Tchoupitoulas

A Very Unusual Film
This fine, verite-style film traces the adventures of three teenage brothers who take the ferry to New Orleans for the evening and miss the last ferry home, so they have to stay in the city overnight. Their experiences become more ambiguous and dreamlike as the evening progresses, and you can almost sense their feeling of physical tiredness, in the the always-surreal environment of New Orleans. I have not been able to get this film out of my head since I saw it in a theater - many thanks to Amazon for making this masterpiece available to everyone.

Quirky Film About Boys Out All Night with Their Dog
This film was unexpected, unassuming, and 'real'. I was soon smitten with the boys, and was worried about their well-being. I certainly hope letting your children roam New Orleans til midnight isn't what they usually do, but I have to admit I had fun tagging along with them as they explored abandoned buildings. Sweet.



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Dragon

A Warning to Film Enthusiasts
*This is not a review of the content of the film*

I thought it would be prudent to post this disclaimer on Amazon as it directly effected my decision to NOT buy this version of this movie.

THIS IS NOT THE ORIGINAL VERSION, but rather one that has been edited and shortened by the American Studio handling the domestic release.
Also, changes have been made to some of the music as well.

Now, I'm sure some people don't care about this sort of thing, and you who don't will get an acceptable movie if you decide to buy this. Personally I am a bit of a purist and get offended when some Suits who had nothing to do with making a movie suddenly start cutting bits out and generally messing it about.

If you've got the scratch to spend, you can get the undiluted Chinese release here: Wu Xia Blu-Ray (Region A) (English Subtitled) Donnie Yen

That is all, and may you get...

Great movie, but this is a bad DVD
This movie looks like Donnie's best since IP MAN 1 & 2. Think of it as a Chinese "History of Violence" but set 100 years ago, and with martial arts. Great acting and action. Donnie's acting ability has gotten very very good. I think he'll end up with a better catalogue of work than either Jackie Chan or Jet Li. Unfortunately this DVD was horrible. The picture is soft, lacks any sort of detail and contrast, and has lots of pixelation. The subtitle track is poorly translated and not timed correctly. I recommend this movie, but not this particular DVD.

Horrible quality DVD
Obviously downloaded from the internet and burned on a DVD. Subtitles don't make sense and are not timed correctly. The artwork is blurry. Look for a better version.

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Love & Hip Hop Reunion Part 2

it was okay
This season was okay, dial down the drama some and show some more hip hop being made. I wonder how the Atalanta season will be.

Great Show
I love this show. It's one of my guilty pleasures. I can't wait for more seasons to come to dvd!

go ladies
these ladies are so cool, I love the way they keep it real, can't wait to see the next show

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Makers: Women Who Make America

Impressive
Just watched this on PBS....blown away by the thought and care that went into making it and sharing it with a world that seems to have forgotten exactly how hard many people worked so that I would EXPECT that I have the RIGHT to write this review and have it be read. THANK YOU for your work.

The production is well worth the time. Please share it with everyone you can think of.

Amazing! Everyone should see this!
I just saw this on PBS this evening and couldn't tear myself away from it. I only had fringe knowledge of this history, as I was too young to be aware of it when it was beginning, and it wasn't being discussed as I became a teen in a very conservative Southern small town - maybe too controversial or too recent to be considered "history" for study. It's an invaluable history lesson and inspiration. All women today should consider themselves indebted to those who stood up for our rights, broke barriers, and championed change. While we still have strides to make in the US, our lives are luxurious compared to women of many cultures, so it's fitting that the movement's emphasis has shifted to bettering their lives.
I'm buying this as soon as it comes out & maybe a copy for our library, too. Make sure you see this and get others to watch it too!

Outstanding!
"Makers" is a captivating production - an outstanding collection of historical footage, stories, and commentary from the late 1950's to the present, featuring the contributions of both well known and relatively unknown women. Women who, by virtue of their strength and committment to women's rights, have made major contributions to our lives. "Makers" timeline parallels my lifetime. I've often wondered if younger women have much of a sense of the struggles and persistence that has led to the myriad of opportunities for girls and women now often taken for granted. "Makers" provides a lively, engaging opportunity for those who weren't there throughout the past fifty years to get a real sense of what transpired over that time and how we got to where we now are. And, for those of us who lived the times, what a great opportunity to revisit a real revolution.

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The Sound of the Spirit [HD]

A Nice Jewish Film
Messianic Judaism is a young movement of Jews living as Jews, but have accepted Christ as their savior. They are not generally accepted by traditional reform, conservative and orthodox Jews.

The Sound of the Spirit is about a Jewish teenager brought up in a Messianic Jewish family. Her mother is already deceased, but her father dies of a heart attack. She then moves in with her aunt and uncle, a traditional Jewish family. Here's where the tension and conflict begin.

