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The Sopranos: HBO Season 6 (Part 2 - The Final Episodes) [2007]

starring: Tony Sirico, Steven R. Schirripa, Aida Turturro, Michael Imperioli, James Gandolfini
directed by: Steve Buscemi, Danny Leiner, David Nutter, Alan Taylor, Steve Shill

November 19, 2007
This is the seventh box set taking the excellent 'Sopranos' to it's inconclusive conclusion. The final nine episodes included here are of the same high standard as those before it and continues the build up of tension started in Season six part 1. Anybody who has watched the show and has got to this late stage in the saga will not be needing a review to decide on a purchase, you're going to buy it anyway!!. To those people it is an excellent buy. i'm just a little disappointed that the cost has remained substantially higher than all the series before it. You've got to buy it to complete the set and they know that! For this point alone i've reduced the score to four stars.

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The Sopranos: HBO Season 6 (Part 1)

starring: James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Lorraine Bracco, Michael Imperioli, Dominic Chianese
directed by: Jack Bender, Steve Buscemi, Alan Taylor, Tim Van Patten, Danny Leiner

November 27, 2006
seem to have a different opinion from so many other viewers, since I really enjoyed the first half of season six. Seeing Tony get shot, not by season one's physically and mentally vigorous Uncle Junior, as I had kept anticipating that season, but by the toothless demented Uncle Junior, believing he was shooting someone else entirely was priceless irony. I loved the part with Tony in the coma in our world, while -wherever he was - he was exactly what he had always dreaded being - a nobody. Worse, he's a traveling salesman who is "trapped" and unable to get home. When Tony comes out of his coma, he vows to change and take every day as a gift, but later he is gradually pulled back into his old ways, since his position as boss really gives him no alternative. ... Read More:

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Oz : Complete Season 1

starring: Ernie Hudson, Rita Moreno, J.K. Simmons, Eamonn Walker, Harold Perrineau
directed by: Adam Bernstein, Gregory Dark, Steve Buscemi, Nick Gomez, Alex Zakrzewski

February 05, 2007
An engrossing show that is hard hitting. The narration is a bit annoying and on the whole unnescessary, although occasionally it doesn add a thought provoking point or commentary.

I don't usually watch prison drmams, but decided to give this a go having read positive reviews- and I'm glad I did. It is dark and offers an antidote to syrupy sentimental drama, to implausible dramas, or to those relying on thinly drawn characters.

Each episode develops the characters further, and the storylines are high quality allowing tensions and dynamics to be explored. In fact this is quite an intersting study in psychology.

Worth a look.

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The Sopranos - Complete HBO Series - Deluxe Edition [1999]

starring: Tony Sirico, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Steven Van Zandt, Elizabeth Bracco, Lorraine Bracco
directed by: Steve Buscemi, Danny Leiner, David Nutter, Alan Taylor, Steve Shill

November 17, 2008
Despite being a fan of mob movies, I never managed to catch The Sopranos when it was broadcast on TV (I'm always too busy to properly follow a TV station's schedule). Nonetheless, I heard it was a good show, so I took the plunge and purchased the complete box set.

Boy, am I glad I did!

The Sopranos is compulsive viewing. I managed to watch all six seasons over the course of one month, because when one episode finishes, you're simply dying to watch the next! Each episode is crammed with interesting characters, cutting dialogue and first-rate acting. And although classified as a TV drama, there is a lot of humour injected into each episode, so its not all downbeat and grim - you'll be laughing during scenes as well!

For fans ... Read More:

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Lonesome Jim [2006]

starring: Mark Boone, Casey Affleck, Mary Kay Place, Kevin Corrigan, Seymour Cassel
directed by: Steve Buscemi

August 18, 2008
Despite being a fan of mob movies, I never managed to catch The Sopranos when it was broadcast on TV (I'm always too busy to properly follow a TV station's schedule). Nonetheless, I heard it was a good show, so I took the plunge and purchased the complete box set.

Boy, am I glad I did!

