Gremlins (Special Edition)

The best Horror/Comedy of all time!
It follows a somewhat conventional monster movie plot. An ordinary guy witnesses his unusual but cute cuddly pet spawn a horde of evil Gremlins. He tries to warn the authorities, but they don't believe him until the creatures show up and go on a rampage throughout the town. Like in many monster movies, a plan is devised to destroy them, which works, but then there's still one left which needs to be defeated.

Every monster movie convention in the book is used, including all the famous shocks such as something jumping out in the foreground and something jumping out in the background, but what makes this film original is the Gremlins' silly personalities. They don't eat people or kill them in order to survive in any way. They just want to have fun and cause chaos! Their personalities are almost human and seem to represent a side of us that has no morals and just wants to let loose in a world without regulations. At times, you are cheering for the monsters, which makes this...

timeless fun
How can something so sweet and cuddly as a Gremlin become so mean and angry like your own kids when they don't get what they want. The ideas behind this hilarious transformation are so marvellous you'd want to watch this one again and again - with or without your own kids present (who knows, they might get ideas). Gremlins is one of the funniest movies ever. A cult-classic.

A comical horror christmas classic!
Inventor Randy Peltzer (Hoyt Axton) has bought a special gift for his son Billy (Zack Gallaghan) and it's a furry Chinese creature called a Mogwai (voiced by Howie Mandall). But there are three important rules that must be followed if he wants to keep the creature such as number 1 which means to keep him away from bright light especially sunlight cause it will kill him, number 2 is to never get him wet and number 3 which is the most important rule of them all which is never feed them after midnight. But Billy does what he can but he accidently gets him wet one day and it makes him mutiply other Mogwaii like him and he accidently feed the Mogwaii except Gizmo after midnight as it makes them into ghastly reptilian ghouls that cause havok in the town of Kingston Falls.

Brilliant and highly original Horror fantasy comedy from executive producer Steven Spielburg, director Joe Dante ("The Howling") and writer Chris Columbus. This movie became one of the biggest box-office hits of...

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Pilot [HD]

Suprisingly solid entertainment
I've got to get one thing out of the way first, for all those who didn't like Terminator 3. The Sarah Connor Chronicles does NOT pretend T3 doesn't exist, it addressed one of major issues in the film in its first 2 episodes. And since this is sci-fi, complete with time travel, there's no reason that history (even future history) can't be re-written.

To the folks who think the action is "great...for a t.v. show," I can only assume they haven't been watching t.v. in the last 10 years or so. There have been several shows that far eclipse what is being done in movies (Buffy, Alias, two more girl-power shows just off the top of my head).

What really surprised me about the show is how faithful it is to the first and second movies. In just this shortened (9 episodes) first season, we've seen the following characters from the films appear: Miles Dyson's widow and son, Dr. Silverman, Enrique and Kyle Reese.

As for the cast, Lena Headly is no Linda Hamilton,...

Slow to start, but a good answer to the movies
It's a rare thing that a TV series based upon a movie's premise ends up being as good as the show's origins: while slow to start, with a dreadful pilot and many sub-par episodes, the first series of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, over-all, became something that arguably lived up to that standard.

The show follows Sarah and John as they try, again, to prevent Judgement Day. The show follows on from the original two movies, generally ignoring the third (thankfully.) Much of the plot surrounds the character of Cameron, a female terminator sent back from the future to protect John. The show, so far at least, has eschewed predictable cliches involving the character, and often takes the viewer by surprise, from displays of dark humor to dragging the viewer through alternate displays of coldness and humanity.

Episodes I particularly recommend include "Dungeons and Dragons" and the jaw-dropping follow-up "The Demon Hand". Performances are variable. Lena Headey...

Buy this blu-ray if you want to live
When the idea for this show was being shopped around, I thought it would not see the light of day.

A movie spin-off, to TV, normally is not going to be any good. Luckily that is not the case here.

This show takes place after T2, and follows John and Sarah as they try and survive and keep a low profile, while avoiding terminators.

One day something happens, they are spotted, and they meet a new terminator, sent back in time by John. This terminator is to protect John, this terminator is played by the beautiful Summer Glau.

This show is explosive and pretty big budget. The special effects look really good, the fight scenes are amazing, and the show has a pretty good cast. The guest stars are really good too.

After you get to episode 4, the show starts getting even better, it settles into more of a series feel. The first 2-3 episodes feel more like a big movie, then it gets into series territory, and it does a good job...

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The German Woman

Foyling (sic) the bad guys on the home front
Perhaps it's my affection for England - a love that makes my wife roll her eyes - that causes me to have a higher regard for BBC and ITV small screen productions than those of America, which seem so crass in comparison. So many of the former seem uncommonly funny, intelligent, or both. FOYLE'S WAR is an uncommonly intelligent detective drama, a period piece set on England's south coast in 1940. And, to keep the record straight, my wife's dedication to this series is at least as pronounced as mine, if not more so.

Michael Kitchen is Detective Inspector Christopher Foyle, who's ordered to remain at his post as homicide investigator for Hastings and its environs; he'd much rather be doing his bit for King and Empire fighting the Nazis across the Channel. Indeed, his son is a flying officer with the RAF. The two other series regulars are Samantha "Sam" Stewart (Honeysuckle Weeks), the Women's Royal Army Corps enlistee assigned as his driver, and Paul Milner (Anthony Howell),...

Count this for six stars at least
This is a worthy new addition to the best British mystery series -- heavy praise from me. As a red-eyed fan of Morse, Dalgliesh, Poirot, Holmes (Brett), Smiley, Wimsey, etc., I am picky, having hosed off Oscar(R) winners and sequel spawners with a couple of stars and a flood of sarcasm. However, my only misgivings about the five-star award to this (thank heaven only the first) "Foyle's War" set is that Amazon.com would not allow me to give it all the stars it merits.

I especially like its Britain -- no London / manorial ambience: Hitler lurks 30 miles across the Channel washing at our feet, the Battle of Britain has yet to be won, the Yanks not yet "overpaid, oversexed, and over here." At any time, a storm of Nazi bombs, naval gunfire, and assault troops could smash into the deceptively tranquil seaside setting, making the visit from William the Conqueror 874 years earlier seem like a romp in the meadow.

Foyle is recently widowed, and must also solve cases not only amid...

a great new mystery series
Fans of Inspector Morse who are still mourning the death of John Thaw will find this series a satisfying replacement, which was the intent of the British television moguls who first televised it. Like Morse, Kitchen's Foyle is a man of many layers, silent when others would be losing it. Both of his 'sidekicks' are engaging, with problems of their own (though neither replaces 'Robby', who was Morse's Greek chorus). What makes this series unique is how it brings World War II to life. The second episode, 'The White Feather', is striking in its topicality - the pacifists vs. those who see war as inevitable. In the light of what we know now about Hitler, the outcome of our own 'war' may be seen by future generations just as differently. Foyle joins the ranks of other great British detectives and I hope he will be around a long time.

For the main reviewer, Foyle is not a London detective. He lives on the coast (mainly because it would have been too expensive to try to get a 40's look in...

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Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (Unrated Rich Mahogany Edition) [Blu-ray]

UNRATED- was uncalled for.
I LOVED this movie when I saw it in the theatre over the past summer- so I was pumped to see an "unrated" version come out on DVD.

Whomever was in charge of putting this DVD together yanked a huge chain on this release. I had expected the "unrated" version to be funnier than the theatrical version which I thought was one of the year's funniest movies, because in general, "unrated" cuts have been better than the "regular" release.

This "unrated" version skips a couple really great monents from the theatrical version, one instance is when Carell's character "Brick" utters "I ate a big red candle" during the party hangover sequence and they replace it with a joke that's nowhere near that great non-sequitor. Near the end of the film they edited out Ferrell's lines just before he picks up the phone in the bar (something about "once being an anchorman")which was more in line with the film's plot/angle than the new scene of Burgundy eating cat poop. A TERRIBLY UNFUNNY...

Situational comedy at it's greatest.
This movie is will Ferrell at his finest. From the opening credits he plays the bumbling anchorman known as Ron Burgundy in perfect form. When you buy this movie it will be for Will Ferrell's genius, he creates a character who is not simply a humorous idiot (that part is played by Steve Carell) but has motivation, sorrow, and even wit at times. The dialog and writing on this movie is brilliant, the lines aren't ridiculously cheesy or over the top stupid for sake of being funny. By the same token it doesn't feel as if every line reads like it took a conglomeration of 10 minds 30 minutes to create it.
Throughout it all Ferrell stays the man with below average IQ who is attempting to win his newfound love Veronica Corningstone and retain his job.
Great cast, great writing, thank you Will Ferrell.

