One Of The Better Films, Flying Under The Radar Review
932974
When I first viewed this movie on premium cable, it stirred my sense of emotions immediately.  From the get-go, you're immediately drawn into the gist of the film, and ride this roller-coaster of fear, anxiety and realistic, but necessary violence, right along with Liam Neeson - and the audience will not let go, until the film's final conclusion.

The story is well conceived & believable, and you can see yourself just a notch removed from being immersed in the role that Liam Neeson plays - except your feeling of helplessness will easily exceed that of Neeson's character, who is more than capable to right the wrongs that have been sprinkled before him.

In essence, you feel his pain, his sense of potential loss, and the calm he must exude to persevere through the emotional entanglement that now has been thrusted into his lap.  You will bite every nail, suspiciously shift every movement of your eyeball, and cheer every moment Neeson comes closer to justice rarely served in the real world.

As far as the quality of the blu-ray, there are no complaints to mention.
3596032
After watching the Oscar nomination announcements today, I was extremely pleased to see this movie so well-represented among the mix of an otherwise weak year in movies. This movie really stands out as one of the better films to show this year, even though not many people saw it.
When I watched it this fall, I was shocked that so few people were at the theaters. After the movie was over, my girlfriend and I seriously considered seeing it again. The coming-of-age story is hardly new, but young Cameron Crowe's adventures were told in a delightful and unique way. Although the budding journalist entered into a world of sex, drugs and rock-n-roll, the corruption did not overcome him.
And that's a good point the movie makes - rock-n-roll isn't evil (OK, some bands are, but that's your fault for listening). Music is a driving force in many people's lives: It captures all of the emotion, love and heartache of the human spirit. Crowe made a great movie that shows us just that, and the soundtrack ain't to shabby, either. For those of you who missed this gem in the theaters, this is your chance to see one of the best movies of 2000.
4932689
"Flightplan" is a movie that wants to start playing with your mind before you ever see the movie.  After all, the hook for the movie is certainly good enough to stand on its own.  A woman and her daughter are on an airplane over the Atlantic Ocean, and the daughter disappears.  How can a child disappear on an airplane?  Well, you the idea should be that you go to see the movie and you find out the answer.  After all, we went to go see "Titanic" to see how Kate Winslet's character was going to survive when we see her riding the stern of the ship in to the Atlantic Ocean in the trailer.  But the trailer for "Flightplan" plays out a lot more of the line, because the people on the airplane are all telling the mother that nobody saw her with a child, there is no record on the manifest, and basically telling the audience that there was never a child.

So we start watching "Flightplan" knowing about the hook and the line, and waiting to find out what the sinker is for this 2005 film.  Consequently, everything that happens from the first moment of the film is a clue for us to try and unravel.  The mother, Kyle Pratt (Jodie Foster) is in the bedroom of her daughter, Julia (Marlene Lawston), in their Berlin home and the kids seems real enough.  But then we see Kyle talking with her husband: one minute he is there, the next minute he is not.  Then he is in a coffin being loaded on an airplane that is the biggest one you have ever seen and which is taking mother and daughter to the United States.

The script by first time screenwriter Peter A. Dowling and punched up by Billy Ray ("Shattered Glass"), takes full advantage of every nook and cranny in that giant airplane.  The ace in the hole that the increasingly distraught Kyle has in her favor is that she works for the company that built the big airplane so that she can list in detail all of the places where a six-year-old girl could disappear.  More importantly, beyond the idea of a mother getting upset over the sudden disappearance of her child, there is something quite unsettling about seeing Jodie Foster play a character who has gone over the edge.  I was a bit uneasy watching her character wilt before the investigating committee at the end of "Contract," and when she starts coming apart at the seems here it is disquieting because Foster's strength is in playing characters who push back when they get pushed.  But hang in there.  It just takes a while for Kyle to start pushing back.

In the meanwhile, the film does an effective job of stripping her of her inherent sympathy to the point that the crew and passengers become convinced Kyle is just a crazy woman.  It is the realization of how their thinking that will keep her from finding her daughter, who may or may not be there, that brings Kyle back from the edge as she deals with Carson (Peter Sarsgaard), the sky marshal, Captain Rich (Sean Bean), the pilot, and flight attendants Stephanie (Kate Beahan), Fiona (Erika Christensen), and Claudia (Jane Kolesarova).

