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The
Directors Series: Steven Spielberg Steven Spielberg has made movies since age thirteen, with a 8mm camera and his two sisters dolls. At fifteen, inspired while falling asleep, Steven leapt from bed and spent the next 24 hours typing a 140-page screenplay. He mounted Firelight with $500 and turned the script into a two-and-a-half-hour sci-fi epic about scientist investigating lights in the sky. He then rented out a local theater, charged admission and recouped the cost of the film and took in a $50 profit. While his school grades were not the best, Spielberg won a spot at Long Beach State, bought a ticket for the tour of the Universal studios lot, slipped away from the group and found an empty office. The next day, wearing a suit and tie he bluffed his way past the guards at the gate, walked directly to "his" office and began plotting the next move. Years later, he would admit to being thrown off soundstages by idols including Hitchcock. In 1969, he made Amblin' a short film about young hitchhikers in love. On the basis of that film, Universal television head Sidney J. Sheinberg offered him a seven-year contract at Universal. Mere months later, he was directing an episode of Night Gallery, staring none other than Joan Crawford. That got him the TV movie DUEL. And that got him his first feature, THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS. Reviews were kind, box office was not. But the experiences lead the director to a new project at Universal, something about a shark. The rest is history; as JAWS invented the summer blockbuster, and Spielberg went on to revolutionize movies and movie making. Here are reviews of six of his films, spread over the course of his career. A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE - In the near future, a couple who's son has fallen into a deep coma attempt to find a new way to express their love. They purchase David--the latest edition android--with thoughts and feelings and everything a boy should have programmed into him. Just as they come to love him the same as they would their own flesh, their biological son wakes up. A natural sibling rivalry results in a poolside accident, and David is sent back to the lab for deprogramming. Mom instead abandons him in the wilds to fend for him self. Thus beginning an epic journey of discovery as David strives to become a real boy so mom will love him again. Shades of Pinocchio abound in this collaboration between director Steven Spielberg and long time friend Stanley Kubrick. This was to be Kubrick's next project after EYES WIDE SHUT, but he died just after finishing editing that film. His estate brought the project to Spielberg to finish, knowing the two had already collaborated extensively on the project. A.I. can best be described as spastic brilliance. The movie is dazzling, unnerving, a visual treat and emotionally jarring all at the same time, as most of Kubrick's films tend to be. It is also touching, adventurous, a tad too scary in parts, as most of Spielberg's films tend to be. The division starts off as obvious, but begins to blur as the film reaches its conclusion. Where does Spielberg end and Kubrick begin? If nothing else, A.I. is a fascinating case study of two directors from opposite schools of thought. Spastic Brilliance. But at the same time, it is Pinocchio. Lifted virtually page by page from the classic story tale. A reference or two here and there would have been more than sufficient for the film to work, but instead, we are hit over the head with it every twenty minutes. David's trip into the Rouge City is Pleasure Island. There's even a Monstro the whale bit at the bottom of the ocean. It's also way too long, although in all honesty, I'm not sure where I would end it. The obvious choice isn't necessarily the best one. When the end finally does come, we are left in amazed bewilderment. "What just happened?" Will be a common question asked after viewing. Parts of this film are also very dark (like the Flesh Fair) and it's PG-13 rating is probably a bit beyond most kids close to that age, so parents beware! Cementing the whole thing together is Haley Joel Osment. Watch the scene where mom imprints herself on David. Damn can this kid act! My favorite scene comes late in the film, when he confronts a room full of David models. Oscar worthy stuff here! Jude Law co-stars as a Gigolo Joe, a love Mecha who helps David in his quest, and puts forth another great performance. But the stars of this movie are Stan Winston's robots. While animatronics may not be far enough along for them to have cast an android as David, the supporting cast of Mechas makes you believe they could have. Especially Teddy, the lovable bear who plays Jiminy Cricket to David's Pinocchio. Outstanding work. A.I. may not be the tribute to Kubrick some were hoping for. It also may not be Spielberg's best movie. But it is a stunning work of art for all it's problems, and is very much worth watching. It's an extraordinary achievement in motion pictures, and a beautifully made film that I named one of the year's ten best. The DVD is an astounding two disc special edition from DreamWorks. Disc one includes the movie and a featurette on bringing A.I. to the screen, the second disc includes interviews with Spielberg, Law and Osment, a series of behind-the-scenes featurettes on everything from robots to make-up to special effects to scripting to music, storyboards, drawings, photos, and much more. Alas, no audio commentary. Sources close to Spielberg say there is no audio commentary because it would have been "redundant". I disagree. A project of this nature; a collaboration between two master storytellers could only have benefited by commentary with one of them. Maybe someday, Spielberg will agree. A.I. ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE - Film -  DVD - CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND - Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) is a normal, everyday family man, until he has an experience he cannot explain. Until he has a Close Encounter of the First Kind: Sighting a UFO. Spielberg crafts an accessible story about an everyman thrown into the most unusual of circumstances. The sighting brings about a change in Neary, as he becomes more and more obsessed with the experience. The physical evidence left behind (a close encounter of the second kind) slowly begins to throw his life into upheaval, until the psychic vision of a close encounter of the third kind (contact) becomes too much to bear, and Roy sinks into obsession. One of my favorite films of all time, this is more than just a UFO movie. This is THE UFO movie. No other film manages to do what CLOSE ENCOUNTERS does with every viewing. It challenges our notions of whether or not we are alone in the universe. But Spielberg goes a step farther. This is the first encounter movie that doesn't involve a hostile take over with death rays. The aliens are not monsters, but can be our friends. In many respects, the film laid the groundwork for the later success the director had with E.T. At the same time, it is a much bleaker film, reflecting the director's early life. Roy becomes so obsessed with his sighting that he ultimately leaves his wife and kids to pursue the dream. (Hardly fitting the story of family we get from E.T.) Dreyfuss is brilliant in his portrayal of a man possessed, and the supporting cast includes Teri Garr, Melinda Dillon, and French director Francois Truffaut. Another stirring John Williams score (complete with a "tonal vocabulary" that has become an instant movie hallmark) completes the film as only he can. The film was released in late 1977 to rave reviews, but still unfinished. The success of STAR WARS dictated the release date be bumped up. Three years later, Columbia asked Spielberg to re-issue the film. He added 18 minutes worth of footage (including the inside of the mother ship at the end of the film) but cut 17 minutes of existing footage out of the movie. The Special Edition has been the only one available since 1980, until now. The Collector's Edition restores the original cut of the film, adds the special edition footage but leaves off the new ending, in essence becoming the ultimate Director's cut. The two disc DVD includes DTS sound and THX re-mastering, a making-of documentary, a featurette from 1977, 11 additional deleted scenes, trailers and more. While I'm not a big fan of the initial "gate fold" packaging, this seems to have been corrected in subsequent re-issues of the disc. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND - Film - DVD - E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL - A young boy befriends a stranded alien, helps him phone home, and escapes the clutches of faceless NASA scientists in this heartwarming family classic. Spielberg does CLOSE ENCOUNTERS one better in his most remembered film, focusing on the burgeoning relationship between two unusual friends. Elliot (Henry Thomas) is still coping with the divorce of his parents, (only mom is shown, masterfully played by Dee Wallace Stone) and E.T. has been stranded on a primitive and hostile planet. Together they form a bond not easily broken, one beyond friendship, beyond family. Add to the mix cute as a button younger sister Gertie (Drew Barrymore) the sky gazing and soul-searching government agent "Keys" (Peter Coyote) and yet another stirring, soaring score by John Williams, and you get an experience unlike any other. Seeing E.T. for the first time was an experience in and of itself. It is funny, lighthearted, emotionally stirring, scary, uplifting, life affirming, and awe-inspiring, often all at the same time. A perfect movie. In 2002, the film was re-issued as a "special edition", which got up the hackles of many. The changes are more akin to a facelift than a re-tooling. Yes, scenes were altered, but only slightly. Great care was taken to ensure the emotional core of the film was maintained. Often, you can't spot the change without a side-by-side comparison. The effects look like the effects you affectionately remember, not like new effects to dazzle you. E.T. has been given a larger range of expressions and emotions; the walkie-talkies you heard so much about are hardly noticeable because you are so caught up in the story; and the extra scene adds to the relationship building between Elliot and E.T. Seeing the film 20 years later was an experience all over again. I sat mesmerized for two hours. I laughed. I cried. I was reminded of why it was so magical, and why I have such fond memories of it. But most of all, the film re-affirmed my belief in human nature, even if most of it onscreen radiated from a puppet. That is the brilliance of Spielberg. The DVD from Universal comes in two editions. The first is a two-disc set that includes both the 1982 version of the movie, and the "special edition" reissue, an introduction by Spielberg, "The Making Of E.T." Documentary, A reunion special featurette, the 20th Anniversary gala opening, John Williams conducting a 100-piece orchestra live during the screening, and much more. The second edition is an oversized box set with the soundtrack and even more goodies enclosed. Alas, no audio commentary, but still a must have!!! E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL - Film -  DVD - JAWS - Based on the best selling novel by Peter Benchley. Just off the peaceful, quiet beaches of Amity Island waits a terror from the deep. A Great White Shark has set up a feeding ground off the coast of the island, and it's up to the chief of police Brody (Roy Scheider), an Oceanographic expert Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss), and local fisherman Quint (Robert Shaw) to stop it. Spielberg's second feature film is pure genius. Every aspect of this movie is great. So great, I don't really know where to start. Take the look of the film. Nearly one fourth of it is filmed on the waterline, from a swimming human's point of view. Look at the scene just prior to the Kitner boy's death. Watch Spielberg take passers-by and turn them into wipes for changing angles. Watch the final third of the movie on the Orca, and you will never see land. When the attack comes, they are on their own, with no hope from anywhere. Each moment has Spielberg's stamp of approval all over it. It's just a damn well made movie. Add to that the great story. As Dreyfuss says in the documentary, "This looks like a great film to watch. I'd rather watch this movie than make it, `cause it's gonna be a bitch to film." That pretty much sums up the whole JAWS experience. If there was one film I wish I could have seen on the big screen with an audience, this is it. Thrills and screams abound as the shark begins the killing spree and our heroes come down to the ultimate Man Vs. Nature face off. Aside from being a damn good adventure story, it has what so many films (including his own JURASSIC PARK) lack: Great characters with in-depth characterizations. The three anchors of this film are not just a cop, a skipper and a shark nut. They are not just standard cardboard cutouts. They