The Legend of Ron Burgundy will live on!
I for one, unlike many reviewers here, thought this was one of the funniest movies that was made in 2004. People may pass this off as "stupid" slapstick humor, which is true in for the most part, but the basis for this comedy is genius.

The 70s anchor man is funny to begin with. Not to mention they poke fun at all the ignorance that was displayed by most people in the 70s. Such as littering, acceptance of sexual harassment, style of clothing, hair and a number of other corny things that we remember from the 70s, even if you weren't alive then.

This is filled with an incredible cast, and pushes satirical humor to the limits. Don't listen to all your idiot friends who says it sucks, just because they didn't get the satire. If the basis of the movie sounds funny to you, you will probably like it. It's a smart comedy. I know it had me tears.

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New Girl: The Complete First Season

A Starring Vehicle For Zooey Deschanel Has Morphed Into A Solid And Rewarding Ensemble Comedy
Prior to the start of the 2011 television season, there was nowhere you could turn without seeing Zooey Deschanel and the endless promotion for Fox's new sitcom "New Girl." As a longtime fan of Deschanel, it seemed like an ideal fit to have her brand of quirky charm headlining a weekly series. Advance word of "New Girl" was quite positive and the critical consensus was generally welcoming. The massive advertising budget put into the program paid off as well making "New Girl" one of the season's early break-out hits. But after an amusing pilot and when the initial glow had worn off, it became easier to discern just what was working and what was not. First of all, some viewers reacted poorly to Deschanel's wide-eyed girlishness thinking it represented women in a negative light. I personally disagree but I can see how Deschanel's shtick might be a bit over-the-top for some. But while I continue to love Deschanel and find her absolutely hilarious, I'd like to shoot the person who coined...

New Girl; Great show, disappointing dvd
New Girl is a show that I'm very fond of. I love the characters and the writing. The fights between anyone and Schmidt always have me laughing hysterically. It's first and foremost a fun show. They don't really tackle any deep issues here but there's an interesting bent to it. They hide darker themes in it like mortality and the fact that all of them are just treading water. They're having fun doing it and they're not ready to get out of the pool yet but the idea that they are all, in some way losers, know it, and are someday going to have to move beyond that is present in every episode.
If you're a fan of shows like Friends and Scrubs or even Happy Endings and Don't Trust the B in Apt 23, you'll have a good time with New Girl. You'll get used to and even come to love that idiot Schmidt (trust me. I never thought I'd get used to him let alone that he'd become my favorite character). Nick's faces are always a topic of conversation in our house and Winston's absurdity gets more...

Starts Slow But Later You Feel It In Your Abs
Like honestly the show starts out decent enough for anybody to be satisfied. The farther you get though . . . the better it is.

By the end i laughed so hard and not just every once in a while, i'm talking ever couple of minutes i had to try hard to stay off the floor.

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Arthur Christmas (Two Discs: Blu-ray / DVD + UltraViolet Digital Copy)

A new Christmas classic
What a great film. This will become a Christmas classic that gets played on tv at Christmas time for decades. It is a shame it did not do better at the American box office as this film is a classic. Me and my daughter have been waiting impatiently for this to come out on Blu Ray ever since we saw it last November in the theater. If you are looking for a new Christmas classic to enjoy with your family and make apart of your family tradition, then look no further.

Pure Christmas Magic
I took the kids to see this in the theater. They absolutely loved it. The colors and animation are wonderful. It's a heartfelt, modern family story that takes a look at how we can lose sight of what's important when computer gadgetry takes over society. The clever writing answers all those pesky questions about how Santa gets around the world in one night, keeps track of all the kids' letters, and how the toys are packed into the sleigh. This really brings the magic of Christmas alive. I highly recommend it to kids of all ages who love Christmas.

Arthur Delivers Christmas
The story is smart and the character animation is stellar. I can usually find something to quibble with in any movie but not this one. It's fun from start to heart-tugging finish. This one goes in the permanent collection.

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Moonrise Kingdom (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet)

Stirs the memory of adolescent first love
Set in 1965, Moonrise Kingdom is a stylized coming of age film that delivers on its promise to bring the viewer of any age back to the intensity of just-entering-adolescence love. That alone makes this an extraordinary film. In addition, the music and imagery are beautifully orchestrated to delight the senses. The casting, characters, and acting are superb. It is rare to have a film that puts together this much talent and then taps it to the fullest.

Heavy hitters include the brilliant Edward Norton (for once watching his language and holding his temper) as an anal but dedicated troop leader, Bill Murray who in stark contrast to the young stars in this film, fails to find any joy whatsoever in his work in the law profession, wealth, family or beautiful surroundings. His dissatisfied wife (Frances McDormand who was the psychiatrist in Norton's first film Primal Fear), is also an attorney (the lawyer banter are some of the funniest lines in the film). Bruce Willis (who plays...

Swept away by style and story
IN A WORLD WHERE films must shock, where films must employ impossible stunts, extreme violence and outrageous characters, comes Moonrise Kingdom - with none of it. This is a real STORY, with real characters, in which everything that happens is actually possible. What a concept. Told with humor and compassion, the film sweeps you along without the dreaded need for suspension of disbelief. The story is pure Americana - life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Some do it better than others. Not everyone is a winner. Its stars - seven of them! - are all totally out of character. This is not a Bill Murray vehicle or an Edward Norton vehicle or a Bruce Willis vehicle. The stars fit in, almost as afterthoughts. It's the story that counts. Most impressively, it has style. From the opening shots of Susie, face on with her binoculars in various rooms of the house, you know this film will be stylish. And understated. It is worthy of any screen in the world, in a world where American films...

"REMARKABLE IN EVERY WAY!"
It's 1965, and this mystical-magical story will tug at the heartstrings as it entertains with delight for the entire family. Sam and Suzy are both age twelve, neither one of them is popular and they both have their own issues outside of their charming relationship. However, they are appealing to each other in a unique friendship when they decide to run away together in their own great adventure. Bruce Willis can play the role of just about anything, and in this captivating story, his acting performance is excellent, along with all the other characters. The heart-warming story is touching, enjoyable from start to finish, and very funny. A Magnificent fun-filled movie for the entire family. Highly Recommended!

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The Best Christmas Pageant Ever DVD

The Herdmans Strike Again!
Based on the children's novel by Barbara Robinson, with teleplay by the author of the book (hurray!), this video remains true to the book by the same name. A local church is doing the Christmas pageant for Christmas, and the family of 6 unsupervised, undisciplined children decide to get involved. They bully the other children so that they will get the main roles. Everyone is worried that this will be the WORST Christmas Pageant because the Herdmans are involved. The mother, played by Loretta Swit (MASH), shows patience and diligence, with unending hope that the whole thing will have a great ending. Despite the fact that I've been reading this book aloud to my elementary school students for years, I ended up in tears during the scene where Imogene discovers what Mary is all about. Definitely, OWN this video if you love what Christmas is really about!

Best Christmas Pageant Movie Ever
The Herdmans are the worst kids ever! They cuss, they smoke, they torture animals and people. AND they want to be in the church Christmas pageant, even though they have never heard the story of Christmas. This movie truly captures the true meaning of Christmas. See Faruza Baulk as a little girl as she narrates the story. I highly recommend reading the book first. It's a fast and easy read. It makes the movie SO MUCH MORE ENJOYABLE.

Touching movie
When I was in the third grade my teacher, Ms. Curtis, read this book to our class. I completely fell in love with the story and the characters. A few years later, around the Christmas season, this movie was on tv. It follows the book very closely. It has such a good message regarding tollerance of others. The real lesson in this movie is learned by the mom(played by Loretta Swit). I bought this dvd for my parents, myself, and my in-laws a few years ago. We have all made it a tradition that when things get to crazed and we seem to loose our Christmas spirit,in the process of creating "the perfect Christmas", we pop in this DVD and get a good reminder of the most important part to the season. I cannot wait until my three are old enough to really enjoy this movie and understand the message behind it. I highly recommend this DVD to someone of any age.

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The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (Blu-ray / DVD + Digital Copy)

Same content as the 2002 release -- and that's good!
Despite new packaging and a hokey new subtitle, this release of Disney's original three Winnie the Pooh featurettes is actually identical to the 2002 "25th Anniversary Edition" -- same video, same audio, same bonus features. And for once, that's good! That earlier DVD transfer was already digitally restored and had some good extras, including "A Day for Eeyore" and one of Disney's better making-of documentaries, but was pulled off the shelves early last year. Now, however, it's back, with the same vibrant colors, sharp focus and near-perfect 5.1 soundtrack.

