My friend lent me this film and to be honest I was not really interested or excited about seeing it. I only put it on because boredom had took over me so I was not expecting to see a good film!!

The film starts off with lots of characters shouting and arguing, also I am not used to watching films with subtitles so to say I was slightly confused would be an understatement!! 15 minutes in and I was hooked, I wont give anything away but the film focuses on a selection of inmates and their life in Carandiru prison. It also has sub stories on how they became to be inmates. Some amusing, shocking and interesting moments throughout the film will have the viewer completely tuned in to the way of life these inmates had. This is a true story about the massacre of inmates at the prison when police dealt with a riot. It is an amazing film and the ending is brilliant. I have watched it 4 times with different people and they too agree it was excellent. If you like prison movies and don't mind reading subtitles this film is for you. In my opinion its almost as good as shawshank redemption (my favorite film) and better than midnight express. This is only my opinion and I am sure people will argue otherwise but from me this film gets an 8 out of 10.


The movie turned out to be really good. I went to the special screening last Wednesday at the Magnolia. The movie was... different, not at all what I expected. There was hardly any background music; the mood was set directly from the scenes and the characters. It's going to be released late spring, so I do not want to give too much of it away. :) It was a horrific story, a true story. At times I wanted (and did) scream out. Other times the theater was filled with a nervous laughter, followed by gasps. The movie made you feel sentimental towards the characters, showing glimpses of whom they were, inside and out the Center, but at the same time making you despise them for the terrible crimes that they had committed and showed no remorse for.

Afterwards the director was there. He had flown in all the way from Brazil. When asked what his intended message of the movie was, he said "Message!? If I wanted to send I message I would go to the Post Office!" Also he stated that the destruction of the detention center, Carandiru, was an important step in their government. The place wasn't even a prison. I was a holding place for criminals before they even had a sentence. The place was only destroyed about a year ago. He just wanted to share it with others; I implied that it was for everyone to learn from instead of actually having to live it themselves. All in all it was a much enjoyable evening. 9/10


Carandiru is a horrible prison which is something like 50% over capacity. So the prisoners are squeezed in like sardines. It's a different type of prison movie to a typical American prison movie, as Brazilian prisoners don't tolerate rape. Rapists are in a wing of the prison that would I think be referred to as administrative segregation in a US penitentiary, along with serial killers and informants. They are in the awful situation of never having any sunlight, they live in very dark cells, perhaps 7 to a cell that is not much more than 10x20 feet. If they were to go out to the prison yard, they would be murdered.

The men running the prison from the prisoners side are career criminals, they're not serial killer lunatics or male rapists. That doesn't mean to say that everything they do is nice but it's not an insane asylum. There are guards on the walls with automatic rifles to stop people getting out, and a governor who will walk around inside, as well as a prison doctor, but these inmates are basically in charge.

The film is played for a lot of magic realism, it's mostly a recounting of the experiences of the prison doctor. You get very surreal images like the doctor leaving late at night, walking down spottily lit corridors, he looks through the spyhole of one cell and there are seven men each watching a different TV with a different TV channel. There is also a man who makes strange patchwork Montgolfier style balloons that he tries to send out of the prison walls, which are always too high, there's a very surreal shot of one of these balloons rising and then slowly bursting into flames.

Generally the relationship between the prison officials and the prisoners is relaxed, the prisoners get a lot of privileges for behaving, they can have televisions if they pay for them, they can have long term sexual relationships, they also have a visitors day where families will come in with picnics, and they sit and eat them in the courtyard, or go off to specially prepared cells for conjugal visitations. The prisoners have also decorated the prison, often with text, for example scripture, but also with many beautiful graffiti. It's like a purgatory, a beautiful horrifying lost world.

The movie was made to memorialise the inhuman reprisals from the authorities following a prison riot. I think it does the job well. This is a great movie, and Hector Babenco is a great artist. Next stop if you haven't already seen it yet should be Babenco's "Ironweed".


I saw Carandiru after seeing Takeshi Kitanos "Zatoichi" at the Toronto Film

Festival. Let me tell you, my day was full of carnage but it's OK because both movies were very good. The director was there as well as an actor or two if I remember correctly, they spoke about the film with true passion which added to the essence of the final product. It opend my eyes to an event that I never knew of. Highness was a great charater, Graca was my favorite, he should learn

english and get into the indie scene in North America. Good film 7\10.


Sociopolitical context: This movie is perfect if you want to understand why the PCC (Primeiro Commando da Capital) was founded after the Carandiru Massacre of '92. The PCC is a state recognized terrorist group which coordinates massive and simultaneous prison riots throughout the state of Sao Paulo. About 2-3 years ago, it staged a major riot that took to the streets of Sao Paulo and couldn't be quelled for days.

Moreover, many people have considered this movie to be biased. In a sense, that is very true because it is told by the doctor who treated the inmates and thus forged friendships with the criminals. Moreover, the military police officers who raided the prison have never come forward to give their accounts of the events.

This movie is set in the late 80s, at the outbreak of the AIDS pandemic and culminates with the infamous massacre. The movie surveys the lives of several inmates, in the style of "mockumentary." This is used primarily to humanize the criminals and to give them a voice, as well as a sense of humanity. Regardless of what society thinks of criminals (or "marginais"), this film made sure that every inmate had a name, a story and a sense of honor. (However warped we think they may be.) Many will call this part slow because it is: it's not designed to progress the plot, it's merely there to make you feel the humanity of these prisoners. In my opinion, although slow, it was still fun to watch. Classic moment: showdown of Majestade's "honeys."

The effect of the "slow" hours of the movie finally deliver a very traumatic and powerful result: when the military police stormed the prison towards the end, it is trying not to feel genuine shock and horror. I was seriously disturbed; although quelled, the MP invaded the prison anyway and opened fire at inmates that had massively surrendered their weapons. The blood pool and collection of holed-up corpses along the corridors sent shivers up my spine. 111 inmates murdered by the MP without weapons. Based on Dr. Drauzio Varella's accounts, there was no legally justifiable or excusable reason for opening fire upon 111 inmates. The humiliation that followed was likewise painful to watch.

I enjoyed this movie because it poised many questions: which punishment should fit which crime? Is humiliation and slaughter appropriate only when you wear a badge? Who is the bigger criminal? Brazil - for all its faults - is still my home and I love my country. I was taught to believe that crime is commonplace and part of living in such a beautiful and warm land. However, as a law-abiding citizen, how much brutality do I tolerate in my name? And on a side note, a mundane curiosity overcame me: how come they get to walk around freely around the prison? How is it that Lady Di has a very cute and well-decorated room? How and why do they get hot plates, TVs & radio? If this is true, it really does crack me up and stirs a myriad of emotions in me towards the Brazilian justice system!

Lastly, if you're not about any of the political stuff, at least watch it for Rodrigo Santoro's performance. He is AWESOME in drag!


Prisons are a sign of the failure of our society. Society fails in that it is unable to prevent the original crime; and then again, in locking up those criminals in a world of squalor, drug abuse, and violence, ruled, in effect, by the criminal hierarchy whose delicate co-operation with the authorities is necessary to maintain any semblance of order. 'Carandiru', based on the memoirs of a prison doctor in Brazil, is a fairly conventional prison movie, telling us the criminals' stories (as told to their medic) of life both outside and inside the bars; but it's still an absorbing tale, with moments of humanity flashing through the holes in a very grim backdrop: the ending feels like overkill until you learn the sobering statistics of the real event on which it was based. Of course, the poverty of Brazil undoubtedly contributed to the terrible nature of the (now demolished) Carandiru; but this week the British government triumphantly announced its plan to build four new mega-prisons, another story it's hard to see ending well.


I still fail to understand why "Carandiru" was ignored by inane Cannes film festival 2003 jury.Hector Babenco is a great filmmaker and I have still not seen "Pixote".This film provided me a great opportunity to comprehend his style.To my mind it is simply brilliant.When I saw this masterpiece at a cinema housing 1500 people,trust me when I say that I was not alone appreciating its greatness.There was absolute silence and the remaining 1499 people were glued to the movie screen. The best utility of this film is that it tells us that every human life is useful.It is the circumstance which forces people to lead a life of crime. From a sociological point,Carandiru is a film with purpose as it has shown how both White and Black people live in Brazil.Some of the scenes are incredible and the depiction of the prison is truly masterful.I was lucky enough to have met Gero Camilo who had a good role in this film.Even the performance by pop star Rita Cadillac is astounding.This film is a must see treat for every sensible film-goer. For those who think that Frank Darabont with "Shawshank Redemption" has mastered the art of filming prisons,watch out "Carandiru" will teach you a thing or two about the portrayal of prisons in films.


I got this off Ebay for $9 including shipping for the 2-disc version. For that price this movie was a steal, I can't complain at all.

I am a fan of the HBO series OZ, and seeing some comments on here comparing the two really had me excited to see this. It didn't disapoint, but it didn't leave me begging for more. It was a good movie, but not something I was jumping for joy over.

I think a good attempt was made at giving as much background on the characters as possible, to try to make the audience realize where each person was coming from. You see this in OZ also, as they have flashbacks to life outside of prison leading up to their time in lockdown. The problem is OZ had 6 seasons, each having 8 hours of footage. What I realized over time (and they express this in Carandiru) is prison changes a person, so a lot of the real "character build up" per say actually comes from their life in prison more than their life outside. There wasn't enough time in this film to learn about everyone to really appreciate what some of them were going through. The character oldman for example didn't have enough history behind him to effect me. There were good characters and if given the same amount of time as OZ to build, would be just as powerful. I sit here as I type this and wish there was a series to be honest.

The film was well done, and in some ways I enjoyed it more than one of Hector's other films Pixote. I have suggest some friends watch this, but I can't put it in the same category as an Oldboy, Bus 174 or City of God for example. It's just a bit short.


