Advantages: - please see op -
Disadvantages: - none -

...familiar with the role, having played it in London and Tel Aviv productions. Topol, who bear-hugs the role of Tevye, carries this picture on his mighty shoulders. From his winking monologues with God (“I know we are the chosen ones, but once in a while can’t you choose somebody else?”), to his exasperated externalised dilemmas (“on the one hand... but on the other hand”), from his world weary fear of change, to his joyous dreams of plenty, Topol gives an exuberant and memorable performance, which garnered him a Best Actor nomination. Topol is effectively supported by a diverse, international cast: Rosalind Harris, Michele Marsh, and Neva Small play Tevye's three marriage-age daughters, and the late Norma Crane is his wife. Leonard Frey brought his interpretation of the lovestruck-but-timid Motel from Broadway to the screen. The venerable... Read review

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Advantages: Superb acting; low key realism; Lack of prejudice
Disadvantages: None (unless you hate reading subtitles)

...Every now and then a movie will sneak up and catch you by surprise. So it was for me with Paradise Now, a film I knew nothing about, other than a website blurb about two potential suicide bombers. Co-written and directed by Hany Abu-Assad this is a story set within the West bank in Palestine, with two friends, Said and Khaled, being offered their chance of martyrdom (hence 'Paradise Now') by carrying out a suicide mission in Tel Aviv. Both the men react to the invitation with a mixture of relief, confusion and elation, though it is Khaled who seems the happiest to grab the chance. Said is more thoughtful, altogether darker, about the whole affair. But they are both ready, and then readied after a blackly comic filming of their martyr speeches, as they have their hair shaved short, and bears shaved off, to make them look more... Read review

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Advantages: underrated, hilarious and deeply moving
Disadvantages: too raunchy for some

...it was written. It's a shame that Boaz Davidson had to go through a low-budget film company, though this film is admittedly non-Hollywood by any standards. A native of Tel Aviv, Davidson actually fashioned this film as an American remake of his own film ESKIMO LIMON (aka LEMON POPSICKLE). From what I've read, they are the same story aside from two major differences: the original was in Israeli and also set in the 1960s, not the 1980s. Davidson obviously took on a difficult challenge and that was mixing raunchy humor with spot-on realism, and my hat is off for him for succeeding in where no other writer would dare tread, mainly because it would turn off the audience---or so they think. Now, I did read one story when this film debuted in a drive-in in Canada, there were laughs and cheers all through the first half, but by the film was over... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Mindless fun
Disadvantages: Poor story, indifferent acting, poor characters

.... The story has been written by Jim Kouf, Oren Aviv and Charlie Segars and is brought to life by the direction of Jon Turtletaub (Instinct, Cool Runnings) and the production of Jerry Bruckheimer (King Arthur, Bad Boys II). ** Storyline ** Ben Gates was captivated at an early age by his Grandfathers tale of a mystical treasure hidden forever by the founding fathers of the country. The tale went that the treasure had been built up over many hundreds of years and moved around the world by its different owners until one day it was found and brought to America. Fearful of the effects of the greed such a treasure would generate among people the Founding Fathers secretly hid the treasure leaving only a few discrete clues as to its location. Most people lived in blissful ignorance even of these clues that surrounded them in their everyday life... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Great action, brilliant fun performances, Imaginitive
Disadvantages: Slightly predictable, annoying DVD menu system

...Nicolas Cage, who happens to be one of my favourite actors, and you have a very good film. What is also nice is that even though it has a PG certificate it has something for the much older audience. The DVD package is quite a mixed bag as although it has some quite good bonus features, the annoying navigation system is a huge negative for me. Plus the fact that there is no audio commentary is also a major disappointment. ►►► Price & Availability Amazon.co.uk: £5.97 ►►► Technical Details Certificate: PG Duration: 126 mins Year of Release: 2004 Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Thriller DVD Release: 2005 Subtitles: English Audio: English, Dutch Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 Region: 2 Director(s): Jon Turtletaub Writer(s): Jim Kouf, Oren Aviv Cast: Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Justin... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Action packed adventure
Disadvantages: Far fetched story, inplausible clue cracking

