DVDpedia : Library : Title : K

Theatrical: 2001

Studio: Universal Studios

Genre: Drama

Duration: 120

Summary: Prot is a patient at a mental hospital who claims to be from a far away planet. His psychiatrist tries to help him, only to begin to doubt his own explanations.

Theatrical: 1991

Studio: Ufa/DVD

Genre: Drama

Duration: 98

Summary: Germany released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada. Languages: English (Dolby Digital 2.0)
German (Dolby Digital 2.0)
German (Subtitles)
Synopsis: Steve Soderbergh did a 180 degree turnaround from his debut film sex, lies, and videotape with Kafka, a stark art-film fable for literature majors. Jeremy Irons plays a fictional Franz Kafka, living in Prague in 1919. By day, Kafka works in a massive, impersonal insurance company. At night, he spends his time alone writing stories about men who turn into giant cockroaches. Although quiet and solitary, he becomes a suspect in a murder investigation conducted by Inspector Grubach (Armin Mueller-Stahl) when a friend of his turns up dead. Rather than being harassed by Grubach, Kafka decides to investigate his friend's murder on his own. Kafka speaks to his dead friend's girlfriend, Gabriela (Theresa Russell) and talks with gravestone carver Bizzlebek (Jeroen Krabbe). Kafka follows the clues to the Castle, a menacing tower that casts its shadow over the city and houses files on everything. He winds his way through the cellars and tunnels of the Castle, where he encounters the evil and insidious Dr. Murnau (Ian Holm), whom he hopes holds the solution to the murder.
Extras: Interactive Menu
Scene Access

Theatrical: 2007

Studio: Bandai Visual Company

Genre: Art House

Duration: 108

Summary: Over the last two decades, Kitano Takeshi has emerged as one of the most representative figures of Japanese cinema, be it as an actor or as a director. Making his directorial debut in 1989 with the aptly titled, critically acclaimed Violent Cop, the maverick filmmaker developed a distinct style and aesthetic, characterized by unflinching violence, bizarre surrealism, and deadpan black humor, bringing him awards and acclaim the world over. In 2005, Kitano both thrilled and befuddled audiences with the brilliant Takeshis', in which he played two roles, one of which was his own superstar personae. In 2007, the director takes surrealism one step further with his new film Glory to the Filmmaker!, a.k.a. Kantoku Banzai!. His most personal and meta work to date, Glory to the Filmmaker! stars Kitano Takeshi as a director named Kitano Takeshi who is known for his violent films. The character Kitano announces that he will no longer make violent films, and instead hopes to make a romance, a sci-fi, a ninja film, and even an Ozu Yasujiro-type drama, but his plans are frustrated at every step. The seven movies that the character Kitano works on in the film are all based on director Kitano's actual ideas for possible films. In addition to Kitano Takeshi, this innovative film features a who's who cast from the Japanese film world, including Emori Toro, Kishimoto Kayoko, Suzuki An, Yoshiyuki Kazuko, Takarada Akira, Fujita Yumiko, Uchida Yuki, Kimura Yoshino, and Matsuzaka Keiko.

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Genre: Anime

Duration: 180

Summary: On July 2nd, communications systems worldwide are sent into chaos by a strange atmospheric interference. It is soon learned by the military that a number of enormous objects are on a collision course with Earth. At first thought to be meteors, they are later revealed to be gigantic spacecraft, piloted by a mysterious alien species. After attempts to communicate with the aliens go nowhere, David Levinson, an ex-scientist turned cable technician, discovers that the aliens are going to attack major points around the globe in less than a day. On July 3rd, the aliens all but obliterate New York, Los Angeles, and Washington. The survivors set out in convoys towards Area 51, a strange government testing ground where it is rumored the military has a captured alien spacecraft of their own. The survivors devise a plan to fight back against the enslaving aliens, and July 4th becomes the day humanity will fight for its freedom. July 4th is their Independence Day...

