Leonard Maltin's Movie and Video Guide 2002

Amazon.com

If you buy only one film book in your life, this should be it. Maltin is the filmgoer's guide--the most compact, intelligent, and informative reference available. Alphabetized by title, each of its more than 19,000 entries lists year of release, running time, director, principal cast, and availability on video. Other guides may offer even more information, but Maltin's is distinguished by the quality of its reviews. Rating films on a scale from "****" to "BOMB," it offers a comprehensive introduction to the international cinema, covers the classics with the respect they deserve, unearths thousands of little-known gems, takes the wind out of the overrated, and laughs at the awful with appropriate good humor. If you want proof of Maltin's versatility, compare the reviews of The Battleship Potemkin, History Is Made at Night, Blue Velvet, and The Navy vs. the Night Monsters. Standard, crucial, great fun to read, chock full of trivia, and bursting with passion for the movies. --Raphael Shargel

Book Description

"Easily the most comprehensive work of its kind anywhere. It belongs next to every TV and VCR in every home." (USA Today)

The best, most up-to-date, all-purpose video guide." (New York Daily News)

"The single most important reference book in every American home." (Esquire)

Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide is an essential book for every film lover's bookshelf. Now this leading authority on American film brings us the latest edition of his acclaimed guide. The comprehensive 2002 edition includes:

* Capsule reviews of more than 19,000 films, including over 300 new entries
* Easy-to-read symbols indicating availability of more than 14,000 films on video
* Over 7,000 listings of films available on laserdisc-and 3,000 available on DVD
* A revised index of leading actors and actresses
* Write-ups on every film series, from Charlie Chan to Tarzan
* Notes on widescreen films that are best viewed in letterbox format
* An updated list of mail-order sources for renting and buying videocassettes and discs
* Leonard Maltin's exclusive list of the best family films of all time . . . and much, much more.

Customer Reviews:

BOMB!.......2003-12-18

I can't believe Leonard Maltin would give Mission to Moscow and Baby Doll a ***1/2 rating and give Saratoga Trunk a *1/2 and Unconquered a **1/2. Stupid, stupid man who only cares about films HE likes. And no, Mission to Moscow is not a "well-made propaganda film", since everything in it is lies, lies and more lies.

Movie Guru or Overrated Rater?.......2003-11-20

I first learned about Mr. Maltin and his "Movie Bible" a few years ago, and I think it's the kind of book a lot of people either love or love to hate.
Pros: Short, to-the-point reviews, relevant information about the films and lots of neat bonus info that I as an enthusiastic amateur certainly didn't know about.
Cons: I often tend to disagree with the reviews, but then again it is a very subjective matter, based solely on your own perception of the film. I wasn't happy, though, to see one of my favorites "The Big Lebowski" recieve only 2½, but fair is fair...another, and more important, minus is the fact that far too few foreign films (e.g. danish?) are listed. The Movie World isn't all american, Mr. Maltin! And how does he define the nationality? Take the film "Reptilicus", shot in Denmark with a danish cast, speaking Danish. The only thing american about that movie is the director - and it's listed as 100% U.S.!
Having said all this, the book does give you a solid introduction to the world of film-watching, and I'm sure the editors had good reasons for making the choices they did. I'd sure like to hear them, though...

Great reference guide from a not so great film crictic.......2003-09-06

I love this book in that it's the perfect reference guide to just about any film out there. However, Leonard Maltin isn't the greatest film critic. Well, I guess no critic is that great. I just hate browsing through this book and seeing that he rates some of my favorite films as only two or two and a half stars out of four. Once in a while, he's right on, but other times he's just totally off.

But all in all, this is still a great reference guide.

It gets bigger every year.......2002-09-04

I try to buy the Leonard Maltin book every year. I am not alone.
I may occasionally disagree with a particular review but that is human nature. This book is a great resource book. As I get older the fine print is getting to my eyes. He does release a trade size version of the book. Check the back for the index of stars.

reveiwing the reveiwer........2002-07-01

Here's the deal with Leonard Maltin. Most of the time he delivers very good and informative reveiws that I find helpful, but when he doed not like the movie he is reviewing the reveiw usually falls short. In a way it makes sense that he would not go into the detail he would on a film he loved versus a film he hated considering there are thousands of movies reviewed here, but then the bad review is sort of worthless if he's not going to give a lot of thought into it. Sometimes a bad review is worth reading.