In other words, this is Disney at its best. "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" is a charming, gentle, quality film that hasn't aged a bit and looks and sounds terrific. Unless you already own the "25th Anniversary Edition," this new release is a must.

Actually, there is one new bonus feature: an episode of the computer-animated Disney Channel series, "My Friends Tigger and Pooh." In case you haven't seen...

A Magical Movie
People have watched Winnie the Pooh on videos separately from 1966 to 1977, when they made the video we now call "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh." In 1977, Disney brought the videos together to make a wonderful, heartwarming video.

The video contains 4 storybook classics. In "Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree", Pooh eats so much honey at Rabbit's house and gets stuck in a hole.

In the Oscar award winning "Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day", there is a big flood and Piglet must be saved.

In "Winnie the Pooh and Tigger too", Tigger learns that even bouncing can be over done, and gets stuck in a tree.

In "Winnie the Pooh and the Day for Eeyore", Eeyore thinks everyone has forgotten his birthday, but Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Owl, and Christopher Robin throw him a party.

Even though these stories are all good, the best of the four is obviously the classic "Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree". I think it is the best one...

WInnie the Pooh.......a family Treasure.....
This is one of the Disney's materpieces. I'm in my 20's and I grew up with Winnie the pooh not only with the movie but with the tv series and the Book. It is hard to imagine a more delightful DVD introduction to A. A. Milne's cherished Winnie the Pooh books than this 1977 short stories, which gathered the Disney studio's original trio of animated featurettes: Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (1966): Pooh of course goes out looking for hunny and gets into some trouble, the Oscar-winning Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (1968): the hundred acre woods is flooded and piglet is in trouble, and Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, Too (1974):this is one of my favorite of the short stories where you meet tigger and you hear him sing his memorable song. Pooh was a pet project of Walt Disney, whose children loved the books about the "willy nilly silly old bear" and his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood. Faithful to the look and gentle spirit of the books, these mellow shorts do Milne...

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Shirley Temple Little Darling Collection - As Seen on TV 18 DVD Box Set Digitally Restored to Color From Black and White From Twentieth Century Fox Film. 1st Comprehensive DVD Collection That Contains Eighteen Uniquely Charming Films! (Dimples / The Little Colonel / The Littllest Rebel / Baby, Take a Bow / Just Around the Corner)

Truly a Darling Collection
This is truly a Darling Collection. I was pleasantly surprised to receive this set because each DVD allows for a choice of Black and White or Color. I randomly selected "Heidi" to watch out of 18 of the Shirley Temple Movies. I watched half of it in Color, the other half in B&W, enjoyed both without commercial interruption, and watched the original full length movie without narration or any other added balderdash. I purchased this collection for my one and only grandchild Elizabeth. She will enjoy these movies throughout the years as I have. I prefer the B&W only because that's how I originally saw them when I was a young child. Sounds like a great new Sunday evening at 4 pm tradition to me. The quality of these DVD's are excellent coming from 1934 Masters. Shirley Temple Movies are priceless, so for the price I paid, it was very well worth it. I received the packaged collection very promptly,without damage, and received exactly what was ordered.

A little leery at first, but pleasantly surprised!
I added a comment recently to the Feb posting. My wife saw this DVD set advertised 'as seen on TV' and thought it would be nice for our granddaughter to watch over summer vacation. I did some research and found other DVD sets to have a lot fewer movies and sometimes cost more. I'm surprised to find Amazon sellers trying to sell this set for up to 3 times the TV ad cost, so I bought it using the TV ad mentioned website (shirleydvd). At first I couldn't get a secured connection (SSL) to the website. Then trying a few weeks later I got in, but it crashed when I entered in all of my information and clicked on the 'no thanks' link to some other offer the web page presented. I was a bit worried, because there was no email address to contact someone regarding the problem and the contact page had a toll free number, but said not to call it until 48 hours later... weird! So, I figured 2-times trying to order was enough and figured this DVD set wasn't going to happen. Then five days later it...

great collection!
This DVD set is a wonderful collection of 18 of Shirley Temple's movies and makes a great gift, but please do your research when purchasing. This collection is available new for $49.98 from the "as seen on tv" offer.

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Tyler Perry's Good Deeds [HD]

Great Touching Movie
Once again, Tyler Perry delivers a story that not only focuses on a woman's Cinderella life but also includes a kind hearted man's point of view. Great performances from Tyler Perry, Thandie Newton, Phylicia Rashad and Brian White. And i'm SO glad to see Gabrielle Union on the big screen again! I can't wait to add this movie to my Tyler Perry collection!

Outstanding!
This is Tyler Perry's best movie. His attention to believable characters with a nitty-gritty reality to their problems creates an atmosphere of intense interest and compassion for the
characters. I can't wait to get a DVD of this film. I saw it in the theater and was mesmerized.

Incredibly satisfying, definitely a soul searcher
I cried several times during the movie. I really loved the contrast between all the characters. The story telling was incredibly touching, it was delivered in a very realistic way. Incredible acting by all, loved Thandie in this, and I thought this was Tyler's best acting gig ever.

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Gilmore Girls: The Complete Seventh Season

A less than perfect ending to one of TV's most unique series
Warning! Spoilers!

There really isn't another show quite like THE GILMORE GIRLS. No other series so thoroughly dedicated to words. There are no doubt other series with great talk: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER definitely comes to mind. But no other show that I know put language and witty talk so completely at the heart of what it was trying to do. Creator Amy Sherman-Palladino said that she was inspired by great Hollywood comedies like the Thin Man series and HIS GIRL FRIDAY (one of the few films where the characters talked faster than they did on THE GILMORE GIRLS). And for five absolutely brilliant and one less than brilliant season the show was magical beyond any reasonable expectation. Then came Season Seven. I still watched with great interest. Well, until the marriage to Chris part (I asked a friend to tell me when Lorelei and Chris busted up and stayed away until they did). Season Seven was not a truly awful season. There were still many great moments during...

"I just want you to be happy"
After crying all throughout the series finally I have to say that it really was time to say goodbye and I would buy this seasons set for the last episode alone! That scene when Lorelai and Luke make-up is precious and as a fan of the show from the beginning I truly feel that in that moment Lorelai is completely happy, and she finally realized that Luke is a big part of that happiness. The show has definitely had it's up and downs but I'm giving it 5 stars because as a whole I have never seen a show like this one and don't think I ever will. I often feel that GG fans are so hard on the show because they really don't realize how good we had it, we got use to such a high standard of writing and acting that anything less brought out red flags. Nonetheless, it seems unreasonable to think that the series could keep that standard for every episode in every season, especially after the original creators left abruptly after the sixth season. So whatever that's worth I feel this show is a...

An Unfortunate Final Season
What to say about a show that outdid nearly every show on the books. Unfortunately this show's seventh season was nothing at all like the show we all loved the first six years. As an avid fan of GG I own the first 6 seasons, which have been lovingly watched again and again. I do not plan on buying season 7. As far as I am concerned the show ended with season 6! It broke my heart to see the show I loved more than any other morph into a substandard version of itself. Sadly Amy Sherman-Palladino's shoes were just too big to fill, and the new showrunners failed miserably to capture the original essence of the show. Gone was the quick-witted dialogue we all adore, the biggest deficet of this season. But there were other problems. The scenes during this season didn't flow very well, and many were just too long. Previously the show did a superb job of keeping things moving, giving us enough in each scene without over-cooking. In seasons past it was artful, allowing the audience to...

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Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection

Madea's Best Yet!!!
This is quite possibly the best Madea movie to date. Madea has a lot more screentime, making the movie better and funnier. There's hardly any random subplot drama at all. It's a flat-out comedy starring Madea and Eugene Levy. The jokes are hilarious and keep coming. Levy plays George Needleman, a dorky businessman marked for death by a crime family after his company goes bankrupt and he is framed for money laundering. Brian Simmons takes the case and suggests the Needeleman family stay at Madea's house. (That's when all heck breaks loose as she tries to teach them love and respect) Will George and Madea be able to find the money and give it back to the charities? I highly recommend MADEA'S WITNESS PROTECTION!!

THEY'RE WHITE FOLKS!
This is another fun improbable comedy from Tyler Perry. George (Eugene Levy) has been set up to run a fake charity investment scheme which launders money for the mob. He agrees to testify and along with his family is placed in a witness protection program which places them in Madea's home.