"Carandiru" is Hector ("Kiss of the Spider Woman") Babenco's sweeping epic about life inside the notorious Brazilian prison of the same name, which was demolished in 2002 following a brutal riot during which 111 prisoners were killed (execution style, supposedly) and not one cop or guard was killed.

The film is based on a book called "Carandiru Station", written by Babenco's former doctor, who was the official prison doctor for several years. Babenco, who has made other films about Latin American prison life ("Pixote", "Kiss of the Spider Woman") was intrigued and decided to film it.

The whole thing is told from the point of view of the doctor, who spends a great deal of his time trying to educate the prison population about the spread of AIDS which many catch through homosexual sex and dope needles. The bulk of the film involves prisoners coming to see him and telling him (us) the story of how they wound up behind bars. Most of the stories are sad and tragic but not without humor and compassion.

The prison itself is not at all like what we in America associate with a prison. Carandiru is more like a super scummy apartment complex. The prisoners come and go with a shocking amount of freedom. The whole thing is basically run by the prisoners. The cells look almost like apartments. On visiting day women and kids wander freely in and around the cells and halls. Very strange.

The last third of the film is a re-creation of the horrific riot which claimed the lives of so many prisoners.

The film is similar in many ways to "City of God" in that its basically an extended Brazilian crime saga. But where "City of God" is nihilistic and adrenaline-pumped, "Carandiru" is compassionate and humanistic. Make no mistake, this is a brutal, brutal film. But Babenco really strives to turn the prisoners into characters the audience can understand and even empathize with. None of them are scary, blank-faced killers like Lil Ze in "City of God". The violence that happens happens for a very tangible reason, often leaving a tragic feel. The prisoners seem very trapped in lives filled with disease and drugs and vendettas.

A sad film, but also one with a great deal of humor. Prisoners like Highness, who is eternally juggling two women at the same time (even while in prison!). And Dagger, a brutal killer who is suddenly paralyzed by guilt over his actions. The images of him wandering, wraith-like, through the yard are haunting.

A superb film. Highly recommended


This film opened in this country recently, right after another prison massacre in Brazil, where inmates were killed after they rioted.

Hector Babenco's film is a sad commentary on society's failure to turn these criminals in jail, into law abiding citizens. If anything, this film could be a vivid reminder to law breaking people about what they can expect when they have to pay their debt and must serve time under conditions such as the one we see in Carandiru prison.

Add to that the horrible conditions of jails in certain parts of the world. Any would be criminal should think twice about the consequence of their actions. Landing in a penal institution is a hellish experience, at best. How can lawmakers of the world think that a criminal mind will be changed by sending them to places such as Carandiru? If anything, placing these criminals with other criminals in such conditions will perpetuate crime and if the prisoner survives the term, he will be scarred for life.

Not having read the book in which this film is based, it is only fair to say that Mr. Babenco, an excellent director, has given us a realistic film about what hell must be like.


On October 2, 1992, a riot broke out at the Sao Paolo House of Detention in Carandiru, Brazil. By the end of that day, 111 prisoners lay dead, the victims of the riot police who stormed the facility and brutally massacred them - even after they'd surrendered their weapons.

Perhaps the most striking aspect about Carandiru is that it doesn't hit us over the head with its subject matter - at least not initially, that is. For roughly the first two-thirds of its nearly two-and-a-half-hour running time, the film focuses on the lives and struggles of the prisoners, as seen through the eyes of the compassionate doctor whose book on the subject served as the basis for the film. Without passing moral judgment, Dr. Drauzio Varella, who has been sent there mainly to help stem the spread of AIDS in the facility,

listens sympathetically to the stories the men tell regarding the crimes they committed (mainly murder) which led to their incarceration (these we see acted out in numerous flashback sequences). Although the prison is tremendously overcrowded and drug use and disease run rampant through the corridors, the conditions don't appear to be quite as harsh or hellish as we might have expected them to be before seeing the movie. For one thing, the men seem to be treated rather decently by the guards - who seem to exist in surprisingly small numbers, actually - and the prisoners appear to have more freedom to walk around and interact with one another than we are used to seeing in American prisons (or, at least, in movies about American prisons). In fact, so much time is spent exploring the relationship problems between the men in their prisons and their loved ones on the outside that Carandiru often feels more like a "novela" set behind bars than a gritty depiction of life in a human hellhole.

But all that changes in the last half hour of the film after the riot has begun and we see the prisoners gunned down in cold blood, many of them while cowering in their cells. It is a brutal and terrifying display of raw, inhuman savagery, one that far surpasses anything we have seen perpetrated by the prisoners themselves. However, writer/director Hector Babenco (along with co-authors Fernando Bonassi and Victor Navas) does not attempt to sanctify or glorify the convicts either, for much of what they do to their fellow human beings is not too many moral steps removed from what the riot squad members eventually do to them. Although the filmmakers' sympathies clearly lie with the prisoners, who are at least presented to us as flawed, three-dimensional human beings, he is not afraid to show the evil side of these men when he needs to as well. The acts of violence that the prisoners perpetrate on their victims and each other are conveyed by the filmmaker with a dispassionate efficiency and awe-inspiring swiftness that are indeed chilling.

As a drama, Carandiru could have benefited from a bit of tightening in its earlier stretches, for the film feels a trifle unfocused and meandering at times. Still, by concentrating so intently on the everyday minutiae of these men's lives in prison, Babenco certainly helps the characters to become more real for the viewer, thereby intensifying the sense of loss when the tragedy occurs.

Blessed with a large and gifted cast, Carandiru offers a long, sometimes touching, sometimes painful look into a world and an event that would otherwise have remained hidden from the eyes of the world.


With Hollywood's usual sugar-coated approach to everything, including prison life, it's nice to see how independent filmmakers in some of the most impoverished societies of the world handle the subject. This is not the first time Brazil has been the subject of international attention. From their numerous wins at the world cup to being the place a once-good hardcore band called Sepultura started, it is probably the most well-known country in South America.

Those who are familiar with Sepultura's music will know the name Carandiru already. Although I forget the name of the song, the prison was covered in a song detailing the brutal murders of prisoners. Some things implied in the song are flatly contradicted here, but I will deal with that later. Where Carandiru, the film, succeeds while Sepultura's song failed, is that the film gives the prisoners a very rational, human face. They're not portrayed as angels, but neither are they portrayed as devil incarnates. They are given enough humanity to matter, and that is literally everything in this type of film.

It is also interesting to get a listen to some of the other musicians of Brazil in some of the soundtrack. I forget the name of the band (Ratos Du Parao or something like that), but their song Crucificados Pelo Sistema can be heard very prominently during one memorable scene. As you get to learn more about the criminals, both major and minor, the title seems exceptionally appropriate. In fact, a wide variety of music that is appropriate to the setting is presented here, as opposed to the one-note selections presented in many American films set in prison.

There has been criticism levelled at the film, along the lines of being too long and distended. That is true to some extent. Such scenes as the pop singer's visit to the prison should definitely have been left on the cutting room floor. The statements of the prisoners about the massacre were also unnecessary, as they build a sometimes false impression of who lived or died, and prematurely at that. It has also been said that the film lacks focus, with many prisoners getting a little detail, while others get none at all. Personally, I prefer it this way. Following a singular hero around is getting tired, especially when there is such a wide, diverse mix here.

It has also been said that the film builds a false, overly negative portrait of life in Brazil. I can see shades for and against that. As I mentioned before, Sepultura are a famous example of the music scene in Brazil, mixing elements of Napalm-Death style with Biafra-like punk. It is only in a nation so disrespectful of human rights and truth that a band that screams about injustice or abuses would have to leave. But at the same time, Brazil has a culture all its own, which most certainly should not be replaced by Americanism.

The aforementioned-song has it that the inmates in Carandiru were annihilated in what was described as a "holocaust method". The film has it that in a prison housing some 7500 inmates (it was intended to house 4000, apparently), 110 or so were killed. Either way, the prison was eventually closed and torn down. And Americans think their prisons are brutal!

In all, I gave Carandiru a seven out of ten. It is far from perfect, but as a change from the staid formula of Hollywood, it is just what the doctor ordered. Give it a squiz, if only for the cultural expansion.


All of Carandiru is in Spanish so if you have the DVD copy you'll need to turn the subtitles on. It doesn't necessarily start very well but gets better into the movie. The slow movement of it gets the better of this film too. Being able to tell the story in good detail.

This is about a laid back Spanish prison holding more than 7,000 convicts. During visits to the prison doctor the unique inmates tell their own story of what happened to them. After a series of events after the tales and a pair of wet underpants it shows their version of what happened during one of the deadliest prison riots in history killing 111 prisoners.

Its dark, mind boggling and have you wondering the true meaning of it or what happened to these people. If your looking for a prison flick with constant violence between the inmates then don't come to this. Recommended for anyone in need of something intelligent and well told. 7/10


A friend of mine is currently attending grad school at Northern Illinois and was fortunate enough to receive passes to a "test screening" of this film. Knowing absolutely nothing about the film going in I had low expectations, more or less thinking I was about to sit through a student film. The misgivings continued through the credits when I saw a cast of names that, although recognizable, hardly signal quality in a motion picture. I was pleased to find, however, a true diamond in the rough; a decent tongue-in-cheek thriller that left everyone in the audience entertained throughout the entire film.

Basically, Judd's character is a rich hermit who insists on living a self-fulfilling prophesy of going insane, a notion that has been ingrained in him ever since his father flipped out and slaughtered his mother. Wrapped up in his own personal demons, he invites Vincent Spano along for the ride and asks him to investigate the motives of his trophy wife, Jennifer O'Dell, who he think is an ill-intentioned vamp trying to drive him insane and rob him blind. Drama and confrontation unfolds in a fairly simple fashion, but the result is a solid effort that is both tense and occasionally funny. While I would hardly call the movie a shocker, there are enough unexpected twists to keep you engrossed.

