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Matthew G. Sherwin's Profile
Customer Reviews: 3344
New Reviewer Rank: 38
Classic Reviewer Rank: 15
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Reviews Written by
Matthew G. Sherwin (last seen screaming at Amazon customer service)
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
gripping and deeply moving at once, February 24, 2010
Southern Comfort is a brilliantly executed documentary focusing on a small yet equally important part of society--namely, those people who decide that they wish to change their gender. From watching this documentary I got the distinct impression that these people must be very brave because of the inherent stress involved, not to mention the prejudice they face up when they interact with other "normal" people. What the others say is true: these transgender people face their lot in life with tremendous grace and a sense of humor that always seems to get them through the rough times they face with family, friends who may not understand, and very possibly people at work, too. In addition, the film leaves little to be desired; we truly get to see how these people are human beings just like everyone else and the cruelty of the medical establishment is highlighted which is outrageous and sad at once. The cinematography is excellent and there is plenty of time to get to know these people fairly well although the spotlight remains on Robert Eads, a female to male transgender person who, in the last year of his life, strikes up an unexpected romance with a male to female transgender person. It really touched me the way they helped each other and their love for each other is very genuine.
Robert has to deal with a terrible blow. He changed most of the way from a woman to a man; but he never actually had a hysterectomy. He says in the film that his doctors told him it wasn't necessary. Thus, when he developed cancer of the cervix, not only was it caught very late, every last doctor refused to treat Robert, saying it would be "an embarrassment" to their patients to have Robert sitting in their waiting room. The fact that the medical establishment left Robert Eads alone to die is horrific to me and it raises very serious ethical issues.
Now there are many things I could say about Robert's friends who are profiled in this movie but to make a long story short they all, to one extent or another, don't exactly fit into the mold of "normalcy" in society and we see the price they pay for it. There's Max, Cas, Corissa, Stephanie and more. The group includes a genetic female who, after seven marriages to brutal men who beat her and more, actually found her true love with a female to male transgender person. Sure, they don't society's definition of what's "normal;" but wow are they happy and fulfilled together as they do what they want to do with their lives and that impressed me. They find happiness with self-acceptance and the strong social bonds they form help them to cope immeasurably.
The DVD comes with deleted scenes and the list of awards this film won, including that wonderful award from Sundance, is quite long.
You may think that this type of movie is not for you and therefore pass it by. I would encourage you, however, to give this a try and watch it. You'll be amazed and quite possibly even touched by their love for one another; and it leaves you with the understanding that all humans deserve to be considered equal and treated equally with fairness and kindness.
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fine two CD set of nothing but the best of Martha Tilton, February 23, 2010
Whenever I hear Martha Tilton sing, I am amazed at how beautiful her voice was. Wow, could she sing! She always gave blood to please her adoring fans; and just one listen to this two CD set proves she had a splendid and natural talent. The quality of the sound is not the best; there is surface noise on quite a few of the tracks but it doesn't actually interfere with hearing the words and music. The artwork is very nicely done.
There are many songs on these two CDs and of course I have my personal favorites, yet Martha does make all fifty songs sound sublime. "Sailboat in the Moonlight" has Martha at her usual best! In addition, "Dixieland Band" features Martha swinging brightly to make this number shine; and I really like Martha's treatment of "March of the Swing Parade." Her excellent diction enhances her performance all the more, too. "When I Go A-Dreamin'" captures Martha's voice in all its glory; and there's yet another gem when Martha sings her rendition of "You Go to My Head." The brass really rounds out the tune as well. "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" is very easy on the ear; and both "I Used to be Color Blind" and "Deep in a Dream" are excellent!
"Jeepers Creepers" is playful and there's a fine treatment of the classic "My Heart Belongs to Daddy." Martha sings this without ever letting go of a single superfluous note; and I'm very impressed. "Home in the Clouds" boasts that big band sound that accompanies Martha very well; and "You're a Cute Little Headache" ranks high in my book as does "Deep Purple" which has Martha Tilton squarely front and center--which is quite all right by me! "You Turned the Tables On Me" is very well done and the banter really gives it that radio days flavor.