This is the first film that I know of that deals with the controversy between the Jewish believers in Christ and the traditionally Jewish non-believers. This is something new as Messianic Judaism is only about 40 years old and growing. In the past, Jews who came to believe in Christ simply became Christians, giving up their Jewish identity. Messianic Jews retain their Jewish identity, live and worship as Jews and have introduced the new testament to traditional Jewish worship.

This...

Very Inspirational!
A great story outlining a young girl's struggle with sticking to what she believes in despite the adversity around her.

Interesting Story. I wish they would have gotten professional script writing & acting advice before going public
This was the first movie I have ever seen with this confrontational story line. The part that grieved me was the embarrassment I felt by watching a movie that was sub par in script writing and especially the quality of the acting. The story line kept me watching it, but to be honest it was painful, due to the script and acting. This debate is crucial for Christians around the world to watch. Jesus was a Jew, and just as much as it is hard for Jews to accept Christianity, my heart breaks that many churches turn their nose up at the Jews. I LOVE ISRAEL - my heart will always be connected with its land and people. This movie stirred me in a whole new way to want to see peace between Jews and Gentiles, for that reason I would say watch it. I only wish the movie held to the complete showing of love and peace between both sides. A NOTE TO THE WRITERS, EDITORS AND DIRECTORS: Please if you ever do a movie like this again, take more time to reach out to the Christian Arts. There are thousands...

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Legacies

"Who killed J.R" ?
I am a huge dallas fan since it's first aired in 1978 so i am very emotional now that larry left us for good.
Another great season full of scemes nice plots and twists and half of it full of "J.R" in his last appearrances.
this season is a collectable item only because of larry's death.

Love it!
Season 2 picks up pretty much where the first season ended. Dallas doesn't disappointed in the edge of your seat anticipation or in the twisting plots. I can't wait to see what the rest of the season has in store for the Ewings, Elena, Sue Ellen and all the others!

"Extremely Emotional Season"
One of the best seasons in the history of "Dallas", "Dallas 2-Season 2" revolves around the death of J.R. after the sudden death of series mainstay and star Larry Hagman. While filming the fifth episode in Dallas Larry got extremely sick and within hours died.

This left the writer with a real dilema: how to write off the most popular villin television soaps ever had. J.R. does die, but its the aftermath of what his death brings to the other characters the is interesting.

All 15 episodes are exciting, sexy, suspenseful and involving.

Of importance to note too is the virtuoso performance of former "One Life to Live" star Judith Light (a two-time Tony and Emmy winner) to the cast.

Sit back, enjoy some old friends and new ones and see a prime time soap that will never die!

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Ethel (HBO)

Great documentary about a great woman.
Just watched this last night. It was so great to hear intimate family stories, and hear about the amazing love and devotion Ethel and Bobby Kennedy had for one another. The intimate home movies were great. Rory Kennedy did a phenomenal job, making this film, to tell her mother's rarely heard story. Would recommend this to anyone. Doesn't matter if you're a democrat or a republican. It tells a great love story and documents a great humanitarian, Ethel Kennedy.

Loving and intimate portrait
Sure, it's a bit of a white wash, but no one can reasonably expect that Rory would ask her mother about Bobby's vicious side, or his philandering, or any number of other topics that Ethel does not wish to address of emphasize. With that in mind, this is a fascinating and moving and beautifully made documentary about a really remarkable woman, and features not only interviews with Ethel herself, but also many of her 9 surviving children. Ethel's a unique person in our history, and well worth spending an hour and a half with. Highly recommended.

Inspiring and Challenge
This is a remarkable living history of one of America's finest families. It is a "must" see record for every person who cares about our country.

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Friends: The Complete Series Collection

A worthwhile way to collect all ten seasons at once
Since I notice all the questions seem to concern the logistics of the set, that is the main thing I will address in this review, since you would have to be a resident of another planet to not know the story behind the series "Friends". Suffice it to say it is a classic comic treatment of what I have always called the "post-college adolescent phase" of life, which is roughly the ten years immediately following college graduation as you strike out on your own and try to find your place in life. It is the time in life when you are likely to have the best health, the most freedom, the most disposable income if not necessarily the most total income, and the most fun if you are fortunate enough to have people to share it all with. This phase ends when you "settle down" both career-wise and family-wise, and I always found Friends to track this time in life quite accurately and with both drama and great humor.

As for logistics, this collection fits in a sturdy red box that's less...

Order the Individual Seasons separately
I love this show but I am returning this box set and decided to order the individual seasons separately for the following reasons:

1) Many of the DVDs are faulty and skip even when they are not physically scratched. I tested this with multiple DVD players which have never given me problems before. If you check other reviews this quality control issue is pretty common with the DVDs from this box set. From what I can tell the quality control on the original season sets is much better.