Book Description

Wondering what video to rent tonight? This bestselling, fact-packed guide is the only sourcebook you and your family will ever need. Mick Martin and Marsha Porter steer you toward the winners and warn you about the losers. VIDEO MOVIE GUIDE 2001 covers it all--more films than any other guide, plus your favorite serials, B-Westerns, made-for-TV movies, and old television programs! Each video, conveniently alphabetized for easy access, includes a concise summary, fresh commentary, the director, major cast members, the year of release, and the MPAA rating, plus a reliable Martin and Porter rating--from Five Stars to Turkey--so you'll never get caught with a clunker again!

THE BEST IN THE FIELD FOR SIXTEEN YEARS!
Including
¸  DIRECTOR AND STAR INDEXES
¸  COMPLETE ACADEMY AWARD LISTINGS
¸  WHERE TO BUY THOSE HARD-TO-FIND VIDEOS
¸  BRAND NEW DVD LISTINGS

Customer Reviews:

5 STARS !!!.......2002-08-07

I've been turning to Martin and Porter for around 12 years now and all I can say is that I eagerly await each new year's edition of the Video Movie Guide (VMG). When I first went looking for a paperback movie guide, I spent a lot of time checking out the competition and found them all lacking in some area. Leonard and I just didn't see eye-to-eye at all. If he didn't like a certain genre, those type of movies didn't get a fair shake. Many of the others were geared for family viewing (which is fine but I've been there, done that, and have moved on to encompass a wide range of films). The only one that I found to be fair and have the technical info (color or b&w, running time, rating, subtitles, year released, cast, director, etc.) that I was looking for was VMG. I've watched the book's format change (for the better) over the years (I happily don't have to figure out the genre of the film before looking it up anymore). After reading some of the other reviews, I understand the frustration of not having all of an actor's films listed but if you read the Forward/Introduction to VMG you'd know that only available (for rent and/or purchase) titles are covered. This is why I've purchased a couple of older VMGs to add to my collection for reference. Nobody seems to mind when a book or DVD has an incomplete filmography on an actor or director so what's the beef? ...

A MOVIE DICTIONARY.......2002-07-08

WITH 1582 PAGES OF MOVIE REVIEWS AND MOVIE RELATED MATERIAL, THERE IS NO WAY ONE WILL AGREE WITH EVERYTHING. HOWEVER, I OFTEN REFER TO THIS GUIDE FOR MANY REASONS. IT'S LIKE A TOOL MORE THAN A BOOK. WHERE ALOT OF SIMILAR GUIDES DON'T OFFER AS MUCH, ONE EXAMPLE IS: EVEN IF AN ACTOR ONLY HAS 1 OR 2 MOVIES, THEY ARE STILL LISTED IN THE CAST INDEX. THIS IS NOT FOUND IN MOST OTHER REVIEW GUIDES. ALOT OF READERS WONDER WHY ALOT OF THE REVIEWS ARE SHORT. IT IS SIMPLE. EACH YEAR WHEN THE NEW BOOK IS PRINTED, OLDER REVIEWS HAVE TO BE EDITED TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE HUNDREDS OF NEW LISTINGS. HOW FAT DO YOU THINK A BOOK CAN GET? THE TRUTH IS THIS GUIDE DOES HAVE MORE MOVIES THAN ANY OTHER. I'VE READ ALL THE OTHER GUIDES (EBERT, MALTIN, BONES ect.). BOTTOM LINE: WELL WORTH THE MONEY. EVEN IF IT'S NOT W/O IT'S FLAWS.

My son's favorite.......2002-03-06

The Martin, Porter video guides are the only ones my video watching son will use. We've bought others, but these seem to be the most concise and easy to use as a reference for video viewing.

Good, but less user-friendly than it used to be.......2001-12-04

The Video Movie Guide is useful, but it should be more user-friendly. For example, past editions marked the actor and director indices clearly ON EVERY PAGE. Now if you want to find a director or actor you have to thumb around the back of the book with no way of knowing whether you're in the director or actor section. It's very frustrating. I'd also like to see them bring back the appendices listing four and five star movies. On the plus side, it's great that the authors have finally done away with the silly genre categories.