"I Get Along Without You Very Well" is sublime as Martha sings this faultlessly while "And the Angels Sing" has Martha's charming voice making this magical in a way that only she could. "That Old Feeling," a big favorite of mine, gets the royal treatment from Martha Tilton; she does this one up right! "Moon Got in My Eyes;" "I'd Like to See So' More of Samoa" with that piano work; "Bob White;" "So Many Memories" also rank highly in my book although of course the others are also beautifully done.
"You're My Desire" sparkles like silver and gold when Martha sings it along with the wonderful music; but wisely the musicians never try to steal the spotlight from Martha--her performance is in the spotlight! "The Lady Is a Tramp" is another tune Martha does without a flaw; I also enjoy "Blossoms on Broadway" in particular. "Once in a While" is a song I could never tire of hearing when Martha is singing it; and "Sweet Stranger;" "In the Still of the Night;" "You Took the Words Right out of My Heart;" "I Wanna Be in Winchell's Column" and "It's Wonderful" are all very moving when Martha performs them.
Martha Tilton isn't remembered as she should be, but maybe with continued sales of CD sets like this one that will change. This is a must-have for Martha Tilton fans and people who love that classic big band sound will cherish this, too. In addition, if you like classic pop vocals you should consider getting this for your music collection.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
what a wonderful find !!!, February 23, 2010
Margaret Whiting sang effortlessly--and she was quite the songbird at that! She invariably had a tremendous command of her material; and when you hear her sing on this CD you won't doubt it one bit! Margaret never sounded better; and that's grand. I also really like that this CD gives us Margaret singing with more than just one band; that shows her talent was special regardless of which band she chose to sing with. In addition, the quality of the sound on this disc is excellent and the artwork is very nicely done.
There are quite a few numbers on this album; and predictably with Margaret Whiting there's not a single disappointment in the lot. "C.O.D." showcases Margaret swinging brightly to make this number shine; and that music by Les Brown & His Orchestra really fits in perfectly with her vocals--I love that musical interlude, too! What a great big band sound! "No Other Love" gets the royal treatment; Margaret does this without ever letting go of a single superfluous note! "Today I Love Everybody" is very spirited; and I love it!
Other great tracks with Les Brown & His Orchestra include "P.S. I Love You;" the heavenly "Moonlight in Vermont" with its elegant piano arrangement and "St. Louis Blues" with fine use of the brass. Lou Busch & His Orchestra accompany Margaret Whiting on "This Can't Be Love" and "That Old Black Magic" which was written by Johnny Mercer when he was pining for Judy Garland. "Gypsy In My Soul" with even more wonderful brass work to accompany Margaret as she sings this to perfection--and beyond; the Latin themed "Till I Waltz Again With You" which also has a big band arrangement as Margaret sings beautifully; and "I'll Walk Alone."
Other gems include "I'll Walk Alone" with Margaret squarely front and center--which is quite all right by me! She handles complex tempo and key changes like the pro she always was, too. `S Wonderful" shines brighter than silver and gold in Margaret's capable hands; she really does this one up right and those horns sound so good with her singing. "There's a Great Day Coming, Maņana" is excellent with Frank DeVol & His Orchestra; and I also really like "Alone Together" with that Latin beat and Margaret belting this out to the rafters and even further--it's terrific.
"End of a Love Affair" again showcases Margaret's excellent voice and her sophisticated phrasing; she aces this as effortlessly as if it were mere breathing; but of course we know it really wasn't all that easy. Margaret's talent always carried her through.
"Today I Love Everybody" is infectiously happy and catchy at once; and listen for Margaret to out do even herself on a faultless rendition of "Moonlight in Vermont," this time with Frank DeVol & His Orchestra. "It Had To Be You" has some incredible key and tempo changes to make it very special; the CD ends strong with Margaret Whiting performing this timeless song.
