Library

Summary: Pro's
The opening half of the movie...in which New York is vividly recast as post-apocalyptic dystopia.
Smith's portrayal of a man slowly going insane. Considering this is a big-budget Hollywood movie, this is subtle and quietly moving. Flashbacks to pre-apocalypse confusion are interspersed with care and inform Smith's character and the plot.
The idea that it is Smith who is now the monster. After all, from the perspective of the other residents of the new New York it is Smith who is the outsider. He lurks in his basement like a Frankenstein conducting lethal experiments on innocent subjects he captures.
The sense of dread. This is built slowly and cumulatively. The scene where the dog runs into a dark, seemingly empty building is exquisitely tense.
Sam the Dog. Seems strange to praise a dog for its acting, but for most of the film it's just Smith and Sam and they make a fine double act.

Con's
The second half of the movie. Once the monsters are revealed in all their CGI glory the movie turns into a loud, shouty action flick. The psychological and moral arguments are shunted out of the way and we are left with a series of ever-louder explosions.

I'd consider this an interesting but flawed movie. The first half is great - filled with loads of striking imagery and interesting thoughts about isolation, survival, personal morality, the boundaries of sanity and human arrogance. The second half is more interested in bombs, guns, and monsters. Worth watching for the performances of Smith and Sam.

Summary: As paranoid cop Del Spooner, Will Smith displays both his trademark quips and some impressive pectoral muscles in "I, Robot". Only Spooner suspects that the robots that provide the near future with menial labor are going to turn on mankind--he's just not sure how. When a leading roboticist dies suspiciously, Spooner pursues a trail that may prove his suspicions. Don't expect much of a connection to Isaac Asimov's classic science fiction stories; "I, Robot", the action movie, isn't prepared for any ruminations on the significance of artificial intelligence. This likable, efficient movie won't break any new ground, but it does have an idea or two to accompany its jolts and thrills, which puts it ahead of most recent action flicks. Also featuring Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Greenwood, and James Cromwell. --"Bret Fetzer"

Languages: English

Subtitles: German, English

Sound: Dolby Digital

Summary: Based on the real life story of legendary cryptanalyst Alan Turing, the film portrays the nail-biting race against time by Turing and his brilliant team of code-breakers at Britain's top-secret Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park, during the darkest days of World War II.

Summary: Science-fiction features often involve time travel or strange worlds. In Christopher Nolan's heist thriller "Inception", the concepts converge through the realm of dreams. With his trusty associate, Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, a fine foil), Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio, in a role that recalls "Shutter Island") steals ideas for clients from the minds of competitors. Fallen on hard times, he's become estranged from his family and hopes one last extraction will set things right. Along comes Saito (Ken Watanabe, "Batman Begins"), who hires Cobb to plant an idea in the mind of energy magnate Fischer (Cillian Murphy, another "Batman" vet). Less experienced with the art of inception, Cobb ropes in an architecture student (Ellen Page), a chemist (Dileep Rao), and a forger (Tom Hardy) for assistance. During their preparations, Page's Ariadne stumbles upon a secret that may jeopardize the entire operation: Cobb is losing the ability to control his subconscious (Marion Cotillard plays a figure from his past). Until this point, the scenario can be confusing, since the action begins inside a dream before returning to reality. Then, after the team gets to Fischer, three dream states play out at once, resulting in four narratives, including events in the real world. It all makes sense within the rules Nolan establishes, but the impatient may find themselves much like Guy Pearce in "Memento": completely confused. If "Inception" doesn't hit the same heights as "The Dark Knight", Nolan's finest film to date, it's a gravity-defying spectacular to rival "Dark City" and "The Matrix". "--Kathleen C. Fennessy"

Comments: Animated, Box set

Summary: After creating the last great traditionally animated film of the 20th century, "The Iron Giant", filmmaker Brad Bird joined top-drawer studio Pixar to create this exciting, completely entertaining computer-animated film. Bird gives us a family of "supers," a brood of five with special powers desperately trying to fit in with the 9-to-5 suburban lifestyle. Of course, in a more innocent world, Bob and Helen Parr were superheroes, Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl. But blasted lawsuits and public disapproval forced them and other supers to go incognito, making it even tougher for their school-age kids, the shy Violet and the aptly named Dash. When a stranger named Mirage (voiced by Elizabeth Pena) secretly recruits Bob for a potential mission, the old glory days spin in his head, even if his body is a bit too plump for his old super suit.







