Taking place in the late 1950s "The Lost City" is a story based on a man's love for his family and country. Fico Fellove (Andy Garcia) is a prominent nightclub owner and is the oldest of three brothers from a wealthy family in Havana, Cuba. The 1950s were a hard time in Cuba, with great resistance against the oppressive President Batista, an economic downturn, and the beginnings of a communist revolution. The resistance is led by none other than Fidel Castro, who promises huge changes and a near "perfect world" for the benefit of the nation. As the resistance moves further into Havana, Fico's family is torn apart and the rich Cuban culture begins to vanish. He watches his nation transform and wonders how to save the love of his life, his family, and his nightclub from the clutches of communism.

Directed by Andy Garcia as a tribute to his native Cuba, "The Lost City" brings beauty to Cuba once again. Garcia tells this tale with such passion and emotion, that we can't help but get involved with what is going on. Bill Murray was so intrigued by the script to "The Lost City" that he immediately jumped onboard, even though he wasn't sure people would ever watch it! "The Lost City" is not only a love story; it is a tale of life and passion for a country and what it used to be. Garcia does a fantastic job bringing his story to the big screen. You can completely tell that this is not just another movie for him; it is a story that he genuinely believes in. It is something that goes much deeper than your normal love story. It is about a country that has been changed forever, and is in desperate need to recall what it once used to be.

With an incredible cast, "The Lost City" has no problems allowing us to believe in each character. With Andy Garcia, Ines Sastre, Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray, it is very difficult not to create a truly inspirational film. Each actor brings such emotion that is easy to be drawn in to what they are feeling as the Fellove family is broken apart and Cuba is changed forever.

"The Lost City" is definitely not for everyone. It is about a beautiful country that used to be something extremely special, yet still remains in the hearts of many despite the turmoil. Andy Garcia does a brilliant job bringing his vision and passion to the screen, while still making sure we understand the intricate turns of history and the many changes happening. My only complaint is that it is indeed slow at times and difficult to get into at the start, but "The Lost City" is so character driven that it is an easy watch.

The DVD

Video:

"The Lost City" has been given a very nice video transfer. The blacks are spot on, with not much detail lost in dark areas. At times, during the dark scenes especially, we do have some grain but nothing too awful. The reds, greens and blues especially pop at you when watching outdoor scenes. There are also some fantastic skin tones that are very easy on the eyes. One other thing that is a really nice edition is the actual historical footage, and then the "added" historical footage that was created with the actors and made to look historical.

Sound:

"The Lost City" has a truly amazing soundtrack. With beautiful music from the 50's that resonates throughout the film. Unfortunately at times, the soundtrack does tend to overwhelm us a little and begins to be a little loud compared to the dialogue. The surrounds aren't used a lot, but when they are they are used well.

Extras:

Commentary with Andy Garcia, Actor Nestor Carbonell & Production Designer Waldemer Kalinowski: This is by far the best feature on this disc. These three guys do a great job playing off of each other and giving us tons of details about the cast, crew, locations...and some fantastic details about Havana. If you are even a casual fan of the film, this is the one feature you need to watch.

Intro with Andy Garcia: Garcia just talks about his love for Cuba.

The Making of the Lost City (Extended Version): Garcia begins with his love for Cuba again, then goes into casting, locations, shooting and even gives us some behind the scenes on location photos of what they were looking for. This feature is largely based on the emotions behind the creating of the film. Finally we do get some very nice info on the music behind "The Lost City."

Bill Murray, "The Last Day": Here is some behind the scenes footage with Bill Murray, Andy Garcia, and Dustin Hoffman. They are singing, talking...and just kicking it.

Behind the Scenes Photo Gallery: Just pictures from locations.

Notes from Cast and Crew: Here we get some notes written by cast and crewmembers about the many emotions behind the film.

Original Poster Art: Just like it sounds

Fellove/Fuente Cigars: Info on Cigar fields and these cigars.

Deleted Scenes with commentary: There are several scenes that really didn't do anything to add to the film.

Final Thoughts:

"The Lost City" is a film that deserves to be watched. Unfortunately Bill Murray was right when he predicted that it would not be watched. Andy Garcia does a fantastic job brining us to a culture-rich country that has been truly missed. With an incredible cast, great music, picturesque locations, and best of all...it has deep emotion and heart. The video quality is very nice, followed up with a nice audio track, and an especially beautiful soundtrack. Please don't pass up "The Lost City." It is a really nice film that deserves attention. I Highly Recommend "The Lost City."