Better Than Horrid "Maltin", But Misses Some Movies........2001-11-10

I agreed with theses people much more than terrible Leonard Maltin, ... They gave movies I enjoy pretty good reveiws. Note: Maltin thinks Friday The 13th deserves 1/2 stars. They think it deserves three. I agree. It's not a terrific movie, but it still isn't complete junk. I liked Betsy Palmer. Anyway, Maltin just hates everything, these people seem to try hard to find something good about the movie before calling it awful. Although, the cover shows a shot for American Beauty, but it's not actually in here. And, some of their reveiws are WAY to short. Like, for example, Ghoulies. They said in their reveiw "Gruesome. Rated PG-13 for Violence and Sexuality." What a helpful reveiw, NOT! I, myself, don't beleive in criticts, I just watch a movie and decide whether or not I like it. You should, too. ...

Videohound's Golden Movie Retriever 2002 (Videohound Golden Movie Retrierver, 2002)

Average customer rating:

Some thing never change
Videohound Movie Guide
Still great
For Movie Buffs!!!
Video hound book

Videohound's Golden Movie Retriever 2002 (Videohound Golden Movie Retrierver, 2002)

Manufacturer: Gale Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Leonard Maltin's 2008 Movie Guide (Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide (Signet))
Videohound's Golden Movie Retriever 2007 (Videohound's Golden Movie Retriever)
Leonard Maltin's 2006 Movie Guide
DVD & Video Guide 2006 (Mass Market Paperback) (Video and DVD Guide)
Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide

ASIN: 0787657557

Amazon.com

VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever 1998 is the most comprehensive single-volume film guide you can buy. It contains capsule reviews of more than 22,000 movies, written with wit and good humor; the films are rated in a range from "four bones" to "WOOF!" Each entry notes the year the film was released; its running time; its availability on videocassette, laserdisc, and DVD; its chief credits; and whether the film was made in black and white or color. Unlike many rival guides, the Retriever includes made-for-television movies, straight-to-video releases, miniseries, and television shows that are currently available on video. But that's not all: the second half of the volume is an enormous book of lists, making it a valuable film encyclopedia as well. The award index covers not only the Oscars, the BAFTA Awards, and the Cannes Film Festival winners, but also the Golden Globe, the Canadian Genie, the Independent Spirit, and the MTV Movie Awards. VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever 1998 categorizes films by their country of origin and by director, star, writer, cinematographer, and composer. If you want to find information on the World Wide Web, check out the directory of the best film Web sites. Best of all is the category index, which catalogues movies according to conventional genres ("Comedy," "Film Noir," "Romance") and also under topics as wild and diverse as "Murderous Children," "Flatulence," "Satire and Parody," "Cyberpunk," "Marriage," "L.A." and "Nuns with Guns." VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever 1998is a lively and entertaining guide that will point you toward new experiences in film and strengthen your cinematic expertise.

Book Description

VideoHound returns this year, in its 15th edition, with nearly 1,000 new reviews, more information and more complete indexes - including VideoHound's fans' favorite category index with new, unconventional additions: Brainwashed, New Jersey, Midlife Crisis and Organ Transplants. "The 2006 VideoHound builds on its legacy of playful, yet dead-on reviews," said Jim Craddock, editor. "Insightful reviews, extensive cross-referencing and a tone that is never too serious but always right on, makes this the movie guide fans ask for by name… and size." In this year's VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever, readers can see comprehensive, clever reviews of some of last year's most popular movies such as Ray, Million Dollar Baby, Sideways and Finding Neverland. VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever offers several unique features, including 9 indexes, birth dates in all personal indexes (death dates are included when applicable) and more than 27,000 reviews. Entries are arranged alphabetically and provide: title, bone rating (Four bones to Woof!), year released, MPAA Rating, synopsis/review, songs, run time, black and white or color, format, country of origin, cast, director, writer, cinematographer, composer/lyricist, awards and made for TV, cable or video identification.

The 2006 edition offers the same reliable, friendly information to help people in their quest to find the perfect movie, solve a crossword puzzle, win a bet, or just curl up and have some quality "you" time.