are well-rounded individuals, with developed back-stories and legitimate reasons for the way they behave. Think of the irony that Brody is afraid of the water, and then has to go out on this leaky old boat to kill the shark. Listen to Quint's story about the Indianapolis (delivered brilliantly by Robert Shaw) and you begin to understand his obsession. But of course, there is really a fourth anchor in the film. The true star is Bruce the shark. This mammoth mechanical monstrosity helped JAWS become the first ever summer blockbuster. (Of course the movie was huge. Everyone was too scared to go swimming, so they all went to the movies) upon its release, JAWS was the top grossing film of all time. (And as of the week of March 7, 2002, still ranks number 16) But the shark would not be the powerful ball of charisma we know today if it hadn't been for John Williams. Da. Da dum. Da da dum. Da da da dum. Dum dum dum dum... Never have two notes spawned such panic as these. Universally renowned for the images they portray, they are as much a part of the magic and as responsible for the success of the film as anything else. Williams' music announced the mayhem was about to begin, as it builds to a fever pitch and becomes the focal point of our screams. It takes real talent to do that with music. Perhaps only the shower scene from Hitchcock's PSYCHO carries the same weight at this. All around pure brilliance. The Universal DVD is great. It includes a new digital master print, deleted scenes and outtakes, Shark World facts, "Get Out Of The Water" Trivia game, DVD-ROM content, trailers, "Spotlight On Location: The Making Of JAWS" documentary, (trimmed down just a bit from the laser disc release, but still great) production photos, storyboards, cast and crew BIOS and more. The lack of audio commentary keeps this from being tops, but otherwise a must have. Best line: (and probably one of the best lines of all time.) Scheider, just after having seen the shark for the first time: "You're gonna need a bigger boat." JAWS - Film - DVD - MINORITY REPORT - In the future, Washington D.C. is murder free due to the visions of psychic "pre-cogs" who have the ability to see the future, and the work of the "Pre-Crime Unit" who stop the killers before they can strike, based on the pre-cogs visions. But what happens when the system turns against the one who enforces it? That's the question raised in Spielberg's excellent adaptation of Phillip K. Dick's amazing short story of the same name. Tom Cruise plays Pre Crime chief David Anderton, who is accused of a pre-murder, goes on the run, and has just 36 hours to discover who set him up before he falls victim to the perfect system. The big question: was he set up? Is he innocent? Or will he commit the crime as foreseen? MINORITY REPORT comes across as a slick update of a film noir Hitchcock film, a murder mystery with clues and memorable characters strung through a bleak future landscape. In fact, the film bears more than a passing resemblance to A.I. The look and feel of these films are as bookends, both telling precautionary tales of technology run amok. Cruise gives a riveting performance as the flawed Anderton, haunted by ghosts of his own past. It's one of his most effective acting jobs, and you can tell probably due to Spielberg's influence behind the camera that Tom is having the time of his life. Samantha Morton is downright eerie as the Pre-cog Agatha, Max Von Sydow is his usual brilliant self as a father figure to Anderton, and Colin Farrell plays the Irish cop-with a twist. A great cast in a great movie. The two disc DVD from DreamWorks is just as good as their last Spielberg offering (A.I.) including several in-depth documentaries and featurettes, deconstructing the movie from script to screen. But of course, no audio commentary. MINORITY REPORT - Film -  DVD - SAVING PRIVATE RYAN - During W.W.II, four sons go off to war. Three are killed within days of each other, and through a fluke of military bureaucracy, Mom is getting all three letters on the same day. The fourth brother becomes the mission for a squad of men sent to save him. Spielberg is at the top of his game with this one. W.W.II has always held a special place for him; the way Oliver Stone seems fixated on Vietnam. The first 30 minutes expose us like never before to the horrors of war. Is it graphic? Yes. Is it overly gory? I don't feel so. The gore is present to show us what that momentous instant in history was like, but isn't glorified. It's sickeningly realistic, but not glorified. Previous film moments were intense, but nothing compares to this: The invasion of Omaha beach. Explosions go off, the ramp lowers, and immediately the entire landing craft and the men in it are ripped apart by German machine guns. Absoulutely stunning. Too many war movies suffer from "John Wayne" syndrome, as if to say, yes, men died, but they always did it heroically. PRIVATE RYAN shows us the truth. That war is an ugly, dirty animal, and unfortunately, men die in war. And the end isn't always what our glorified imaginations and romanticized Hollywood notions made it out to be. The invasion of Omaha beach is sheer hell, and should make each and every one of us all the more thankful and respectful of our veterans who fought that war and won it. Ultimately, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN can be distilled down to that one thought. Remember the veterans. Is it a great war movie? Yes, Is it moving and powerful? Yes, Is it about heroes? Yes, But more than anything, it is a rallying call to celebrate the lives of the men who did nothing short of saving the world. We have the freedoms we take for granted today, because they fought and died for us 50 plus years ago. The movie does not let us forget that. Everything about this movie rams that thought home, but none more effectively than Spielberg's direction of Omaha, and John Williams' haunting "Hymn For The Fallen." Put the two together in one movie and you have the ultimate tribute. To all the veterans, thank you. The DVD comes in 2 versions, one, a DTS sound master; the other has trailers, production notes, a documentary and a message from Spielberg. (And great menus) the only thing missing (from all Steve's DVDs) is an audio track. Spielberg has said before he doesn't want to ruin the experience of the film. To which I say, then talk about the experience of making the film, and don't give away any trade secrets. What was it like to work with Tom Hanks and Tom Sizemore? Matt Damon and Edward Burns? How did your father feel about