Nat the Dude and Movies

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

2009-10-10T22:19:00.001+07:00

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)

2009-10-10T22:15:00.002+07:00

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

2009-10-06T04:50:00.002+07:00

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)

2009-10-06T04:46:00.002+07:00

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

2009-09-28T22:30:00.002+07:00

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

2009-09-28T22:26:00.001+07:00

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

2009-09-22T19:38:00.000+07:00

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

2009-09-21T17:53:00.001+07:00

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).

Star Trek: The Next Generation Motion Picture Collection [Blu-ray]

2009-09-21T17:50:00.001+07:00

Star Trek Review Rebuttle, August 14, 2009
By R. Wolff (PC, FL)

You know what I hate people that put reviews up even before the item is out and the prior review gave it 3 stars what are you smokin sir. This will be the best picture release of these films (until paramount re-releases again like they normally do).

Generations:
-Good starting point the story is slow at times but it is worth it to see Kirk one final time in action.

First Contact:
-Best of the 4 movies excellent story and fast paced action. If you love the borg you cannot miss this film.

Insurrection:
-A lot of people hated this film I really liked it because it reminded me of Star Trek 4 in it had a lot of humor and didnt take itself too seriously. It is just a really long episode, but some funny parts in it.

Nemesis:
-I really wanted to like this movie, the whole clone of Captain Picard is an awesome story that way more should have been done. There really isnt any suspense and John Myers is an excellent actor but I didnt like him as the villian. But having Ron Pearlman as his right hand and one of the female Rolumans played by the actor who was Dizzy in Starship Troopers are the bright points in the film.

Bonus:
-I cannot wait to check out the disc the one in the Original bluray set the Captains Summitt was excellent and very informative.

If you are a Trek fan there is no doubt you need to pick these up. I will still keep my DVD discs anyways but this is going to be the best picture you will have for these movies so far. Also Amazons Preorder price is damn good.

WOW, THE ORIGINAL STAR TREK MOVIES ON BLU RAY, September 16, 2009
By Jamie L. Petroski "B. JUICE" (Kansas, currently in Kuwait)

I must say for under 70.00 brand new, 7 Disc Blu-Ray set you can't go wrong. You get all 6 original movies restored in the new Blu Ray format with the crisp colors and brand new look and feel, you also get the 7.1 surround sound which isn't on most blu-rays but this set is a must have for any Trekkie fan or just someone who collects Blu-Ray movies. You will never find this set for that price anywhere but here on Amazon.

I just bought the other set with Star Trek the Next Generations, I can't wait to get that set soon to go along with my other movies on Blu-Ray.

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON - Trailer HD

2009-09-16T09:31:00.001+07:00

In the second installment of Stephenie Meyers phenomenally successful TWILIGHT series, the romance between mortal and vampire soars to a new level as BELLA SWAN (Kristen Stewart) delves deeper into the mysteries of the supernatural world she yearns to become part of—only to find herself in greater peril than ever before.

Following Bellas ill-fated 18th birthday party, EDWARD CULLEN (Robert Pattinson) and his family abandon the town of Forks, Washington, in an effort to protect her from the dangers inherent in their world. As the heartbroken Bella sleepwalks through her senior year of high school, numb and alone, she discovers Edwards image comes to her whenever she puts herself in jeopardy. Her desire to be with him at any cost leads her to take greater and greater risks.

With the help of her childhood friend JACOB BLACK (Taylor Lautner), Bella refurbishes an old motorbike to carry her on her adventures. Bellas frozen heart is gradually thawed by her budding relationship with Jacob, a member of the mysterious Quileute tribe, who has a supernatural secret of his own.

When a chance encounter brings Bella face to face with a former nemesis, only the intervention of a pack of supernaturally large wolves saves her from a grisly fate, and the encounter makes it frighteningly clear that Bella is still in grave danger. In a race against the clock, Bella learns the secret of the Quileutes and Edwards true motivation for leaving her. She also faces the prospect of a potentially deadly reunion with her beloved that is a far cry from the one shed hoped for. With more of the passion, action and suspense that made TWILIGHT a worldwide phenomenon, THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON is a spellbinding follow-up to the box office hit.

GIVE ME YOUR HAND - Official US Trailer

2009-09-14T06:16:00.000+07:00

Opening 9/11 at Quad Cinema in NYC

Antoine and Quentin are 18-year-old twins who live with their father and work as bakers in a bucolic French village. When their estranged mother dies in Spain, they set off to attend the funeral, without telling their father. The journey turns out to be more difficult than either had anticipated and a rift threatens to split the brothers apart. The brothers must struggle to accept each other as individuals, and to find their places in an uncertain world.

Jennifer's Body

2009-09-14T06:15:00.002+07:00

When small town high school student Jennifer (Megan Fox) is possessed by a hungry demon, she transitions from being high school evil gorgeous (and doesnt she know it), stuck up and ultra-attitudinal to the real deal: evil/evil. The glittering beauty becomes a pale and sickly creature jonesing for a meaty snack, and guys who never stood a chance with the heartless babe, take on new luster in the light of her insatiable appetite. Meanwhile, Jennifers best friend, Needy (Amanda Seyfried), long relegated to living in Jennifers shadow, must step-up to protect the town's young men, including her nerdy boyfriend Chip (Johnny Simmons).

Bonanza: The Official First Season, Vol 1 & 2

2009-09-14T04:21:00.001+07:00

To "The Powers that Be"..., January 16, 2009
By Aunty Tam (Vancouver, BC, Canada)

Why are we waiting (and waiting) for our beloved Bonanza to be released on DVD in North America? Surely even the most complicated legal wrangling can't delay the blessed event by this many years?! I hear that the series can be obtained in Germany, but not in America? Nutty but true...

So "to whom it may concern": please pick up the pace, and deliver. Many devoted Bonanza fans have waited long enough.

O Happy Day!, June 2, 2009
By L. A. Wimsatt "pony" (Kentucky)

What a great way to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the BEST show EVER! 'Bonanza' is a timeless classic. Our beloved Cartwrights will truly ride the Ponderosa forever, but how wonderful to know the burning map will finally blaze into our homes as well as our hearts after all these years.
(I understand the DVDs will also be available at the Bonanza Friendship Convention in September 2009.)

An American Werewolf in London (Full Moon Edition) [Blu-ray] (1981)

2009-09-14T04:16:00.002+07:00

Amazon.com
Remember back in the early 1980s when special-effects makeup artists were tripping over themselves to create the next big effect? The Howling boasted a fantastic werewolf transformation scene courtesy of makeup wizard Rob Bottin. Then along came Bottin's mentor, Rick Baker, with his own spectacular effects in this popular horror comedy directed by John Landis. An American Werewolf in London is more of a makeup showcase than a truly satisfying movie, but the film is effectively moody when David Naughton discovers that a wolf attack has turned him into a bloodthirsty lycanthrope. Jenny Agutter plays his love interest (watch out, he bites!), and who can forget Griffin Dunne as Naughton's best friend, an undead corpse who progressively rots away as the plot unfolds? All things considered, it's easy to see why An American Werewolf in London became a modern horror favorite. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description
Re-discover one of the most gripping horror films of all-time with the cult classic An American Werewolf in London. Blending the macabre with a wicked sense of humor, director John Landis (National Lampoon’s Animal House) delivers a contemporary take on the classic werewolf tale in this story of two American tourists who, while traveling in London, find their lives changed forever when a viscious wolf attacks them during a full moon. Featuring groundbreaking, Academy Award-winning make-up by Rick Baker (The Wolfman), this digitally remastered Full Moon Edition also includes the new feature-length documentary Beware the Moon.

The greatest Werewolf film ever!, July 13, 2004
By Ryan Harvey "Wolf Shadow" (Los Angeles, CA USA)

1981 was The Year of the Werewolves...the furry fiends leaped onto movie screens in three major films: "The Howling," "Wolfen," and the classic of the genre, "An American Werewolf in London." There has never been a greater werewolf film, there has never been a better transformation scene, and few horror movies can match the entertaining mixture of humor and scares that writer/direction John Landis ("Animal House," "The Blues Brothers") achieved here.
Although there had been humor in horror films before this movie, "An American Werewolf in London" showed once and for all that having comedy in a horror film didn't mean that the film would lose out in the scare department. Landis makes it clear that the film is NOT a comedy -- the horror scenes are carried with dead-seriousness and shocking impact -- but there is so much quirky humor surrounding these scenes that the film becomes incredibly likable and buoyant. Most of the laughs come from seeing the old movie werewolf premise dropped into the modern day and watching the characters try to deal with it.

Actors Griffin Dunne and David Naughton, neither of whom had been in a movie before, create a wonderful 'ordinary guy' feeling to their characters of two young American boys backpacking through Europe. In rural England, they have a nasty encounter with a legendary monster, and Naughton faces the consequences of being bitten when he returns to London and takes up living with a pretty nurse (Jenny Agutter).

The transformation scene is justly famous and a milestone in visual effects. Make-up wizard Rick Baker lets the viewers watch a real-time twisting of a human body into a wolf shape: limbs stretch, snouts pop, hair grows, the body contorts...it's amazing to watch. (And on DVD, you can watch it over and over and over again). Even computer graphics can't achieve an effect as startling as this one.

This DVD offers some nice extras. The image is good, and the 5.1 Surround Sound is decent (although there's not a lot of back speaker sound). Actors Naughton and Dunne do feature commentary on the film, and provide some interesting information and sound as if they were having a great time reliving the experience. I wish that Landis had been on the commentary as well, but you can hear his thoughts on the film in an 18-minute interview. Landis is an absolute hoot to listen to; the guy is as funny as his movie, and he absolutely bursts with ideas and observations. To go along with the Landis interview is an 11-minute interview with make-up maestro Rick Baker. He provides a fascinating look at crafting what he calls "the coolest werewolf film ever made." Also included is a vintage featurette on the making of the film, although it's only about five minutes long (but you get more of wise-cracking John Landis), ten minutes of archival footage of Baker making a cast of David Naughton's hand, and an assortment of storyboards, outtakes, and production photos.

"An American Werewolf in London" is a major turning point in horror films and visual effects -- and even over twenty years later, it is still one of the most entertaining movies of its decade. It hasn't aged at all, and this DVD lets you experience it the way it should be seen (and in the company of wild-man John Landis!)

ONE OF THE SCARIEST MOVIES EVER MADE!!!, January 17, 2004
By JR Pinto (New Jersey)

This is one of the few movies that have consistently given me nightmares since I was a child. It is at least a decade ahead of its time. Most of the negative criticisms that I have read use the word "uneven" a lot. Even Roger Ebert, whom I admire, claimed that the humor and the horror were an uneasy mix. This was years before he gave the movie Scream a positive review. Now I LIKE the movie Scream, but there is no way that one can claim that it gets the balance right whereas Werewolf gets it wrong. Scream simply benefits from occurring in the cynical nineties - Werewolf suffers from being avant guard. .
The new DVD has a few good extras on it - especially a new interview with Landis. Even after all these years, the film still holds up. Unlike most films, I see more things in it the more I look. What, for instance, is up with the townsfolk of East Proctor and what is their relationship with the original werewolf? My guess - they brought it on themselves somehow. Maybe one of their own ran over a gypsy and was cursed. Instead of killing the bloke, they all decide to hide beneath the pentangle in The Slaughtered Lamb every full moon.

I am recently returned from England and this movie is listed in Fodor's as one of the films that best showcases London. I heartily agree. I visited the infamous tube stop at Tottenham Court Road and it still looks much the same as when the David made his kill there. And as I walked, alone in the countryside, beneath the light of the full moon, I had to ask myself, "Am I crazy?" Fortunately, I made it to the pub. There I waited, beneath the pentangle, for my friends to walk me home.

Let Loose! The Law of Attraction In Action, Episode X (2009)

2009-09-14T04:12:00.001+07:00

About the Actor
These days Jerry and Esther Hicks are on a New York Times Best Seller joyride. Book after book: Ask and It Is Given, Money and The Law of Attraction, The Amazing Power of Deliberate Intent...it just goes on and on. People cannot seem to get enough of the wisdom and humor of Abraham, a joyful, loving and witty non-physical group consciousness whom Esther calls infinite intelligence and Jerry calls the purest form of love I have ever seen. Check out their website for the delicious details.

Product Description
You are as free as you allow yourself to be by virtue of the thoughts you think. In episode ten of this wildly popular series, Abraham continues to astonish, elucidate and entertain! Topics include: fate, fortune-telling, learning to just enjoy life, the blissful energy of meditation, teaching tough kids, lawsuits, pets, workplace freedom, and Why dont the Hicks charge less money so more people can benefit? You did not come into this life experience to get it done. You did not come for marks on the chart. You did not come to get things done so that you could look back and say look what I did! You continue to be an Eternal Being because it feels ever so good to feel life flowing through you. - Abraham

Sanctuary: The Complete First Season

2009-09-14T04:07:00.001+07:00

Amazon.com
Even Things That Go Bump in the Night Need Protection…
“with cutting-edge technology, Sanctuary creates a world teaming with mermaids, dinosaurs and monster mayhem” – TV Guide
Dr. Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping) is a brilliant and enigmatic scientist who seeks out all manner of monstrous creatures. Aided by her protégé, forensic psychiatrist Will Zimmerman (Robin Dunne), and her fearless daughter Ashley (Emilie Ullerup), the Sanctuary team tracks down, studies and protects the strange and often terrifying creatures that secretly populate our world.

As seen on Sci Fi Channel (Syfy), Sanctuary is one of the only series to shoot extensively on green screen using extraordinary visual effects and virtual sets. Helmed by some of the innovative talents behind Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, the series creative team includes executive producer, writer and creator Damian Kindler; executive producer and lead actor Amanda Tapping; and executive producer and director Martin Wood.

BONUS FEATURES:
Audio commentaries on all 13 episodes with cast and crew including Amanda Tapping, creator Damian Kindler, director Martin Wood and more
3 Making-of Featurettes: “Welcome to the Sanctuary”, “Sanctuary Residents”, “Sanctuary Visual Effects”
Sanctuary: The Original Webisodes
Bloopers, Behind-the-Scenes Photo Gallery
Season Two Sneak Peek

Product Description
The enigmatic Dr. Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping) and her Sanctuary team are on a quest to study and protect the strange and terrifying creatures that secretly populate our world. Along with their newest recruit, forensic psychiatrist Will Zimmerman (Robin Dunne), the group must face their darkest fears and their worst nightmares in order to provide a safe haven for the monsters that lurk in the shadows. As seen on SciFi Channel. From the writers and producers of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis.

Sci-Fi / Mild Horror Fans Delight : Sanctuary Is FUN To Watch..., July 11, 2009
By Jamie Ratliff (Texas, USA)

I recently watched this entire series, and although the first few episodes start slow, the series is fantastic. The writers have created a show that combines science fiction with mild horror and amazing story telling that will not let you down. If you have only seen an episode, or even just part of an episode, take my advice and watch the series from the beginning. I had seen the show on a few times, but it failed to get my attention because I was wondering what the heck was going on. Sanctuary is the first sci-fi show in a while that I have been really happy watching. Now that I have seen the first season, I will most certainly be watching Season 2.

- Excellent story that combine myths and legends with our own world.
- Great cast of characters that you can relate to.
- Doesn't go overboard with stupendous plots.
- It's a combination of Science Fiction, Horror, and Drama.
- Contains just the right amount of comedy to give a few laughs.
- Some of the scenes are downright amazing.

Hope this review has been helpful, as I think a lot of people will love this show, but either don't know about it, or don't want to risk wasting their time.
I love it, and I think you will enjoy it as well!

Sanctuary for all, June 30, 2009
By E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA)

Imagine this: a giant gothic building that serves as a "sanctuary" to various strange, freakish and/or dangerous creatures that exist in the world.

That's the concept behind "Sanctuary: The Complete First Season," a fantasy/sci-fi show that started off as a series of webisodes, then got turned into a show for the Sci Fi (Sy Fy?) Channel. The first season starts off shaky and sometimes painfully silly (nubbins!), but the second half suddenly smooths itself into a solid arc of secrets, conspiracies, and a fanatical enemy organization.

Forensic psychiatrist Will Zimmerman (Robin Dunne) has a pretty rotten life -- his girlfriend has left, his job is a joke, and nobody believes his deductions. But during a bizarre murder investigation, he encounters a strange woman named Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping) who offers him a job at the Sanctuary.

The Sanctuary turns out to be a vast cathedral-like structure filled with "Abnormals" -- mermaids, elementals, iguana-men, two-faced dudes, or anything that doesn't fall in the boundaries of known science. But the Sanctuary's residents are now in danger from a charming Abnormal named John Druitt (Christopher Heyerdahl), who has a longtime connection to Helen. And unless he gets what he wants from her, he'll kill her daughter Ashley (Emilie Ullerup).

Other Sanctuary problems: a trio of amnesiac women who may be the Morrigan, a drug lord among the Folding Men, an autistic boy whose pictures reveal Abnormals, a Himalayan plane crash with a mind-altering monster, a brain parasite in the Bermuda Triangle that threatens to turn Magnus into a psycho killer, the superfertile Nubbins (like carnivorous Totoros), a man who looks suspiciously like Magnus' late father, and a pair of reporters who witness the Sanctuary team fighting rare killer insects. And John Druitt reappears to reveal that an old friend of Helen's has turned against her...

And the Sanctuary has a new enemy -- the fanatical Cabal, who want all Abnormals under their control. When they unleash a biological weapon that turns Abnormals into raving killers, Helen's old study group ("The Five") must reunite to save the Abnormal population.

The first half of "Sanctuary: The Complete First Season" is a severely mixed bag -- most of it isn't really bad, but it's not terribly unique or gripping. And the "nubbins" (tribbles with teeth) episode is just embarrassingly silly. But with the introduction of Nicola Tesla (who is a vampire!), suddenly the entire series tightens up and becomes far more streamlined, complex and emotionally powerful.

Along the way, the writers fill the series with all sorts of freaky creatures (ranging from a Hulk-like supersoldier to a floating snake beastie), slimy body parts, and some gun-heavy action scenes. The writing is rather wobbly in the first half ("Women and geeks first... oh, no, that's all of us"), but the sci-fi edge gives it a quirky appeal ("I guess Ike didn't want to breathe the same air as the Nazi High Command." "Some of them didn't even breathe air").

And "Sanctuary" has a pretty striking look -- half industrial science complex, and half Gothic decay, with vast cathedral-like buildings, grey cloudy skies, and the half-ruined Old City. Most of the backgrounds are CGI, which gives the series a smooth, stylized look.

Despite her awkward accent, Tapping is a powerful presence as the hyperintellectual, immortal Helen Magnus, and Dunne is brilliant from the start as the Daniel Jackson of the series (smart and geeky, with a tragic past). Ryan Robbins is great as the resident techno-superbrain, who is haunted by his own Abnormal secret, and Christopher Heyerdahl does a brilliant two-character turn -- he's the charming, smooth killer John Druitt, and he's also the shy but kindly butler Bigfoot.

The one false note is Ashley -- while Ullerup does a fair job, the character is an urban fantasy cliche -- cocky, gun-happy, and wears a leather catsuit during fights. But the supporting cast is pretty fascinating, especially since the writers start ushering in Victorian literary and historical figures.

"Sanctuary: The Complete First Season" has some mighty wobbles in its first half, but the second half stabilizes and flowers like a black rose. Watch it, if nothing else to prepare for the second season.

LAW ABIDING CITIZEN - HD TRAILER

2009-09-10T21:41:00.001+07:00

Clyde Shelton (Gerard Butler) is an upstanding family man whose wife and daughter are brutally murdered during a home invasion. When the killers are caught, Nick Rice (Jamie Foxx), a hotshot young Philadelphia prosecutor, is assigned to the case. Over his objections, Nick is forced by his boss to offer one of the suspects a light sentence in exchange for testifying against his accomplice. Fast forward ten years. The man who got away with murder is found dead and Clyde Shelton coolly admits his guilt. Then he issues a warning to Nick: Either fix the flawed justice system that failed his family, or key players in the trial will die. Soon Shelton follows through on his threats, orchestrating from his jail cell a string of spectacularly diabolical assassinations that can be neither predicted nor prevented. Philadelphia is gripped with fear as Sheltons high-profile targets are slain one after another and the authorities are powerless to halt his reign of terror. Only Nick can stop the killing, and to do so he must outwit this brilliant sociopath in a harrowing contest of wills in which even the smallest misstep means death. With his own family now in Sheltons crosshairs, Nick finds himself in a desperate race against time facing a deadly adversary who seems always to be one step ahead. law abiding citizen, jamie foxx, gerard butler, law, justice, lawyer, revenge, vengeance, 300, gamer, ugly truth, ray, the soloist, the kingdom, dreamgirls, miami vice, jarhead, stealth, collateral, ali, in living color, bait, held up, booty call, bunz, action, adventure, movie, film, suspense, thriller, murder, serial, death, torture, saw, family, matricide, time to kill, death wish, fugitive, trailer, upcoming, release, theatrical, theater, movies, coming soon

YOUTH IN REVOLT - Official Trailer

2009-09-10T21:38:00.002+07:00

YOUTH IN REVOLT is an outrageous and heartwarming tale of Nick Twisp (Michael Cera) and his quest to win the heart of Sheeni (newcomer Portia Doubleday) and hopefully lose his virginity along the way. Based on C.D. Payne's cult-hit novel of the same name, YOUTH IN REVOLT is directed by Miguel Arteta ("The Good Girl") and features an all-star ensemble cast including: Steve Buscemi, Ray Liotta, Justin Long, Jean Smart, Ari Graynor, Fred Willard, Zach Galifianakis, Mary Kay Place and more.

The Informant

2009-09-08T00:45:00.001+07:00

What was Mark Whitacre thinking? A rising star at agri-industry giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Whitacre (Matt Damon) suddenly turns whistleblower. Even as he exposes his companys multi-national price-fixing conspiracy to the FBI, Whitacre envisions himself being hailed as a hero of the common man and handed a promotion. But before all that can happen, the FBI needs evidence, so Whitacre eagerly agrees to wear a wire and carry a hidden tape recorder in his briefcase, imagining himself as a kind of de facto secret agent.
Unfortunately for the FBI, their lead witness hasnt been quite so forthcoming about helping himself to the corporate coffers. Whitacres ever-changing account frustrates the agents (Scott Bakula and Joel McHale) and threatens the case against ADM as it becomes almost impossible to decipher what is real and what is the product of Whitacres active imagination.

Academy Award® winner Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting, the Bourne movies) stars in The Informant!, based on the true story of the highest-ranking corporate whistleblower in U.S. history. The film also stars Scott Bakula, Joel McHale and Melanie Lynskey.
The Informant! is directed by Academy Award® winner Steven Soderbergh (Traffic) from a screenplay by Scott Z. Burns, based on the book The Informant (A True Story), written by Kurt Eichenwald. The film is produced by Gregory Jacobs, Jennifer Fox, Michael Jaffe, Howard Braunstein and Kurt Eichenwald. George Clooney, Jeff Skoll and Michael London served as executive producers, with Michael Polaire co-producing.

ASTRO BOY - Trailer

2009-09-08T00:41:00.002+07:00

Astro Boy is a thrilling tale of a true hero. Set in futuristic Metro City, Astro Boy is about a young robot with incredible powers created by a brilliant scientist named Dr. Tenma. Powered by positive blue energy, Astro Boy is endowed with super strength, x-ray vision, unbelievable speed and the ability to fly. Astro Boy opens in theatres on October 23, 2009.

The New World (The Extended Cut) [Blu-ray] (2005)

2009-09-08T00:34:00.001+07:00

Product Description
Powhatan tribal people stare in wonder as three ships approach shore. It s a story every schoolchild knows. And as told by filmmaker Terrence Malick (Badlands, Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line) in this Extended Cut with over 30 minutes of footage unseen in theaters, it s a story you never imagined. Working in part from first-hand histories and adding his extraordinary sense of image and human drama, Malick crafts a spellbinding tale of the Jamestown settlement, of cultures connecting and of deadly consequences when connections fray. Capt. John Smith (Colin Farrell), Pocahontas (Q orianka Kilcher), John Rolfe (Christian Bale): you know the names. But you could never experience the visceral power of the stories behind those names until now.

Special Features Making The New World: Comprehensive 10-Part Documentary Theatrical Trailers

Terrence Malick's Counterpart To The Thin Red Line, It's Beautiful, Visually Stunning, & Poetic, January 25, 2006
By Kaya Savas (Bethesda, MD USA)

MOVIE: Terrence Malick is not a mainstream director, his films while few in number, are incredibly rich with detail and visual language. Only a very few people can appreciate one of his films, mostly because they tend to run longer than mainstream movies and they don't follow the traditional formula. If you've seen The Thin Red Line then you know what a Terrence Malick film is. The Thin Red Line is in my opinion one of the finest cinematic accomplishmensts in the war genre. The New World is basically Malick's counterpart to The Thin Red Line. While The Thin Red Line was a look into the dark nature of mankind and how we destroy ourselves, The New World is the opposite of that. This film is about the celebration of the human spirit and the wonder of life. It is a truly poetic film that uses the story of John Smith and Pocahontas to express this commentary. The New World focuses on the clash of differences between two civilizations and how in the mess of differences two people are able to connect and see the beauty of each other. The movie moves slow though, and there are some parts where I found the editing to be a little confusing. Otherwise, I think the film is an incredible emotional journey filled with poetry and brilliant cinematic images. This film and The Thin Red Line are very similar in style. Malick even uses the same motif with birds as he does in The Thin Red Line. You also have the poetic narration of the main characters, and the narration itself can stand alone as poetry, it is truly remarkable. Beautiful landcapes captured brilliantly with the camera, long tracking shots, and many wide shots enhance the surrounding for the audience. He also uses his "sun through the trees" shot multiple times, which I personally loved in The Thin Red Line and even used it a couple times in my projects. All the shots are accompanied by James Horner's acceptable yet somewhat flawed score. In my opinion I thought the score sounded exactly like his work on The Perfect Storm. I was devestated when Hans Zimmer was detached from the project due to scheduling problems, because it was with The Thin Red Line that Zimmer composed his masterpiece. Horner does a good job in my opinion, but at times I felt like it was all too similar and sometimes lacking. The characters are all wonderfully expressed as well, and the change that Pocahontas goes through basically defines the film's central theme of change in surrounding while still retaining your individual personality. This film celebrates humanity and is his counterpart to The Thin Red Line, which basically shows the flaws of humanity. See both film if you have not already, and if you are new to Terrence Malick please have an open mind. This man is a wonderful filmmaker, I wish he wasn't so elusive and would actually do interviews as well do maybe more than 1 movie every decade. Then again, the fact that he has only directed 5 movies in his career since 1969 maybe is his greatest strength, and puts him on the list of top directors in the industry.

ACTING: The film is almost absent of any structural dialogue. Dialogue between characters is rare and brief yet oh so meaningful, and then there is the poetic narration. The actors do a fine job with facial expressions and evoking the right emotions. Colin Farrell is great and plays a character who is in love with Pocahontas and embraces her world. Christian Bale does a fantastic job as the man who falls in love with Pocahontas yet tries to make part of English society. Then we have newcomer Q'Orianka Kilcher who plays Pocahontas, and does an amazing job with the role. The acting is all emotion and hardly any dialogue.

BOTTOM LINE: I talked to my parents after I saw the film, they said that people walked out of the movie at the showing they saw, which didn't suprise me at all. I was happy that no one walked out of the showing I went to. The Thin Red Line got the same response by movie goers that this one is getting. They walk in expecting an intense action drama and end up at a poetry reading, but you can blame decieving marketing for that. Like I said, Terrence Malick isn't for everyone, but if you see it with an open mind you will experience a truly amazing and meaningful film.

Dreams, December 30, 2005
By MICHAEL ACUNA (Southern California United States)

"It seems like a dream." So intones John Smith (an emphatic and forceful Colin Farrell) describing his time with Pocahontas (a gorgeous newcomer, Q'Orianka Kilcher) in what would come to be known as Jamestown, Virginia circa 1607.
And so much like a dream is Terence Malick's newest "The New World." There are long stretches of this film in which there is only action without or with minimal sound: the Native Americans going about their day-to-day lives, working, playing, training, eating and celebrating while the King James sent Englishmen, looking for a quick way from England to the "Indies," basically go about their day scavenging for food, fighting amongst themselves and acting like savages. In fact, the Native Americans are mostly gorgeous, clean, well groomed while the supposedly civilized Englishmen are smelly, scuffy and ill-mannered. One of the funniest scenes comes at the beginning of the film when a Warrior approaches Captain Newport (Christopher Plummer) and squinches his nose due to the Captain's body odor. There is no doubt that the peaceful, though wary and intelligent Natives as presented here: regal, civilized are superior to the intruders.
In a mesmerizing almost stuperous mist, in a land so new and fresh and rife with possibilities, where a man can begin again without the sins of his past encroaching upon and stifling him, Malick sets the scene for the beginning of "The New World." There is such wonder, giddiness and hope in Malick's mise en scene that you can't help but be taken in by it all: what a chance we had to build a better world, what a chance we had to right the wrongs of our former world.
The central story is the one between Princess Pocahontas ("playful one") and Captain John Smith who arrives in Jamestown in shackles and is almost hung for treason but Captain Newport thinks better of it and instead sends Smith on a journey up the river to find and pay respects to Chief Powhatan. Powhatan instructs Smith to teach Pocahontas English and from this a romance develops.
Malick takes his time telling this story and "The New World" is slow, quiet, often silent and elegiac: he takes the time to stop, observe and ponder what his camera is showing...no quick jump cuts here to keep us supposedly impatient viewers interested. The world of Malick's films is a world filled with innocence and wonder: but wonder and innocence tempered with the realities of the brutal and the unforgiving. We are in Paradise here, Paradise before the fall: the fall is inevitable, of course and there is no doubt on whose doorstep the fault can be laid.

