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Seabiscuit (Widescreen Edition)

Seabiscuit (Widescreen Edition)

List Price: $19.98
Your Price: $14.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: The feel good movie of the year!
Review: Raves absolutely no news stations on the box! This movie is terrible. Not only is everything predictable, but the characters are flat. Do i know any of their names? Do I care?

I feel sorry for people that see this. There is no comedy, no action, no drama, and no unpredictable sequences. What is this suppose to be then? It's a documentary on a real horse, but i'm sure the horse didn't change history people.

Seabiscuit got nominated for 7 categorys! It won nothing! I wonder why....?(...)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: This is THE very best in horse movies!
Review: It is rare that a horse movie is exciting, touching, AND believable. Moreover, it is rare that a movie based on a true story fully captures that story. But "Seabiscuit" accomplishes it all. As a horseback rider and racing fan myself, I tend to be extremely critical of horse movies, but this one takes all five stars and change. I've yet to see a better horse movie. Set in Depression-era America, "Seabiscuit" is the true story (adapted from the best-selling biography by Laura Hillenbrand) of an underdog racehorse by the same name. Misunderstood and mistreated as a colt, the plain, unimpressive little horse with imperfect conformation has a career that's going nowhere.

Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges) is a shattered man. His wife leaves him after their son dies in an automobile accident, and he closes down his car racing outfit and heads to the border towns of Mexico looking for escape. Tom Smith (Chris Cooper), a cowboy who finds the Wild West vanishing under his feet, is left as a drifter without much of a future. Red Pollard (Tobey Maguire) was left as a boy by his family, who hoped he might do better for himself as a racehorse jockey. He earns a little extra money as a fighter, but a severe blow to the eye leaves him half-blind. Ultimately, these three downtrodden men manage to find each other, and Seabiscuit, and embark on the journey of a lifetime.

With Howard as owner, Smith as trainer, and Pollard as jockey, Seabiscuit manages to win race after race on the West coast. It seems they have it made. But then Smith points out that Seabiscuit has yet to race against War Admiral (son of the great Man O'War), the Triple Crown winner who many believe to be the greatest racehorse in America. Howard takes it upon himself to arrange a match race between the two horses, but War Admiral's owner is uncooperative, viewing Seabiscuit as an over-hyped nag that isn't worth the time. Seabiscuit's team eventually wins out and a match is arranged. Shortly before the race, however, Pollard breaks a leg in a freak accident, leaving him out of commission, perhaps permanently. Legendary jockey George Woolf (Gary Stevens) is called in to ride Seabiscuit in the match (I won't reveal the outcome, though perhaps you can guess). In a later race, Seabiscuit injures a tendon, and it looks as if he'll never race again. At this point Seabiscuit and Pollard, both battered and broken, find kinship in each other. Over time, they both begin to mend. Could the two possibly end up making the comeback of a lifetime?

I'll warn those of you who have read Hillenbrand's book that the movie does not strictly adhere to it. It would be impossible to fit all of a 400+ page book into a 2-hour movie, so much is left out. But the movie is still satisfying in its own right. In fact, you might say it has a happier ending, as the movie cuts out at the height of Seabiscuit's career, whereas the book continues on to the deaths of all its main characters. But the movie still manages to capture the basic essence of the book. I loved the fact that the story is interspersed with slideshows of real photographs, where a narrator provides historical background information. It makes the movie feel slightly more like a documentary, but not overly much so. The cinematography itself it beautiful, as is every location at which parts of the movie were filmed.

Every single actor turned in a superb performance. I was apprehensive about seeing "Spider Man" as a racehorse jockey, but Tobey Maguire quickly banished all my doubts. Not only does he come across as a convincing horseman, but he gives his character a wonderful depth of emotion and sensitivity. Jeff Bridges and Chris Cooper are equally impressive in their roles. Perhaps the most pleasant surprise for me was seeing Gary Stevens, a man I've long admired as a real racehorse jockey (he rode such great horses as Thunder Gulch, Point Given, Winning Colors, Serena's Song, and Silver Charm), put out a very convincing performance as George Woolf. He was quite impressive, considering that "Seabiscuit" is his first and only movie. William H. Macy adds humor to the story as "Tick-Tock" McGlaughlin, an eccentric radio host and the only non-historical character in the film.

Though I think any horse person will find "Seabiscuit" to be a wonderful film, I recognize the fact that it may not hold appeal for all audiences. Someone with no interest in horses may very well find the movie boring, as horses are undeniably the focal point here. But by the same token, my father isn't a horse person at all, and he loved the film. So if horses really aren't your thing, use your own best judgement in deciding whether or not to see the movie. But if you are a horse person, I would recommend this film most highly. Unlike many horse movies, it is accurate and believable (much thanks to real-life jockey Chris McCarron, who helped ensure the realism of the race scenes). It is also very touching, even tear-jerking at times, yet doesn't venture into the superfluous.

The DVD has several great bonus features. "Seabiscuit: Racing Through History" provides additional information on Seabiscuit's career, including interviews with director Gary Ross and writer Laura Hillenbrand. "Bringing the Legend to Life: The Making of Seabiscuit" is a good making-of featurette, revealing much of the work that went into this production. "Anatomy of a Movie Moment" shares more of the film-making process. "Photo Finish: Jeff Bridges' On the Set Photographs" is a nice gallery of pictures taken during production. Finally, there is commentary by Gary Ross and filmmaker Steven Soderbergh. If you love horses, this DVD is more than worth the money. It will remain a cherished part of my collection for years to come.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Winners
Review: The movie was so awesome. It was very exiting to watch and hope Seabiscuit won the races and the horse becoming limp and Red Pollard's damaged leg but still coming out in the top of the last race. You could succeed after anything if you try with all your heart and really want to do what you are set out to do. ****

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Slow, Pretty, Uneven
Review: Seabiscuit is the story of three early-20th-century men and the horse that brings them and the country together. It is based upon Laura Hillenbrand's bestselling book by the same name. The film stars Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, and Tobey Maguire. The movie seems to aspire to being a "nice" movie: one told with a touch of nostalgia, a happy ending, and a slow hand; one with the feel of documentaries and biopics. For me it just tried too hard. It is beautifully filmed and well acted but unevenly scripted and a bit dull.