Bird has his cake and eats it, too. He and the Pixar wizards send up superhero and James Bond movies while delivering a thrilling, supercool action movie that rivals "Spider-Man 2" for 2004's best onscreen thrills. While it's just as funny as the previous Pixar films, "The Incredibles" has a far wider-ranging emotional palette (it's Pixar's first PG film). Bird takes several jabs, including some juicy commentary on domestic life ("It's not graduation, he's moving from the fourth to fifth grade!").

The animated Parrs look and act a bit like the actors portraying them, Craig T. Nelson and Holly Hunter. Samuel L. Jackson and Jason Lee also have a grand old time as, respectively, superhero Frozone and bad guy Syndrome. Nearly stealing the show is Bird himself, voicing the eccentric designer of superhero outfits ("No capes!"), Edna Mode.

Nominated for four Oscars, "The Incredibles" won for Best Animated Film and, in an unprecedented win for non-live-action films, Sound Editing.







The Presentation
This two-disc set is (shall we say it?), incredible. The digital-to-digital transfer pops off the screen and the 5.1 Dolby sound will knock the socks off most systems. But like any superhero, it has an Achilles heel. This marks the first Pixar release that doesn't include both the widescreen and full-screen versions in the same DVD set, which was a great bargaining chip for those cinephiles who still want a full-frame presentation for other family members. With a 2.39:1 widescreen ratio (that's big black bars, folks, à la "Dr. Zhivago"), a few more viewers may decide to go with the full-frame presentation. Fortunately, Pixar reformats their full-frame presentation so the action remains in frame.

The Extras
The most-repeated segments will be the two animated shorts. Newly created for this DVD is the hilarious "Jack-Jack Attack," filling the gap in the film during which the Parr baby is left with the talkative babysitter, Kari. "Boundin'," which played in front of the film theatrically, was created by Pixar character designer Bud Luckey. This easygoing take on a dancing sheep gets better with multiple viewings (be sure to watch the featurette on the short).







Brad Bird still sounds like a bit of an outsider in his commentary track, recorded before the movie opened. Pixar captain John Lasseter brought him in to shake things up, to make sure the wildly successful studio would not get complacent. And while Bird is certainly likable, he does not exude Lasseter's teddy-bear persona. As one animator states, "He's like strong coffee; I happen to like strong coffee." Besides a resilient stance to be the best, Bird threw in an amazing number of challenges, most of which go unnoticed unless you delve into the 70 minutes of making-of features plus two commentary tracks (Bird with producer John Walker, the other from a dozen animators). We hear about the numerous sets, why you go to "the Spaniards" if you're dealing with animation physics, costume problems (there's a reason why previous Pixar films dealt with single- or uncostumed characters), and horror stories about all that animated hair. Bird's commentary throws out too many names of the! animators even after he warns himself not to do so, but it's a lively enough time. The animator commentary is of greatest interest to those interested in the occupation.

There is a 30-minute segment on deleted scenes with temporary vocals and crude drawings, including a new opening (thankfully dropped). The "secret files" contain a "lost" animated short from the superheroes' glory days. This fake cartoon (Frozone and Mr. Incredible are teamed with a pink bunny) wears thin, but play it with the commentary track by the two superheroes and it's another sharp comedy sketch. There are also NSA "files" on the other superheroes alluded to in the film with dossiers and curiously fun sound bits. "Vowellet" is the only footage about the well-known cast (there aren't even any obligatory shots of the cast recording their lines). Author/cast member Sarah Vowell (NPR's "This American Life") talks about her first foray into movie voice-overs--daughter Violet--and the unlikelihood of her being a superhero. The feature is unlike anything we've seen on a Disney or Pixar DVD extra, but who else would consider Abe Lincoln an action figure? "--Doug Thomas"

Summary: In het door Duitsers bezette Frankrijk is Shosanna Dreyfus getuige van de brute moord op haar familie, onder leiding van nazi-kolonel Hans Landa. Ze weet maar net te ontsnappen en vlucht naar Parijs, waar ze een filmtheater gaat runnen. Ondertussen, ergens anders in Frankrijk, is een joodse groep soldaten, onder leiding van Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) bezig met het organiseren van wraakaanvallen op de nazi's. De groep die bij de vijand bekend staat als ´The Basterds´, moet angst zaaien door de nazi's op brute wijze te vermoorden. Ze stuiten op Shosanna Dreyfus en geheim agent Bridget Von Hammersmark, waarmee ze samen een missie zullen ondernemen om de leiders van het Derde Rijk uit te schakelen.