Since this was a test screening, the sound was still a little rough and the time code had yet to be removed, both of which proved to be a bit distracting. But all of the performances stood out, particularly Judd Nelson, who makes us completely forget about The Breakfast Club while reminding us that he can still act. Given that director lives in Michigan, the only member of the crew in attendance to talk about the film was the production manager, who acted more like an MC than a member of the crew. He suggested the crew was made up of a bunch of young first-timers, which I don't doubt given some of the experience listed on this page. After hearing that, I became more impressed with the end result and would gladly watch it again once the final product is released. The PM also said they were still searching for a distribution deal, so I would like to wish Mr. Zambeck best of luck in his endeavors and would strongly recommend checking this out once it becomes available.


"Nevermore" is the brainchild of Thomas Zambeck, a man who has worked in various capacities for the film industry all of his adult life, including employment with the biggest distributor of films today (which shall remain nameless). This is the story of John Usher (Judd Nelson), an ex-CEO who believes his wife (Jennifer O'Dell) is trying to drive him insane. To catch her in the act, he invites an old friend to watch over the house and keep an eye on his wife. But then john begins to suspect that his friend, Devin Blayliss (Vincent Spano), cannot be trusted either.

Zambeck has crafted his film as a combination of Edgar Allen Poe (note the use of "Usher" and the title) and 1940s films such as "Gaslight". His goal is to bring back real' suspense to the thriller, and I think we can say that he has succeeded in this respect. The plot unravels slowly -- but not too slowly -- and relies almost exclusively on dialogue to carry the film. Relying on dialogue can kill a film if you have an attention-deficit audience or poor scripting. While the former is unavoidable, the latter is not a problem here -- the dialogue is superb, through and through.

What shines is the way the conversations not only carry the plot forward, but stories that seem to be "subplots" are in many ways integral. Devin's explanation that an artist must play God with his audience turns out to be crucial, and even the sheriff's unusual gerbil story has a deeper significance when one opens their mind to the possibilities. (If the sheriff has any "stand-out" scene, it is the gerbil scene, and is worth watching twice.) The one technical problem I ran across was poor sound quality on occasion (lack of a proper sound stage caused echoes), but there was never a moment you couldn't hear the actors, so unless you're picky, you shouldn't have a problem with this. (Keep in mind our friend Rolfe Kanefsky had "Nightmare Man" in theaters and distributed on DVD everywhere, and his quality isn't particularly stunning.) Regardless of sound, the video quality was great (this is no mere indie film), the directing and cinematography is skilled (not innovative, but at certainly experienced and knowledgeable), and the acting is flawless.

And why shouldn't the acting be flawless? We're talking about Judd Nelson! "The Breakfast Club"? Or, perhaps horror fans have see "Cabin by the Lake" and its abysmal sequel? Nelson is the sort of actor you want in your film -- he brings the wit, animation and charm of Charlie Sheen without the unnecessary flash. (Had Sheen been in this picture, for example, I don't know if I would have remembered the character's name, or simply have referred to him as "Charlie Sheen".) I don't want to see Nelson become stretched too thin, but seeing him in more horror/thriller titles wouldn't bother me in the slightest.

At this time, "Nevermore" is not available to the general audience. But I want suspense fans to remember the name, because Zambeck brings classic suspense out of the attic, polishes it up, and displays it for the next generation. We've become accustomed to in your face action and excitement, but if done properly, slowing it down is a nice change of pace. And Zambeck does it properly. Keep your eyes open for "Nevermore".


"i received "nevermore" on tuesday January 20 and decided to wait until Friday night to watch it and it was a very long wait but so worth it. i've never reviewed a movie before, but i just wanted to try and share my feelings with all of you. it's a movie you really have to experience.

i love scary, suspense and creepy movies, and i have to say "nevermore" did not disappoint. from the very first scene, i was hooked. it was suspense at it's best. not being partial, but judd was truly jonathan and fantastic and there is nobody else who could have played that role. it was so great to finally see him in a movie where he got more than 5 or 10 minutes. he carried the film beautifully. i also love his wicked sense of humor throughout. this was one of those cat & mouse thrillers, and it was hard to trust anyone. i will not give anything away, but the ending was shocking. i think that tom zambeck did a fantastic job, and i can't wait to see what other things he has in the works. i really enjoyed all of the acting, but outside of judd, i'd have to say that sidi henderson was fantastic as the sheriff. the one thing i hope is that people take the time to get this DVD and give it a chance. i wish that judd would get some kind of award for playing this tormented character but of course he won't. also, i forgot to mention that the music fit each scene, and i really wish there was a soundtrack. i also loved the creepiness of the house and how the scenes were mostly done in the dark. it gave it a very gloomy feel. the special features were also great, and hats off to the whole crew who did such a great job. i'm so happy to finally have this movie, and i'm going to watch it again tonight. i've also ordered a second copy just in case i wear this one out. also a little side note, judd looked adorable with his crazy hair & beard. i was in seventh heaven actually getting to see such close-ups of this amazing man. thanks again tom zambeck for a truly riveting movie!


Jonathan Usher (Judd Nelson) asks his college buddy (friend of 20 years, hasn't seen him in a decade) Devin Bayliss (Vincent Spano) to stay with him for two weeks. Devin discovers that he has to spy and get information from Jon's stunning wife, Lydia (Jennifer O'Dell, who bears striking resemblance to a young Rebecca De Mornay). Jon believes that Lydia is trying to make him go crazy so he'll be committed and then she will inherit his money.

This film was very well written, directed and produced by Thomas Zambeck. I think it's a decent piece of work. It's got an interesting and original story. At times it's boring and some scenes drag on for far too long, but it has it's moments. Some scenes should have been cut down or omitted completely.

The acting, considering the main players are unknowns, is very well done. That shows a good talent in the area of directing. There's a twist, sorta, for people who can't catch early on that it's a ploy done by Devin and Lydia. I predicted early that it was them working together and having an affair. That's not to take away from the entertaining film it is.

I did enjoy the movie. I felt it did drag on a bit, but it was still entertaining. It had a very interesting opening. I liked the special effect where it was signifying a flashback using black and white, but it showed color in Judd's wardrobe. It reminded me of "Sin City".

For the most part, Jennifer's good look and character's seductive advances, is the reason I stayed interested. Lydia's attractiveness is very important. I can't have sympathy and care for a character in danger of being killed off if they aren't good looking (or if they aren't good looking, their personality has to be good). Since Lydia was good looking, I was able to care for her character when she became in danger of being killed by Jon. Ironically, I found myself caring more about the well-being of Lydia and Devin -- the antagonists of the film.

It's not a perfect film, but in it's defense, very few are. It must have had a low budget, which is the only guess I have as to why no big names were starring. The good things about the film is the overuse of the robe on Judd's character and the claustrophobic atmosphere of being in the house 90% of the film. Not to mention, Judd's hairstyle creates an intimidating look of "insane." I strongly think that if any of the actors in this tried to go for something bigger, they could become a top actor of modern cinema in very little time. I also think that Thomas' work on this is something that shows a lot of potential and talent. Over the next decade, I'm sure we'll see much more of him in the big blockbusters to come.


Kagome, a modern girl from Tokyo, accidentally finds a portal which leads her to the medieval Japan where she meets the half-demon Inuyasha. She decides to help him find a magic crystal and fight the evil demon Naraku...

"Inuyasha" is an anime I was 95 % sure it wouldn't work, but it did. With it's virtuous mix of romance, comedy, action, adventure, fantasy and horror (causing some of it's episodes to be censored in some countries) this is simply a great show that sucked me in. Although it's too long (the only major flaw, since the 160 episodes watered down the story) and has some weak episodes, "Inuyasha" is nothing short of brilliant, and it seems it's characters will never become boring: from Miroku, who is always touching woman's butts and asking them if they will have a baby with him up to Kagome who is trying to maintain her good grades in school while fighting in medieval Japan. This is what "Dragonball" should have been, but wasn't. Also, some sequences stand out:

1) Sesshomaru, the bad guy, was exhausted in the woods. Rin, a little orphan girl, saw him and wanted to help him. She went to her village to get him some food but the cruel villager's beat her up. She still managed to get Sesshmoaru some food but he declined. Yet he asked her where she got those bruises and she was happy he noticed her effort. Later on Rin was killed in the forest and Sesshomaru accidentally found her dead body. After a little thinking he took his magic sword and, despite being evil, brought her back to life.

2) In the episode with those demon bats who terrorized a village a young mother gave birth to a half-demon bat girl, Shiori. Shiori was molested by "normal", human kids, who kicked her. Before she entered her house she wiped away her tears and pretended to be happy so that her mother wouldn't notice she couldn't fit in.

3) When Kagome finds out Inuyasha is alive she runs towards him, passing by Kouga, all the while her tears are falling on his sad face.

These situations seem strange because they look as if taken from real life. After these very emotional and powerful moments one might ask himself if the "Inuyasha" authors are not making this for commercial sake but for real, for a deeper statement and inter sociological and racial messages.

Grade: 9/10


Oh man! This series has to be the worst possible anime I've ever seen in a while.

It started out new, exciting and fresh. And I really liked it then. Kagome was a good female role model for the show. And Inu-Yasha was funny and hot-headed.

Then, it just kept falling more and more downhill as the series progressed... and I'll tell y'all the reasons why. (Warning: SPOILER ALERT!!)

Okay, they basically destroy Inu-Yasha's relationship with Kagome early on, by reviving his 50 year old dead girlfriend, who's drippy, sappy, and a total waste of time.

They introduce a pervert named Miroku, who's supposed to be a sort of religious figure for the show. (Which really bugged me,'cause it was out of place and stupid.) Then, they introduce a demon slayer named Sango, whose only purpose in life is to try (and fail) to save her brainwashed brother.