Customer Reviews:

Some thing never change.......2007-09-19

and thats good!! This guide is as good as it ever was. LOTS bigger!!!

Videohound Movie Guide.......2007-09-05

THIS is the movie guide that you need. Very complete with solid reviews (5 bones rating to 1 bone rating) for most films that are available on DVD or VHS. This book is a very large volume with a wealth of movie information.

Still great.......2007-07-19

Still the best of the best. Funny, smart, dead-on, and consistent. The writing gets better every year, somehow.

For Movie Buffs!!!.......2007-02-04

A must have reference for movie buffs even cross word puzzle people!!! Lots of information!!! Great Reference Guide!!! Thank you!!!

Video hound book.......2007-02-02

If this one had a separate listing of the top rated movies available, I'd give this a 5 star rating. Except for that, it's very good. I concur with all of the ratings in it; they eliminate the usual dogs and cut down the choices to the better movies on DVD or videotape.

TLA Film, Video, and DVD Guide 2002-2003: The Discerning Film Lover's Guide

Average customer rating:

FLAWED, but mostly incomplete..
Not comprehensive, but better than the others
Excellent Film Guide
SOLID GUIDE FOR FANS OF FOREIGN < INDY AND HOLLYWOOD

TLA Film, Video, and DVD Guide 2002-2003: The Discerning Film Lover's Guide

Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Guides & Reviews | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Reference | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

TLA Video & DVD Guide 2004: The Discerning Film Lover's Guide (Tla Video & DVD Guide)
TLA Film and Video Guide 2000-2001: The Discerning Film Lover's Guide
TLA Video & DVD Guide 2005: The Discerning Film Lover's Guide (Tla Video & DVD Guide)

ASIN: 0312282095

Book Description

Detailed indexes by star, director, country of origin, and themeLavishly illustrated with over 450 photosComprehensive selection of international cinema from over 50 countriesOver 10,000 films reviewedUp-to-date information of video availability and pricingAppendices with award listings, TLA Bests, and recommended films

Customer Reviews:

FLAWED, but mostly incomplete.........2003-08-25

This guide isn't a guide at all. So many missing links. Thank God for Mick Martin & Marsha Porter for filling in the blanks, their "DVD & VIDEO GUIDES" are much better. It's rare that I don't find the films I'm looking for with Mick & Marsha. With this guide I only find something like 5 of 10 films. Mick Martin & Marsha Porter 9 of 10. Perhaps I'm just spoiled by them, because I see by the other reviews here that this guide was informative to some. Maybe its the only one they've read. One flaw example: Look at actress Winona Ryder's filmograghy, it has Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow listed. Ryder is not in that film (not even in a cameo).

Not comprehensive, but better than the others.......2002-06-29

I went to the bookstore intending to buy a different movie guide (woof! lol), but it wasn't in stock at the time, so I bought the TLA 2000-2001 guide. Over the past year and more I have had the opportunity to compare the TLA with Videohound. I have been impressed enough with TLA to buy the 2002-2003 edition. Although Videohound may be more comprehensive, there's something to be said for selectivity. Yes, there have been films I haven't found in TLA, but TLA will also tend to have a more thorough and sophisticated review. I've only been let down once with a TLA review I didn't agree with (i.e. it was positive and my opinion of the film was negative), less often than with other guides. It also has good indexes at the back, and the paperstock itself is of much higher quality (which is important for me... I don't like my movie guides looking and feeling like phone books after a few months of use).

For specialty guides (like cult and war movies), Videohound puts out good stuff. Otherwise I prefer TLA!

Excellent Film Guide.......2002-03-12

This *is* the guide for discerning film lovers. It avoids the encylopeadic trend of other guides, so you don't have to wade through thousands of movies that are simply not worth your time. It's not a snobish foreign or indie only guide, nor is it enslaved to Hollywood. That is, it has it all: serious art and serious fun. The reviews are very well written, witty, and often cite broad styles or a director's influences which allows readers to further develop their own preferences and interests. Inevitably, you will disagree with a review here and there, but this guide is by far the best I've come across. Highly recommended.