The family suffers from low self-esteem. Barbara (Doris Roberts) is George's mother. She suffers from dementia and jungle fever. George is married to Kate (Denise Richards) his second wife who doesn't get along with Cindy (Danielle Campbell) the rebellious back talking daughter from George's first marriage. Howie (Devan Leos) is the proverbial overweight son.

The film is funny throughout with a smattering of predictable laughs. Tom Arnold has a bit part in the beginning and Tyler Perry plays three roles. 4 1/2 STARS

PARENTAL GUIDE: No f-bombs, n-words, sex, or nudity. Some minor sex humor, such as a play on words such as "hard" and Madea mentioning her stripping and...

"ONE OF THE FUNNIEST MOVIES OF THE YEAR!"
Tyler Perry has done it again, and Madea's Witness Protection is One of his Best! At first Madea is asked to get involved, she wasn't going to, but an offer for Big Money was made she simply couldn't refuse. This fun-filled family movie is laugh-out-loud from start to finish. Madea is one-of-a-kind, and you never know what to expect from this character. Strong, witty, clever, and has a heart. No-matter what the situation is in different events, Madea will make you laugh, but deep-down inside, she has also helped others in different ways of emotional support. A Fantastic Comedy. Acting Performance Excellent. Loved the New York scene, but there are many entertaining scenes.A Must-See, Must-own! Very Enjoyable and Highly Recommended!

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Inglourious Basterds (Single-Disc Edition)

Blu-ray quality nice, but "Special Edition" not so special...
This is just a review of the Blu-Ray "2 Disc Special Edition" since there are plenty of reviews of the movie itself by reviewers far more qualified than I.

The video and sound quality is excellent and I have no complaints about that. But I have to give this 4 stars instead of 5, because, I just don't get some of the "marketing lingo" on this package:

* This version does NOT include a running commentary. None at all (not director, not actors, not cinematographer, nothing). To me this is really odd -- it seems that almost all DVDs released in the last 10 years have had some sort of commentary track. Especially with a Tarantino movie, this seems like something you really WANT to have.
* I think this is the only Blu-ray version available right now. It includes the "digital copy" but that is just a lower-res copy of a movie with DRM, nothing wrong with getting that with it, but that is one of the TWO discs in the "Special Edition"
* If this is the only one...

Very, VERY entertaining but could have been a classic.
One of the great pleasures of Quentin Tarantino movies is the wonderfully inventive casting that he employs. In PULP FICTION, he revived the career of John Travolta, made Samuel Jackson a star, pushed Bruce Willis into another echelon and even helped get Ving Rhames off to a good start. In JACKIE BROWN, he burnished Pam Grier & Robert Forster's careers. In KILL BILL, he reinvented Uma Thurman and reinvigorated David Carradine. Even in DEATH PROOF, he introduced the world to the amazing stuntwoman Zoe Bell and gave Kurt Russell the kind of part he's missed out on for too long.

And now, wonderfully, in INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, he's introduced the American viewer to some stellar European actors, namely Melanie Laurent and particularly Christoph Waltz, now an easy favorite for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

Tarantino also frequently tries the patience of his viewers with his rococo dialogue and insistence on constantly reminding us that we're watching a movie. In...

WARNING: This movie may not be what you are expecting...
This movie is really pretty outstanding. The opening scene is intense, frightening, shocking, and appauling all at once, and it sets up the entire film perfectly. I really had no expectations for this movie because I had read so many mixed reviews and none of them really said anything, so I actually thought this was a really good movie although a bit drawn out. The film is artfully done beautifully shot and extremely well acted.

Now here's why you may not like this quite as much as I did and why my wife absolutely HATED it.

What most expected from this movie:
1- Gore, action, and more gore and more action
2- A story that follows the Basterds as they wreak havoc on Hitler's army
3- Maybe a few subtitles as the film does take place in France after all
4- Classic Quentin Tarantino comedic dialogue

What the film actually is:
1- A character driven story HEAVY on dialogue and other than the last 20 minutes extremely light on...

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Little House on the Prairie - The Complete Season 3

Excellent
Little House on the Prairie is THE BEST SHOW, so I was so happy to find that it's being released on DVD! I am very pleased with Season 3. The quality is pretty good, and there's finally a scene selection in this one. There are 19 episodes in all, on 6 discs. If you are a fan of Little House, you should definately buy this DVD set. I also recommend introducing it to your children, as this show would make a good influence on them, unlike many shows on TV now. Here are some short descriptions of the episodes:

1. The Collection- When Reverend Alden gets sick while collecting donations, and ex-convict named Caleb Hodgekiss offers to get the donations from Walnut Grove for him. Caleb plans to keep the money himself, but he decides to do the right thing when he sees how nice the people of Walnut Grove are.

2. I'll Ride the Wind- Mary and Mr. Edwards son, John Jr., have fallen in love and want to get married. Though they both get the approval from their parents,...

MISSING SCENES
I am a HUGE fan of "Little House on the Prairie"....I am very displeased with the complete season 3....First of all the episodes are not in the order they originally aired...alot of them are out of order. The video quality of some of the episodes is very poor. For example on the episode "The Monster of Walnut Grove" especially the scenes at night are very grainy and almost like a reddish black color. The part about the dvd I am most upset about is there are 2 missing scenes on the episode "The Race." They were edited out, but you can't fool a fan that has watched the episodes numerous times. There is a scene edited out where Laura and Mary are walking to school after Pa found out that Mary did some of Laura's homework. Laura says to Mary "sorry I got you in dutch" and Mary responds "That's okay just beat Nelly Olson Saturday".....There is also a scene edited out of the Ingalls' having dinner where Laura is only eating her vegetables to...

Welcome Back To Walnut Grove...Relax and Enjoy...
This review refers to "Little House on the Prairie" - The Complete Third Season....

Season Three is filled with about 18 hours of wonderful stories that depict the hardships, the courage, the love and devotion, tests of the human spirit, and a few lighter moments we share with the Ingalls family and the people of Walnut Grove. In such beautiful stories as, "I'll Ride The Wind", young love is tested as John Jr. must decide between a college scholarship and his love for Mary. "Journey In the Spring", a 2 parter, will immediately evoke a lump in your throat, and is one you should definately have the Kleenex handy, as Pa's Pa comes to stay with the family after the loss of Grandma Ingalls. Then for a little comic relief, "Fred", Laura's newly aquirred goat will keep you smiling, as no one, not even the Reverend Alden is safe from this beast!

"Little Girl Lost" is the touching episode that has little Carrie, falling down a mine shaft, and provides an unlikely hero...

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Batman: The Animated Series, Volume Two (DC Comics Classic Collection)

Batman Returns For Volume Two!
Get ready for more dark justice as the Dark Knight prowls the streets and skies of Gotham City for the criminal element which infests it in Batman: The Animated Series - Volume Two. This 4-disc set features 28 episodes of animated bliss which include the first appearances of Ra's Al Ghul ("Tron's" David Warner), and his beautiful daughter Talia ("Supergirl's" Helen Slater) in "Off Balance"; and The Riddler ("Smallville's" John Glover) in "If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?" The set also includes the Emmy-winning "Robin's Reckoning" with corresponding commentary by Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski. As always, the voice talents never cease to amaze. The brilliant thought and care put into the series' voice casting is a tradition that continued with the later DC Comics superhero shows, Teen Titans and Justice League Unlimited. Here are the contents of this set:

Disc 1:
Eternal Youth
Perchance To Dream
The Cape And Cowl Conspiracy
Robin's Reckoning Part...

The True Batman Lives!
After years of steadfastly ignoring the ardent wishes of its fan base, Warner Brothers is finally continuing to release its landmark Batman: The Animated Series in quailty DVD complete box sets,instead of dolling the episodes out at a sluggish four or five at a time! The "seasons" are somewhat complicated to explain as the Animated saga is actually comprised of three separate "series" that originally aired from 1992-1995, with some of the episodes being replayed in the upcoming "season," hence the designation of "Volume" rather than "Season" in the DVD box set releases.

As has been noted, this 4-disc set features 28 episodes including the first appearances of Ra's Al Ghul, voiced by David Warner, his daughter Talia, voiced by Helen Slater, in the facinating episode entitled, "Off Balance." The set also includes the Riddler, voiced by John Glover, in, "If You're So Smart, Why Aren't You Rich?" This release also includes the Emmy-winning "Robin's Reckoning," which...

The Legend Continues
In Batman - The Animated Series, Vol. 2, we see more of the classic episodes that added to the already large legend and popularity of one of comics' most enduring characters.

DISC 1

Eternal Youth - Seeking vengence for "crimes against nature", Poison Ivy sets up a vacation spa for unsuspecting philantrophists she blames for the ruining of the planet. One of those people, however, is Bruce Wayne/Batman's butler Alfred!

