Nutty Professor II: The Klumps [HD DVD]

Nutty 2 better than the original? I think so!
Nutty Professor 2 was one of the funniest movies this summer. It was definitely better and had a better story than the other fat suiyt comedy this year, Big Mamma's House. This one is better because we get more of Eddie at what he does best and we get Janet Jackson, who lights up the screen with her presence. Granny Klump is the best. She makes you laugh every time you see her. Great movie! Funny movie! Excellent Characters! Get it now!

The Klumps Uncensored/ Censored-There isn't mush difference
Nutty Professor II was a funny movie, I own the DVD. When I saw that they had an uncensored version I was excited to see what was considered too racey for to the version that was in the theaters. I was very disappointed. There aren't any extra scenes. Just a few more lines from about 3 of the characters, which does not make much of a difference in the movie. As far as the Extra Features...I was looking forward to seeing Janet Jackson's screen test. BIG disappointment. They just show the wardrobe test of Janet in Mama's hug wedding dress. I was expecting to see Janet basically auditioning, reading for the part of Denise Gaines. Dont get me wrong i Loved Nutty Professor II and I am I huge Janet Jackson fan, but I would suggest that you either get one version (Censored or Uncensored) or the other. There is no reason to have both. Also check the running time of both movie. the Uncensored version is only 2 minutes longer, so that should tell you how much of a difference there is...

Pretty Good Movie. The Uncensored Version Is The Same Thing
WARNING! MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS! READ WITH CAUTION! YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!!!!!!

O.K. I really like Nutty Proffesor 2 The Klumps. If you get past some of the sex jokes (some which aren't even funny) and the sick, perverted things (a hampster raping Dean Richmend) you'll find yourself laughing pretty darn hard. I'll admit it is pretty funny. Not really like Airplane! but good for a few laughs.

Since I'm sure you've seen other reviews that tell you the plot I'm not going to even bother. Instead, I'll tell you what I think of this Uncensored Director's Cut.

First off, I own the reqular version on VHS, and I was quite happy with it, but when I saw the Ucensored DVD, WOW!!! I got excited. Imagine what could have been considered to Rated-R-ish, and was cut out!!!! There might be some pretty funny stuff in there!!! I got the DVD, and unwrapped the plastic and put the disk in my DVD player. Oh, I was so prepared to get blown away, the same way I got blown away with the Extended...

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The Long Weekend

Rent only if you like gross humor
You know I expected so much more from the creators of "American pie". That was at least funny. I personally do not think watching a woman wipe semen off of her leg and then gargleing it. Or listening to a guy who is sitting on the can with diarreha funny! And that pretty well sums up this movie. If you like the aforementioned stuff in your movies, then knock your socks off and rent. If however, you are like me then you would do best to avoid this. Try super bad. That one was good as well. this one not so good.

crude humor
this is disgusting. if you are into crude humor, this is for you. it is really feral. though the end few minutes are ok. Brenden f was good. chris kline is his usual devoid of talent.

O Brother, where are thy?
A funny comedy of 20+ brothers, full of life, sexual desire, nice to watch at.

You will like it, surely, as I did watching during a long weekend yesterday.

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The Big Bad Swim

Jump into "The Big Bad Swim"
A community pool in Connecticut is the setting for this "under the radar" film
which is charming, funny,entertaining, and appealing. Although it won prizes
in major film festivals, The Big Bad Swim was not widely released to theatres
across America, but was distributed in DVD form, and selectively shown.

It is unfortunate that The Big Bad Swim never had the marketing muscle of a Hollywood
release, considering how many sinkers Hollywood HAS released this year.
The Big Bad Swim, a genuinely good independent film, has to swim upstream on its own.

In "The Big Bad Swim," actress Paget Brewster is endearing and believable as Amy, the
wired-to-breaking point math teacher who loses her husband and is about to also
lose her job, but then ends up taking a gamble on a new life. TV soap actor Jeff Branson--
who is HOT-- plays Noah, the earnest, vulnerable swim teacher who goes the extra pool
length to help his students...

A Story on a very human scale....
The premise for 2006's "The Big Bad Swim" is an adult swim class at a pool in Connecticut, at which a young instructor tries to help the members of the class overcome their respective fears of the water. Away from the pool, the camera will follow the instructor and two of the students as they work through personal challenges, the resolution of which ultimately loop back through the class.

The movie portrays a very human-scale story. There are no car chases, murders, or extraordinary events, just people working through disappointments, divorces, deadend jobs, and second chances. Jeff Branson is the swimming instructor, an earnest young man trying to deal with a significant disappointment, the nature of which is not immediately revealed. His heart is in the right place, and we cannot help but root for his success. Paget Brewster plays a high school teacher going through a painful divorce and trying to restart her life. A chance friendship made at the class leads to new...

See it!
Funny, warm hearted comedy. Excellent cast. See it! (And don't be put off by the misguided cover art)

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Jane Eyre (Cliffs Notes Version)

Overall Best film version of JANE EYRE
I've been having a "Jane Eyre-athon." There are many good versions of this gothic story of the fight between worldliness and virtue. Many have one really outstanding element, but this version, with Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine remains overall the best. Like most, it eliminates much of the second half of the book, which is the really important part for Bronte, who is one of the finest religious thinkers of her age. There are so many bests in this version, it will always be hard to top for getting Bronte right.

This version was shot when black and white filmmaking was at it's best, and Fox was known as the best at noir/gothic, with velvety blacks, and really crisp lighting and shading. One thing that helps this film be better is that it has the best script (by Huxley, Stevenson and Houseman). The script transitions well, and really captures the major emotional elements of the story. This version also has the best child Jane (Peggy Ann Gardner). I agree with many...

A Romantic Gothic Classic Brought Vividly To Life On The Big Screen
I was induced to read Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre," a beloved literary classic, at the relatively early age of eleven - all because I saw this movie. I stayed-up late on a Saturday night, with my favorite aunt as company, and we watched the 1944 version of Jane Eyre, with Jane Fontaine and Orson Welles, on TV. At the conclusion, I noticed I had cried my way through a box of tissues and had become a fan forever. The next day I visited the library. Although I have seen three or four cinematic interpretations of "Jane Eyre" since that time, Director Robert Stevenson's production, co-written for the screen by Aldous Huxley, John Houseman, and Mr. Stevenson is by far my favorite. The writers and director remained faithful to Miss Bronte's magnificent work and brought this darkly gothic drama to life on the big screen. Filmed in black and white, using noir techniques from the German Expressionist school, (chiaroscuro lighting, surrealistic settings, etc.), the movie's gothic nature is...

Do not miss this film!
Yes, this movie is perfect. I have seen this film more than a few times and it never ceases to amaze me and it leaves me with a sense of complete joy when the viewing is over. Infact I have been found to rewind it right after i just got through watching it. The flick start with Jane Eye as a child who has to endure a torturous aunt and is forced to leave to a cruel and harsh boarding school wher she witnessess her classmates death. As the years past she matures into a demure lady who seeks employment out side of the school as a governess and is hired by Mr. Rodchester (Welles). Welles plays Rodchester in such an all out full on bravado that you never question while Fontaine as Eyre falls in love with him! As she setteles into the house as governess she learns that things are not as they seem! The shadows in the house seem to be alive! One night Eyre is awakend by the stir of footsteps and she soon finds Mr. Rodchester's bed ablaze! After the fire is out, one of the most romantic...

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Sesame Street - Ready for School!

Ready for School!
I just watched this with my 3 year old who will be going to school in a couple of months. This was GREAT!! He got to see classrooms, real and storybook, and learn about Teachers. He was so excited after watching, he asked when he was going to school!!

Good one!
My daughter really enjoys this DVD (especially the 'bonus' feature of Abby's First Day of School). She had trouble adjusting to pre-school, and I really believe this video has helped her in a positive way!

my 3 yr old worships this!
my 3 yr old son thinks this is HILARIOUS! judge this by what your child thinks, it's all my son wanted to see on tv for weeks.
and because of that...i highly recommend it.

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The Saddle Club, Vol. 2: Storm at Pine Hollow

Saddle Club DVD
My daughter loves Saddle Club! We are outside the US right now and it is great for her to be able to have her favorite show on hand.

grandchild pleased with video
the movie arrived promptly and in good shape. i'm very pleased with the service. thanks.



