Legend of the Seeker: The Complete First Season (2008)

Review
There's fun to be had in the sword-and-sorcery action sequences and magical effects - Matt Roush --TV Guide

Product Description
Explore a world of fantasy and mythology in the unforgettable epic adventure LEGEND OF THE SEEKER. There's fun to be had in the sword-and-sorcery action sequences and magical effects, says Matt Roush of TV Guide. Take a coming-of-age journey with The Seeker as he joins forces with a mysterious woman and a wise, powerful wizard to combat Darken Rahl, the demonic sorcerer intent on taking over the world. In the ultimate battle between good and evil, who will answer destiny's final call? Experience every episode of the fantastic first season, and discover how LEGEND OF THE SEEKER comes to life with exclusive, behind-the-scenes bonus features. TV's most magical series is even more spellbinding on DVD!

Bonus Features Include: Deleted Scenes, Forging The Sword: Crafting A Legend Go Behind The Scenes Of Wizard's First Rule On The New Zealand Set To See How The Show's Fantasy World Is Brought To Life, Words Of Truth: A Conversation With Terry Goodkind Take An Intimate Journey With Author Terry Goodkind To See Where The Series Was Created, Audio Commentaries

With the sword of truth, July 13, 2009
By E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA)

For the record, I am not a fan of Terry Goodkind's "Sword of Truth" fantasy series, so I didn't really expect to enjoy the TV adaptation.

But to my surprise, "The Legend of the Seeker: The Complete First Season" turned out to be a surprisingly solid fantasy adventure series, with plenty of swords, monsters, lush New Zelaand scenery, sorcery and a likable young Prophesied Hero. It has some cheesy genre cliches at the beginning, but quickly evolves into a good-hearted, action-packed series.

Young woodsman Richard Cypher (Craig Horner) rushes to help a Confessor woman who's being attacked by D'Haran soldiers -- and promptly finds himself accused of being her accomplice, and hunted by the D'Harans (who have made it through a magical barrier than cuts off the Westlands). When he goes to get help from the eccentric wizard Zed ("He's crazy! He talks to his chickens!"), he encounters the beautiful Confessor Kahlan Amnell (Bridget Regan) once again.

The big reveal from Zed and Kahlan: Richard is a prophesied hero called a Seeker, who must use a magical sword to defeat the evil overlord Darken Rahl (Craig Parker). When his life is ripped apart by murder and treachery, Richard reluctantly accepts his destiny, and sets off across the Midlands with Kahlan and Zed.

Unfortunately the Midlands have plenty of problems as well -- cruel D'Haran soldiers, Mord-Sith, magical maps, a boy who can read minds, some inconvenient magic shape-changing, the birth of a forbidden male Confessor, a string of impossible murders (including one seemingly committed by Richard), a malevolent wizard who is trying to create new Confessors, corruption in the Westlands, a plague created by Rahl, and a visit to the haunted tomb of an ancient Seeker bent on possessing Richard's body.

In the course of their travels, the trio also learn that Rahl is searching for the Boxes of Orden, which can give ultimate power to the one who owns all three. Richard and his friends struggle to keep the magical boxes hidden, but a terrible mistake threatens to derail the Seeker's quest.

It's not necessary to be a fan of Goodkind's books to appreciate "Legend of the Seeker" -- it's only loosely based on Goodkind's first doorstopper, and quite a few things are changed. Fortunately the TV show has plenty of merits on its own -- the lush scenery porn of New Zealand, intricate story arcs and standalone adventures, and plenty of swords'n'sorcery. You almost forget sometimes that it's yet another story about a prophecied hero.

Each episode has plenty of action, usually involving Richard's acrobatic sword fights with D'Haran soldiers, and some fun magical twists (a talking doll). The writers also deftly avoid the Ye Olde Fantasye trap by penning dialogue that is breezy, straightforward and frequently amusing ("Remember, before chopping off the head, make sure the body is dead lest the head grow back." "What lesson is THAT?" "Not a lesson, just something I once read in a cookbook").

It does have some flaws, however -- the first two episodes are bogged down in genre cliches (Richard becoming a master swordsman overnight), cheesy moments (Richard's sword being struck by LIGHTNING?), and too much slow-motion. Fortunately things even out after the beginning of the series.