SOLID GUIDE FOR FANS OF FOREIGN < INDY AND HOLLYWOOD.......2001-11-08

This is a fine guide book to home video, with an accent on foreign and indy favorites. The reviews are well-informed and well-written. There is also many small and unknown film covered. Hats off to Bleiler and company. TLA Video is known in the Philly area for their repertory history and interesting video stores, and this book reflects their reputation.

Average customer rating:

Full of Information, Witty Comments, and Blatant Bias.
Not too bright, to my surprise
Better than on TV
America's best movie critic
Ebert's big book of movies never disappoints!

Roger Ebert'S Movie Yearbook 2002
Roger Ebert
Manufacturer: Andrews McMeel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Guides & Reviews | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Reference | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook 2005
Roger Ebert's Video Companion 1998 (Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook)
Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook 2006 (Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook)
Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook 2007 (Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook)
Roger Ebert's Video Companion 1996/Roger Ebert's Pocket Video Guide (Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook)

ASIN: 0740718614

Amazon.com

Roger Ebert's movie reviews are extremely popular, and there are valid reasons for this. Ebert writes entertainingly, his movie assessments are generally spot-on, and he's able to explain, concretely and descriptively, the strengths and flaws of the movies he reviews. That said, there are all sorts of reasons to want Ebert's Movie Yearbook 1999. For one, it provides the same kind of wonderful reference service his Video Companion volumes did, only more so, including every review penned (or more likely, keyboarded) by Ebert in 1997 and 1998, about 500 in all, instead of the 150 reviews selected for each Video Companion. The good, the bad, and the indifferent, they're all there, with blockbusters and little-known independents, art films and documentaries, foreign films and Hollywood extravaganzas. It doesn't include a review for every film made since cinematography began, but, for each movie selected, there's a full-length review instead of the mini-reviews seen in more inclusive anthologies.

In addition, there's an appendix listing every movie review that ever appeared in an Ebert Video Companion (nearly 2,000 titles in all), with the star rating he assigned at the time, so while you don't get to read the reviews, you do get his valuable conclusions. The Yearbook also includes a summary of the best films of 1997, interviews with a number of movie hot shots (from Jim Carrey and Spike Lee to Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino), essays on David Brinkley, Frank Sinatra, Spielberg at 50, and the Titanic, as well as notes from film festivals in Toronto, Telluride, and Cannes. All this plus a comprehensive, cross-referenced index make the Movie Yearbook a superb cinema resource. Ebert fans already know the pleasures of Ebert's prose, but newcomers to Ebert's style will easily understand why he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his movie critiques. --Stephanie Gold

Book Description

When America wants to know movies, it turns to Roger Ebert, the only film critic to be awarded the Pulitzer Prize for criticism.Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook 2002 presents all of Ebert's reviews from January 1999 to mid-June 2001. This annual volume-required reading for film fans-also contains all of his interviews and essays for the year, the biweekly "Questions for the Movie Answer Man," his daily notebooks from major film festivals, plus a list of all movies and star ratings ever appearing in an edition of this annual collection.

Customer Reviews:

Full of Information, Witty Comments, and Blatant Bias........2007-03-01

I'm not a very big fan of Roger Ebert. The guy is a talented film critic and can ask thought provoking questions when interviewing someone, but he's also arrogant, egotistical, and pretentious. He seems to look down upon films with mass appeal and herald movies that make no sense whatsoever. When Gene Siskel was still alive I tended to appreciate Siskel's reviews more. Things haven't changed much in the past several years because now that Ebert is the lead man with Richard Roeper, I tend to agree and like Roeper's reviews more than Ebert.

That's not to say ROGER EBERT'S MOVIE YEARBOOK 2003 is a bad book, because it's not. It's a companion piece that just about any film lover will enjoy. The book includes over 600 reviews that Ebert wrote between January 2000 through about July 2002. I will say that Ebert is a better writer than he is a public speaker because his written reviews seem formulated and more thought out than the comments Ebert spews forth when he's on the air. But, the MOVIE YEARBOOK isn't just about reviews. The last fifth of the book or so includes film reports from various film festivals, tributes to entertainment greats, interviews with major stars and filmmakers, various essays discussing things such as Halle Berry's Oscar and Funniest Movie Titles, hundreds of Q&As from Ebert's popular syndicated column, a Ebert movie glossary, and an index about of ratings of all films that have appeared in any of Ebert's HOME COMPANION, VIDEO COMPANION, or MOVIE YEARBOOK books (up until early 2003). The stuff at the end of the book and not the reviews themselves is what makes this book worth owning, especially the interviews and essays. These are the pieces I enjoyed reading the most and are the most entertaining and informative selections in the book.