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: You know you're going to get a different kind of superhero when you cast Robert Downey Jr. in the lead role. And "Iron Man" is different, in welcome ways. Cleverly updated from Marvel Comics' longstanding series, "Iron Man" puts billionaire industrialist Tony Stark (that's Downey) in the path of some Middle Eastern terrorists; in a brilliantly paced section, Stark invents an indestructible suit that allows him to escape. If the rest of the movie never quit hits that precise rhythm again, it nevertheless offers plenty of pleasure, as the renewed Stark swears off his past as a weapons manufacturer, develops his new Iron Man suit, and puzzles both his business partner (Jeff Bridges in great form) and executive assistant (Gwyneth Paltrow). Director Jon Favreau geeks out in fun ways with the hardware, but never lets it overpower the movie, and there's always a goofy one-liner or a slapstick pratfall around to break the tension. As for Downey, he doesn't get to jitterbug around too much in his improv way, but he brings enough of his unpredictable personality to keep the thing fresh. And listen up, hardcore Marvel mavens: even if you know the Stan Lee cameo is coming, you won't be able to guess it until it's on the screen. It all builds to a splendid final scene, with a concluding line delivery by Downey that just feels absolutely right. "--Robert Horton"

Languages: English, French, Spanish

Subtitles: English, French, Spanish

Sound: AC-3

Summary: After the high-flying adventures of the first "Iron Man" picture, the billionaire arms manufacturer and irrepressible bon vivant Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) finds himself nursing a hangover. But not like any hangover he's had before: this one is toxic, a potentially deadly condition resulting from heavy metals (or something) bleeding out of the hardware he's installed in the middle of his chest. This is the problem Stark needs to solve in "Iron Man 2", not to mention the threat from resentful Russian science whiz Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), whose father helped create the Iron Man technology. There's an even bigger problem for the film: the need to set up a future Marvel Comics movie universe in which a variety of veteran characters will join forces, a requirement that slows down whatever through-line the movie can generate (although fanboys will have a good time digging the clues laid out here). Actually, the main plot is no great shakes: another Iron Man suit is deployed (Don Cheadle, replacing Terrence Howard from the first film, gets to climb inside), Stark continues to bicker with assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), and a weaselly business rival (Sam Rockwell) tries to out-do the Iron Man suit with an army of Vanko-designed drones. Mickey Rourke is a letdown, burdened by a wobbly Russian accent and looking skeptical about the genre foolishness around him, and Scarlett Johansson has to wait until the final couple of reels to unleash some butt-kickin' skills as the future Black Widow. That climax is sufficiently lively, and the initial half-hour, including Stark's smirky appearance before a Senate committee and a wacky showdown at the Monaco Grand Prix, provides a strong, swift opening. But the lull between these high points is crying for more action and more Downey improv. "--Robert Horton"

Languages: English 7.1 DTS-HDMA, English DVS 2.0 Dolby Digital, French 7.1 DTS-HDHR, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital

Subtitles: English, Spanish, French

Sound: Dolby Digital, DTS Surround Sound

Summary: The original Iron Man struck unexpected gold with a difficult-to-replicate mixture of comic book heroics and the pinwheeling, heavily improvised charm of Robert Downey Jr. (Part 2, with its barely there plot and seemingly free-form staging, may be the closest we'll ever come to a superhero Rat Pack movie.) The third installment in the trilogy certainly doesn't rein in the now familiar quirks of its star--has there ever been a costumed hero who spends less time in costume?--but manages to raise the stakes enough to find an engaging balance between character and action. Loosely based on the Extremis comic arc by Warren Ellis and Adi Granov, the plot finds Tony Stark struggling to adjust to life after the multidimensional events of The Avengers. As he attempts to regain his footing and keep his relationship with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), a new threat emerges, in the form of a domineering high-tech terrorist called the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley, whose stutter-step vocal pattern helps create one of the darndest villains in recent memory). Director Shane Black, who previously worked with Downey in the cult favorite Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, takes an intriguing detective story approach to the material, emphasizing the hero's deduction skills over extended scenes of CGI combat. When it does come time to armor up, though, the film delivers the goods, most notably in a scene involving a midair rescue that stands as the best action sequence in the entire series. The main draw, however, remains Downey, whose motor-mouthed, engagingly narcissistic characterization keeps things firing on all cylinders, particularly when balanced out by performances from folks like Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, and the terrifically hissable James Badge Dale. If this is indeed the capper to the series, it's going out in high style. --Andrew Wright

Languages: English

Subtitles: English

Sound: Engelsk - DTS-HD MASTER AUDIO 5.1

Summary: Product Description
THE WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE PHENOMENON IS HERE! In the last moments of World War II, a secret Nazi space programme evaded destruction by the Allies and made a daring escape to the Moon. In the intervening 70 years they have re-colonised, re-armed with devastating new weapons and silently plotted their revenge. When an American astronaut stumbles upon their secret Moon lair, the Führer (Udo Kier, Blade) decides to unleash their alien armada upon the unprepared Earth, to be led by ruthless army leader Klaus Alder (Gotz Otto, Schindler's List, Downfall). Now every man, woman and child must unite to repel the UFO Nazi invasion and save humanity! || The most fun I've had in cinema this year...Independence Day meets Inglourious Basterds SKY MOVIES
About the Director
Is a lead singer in Finnish black metal industrial noise band Älymystö.