"Flightplan" works pretty well the first time, which is to say that I did not figure it out.  However, when it is over you should be able to figure out how tenuous a house of cards has been created for director Robert Schwentke's film.  Letting the audience be ahead of the game at the start of the film is actually the key way this movie keeps audiences from figuring it out.  The explanation makes sense and all of the pieces fit, but in retrospect it seems a ludicrous path for a story to take.  Fortunately, Foster's performance helps keep this one longer in the air that most actresses could have managed.  The rest of the cast certainly helps, but Foster does the heavy lifting on this one.
1146702
Ever since the movie Flight came out, people have been raving about it, but I didn't understand why until I actually sat down to watch it. Denzel Washington is one of my favorite actors, so I was going to see it either way, but I wasn't expecting it to be what it was. The previews and commercial all focused on the crash and the hero who made an impossible move to land the plane safely, but in reality that's just a small part of the movie. The true focus of the movie is on the troubled life of pilot, Whip Whitaker (Washington), whose demons seem to find him wherever he goes. When he's in the air, Whip is at peace and away from a life of hardship and disappointments, but after the crash, he's unable to fly and has to face that life head on. The film itself was actually a bit slow after the thrilling introduction and the excitement on board the plane. At parts during this film, I was bored, but it's necessary to bring the story together into an unexpected conclusion. Sometimes, a film is slow and it's just not worth it to sit there, but Flight is different. The film may lack something in the middle, but it is well worth you're time. The story is out of this world and Denzel Washington shows that he hasn't lost a thing. This man brings such a strong presents to everything that he does, that often times I find myself overlooking the entire rest of the cast. There are a lot of big names in this film, that all become forgettable after the performance Washington gives. Even though this film came out at the wrong time, if he doesn't receive the Academies attention for this role, then there is a gaping flaw in their system. The story is fantastic, Denzel Washington is nothing short of amazing, and this story will stick with you long after the film is over, I can not recommend it enough!
725732
This is a wonderful movie. I think about Midler has been an underrated entertainer for many years now despite her huge success I believe that she deserves more credit for the work she has done in the entertainment industry. I would recommend this film to anyone who enjoys tearjerkers, dramas, or stories about famous people and their rise to fame. This is a film that has flown under the radar for a long time and received poor reviews upon it's release However, I believe that it is a work of art and a story about lifelong friendship and how pride can interfere with our relationships when we need to focus on the humanity and friendship between ourselves.
2955113
I don't think the movie synopsis does the movie much justice, nor the trailer but nevertheless it's a good watch. The plot involves way more than just your average hallmark, feel-good single parent makeover. Gerard Butler's role is relatively small but it's nice to seem him try on something different from the loud, boisterous, charming Irishman we usually recognize him as.  Still charming though, but more endearing.

Without spoiling anything, I will say that the film is definitely underrated and is wonderfully touching to watch.
4771974
This was one of the best films of the year, way better than "Birdman!"  It had humor, emotion and an interesting story.  Sure it wasn't all historically factual, but it was based on a true story.  It was really well cast and well written (it did win the Oscar for best adapted screenplay.)
2158468
While the cast was comprised of unknowns, the overall movie was quite good. The action shots were very good, and having had a Dad who flew 17's over Italy, they seemed to be contextually correct.

Worth watching.
4098547
Though I can't speak to the quality of the DVD, this is one of my favorite films by Yoji Yamada, and certainly worth tracking down. It doesn't seem to be as well known in the US as his samurai trilogy, and a quick search turns up a scathing review by Screen Daily, in which it was called "insipid" and accused of "shamelessly tear-jerking." I found myself wondering if I had seen the same movie as the reviewer, because I thought Yoji Yamada's portrayal of a long-suffering sister and her exasperating, socially inept brother to be incredibly touching.

The film mostly unfolds through the perspective of Koharu, the daughter of a widowed pharmacist in a placid corner of Tokyo. Over the years we witness some vignettes of Koharu's interactions with her uncle, who never fails to cause familial havoc. Though others look on him with disdain, his sister, Ginko, is able to summon compassion for him from a mostly endless reservoir. At one point, uncle Tetsuro ruins his niece's wedding by getting drunk, giving awkward toasts, and bursting into song (he's a former actor), creating embarrassment for all, but mostly his relatives. Later in the film, and less humorously, we find Ginko being forced to use her savings to repay his sizable debts. One expects initially that Tetsuro may be the kind of lovable ne'er-do-well who conceals a wonderful sense of humor or valuable selflessness beneath his alcoholic exterior. However, he's mostly a very lonely person who takes advantage of the kindness of others, even if, at his deepest, he cares for his family members quite a bit.