Craig Horner is absolutely perfect for the role, especially since Destined Heroes tend to be rather boring. Instead he perfectly portrays a down-to-earth goodness and kindness, which is tempered from innocence to maturity as the season winds on. But he brilliantly pulls off Richard's darker moments, including a horrendous Mord-Sith "training" session that leaves Richard broken, twitching and doe-eyed. He's also ridiculously gorgeous, and the directors take full advantage of that (the whole bridge-building scene).

And Horner has amazing chemistry with Regan, who does a great job as a strong, butt-kicking woman who can enslave anyone with a touch. Bruce Spence does a wonderfully eccentric, lanky old wizard who frequently batters Richard with life lessons, and Parker makes a surprisingly human Evil Overlord, whose cruelty and manipulations are revealed to be an obsessive desire for "harmony." Doesn't stop him from being deliciously hateable, though.

"Legend of the Seeker: The Complete First Season" is wobbly at first, but soon becomes a well-acted fantasy series that stands on its own apart from Goodkind's fantasy novels. Definitely a good show, and promises to become better.

A few words, July 24, 2009
By Matt (New Jersey, USA)

1.) "Legend of the Seeker" will come to Blu-Ray eventually. At the Comic Con panel yesterday, producers said a Blu-Ray set won't be released until after prices drop (they mentioned this will happen around winter/Christmastime). You can check the official Terry Goodkind board for more specific details. So for those of you who plan on rating this show negatively solely because of this, don't bother.

2.) The show and the books are not the same. Some of the changes have been for the worse; I was disappointed that Kahlan went from the daughter of a queen to an orphan with a rough life. The Box of Orden storyline could have been handled with more care as well. On the other hand, the writers seemed to have done away with the Star Wars-esque reveal at the end of Book 1. A wise move on their part as the show would have felt too much like a medieval version of the Star Wars saga.

3.) The production values have been consistently impressive. The cinematography and art direction are some of the best I've seen on TV to date. At times it almost feels like I'm watching a movie instead of a TV show.

4.) I love the cast. Bridget Regan (Kahlan) is the most gifted performer, managing to credibly portray Kahlan as a strong warrior capable of warmth and kindness. And although she currently has appeared in only two episodes, Jessica Marais (Denna) is the show's greatest villain. She can accomplish so much with just a quick look and low voice.

So if you're looking for a fun genre series with good characters and sharp special effects, you should try "Legend of the Seeker". The first few episodes can be tedious, but by Episode 7 everyone steps up to the plate and manages to create one of the most entertaining fantasy series in recent years.

The Proposal (Single Disc Widescreen) (2009)

Product Description
Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) terrorizes her publishing house co-workers with her abrasive, take-no-prisoners management style, especially her overworked assistant Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds). But when Margaret is threatened with deportation to her native Canada because of an immigration technicality, the quick-thinking exec announces that she and Andrew are engaged to be married. Ambitious Andrew agrees to go along with her scheme—if there’s a long-awaited promotion in it for him. Everything is going according to Margaret’s plan, until an overzealous immigration official makes it his business to prove that the couple’s engagement is bogus. To demonstrate her commitment to her new fiancé, Margaret agrees to celebrate the 90th birthday of his colorful grandmother (Betty White) — in Alaska. The editrix’s type-A ways put her at odds with her eccentric future in-laws with hilarious consequences, until the Paxtons teach Margaret a thing or two about family.

Super clever and witty, August 23, 2009
By Janair Wilkerson "Janair1" (Atlanta, GA USA)

I have to say that with movie prices nowadays, I went to see this movie with high expectations. And in my opinion it didnt disappoint. I paid to see this movie 5 times. The chemistry between Ryan and Sandra is so thick that you can cut it with a knife. Even though movies in this genre have that one issue of everyone knowing how it is going to end... The proposal kept me on my toes. So now I have to buy it when it comes out on dvd.

I DO (love this comedy)..., September 13, 2009
By Shopper (USA)

If you have just survived another tough week at the office and are looking for a weekend pick me up, "The Proposal" is your sure bet. Yes, I laughed outloud often, and so did most of the audience. The comment frequently heard as the credits rolled was: "Ooohhh, that was sooo goooood!".