your making this movie? There are so many unanswered questions an audio track would answer. But otherwise, a must have. SAVING PRIVATE RYAN - Film - DVD - Steven Spielberg Filmography 1969 - Rod Serling's Night Gallery - "Eyes" - Director 1970 - Marcus Welby, M.D. - "Daredevil Gesture" - Director 1971 - Rod Serling's Night Gallery - "Make Me Laugh" - Director 1971 - The Name Of The Game - "L.A. 2017" - Director 1971 - The Psychiatrist - "The Private World Of Martin Dalton" - Director 1971 - The Psychiatrist - "Par For The Course" - Director 1971 - Columbo - "Murder By The Book" - Director 1971 - NBC World Premiere Movie - DUEL - Director 1972 - CBS Friday Night Movie - SOMETHING EVIL - Director 1972 - NBC World Premiere Movie - SAVAGE - Director 1973 - Ace Eli And Rodger Of The Skies - Original Story 1974 - THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS - Director, Original Story 1975 - JAWS - Director 1977 - CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND - Writer, Director 1978 - I WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND - Co-executive Producer 1979 - 1941 - Director 1980 - USED CARS - Co-executive Producer 1980 - THE BLUES BROTHERS - Actor 1981 - CONTINENTAL DIVIDE - Co-executive Producer 1981 - RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK - Director 1982 - POLTERGEIST - Writer, Producer 1982 - E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL - Producer, Director 1983 - TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE - Producer, "Kick The Can" Director 1984 - INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM - Director 1984 - GREMLINS - Actor, Co-executive Producer 1985 - Amazing Stories - "Ghost Train" - Director 1985 - BACK TO THE FUTURE - Co-executive Producer 1985 - THE GOONIES - Original Story, Co-executive Producer 1985 - YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES - Co-executive Producer 1985 - FANDANGO - Uncredited Producer 1985 - THE COLOR PURPLE - Producer, Director 1986 - AN AMERICAN TAIL - Co-executive Producer 1986 - THE MONEY PIT - Co-executive Producer 1987 - * BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED - Co-executive Producer 1987 - INNERSPACE - Co-executive Producer 1987 - HARRY AND THE HENDERSONS - Uncredited Producer 1987 - Amazing Stories - "The Mission" - Director 1987 - EMPIRE OF THE SUN - Producer, Director 1988 - THE LAND BEFORE TIME - Co-executive Producer 1988 - WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT? - Co-executive Producer 1989 - DAD - Co-executive Producer 1989 - INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE - Director 1989 - ALWAYS - Producer, Director 1989 - BACK TO THE FUTURE PART II - Co-executive Producer 1990 - BACK TO THE FUTURE PART III - Co-executive Producer 1990 - JOE VERSUS THE VOLCANO - Co-executive Producer 1990 - ARACHNOPHOBIA - Co-executive Producer 1990 - GREMLINS 2: THE NEW BATCH - Co-executive Producer 1990 - LISTEN UP: THE LIVES OF QUINCY JONES - Interviewee 1990 - Akira Kurosawa's DREAMS - Presenter 1991 - CAPE FEAR - Uncredited Producer 1991 - HOOK - Director 1991 - AN AMERICAN TAIL: FIEVEL GOES WEST - Producer 1992 - NOISES OFF - Uncredited Producer 1993 - Tiny Toons - Executive Producer 1993 - seaQuest DSV - Executive Producer 1993 - A FAR OFF PLACE - Uncredited Producer 1993 - JURASSIC PARK - Director 1993 - SCHINDLER'S LIST - Producer, Director 1994 - THE FLINTSTONES - Credited as "Steven Spielrock Presents" 1994 - Anamaniacs - Executive Producer 1994 - Earth 2 - Executive Producer 1994 - ER - Uncredited Producer 1995 - THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY - Executive Producer 1996 - Freakazoid - Executive Producer 1997 - MEN IN BLACK - Executive Producer 1997 - THE LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK - Director 1998 - SAVING PRIVATE RYAN - Producer, Director 1999 - AMISTAD - Producer, Director 2001 - A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE - Producer, Director 2001 - JURASSIC PARK III - Executive Producer 2001 - Band Of Brothers - Producer 2001 - VANILLA SKY - Actor 2001 - AUSTIN POWERS IN GOLDMEMBER - Actor 2002 - MEN IN BLACK II - Executive Producer 2002 - MINORITY REPORT - Director 2002 - Steven Spielberg Presents: Taken - Executive Producer 2002 - CATCH ME IF YOU CAN - Director THE DIRECTOR'S SERIES: TIM BURTON Every few years the dark recesses of Tim Burton's mind bubble to the surface of the dark lake that is Hollywood. The result is usually odd, inventive moviemaking, but always entertaining.Burton has been thrilling us all with his Gothic tales for years. He started off as an animator for Disney, where he worked on numerous projects including THE FOX AND THE HOUND and THE BLACK CAULDRON, but found his true calling when he directed the short animated film VINCENT, which was an homage to Vincent Price, who narrated. He moved on to bigger movies like PEE WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE and BEETLEJUICE, but it was his reinvented BATMAN that sent his career though the stratosphere. More warped hits followed, like EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, MARS ATTACKS and SLEEPY HOLLOW. He shares a Spielbergian-like association with long time friend, collaborator and composer Danny Elfman. (Indeed, it seems only Spielberg and Williams have collaborated together on more films than Burton and Elfman.) Elfman's dark bombastic scores and haunting melodies have given personality to all of Burton's films, from his feature directorial debut with PEE WEE, to his latest smash PLANET OF THE APES.This year, Burton was inducted into the Video Hall Of Fame, where he joins a small and select group of filmmakers including directors Ivan Reitman, Steven Spielberg and James Cameron, and producers Jerry Bruckheimer, Albert "Cubby" Broccoli and Walt Disney. Here is a sampling of films from the great master of the underworld, Tim Burton BATMAN - The greatest superhero film of the decade, 1989s BATMAN broke box office records galore when it debuted. Burton took the dark character and made him even darker, basing the film on the "Dark Knight" comics instead of the more traditional Detective stories Batman had been known for. The result was a fantastic fantasy of a film that spawned 3 sequels, 2 successful animated series, and jump-started the ailing superhero industry. Next, he rolled the dice by casting a clown prince as his hero. Fans screamed foul over the casting of Michael Keaton then, but his performance was so good, now they scream for him to return to the role. But this movie is Jack Nicholson's. He owns every