For Greater Glory BD/Combo [Blu-ray]

Viva Cristo Rey!
This is an excellent film, but read no further if you are concerned about "spoilers"....

As explained by Steven Greydanus,"The 1917 Mexican Constitution included harsh anticlerical provisions that went unenforced until the regime of Plutarco Elías Calles....In 1926, Calles introduced legislation -- the 'Calles Law' -- specifying penalties for violating the constitutional prohibitions: Clergy could be imprisoned for criticizing the government, fined for wearing clerical garb in public, and so forth. Calles also moved to seize Church property, close Catholic schools, seminaries and monasteries, and deport foreign priests" (National Catholic Register, 5/29/2012).

I particularly enjoy historical films and have grown accustomed to learning that certain characters in these films can be composites or created for dramatic impact. I guessed incorrectly with this film: "At the center of director Dean Wright's sprawling epic stand two remarkable figures: retired but...

There is Hope
This film is excellent and the fact that it is true makes it even more so. It is interesting to note that all the major networks, NBC, ABC, and CBS, were silent in reviewing this film from the films coming out on June 1st. Perhaps they felt it would be wrong to show the people of Mexico in a good light. Perhaps the attack on the Catholic religion is, at this time, too close to home. The story of the fight to stop people of faith, by a government without faith, not only restores one's beliefs but shows to what extent people will go to to defend their beliefs. Several of my Mexican relatives had no idea of what had happened under the evil rule of Calles. They have been in United States too long and forgotten their Mexican roots. Many of them came across the border to escape the tyrany of a corrupt government. Hopefully they will not encounter such corruption here. This is a film worth seeing.
Richard Fandel

Awesome
I saw the movie in the theater on Saturday, June 2, just after the June 1 release. I have been waiting a long time for this movie to be released. The story of the Cristeros has finally come to the screen. This much forgotten and much ignored part of Mexican history is finally remembered.

I can look at the movie from two perspectives. First, the film has a huge religious, inspirational impact: fidelity to Jesus Christ and the Catholic Faith, acts of heroism and love, martyrdom under terrible persecution run throughout the entire film. Secondly, as a long time movie fan, the film is incredibly well done with superb actors.

The critics hate this film because it is not PC and it defends principles that myopic, closed minded ideologues will not even discuss.

Many films depict the horrors of the holocaust, and rightly so. The Catholic Church has had many holocausts throughout history. The brutal persecution of the Catholic Church by President...

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Jeepers Creepers [Blu-ray]

"What the hell did you bring into my house?"
Boy, do I feel slow on the uptake...I've seen this film twice now, and I just got the 'other' meaning of the license plate on the Creeper's truck. I guess if it were a snake, it would have bit me...oh well...I may not get there the quickest, but I will get there...eventually. Jeepers Creepers (2001) is a fun, interesting, stylistic film that runs out of gas about halfway through, but still had enough going for it to earn critical and commercial success, spawning a sequel, Jeepers Creepers II (2003) which broke Labor Day box office records for that year. Written and directed by the controversial Victor Salva, who also did the chilling horror film Clownhouse (1988) and Powder (1995), Jeepers Creepers brings to life (or death) a new figure in the Hollywood creature pantheon with the Creeper, a demonic looking figure that awakens every 23 years and feeds for 23 days, according to legend.

The film stars Gina Phillips as Trish and Justin Long as her brother Derry, traveling...

Surprisingly good, given negative press.
Jeepers Creepers (Victor Salva, 2001)

I think that, with the arguable exception of Battlefield Earth, I haven't heard so much negative press about a movie in the past decade as I did about this one. No idea why. This is one of the better horror movies to come out of Hollywood in quite a while, and Victor Salva has finally lived up to the promise that's kept Hollywood allowing him to make bad movies on a fairly regular basis for the past decade and a half.

The story opens with a brother and sister team, Derry (Justin Long, from the TV series Ed) and Trish (Gina Phillips, who recently had a turn on Boston Public and shows up next year in The Anarchist's Cookbook), driving across the state on their way home from college for spring break. On a secluded stretch of highway, a strange truck menaces them before roaring past. A few miles down the road, they see the truck's driver dumping something that looks suspiciously like a body wrapped in a sheet down a large pipe, and after...