Fringe: The Complete First Season (2009)

2009-09-08T00:31:00.002+07:00

Product Description
Teleportation. Mind control. Invisibility. Astral projection. Mutation. Reanimation. Phenomena that exist on the Fringe of science unleash their strange powers in this thrilling series, co-created by J.J. Abrams (Lost, Alias), combining the grit of the police procedural with the excitement of the unknown. The story revolves around three unlikely colleagues – a beautiful young FBI agent, a brilliant scientist who’s spent the last 17 years in a mental institution and the scientist’s sardonic son – who investigate a series of bizarre deaths and disasters known as “the pattern.” Someone is using our world as an experimental lab. And all clues lead to Massive Dynamic, a shadowy global corporation that may be more powerful than any nation.

DVD features:
Evolution: The Genesis of Fringe featurette - The creators of the show discuss how the series unfolded and the qualities that make it so unique
Behind the Real Science of Fringe featurette - From teleportation to re-animation, Fringe incorporates recent discoveries in science. Consulting experts and scientists who are the authorities in their field address the areas of science which are the inspiration for the show.

A Massive Undertaking: The Making of Fringe (on select episodes) - An in-depth exploration of how select episodes came to be made: from the frozen far reaches of shooting the pilot in Toronto, to the weekly challenges of bringing episodes to air
The Casting of Fringe- The story, as told by producers and cast, of how Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble and others came to be cast in the series.
Fringe Visual Effects featurette - Goes deep into the creation of the shared dream state with some of the biggest VFX shots of the show.
Dissected Files: Unaired Scenes
Unusual Side Effects: Gag Reel
Fringe: Deciphering the Scene
Roberto Orci Production Diary
Gene the Cow montage

Three Full-Length Commentaries from writers/producers, including J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtman, J.R. Orci, David Goodman, Bryan Burk, Akiva Goldsman and Jeff Pinkner

Starts slowly but builds up to a brilliant second half with enormous potential, May 12, 2009
By Robert Moore (Chicago, IL USA)

I have dual suggestions for anyone thinking of trying FRINGE. First, definitely watch it. Second, be very, very patient. The show eventually gets very, very good, but it takes a very long time to get there. I have a theory as to why that is. FOX has a tendency to micro manage many of its shows. DOLLHOUSE is an example. After Joss Whedon brought them his initial pilot, they nixed it and asked for a new one, and then dictated that the first several episodes be standalone episodes. And guess what. In the sixth episode DOLLHOUSE became one of the best shows on TV, with multiple delicious plot twists. The weakest part of the series? The first five stand alone episodes. I have not heard similar things about FRINGE, but given that the first half of the season tends to be almost all stand alone episodes and that they are far and away the weakest part of the show, I suspect more FOX interference. FRINGE has been compared to THE X-FILES in many ways, but one way that they are dissimilar is that THE X-FILES standalone episodes were far superior to FRINGE's standalone episodes. So the viewer has to be patient for the payoff for watching the show to come to fruition. But the payoff does finally come. About halfway through the series a "mythology" arc emerges in a most satisfying way, resulting in a string of deeply satisfying and exciting episodes in the second half of the season. At the end of the first year, it hasn't yet quite become a great show, but it shows all the potential of becoming one. But perhaps only if FOX will get out of the way and let them get on with the story.

The show also suffered from internal problems, the main one being casting. I came to like Anna Torv in the lead role of Agent Olivia Dunham, but she remained in many ways the show's weak link. Many fans noted that her American accent (Torv is Australian) often faded and especially early in the show her Aussie accent would briefly creep in. She isn't a bad actress, but neither is she - comparing the show once again to THE X-FILES - Gillian Anderson, who was by any accounting a brilliant actress. When I watch FRINGE, I often wonder just what the show would be like with a stronger actress in the lead role. I also have not yet become sold on Joshua Jackson as Peter Bishop, but this may be far more of a problem with the writers fully integrating him into the show. (Though the season ends with a great, great twist involving Peter that explains a lot of the background on Walter's story.) Other than being Walter's son, his role in the greater scheme of things hasn't really become clear, though perhaps the writers envision a more crucial role in Season Two. Lance Reddick is a powerful physical presence, but is another actor who has perhaps been under utilized at this point.

Which leaves John Noble as Walter Bishop. Is there a more delightful supporting character on TV? He steals just about every scene he is in as the delightfully idiosyncratic and marvelously insane genius Walter Bishop. Walter is both a wonderfully written character and brilliantly portrayed by Noble. Sci-fi series do not as a rule get much recognition by the Emmys, but I would love to see Noble get a nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama. Many of the great moments of the show's first season revolve around Walter. And there are so many fine Walter moments that some go unnoticed. Among my favorites was in the show's penultimate episode where the crew is assembled in Walter's Harvard lab and someone says they need to turn the lights out. Walter gleefully tells them all to hold on and he claps his hands, demonstrating that he has "the Clapper" installed in the lab. But what makes the scene so funny is a very subtle bit of business. Walter has been passing out cookies and has one of his own. To be able to clap, he has set his own cookie down on the derrière of the corpse he has been examining and that is laying immediately in front of him. So while Walter is clapping his cookie is on this dead guy's rear end. Typical Walter. Not least because of Walter's penchant for blending the investigation of the most grotesque phenomena with food. Icky disfigured corpse? Nothing like that to get Walter to think about food!

The best thing about FRINGE is that it got better as it went along. This is a great sign for Season Two. I blame FOX for the slow first half of the season. Maybe I'm wrong in doing that, but we know for a fact that FOX messed up the first half of DOLLHOUSE, and they've been known to interfere with the development of other shows. The fact is this: executive producers and their writers know more about how to do a great show than network executives do. Maybe they feel that they need to earn their salaries by "crafting" the new series, but generally what they do is mess things up. You hire someone like J. J. Abrams or Joss Whedon to do a series, just get out of the way and let them do what they inevitably do better than you do.

So definitely watch this show. Be patient. It starts off OK, but about halfway through the season it will really start to kick tail. I think there is some core weakness in the cast, but not to the degree that it cripples the show. Best of all, this show really feels like it is going somewhere special. Make sure you are along for the ride

One of the most intelligent series in recent years, May 11, 2009
By Dismantled

Brainchild of JJ Abrams, this show is loaded with all the vitamins a good series needs: an exciting and innovative plot, along with well-scripted characters. Some episodes are a bit of a fill-out but the overall plot, much like the show Lost, is very interesting and has one at the edge of their seat. Anna Torv is a bit of a newcomer without much experience, but portrays her character very well. John Noble does a cracking job as the somewhat looney Einstein-inspired Dr Walter Bishop. The biggest surprise is Joshua Jackson who's getting a bit of a fresh start in his career with this show. He does an excellent job as the intelligent Peter Bishop, son of Walter Bishop. Another brilliant choice actor-wise is Lance Reddick, known from The Wire (which by the way probably is the best show in TV history).
The main plot? Well, strange incidents are occuring, perpetrated by a mysterious terrorist group using the world as their experiment lab. The events are investigated by the characters named above. As the story unfolds, the motives of this terrorist group start to emerge and the question rises: Who is the real enemy?
Scripted and created by the same guys who wrote the new Star Trek film, this show is the new Lost. It has been picked up for a season 2, and will probably go beyond that. Brilliant stuff.

Valentino: The Last Emperor (2008)

2009-09-02T21:58:00.001+07:00

Product Description
A critically acclaimed look into the life and times of legendary fashion designer Valentino. The film documents the colorful and dramatic closing act of the fashion icons celebrated career, tells the story of his extraordinary life and work, and also explores the larger themes affecting the fashion business today. But at the heart of the film is the unique relationship between Valentino and his business partner and companion of 50 years, Giancarlo Giammetti.

Wonderful film! Can't wait for the DVD now!, July 10, 2009
By B. Hartford "Save the Cheetahs!" (Massachusetts - United States)

I saw this movie in a local theatre and it was far better than I expected. Although there is a lot about fashion, I found the most light-hearted and funny moments about Valentino's relationship with Giancarlo. They are such a great couple.... they complete each other and their 'married' style of bickering made me laugh a lot. Wonderful fashions, lots of celebrities, and yes, the special pugs that seem to take over everything! Definately can't wait until 08 September for the DVD to be released!

Elegant Film of an Elegant Life, May 31, 2009
By Loves the View "Louise" (Hawaii)

Here is how haute couture is made. Valentino employed 100 seamstresses and owned one sewing machine (which no one would use). In the film, you see how each dress was lovingly designed and assembled and how the 45+ year partnership of Valentino Garavani and Giancarlo Giametti produced runway show after runway show. These partners clearly inspire the love and loyalty of their staff.

You see the sense of style that pervades the life. The entertaining, the travel, the pampered pets.

While the film is a fully positive portrait of this marvelous fashion house and its two leaders, the future looms. The company was sold in 1998 (and then again). The corporate owners don't appreciate the art and want more handbags, shoes and ready to wear. There are glimpses of this pressure as the film leads up to Rome's "45 Years of Valentino", a retrospective with pageantry worthy of its subject.

The film has a genuine quality. Some shots, being candid, won't have the perfect balance and people hesitate in speech. You see the tension in the preparation for big shows.

While others will not appreciate the film, if you are interested in the art of fashion, this is a must see.

The Office - Season Five

2009-09-02T21:54:00.001+07:00

Product Description
Scranton’s most outrageous workforce is back to give their clients the business in the fifth hilarious season of The Office. Join obnoxious regional manager Michael Scott (Steve Carell) and his fellow paper pushers Dwight (Rainn Wilson), Jim (John Krasinski), Pam (Jenna Fischer) and Ryan (B.J. Novak) as they steal customers, frame co-workers, indulge in intra-office love affairs and just plain behave badly while a documentary film crew captures their every word and misdeed. Developed for American television by Primetime Emmy® Award-winner Greg Daniels, The Office: Season Five features 26 uproarious episodes – including two one-hour specials, exclusive commentaries, webisodes, deleted scenes and more in a sidesplitting five-disc collection no true fan of The Office can afford to miss!

keep it coming ;-), August 12, 2009
By Elaine M. Kettelkamp "lady kestrel"

A lot can be said for the first 4 seasons of the show.Season 5 is still strong I totally LOVE every episode. There is NO other TV show that I will watch over again but this one. I have seen each episode multiple times. The thing I appreciate the most is what I call the "time release" brand of humor. There are so many subtle things going on that there is no way to catch them in one viewing. If you don't believe me try it. Watch your fave episode again and see if you don't find another great "line" or spoofy interaction that you didn't see before. This stuff is brilliant!!

I do not understand...., May 22, 2009
By Daphne "Amazon addict!" (United States)

This just proves the ill attitudes of the general public. So quick to lay judgment. This show is BRILLIANT. And when I'm done watching it always always always leaves me wanting more. Every single comedy I've ever seen has had more dramatic episodes (And now.. a very special Blossom) It makes the characters more real. And the comments above about how it was painful to watch and embarrassing. That is the appeal of Micheal's character. He gets into these positions where he does embarrass himself. Its just in his nature. Just be glad they are not trying to teach you a lesson in the show like so many comedies before them. Touching briefly on a serious issues only to forget about it the next episode. THAT'S Painful..

I love the further development of the characters. And if they made the show be everything you wanted to right now for your quick fix.. they couldn't make anymore of this brilliantly wonderful show.

I cannot wait for next season!

Supernatural: The Complete Fourth Season (2009)

2009-08-27T21:18:00.001+07:00

Angels and Demons and Winchesters, March 20, 2009
By Courtney A. Walters (USA)

I highly anticipated the return of Supernatural after the cliff hanger we were left with on Season Three. So far [there's still a couple more episodes of season four which have yet to air] this season has not been disappointing. From the beginning, with Dean escaping from Hell, to this raging war between the angels and demons, this is one action packed adventure and thrilling ride to be on. I have watched this show from it's debut, and it just keeps getting better. I don't want to reveal too much information for those who read this and have not watched SPN, and I also can't comment as much as I'd like because the season has not yet finished. However, I couldn't wait 'til it's completion to fill out a review for it, and I have definitely put this box set on Alert so that I know immediately when it's released this Fall [more than likely]. I can't wait to have these episodes on DVD to rewatch and relive. I highly recommend this show to anyone; this season stands so far to be the best of SPN yet.

Just wanted to add to my review quick: a lot of people seem to be wishing for a Supernatural soundtrack. Here are 2 awesome sites that will give you a list of songs played in every episode from Season One to Season Four. So get to downloading and making a SPN playlist of your own! :)

Edit: I'm so sorry; every time I put the URLs in for the sites, Amazon doesn't show them.. I'm going to try putting them into a comment for this review so check there if you're interested!

Fang-tastic Show!, May 17, 2009
By Jason King "Optimus Prime" (UK)

Supernatural, season 4 makes up for the 17 episodes of season 3 (thanks WGA people!)with a full 22 episode run. This is a rare gem of a show where I find myself rewatching a season every 3-4 months (never, ever boring). Seriously, this show has become something of a religion and has re-introduced me to classic, old school rock from the likes of AC/DC & Grand Funk Railroad.

Outstanding episodes here include: In The Beginning (where we see a smoking hot actress called Amy Gumenick as a young Mary Winchester); Metamorphosis; After School Special; Jump The Shark (which was Eric Kripke's in-joke about Chad Michael Murray being a third Winchester brother and introduces us to a new foe); The Rapture; Family Remains (unusually news topical) and saving the best for last: Yellow Fever, where at the very end, we have Dean Winchester doing his rendition of Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger" - believe me, you will watch that scene again and again! It's no wonder youtube get so many hits on it everyday and proves 80s rock DOES ROCK!!

On a sad note, this series marked the passing away of Kim Manners, who was very much a creative force in terms of direction, the overall look and feel of the show. We miss you, buddy - RIP.

As per usual, Jared Padalecki & Jensen Ackles are outstanding as Sam & Dean Winchester. Jensen is very much the Han Solo character who gets to quip funnier lines and pop culture references throughout; whilst poor old Jared has cranked up the emotional steering wheel 3 notches and is a revelation in the process. Fans of Heroes often do the Hiro scrunchy face when he time travels, but for me, I always do the Sam stretching-his-hand-out-before-extracting-a-demon-from-its-host routine. Before long, everyone will be copying it! These two actors have a chemistry I haven't seen since Niles & Frasier Crane. Also have to say kudos to Misha Collins as Cassiel, whom I really got used to, even if he does annoy Dean most of the time!

Whilst watching Shatner & Nimoy in Mind Meld, it was great seeing these legends of screen & TV, discussing their fond memories on Star Trek and personal lives. I hope that one day, we'll get Jensen & Jared doing the same about Supernatural.

PS: Don't be frustrated about the final scene of Lucifer Rising - Eric Kripke is genius personified and trust that he knows what he's doing - especially if season five is going to be the last. It's a classic cliffhanger, but the guessing game is on for what hell Lucifer will unleash! Forget girly rubbish like Twilight and stick to the real deal that is Supernatural!

Gladiator [Blu-ray] (2000)

2009-08-27T21:14:00.003+07:00

Product DescriptionDirector Ridley Scott’s triumphant Gladiator is an unparalleled combination of vivid action and extraordinary storytelling that earned five Oscars® including Best Picture. The Blu-ray presentation will include both the original theatrical version of the film as well as the extended version in 1080p High Definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, as well as English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Korean subtitles. The two-disc set also will feature over four hours of bonus material including, but not limited to, the following:

• Audio Commentary—Two separate commentaries accompany the original theatrical version and extended version of the film.

• The Scrolls of Knowledge—The original trivia track has been newly enhanced with focus points allowing viewers to access a series of new behind-the-scenes featurettes exploring key scenes and how they relate to the historical accuracy depicted in the film. The extended version of the film also includes a deleted scene marker.

• Visions From Elysium: Topic Marker—Viewers can tag moments of interest throughout either version of the film, allowing them to create “shopping lists” of topics to learn more about. Thanks to the Blu-ray player’s memory, the topics will automatically be loaded when Disc 2 is inserted, giving viewers immediate access to featurettes and galleries of interest.

• Strength And Honor: Creating The World of Gladiator—The definitive documentary on the origin, production and impact of the Oscar®-winning classic. The documentary includes an all-new Enhanced Viewing Mode allowing viewers access to additional interviews and behind-the-scenes material.

• The Making of Gladiator—HBO First Look special.

• Gladiator Games: The Roman Bloodsport—Learning Channel special.

• Hans Zimmer: Scoring Gladiator—An exploration of the rousing soundtrack.

• My Gladiator Journal—Personal diary of the young actor who played Lucius.

• Image & Design—Featurettes and galleries covering the production design, storyboards, costumes and more.

• Abandoned Sequences & Deleted Scenes

• VFX Explorations: Germania & Rome—Shot deconstruction with the visual effects artists.

We salute you, Ridley., October 30, 2000
By "zaloop" (Walpole, MA USA)

Gladiatorial combat is immortalized in this film, the only way it can be: through stunning action sequences and beautiful imagery. It also immortalizes, above all, director Ridley Scott.
Roger Ebert complains of people with short memory spans praising this film while forgetting that films like Spartacus have supposedly done this before. Well, I have a good memory, and I remember Spartacus. In fact, I kept on remembering that film while watching Gladiator, only in the context of, "This is so much better than Spartacus. It goes beyond." The action is better, the visuals are better, the story is better, and the acting is better. Sorry, Kirk.

Since this is an action film, the story isn't the most important element, but for an action film it is actually quite good. For one thing, I liked the disturbing under-the-surface incest element going on between Commodus and Connie Nielson. Furthermore, it was interesting to see how Crowe gained support among the gladiators until it became as if he were a general leading his army again. The plot itself needed to be there in order to fully create a sense of grandeur. With its insurrection story, the rise of the hero and his trek to the capitol of Rome, and the look at the people in power, the plot creates a sense of time-and-place necessary for an epic that couldn't exist with the visuals and action alone.

The acting is among the best one can ever seen for an action film, and there is plenty of fine dramatic work pulled off by the two main actors. Russell Crowe is now one of the best "new" (four or five films so far) actors in film. We believe, in his glances and the ways he delivers his many great lines, that he is Maximus. He is poignant, hate-filled, and sorrowful all at once. The praise he is getting is deserved. But why isn't Phoenix being lauded just as much? He carries the film in the second-largest role just as well as Crowe. His Emperor Commodus isn't a good villain and has no real character, but Phoenix adds so many layers to him and turns him into a great antagonist that that alone makes his performance excellent. He commands attention just as Crowe does. All by himself (no help from any great dialogue or development), he creates a villain that is prissy, whining, ambitious, pathetic, and malevolent, and worthy of our hate as well as our pity. It's a wonderful transformation. To sum it up, the characters themselves aren't really developed at all- but the acting is so good that it seems they are.

Now, onto the action, which, as I had hoped, is plentiful and intense. It has diversity and grandeur. All the fights were fast, hard-hitting, uncensored, and very bloody, which is what they should've been like. And every single fight sequence is unique from the others. There's the match where two men fought chained to each other, the opening war battle, Maximus vs. numerous other fighters, and the final sword duel, to name a few. This is so much more than just two half-naked men fighting with swords, which is what it could've been. The film also captures the feel and the motion of combat. Ridley Scott speeds up the film slightly during fight scenes to show the chaos and rapid reflexes necessary to survive. During the fight scenes, the camerawork is nonstop and covers the combat as one big blur to the fighters. (But we can still follow the fights themselves.)

This film also stands out in my mind as one of the most visual, image-driven action films I've ever seen. Thanks to Ridley Scott, practically every scene is jammed with wonderful detail, art direction, even distinct lighting (the Collosseum orange, other parts of Rome dark blue). Just look at the wide multitude (seemingly infinite number) of battle masks, weapons, and locales. Cinematography is skillful and impressive. There are tons of memorable shots, like Maximus entering the ring with rose petals coming down on him like rain from above, Commodus' pure white battle costume (when he's being risen up on the platform he looks like a demented angel ascending to heaven), and the images used to represent Crowe's home- the gentle hand carressing the wheat reeds, the door to his house, etc. They had a surreal quality and each were bathed in their own distinct color. Excellent work, Ridley.

A very impressive film. So why can't all summer movies be this good? We'd be spoiled.

Crowe and Phoenix shine in this new film by Ridley Scott, May 13, 2000
By Rob "Revuman" (New York, NY USA)

Most times when studios go out to produce a movie of this size and grandeur the most important parts of the movie, mainly the plot and the acting, are lost to the fight scenes and the special effects. What makes this movie rise above all other action/drama film is that it has both a strong story and cast as well as very complex and beautifully shot battle sequences. And not to mention stellar performances by leads Russell Crowe (The Insider), Joaquin Phoenix (8MM), Connie Nielsen (Mission to Mars), and Oliver Reed (Funny Bones) who passed away during the filming of Gladiator.
Having defeated the last hoard of Barbarians, sealing the lands for the Roman Empire, General Maximus (Crowe) had proven himself to be loyal to Rome and to its Caesar, Marcus Aurelius (wonderfully played by Richard Harris). As a result, the dying Aurelius plans to hand over the Empire to Maximus rather than his corupt son Commodus (Phoenix). Upon finding out that his father has named Maximus the sucessor to the throne in place of himself, Commodus becomes angered by his father's decission and takes matters into his own hands. Knowing that Maximus is a threat to him, Commodus places him under arrest and orders his guards to execute him in secrecy. Narrowly escaping death, Maximus rushes home to try to save his family from a similar fate, only to arrive after his son and wife have already been murdered by Commodus' troops.

With nothing left to live for and no where left to go, Maxiums eventually finds himself a slave to a former Gladiator named Proximo (Reed). Having gained his freedom long ago, he now purchases slaves to fight in the battle arena, betting for his experienced fighters and against his worthless fighters in order to make a profit. However, when Maxiums, feuled by rage and a need for vengance, easily defeats all whom he encounters, surpassing all other fighters in every way, Proximo realizes that there is something different about this man the other slaves call "The Spaniard". And when Commodus, the new Caesar, initiates the Gladiator games in commemoration of his late father, Maximus, who Commodus believes is dead, is determind to go Rome, where the games are being held, and take revenge on the man who took everything away from him.

Connie Nielsen who playes Lucilla, Commodus's sister, is the sole female character in this male dominated film. However, she holds up very well with Phoenix and Crowe during their numerous dialogues and shows great talent in each scene as both sister to the Caesar and mother to her eight year old child Lucius (Spencer Treat Clarck).

Djimon Hunsou (Amistad) also appears in the film as a fellow slave/Gladiator who becomes friends with Crowe, helping him complete his goal of taking his revenge on Commodus.

And Director Ridley Scott, most well known for his Sci-fi/fantasy flick Blade Runner, has brought Rome and all it's spectacle, glory, and gore to the big screen in a way that puts it along side classics like Ben Hur and Sparticus. It has quality, quantity, and a uniqueness to it that makes it worth the $9.50 price for addmission.

All in all, this movie reigns supreme in my book. Visually stunning, wonderfully acted, beautifully shot, and superbly directed. If people want to see how a great action/drama movie is made, then this is the movie you gotta see.

Revuman: Live by the sword, die by the sword, but eat first...peace!

Braveheart [Blu-ray] (1995)

2009-08-27T21:11:00.002+07:00

Product DescriptionWinner of five Academy Awards® including Best Picture, the exhilarating epic Braveheart is one of the most anticipated films on Blu-ray and continues to be beloved by fans and critics alike. The film will be presented in 1080p High Definition with English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD, French 5.1 Dolby Digital and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English, English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles. Among the more than two hours of new special features to be included on Braveheart are:

• Interactive Timelines—Three distinct timelines featuring a combination of video, images, text and audio that can be accessed linearly or randomly. o Production: A comprehensive chronology of the motion picture from conception through theatrical release, from a behind-the-scenes point of view. o Historical: Chronological modules feature Scotland’s greatest patriot, along with historical places, figures and events surrounding his life and struggle. o Fiction: A comprehensive timeline identifying the chronological events of the film.

• Braveheart: A Look Back— Features new interviews with members of the cast and crew reminiscing about their experiences making the film and its enduring impact on cinema.

• Smithfield: Medieval Killing Fields—Relates the remarkable history of Smithfield, which for centuries was regularly filled with the roars of crowds, regal fanfares and rowdy games. Smithfield is also known as the site of William Wallace’s execution, along with other terrifying spectacles when heretics, rebels and criminals were put to death. • Battlefields of the Scottish Rebellion— Two major Scottish battlefields, Falkirk and Bannockburn, will be presented as 3D models that can be explored for further investigation into the military strategies and timetables employed in each. Topography, weapons, troop movements, and leadership data can also be accessed. An alternate playing mode will allow the story of each battle to unfold in an “automated” fashion, much like the interactive dioramas displayed at historical site museums around the world.

Blood, bravery & idealism in an epic fist punch to your gut., January 25, 2003
By Themis-Athena (from somewhere between California and Germany)

On a whole number of levels, this movie shouldn't have worked for me. It takes considerable license with historical facts, not only in order to supplement details that are not part of William Wallace's legend but actually, wherever convenient. ("We stuck to history where we could but hyped it up where the legend let us," actor-director Mel Gibson admits on the DVD's commentary track.) It is graphically and unabashedly violent: from throat cuttings to battle scenes that have film blood literally splashing onto the camera, beheadings, a traitor's head smashed with a
wrecking ball, and fully 15 minutes of Wallace's "purification by pain," it shows some of the most brutal behavior conceivable. It also engages in some of the most blatant gay profiling in recent film history - not just in the drastic end administered on the lover of King Edward I. "Longshanks"'s son, but equally in the portrayal of both characters and their relationship as such. Last but not least, Mel Gibson plays a man at least 10 years younger than himself, a choice often enough bordering on the ridiculous. (Gibson insists it was the studio's wish that he not only produce and direct but also star in the title role.)

And yet ...

From the first notes of James Horner's hauntingly beautiful soundtrack and the first sweeping camera shots over the Scottish highlands, blending seamlessly into the pictures of the Scottish riders on their way to the alleged truce talks initiated by Longshanks, and the narrator's, Robert the Bruce's (Angus MacFadyen's) introduction - "I shall tell you about William Wallace: Historians from England will call me a liar, but history is written by those who have hanged heroes" - there is no mistaking that this is an epic story, taking up the tradition of the likes of "Spartacus" and "Ben Hur." Like those movies, "Braveheart" is a story of heroism and of having the courage of one's convictions; chronicling the life of its hero from first love to loss, betrayal, battles and final confrontation with his arch-enemy's powers. Like both of them, "Braveheart" won multiple Academy Awards, not least for John Toll's outstanding cinematography. Like "Ben Hur," it also won the coveted awards for "Best Picture" and for "Best Director." And maybe I'm just a sucker for that kind of epos ...

To my surprise, I found Mel Gibson to come across very believable as William Wallace; age difference, Scottish brogue and all. Both his acting and his direction are informed by a clear sense of vision for the movie and its title character. Moreover, although full writing credits went to would-be (?) Wallace descendant Randall W., many little details undeniably show Gibson's hand and mannerisms: to name just a few of the more obvious examples, Wallace's marriage proposal to Murron, his grinning greeting of a group of English soldiers trapped below a cliff, and his response to a doubting Scottish soldier's comment at Sterling that he can't really be Wallace because he's not tall enough.

In addition to John Toll's award winning cinematography, the movie benefits from first-rate production design (Tom Sanders), a score which perfectly captures the mood of every single scene, and a cast of outstanding actors; first and foremost Patrick McGoohan as Longshanks, who portrays the king's utter ruthlessness so convincingly that you completely forget his earlier incarnation as the 1960s' "Danger Man," and who delivers monologues and soliloquies worthy of a Shakespearean king. His musing "but whom shall I send" when plotting to send a messenger to Wallace with another insincere offer of truce, and his chilling announcement of the reinstitution the ius primae noctae because "the trouble with Scotland is that it is full of Scots ... If we can't get them out, we'll breed them out" could have been uttered verbatim by anyone of the Bard's most sinister kings. (Screenwriter Randall Wallace does indeed admit to Shakespeare's direct influence on the script, particularly on Wallace's "Sons of Scotland" speech before the battle of Sterling, which is strongly based on the monologues of King Henry V. at Agincourt).

Equally impressive is Ian Bannen in one of his last roles, starring as Robert the Bruce's leprosy-ridden father and evil spirit, whose first reaction to the tales about Wallace is to deride him ("He has courage; so does a dog"), and who expertly plays on his son's ambivalent feelings, until he finally drives Robert into hating his father for having coaxed him into his own game of scheming and betrayal - whereupon the elder Bruce drily comments: "At last you have learned what it means to hate. Now you are ready to be a king."

Then-newcomer Catherine McCormack stars as Wallace's childhood love Murron, whose scenes with Wallace provide for much-needed tenderness in the first hour of the movie - particularly touching is four year old Murron's gift of a thistle (Scotland's national flower) to orphaned William - and contrast sharply with the bloodshed that follows virtually incessantly from her death onwards. Sophie Marceau matures from teenage party queen ("La Boum") to French Princess Isabelle; Brendan Gleeson stars as Wallace's boyhood friend Hamish, David O'Hara as his heaven-conversing, self-appointed Irish guardian Stephen - one of the movie's most colorful characters - and Brian Cox brings all his extraordinary screen presence to his brief appearance as Wallace's uncle Argyle.

When I left the theater after having witnessed this movie's almost three hours of blood, gore and intense emotions for the first time, I felt as if somebody had given me a fist punch into my stomach. I was so struck that I was almost unable to speak, and dragged my moviegoing companion into the next bar, to revive my spirits with a glass of whiskey. (Scotch, of course). Having seen the film countless times since then, I no longer need that whiskey to overcome its drastic impact - but I still get gooseflesh during many of its key scenes and can't watch it without feeling emotionally drained at the end.

