An amazing handling of the art by a skillful cast and crew
937993
Judging a film is a very tricky process because a lot of it is subjective. The only thing that can be commented upon is the craftsmanship and the craftsmanship of this film is masterful.

This is one sci-fi film that captures a very different tone than most others in the genre.
The story is built around and constantly evolves with the the characters (which you can count on one hand) so the film is really substantive.
The cinematography, the camera work, the stunts, the music, the CGI, all of these formal elements of filmmaking are handled with incredible skill and harmony.
Tom Cruise's performance and his dedication to do his own stunts is the defining characteristic of what makes this sci-fi story so enjoyable and personal. You are always in the middle of the action and can see the character engage in the action as if you were right next to him.

I love this film for being as imaginative as it is and for the amazing handling of the art form to make this story as enjoyable as it is.
4919149
This is a great movie! It deals with artists who do their art just because it's what they do. The film maker interviews artists of all types from painters to musicians to dancers. It's not a "How To" guide as some other reviewers mistakenly thought, but it does give you a look into the lives of artists who are really doing it. People who do their own thing on their own terms. For those of us that believe that is how it should be, this is an extremely well done movie, and definitely worth watching.
618297
I really enjoyed the characters in this movie. It was nicely acted by smart sensitive actors. It captured the essence of what drives a great artist and the determination of the student artist portrayed what it really takes to become an artist.  Very well done. I highly recommend it.
2511705
This is really a nice piece of special cinematography. Shot completely with a very unique "Chronos" large format camera, which was custom built for shooting uncompromising time laps movies. Thanks to this camera capabilities the movie uncovers hidden beauties of many dark and obscure places, inside of cathedrals and many other amazing locations around the world.

Some reviewers are complaining about the length of the movie and the background music. The length was set by the venue the movie was originally produced for, the IMAX theaters, and thanks to this fact the HD image quality is pretty good. And for the music, I found it at minimum intriguing.

So in summary, a great piece of artwork will always spark decent amount of criticism, and that is exactly the sign which confirms taht "Chronos" is a unique master piece.
2803791
This is one of my favorite purchases. Seeing all the artwork from a beautiful film is fabulous. The explanation and story behind the design and production process is incredible. I'd definitely recommend it to a friend.
2261078
So much attention to detail, fine acting is mesmerizing
4702236
I'm generally not a fan of 3D conversions, I always find a terrible couple of scenes that clearly weren't properly budgeted or maybe they ran out of time to do. Not the case with Everybody Wants Some at all. There were times watching this that I actually thought it was filmed in 3D.

Linklater did a masterful job selecting an eclectic range of parallaxes that make the 3D version in my humble opinion, far superior to the original 2D format. Specifically there's a truly cinematic sliding punch out of a baseball in the batting practice scene that totally hits the viewer with the feels. It's difficult to describe how 3D can make the music and mis-en-scene enhanced sometimes, but now I think I can just articulate it by showing my good friends this segment in 3D.

There's also plenty of unique onscreen foreshadowing through subtle metaphor. Pulling out spherical objects gradually, purposefully in front of the main characters was an intrepid move by the director in post. It's a powerful subtle nod to the metaphor of Sisyphus and if your observant, touches on Genesis and Campbell's Mono-myth. It added a level of proficiency to the cinematography that renders it meaningful rather the just plain. The film slugged through it's shot selection before the conversion. Now it shines. I cannot recommend this enough to fans of cinema who are wary of putting on the glasses. The canvas is larger now, and this film has the courage to take advantage. 5/5
1107550
I'm amazed that this masterpiece of film art isn't available on DVD.  It should be.

Even without the benefit of music this must be one of the most rivetting films I've ever encountered.  It is a fairly literal adaption of "Mc Teague" by Frank Norris, a realist author who straddled the last century.  It is brilliantly brought to the screen by Erich von Stroheim, a Hollywood director of considerable merit who fell out of favor with his boss and with the system in general.

The film's extreme length made it impossible to screen successfully and the many attempts to pare it down were well-meaning but doomed to failure.  Nevertheless, what remains is still wonderful to look at with some electrifying performances and a deliberate, inevitable pace.  ZaSu Pitts was a remarkable actress who was hampered with a jarring voice when the talkies came around.  Her dramatic ability needs to be experienced to be believed.  Gibson Gowland is also wonderful in his role as Mc Teague.

There was a reconstruction of what the film might have aimed at, using
still photographs for the missing footage that is not very successful in the long run.  The original film, cut up so badly, is still extremely successful.  I would recommend it to anyone interested in film but why it is currently unavailable is a mystery to me.

