GuideReviews Index
'Definitely, Maybe' DVD Review
Definitely, Maybe DVD review, including a review of Definitely, Maybe the movie, DVD details and bonus materials. Read Ivana Redwine's review of the Definitely, Maybe DVD.
'Diva' (Meridian Collection) DVD Review
Diva DVD review, including a review of Diva the movie, DVD details and bonus materials. Read Ivana Redwine's review of the Diva DVD.
"The Simpsons - Season Three" DVD Review
I've always been a fan of The Simpsons and having a chance to see the third season on DVD was a special treat.
"The Dancer Upstairs" DVD Review
This film is slow-moving and murky at times, but I found it thought-provoking, and I was intrigued by its main character as played by Javier Bardem. Read a short review and DVD overview of The Dancer Upstairs.
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly DVD Review
DVD review of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, including a review of the movie and the DVD bonus materials. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is a moving and often cinematically dazzling adaptation of Jean-Dominique Bauby's memoir. Discover more in the The Diving Bell and the Butterfly DVD review.
"The Crime of Padre Amaro" DVD Review
DVD Guide Ivana Redwine reviews The Crime of Padre Amaro on DVD.
Atonement DVD Review
A faithful and sometimes dazzling adaptation of the best-selling novel by Ian McEwan, Atonement was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won the Oscar for Best Musical Score. The DVD provides an excellent audio commentary track by director Joe Wright. The DVD is worth watching for the artistic value of the feature film alone. But the commentary gave me a deeper understanding of the movie and filmmaking process, making the DVD worth buying.
The Illusionist DVD Review
I enjoyed this well-acted, well-crafted movie, although it never pulled me in emotionally.
Brokeback Mountain DVD
Brokeback Mountain is a melancholy drama about forbidden love that was nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Picture. The movie has one of the best screenplays ever, elegant direction, interesting locations and memorable performances. Lead actor Heath Ledger's naturalism reminded me of Marlon Brando at his best.
Thirteen DVD Review
I found myself mesmerized by this little indie drama, and I was particularly impressed by the expressive faces and naturalistic acting styles of Evan Rachel Wood and Nikki Reed. As much as I liked Thirteen, it's not perfect. It seems to me stronger on sociology than on poetry. Read a review of Thirteen on DVD.
Once DVD Review
Once is a charming, low-budget, low-keyed, intimate, unpretentious indie film set in contemporary Dublin. The film is poignant, and the ending is bittersweet. The DVD has a feature-length audio commentary by the filmmaker and the two lead actor-musicians.
We Were Soldiers DVD Review
Mel Gibson gives a winning performance in We Were Soldiers, an emotionally engaging military action movie that centers around a historic Vietnam War battle. The film is loaded with exciting combat footage, but what I like best about it is its portrayal of real-life career Army officer Hal Moore.
Down to the Bone DVD Review
Down to the Bone got only a limited theatrical release, and that's a shame because it's an outstanding movie.
"Tokyo Story" DVD Review
Universal in theme, humanistic, and accessible, this is one of the greatest masterpieces of world cinema. To my mind, this movie' incredible power comes from its seeming simplicity, which allows emotions to build slowly and subtly, much as they do in real life. It's a mark of Ozu's genius that by the time the film reaches its end, it moves me with a power that feels more like reality experienced than make-believe.
Reds DVD Review
This is a sweeping love story set against a historical backdrop of political turmoil.
"Road to Perdition" DVD Review
I thought the acting and cinematography were superb in this movie, but the screenplay gave the film a genre feel, and the characters were not fully developed.
"Closer" DVD Review
I personally think all four of the movie's major characters are unlikable. Also, many aspects of the film are rather unpleasant, and it left me with a bitter aftertaste. Nevertheless, I found the movie well worth watching.
The New World DVD
This film is writer-director Terrence Malick's version of the tale of Pocahontas. Malick is a visual poet, and I loved his cinematic rendering of the tale. Read a review of the movie on DVD.
Factotum DVD
One of the most unusual movies of recent years, Factotum avoids Hollywood and Sundance cliches. Find out more in the review of the DVD.
The Wind That Shakes the Barley DVD Review
This is a powerful drama set during the Irish War of Independence and the Irish Civil War. Find out more about this Palme d'Or winning film in the DVD review.
Breathless DVD Review
This is a landmark French New Wave film and one of the most influential movies in cinema history. I find it one of the most entertaining of the great movies because it is fast-paced, witty, and above all romantic.
"Kill Bill Vol. 2" DVD
Kill Bill Vol. 2 provides a satisfying ending to the story begun in Kill Bill Vol. 1. It seems to me that over the span of the two films, Tarantino shows us a woman's spiritual journey. I found Vol. 2 to be very different in tone from Vol. 1. Vol. 1 is more like a high-energy martial-arts film, while Vol. 2 has few action sequences and lots of talk. The DVD skimps on extras, but I speculate another providing more will eventually be released. Read a review of the movie Kill Bill Vol. 2 on DVD.
Into the Wild DVD Review
Into the Wild DVD review that explores both the movie and the DVD extras. Into the Wild is an earnest, heartfelt drama adapted from the nonfiction best-selling book by Jon Krakauer. Find out more about in this review of Into the Wild on DVD.
Michael Clayton DVD Review
Michael Clayton DVD review that explores both the movie and the DVD extras. Michael Clayton is a polished, entertaining, mainstream Hollywood movie about an attorney goes through a crisis of conscience. Find out more about in this review of Michael Clayton on DVD.
American Gangster DVD Review
Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe turn in star performances in American Gangster, an entertaining crime drama inspired by a true story. The DVD set provides two versions of the film: the theatrical one and one with 18 minutes of extra footage. Also, the DVD set contains an hour and 47 minutes of extras, including a long making-of documentary and three featurettes.