Also recommended:

William Wallace
Braveheart
Rob Roy
Spartacus - Criterion Collection
Ben-Hur (Four-Disc Collector's Edition)

Braveheart - Mel Gibson's crowning achievement!, January 18, 2004
By K. Wyatt "ssintrepid" (St. Louis, MO United States)

"Braveheart" is quite simply, one of the best and most successful movies ever created and a huge part of that success comes from the efforts extended by Mel Gibson, as he wore three different hats for this masterpiece, those being producer, director and star. The one oddity about this movie for me was that I pretty much wore out my VHS copy of it and had, a couple years ago, purchased the DVD but only just recently took the opportunity to watch it again and no matter how many times you watch this movie, it is still a stunning, compelling and extraordinarily intriguing film that draws you in to the life of William Wallace despite already knowing how it's going to end.
The one thing that drives this movie is the spirit that Mel Gibson puts into his character of William Wallace and it is of no surprise that "Braveheart" won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture of 1995 and Best Director for Mel Gibson. The only true surprise was that he wasn't among the top five nominated for or won the Best Actor award.

High praise also goes to the long list of supporting actors and actresses that starred in this superb film! Most notable was the performance by Sophie Marceau, one of the most beautiful women on the planet. Patrick McGoohan was absolutely incredible in the role of the villain Longshanks, King Edward I, delivering a memorable performance.

One of the most notable performances in this film, among the many, was the work done by James Horner who was responsible for the score. As is normally the case when his name appears in the credits, everything about the score, from the first reel to the last, is incredibly well blended into the movie and serves extremely well in enhancing the experience of the movie.

The Premise:

As the old saying goes, is it Hollywood or History? The truth is, of course it's a bit of history, put together Hollywood style to make one of the best films ever presented to an audience. The truth behind it is that we'll never know as recorded history from this era is circumspect as best. Where a huge portion of the credit for this film lays is in the hands of Randall Wallace, a descendant of William Wallace's.

As this historic film opens, we see a young William Wallace in Scotland as he's learning the harsh lessons of life in his era. After his family is killed in battle he's fortunate enough to have his Uncle Argyle (played brilliantly by Brian Cox) take him under his wing! Several years later he returns home to find that his countrymen are still suffering under the yoke of English oppression but he didn't come home for that, he came home for Murron MacClannough (Catherine McCormack), seeking her hand in marriage. Unfortunate events unfold from there and William loses the love of his life and goes on a rampage not only to avenge his love but to free his country...

What follows from there is not only one of the best films of the nineties but one of the best films of all times. I highly recommend "Braveheart" to any and all who are interested in seeing what true movie making is about! {ssintrepid}

Special Features:

-2 Theatrical Trailers
-Commentary by Director Mel Gibson
-A Filmmaker's Passion: The Making of Braveheart

Lie to Me: Season One (2009)

2009-08-24T09:40:00.001+07:00

Excellent series!!!!, May 12, 2009
By Dr. L. Hughes (CA, USA)

This TV series is excellent, the best thing on at present. Tim Roth brings superb acting skills to the complex character of Dr. Cal Lightman, an expert in lie detection, based on the research conducted by Paul Ekman, a renowned expert in the field of facial expressions and emotions. The Lightman Group is employed by various agencies to detect deception, whether it is in a life or death scenario finding trapped builders in a collapsing building, searching for kidnapped children or the nuances in romantic relationships. The series explains the science behind the concepts in an easy to understand manner in the first few episodes but doesn't molly-coddle the audience, expecting them to keep up as the series picks up speed and dropping the details explanations. Excellent characterisation, good plot lines, great acting. This show is very good. I await the release of the DVD with a great deal of impatience and hope the following series lives up to the impact the first one made.

If you like your shows with a strong flavouring of intelligence this is definitely one for you.

An original and clever series, March 8, 2009
By Eleanora (Ohio)

This is the best new crime procedural series to come along in years! Tim Roth is great as a specialist in body language, helping to solve crimes simply by watching how people react and talk. The crimes themselves are interesting too, with some clever plot twists included. The main characters are engaging and interact well. My one tiny complaint is that at times I have trouble understanding Tim Roth because of his accent, but that is very minor. I can't wait for the DVD, and I hope it will include some interesting background on the science of body language.

Sunshine Cleaning (2008)

2009-08-24T09:38:00.001+07:00

Product Description
Academy Award® Nominee Amy Adams, Golden Globe® Winner Emily Blunt, and Academy Award Winner®Alan Arkin find an unexpected way to turn their lives around in this “colorful, refreshingly quirky comic drama” (Leah Rozen, People). Desperate to get her son into a better school, single mom Rose (Amy Adams) persuades her slacker sister Norah (Emily Blunt) to join her in the crime scene cleanup business to make some quick cash. With the help of their ill-fated salesman father (Alan Arkin), they climb the ranks in a very dirty job, finding themselves up to their elbows in murders, suicides, and… specialized situations. But underneath the dust and grime they also come to discover a true respect for one another, and create a brighter future for the entire Lorkowski family.

Surprise movie, March 29, 2009
By Movie Buff "Lynn" (USA)

Every review I've read has been quasi-negative but not being one to listen to critics, I took a chance. I was very pleasantly surprised. Depending on why you go to a movie, you may not like this because it is not escapism. It deals with real life issues and things most of us can relate to. I found the movie to be very refreshing and all the characters real to life. The main character is a single mom trying to raise a precocious son. She has to deal with a dead-end relationship and an aging father, an irresponsible sister and a job she hates. How she copes and what she does is more believable than most of the "chick flick" films out today. I think this is one of the better movies in a sea of fluff to spend time and money on. Amy Adams is wonderful and it is always refreshing to see Alan Arkin. Please don't dismiss this film because of iffy reviews. It is worth going to see.

Spotless performances, March 31, 2009
By wiredweird "wiredweird" (Earth, or somewhere nearby)

This movie isn't my usual style, but charmed me anyway. A struggling young mother tries to get ahead in the world. One problem is that she's surrounded by former high school classmates who've already done so, and she's their house-cleaner. Another problem is that she never had a role model. Her father keeps trying to get ahead with one gray-market deal or another, and keeps not doing it. Yet another is her sister ... but Rose keeps trying anyway. And, in her way, making it.

Although this has no relation to Little Miss Sunshine, the two movies have much of the same spirit. In each, a dysfunctional family on the verge of economic collapse does its inept best for one of their own. In each, pure dogged repetition of self-motivational messages takes the place of any real reward from the world around them. In each, the ones with just a little share it with those who have nothing at all. And, in each, the hard work does pay off in the end.

A few things didn't quite make it for me in this movie. Rose's isolation and friendlessness in her life-long home town doesn't quite fit, for example. Norah's miscarried love life didn't seem to add much to the plot either. And Lynn - well, I liked her too much to see her treated so badly by the script. Maybe that's what really carried this movie, though. Even if I didn't much care for the plot, I really liked the characters. I wanted them to succeed. And, when success came, I was glad it wasn't too big for them to handle.

-- wiredweird

Adventureland (2009)

2009-08-24T09:33:00.002+07:00

Despite its terrible advertising campaign, this is a genuinely great film!, April 10, 2009
By David J. Brown

I got to see this film at a sneak preview. I got free tickets at an 80's club I frequent. I only had a mild interest in seeing this film when I saw the trailers. In other words, this one was going to be one to wait for on dvd. Free is free, and I went with a tribe of folks on a Wednesday night.

To my surprise, this was a really sweet, funny, well-acted, and truly great film. Yes, this is a film, not some flash-in-the-pan, cash in on the youth market, gross out comedy. Sure, it has elements of that too, but they're more subdued and the humor is less broad and more sublte. It's basically about characters you already know or have met in your life. It takes place in the 80's and it's basica plot involves the horror any 20-something would face during a recession, getting a really crappy summer job!

The real revelation I found with this film came in the form of Kristen Stewart. She's the real deal. I had seen her in Twilight recently and found everything anyone did in that film to be hollow. Here, she really shows her acting chops playing a confused youth afraid of the unknown. Jesse Eisenberg is the main character in the film, and I expected nothing but greatness from him, I previously saw him in the brilliant The Squid and the Whale. He is a very talented young actor who I expect to see a lot more from in the future.

The film has all the details of a youth summer job that sucks pegged. Everything from the one hot-chick that everyone wants, the low-rent customers, the over-zealous and possibly dellusional bosses, and on-job romance. It's all done with genuine emotion and situations. Nothing feels contrived or forced. Characters make mistaks and things go wrong, but there are no moments of the characters becoming overwrought and giving prefunctory speeches regarding the film's main themes. This is really well written.

I must warn all the video game obsessed, vapid, youth drones about what they're getting with this film. It has real characters, and a believable situation. It's a hang-out picture. You just spend time getting to know a particular group of characters who share the same crappy theme park summer job. There is no contrived plot devices, like switched or confused identities, no one is masquarading as one of the opposite sex, no plot devices to keep a false narrative going, and no gags just stuck in the film like an overlong action sequence to get yucks. Yes, the kids get wasted and high, but it has more to do with them coping with their boredom, and it also helps lead to their bonding.

The film manages to be honestly touching as well, something I really didn't expect from this piece. It was made by the same director of Super Bad, a really brilliant and funny youth comedy, but it is nothing like it. It's not as great, but its not going for the same thing. The humor comes from character and honest situations and not from over-blown comic situations just set up for the yucks.

If this film would've been advertised differently, I would've paid to see it.

Bittersweet coming-of-age in the 1980s -- one of 2009's best yet, April 8, 2009
By R. Wilson

Recommended for a great cast, unique setting & memorable characters, and a well-written script, this movie will particularly appeal to those who grew up during the 1980s. But "Adventureland" is still timeless enough to please a broader audience.

Mismarketed as a wild comedy follow-up to "Superbad", this small-scale mini-wonder is a perfect date film, but also a great ride through young adulthood.

The story is both poignant and comic, and the cast is uniformly excellent throughout. Special acting honors go to Kristen Stewart, whose understated and tender performance was exceptionally moving to me (although she may be obviously gay, her straight-girl role is believable, and although I'd never heard of her before, I will be exploring every other film she's in, simply on the basis of this role). I can't say enough about her performance here, and she's going to be a major actress in years to come.

Almost every note of the script rang true to me until the final ten minutes, which were a conventional happy Hollywood ending that probably wouldn't have happened in real-life. But I can't fault the coming-of-age story for needing such a denouement, even if it was largely wish-fulfillment. And so, for Greg Mottola's script & direction, and for Kristen Stewart, five stars. A keeper.

Duplicity (2009)

2009-08-24T09:29:00.002+07:00

Much slower than and very different from Bourne, yet watchable, August 10, 2009
By ServantofGod

I think the writer/director of the Bourne series had set a very high expectation for all, even more so with the presence of Julia Roberts and Clive Owen. Sorry that fans of action thrillers like Bourne"s" and Taken will be disppointed. For those who can enjoy a classy romance with a good spy/agent plot (and shrewd script, too), better if you are a fan of Roberts or/and Owen, you will enjoy the film very much (perfect if you watch this with a glass of wine). Otherwise, please give this a pass. p.s. Roberts' acting is brilliant in this movie.

Not clever enough by half, July 30, 2009
By Matthew Watters (Vietnam)

Clive Owen is the greatest thing to come along in the Leading Man Department since George Clooney, and, come to think of it, Duplicity is a movie that would very much like to recapture the spark of that classic Clooney vehicle Out of Sight. Julia Roberts, on the other hand, is no Jennifer Lopez. Roberts has aged into a technically competent but utterly uncharismatic actress, and she plays an essentially unattractive character here unattractively. It's a role that really needed some of that old Roberts sparkle, but most of the time, she just seems old. The ultimate selling-point for this movie, then, is Tony Gilroy's script. Gilroy wants us awfully to see how clever he is, but this tale of double-crossing double agents really just plays like an overlong episode of the old TV series Alias, but funnier. By the time Duplicity lurches to its rather logically fuzzy conclusion, the final twist isn't nearly as surprising as Gilroy thinks it is. As a director, meanwhile, Gilroy wants awfully to be Steven Soderbergh, even resorting to split-screen devices and non-chronological narrative elements. But he just doesn't have Soderbergh's frisson. Among the supporting players, Tom Wilkinson is utterly wasted, while Paul Giamatti (although a little bit hammy and more than a little too young for the role he's playing) continues to demonstrate why he's his generation's finest character actor. Movies come alive when his funny mug comes on screen.

thirtysomething: The Complete First Season

2009-08-20T14:02:00.001+07:00

Product DescriptionIn 1987 we were introduced to a group of couples, of friends: 'thirtysomethings.' A dream cast of characters that from the very first episode resonated with a nation of people who knew these people all too well. Michael (Ken Olin, Brothers And Sisters) and Hope Steadman (Mel Harris), the suburban 'new-parent' poster children; Elliot (Timothy Busfield, The West Wing) and Nancy Weston (Patricia Wettig, Brothers And Sisters), a couple whose marriage is falling apart; Gary Shepard (Peter Horton, In Treatment), the perpetually 'twentysomething' thirtysomething; Melissa Steadman (Melanie Mayron), Michaels cousin and a struggling artist; and Ellyn Warren (Polly Draper), the driven but restless career-chaser.

thirtysomething channeled the consciousness of baby boomers into a running commentary on what it really meant to be on the cusp of success and failure, marriage and divorce, adulthood and parenthood. Every week the show blurred the lines between television and film, drama and comedy, hard reality and twisted imagination. Each episode of this truly groundbreaking series was its own unit yet somehow fed a larger, growing experience from week to week.

At last, the experience comes to DVD with 21 original episodes restored from the original film elements. Go behind the making of this landmark television series with all-new interviews, commentaries and conversations with the creators, cast and crew.

Bonus Features:
Featurettes With thirtysomething Creators, Cast and Crew

* From thirtysomething to Forever Making thirtysomething

* A Conversation Between Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick

* Couples & Friends

* Cultural Impact

* Commentaries by Creators, Cast and Crew

Original Soundtrack Intact, April 30, 2009
By IVE (California USA) -

The L.A. Times has reported that all music rights have apparently cleared, which means that the dvd of this landmark series, unlike Northern Exposure, will retain the spirit of the original with its original soundtrack intact. Other pluses are the creation of a new master copy (ensuring excellent visual quality) and extensive bonus features, including commentary and interviews. Each subsequent season will be released at six month intervals. All great news for fans who have patiently awaited this release for almost 20 years.

Looks like they're doing it right, May 8, 2009
By Beth L. Oshiki "steller"

This show changed the way I watch television. I began taping episodes when I realized that the shows tie together almost like an enormous miniseries, and the quality is so dense that the episodes deserve many repeat viewings, like good movies do. "thirtysomething" deserves a high-quality DVD format, and it has always been puzzling to fans that this astoundingly no-brainer fact has not motivated a DVD release until now. I'll be snapping up my copy as soon as it is released, and I expect that it will be worth every penny. I wanted to learn more details about the special features included, so, thanks to a tip from another reviewer, I looked up the L A Times April 29, 2009 article "The years roll back--we're thirtysomething again" for more information. Here are some essential factoids gleaned from the article that Amazon has not yet posted:

The Season 1 DVD set will include interviews and commentaries by cast members Ken Olin (Michael), Mel Harris (Hope), Timothy Busfield (Elliot), Patricia Wettig (Nancy), Melanie Mayron (Melissa), Peter Horton (Gary), and Polly Draper (Ellyn). Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz did a voice-over commentary for the pilot episode and new interviews. High-definition master copies of the episodes have been created, which will give the DVDs excellent visual quality. Subsequent seasons will be released to DVD at roughly 6-month intervals (4 seasons total). The long agonizing wait for these DVDs has been due in part to clearing the rights to the music (lots of it) used as an integral part of the show, and the need to create master copies that would allow easy transfer to DVD.

NCIS: The Complete Sixth Season

2009-08-20T13:58:00.001+07:00

Product DescriptionNCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service) is more than just an action drama. With liberal doses of humor, it's a show that focuses on the sometimes complex and always amusing dynamics of a team forced to work together in high-stress situations. NCIS Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon), a former Marine gunnery sergeant, whose skills as an investigator are unmatched, formerly led this troupe of colorful personalities. Gibbs, a man of few words, only needs a look to explain it all. The team includes NCIS Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo (Michael Weatherly), an ex-homicide detective who may come off as the world's oldest frat boy, but whose instincts in the field are unparalleled; forensic specialist Abby Sciuto (Pauley Perrette), a talented scientist whose dark wit matches her Goth style and eclectic tastes, NCIS Special Agent Timothy McGee (Sean Murray), an MIT graduate whose brilliance with computers far overshadows his insecurities in the field and Ziva David (Cote de Pablo), a former Moussad agent who shares a bond with Gibbs over the death of his arch nemesis, Ari, the terrorist who killed former NCIS Special Agent Kate Todd. Assisting the team is medical examiner Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard (David McCallum), who knows it all because he's seen it all, and he's not afraid to let you know. Rounding out the team is NCIS director Jennifer Shepard (Lauren Holly) who has a romantic history with Gibbs. From murder and espionage to terrorism and stolen submarines, these special agents travel the globe to investigate all crimes with Navy or Marine Corps ties.

More Twists than a bag of pretzels, June 28, 2009
By Brenda Reynolds "Caron1960" (California)

Season 6 has more twists and turns in it than Season 4 did to us. You HAVE to buy the DVDs so that you can rewind and repeat the shows just to catch each twist. And this season doesn't jerk your heart out like seasons 2-3 &4 do. Of course they always put it back. The comedy is still in the show which is part of it's appeal, along with the Gotcha enemy factor!! (Gibbs's S*** eating grin when the dirtbag is caught and they have no where to go with it!!) Not a fan so far of the spin off (NCIS LA) coming from this season but, maybe they can tweek it before they air their own show and not be connected with the original. NCIS pilot from JAG didn't have the spirit that it has on it's own either but, you know you want the copies of it to keep things in order. Love Gibbs in Heartland which also debuts his oldest son playing a young Gibbs....Sean Harmon. Who also returns in Deliverance for the same character. Has Ralph Waite (Father from the Walton's) playing Gibbs Father. South By Southwest has Gibbs and DiNozzo on horseback and Gibbs shooting down an enemy helicopter which is priceless for the Gotcha factor. DiNozzo makes a poor horseman & returns with saddles sores which is the comedy part from the very beginning. More secrets are revealed this season, they didn't take the easy road with Deliverance that most people would have thought that they were taking. Appreciated that a lot. This season has to be one of my favorites. Have watched the DVR this season til I have nearly worn out the channel selector, yes, will be purchasing the DVDs in Aug 2009, wouldn't want to break up the entire series I own (Including the 2 DVD's from the JAG season 8 pilot episodes), and we will get the bonus features on the DVD's which are always entertaining and informative. Also very happy they are releasing the DVD's BEFORE the season 7 return so that we can go thru and watch them all again and get caught up. You will literally discover more secrets each time you watch it.

Even better, July 12, 2009
By J. Horrod (Leroy Jethro Gibbs)

This show has been rivetting since its birth during season eight of JAG. Led by the charismatic, unswerving Leroy Jethro Gibbs - the NCIS team has a blend of ecletic characters, from Israeli officer Ziva David, to the whacky Abby Schuto in the forensics Lab - complimented by Tony Dinozzo and McGhee, a computer nerd the cast is rounded off by an eccentric and 'tale-telling' Doctor Mallard, nicknamed Ducky. This season had so many twists and turns it was difficult to see how they could have kept the plots together, yet together they were - slick, and engrossing. Gibbs is one leader that marshalls his troops without apology or comfort - Dinozzo doesn't call him Boss for nothing! A clip to the back of the head if the men get out of line is enough of a slap down. The plot that runs throughout the show will beguile and excite. Season seven here we come!

Hannah Montana The Movie (3-Disc Combo Pack Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) [Blu-ray] (2009)

2009-08-17T06:38:00.001+07:00

It's easy to forget that superstars are real people, but when Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus) shows signs of forgetting her roots as Miley Stewart, her father Robbie Ray (Billy Ray Cyrus) puts his foot down. Miley has always strived to live a relatively normal teenage life, but when late stage entrances, exclusive shopping trips that end in brawling catfights, and ditching friends and family in favor of Hannah appearances become commonplace, Robbie Ray whisks her away from a date at the New York Music Awards for a dose of hometown reality at her grandma's in Crowley Corners, Tenn. Unfortunately, she's followed by Oswald (Peter Gunn), a relentless reporter from Britain's Bon Chic Magazine. Miley's initial fury at being tricked into staying at Grandma's spurs her to commence operation Save Hannah Montana, but her bad attitude eventually gives way to resignation and then the beginnings of reconnection between Miley and her family. As the days progress, Miley glimpses her growing self-absorption, finds she's attracted to old elementary friend Travis (Lucas Till), realizes that her selfishness has negatively affected her dad's personal relationships, and is drawn into her grandma's fight against the commercialization of Crowley Corners. A boastful impulse leads to Miley being charged with bringing Hannah Montana to Crowley Corners for a benefit concert; when Miley's worlds collide onstage, she reveals her true identity and declares that Hannah Montana is no more. Can Miley's hometown possibly keep Miley's secret, silence the reporter, and convince Miley that she can have the best of both worlds, or is this the end of Hannah Montana? Well-known Hannah Montana songs, including "Best of Both Worlds" and "Let's Get Crazy" are featured in the film as well as the fun new song "Hoedown Throwdown" (complete with line dance instruction), the heartfelt "Butterfly Fly Away," and the inspirational "The Climb." More important than the great music is the film's wholesome message about staying true to oneself and one's family and friends. (Ages 7 and older) --Tami Horiuchi

Product DescriptionGet ready to be dazzled by Disney's big-screen smash hit Hannah Montana the Movie, filled with laughs, adventure, family fun and fabulous music! Come along for the ride and see Hannah like never before as she returns to her roots and faces the most important decision of her life! When Miley Stewart (aka pop-star Hannah Montana) gets too caught up in the superstar celebrity lifestyle, her dad decides it's time for a total change of scenery. But sweet niblets! Miley must trade in all the glitz and glamour of Hollywood for some ol' blue jeans on the family farm in Tennessee, and question if she can be both Miley Stewart and Hannah Montana. With a little help from her friends and awesome guest stars Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts and Vanessa Williams, will she figure out whether to choose Hannah or Miley? Hannah Montana the Movie is a heartfelt major motion picture perfect for the entire family.

Bonus Features include: The Hoedown Throwdown Dance-Along Learn The Moves!, DVD Of The Movie Plus Bonus, DisneyFile Digital Copy, The Dance Experience With The Cast, 7 Music Videos, Cast Bloopers Fun With Hannah And The Gang, Deleted Scenes, Audio Commentary On The film With Director Peter Chelsom, Find Your Way Back Home Join The Stars As They Show You Around Their Hometowns, I Should Have Gone To Film School, Go Behind The Scenes With Jason Earles For Movie Secrets And More, Disney BD-Live

This Movie Rocks!!!, June 8, 2009
By Bradley G. Carter (louisville,Ky)

Hey I am A Eighteen year old male. I Went to see this movie in theaters and it was such an amazing movie Mostly Because Miley Cyrus And Billy Ray Cyrus was Great Actors. This Movie was very good for all ages. Ive been waiting for this To come out on blu-ray and everyone should definetely buy this movie you will love it!Hannah Montana: The Movie [Blu-ray]

The Simpsons: The Complete Twelfth Season (Limited Edition Comic Book Guy Head Packaging)

2009-08-17T06:33:00.001+07:00

Product DescriptionAudio: English: 5.1 Dolby Surround / Spanish & French: Stereo
Language: Dubbed: English, French & Spanish / Subtitled: French & Spanish
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: Fullscreen: 1.33:1

Disc 1: 110 Minutes
**Treehouse of Horror XI
**A Tale of Two Springfields
**Insane Clown Poppy
**Lisa the Tree Hugger
**Homer vs. Dignity

**Commentary:
*Treehouse of Horror XI - Matt Groening, Mike Scully, Rob Lazebnik, John Frink, Don Payne, Carolyn Omine, Matt Selman
*A Tale of Two Springfields - Matt Groening, Mike Scully, George Meyer, Al Jean, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Don Payne, Matt Selman, Dan Castellaneta, Shaun Cashman, Roger Daltrey, David Silverman
*Insane Clown Poppy - Mike Scully, Ian Maxtone-Graham, John Frink, Don Payne, Tom Martin, Matt Selman, Dan Castellaneta, Joe Mantegna, Bob Anderson, Joel Cohen
*Lisa the Tree Hugger - Mike Scully, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Matt Selman, Don Payne, Tom Gammill, Tim Long, Yeardley Smith, Steven Dean Moore
*Homer vs. Dignity - Matt Groening, Mike Scully, Rob Lazebnik, Carolyn Omine, Don Payne, Matt Selman, Max Pross

**Deleted Scenes

**Featurettes:
*A Comic Moment with Matt Groening
*Illustrated commentary - Lisa The Tree Hugger

**Animation Showcase: - Treehouse of Horror XI
**Animatic/StoryBoard Compare
*Storyboards: Storyboard with episode PIP
*Animatic: Animatic with episode PIP

**2 Easter Eggs

Disc 2: 132 Minutes
**The Computer Wore Menace Shoes
**The Great Money Caper
**Skinner's Sense of Snow
**HOMR
**Pokey Mom
**Worst Episode Ever

**Commentary
*The Computer Wore Menace Shoes - Mike Scully, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Don Payne, John Frink, Matt Selman, Tom Gammill, Max Pross, Mark Kirkland, Joel Cohen
*The Great Money Caper - Mike Scully, Al Jean, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Carolyn Omine, Don Payne, Matt Selman, Tom Gammill, Chuck Sheetz
Skinner's Sense of Snow - Matt Groening, Mike Scully, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Tim Long, Matt Selman, David Mirkin, Max Pross, Lance Kramer
*HOMR - Mike Scully, Al Jean, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Matt Selman, Tom Gammill, Max Pross, Mike B. Anderson
*Pokey Mom - Mike Scully, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Tom Martin, John Frink, Don Payne, Matt Selman, Dan Castellaneta, Joe Mantegna, Bob Anderson, Joel Cohen
*Worst Episode Ever - Mike Scully, Al Jean, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Larry Doyle, Matt Selman, Tom Gammill, Max Pross, Hank Azaria, Chris Kirkpatrick

**Deleted Scenes

**Featurettes:
*Comic Book Guy: Best. Moments. Ever.
*Illustrated commentary - HOMR

3 Easter Eggs

Disc 3: 132 Minutes
**Tennis the Menace
**Day of the Jackanapes
**New Kids on the Blecch
**Hungry, Hungry Homer
**Bye Bye Nerdie
**Simpson Safari

**Commentary:
*Tennis the Menace - Mike Scully, Al Jean, Ian Maxtone-Graham, John Frink, Don Payne, Matt Selman, Max Pross, Phil Rosenthal
*Day of the Jackanapes - Mike Scully, Al Jean, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Matt Selman, Tim Long, Yeardley Smith, Michael Marcantel
*New Kids on the Blecch - Matt Groening, Mike Scully, Al Jean, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Tim Long, Matt Selman, Tom Gammill, Max Pross, Hank Azaria, Steven Dean Moore, Chris Kirkpatrick
*Hungry, Hungry Homer - Mike Scully, Ian Maxtone-Graham, John Frink, Don Payne, Matt Selman, Max Pross, Phil Rosenthal, Ben Rosenthal
*Bye Bye Nerdie - Mike Scully, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Don Payne, Matt Selman, Tim Long, Tom Gammill, Yeardley Smith, Lauren MacMullan, Steven Dean Moore
*Simpson Safari - Mike Scully, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Matt Selman, Tim Long, Yeardley Smith, Mark Kirkland, Michael Marcantel

**Deleted Scenes

**Animation Showcase: Day of the Jackanapes
**Animatic/StoryBoard Compare
*Storyboards: Storyboard with episode PIP
*Animatic: Animatic with episode PIP

**Easter Egg

Disc 4: 132 Minutes
**Trilogy of Error
**I'm Goin' to Praiseland
**Children of a Lesser Clod
**Simpsons Tall Tales

**Commentary:
*Trilogy of Error - Matt Groening, Mike Scully, Al Jean, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Rob Lazebnik, Matt Selman, Tim Long, Max Pross, David Mirkin, Mike B. Anderson
*I'm Goin' to Praiseland - Mike Scully, Al Jean, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Carolyn Omine, Don Payne, Matt Selman, Tom Gammill, Chuck Sheetz
*Children of a Lesser Clod - Mike Scully, Al Jean, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Matt Selman, Tom Gammill, Max Pross, Mike Polcino, Mike B. Anderson
*Simpsons Tall Tales - Mike Scully, Ian Maxtone-Graham, John Frink, Don Payne, Matt Selman, Tom Gammill, Max Pross, Bob Anderson, Joel Cohen

**Deleted Scenes

**Easter Egg

**The Commercials
*Nestle USA "Butterfingeritis"
*Nestle USA "Bart's Nightmare"
*Burger King International "Spaced Homer"
*Red Rooster "Loungearama"

**Deleted Scenes Intro by Mike Scully
**Deleted Scenes Gallery W/ Commentary

**The Global Fanfest
**Sketch Gallery
**Illustrated commentary - I'm Goin' to Praiseland

Time for Fox to make up for the errors with season 11! Great show, too!, April 22, 2009
By C. R. Swanson "wilybadger.wordpress.com" (Phoenix)

We all know the many, many problems with season eleven's packaging. To this day I almost never watch that season cause I'm afraid of a: scratching the disks when taking them out of the sleeves and b: ripping the sleeves. It makes me tempted to copy them onto different DVDs so I can watch them when I want to, but of course, Fox doesn't want us to make copies.

We don't know what the packaging will be like this time around, though I am guessing it'll be similiar to the last design, with comic book covers instead of midway scenes, but what we do know is that there are some very good episodes in season twelve! The complete list:

"Treehouse of Horror XI" - The yearly Halloween insanity!