Perchance To Dream - One of The Dark Knight's stranger episodes as he confronts not only The Mad Hatter.....BUT HIMSELF!

The Cape & The Cowl Conspiracy - Batman takes on a thief who steals information and rare items by threating his victims with death traps. This time, this thief wants to steal the mask of Batman.

Robin's Reckoning: Pt. 1 - Robin's past is revealed for the first time. We also see the first signs of conflict between Batman & Robin as both hunt down the murderer of Robin's parents seperately! This...

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Minor Details

very cute
Very cute and clean film. We need more clean family films, without the use of the Lords name in vain, without profanity, without crude humor, without immodesty. Thank you for this and I hope there are many more to come.

Minor Details
Nice kids movie. Don't expect an in depth mover with a great plot as this is not the movie. It just a light fun kids movie.

A great movie
My children really liked this movie and watched it about 4 times in a row.
They enjoyed it and will watch it again again I am sure - they really like the actors in the movie.

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Brave Enough: Live at the Variety (DVD/CD)

Raw and remarkable
Sara is the rare performer who somehow manages to sound even better live than she does on CD. It's almost as if she holds back a little bit in the recording studio, but onstage she really lets loose. This CD and DVD are proof of how strong and pure her voice really is. There's no fancy mixing or post-production here; I saw this tour the night after it was filmed, and she really does sound this remarkable live.

The "Brave Enough" tour was Sara alone onstage with a handful of instruments, telling stories, cutting up with the audience, and playing a mix of new songs, reworked classics and covers. Speaking of the covers, Sara has a knack for taking a beloved song and making it her own. "Hollywood Reporter" even said that her cover of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" is "so spine-tingling that -- blasphemous as this might seem -- it might eclipse any rendering of it that Elton himself has ever done." Another highlight of the show is "I Just Want You," a tender, ukulele-backed tune...

PLEASE RELEASE ON BLU-RAY ASAP with UNCOMPRESSED AUDIO! SUCH A GEM! AUDIOPHILES WILL GO CRAZY!
ANYONE - PLEASE LISTEN - THIS MUST BE RELEASED AS A BLU-RAY ASAP - UNCOMPRESSED AUDIO
This is one of the best recordings in recent times. Simple, pure, open, airy, spacious...wonderful.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE release this recording on Blu-ray...do not make us wait! It will sell like CRAZY to anybody who loves music and appreciates quality.

Sara Bareilles is Brave Enough and more!
You might say that Sara Bareilles had me at "Love Song" her catchy and first No. 1 hit. But my admiration for her work grew with each release, from "Little Voice" to "Kaleidoscope Heart" to her latest release "The Blessed Unrest". She reeled me in for the kill with her latest single "Brave", a song she says she wrote in part to support a friend of hers who recently came out as a lesbian. As a gay man, I found her especially brave to stand up for the gay community.

"Love Song" and "Brave" are both included here, as glorious stripped down versions, packed full of energy and love for the Atlanta audience who has come to see her. The bond between singer and audience at the Variety Playhouse is palpable. The audience even gets a lovely song Bareilles has written just for them and never recorded on any other record, the heartfelt "I Just Want You".

Bareilles has a stage presence like no other, though you must watch the DVD to fully appreciate it, as the CD is edited...

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The Mentalist: The Complete Fourth Season

Mind Games...
"The Mentalist" returns for a fourth season on CBS, starring Simon Baker as Patrick Jane, a former psychic medium and con man, now working as a consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI) with a team led by Senior Special Agent Theresa Lisbon (Robin Tunney) that includes Special Agents Kimball Cho (Tim Kang), Wayne Rigsby (Owain Yeoman), and Grace Van Pelt (Amanda Righetti). "The Mentalist" has thrived for three seasons as a clever police procedural built around Jane's uncanny ability to read and manipulate people (including, sometimes, his own teammates).

As the fourth season opens, the team is in deep trouble. Patrick Jane is on trial for murder, for having shot a man he believed to be the infamous serial killer Red John, murderer of Jane's own wife and child. Lisbon is on suspension for failing to manage Jane, while her team has been scattered. Patrick Jane has a lot of work to do. He needs to somehow survive a trial, then regain the trust of a new...

delightful and charming
I look forward to watching this each week. When I travel I take my copies with me and watch them in the evenings in the motel room. It is hard to find good programs on TV, but this is at the top.

A Great Series: The Mentalist
My wife, myself and my son and daughter-in-law as well as my daughter and son-in-law have all loved watching the Mentalist in the first three seasons and are waiting eagerly for the release of the fourth season. Better than any of CSI's (who are getting bloody repetitive (as the English would say), the Mentalist is more like a modern day Sherlock Holmes and fun to pit your wits against his.

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Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory [Blu-ray]

Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory BLU-RAY
I won't bore you with yet another "review" of this film or my personal opinion of it. You want to know what I think of the BD version, right?

My short answer: This BD looks and sounds so good that I've already given away my DVD of it.

The Blu-ray Disc of Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory is the best I have ever seen of the film. Image quality is sharp & clean and the colors stand out like candy. The DolbyTrueHD sound is excellent allowing all the dialogue and songs to come through crystal-clear.

This BD case is like a book with many pages for the fans. My ONLY (small) regret is that the back cover containing all the BD information is not printed on the book, and instead is merely a printed page that eventually comes loose and detaches after a short while (whereas my "Easy Rider" BD is the same type of book and the information is printed on the back cover - much better!).

If you like (or love) this movie and are wondering if the BD is worth...

One of the all-time classics in a must-own DVD
The 30th Anniversary Edition of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was originally botched as a fullscreen-only effort. However, Warner listened to the people and gave them a wonderful widescreen transfer.

Colors are vibrant, the 5.1 Dolby Digital track is very nice, and there are a handful of cool extras. There is the 30-minute documentary "Pure Imagination" which shows some of the cast today, including all the children and Gene Wilder himself. The interviews of the cast looking back at the movie which was the defining thing for so many of them is very interesting. The documentary on the whole is rather fulfilling. While one feels that the documentary could have delved deeper and maybe been an hour-long, at a brisk 30 minutes, the pacing seems okay and it won't leave you wanting too much more. There is a limited amount of archival on-set "B" roll footage, but all that is there is interesting.

Also included is the original theatrical trailer (Warner left...

Oompa-Loompa, doopity do, I've got another puzzle for you!
WOW, I can't believe how long ago this film was made and how wonderful it is even today! It really doesn't seem like it's from 1971. I have probably seen this film over 500 times by now, since the 80's and I still am not the least bit bored of it. At 28 years old, I still totally love this film!!! The characters, especially Gene Wilder who plays Willy Wonka, who is THE Willy Wonka, who could never be topped EVER (yes I've seen the 2005 film!), the music, the setting, the songs, and especially the Oompa-Loompa's! Everything in this film is so wonderfully done and everyone who hasn't seen it yet, needs to as soon as possible!!

My favorite place or scene in the whole film has to be the big candy and chocolate room where Willy Wonka sings "Pure Imagination." Not only for the song but because I can see how much work the director put into this film. All the candy and chocolate looks so real and alive and the whole room looks so beautiful the way everything is set up! I...

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What's In The Bible? Buck Denver Asks...Why Do We Call it Christmas?

Wonderful details on origin of Christmas itself and Christmas symbols
I just received this today and already put it in to watch with my kids. The format is a little different from the "What's in the Bible?" series, and the storytelling isn't quite as vivid. My 5- (just shy of 5 year old) son could only watch about half of it, so it might be geared for a slightly older school-aged kid.

Instead of the set of the Buck Denver news show, the video cuts to the different characters as they either prepare for a Christmas party at Buck Denver's cabin in the woods or travel to the party. It's fun to see the characters actually interact with each other a little bit. Basically, as they travel, bake cookies, and decorate, the characters ask questions like, "Why is it called Christmas?" or "Who is Santa Claus anyway?" Then through stories via the flannelgraph and the popsicle-stick puppet theater, explanations are given.

The video is quite talky, even for this series, hence I think my son will appreciate it more when he is a little older. Part...

What does Christmas mean? Is it Santa vs. Jesus?
Phil and the people at Jellyfish Labs want to help us with these questions. In a fun, musical, puppet-filled DVD, he covers everything from Santa to stockings, Christmas trees and Hanukkah. He has old carols, new carols, Popsicle-stick theater and my favorite, Missile Toe. (You'll have to see it to understand.) He doesn't rid us of our North Pole Santa, but does connect him with Saint Nicholas, the historical guy who started it all.