Details of my opinion: VISUALS are definitely highlight of the movie. Watching this on a big screen was a feast for the eyes. Scenery is beautifully captured and colors are crisp and vibrant throughout. Spectacular cinematography. The STORY and its message are uplifting and the final scenes are well told, but much of the rest of the movie was a disappointment. The ACTING is fine (as one might expect from the individuals involved), but the script is cliche-riddled and unsophisticated; as a result the actors' performances never feel special. The narrative encompasses 40 years' time and is interrupted from time to time by HISTORICAL CONTEXT pieces. These were also wonderfully clear images; I felt, however, that the movie was trying too hard to blend big-story telling with documentary filmmaking style.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: If Rocky Balboa were a horse....
Review: ...i suppose his name would be Seabiscuit. I think the thing that makes this movie work is that it is based on a true story. It's a feel-good movie that really has some shining moments.

Honestly, I have little interest in horse-racing and that's why I don't think much of this film. Tobey Maguire is fine but the movie is a little forgettable, in my opinion.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: uplifting horse film with terrific dvd features
Review: This film is the true story of a little horse that inspired Depression-era Americans. Ridden by a half-blind jockey, trained by an eccentric horse-whisperer type and owned by a marketing tycoon still in anguish over the death of his child, Seabiscuit brought these misfits together as he won race after race and challenged the nation's top horses. Based on Laura Hillenbrand's bestseller, the film is suitable for the whole family (though there are some fistfights and the off-screen death of a child). This is an inspirational film by a fine writer-director, Gary Ross, who seems to come out with a terrific project every 5 years or so -- Big, Dave, Pleasantville and now Seabiscuit. The cast is terrific -- Tobey Maguire, Chris Cooper, Jeff Bridges, William H. Macy, Elizabeth Banks and jockey Gary Steven in his film debut.

DVD extras are great: a commentary track with writer-director Ross and Steven Soderbergh; a making-of featurette (15 min); on-set photos by Bridges; a featurette about the real Seabiscuit, featuring author Laura Hillenbrand (15 min); the featurette "Anatomy of a Movie Moment; a Buick featurette (3 min); a soundtrack spot; bios and filmographies; very interesting production notes; dvd-rom features for Windows users; and, an unfortunate recent trend, a Mastercard spot.

The film can be heard in English, and subtitled in English, French or Spanish.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: An Equine Rocky. What a great 'tail', I LOVED IT!!!
Review: Sensitive, heartfelt and heartwarming yet not maudling or corny. This is one great Hollywood epic for everyone who roots for the underdog, er. . .horse. Seabiscuit is an Equine "Rocky" for sure. It may have you tearing up at times, but that's not bad in this case. It's a great story and there's a happy ending too. What more could anyone want? Wish that horse were still around.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: All time classic
Review: This movie really captures the moment and your attention as well. They really tell you what it was like when the first car was invented and how hard it was just to make it in the world of a family life. This movie is also a wonderful peace of history and a great way to motivate anyone that thinks they can not achieve. I have added this to my collection and would recommend it to anyone else looking for a really good movie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: What a movie!!!!!
Review: A sure classic. One you can watch over and over again. A must own.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Seabiscuit Is The Greatest Movie Ever!
Review: When I first saw the previews I knew I had to see the movie. I was not disappointed. In fact it was the greatest movie I had ever seen. Period pieces such as the Great Depression is not an easy thing to capture. The filmakers did an awesome job with this film about a racehorse who may have been smaller than most thoroughbreds but still had a strong heart. Seabiscuit was the shining light during an era of sadness for many. This little horse became a hero in history.

Tobey Maguire did a terrific job in the role of Red Pollard who may have been blind in one eye but he still did not let that stop him from competing. When paired with Seabiscuit the two helped each other through their limitations and the two shared a very special bond. Man and horse became not just a team but friends as well. In my mind Maguire should have gotten an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.

Jeff Bridges also did a great job as Charles Howard who accepted Pollard's and Seabiscuit's limitations and believed in them. Bridges showed Howard as a compassionate man with a kind heart despite some of the setbacks in his own life.

Chris Cooper also did a good job as Tom Smith the horse whispering trainer who was a bit tough but also had a great belief in Seabiscuit. Smith was unconventional when it came to horses. He didn't believe in lives being thrown away and had a gentle way with horses which Cooper seemed to show.

Though he wasn't in every seen, Gary Stevens also did a fine job as Pollard's friend and fellow jockey George "The Iceman" Woolf. For those who don't know, Gary Stevens is a real jockey. In fact a Hall of Fame award winning Jockey. Stevens was probably the only one who really could play Woolf so it was a smart move to have him in the film.

Lastly, we get to William H. Macy who played the outlandish, comical radio host "Tick-Tock" McGlaughlin. Though he was the only character in the movie who was not based on a real person, director Gary Ross definately wrote this with role with Macy in mind and it was a good fit.

In my mind, the Oscar for Best Picture should have gone to Seabiscuit and it should have gotten wins in the other categories it was nominated in. Forget Lord Of The Rings: ROTK! Seabiscuit was an even greater movie and a must buy. I bought the DVD and it was money well spent. Definately this was a 5 star film with a great cast, sound, costumes, and all the other ingredients that went into it. It beats all the other films out there by a great many furlongs!


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