"A Tale of Two Springfields" - A personal favorite! Gotta love the badger at the begining!

"Insane Clown Poppy" - Krusty has an illegitimate child. Only one?

"Lisa the Tree Hugger" - Lisa goes green!

"Homer vs. Dignity" - Homer becomes Burns' prank-monkey.

"The Computer Wore Menace Shoes" - Any resemblence between this episode and a certain 1960's British TV series is completely in your imagination, Number Six.

"The Great Money Caper" - Homer becomes an artist. A CON artist! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Ah, I slay me.

"Skinner's Sense of Snow" - Imagine a snow day where you're trapped in the school. Sucktacular situation, but a fun episode!
"HOMR" - Homer has a crayon lodged in his brain. Messy.

"Pokey Mom" - Marge kicks it with a fun-loving criminal.

"Worst Episode Ever" - Comic Book Guy falls in love... with Skinner's mom! Terrifying!

"Tennis the Menace" - Lots of tennis. Yeah, that's about it here.

"Day of the Jackanapes" - Sideshow Bob and his boy-bomb attempt to destroy Krusty!

"New Kids on the Blecch" - Yeah, it's got NSYNC, but it's still a fun episode!

"Hungry, Hungry Homer" - When the owner of the Isotopes tries to move them to Albuquerque, Homer rises to the occasion! Pft. Imagine the idea of Albuquerque having it's own baseball team. It is to laugh!

"Bye Bye Nerdie" - Eh, not one of the best. It's a Lisa episode, but kind of, well, lame.

"Simpson Safari" - The Simpsons are goin' to Africa!

"Trilogy of Error" - Three stories meet up together to make for one good episode!

"I'm Goin' to Praiseland" - Flanders tries to create an amusement park devoted to God and Maude!

"Children of a Lesser Clod" - Lisa takes up gymnastics and Homer tries to run a day-care center!

"Simpsons Tall Tales" - a fun "anthology" episode centering around old folk stories and legends.

Lots of good episodes here, I just hope that Fox gives us good packaging this time around! They won't, of course, but I can dream. I can dream.

Dexter: The Complete Third Season

2009-08-13T02:39:00.002+07:00

Another killer season, December 14, 2008
By Melissa Niksic (Chicago, IL United States)

"Dexter" never disappoints! As a big fan of the show, I was concerned how Season 3 would play out now that one of my favorite characters, James Doakes, is out of the picture. I never should have worried, because the third season of "Dexter" was just as fabulous as the first two. This season mainly focuses on Dexter's (Michael C. Hall) personal relationships. He's working through some major issues with his deceased father, Harry (James Remar), and his relationship with Rita (Julie Benz) takes a surprising turn when she announces that she's pregnant with Dexter's child. All of these emotions cause Dexter to turn to an unlikely person...Assistant District Attorney Miguel Prado (Jimmy Smits), who takes a liking to Dexter and makes it his personal mission to become Dexter's BFF. No one is more surprised by this than Dexter, who discovers that he has more in common with Miguel than he possibly imagined. For the first time in his life, Dexter has a friend whom he can rely on and share (some) of his dirty little secrets with. After a while, however, Dexter realizes that there's much more to Miguel than he originally thought, and decides that the ADA may not be BFF material after all.

This is a great season chock full of twists, turns, and excitement. In addition to Dexter's storyline, there are great subplots involving a new serial killer ("The Skinner"), Deborah's (Jennifer Carpenter) relationship with a CI, Angel's (David Zayas) recovery from his divorce, and Maria's (Lauren Velez) coping with the death of her former partner in Season 2. I am always impressed by the way this series constantly surprises its audience and keeps evolving these dynamic characters. The whole concept of Dexter making a friend was so simple, and yet carried the entire season extremely well (thanks in part to an outstanding performance by Smits). My one complaint about Season 3 is that it's already over, and I have to wait a long time before the arrival of Season 4! However, I have a feeling it will definitely be worth waiting for.

Dexter, Part 3, March 8, 2009
By K. K. Roedig "Um, yeah." (FLA)

Dexter is, hands down, the most brilliantly written television series I have ever watched. The pacing is downright perfection, the story telling and weaving is an absolute powerhouse of entertainment. Plus, the dialogue is nothing short of utterly amazing.

The cast is something that award shows lust for. Michael C. Hall was always brilliant on Six Feet Under - The Complete Series Gift Set. Since episode one he has proven that he can make a totally different character (than the interally conflicted gay brother who owns a funeral home w/his family.) He truly is an actor in the caliber of DeNiro or Nicholson, in my opinion.

The rest of the cast is amazing too. Jennifer Carpenter Quarantine (+ BD Live) [Blu-ray] is often called the weak link (by my wife and almost every woman I know for some reason,) however I disagree, she's just as brilliant in her internal conflicts than everyone else. She's often the conscience in Dexter's mind when there is none otherwise. That's not to say Dexter doesn't have morals, but there are certain things that his sister points out which seems like a light bulb goes off in the Dexter's head.

Jimmy Smits in any TV show seems to improve it by a factor of three. This series didn't need it so much, but he's a very welcome addition. In fact, I compared the 'Donut Shop Scene' in this season to the DeNiro/Pacino coffee shop scene in Heat (Two-Disc Special Edition).

This season is full of twists and turns which come like an 18 wheeler truck from out of nowhere. They blindside you like any great mystery and story does. Constantly brilliant is an understatement when it comes to Dexter and his way of thinking and the problems he faces.

From episode one, the story arc is a white-knuckle thrill ride which grabs you from the get-go.

The only issue which could be seen as a fault to anyone who hasn't seen the last two seasons, is that you MUST watch the first 24 episodes. Without knowing the history of Dexter, you are completely lost. This is certainly not a series you can jump into just because it 'looks okay.'

Five stars for sure, wonderful in every way.

A Different Kind of CSI, December 16, 2008
By Sky (New York)

I finally took advantage of getting what I pay for with my cable company. Prior to Season 3 of Dexter, I watched the first two seasons on DVD (Season One & Season Two). I used to send all this money to my cable company for subscribing to Showtime, and Dexter was never part of my regular TV viewing until 2008. Color me stupid. What was I missing out on?...Only the absolute best show on TV.

How good is it? Let's put it this way...I'm actually glad that I hadn't seen this until DVD, because my wife and I were able to watch the first two seasons in weeks versus like 3 months PER regular season on Showtime. We often watched three episodes in one night on the DVD sets. Alas, I couldn't wait for Season 3's release on DVD, so it was one episode of Dexter, one week at a time for Season 3.

So certainly one of the good things about Dexter on DVD is that you don't need to wait 12 weeks to see a season from start to finish. But certainly the best thing about the series is how well done it is.

Dexter (played by Michael C. Hall of HBO's Six Feet Under fame) is a blood spatter analyst with Miami Homicide. It's his job to help solve murders, and he also happens to moonlight as a serial killer....Just a side note that last part.

The acting in the show is terrific, and the thrills and twists are plentiful. Combine the nature of Dexter's professional life with his favorite pass-time, and you can bet your carotid artery that there's plenty of blood in the show too. But rest assured that the show isn't just about killing. Relationships, family, the inner working of a homicide squad...all of this "stuff" is also packed neatly into the Dexter series and makes the show one of the best on TV that I've seen in a long long time.

The major plot involving guest star Jimmy Smits in Season 3 is a bit more of a stretch of reality than were Season's 1 & 2. But the acting, dialogue and well-written story flow kept the show right up there at the top of my list of TV's finest.

Add this bloody-good show to your cart. I'd strongly urge newcomers to start from Season 1. I dare you to just try watching Season 1 and then not go for Seasons 2 and 3; I simply don't believe that anyone could possibly do that.

Gossip Girl: The Complete Second Season (2009)

2009-08-13T02:35:00.002+07:00

Product DescriptionIt’s senior year for our beloved Upper East Siders, and the drama is at an all-time high. Applying for college is only one small part of the story, as new romances (and some not-so-new romances) bloom and fade, scandals erupt at every turn and alliances shift even faster than Gossip Girl can send an update. Families and reputations are destroyed and made; so are fortunes. And even the strongest friendships are tested. In this sizzling 25-episode, 7-disc Season Two, you never know what’s next for Serena, Blair, Dan, Nate, Jenny, Chuck and Vanessa. Good thing Gossip Girl is always there to provide us with the latest, juiciest info!

Second Half of The Season Was Painful to Watch. . ., June 25, 2009
By Meli (NYC)

Consistency.

That is something that the second half of the season failed miserably at maintaining. Story arcs started and ended abruptly and were hard to keep up with or even understand. The first half of the season was definitely solid. I would even dare say that episodes 1-14 were better than all of season one with episodes like "Summer Kind of Wonderful", "The Dark Night", "Pret-A-Poor J", "Oh Brother Where Bart Thou" and "In the Realm of The Basses".

As a devoted fan of Gossip Girl I have to say that the dynamic duo Chuck and Blair played by the AMAZING British actor Ed Westwick and Leighton Meester were the downfall and the salvation of the show. Westwick and Meester's on-screen chemistry is so tangible you can cut it with a knife. They are very powerful actors separately but when they are together it is explosive. Westwick and Meester basically carry the show on their shoulders throughout the whole season. Chuck and Blair is what makes you want to continue to watch but the writers and producers persistent narcissistic tendency to keep them apart is what ruined the second half of the season. It almost seems like you are watching a different show when you get to episode 2.21. By this moment in the season most if not all of the characters are written completely out of character and their behaviors are erratic and hard to understand all for the sake of an "OMFG Moment".

I continued to watch until the end because I am a masochist and will probably watch season 3 as well. But I was very disappointed with the second half of the season. I purchased the DVD just because the first half of the season was great and I can't buy it separately.

Great characters but increasing narrative problems threaten the future of the show, June 20, 2009
By Robert Moore (Chicago, IL USA)

I'm probably going to be in a minority here, but more and more I became unhappy with GOSSIP GIRL in its second season. It isn't the characters. The show has a nice ensemble cast, nearly all of them nicely acted by the performers portraying them.

To explain why I have been increasingly discontent with the show, I need to call attention to one of the reasons I have enjoyed Josh Schwartz's two other shows. Both THE O.C. and CHUCK are character based serials. Both tell stories about how characters change and evolve over multiple episodes. For instance, a conflict between Summer and Seth on THE O.C. might develop and get resolved over a 14 or 15 episode arc. Story arcs for any of the major characters would extend over whole seasons. Much the same is true with CHUCK. The friendship between Chuck and Casey, for instance, took pretty much two full seasons to develop.

Now, contrast this with GOSSIP GIRL. More and more GOSSIP GIRL has become a show for viewers with attention deficit disorder. My guess is that the main inspiration for the increasingly shorter and shorter story arcs is the CW. This isn't the kind of change in a show that producers like to make. I blame the CW. Basically networks hate story arcs. They absolutely abhor shows have complex story arcs that extend over 7 or 8 or 9 episodes. This tension has been a part of prime time television ever since HILL STREET BLUES popularized story arcs on American television. But the network decreed that there could be only six separate arcs at a time, that preferably no arc would extend beyond six weeks, and at least one arc would be resolve each week.

Dedicated fans of shows generally love story arcs. Shows like BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, ANGEL, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, LOST, BREAKING BAD, TRUE BLOOD, DOLLHOUSE, THE GILMORE GIRLS, VERONICA MARS, and BATTLESTAR GALACTICA get fanatical fans in large part because of the complexity of the stories. Networks hate the complex arcs because while the stories are thrilling for the ongoing fans, potential new fans can find the complexity of the stories too intimidating. The pattern for most such shows is a general loss of viewership as the shows go along. If you didn't get into LOST at the beginning, it is tough to jump in later.

Along the way -- that is, between 1981 and the present -- TV developed some alternatives that for casual TV viewers are ideals, but that for serious TV viewers felt regressive. The network that has almost completely embraced these alternative is CBS, which is almost fully committed to procedurals, whether medical, legal, or criminal. These shows do not have arcs. Each episode tells a self-contained story. All the conflict introduced in each episode is resolved in that episode. There is no character development. In a way, nothing ever happens on those shows. Jerry Orbach's character on LAW AND ORDER was the same on the last day of his very, very, very long run on the show as on the very first day.

Which brings us to GOSSIP GIRL. Season One of GOSSIP GIRL more or less focused on long story arcs. Dan and Serena's relationship developed over much of the season. Blair and Nate's relationship ended very, very slowly and her relationship with Chuck developed even more slowly. This made for good TV and for very satisfying viewing.

Season Two of GOSSIP GIRL, however, almost completely abandoned the long story arc. What would have been major romantic arcs in Season One were completed in two or three episodes. We frequently saw a character meet a new romantic interest, have that relationship dealt with in a couple of episodes, and then ended. If you take any character on the show and map their story over the course of the year, they went through a large number of changes. The pace of the show was dizzying. And increasingly unsatisfying. The show repeatedly proved that more is sometimes less.

By the end of Season Two, I was on the fence about whether to continue watching it. I still am. By the end of Season Two I was so irritated by what I knew was going to be merely a two or three episode arc that I could barely make myself watch it. The show became trivial. If something happened between Nate and Blair, you knew that two more episodes might see a complete reversal. Any relationship between any two characters was rendered almost meaningless. I knew that nothing that happened on the show would hold true for more than a couple of episodes. Contrast this with Seth and Summer's relationship on THE O.C. One reason that it was compelling was that while they went through their ups and downs, they managed to stick together for several years.

Is there any hope for GOSSIP GIRL? I'm doubtful at this point. Although the ratings for the show were atrocious, it scored high in the demographic that the CW is targeting as its main viewer base: young girls. But more and more it ceased being a show that could also appeal to adults. The WB build much of its base on shows that appealed both to teens and adults, shows like BUFFY, THE GILMORE GIRLS, and FELICITY. But if it continues to avoid long story arcs, the viewership for GOSSIP GIRL is going to be increasingly that of people who only like very short story arcs. I'm not optimistic. This is too bad, because they have some good, likable characters. I would like to be given stories concerning them about which I could be interested.

The Ninth Gate [Blu-ray] (1999)

2009-08-07T23:09:00.002+07:00

Product Description
Johnny Depp unlocks the gates to hell in Roman Polanski's gothic thriller. Depp stars as Dean Corso, an unscrupulous rare-book dealer who is hired to locate the last remaining copies of "The Nine Gates of the Shadow Kingdom," a demonic manuscript that can summon the Devil. Corso becomes embroiled in a conspiracy involving murder, theft and satanic ritual, and ultimately finds himself confronting the Devil incarnate.

An exceptional and underrated film., July 29, 2009
By BULLGATOR "SGK" (Palm Beach, FL USA)

When this film was released in 1999 it did not get the press it deserved and I never saw it until I it aired on HBO. After the first viewing, I was hooked on the film. I have always thought Depp was an excellent actor and he plays an almost likable but undoubtedly dark character than has clearly adopted the "me above all others" way of thinking. He is hired by Frank Langella who plays a very dark, Devil worshiping book collector with a hidden agenda, lyrically named Boris Balkan. Throughout the film, Depp is visited and aided by Emmanuelle Seigner (who to this day I have never seen in anything else in spite of a long European filmography)but one of the mysteries of the film is that you never know who this girl is. An agent of the Devil, the Devil itself or a dark angel? As usual, Lena Olin plays a forgettable character and is probably the weakest part of the film. Even though Langella's portrayal of the evil book collector goes a little over the top toward the end, the film and the interactions between Depp and the other possessors of this rare book are not to be missed. I am looking forward to the blu-ray release.

17 Again (2009)

2009-08-07T23:05:00.002+07:00

Zac Efron delivers..., April 19, 2009
By Anthony Manno (Mt. Prospect, IL United States)

Mike O'Donnell is the star basketball player in 1989. He has a big chance of receiving a major scholarship--this all changes the night of the game.

Twenty years later, Mike is living with his best friend Ned. His wife has filed for divorce. Mike goes to pick his children up from school and runs into a strange (mostly unexplained) janitor who asks him if he would like to be seventeen all over again.

Later that night, Mike falls into a watery vortex and is seventeen again, but he is not reliving his senior year in 1989...but right now in 2009.

The movie is a little hard to follow at times, and the ending is rushed--and some viewers will question how this resolution was reached based on a few scenes. But just go with it.

Zac Efron proves that he is more than "High School Musical" material. The young actor delivers his lines in a way that makes you believe that he is both 17 and 37.

Parents note that this movie is rated PG-13. It contains fighting, sexual references, teenage drinking, and some language.

Not what I expected, May 3, 2009
By Olivia Joy (USA)

There seems like so much I could say about this movie. My initial thoughts are:
-Too adult in nature for Zac Efron's kid fans
-Has good themes and messages
-Most of the funny parts are in the previews

17 Again is one of those half and half films--half of it is good, moral, and entertaining, and half of it is raunchy, mature in nature, and unnecessary. The plot goes something like this: Middle-aged Mike is unhappy with his life and about to get a divorce from his wife. He and his kids are like strangers to each other, even though he genuinely cares for them. One night Mike mysteriously transports to the age of 17 in present times. He decides (with the help of his MAJOR sci-fi freak best friend) to go back to high school and help put his kids on the right path. So Mike (under the name of Mark) goes back to school and spends his time lecturing his kids about who they should date, helping them onto sports teams, or romancing their mom (who is also his wife).

Some of the funniest parts are the most awkward ones. Teenage Mike/Mark dancing with his wife (to his wife, he is just her son's friend) and being found by their son. Mike/Mark's daughter wants to start a relationship with the teenage Mike/Mark, not knowing that he is actually her dad. When he tells her that they can never be together, she at first thinks that he is gay. There is one use of the b-word and some other mild profanities. Mike/Mark's daughter has a pompous, lustful boyfriend. Mike's best friend is seen in bed (fully clothed) with the school principal (at the end of the film, right before the credits).

I was surprised at the amount of good messages in this movie. Mike (when he is actually 17 in high school sometime in the 1980's) gives up his college dreams to marry his pregnant girlfriend. When he is an adult, he strives to spend time with his kids and shows genuine interest in their lives. When he goes back to the age of 17 through the warp thing, he makes it his goal to help his kids get their lives on the right track. He speaks about abstinence to the entire Health class. He does everything he can to get his daughter's messed-up boyfriend away from her.

Without the sexual jokes and overtones, this movie would be great for kids and teens. Unfortunately, the crude humor ruins it, even if kids don't understand all of the "jokes". Zac Efron is at his best in this film and captures a sensible, struggling teenage dad very well. Don't expect it to be any funnier than you see in the previews, though. Most of the funny parts are in the previews. Overall, it was an enjoyable two hours of reliving high school.

Cute, April 20, 2009
By LK

This was a pretty fun movie to watch. I like this particular type of story, so I knew going in that I'd have some fun with it.

Zac Efron is actually a decent actor, and he was far less orange in this movie than he typically is.

He had great chemistry with his costars, played the displaced middle aged guy pretty well, handled the fatherly vibe with his son and daughter in a believeable fashion.
My problems with the movie include:

1) Matthew Perry and Zac Efron look nothing alike. I'm 26 years out of high school and while I don't look 17, I still look like my younger self.
Maybe David Cassidy should have been chosen for the older role, but then they would have had to go for a much older 'older role' which would have made the wife/kid attraction seriously creepy.

2) The mom hardly EVER interacted with her kids. She had some interaction/fondness for her son, but almost none with her daughter. When the daughter and mother were together in scenes it was if they didn't know each other. The daughter is dating a very inappropriate guy who behaves abusively to the son in their own house and neither parent was aware?

Overall, fun movie to watch. Could have been far better if the writers had bothered to script a better plot. Lack of back story on the characters made it hard to really understand the wife's rage, or the children's complete dismissal of the father.

I Love You, Man [Blu-ray] (2009)

2009-08-07T23:02:00.001+07:00

he Comical Fate of the Sensitive Male, March 30, 2009
By Ed Uyeshima (San Francisco, CA USA)

At the core of what looks on the surface to be a standard summer buddy movie is an intriguing premise: What does become of the overly sensitized male when confronted with the reality that all his closest friends are female and that he is at a complete loss to find any groomsmen, in particular, a best man, for his wedding? It's not an earth-shattering dilemma to address, yet the situation gives rise to a lot of amusing questions about what constitutes masculine behavior in our supposedly evolved society. Fortunately, director/co-writer John Hamburg (Along Came Polly) has fashioned a 2009 comedy (with co-writer Larry Levin) full of shrewd observations and hilarious gags that transcend formula and elevate the story into something fresh and genuinely likeable.

When sweet-natured L.A. real estate broker Peter Klaven decides to marry Zooey, his girlfriend of eight months, it dawns on both of them that he has no close male friends. Whispers about his manhood and her fear of him being too clingy as a husband lead Peter to set up a series of disastrous man-dates, one being the predictable mistaken gay date. However, it's at an open house at Lou Ferrigno's manse that he meets his personality opposite - Sydney Fife, a slovenly, blunt albeit socially observant slacker. As it turns out, their differences complement one another in a way that makes them best buddies almost from the get-go - that and a common obsession for the 1970's power band Rush. Naturally, Zooey starts to resent Sydney's burgeoning role in Peter's life - and things get complicated before the inevitable conclusion.

Two of Judd Apatow's familiar rep company star. Finally at the center of a major movie, Paul Rudd is ideally cast as Peter since the role takes advantage of how he combines his boyish charm and unpredictable nebbishness into a memorable character. In fact, he manages to give Peter's awkward attempts to overcome his social anxiety a certain emotional resonance. We feel every painful step he takes in replicating Sydney's free spirit, and it becomes easy to root for his success. Much better cast here than as the self-conscious lead in last year's Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Jason Segel offers his doughy likeability to a role that suits his casual, lumbering personality, even when he exposes an intimate secret between Peter and Zooey in a wedding party dinner toast.

If the interplay between Rudd and Segel feels familiar from Apatow comedies like The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up, it is a coincidence that Hamburg takes full advantage of to keep the movie comically involving. Rashida Jones brings a raspy appeal to Zooey, although she is kept mostly at the sidelines. Also underused are Jaime Pressly as Zooey's tart-tongued friend Denise and as Peter's parents, J.K. Simmons (playing the same wiseass father he played in Juno) and especially Jane Curtin. Jon Favreau has a thankless role as Denise's alpha-male jerk of a husband, while Andy Samberg makes a most unconvincing gay as Peter's sleep-around, personal trainer brother. There are plenty of laughs throughout its slightly long 105-minute running time, but what may surprise you is the number of insightful moments that this affectionate, satirical comedy provides.

The Rebirth Of Platonic Love Between Men!, March 31, 2009
By Happy Camper (Baltimore, Maryland USA)

The United States, in general, is quite a homophobic country. Men are expected to have platonic feelings of love only for immediate family members, such as parents, grandparents, siblings and their own offspring. Sharing one's nonsexual feelings of love outside this tiny world is basically considered taboo. In other cultures this is certainly not the case, something I had the good fortune to experience first hand!

I Love You, Man does a superb job of comparing and contrasting heterosexual women's emotionally rich, same-sex friendships with heterosexual men's typically barren, same-sex friendships. It exposes the hypocrisy that it's okay for women to hug and be emotionally close and talk in graphic details about their sex lives amongst themselves, but NOT for a man to do the same exact thing!

What a refreshing and insightful film! This brilliant story also compares male homosexual and heterosexual same-sex relationships and on the surface, at least, they are indistinguishable! This might be news to some people - but all well-adjusted human beings have a yearning for emotionally rewarding relationships!

And, one person can not fulfill ALL your emotional needs! It's really that simple!

Thank you Hollywood for taking such a risk in making such a profound film with a great sense of humor! It shows you believe a certain segment of the American public is mature enough to want to explore the meaning of platonic love between men!

Agatha Christie's Marple: Series 4 (2008)

2009-08-02T21:00:00.002+07:00

Product DescriptionStarring Julia McKenzie in four new thrilling mysteries
Donning the trademark tweeds as if they were made for her, the marvelous Julia McKenzie (Cranford, Notes on a Scandal) assumes the Marple mantle in four gripping new adaptations of Christie mysteries. With her ladylike manners and modest appearance, Dame Agatha’s spinster sleuth blends into the background of fashionable society. However, her razor-sharp mind and no-nonsense view of human nature make her a formidable foe to evildoers, cracking the cases that even the professionals can’t solve.

Picturesque English scenery, grand estates, witty scripts, and lavish post-WWII period detail provide the perfect frame for "frighteningly fun mysteries" (Entertainment Weekly). The stellar supporting cast includes Matthew Macfadyen, Rupert Graves, Anna Chancellor, Jemma Redgrave, Helen Baxendale, Brian Cox, Prunella Scales, Warren Clarke, Natalie Dormer, Rafe Spall, Kenneth Cranham, Samantha Bond, and Joan Collins. "Totally, unexpectedly fun" --E! Online.

THE MYSTERIES
A Pocket Full of Rye
Murder Is Easy
They Do It with Mirrors
Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?

Horrid film techniques spoil the story, July 28, 2009
By Barbara B. (Oregon, USA)

I am not an Agatha Christie purist and have loved almost all previous incarnations of Miss Marple -- from Margaret Rutherford through to Joan Hickson and Geraldine McEwan. I'm sure Julia McKenzie would be an equally acceptable Marple but I could not stand to watch this series because of the film techniques employed.

Rather than tell a straight forward story, the scenes are choppily edited into fast-video-flash bits, with weird angles and ultra closeups. The sequence is disjointed and hard to follow. For instance, in one scene in "Murder is Easy", Miss Marple is at a post-funeral gathering with a large group of other people (all suspects at this stage, of course). Two second snippet of conversation .... close up of Marple's eyes looking around ... two seconds of another out-of-context conversation... another close up of Marple's eyes ... etc etc etc. I felt like screaming "Okay, we get it... she's listening!"

In the first ten minutes of that episode, a dozen or so different characters are introduced, but so rapidly and with so little context that I am soon bewildered and confused. In addition, they all seem so unpleasant that I didn't really care who was killed or who did the killing!

Perhaps younger viewers, weaned on fast cut editing, enjoy this type of filming more but for those who prefer more leisurely paced and cohesive story telling, this jagged camera work is distracting at best and intrusive at worst.

I noticed the same problem with the new episodes of Poirot. The director and cinematographer obviously had a grand time showing off their techniques, but the stories suffered.

What I don't understand is why these techniques, more suited to fast paced thrillers or action yarns, are used for classic mysteries which depend on character development and plot. Are film makers so afraid we'll lose interest if the camera stands in place for a full minute?

Still Struggling with Style, Season 4 Offers a More Conventional Marple., July 30, 2009
By mirasreviews (McLean, VA USA)

Series 4 of the controversial "Marple" series from Granada/ITV brings us a new Miss Marple, reconceived from the previous seasons, now played by Julia McKenzie. McKenzie's Marple is not as frilly as the classic Joan Hickson or as bohemian as Geraldine McEwan's portrayal. This is a more intellectual, no-nonsense Marple. She wears 3 suits, unadorned and straightforward. And I only saw her knit once. Miss Marple seems less a little old lady and more someone's all-knowing aunt or governess, always ready with whatever is needed and possessed of a strong sense of justice. These episodes avoid the stylization that some previous seasons embraced. Like the new Miss Marple, Series 4 is forthright and conventional in its scripts and production design.

"Marple" has had no qualms about departing from Agatha Christie's books: rewriting action, characters, even the motives and identity of the culprits, and appropriating other of Christie's novels for the spinster detective. Continuing in that tradition, "Murder is Easy" and "Why Didn't They Ask Evans?", both non-Marple books, have inspired episodes this season. Sometimes rewrites seem only to make the films more salacious, and, although there was never a premium on plausibility or coherence in Christie's novels, the rewrites have tended not to improve matters, often creating solutions that are quite ridiculous. Marple purists will not like that. But I have noticed that the character writing gains more depth the further it gets from its source.

Ultimately, it's difficult to say how Miss Marple should be adapted for a modern audience. Purists may prefer Joan Hickson's more faithful portrayal from the 1980s. Others, like myself, find Hickson's Marple dreadfully dull but lament this series' tendency to careen full throttle into burlesque. And, if the writers are going to rewrite Christie's stories, could they not improve upon the solutions instead of making them more ridiculous? Unlike Poirot, Marple does not have the distinct visual characteristics of the detective or the interwar milieu to latch onto. It has an elderly lady in gloves and a hat. In the past, this led the producers to toss sexuality into the mix at every turn and experiment with heavy stylization, usually with poor results ("The Moving Finger" being an exception).

Christie wrote her Marple novels and stories 1927-1971, but the creators of this television series wisely chose to set it in the 1950s, giving it a distinct look and grounding Miss Marple in a particular time. The filmmakers have seemingly tried every trick they could think of to make "Marple" interesting and relevant to a contemporary audience. Often those efforts have been laid on rather too thick. My own suggestion would be to capitalize on the post-War prosperity, conformity, and hypocrisy of the 1950s. That decade shares much in common with the 1990s and 2000s. Miss Marple is a woman who has seen the Jazz Age, two global depressions, and two world wars. She's not easily fooled by a bright, respectable façade. Create a subtext along those lines that would comment on our own time without being obviously anachronistic or straying far from the original plots.

After watching "Marple" struggle to find its focus for four seasons, those are my 2 cents on the subject. I really don't know how to rate the series. I give it 4 stars, because Julia McKenzie's Miss Marple is personable, sharp, and fun to watch. Some viewers find that she doesn't have enough character, serving more as a device than a detective. But wasn't Geraldine McEwan's Marple irritating and vaguely sinister? If it's not one thing, it's another. The series lacks a cogent vision. Oddly, the first episode this season is adorned with completely superfluous location subtitles. It's one of those things. These are the episodes in Series 4:

"A Pocket Full of Rye"'s killer takes inspiration from the nursery rhyme. Rex Fortescue, president of Consolidation Investments, dies at his office, apparently of poison. In the pocket of his suit, the police find a handful of rye. Inspector Neele (Matthew Macfadyen) interviews the family at their country home, Yewtree Lodge: the deceased's wayward wife Adele (Anna Madeley), eldest son Percyval (Ben Miles), who believed his father's mental health threatened the business, estranged son Lancelot (Rupert Graves), just back from Africa, neurotic daughter-in-law (Liz White), daughter Elaine (Hattie Morahan), who cannot contain her delight at Rex's passing, and Gladys (Rose Heiney), the simple chambermaid previously employed by Miss Marple. Gladys is having trouble getting on in the world.