The story: a tough lady-boss (Bullock) is being deported to Canada for willful non-compliance with the US immigration department. To save herself, she directs her doormat of an assistant (Reynolds) to marry her. He reluctantly agrees to play along, after she "helps" him understand the virtues of being employed. If you think you know where this story is going... well, you are right. The "happily ever after" cannot be avoided. 'Tis a comedy after all...What is fresh is how skillfully the writers and the director allow the story to veer away from the "happily ever after" course, keeping us on the edge of our seats until the satisfying end, which we have known all along was bound to arrive.

The chemistry between the two leads is another pleasant surprise. I am not a particular fan of either Bullock or Reynolds. Though each smoking hot and talented, neither has made many inspired project choices. However, the roles here suit the pair's natural acting styles reasonably well, which in turn further enhances the believability of their characters. The look of constipated doom on Reynold's face, as he's being informed he's engaged, is side-splitting! I do regret Bullock does not play "mean" better; the intended juxtaposition of her supposedly tough as nails character against her overly compliant secretary is lost at times. We are TOLD she is a witchy boss, and yet she comes accross nothing more then efficient (Sandra: call me! I'll give you some pointers. In return you can teach me how to find a secretary as hot as Reynolds ;0) ).

Another gem in this comedy is Ms Betty White (of "The Golden Girls" fame), an octogenarian in real life as well as playing one in "The Proposal". She has made an art of delivering "campy" with emotional intelligence. She does not dissapoint here either.

Final verdict? Will this film change the course of modern cinematography?

Not a fat chance!

Did it chase my blah's away until Monday morning?

AFFIRMATIVE!!! ...Till Wednesday... at least!

Ken Burns: National Parks - America's Best Idea

Review
"...A strong candidate for the most beautiful program ever to air on American television. It's the Burns effort that most closely rivals "The Civil War," his masterpiece." --Orlando Sentinel

Product Description
THE NATIONAL PARKS is the story of an idea as uniquely American as the Declaration of Independence: that the most special places in the nation should be preserved for everyone. The series traces the birth of the national park idea in the mid-1800s and follows its evolution for nearly 150 years, chronicling the addition of new parks through the stories of the people who helped create them.

Special Features:

Disc One - The Making of The National Parks (Includes Spanish Audio and Subtitles);

Disc Two - Capturing the Parks (A behind-the-scenes look at filming of The National Parks: America s Best Idea);

Disc Three - Musical Journeys through the National Parks (National Parks Timeline, Peace at Last/ Across the Ocean, Horizons, Green Groves of Erin, The Shores of Ogygia, Teddy Bears' Picnic);

Disc Four - Outtakes (An Interview with Nevada Barr, author and former National Park Service ranger; and The Boss, the story of Frank Pinkley and Casa Grande. Narrated by Ken Burns);

Disc Five - The National Parks: This Is America (Mini Documentary, Includes Spanish Audio and Subtitles)

Disc Six - Contemporary Stories from America s National Parks (San Antonio Missions: Keeping History Alive, Yosemite's Buffalo Soldiers, Mount Rushmore: Telling America's Stories, Manzanar: "Never Again," City Kids in National Parks, Includes Spanish Audio and Subtitles).

This film is presented in "widescreen" format. Enchanced for 16x9 televisions.

Audio: English 5.1 Surround, English 2.0 Stereo, Spanish 2.0 Stereo, Described Video for the Visualy Impaired

Subtitles: English & Spanish

Region: NTSC 1

A VISION REALIZED, September 29, 2009
By Randy Ingersoll


I live in Gardiner, Montana (location of the Roosevelt Arch) and work in Yellowstone, and I experienced firsthand the genuine passion and forthright efforts of Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan and their staff as they took their vision and turned it into a poetic masterpiece. Their years of hard work not only in Yellowstone but throughout the entire national park system have paid off, and we are the lucky beneficiaries of their skillful and spirited tenacity.

This film speaks gently and lovingly of the National Parks idea. The majestic vistas, the enlightening interviews, the background music -- woven together they demonstrate the power of "place", and fill us with a desire to further protect and honor these sacred sites.

We cannot live without the land, and we cannot live well without understanding our past. "The National Parks: America's Best Idea" is an authentic rendering of those very truths, and like all things good and beautiful, will be experienced and revered for ages to come, just as will the national parks themselves.