inch of celluloid with an over-the-top performance only a character like the Joker can elicit from an actor. The plot is an origin story of the Joker (and Batsy as well) as the clown prince kills the mob boss (Jack Pallance) and takes over his illicit business, goes on a killing spree with tampered health and beauty products, and ruins the mayor's 200th Birthday party for Gotham.Looking back on it now, the film hasn't aged well, but it's still the best of the Batflicks. Batman Vs. The Joker. What else could you possibly want in a movie? Burton's gothic Gotham City looks like an aged, decaying New York without the Triple A good points, a dark mirror image to Superman's shiny Metropolis. This city is struggling to not just collapse in on itself from the weight of corruption and greed that entangle it. If ever a city needed a Batman, this is it. And the dark knight himself is a product of this beleaguered town, so who better to clean it up? Reflecting back, Kim Basinger may not be the best Vicky Vale in town, but for a self-obsessed decade like the eighties, she fit the bill pretty damn good then. Some question Prince for the soundtrack, but like most of Burton's stuff, an element of funk seeps in somewhere, so why not in the music? Just watch the museum scene with Nicholson destroying priceless works of art to the tune "Party Man" and you cannot imagine a better fit. A great film and a modern classic. The DVD is a relic from Warner's Ice Age and should be sent back to the Batcave for retooling. No extras, not even a trailer adorn this simplest of discs, but the widescreen presentation prevents it from getting an F. Best line: The Joker as he dances with Vicky Vale in the Gotham Cathedral bell tower: "It's as if we were made for each other. Beauty and the Beast. Of course if anyone else calls you beast, I'll rip their lungs out." BATMAN - Film - A- DVD - D- EDWARD SCISSORHANDS - Once upon a time in a castle on a high hill, lived an inventor (Vincent Price) whose greatest creation was Edward (Johnny Depp). But the inventor's sudden death left Edward incomplete, with sharp shears of metal for hands. Once day a kind AVON lady (Dianne Wiest) discovered Edward living alone in the dark and took him home to live with her family. Can Edward's irresistible childlike charm overcome his bizarre outer appearance and win over the inhabitants of a pastel Suburbia? Especially Kim (Winona Ryder) who Edward has fallen in love with? Once again Burton has taken a fairy tale environment and turned it askew, creating a very personal comedic fable, where the dark and twisted are more human than those living in colorful normality. Depp nails his performance as Edward, a childlike innocent caught up in events and feelings he does not understand. Ryder comes off a bit harsher, attracted to Edward, but refusing to believe she could like a freak. The supporting cast of neighbors all have personal problems larger than the inventor's castle, which must have made playing the parts a lot of fun, and it shows. None more than Kim's father (Alan Arkin) who's nuggets of logic seem to make sense no matter how off the wall he is. This is a delightful movie, as delicate as a snowflake or soap bubble. Enjoy it for it's beauty, but over analyze or pick at it and it collapses. The special edition DVD is a good one from FOX, with 2 audio commentary tracks by Burton and Elfman, the trailer and TV spots, original concept art, a featurette on the movie and super cool 3-D pop-up-book style menus. It wets the appetite nicely, like a good appetizer, but leaves you hungry for the main course. Best Line: Arkin, handing Edward his first glass of booze: "It's like lemonade." EDWARD SCISSORHANDS - Film - B+ DVD - B+ PEE WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE - Paul Rubens (billed as Pee Wee Herman) stars in this silly, infectious comedy as he treks cross country in search of his stolen bicycle. This was Burton's first feature film as a director, and while it is competently done, it lacks the trademark Burton visual style that he has developed since then. In fact, compared to his later works, the movie is rather tame, and none of the odd folk Pee Wee meets in his travels hold a candle to what Burton has introduced us to since. But here, they work just fine. A bright and colorful fun movie, that has become a cult classic in it's own right. Rubens is a talented performer and despite his off-screen troubles, he will always be fondly remembered for this character, and this film. This is one of the few Warner DVDs out there worth getting, but like most it's still not a home run. Audio commentary by both Paul Rubens and Tim Burton, a music only track with commentary by Elfman, production notes, trailer, deleted scenes, fun menus, and more. PEE WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE - Film - B DVD - B PLANET OF THE APES (2001) - An astronaut (Mark Whalberg) crash lands on a planet where apes rule and humans are slaves. Normally I'm against remakes, especially of really good classic movies (anyone remember the PSYCHO remake?) but this one was just asking for it. And besides, it's a "re-imagining" of the film, not a remake. I salivated early on thinking of the possibilities with today's make-up and effects. And with Burton attached as a director, how could it not be good? Well, it is good, but not great. The problem is actually with the make-up and effects. They're too good. The apes are fantastic, multifaceted creatures who come across larger than life and we hang on their every movement. Especially Tim Roth as General Theed. He BECAME an ape for this movie. The walk, the movement, every fiber of emotion got poured into this performance, and for it all to shine through the make up is truly impressive. He's quickly becoming one of my favorite actors. The humans--forced to endure terrible situations should be a source of sympathy for us, but--well, we just don't care about them. The apes are so much more interesting, the humans became boring. Whalberg's astronaut is more of an anti-hero, very similar to Heston's Taylor in the original. He isn't interested in apes, or in the slaves, or in revolution, he just wants to go home. The problem is the movie sets him up to be a hero, and he doesn't want to be one, and winds up being one without that defining moment of heroism. It just feels hollow and off, somehow. It's visually arresting of course, and beautiful to watch, as nearly all of Burton's films are. But it just doesn't hold a candle to the original. And then there's the ending. If they make a second