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Velocity / Thinkfilm

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 103

Summary: A pastor (Atkinson) preoccupied with writing the perfect sermon fails to realize that his wife is having an affair and his children are up to no good.

Theatrical: 1989

Studio: Walt Disney Home Video

Genre: Anime / Adventure

Duration: 103

Summary: In Hayao Miyazaki's magical Kiki's Delivery Service, a 13-year-old girl meets the world head on as she spends her first year soloing as an apprentice witch. Kiki (Kirsten Dunst) is still a little green and plenty headstrong, but also resourceful, imaginative, and determined. With her trusty wisp of a cat Jiji (a gently subdued Phil Hartman) by her side she's ready to take on the world, or at least the quaintly European seaside village she's chosen as her new home. Miyazaki's gentle rhythm and meandering narrative capture the easy pulse of real life (even if his subject is a girl flying high upon a broomstick) and charts the everyday struggles and growing pains of his plucky heroine with sensitivity and understanding. Beautifully detailed animation and the rich designs of the picture-postcard seaside town of red-tiled roofs and cobblestone streets only add to the sense of wonder. This charming animated fantasy is a wholesome, life-affirming picture that doesn't speak down to kids or up to adults. --Sean Axmaker

Theatrical: 2000

Studio: Sony Pictures

Genre: Art House & International

Duration: 121

Summary: When words like "sweet" pop up in a review of a Takeshi Kitano film, you want to check that billing again. But yes, this really is Beat Takeshi, the funkiest dead-eyed gangster in Japanese cinema, in a gooey road movie about a glum orphan and a bumbling would-be tough guy who becomes his droopy guardian angel. The shambling walk is the same, as is the blank expression that twists into a cockeyed smile, and the film erupts (albeit infrequently) into sadistic bouts of petty violence. Takeshi is something between a gruff teddy bear and a bully as the former criminal turned unlikely babysitter who, on a whim, decides to hit the road in search of the kid's long lost mother.
Whimsical adventures and silly games are punctuated by violent beatings: despite its moments of sweetness and offbeat humor, this is no family film. In one scene the downcast orphan struggles with a child molester who is trying to yank down his underwear before Takeshi rescues him. It's an uncomfortable scene that is inexplicably played for uneasy humor, the most extreme example of the film's ambiguous tone. Kitano never gets the film under control and the sweetness gets cloying at times, but he invests it with hilarious moments of bizarre, deadpan humor. Though hardly his best, this is without a doubt his strangest film to date, and that's saying something. "--Sean Axmaker"

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: Miramax Films

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 111

Summary: The lead character, called 'The Bride,' was a member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, lead by her lover 'Bill.' Upon realizing she was pregnant with Bill's child, 'The Bride' decided to escape her life as a killer. She fled to Texas, met a young man, and on the day of their wedding was gunned down by an angry and jealous Bill (with the assistance of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad). Four years later, 'The Bride' wakes from a coma, and discovers her baby is gone. She, then, decides to seek revenge upon the five people who destroyed her life and killed her baby. The saga of Kill Bill Volume I begins.