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Harum Scarum

Elvis' B Movie Classic
I avoided this film for years, mainly because it simply looked too embarrassing to sit through as a fan of the King. Since it was included among the newest wave of Elvis dvds, I finally decided to give it a chance.

It didn't surprise me to find that, as a meaningful film, it is arguably among Elvis' worst. The premise is silly, the leading lady (Mary Ann Mobley) has little to do (and little screentime with the King), and the whole thing is pretty hard to take seriously. But then, considering that much of Elvis' film canon was pretty lightweight anyway, it's hard to imagine anyone going into this expecting a meaningful film.

What is left is an Elvis movie that works surprisingly well as a campy B movie. In fact, if it had been released as an MGM dvd, it would've fit well into their (highly entertaining) Midnite Movies line. For starters, while shot using some of the old King of Kings sets, you almost expect to see Kirk and Spock beam in at any moment...

Elvis VS Ali Baba
Ok, this is definitely NOT one of "the King's" better films, but I still enjoyed it. I originally saw it when I saw six years old and loved it because Elvis was fighting with a sword...and frankly that's probably still the best aspect of this movie. Elvis demonstrates some of his modest Karate talents as well. He was a Black Belt believe it or not but in reality Bruce Lee would probably have cleaned his clock. Before you buy "Harum (sic) Scarum" be warned that this is also one of the two WEIRDEST Elvis movies ever made (the other one being "Easy Come Easy Go" where he plays a frogman and sings about Yoga.) The songs in "Harum Scarum" are not among his best...however if you watch carefully it looks like Elvis was having fun in this movie. He probably had a blast running around this old C.B.deMille movie set killing assassins with karate and saber. So, if you buy "Harum Scarum" remember...the movie is pretty bad, the songs mediocre, but the fun level is pretty darned high...

Elvis and Miss America in a world of Arabian Nights fantasy
HARUM SCARUM is a colourful excursion into fantasy and music, as Elvis Presley plays an action film star, who gets lost in a world of Arabian Nights-esque intrigue. Former "Miss America" Mary Ann Mobley plays his seven-veiled princess.

This is a fun romp, along the same lines as the "Road To..." movies, and Elvis completely throws himself into the proceedings. Mary Ann Mobley is a stunning love interest and the production values are quite lavish (this film was actually shot on the old sets used for Cecil B. DeMille's "King of Kings" in 1925). With Fran Jeffries, Michael Ansara, Billy Barty and Jay Novello.

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My Wife and My Dead Wife

If only I could give negative stars...
To compare this film to Hitchcock is like comparing Jennifer Aniston's acting skills to Meryl Streep's, although Jennifer's acting is much better than the actors in this film. There went an hour and 22 minutes of my life I can never get back...

So bad.
To say this low-budget film is similar to Hitchcock's work is an insult to the master director. Watch it and form your own opinion, but prepare to be disappointed.

DEAD ON ARRIVAL
I had high expectations for MY WIFE AND MY DEAD WIFE, especially after reading some of the reviews. Now, I don't know what movie they saw, because this film wasn't worthy of five stars or four or even three. The best I can say was the DVD packaging was impressive. The artwork was eerie and colorful and had absolutely nothing to do with the plot. That was the good point. The disc itself was bad, it had no menu and when you tried to access it, the disc did funky things that made me think my DVD player was about to give up the ghost (yes, a bad pun). No chapter selections, no captions. It plays straight through. For the expensive price, they should've at least had a menu to access.

Then, there was the acting. It was terrible. The lead actor was horribly miscast. He was wooden and seemed to walk through his lines. I couldn't picture him lost in passion for anyone and that was a major point of the story, what little there was of it. The plot was never really fleshed out. Couple...

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Extreme Challenge

"When these clowns lose, they can always find a job in the circus"
"Extreme Challenge" qualifies as one of the most generic, take-it-or-leave-it Hong Kong martial arts features ever produced. It's a movie made for viewers who want hand-to-hand action and not much else. Forget the plot and acting, almost entirely, and consider this one no further unless you live for kung fu.

The story: a nationwide martial arts tournament is sponsored by a manipulative online corporation looking for a new representative. Among the participants is a young woman determined to prove her skill (Pink Power Ranger Patricia Lee, Turbo thru Lost Galaxy), a returning champion poised to choose between pride and family (Paul Rapovski, Son of the Dragon), and an aspiring competitor with an unbreakable sense of honor (Ken Chang,...





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America's Funniest Comics 3 (Full)

Ehhhhhhh
I didn't lik this comey volume , the dvd skips and and it just wasnt as funny ast vol 1,

JAMIE FOXX
GOT ALL OF THEM THAT CAME OUT AND IT WAS WORTH IT ... IF YOU NEED A GOOD LAUGH, THEN THESE AMERICA'S FUNNIEST IS THE WAY TO GO!!!!

static
Something is wrong with the DVD. For some reason it skips and stops on it's own. I can't play past it. I couldn't do anything with it. I tried just fast forwarding through the part but it wouldn't allow it.

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Iwo Jima: 36 Days of Hell - The True Story

This isn't fries with Ketchup!
This is a movie that should be required viewing for every congressman , company CEO and citizen. American has forgotten , with the advent of the credit card and buy as you please,the sacrifice of prior generations. This movie is complete in its story line and brings home the reality of war through interviews and footage. I hightly recommend that you buy ( I am not a seller) and share this with all that you can , where you can. You will find it inspiring for all who view. I have bought many copies of this movie and it never fails that I run across someone who needs its message. Just remember to keep for yourself and your family. Buy it, Watch it, Recommend it, Share it!!!!

A Story to Tell
There is present a most difficult accomplishment that US Armed Forces are credited with in the successful action hereby acknowledged as Iwo Jima:The True Story.The two DVD set states that in the storied history of the United States Marine Core there were during World War II a total of 81 Medals of Honor awarded to Marine Core Service men and of those 81 Medals awarded to the Marine Core 27 were awarded to Marines on Iwo Jima.This very difficult perhaps even most difficult conquest cost US Armed Forces a greater total number of casualities than it did the Empire of Japan.The Japanese had constructed a interlinked series of tunnels that one opinion suggested that these underground tunnels were as much as 4 and 5 stories deep,that is entirely underground and nowhere to be scene.This desolate looking barren landscape was a virtual killing ground of mole hill to mole hill,pill box to pill box,bunker to bunker.The proximity of this island of molten ash and rock was unavoidable with its...



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New Orleans: Music in Exile

The Gumbo Seeps Into the Chili
Hurricane Katrina destroyed not only large parts of the city of New Orleans but it also came very close to destroying its musical and cultural heritage. Robert Mugge's local documentary New Orleans Music in Exile explores this phenomena.

Made up of interviews with many of the musicians who were forced out of their homes and into foreign cities, the documentary showcases the talent that made New Orleans a vibrant place more than a mere brand name. The artists involve make this film feel local. Its a different feeling than one got watching Spike Lee's excellent documentary When the Levees Broke. Possibly because the persons interviewed were known to me it seemed more immediate more tragic. If the City is to live again its up to the powers that be to bring all of the people of New Orleans back home.

In the film we get stories from Dr. John, Irma Thomas, Cyril Neville, Kermit Ruffins and others who have been forced to make their lives in different places from Memphis...

New Orleans' Excellent Artists Share Music and Views
10/23/10 "Where You At" vs "What's Dat" is the central theme of this excellent DVD of "New Orleans, Music In Exile"..Totally excellent in all its info about :its neighborhoods(the "wards"),:its culture(which defined itself ethnically and culturally): its spirit(developed via spirituality), :and explanation of its "When The Saints Come Marching In" Procession ("which is not coincidentally as much about "the requiem", as actually about the "repas") and :the many great talents,some of whom have already returned ,which caused New Orleans' mayor to say to the states ,cities, towns outside of New Orleans after 'hurricane Katrina',:"You only have our musicians on loan until we bring them back home to New Orleans".10/23/10 abj



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The Bourne Identity [HD DVD]

Jason's not paranoid, he's just in a tough spot.
I'll be honest, I haven't read the Robert Ludlum novel, nor do I remember seeing the original film staring Richard Chamberlain and Jaclyn Smith. So I'm not able to point out differences or inconsistencies, if indeed there are any. Having said that, I can't imagine its predecessors topping Doug Liman's version of "The Bourne Identity." This is the sort of film I like to watch pretty often and each time I find something new to enjoy.