...Everyone dreams of finding treasure some time in their life; the anticipation, the adventure, notoriety and boundless wealth. This common dream has inspired films for centuries including Treasure Island, Tomb Raider, Indiana Jones, to name but a few. National Treasure, released in the UK in December 2004, is the latest to hit the big screen. National Treasure is set for the main in modern-day Washington DC. The script was put together by no less than nine witers.including Jim Kouf, Oren Aviv and Cormac & Marianne Wibberley. Of course, there has to be a somewhat feasible story behind the existence of the treasure. The main character, Benjamin Franklin Gates played by Nicholas Cage, is the great grandson of a coachman to one of the Founding Fathers. He discovers the existence of a treasure. The treasure is the fabled ancient... Read review

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Advantages: Good escapism, quite action packed, one for conspiracy theorists!
Disadvantages: Very American!, story is pretty far stretched and confusing (though still quite enjoyable)

...) Director - Jon Turteltaub Writers - Mariannae and Cormac Wibberley, Gregory Poirier, Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio Producers - Jerry Bruckheimer and Jon Turteltaub Associate Producer - Pat Sandston Executive Producers - Oren Aviv, Chad Oman, Charles Segars, Mike Stenson, Barry H. Waldman Line Producers - John Bernard (line producer: Paris), Selwyn Roberts (line producer: London) Cinematography - Amir M. Mokri and John Schwartzman - Story (incl. main acting cast) - National Treasure Book of Secrets starts with Ben Gates (played by Nicolas Cage) giving a story at a lecture, about an old relative back in the 1800s who he claims gave his life to deter some from attempting to reignite the American Civil War and go against President Lincoln (from what I remember, roughly!). However, someone approaches him with what he believes is a piece... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: see review
Disadvantages: see review

...to one child who died at birth, she was forbidden from having another, yet a mistake in the operation left her fertile and now both herself and her Husband John Brennick(Christopher Lambert) are attempting to cross the border into Mexico so that she can give birth to the child she is now expecting and live freely. However, they are caught trying to fool the scanners at the border and whilst she escapes, John is caught and sentenced to 27 years imprisonment at a huge prison installation owned by Men-Tel known as The Fortress. The prison is like an enormous skyscraper but with the levels extending underground and escape is said to be impossible. The prison officers can see all, even your dreams through advanced surveillance technology and any thoughts of rebellion, conscious or subconscious are visciously dealt with. Each prisoner... Read review

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Disadvantages: see review

...on the run from the Men-Tel corporation after his escape from their ‘inescapable’ mega-prison The Fortress some years before(see my earlier review of Fortress). He is of course recaptured early on in scenes reminiscent of something out of McGuyver or The A-Team and sent to Men-Tel’s newer, far more ‘advanced’ prison(although the poor use of special effects make it look far less advanced than that seen in Fortess). He immediately starts plotting escape but this new prison turns out to be a huge power generation plant which orbits the Earth with prisoners being set to work as cheap labour, and the only way off being through the occassional shuttle which docks with them to deliver supplies. Once more we have the obligatory big boss man, who lives a life of luxury in oppulent surroundings, dining on the finest of foods... Read review

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Advantages: Fun shoot em up
Disadvantages: A Mess!

...Leone inspired title. Depp gets a to be naughty here and kill anyone who annoys him with great relish!. But you can tel l he, like Hayak, has been whisked in to do their bits pretty sharpish. Mickey Rourke on the other hand was very creaky after his short lived boxing career and rather longer drug battle. # # # # # # # # # # # # # # DVD EXTRAS # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # “A Robert Rodriguez Film”, punching you in the face in the credits, will give you a clue to what the add-ons are about. This is Robs film from start to finish and he wants to tell you how cool it is to hang with you guys!. Every detail is explored in how to edit and cut a movie from your own home and why the collegiate looking director thinks his way is best. Of course it’s not as the movie is a right muddle and the drastic cut... Read review

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