"Murder Is Easy" is adapted from a non-Marple novel and heavily rewritten. Miss Marple meets Lavinia Pinkerton (Sylvia Syms) on a London-bound train. Pinkerton is headed for Scotland Yard to report two murders in her home village of Wychwood. "Murder is easy," she says, "so long as no one thinks it's murder." She promptly meets her death in Victoria Station. Miss Marple travels to Wychwood and makes the acquaintance of Luke Fitzwilliam (Benedict Cumberhatch), formerly a police detective in Malaya. Together Miss Marple and Fitzwilliam make the rounds of the town's close-knit population in their investigation, as more of the population meets its end. Perhaps it is the rewrite, but the characters seem more authentic, emotions real, and with more dimension than usual.

Miss Marple's glamorous old friend Ruth (Joan Collins) asks the detective to look in on her sister Carrie Louise after a fire struck her home in "They Do It With Mirrors". Carrie Louise is a committed philanthropist who runs a reform facility for criminals on her Stoneygates estate with her third husband Lewis Serrocold (Brian Cox) and daughters Gina (Emma Griffiths Malin) and Mildred (Sarah Smart) from her first marriage. With a staff that seems a bit daft, two stepsons with questionable intentions, a group of convicts on their doorstep, and an amateur theatrical in rehearsal, there is a lot of misdirection to be overcome when the antics turn to murder. In contrast with previous episodes, the police detective Inspector Curry (Alex Jennings) seems pretty sharp.

"Why Didn't They Ask Evans?", inspired by the non-Marple novel, has Miss Marple helping the young detectives along and keeping them out of trouble. Bobby Attfield (Sean Biggerstaff) finds a dying man on a cliff who says as he expires, "Why didn't' they ask Evans?" When Bobby is called testify at an inquest that doesn't exist, an adventurous friend, Miss Frankie Derwent (Georgia Moffett), proposes that they investigate the murder themselves. But Miss Marple, who is visiting Bobby's mother, has her eye on the young duo. When Frankie proves too gutsy for her own good, Miss Marple follows her to Castle Savage, home of a quarrelling and rather sinister family whom the dead man recently visited. The plot is exotic and implausible. It suffers further from a cast of annoying characters.

Big Trouble in Little China [Blu-ray] (1986)

2009-08-02T20:56:00.001+07:00

Over the top fun at it's best on Blu-Ray, July 17, 2009
By SRFireside "ZOOM!" (Houston, TX United States)

John Carpenter has given us lots of movies. Some classics, some not so memorable, all with a unique slant seldom tried by other film makers. Big Trouble in Little China is probably the absolute funnest movie in Carpenter's entire tenure. It combines action, comedy and more of that signature Carpenter creativity all in one.

Picture if you will a mildly obnoxious truck driver getting mixed up in a plot to bring an ancient Chinese demon back into the physical world. Said loser/trucker inadvertently is placed as the savior of all the world. This hero/loser concept is played to the hilt with Kurt Russell giving his character, Jack Burton, the right amount of cocky attitude mixed with a "deer in the headlights" feeling of being in over your head. You can tell Kurt is really enjoying the role, and that level of energy shines through his performance. The beauty of the character is his borderline ineptitude, which makes for some of the best laughs in the movie.

If you read the plot synopsis of the movie the story seems rather simple and even inconsistent in flow in some areas. The execution is the contrary as the visual site gags, character interaction and other bits of eye candy really fill it out. This movie is no masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, but it is among the best of the popcorn movies that try to give you more than mere spectacle.

Now the movie is from the 80's and it is not perfection. Some of the special effects will feel dated, especially the monster makeup effects. Some sets are a bit over the top. Once scene bugs me to no end because you can tell Kurt is carrying a prop knife that in no way can be interpreted as the real thing. Sometimes characters do things that don't entirely make sense. Little things for the most part and not enough to damage the experience of the movie except for the most demanding viewers.

This Blu-Ray release will be in high def 1080p, and from some samples I have seen the picture is noticeably better than the original DVD release. I haven't seen the special edition DVD version in a while so I can't really say how much better it would look, but it's safe to assume there is at least a level of improvement. Keep in mind this is a movie made in the 80's and it's production budget was rather limited (another Carpenter trademark) so the source material will likely never compare to current movie releases. Audio will be 5.1 DTS HD in English, Spanish and French and Dolby Digital in English and French (no Spanish, but there are subtitles).

The special features and extras are pretty much identical to the special edition DVD release with one single exception. There is an extended cut included with the theatrical cut. No idea on what scenes were extended and added (likely footage that was found in the deleted scenes of the SE DVD). Here's the breakdown of the other features:

Commentary by Jack and James: Same one from the previous two DVD's. Informative, fun, and sometimes off on tangents. Did you know this movie was originally intended as a western?

Nine deleted scenes: Likely the best cuts from the special edition DVD that weren't put in the extended version.

Featurette: The classic 80's promotional "behind the scenes" documentary. Kinda fluffy.

Extended Ending: I'm guessing this is the scene with Jack Burton vs. Lords of Death. I'm also guessing it didn't make the extended cut of the film.

Interview with Richard Edlund: Richard did the special effects for the movie and this interview is more than just him talking about it. Kinda neat.

John Carpenter music video: Don't ask.

Trailers and tv spots: I believe this will include the international commercials as well.

Still Gallery: Same as SE.

Personally I think getting this disk will fall into a couple of categories. Those who have the Special Edition DVD and those who do not. If you don't then it's easy. GET THIS BLU-RAY. It looks better, sounds better, has more extras and a bonus extended version of the film. You get pretty much everything. Now if you have the special edition it's going to be a tough one. It's almost assured the picture and sound will be better, but how much? The extras are identical so the only "extra" you get is the extended version of the movie, and to be honest you probably already seen the extended scenes (albeit not in a complete movie version). So that part is up to you.

90 min. Fun Filled, Action Packed, Sci Fi Adventure!, July 20, 2009
By Chris Chaos "Chris_Chaos001" (Massapequa, NY United States)

Hello ALL,

I wrote a review on this movie when it came to DVD for the first time. Here is the review:

Forget about Siskel and Eggbert or Leonard Malted's ridiculous reviews about this movie. THIS MOVIE IS GREAT!!!

As you can tell, yet another person loves this movie :-) I saw this movie when it was released into movie theaters way back when. Years later it came out on VHS which I purchased as soon as I saw it for sale. I have watched this movie many times over the years (on VHS and on Cable TV) and enjoyed it each and every time. One thing, which most people who did not see the movie in theaters missed out on, is the scope of the movie. This movie has a very wide aspect ratio and a lot of what the director wanted you to see is cut off when viewed on Cable TV or VHS tape (PAN and SCAN). This is no doubt a great movie for DVD because of that fact. I am very happy they finally decided to release this movie on DVD. People who did not see it in a theater who love this movie, but did see it on regular TV (PAN and SCAN), will go wild over it when they see the WIDE SCREEN version which will include all the action they missed out on with the PAN and SCAN version.

Get ready to see this movie for the first time all over again when it released on DVD. ENJOY EVERYBODY!

END REVIEW.

Now, I WILL definitely buy this movie again on Blu-Ray because I played the DVD so much, the hole in the center of the DVD wore out. :-)

I HOPE EVERYONE ENJOY'S THIS GREAT, CLASSIC MOVIE!!!

The Wizard of Oz (Import - English - All Regions) (1939)

2009-08-02T20:47:00.001+07:00

Somewhere over the rainbow, November 4, 2008
By Dragonfly (Los Angeles, CA)

Another flawless classic that withstands the test of time. Most people have forgotten that the movie starts off in black and white, then turns to color when Dorothy reaches Oz. This is the way it was shown originally in 1939, and that's the way this import version presents. The only minor distraction is the default foreign subtitle. But that's what the DVD remote is for. Click the "subtitle" button a couple of times, and the subtitle is completely gone. Heck, what could be easier. The best thing about this import is it's a lot cheaper than the domestic version. Same quality picture, and sound.

The Wizard of the Odyssey, December 31, 2008
By J. Preston (San Juan Mountains)

I've been thrilled and enchanted by the Wizard of Oz since I was a small child.

This version has MANY advantages over the others available. First, it is playable on ALL DVD players and you can exchange this DVD with friends in other countries, or, play it on DVD players and computers from other countries.

Second, the black and white and color on this DVD are true to the original screen version. (I once saw it on the big screen in Scottsdale in 1989 when an old theater had closed - the Wizard of Oz was the first movie shown at the theater when it opened in 1939).

Third, the version is the true screen version first shown to audiences in 1939. Why is that good?

The first screen version was edited to be a gentle portrayal of the essence and spirit of the book the Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum.

As popular as the movie has been in history, few have read the book.

The book is L. Frank Baum's version of Homer's "The Odyssey" with Dorothy as hero (heroine). Baum was a minor scholar of the Classics (he studied Greek in military school when he was a teenager). He took the story line, conflicts, antagonists and protagonists of the Odyssey, and, put them into a compelling context for readers at the turn of the twentieth century.

Dorothea is, in ancient Greek, the name of the goddess of truth and wisdom. "Toto" (meaning "everything"), the faithful dog, is a metaphor for our "faith" as we journey through life in search of home (as did Odysseus). Brains (the scarecrow), heart (the tin man) and courage (the lion) are what all of us use in our lives to find our home and our soul mate (as did Odysseus - as does Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz).

When Dorothy is in peril in the Witch's castle, she relies upon "Toto" (her faith) to summon her brains, her heart, and her courage.

Many commentators have mused about the name "Oz." I've read some conjectures that border on the ridiculous. (One biographer of Baum speculated that "Oz" came from the O-Z on lower drawer of Baum's two drawer file cabinet).

"Oz" is the correct ancient Greek abbreviation for the Odyssey. In English, and in the Greek from about 400 BC to the present, the abbreviation for the Odyssey would be "Od". However, in attic Greek (from about 800 BC - the time Homer wrote the Odyssey) if the "d" is surrounded by two vowels, it is changed, in ancient Attic Greek, to "z" or "djeta". Hence, the first two letters of the original ancient Greek for the Odyssey are not "Od" but "Oz".

And that's how L. Frank Baum came up with the name of "Oz".

Buy this version. You can't go wrong at this price.

Flight of the Conchords: The Complete Second Season (2009)

2009-08-01T18:43:00.002+07:00

Product Description
Flight of the Conchords follows the trials and tribulations of a two man, digi-folk band from New Zealand as they try to make a name for themselves in their adopted home of New York City. The band is made up of Bret McKenzie on guitar and vocals, and Jemaine Clement on guitar and vocals.

Wow--this is what I call performance art!, July 30, 2009
By carol irvin "carol irvin" (sagamore hills, OH, United States)

I can think of other excellent comedy duos. I can think of other musical duos which I really enjoy and put on my ipod. I can think of other performance artists who do leading edge work which is visually experimental. I cannot think of any other duo, either currently or in the past, who can do all three and do them all well. The only act this even sort of reminds of is Martin & Lewis because Dean Martin could sing and their comedy was pretty good for its day. I wouldn't go so far as to call Martin & Lewis's work performance art though. Other than Martin & Lewis, I can't think of anyone else like these guys at all.

Why are viewers here debating season 1 versus season 2? This is not remotely like anything else out there and it is so innovative that I can scarcely believe that it survived for a second season. If it had been on anything but HBO I think it would have been too leading edge and been cancelled after the first season. I'm not comparing the two; I am in grovel mode that there were two seasons!

Ok, here is the premise. There are two musicians from New Zealand who come to New York City (of all places) to break into the entertainment world as musicians. Their manager works for the New Zealand Commission in New York City and that job is such a no brainer that he basically can do whatever he wants with his time. The band has exactly one fan, a woman. The only reason she is a fan is that she has the hots for Bret. The guys are poor as can be. They live together in a subsistence lifestyle. And they are complete nerds on top of everything else. At first I liked Bret best because (being a woman), I found him cuter. But Jemaine has grown on me and I've gotten past his awful glasses and sideburns ('70s style sideburns). Their manager I find positively uproarious. Even the fan has her moments. Very often the guys deliver their lines in complete deadpan, which makes it even funnier. Oh, and they are more often than not a disaster with women. They have dates on the show and these dates rival anything we saw on SEINFELD or FRASIER (which heretofore covered dating hell rather definitively).

The best part of all is when the guys break out into song and movement, usually in an outrageous MTV kind of music video style, to comment on the latest bizarre aspect of their lives. Those performances are worth playing again and again.

I do listen to the songs on my ipod and I enjoy their music. I am not alone as their music has been voted on favorably in the NPR yearly music polls. Bob Bollein of NPR's ALL SONGS CONSIDERED was very taken with their musical numbers without knowing a thing about their tv show. So their music is an important component of the show for me.

Funny as Bret and Jermaine are, Rhys Darby as Murray their manager deserves a special mention. He just slays me and I love every minute he is onscreen. I adore his band meetings, especially when he takes attendance and there is NEVER anyone but the three of them in the room.

loved it, July 25, 2009
By Caraculiambro (La Mancha and environs)

There's a disturbing number of reviewers here saying the second season -- especially the songs -- wasn't as good as the first.

Lemme horn in: I thought the second season was better. At least, I couldn't get through it without having to pause the DVD repeatedly on account of my laughing so hard I couldn't continue.

I don't remember that happening when I watched the first season. Possibly that is because I know the characters better and feel more comfortable with them. For example, I had to watch several episodes of the first season before I caught on to the fact that they were supposed to be in New York, that they weren't gay, etc.

Not being plagued with such questions when I sat down to the second season, I found myself able to enjoy it much more.

Green Lantern: First Flight (Two-Disc Special Edition) (2009)

2009-07-27T10:08:00.001+07:00

The DCAU does it right again., July 23, 2009
By E. Dixon (KY, USA)

Green Lantern: First Flight is an awesome film. It doesn't waste a lot of time on the origin (which takes place in the first few minutes) and heads straight to the action. Some people might see this as detrimental, but I like how the DC animated projects a lot of the time will just assume that you know the basics of what is going on. It saves a lot of time and allows the movie to start getting to the point.

First off, I was surprised at how brutal some of the violence was for this cartoon. I know that these releases are not necessarily tailor-made for children, but this is no JLU episode. People are impaled, shot, torn through walls into the vacuum of space, and there is pretty much non-stop fighting through most of the 120 minutes. I don't have any problem with that, but it might not be to everyone's liking.

Plot-wise, it's not Shakespeare, but we are talking about an action cartoon here. There is a hero, a villain and lots of cool use of the Green Lantern rings. Those were the only prerequisites I was looking for going in to this thing, and I was not disappointed.

The voice cast did a great job as well. If there is one thing that DC always does right, it is casting their voices. Michael Madsen as Kilowog was my personal favorite. Too bad he didn't have more voice time.

This might possibly be my favorite DVD project of theirs, which is saying a lot considering the fantastic Wonder Woman, New Frontier, and Gotham Knight DVD films. I sincerely hope they continue putting out quality releases like this one.

Well worth the wait. AWESOME!, July 18, 2009
By Damon "DaRay Studio" (Minneapolis, MN USA

I have really be looking forward to this release. I am a big Green Lantern fan. So I was happy to get an early copy of the movie. I am very happy with it. I love it. Best animation DC has done for there home video releases so far in my opinion. Very detailed animation, not just simple outlines like the Justice league animated series, which I love also. The character design is well done, great attention to detail. The green lanterns suits are 10 times more detailed then the Justice league animated versions. Voice acting is great.
They made a great choice in picking Christopher Meloni as the voice of Hal Jordon. He rocks.

As far as story, they show how he he gets is power ring and then it is right into the action. This motion is action packed. I don't mind that we don't a lot of his back story, just enough to get you going, they already did that in The New Frontier movie last year. You get to see hundreds of green lanterns.

I highly recommended this film. I hope they make another Green Lantern movie in the future because I wanna see more of his adventures.

Dollhouse: Season One (2009)

2009-07-27T10:03:00.001+07:00

Don't believe the hype..., May 24, 2009
By Lola (Berkeley, CA)

...this show is *actually* GOOD. What I mean is that Dollhouse is not good simply because Whedon fans worship at the shrine of Whedon and therefore cannot be trusted to tell you the real deal. In a lot of ways, it's a shame that this show was so hyped from the beginning, because it didn't get a chance to gradually develop a fanbase in its own right, but was instead touted as a show sustained merely by Whedon fans. While I admit to being a Whedon fan, which compelled me to watch it even through some shaky episodes, here's the scoop:

In the beginning of the show, what we learn is that a woman named Caroline (Eliza Dushku) has agreed (or was coerced) to download her personality into cyber storage, and some shady organization rents her body out to the highest bidder for various "engagements." We see that these engagements can involve sexual fantasy (hence the dubbing "cathouse" by the critics!), or perhaps something that requires personality-combo platters in order to complete some sort of high risk, spy-type mission. A lot of negative reviews here refer to these first five episodes. And, yes, the first five establishing "mission of the week" episodes are surfacy and disconnected, but it's really the journey of the series arc (and character growth) that will ultimately make for some passionate tv. (And though these first five episodes were not the highlight of the season, there are some gems of ideas in there. For instance, one episode pays homage to Cornell's short story "The Most Dangerous Game", which is based on quite a chilling concept!)

Now that we've got the darned hype out of the way, let's talk about the show, as it evolves in Episode 6. Now instead of just seeing the sexual fantasy episodes in terms of some hokey emporer's club cathouse (which, let's face it, is something that already exists out there for the kind of money these clients are paying), we start to see the NEEDS that these fantasies fulfill in the clients. And here's the thing: even though we the audience do not approve of what they're doing, we start to sympathize, and in some cases even begin to care about, these clients. And here is one place where we begin to see the brilliance and fascinating challenge that this show presents, and will continue to present, to its viewers (bring on Neuromancer!).

This is a show that lives and thrives in a very gray area - it's unclear who the heroes might or might not be, and this is shaping up to be a nuanced, character-driven ensemble show. At its heart, this is a show about the identity of "self" without memory. About science and ethics. About exposing our darkest human fantasies, and exploring the root of the needs that create them. The show is not just about the "dolls," but is also about the clients - WHY do they need a fake person to save them? And what could have possibly compelled these "dolls" to have given away their memories in the first place? And then there's the dollhouse itself...why does it exist? Who are these people that babysit and program the dolls - what's their story?

All in all, this show is a little bit ALIAS (except replace awesome disguises and patriotism with personalities and motivations a lot more vagued up), a little bit BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (except replace "Cylon" with "doll"), a little bit LOST (except replace "island" with "dollhouse"), and a lot Whedon (exploring the essence of humanity and individual identity through grandiose metaphor). Assuming that the show is allowed to breathe and grow into its full potential, we're in for even more thought-provoking, heart-breaking, butt-kicking entertainment! Trust me, you don't want to miss out on the ride!

Brilliant Show In Every Sense Of The Word!, May 2, 2009
By Kenny_Chisholm (Singapore)

I am writing this review one week away from the finale and I have to say this show is easily the best new show of this season.

Yes, true that the first half of the season is much slower in terms of action and suspense than the latter half but do we really expect to go into a brand new show with mysteries and action coming at you from all directions? It would have proved to be a little overwhelming.

With that said, I'm one of the rare few that appreciated the time given to adjust to the concept of the show and to understand and develop a care for the characters. Many viewers went into the show with this expectation of what the show should be simply because it is a Joss Whedon creation.

With that level of expectation, it of course resulted in major disappointment and in turn created this whole frenzy about the show's survival which ultimately hurt the enjoyment of the show.

Refused to stress over the fate of the show, I decided to watch the show for what it is and am truly satisfied with it. Both the writing and acting has been nothing short of being superb and like any Joss Whedon show, it is inevitable for you to fall in love with the characters.

Not only do you find yourself falling in love with the lead character - Echo, you soon find that you can't help but care for those around her as well. Like her fellow doll, Sierra played by the incredible Dichen Lachman who has this coolness about her that makes it really enjoyable to watch every time she takes on the character of a under cover agent as well as the "cold hearted boss woman" Adelle played by Olivia Williams. Adelle is easily the most complex character on the show. There are just so many layers to that character and you feel her pain and her loneliness and you care despite of that tough exterior and that is something you look for in a character. Props to Joss Whendon on this one!

Buffy fans like myself would be pleased to know that Eliza Dushku is back kicking butt in this show. In fact there are many moments in which Echo reminded me of Faith.

Yes, it is still uncertain if the show would be back for another season but there's absolutely no doubt as to if you should get this DVD. Go into the show with a open mind that's all the advice I have to give.

I already pre-ordered my copy so get yours today! and let's hope FOX have enough sense to renew them for a 2nd season.

The Lucy Show: The Official First Season

2009-07-22T01:22:00.001+07:00

"The Wait Is Over!", April 23, 2009
By Terry Richard "Terry Richard" (Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada)

Finally, one TV's most beloved sitcoms from the 1960's arrives on DVD July 21, 2009. After releasing Lucille Ball's first series in its entirety, "I Love Lucy", CBS Home Video is bringing out, what I consider, one of the best television shows of all-time.
"The Lucy Show" was Lucille Ball's follow-up to her immensely popular 1950's TV program, and at first she was hesitant to do another weekly series for a variety of reasons: first, she knew the work involved in doing a TV show week after week, and secondly she also didn't know if the audience would accept her playing a widow, as she and Desi Arnaz were so closely identified as America's first TV couple. Since she and Desi were now divorced, having them star in a television show together was virtually impossible. One of the stipulations she had with the new CBS show was that she wanted Desi to be its executive producer, (which he was that first season), as Lucy knew Desi had the mind and ability to produce a top-rated show, and she wanted her best friend, Vivian Vance, to star along with her. Lucy's demands were met.
"The Lucy Show", originally titled "The Lucille Ball Show" in its inception, aired its first episode on October 1, 1962. Lucy played Lucy Carmichael, a widow raising 2 children, a daughter Chris, played by Candy Moore, and a son Jerry, played by Jimmy Garrett. Lucy shared her home with her best friend Vivian, played superbly by Vance, who had a son Sherman, portrayed by Ralph Hart. Although many TV historians state that it was Ann Romano, from "One Day at a Time", who played TV's first divorced woman, that distiction, however, belongs to Vivian Vance, who was the medium's first divorcee in this series. "The Lucy Show" followed the adventures of Lucy and Vivian, as they raised their children alone, and encountered various mishaps while living without men. The series explored what it was like for two women maintaining a household all alone, and the series depicted the problems each had with their personal lives, such as finding Mr. Right.
"The Lucy Show" is one of my favorite shows ever, and I actually love it even more than "I Love Lucy". This long awaited boxset of the series' first season, features 30 episodes, that have been rarely seen over the years. This first season is filmed in glorious black and white, but subsequent seasons were filmed in color as Lucille Ball knew they could be more easily sold in syndication than the black and white ones. The show continued to be broadcast in black and white until the 1965 season, but at the beginning of the 1963 season filming in B&W was discontinued. These 30 shows are some of the best work Lucille Ball ever did in her career, albeit they have hardly been seen by newer audiences. Many of the writers from "I Love Lucy" wrote many of these 30 shows, and their originality and creativity is evident. The best episodes from this season are: "Lucy and Viv Put in a TV Antenna", in which Lucy and Vivian go to extremes to go up on the roof to install a new antenna, as their signal is gone. This episode is hilarious, especially when one watches it during this day in time as many of us have cable and satellite, but the writing is dead on, and the performances, along with Lucy and Viv's physical comedy, are at its zenith. Another great show is "Lucy and Viv Put In A Shower", where the roomates install a new shower, as they realize having one bathroom doesn't cut it for a home housing 5 people. While doing the shower scene Lucille Ball almost drowned, and thanks to Vivian Vance, she was saved. One of my favorite Christmas shows from any series is in this set and is entitled "Together For Christmas", as Lucy and Vivian argue over a tree. Each wants to have a tree decorated to each other's taste, so to make a compromise, they each put up a tree in the living room. They eventually have a fight and destroy the other's tree, with Lucy going so far as sawing Viv's!
"The Lucy Show" is one of those rare network TV shows that never left the top 10 during its six year run on CBS. It actually finished its final season on the network in the early spring of 1968 at at whopping #2 in the Nielsens. The series would return that fall under a new title, "Here's Lucy", with a completey new format. "The Lucy Show" finished its first season at number 5, a solid hit, as the audience welcomed Lucille Ball and her co-horts into their home week after week. Important to note too is that Gale Gordon wouldn't start appearing until the following season. In the first year, a banker named My. Barnsdahl, played by character actor Charles Lane, supervised Lucy's trust fund left to her by her husband.
The series' theme music was created and performed by Wilbur Hatch, who did the music for "I Love Lucy".
Lucille Ball would go on to win two Emmy's for her role in this series in subsequent seasons, and various guest stars would pop up over the years, like Joan Crawford, Milton Berle, Carol Burnett, and Ann Southern.
There have been a handful of "Lucy Show" episodes that have been put out on home video and DVD over the years, but these are the public domain shows that were never cleaned up, and they were the edited and syndicated broadcast shows that were jumpy and scratchy. These 30 shows in this boxset have been beautifully restored from the studio's 35 mm prints and come with renewed sound, and according to studio reps, they look amazing. They are also uncut.
This boxset also comes with a new interview with Lucille Ball's daughter Lucy Arnaz, and for the first time in years Jimmy Garrett is interviewed , discussing the show and his TV mom. There are also rare commercials featuring "The Lucy Show's" network promos.
If having "The Lucy Show" on DVD isn't enough for you, talk is "Here's Lucy", Lucy's 3rd series, is coming to DVD this summer too with the complete first season. "Here's Lucy" had a DVD release in 2004 featuring some of the best episodes during it's run, but like "The Lucy Show", it will be the first time that complete season boxsets will be released. I am in Heaven!
Don't forget too that "I Love Lucy-The Complete Series" , is also available.
UPDATE!!!! LUCY'S THIRD SERIES "HERE'S LUCY" WILL BE AVAILABLE ON DVD WITH THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON ON AUGUST 25TH, 2009!!!

The Lucy Show's First Season is Finally Here!, May 5, 2009
By Tante Maren "Maren" (Ohio, United States)

I can't remember how many years ago it was when I wrote, emailed and called CBS Home Entertainment to beg for them to release THE LUCY SHOW on DVD. I will tell you that I will always remember how shocked I was when I just received an email from CBS telling me they are releasing The Lucy Show's First Season on July 21, 2009! I found that begging CBS does pay, when it comes to wanting the BEST classic television shows released, and THE LUCY SHOW is THE BEST! The personal letter CBS wrote me stated that they have remastered The Lucy Show using the original 35 mm negative for a virtually flawless reproduction on dvd!!! I am so happy- FLAWLESS! I've been watching those horrible, blurred and faded versions on dvd for years! CBS said that if sales are good for this set, they will be remastering THE LUCY SHOW SEASON 2 IN FLAWLESS COLOR!!! So, to everyone who loves THE LUCY SHOW- order now!! THE LUCY SHOW ran for 6 seasons, so we only need 5 more! HERE'S LUCY SEASON ONE is also in the making and that show ran for 6 Seasons as well. After so many years of waiting, this is just like a dream come true for LUCY fans like me!
THE LUCY SHOW premiered on October 1, 1962 on CBS. The show began with Lucille Ball as Lucy Carmichael, a widow with two children, Chris (Candy Moore), and Jerry (Jimmy Garrett), living in Danfield, Connecticut, sharing her home with divorced friend Vivian Bagley (Vivian Vance) and her son, Sherman (Ralph Hart). Lucy had been left with a substantial trust fund by her late husband, which was managed during this first season by local banker Mr. Barnsdahl (Charles Lane). At the beginning of the 1963-64 season, the character was replaced by Theodore J. Mooney (Gale Gordon, who would remain with the series for the remainder of its run, despite the format change). This First Season also featured in recurring roles, Harry Connors (Dick Martin), Audrey Simmons (Mary Jane Croft), Eddie Collins (Don Briggs), Thelma Green (Carole Cook) and Dorothy Boyer (Dorothy Konrad). The wonderful Desi Arnaz guest stars twice in this first season. I never knew that when watching the episode, LUCY AND VIV PUT IN A SHOWER when I was a little girl back in the 60's, that Lucy was actually drowning when she was down under the water, and couldn't pull herself up. Vivian thought Lucy was under water way too long and reached down to pull her up- literally saving Lucy's life. The cameras kept rolling and no one in the studio or audience knew what was really going on! It is just so fitting that CBS took the time to make this show flawless, just as Lucy and Vivian's performances were for all the years they worked together!
Here are the 30 Episodes from Season One, which also include in this long awaited set many fabulous special features:
1. (1 Oct 62) LUCY WAITS UP FOR CHRIS
2. (8 Oct 62) LUCY DIGS UP A DATE
3. (15 Oct 62) LUCY IS A REFEREE (Desi Arnaz guest stars)
4. (22 Oct 62) LUCY MISPLACES $2,000.00
5. (29 Oct 62) LUCY BUYS A SHEEP
6. (5 Nov 62) LUCY BECOMES AN ASTRONAUT (Nancy Kulp guest stars)
7. (12 Nov 62) LUCY IS A KANGAROO FOR A DAY
8. (19 Nov 62) LUCY, THE MUSIC LOVER
9. (26 Nov 62) LUCY PUTS UP AN ANTENNA
10.(3 Dec 62) VIVIAN SUES LUCY
11.(10 Dec 62) LUCY BUILDS A RUMPUS ROOM
12.(17 Dec 62) LUCY AND HER ELECTRIC MATTRESS
13.(24 Dec 62) TOGETHER FOR CHRISTMAS (Mitchell Boys Choir guest star)
14.(31 Dec 62) CHRIS' NEW YEARS EVE PARTY
15.(7 Jan 63) LUCY'S SISTER PAYS A VISIT
16.(14 Jan 63) LUCY AND VIV ARE VOLUNTEER FIREMEN
17.(21 Jan 63) LUCY BECOMES A REPORTER
18.(28 Jan 63) LUCY AND VIV PUT IN A SHOWER
19.(4 Feb 63) LUCY'S BARBERSHOP QUARTET
20.(11 Feb 63) LUCY AND VIV BECOME TYCOONS
21.(18 Feb 63) NO MORE DOUBLE DATES
22.(25 Feb 63) LUCY AND VIV LEARN JUDO
23.(4 Mar 63) LUCY IS A SODA JERK
24.(11 Mar 63) LUCY DRIVES A DUMPTRUCK
25.(25 Mar 63) LUCY VISITS THE WHITE HOUSE (Elliot Reed is the voice of JFK)
26.(1 Apr 63) LUCY AND VIV TAKE UP CHEMISTRY
27.(8 Apr 63) LUCY IS A CHAPERONE
28.(15 Apr 63) LUCY AND THE LITTLE LEAGUE (Desi Arnaz guest stars)
29.(22 Apr 63) LUCY AND THE RUNAWAY BUTTERFLY
30.(29 Apr 63) LUCY BUYS A BOAT

This DVD Set is Jam-Packed with these Special Features:

Newly Recorded Interview with Lucie Arnaz
Newly Recorded Interview with Jimmy Garrett
1962 "Opening Night" Special
Clip featuring the long-lost headdress scene recreated from "I Love Lucy"
Clip of Lucy introducing her new series and dancing with stars Jack Benny, Andy Griffith, Gary Moore & Danny Thomas
Original Network Sponsor Openings
Original Network Sponsor Closing
Original Cast Commercials
Vintage Network Promos
Segment on merchandise from "The Lucy Show"
Cast Biographies
Production Notes
Additionally, the episodes included on this DVD release are completely unedited with run-times of just slightly under 26 minutes per episode. There is even a feature to play the episodes as originally broadcast with vintage network openings, closings and cast commercials!