The plot, while nothing very original, provides a useful framework around which we get to enjoy some of the most believable action sequences I've seen. Let's face it, an assassin suffering from amnesia is not going to lead a dull life, particularly not after his "friends" decide he's gone rogue. There's only so many ways you can film stunts and action sequences like a car chase but Liman has managed to somehow make the many action scenes seem fresh. I particularly liked seeing what looked like a mini-minor out driving the police using skill and...

Fool me once, shame on yoUniversal Studios
First, I rate the MOVIE Bourne Identity and the older Collector's Edition DVD both as 5-star. I expected the Extended Edition DVD to include all in the older Collector's Edition DVD AND MORE. What you get with the Extended Edition DVD is a FREE TICKET (EXPIRES AUGUST 8th) to MOVIE Bourne Supremacy and a weaker DVD release that is largely a promotion for the new movie.

What you LOSE (Extended Edition DVD versus Collector's Edition DVD):

an extended farmhouse scene; DTS sound; Doug Liman's informative Director's Commentary track.

What you DO NOT GAIN (Extended Edition DVD versus Collector's Edition DVD):

the SAME alternate ending IN ROUGH, GRAINY QUALITY as in the deleted scenes of the Collector's Edition; the SAME deleted/extended scenes (except for the ADDED alternate beginning noted below and the OMITTED farmhouse scene noted above); the SAME Extreme Ways music video by Moby and the SAME DVD-ROM access to web site; no featurette whatsoever...

A skillfully made thriller
THE BOURNE IDENTITY is a tightly conceived, well directed, well photographed and particularly well acted suspense thriller loosely based on the Robert Ludlum best seller. True, many liberties have been taken from the novel, but when you take the time to note that Ludlum himself is the producer, then all arguments are off. Matt Damon and Franka Potente are terrific as the amnesiac agent and his 'only friend' who helps him escape a mad and endless chase from multiple groups of would be assassins. The characters are well developed - Damon gives one of his better perfomances, doing most of his stunt work himself while Potente continues to prove she is an actress worth watching. The supporting cast of such fine actors as Chris Cooper, Brian Cox, etc help propel this movie along. Outside of the French Connection this is one of the best car chases ever filmed - gratefully without the now-boring background of explosions and destruction. In all a fine film that is delivered on DVD with...

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Kissin' Cousins

A true feel good movie!
I am a middle aged woman that enjoys movies that are funny but not tasteless. This is a movie I would let any young person watch and not worry about it spoiling their minds. It was quite enjoyable for me.
Thank you

Love this movie!!!
Love the movie as I watched it I reminiced about when I was a little girl watching it with my mom...about 17-19 years ago and I still remember all the songs (hadn't seen the movie for about 17 years give or take a few

Kissin' Cousins
I enjoy this movie every time I watch it. I have been viewing it since it first came out many years ago. It's one of those movies that the whole family can watch and enjoy.
Today you can be an idiot and become a movie star. You don't have to do much but use four letter words at the right time. Those people that aren't very bright or don't have a very good hold on the language can be a movie star. The era that this movie of Kissin Cousins was made there were many Academy Award movies that did not use vulger language in them. It seems stupidity reigns supreme today. Thanks.

John

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I Think I Love My Wife

Funny and Thoughtful
Marriage is a wonderful thing. Very few things will make you feel like you're on the top of the world then having a wife and kids to take care of. The problem with marriage is that at one point it's going to get old, and you'll wake up one morning and wonder if you made the right choice or not. This is the situation Richard Cooper (Chris Rock) finds himself in at the beginning of "I Think I Love My Wife." He opens the movie describing the great life he has. He has a beautiful wife, two wonderful kids, and a job that pays well. There's just one problem: He's bored out of his %&#^!^@ mind! He and his wife, Brenda (Gina Torres), used to have sex all the time. Nowadays though there is always an excuse to not have sex. Either it's not his birthday, she doesn't feel like it, or her face hurts.

Whatever the reason is, the two aren't as romantically involved as Richard would like them to be, and with so much temptation in the world, Richard is finding it hard to stay...

Forbidden Fruit vs the old staple
This is a movie I saw in the video store with my dad and we both together had to pick out a movie and he wasn't interested but alone I wanted to see it. I am glad I watched it. It was the type of situation that MANY MANY people find themselves in. The case of the "emotional affair" which generally can make you feel just as guilty because your mind is focused in another direction. I throughly enjoyed this flick because I understand the concept of the movie fully as well as love Chris Rock. I wasn't sure which girl I was rooting for. Both were beautiful and had positive qualities but I thought he had more chemistry with Nikki and in a movie.....thats what you want to see.....Age old question....happiness or morality and can you be happy and married at the same time???? Marriage has it's ups and downs and this demonstrates that lull that can occur after being married for 7 or 8 years and that you can get yourself out of it with communication and loyalty. I always like Steve Buschemi so I...

Seriously uneven, should have been better...
Been there, done that. Thus I found myself laughing at Chris' rants about his sexless marriage and frustration at not being able bring himself to cross the infidelity picket line. What I don't understand is why was Gina Torres cast as Rock's spouse? Most of the time Torres' acting came across as awkward, deer-in-headlights, and just plain hack. On the flip, Kerry Washington went all out, playing the innocent but seductive 'I could have you if I wanted to' role to the tee. She is the hands-down star of the film. Kind of made me wonder if she had homewrecking experience first-hand!(lol) She easily upstaged both Rock and Torres, to the detriment of the film unfortunately. Torres' miscastment and the overall ploddingness of the script hurt the quality of the film as well. Its disappointing because I'm a fan of both Rock and Torres and expected better from them. And what was up with that horribly lip-synched Rick James and Teena Marie duet? Straight trifling! Chris Rock won't attain Will...

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Kiss the Girls (1997) / The Gift (2001) (Double Feature)

J.Webb
Good service & both movies are good movies. I would not let children under the age of 16 watch them. "The Gift" involves the occult.





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Unaccompanied Minors

Unaccompanied Minors
Unaccompanied Minors

It's Christmas Eve and there's a blizzard that shuts down an airport stranding onboard travelers. Spencer (Dylan Christopher) and his sister Katherine (Dominique Saldana) are stuck in an Unaccompanied Minors room for the holiday instead of spending it with their Father. In the UMS room, there a group of kids (including Spencer) that keep trying to get out of the room get into even more trouble. While those kids are being chased around the airport by security, the Unaccompanied Minors that were still in the room (including Katherine) get taken over to a hotel right behind the airport. Spencer and the others decide to put aside their differences and work together to get out of the airport so Spencer can get to his sister before she finds out Santa didn't bring her any Christmas presents. Will Spencer be able to reach his sister before Christmas morning?

I loved this movie because it's hilarious and adventurous. It makes you want to laugh...

Unaccompanied Minors Movie Review
Let's face it, there is a subgenre of family films that prepubescents absolutely love, the one where the kids outsmart the evil, bumbling adults. Every generation has had them, from `The Little Rascals' to one of my personal childhood favorites, `The Goonies'. `Unaccompanied Minors' is yet another entry into this subgenre, sure to excite children into being even more wild and uncontrollable as we approach this holiday season.
Part `Home Alone', part `The Great Escape', `Unaccompanied Minors' mixes elements from the two, but puts them on the ultimate sugar rush. When a blizzard hits the Midwest all flights are grounded on Christmas Eve, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded, most notably the `Unaccompanied Minors'.

So what do you do with a bunch of rowdy, sugar filled, and parentless rug rats? Well if you are a grumpy, "Scrooge-like" airport manager played by stand up comedian Louis Black, you lock them in a basement and put Fez (Wilmer Valderrama) from `That 70's...

surprisingly funny
My kids picked this to watch and I expected to be quickly asleep. But I actually found it fairly humorous.

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Chaos

Complex and beautiful.
Chaos (Hideo Nakata, 2001)

Hideo Nakata, by far best-known in the west for the ultra-smash hit film Ringu, departs from the horror films that have paid his way for the past few years and delves into the straight mystery. It probably helps that the same production team who produced one of Japan's finest mystery films, Cure, was in on this one as well.