Despite the emotional ups and downs, like his other films, Yamada permeates the atmosphere of About Her Brother with calmness. The interior scenes often reminded me of Ozu and I really had the sense of spending a couple hours in Koharu and Ginko's house. It has a way of feeling very much like the slow unwinding of normal life, even though its narrative may sound like the stuff of melodrama. Watching the progression of Tetsuro and his sister's relationship - and feeling her love for him, despite the fact that he was unloved by everyone else and deemed a nuisance to society - is powerful, and the film stayed with me for quite a few days afterwards.
787498
I haven't read the book and I normally do no post reviews of anything.  However, I feel that this is such an underrated movie that it deserves much better.  This movie is by far one of the best films I have seen in a long time.  It has a 5 rating on IMDB (at the time of this posting) and this definitely deserves much more.  It is as good as Momento and Se7en. I definitely urge people to watch and enjoy this thriller which keeps you captivated the entire time with such a twist.  Beautiful movie, well acted, well done, 5 stars.
2532582
It is a mystery to me that this film was not given rave reviews across the media spectrum.  Perhaps the roster of critics has been dummied down to the lowest level in entertainment history.  Then again, that would not require much of a drop.  The film covers a story of great importance, is a war film women can enjoy because of the compelling yet non violent plot, and is not fiction.  This actually happened!
3818681
Reviews are mixed for this film, but I like it. My spouse gifted it to me. I've always enjoyed this film. The story is a gripping one. I already have this movie on VHS and wanted a DVD. The audio and quality work nicely. The film was underrated when it was released due to the cold weather setting, but a great cast made it enjoyable. Malcolm McDowall goes all out as the villainous SS officer. Anthony Quinn and Christopher Lee round out the cast along with Patrician Neal and James Mason.
Overall, if you enjoy thrillers or WWII films, there is no real reason not to like this one.
131994
I really enjoyed the film. I am usually a fairly tough critic when it comes to Christian cinema (cinema in general), but I am more critical with Christian cinema because the message is so crucial. Overall the movie is well done, the overall acting is good, there are some rough patches, i.e. some music issues and a few weirdly delivered lines (not unlike many other movies), but the story is layered and has many beautiful subtle moments that resonate. This movie takes some risks with the story telling and content, but it is not unnecessary or graphic which is a relief. I also like that it is not completely predictable. There is a tension that is there, and that is part of what makes it a good story.
3688261
This "small" but not "independent" film (it was produced for USA Network cable channel) is one of the first to deal with the issues of 9/11/2001 more than ten years after the tragic event. As my fellow Amazon reviewer K. Harris has detailed much of the plot, I won't repeat it here. (Actually, the less you know about the details of the script in this 86-minute film, the more you will enjoy it. There are enough twists and turns that will be "spoiled" if you know too much. And that's what drew me in.

Let me just say that Melissa Leo (the "star" name on the package) is an airline stewardess (with some serious personal issues - again I can't reveal them and her "dream sequences" at the beginning will reveal themselves later in the film) who finds herself accompanying a 10 year old Pakistani  boy (Omar) back to his father in New York City after the Twin Towers are hit on 9/11. They travel by various modes of transportations (all planes have been grounded) and make various stops on the way. Throughout their journey they learn from each other. Anthony Keyvan as Omar will find a way to get into your heart and - at times - shows more maturity than Leo's character.

The DVD has no "special Features" - and, of course, no trailer because it was originally produced for TV. But the film stands on its own and - though the "bonding of two different people when thrown into a difficult situation" is a very common theme, the performances make this a small film worth seeking out.