The big bad of the show, Naraku, while starting out as a really good bad guy, lost his touch after a while. (He got pretty old pretty fast. And it bothered me that he was the only baddie in the show who did anything.)

The characters all became wooden, and unemotional. And then, the ending of this terrible series was a disappointment to any anime fan out there. Nothing happened. Naraku never got killed or defeated. Kagome and Inu-Yasha never fully fell in love ('cause he was still all in love with his 50 year old dead chick.) Plot holes were left open. The animation got worse and worse as the series progressed. And nothing changed in the plot. (I mean,they dragged it out to over 150 episodes, and nothing changed in the plot... at all.) And they expected me (as well as other fans of the show) to be satisfied?? I was disenchanted, disgusted, and annoyed as crap. I at least had high hopes that there'd be a good ending to the series. Instead, all I got was a dragged out commercial for the manga.

Seriously, if you wanna see a good anime about swords and stuff like that, I strongly recommend "Rurouni Kenshin". That show progresses and goes somewhere, plus it has really good animation too.

But stay far away from this bland excuse for anime, as best as you can.


Let me state this right from the start. I do NOT hate this show. I actually quite like some aspects of it. In fact, when i first started to watch it, I quickly became hooked. I was just starting to come out of the whole "anime is for kids" stereotype, and the mature elements of the show had me intrigued.

Unfortunately, after seeing the whole series through and a few of the films, I can say that my overall disposition has changed, and it falls into almost all of the pitfalls that plague "bad" anime. Seven or eight friends and myself started watching this series on TV. By the end, only one friend and I were still watching and neither of us liked it.

Allow me to explain the plot for you. You can skip this paragraph if you don't want to know. Kagome is an average high school student, who one day falls into a magical well near her family run shrine. When kagome comes out of the well again, she has been transported back in time to the feudal era of japan. She meets up with many other characters and they form a group of five or so companions who set off on a journey of revenge/justice/groping in one characters case =). Overall, they are trying to recover the pieces of the sacred jewel shard which enhances the power of demons who use it.

While there are many, MANY side stories and story arcs, there is no were near enough material to occupy 167 episodes. The only story arc that is interesting enough to watch is still sort of dull (the band of seven). After the half way mark in the series or maybe even before, it becomes painfully obvious that the plot is frozen in place and whoever made the series decided instead to put in dozens and dozens of filler episodes.

These episodes have little to no impact on the story, and rarely even on the characters. In some cases, some characters who had an important role in the story will disappear for dozens of episodes at a time. Many episodes follow the exact same cookie cutter patterns as the stories before it. Inuyasha shoots wind-scar at enemy. Windscar deflects. Characters gasp in horror. Enemy turns out to have barrier. Characters spent three episodes trying to kill enemy before Kagome finally fires sacred arrow at him and he turns to dust.

Also **MAJOR SPOILER: THE CONCLUSION WILL BE REVEALED** the lack of any conclusion makes it seem like you have waisted 83 hours.

**MAJOR SPOILER OVER**

The animation itself is above average, and in some cases excellent. Even so, reused animation cells plague most action scenes, and it is very hard to ignore them when it is clear that the exact same boulder has flown past a character five or six times in a row.

On the brighter side however, all of the characters are very well developed and the romances between some of the characters were truly captivating. Also, the character designs (appearences) were brilliant and at times among the best I have seen, particularly with the band of seven. There is definitely no shortage of Cosplay opportunities here. Even so, I found myself hoping that a character would die just so there would be some sort of movement in the plot. And some of the humour in the show between characters is used again and again. One particular joke (sit boy) is found within the first five episodes, and you can literally expect it to be used again and again for the remaining 162 episodes.

Although there are some good aspects of the show and it is easy to see why it has a huge following, the series seems to be dominated by obsessed fan girls who drool over Sesshomiru and InuYasha.

Bottom line: Definitely worth checking out, but not worth watching the whole series. The first 30 episodes are very clever, original and enjoyable for anybody. But after that, it simply becomes dull and tedious. Watching a TV show should never feel like a chore, but somehow this series accomplishes just that. Don't expect much from "InuYasha", because you will only feel let down.


I'm only on to the second season, but this show is now one of my favorite anime!

The plot with Naraku is interesting, though I found it a bit convoluted at first. But once I watched the episodes explaining who and what he is, and what he did, everything made sense. Reading some online spoilers also helped ^_^

As I'm not that far along into the story, there isn't much that I have to say. I don't know why, but when I first saw the ads for this show on YTV, I thought that it looked stupid. I thought that it would a plot less, action based story for guys. Was I ever wrong!


This anime show was entertaining and fun for the most part that kept me watching and even getting the entire series. HOWEVER, like all good anime shows, there were characters that made it painful, as well as drag the show to it's not so wonderful ending...

WARNING, THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS SPOILER(S). YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

For those who know the show or don't, here's a quick recap: Teenage girl stumbles onto magical well. Teenage girl gets dragged into well by evil demon. Teenage girl gets dragged into feudal japan and thus begins her adventure with a half demon/half human, a demon slayer, a monk and a demon child in gathering a sacred jewel shard scattered across the land. This is so it doesn't fall into evil hands like the ever bothering and never dying demon Naraku.

It's pretty cool and very entertaining. But as i mentioned before there were characters that made the show often times not fun and just annoying where you wanted it to end.

So there's the character Kikyo that made it to the top of the, 'i-hate-this-character-why-won't-he/she-die-already!?', list. The problem with kikyo is that she's a dead priestess who, in the past life, loved the half human/half demon and now wants him dead yet still claims she loves him. ...not the kind of character that makes sense, since she's always switching sides and constantly disrupts the flow of an episode she's in. There's also Kagome, the teenage girl who stumbles in the well. i mean, she is the reincarnation of kikyo in the present life, with all the powers of a priestess....yet she doesn't have the 'stamina' to be headstrong. always the damsel-in-distress, and can i say she might have a slight amnesia problem cause folks, she constantly screams/shouts 'INUYASHA'!!! i mean either she needs his help or wants attention that makes the viewer get a headache. I can go on and on about other characters but the main characters i felt that made the show drag to it's not so great finish were these two. Though in the manga kikyo dies, the director/creator felt it necessary to keep the dead priestess alive in this show for some unknown reason...and kagome? come on, you'd at least think she'd grow up.

NOW, by now you're probably not thrilled to watch the show. BUT WATCH IT!! it's very fun with it's other characters that put the well-earned effort into making this show fun. Sesshomaru, Miroku, Sango, Koga, even Inuyasha make the series and the films worth the annoyance of two characters. My opinion, the show gets 8/10 cause of the two characters that made it miss out 10/10. But hey, maybe you'd find the characters i don't like enjoyable. it's all up 2u in the end, so watch and judge for yourself.


I use to think Tenchi is the best Anime show well Inuyasha beats him up Inuyasha is the best anime title I ever saw it has everything good storyline Authentic characters emotions love a bit fantasy and suspense the series is a masterpiece you get drawn in after two eps I was sceptical until I realised i found mt self looking for new epson the web

The Authors and the series directors deserve all their credits I feel bad That Kanna will die but I cant wait till they continue with the series !

If you watch an episode you'll love all the characters (how to bo to love inoccent Rin) (even Naraku is an evil character you'll like) also its genius how all characters including Naraku lead you threw the storyline ! just as if they were talking to us this series is a must see


Well I think it's actually a pretty good show. Original concept, and I like the characters.

One thing I do think though is that it dragged on too long, a lot of things did. InuYasha should have forgotten Kikyo early on into the series, Kikyo should have died early on and stayed dead, and there were too many filler episodes with the same battle sequences. Some of the characters just get tiresome as well.

The whole Kikyo thing.. Blablabla, give me a break. I actually prefer Kikyo over Kagome but for one, she's way too old for InuYasha. He acts like he's 16ish whereas she's about 23. Another thing, well, would they just let her be? It's been fifty years, he has Kagome now. To what purpose she was brought back I have no clue. It might have been to cause some type of confusion in Kagome and InuYasha's romance, but it didn't work. Episode 48, where InuYasha chooses Kikyo, sort of changed my idea of the whole series. I was madly in love with it until then.. when I started to just find it all a bit tiresome.

The search for the sacred jewel shards definitely goes on far longer than it should. But I guess they just had no ideas of what to do after? They should have just ended the series, instead of just cutting it off randomly and leaving so many people wondering what eventually happens. There are a lot of filler episodes that make you feel as though you've wasted half an hour.

Some of the antics by the characters (eg, Kagome's "sit", Miroku's obsession with women, Naraku in general) also dragged on far too long.

I agree with the people who say to only watch about half of them, they just get a bit annoying after a while.

There are a lot of good things (that I won't name.. I don't feel like typing much more), those are just the bad ones. I appreciate this series very much and it will always hold a place in my heart (it was the first anime I really loved, that's why).

I still love the show, and watch it a lot. Those are just what I've noticed in this while...


InuYasha is the single most awesome anime TV show and TV show period. I love watching it. i know so many people who love it as well! I cant wait 2 buy the seasons on DVD! The movies were very good as well. I only got 2 watch the third one, but it was still really good!I really want everything i can find that is about InuYasha: movies, season DVD sets, toys, collectibles, and anything else i can find that's about InuYasha.I want 2 see the other movies really bad. i herd that the 2nd 1 was the best, but according, 2 IMDb's reviews, the third one was the best. I also really hope that they keep making InuYasha movies as well..


I enjoy watching these a lot. It includes humor, (sit boy!) romance, action, fantasy, and other genres. The endings keep you hanging. But being at almost 150 episodes in a matter of days, I have to wonder how people could watch this seemingly never ending story repeatedly for years.