Komiyama (Ken Mitsuishi of Malick's The Thin Red Line), an executive at a generic company, has lunch with his wife Saori (Miki Nakatani, seen recently in Ringu). She disappears while he's paying the bill. He goes back to the office to a telephone call from someone (Masato Hagiwara, the Hannibal Lecter-like villain of Cure) saying his wife has been kidnapped. To say things go wrong from that point on, both for Komiyana and the kidnapper, would be an understatement.

While the trailer reveals far more than this, best to leave it there. The plot spoilers start less than fifteen minutes into the movie, and you're best off going into it...

Brilliant--once you understand it
Great movie about love and deception, but confusing the first time around. The story is not told in chronological order, and to add to the confusion there are the similar-sounding names of two characters, (Saori and Satomi) names that are unfamiliar to Western ears and some characters who were only on screen for a short while. I won't give away the plot, but when you finally realize what's going on, it's brilliant! I had to watch Chaos more than once to get the full picture, buy it was well worth it!

great oriental thriller...
a sexy, mind bending thriller-a film that starts out pretty straight forward and then throws you 360 degrees.

Fairly tame as to the sex and violence compared to American thrillers, but that, IMO, makes the film more enjoyable-you need to use your brain instead of being clubbed in the head with gratatious imagery. You'll need to pay attention to this one if you hope to keep up.

A surprising ending but one appropriate for a Japanese film-known for their moralizing undertones. A enjoyable, thought provoking movie. 4 stars.

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Super Silly Fiesta

Super Silly Fun!
My daughter loves this DVD. Even though it contains most of the episodes she's already seen on TV, it still seems to hold her interest because she is such a big Dora fan. The opening menu is pretty annoying because there are 2 menus to get through (or WAIT through) before it actually begins playing. But if you wait long enough you don't even have to use your remote (which is a lifesaver when your toddler wants to watch it NOW and you are busy!). I hope they come out with more Dora DVDs for our collection!

Dora Zombie
My 2 year old daughter LOVES Dora. She watches this DVD every day, several times a day. If you have a Dora Addict at home, he/she will love this one. I hear my daughter say, Mommie Dora, i say "Oh Man!" LOL. Great disc.

Dora the Explorer-Super Silly Fiesta
My Grandchildren love this dvd. They watch it over and over and over and that's not an exageration (that's in one day). They bring it to our house when they come to stay and we watch it time and time again. They interact with it. My Granddaughter is only 2 years old and she can follow the whole dvd. I's been a great teaching aid for both of them.

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Blue's Clues: Blue Talks

Good buy!
My son loves Blue, this was a great DVD for him! DVD Came in new condition, plays great my son loves it!





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Pathfinder

Interesting premise but what they end up doing with it is rather disappointing
The historical question is not whether the Vikings came to North America but rather how far South they came once they made it to Vinland (a Norse settlement has been found on the island of Newfoundland). There must have been interactions between the Norsemen and the "skr

3 Doors Down - Away From The Sun (SuperDisc DVD)

3 DOORS DOWN -- 5 STARS UP
This is one of the finest concerts since the new millennium! 3 Doors Down are unquestionably one of the U.S.'s best straight-ahead-rock-and-roll bands. The band is tight, no-nonsense, a true powerhouse. Incredible musicianship and energy from each individual player... live, they are truly electrifying. The production values on this DVD are top notch. I always think live music is the purest and best experience one can have, and I always love a great concert by a great artist/band where the audience is going bananas... that's as good as it gets.

Darn Fine.
This dvd is pretty awesome. And the fact it plays in Oz players better! The sound is amazing! I remember the show i went to and mate was this just as good if not better you can choose to be up front or on the stage, and the choices they have to hear it! MM has got a good thing going here! Its so good they were promoting it in australia! Now thats good! lol

Another good thing, i'm in my car a lot and I can download the files as MP3's to my mp3 player and can listen to it when ever i want in just as good quality, surrond sound no less!

I love it and I hope you'll choose to experience the quality and aweseomeness that is Monster music and 3 doors down m/

Totally rocks
This dvd is awesome. It makes you feel like your there in person.

its a must have for any 3DD fan. You won't be disappointed.

it's worth EVERY penny, trust me! if you've ever seen them live you know they rock and if you haven't! well, then all the more reason to buy this dvd!!!

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Roads to Koktebel

Youthful dreams and desperate realities . . .
This Russian road movie finds a father and 11-year-old son traveling hundreds of miles on foot from Moscow to a village on the Black Sea. The pace is slow and hypnotic; the situation is unpromising. They are out of money and the season is turning gradually toward winter. The storyline itself is elliptical and relies little if it at all on exposition. We simply watch as the two trudge onward, under leaden skies and across rain-swept distances, depending on the kindness of strangers. The boy, worldly wise beyond his years and distrusting his father, dreams of flight and wind sailing. He has a mysterious sort of second sight that permits him to see himself and his surroundings from high above. Meanwhile, earthbound, the camera follows the two of them across endless sodden, forlorn landscapes.

The people they meet along the way are often little better off than they are, living in a kind of defeated ennui, making do, getting by, lonely, and often sustained by alcohol. One man...

Pleasant Russian road movie
A pleasant enough road movie, about a divorced man (or widowed, I don't remember) going with his young son from Moscow to the Crimea. He's an aeronautical engineer who has been fired and has hit the bad times (maybe with the recovery of Russia's economy under Putin, the argument is slightly out of date). We see them traveling through the countryside in a dilapidated train, and through the bad roads of Western Russia and Eastern Ukraine. Nothing much happens, but before reaching the Black Sea they stop at small towns, where they offer to repair the roof to a house where a mean old man lives, meet a pretty young doctor, etc. Some reviews I read wrote about the pair traveling through the desolate steppes of the former Soviet Union, yet this is some of the most fertile and densely populated part of that country. The pace is slow, though not terribly so, compared with traditional Russian cinema. And the characters seem real people, even if the plot is slightly farfetched. Reccommended.

Much more then just a 'road movie'
A father and his 11 year old son embark on a journey across Russia to reach Koktebel, the Ukrainian seaside town. With no money they hop on trains and rely on 'kindness of strangers', who at times are not that kind at all.

Through a series of unexpected events, we see how their relationship if affected by quite often the opposite stands they take, but at the same time the support and warmth they have for each other.

This is a very emotional journey in the depth of family bonds and self-discovery.

Gleb Puskepalis (son of Sergei Puskepalis, star of Popogrebsky's later film Simple Things and Zvyagintsev's The Banishment) is excellent and very moving in his role of the son.

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Friday the 13th (1980) / Friday the 13th, Part 2 (1981) (Double Feature)

Friday The 13th Double Feature
Four stars for the movies themselves, but beware, you get NO extras on this at all! On the back of the case, it says there are theatrical trailers for each film but there aren't when you put the disc (which, by the way, there is only one disc, not two) into the player. No biggie to me, I got this for 10 bucks and can easily watch the trailers on YouTube but it's still annoying when they say something is included and it's not! Buyer beware, but not bad for those who want to replace their worn out VHS copies of these movies as I did :)

Superstition, Isolated Mass Hysteria, and an Urban Legend Come to Life
Here we have the best two films in the legendary Friday the 13th series. One of the things that really make these movies work well is the scenes where the stalker lurks, stalks, and watches before he or she makes a kill. That plays on the juvenile fear that we all carry in our heads that there is something out there watching you. When you were a kid, your parents always used to tell you to be a good little boy or girl because Santa, The Easter Bunny, or God is watching. If you are bad you will not get a present or you will not go to heaven. The constant here of course is the idea of something watching you, and if you get out of line, there is a consequence. Perhaps, that is the best theme of all that is played out in these early Friday installments.

- Friday the 13th (1980) -

In 1957 a young boy drowns in Crystal Lake. In 1958 two young camp counselors are murdered by an unseen assassin. Years later Steve Christy is preparing Camp Crystal Lake for re-opening...

You've got to be kidding?
I can't believe Paramount has the you-know-what to release these two classics in their "butchered" versions again. What the hell is it with them already? Die hard Friday the 13th fans are ready to open their wallets for an "uncut" pressing of these films. What's the matter, Paramount? Are you not feeling well?

If it weren't for the fact that they control Star Trek, I'd have boycotted them a long time ago.