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Miramax Home Entertainment

Genre: Action & Adventure

Duration: 136

Summary: "The Bride" (Uma Thurman) gets her satisfaction--and so do we--in Quentin Tarantino's "roaring rampage of revenge," "Kill Bill, Vol. 2". Where "Vol. 1" was a hyper-kinetic tribute to the Asian chop-socky grindhouse flicks that have been thoroughly cross-referenced in Tarantino's film-loving brain, "Vol. 2"--not a sequel, but Part Two of a breathtakingly cinematic epic--is Tarantino's contemporary martial-arts Western, fueled by iconic images, music, and themes lifted from any source that Tarantino holds dear, from the action-packed cheapies of William Witney (one of several filmmakers Tarantino gratefully honors in the closing credits) to the spaghetti epics of Sergio Leone. Tarantino doesn't copy so much as elevate the genres he loves, and the entirety of "Kill Bill" is clearly the product of a singular artistic vision, even as it careens from one influence to another. Violence erupts with dynamic impact, but unlike "Vol. 1", this slower grand finale revels in Tarantino's trademark dialogue and loopy longueurs, reviving the career of David Carradine (who plays Bill for what he is: a snake charmer), and giving Thurman's Bride an outlet for maternal love and well-earned happiness. Has any actress endured so much for the sake of a unique collaboration? As the credits remind us, "The Bride" was jointly created by "Q&U," and she's become an unforgettable heroine in a pair of delirious movie-movies ("Vol. 3" awaits, some 15 years hence) that Tarantino fans will study and love for decades to come. "--Jeff Shannon"

Theatrical: 2006

Studio: Lions Gate

Genre: TV Series / Crime

Duration: 342

Summary: KILL POINT THE (DVD MOVIE)

Theatrical: 2005

Studio: Universal Pictures Video

Genre: Action

Duration: 187

Summary: Movies don't come any bigger than Peter Jackson's "King Kong", a three-hour remake of the 1933 classic that marries breathtaking visual prowess with a surprising emotional depth. Expanding on the original story of the blonde beauty and the beast who falls for her, Jackson creates a movie spectacle that matches his Lord of the Rings films and even at times evokes their fantasy world while celebrating the glory of '30s Hollywood. Naomi Watts stars as Ann Darrow, a vaudeville actress down on her luck in Depression-era New York until manic filmmaker Carl Denham (a game but miscast Jack Black) entices her with a lead role. Dazzled by the genius of screenwriter Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody), Ann boards the tramp steamer S.S. Venture, which she--and most of the wary crew--believes is headed for Singapore. Denham, however, is in search of the mythic Skull Island, hoping to capture its wonders on film and make a fortune. What he didn't count on were some scary natives who find that the comely Darrow looks like prime sacrifice material for a mysterious giant creature....

There's no point in rehashing the entire plot, as every movie aficionado is more than familiar with the trajectory of "King Kong"; the challenge facing Jackson, his screenwriters, and the phenomenal visual-effects team was to breathe new life into an old, familiar story. To that degree, they achieve what could be best called a qualified success. Though they've assembled a crackerjack supporting cast, including Thomas Kretschmann as the Venture's hard-bitten captain and young Jamie Bell as a plucky crewman, the first third of the movie is rather labored, with too much minute detail given over to sumptuous re-creations of '30s New York and the unexciting initial leg of the Venture's sea voyage. However, once the film finds its way to Skull Island (which bears more than a passing resemblance to LOTR's Mordor), Kong turns into a dazzling movie triumph, by turns terrifying and awe-inspiring. The choreography and execution of the action set pieces--including one involving Kong and a trio of Tyrannosaurus Rexes, as well as another that could be charitably described as a bug-phobic's nightmare--is nothing short of landmark filmmaking, and a certain Mr. Spielberg should watch his back, as Kong trumps most anything that has come before it.
Despite the visual challenges of "King Kong", the movie's most difficult hurdle is the budding romance between Ann and her simian soulmate. Happily, this is where Jackson unqualifiedly triumphs, as this unorthodox love story is tenderly and humorously drawn, by turns sympathetic and wondrous. Watts, whose accessibility balances out her almost otherworldly loveliness, works wonders with mere glances, and Andy Serkis, who digitally embodies Kong here much as he did Gollum in the LOTR films, breathes vibrant life into the giant star of the film without ever overplaying any emotions. The final, tragic act of the film, set mostly atop the Empire State Building, is where Kong earns its place in movie history as a work that celebrates both the technical and emotional heights that film can reach. "--Mark Englehart, Amazon.com"

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: A.D. Vision

Genre: Anime / Adventure

Duration: 316

Summary: This is the last DVD is this series, based on the novels of Keichi Sigsawa. They feature Kino, an anomalous traveler and Hermes, the motorcycle that doubles as a companion. This pair follows the road, moving from place to place and never staying for more than three days. Each story finds Kino confronting many of the mysteries that make up human nature. Some are sarcastic, some chilling, some humorous, but all are views of the human condition, seen as a faceted gem, and from a distance.