It'll Give You "Creepers"
Finally a horror movie that does what it's supposed to do--scare the hell out of you!! A brother and sister named Darry and Trish are returning home from college, on a deserted road, when they are almost driven off the road by an unseen driver in an ancient truck. The truck vanishes, and they continue on toward home. But soon they pass an old church, and they spot the driver of the truck--shrouded in a black cloak--apparently dumping bodies down a pipe. After the figure disappears, the two check out the pipe and discover hundreds of skeletal remains. With the help of a psychic woman they discover that an evil, inhuman creature called the Creeper comes back every 23 years for 23 days, and now it wants Darry. Together the brother and sister must flee as they are pursued by the unstoppable, black-shrouded, axe-wielding demon.

First of all the acting is terrific, and the basically unknown actors provide good characters. The make-up effects for the Creeper are also very creepy...

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Terra Nova

Yes, Fox is Stupid!
What made me interested in this show from the previews is the dinosaurs and the casting of Avatar's Stephan Lang as one of the main character's. I did see some lack of originality though, like the portals that bring the humans from the dieing future looking a lot like the ones on Stargate. Plus how can mankind survive and get a new start and not be worried about becoming exintct along with the dinosaurs ?
Still finding some flaws in the logic of the plot, among other things, I was hooked from the start since the show was a fun guilty pleasure adventure series and made pretty damn good tv. Fox got good ratings from it but wanted a huge hit that made up for how expensive it was to make, kind of like with Firefly.
But to me 12 episodes wasn't time to even capture as many fans as it might have eventually since some shows don't get viewers until mid-season or the second season and....this show had neither! Next time, Fox if a show costs too much to make....don't make it and...

Won't be giving FOX any money unless they COMPLETE it!
Calling this a COMPLETE series is a JOKE!

As with Firefly, FOX wrapped me into a story line and then they unceremoniously dumped it after one season without completing the story. With Firefly, at least we had Whedon's persistence to complete the journey. He fought hard and got himself a feature length film (Serenity) with which to tie up most of the story lines in a rather neat ending. You can buy the complete Firefly story on DVD and enjoy it, give it as a gift, etc. We don't have that here. We have a ton of unanswered questions that will never be answered. Giving Terra Nova to someone as a gift would mean you probably don't like that person all that much. FOX will not be getting my money for this DVD set unless they make an ending to the story!

Just to Give a More Positive Light...
When I saw the preview for Terra Nova I decided to give it a fair shake, I personally was not disappointed. With this being a new series it is very hard to judge it on the first show, so I will be brief. First I personally enjoyed the very abstract and mixed themes/ideas that combined to create the storyline. It has beautiful scenery, dinosaurs, action, and futuristic technology! What more could a person want?? Second, the acting was a little rough but I believe that the show will turn out to be one of the better ones on TV. Many series start out with a shaky first episode and become AMAZING (Fringe, Stargate, etc.) Finally, I watch a show to be entertained, and with this standard Terra Nova is a great show. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this new series, so for me that makes it all the better!! I would encourage people to give it a chance and see its potential to come!!!

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The Loved Ones

Brutal!
Wow. This really is something special - an object lesson in how to take familiar genre tropes and make them seem completely fresh. I knew nothing of the plot before seeing this and I recommend you do the same. Be warned, it's gruesome, but there's a welcome vein of jet black humour throughout and it is beautifully shot (blu-ray highly recommended). Here's hoping director Sean Byrne can pick up the horror auteur baton that Neil Marshall seems to have dropped and give us some more of this. Fantastic!

A Creative Fresh Spin on a Tired Format
Nowadays, it can be hard to find a modern horror film that is both entertaining and fresh. Stale cliches and an overabundance of low budget dreck is littering movie queues and vending machines all over the world. But make no mistake, "The Loved Ones" is destined to become a cult classic. From the beginning of the film, it is apparent that it will not conform to the usual cliche (I mean, how many horror movies about torture and teen proms have been made the past four decades?). This film transcends the boundaries of the typical horror film; the torture scenes are brutal but not dark and depressing, making them even occasionally humorous. And this is all the more tolerable because this is not the kind of movie (as many modern horror films are) where everyone in the film is needlessly slaughtered.