Thankfully, I own the PAL release of the first movie which was distributed by Warner. It's great. Go and get yourself a copy and while you're at it, get a multi-region player as well so you can watch the DVD.

Let me go before I say something I'll regret.

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Darkman [HD DVD]

Horrific And Awesome Action Movie With Heart And Rage
Years before moviemakers really starting getting comic book adaptations right with films like "Spider-Man" and "Batman Begins" came "Darkman", a brilliant action-horror movie that came closer than any show before it to capturing the darker, more developed comics of the modern era. It's a gory and action-packed - and intelligent, emotional and quite often humorous - tale as Peyton Westlake (superbly played by Liam Neeson) becomes the Darkman after barely surviving an attack by mob thugs employed by the crimelord Durant (Larry Drake), who Westlake's attorney girlfriend Julie (Frances McDormand) is trying to bring down. A scientist researching the development of a perfect synthetic skin to aid burn victims, it's being immersed in this liquid in its unstable corrosive state and then left for dead following the explosive destruction of his lab that is largely responsible for Westlake's metamorphis into Darkman.

Unable to feel physical pain but constantly assailed by...

Impressive HD! What All HD should look like!
After being sorely disapointed by HD releases of Excalibur and Army of Darkness, I was extreamly happy when I saw the opening menu for Darkman.

As soon as the clips began to roll behind the menu I knew they'd done the job right here. This film was largely missed in theaters and the home video and DVD versions where grainy, washed-out presentations that greatly diminished the style of director Sam Rami.

This is a must for HD DVD players. The pitcture is fully restored, crisp, clear, vibrant and devoid of all film flaws such as dust and scratches. Where some HD DVD versions are nothing more than the original DVD digital masters transfered to the new format (much the way many early DVD's where really Laser-disk copied to the then new format) this is not!

Darkman is a great, twisted peice that blends the ultra-violent comic-book styles seen in now in films like Sin City with the breakneck actions sequences of films like Spiderman.

See it again...

Before Spider-Man, there was Darkman
Sam Raimi, brilliant director of the cult classic Evil Dead trilogy and the current blockbuster Spider-Man, directed this entertaining action yarn hot on the heels of 1989's hit Batman. While many saw Darkman as a Batman rip off (sort of), Raimi's talented directorial skills gave Darkman a personality of its own. Liam Neeson (before he hit it big) stars as scientist Peyton Westlake, who has developed a synthetic skin, only problem is, it can only hold for 99 minutes before it deteriorates. When his lab is destroyed by Robert Durant (Larry Drake), Peyton is blasted into a nearby harbor. He is left horribly scarred, but when he recovers he uses the synthetic skin to get his revenge on his would be murderers while trying to get back with his girlfriend (Frances McDormand). Darkman is really entertaining and is a great twist on superhero movies, Neeson shines as the tortured soul hero, while McDormand is great as his girlfriend. Recommended to those looking for a comic style movie...

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Yellow

Sanchez Shines in Predictable Story...
Actress Roselyn Sanchez (best known as FBI agent Elena Delgado on "Without a Trace"), began her career as a dancer, and as the producer/star of "Yellow", her acting and dancing skills lifts a somewhat routine plotline into an entertaining celebration of a multi-talented performer.

Daughter of an invalid ex-dancer/teacher, young Amaryllis Campos (Sanchez) has had to curtail a promising dancing career to support her parents and drug-dealing boyfriend as a pizza delivery girl in San Juan. When her father commits suicide, she takes a friend's advice and moves to New York City, where she befriends a mentally-ill poet (Bill Duke, who is excellent), and ends up becoming a stripper, until she can break into the 'legitimate' dance world. As she waits for her break, a patron (D.B. Sweeney) falls for her...but will she sacrifice her dream, yet again, to move to Australia with him?

If this sounds like soap opera, it is, but Sanchez's intensity and likable persona keeps...

Disjointed movie
The movie is about a woman, Amaryllis, whose dream is to become a professional ballet dancer, like her father was. But, she lives in a poor neighborhood in PR and once certain events take place (I won't give the movie away), she moves to the US to try to follow her dream. Instead, she ends up becoming a stripper and starts dating one of the customers of the strip club. She also meets a neighbor, who was a former university poetry professor, and who now is quite crazy. The movie was too disjointed and full of pointless characters (what is the purpose of the neighbor?!). The script was weak, the dialogue did not make sense and neither did the plot sequence. The plot did not present an opportunity for the characters to grow and somehow they did! This is one of those movies that an actor will regret having made.

I like Roselyn Sanchez, and I know she is a better actress that what she showed in this movie. I hope she chooses the next movie better.

[2.5]-The yellow light is blinking so why are you still going through this traffic signal.
Might be because of this beautiful Latina that has now giving you a ticket for going through this red light. I fairly enjoy this film and I can see why this movie can be overlook by the masses. Beside this movie being too predictable it was not very creative and only shows Roselyn's body as a pick up for the movie. Honestly it could have been a lot better but I don't blame the actors I blame the director.......... and the story. Roselyn is much more then this and should of pick up a better movies instead of the money offer to her. Can't say much about this film but here it goes. The follow-up to his feature debut, director Alfred De Villa's Yellow is drama starring Roselyn Sanchez as Amaryllis, an aspiring dancer trying to make it in New York City. After her father unexpectedly commits suicide, Amaryllis leaves her native Puerto Rico for the Big Apple with dreams of stardom. Naturally, she meets more than a little adversity and soon finds herself working as a stripper to make ends...

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ESPN Ultimate NASCAR, Vol. 4: Defining Moments

Not nearly what I had expected from ESPN
Ok, first let me say that I am both a very big NASCAR fan, as well as, an avid watcher of ESPN. That being said I was very disappointed in this dvd. When looking at the dvd case, I expected "100 defining moments" to be chock full of great highlights and exciting facts about NASCAR. I also expected some stories and a little detail. You get very little of any of that here.

First problem. The dvd is "rapid fire". It goes from "defining moment" to "defining moment" counting down from 100 to 1. Each moment MIGHT get 15 seconds. It's like they are counting backward with a short time limit. Now before you say that they did have a time limit for TV, let me say that if you are going to make a program like this, then do it in two or three parts for TV and release it all together for dvd. The highlights are very brief and no detail is given regarding what you are seeing at all. Just basics and then move on...snap...snap...snap.....

Second problem....this huge "defining...

Great DVD
This is #4 in a 4-set series. I bought all 4 for my son's 10th birthday. We haven't watched every minute yet (there's a LOT on each DVD), but they have lots of interesting facts, crashes, interviews, etc.



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Roving Mars

Great for the whole family
We saw a clip of this video at the National Air & Space Museum--my kids, ages 3 and 5, were riveted! We searched the gift shop for the video but were disappointed that it had not yet been released. Several weeks later I came across it quite by accident on TV and taped it for my older son, who loves outer space and has been fascinated by Mars and the rovers since our trip to the museum. Most general audience space documentaries do not keep his attention, but he loved this one. The narration is almost conversational, not your typical dry, boring voiceover. The video is informative enough for adults and yet still accessible for kids. The images are amazing, no matter what your age. I look forward to adding this video to our collection so I can stop fast-forwarding the commercials on our tape!

This Exit: Mars Toll: Twenty-Bucks
I don't know how anyone could rate this film lower than five stars; unless they watched the film on a cheap TV with a small screen. `Roving Mars' on blu-ray blew me away by the quality of the IMAX HD cinematography focusing on the manufacturing of the rovers. I was captivated by a realistic depiction of what it takes to get a spacecraft to make a 300 million mile hole-in-one landing.

I had read a review on Netflix where the wannabe critique stated that they didn't like all the CGI; they probably didn't know that some of the extraordinary footage of the mars terrain was actual footage from the HD-quality cameras on-board the rovers. It might have helped the common laymen if the filmmakers had indicted where the CGI stopped and the actual footage from mars began. I've been so engrossed by the rover missions (NASA made all the rover stills, panoramas and video available for download to the public, ever since the missions began [...]) I knew when I was when observing actual...

Too Diluted
I'm very excited about science and engineering. We can't take for granted the courage and brilliance it took NASA and its contractors to design, implement, and deploy the equipment for this mission, then exercise the robots for this mission. And they did it all for less than what we pay for a baseball stadium!