The only thing that bugs me at this point is Kikyo wrecking Kagome and Inuyasha's relationship. (hello, get over her, Inuyasha. She's DEAD!!!)

Naraku was so disgusting; he really made me mad. Why can't he just stay put and DIE???

Jaken is so pathetic sometimes he's funny. When he was supposedly dying of the poison, I found it hard to keep from laughing.

Overall, this is a really good show. I give it a 10 out of 10.


I love Inu Yasha, it has to be one of my favorite animes, it's one of the shows that got me into anime in the first place. And I adore Rumiko Takahashi, heh. But Inu Yasha is an anime with just the right mix in it. Both girls and guys can like it, it isn't leaned towards one gender, it's has just the right mix of action, comedy, and romance. It's just great!

 Anyway, here's a summary. A girl named Kagome is pulled down her family's well and she ends up in feudal times Japan in the same location that she lives in modern-day Tokyo, except of course it's feudal times. In feudal times she meets a half dog demon, Inu Yasha. She finds this magic jewel, but ends up shattering it into hundreds of tiny jewel shards. So that's one of the main points of the show, the quest for the sacred jewel shards which are extremely powerful. Some of the other characters include: Miroku, a kind but somewhat perverted young monk(my favorite character, that's why I put him first ^_^); Sango, a butt-kicking girl whose village was destroyed by the evil demon Naraku; Shippou, a cute little fox demon with the ability to shape-shift; Kikyo, a whacked out priestess (seriously, she has major problems) of whom they think Kagome is the reincarnation of; Sesshomaru, Inu Yasha's evil demon brother who happens to be quite good looking; Naraku who is an evil demon person who's out to get the sacred jewel shards; and there are tons of other people too, who either aren't as important, or just show up a few times. Now, if you've never seen this anime (who hasn't seen it?) I suggest that you do.


Inuyasha is a very interesting and unique show. When I first began watching it I loved it and tried to watch every episode, but after a while my interest in Inuyasha began to fade and I found myself tuning out around the time the episode count rounded 80, the problem was that the show began to progress at a snail's pace and we were all left with these story plots repeated over and over again in a slightly altered fashion each turn: 1. Kagome gets kidnapped, Inuyasha saves her and there are several hints of a romantic relationship between the two of them shown. 2. A stupid misadventure with Shippo. 3. Naraku comes and does something evil, they nearly stop him but he escapes. 4. Kohaku comes back and we get another episode where Sango must face her conflicting emotions. (It was good the first three times, after that it got boring.) 5. Inuyasha and friends help out a person in need. (Nost likely some one with a demon problem, shikon shards are usually involved.)

Mainly, Inuyasha is a very good series up until the midway point, don't get me wrong, there are still several episodes that are good after episode 100 but later on in the series most of the characters you have come to love begin to have nothing to do except for stand on the sidelines while Inuyasha fights and they occasionally interfere.

I give it a 7/10.


Rossini once described rival composer Wagner's work as having "some wonderful moments...and some awful quarter-hours". Inuyasha, it seems, can also be described this way. It has many great episodes, but in between them are countless filler episodes. The entire series consists of about 175 episodes, of which I'd say at least 125 are filler or some sort of subplot (I didn't bother to count and I wouldn't be surprised if that number were in fact higher, though).

Some of these filler episodes are actually quite enjoyable, though many are quite silly or dull. Nonetheless, the constant digressions start to wear thin after the first few seasons as the plot ends up progressing at a labored crawl for most of the series. Character development, too, slows down greatly and by the later seasons, the cast has become quite unchanging, resulting in increasingly stale jokes (particularly those concerning the monk, who's ironic traits start out as mildly humorous but grow tiresome when the jokes associated with them appear repeatedly).

However, all of that isn't to say that Inuyasha is a bad series. It just isn't a great series the way Neon Genesis Evangelion, for example, is generally considered to be. As something to watch at the end of a hard day, it is nice, but it could never be confused with high art.


May or may not contain spoilers.

Inuyasha is not a good anime. It's actually very overrated. Why? There's absolutely no story line, no plot, and the show just drags on... and on... and on... That's because there are more side stories and fillers than episodes that make the plot progress. And the fillers are just the same stories being repeated over and over again. The same episodes seem to go with the same plot: Kagome sensing a jewel shard, a worm/slime/tentacle demon thing pops up, Inuyasha says "Wind-Scar", "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer", etc. and kills the demon, they get the jewel shard, and then we just repeat this scene 160 or more times.

Besides the repeating of episodes, there's the repeating of comedic devices, and they're not funny anymore. Wait, they never were. Sexual harassment is NOT funny. Viz rated the series Older Teens, 16+. I have no idea why they rated it that. There's nothing bad about it except for the so-called funny sexual harassment, which is kind of suggestive, and that could get you arrested these days.

Now, this is how we know Inuyasha is overrated. The videogames. They all sucked. Especially the Mask game. I played that at my friend's house. It wasn't anything interesting. The game was slow, boring, and it had Nintendo 64 like graphics. In a magazine, it got a rating of 4/10, saying "...this role-playing game is slower than milkshake moving up a cocktail straw." Then, there's all these stupid Inuyasha toys, action figures, trading cards, stickers, and coloring books. COLORING BOOKS! We thought Inuyasha was 16+! Maybe not... But after being a member of Inuyasha groups on MSN, about half the people on there were 10 to 13. I guess Inuyasha is a little kid anime after all. (I think that just a small bit of editing done to this show, it could be shown on Toonami.) There are over 40 manga volumes. I can only help but wonder how many miles of forest that have been cut down to make them. Sad...

Then there's the music. The music is so annoying. We hear the same 5 songs every episode. After 10 episodes, the music gets really annoying. In other anime, they have music to fit the mood and we don't hear some songs very often. There are about 15 different Inuyasha soundtracks. Don't waste your money on that garbage!

And how do you think I know all this? Because I used to be a fan of Inuyasha. I feel ashamed of myself. I'd rather watch Kim Possible or Pokemon instead. Sadly, those two shows have more romance between the two main protagonists than Inuyasha will ever have...


To be entirely frank, the popularity of this show saddens me. Inuyasha is certainly not terrible - it has a few good moments, the occasional flash of clever humour, and, unlike so many animes, dignity. However, it is utterly lacking in the essential elements of a worthwhile story. From the start, its premise dooms it to be stereotypical. The main plot centers around collecting the pieces of a shattered jewel before they can be possessed by evil, and is, as one would suspect, a totally generic epic fantasy affair. The story follows a familiar pattern of fighting off various enemies for pieces of the jewel, and is thus quite predictable, lacking in complexity, and easy to lose interest in. But as so many animes have shown, a poor premise can be rescued by deep, realistic characters. Sadly, no one rescues the story of Inuyasha. Kagome, the main character, is the stereotypical anime heroine (and far too reminiscent of Akane, the main character of the original comic author's previous work Ranma 1/2); she is kind to other females, but treats many males, especially her love interest, with unfair, unabashed, unjustifiable brutality. Inuyasha is a tough-on-the-outside-but-sweet-on-the-inside type, and Miroku is the lamentable stock character of "the pervert".

The flaws continue with what happens to this plot and these characters - namely, nothing. Despite constant action, the story does not progress. Despite regular romantic moments, neither does the main relationship. Despite ample time, the characters never really change. And to add a cherry to the sundae of mediocrity, all this stagnation is stretched into approximately 150 episodes.

My final criticism of this anime is the animation. While certainly not ugly, it displays almost disrespectful laziness on the part of the creators. The animators seem to take joy in long scenes of Inuyasha jumping through the air with wind whistling in which they have little to do but move a background.

In short, with all the beautiful animations of the world at one's keyboard-perched fingertips, there is absolutely no reason to watch Inuyasha.


Don't kill me fans but I have something to say about this.

Pros: Well, the most mildly interesting season that I've watched out of all the seasons that are out there of Inuyasha just has tobe the Shichinintai arc. Unlike the rest of the seasons, I personally think that this one has more of a real plot line and those mercenaries; good god they're such likable characters. Shame they were killed off. Of course, I would write a 15 page essay one why I like the Shichinintai so much but that would be boring for some of you. So this series actually does have some likable characters. I'll miss Bankotsu... poor, poor psycho little boy.

Cons: Outside of Shichinintai arc, the series was overall boring, repetitive and some of the characters are extremely irritating. Kagome for example: She overreacts too much to my taste; she acts like Yuka from Elfen Lied. Inuyasha: He's a loud mouth dog demon with a huge sword. What's so unique about him? He has ADORABLE DOG EARS! Tch. Sesshomaru is all talk, no action and very cocky. Naraku has just got to be the wimpiest villain that ever existed in the anime world. Miroku and Sango... they have some color but they just seem to stand on the sidelines too much. But what bugs me the most if the fact that they have absolutely no COMMON SENSE at all. Rumiko Takahashi has done a LOT better then this. I've seen it before.

If you like series with a lot of action, no annoying love triangle, no over repetitiveness, this is not for you then.


I love watching Inuyasha, I've been watching for quite awhile now. My favorite characters are Inuyasha(he is so cute0, Kagome, Shippo, Sesshomaru, Miroku, Sango, Shippo and Kilala. I have three of the Inuyasha movies. Me and my best friend made up a game where we meet the Inuyasha characters and we end up falling in love with our favorite characters (Inuyasha and Sesshomaru), getting married and have kids. My younger sister also likes it. I like it when Kagome tells Inuyasha to sit when she gets mad at him. I hate Kikyo, Koga and Naraku. So if you haven't seen this show yet, watch it, I'm sure you'll like it because I do.