Lastly, THANK YOU CBS for making all of our LUCY dreams come true!!!!

Charlie's Angels - The Complete Fourth Season

2009-07-17T21:21:00.001+07:00

Finally!!!, May 12, 2009
By Debra English "reading queen" (Ohio,USA)

I am a huge Charlie's Angels fan and I am glad that they are finally releasing season 4 on dvd and look forward to season 5.
I really liked many of the episodes with Shelley Hack, some of my favorites in fact. I went and looked at an episode guide for the season and I realized that I forgot about some of the episodes in this season and can't wait to re-watch them all.
I think my favorites from this season are the roller disco episode, the wedding episode with a young Kim Cattral and the college sorority episode.

FINALLY - IT'S ABOUT TIME!, May 18, 2009
By Travis M. Taylor "Travis"

Well, it's what all us Charlie's Angels fans have been
waiting for, the release of Season 4 after almost a
3 year wait since season 3 came out.

As a big fan of the show, I do own the other three sets
but have never had the opportunity to see any episodes
from Seasons 4 or 5, so I'm EXCITED for this release.

We'll get to see the last episodes with Farrah (God Bless
Her, i sure hope she can beat the cancer, she's TOO young!)
We will also see the only season with Shelley Hack.
I'm also anxious to see the season premiere 2-hour episode,
"Love Boat Angels"

Since Sony pictures released the other sets, I think we can be
confident that the episodes will be complete with NO EDITING.

Hopefully after season 4 comes out we won't have to wait
long for the Fifth and Final season with Tanya Roberts as
the new angel. Hurry up July 21st, it's not coming fast
enough!

Monk: Season Seven

2009-07-16T00:51:00.001+07:00

Monkly matters, March 20, 2009
By E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA)

Quirky detective Adrian Monk has only one more season of obsessive-compulsive detection left. Start mourning now, because it's still one of the best shows on TV.

In the meantime, the seventh season of his dramedy/mystery series holds up well and shows little signs of its age. It's got everything you'd expect of "Monk" -- new phobias, personal crises (shot in the leg!), lots of hilarious writing, bizarre mysteries, and the celebration of Mr. Monk's one-hundredth case.

Monk is having more trouble than ever after Dr. Kroger unexpectedly dies, and the neighbor girl starts playing the piano. So he decides to buy the house of an old man who recently fell down the stairs. Unfortunately, some creepy people want to get their greedy hands on whatever is hidden in that house -- and they'll destroy his dream-house to do it.

Unfortunately (for Monk) it's the least weird case he encounters this season. He has to deal with (in no particular order): a murdered homeless man, miraculous fountains, lottery murders, a stolen bike at a biotech lab, submarine "suicides," exploding grills, protecting a boxer, the impossible murder of Monk's annoying neighbor, and a manly-bonding football game with Stottlemeyer.

And Monk struggles with his own problems, with the help of his new therapist Dr. Bell (Hector Elizondo) and his assistant Natalie (Traylor Howard: bad hypnosis, a kindly old lady, a crush, a looming physical, and a half-brother escaped from prison. And Monk tries to stop the parking lot where Trudy died from being demolished, only for the council-woman involved to be found murdered in the bay...

Most quirky TV series don't survive past the first few episodes, or the first season at most. So while the seventh season of "Monk" has a few bumps in the road (such as "Mr Monk and the Bully," where he comes across as rather too vindictive), it still has the right balance of humor, poignancy and brain-twisters.

The whole season is pretty much a solid string of enjoyably complex murder mysteries -- baffling crimes, obscure clues, and a few new eccentricities for Monk. Despite all the murder and bittersweet moments, the episodes are peppered with some comedy as well (Randy watching the football game upside-down in the stairwell) and plenty of solid dialogue ("It's a square tomato. You're doing the Lord's work!").

This season Monk's biggest problem is his biggest phobia of all -- his fear of being left by everyone, whether it's a mother substitute or his beloved shrink. Fortunately Shalhoub has the skill to keep his tragicomic character from seeming cartoonish -- good-hearted, socially clueless (see "guy banter") and trapped in the cage of his own fears and sorrow. The only flaw is that for some reason, Monk tends to be a wee bit more mean-spirited here.

Traylor Howard does a solid job as Monk's assistant Elizondo is quite good as the replacement for Dr. Kroger, and Jason Gray-Stanford continues to be hilarious as Randy ("Ergo the killer. Is that Hungarian?"). Ted Levine gets to show different side to Stottlemeyer, when the longtime cop becomes a monk (yes, the religious kind) and goofs off at tailgate parties. Not in the same episode, of course.

There's only one more season of "Monk" to go, but the seventh is a heckuva penultimate chapter, with plenty of befuddling mysteries and strange problems.

One of the Best Shows on Television, April 6, 2009
By Annette N. Landcraft "Keepin' It Real" (Hemet, CA)

I don't think I can say it better than what others have said. Monk is simply one of the best television shows on. I must say they did show a darker side of Mr. Monk in this season. The way he treated Natalie on the show when he got shot was suprisingly insensitive for a guy whose character is based on a man unable to let go of his dead wife. One of the reasons that I love his character is that loving devotion to his wife. Otherwise this is another good season of the show. Like the seasons before, I am looking forward to adding this to my home library.

Pushing Daisies: The Complete Second Season (2009)

2009-07-16T00:44:00.002+07:00

A lament for one of TV's all time greatest shows - gone too soon, January 10, 2009
By Robert Moore (Chicago, IL USA)

PUSHING DAISIES is no longer a part of the ABC schedule. [Update: There are now rumors that ABC is finally going to show the remaining DAISIES episodes in late May or early June. I have not heard whether the season finale will feature the original planned episode or the reedited one that will be included on the DVDs.]

Even though Amazon often makes it possible to review shows before the season has ended, I make it a personal policy to never write a review until the season has ended. I'm making an exception for Season Two of PUSHING DAISIES simply because we don't know when or if ABC will air the final three episodes. There is talk that they might show the last three episodes in a single night, but possibly as late as sometime during the summer of 2009. Possibly not at all.

Time was when ABC was one of my favorite networks. Along with NBC, I watched more of their series than any other network. CBS has not had any shows that have interested me in a couple of decades and has become the network most opposed to Quality Television (a technical term for shows with specific qualities, none of which are possessed by CBS's entire schedule). FOX has done some interesting shows, but such a huge percentage of them have been cancelled (though admittedly in the years before Kevin Reilly became head of programming -- so far in his two years FOX has a much better track record and it might even become my new favorite network, especially if they keep DOLLHOUSE and TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES, my two favorite FOX series, going past this spring). The CW apart from GOSSIP GIRL has yet to develop a single show that even remotely interests me, though the old WB series SMALLVILLE is a decent show that I've watched for years (and which is experiencing an unexpected resurgence in its 8th season, which will hopefully carry over with its now confirmed 9th season). But ABC is not a station I look to with much hope. I will admit that this could change if they eventually greenlight the series FABLES, based on Bill Willingham's great comic series about fairy tale characters living in New York in a neighborhood called Fabletown (though ironically, the target audience for the show would probably be fans of PUSHING DAISIES). But even if FABLES turns out to be as great as it has the potential to be, I won't easily forget the anger I am feeling over PUSHING DAISIES. Even as FOX has developed (and then not cancelled) several new interesting shows, I still an angered over FIREFLY, WONDERFALLS, DARK ANGEL, as well as several other series.

Canceling PUSHING DAISIES has almost overnight made me hate ABC more than I once did FOX. The ratings were not good and it was an expensive show to make, but it was one of the greatest glories in the history of television. It wasn't a show with universal appeal. Some people of good taste felt the pace was too intense (the only show ever made on TV with more words per minute was probably THE GILMORE GIRLS). Some didn't like the narrator (though Jim Dale's narration for me was one of the glories of the show). Some objected to the persistent fantastical tone, though for me it was one of the greatest TV fantasies ever. I delighted in the neverceasing wordplay, the show's love of the English language (the only two shows I know that evinced as much love of the language as PUSHING DAISIES were THE GILMORE GIRLS and BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER). And we had a group of characters I came to care about more and more. Although I'm a serious student of television and have an almost embarrassing shows that I follow, PUSHING DAISIES was different. I thought of Mondays as being only two days before the next PUSHING DAISIES. And when Wednesday came around I had this thrill of anticipation, not unlike a small kid looking forward to a birthday party. Something new and special was able to enter the landscape of my imagination.

I'm not very worried about the future of the cast members. All of the performers have had success before and will again. Kristin Chenoweth has already landed one of the leads in a new David Kelly show dealing with (what else?) a law firm. Creator and executive producer Bryan Fuller has returned to HEROES, which NBC hopes he can breathe some life into the moribund and perhaps terminally ill series. Anna Friel has some movies in the can and will probably return to England where she'll find a string of projects to work on. Lee Pace will be in demand and Chi McBride is never going to be out of work for very long. Eileen Greene and Swoozie Kurtz will both find new jobs, either on TV or on the stage. But the extraordinary alchemy that resulted from their collaboration is gone. I know that ultimately TV is a bottom line business. But when a show is this extraordinary, doesn't any TV network have a moral responsibility to keep it alive.

It would be nice if perhaps the federal government could help by providing tax breaks to each network for keeping a couple of ratings-challenged shows alive simply because they are too good to let die. Surely it isn't in the best interest of the American people or the human race to let a show like PUSHING DAISIES go away when it was producing television as good as we've ever seen in the history of the medium. DAISIES was not merely good TV; it was exemplary TV, stretching the possibilities of what you can do much as other series did like BUFFY, THE SOPRANOS, and BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, or as MAD MEN is right now. The only thing that benefits by this show going away is the ABC bottom line. But how to measure the intense bitterness that they have created? For PUSHING DAISIES was not a show that its fans took casually. It was appointment television, viewing around which fans designed their evening.

Trying to look past my anger and my grief, I am profoundly grateful to Bryan Fuller and Barry Sonnenfeld (the latter was instrumental in not only directing several of the episodes, but creating the Shooting Bible that explained to other directors how to reproduce the unique PUSHING DAISIES look) for having created something so extraordinary. I'm delighted that we at least got 22 episodes that are among the most physically beautiful in the history of TV. While we did not get the conclusion of the stories, we did get a vivid introduction into their unique world. I've watched some episodes 7 or 8 times. I'm sure that I will watch both seasons again and again in the years to come.

Bryan Fuller has pledged to continue the series in one way or another. He has hopes of a made for TV movie to bring the story to a close. If he is unable to make a movie, he has apparently been in talks with DC Comics to continue PUSHING DAISIES as a comic series. (Ever since Joss Whedon continued BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER by continuing Season 8 in a new form, other TV creators have followed form. Rob Thomas has hopes of continuing VERONICA MARS at some point when he isn't so busy creating multiple new shows. Rockne O'Bannon wrote a story for a new brief FARSCAPE comic series.) My hope is that by "DC" he really meant their highly distinguished imprint Vertigo, the most prestigious label in comics. I'm delighted that Bryan Fuller wants to keep faith with the show's fans and show us where he wanted to stories to go.

And there is so much we want to know! Although some of this might be answered by the three unbroadcast episodes (which if ABC manages to get out of showing would certainly be contained in the DVD set), there are huge unanswered questions. First and foremost, will Chuck and Ned ever find a way to touch? Will Olive learn about Ned's secret gift and how will she respond? Will Lily and Vivian learn that Chuck is alive again? Will Emerson locate his long lost daughter (the wonderful Gina Torres was cast as Emerson's ex-wife, but I don't know if her episodes were ever filmed)? What was the secret of the three watches? What will happen with Chuck's dad? And what about Ned's Dad? And precisely where did Ned get his remarkable gift and what is its larger significance? A made for TV movie would answer some of these. But I hope that in addition to the movie Fuller will indeed create a comic. I want answers.

But nothing is going to replace the huge loss the show creates. I am a huge collector of TV shows on DVD. I have a large and rich and very high quality collection. When I moved last August I arranged my TV DVD box sets on shelves, leaving room for future additions. Right between my box sets for THE PRISONER and SLINGS AND ARROWS I left a fair amount of empty space for what I was certain was going eventually be 4 or 5 or 6 seasons of PUSHING DAISIES. Now I'll need only a fraction of the space.

An amazing and unique show that ended too soon, but shall live on with the fans., January 24, 2009
By Crystal Collins "- ellowyntinuviel -" (Nashville, TN)

Pushing Daisies is an amazing show. It is unique and unlike anything else out there. It has the ability to inspire its fans and bring them together in mutual adoration of Bryan Fuller's genius. But ABC did not give the show the treatment it deserved, and now the show is gone, canceled before its time, with no air date in sight for the final three episodes.

I look forward to when the Season 2 DVD set is released, as it will afford the true fans of the show a chance for closure. We will finally get to see how Bryan Fuller intended the second season to end. We can finally get a small piece of the show and its heart back.

I can already say that this product deserves five stars, on the fact that it's amazing, and I have no doubt that this set will manage to hold on to the show's greatness.

I can't wait. :D

Psych: The Complete Third Season

2009-07-16T00:31:00.002+07:00

Gentlemen, please don't be ridiculous, March 20, 2009
By E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA)

"Psych" is one of those lucky shows that -- like a fine wine -- seems to get better as it ages. Not that you should stick it in a cellar and forget about it for fifty years, though. The third season of this quirky comedy/mystery show is definitely worth seeing at least a few times -- James Roday and Dule Hill continue to be absolutely hilarious as the faux psychic and his frazzled friend, and their cases continue to get even weirder.

"Psych" may be breaking up when Gus is given a choice by his boss -- his pharmaceutical job, or the agency. To prove their worth, Shawn offers to investigate the company VP's haunted house... and Gus soon finds that there's more than meets the eye to this haunting. Meanwhile Shawn's mother (Cybill Shepherd) drops in for work, stirring up some old skeletons for our favorite faux psychic.

Among the cases Gus and Shawn take on: a vanishing body at the high school reunion, a treasure map, the implosion of Henry's greatest case, roller derby robberies, Coast Guard clashes, a murdered sea lion, a body hidden in a Nativity scene, a firebug with a murderous secret, a murdered footballer, an old summer camp haunted by an axe murderer, and an attempt to clear the name of a pathological liar.

Their cases become personal when Lassiter (Timothy Ormundson) is accused of killing a drug lord, and Shawn is determined to prove that the disgraced cop didn't do it. And the Yin Yang serial returns to Santa Barbara, wanting Shawn as the newest "challenger." So he/she leads Shawn through a ghastly series of riddles... and if Shawn doesn't outwit him/her, those close to him may die.

Clearly Steve Franks is sticking to the old adage: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." "Psych" ain't broke, so the third season of coasts along smoothly in a flurry of pop culture references, bizarre dialogue ("Señor pantalones del fuego?") and crimes that befuddle the SBPD.

It does end and begin unusually -- the season premiere is a twistaround of the usual mystery, and finale quickly becomes a serious, deadly game of cat-and-mouse. But the mysteries in the middle of the season are perfect examples of "Psych": the writers deftly juggle funny-sounding plot twists (roller derbies, stowing away on a murderer's boat) with some twisty-turny police work.

There's even an endless parade of pop culture references -- "Speed," Hamlet, the Peanuts dance, "Gone With The Wind," and of course "Friday the 13th." However, "Psych's" biggest charm point has always been the insanely kooky dialogue. Mostly Shawn provides it ("Just once, can you grab life by the little Lassiters and follow your instincts?") but the other characters get some good lines here and there ("All I can remember after that are hundreds of those tiny razor sharp claws and teeth." "Lower primate my ass. I recognize a military formation when I see one!").

Roday is eccentric, charming and eternally kooky, as if Shawn is deliberately living out his life like a TV show. But he gets to show a very serious, intense side in the finale. Hill continues to be the normal one with a mild goofy side ("I'm King Kong!"), and gets to do a daring rescue by leaping through a wall of flames. And Ormundson gets to explore some of Lassiter's other facets (his crumbling marriage and his brief removal from the force).

The third season of "Psych" is all about the weird and the wacky, but also injects some very serious, very creepy moments as well. All around a wonderful success, and it bodes well for what comes up this summer.

One of the best reasons to own a TV, May 18, 2009
By Erin McD

'Psych' is perhaps the primary example of what can happen when intelligent people stop obsessing over Gritty Angst and start having fun. This show has always been terrific and wittily unique, but its third season finds new ways to turn convention on its head, which makes for some extremely satisfying television. Plus, it gets bonus points for being seriously re-watchable.
Recommended to everyone, but especially to the people who think there's no way the concept of a fake psychic could stay interesting this long. I am so very ready for Season 4.

Prison Break: The Final Break (2009)

2009-07-16T00:26:00.002+07:00

Not season 4, May 16, 2009
By Samantha D. Bryner "sdb70" (Fountain Hills, AZ)

This is a straight to DVD movie of what happened between the 4 years they skipped over on the series finale. It will show Sarah and Michael's wedding, what happened to Gretchen and so forth. This will wrap up any questions and/or loose ends they left us with at the finale.

I've Seen It!, May 25, 2009
By M. Cannell (Ottawa, Ontario Canada)

This is simply amazing. I won't give away any of the plot, but it's definately worth the money. If THIS movie had been made into Season 4 instead of what we'd been given, the show would have been 100 times better than how it ended up. Truly remarkable acting in this, DEFINATELY not to be missed!

I was blown away!, May 27, 2009
By Rebel Davis (Fayetteville, AR)

I just finished watching this for the first time about five minutes ago and I still have tears in my eyes. This movie was wonderful and a must-see for any true Prison Break fan. It did a great job of tying up loose ends and filling in the gaps of what happened in the finale. I know a lot of people were unhappy about the finale but I think that this movie offers the closure that we were all needing.

A fitting end to a fantastic series.

"Harry Potter" director says finale to be best yet (Reuters)

2009-07-14T00:26:00.000+07:00

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The sixth "Harry Potter" film opens on Wednesday and is likely to be another hit for the boy wizard series, but with filming started on the finale, British director David Yates says "you haven't seen anything yet."

"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," in which romance, magic and comedy collide as teenage hormones rage at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, has received rave reviews and already sold out hundreds of theaters for its opening day.

Based on author British author J.K. Rowling's seven novels, which have sold more than 400 million copies, the film franchise has so far raked $4.5 billion worldwide for Warner Bros. studio, which is owned by Time Warner Inc.

The series finale is being split into two movies for which filming began five months ago and is due to finish in about a year. Part one of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" is due out in late 2010 and part two is planned for release in 2011.

"People are being very kind about what they're seeing in 'Half-Blood Prince' and I just think you haven't seen anything yet," Yates, who directed "Harry Potter" five and six and is helming the final two, said in a recent interview.

"(Part one) is like a road movie, refugees being chased by all these people who want to kill them. It's quite intense," he said. "Then the final film is like this big opera, big epic, it's got more set pieces than any of the others."

"It's fights and dragons and battles," he said. "It's a real rollercoaster, but with a really oddly uplifting end."

Website Rottentomatoes.com , which collates movies reviews, said 96 percent of critics liked "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." Variety magazine said the movie is set to become "one of the year's two or three top-earning films."

ROWLING TO "POP IN" MORE OFTEN

The three key cast members who have played their characters throughout the series -- Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) and Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) -- said they were excited about the final films.

"I feel like I'm on this totally different film," Watson, 19, told a news conference. "All of us are now finished with school and we're just totally focused on this finale."

Radcliffe said he didn't want to start contemplating the end of the film yet, which he likened to his "dream coming to an end," while Tom Felton, who plays Potter enemy Draco Malfoy, said he would "cry my eyes out" when it's finished.

Author Rowling has said she was devastated after finishing the final "Harry Potter" book, which was published in July 2007 by Scholastic Corp in the United States and Bloomsbury Publishing elsewhere in the world.

The books, which she spent 17 years working on, have made the mother-of-three one of the world's wealthiest writers.

Rowling has also remained involved throughout the making of the films, reading scripts before shooting begins and offering suggestions, Yates said.

"She's really gracious, she's not territorial," he said. "She kind of recognizes the challenges of adapting (a book for a film) and she's really sympathetic to that."

"She said now that the shooting part is coming to an end she might just pop in more often, which we would love," Yates said. "She was so busy with all the other books she couldn't (visit much more than once a year)."

Chris Columbus directed the first two "Harry Potter" films, Alfonso Cuaron took on the third and Mike Newell directed the fourth before Yates took control of the final four movies.

"I wake up in the morning I think Potter, I got to bed I think Potter. By the time I finish I probably will have spent seven years doing Potter," Yates said.

"It's a challenge to bring this huge thing to a conclusion and I couldn't bear letting that go and seeing someone else doing it," he said. "I couldn't let it go, it was too addictive, too compulsive, too much fun."

(Editing by Doina Chiacu)

From reuters

Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith start 'Karate Kid' remake (AP)

2009-07-14T00:24:00.001+07:00

BEIJING - Jackie Chan will play the wise kung-fu master in a Hollywood-Chinese remake of the 1984 hit "The Karate Kid" that kicked off filming in the Chinese capital at the weekend, a movie company publicist said Monday.

Chan's young disciple in "Kung Fu Kid" will be played by Jaden Smith, the son of Hollywood superstars Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, China Film Group spokesman Weng Li told The Associated Press in a phone interview.

In "The Karate Kid," Pat Morita plays the iconic building handyman Mr. Miyagi who trains one of his young tenants, portrayed by Ralph Macchio, into an accomplished fighter.

The co-production between the state-run China Film Group and Columbia Pictures started shooting Saturday in Beijing, Weng said.

"Kung Fu Kid" is being directed by Harald Zwart, who also directed "One Night at McCool's" and "The Pink Panther 2," Solon So, the chief executive of Chan's company, JC Group, told the AP.

Chan and Smith, along with Smith's parents and sister Willow, attended a traditional Chinese ceremony to mark the start of the shoot Saturday. Photos on China Film Group's movie news Web site show the Smith family and Chan holding incense sticks.

Will Smith — one of the film's producers — Chan, Zwart and others symbolically removed a piece of red cloth covering a movie camera, after which Smith gave Chan a hug, according to video posted on Chinese news Web site Sina.com . His hair done in a huge Afro and wearing a bright red track jacket and blue pants, Jaden Smith stood and waved when he was introduced. His father ruffled his hair when he sat down.

Chan said on his Web site he also attended the younger Smith's 11th birthday party last Wednesday, where he and Will Smith posed for pictures with young performers wearing red and yellow costumes with dragon patterns.

Ken Stovitz, one of Will Smith's partners in the production company Overbrook Entertainment, said at the ceremony Saturday that "Kung Fu Kid" will be set in modern-day Beijing. China Film Group chairman Han Sanping said shooting will last three months.

Chan juggles careers in Hollywood and Chinese-language film. The veteran 55-year-old Hong Kong action star will be seen in the upcoming the Hollywood action comedy "The Spy Next Door," about an undercover Chinese spy whose cover is blown, and the Chinese production, "Big Soldier," about the friendship between two soldiers set in China's ancient Qin dynasty.

Jaden Smith costarred with his father in the 2006 movie "The Pursuit of Happyness" and appeared in the 2008 Keanu Reeves sci-fi movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still."

From AP

The Towering Inferno [Blu-ray] (1974)

2009-07-14T00:17:00.001+07:00

Towering Inferno As It Was Meant to Be!, May 18, 2009
By Nutrition Man (Florham Park, NJ)

I've heard rumors of people who've had the chance to preview the Blu-Ray version of Towering Inferno.

And according to them, TI Blu-Ray is THE BEST home-video version of this beloved all-time disaster classic!

The picture and sound quality - and John William's masterful film score (arguably his best ever) are absolutely stunning in detail and clarity.

When Blu-Ray first came out...Towering Inferno is THE PICTURE I had in mind for this superior format.

If you have at least a moderate interest in Towering Inferno, you should really enjoy it on Blu-Ray.

If you are a "Towering Inferno Faithful" (like me) you should be thrilled to death with this "ultimate home video" version of our beloved classic.

I wish I knew what "extras" are on it. I would at least expect it to contain the extras found on the DVD Special Edition.

Towering Inferno is my all-time favorite film...in spite of all the flaws and negative critiques. Steve McQueen's performance as Battalion Chief Mike O' Hallorhan is one of my favorite all-time roles of any actor in any film.

I can't wait to hear how great John Williams score sounds with the enhanced Blu-Ray technology (especially the opening helicopter sequence over Northern California, the suspense-building drama with the planting of the explosives on the rooftop water tanks, the aftermath in the Plaza, and the ending credits).

I hope this "preview review" is helpful to you.

Will this be the 'Ultimate' release?, July 4, 2009
By Stephen (United Kingdom)

This is a pre-release review on the possible content of the Blu Ray...

It has been suggested that this is the "Ultimate" home version of Towering Inferno. Is it really...?

As a fan of the film since it was first shown in the cinema in the seventies, I've been waiting for the "Ultimate" home version since home ownership of films started with Super 8mm film.

Towering Inferno was first available for the home as 6 reel 8mm film digest version. I still have a copy of that release as a rare collectors item. I also have the complete John Williams soundtrack on LP record from the seventies. Since then there has been multiple releases on VHS, LaserDisc and DVD. I've owned some of these release except VHS. Have these been "Ultimate" releases? No.

Now comes the Blu ray version. Will it be the "Ultimate" release?

The "Ultimate" release would give the viewer the option to watch the regular 35mm scope version AND the 70mm blow-up roadshow version! The 70mm roadshow version has some subtle differences in edits and soundtrack. It also had an intermission at a cliff hanging moment. I liked the music cues much more in the roadshow version and found the surround sound of 70mm version(called 6 track stereophonic upon theatrical release) much more emersive. (I think the 35mm scope version was only a mono track which was rechanelled to create stereo and weak surround for previous home versions).

Let's hope this is Blu Rau really is the "Ultimate" edition and includes the 70mm roadshow version...if it is I'll give it 5+ stars!

Cheers

ER: The Complete Eleventh Season (2009)

2009-07-14T00:11:00.002+07:00

Product Description
An aquarium worker with a live shark latched onto him…a blind woman and her guide companion (a miniature horse!)…a college boy with an arrow in his gut (his fraternity brothers were aiming for the apple on his head). Gunshot victims. Homeless children. Cardiac cases. So many patients, so little time. Year 11 of the fast-paced series brings challenges and changes to the ER. Corday and Chen weigh work and family. Abby finds that being a good doctor is as tough as being a good nurse. Ray Barnett – doctor by day, rock star by night – arrives. Carter decides to leave. He’s been there from the start, a student turned leader who picked up where Greene left off. He set the tone, provided the example. His impact will endure.

The ER welcomes the "Rock Doc" and emmy winner Ray Liotta!, March 20, 2009
By Nathan B. Blake (Kirkland, IL USA)

Finally, Warner Bros. seems to have sped up their release of ER seasons on DVD!

Season 11 includes Ray Liotta's emmy winning tour de force in "Time of Death", a real time episode following the final 43 minutes of his character's life. Alex Kingston, Ming Na and Noah Wyle exit County General. Other guest stars include Red Buttons, Danny Glover, Cynthia Nixon, Francis Fisher and Sharif Atkins.

Season 11 of ER includes some of the series' most memorable patient storylines. New doc Ray Barnett (Shane West) juggles medicine and music,
Sam and Luka continue their turbulent relationship, and Corday is punished for performing an illegal operation. There is much to like about season 11, so why only four stars?