Margaret Whiting's talent clearly showed her possessed a very rare type of genius I rarely hear and enjoy; and this album is terrific for her fans if they don't have these renditions of numbers which were recorded live or for radio. In addition, people who like classic pop vocals in general will not be disappointed.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
fine, impartial documentary that is still human and real, February 21, 2010
Iraq In Fragments paints a very honest portrait of just what went on (and, to a large extent, still goes on) in this country after America (and a very small handful of allied troops) entered Iraq to topple Saddam Hussein's regime and, essentially, secure the country so that we could have its oil and then eventually give Iraq back to its people as a democracy. Unfortunately, this film shows us quite clearly that not all is going smoothly; instead we witness many horrors of war and great strife; there is also great animosity between the Shias, the Sunnis and the Kurds, the three major groups living in Iraq. As a film goes, this is excellent. The cinematography is outstanding and the camera catches fantastic glimpses of what the countryside, an Iraqi city and even Baghdad look like; it was very educational for me. The movie says what it has to say in an impartial way with a pace that doesn't ever feel rushed which is also very good.
We see three stories of people in different areas of Iraq as they struggle amidst the chaos that ruled after Hussein's regime toppled and the Iraqi people were forced to start to think seriously and critically about what type of government they wanted. In Baghdad, for example, there is a young Sunni boy named Mohammed; his father was put away by Saddam's regime and at a very tender age Mohammed was forced to drop out of school and support both his mother and his grandmother. His "boss" pretends to care about the young boy but we see many instances of abuse as the man yells at Mohammed, hits him and curses him to the point where the young lad cries; it really broke my heart. I am rooting for this young man and I hope he finds the "beautiful country" he wants.
In the second segment we see Shia Sadr and the people of a very conservative religious movement which calls for elections but with a type of democracy that yet doesn't include women as equal members of society. It's striking to see how much violence there can be in the name of God; and there are scenes of men being arrested by this group for supposedly selling alcohol that are both violent and disturbing.
The third segment is equally poignant. We see the Kurds who have been bitterly fighting the other two groups and they claim that their outlook on religion is the most righteous one. There is a sweet tale of the friendship between two young boys growing up in the countryside and we also meet the father of one of them who wants so badly for his children's lives to be better than his life was. The Kurds are also the group that is most comfortable with the American presence in Iraq.
The DVD includes an interview with director James Longley.
Overall, Iraq In Fragments takes an impartial yet empathic look at what was going on in Iraq at the time this film was made; and many if not all of these conflicts still exist today. I highly recommend this for people studying Iraqi culture and foreign policy issues. People who enjoy documentaries related to current events or politics will also want this for their collections.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
the use of newsreels and movies to educate and influence people, February 20, 2010
This DVD is packed with incredible footage documenting the strife and horrors of World War One; and there is a feature film entitled The Secret Game starring Sessue Hayakawa, Charles Ogle and other marvelous actors. Some of this battle footage is definitely hard to take; therefore this is not geared toward sensitive people. In addition, the quality of the print varies from terrific to below par for several portions of "The Secret Game;" the wartime footage is in remarkably good shape considering it was filmed at or near the front and then rushed back to American theaters to tell the public what was going on--along with a side dish of propaganda, of course.
The part I liked best would have to be the forty-five or fifty minute segment entitled "The Moving Picture Boys in the Great War." This adroitly depicts how Hollywood helped the American government give out the "official" message as to whether or not Americans should want peace or war; and we also see actors including Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford giving what must have been very passionate speeches at war bond rallies. There is brief footage of Douglas Fairbanks doing his usual "macho man" stunts to razzle-dazzle the crowd to get them interested in buying war bonds, too.
The segment that gives us the film "The Secret Game" is wonderful. Parts of this film are predictable and other parts are embarrassingly dated; but it still provides us with a good look at how Hollywood wanted Americans to think about the war after we entered it. In addition to excellent acting by Sessue Hayakawa and Charles Ogle, look for fine performances by Jack Holt as the stoic Major John Northfield; Florence Vidor as Kitty Little and Mayme Kelso as Miss Loring.
The other footage includes "The Log of the U-35" which depicts sinking of ships during the war; and there's the segment named "Fighting the War" which shows, among other things, troops riding on horses and/or marching to the front to defend cities or land that had been captured in battle; and the footage of the actual trenches including some concrete trenches was really amazing. I won't forget that anytime soon!
Overall, this DVD has great historical value; and I recommend this for World War One buffs, history buffs and even fans of silent films with drama and espionage.