Inuyasha is the best anime series I have seen and the one that Iam obsessed with right now. I love it! It has everything a series should have: well defined characters that make you fall in love with them, humor, suspense, the ability to grab your attention and hold it, excitement, great lines and dialog, characters that have a personality that no doubt everyone can find one to relate themselves and become a fan of, an engaging storyline that doesn't slow down, malicious villains and lovable heroes, great animation and voice actors that have voices that match there characters perfectly. When I was small mostly all my favorite shows were anime and when I grew up and my anime shows all came to an end I started watching shows with people and forgot about anime until Inuyahsa that is. I remember being on the computer and on yahoo's box of entertainment of what the world is searching for I saw that people were looking up anime and a list of the most popular and searched for anime of all time and Inuyahsa was number one. I read a summary for it and become interested so I asked my friend who loves anime about it and he told me it was his favorite anime series right now. I started watching it and immediately I got hooked. Now I watch it all the time. I got caught up on the first 50 or so episodes by the season box sets which are great. I bought them during my march break and watched all 54 episodes in a week, it was awesome. And now I never miss the new ones. I'm always there on Fridays at 9:00 watching it with my eyes glued on the screen and by behind glued on the couch. I recommend it to all anime lovers and to everyone who loves a great adventure with action, romance, lots of humor and unforgettable characters. But a warning it will make you fall in love with demons!


InuYasha is an excellent anime series with everything a good TV series needs. Its got action, suspense, comedy and love. Inuyasha is about the adventures of a young half-demon from futile Japan and a human girl from modern times.

They team up with a monk and a demon slayer to find sacred jewel shards and destroy an evil demon. The animation is really good. What you have to remember is this is a TV series and not a movie. TV series never look as good as movies. I've seen some bad animation and this is NOT one of them.

The music is great and the voice actors fit the characters perfectly. All-Around : great show with few (if any) flaws. Any anime fan who loves fantasy will adore this show.


Mix fairy-tale with fantasy, legend with reality. This is a dark fairy-tale, beautiful and compelling right from the explosive start.

Inu Yasha, a creature that is half man, half dog-demon, attempts to steal an enchanted jewel from a shrine, to change himself into a full-blooded demon. However, the priestess sworn to protect the jewel fires an arrow into his heart, and nails him to a tree. The priestess dies from her wounds, and Inu Yasha falls into an enchanted sleep. 50 years later, the soul of the priestess returns to the forest, reborn in the body of Kagome, a girl from modern-day Tokyo who has fallen through time into the era of myth and legend. Inside her, the jewel has been reborn along with the soul of the priestess. Her precense awaken the dog-demon from his long imprisonment, and along with him awaken his long-alseep desires for the jewel. However, by the power of Kagome's arrow, the jewel is broken and its shards scattered across the lands. Each shard holds the power to make evil hearts stronger, and bestow misery upon the land. Kagome and Inu Yasha reluctantly set out together, to collect the shards and make the jewel complete again. "Inu Yasha" is the story of that journey.

What captured me about this series was Inu Yasha himself. His character is dark, evil, and mean, plus he behaves an animal. The makers have really managed to capture his animal side, and this (along with great, charismatic voice-acting), gives him a precense seldom seen in animated shows. In the beginning, he is betrayed, hostile and alone, but as the show moves on, he developes greatly, by slowly but surely warming up and gaining kindness in his demonic eyes. The reason for this is Kagome, a brave heroine that far exceeds your standard shrieky-maiden-anime-chick.

There is some humor to this show too. It's nicely done, it doesn't steal time from the story, and it fits where it is placed. But don't expect this to be some light comedy-show like Ranma: Inu Yasha is a deep and dark fairy tale that deals seriously with questions like the want for strenght, the want for life, the want for revenge, and the slim line between love and hatred. All within one huge story-arc with many meaningful subplots.

As for the enemies, they not only display great strenght and cruelty, but some of them are also allowed to develope as characters, which is extremely rare for bad-guys. The action is very cool, skillfully done and overall fantastic. Inu Yasha, the one who does most the fighting, fights to kill and doesn't hold back. A lot of blood and some really nasty scenes in some episodes.

The animation is magnificent, as well as the soundtrack. I have only seen the subbed version, but I can highly recommend it about any dub. There is no way any translation could outdo the original cast.

This is the best anime I have EVER seen. It's original and powerful with a lot of depth, in a world where fairy-tale has merged with fantasy. Plus, Inu Yasha's dog-ears are super-kawaii... ^_^

Don't miss it!

/Auryn


I watched this movie expecting to be bored stiff, but was pleasantly surprised! This genre of film-making I usually find no interest in, but this one proved to be different. It was well written, well directed, very well acted, and the chemistry between the players was incredible! Very rarely do I view a movie that has a perfect combination of actors, and this was one. Judy Davis and Sam Neill were incredible together, and I'm happy to say they would be in two other films together after this one. Everything about this movie was wonderful. It's just too bad it ends when it does. I found myself very interested in the characters, and wanted to know what became of each. My only qualm with the movie is that it ended too fast! I would definitely have to call this a favorite! That's how good this movie is!


Sometimes a life in film brings an experience like this. Its oddly tense in some dimensions and relaxed in others and the balance between the two seems distinctly Australian. I hadn't seen this when it was new, and I'm glad. Seeing a great film for the first time is a distinct pleasure.

I can think of only two similar pleasures in life.

Reviewers often focus on the story; its the common currency for discussion. The interesting fact behind the power of this movie is that the story is incoherent, poorly developed. There are a few main characters and none of them are attached to what are considered necessities for storytelling. They aren't introduced, we see them only through the effect of their presence. They don't develop. They influence nothing.

The main character is presented as a sort of Jane Austen  both an Austen woman encouraged to marry, and Austen herself as a sort of author-in-her-own-book, like we saw in the 1999 film of Mansfield Park. But the odd thing is that we have Austen in Australia, the role and all the expectations without the baroque mechanics of society swirling around. Instead we get cows and sheep.

And emptiness, a cinematic vastness that even the US hasn't yet produced, despite Terence Malick.

So the incompleteness of the story is part of the genius of the thing. Our heroine doesn't have an Austenian future, instead becomes a backcountry Louisa May Alcott or George Sand. Indeed, Davis did go on to play Sand and Anderson went on to direct "Little Women." What our filmmaker has done is create a story where we subconsciously notice something is missing. And then she fills it with two things, this translucent actress and a similarly translucent open landscape.

First the landscape. Watch the opening of this. Its genius, shooting from outside in, peering in through windows and doors while we see  literally  the story beginning to be written. Then we shoot from the inside through the same windows out and see a dust tempest beginning.

This notion of space, inadequate enclosure, book and heroine conflated into them and weaving through them was copied after a fashion in the opening for the 2005 "Pride and Prejudice." Here, it is fresh, original, shocking. Effective, even life-affirming.

You can see a similar master vision in how the ending is shaped. We see our woman, a best friend by this time, going to mail her book to us. She approaches the fence and her dog scurries under, unconstrained by fences. Its a small thing, but by then we've become aware of how wonderfully our hidden woman behind the camera has shaped everything so minutely. That dog moves under the gate naturally, using a gait and hole that can only have come through hundreds of such exits. I have no idea how Anderson did it.

And now to Ms. Davis. Over time you pick things from the film vocabulary that you cleave to, things that naturally tip into the bucket of your soul. One of these for me is a certain type of folded acting I've noticed in Australian actresses. Blanchett, Winslet are the ones I follow deeply.

But you can see it here and I imagine that this is the first appearance of the style in a competent film. In my own historiography, Judy Davis invented it and does so here. If you watch her manner, you can see Cate. The style is what I call folded, where we get both the character and a higher level communication from the actor about the character.

We have a few folded actresses. What's even rarer is when the actress is intelligent and skilled enough to place that higher fold in the center of the filmmaker's intention. It happens here. Its beautiful, on a simpler level echoing the fact that we see a book, its making, and various considerations about the making of the book.

Because it is this sort of translucent folding, we see Cate when we see Judy.

You won't soon forget that.

I'm putting this on my list of films you really must see. Readers may be shocked. I only allow myself two from any given years and this year gave us "Alien," "Apocalypse Now," "Manhattan," and "Tree of Wooden Clogs," all of which are bumped by this. But this will change you, a female Herzog, unHerzog.

Now if I can only see "High Tide."

Ted's Evaluation -- 4 of 3: Every cineliterate person should experience this.


I just bought the Australian DVD release of My Brilliant Career. All I can say it was worth every penny.

I don't need to go into the specifics of the plot. There are plenty of comments listed on IMDb already. But the peformances, by then new and upcoming actors Judy Davis and Sam Neill, are beautifully timeless!! It's everything I'd hoped for and more. It just gets better with repeated viewings.

Made on a shoestring budget by new director Gillian Armstrong, the commentary provided by her on the recently released Australian DVD in widescreen is a real treat to listen to! You'll chuckle at the stories she tells on how cast and crew achieved what you see on screen when little or no money was left in the budget. And you'll realize how lucky and fortunate Armstrong and producer Margaret Fink were at landing Judy Davis to play Sybylla.

My Brilliant Career is currently out-of-print in the USA. Don't know why, but currently a DVD is out in Australia and the UK only. If only the Criterion Collection would select this film for a DVD release in the USA.....


The previous comment suggested fast-forwarding through the movie to the denouement. If you do this you will lack a true understanding of just how important the choices made in the end are to the character Sybylla.

Unless you watch a movie in its entirety you cannot say you have truly seen the movie. A movie may also move at a pace that you are not used to and the pace of a specific film is chosen for a reason. If the viewer stops to think about just why the final cut moved at that pace he or she may glean something quite important about that particular film.

Beauty is in the eye of beholder. Australia does not possess (in the area where this movie was filmed) bold colors and subtlety was what was wont for this film.