As a seminary trained pastor, I can tell you this stuff is a whole lot more fun and easy to understand than the giant books I went through to get my degree. It may be light hearted, but it isn't light weight.

If you've wondered about these topics or struggled with how to answer your kids questions, it's a great new Christmas video to check out.

The Christmas Confussion is over - Well explained!
Kids, parents & grandparents will love this. Great way to start your holiday movie watching tradition...You'll learn why it's called christmas, where the traditional things associated with christmas come in, starting with the name christmas; the tree, St Nick & Santa Clause and much more...

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Swept Away

A joyful and mildly educational program, enthusiastically recommended as a gift for families with young children
Arthur Season 11 collects the latest season of the Parents' Choice award-winning public television series based on the popular children's books by Marc Brown. Following the animated adventures of eight-year-old aardvark Arthur Read, Arthur Season 11 includes episodes such as "Mind Your Manners", "Germophobia", "Baby Kate and the Imaginary Mystery", "The Making of Arthur" (with Matt Damon) and much more. Extra features include downloadable materials for parents and teachers, and the DVDs are enhanced with closed captions and described video for the visually impaired. A joyful and mildly educational program, enthusiastically recommended as a gift for families with young children, as well as public library children's DVD collections. 4.5 hours, color.

arthur season 11
Ilove watching arthur season11 andall the arthur series its family oriented and kid friendly. it deals with everyday issues and woes of everyday children. it has a moral but not over preachy. it deals with everyday stuff children deal with and teaches them lessons

ARTHUR is NO. 1!
Arthur has to be the best tv series in the entire world. Yes, I'm an adult, and my 2 year old loves it too. Actually, she's the reason I started watching Arthur. And now I can't stop.

PLEASE PRODUCE ALL 15 SEASONS OF ARTHUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1

The Magic Is Back!
I'm so very happy that I can recommend this one without any hesitation at all!

The last couple Harry Potter films disappointed me in a myriad of ways. My disappointment didn't cause me to hate them, but I did feel let down and I have to admit that I found Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince pretty forgettable. But, being a Potter fan, I still found myself rushing out to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I today. And to my great relief and happiness, I loved it - really loved it! Yeah!

The chase of the Seven Potters by the Death Eaters and the trip to the Ministry of Magic are tense and exciting, the endless camping trip is just as effective at portraying the helplessness and frustration the characters are experiencing as it was in the book and the scene that gives us Hermione reading Beedle the Bard's "Tale of the Three Brothers" is riveting and wonderfully creative - much, much better than I would have thought it could be. We finally get to meet...

Great Movie, TERRIBLE transfer / picture quality!!!
Great road trip movie. A bit slow at times, but excellent character building, and even some decent acting by the main three. They really have come a long ways. Especially Harry / Daniel who over the past few films has grown immensely as an actor.

However, I am SO, SO sick of the studios PURPOSEFULLY doing a bad job on their DVD transfers only to promote Blu-Rays. The explosion of combo packs has driven this further, because many folks with a 32" or smaller 720p set can't see the difference between a Blu-Ray and upcoverted DVD...UNLESS the DVD is a *terrible* quality source. The studios are now MALICIOUSLY doing horrible transfer jobs in order to make the Blu-Ray look better. This is not conspiracy theory. Watch for yourself by comparing HP7 with HP4 or 5 on DVD!

There is ABSOLUTELY NO REASON that the HP7 DVD should look this bad. First off, it is only using a fraction of the available DVD dual-layer space available, and as such is *riddled* with...

A necessary and fitting buildup to a hopefully grand conclusion
Walking out of the screeing, one of my friends remarked that he hated this Harry Potter film, stating it is the "worst" in the series. I disagree, but understand exactly why he thinks this way. As anyone who has read the book knows, a large part of the seventh book is buildup towards the definite battle that awaits. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Pt. 1 is just buildup.

If you have read the book, you will enjoy this film as it is faithful to the spirit of the book; if you know Harry simply through the films, you might be disappointed. For it is filmed with camping in deserted locations, forests, and other odd locations to escape from Voldermort's grasp. This is really why some critics absolutely hate this film as they can not fathom the amount of buildup this film does. However, if they want to criticize anyone, they should critique Rowling as this is a faithful adaption of her book.

Radcliffe and Grint are great as always, but the welcome surprise is Emma...

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Hot in Cleveland: Season Four

The BEST Season by far!
This season had some of the Best Guest stars, Victoria's mom (Carol Burnett), Melanie's Boss (Heather Locklear, Jay Harrington), Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Georgia Engel, Tim Conway, Mary Tyler Moore, Valerie Harper, Cloris Leachman, and many, many more.
I am Betty White's biggest fan, and I can honestly say that this season is by far my favorite. The Mary Tyler Moore Reunion was the icing on the cake!! This DVD set includes all 24 Episodes on 3 discs. Get it!!! I haven't seen comedy this good in a long time!

It keeps getting better and better!
Hot In Cleveland has definitely hit its stride during its 4th season. Along with some fantastic guest stars visiting nearly every week, the scripts are stronger, funnier and more creative than ever. While I appreciate TV Land carrying this show, it deserves getting a wider audience on a major network. Kudos to the cast and staff of Hot In Cleveland! Thanks for the great season! Looking forward to Season 5!

TV series acquisition
Love the series & look forward to many replays of the series episodes. Nothing like a little humor on these cold Winter nights.

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Angela's Ashes [HD]

Wonderful child actors....
Well, I have to disagree with those who don't like this film. I read the book and I saw the film and the film is actually easier to take in some ways than the book. Both are pretty grim, there's no getting around that. Frank McCourt's childhood was a difficult affair.

The film and the book are works of art. The job of the artist is to shake us up, to make us see what we did not see before. The Ireland that Frank McCourt experienced was poor, dirty, downtrodden and very Catholic. Although I am not Irish, I grew up Catholic, and his depiction of the RC clergy was right-on. I can remember at the age of eight having a nun scream so hard she grew red in the face. I was terrified.

Well, read "Irish Immigrants and Exiles" if you think Mr. McCourt is exaggerating.

The film faithfully follows the book and I thought the film was more "hopeful" than the book. The child actors who play Frank at three different ages are wonderful. Mr. Mccourt said that...

Affecting look at the human face of poverty
The trouble with making a movie out of a Pulitzer Prize winning book is that no matter how good and true to the book it is, it will usually be a disappointment. This has a lot to do with the difference between reading a story and seeing one. When one reads a book, it is usually done over time, perhaps a week or two. The words stir the imagination and the scenes described become images, usually more illusory than real. There is plenty of time for this process to work. A film, in contrast, is viewed over a period of about two hours, where the viewer is perceiving rather than imagining. The portrayals are well defined and no matter how creative the director, it is very difficult to create scenes that equal those of readers who have previously conjured fantastic images in their heads.

I believe this is the reason this film was such a disappointment to so many viewers who had read the book. Thankfully, I saw the film first, so I had no preconceived notions. With that...

Great movie
I enjoyed the movie, and of course movies sometimes are a bit of a let down from the book, but for those who rather just see the movie it does a fine job of telling the story. I read the book before seeing the movie and I thought they did a pretty good job, I do agree that there were some parts missing in the movie that was in the book. Emily Watson did a great job in this movie as well as each actor that played Frank McCourt. So regardless if you read the book or not I think you will enjoy this movie. And as for those, who think this movie is too Hollywood, well if that was the case then Frank's mom would have been played by Julia Roberts, his dad Tom Cruise, his aunt Britney Spears, and Frank would have been played by Will Smith, not to mention all the special affects they would have added to the movie. So I think it's a pretty good movie and recommend it.

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Dragon Ball: Season One

Your Wish Has Been Granted...
I have long wondered when Funimation would finally get the rights to the first thirteen episodes of Dragon Ball allowing them to release a proper set. Now after all that waiting it's finally going to happen and their giving us the first two sagas and beginning of the third all in one set! I'm ecstatic to read from Gen Fukunaga, president at CEO at FUNimation Entertainment, that the original thirteen episodes will be redone uncut as up til now they've only been properly available in a highly edited DVD set titled 'The Saga of Goku'. While I happily purchased that set long ago from LionsGate Entertainment I'm more than happy to upgrade to this set if it means finally owning those first thirteen uncut episodes.
This set will contain the following 31 episodes from the Goku/Pilaf, Tournament and Red Ribbon Army Sagas:

The Saga Of Goku/Emperor Pilaf Saga

1 Secret of the Dragon Ball
2 The Emperor's Quest
3 The Nimbus Cloud Of Roshi
4 Oolong the...

Enjoyable, addicting and absolutely awesome!
It's the series that started it all... "Dragon Ball". Originally, a manga series written and illustrated by Akira Toriyama for "Shonen Jump", the manga series lasted from 1984 through 1995 and since the manga series has produced several anime series which include "Dragon Ball", "Dragon Ball Z", "Dragon Ball GT" and currently in Japan, a new HD broadcasting of "Dragon Ball Kai" and in 2009, an American live action film titled "Dragonball Evolution" was released worldwide.