This 40-minute film is disappointing, however. It's short on science; there is no discussion of the launch planning, the path of the rover as it travels to Mars, or any interesting facts. What is its weight? How did the timing work? How did the engineers design the rover, and measure its performance? What materials were used in its implementation? What diagnostics did it have? How much power did it use? What challenges were involved in surviving the harsh Martian atmosphere, its cold, the dust, and its chemistry?

The questions I have are simple, and endless. This film addressed none of them, I'm afraid. Worse, as others have pointed out, there's very little...

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The Third: The Girl with the Blue Eye Volume 1: Encounter

INTRIGUING
The reviewer before me might be biased but he's not far off. I thought the series was first and foremost intriguing. The animation was solid and the action was pretty good. After the first episode the amount of action goes down a bit but as Ive seen in any anime, that always seems to happen. Characterwise I was left wanting a litte more. Outside of Bogie the AI Tank who I thought broke the mold and had a defining character, the other characters I felt could have been less vague. However I think they will get deeper into the characters next volume and I'm sure they will become more defined and likable. The world of The 3rd is very interesting and they give you just enough to keep you going, wondering who or what they are talking about without making you frustrated not fully knowing whats going on. With the exception of the 2nd episode, this volume moved pretty well with the action and intrigue of the whole storyline and like I said above Bogie is a great character; fun, funny, and...

A fairly good show, but far from incredible
First off, let me say that unlike most reviewers, I rate shows very critically, and 3 stars is a reasonably decent show by my standards. The trailer for this which I saw on another anime DVD (Haruhi) looked reasonably impressive, and I knew that regardless of whether or not the show lived up to the promise of the trailer, I wouldn't regret my purchase because the trailer song was extremely good so at the very least I would get to hear the good song again.

The show itself fell short of what the trailer showed by a moderate amount, but the music didn't. The song turned out to be the opening song, but it's composed by the same person who did all the BGM for the show, therefore all the other songs are good too. The opening animation itself was extremely unimpressive, mostly still pictures with no animation, unfortunately. The show itself has quite high-quality animation though, so I guess in this case the creators chose to spend all their budget on the show itself rather than...

A solid action/adventure anime
In a devastated world overrun by monstrous bugs and outlaws, Honoka is the protector of the innocent. She has a 6th sense for danger, sword skills that rock, and an A.I. tank that acts as her partner and home. She is ready to take on any job that her clients are willing to pay her for. While crossing the desert, she finds a man wandering alone. This man has a secret, and a mission that will change her life forever. Her skills are about to be tested like never before.

This anime is a lot better than I expected. I has good animation, voice acting, a unique story, and a pretty good soundtrack. There is a lot of action, drama, mystery, adventure, and some pretty interesting characters & plot twists. There isn't another anime out there that I can really compare this to. It's pretty original, despite that, I still found it lacking a little something that would make it a 5 star show. It's hard to put my finger on what it is, but The Third is comes just shy of being incredible...

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NFL Greatest Follies, Vol. 3

Football Follies Forget It
This DVD is boring. I bought it hoping for some cool bloopers. No luck. Also, do not purchase it if you plan to watch it with children. There is inappropriate language. Even though the words are bleeped out; it doesn't take a lot to figure out what they are saying.

POST-MODERN FOLLIES
I'd score slightly higher than the other rater, but the liner notes on this DVD do suck. You get no clue as to what's inside, and so you may be disappointed if you buy one, on faith, off the shelf. Anyway, here's the deal with Volume #3. There's two full-length follies programs, produced by NFL Films. There's no bonus material.

1. Legends of the Follies
(title is a take off on "Legends of the Fall")
2. Follies: The Next Generation

Both films are 21st Century versions of the popular and long-running Follies series, which began in the late 1960s. If you're a Football Follies fan, you'll enjoy. I am, and I do. But I wish there were bonus material, like another edition of "Lost Treasures" series, included on other recent NFL Films DVDs.

Stupidiest video
I ordered for a football-themed work function. The guys like it. The women thought it was pretty stupid. Glad I only paid a buck.

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Lonely Hearts

Gripping portrayal of the Lonely Hearts Killers
Lonely Hearts is lifted above the average crime thriller through the excellent performances by the cast. The movie alternates between the detectives who are on the trail of the Lonely Hearts killers, played credibly by John Travolta & James Gandolfini, and the bloody spree of the killers' Martha Beck [Salma Hayek], and Fernandez [Jared Leto].

The detectives are well-played with a sub-plot involving John Travolta's character grappling with the case as well as his own personal problems [having to do with his strained relationship with his son, as well as his affair with a colleague played by Laura Dern]. However, the real action and drama comes from the performances by Salma Hayek, and Jared Leto as the cold-blooded killers. Hayek's performance is especially riveting, and her Martha Beck comes across as unflinchingly evil whilst besotted with her lover.The portrayal of the killers in this movie though well-acted, is not an altogether accurate portrayal of the real-life...

Deserves better
This film disappeared from the theatres so quickly most people never heard of it. It deserves your attention. If only to watch Selma give you a glimpse of madness. Kinky done well.

Stepping Back Into the 1940s: An Imitation Film Noir
LONELY HEARTS tries very hard to evoke the feeling of the 1940s and the troubled police officer whose wife's suicide haunts him until he finds revenge in the investigation of a pair of lonely hearts scam artists. But what happens for the most part is a story that looks, sounds and fells like a 1940s crime movie - 3 parts celluloid transfer, 1 part story.

John Travolta and James Gandolfini play buddy homicide detectives who overcome the ennui of their job when they begin to investigate the multiple murders of 'lonely women' who fall prey to snappy con artist men.
The pair they are chasing are Ray Fernandez (Jared Leto) and his partner in crime Martha Beck (Salma Hayek), a diabolical couple who find their victims through the personal ads and then fleece then murder them victims in heinous ways. Todd Robinson wrote and directed the film based on his grandfather's experience - Elmer C. Robinson (Travolta) - and it is this bit of personal touch that makes the sluggish...

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The Backyardigans - Into the Deep

Great, As Always!
We just got our copy of Into the Deep today from Amazon.com, and it's wonderful as always!

My son is watching it right now, and I LOVE the Bollywood style music of Into the Deep, which serves as a background for the mermaids Tasha and Uniqua! (I can't help but sway as I write this!)

Here are the episodes found on this DVD:

INTO THE DEEP - In this underwater Bollywood musical, Deep-Sea Explorers Tyrone and Pablo attempt to capture the garden-guarding Mermaids Uniqua and Tasha--on film, that is!

NEWS FLASH - Proud, Motown-singing Farmers Pablo and Tyrone inadvertently set up an out-of-this-world encounter in their cornfield to get their prized corn crop on the news.

SAVE THE DAY - Groove to psychedelic soul as Harbor Patrollers Uniqua, Pablo, and Tyrone repeatedly save determined Fisher-lady Tasha, who insists upon fishing in dangerous waters!

CATCH THAT BUTTERFLY - It's a Wild West chase set to comic opera when Professor...

A Backyardigans medley
The Backyardigans series is one of the few children's shows that can be watched over and over again without causing involuntary twitches, nervous breakdowns or constant eye rolling on the part of adults. The five characters are extremely likeable, the episodes highly imaginative, and the selection of a different genre of music for each episode is a stroke of creative genius.

Two of the episodes on this DVD qualify for special praise in the musical department, and these are "Into the Deep" which uses Bollywood melodies, and "Catch That Butterfly" which is pure operatic brilliance. "Save the Day" is psychedelic soul and "Newsflash" is inspired by Motown music.

A summary of the four episodes on this DVD is below:

"Into the Deep" (summarized to the tune "Octopus's Garden")

Here you will see, under the sea
Tasha and Uniqua's garden in the shade
But don't go in, they'll cause a din
A little mermaids' garden escapade

Then...

Best music since Animaniacs
I'm a music teacher, and while my 2 year old loves Little Einsteins, the bad singing and inability to keep with the tempo of the music drives me crazy. The Backyardigans, on the other hand, sing very well- and in a different style for each episode. On this DVD, "Catch that Butterfly" is one of the best pieces on composition I've seen in a kids' DVD. The music is incredibly well written... you will enjoy watching this with your children. If you've got post-traumatic stress from watching that insipid, insulting Barney, this will help you heal!

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Blue Planet (IMAX) [HD DVD]

Wrong Planet
Move on to "Planet Earth" for everything this bluray isn't...