film, I'm okay with the ending. If a sequel never transpires, I'll be pissed about it, cause they tried to one-up the original's Twilight Zone" ending, and failed miserably. Oh well. The film costars Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Clarke Duncan, Kris Kristofferson, Paul Giamatti, and a cameo from Charlton Heston himself.20th Century Fox is touting this DVD as the evolution of DVD, and the most technically advanced DVD ever. I was skeptical popping the disc into my player, because topping PHANTOM MENACE would be tough, even for Fox.I'm sold. This glossy 2 disc set contains 2 audio commentaries, one from Burton, one from Elfman, and enhanced viewing mode with picture in picture vignettes, cast and crew BIOS, DVD-ROM content, NUON enhancements, 6 documentaries on the making of the apes, screen tests, multi-angle featurettes, 6 extended scenes, concept art gallery, more DVD-ROM content, the HBO First Look special, Paul Oakenfold's "Rule The Planet Remix" of Elfman's music, teasers, trailers and TV spots, posters and promotional works, and more. Topped off with cool menus, a collectable map booklet and a nifty science filled index card that explains the possibility of the film's ending. (The index card alone makes the set worthwhile! They should have issued these in theaters!) And just for the record, PHANTOM MENACE's menus are still cooler, so in a battle between the two discs, STAR WARS would still win, but it would be damn close. Best line: Michael Clarke Duncan: "Get your stinking hands off me, you damn dirty human!" PLANET OF THE APES (2001) - Film - B+ DVD - A+ SLEEPY HOLLOW - Johnny Depp is Ichabod Crane, an eccentric London detective assigned to stop a series of murders in a small English town. His task is complicated by the beautiful Katrina (Christina Ricci) and the fact that the murderer is a myth and legend, a spirit of the UN-dead; the Headless Horseman. A classic tale gets Burtonized with a stylish, gothic (there's that word again) vision of darkness. Sleepy Hollow is a queer town full of queer folk (the supporting cast includes Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon, Casper Van Dien, Ian Holm, Jeffery Jones and the Emperor himself, Ian McDermit) who all have a skeleton or two (or three) in their closets, and poor Ichabod just isn't up to the challenge of unraveling the mystery and dealing with the horseman. He manages to muddle his way through, with help from Depp's brilliant take on the bumbling personae. But ultimately, like so many of his films, you watch SLEEPY HOLLOW for the trademark Burton visuals. The fog, the forest, the twisted knotted black recesses of humanity. They're all here, brought to vivid life. The movie is overly bloody but not gory, contrary to it's R rating. The DVD is fairly stuffed for a Paramount offering, including a "Behind The Legend" featurette, cast and crew BIOS, cast and crew interviews, audio commentary with Burton, a photo gallery, trailers, and more. SLEEPY HOLLOW - Film - A- DVD - B Tim Burton Filmography
1982 Vincent (Short Film) - director, writer, production designer PARENTAL ADVISORY! The following reviews contain coarse language and subject matter. Anyone under 17 is strongly discouraged from reading these! Okay sports fans, here it is: The complete, blow by blow ("37!?!") review of all the DVDs in the VIEW ASKEWNIVERSE. This kicks off THE DIRECTOR'S SERIES, a group of reviews of films all by the same director. In later installments, I hope to profile the films of Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Robert Zemeckis, Tim Burton, and more. But the honor of the first one belongs to Kevin Smith. Some prologue for the uninitiated. Writer Director Kevin Smith burst onto the scene with the critically acclaimed CLERKS back in 1994. This was just after QT's PULP FICTION had made huge box office waves, and the independent film arena was just warming up. The atmosphere was right for lightning to strike and Smith did. His ear for dialogue and witticisms wrapped up in just plain good storytelling made for an excellent movie. He followed CLERKS with MALLRATS, CHASING AMY, DOGMA, and the upcoming JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK. Kevin likes to joke that critics are not kind to him. Well, Kevin, I am going to critique your films and DVDs as a fan, but hopefully honestly and objectively as well. I will say some harsh things, but mostly I will praise you and your creative team. Keep in mind, I know jack squat about movies, other than the fact that I have worked in video stores for over five years, seen more films than I care to count, and have more discarded screenplay ideas laying around than Brody has comics, so I guess that makes me qualified for this. Please return your tray table to it's full and upright position and hang on, 'cause here we go... CLERKS - Filmed in glorious black and white, CLERKS centers on two over worked counter jockeys, Dante and Randal (Brian O'Halloran and Jeff Anderson), who work in a side-by-side convenience and video store. While braving a nonstop parade of quirky customers the two wax prophetic on such diverse topics as STAR WARS, blow jobs and customer service. Basically, this is what I do for a living. Managing a video store on a day in and day out basis brings you very close to these characters, and on more than one occasion have I had to stop myself from telling a customer that I didn't appreciate her ruse, then yelling "You're not allowed to rent here anymore!" This is a great film. Sure, in parts it's a little amateurish, but this was Smith's first feature. What do you expect? Overall it's solid, well filmed and extremely well written. (And to those critics who were put off by Smith's "lock down the camera" approach, I say a good many directors are trying to be flashy and doing cool things with the camera and wind up screwing everything up. Concentrate on telling a good story and we'll be entertained. Flash is not substance. The DVD is a collector's series from Miramax, which includes audio commentary by Smith and crew, deleted scenes with introductions by Smith, an alternate ending (the EMPIRE ending. A REAL downer), trailer, and Soul Asylum Music Video. Not quite fully loaded, but rather stocked, but suffers from those damn boring menus. One can only think that Miramax could have done better. Best Line: Dante to leaving girlfriend Veronica after learning that by her definition, a blow job is not sex, and she has had administered them to 37 guys (including him). "Try not to suck any dick on your way across the parking lot!"