The three-day limit is Kino's way of avoiding entrenched complications. While we never do learn why Kino avoids extended relationships (other than with Hermes), the traveler is very much in control of her fate. Kino never goes somewhere by accident, she can take care of herself, and she is doing what she wants to do. The mystery that surrounds this figure becomes part of the atmospherics of the series, rather than a story arc of any consequence.



The final stories are all very strong ones. The first episode is a pastiche of a disquieting tale of revenge and atonement that seques into a visit with a wise mane who has somehow relinquished and clinging to the world. When we discover that appearances are not quite what they seem we have to decide what is the nature of this kind of 'wisdom' when it serves an unexpected purpose.



The second episode tells of how two countries avoid the continuance of a 200-hundred-year war. Or rather, how they avoid having that war take their own lives. This is a dark story, one that turns on the unwillingness of people to take any but the easy route. For some people, change is simply not an option.



This is the bleakest DVD of the collection, and the third tale is what makes it so. Kino decides to visit the country with the unfriendliest reputation to travelers, only to discover that everyone is going out of their way to be friendly. Naturally, nothing is as it seems, but the twist in this tale is a double one. This isn't an easy ending for the series and viewers will find more to think about than they bargained for.



This series gets an 'A' for going into emotional nooks and crannies that are most often avoided by both life and animated film. Sometimes there is a strong lesson behind the episodes, but often we are just left with a poignant feeling and a question or two. I like this sort of thing, but many may prefer stronger story arcs and solider conclusions. One thing you can count on, though is thoughtful work and many unexpected twists.



One last note - as another reviewer has mentioned, the Japanese is more ambiguous than the norm. In this last DVD this surfaces as a large number of glaring differences between the subtitles and the dubbing. Since neither is completely wrong this is one of those cases where it is best to experience both.

Theatrical: 2003

Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 91

Summary: In post war Sweden it was discovered that every year, an average housewife walks the equivalent number of miles as the distance between Stockholm and Congo, while preparing her family meals. So the Home Research Institute sent out eighteen observers to a rural district of Norway to map out the kitchen routines of single men. The researchers were on twenty-four-hour call, and sat in special strategically placed chairs in each kitchen. Furthermore, under no circumstances were the researchers to be spoken to, or included in the kitchen activities.

Theatrical: 2002

Studio: Anime Works

Genre: Anime / Action

Duration: 50

Summary: In Japan cartoons and animated features do not encompass fantasy or slapstick personification of animals, but instead delve into the wondrous serendipity and the dark purposes of human interaction. "Kite" is a prime example of their expression within this genre. With its darkly disturbing La Femme Nikita-style story line, this film begs to be more than the 45-minute event that it is, rivaling the live-action works of Luc Besson and even John Woo. The story involves a college student, Sawa, whose family was brutally murdered. Sawa is adopted by Mr. Akai, the police detective investigating the case, and a twist occurs when we find that Mr. Akai has trained and utilized Sawa as an assassinating angel of vengeance to eliminate the undesirables able to slip through the net of the legal system. In the undertaking of one of these missions, Sawa meets Oburi, another orphan trained like her for the same purpose, and she is placed in the classic position of having to make a life-changing decision. Insights into the truth about Sawa's past are revealed through abstract flashbacks as the film progresses at maniacally breakneck speed, with intense gun battles and blood and guts galore. "Kite" is exquisitely animated by Yasuomi Umetsu and accompanied by a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack composed by An Fu, and the only flaw is that it could have been expanded by exploring more of its profound emotional revelations. "--Hector V. Barrientos-Bullock"

Theatrical: 1997

Studio: Ceská Televize

Genre: Comedy

Duration: 102

Summary: Twist of fate and the twists of mind of the characters (mostly couples) combine in just the right twinkled absurd way in the interweaving episodes of this comedy. Each of the characters gets a good shot at being sarcastic and each is a sorry loser at some point yet none is turned into the butt of the joke. The place is Prague and the time is August 6th, 1995, except for one episode, set 50 years earlier in unflyable rain in the city of Kokura, Japan.