"Dragon Ball" is the first arc of the series which aired in Japan from 1986 through 1989 and lasted for 153 episodes. The series was released by Harmony Gold USA in the late 80's and then by FUNimation Entertainment in 1995 and uncut episodes were released on DVD in 2003.

But now the episodes will be released in the USA for the first season of "Dragon Ball" for the first time uncut, remastered and digitally restored.

"Dragon Ball - Season One" features a total of 31 episodes on five...

Dragon Ball Season One Remastered - Awesome!
I actually started out as a Dragon Ball Z fan back when the series first aired in the US on Cartoon Network. Over last year, I bought all of the remastered Dragon Ball Z seasons as well as the Dragon Ball GT series. I was looking forward to seeing the original Dragon Ball series which deals with the earlier years of Goku, Krillin, Bulma, etc.

I have to say that this first season of Dragon Ball was not disappointing. In fact, I think it is in many ways better than Dragon Ball Z. Why? Quite simply, this work is not only extremely funny, but you don't have to wait through episode after episode after episode (like in Dragon Ball Z) to see the ultimate outcome of something. The story moves at a very reasonable pace.

Warning! There is a lot of sexual innuendo in Dragon Ball. Far more than in Dragon Ball Z. It's extremely hilarious but if you are bit prudish about this topic, don't buy this series.

I love the interaction of Bulma with Goku. It is...

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Evangelion: 1.11 You Are (Not) Alone [Blu-ray]

Vesion 1.01 Receives a Make Over
Like many fans out there, you're probably wondering what in the world the 1.11 rebuild of Evangelion is considering the 1.01 release is barely four months old. While FUNimation has confirmed that 1.01 was the beginning of four rebuilt feature film releases, 1.11 isn't the second one but rather 1.01 again with some of its lighting (lack thereof) issues addressed, the addition of 2-minutes of new scenes and a second disc including a bunch of extra material.

Hard facts first: The release is comprised of a two-disc set, with the feature presentation now coming in at comes in at 100-minutes with an appropriate PG-13 rating due to animated action, violence and some ambiguous nudity.

Language options are standard sub & dub fair, which means the viewer is given the option of running the original Japanese dialog track or an English dub, either of which is presented in Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound. The option to turn on English subtitles exists for either language choice as...

Blu-ray: A magnificent anime on Blu-ray release!
In 2006, Japanese fans and anime fans of "Neon Genesis Evangelion" received exciting news that in the Summer of 2007, the first of four Evangelion films based on the anime television series would be released in theaters. According to news reports, Evangelion creator Hideaki Anno watched the series from beginning to end and wanted to fix up a lot of questions and debates that fans had over the television series and most importantly, incorporate today's new CG technology for the film versions. Even furthering the excitement is that the original crew and cast have signed on to work on the new film.

So, with mass promotion in Japan, "Evangelion 1.01 - You Are (Not) Alone" became the #1 film in Japan making over $14.6 million (US), surpassing "The End of Evangelion" which brought in $14.5 million (US). A limited edition DVD was released in Japan in 2008 which came with a script, music videos and an "Explanation of Evangelion" feature and needless to say, fans paid dearly for...

I Have Seen - And It Is Good
I've been a big fan of Neon Genesis Evangelion for many years. I've watched all the original series (and barely made it out alive from 25-26) and absolutely love The End of Evangelion. When I found out they were remaking the series, I was both excited and concerned, but it turns out my fears were alleviated when I finally got to see Evangelion: You Are (Not) Alone.

Gainax took the first few episodes of the series, cleaned up the story, and redrew all the art, amazingly integrated CGI (especially compared to its poor modern usage in anime) and used a movie budget to make something that looks GOOD to watch in 1080p. If you're as big an Eva fan as I am, or even if you just liked some of the series, I'd definitely recommend Evangelion 1.11. They've changed enough of it to flow better in a straight 110 minutes of run time and I didn't want to stop watching for a second.

Now, the real question...

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The Last Waltz (Special Edition)

Shows Robbie for exactly what he is - with wonderful music!
Rumor has it that at the debut screening of The Last Waltz in 1977, Ronnie Hawkins stood up at the end of the film and remarked sarcastically, "That was all right, but it sure could've used a few more shots of Robbie!" By now, any serious fan of the Band will be familiar with the antipathy between Robbie Robertson and some of his former comrades. A quarter-century later, this classic movie's disproportionate concentration on Robertson at the others' expense not only remains palpable, it's even more lopsided in the updated version. But for better or worse, that is a key part of the story of the Band; and in retrospect, the Last Waltz is surely an even more accurate documentary than Robertson had aimed for. More importantly, it captures one of the greatest concerts of the rock era.

As Levon Helm relates in his rather bitter memoir "This Wheel's on Fire," the decision to disBand was Robertson's alone and the Last Waltz was a somewhat reluctant exercise on the part of the other...

An Amazing Film Despite The In-Fighting
"The Last Waltz" was one of the very first films I ever purchased new on VHS, and I have enjoyed it consistently for the last 12 years. This movie captures one of the most symbiotic relationships between music and film I have ever seen. Martin Scorsese only had one chance to get this movie right, and he did a great job.

Watch the closeup footage of Levon Helm engulfed in a cool blue light while belting out an amazing version of "Ophelia". Watch Joni Mitchell filmed in a silouhette backstage as she secretly sings backup to Neil Young's "Helpless". Watch Dr. John's hands float effortlessly over the piano keyboard while performing a rousing version of "Such A Night". Watch Rick Danko as he curiously peers over at Bob Dylan, completely unsure of what song they are about to launch into next. Filled with countless moments like these, "The Last Waltz" is pure enjoyment to the very end.

Since falling in love with this movie, I have...

Hard to imagine a better DVD of this film
MGM really did an outstanding job with this release. The movie itself is justly celebrated as one of the greatest concert documentaries of all time. The Band is brimming with energy and they play their farewell concert, and the music sounds fantastic in the 5.1 mix. You don't even have to be a huge fan of The Band to enjoy this movie, as long as you like classic rock. There are so many guest stars that join The Band, including Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, The Staples Singers, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and many others.

There are two outstanding commentary tracks on this dvd. One of them features director Martin Scorsese and Robbie Robertson (of The Band). Over the course of the film, they provide a great deal of insight into the making of the documentary. Equally valuable is the second audio commentary, which features many participants (the other surviving Band members, a few of the guest performers such as Dr. John and Mavis Staples, and several crew members, among others)...

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Sickness and Health

A Gentle and Charming Show
A new series of Doc Martin seems to be a treat we can look forward two every two years. That was how long we had to wait for Season 5 and now there has been a further two year wait for Season 6. However, the good news is that, whereas for a while it did look like Season 5 was to be the last, Martin Clunes recently said that if Series 6 was well received then the show would continue. I would imagine that the script writers would not have any problem writing new stories for the gentle folk of Port Wenn almost indefinitely so hopefully Doc Martin will be with us for some time to come.

Doc Martin was formerly a successful surgeon in London before a phobia for blood drove him to his current position as GP in this sleepy Cornish village in the West of England. With a deadpan face and no apparent people skills, he is not well equipped to deal with the eccentric inhabitants. It is amazing how often a largely expressionless face speaks volumes! One wonders how the long...

EXCELLENT!
THIS 6th AND LAST OF THE SERIES IS THE BEST ONE SO FAR. IT'S A SHAME WE WILL NO LONGER BE SEEING THE CHARACTERS OF PORTWENN AND THE ADVENTURES OF DR.ELLINGHAM - HOPEFULLY, ALL CONCERNED IN PRODUCING THIS SERIES WILL CHANGE THEIR MIND - WOULD LOVE TO SEE JAMES HENRY GROW UP AND SEE HOW MARTIN RELATES TO HIM.

doc martin- season 6
Absolutley thrilled to learn today there will be a Series 6 of Doc Martin. It tops the list of favorites for most in my group of friends. Hard part will be waiting for the DVD to be available for purchase. Hope the series goes on well past #6!