The Sopranos is compulsive viewing. I managed to watch all six seasons over the course of one month, because when one episode finishes, you're simply dying to watch the next! Each episode is crammed with interesting characters, cutting dialogue and first-rate acting. And although classified as a TV drama, there is a lot of humour injected into each episode, so its not all downbeat and grim - you'll be laughing during scenes as well!

For fans ... Read More:

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Interview [2007]

starring: Sienna Miller, Steve Buscemi
directed by: Steve Buscemi

February 25, 2008
This is a decent enough, easy watch exploring the topic of control and gender in an entertaining fashion, a reworking of the sadly murdered Theo van Gogh film of the same name (Buscemi honours him in the credits and also with the removal van in the early part of the film). The essence of the film is how men, regardless of their own inflated opinions of their intelligence and worldliness, and, despite their better instincts, can't help but be manipulated and wooed by femmes fatales.

There are moments when this film does feel a bit too theatrical, a little over-acted, but overall, its a classic, two people in a room, character based story which underscores Buscemi's ability as a director and actor and actually boosted my opinion of Sienna Miller (albeit ... Read More:

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Animal Factory [2003]

starring: Willem Dafoe, Edward Furlong, Seymour Cassel, Mickey Rouse, Steve Buscemi
directed by: Steve Buscemi

April 26, 2004
Not oscar worthy, but a solid film from actor turned director Steve Buschemi. I have always enjoyed his performances in movies, usaully in supporting roles or cameos with the emphasis on comic relief (Donny in The Big Lebowski the finest) so was a little surprised when I realised he directed this gritty prison flick. You can tell from the onset that they didn't have the biggest of budgets to work with, but recruiting the always excellent Willem Defoe as the shaven headed 'ruler' of the prison makes this otherwise B movie worth watching. Supported by the evergreen Edward Furlong (doesn't look a day older since T2, but he must be in his 30's!) the leads give strong performances and there are a lot of familier faces within the cast - obviously down to the directors Hollywood ... Read More:

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Trees Lounge [1997]

starring: Steve Buscemi, Michael Imperioli, Chloe Sevigny, Samuel L. Jackson, Elizabeth Bracco
directed by: Steve Buscemi

March 24, 2003
Stay well clear of this release. It is one of the poorest DVD authoring jobs I've seen. Firstly, the stated widescreen aspect ratio of 1.77:1 is wrong--the film is in standard 4:3.

Secondly, and most importantly, the sound has a quite audible background hiss throughout the entire feature; which gets very prominent during quiet passages. It seems the people responsible for "authoring" this disc boosted the volume to compensate for an inferior audio track (or perhaps wanted to ensure deaf people heard every line spoken)

Either way, you are better off with the region 1 release (although that is far from great also)

(I probably needn't say there is nothing in the way of extras or alternate audio tracks either. Not even a booklet with a chapter list)

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Lonesome Jim [2005] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

starring: Casey Affleck, Kevin Corrigan, Mary Kay Place, Seymour Cassel, Rachel Strouse
directed by: Steve Buscemi

August 29, 2006
Stay well clear of this release. It is one of the poorest DVD authoring jobs I've seen. Firstly, the stated widescreen aspect ratio of 1.77:1 is wrong--the film is in standard 4:3.

Secondly, and most importantly, the sound has a quite audible background hiss throughout the entire feature; which gets very prominent during quiet passages. It seems the people responsible for "authoring" this disc boosted the volume to compensate for an inferior audio track (or perhaps wanted to ensure deaf people heard every line spoken)

Either way, you are better off with the region 1 release (although that is far from great also)

(I probably needn't say there is nothing in the way of extras or alternate audio tracks either. Not even a booklet with a chapter list)

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Animal Factory [2003] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

starring: Tom Arnold, Edward Bunker, Steve Buscemi, Seymour Cassel, Willem Dafoe
directed by: Steve Buscemi

January 09, 2001
I watched this movie the other night and was so bored with it I fell asleep.Thinking with a good star heading the cast it would be good, defoe,and furlong matched well as actors but as for the grittiness of the film I must have blinked and missed that part.I have watched far better movies about prison on tv, this was poor, and definatley a film I regretted buying.