I normally refrain from posting negative reviews in case it's a question of taste and I may be in conflict with other people in that respect.

However in this case I am pretty sure this is a title to avoid for everybody. Especially when there is such an alternative as Planet Earth which presents a hundred times the content and imagery this IMAX adaptation strives to deliver.. and fails..

First of all, this is a very lousy transfer. They didn't bother remastering the 40 minute footage and the "dirt" of the master is visible in every frame. It wouldn't have taken a large team to edit them out. Frankly it's the most disappointing bluray transfer I've seen out of the 40 or more bluray titles I have.

Secondly, the narration, disjointed topics, duration of many of the space imagery which drag on for minutes without any movement contribute to a mindnumbingly boring viewing experience...

Awe Struck...
I got this for my 4 year old son's birthday last year because he has a fascination with air planes and I was trying to get him interested in the space program. Let's just say when I first played it, even my husband stopped what he was doing and came over and sat down. We have a large screen TV and it makes you feel like you are really there! The sounds and colors are vivid. And even when there is no sound, the sights are just so amazing you don't need it- I think that's part of it's magic. Maybe it's just that space is such an unknown and elusive place, but when it shows the view of our planet from space you just get goosebumps. This is a wonderful dvd to pull out on those rainy/snowy days. No matter how many times we have watched it, it still evokes a sense of awe and reverence.

Misleading
Hi,
The cover picture and text on the package leads one to expect space shuttle photo journey, but it is more like a 4th grade science class with intermittent space video. It is about 20% space video and 80% ground level shots. With low-level information like,"On Earth there is a gas called oxygen, which we need to survive...." Great for the kids, yes, but adults may be disappointed.

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Bratz: Kidz Sleep-Over Adventure

WARNING: SCARY FOR KIDS- not to mention terrible writing!
Honestly, i expected shallow- i mean- it's BRATZ- my expectations were really low, but the entire disc is just really scary ghost stories that derive from urban legends and it makes amusement parks and clowns even scarier than they already are.

There is no feeling of safety here.

There is no happy ending.

it isn't just silly fun.

There wasn't even a redeeming message, just stuff to give kids nightmares-

please don't waste your money on this.

there is no Passion for Fashion on this disc.

Way Too Scary for Little Kids!
This was WAY too Scary for little kids! The movie is about each Bratz telling a very scary story at a sleepover. It is deceptively packaged like it's about young kids and their fun first sleepover adventures, and isn't clear that this is all about being SCARED. Adult scary. My 4 year old who loved the other Bratz movies, HATES this movie & even told me to throw it away after she saw it. She thought this movie would be great since it was about "Baby Bratz." She adores Scooby Doo, so there is a big difference in this movie.) She has never said that about anything else. Just what we needed, new frightening thoughts - your image in the mirror pulling you in and trapping you, etc. It may be fine for older kids who don't have any fear issues, but if you have any trouble with your little ones fears, particularly if they are starting to sleep alone, get scared at night or have anxiety about their first sleepover, please pick something else! It may have a moral somewhere, but they are so...

Grandaughter 5 loved it
One of a two given as gift to my five year old grandaughter. Age appropriate for Bratz fans.

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Los Zafiros: Music from the Edge of Time

Somethiong Different and Beautiful
Are you getting tired of hearing the same thing over and over again? Are you in the mood for something different, but don't know where to start? "Los Zafiros: Music from the Edge of Time" might be just what you are looking for, even if you don't know it. Don't expect this DVD to be on display in a special showcase at your local Shop-a-Mart; this is a special-niche documentary that achieves big results with little fanfare. Los Zafiros were a Cuban band that achieved superstardom in their home country and Europe in a post-Bay of Pigs universe that prevented them (along with a language barrier) from being heard in America. In 1964, Los Zafiros were the second most popular act in Cuba, after the Beatles. Their sound relied heavily on the Platters, but also has a touch of Smokey Robinson's Miracles, the Drifters, and the Flamingoes. The music takes the traditional American-style doo-wop and stylizes it into something extraordinary by stretching past the typical baion rhythms of American...

interesting but not necessarily compelling
American listeners are most familiar with Manuel Galbán for his role in "Buena Vista Social Club." In that project, he only played an accompanying role. As a follow-up, "Mambo Sinuendo" stands as his most outstanding contribution. Those who were wooed by the instrumental guitar album will appreciate learning about the group that originally put Galbán on the musical map. Los Zafiros were a Cuban doo-wop group from the 1960's. Back in the day, they were all the rage. As an international phenomenon, the group traveled the world before returning home to implode. With the help of the surviving band members and those who lived through it all, "Music from the Edge of Time" is a nostalgic look at 'The Sapphires.' The film is interesting, but that's not the same as compelling. The best way appreciate this project may be to compare it with...

Los Zafiros: Untold history that can't be told
1962, Cuba. "Señores" (Mr.) are now "Compañeros or Camaradas" (Comrades) as in USSR, Che Guevara introduces the concept of "Hombre Nuevo" (New Man). Prostitution, Cabarets, Casinos, Night Life, Vitrolas are considered "vicious of the imperialism", like the rock, doo-wop, jazz, and american music. Luis Bravo, the only successful cuban rock singer ever, was criticized and never returned to the country after a USA tour that year. In the 70's songs sung in English were forbidden, Radio and TV promoted "Nueva Trova" and "Salsa", in the early 70's the Cuban Underground Rock dissapear.
Los zafiros, the best vocal cuban group ever, played american style music, like the Platters or the Motown Sound, but at the same time they mixed cuban rythms and Bossa Nova, so they found the way to perform on TV and cuban Radio. But the Zafiro's life style never match the image of the "Hombre Nuevo" and they suddenly and misteriously vanished(?). There was no public information at all...

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The Best Of The Kids in the Hall, Vol. 2

Not a bad set...
Not a bad set of skits, but definitely could've been longer. Still, it's The Kids in the Hall, and it's cheap, so no real complaints.





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Played

mediocre movie
It's a story about a small time thief being fingered by the crooked cop who arranged the deal. He does the time and keeps his mouth shut. When he gets out, he ends up in LA to take care of business. Whoops, he has trusted the wrong people in his plans for revenge. I kept watching this movie hoping it would get better, it never did. As another reviewer already noted, the best bits were Val Kilmer on screen. Okay, so five minutes were great and rest was just there. For a caper movie, it had no real edge of your seat moments. With all the great actors (Gabriel Byrne, Patrick Bergin, etc.), I was expecting a great film but it never delivered. I recommend watching Circus or The Criminal for a great UK caper flick, not this one. Avoid it at all costs.

On the fence
I wanted to like this one. Great cast. Love UK gangster flicks. Intrigued by the improv/lack of script but, ultimately was not moved by Mick Rossi. The big names are good but the story fizzles a bit. Still, it's an experiment worthy of watching for students of film.

Good actors in an awful movie
The cast is quite good, and includes Gabriel Byrne, Vinnie Jones (Snatch), Anthony LaPaglia, Val Kilmer, Patsy Kensit, Bruno Kirby, and others, but even they can't save a movie that is poorly written and directed.
It felt quite formulaic, and is not in the same league as films like Snatch, Heist, Usual Suspects, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, etc.
Fortunately I saw it on TV and didn't spend any money on it. It wasn't so bad that I turned it off, but it's far from being a good movie. I finished watching since I did like some of the actors (if not always the acting).
The movie felt like a school project that could have been polished into a decent film.
Some movies are meant to be watched again and again (e.g., The Godfather, Pulp Fiction, The Usual Suspects, etc.). In the case of Played, once is more than enough. 2-stars is a generous rating.

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Game Shows Of The 50s: Beat The Clock / I've Got A Secret

Good, Clean fun
I'm too young to of seen these 2 shows during their original run, But I really enjoyed watching this DVD, which features 2 episodes of "I've Got a Secret" and 2 episodes of "Beat the Clock". One of the "I've Got a Secret" episodes features Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, both of which seem to be enjoying themselves. "I've Got a Secret" was sponsored by Winston Cigarettes, and the original commercials are intact.
The original commercials are also intact for "Beat the Clock", which despite constant plugging for the sponsors (Both of which are forgotten companies), Is also very enjoyable. The picture quality isn't perfect, But it must be remembered that these old game shows were "Kinescoped", which means they were recorded by pointing a motion picture camera at a TV screen. Considering that, I think the picture quality is quite acceptable. I recommend this DVD to anyone who enjoys 50's TV.

a blast from TV's golden past
This DVD spotlights two of the best game shows from TV's golden age. Fancy gimmicks or serious subjects weren't needed to create a successful, well-remembered TV series in those days, and the two shows sampled with this disc prove that.