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
naughty vulgarity indeed !!!, February 19, 2010
Just in case you think that everything and everyone was chaste and pure back in "the good ol' days," this CD will set you straight. I was amazed at what I heard--and the words flowing from their mouths on this disc probably wouldn't make it past the Amazon censors so I'm not even trying to write them here! These are brief recordings relatively recently uncovered and it's definitely all for the best; these will amuse most people if they're not easily offended by words that have to do with $ex and very similar themes. Young kids had better be in bed or on a sleepover first, though!
Another surprising thing: the quality of the recordings. They're actually not that hard to hear; although there's some background surface noise there isn't as much as I've heard on other very old records--which is probably because these were hidden away and rarely if ever played all these decades! I wish they were sure about exactly who was telling these "fables" on these cylinder records reproduced here in CD; but it's the stories you're after and they do not disappoint.
Proof that men (and women, I'm sure) had $ex on their minds all along!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
WOW, February 19, 2010
Jane Morgan, a wonderful songbird with a voice as clear as a bell, never disappointed her adoring audiences; and just one listen to this album proves she had exceptional talent! She was able to use her voice as an instrument to convey all the subtle nuances of the lyrics to each song she ever sang; and that's grand. This is a great CD for her fans and the quality of the sound is excellent.
"Around the World" charms me with its natural beauty; and I really like Jane's sublime rendition of "It's Not for Me to Say." "An Affair to Remember" features Jane squarely in the spotlight--and that's OK with me! In addition, those violins sound so sweet and easy on the ear; it's terrific and "My Heart Reminds Me (And That Reminds Me)" is a wonderful classic that sparkles and glows in Jane's capable hands.
Other splendid tracks include "April Love;" "Young at Heart" with that accordion; "Melody of Love;" Jane's versions of "Tammy" and "Catch a Falling Star;" and I like "Who's Sorry Now" in all its elegance. As always, the music fits in perfectly with Jane's vocals, although wisely the musicians never even try to steal the show from Jane--she's right there front and center.
"The Day the Rains Came" is yet another fantastic gem that I could never tire of hearing; and Jane does great justice to numbers like "It's All In The Game;" "Volare;" "Come Closer to Me;" "Everybody Loves a Lover;" "Bambino;" "Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams" and the ending tune which is actually the French version of "The Day the Rains Came." Magnificent!
Jane Morgan fans will love this album; and if you're new to Jane's artistry you're sure to be thrilled with her ability to sing out a tune without ever letting go of a superfluous note! If you decide you want more of Jane Morgan's music, there are other CDs on this website and there are also two CD sets such as Fascination: The Ultimate Collection and That's All I Want from You.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Did you know that real estate has gone up 1929 since 1000%?, February 17, 2010
This double dip of Marx Brothers movies is a treat! Animal Crackers and The Cocoanuts are two of the best Marx Brothers films ever made. They both have almost nonstop one-liners, sight gags and outstanding acting by Margaret Dumont who so often played the "straight man" for scenes with Groucho's one-liners.
The choreography, cinematography, lighting, sets, script and much, much more are all flawless in both films. The acting is very convincing and the casting was excellent, too. I wish they produced many more comedies like this film these days! The quality of the print isn't always the best and a few of the lines were a bit faint due to the microphone not catching them well, but it makes little difference: these two films are brilliant.
In Animal Crackers, the plot is razor thin but it's the comedy and the sight gags that make you want to watch this film. The funny lines and the gags come at you nonstop and time hasn't aged them one bit.
It all starts when the wealthy Mrs. Rittenhouse (Margaret Dumont) gives a swanky party for Captain Jeffrey Spaulding (Groucho Marx), a famed African explorer just back from a major expedition. There's also going to be a fantastic unveiling of a rare and highly valuable painting at the party. Poor Mrs. Rittenhouse! The painting is swiped and replaced with an imitation and Captain Spaulding isn't quite the serious man she expected him to be.
The Cocoanuts is also entertaining and enjoyable. There's lots of fine acting and the casting was well done. The choreography impressed me greatly and the cinematography makes great early use of camera shots taken from above looking down directly at the dancers on the stage. (It actually was filmed on a stage, by the way.) In addition, the comedy and the sight gags are excellent even to this day.