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Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters [HD]

You might feel guilty enjoying this.....but don't let that stop you!
Let's start off by clearing the air a little bit: if you are looking for the next best picture nod and/or the next great fantasy epic, this is not it (and, quite frankly, I'm curious as to why you thought this one WOULD be it). If, however, you can enjoy movies without deep character development or scenes of life-changing consequence, then this is a movie that I highly recommend. I can unequivocally state that this movie did not make me re-evaluate my life, nor did I shed a single tear over, well, anything in this movie due to its emotional narrative...but it was so much fun! I'm someone who can watch best picture movies that stretch your brain and emotions and enjoy them intensely - I am also someone who can fall in love with a movie simply designed to entertain, and, well, I fell in love with this one. I felt that each character was played correctly and hit the tones they were supposed to. There was plenty of action and - contrary to popular opinion - there WAS a plot. I went to the...

Hansel & Gretel all grown up
Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters is like a bloody and F-Bomb filled version of Van Helsing. In this case, that is a good thing. Van Helsing was pretty bad, but they pushed this one far enough with the R rating to please the horror fan inside me. The witches look nice and creepy and most of the CGI is well done. Jeremy Renner (Hansel) is a fantastic actor, though he is mostly wasted here and Gemma Arterton (Gretel) is more of the focus based on her looks and her character's personality. Famke Janssen has fun with the lead evil witch role. This film barely runs 90 minutes and it is light on story and high on action, but I had a good time watching it. Worth a future rental if you don't mind turning your brain off and just enjoy the fact that it is not as bad as you feared it would be.

Oh, the IMAX 3-D was better done than most non-blockbuster type action films.

Edit (7/6/13): I had to knock it up a star after watching the Unrated Cut. Still a very fun movie upon...

Hansel and Gretel the after math!
My grandfather and I saw this film Saturday night. I knew I would enjoyed it but I really loved it! I loved the story line that after Hansel and Gretel encountered their first witch as children they make it their holy mission to be witch hunters. And there was a twist with Hansel and Gretels mom. I also thought they picked great actors for the movie and Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton were of course the ones that shined. I was surprised critics hated this movie but don't go by what they said, if you like magical twists on fairytales go see it. I will warn you that this is not a movie for children. The witches were very frightening and they made me jump. And there's a lot of cursing and violence so it's not for the little ones. I hope you enjoy it like I did. This film I felt kicked Snow White and the Huntsmans butt by far.

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In the Shadow of Two Gunmen - Part I [HD]

A Sensational Sophomore Season
I think that in many cases, the second season of a TV show is its best season. Why is TV so often completely opposite from sophomore efforts in music and movies? From my own observations it's because in the second season of a TV show, the actors have gained a comfortable grasp on how to portray the deeper parts of their character. At the same time, the show still has the freshness of a new show, the same rich texture that won it a debut to begin with; the writers are still developing plots that don't feel stale, so the show hasn't lost that "new car smell". Of course there are exceptions: shows that run out of steam soon after they start, and shows that just seem to keep getting better even after the second season.

I don't know if The West Wing's second season is its best, but it definitely includes some of the best episodes. Great writing, great acting, great sets and music, all come together to form what has become my favorite TV show ever.

Season Two includes these...

A Towering Achievement
For four years, the West Wing was largely considered the best show on TV, and not without good reason. Although this could have turned into a liberal lovefest, the show managed to tap into and rediscover a pride and optimism in our government that our founding fathers must have felt. Far from being venal, corrupt parasites, the politicians of The West Wing were talented and generous people who truly care about the country and struggle to make the right decisions, which often literally are between life and death. It's no wonder that this splendid little shade of fantasy continues to be popular, especially when we have becomed accustomed to expecting less and less from those who are running our country.

The West Wing's second season had the show really beginning to hit its stride. In my mind, the show hit its peak here and in the third season, with plenty of new drama and surprises. The season starts in the aftermath of the previous cliffhanger, with the President and Josh being shot...

Brilliant Series Dips Deeper
The last season ENDED in a brutal cliffhanger with an attempt on the President or Zoe. The last scenes were the staff and bystanders diving for cover as gunmen shot from windows in a nearby building. This season opens trying to untangle the confusion of that night and opens a rich, second season of the best drama on television. We are also treated to some great pre-first season moments, when the staff was managing Bartlet's presidential campaign. From my count there were 17 Emmy nominations this season - for writing, acting, and more - I've noted the episodes that were winners. My only complaint is that they're making us wait so long for these sets, when people overseas have had them already for almost a year - come on, it's OUR idealist leadership. But to quote the deputy press secretary, "let's forget that you're a little late to the party and just embrace the fact that you showed up"

> In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (1) (*emmy)
> In the Shadow of Two Gunmen (2)...

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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - Complete Collection One

The Best Animated Series I Have Ever Seen...
That's right, this series isn't just one of the best Anime I've seen, it is the epitome of Anime in my mind, and one of the best animated television series I have ever experienced. Okay, so I'm a newbie who just finished the series and is on a bit of a high from the experience but I stand by my statements. Due to a series of random events I actually wound up buying the entire series just a few weeks ago and watching it for the first time. I bought the 5 separate Blu-ray releases that are currently available, it cost me substantially more than this set (about $200 total), but I'm still happy I did it, that's how much I love this series. So if you like this series and don't yet own it on DVD/Blu then you have to buy this repackaged Collection 1 set, in my opinion, there is nothing else to it.

This set includes the first 33 episodes of the series. A nice even breaking point that leaves the remaining 34 episodes on the eventual Collection 2.
As far as the episodes, yeah...

Fullmetal Alchemist Done Right.
I began in 2011 watching this series on Cartoon Network/Adult Swim with much scepticism already in hand. After all I have already seen and own the original Fullmetal Alchemist series and the movie. What was Funimation doing, milking us the fans with the same series with minor twists?

At first it seems this way. Granted the very first episode is radically different than the first episode of the first series. Still for about 8 episodes these series side by side are very much the same. THEN a divergence happened, things started to radically change. The two series were no longer mirrors of each. In time I actually had forgotten about the original series, the new rendition is that good.

Plot wise this series is a 10 out of 10, versus the original which I now rate a 5 out of 10. The Humunculi are really delved into in this series. There are better ones than in the first series. PLUS, all the original voices returned for this series, which is another 10 for...

Perhaps the Greatest Anime of all time?
There are shows we just to waste time since there is nothing better to do. There are shows you see because it is the "cool" thing to watch. There are shows you see because of all the ratings and rewards it has won. But then there are shows like these. Blending story, music, action, art, and suspense. This show is a masterpiece. Anime like these are simply not created as often as they should. This show along with Monster, Death Note, DBZ, One Piece show what the anime industry is all about. There probably not be another anime like this again so anyone who is not going to watch this show is doing himself/herself is a disservice. This set with 33 episodes has an MSRP of $70 which is a great deal and worth every penny. The price for most stores is at $50 which is a fantastic deal. But at $36.99 it is simply a steal especially on Blu-Ray. BUY IT! You won't regret it.

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Man of Tai Chi (Watch Now While It's in Theaters) [HD]

START YOUR DAY THE RIGHT WAY
The film centers on Tiger Chen (Tiger Hu Chen) who is a competition Tai Chi fighter. He is recruited by the wealthy and secretive Donaka Mark (Keanu Reeves) to fight privately for him against a series of diverse fighters. His Chi becomes out of control. Donaka is also playing a cat and mouse game with the police.

The film consists of numerous fight sequences, some long, some short. It also has numerous scenes where Tiger has to cope with problems that require him to keep fighting. There is no anti-gravity fighting in this film. The film freely mixes Chinese and English and has subtitles in both languages. Unfortunately the font is white as is the garment background making some words impossible to read.

It was one of the more entertaining fight films I have seen.

Parental Guide: No f-bombs, sex, or nudity.

A fantastic modern day kung fu 80s fight movie all rolled into one
I paid for this movie thinking this was something else entirely. I was a little worried after the opening scene that this would really suck; but boy was I surprised! My wife and I LOVED this movie!! It is a story of a man who wants to prove himself. It is a Kung Fu movie. It is a fight movie. It is a darkness trying to corrupt good movie. It is a success story of good over evil. If you want a good fight movie in the tradition of the 80s, but without the cheesy style, and if you like Kung Fu with TONS of fight action, and with a good moral story- then this movie is for you!

A nice juxtapostion of East and West, Old and New
Very interesting movie that expertly blended Western and Eastern thought mingled with exposing ancient and modern cultural norms and habits to come up with a meaningful flow and development that made sense and kept me focused throughout. A nice mixture of dialogue, action, and a theme that held together from the beginning to the end. The acting was above par and the action scenes rocked. Highly recommend.

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