What's even better is the fact that the acting is convincing and even at times superb; there are a number of still scenes with limited dialogue, removing the stale, banal one liners...

It's my party and I'll be insane if I want to
I have been waiting for a US release of 'The Loved Ones' for quite awhile and it was well worth the wait.
The acting was great especially Robin McLeavy who plays the certifiably insane Lola Stone.
Horror fans will not only covet this film but want to own it for sure..Xavier Samuel is not only a good actor but he's hot as well..Yes,give us girls some eye candy for a change.
The story is so bizarre and far fetched but it doesn't matter,it's makes for a great horror film.
There are some very grit your teeth moments as Lola and her demented father torture Xavier's character Brent in most horrifying of manners and the genius aspect of Robin McLeavy's Lola is I hated her so much that I wanted to stab her myself about 50 times and I'm not violent ,I just love to watch it on film or TV..there are some really strange surprises and a great ending .There isn't that much gore but there is a lot of bloody violence and there are some quick gore effects but nothing really...

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The Dog Who Saved Christmas Double Feature

great movies to watch.
these are great movies to watch and it is so nice that they are together on one DVD. A great buy.

Perfect Christmas Gift
Bought this for my grand childlren, whol loved it. Cute movie. It was filmed in a friend's back yard so I had to have it.

Love Christmas movies
Saw it on TV and I loved it so I wanted it for my collection. It great for the kids and dog lovers

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The Firm [Blu-ray]

Highly Entertaining--Great Acting
Okay, so Tom Cruise gets a job at a Memphis law firm, right? We've all read the book or seen the movie, so how does one recommend this to one uninitiated?

Cruise puts in a solid performance, again playing his guy-who-doesn't-catch-on-for-a-while character he does so well. Sydney Pollack is a great mainstream director, and he pushes all the buttons, as well as giving us a great cast including Gene Hackman, Holly Hunter, Ed Harris, Jeanne Tripplehorn, David Straithairn, Gary Busey, Hal Holbrook, and Wilford Brimley.

Top-notch acting all around, with especially good turns by Brimley and Hunter, playing against type. Hackman is always good to watch and he does a terrific job of making Avery Tolar a likeable guy in spite of his faults. I suppose the most amazing job was done by David Straithairn, who, with less than ten minutes of screen time, paints an indelible portrait of Ray McDeere, Cruise's convict brother. He is the most likeable character in the film.

The plot is the...

Better than a book!
Nothing can be better than "The Firm" written by John Grisham, who himself is a lawyer. The attentions to details that Grisham manages to pull are just fantastic. I read the book before watching the movie, and hence can compare and tell that the movie has been directed perfectly and in fact a lot more interesting than the book, as the book gets slow in between, but not the movie.

Cruise's is superb, so are the other actors in this movie. I don't know why people have given negative reviews by comparing it with real life scenarios. This is a movie based on a fiction novel, and as rightly said by one of reviewer here;it does its job by entertaining the audiences.

An excellent film
One of the best things about The Firm, is that it doesn't insult the viewer's intelligence by labouring the point. The film and plot are developed through visuals as well as dialogue. From other reviews here, I gather that viewers used to having film plots spoon-fed to them may find this challenging or confusing, but I prefer it. If necessary, try watching the film twice. It is certainly good enough for a repeat viewing.

I'm not a Tom Cruise fan, nor a John Grisham reader, but this is the kind of role he is well suited to. The supporting cast is excellent, excellent, excellent. The film is well paced and the locations, cinematography and soundtrack all combine to create an enjoyable and suspenseful film.