America's Best *IDEA*, September 29, 2009
By Jonathan L. Hicks

Not sure why people are complaining about not getting more geological data or wildlife info. This documentary is about the IDEA of our National Park systems which includes inspirations and motivations. As history lover's review says...its how (and why) our National Parks came to be. I'm sure Burns included the term "idea" for good reason. The idea that Burns goes after seems to be a philosophy against commercialism and greed which makes sense after seeing the first episode. Who cares if spirituality was one of the inspirations though? For many, appreciating nature is a spiritual or at least meditative experience regardless of what they do or don't believe. So far this documentary is organized much the same as Burns' other films. Nice music, nice scenery captured in nice camera work with nice photographs- all interwoven with Park Rangers, historians, writers and other experts on the people and places mentioned. So far so good! Leave it to Burns to use National Parks to provide another reminder that not everything in this country is money motivated. If the rest of the episodes are as good as what I've seen it'll be worth a purchase.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + BD Live w/ Blu-ray packaging) [Blu-ray] (1937)

Product Description
No film in history has captured the worlds imagination like Walt Disneys first full-length animated masterpiece. Through astonishing Blu-ray high definition technology, experience this timeless classic in its most spectacular presentation ever! With an all-new, state-of-the-art digital restoration and Disney Enhanced High Definition sound, the breathtaking animation and unforgettable music of the most revered Disney film of all time will enthrall you like never before!

Join the beautiful princess Snow White as she escapes her jealous stepmother, the queen, and befriends a lovable group of dwarfs. But when she falls under the queens wicked spell, only true loves kiss can save her

Bonus Features Include: Snow White Returns Storyboard Featurette Was Walt planning a Snow White sequel? With newly discovered storyboards Disney animators show how this sequel would have played out, Princess and the Frog Sneak Peek Exclusive sneak peek at the 1st 5 minutes before it hits theaters, The One that Started it All Featurette This featurette within Hyperion Studios reveals how Snow White forever changed the world of movies and the world at large, All New Tiffany Thornton Music Video to Someday My Prince Will Come, Audio Commentary with Walt Disney

Disney Magic Makes SNOW WHITE Classic DVD, October 2, 2001
By Matt Howe "outloud98" (Washington, DC)

I was extremely excited to receive this DVD.... Upon opening it, one gets the feeling that it is truly a special edition. The packaging is very nice: the DVD box is sturdy with two openings for each disk. The pamphlet inside the DVD is gorgeously produced and very helpful.
My first impression is that Disney has spent much time making this DVD user-friendly. There is an abundance of directions and drawings showing you what is on the disk and how to get there. Since there are two disks and a KINGDOM of information to pour through, these directions are very welcome (even to this seasoned DVD-viewer!)

Disney pulls out some familiar faces to make the experience as warm as possible: Disney himself appears in various footage; Angela Lansbury narrates the documentary and provides a "tour" of the disks; Michael Eisner shows up; and Barbra Streisand sings a specially recorded version of "Some Day My Prince Will Come".

SNOW WHITE, the movie, looks gorgeous and, although old fashioned, is quite wonderful. SNOW WHITE, the double-disk, is a lot of information to wade through. I am amazed at the amount of behind-the-scenes film that exists! Disney must have suspected that he was creating a classic - he filmed every aspect of it! I especially enjoy the HALL OF ART section. There are 3 halls of various story art (i.e. "The cottage"; "The castle"; "the Forest"; etc.) Although initially I found it hard to move from hall to hall, I eventually figured it out. The animated HALLS are extraordinary and the art that "hangs" there is incredible -- various renderings and attempts at bringing the story and locales of SNOW WHITE alive. It's even more incredible that Disney Co. held on to these papers for all these years.

Well, in case you can't tell, I highly recommend the special SNOW WHITE disks. You will spend days looking at everything that is included -- or you can opt to spend an hour and a half viewing the original,gorgeous film that started the Disney empire....