CLERKS - MALLRATS - CLERKS was overpraised by most critics, MALLRATS was over-bashed. So writes Smith in his Chasing Amy DVD literature. And how right he is. MALLRATS got slammed for so many things, but above all--Shannen Doherty. The film was released amid the hubbub of the whole 90210 thing, and suffered major backlash because of it.For my money, this is the funniest film in the series. It centers on Brodie and T. S. (Jason Lee and Jeremy London). When both are dumped by their respective girl friends, they retreat to the mall for more CLERKS-style exposition, including the dangers of escalators, the definition of "food court", 3D pictures, and television remakes. With help from comic God Stan Lee and Jay and Silent Bob, (Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith) the two decide to win their girlfriends back, but first they'll have to sneak past security guard LeFlors (in homage of the relentless lawman from BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID. That white straw hat was the funniest in-joke I have ever seen on film.) and get on a "Dating Game" like game show. From the opening credits to the closing, this film has more wit and humor than a hundred standard Hollywood formula comedies. More than one person has commented on the feel of MALLRATS, which hearkens back to some of the great coming of age comedies of our time, like AMERICAN GRAFFITI and ANIMAL HOUSE. Also notable as one of the first appearances of Ben Affleck. The DVD is a Universal Collector's Edition, and includes audio commentary by Smith, Affleck, Lee, Mewes, producer Scott Mosier and Vincent Pereira, over one hour of deleted scenes, live footage from the recording of the audio commentary, a featurette on the making of MALLRATS, production photos, The Goops "Build Me Up Buttercup" music video, and the theatrical trailer, topped off with fun, comic book menus. Stan Lee would be proud. Best Line: Jay to Silent Bob. "Phase one. You take a run at LeFlors with a sock full of quarters. I'd do it, but I pulled my back out humping your Mom last night. Nooch."
MALLRATS - CHASING AMY (The Criterion Collection) - Somewhere between the amateur film making of CLERKS and the slick studio production of MALLRATS lies CHASING AMY. CLERKS was the first, MALLRATS the funniest, but CHASING AMY is the best film in Smith's collection. Comic book artist Holden (Ben Affleck) falls in love with fellow artist Alyssa (Joey Loren Adams), only to find out she's gay. Things get complicated when his best friend Banky (Jason Lee) tries to persuade him not to pursue her, and he gets tripped up by his own misgivings about himself. AMY is a funny look at how perceptions alter reality, and as the tagline says, "Tells it like it feels." It's also a very thoughtful expose on relationships and the joys and dangers of falling in love. Based in part on Smith's own relationship quagmire, the film is closer to him than any of the others. You can see his passion up there on screen within the characters, each frame of film dripping with personality and charisma, as relationships problems pile up to the breaking point. But this is a Kevin Smith film, so it is also full of amusing observations about hockey, SEGA video games, gay comic books, and selling out. The DVD is lovingly presented by Criterion, who are pretty selective when it comes to picking worthy films for these collections, and includes audio commentary by Kevin Smith, Scott Mosier, Ben Affleck, Jason Mewes and more, deleted scenes, outtakes, the Trailer, The ASKEWNIVERSE Legend: a guide to the characters in "The New Jersey Trilogy", a gorgeous widescreen transfer and above all, the original theatrical artwork. I don't know why, but Disney subsidiaries like Miramax, Touchtone and Hollywood Pictures have a disturbing tendency to redesign box art for video instead of using the theatrical release artwork that adorns the movie posters. In some cases, I can see where this might make an improvement, but with Chasing Amy, the theatrical art is a beautiful, head shot of Joey Loren Adams, with Affleck, Lee, Smith and Mewes posing below. The whole image is black and white, and is quite striking. The CHASING AMY video box is Joey Loren Adams peeking out from behind what may or may not be Ben Affleck, who has his back to us. That image is set on the right, so the rest of the box is white, and boy is there a lot of white. Note to Disney: DO NOT DO THIS ANYMORE!!! IT IS STUPID!!! IT IS DEGRADING TO THE FILMMAKER!!! IT IS UGLY PACKAGING!!! AND ABOVE ALL, IT WILL NOT HELP YOU RENT OR SELL MORE VIDEOS!!! Sorry, got off on a rant there, but if nothing else, the Criterion DVD is worth buying for the theatrical artwork. Best Line: Banky and Holden listening as militant Hooper X gives a monolog on Black characters who got screwed in STAR WARS. "Check this shit. You got cracker farm boy Luke Skywalker. Nazi poster boy, blonde hair, blue eyes. And then you got Darth Vader, the blackest brother in the galaxy. Nubian God." "What's a Nubian?" "Shut the fuck up!"
