to happen here was that Howitt was going to be able to have his cake and eat it two. This indeed turns out to be the case, but telling you that does not give away the end game.

Paltrow is fine in the main role, although why the two main female characters had to be played by American actresses is beyond me. Tripplehorn's character is in the "Fatal Attraction" mold, which makes Gerry's inability to choose between Helen and Lydia rather laughable, a fact repeatedly pointed out to him by his friend, Russell (Douglas McFerran) at the bar. Russell has the best lines in the film, calling Gerry "a morality-free zone" and pointing out that his advice will be unappreciated since it is based in reality. Lynch manages to play Gerry so that there is some hope of redemption and we remain open to the idea that things could work out between him and Helen, while we wait for Helen to catch up with our feelings for Hannah's character, who is likeable in a rather surprisingly unpretentious way for such a gabby guy.

This is not a brilliant and creative film, but Howitt constructs what I think is a smart story line bouncing back and forth between the lives of the two Helens. There is no profound point to be made in the end beyond the ancient idea that when it comes to the lives of human beings and their attempts to find love in the world the gods tend to look down and laugh. But in a world where so many films are exercises in stupidity and I find myself thinking that what ended up on screen was a first draft that needed some serious work, "Sliding Doors" has all the pieces fit. The other film I have seen by Howitt, "Antitrust," was also smartly crafted, although in that one somebody else wrote the script. Still, that is not a bad pair of films for viewers who like to have their brains engaged.

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Kathy Griffin - Allegedly (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)Kathy Griffin is the only celebrity (albeit a "D List" celebrity) who doesn't seem to know about that little unspoken rule that all celebrities are expected to live by. You know what I'm talking about, right? There's this rule somewhere when you sign that celebrity contract which states that you aren't allowed to talk about the mean, stupid, rude, clueless, carpy and/or tasteless things that other celebs do off-camera. Not only has Kathy Griffin forgotten that taboo, she's made a career out of breaking it - and yes Kathy, we do love you for it!
Allegedly is Griffin's latest installment in her ongoing mission to expose the truth about the beautiful people who normally have complete control over their carefully constructed public images. OTOH here's Kathy: blunt, open and the opposite of all things pretentious. She has that way about her that suggests that you're meeting your best friend for lunch and a lot of dishing up on gossip. Here is about one hour of taking down many sacred cows; Gwyneth Paltrow, Barbara Walters, Eminem, Salma Hayek, and more. She talks about her USO tour with other D lists and her VH1 Fashion Award encounters. Her impersonations are spot-on funny. We learn about behind sweat difficulties, which are surprisingly funny coming from Kathy. A direct quote from my husband: "She's really very base; I like her!"
Although I laughed often and well while watching Allegedly, I couldn't give a full five star rating because it seemed that a few things were off with Kathy on the night that this stand-up routine was filmed. When I remembered her "D List" special from a few years ago as shown on Comedy Central I couldn't help but compare how relaxed and natural she seemed then compared to now; hurried, more on edge and a little angrier. She seemed to be having less fun with her material, and so did I. Nonetheless this is all great stuff and I strongly recommend Allegedly for any fans of hers and for anybody who's interested in a little glimpse into the goings-on of backstage life in Hollywood.
-Andrea, aka Merribelle

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Bubbly, and yet sharply shrewd, comedian Kathy Griffin reflects on some of her personal experiences in Hollyweird. The stand-up comedian caught audiences' attention when she stole the show in Brooke Shields's TV sitcom SUDDENLY SUSAN. Here Griffin shares gossip on such celebrities as Gwyneth Paltrow, Renée Zellweger, and Sandra Bullock. Her stories revolve around odd, bizarre, or unpleasant encounters with superstars. For example, she reveals the name of the picky celebrity who refused to join her onstage at an awards show, and dishes about what really happened at Brooke Shields's wedding. Then there was the time Kathy found herself partying with Barbara Walters. This spitfire's take on celebrity life is uproarious and, without a doubt, courageous.

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Iron Man - Wrapped and Ready for Christmas (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)The first disc features 11 deleted and extended scenes. There's more of the opening ambush with Tony Stark being more proactive. We also see more footage of Rhodes and it quickly becomes apparent that he was the character with the most scenes cut from the film. We also see Tony and Pepper Potts attend another party.
The second disc starts off with the impressive "I Am Iron Man," a 108 minute making of documentary that can be viewed in seven segments or altogether, taking us through various aspects of the production. For example, we are taken step-by-step through the construction of the Iron Man armor with Robert Downey Jr. cracking jokes while being fitted for it. It's amazing how much of the suit is practical and looks really good in person. This is due in large part to the genius of the late-great Stan Winston and his company. Also included is plenty of soundstage footage of scenes being filmed.
"The Invincible Iron Man" is a six-part documentary on the comic book, tracing the history of the character. Stan Lee says that he modeled Stark after Howard Hughes, for the most part. He also mentions that he was never fully satisfied with the look of the armor - hence its many changes over the years. This doc also covers various key characters and storylines in excellent detail with several people who worked on the title over the years talking about their contribution to the mythos. This is a very well done overview of the comic book.
"Wired: The Visual Effects of Iron Man" examines the CGI work that went into realizing Iron Man's powers, like flying, his repulsors, and so on. Director Jon Favreau says that he likes to use practical effects whenever possible, which is wonderfully refreshing to hear, and in this film he mixed the practical with CGI.
"Robert Downey Jr. Screen Test." Incredibly, the actor had to do a screen test because the studio deemed him a risky proposition and this footage shows that he had a handle on the character very early on.
"The Actor's Process" features fascinating footage of Jeff Bridges and Downey rehearsing a scene with Favreau. It's great to see these guys at work and offers insight into how they put together a scene from the film from an acting point-of-view.
"The Onion's Wildly Popular Iron Man Trailer to be Adapted into Full-Length Film" is a funny satire where a newscaster "breaks" a story of how the Iron Man trailer will be made into a film that pokes fun at the rabid nature of the hardcore fanbase of the character.
Finally, there are "Galleries," featuring concept art, technology stills, behind-the-scenes photographs, and poster art.