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Geneon [Pioneer]

Genre: Anime / Manga

Duration: 300

Summary: Koshiro, a 27-year-old bachelor who's just broken up with his girlfriend, meets high school sophomore Nanoka at a train station. Despite the difference in their ages, they're attracted to each other, and spend an enjoyable afternoon at an amusement park. Then Koshiro discovers that Nanoka is his younger sister, who's been raised by their divorced mother. Nanoka moves in with Koshiro and their father, taking over all the household chores. Although Koshiro narrates this cherry petal-strewn slush, it's clearly aimed at female viewers. "Koi Kaze" pushes the vaguely incestuous tone of "Sister Princess" and "Marmalade Boy" to new heights--or depths. The idea of a frustrated romance between a 27-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl may play in Japan, but in America, where child molestation has become a major public concern, "Koi Kaze" is disturbing at best. (Rated 16 and older: alcohol and tobacco use) "--Charles Solomon"

Theatrical: 2004

Studio: Velocity / Thinkfilm

Genre: Art House & International

Duration: 106

Summary: The setting of "Kontroll" is the Budapest subway system, one of the largest and oldest in the world, and a place that becomes an omniscient character in an ambitious film that jumbles dark comedy, slick action, and horror-movie conventions. The other main character is Bulcsú (Sándor Csányi), part of a team of disheveled ticket inspectors--controllers--who roam the grimy, fluorescent-lit city-under-the-city in a soul-destroying ritual. The job has become such a part of Bulcsú that he never leaves the underground. He has taken to sleeping on empty platforms and getting progressively more unkempt as he accumulates more bruises, bloody noses, and bitterness from his scraps with a variety of unseemly creatures of the night (and day). Among the post-punk, post-communist habitués of this subterranean metropolis are a cute girl in a teddy-bear suit, a rival gang of ticket inspectors who like to play a deadly game of chicken with express trains, and a hooded specter who may or may not be pushing people under subway wheels at crowded stops. First-time director Nimród Antal keenly juggles black comedy, character types, and genre styles, making the most of the weird angles and inherent dark creepiness of his chosen backdrop. "Kontroll" keeps pace as a hip, flashy, fast-moving set piece by any international measure. "--Ted Fry"

Theatrical: 1982

Studio: MGM/UA Video

Genre: Documentary

Duration: 87

Summary: First-time filmmaker Godfrey Reggio's experimental documentary from 1983--shot mostly in the desert Southwest and New York City on a tiny budget with no script, then attracting the support of Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas and enlisting the indispensable musical contribution of Philip Glass--delighted college students on the midnight circuit and fans of minimalism for many years. Meanwhile, its techniques, merging cinematographer Ron Fricke's time-lapse shots (alternately peripatetic and hyperspeed) with Glass's reiterative music (from the meditative to the orgiastic)--as well as its ecology-minded imagery--crept into the consciousness of popular culture. The influence of "Koyaanisqatsi", or "life out of balance," has by now become unmistakable in television advertisements, music videos, and, of course, in similar movies such as Fricke's own "Chronos" and Craig McCourry's "Apogee". Reggio shot a sequel, "Powaqqatsi" (1988), and is planning to complete the trilogy with "Naqoyqatsi". "Koyaanisqatsi" provides the uninitiated the chance to see where it all started--along with an intense audiovisual rush. "--Robert Burns Neveldine"