This is a great gift for any movie buff who enjoys reading.

Not too bright, to my surprise.......2004-04-06

I usually enjoy Roger Ebert's movie reviews, but quite a few reviews in this book evidenced what can only be called stupidity. Although he understands the basic necessities of movie entertainment (dramatic tension, forward movement, character development etc.), so does every college drama graduate. The problem is that Ebert enjoys an amazing blindness to complex emotions and irony, and his sense of humor is decidedly slapstick. Basically, he reviews movies on the mid-level-college-freshman-with-a-110-IQ level. If you share these characteristics and preferences, his opinions may appeal to you. If not, the book is just another proof that "there's no accounting for taste."

Better than on TV.......2004-02-14

Every time I see Roger Ebert on the red carpet at the Academy Awards, sticking a microphone in people's faces and sometimes asking questions or making observations that are either gushing or rude, I have a hard time taking him seriously as a critic. Like Rex Reed, he's becoming too much of a showbiz figure himself. But when I read his reviews, my respect for him is restored. He gives equal time to both big-budget box-office hits and tiny independant films, and never comes across as a snob.

Reading the reviews of some critics makes me suspect there's a hidden network through which they make secret contact and agree that film A should be praised and film B should be panned. How else to explain the resoundingly hateful and negative reviews for "15 Minutes," an okay movie with Robert DeNiro and Ed Burns that everyone but Ebert carved up like a Thanksgiving turkey? Ebert did not fall in line, and saw the merits of that film.

But Roger, be a little more civil on the red carpet at the Oscars. I remember in 1994 when you told Holly Hunter that you thought her nomination as best supporting actress for "The Firm" was the worst nomination that year. It's okay to say that in print or on TV, but to say it to her face as she's entering the ceremony was distasteful. It's not her fault she was nominated. Her peers nominated her. Tell THEM, not her, and don't spoil her night with such a negative statement, even if you're just being honest.

America's best movie critic.......2003-01-08

Even though I live in Ohio, I read all of Roger Ebert's reviews and columns weekly on the Chicago Sun-Times website. He is such a great critic because he's not afraid to disagree with everyone else, and he's not afraid to bring his personal preferences and feelings into each review. A critic's purpose is not to tell you what to see; it's to help you make a more informed decision. Ebert's reviews help me do that more than any other critics.

I have been getting this book from the library each January since 1998 and reading it cover to cover. Not only does it contain hundreds of reviews, it also has the excellent Movie Answer Man column (which I eagerly anticipate in the Sun-Times every other week), and the hilarious Little Movie Glossary (which, in this edition, I am proud to say, features a submission from yours truly).

I agree with Ebert's conclusions on movies something like 60% of the time. That that's the case, and I still read him weekly, proves the merit of his writing.

Ebert's big book of movies never disappoints!.......2002-10-07

The 2003 edition of Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook is the sixth I've purchased and it is sure to exceed every one that came before it. Ebert is a fine writer with the uncanny ability to make every review readable, fun and insightful--whether it's his 5th review or his 5,000th. The extras are what makes these books so enjoyable. From the movie glossary to the index of all his reviews (with star ratings), the book is absolutely jam-packed with information.

My personal favorite section is the interviews he does with various directors, actors and movie business people. Ebert always asks the right questions without the usual creampuff fluffery you come to expect from interviews in Entertainment Weekly, Vanity Fair, etc. He pushes their buttons and gets under their skin--and the results are usually pretty entertaining.

Of course, the real value of Roger Ebert's Movie Yearbook is the reviews. The book contains all the reviews of the past several years, along with handy notes on cast and crew, and, of course, the star ratings.