Timeless film; handsome DVD package, October 9, 2001
By keviny01

Disney's first "Platinum Edition" DVD is a terrific 2-disc set that every DVD fan should keep for all eternity. (I received an early, free copy from Amazon which allowed me to review it before the Oct 9th release date. This is a promotion by both Amazon and Buena Vista.) The THX-certified video transfer of the movie is blemish-free, almost always sharp, and has only an occasional softness perhaps due to age. Colors look splendid. The sound is clean and without a scratch, although some dialogs lack detail. The 5.1 audio remix provides mildly effective separation and bass for the background music. Otherwise, it is neither better nor worse than the included original mono soundtrack.
The supplements on the first disc includes a 40-minute retrospective documentary that actually serves as a nice introduction of the supplements on the second disc. For nearly every aspect mentioned in the documentary, the extras on the second disc cover at length. There is an audio commentary track by historian John Canemaker that includes contemporary recordings of Walt reminiscing about the difficulties and fortunes during the making of the film. The commentary reveals that Deanna Durbin was once considered for the voice of Snow White, but she was deemed "too old". Canemaker, besides introducing each of Walt's recordings, also provides excellent scene-by-scene analyses. After the movie is over, Michael Eisner introduces Barbara Streisand's decidedly more mature rendition of "Somewhere My Prince Will Come". The first disc also includes four games -- two for set-top players, two as DVD-ROM content.

The second disc contains a large amount of archival material of the movie. There are over 400 stills (all high-quality scans) of pencil tests, backgrounds, layouts, character designs, photos of the voice talents, photos of the production, the premiere, the 1937 pressbook, merchandise, and posters. There are quite a bit of video content as well. Notable is a new, nicely conceived, 40-minute segment called "Disney Through the Years"; it chronicles SNOW WHITE's theatrical releases in every decade (all trailers are shown) as well as Disney's accomplishments through the years. There are the original credit sequences with the RKO logo. There are deleted scenes that were fully animated and dubbed, one of which is a spectacular soup-eating scene. There are scenes that were conceptualized but were abandoned before animation, such as a dream sequence for one of Snow White's songs. There is a segment about the film's restorations in 1987, '93, and 2001. There are also vintage video of voice actors, models for live action references, techniques used in animation (two excerpts of Disney's "Tricks of our Trade" TV show are included).

And there is more! There is a half-hour live radio broadcast of the film's premiere in which many celebrities are interviewed. There is another half-hour radio program in 1938 in which several songs from the movie are performed. There are two 4-minute radio interviews of Walt Disney by Cecil B. DeMille, one of which was recorded on the eve of the premiere. There are eight radio commercials from the 50s and 60s. There are recordings of two deleted songs, one of which, we are told, were only recently discovered in Disney's archives. There are also text screens about the film's production and Walt's life and career. A nice inclusion is the English translation of the Grimms Brothers' "Snow White."

Future Platinum Edition DVDs will include BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, ALADDIN, THE LION KING, BAMBI, THE JUNGLE BOOK, CINDERELLA, THE LITTLE MERMAID, LADY AND THE TRAMP and 101 DALMATIANS. It disappoints me that DUMBO will not be a Platinum Edition (it will come out Oct 21st as a "Gold Edition" DVD). It irks me even more that only one Platinum Edition DVD will be sold each year for only a limited time; thereafter it will be put on a TEN-YEAR moratorium. This will no doubt lead to buying frenzies, so run, don't walk, to your nearest personal computer and order this SNOW WHITE DVD right away. I do not oppose releasing one Platinum DVD per year, since I understand it takes time and care to produce these great discs. But I do oppose Disney's long-standing policy of putting their video releases on moratorium for long, long periods. Their rationale has been that if people own the movie on video, they may not want to see it in theaters. Not true. Seeing this spectacular SNOW WHITE DVD has actually increased my desire to see the film in a theater.

The Wizard of Oz (70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition with Digital Copy and Amazon Exclusive Set of 4 Collectible 8x10 Character Posters) [B

Product DescriptionIn this charming film based on the popular L.Frank Baum novel, Dorothy and her dog Toto are caught in a tornado's path and somehow end up in the land of Oz. Here she encounters some memorable friends and foes in her journey to meet the Wizard of Oz who everyone says can help her return home and possibly grant her new friends their goals of a brain, heart and courage.