I rated it quite highly for many reasons including Judy Davis' acting, the strength with which the director was able to convey its message, the strong supporting cast, the exquisite shots (particularly in their composition) often lengthy in duration that so wonderfully show what action/adventure films cannot including again subtlety, nuance and the ability to make the viewer actually think-both during and for long after the film is viewed


There is not a crease or seam in Judy Davis's performance in My Brilliant Career. She being one of the greatest of all actresses, or even actors, at the innate endowment of physically, mentally and emotionally residing in a character builds a rivetingly ambitious and combustible character that takes charge of herself and simply does not make a good follower at all and is whirled from early in her life by her independent attributes to have a career in the arts despite society doing all they can to tame her. Her character is so enrooted and actualized that the love story that serves as the flesh of the film between her and the dark and magnetic character of Sam Neill is like a diverging extension of her nature. She only idles away with what she feels could so easily be hers and is driven to single- minded desire of it when it comes to be a challenge. The romantic element of the film, especially in its outcome, fits as a large-scale model of who she is and why she is born to be anything but what her cavalier and domineering family of early twentieth century Australia strives to mold her into.

The support of the story, which is Davis's struggle to be independent of society's taming and manipulation is what is ultimately compelling and infuriating, very effectively putting us in her mad, aggressive shoes. The framework involving the attraction between her and Neill is what is ultimately moving and hearty. That is what this film supplies a solvency of, a fiery emotional experience.


Sybylla (Judy Davis) is a young woman living in turn of the century Australia. Unlike a lot of girls, she doesn't want marriage and a family, she would like to have "a brilliant career". What in, she does not quite know. Sent to live with rich relatives, she meets a neighboring land owner (Sam Neill) who is quite wealthy, single, and handsome. And, he seems to have an eye on Sybylla. They become mates and have wonderful meetings where pillow fights reign supreme. Is it time to just rethink one's priorities, in Sybylla's case? This is a great film, based on the author's own experiences. Women are who they are, even 100 years ago, and Sybylla wants to follow her best instincts, not the traditions of the time. As Sybylla, Davis is flat-out brilliant, for, in her hands, we see this young lady's intelligence, beauty and fierce independence come to life. Neill gives a nice performance, too, as a man who has the tables turned on him by a woman, for heaven's sake. The settings and costumes are wonderful depictions of life long ago and the overall production values are very high. Although this film could probably be called a feminist classic, do not let that keep you away, if that sounds unattractive. It is a richly rewarding tale of a person following her heart and, as such, is great encouragement to anyone who walks to the beat of a different drum.


An overlooked masterpiece. Not only did Gillian Armstrong's direction serve the material superbly, but Judy Davis's Sybilla was one of the boldest film debuts I've ever seen. The gasps heard all over the theater when Sam Neill is first seen (from Sybilla's POV in the tree) also made an indelible impression.

Perhaps most impressive is the screenplay, which greatly improves on what turned out to be a good novel so dated that it is all the more amazing that anyone ever thought to make it into a film. The musical score was also a delight.

Most confusing to me is that it has taken so long for it to be released on home video. A major addition to any thinking film-goer's home library.


At first I thought I was going to hate My Brilliant Career. At the very beginning the main character comes off as being very pompous and narcissistic. However, as the movie goes one adapts- and even understands such an attitude. Sybylla is cast from all three levels of societal income; from living in middle class, to visiting her wealthy aunt (all the while pampered like a baby) and even forced to becoming a servant to a poor family. What make Sybylla an interesting character is refusal to give up. Throughout the entire movie she insists that she's not going to get married- she going to have career instead. This may not sound odd at all by today's standards- but the movie takes place in 1897, back when women were treated as if they were objects, with everything decided for them (as the movie clearly illustrates). Even when she's proposed to by a wealthy man (Frank) and practically offered a life of leisure and prosperity, being the very independent young woman she is, gives up the offer, laughing at the very idea of marrying a man for money and not love. While Sybylla herself does not change much, it's interesting to see how other characters develop as they deal with her personal thoughts and attitudes. What was unfortunate about my viewing of the film was that it was on VHS. The aspect ratio was cut so there was a loss of images and the picture quality was just plain fuzzy. I guess we'll just have to wait for the DVD release.


Quite simple story, touching and sensitive. Judy Davis is, well- brilliant, in the leading role, as are the rest of the cast. She makes you want to see more of her. The movie could have been longer, it is interesting what was cut from the novel. Fitting to the Australian plains the movie is plain and very inviting.

PS Nicole Kidman looks just like Judy Davis does in this movie.


An impossibly young Judy Davis is the star of "My Brilliant Career" - the movie that started hers - a 1979 film directed by Gillian Armstrong. The story concerns Sybylla, growing up in the 1890s in the wilds of Australia who wants more from her life than marriage. She is sent to live with her grandmother, where relatives tame her wild hair, soften her coarse skin, but can't do anything about her spirit. Though she falls for a wealthy young man (Sam Neil), she is true to what her heart tells her, desiring most of all to be a writer and an independent person.

Davis does a wonderful job as Sybylla who, although headstrong, manages to make the best of whatever situation she's in. What a life for women back then. Her family can't afford to keep her, so there is pressure on her to marry or take a position. Living with her grandmother affords her some great opportunities for a better life. But when her father owes a local farmer money, she is sent to teach his illiterate children in order to work off the loan. Somehow, she turns that into a positive experience - though when you see the beginning scenes of her life there, you won't imagine she ever could. Sam Neil is very attractive and romantic as Harry, who endeavors to understand this unusual woman.

Beautifully photographed, "My Brilliant Career" is nevertheless no big, sweeping epic, and the focus stays on Sybylla, her challenges, and her determination to be, in every sense, ahead of her time.


My Brilliant Career is a simple and straightforward narrative skillfully told. You will never be required to sit on the edge of your seat, and half a bottle of port would do you nicely. The setting is mostly quaint -- often opulent and petulant -- in outback, and somewhat eccentric, Australia still inside the first one hundred years of white settlement.

The story is about a young woman who is the daughter of a struggling rancher and who has a profound passion for the arts. "I'd like to be a pianist", she says with a burst of defiant emotion in a heated confrontation with her contemplative mother. In the end, though, she ends up becoming a writer, and what will torment her is the choice she will have to make.

What she has to forfeit is a bright no-nonsense handsome young man. Two years after they had solemnly admitted their feelings for one another, they meet again. At this awkward moment her hands are covered in mud which, like God, stands between her and her lover. " I've got to do it alone", she whispers to him guiltily. At this critical juncture it becomes manifestly clear that God, after all, is indeed a damnable thing. He alone can grant whatever talents we shall hope to have, and only on His terms we are obliged to direct our will.

My Brilliant Career is one rare Australian motion picture that does not place emphasis on the scenery which, Australia being the dazzler that it is, is invariably tempting. Instead the interest is focused unabatedly, and without distraction, on the soul and substance of each and every character. It is this quality and discipline that imbued Gillian Armstrong's piece with the magical touch of durability shamefully scarce in Australian cinematography.


Well clearly I form the minority report of reviewers on IMDB for this one, but I thought this movie was slow and lacked charm. Fast forward Jane Austin 100 years and transport her to Australia and you would get a far more captivating and racier equivalent of the book. Have Merchant-Ivory make the movie and you would get a far more charming film version. The actors are a fine ensemble, probably among the best that Oz could offer at the time, but they were wasted on this dross. I was hoodwinked into seeing this movie by the good reviews and urge caution amongst discerning film lovers. Alternatively, you could do as we did: watch the first 10 to 15 minutes to get a feel for it and watch the rest on fast forward until the last five minutes. It might be worth investing half an hour just to say that you've seen it and believe me you'll miss little by whizzing through the middle 80 minutes.


BloodRayne isn't original nor is the most epic game you'll find in the market, however I like the execution of it and it's a fun ride from start to finish. You play Rayne( voiced perfectly by Laura Baily), a vampire on revenge for her family and a secret agent for the government during the World War II era.

The game is full of superb game play and of course comes complete with a bullet time option that occurs temporarily.

The one liners are funny and the design and scope of the game is dark and moody and gory. Should please those who love the Gothic/action genre.


The Stroll is a new Russian adventure in the world of film-making- the adventure that recalls Battleship Potemkin, The Russian Ark and other magical and/or unrepeatable Russian films.

The Stroll has simple plot though it is interesting and the details that frill it are very deep. It is not a typical road movie although 80 per cent of it was shot on streets; the real streets of contemporary St Petersburg. The story takes place in few hours of one day of Olga and her 2 fellows and we get the feeling that the whole film was shot in one day. It is for sure was shot in short timewhich I reckon was main part of the entire experimental nature of the film. However, it was obvious that preparing to shoot the film and practicing shooting and acting took very long time before (real) production has started. The crazy use of mobile camera that followed those 3 guys crossing crowded and dangerous streets made me think how lucky was the cameraperson that he/she did not get killed in a car accident. Did he/she? Hope not.

The film style is new. There is that unusual mix of applying new play-acting method to cinema. It is a result of Peter Fomenko's stage-acting method and workshops. Adapting stage-acting styles into films resulted historically in handful of amazing films including Marcel Carne's Children of Paradise and John Cassavetes' Opening Night. From this perspective The Stroll is amazing film.


Alexey Uchitel's Progulka is probably the best mainstream film about today's Russia. Shot almost in real-time manner with a hand camera, it depictures Olga, a woman in early twenties strolling the downtown streets of modern Saint Petersburg accompanied by two young men.

Her first companion is Alexey, a typical modern Russian youth, easy-going, talkative and romantic, a modern variant of SaintPete intellectuals, who meets her on the street at the very beginning of the movie and takes a walk through the city with her.

Pyotr, his best friend, has lots more of man as compared to Alexey, joins the couple later in the movie to take the day-long with them as they walk near the Isaak's Cathedral of the Russia's North capital .