CHASING AMY - DOGMA - Okay, you don't even want to go here. This DVD is worthless, worthless, worthless. The movie is in widescreen, so I can't give it an F, but please, please, please stay away from this one. If you want Dogma, you want... DOGMA (SPECIAL EDITION) - Okay, this is more like it. Now we've got a DVD worth buying. This two-disc set has it all, from cool packaging--the plastic case looks like a bible inset with gold letters, and a paper slip sleeve with INDIANA JONES-style artwork--to two audio commentaries, one featuring Smith, Mosier, Mewes, Lee, and Affleck (with video segments). The other is Smith and his technical crew. Also included is a DOGMA essay by Kevin Smith, storyboards from 3 major scenes, over 100 minutes of deleted scenes, outtakes, talent files, the theatrical trailer and more. The movie revolves around two banished angels (Matt Damon and Ben Affleck) who find a loophole that would get them back into Heaven. But if they succeed, they prove God fallible and destroy existence. In an effort to stop them, the voice of God (Alan Rickman) persuades a cynical mortal (Linda Fiorentino) to team up with the thirteenth apostle Ruffus (Chris Rock) a former muse with writers block (Salma Hayek) and two unlikely prophets: Jay and Silent Bob (Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith). The film also stars George Carlin as a Catholic Bishop with a new marketing campaign (meet Buddy Christ!), Jeanine Garaffalo, Jason Lee and Alanis Morrisette as God. Okay, is this movie funny? Yes. Is this movie in poor taste? No. Does it toe the boundaries of taste? Yes. Is it too long? Yes. (I know Smith had a lot to say in this one, and he gets most of it in. But where his other films succeeded by focusing on small relationships and characters, this one deals with the end of all existence. It's a much bigger story, and it tends to ramble just a bit.) Is it blasphemous as religious groups around the country accused it of being? That depends on your stance on religion versus spirituality. I am not a religious person, but I do believe in God, and I believe in the bible being the holy word of God. Organized religion today has twisted and perverted most of what God gave to us in the first place, and it is organized religion that Kevin Smith is poking fun at here. The angels' plan to get back into Heaven will work because of Catholic religious dogma. Ruffus' claim that he was an apostle of Christ and got left out of the bible because he was black could very well be true. How are we to know? The point of this movie is that God loves us, even when we screw up. And let's face it, we screw up a lot. It's comforting to think of God as a loving God as opposed to a fire and brimstone God. DOGMA embraces spirituality, and throws one big monkey wrench into religion at the same time. Smith himself has said he loves God, and hopes God has a sense of humor.If God made us in his own image, I'm pretty sure he had a good laugh over this movie. Best Line: Bartleby as he is thrown off a train. "Shular Bob! I'll get you for this Shular Bob!" (Trust me. You gotta watch the audio commentary track for this to make sense.)
DOGMA - CLERKS UNCENSORED - And now we come full circle with the release of the animated series CLERKS, which lasted a pathetic two episodes on ABC. Six were produced before the network axed it, (unjustly, I might add). This two disc set brings all six together for your viewing pleasure.We return to Leonardo, New Jersey and the Quick Stop convenience store and RST Video, and two our two clerks Dante and Randal (voice by original cast members Brian O'Halloran and Jeff Anderson). Jay and Silent Bob are still Jay and Silent Bob, although Jay's drug dealing seems to have put on the shelf for a while. (ABC Standards & Practices, most likely.) There's also no swearing (S&P again, I assume) But none of this should detract from your enjoyment. These are funny cartoons, full of everything we know and love about Kevin Smith films, but especially eschewing topics ranging far and wide. In these six episodes alone they poke fun at: Courtroom dramas, celebrities, Japanese animation, Korean animators, the all-in-one convince store concept, vampires and hookers, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Spike Lee, Joel Shoemaker, and Bill Clinton. There's also a plethora of movie spoofs, including OUTBREAK, THE BAD NEWS BEARS, THE LAST STARFIGHTER, INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM, SCHINDLER'S LIST, BEVERLY HILLS COP, THE FLINTSONES, DIRTY DANCING, FREAKS, THE MATRIX, ALIVE, and of course, STAR WARS. The DVD has all six episodes with audio commentary by Smith, Producers Mosier and Dave Mandel, Mewes, Anderson, and O'Halloran, a featurette on the series, the Super Bowl TV spot, the film festival trailer, DVD-ROM content, animatics, and introductions to each episode by Jay and Silent Bob.Bottom line, if you liked CLERKS, you'll like this. BUY IT. Best line: Dante to Randal. "Do you remember the days we used to sit around cursing like sailors talking about the minutia of pop culture?"Don't ever stop Kevin.
CLERKS UNCENSORED - Well, that wraps up our first Director's Series. Hope you enjoyed it. We'll leave this posted for a good while, then honor some other director's films. (Unless I do Joel Shoemaker. That guy is just asking to be torn into.) See you next time. -Shaun Send feedback to dvdreview@dvdreview.8k.com. And keep checking back this site will be updated every month or so. - Glenn
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