The Wiz [Region 2]

The Wiz [Region 2] Review

I purchased this DVD only a couple of weeks before Michael Jackson's untimely death and I'm so glad I did. I was sitting here discussing some of the movies we never see anymore and this one came up. I immediately went to my computer and purchased it for less than at Amazon.com and it arrived much sooner than I expected. I now consider it a collectible. I will forever cherish it.

The Wiz [Region 2] Overview

Directed by Sidney Lumet (Serpico) and penned by Joel Schumacher (Batman and Robin), this lavish 1978 adaptation of the Broadway hit The Wiz was the biggest production filmed in New York City up to that point, utilizing the newly revamped Astoria Studios and locations around the city. Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, and Ted Ross (reprising his Tony-winning role as the Lion) star in this Academy Award-nominated musical for the whole family.

The Wiz is probably the grandest take on L. Frank Baum's classic tale The Wizard of Oz. The production team created sets with a sense of urban magic and spectacle: a New York subway station literally comes to life, and the massive plaza between the World Trade Center towers is transformed into the Emerald City, featuring nearly 400 dancers with three costume changes. Like all good musicals, the Quincy Jones arrangements are highly hummable long after viewing (especially the funky "Ease On Down the Road" and the inspirational "Brand New Day"). In an era before MTV, the camera stays nearly stationary as Ross and Lena Horne vocally soar through their numbers. Their stage-like performances successfully make the leap to film, making The Wiz a testament to their singing talents and star presence. The then-thirtysomething Ross raised some eyebrows playing the traditionally teenaged Dorothy, but she and her supporting cast (including Richard Pryor as the Wiz) carry the tunes with an infectious verve that will appeal to folks of all ages. --Shannon Gee

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Brassed Off [Region 2]

Brassed Off [Region 2] Review

I've seen this movie twice now on satellite, and haven't tired of it. There's a lot to like. After a heavy dose of Transporter 1 through 25, Fast and Furious, various Star Treks, Star Wars, and gritty spy killing spy flicks, this is a wonderful little dose of reality - gee, I actually can sit through a thoughtful film without car chases, heroes without superpowers, and no one dangling from a helicopter getting shot at by a chain gun. Sounds un-American. That being said, this is a nicely acted, sensibly filmed story with a happy ending sandwiched in an unhappy circumstance. The actors even look like real people, even the lovely Tara Fitzgerald (every town has at least one beauty, right?) It gives the viewer a sense that amidst chaos, something lovely can still be born. The music is great. It makes me wonder why American brass bands can't do what brass bands do best - give you some real toe tapping tunes. The local university has a pretty good band, but what do we hear at half-time? We Will, We Will Rock You. C'mon! Surprise us! Turn our heads! The Grimethorpe Colliery Band is one of the best. They first came to my notice in a Disney film about pit ponys. It was another bittersweet tale about coal mining in the north of Britain when pony's pulled the carts and never saw the light of day, doing their jobs and trudging the tracks back to their subterranean mangers for a bit of sweet hay from a world they'd never see or taste again. Grimethorpe did the track for that one too, and it made me stay to the end of the credits to see who played that great music. A big thumbs up to the Brits for still creating films that make us think and feel without gut-churning special effects, and reminding us that you don't need an electric guitar to make great music, and the world is populated with people like you and I, people who pack trombones and trumpets, not machineguns and grenades.

Brassed Off [Region 2] Overview

Take The Full Monty, add a sharper emotional edge, and replace the strutting strippers with a dignified British band. That's the essence of Brassed Off, a bittersweet gem released in 1996, a year before its more popular (and Oscar-nominated) counterpart. In the Yorkshire town of Grimley, there has always been a coal mine, just as for the last 111 years there has been a brass band, and it seems that Danny (the wondrous Pete Postlethwaite) has been the director for every one of those years. Tory economic policies, however, are closing coal mines around the country in favor of nuclear power, and Grimley appears to be next on the list. Danny is unfazed by the threat, claiming, "It's music that matters." But some of the men are about to quit the band until the appearance of Gloria (Tara Fitzgerald at her most radiant), who dazzles the all-male group (including old flame Andy, played by Ewan McGregor) first with her beauty, then with her flügelhorn playing. The new member gives the band a boost as they continue to perform and compete, but closure remains very real, as director Mark Herman (Little Voice) accompanies the band's performances (played with gusto by the Grimethorpe Colliery Band) with scenes of angry labor-management confrontations and family strife. In this context, some of the characters claim that the music is an irresponsible form of escapism. It becomes clear, however, from a touching performance of "Danny Boy" to the stirring conclusion at Royal Albert Hall, that music is an expression of the human spirit, a bit of beauty and sanity in a harsh world. With defiance, the band can play "Land of Hope and Glory," even when the land offers them neither. --David Horiuchi