The scenery is perfect, as the three of them visit the very tourist places of SaintPete, though without paying much attention to monuments and cathedrals, just enjoying life and fooling around. The guys compete for Olga's attention, they walk, see the football fans, they take the tram, Alexey get his wallet stolen by gypsies, they laugh and quarrel.

In the end, it is an easy, amazing and definitely a worth seeing movie. Apart from most of the modern Russian film-making (with a few exceptions), it shows Russia can be an enjoyful place to live . It doesn't focus social problems, terrorism, police violence, and gangsters - it just steals a glance at a day in young mens' life, shows their optimism and happiness.

Maybe a bit sour at the end - well, Uchitel and Dunya Smirnova, the scriptwriter, had to invent something to end the trip somewhere (no one dies though, so life goes on and there is no need to shed a tear) - the movie is just a perfect example of what Russian traditionally low budget mainstream cinema (as compared to US standards) can do without advertising-like special effects, mafia shootings, and superheroes.

9 out of 10 to leave some space for further improvements.


A guy meets a girl, calls his friend and they go for a walk together on the streets of St. Peterburg doing nothing, speaking, flirting, playing fools. In 90 minutes of a real-time film they live a hole life together. They love and hate each other, they laugh and cry, they FEEL the way you can feel only when you're 20 and the whole world belongs to you. But it seems like a girl has a strange secret. It comes out at the very end of the stroll and turns everything into a real tragedy...

But now the young people are passing by the streets of St. Peterburg - the best city in the world, with its beautiful houses, crowded streets and a bit crazy inhabitants. This St. Peterburg we have never seen in movies before, but always new from real life. I love this film because of its wonderful image of the city and the perfect work of actors. And because this film is about us - or about us some years ago, our desire to live, feel and to do.


This is a must see for any Russian film lovers; or rather, anyone who enjoys something with spice. Fast, slick dialogue, w/ sexy characters, it is more than just a one night stand. In fact, it sits on my shelf. Film techniques are interesting too - borrows a little from Russian Arc and also, a little from Stalker (of which I've only seen a little - unfortunately). Perhaps the most amazing part of it, is that it takes place only in one day...? Also, it makes you want to jump onto a plane to Russia. It's not that it shows romantic landscapes or a wholly 'pretty' view of the country; quite the opposite. It shows the dirt alongside the rich. Thieves and students. Everyone. The colours are grand. The rain is even grand.


I like this film. Most of all I like the idea about people, they think they know you. This two boys get to know her better than her husband. so It is not important for how many time u know somebody to know him. Aliosha is very sweet. Is he famous in Russia. That is not important but just asking. : )The film is similar to ' Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN' and to 'ARIZONA DREAM' too. It is about growing up and such a things. The music in the beginning and in the end is very good. Do somebody knows something about it? it made me cry. a little. It made me feel a little nostalgic. The music contrast withe dynamic actions through the film. maybe it is because this meeting even though it is for some hours is more important than the rest of the every days.


To think of all the wonderful reviews I've read of this film! The camera work, the real time walk, the fresh acting, the plot twist and noone would disclose anything, and oh the witty dialogue!

The first thing I didn't like right away was that the opening dialogue between the unseen couple in the car discloses the whole plot twist. It's totally clear that they are about to be married to each other and that there's a bet on and she even says, 'Time it' so there was no surprise in the rest of the film for me and the friends I watched it with and we spent the rest of the film being sorry for the poor boys taken in by the girl.

The second disappointing thing was the witty dialogue. I don't think I ever heard such meaningless pseudo-intellectual blabber in all my life. As for the acting... Well, we've seen way better than that. The girl's fiance is pretty good and some of the people in the smaller street episodes are very very good. But the lead three are plain terrible. Though, I have to say they didn't have much chance to do anything worthy considering the script.

The third thing that I thought very amateurish and ridiculous was the so called real time walk along St. Petersburg streets. And what's more, THE St. Petersburg street, Nevsky Prospekt. Now then, one can't really portray St. Petersburg as an 'unnamed Russian city', can one? Especially by showing its main sights and most famous spots like they do in this film. The couple passed the public library at least four times, the Anichkov Palace at least three, the Hermitage (of all places) twice and bought train tickets to Moscow somewhere at a reconstruction site behind the House of Books instead of in a railway ticket centre across the street where they are really sold. That's just bad work, I say, not taking enough time to think that the viewer might actually recognize the place. Probably admitting that the film would never ever be shown in St. Petersburg itself. And it's really really funny to watch, of course.

And, I didn't like the storyline at all. But that's a minor thing.

There was one thing I did like, though, the episodes with people in historical costumes and the guards on the St. Isaac's observation deck. They were at least funny.


Personally, I really enjoyed this movie and found it extremely funny in parts. The premise is almost bog standard classic British farce (and there is nothing wrong with that at all) and I totally endorse the Woody Allen reference made in another review. This is very cleverly put together with a perfect combination of a very witty script, a good director and some excellent performances.

The ever reliable Henry Goodman is great as the TV chef whilst the always watchable and very underrated Neil Stuke delivers yet another good comedy performance as the leader of the hostage takers.

Summary, as good a low-budget British movie as you will see this year.


This is a low budget English film, it was made for £900,000 and yes it does show. But I for one am sick of gloss and special effects and actors who command nine-digit fees. If you want to see a decent independent English film with a mature sense of humour then this is for you. It is a well written, darkly comic take on the entertainment industry. Worth going to see for the opening montage alone which sequences the main character, a celebrity chef's, career through the decades. Very, very funny. If you liked lost in translation, heathers, or anything by the coen brothers, then maybe you'll like this too. One caution though - see the film on a full stomach cause it will make you hungry.


I enjoyed Out on a Limb - it made me laugh out loud. I felt that the storyline cleverly linked into todays obsession with 'celebrity' and the lengths to which people will go in order to remain in the public eye. (I can no longer watch TV chefs without wondering) It is refreshing to see a film using 'low tech' filming techniques, which in this case created a normal yet off kilter ambiance which suited the English style black humour of the production perfectly. I liked the speeded up time sequences. The direction brought out strong performances from the main actors who delivered. I liked the final sequence which left my friends and I laughing at the end of the DVD. It's always good to end on a laugh. Good film.


Every so often, aside from the laborious drudgery that the Hollywood's, Bollywood's and now Nollywood's callously discard at we noble consumers like the spent box of Kentucky Drive Thru  there comes something magnificent. Something that simultaneously shakes you like a Tsunami and melts your plasma into a toffee apple. Something that heats up your café olé without you even going into the kitchen.

I am referring to "OUT ON A LIMB". Obviously. Not since Fellini's 8 1/2, have I had the privilege of imbibing myself in such artistry  losing myself in a maze of charismatic characters; prescient prose; dramatic drama and alluring actors. The complexity of the chef, reminds me of Greenaway's stolid 'RICHARD" in his 1989 masterpiece. Though perhaps merged with Nigella Lawson to add a bit of masculinity. I literally drooled all over my Fish McMuffins during the dinner scenes. Absolute brilliance.

Lo, oh lo! Those compassionless scorekeepers - "Film Critics" will have their duplicitous mendacity REVEALED should they not score this film as I do: 9/10. This film should be called "OUT OF THIS WORLD".


Saw Out On a Limb yesterday on a non-sell through DVD copy and thoroughly enjoyed it. There are not enough strong British comedy films getting through, but this one really deserves a look.Low budget does not have to mean low rent and this film shows that, stylish and confident, making good use of clearly small funding. Also there is often a danger in self referential stories, (the industry does the industry) but Out On A Limb manages to make its take on the entertainment industry really work. Knowing how hard it is to get a film off the ground then even harder to get it out to an audience, I find it ever more frustrating that our choices are limited by distribution cartels. Good British movies like this need a better chance


i saw this film at a private screening in London, and was quite overwhelmed at how well the film played out, with a very low or non existent budget, it just goes to show that a low budget. can make the creative mind work in a much more resourceful and not indulgent fashion, which can make the hole thing play even more real and without the flood of commercial propaganda this film is a true jewel in the crown of low budget British films.

the film takes a good look at the length that some ego's will go to stay at the top of there game funny thought provoking and worth two hours of any ones life. hats of to the director, cast, crew and producers.


I do not want to give too much away about this film as it is worth watching not knowing the sequence of the events as the film unfolds.

This black comedy is about a TV chef whose days are numbered and his show is axed by the producers.

He is at the end of his tether about the loss of his show, his celebrity lifestyle and reputation as a chef. What is he to do?

He throws a dinner party an a subsequent events are a combination of tense and tragi-comic action.

The film is carried a long at a steady pace as the characters and plot evolve until the arrival of uninvited guests when the pace becomes frantic.

The excellent work of the director Robert Heath is ably supported by a very strong cast. It was a pleasure to derive such entertainment from a British film


I saw this movie a few months ago at a preview at the London offices of Channel 4 - the director was there. the movie is a very witty look at the nature of modern media - using the ubiquitous presence of a TV chef who now finds his career on the slide - as the focal point. It blends this with a "heist gone wrong" scenario - all of which takes place during a dinner party - and a subsequent series of meals. As they eat, the characters find themselves shifting roles - those under siege take over the siege, those who staged the siege want out - and everyone wants to exploit their 15 minutes of fame. It's a clever black comedy - almost a British Woody Allen picture (his later period!) - well acted by a strong cast. It made me laugh - it made me think - and more than anything - it made me recognise. Recommemnded.


This was such a wasted opportunity. The main character was so weak - what where these silly film makers thinking? Quite a wasted opportunity. Something else also bothered me - but I can't quite put my finger on it - the picture quality seemed off. Maybe I need to watch it again I am wondering what the budget was for this movie? Was it a low budget film or a student project? Something was definitely not right here. I could see the potential here but I think the boat was missed in a big way.

I wanted to laugh in so many places but I was being told to laugh by the direction, but it just didn't hit the right note.