In The Cocoanuts, we quickly meet Mr. Hammer (Groucho Marx), the owner of a Florida hotel that isn't exactly turning a profit. In fact, the only paying customers at the hotel are the wealthy and fairly stuffy Mrs. Potter (Margaret Dumont) and her daughter Polly (Mary Eaton). Polly is in love with a young architect named Bob Adams (Oscar Shaw) and they are planning to marry against the wishes of Mrs. Potter; Mrs. Potter wants Polly to marry the very rich Harvey Yates (Cyril Ring). Unbeknownst to Mrs. Potter, Polly and the others is the fact that Harvey and his gal-pal Penelope (Kay Francis) plan to steal Mrs. Potter's expensive necklace and frame Bob for the crime so that he won't be able to marry Polly--and Polly will then have to marry Harvey.
The auction scene where Mr. Hammer desperately tries to auction lots for fancy housing in the area is inevitably fouled up when his associate Chico (Chico Marx) doesn't get his fake bidding instructions straight; and Mr. Hammer gives us some really good laughs at the expense of poor Mrs. Potter. Look also for a great performance by Mary Eaton who sings and dances superbly in this film.
Animal Crackers and The Cocoanuts truly deserve their rightful place as two of the best comedies ever made. They haven't aged a bit and there's plenty of comic relief. Fans of The Marx Brothers should consider these two films a must-have for their collections; and anyone who appreciates timeless screwball comedy will cherish these films for many years to come.
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Man Push Cart
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| DVD ~ Ahmad Razvi |
| Price: $24.49 |
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| Availability: In Stock |
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remarkable drama of one man's pain and struggle for survival, February 17, 2010
Man Push Cart is a fascinating and brilliantly executed film that paints the portrait of a man in excruciating emotional pain from his inner demons and his not so happy interpersonal relationships. The plot flows along at a good pace and although many details are left out it never really seems to make a difference; at the end I truly felt that I knew the man working at that push cart every day and the conclusion, although somewhat abrupt, was stills satisfying since, after all, life isn't necessarily neatly tied up at the ends. The cinematography and the choreography are excellent; and the casting was thoughtfully done--the acting is very convincing, too. In addition, I liked the script.
When the film starts, we meet the incredibly lonely and depressed Ahmad (Ahmad Razvi) who came with his wife from Pakistan a few years prior. (The plot leads us to believe that Ahmad came to America to follow the woman he loved.) During the film we only find out that she is now dead and that her parents, Ahmad's former in-laws, blame him for her death as if it were possibly some sort of accident. Ahmad's relationship with his very young son isn't that great; and the boy's maternal grandparents have very likely influenced the young boy to not want his father in his life.
Ahmad, who was a rock star back in Pakistan, now ekes out a living by operating a push cart which he is slowly making installments on to buy from another immigrant. It all is very bleak; but one day Ahmad makes friends with the rather wealthy Mohammad (Charles Daniel Sandoval) who tries to help him get back into the music business although Ahmad is strangely ambivalent at best, even though the money would help him try to get his son back from his former in-laws. We also see Ahmad start a somewhat awkward romance with a young Spanish girl, Noemi (Leticia Dolera).
In addition, look for excellent performances by all including Ali Reza as Manish and Arun Lal as Ahmad's father-in-law.
The DVD has two short films by writer/director Ramin Bahrani; but these are the only extras we get. There are no extras directly related to Man Push Cart.
I recommend Man Push Cart for fans of drama, independent drama and/or the immigrant experience in America; you won't forget this film anytime soon.
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excellent, February 15, 2010
It's a crying shame that the 1944 movie entitled Address Unknown is not in print; I was fortunate enough to get a copy of this forgotten gem of a film and it is quite good. Moreover, this poster does the movie justice and it also works well standing alone as a work of art reproduced on paper.
The design of the poster draws the viewer in right from the start; I like the use of the different colors and the faces of the actors help to make the picture stronger and more intense. Not only does the string of letters represent the letters two people exchange throughout the film as the plot unfolds; the way the letters are angled up leads the viewer back into space and before they know it the viewer will be standing closer to the poster to see every little detail. Other things that help the poster stand out are the words followed by the exclamation points; the darkness and lines near the man's face; the use of a lighter shade of blue at the bottom and more.
Fans of movie posters would do well to add this to their collections; this is a particularly well done drawing reproduced in the form of a poster. In addition, you can choose it framed, unframed or even laminated as of the time I am writing this.
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