Steve Ramm
"Anything Phonographic"
266954
For quite some time now I've been more or less hooked on Angelina Jolie and her films and can definitely say with some authority that had this film not had her in it, it probably wouldn't have garnered much attention from the movie going public.  Having said that, "Beyond Borders" is a good film, not spectacular or overwhelmingly poignant, just good!  Given Angelina Jolie's personal passion towards helping children from third world nations it's easy to see why she chose to do this film.  That personal passion does translate to the film however, the script in and of itself just doesn't translate into an overly impressive film.
Performance wise, Angelina Jolie delivers another solid performance but she comes off as somewhat subdued for the better part of the film.  She is such strong and versatile actress that her part in this film, despite a couple of strong points, just doesn't suit her talents.  Clive Owen delivers a strong and memorable performance as does the majority of the cast.
I believe the only other film I've watched that was directed by Martin Campbell was "The Mask of Zorro" which was a pretty good film.  His direction of "Beyond Borders" clearly shows that he can make the best of the film despite a weak script.
The Premise:
Sarah Jordan (Angelina Jolie) is an American married to a Brit.  At a fundraising gala, Nick Callahan (Clive Owen) crashes in dragging behind him a young Ethiopian and turns Sarah's world upside down as he delivers a strong speech about the suffering the Ethiopians are going through and haranguing her father-in-law about pulling his funding.  Sarah soon finds herself taking every last penny she has and buying relief supplies to personally take to Ethiopia...
What follows from there is a mildly poignant film in which Sarah and Nick carry on an odd relationship as she is unhappily married and he continues to follow his passion of relief work all over the globe...
Without trying to sound too harsh, I would rate this film at 3.5 stars if it were possible as it is a good story it just doesn't live up to its billing or its leading actress.  I would definitely recommend it but more as a rental than an actual purchase.  {ssintrepid}
Special Features:
-Commentary by Director Martin Campbell and Producer Lloyd Phillips
-Behind the Lines:  The Making of Beyond Borders, Part 1
-Behind the Lines:  The Making of Beyond Borders, Part 2
-The Writing of "Beyond Borders:" A Conversation with Screenwriter Caspian Tredwell-Owen
-Angelina:  Goodwill Ambassador
406842
Beyond a touch of sensationalistic Hollywoodisation (over-simplifying the perceived orthodoxy of Jews) the movie is about a woman who is stifled in her relationship with a fanatically devout husband, and in that it etches an intermittently sharp portrait of a subculture caught between a rich historical legacy and a changing contemporary world.
To me, the movie was NOT about the Hasidic way of life. I could see this film holding just about as relevant even if I replaced the community potrayed in it with any other. It is about the marital suffering of two people who are very different in their moorings.
Renee Zellweger, the pivot, does a very convincing job of showing the desperation in a young woman's personal search,  Sonia, who embarks on a search for not only herself but also her place in the world -- for the duration of the film Renee gave Sonia the precise dignity and emotion that the role deserved.
The supporting cast were strong, Juliana Margulies certainly showing that she's doesn't always play the 'nice girl'. Christopher Eccleston was convincingly wicked and Glenn Fitzgerald puts in a credible performance as Mendel, the husband, capturing the essence of the role commendably.
Bordering sometimes on being a chick-flick, the movie generally deals with feminine issues, and I would think that the emotional dominion would have it seldom appeal to a male audience. Which is quite evident in the other belittling reviews here.
I recommend this film highly, although it is an intense one and perhaps not for every Joe Blogg. Make sure you're in the mood.
3121837
This film probably didn't do as well at the box office because most moviegoers go for fun, not to get depressed. It's films like this that are best experienced at home. And it's a film that is an excellent jumping-off point for discussion with young (10 and above, though the two boys whom the film revolves around are only 9) children about the holocaust - which, all too often, seems to be losing its place in history.

I won't go into the detail of the plot as that is covered elsewhere on the Amazon site - and in other reviews. It is also important NOT to know how THIS story ends. (We all know how the holocaust ended.) It gives the film its impact.

In the standard "Making of" documentary (20 minutes) in the Special Features, we learn from both the Writer/Director, and the author of the book on which the film is based, that they want the film to be watched by families together and used as a discussion tool. The film is rated PG-13 "for Thematic Material involving the Holocaust". There is violence in the images of injured people (and the makeup is very graphic) but much is implied. We learn what is going on in the "work camp" by seeing fleeting images or hearing sounds.

At 94 minutes, the film is brief enough so that children will not get bored. It is NOT a film that, in my opinion, should be watched by children under 16 without a parent or other adult to answer questions they might have, or better yet, ask questions of the children to see that they understand.

Miramax made the production in partnership with BBC Films and nearly all the cast are British. (We learn in the documentary that that the woman playing the mother seems to be the sole American among the lead actors.) I did have a small problem at the beginning getting used to the British accents of all these characters who are supposed to be in Germany. (I guess I'm used to actors having German accents in films about the Holocaust.) But, after a while, I accepted it and moved on.

I have not listened to the director's commentary. And the deleted scenes included in the bonus features don't add much, but it's good they are included.

This is not a perfect film but well worth using as a teaching tool. The more that the younger generation knows about the Holocaust the better the chance that it will never be repeated.

Steve Ramm
"Anything Phonographic"