BEAT THE CLOCK proves the old adage that you don't need a million dollars to make an entertaining 30 minutes of television. Host Bud Collyer assists real-life couples through various wacky stunts. If they complete them before their time-limit is over, the curtains part to reveal shiny new prizes. Sponsored by Sylvania Electricals (and later on in it's run Hazel Bishop Cosmetics), BEAT THE CLOCK is still surprisingly entertaining all these years later. Contestants are asked to do things like balancing plates on the legs of an upturned chair, re-arranging the words of a famous phrase, and catching ping-pong balls hurled through air-rifles.

I'VE GOT A SECRET was a trifle more "glamorous", but just as uproarious when it wanted to...

the good old ones
Just fun to see a summary of some of the old quiz shows. Just a fun way to see how different the shows were compared to now. Just good fun without being profane.

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Afghan Knights

A ghost movie in modern clothes
The demon filed caves of Afghanistan are the setting for
a twisted fight between good and evil. The soul of a brother cries out
calling to a cave of demon Mongol warriors.
What was a rich warlord's extraction becomes the death of all but
a few. The filming in the cave is too dark, so that a lot
of plot detail is lost; a very dark movie with an ironic ending.

darn good movie
it has a good cast, the scenery is beautiful and the music score really puts you into the picture. A good suspense/drama with a hint of the supernatural forces that plague the men in the movie. the action sequences were choreographed by a real former US Navy SEAL, so the fight scenes are authentic as you can get. definately worth it.

The Wrath of (Ghengis) Khan
Afghanistan. Buddies left behind. Michael Madsen dullifying my screen. Plot so thin it could be a runway model. Occidental Asians. No stars so far. Up side? Steve Bacic is a very beautiful and talented human being. Five stars for that lovely creature's mere appearance and dogged attempt to carry the whole damn movie. If you want a well-plotted action flick, you're S.O.L. If you want tall, dark Canadian eye-candy (who, ironically, does the best, if not ONLY, acting in the entire flick), put it in the player, set to "repeat", and back over the remote. Don't waste your time sending e-mails or letters to the scriptwriter/studio/FX folks/"fight choreographers"(a claim which takes a big, clangy pair o'brass ones to even MAKE. If this is how "Real" Navy SEALS fight, we're screwed!)/makeup/wardrobe/food services/random extras/etc. Send hearty "Thank You" notes to whichever awake-at-the-switch person that cast the only actual talent (and isn't even LISTED in the "Who's in this thing,...

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HumTum

Good Fluffy Movie; 3.5 out of 5 stars
Hum Tum is a romantic comedy based on the classic "When Harry Met Sally," and I mean BASED ON not remake. So don't be afraid of it ruining another movie for you. The major similarities between this and "When Harry Met Sally," is the relationship developes over many years, they are radically different people in thier opinions and tastes, and end up much better people in the end because of the relationship they have formed. The Film was really insparation for Hum Tum.

The story starts with Karan and Rhea meeting on a plane (both around college age, early 20s) where Karan tries to flirt with Rhea and gets no where. They part ways in Amsterdam vowing to hate each other and never wanting to see the other. But fate is tricky and has it's own idea of fun. They meet a few months later, then three years later at Rhea's wedding, later again in Europe, and eventually become friends and fall in love (with losts of misunderstandings). Each time they meet they're relationship changes:...





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Dive Into Diversity

My daughter's favorite movie!
This video, coupled with our local aquarium, have given my preschool daughter an incredible love for the oceans. She already wants to be a marine biologist and her best "imaginary" friend is her fellow diver, "Annie." An all-around fun and educational film about ocean creatures and the diversity of life in the oceans. Love it!!

Dive Into Diversity
I thought it would be about diversity. It touches the topic, but it is really about under sea life.



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Black Cat, Vol. 6 - Cat's Nine Lives

MEOW MAN
Black Cat is the story of Train Hartnet and his bounty hunting friends. There in business to make a buck, but they keep getting involved with a gang of magic users hat are trying to take over the world. The Apostles of the Star is a gang led by one of Train's old syndicate colleagues who has a creepy infatuation with him.

This anime has plenty of action and comic relief. The animation is great and so is the soundtrack. Both English and Japanese voice tracks are pretty good. I think this anime had a little too much filler in it, but not enough to hurt the series. All of the characters are cool and very likable. The story is also kind of unique.

I had a good time watching this anime and for the price you can't go wrong.

good series
The black cat series has been fun to watch a little short for my tastes but good series nonetheless and I got the individual movies cheaper than the whole set.

good for entertainment
Wanted to watch something to pass the time and this succeeded. I'm very much into Anime but this didn't hold my attention at all. Will give to someone else for free or a yard sale. Definitely wouldn't watch it again...

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Re-Animator

Blu Review
One of the more frustrating blu rays that I've ever purchased.

I have had the DVD version of the film for a few years, and had gotten the DVD from my collection and was comparing the features listed on the backs of both boxes. I put the blu ray in and settled in to see what kind of improvement in picture and sound quality that the blu ray was going to have.

When the film started, I actually had to get up and make sure that I had, in fact, inserted the blu ray into my player, and not my old DVD version. I literally could not tell a difference in quality. This went on for a few minutes, and then the picture became very clear and had a slight improvement in quality...then it went back to DVD quality. I am about 45 minutes into the film and it keeps doing this. It honestly looks like an upscaled DVD in image quality.

After only 45 minutes, however, I have seen enough scratches and specks in the film to tell myself that this was not worth upgrading to blu...

You wanna see a REAL horror movie?
The best horror movie ever made, period. For me anyway, this has to be my personal favorite. Forget all that Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer junk. You wanna see a REAL horror movie? Rent this one. Skip it if you're squeamish, though--trust me on this.

The plot is taken (loosely) from an HP Lovecraft tale, "Herbert West, Re-animator". The taglines kinda say it all. Dan Cain is a young medical student dating the Dean's daughter, who takes in a roomer and meets up with West, brilliantly played by Jeffrey Combs. West has discovered a "reagent" that will bring the dead back to life, except the serum still needs lots of work. When the dead people wake up, they do not seem happy at all to be brought back, and in fact have the tempermant of a grizzly bear on PCP. Added to the mix is the creepy Dr. Hill (who looks like an uglier, way creepier version of James Woods), who clashes with West and also has an icky obsession with Dean Halsey's daughter. (the...

Man what a great flick
A reviewer below said that this film will only seem good to those who saw it in the 80s and that people who have never seen it shouldn't. Well I really have to disagree. I'm only 15 so I obviously never saw this film in the 80s, but a few months ago I bought this DVD for 15 bucks and it was one of the best 15 bucks I ever spent. This film is great. If you actually like real horror films then you should like this film. Also the same reviewer said that the special efx were only good when the film came out, but I thought the efx were great and better than the CGI of today. So if you're a fan of horror and haven't seen this film yet you should go out and buy it right now. The DVD is amazing by the way and pretty cheap.

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The Decoy

Terrible
I love a good western; unfortunately this one was hard to watch. It seemed like I was sitting through a high school play. I tried three times, hoping it would get better or perhaps interesting. It didn't. The only thing cool was the shots of Old Tucson.
Bad story. Bad acting. Bad movie. The reason I wrote this is to let anyone interested
Not to waist their time, there are so many more westerns that you could watch.

Actually not that bad
Apparently a cheaply produced movie with mostly unknown actors. Some of whom can actually act. The old sheriff being one of them. The main character seems to be constantly working at not over acting and comes off as rather flat and ineffectual in his performance.

Not a bad little story with a sort of old fashioned plot but interesting enough.

good movie
I bought this movie as it was filmed in old tucson and mescal arizona where I go every year on vacation from here in Florida. I enjoyed it, true its not the highest budget production, but it was good none the less. I enjoy all the old time westerns and since there are not many westerns made anymore, i enjoy em all.
plus i enjoy the musical score with it. the music kinda sinks into your heart....

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