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Michael Jackson - Moonwalker [Non-US Format, PAL, Region 2, U.K. Import]

Michael Jackson - Moonwalker [Non-US Format, PAL, Region 2, U.K. Import] Review

I've loved Michael ever since I was seven. This movie was the first glimpse that I seen with him and he was great. It opens up with him performing "Man In the Mirror", then it shows snippets of him singing as a child. It then shows Michael's "Leave Me Alone" video. It includes a mini movie of Michael and three children; Michael and the little girl who plays Katie stumble upon a druglord, while looking for their dog Skipper, who runs into the woods after they all are shown playing in the park. The druglord (Frankie Lideo) goes on a manhunt to kill Michael, along with his army of "robotic machines". Michael gets away after running into a dead-in by wishing upon a "lucky star" and being transformed into this extremely fast, futuristic car. He goes to Club 30's and his video "Smooth Criminal" is shown. After it ends, Michael is told by the two boys that Katie was taken by Frankie, so Michael goes to rescue her. At first it seems as if Michael will be defeated, but of course, good trumps evil, so in the end Michael overcomes Frankie's army by turning into a "robotic machine" himself (much cooler version than Frankie's army) and destroys them. Michael and Frankie have a final showdown and Frankie loses (no surprise there). Michael leaves and the children are sad to see him go. Katie takes it the hardest and wishes upon a star for him to come back and Michael suddenly walks through the fogged streets. After, the reunion they walk to Club 30's where Michael closes with his version of "Come Together" (I love it). As a child, I saw him as somewhat magical, because that's exactly how he potrayed himself. He was an excellent singer and entertainer. Though, he's no longer with us he will live on through his music and his children. I love you Michael! R.I.P.

Michael Jackson - Moonwalker [Non-US Format, PAL, Region 2, U.K. Import] Feature

• Languages: English, French, Italian
• Subtitles: English, French, Italian, Dutch, Arabic, Bulgarian
• Russian, Romanian

Michael Jackson - Moonwalker [Non-US Format, PAL, Region 2, U.K. Import] Overview

[Non-U.S. format (PAL) region 2 U.K. DVD - This will not play on U.S./Canada DVD players (or those from most other countries outside of Europe). You would need a "multi-region" or "region-free" PAL compatible DVD player or computer.] Synopsis: A movie that starts out with the 'Man in the Mirror' music video, it then changes to a montage of video clips of Michael's career. Next comes a parody of his Bad video by children, and then Michael is chased by fans in a fantasy sequence. 2 more videos are shown, and then a movie in which Michael plays a hero with magical powers. In it he is chased by drug dealer Mr. Big and saves three children. Videos included in the movie are 'Smooth Criminal' and 'Come Together'.

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The Guru [Region 2]

The Guru [Region 2] Review

It's an amazingly funny movie. Movies like 'Deuce Bigelow' and Guru require you to set aside your common sense, your highbrow intellect and just have a good laugh. The storyline is obviously silly and many scenes may be too politically incorrect for the super-sensitive souls, but its just a movie- for laughs!

The Guru [Region 2] Overview

The Day-Glo delights of India's Bollywood musicals collide with the crossed-love conventions of Hollywood romantic comedies in The Guru. Jimi Mistry, a young Indian named Ramu who wants to live the American dream and become famous, moves to New York and finds only menial work in restaurants. But when he mistakenly gets cast in a skin flick, he meets a sweet and thoughtful porn star (Heather Graham) whose philosophical mix of sex and spirituality come in handy when Ramu has to pretend to be a swami for an upper-crust birthday party. The birthday girl (Marisa Tomei) seizes upon Ramu's cribbed aphorisms and leads Ramu into a career as a sex guru. The Guru's uneven script squanders much of its comic potential, but the stars have charm to burn--and when the movie launches into its glorious musical numbers, it enters a realm of delirious glee. --Bret Fetzer