Halliwell's Film and Video Guide 2002 (Hallowell's Film & Video Guide, 2002)
Average customer rating:

Detailed and Helpful, but Has Too Many Errors

Useful but flawed

A marring of Halliwell's great work

Should be titled Walkers Film & Video Guide

An ideal guide for those favoring Golden Age movies

Halliwell's Film and Video Guide 2002 (Hallowell's Film & Video Guide, 2002)
Leslie Halliwell
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guides & Reviews | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Reference | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Guides & Reviews | Video | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Consumer Guides | Reference | Subjects | Books
General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0060988843
Release Date: 2001-11-27

Book Description

For over 20 years, film enthusiasts, trivia buffs, and ordinary movie watchers alike have consulted the pages of Halliwell's Film & Video Guide for the most comprehensive information available on their favorite films -- from the classics of the silver screen to the latest blockbusters. Each of the books over 23,000 entries include information on the film's cast members; writers, directors and producers; a plot synopsis and critical evaluations; videocassette, DVD, and laser disc availibility; quotes from contemporary reviews; and more. Halliwell's also features easy-to-interpret icons denoting film suitable for family viewing, winners of Academy Awards and nominations, sountrack availability, computer-colorized versions, and video format compatibility. Additionally, you'll find lists of four-star and three-star films arranged by title and by year of release, and a list of all the Oscar winners for best picture and director, best actor and actress, best supporting actor and actress, and best original screen play and adapted screenplay.

Customer Reviews:

Detailed and Helpful, but Has Too Many Errors.......2004-06-09

If you are wanting a Film Guide that gives details regarding cast members, writers, directors, producers, and the availability of movies in VHS, DVD, etc. then this is a very thorough guide.

However, the descriptions of many of the movies are wrong, vague, or seem to have been written in a hurry just to get something down on paper (e.g. A Little Romance - the description here is just plain wrong). Many of the ratings I completely disagree with, and I do realize that this aspect is, for the most part, subjective. Nonetheless, some of the ratings in this guide are way off. Lastly, there are several movies that I am aware of that are not listed at all (e.g. Hard to Hold).

Overall, the guide is helpful, especially for the older films, and provides detailed content with regard to the stars, directors, etc. I give it 2 and a half stars for those details but think it is a waste of money if you are trying to figure out what a particular movie is about. There are far better film guides out there than this one.

Useful but flawed.......2002-04-21

On the positive side, this is perhaps the most comprehensive of film guides available. Not only do Halliwell and Walker cover most films released on the western market, but they also give more production details than any other similar volume. As a reference work, it is definitely worth having at hand.

The reviews themselves are interesting, though each is limited to one or two sentences, and the opportunity for comment is too often squandered away on petty sarcasms that miss the mark. There are a few inconsistencies apparent. Some films are awarded two or three stars (out of a maximum of 4) with little rationale offered. For example, A Room with a View is alotted 3 stars before being (apparently) dismissed by a description of it as a lacklustre drama that might have been made for TV, but which might be enjoyed by those starved of entertainment. The lamentable 'Independence Day' is given one star, whilst the comparable, yet far superior, Armageddon is awarded none. One of the great British pictures of the 1960s, Billy Liar, is given a well-deserved three stars (so far so good), which then threatens to become almost meaningless when the grossly inferior (though still worthy) British comedy of the same decade, Carry On Up the Khyber, is given the same. Why these inconsistencies? Perhaps the last of those can be explained by the fact that Halliwell himself didn't even think that the Carry On films were decent enough to warrant individual entries, whereas Walker later reneged on his behalf and not only gave them their own reviews, but awarded many of them one or two stars (quite insane, on the whole, given some of the excellent films not even considered worthy of a single star).

The verdict: useful reference book; always interesting to read other people's opinions, but many of the opinions expressed in here are severely off the mark; lastly, I suspect most of the flaws can be attributed to John Walker's editing following Halliwell's death.

A marring of Halliwell's great work.......2002-03-23

This lowers a 5-star recommendation given in an earlier review based on a previous edition of this guide. The latest edition leaves intact Mr. Halliwell's reviews for films before 1965 and these remain invaluable. But Mr. Walker's tampering with later reviews is now extensive and has added only pretentiousness and poor judgment to the product. The work remains exceptional for Golden Age movies; otherwise, caveat emptor.