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Country Strong (2010) Review

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(More customer reviews)I seem to be in a minority, but I thought this was a superb movie, a great start to 2011 (countering what Rebecca Murray said about the movie). Was it the greatest movie of all time? Not by a long shot, no. But it accomplished what it set out to do: it told a great story, showcased great performances both dramatically and musically.
While Paltrow may take first-billing, and while her musical numbers are phenomenal, to me it is Beau and Chiles (Hedlund and Meester) who this movie is really about.

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A Perfect Murder : Widescreen Edition Review

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(More customer reviews)For the record, "A Perfect Murder" is a remake of "Dial M for Murder," Alfred Hitchcock's maliciously clever but hopelessly stagebound adaptation of the popular play by Frederick Knott. But it is great deal more fun to view the new movie as a sequel to "Wall Street," with Michael Douglas once again in top form as a ruthlessly manipulative financial whiz. Imagine Gordon Gekko just a few years past his prime as a high-flying corporate raider, with a trophy wife who's just beginning to tarnish, and you'll get the idea. The big difference is, this time, instead of extolling the virtues of greed, Douglas' character is willing to consider the benefits of an even deadlier sin.
In "A Perfect Murder," which Andrew Davis ("The Fugitive") has directed from a screenplay by Patrick Smith Kelly, Douglas is Steven Taylor, a Manhattan-based millionaire industrialist who has over-extended himself while playing the international money markets. Worse, he knows that his most prized possession -- Emily (Gwyneth Paltrow), his radiantly beautiful and conspicuously younger wife -- is drifting out of his jealously tight grip.
Right from the start, the audience knows that Emily is having an affair with David (Viggo Mortensen), a broodingly hunky artist who invites her to his fashionably seedy downtown loft for afternoon delights. Trouble is, Steven also knows about the affair. This, too, is made clear very early in the story, as Steven and Emily share a drink in their luxurious apartment before attending a gallery opening. Despite all their polite chit-chat, there is an edge of menace in the air. When Steven abruptly suggests that she wear another dress to the occasion, his words have the unmistakable sound of a command. Not surprisingly, Emily does as she's told.
At the gallery opening, Steven is effortlessly gracious as his wife introduces him to David, whom she identifies as a casual acquaintance. Of course, he's much more than that -- much more, in fact, than even Emily realizes.
After inviting himself to David's loft, Steven reverts to his natural state. He knows that David is an ex-convict who taught himself to paint in prison -- and, more important, has mastered the art of seducing, then robbing, rich women. Sounding very much like a hard-bargaining businessman, Steven wastes little time in making his pitch: He offers David $500,000 to kill Emily. For a few minutes, David rejects the offer. But the money -- coupled with the threat of exposure -- is too tempting to resist.
It would be difficult to say more about what happens next without running the risk of spilling some beans. Even if you've already seen Hitchcock's 1954 original, or one of the many revivals of Knott's play, you are in for a few surprises. Davis and Kelly treat "Dial M for Murder" more as a source of inspiration than a classic worthy of replication. They take the play's basic set-up -- the husband concocts a tricky murder scheme that hinges on the placement of a latchkey and the ringing of a telephone -- but go off in a different, far more intriguing direction.
Perhaps the most striking difference between Hitchcock's film and Davis' update is the casually amoral cynicism that informs "A Perfect Murder." In the 1954 thriller, the wife's lover was a boyishly buoyant mystery writer, affably played by Robert Cummings, while the wife -- played by Hitchcock's favorite leading lady, Grace Kelly -- was a relatively innocent adulteress who generated sympathy while paying for her sins. Even the cuckolded husband, played by Ray Milland, came across as genial rogue who was motivated by love as much as money.
Welcome to the 1990s: In "A Perfect Murder," the lover is a con man with a gift for blackmail, the husband has lust in his heart for his wife's trust fund, and even the wife is a strong believer in enlightened self-interest. You won't feel excessive sympathy for any of these characters as they hatch their plots and counter-plots. In fact, you may think one of them gets off far too easily in the end. But with the lead roles cast so effectively, and the plot twisting so cleverly, you likely will wind up feeling that, unlike Steven, you've gotten your money's worth.

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