While season 11 is very good, certain episodes leave something to be desired. Having Sharif Atkins return as Dr. Gallant was a good idea, but
actually having an episode take place in Iraq made the show wander too far from County General. I liked the Gallant-Neela-Iraq storyline, but
if I wanted to watched Baghdad ER, I would. Also, Carter unfortunately ends up with Kem. Some people like her, others don't. I think she's O.K., but nothing more. And the so-called cliffhanger with Sam's son at the end of the season didn't have me on the edge of my seat, and only led to a dull season 12 premiere.

Now that I got all that outta the way, I can say that the rest of the stories, performances and medical cases are top notch ER. I'm looking forward to July 14th!

FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, April 2, 2009
By Sarah Hancock

I have been waiting for this season to be released for so long! Dr. Ray Barnett is up there with some of the great in ER history as one of the most memorable characters. I would describe him as a young Doug Ross almost. I have waited so long for the Dr. Ray seasons to be released and am so glad that they seem to be releasing the seasons a LOT faster now. There for a while they were getting released as entirely too slow of a pace.

Leverage: The First Season

2009-07-09T20:20:00.001+07:00

Product Description
Leverage is a slick and crafty drama following a team of expert thieves that take down corrupt corporations in elaborate high-tech schemes. Insurance investigator Nate Ford (Academy Award-winner Timothy Hutton) exposed scams and recovered stolen items worth millions. But his life hit the skids when his insurance company allowed his ailing 8-year-old son to die. Years later, Nate gets even as the leader of a specialized team of thieves, computer experts and con artists that right corporate and governmental injustices against honest citizens. To expose corruption, Nate will do wrong for all the right reasons –– he will provide Leverage.

Robin Hood meets Ocean's 11, February 24, 2009
By Melaka Fray

Love this show, too. I wasn't sure how it was supposed to work after the pilot but it really did. The stories are good, the dialogues witty, smart and to the point, the characters are intriguing and the mix of comedy, thriller & action is very well balanced.
Season 2 is being shot april-october so the first new episodes will air in summer, by the way.
The seasons are shorter than usual, somewhere between 12 and 16 episodes I believe, but the budget must be as big as for 22 episodes because each on feels like a small blockbuster. So for those of you who missed the show so far, get it ASAP!!

I adore the show !, February 21, 2009
By Samantha "Harperhall" (Pern)

This show is so much fun to watch . Thieves going after those who have hurt others . Man do we need them in real life . Timothy Hutton is wonderful . This is has 2nd series after Nero Wolfe and he has found a great new series . Can't wait til it comes out on dvd and when is season 2 ? Can't wait for both !

Mad Men: Season 2

2009-07-09T20:16:00.001+07:00

Set in 1960s New York City, Mad Men explores the glamorous and ego-driven "Golden Age” of advertising, where everyone is selling something and nothing is ever what it seems. And no one plays the game better than Don Draper (Golden Globe® - winner Jon Hamm), Madison Avenue’s biggest ad man – and ladies' man – in the business. Returning for its second season, the Golden Globe®-winning series for Best TV Drama and Actor continues to blur the lines between truth and lies, perception and reality. The world of MAD MEN is moving in a new direction -- can Sterling Cooper keep up? Meanwhile, the private life of Don Draper becomes complicated in a new way. What is the cost of his secret identity?

Mad Men Living in a World Gone Mad., October 27, 2008
By G. Merritt (Boulder, CO)

Sopranos' writer, Matthew Weiner's Mad Men series is arguably the best reason to own a television these days. Set in 1960s New York City, the show involves a group of Madison Avenue ad executives and their secretaries working, smoking, drinking, and socializing together at the Sterling Cooper advertising agency. In the show's first season, Mad Men provided viewers with a window into an American culture of Nixon-era social taboo-isms: alcoholism, sexism, racism, and consumerism, which is mainly what made Mad Men so fascinating. It's easy to see why the show won two Golden Globe awards in 2007 for Best Television Series - Drama, and Best Actor in a Television Series - Drama and the Emmy Award for Best Outstanding Drama Series. Imagine the "Mad-ness" of a bunch of complicated, alcoholic, Nixon-era, GQ ad men in starched white shirts, spending their workdays in a fog of cigarette smoke, and you'll have the basic premise of this highly-acclaimed, must-see show.

Mad Men's characters are a truly well-drawn bunch. For instance, the protagonist, Don Draper (Jon Hamm), is not only the creative director and junior partner of Sterling Cooper, he is also the illegitimate son of a prostitute, now living an assumed identity to hide his inner "whore child" from his wife and competitive Madison Avenue colleagues. Don is unhappy with his life. He drinks Jack Daniels, chain smokes Lucky Strikes, cheats on his trophy wife Betty (January Jones), and constantly dreams of escaping his life. He is known to sneak away from work to see afternoon foreign movie matinees. Betty, a former model, represents the classic '50s homemaker, but suffers from profound loneliness, sexual frustration, and dissatisfaction with her "perfect" life. (In Season One, we learned that household appliances literally give her orgasms.) With aspirations of becoming the agency's first woman copywriter, Peggy Olsen (Elisabeth Moss) was a new secretary at Sterling Cooper, who was unexpectedly confronted with an unwanted pregnancy. Italian bachelor, Salvatore Romano (Bryan Batt), is Sterling Cooper's macho art director, a homosexual afraid to come out of the closet, and equally afraid to act on his sexual impulses.

Season Two premiered on July 27, 2008 and picks up on Valentine's Day, 1962, two years after the first season during the Kennedy administration, an era marked by the growing civil rights movement, Bob Dylan, free love, increasing feminine discontent, crumbling marriages, the threat of nuclear annihilation, Leave It to Beaver, and New York poet Frank O'Hara's ever-ominous 1957 message of mortality: Meditations in an Emergency. Much of Season One's comic edge is now gone, and the tone of the show is more melancholic. While Don and Betty Draper experience marital problems, enigmatic Don experiences a full-blown existential crises while away on a business trip to sunny Los Angeles. Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser) becomes disillusioned with his own "perfect" marriage and realizes he is in love with Peggy (Moss). The series ends under the cloud of the looming Cuban Missile Crisis. Mad Men remains television at its best.

12/12/08 Update: Mad Men and Jon Hamm received Golden Globe nominations this week for Season Two of Mad Men.

G. Merritt

The Times They Are A Changin', March 9, 2009
By Reconnecting To My Childhood "Time Won't Let ...

The second season of this AMC series is in story/character sense a lot like the second season of Sopranos was for itself. This season spends it's thirteen episodes expanding upon what has already been established at the same time as it balances sudden new story devices and taking things to their next logical (or sometimes illiogical based on the character) extensions. I found it very enjoyable and while it may not be a full reflection of life in the sixies it truly shows the aspects that it aspires to quite well and shows flawed characters who are full of unfortunate parallels with people in the world today.

This is a show that is telling a specific story while exploring specific character's in an attempt to disect certain issues within our world today. I look at this show as a reflection of recent times, the issue of never being happy with what you have and looking for happiness in the wrong places and feeling lost and unsure of your place in the world is something I see a lot of people dealing with in the world around me. The setting of the sixties is almost the perfect era to pair with such seemingly lost and depressed character's because of it's ironic nature at the same time as the literal sense of reinvention and change that occured in that time.

I feel the first season did a fantastic job of setting up this series. The second season acheived it's goal of expanding, elaborating and extending upon the world and character's we were introduced to. The third season is set up, like most shows, to take the best from the first and second seasons and finally show us a complete vision of the show without being tied down by these mandatory practices.

The second season contains the following 13 Episodes:

1 For Those Who Think Young
2 Flight 1
3 The Benefactor
4 Three Sundays
5 The New Girl
6 Maidenform
7 The Gold Violin
8 A Night to Remember
9 Sixth Month Leave
10 The Inheritance
11 The Jet Set
12 The Mountain King
13 Meditations in an Emergency

This DVD release will be a 4-disc set presented in Anamorphic Widescreen Video, English Dolby 5.1 Audio, with Subtitles in English & Spanish along with closed captioning for the hearing impaired.

The Packaging for both the DVD and Blu-Ray is described as being "available as a limited-edition sleek shirt box with see through window".

Special Features Announced So Far Include:

-Audio Commentaries With Cast & Crew on all 13 Episodes
-"Birth Of An Independent Woman Parts 1 & 2" - Featurette examining the rise of female independence in the 60's.
-"An Era Of Style" - Featurette exploring the fashion of the 1960's and it's lasting influence on designer's today.
-"Time Capsule" - Interactive featurettes paying homage to historic events on the 1960's and the daring generation that lived through them.

I will update my review when/if any more special features or information are given closer to July, when this will be released. I will also update my review when I have actually seen the special features on the set, but for now I have seen these episodes and think there is a lot to be found here for those interested and on top of that this show looks beautiful. Thanks For Your Time.

*Rather than further clutter up this review page I have included a list of short non spoiler giving episode descriptions in my comments section for those interested.

2009-07-05T14:13:00.002+07:00

Complicated to the point of viewer exhaustion, Push is a hard-to-follow and often silly work of science fiction about refugees from a secret U.S. government program simply referred to as "the Division." Dakota Fanning and Chris Evans play the children of psychically gifted parents victimized by the Division. (She's a seer, he's got mild telekinetic abilities.) Neither wants to end up forced to cooperate with Djimon Hounsou's determined operator trying to create the ultra-"pusher," i.e., a subject so gifted they can work major miracles with their mind. The odd thing is that the story is set in China, where gang action and general exotica have a way of obscuring the story proper. Things get a little more interesting when the odd pairing of Fanning and Evans is joined by a few other interesting actors (Ming Na, Cliff Curtis, Camille Belle) playing ex-Division types with psychic abilities. For a while, an "X-Men"-like vibe starts to build, but then quickly dissipates in a script practically drunk on upending audience expectations every few minutes. Nearly two hours long, Push wears down one's tolerance pretty quickly, yet manages to leave one feeling as if the story is unfinished by end credits. --Tom Keogh

Product Description
Lucky Number Slevin director Paul McGuigan takes the helm for this action thriller concerning a group of telekinetic American ex-patriots who band together in an attempt to take down the clandestine government agency that's genetically transforming normal citizens into powerful psychic warriors. The Division is a shadowy government operation devoted to making humankind the ultimate weapon. Those who accept this transformation have the power to move objects with the mind, see the future before it happens, create new realities, and dispense of their enemies without so much as a single touch; those who are unwilling to participate are immediately terminated. Nick Gant (Chris Evans) is a mover , a second-generation telekinetic who went into hiding after the Division killed his father more than a decade earlier. He lives a life of anonymity in Hong Kong, a densely populated place where fugitive psychics such as himself are safe as long as they can keep their unique gift secret. Suddenly into Nick's life comes 13-year-old watcher Cassie Holmes (Dakota Fanning), a clairvoyant who needs his help in tracking down escaped pusher Kira, who may hold the key to bringing down the Division once and for all. A pusher is the most powerful kind of psychic due to their ability to influence the actions of others by planting thoughts in their minds. Now, as Nick emerges from hiding in order to help Cassie find Kira, the Division's human bloodhounds are hot on their trail. In order to elude the authorities, they'll need to disappear into the seedy underbelly of the city while relying on a team of rogue psychics to help cover their tracks. But Division Agent Henry Carver (Djimon Hounsou) is a powerful pusher who has made it his mission to stop them at all costs, regardless of the collateral damages that may occur in the process.

a mild push, February 7, 2009
By H. Bala "Me Too Can Read" (Carson - hey, we have an IKEA store! - CA USA)

PUSH tantalizes you with its premise and its central characters, hooks you in with that promising movie trailer, and then jerks you around like a hot but very mean girlfriend. Given, there's enough of what's cool here to nerd out on, but, ultimately, this paranormal thriller is lacking that sumthin' sumthin'.

In the world of PUSH there are people who possess awesome psychic abilities. And, dating back to World War II and Nazi Germany, clandestine efforts have been made to control and experiment on these extraordinary paranormals. Decades later, and things haven't changed, only now it's a shadowy American government agency, simply called the Division, conducting these tests. There's this drug which is supposed to boost psychic abilities to ridiculous levels. The caveat is that, so far, only one patient has survived the injecting of this drug. And she just scampered the hell out.

The central character is Nick Gant (Evans), trying to keep a low profile in Hong Kong, if by low profile it's meant that Nick gambles with street thugs and uses his feeble telekinesis to influence the outcome of the dice rolls. Nick has been on the run ever since his dad got whacked by Division agents ten years ago. But now sniffers have ferreted out his location. About to amscray the eff out, Nick gets a knock on his door and this is where Dakota Fanning enters the picture and where the main storyline gets going.

13-year-old Cassie Holmes (Fanning) is a clairvoyant, although her talent is wobbly and, being a shaky artist at best, it's sometimes hard to make out what prophetic visions she's sketching on her drawing pad. But she manages to convince Nick to help her locate a mysterious woman and secure her all-important suitcase - of which course of action, Cassie foretells, will save Nick and Cassie's lives and also take down the Division. So off they go, and eventually hook up with Kira (Camilla Belle), the young woman being sought by everyone and also someone who shares a past with Nick. And, yes, Kira is the very one who'd just broken out of the Division facility.

In watching this movie, a grasp of its parlance is a must. PUSH's world is peopled with disparate talents categorized as watchers, pushers, movers, shifters, bleeders, wipers, sniffers, etc. I'll leave it to the movie to go into what the rest of these are, but I will say that Nick is a mover and Cassie is a watcher. Kira is a pusher, which means that she can sneak (or "push") thoughts and even false histories into your mind. The Big Bad is Division's lead agent Henry Carver (a low key, ineffective Djimon Hounsou), a formidable puppet master. Yep, he's a pusher.

In its comic book sensibilities, PUSH has a whiff of X-Men about it, and HEROES, and even David Cronenberg's Scanners (except without that gratuitous visceral touch). Throw in the sometimes dynamic psychic combats, the two appealing leads, and the vibrancy of the Hong Kong backdrop, and you get what's good in the flick. There are several neat moments to savor, whether its Nick and Cassie's skirmish at the fish market with a Chinese crime lord and his psychic family, or the image of Nick and his guns ominously floating above him, Kira's full control of her people marionettes, or, in one of the film's best scenes, a drunk Dakota Fanning (supposedly, imbibing liquor focuses her clairvoyant powers). While Chris Evans (Cellular (New Line Platinum Series), Fantastic Four (Widescreen Edition)) is likeable and does okay as the film's main lead, it won't stun anyone that Fanning steals the scenes and acts circles around everyone on the set (the skimpy characterisations don't help, either). But I dig that brother/younger sister vibe going on between Evans and Fanning. Fanning, by the way, looks to be entering premature babehood. (Mreeow! - What? No? Too young? Okay, fine.)

What PUSH has in flair and premise, it lacks in narrative clarity. The intriguing visual treats don't quite compensate for the muddled plot points. The most egregious thing which struck me (and which I think loses the film heaps of credibility) is why would the government even risk experimenting on their psychic subjects just to boost their powers, when these subjects persist in dying out when given the injection? Are there so many psychics floating around that the Division can afford to be so blase? Just seems so counterproductive. I also struggle with Nick, basically a nondescript dude (excepting the telekinesis) of seemingly average smarts, suddenly transforming into this master strategist. On top of that, his endgame plan (contingent on "What if nothing we did made any sense?") might be crafty but its onscreen execution is presented poorly. Also a let down was in the anticlimactic manner in which Cassie's premonition of her own death plays out.

The film drags in spots; I seriously felt all of its near two hours' running time. See, in an attempt to add texture, it indulges in too much back story and reels under the weight of its clunky mythology. And also too much dull exposition. A prime example of weak villain monologuing is Nick's conversation with Carver (with Nick's gun telekinetically pressed against Carver's skull). I saw how that was gonna go down as soon as Carver opened his yap.

I hope I can explain this right. I'm not sure what, but it seems to me that there's some necessary groundwork here that wasn't laid out. Also, with so many of the characters endowed with some abnormal aptitude or other, there's a diminishing of that sense of wonder. I dunno, maybe the flick could've used the perspective of a secondary character, some regular Joe, who gets all awed and freaked out by all the crazy going down. As it is, big whoopee, everyone's got a power. And, of course, there's that deux ex machina flavor factored in, too. The thing about introducing clairvoyance is that you then can get away with so many coincidences. Gotcher bones and muscles all scrunched up? Just wait for the stitch (healer) to show up; she'll be sent by someone who saw this coming years and years ago. It feels too convenient. At least, Cassie's knack, unlike her mini-skirt, isn't too revealing.

Part of the muddle concerns the ending, of which there isn't any, really. There's a sense of unfinished business, as the end credits roll up. PUSH has got the 'nads to already set up for the sequel, the plot of which will, in all likelihood, revolve around the springing of Cassie's mother (who is the world's most powerful watcher) from Division captivity. Sucker that I am, I like the core characters enough and the premise enough that I'll probably line up for it. It may not sound like it, but I do dig this genre. The frustrating thing being, that PUSH could've been better. And I won't even mention JUMPER.

Push, February 20, 2009
By Michael Zuffa (Racine, WI United States)

Nick (Evans) is a "mover" - someone who can move things with his mind. He meets up with Cassie (Fanning), a "watcher" - someone who can predict the future. She is trying to rescue her mother from the government, but as they try to piece things together, Kira (Belle) enters their lives. Kira is a "pusher" - someone who can influence others thoughts. She also had a relationship with Nick, and is the only person to survive a power "enhancement" drug that was administered to her by the sinister Company. Now, the Company is after her, and Nick and Kira must help her if they want to survive.

"Push" is a gritty looking superhero movie that is not based on any existing comic book (for a change). It is fast paced and rich in mythology. Evans, who has some experience in these types of movies, is credible as Nick. Fanning, who is great in any movie she appears in, can add action star to her resume. The story is full of backstory, but that does not slow down the almost nonstop action. The gritty look adds to the feel of the film, and works well. "Push" is a surprisingly good film, and I recommend checking it out.

Murder, She Wrote: The Complete Tenth Season

2009-07-05T14:09:00.001+07:00

Product Description
TV legend Angela Lansbury returns to her acclaimed and admired role as mystery writer Jessica Fletcher in all 21 entertaining episodes of Murder, She Wrote: The Complete Tenth Season. Loaded with the shocking surprises and clever storylines that fans of this 41-time Primetime Emmy® nominated and 16-time Golden Globe® nominated series have come to expect, this compelling season follows Jessica as she investigates crimes from the far reaches of the globe to her own doorstep in the sleepy town of Cabot Cove. With such amazing guest stars as Mickey Rooney, Tippi Hedren, David Warner, George Segal and Morgan Fairchild, each case is sure to keep you riveted until the final clue.

A Year of Surprises, April 5, 2009
By T.B. Grant (New York)

During the tenth season of "Murder She Wrote," a few personal surprises lurked around the corner for the show's star, and these issues would inevitably raise questions about whether the TV franchise would continue. For years, Angela Lansbury had been plagued with bouts of hip pain, thus resulting in surgery to help rectify the situation. But would this stop the actress? Absolutely not! The show must go on, as the saying goes, and Angela was quoted: "If I need a cane for the first few shows, the writers will just write it in."

But in November of 1994, the Lansbury family was devastated with the news that Angela's husband, Peter Shaw (may he rest in peace), had to undergo double bypass and heart valve replacement surgery.

The production of "Murder She Wrote" was shut down for three weeks so the family could be together during this time. In the end, however, Angela and Peter triumphed over those obstacles, and the show resumed filming for the its tenth season. The results are nothing if not rewarding.

Some of the seasons' highlights include the opener, "A Death in Hong Kong," where on-location scenery and a strong cast make this episode a success. In "A Virtual Murder," Jessica Fletcher and the viewing public are introduced to the fast-growing world of technology. Jessica learns first hand how murderous a virtual reality computer game can be. The 200th episode, "Bloodlines," reunites Angela Lansbury with one of her MGM co-stars from fifty years before: Mickey Rooney. This is a landmark episode in more ways than one. Set at London's Garrick Theatre, "White in Murder" creates a creepy atmosphere, on and off stage. Much like "White in Murder," the 213th episode, "The Dying Game," repeats the sinister setting, but this time in a department store where murder and death masks itself behind a mannequin. Whether or not the ending of the season bodes well with Cabot Cove fans, "Wheel of Death" sure makes its mark during a carnival event in the spring months in Maine.

(1) "A Death in Hong Kong" (Hong Kong)
(2) "For Whom the Ball Tolls" (New York City)
(3) "The Legacy of Borbey House" (Cabot Cove, Maine)
(4) "The Phantom Killer" (New York City)
(5) "A Virtual Murder" (Cabot Cove, Maine; Silicon Valley, California)
(6) "Bloodlines" (Near) (Phillipsburg, Virginia)
(7) "A Killing in Cork" (Kilcleer, Ireland)
(8) "Love and Hate in Cabot Cove" (Cabot Cove, Maine)
(9) "Murder at a Discount" (New York City)
(10)"Murder in White" (London, England)
(11)"Northern Explosion" (Dominion and Hobart Falls, British Columbia, Canada)
(12)"Proof in the Pudding" (New York City)
(13)"Portrait of Death" (New York City)
(14)"Deadly Assets" (Cabot Cove, Maine)
(15)"Murder on the Thirtieth Floor" (New York City)
(16)"Time to Die" (New York City)
(17)"The Dying Game" (New York City)
(18)"The Trouble with Seth" (Boston Massachusetts; Cabot Cove, Maine)
(19)"Roadkill" (Houston Texas; San Dimas, Texas)
(20)"A Murderous Muse" (New York City)
(21)"Wheel of Death" (Cabot Cove, Maine)

Knowing [Blu-ray] (2009)

2009-07-05T14:05:00.001+07:00

Nicolas Cage stars in this largely unsatisfying science-fiction tale that begins as a taut and spooky story concerning psychic legacies and ends up falling back on Steven Spielberg's old, cosmic playbook for default explanations about weird phenomena. Cage stars as astrophysicist and widower John Koestler, whose young son attends a school where a 50-year-old time capsule is dug up and opened. Koestler's son, Caleb (Chandler Canterbury), is given an envelope from the capsule containing a sheet of paper inscribed with seemingly-random numbers. Koestler interprets groupings of the numbers as prophesies (made in 1959) of disasters leading up to a globally catastrophic event late in 2009. Moreover, some of the later tragedies involve him or members of his family, suggesting the paper was meant to fall into his and Caleb's hands. That’s not the only freaky thing drawing father and son in a direction they really don't want to go. Among other things, a quartet of mute strangers keeps showing up with a powerful interest in Caleb's whereabouts, and the daughter and granddaughter of the little girl who originally scribbled those numbers in 1959 are under the shadow of a separate prediction of doom. Everything goes swimmingly until it's time for director Alex Proyas (The Crow) to begin tying up all the strings, and cliches start falling like rain. On the plus side, Knowing includes a couple of breathtaking scenes of calamity, the most horrifying (and realistic) of which is a jet crash the likes of which has never been committed to film. --Tom Keogh

Product Description
A college professor (Nicolas Cage) opens a time capsule that has been dug up at his son s elementary school. In it are some chilling accurate predictions of disasters... when, where, and how many will die. Most of these events must uncover the details of the next disasters in hopes of preventing them. If he fails, who knows how many will die?

Strictly By the Numbers, March 21, 2009
By Chris Pandolfi (Los Angeles, CA)

"Knowing" achieves a level of greatness so few science fiction films ever achieve. It's not merely an engaging mystery--it's a deeply thought-provoking fable that's just as frightening as it is intelligent, and it ultimately makes a statement so profound that I was left completely awestruck. I don't often have an experience like that at the movies, and for that, I'm indebted to director Alex Proyas and writers Ryne Douglas Pearson, Juliet Snowden, Stiles White, and Stewart Hazeldine. They've successfully crafted one of the year's most stimulating films, taking the audience on a suspenseful, emotional, and ultimately (albeit unconventionally) redemptive journey that poses interesting questions on the nature of things. A movie like this could have easily placed technical achievement over character development, and thankfully, that didn't happen; we care just as much about the people as we do about the spectacular special effects.

The story begins in 1959, when an elementary school class is asked to draw pictures of what the world will look like fifty years later. What they draw will be put into a time capsule, which will be reopened in the year 2009. Rather than draw a picture, the quiet, disturbed Lucinda Embry (Lara Robinson) writes out a series of numbers on both the front and the back of a piece of paper.

Flash forward to the present day. We meet an MIT astrophysics professor named John Koestler (Nicholas Cage), who teaches his students that two theories on the nature of the universe have been proposed. On the one side, we have the determinist view, which states that everything happens as the result of a predetermined--and more importantly, a predictable--sequence of events. How, for example, could the Earth be located at just the correct distance from the sun to sustain life? On the other side, we have the random view, which states that absolutely nothing can be predicted, that life, the universe, and everything happened as the result of cosmic coincidences. What exactly does Koestler believe? Here are some clues: His wife died some years earlier, and he's openly stated that the existence of Heaven can't be proven.

As it so happens, John's young son, Caleb (Chandler Canterbury), goes to the same school that Lucinda Embry attended fifty years earlier. The day comes when the time capsule is unearthed and opened, and lo and behold, Caleb gets the envelope containing the numbers Lucinda wrote. He then takes it home, thinking the numbers might mean something. John initially thinks nothing of it ... until he places his wet glass of hard liquor on it and leaves a ring. Was it a predetermined act or a random act that led to a ring being formed around very specific numbers (the significance of which I won't reveal)? More important, was it a predetermined act or a random act that landed Caleb with the page of numbers in the first place? While I won't say what the numbers refer to (and this is in spite of the many ads that give plenty of hints), I will say that what John discovers changes him forever, forcing to consider ideas he never thought he would be able to consider.

To describe more of the plot would do you and the film a great disservice. Much of the story thrives on an engrossing mystery that only gets more unsettling with every passing scene. Visual motifs, such as shiny black pebbles, burning landscapes, and silhouetted figures emerging from the forest add great psychological weight. The same can be said for a house so old and ramshackle that, under different circumstances, it would be mistaken as being haunted. It ties in wonderfully with the psychological states of the characters inhabiting it. John is a solemn, broken man, estranged from his father, often detached from his son, occasionally dependent on a bottle of alcohol to drown his sorrows. Caleb is expectedly precocious but surprisingly fragile, always yearning for that which has been lost somewhere along the way. For the first time in a great while, we have a story that can actually support such characters; were it not for the awesome nature of the final fifteen minutes, John and Caleb would be nothing more than melodramatic clichés.

There are two more characters of great importance. One is Lucinda Embry's daughter, Diana Wayland (Rose Byrne), who enters John's life in a way that reaffirms the notion that nothing happens randomly. The other is Diana's daughter, Abby (also played by Lara Robinson), who, like Caleb, has been contacted by the creepy silhouetted figures, eventually called the Whispering People. Watch John and Diana as they search through Lucinda's abandoned home in the middle of the woods--the fear they express is disturbingly convincing.

Like last summer's "The X-Files: I Want to Believe," "Knowing" is one of the best cinematic surprises of recent memory, a meaningful and absorbing allegory made with intention of challenging the audience in matters of spirituality. It's difficult to say whether or not this film takes a religious stance; that would depend on your own view of the nature of the universe. There are, however, a number of religious implications, the least subtle of which is revealed in the final shot. This might account for some early reviews, where words like "overwrought" and "preposterous" came up. From my perspective, those who feel that way have failed to look any deeper than what was presented in the ads, which only scratched the surface. Contrary to what trailers and TV spots have been promising, this is not your average science fiction thriller. Serious time, effort, and thought went into "Knowing," one of the best films I've seen so far this year.

12 Rounds [Blu-ray] (2009)

2009-07-01T20:04:00.002+07:00

Simply enough - it is John Cena in Blu, June 26, 2009
By Steve Kuehl "SLV Video" (Ben Lomond, CA)

A great deal of hate out there about his film, but once again the Blu product outshines the film and provides for an adequate package whether you rent it or purchase it. Our story of John Cena playing a superhuman cop in New Orleans is just that - cut and dry. I have read 10-15 paragraph reviews here about the plot, but I feel one sentence takes care of it - you know what to expect. Now for the fun stuff.

The picture quality was outstanding at times, average in others, but with the amount of CGI clean-up, action, explosions, and camera jitters I feel the only way to sufficiently see the details is in high definition. The sound is what makes this though. They mixed the bass heavily to the front channels, so even when I tested the DTS without the sub on - it still sounded excellent. I would almost have to say it is an excellent test for your subwoofer over the other films this year. I could not find any real faults in the DTS throughout, so finally a great mix on a no-brainer action film.

The special features are what give this 2.5 star film a 4.5 though. Yes, some (at times most) of the material is very egocentric and all about Cena - but I figure one would not be watching this otherwise. I will try to separate them in case one does not have the hours to invest in surfing through all that is offered here.

Cena-centric:
* The commentary on the unrated version with Cena and the writer (Kunka) is almost comical with how it is all about John, and nowhere near as informative unless you want to hear John talk about John.
* The Viral Videos, Hands and Helicopter; short spoofs where John tries to partake in comedic skits that are truly painful to watch.
* Round and Round; played on TV and other WWE products about John and Harlin mock interviewing each other.
* Crash Course (stunts); probably the most worthwhile featurette of this batch that contains the story behind the driving stunts and how awesome John's abilities are, with some bits on his personal collection of cool cars.
* Cena Gag-reel; John hamming it up on set.

Regular Featurettes:
* 12 Rounds; probably the one to watch if you want the overall feel of production logistics, interviews and such. Totals 20 minutes and grabs footage and various stuff from all of the other material.
* Streetcar crossing; my favorite. Had everything about the work it took to make the streetcar scene happen, filled with plenty of kudos to the New Orleans PD and everyone else who made a very difficult sequence happen in the busiest part of the city.
* Keeping score; for a select few that like the music info for action films.

The alternate endings were thankfully cut out (both total less than a minute and add/subtract a line or character). The unrated cut is only 2:45 minutes longer and had no earth-shattering differences.