Should be titled Walkers Film & Video Guide.......2001-12-27

The previous reviewer from England pretty much hit the nail on the head regarding what has happened to this film guide over the
years. I think it's only reasonable to assume that once Halliwell died someone new, with a different set of criteria would be writing synopsis and reviews for movies. This in itself is not a problem. What is inexcusable is the way the editor who took over (John Walker) went back and changed the ratings on most of the films in the book in order to keep it more aligned with what he sees as the current popular view. So a movie like Blue Velvet which got zero stars in the original now has two stars or Battle of Algiers which had one star now has four stars. Compounding the confusion is the fact that the original synopsis written by Halliwell have NOT been changed. Therefore you can read pans of movies by Halliwell (such as BV) and then see it highly recommended with Walkers star ratings. Hmm.

One thing that wasn't mentioned was the typeface. The older
editions used to be printed on very crisp white paper with dark easily readable typeface. Now it is printed on cheaper paper with microscopic typeface that anyone without very good vision is recommended to purchase a magnifying glass for. While I find it tolerable for looking up a few films it certainly dissuades one from just kicking back and browsing through it for any length of time.

Lastly, all the way through the 1997 edition Halliwell's Guide was always available in a sturdy hardcover edition as well as a paperback. Now paperback is the only option one gets.

This guide gets three stars because it's still a useful book but
it is truly discouraging the way that it has been ruthlessly altered by the new editor to the point that it is a mere shadow of its former self.

An ideal guide for those favoring Golden Age movies.......2001-10-10

In spite of certain limitations, Halliwell's guide far surpasses any other. From 1965 until 1989, Leslie Halliwell wrote every word of his reviews personally, not by committee. He wrote with definite prejudices: he loved Golden Age movies that represented the best products of the studio system; he loved wholesome, unpretentious movies that sought simply to entertain as well as weightier films; he hated arty films for talking down to audiences and for failing to entertain; he hated 70s-style films that featured solely unattractive characters; he rated films for how they fared as a collective effort by many contributors, not as the mystical work of, say, a director; he rated films very strictly, giving, perhaps, no more than 10% of all his reviews either a 3 or 4 star rating (on a scale of 0 to 4), with most getting no more than 1 star. In short, he went against many modern trends in film, making him a gem for those valuing perspective and sharp judgment while eschewing fads and fashions. And he wrote as a highly gifted man with a 50s Cambridge education and an apt, pithy manner of expression. This, then, is the nearest one can come in the world of film reviewers to what may be regarded as a sure guide to quality. The updates since Mr. Halliwell's death in 1989 have paralleled what is more typically found in other popular reviewers, which, while mildly disappointing, still does not detract materially from the continuing power of the work. Halliwell with a few warts is still far and away the best, given that the essential Halliwell remains. Highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Video Movie Guide 2002
Marsha Porter Mick Martin
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OVRM2O

Average customer rating:

Video Movie Guide 2002
Mick; Porter, Marsha Martin
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OVTNV2

VideoHound's Movie Guide Page-A-Day Calendar 2002

Average customer rating:

365 Days of Irreverent Reviews, Movie Lists & Gossip

VideoHound's Movie Guide Page-A-Day Calendar 2002
Editors of Videohound's Golden Movie Retriever
Manufacturer: Workman Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Calendar

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ASIN: 0761124381

Book Description

Who's more obsessive? More film-possessed? More comprehensive? VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever is the movie lover's movie guide. "The most flexible and info-packed of movie guides-awe-inspiring"-Time Out New York. And for 2002, the compulsive authorities at the Hound offer up hundreds of must-see titles.

Customer Reviews:

365 Days of Irreverent Reviews, Movie Lists & Gossip.......2002-01-15

It's still January, plenty of time for you to get yourself a calendar you'll enjoy! And for movie obsessed people, this is for you!

This page-a-day calendar by VidoHound's Movie Guide has 365 days filled with movies reviews including cast, director, screenwriter, run time, MPAA rating, release date, and the movie tagline. Also some other movies are recommended if the movie was liked. There are also some days which tell about birthdays for movie directors and actors and also gives suggestions on what movies to watch on special occasions.

But there's a down side to having this calendar, thus my giving this calendar 4 stars. Since I am still 14 I was a little disappointed to find that most movies which are being reviewed on are mostly all R-rated! I wish there had been more movies on PG-13, PG, or Unrated movies. But other than that, this calendar has lots of movie info which are very interesting.

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