DVD Features:
Disc 1 – Movie Commentary by Historian John Fricke and Others; Archival, Making-of and Retrospective Featurettes; Harold Arlen’s Home Movies; Tornado Tests and Outtakes and Deleted Scenes Extensive Stills and Theatrical Trailer Galleries Audio Vault (6 Hours +) Jukebox of Recording Session Materials, Radio Shows and Promos Off to See the Wizard TV Series Excerpt
Disc 2 - All-New Documentary Victor Fleming: Master Craftsman TV Movie The Dreamer of Oz Starring John Ritter, Annette O’Toole and Rue McClanahan Follow the Yellow Brick Road: The Munchkins’ Walk of Fame 7 Earlier Short-Subject/Feature-Film Screen Visualizations of Oz

An OZ-some DVD Experience, December 12, 1999
By J. Michael Click (Fort Worth, Texas United States)
Like most baby boomers, I've watched this film dozens of times in the past on broadcast TV, then VHS tape, then LaserDisc ... but I had never actually SEEN "The Wizard of Oz" until this newly restored DVD came out. It's an amazing transfer. The sepia-tone Kansas sequences are startlingly sharp and clear, and the Technicolored world "Over the Rainbow" is truly dazzling. I found myself fascinated by details I had never noticed before: the glittering corn stalks in the Scarecrow's field; the mirror-like floors of the Emerald City; the polished buttons on the guardsmen's uniforms. Incredibly, even the individual grains of red sand in the Witch's hourglass stood out and glistened! All these minor-but-sumptuous visual details served to heighten the magical spell that the film has always woven, enhancing the performances, the story, and the music.
The DVD extras are a mind-boggling embarrassment of riches. The "Making Of" documentary hosted by the incomparable Angela Lansbury is worth the price of the DVD alone, but there's so much more: an international poster gallery, interviews with cast members, deleted scenes, production stills, radio clips, etc, etc. There's enough material to keep even the most casual viewer fascinated for hours, and a true Oz buff will be occupied for days!

If you only bought a DVD player to watch this one disc, it would well be worth the expense. Treat yourself, and fall in love with this classic film again ... for the first time

Not a restoration, but an entirely different view of the film., October 30, 2005
By William Sommerwerck "grizzled geezer" (Renton, WA USA)

There's no need to discuss "The Wizard of Oz" itself, a classic among classics (though I'll have something to say about its "philosophy" later on). You probably want to know whether the UltraResolution transfer justifies the purchase.

It does. Oh, yes it does.

"The Wizard of Oz" has always looked good, one of the better Technicolor films. Unlike "Gone With the Wind", which was generally dark and desaturated, and which UltraResolution greatly improved, I didn't expect much enhancement for "Oz".

Was I ever wrong. I stared with my jaw hanging open. "Oz" is the best UltraResolution transfer by far -- and the others were not exactly chopped liver.

The improvement in detail and sharpness is startling, especially as the original prints did not seem obviously lacking in either. Even more amazing is the expansion of the tonal scale. Dark scenes (particularly those in the forest and outside the "witches" castle) are now filled with rich detail. Have you ever noticed how beautiful the Winkies' red, white, and gray uniforms are? I hadn't -- until now.

These enhancements combine produce the biggest improvement of all -- a major revelation of _texture_. The "feltiness" of many costumes is obvious. The burlap of the Scarecrow's face is now plainly visible, particularly in the close-up where he misstates the Pythagorean Theorem. And the Lion's costume is a thick pile of fur you want to reach out and stroke. You can see every last strand of hair.

I'm exaggerating only slightly when I say the improvements of this UltraResolution transfer are not much less than those from cleaning the Sistine Chapel's frescos. It's as if layers of murk and grime -- that you never even knew were there! -- have been stripped away. Until you view it, you cannot imagine what this film (that is, the original camera negatives) _really_ looks like. It's a shame the people who created "Oz" never got to see it this way.

The image quality is so high that I often felt as if I were looking through a window at live performers. (Well, almost.) No matter what versions you already have, you won't be disappointed with this one. I watched it twice in two days, and I might even view it a third time tonight.

My only quibble is that several matte paintings do not blend properly, because the hues at the join lines do not match those of the scene. This could have been fixed; I suspect it seemed too much work for a small improvement. (A friend suggested that these sorts of things are left in because videophiles enjoy finding them.)

As to the differences between the two- and three-disk sets... The latter includes a packet of original programs and promotional material of the sort we haven't seen in 40 years ago. (Remember the 50-cent deluxe programs for road-show films?) There's also a set of 10 reproductions of Kodachrome publicity photographs. For this viewer, these extras alone justify the higher price.

