Customer Reviews: Read 11 more reviews...
 Still the quintessential reference book after all these years October 1, 2008
Leonard Maltin has been issuing this yearly movie reference guide for many years. A while back (not sure when exactly), Maltin decided to split up the movies in pre-and after 1960 movies. The pre-1960 movies now have their own book ("Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide").
"Leonard Maltin's 2009 Movie Guide" (a whopping 1,644 pages, this book should be sold "by the pound") brings the alphabetical listing of more than 17,000 movies and captures their essence in a single paragraph. The editions change little from year to year, bringing a batch of new movies. It's not exactly clear where the chronological cut-off point is: "Iron Man" is in here, but not "The Dark Knight". But it matters not.
The beauty of this book is that it remains the essential "hard copy" reference tool for us movie lovers. Yes, the minute this book is issued it becomes out-dated (see the "Dark Knight" reference), and I'm sure there are on-line reference sites that are more up to date, but if you, like me, like to have an actual book, this reference guide is for you. At that level, this book remains the best and essential.
 Editorial imperfections September 27, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
These reviews are indeed helpful. Still, there is little point in Maltin's arbitrary indexes of actors and directors which exclude Walter Huston, Paul Scofield, Hedy Lamar, Jack Palance and a great number of other leading performers of earlier years (including River Phoenix), in order to favor the legacy of Jim Carrey, Reese Witherspoon, Ben Stiller, etc.
Also there is that irritating concession to readers who apparently are unable to allow for the full listing of titles beginning with 'My' (from "My American Cousin" straight through "My Wife is An Actress") to be followed by titles whose first syllable begins with "My" ("Mysterians, The" through "Mystic River"). Instead, Maltin interrupts the list at "My Stepmother is A Martian," introduces "Mysterians, The" through "Mystic River" and only afterwards continues with the remaining titles that start with "My" ("My Summer of Love" and "My Wife is An Actress").
Tt should not be too much to ask for French as well as Italian titles - in which "Le," "La" and/or "Les" pertain to the equivalent "The" article in English, to be listed more properly (i.e.: "Avventura, L'" under "A"; "Bal, Le" under "B"; "Corbeau, Le" under "C"; "Enfer, L'" under "E"; "Miserables, Les" under "M"; "Nuit de Varennes, La" under "N"; and so on), instead of a slew of "La" titles and same for the "Le" and "Les" ones.
A film buff's bible September 27, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Cheyenne Warrior: The Original Screenplay with Author Commentary
Shadow Watcher
Nobody Drowns in Mineral Lake
Leonard Maltin is the mavin of the movies.
All the basic informaton that you want to know about a movie that's on DVD or being aired on television is in this book.
I check this huge volume regularly to see how Leonard and his staff have rated a movie that interests me. If they don't give it 3-stars or more, I figure that it's not worth my time.
I don't always agree with their assessment, but they're right more times than they are wrong.
As a writer, I find this book to be an invaluable reference tool, which is why I buy the updated edition every year.
- Michael B. Druxman, author of ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD (available December 2008)
excellent buy September 23, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have been buying this book since edition # 1 & as usual it is an execllent buy.
A must for all movie fans! September 16, 2008
Each year I get Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide to keep up with ALL the movies! It's the most complete Guide out there!
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