Summary: An intriguing action adventure set in the near future, "The Island" finds those who survived a mass global contamination living in a contained and highly controlled world. Their actions are controlled, their lives are routine, and the only hope is to win lottery and be sent to a mysterious island, the so-called last surviving, uncontaminated paradise on the planet.
Naturally enough, things are quite what they initially seem, at least in the eyes of Ewan McGregror's Johnny Two Alpha. Along with Scarlet Johansen's Jordan Two Delta, they soon find out what happens when you don't fully comply with the rules of this deeply controlled world, and the stage is thus set for some action-packed cinema.
Given the film's disappointing box office returns though, you could be forgiven for thinking that all is not well with "The Island", and truthfully, it's a movie with problems. Its pacing feels a little off, and there are moments when the script does the film no favours at all.
Yet take "The Island" as a popcorn flick, and you'll more than likely find yourself enjoying a good couple of hours of solid entertainment. Sure, ultimately they could have made more of the premise, and produced a tighter movie. But what's on screen usually works well enough, and the two stars don't do badly with the material at their disposal.--"Simon Brew"

Summary: I'll keep it short....this is one of very few sitcoms which I've found every episode funny, right from the start. I simply can't get enough.

Summary: Though it bears little resemblance to the celebrated 1969 original starring Michael Caine, this 2003 remake of "The Italian Job" stands on its own as a caper comedy that's well above average. The title's a misnomer--this time it's actually a Los Angeles job--but the action's just as exciting as it propels a breezy tale of honour and dishonour among competing thieves. Inheriting Caine's role as ace heist-planner Charlie Croker, Mark Wahlberg plays straight-man to a well-cast team of accomplices, including Mos Def, Jason Statham and scene-stealer Seth Green in a variation of the role originally played by Noel Coward. As the daughter of Croker's ill-fated mentor (Donald Sutherland), Charlise Theron is recruited to double-cross a double-crosser (Edward Norton in oily villain mode), and once again, speedily versatile Mini Coopers (this time, the modern BMW versions) play a pivotal role in director F Gary Gray's exhilarating car-chase climax. It's perhaps the greatest product placement in movie history, and just as fun the second time around. --"Jeff Shannon"

Summary: The greatest Brit-flick crime caper comedy of all time, 1969's "The Italian Job" towers mightily above its latter-day mockney imitators. After "Alfie" but before "Get Carter" Michael Caine is the hippest ex-con around, bedding the birds (several at a time) and spouting immortal one-liners ("You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!"). The inheritor of a devious plan to steal gold bullion in the traffic-choked streets of Turin, Caine recruits a misfit team of genial underworld types--including a lecherous Benny Hill and three plummy public-schoolboy rally drivers--and uses the occasion of an England-Italy football match as cover for the heist.
In his final screen appearance, Noel Coward joyfully sends up his own patriotic persona, and there are small though priceless cameos from the likes of Irene Handl and John Le Mesurier. But "The Italian Job"'s real stars are the three Mini Coopers--patriotically decorated red, white and blue--that run rings round every other vehicle in an immortal car-chase sequence, which preserves forever the British public's love affair with the little car. Quincy Jones provided the irreverent music, naturally, while the cliffhanger ending thumbs its nose at anything so un-hip as a resolution. It's all unashamedly jingoistic--ridiculously, gleefully, absurdly so--but the whole sums up the "joie de vivre" of the 1960s so perfectly that future historians need only look here to learn why the decade was swinging.
On the DVD: "The Italian Job" disc contains three all-new documentaries--"The Great Idea" (conception), "The Self-Preservation Society" (casting), and "Get a Bloomin' Move On" (stunts)--which dovetail into a good 68-minute "making of" featurette. Contributors include scriptwriter Troy Kennedy Martin and Producer Michael Deeley, who also crops up on the sporadically interesting commentary track with author of "The Making of The Italian Job", Matthew Field. The deleted "Blue Danube" waltz scene is also included, with optional commentary. The print is a decent anamorphic transfer of the original 2.35:1 ratio, and the soundtrack has been remastered to Dolby 5.1. The animated Mini Cooper menus set the tone perfectly. --"Mark Walker"