The third disk will be of most interest to lovers of all things Oz. It includes a handsomely produced biography of L. Frank Baum (interesting enough that you might want to watch it more than once), plus all the silent Oz films and a Technicolor Oz cartoon. The existence of these is well-known to anyone familiar with the history of Oz productions, but they've never appeared (as far as I know) in any home-video format.

The films are problematic. The two from Baum's production company are the best -- they have style, charm, and imagination. The others are cheesy ripoffs that bear little relation to the original book. The Larry Semon -- a once wildly-popular but now virtually forgotten cartoonist and comic * -- version is especially obnoxious, as it is little more than a vehicle for Semon's brand of physical comedy. The Baum estate is at least partly to blame -- _any_ movie version must have seemed more attractive than none, especially as the technology to make a convincing version of "Oz" would not exist for another 15 years.

The film's opening titles praise the book's "kindly philosophy", which seems to be either "You already have everything you need to be happy", or "The answer to your problems lies within yourself". These are not so much "kindly" as reflections of the hard-nosed "All your problems are your own fault" and "If you're not a success, it's because you're lazy" homilies that grew out of the great opportunity for personal development and material success this country offered.

I believe L. Frank Baum had something a bit different in mind. "The Wizard of Oz" is a fairy tale in which magic has no bearing on the issues at the center of the story. I believe Baum wanted to discourage children from fantasizing that magic could be a solution to one's problems.

The four principals make a grueling journey to the Emerald City, then find the wizard is a humbug. (What a shame the blander "fake", "fraud", or "phony" have replaced that delightful word.) He posesses no magic to supply wit, love, or grit, which the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Cowardly Lion have demonstrated they already have.

Baum's "moral" is simple -- Love, wisdom, and courage are what we need to get through life. No one can _give_ them to us, because we _already_ possess them, and all we need to do is express them.

"Is that right?"

"That's all it is."

How I Met Your Mother: Season Four

Product Description
Loaded with irresistible laughter and filled with outrageous fun, there's just one word for the hit comedy How I Met Your Mother: Awesomeness!

From dating dilemmas to career conundrums, the recently engaged Ted and his feisty friends find themselves at the crossroads of young adult life. While newlyweds Marshall and Lily contemplate parenthood, single gal Robin explores the advantages of having "friends with benefits." Meanwhile, the irrepressible, opinionated Barney continues his hilariously dogged pursuit of the fairer sex. As for Ted, his Miss Right is out there, but amid bar brawls, blizzards, and buck-naked strangers, how will he ever find her?

Disc 1: 179 Minutes

**Do I Know You? (Season Premiere)
**The Best Burger In New York
**I Love NJ
**Intervention
**Shelter Island
**Happily Ever After
**Not A Father's Day
**Woooo!

**Commentaries
**Season 3 Recap

Disc 2: 186 Minutes

**The Naked Man
**The Fight
**Little Minnesota
**Benefits
**Three Days of Snow
**The Possimpible
**The Stinsons
**Sorry, Bro

**Commentaries
**Gag Reel
**Barney Stinson: That Guy's Awesome Music Video
**Eriksen's Fight Club


Disc 3: 196 Minutes

**The Front Porch
**Old King Clancy
**Murtaugh
**Mosbius Designs
**The Three Days Rule
**Right Place Right Time
**As Fast as She Can
**The Leap

**A Night With Your Mother (Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Panel Discussion)

How I Met Your Mother restored our faith in network TV and the sitcom, June 12, 2009
By R. McAdams (CA, USA)

Ye, though we walked in the valley of the shadow of death which was Network TV's obsession with "reality" TV, we feared no evil, for we knew that the sitcom would rise again, and it did!

My wife and I basically boycotted network TV entirely when the "reality" TV craze swept the airwaves following the success of the "Survivor" show. We had no interest in "CSI" shows, or crime drama shows, or marriage shows, or any of the other insane drivel which came out of the "reality" TV craze. When CBS launched How I Met Your Mother (HIMYM) and we caught wind of it, we were immediately floored by the quality of the writing, and the excellent cast of actors they got for the show, now entering its fifth season.

HIMYM is an excellent successor to Friends. It is the same type of ensemble cast with romance and heartbreak and drama. But what overrides all of it, is comedy. The show is extremely funny, and packs each episode with tons of humor. Neil Patrick Harris steals the show with his antics, and he is to be commended for his performance of the excellent material the writing team give him to work with.

We will watch HIMYM for as long as it is on the air, and we hope that is a very long time!

Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT Official HD Trailer

Michael Jacksons THIS IS IT will offer Jackson fans and music lovers worldwide a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the performer as he developed, created and rehearsed for his sold-out concerts that would have taken place beginning this summer in Londons O2 Arena. Chronicling the months from April through June, 2009, the film is produced with the full support of the Estate of Michael Jackson and drawn from more than one hundred hours of behind-the-scenes footage, featuring Jackson rehearsing a number of his songs for the show. Audiences will be given a privileged and private look at Jackson up close and personal. In raw and candid detail, Michael Jacksons THIS IS IT captures the singer, dancer, filmmaker, architect, creative genius and great artist at work as he creates and perfects his final show. Kenny Ortega, who was both Michael Jacksons creative partner and the director of the stage show is also directing the film, which is being produced by Randy Phillips, Kenny Ortega and Paul Gongaware. Executive producers are John Branca and John McClain. The film will be distributed worldwide by Sony Pictures Releasing. Tickets for the limited two-week engagement of the film go on sale beginning September 27.

Castle: The Complete First Season

Compelling, inspired. Fillion/Katic get five stars., April 1, 2009
By M. Carter "MichyGeary" (Connecticut, USA)

Nathan Fillion is brilliant as ABC's new world famous author-turned-pseudo-cop Richard Castle. Behind the veneer of an arrogant celebrity, who seems to have let dozens of best sellers and world acclaim go to his head, Castle is truly a kind-hearted man and a compassionate father. Besides writing, his favorite hobby seems to be irritating Kate Beckett (Stana Katic), the NYPD detective who was in charge of a investigating a string of copy-cat murders modeled after Castle's own murder mystery books. Since he's killed off the main character of his last series, Castle needs new inspiration for his next set of novels, and he finds his muse with the charming but difficult-to-crack detective. The chemistry between Fillion and Katic is astounding, leaving the audience with more to follow than just the murder cases. Unlike most criminal investigation shows, Castle has a heavy focus on humor and the strong development of its characters and their relationships. Not quite a drama and not quite a comedy, this primetime series has elements that appeal to any sensibility. The twisted murder storylines will keep you guessing for the full hour until the conclusion you never expected.

Bonus material for the DVD includes behind the scenes interviews with the stars, out takes, deleted scenes, and more. Strong first season. I'm greatly looking forward to watching this show thrive and burgeon into big-name status.

such a cute show!, April 13, 2009
By shelly v

Keep in mind this will be a show review, not a review of the dvd since season 1 hasn't ended airing yet and hasn't been released yet on dvd. The two previous reviews have summed it all up very well so let me just say this one word: cute!

This is basically a light and fluffy show. The mysteries aren't Agatha Christie-level ones, but they're pretty interesting. Really though what makes the show stand out are the actors and the chemistry they have with each other. And as the previous reviewer pointed out, Nathan Fillion's performance as the happy-go-lucky, hedonistic, but ultimately kind-natured and smart Castle. Even if you're not a fan of Fillion, chances are you'll definitely be one after seeing him in this. His character is just so fun, as is his bantery chemistry with the lovely Stana Katic's Detective Kate Beckett. Other fun standouts include newcomer Molly Quinn playing Castle's teenage daughter, Alexis (the only "grownup" in the Castle family) and Susan Sullivan playing Martha, Castle's, er, immature former Broadway ingenue mother. But if I can get back to Nathan Fillion for a second, this is the type of role Nathan Fillion was born to play. I can't think of any actor who would've played Castle better than him and he does make the show, not that the show isn't pretty entertaining by itself. But it would definitely not be the same without him. Anyway, this is a very fun show and I look forward to seeing Castle and Beckett's relationship progress, hopefully in a second season.

ETA: It didn't occur to me till today to add that for those of you who are already fans of this show and watching it live on Monday nights, ABC is airing the episodes out of order (which isn't that noticeable except once in a while when one of the characters says or does something that doesn't make sense in the context of previous episodes.) The reason I'm bringing it up in this review is because the studio may not do the same thing with the dvds and put the episodes on the discs in the order that they were supposed to air, NOT the order ABC is airing the show live. So don't be confused if once the show is released and you get the dvds, the episodes aren't in the order ABC aired them in. (Like for instance, this week's episode was actually supposed to come before last week's).