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We Have a Pope

We have a winner!
I was highly impressed with this gem of a film, one that obviously understood the beauty of a subtle and meaningful approach to a controversial subject without shying away from inserting needed moments of humor and charm. Tackling the idea of doubt, insecurity and wavering faith, `We Have a Pope' addresses a concern that may not be thought of very often but one that deserves our attention. By centering the affair on a newly elected Pope who feels inadequate and quite frankly overwhelmed by the assignment bestowed on him by God, `We Have a Pope' adds a serious depth to the age-old topic of personal spirituality. With a blisteringly authentic performance by Michael Piccoli, this beautiful film moves with grace and highlights emotional assertions that one cannot help but feel akin to. Piccoli should be up for Oscar consideration, but that won't happen. The way he balances out this conflicted man's fears and enchantments is astonishing to watch. Such a soulful performance, one...

"Food for Thought"
This unusual and sad tale does a really nice job of recreating the pomp and circumstance of Vatican rituals and politics. There is a strong farcical element, however, that takes up too much viewing time and detracts from the seriousness of the story--namely a wacky psychoanalyst organizing a volleyball tournament for the Cardinals. Otherwise, this film is pretty unique and provides some useful philosophical food for thought.

(2.5 STARS) "Habemus Papam": Intriguing Idea Not Fully Developed
"Habemus Papam" ("We Have a Pope") is an Italian comedy drama directed by Nanni Moretti ("The Son's Room"). Michel Piccoli plays Cardinal Melville, who, after being elected Pope, insists that he cannot take the office and flees the conclave. The story may remind you of a William Wyler classic, but the intriguing premise is less effectively used here.

The director's bold attempt to portray a pope as a human is a worthy one, but his approach is tame at best. Michel Piccoli is wonderful as Cardinal Melville, but even the veteran player like Piccoli cannot make the character of Cardinal Melville credible, because the unfocused script fails to delve into his personality as deeply as it should. His interactions with people in Rome do not reveal much about the person for which the film is made. The reference to a stage drama (Chekhov ... what else?) is too obvious. After all, we are all actors.

Moretti himself plays a psychiatrist, who is called in to talk to the newly...

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Daimajin - Triple Feature Collector's Edition - Blu-ray

Not Majin USA
To be honest, I only got these movies because they were made by the same studio that made Gamera. But as I watched them, I realized these were not your every day cheesy special effect monster movies. They seem to have relatively good stories, each movie can stand on it's own, and the print quality seems pretty good. Also the Daimajin is only in like the last 15 minutes of the movies. Which I think helps by not filling the movies with alot of cheap effects, just a few good effects. Quality not quantity! So if you like Gamera or Godzilla, you should like these, but if you like lots of monsters during the whole movie, you might not. Godzilla fans might also like the music. Not to mention you get 3 movies on blu-ray for about the price of 1.

Finally!!! Daimajin done right!
I'm not going to bother reviewing the films. If your reading this then you are either already familiar with this fantastic franchise, or you are just discovering it, in which case nothing I can say will do it justice in terms of relating it's sheer awesomeness. That said: Having owned the Daimajin trilogy in all it's various incarnations, this long overdue effort is without a doubt the best ever presentation of the these films for the home entertainment market. While not perfect, they are nevertheless literally world's away from the ADV / Rubbersuit DVD collection (which was the previous best). It's like comparing a donkey cart to a jet plane. The upgrade brings life to these films in such a way as you will feel you are seeing them for the first time, with a clarity and depth wholly lacking in all past releases. Presented in the original Japanese, with optional English audio tracks or subtitles, and nicely packaged; it's only downside is the sparsity of extras. Overall: Kudos to Mill...

These epic films have FINALLY gotten the treatment they so well deserve!!!
If you are a fan of classic Japanese films or Kaiju films, then this set is a MUST-BUY!!! The films look great in all their widescreen glory in 1080p. The haunting musical score for the films was done by legendary "Godzilla" composer Akira Ifukube. The films have stood the test of time very well. The special effects are still astonishing even after over 40 years. These films are loaded with Japanese culture, folklore, traditions, music & dance, and history. The blu-ray transfers are incredible and you can see so much detail in these films. There is no noticeable annoying excessive tampering like too much DNR and/or aliasing. THANK YOU MILL CREEK!!! This set is a blu-ray essential purchase.

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