Overall, a worthy package for his fans to buy and maybe a rental for those wanting to test their sound system, hope you enjoy.

Tons of Action!!!, March 31, 2009
By PUMPKIN MAN

This movie is filled to the brim with action, suspense, and violence! It's like they took Speed, Die Hard, Saw, 24, Max Payne, and Midnight Madness and mixed them all together to make this movie! Danny Fisher is thrust into a deadly game a year after he arrested an arms dealer named Miles Jackson. Miles kidnaps his girlfriend, and gives Danny 12 things to do. He must solve terrible puzzles, race against time, make sacrifices to save Molly. I love when he drove around in the fire truck, because my dad used to be a Fireman, until he retired. Will Danny stop the bad guy, and save his girl? I highly recommend 12 ROUNDS!!!

Flight 666 [Blu-ray] (2009)

2009-07-01T19:59:00.003+07:00

Product Description
FLIGHT 666 documents the first leg of Maiden's legendary SOMEWHERE BACK IN TIME WORLD TOUR which took them 50,000 miles round the planet playing 23 concerts on five continents in just 45 days. One of the stars of the movie is the band's customized Boeing 757, Ed Force One, which carried the band, all their crew and 12 tons of stage equipment and was piloted by Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson, a fully qualified and active Airline Captain with Astraeus Airlines.

Taking you on a visual global tour from Mumbai to Sydney, Tokyo to L.A., Mexico City to Costa Rica, Bogota to Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires and Santiago to New York and Toronto and places in-between, you travel with the band and crew on the plane, to and from shows, in the bar and during leisure time, while experiencing the exhaustion and fan pandemonium that comes with such a mission.

What do you know? It's a Maiden Documentary!, June 10, 2009
By Denzel Lockheart "Up the Irons" (Edmonton, Canada)

On January 30th 2008, Maiden embarked on the first leg of their most adventurous tour: the "Somewhere Back in Time" tour. Their means of transportation was a Boeing 757, which carried the band, the fans, and the crew, as well as up to 12 tons of stage equipment. The pilot? Vocalist Bruce Dickinson.

Flight 666 is an incredible documentary that documents the first leg of this adcenturous tour. Made by Samm Dunn and Scot McFadyen, the geniuses behind two other awesome documentaries, "Metal: A Headbanger's Journey" and "Global Metal", this film is a treat for all Maiden fans.

During the 112 minutes, we see the band travel from country to country, with some breathtaking shots of the plane flying, and some great footage of the band when they're NOT on stage too. We even get gootage of the band on the plane, having fun as usual. They do such things as go golfing, visit the Mexican pyramids, and much more too. Thbe band are their usual selves with their usual sense of humor, which is expected! Of course Nicko has his usual hilarity too!

The concert footage is flat out amazing. Real up-close-and-personal footage, it gets my blood pumping every time I think of it. No overdubs in the audio as well, and the great audio quality is enough to make you feel like you're at the concert. Watching this movie made me think back to when I saw them on the second leg of the tour, and what a magical night it was too.

In short, this movie is a must see for all Maiden fans, and all fans of good music in general. It's a must-own too! I own the blu-ray, and have already watched it 3 times! But you know the deal, 3 times is never enough... not even 1000 times is enough!

The Blu-Ray quality is stunning. The picture quality is the best Blu-Ray quality, no doubt. There is an added grain in some shots, but that is to add a dramatic documentary look. Everything looks AWESOME here. The concert footage is awesome, makes you feel like you're there. The sound quality is stunning too- the DTS HD audio is awesome, if you have your system hooked up properly you can feel the music as if you're at the concert! The bonus concert footage is awesome as well. You get the full songs, with footage of the cities the songs are performed in before the songs.

So do NOT miss this film, and especially do NOT miss this blu-ray release too!

First rate audio and video quality, band in top form., June 26, 2009
By R. Pagoulatos

If you are a fan of Iron Maiden, this is the biggest no-brainer in the history of mankind. Watching this concert in 1080P projected on a 133" screen is awe inspiring. The DTS-HD MA audio mix is appropriately aggressive and captures the band's sound perfectly. It definitely helps that the band is obviously having fun with the enthusiastic crowds, and are in fine form, especially vocalist Dickinson, who sounds effortless hitting all of his signature high notes throughout the set. I may be crazy, but he appears to have even better control of his voice now than on earlier concert films like the classic "Live After Death" when he was barely 26 years old (and theoretically in his prime!). Impressive indeed.

Drummer Nicko McBrain literally puts on a drum clinic on several songs, and the set provides some great angles of his playing, especially a particularly well edited segment of "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" which had my jaw on the floor. The guitar playing is also pretty great throughout, and surprisingly very tight considering there are 3 guitarists in the line-up. It's hard to pick "highlights" because the whole set is basically guitar riff heaven!

As others have stated, this is a great concert to introduce people to Iron Maiden. Oh, and there is also a pretty good documentary on the disk as well... ;)

The actual documentary is pretty light on content, and emphasizes fun moments more than shedding any real light on the inner workings of the band. I was ok with that, even as a pretty huge fan of Maiden since the 80's, but I can certainly understand where someone that wants to know what color underwear Steve Harris wears would be disappointed here. Ah well, you can't please everybody! And apparently there is a mountain of footage not used, so I'm sure we'll eventually see it released in a retrospective of some sort when the band gets to that point in their careers (10 years from now would be my guess).

But for now, I can't recommend this disk highly enough. Do not hesitate- even if you are only a casual fan- buy this NOW, especially if you have a good sound system and a 1080P display.

Stargate Atlantis: The Complete Fifth Season

2009-06-27T05:04:00.001+07:00

Stargate Atlantis got better with age!, April 17, 2009
By Marc Marsella

Stargate Atlantis entering it's 5th season was filled with a lot of suspense, action, drama, and even the good ol Stargte comedy like Rodney delivering Teyla's baby. The show had a solid first part with the brilliant special effects of "Daedalus Variations" and the heart-felt tear jerker "Ghost in the Machine" and "The Shrine". Our friendly or foe wraith Todd makes a great appearance in "The Queen" where Teyla goes through a transformations.

The mid-season 2 parter was epic with a special guest appearance by Michael Shanks to fufill his role as Daniel Jackson. If you are a SG-1 and SGA fan it was an epic episode with a shocking discovery.

As the 2nd half progresses we get epic eps like "The Prodgial" which features an epic scene with Sheppard, Michael, and Teyla fighting on the balcony outskirt of the city Atlantis. Another worthy nod was "Outsiders" which features another episode of the returned Carson Becektt and gives a classic SGA feel with the character interactions. Best line, Mckay: "It's not a volkswagon Carson". Also a shot out at "Remnants" which dives into 3 characters, Woolsey, Sheppard, and Mckay, and features a clever plot twist.

The 2nd half dragged a little with the fueled shipping and relationship of Mckeller. I think that was the only downfall to the season. It felt a little rushed and forced but was not overkill in the season.

The series ends with the last 2 eps. A CSI feel Atlantis taking place in Vegas, titled, um "Vegas". Cool and interesting music selections from Producer Robert Cooper featuring, "Marilyn Manson", "The Rolling Stones", and "Johnny Cash". A very unique episode that really captures the heart and personality of one John Sheppard.

The series/season finale was rushed because of MGM's decision to replace Atlantis with Stargate Universe. A lot of fans were upset because Atlantis was still performing very well in ratings. So the producers, with no slots in their eps, had to quickly come up with a 100ep/Season finale/Series Finale all in one. Did they do it? Well not all the way. It should of been a 2-parter for a lot of fans taste, but it was a very good episode. Felt more like a season finale.

Season 5 was not the best season, but it was up there. Now with a Stargate Atlantis movie in the works and scheduled for a 2010 release it should be interesting how they continue the story where Season 5 left off this past Winter.

They don't have a 4 1/2 option so I'll just give it 5 stars!

An interesting season, with a very good end, April 17, 2009
By M. Care (Maryland USA)

I just love how Stargate series usually end. They tie things up nicely, give you a really cool battle, and they don't kill off your favorite characters just to make a stupid point.

The season's arc was kind of disjointed and confusing. You will notice during this season that they are already cutting off the threads for some stories. Over all, the episodes show a little bit of character growth, especially in Woolsey, Rodney, and Sheppard. There is no big bad until the last two episodes. The big bads they do have this season are resolved quickly (for the most part).

I like the episodes with Daniel Jackson. Pairing him off with Rodney was an excellent choice.

I might want to add that the information above is inaccurate. Torri Higgison wasn't in the last two seasons as a regular. She was barely in Season 4, and wasn't at all in Season 5. They missed Robert Picardo who took over Amanda Tapping's role after she took over Torri's role.
Confused? We all are!!

They also forgot to credit the one the only Dr. McKay (David Hewlett). Like him or hate him, the man can evoke emotions in people. He also has a quirky sense of humor, which if you can get it, is hilarious. I highly recomment "A Dog's Breakfast" if you are a David Hewlett fan.

Still the series ended when it should have ended. There were already rumors of cast members leaving and going away. So now they don't have to kill them off in dumb ways.

Well the series does not tie off all of the threads. There is plenty of room for the movies which MGM is salivating over.

Entourage: The Complete Fifth Season (2009)

2009-06-27T04:53:00.001+07:00

Product Description
For Vince, Eric, Drama, and Turtle, life in Hollywood's fast lane can be an intoxicating ride. In Season Five, can the guys put the Medellin fiasco behind them and orchestrate a career comeback for Vince?

Keeps Me Jumping, January 26, 2009
By Roger P. Davis (Pearland, Texas)

I am 82 years old and this series has kept me jumping. The first three season were great, but the boys really hit their stride in the fourth season. The humor in this segment with Drama and Turtle is some of the best I have seen. The sub characters which are inserted from time to time are well cast. Dom and Billy come to mind. Outstanding in his ongoing role is Ari's secretary. I like the way in which Doug Ellin keeps two to three stories going within each segment, but ties them all together. The fast pace is a key element in holding your interest. I feel the best defined parts are Ari, Drama, Vince and Turtle. There is something lacking in E. I like him, but he needs to become less boyish. I hope I don't run out of steam before the series ends. How about another 7 or 8 years. If you guys will hang in I 'll certainly try. RD

Another Great Season - Watch All The Others As Well, January 5, 2009
By Darkness "Darkness" (Bklyn)

As a dedicated Entourage fan since season one, I am waiting anxiously for Season five to be released on dvd / blueray. Doug Ellin has crafted a masterful show, that keeps you coming back for more every week. My only gripe is that half hour the show runs goes by way too quickly, but is worth every minute. As always the guest stars were a plenty, from Martin Scorsese to Jamie Lynn Seigler. I have only high praise for the entire cast, as proven by Jeremy Pivens award winning performaces as best supporting actor in a comedy or drama.

Season six will premier druing the summer of 2009, and it can'tcome too soon. If you haven't watched Entourage before, buy the Seasons 1-4 box sets, sit back and enjoy. You'll watch then over and over just to make the time pass quickly until Season six airs.

Join the Entourage and learn to love livin the life.

Last Year at Marienbad (Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray] (1961)

2009-06-21T20:58:00.000+07:00

One of the most ferociously iconoclastic and experimental films of the French New Wave, Alain Resnais's 1961 feature, winner of the grand prize at that year's Venice Film Festival, is based on a script by Alain Robbe-Grillet. At its center is what seems to be a simple but unanswerable puzzle: Did its protagonist (Giorgio Albertazzi) have an affair the year before with a woman (Delphine Seyrig) he just met (or possibly re-met) at his hotel? The inquiry becomes an unsettling experiment in flattening the dimensions of past, present, and future so that any difference between them becomes meaningless, while Resnais's coldly formal but oddly dreamlike geometric compositions make space itself seem a function of subjective memory. Add to that Resnais's trademark tracking shots--long, smooth, a visual correlative of a wordless feeling--and this is a film that truly gets under the skin in almost inexplicable ways. One of the most influential works of its time. --Tom Keogh

Product Description
Not just a defining work of the French New Wave but one of the great, lasting mysteries of modern art, Alain Resnais’ epochal visual poem has been puzzling appreciative viewers for decades. A surreal fever dream, or perhaps a nightmare, Last Year at Marienbad (L’année dernière à Marienbad), written by the radical master of the New Novel, Alain Robbe-Grillet, gorgeously fuses the past with the present in telling its ambiguous tale of a man and a woman (Giorgio Albertazzi and Delphine Seyrig) who may or may not have met a year ago, perhaps at the very same cathedral-like, mirror-bedecked château they now find themselves wandering. Unforgettable in both its confounding details (gilded ceilings, diabolical parlor games, a loaded gun) and haunting scope, Resnais’ investigation into the nature of memory is disturbing, romantic, and maybe even a ghost story.

DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES: • New, restored high-definition digital transfer, supervised and approved by director Alain Resnais, with an uncompressed monaural soundtrack • New audio interview with Resnais • New documentary on the making of Last Year at Marienbad, featuring interviews with many of Resnais’ collaborators • New video interview with film scholar Ginette Vincendeau on the history of the film and its many mysteries • Two short documentaries by Resnais: Toute la mémoire du monde (1956) and Le chant du styrène (1958) • Theatrical trailer • Optional original, unrestored French soundtrack • New and improved subtitle translation • PLUS: A booklet featuring essays by critic Mark Polizzotti and film scholar François Thomas, and Alain Robbe-Grillet’s introduction to the published screenplay and comments on the film

Memory is imagination pinned down, March 1, 2005
By Tintin "tintin75" (Winchester, MA USA)

Last Year at Marienbad is a "love story," although not a "story" in the conventional narrative sense, since the fragmented images cannot be scanned chronologically. The "story" is not told rather it is described using a juxtaposition of physical images, through memories and associations, projected through a space-time continuum, which destroys both linear chronology and fixity. Resnais built a captivating puzzle-like film, a labyrinth, which at time resembles the optical illusions of Escher or the surreal world of Magritte. Any attempt to provide a satisfying chronology for the film would contradict the assumptions upon which it was built, as well as the manner in which it is presented.

Marienbad is a cine-roman, a cinematic novel, that is, a particular way to tell a story, which by definition involves space and time. It is not simultaneously a novel and a film, but it uses certain techniques of the novel and of the cinema. Resnais uses a variety of cinematographic techniques: the use of "atmosphere," or mise-en-scene, to provoke an emotional response on the audience's part; the use of "dream" sequences, flashbacks and flash forwards as they relate to imagistic or observational characterizations of a character's imagination; the use of visual and audio montages to disrupt the chronological time and replace the temporal and linear narration by his mise-en-scene's spaces. As a result, it is necessary to view each Resnais film completely in order to understand its structure and discourse. This is especially true for Marienbad, where a second and even a third viewing are necessary to fully appreciate the structure and the details.

Marienbad is lyrical, but by its framings, has the precision of a documentary, undermining the cinematographic writing and heralding the future films of Duras, Robbe-Grillet, or Jean-Luc Godard. Resnais uses extremely short scenes, with purposely too dark or over-exposed shots, obscure image flashes, shot with reframing that allow for the intrusion of characters. Certain scenes are repeated several times, with variants. At times, the actors' clothing changes in the same scene, resulting in blurring the distinctions between past, present, and future, reality and fantasy The fluid camera moves everywhere with unrestricted freedom, a character unto itself. The dialogues are in the form of leitmotifs. The secondary characters utter disjointed, repetitive bits of conversations, and have a strange tendency to freeze in mid-sentence, or even to speak without making a sound. All of these effects are mesmerizing, and contribute to destabilizing the viewer. The mystery is further sustained by the names of the characters, which are only initials.

Everything contributes to destroying chronology and setting an ambiguous mood. The music at the film's "beginning" is typically "end of film" music. Using staggered sound tracks of the narrator's (X's) voice after the music further enhances this impression. Through most of the film, the sound of a single organ, playing an excruciating music score mostly in a minor key which seems to have come from a horror film, accompanies the action. Minor keys conjure melancholy and insecurity. X and A, dancing a slow waltz whose music, instead of being joyful and exuberant, recalls Sibelius' Valse Triste, does not contribute in any way to lighten the mood.

Games are pervasive in this film, symbolizing destiny (dominoes), and also the domination of M (who plays poker with determination and coldness, successfully bluffing his adversaries). But the most notable game shown in the film is a variation of the game of Nim, which from the release of the film on became known as "the game of Marienbad." M haughtily announces "I could lose, but I always win." In this particular version of Nim, which is based on binary representation of the number of items in the game at any give time, the one who first starts the game cannot win against an experienced player, such as M. And M, who proposes the contests, always manages, under the cover of courtesy, to make his adversary begin the game.

The first theme of Marienbad is love, which does not require much explanation. X is or was in love with A (or was it with A? If not, then A will do), and A, as befits any beautiful woman, plays hard-to-get (or maybe she is not attracted by a bore such as X).

The second theme is Resnais' favorite: the elusiveness and subjectivity of memory, but also, its persistence and inescapability. As in Hiroshima Mon Amour, Resnais explores the effects of time and memory on the emotions of a pair of would-be lovers. In his hands, the time elements of memory, whether retrospective or prospective, find realization as cinematic images, which the author manipulates through editing, effusing a non-chronological structure to his work. In Marienbad, Resnais shows us the hotel, its corridors, its salons, and its garden, together taken as an explicit metaphor for the "mind," traveled by the roving camera, the "self" exploring its memory.

There are so many things to discover in Marienbad that, like the "story," the possibilities are endless. There are two possible ways of viewing this film. In the first, a Cartesian approach, the viewer will try to somehow impose a linear, rational structure and invariably will find the film difficult, if not totally incomprehensible. In the second way, the viewer will just let him or herself be carried away by the extraordinary images and the mise-en-scene, and he or she will find the film completely obvious. And the "bonus" resides in the fact that upon subsequent viewings, one can reassemble this puzzle-like film in as many different ways as one's imagination allows, making it each time a new viewing experience. Viewers in the first category will probably give the film a negative rating; those in the second category will give it a five-star rating. I give it a five star.

Waltz With Bashir (2008)

2009-06-21T20:56:00.001+07:00

Waltz with Bashir presents an intriguing riddle: is a documentary still a documentary if it's animated? Taking over where fact-based animations like Waking Life and Chicago 10 left off, Israel’s Ari Folman tries to wrap his head around 1982's Lebanon War (the title refers to Lebanese leader Bashir Gemayel). Why do disturbing dreams plague his former army colleagues, while he remembers nothing? Folman meets with nine of them to find out. As they speak, animators recreate their experiences, but instead of rotoscoping or video-capture, Folman first shot his film on video and then assembled an animated version from the resulting storyboards. This graphic-novel approach suits their strange, surrealistic stories and parallels the work of Black Hole's Charles Burns, who tends to walk on the shadowy side (as opposed to Marjane Satrapi's more fanciful Persepolis). War may be hell, but moments of grace and beauty shine through, best exemplified by Roni Dayag’s recollection of a late-night swim away from the scene of a beachfront battle. Decades later, he still remembers the soothing peacefulness of the water. These reminiscences nudge Folman's repressed memories back to the surface, culminating in a horrific massacre to which he bore witness. Arguably, he didn't need to include actual footage of the deceased when stylized graphics get the point across fine. If Waltz with Bashir isn't a documentary in the conventional sense, it doesn't resemble most animated efforts either. What matters more is the harrowing narrative he constructs from out of the minds of these haunted men. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

A New Kind of Documentary, February 23, 2009
By Amos Lassen (Little Rock, Arkansas)

"Waltz with Bashir"

A New Kind of Documentary

Amos Lassen

Israel's entry in the Oscar race gives a new definition of the genre of documentary film. The idea of an animated documentary may seem to be paradoxical to some but this may be a whole new way to present an idea. Basically, the film rakes place in a bar, an old friend tells "Bashir" director, Ari Folman, about a nightmare in which he is chased by 26 vicious dogs. The dream comes to him every night and the two men decide that there is a connection between the dream and their connection to an army mission during the war on Lebanon in the early 80's. Ari surprises his friend and himself when he realizes that he cannot remember anything about that period in his life. They decide to interview old friends and comrades all over the world in order to find out what really happened during that time and as Ari goes deeper into the matter and the mystery, his memory begins to return with surreal thoughts and images.
"Bashir" is a very disturbing look at war and its consequences on people and nations. It compares the atrocities of the Lebanon war to other wars as it mixes dream sequences with surrealism and real life events. The film thereby mixes reality with illusion. It is in your face and very powerful.
The event that is the center of the film is the massacre at Sabra and Shatila un which Palestinians were murdered by Christian Phalangists as revenge for the assassination of their leader, Bashir Gemayel. Although the Israelis did not participate, or perpetrate the killings, they did nothing to stop them. The animation in the film is seen over the recorded speech of actual participants in the '82 war.
Folman's journey of introspection begins with his lack of memory and it seems that all he and his fellow soldiers have left is their dreams. One of the former soldiers believes that the dream he has of the vicious dogs is subconscious punishment for his killing dogs on the mission. The film follows a stream of personal anecdotes and because much of these stories are dreams, Folman chose to tell them through animation with the exception of the final scene and this is the scene that gives justification for the film. Therefore the film has a feeling that is both evocative and down-to-earth. We see war as reprehensible and ugly and as the stuff that nightmares are made of. It is not about who won the war, who was right or who made mistakes. It is about how we, as people, react to war and how it affects people who are involved in it.
Primarily "Bashir" is about the trauma of conflict, memory and its repression but it is also about the specifics of Israel's role in the Lebanon war and about war in general as it is experienced by fighting men. It revels truth by taking the viewer back in time through the memories of people who witnessed it. It devastates as it reconstructs how and why innocent civilians were massacred because those with the power to stop what was going on did nothing. We do see that Israel is not without guilt in acts of passive genocide which goes against the Israeli response to what Hamas provokes.
From the very first frame of film the movie grabs the viewer and will not let him go even after the film is over. The movie cuts deeply by using images of youth and this brings what he says home. This is more than just a movie, it is a total experience that will probably change the views of many.

An Israeli Journalist's View, February 21, 2009
By The Book Doctor "The Book Doctor" (NY, USA)

This review was written by Israeli journalist Gideon Levy. Mr. Levy has reported on Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza for the newspaper Ha'aretz for many years.

Mr. Levy's point of view is one that you are not likely to hear anywhere in the US media, but it is a perspective that should be read to fully understand "Waltz With Bashir"

Ira "Madison Bill" Glunts

Gideon Levy / 'Antiwar' film Waltz with Bashir is nothing but charade
By Gideon Levy, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: israel news, walz with bashir

Everyone now has his fingers crossed for Ari Folman and all the creative artists behind "Waltz with Bashir" to win the Oscar on Sunday. A first Israeli Oscar? Why not?

However, it must also be noted that the film is infuriating, disturbing, outrageous and deceptive. It deserves an Oscar for the illustrations and animation - but a badge of shame for its message. It was not by accident that when he won the Golden Globe, Folman didn't even mention the war in Gaza, which was raging as he accepted the prestigious award. The images coming out of Gaza that day looked remarkably like those in Folman's film. But he was silent. So before we sing Folman's praises, which will of course be praise for us all, we would do well to remember that this is not an antiwar film, nor even a critical work about Israel as militarist and occupier. It is an act of fraud and deceit, intended to allow us to pat ourselves on the back, to tell us and the world how lovely we are.

Hollywood will be enraptured, Europe will cheer and the Israeli Foreign Ministry will send the movie and its makers around the world to show off the country's good side. But the truth is that it is propaganda. Stylish, sophisticated, gifted and tasteful - but propaganda. A new ambassador of culture will now join Amos Oz and A.B. Yehoshua, and he too will be considered fabulously enlightened - so different from the bloodthirsty soldiers at the checkpoints, the pilots who bomb residential neighborhoods, the artillerymen who shell women and children, and the combat engineers who rip up streets. Here, instead, is the opposite picture. Animated, too. Of enlightened, beautiful Israel, anguished and self-righteous, dancing a waltz, with and without Bashir. Why do we need propagandists, officers, commentators and spokespersons who will convey "information"? We have this waltz.
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The waltz rests on two ideological foundations. One is the "we shot and we cried" syndrome: Oh, how we wept, yet our hands did not spill this blood. Add to this a pinch of Holocaust memories, without which there is no proper Israeli self-preoccupation. And a dash of victimization - another absolutely essential ingredient in public discourse here - and voila! You have the deceptive portrait of Israel 2008, in words and pictures.

Folman took part in the Lebanon war of 1982, and two dozen years later remembered to make a movie about it. He is tormented. He goes back to his comrades-in-arms, gulps down shots of whiskey at a bar with one, smokes joints in Holland with another, wakes his therapist pal at first light and goes for another session to his shrink - all to free himself at long last from the nightmare that haunts him. And the nightmare is always ours, ours alone.

It is very convenient to make a film about the first, and now remote, Lebanon war: We already sent one of those, "Beaufort," to the Oscar competition. And it's even more convenient to focus specifically on Sabra and Chatila, the Beirut refugee camps.

Even way back, after the huge protest against the massacre perpetrated in those camps, there was always the declaration that, despite everything - including the green light given to our lackey, the Phalange, to execute the slaughter, and the fact that it all took place in Israeli-occupied territory - the cruel and brutal hands that shed blood are not our hands. Let us lift our voices in protest against all the savage Bashir-types we have known. And yes, a little against ourselves, too, for shutting our eyes, perhaps even showing encouragement. But no: That blood, that's not us. It's them, not us.

We have not yet made a movie about the other blood, which we have spilled and continue to allow to flow, from Jenin to Rafah - certainly not a movie that will get to the Oscars. And not by chance.

In "Waltz with Bashir" the soldiers of the world's most moral army sing out something like: "Lebanon, good morning. May you know no more grief. Let your dreams come true, your nightmares evaporate, your whole life be a blessing."

Nice, right? What other army has a song like this, and in the middle of a war, yet? Afterward they go on to sing that Lebanon is the "love of my life, the short life." And then the tank, from inside of which this lofty and enlightened singing emanates, crushes a car for starters, turning it into a smashed tin can, then pounds a residential building, threatening to topple it. That's how we are. Singing and wrecking. Where else will you find sensitive soldiers like these? It would really be preferable for them to shout with hoarse voices: Death to the Arabs!

I saw the "Waltz" twice. The first time was in a movie theater, and I was bowled over by the artistry. What style, what talent. The illustrations are perfect, the voices are authentic, the music adds so much. Even Ron Ben Yishai's half-missing finger is accurate. No detail is missed, no nuance blurred. All the heroes are heroes, superbly stylish, like Folman himself: articulate, trendy, up-to-date, left-wingers - so sensitive and intelligent.

Then I watched it again, at home, a few weeks later. This time I listened to the dialogue and grasped the message that emerges from behind the talent. I became more outraged from one minute to the next. This is an extraordinarily infuriating film precisely because it is done with so much talent. Art has been recruited here for an operation of deceit. The war has been painted with soft, caressing colors - as in comic books, you know. Even the blood is amazingly aesthetic, and suffering is not really suffering when it is drawn in lines. The soundtrack plays in the background, behind the drinks and the joints and the bars. The war's fomenters were mobilized for active service of self-astonishment and self-torment.

Boaz is devastated at having shot 26 stray dogs, and he remembers each of them. Now he is looking for "a therapist, a shrink, shiatsu, something." Poor Boaz. And poor Folman, too: He is devilishly unable to remember what happened during the massacre. "Movies are also psychotherapy" - that's the bit of free advice he gets. Sabra and Chatila? "To tell you the truth? It's not in my system." All in such up-to-the-minute Hebrew you could cry. After the actual encounter with Boaz in 2006, 24 years later, the "flash" arrives, the great flash that engendered the great movie.

One fellow comes to the war on the Love Boat, another flees it by swimming away. One sprinkles patchouli on himself, another eats a Spam omelet. The filmmaker-hero of "Waltz" remembers that summer with great sadness: It was exactly then that Yaeli dumped him. Between one thing and the other, they killed and destroyed indiscriminately. The commander watches porn videos in a Beirut villa, and even Ben Yishai has a place in Ba'abda, where one evening he downs half a glass of whiskey and phones Arik Sharon at the ranch and tells him about the massacre. And no one asks who these looted and plundered apartments belong to, damn it, or where their owners are and what our forces are doing in them in the first place. That is not part of the nightmare.

What's left is hallucination, a sea of fears, the hero confesses on the way to his therapist, who is quick to calm him and explains that the hero's interest in the massacre at the camps derives from a different massacre: from the camps from which his parents came. Bingo! How could we have missed it? It's not us at all, it's the Nazis, may their name and memory be obliterated. It's because of them that we are the way we are. "You have been cast in the role of the Nazi against your will," a different therapist says reassuringly, as though evoking Golda Meir's remark that we will never forgive the Arabs for making us what we are. What we are? The therapist says that we shone the lights, but "did not perpetrate the massacre." What a relief. Our clean hands are not part of the dirty work, no way.

And besides that, it wasn't us at all: How pleasant to see the cruelty of the other. The amputated limbs that the Phalange, may their name be obliterated, stuff into the formaldehyde bottles; the executions they perpetrate; the symbols they slash into the bodies of their victims. Look at them and look at us: We never do things like that.

When Ben Yishai enters the Beirut camps, he recalls scenes of the Warsaw ghetto. Suddenly he sees through the rubble a small hand and a curly-haired head, just like that of his daughter. "Stop the shooting, everybody go home," the commander, Amos, calls out through a megaphone in English. The massacre comes to an abrupt end. Cut.

Then, suddenly, the illustrations give way to the real shots of the horror of the women keening amid the ruins and the bodies. For the first time in the movie, we not only see real footage, but also the real victims. Not the ones who need a shrink and a drink to get over their experience, but those who remain bereaved for all time, homeless, limbless and crippled. No drink and no shrink can help them. And that is the first (and last) moment of truth and pain in "Waltz with Bashir."