Curtis Stotlar
3292756
You need to see this film and appreciate what they did to save the world's greatest art treasures.
1789721
Does justice to the depth and multilayered brilliance of the films.
1951033
Kill Bill stands as one of the most effectively ambitious examples of creative filmmaking this side of the 20th century. Tarantino's quirky genius--more comfortable in its own skin and increasingly matured--takes viewers on a daunting, dizzying, and deadly journey. The unapologetic revenge flick is the bastard protg of dozens of martial arts movies, spaghetti westerns, and cult films, spanning the twentieth century. Their influence can be felt from the opening credits to the final scenes, and is woven throughout the storyline. So much of what makes this a good movie has to do with the artistic touches Tarantino brings to the screen: utilizing the Japanese style of animation, or exploiting monochromatic filtering, are just two simple examples. Both films boast a rich production design which often explodes with visual interest. The editing, sound design, and directing all compliment a cast of devoted actors--most of whom spent months training full time for the demanding physical aspects of their roles. The film is certainly bloody at times, particularly in Volume 1, but the violence serves an important role in amplifying the mythology of Kill Bill. Audiences will be missing out if they can't see past that violence; the films' many merits certainly outweigh the not-so-occassional fountain sprays of blood. Not for the faint of heart, Kill Bill is an absolute must for those who consider themselves movie buffs, and it gets five stars here simply because of its unadulterated genius.
3397972
This is a DVD that makes you think, the animation is so well done that it looks like paintings come to life. The movie was first shot in live action then re-animatied and it works so well with this movie. This movie is trippy and in spots funny, this is worth it and should be in any animation fan's collection
1033817
I was not a great fan of Jackson Pollock's work up until I saw this marvelous movie. Ed Harris does a brilliant job of bringing Pollock's life and personality to the screen. Also worthy of praise is Marcia Gay Harden, for her strong performance that is completely on par with Harris. This film is intense, funny, heart-breaking, and eye-opening all in the same breath and the way that Harris can show the immense urgency of the creative process is astounding. Most artists will tell you that there comes a moment when working, that nothing else in the world matters, you focus on nothing but the work, and you feel completely free from any earthly restraints. Even if you're not an artist, you will understand that feeling from watching this film. It's too bad that amazing films, such as this one, don't come along very often.
1083837
I was just absolutely astounded by the power of this movie.  You need the 3-D feature to fully appreciate the stunning visuals; and 3-D is not used as a gimmick here...with only two developed characters, the film relies heavily on the visuals of deep space. In a recent press conference, the director (and co-producer and writer) Alfonso Cuaron, was subjected to the usual inane questions from the press; one of which - especially idiotic - was a query about the difficulties of filming in deep space... Cuaron is forging quite a reputation in filmdom, with the fine films, "Children of Men" and "Prisoner of Azkaban" (arguably the best of the Harry Potter films) in his resume. This is by far his best effort though; and I would expect to see this movie - as a minimum - nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. While 3-D is de riguer for the visuals, you do not need it to appreciate the commanding and masterful performance by Sandra Bullock. Bullock is such a fine comic actress that she does not often get serious roles like this...and it is a pity. When she does get them - like in "Blindside" - she has excelled; and I feel certain she will get at least a Best Actress nomination for this superb effort. Bullock plays a mission specialist on her first space mission; the other developed character is the mission commander, played by George Clooney, who also does a fine job. The film is also technically accurate for the most part, even receiving praise from space veterans and you will not have to suspend your belief system to appreciate the story as it is one that could conceivably happen. The sound editing is also another plus...I have nothing but praise for this effort and give it my highest recommendation.
616394
In an age of stunning CGI films, I was afraid that Nausicaa of  the Valley of the Wind, with its hand drawn animation, might be showing its age. I am happy to report that I was wrong.

With lush landscapes that will come to no surprise to devotees of Miyazaki's work, Nausicaa is filled with a vivid palette of colors, and vivid colorful characters.

The English dub is fantastic, as well. Alison Lohman is perfect as the gently brave Princess Nausicaa. Patrick Stewart is a perfect fit for the wise and revered Lord Yupa. Edward James Olmos is utterly believable as the loyal and feisty Mito. And Uma Thurman is fabulous as the cold and cynical Kushana.

And the story still stands the test of time, being itself an ageless tale.

The extra features are also worth the time and energy, especially the interviews with the voice cast, and the brief history of Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli.

This is a movie for the whole family to enjoy.
4959872
This is indeed a great film, with a fine --as in very precise-- and understated art direction and animation that really adds to a very well written story. The movie depicts a time in our life in a way that is universally understandable and relatable.

A must see.
3271950
Not only is this movie a great example of storytelling at its finest, but it is also a finely crafted tale of characters shaped by events, and people affected by those events long after the fact.
Rourke's and Robbin's performances are simply outstanding. What could easily have devolved into cardboard characterizations, flat and uninspiring, instead were brought into a complex and multidimensional form. The direction is tight, skillful in building suspense and never gives in to the obvious methods of imagery or symbolism. Those cyes are subtle and assume the audience is intelligent and observant.
This is not a movie that I would watch every six months or so. It is one that I would rather watch once every two or three years, just to get the full effect and impact of the experience.