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Pennies from Heaven [Region 2]

Pennies from Heaven [Region 2] Review

A long time ago, television stations would take great chances and produce TV that was intelligent, thought provoking, and profound. This is one of those examples. Dennis Potter's Pennies from Heaven is one of the greatest TV miniseries ever made. While not as good as The Singing Detective (which is Potter's masterpiece), this is still magnificent and worth investing all 7 hours or so. This is far superior to the film version. The film isn't terrible, but taking a 7 hour miniseries and condensing into a 108 minute is a big mistake. The characters' motivation in the film version is questionable, because they've taken out big chunks of story. But we're here to review the miniseries, not the misguided film version.

The performances here are absolutely first rate, from Hoskins and Campbell, to Kenneth Colley as The Accordion Man, to Freddie Jones as a headmaster, and Hywel Bennett as a deeply cynical, cruel man who uses Campbell. The miniseries has a rather disturbing tone to it for many reasons. The songs that Potter uses are the cheery songs of the depression, which were in major contrast to what was really happening. The songs are at first quite jarrring, but soon you get used to it, and realise it's a great narrative device. Hoskins plays a sexual obsessive man who feels neglected at home, and the language is rather frank for its time. The miniseries features an abortion, prostitution, murder, and just plain old fashioned cruelty of life. One of the most memorable scenes is the farewell that Freddie Jones gives to Cheryl Campbell in the film. Campbell teaches at a rural school, and she becomes pregnant by Hoskins. Jones learns of this, but instead of doing a Puritannical thing on her, he is quite moving in his speech to her, realising that he cannot have her teaching at the school, despite the fact that he knows she's really a beautiful woman and a gentle soul who just made a stupid mistake. The miniseries takes the viewer on quite a journey, and it's really one of the most unique experiences in TV ever made. Potter was as much an auteur as any director, and he was one of the greatest teleplay writers the U.K. ever produced. This and The Singing Detective are his legacy, and it's a great one.

Pennies from Heaven [Region 2] Overview

Dennis Potter's astonishing six-part miniseries remains one of the edgiest, most audacious things ever conceived for television. The story tells of one Arthur Parker (Bob Hoskins), a sheet-music salesman in 1930s England. Beaten down by economic hard times and the sexual indifference of his proper wife (Gemma Craven), Arthur cannot understand why his life can't be like the beautiful songs he loves. On a sales trip through the Forest of Dean, he meets a virginal rural woman (Cheryl Campbell) he suspects may be his ideal. Ruination follows. Punctuating virtually every scene is a vintage pop song--lip-synched and sometimes danced out by the characters. This startling innovation makes the contrast between Arthur's brutish life and his bourgeois dreams even more dramatic.

Potter's dark vision digs into British stoicism, sexual repression, the class system, and even the coming of fascism in Europe. But it is especially poignant on the subject of the divide between art and reality. Piers Haggard directs the long piece with deft transitions between songs and story. (It was shot partly on multi-camera video, partly on film.) The cast is fine, especially the extraordinary Cheryl Campbell, who imbues her character with keen intelligence and no small measure of perversity. Bob Hoskins triumphs in his star-making part, bringing a demonic energy to his small-time Cockney, nearly bursting his button-down vests with frustration and appetite. Pennies from Heaven was remade in 1981 for the big screen (with Steve Martin), an interesting, Potter-scripted adaptation; it's one of the reasons the original has been unavailable on home video for so long. --Robert Horton

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Michael Jackson DVD CD

MICHAEL JACKSON THIS IS IT . 2 DVD REGION 4-1 IMPORT

MICHAEL JACKSON THIS IS IT . 2 DVD REGION 4-1 IMPORT Review

MICHAEL JACKSON THIS IS IT . 2 DVD REGION 4-1 IMPORT Overview

01.Preparando el retorno la aventura comienza02.El que tiene el guante03.Recuerdos de Michael04.Audiciones buscando a los mejores bailarines del mundo05.Avances de cineDVD 201.Conoce a los bailarines02.Conoce a la banda03.Conoce a los vocalistas

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Michael Jackson DVD CD