2) Disc 28 was missing and I got two copies of Disc 29 instead.

3) The corner of the collector's box was broken/damaged when i received it.

4) The discs are spread out through 6 scratch-prone cardboard-like sleeves for each character instead of by Season. Cute, but i don't want to have to open up a damn episode guide and look up the episode number to figure out which season i'm about to watch, while worrying about scratching my DVDs when taking them in and out...

Scratched discs won't play without skipping
This set has disc holders made of heavy cardboard that WILL scratch the discs as you take them out and put them back. I just received this set from Amazon today, and the first disc I started watching was scratched and it skipped quite a bit. I'm shipping this back immediately. This packaging is very poorly designed.

On a side note, the size of the box is also less than ideal. It's doesn't fit well with other DVDs on a shelf.

I'm going to buy the individual seasons separately instead! The individual seasons are properly packaged with slim plastic disc holders. Plus, they are the size of other DVDs.

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WWE: For All Mankind - The Life and Career of Mick Foley

Ms. Foley's Baby Boy's Story...RIGHT HERE ON DVD! (Thumbs Up & Cheap Pop)
You can throw out one or two big characters in the business with wrestling fans & it will always spark a conversation but it's rare when you can throw out four different characters & be talking about the same person. Mankind, Dude Love, Cactus Jack, or his real name....they are all one person in Mick Foley & this is his story told by such talents as Dominic DeNucci, Shane Douglas (you read that right), Terry Funk, Arn Anderson, Michael Hayes, Mike Rotunda, Jim Ross, Kevin Sullivan, William Regal, Vader, Paul Heyman, Joey Styles, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, C.M. Punk, The Miz, Sheamus, Big Show, The Rock, Randy Orton, Michael Cole, Kofi Kingston, John Cena, rock legend Dee Snider along with Mick's childhood friends & his children.

The documentry begins talking about Mick growing up playing various sports like lacrosse & doing things like eating worms to intimidate the other team before getting into amateur wrestling alongside Kevin James from "The King Of Queens" before going...





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Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season 4

Love Star Trek!
I`m a big sci-fi fan. We own the series from "Enterprize, orginal Star Trek, and are now working on Star Trek the Next Generation".

Great gift
Bought this for my grown son for his birthday. He loves the product and believes this was their best year of production.

Story grows as do the people
We love everyone of the series and this was no exception. You get where you feel you know the people personally. If you are into "Star Trek", this is a must for your collection.

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Carnival In Costa Rica

Colorful Musical Comedy from 20th Century Fox!
Vera-Ellen, Dick Haymes, Cesar Romero and Celeste Holm star in this
romantic musical comedy filmed in glorious Technicolor.
Fox Archives has done itself proud with this dvd release. The color
is a knock-out!, the sound is great and the condition of the print
used to make the dvd is excellent.

The story takes place during carnival time in Costa Rica where a
pre-arranged wedding between the son of one family and the daughter
of another is about to take place until true love intervenes.
The plot is not important, however, but merely an excuse to feature
some wonderful and exciting Latin dance numbers by Vera-Ellen,
some romantic vocals by Dick Haymes and lots of beautiful scenery.

I want to give a shout-out to Fox for getting this one right.
Keep up the good work! There are no dvd extras.

Colourful film with engaging stars...
This is a lovely film with excellent performances from Dick Haymes in his final film for the studio. Vera Ellen dances wonderfully. Celeste Holm is quirky and a joy. Cesar Romero is suave and playful. The music is Latin flavoured and the scenes full of colour and atmosphere. What a treat to have this on DVD in an official release and at a very reasonable price.

Colourful & happy !
Not the best Vera Ellen movie but she is such a superb & versatile dancer that she makes it worthwhile - Dick Haymes has a pleasant enough voice - uncomplicated & easy to watch !

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Last of the Summer Wine: Vintage 1998

Currently inaccurate Editorial Review information
The "Editorial Review" is directly from the press release which indicates "Foggy" is involved. This is not the case if the product listing is correct as the last episode with "Foggy" was in series 18 which aired in 1997. The press release/Editorial Review describes Series 15 from 1993 which has already seen a release (Last of the Summer Wine: Vintage 1993).

Series 19 from 1998 is the first full series (aka season) with Frank Thornton as "Truly". There was no "Christmas Special" produced for the 1998 series. This is one of the last series with Bill Owen as "Compo". He would complete series 20 and 3 episodes in series 21 before passing.

Here are the episodes from 1998 - series 19:

S19/E1 - 4 January 1998 "Beware of the Oglethorpe": The trio meet a world-weary old school chum, and resolve not to go the same way.

S19/E2 - 11 January 1998 "Tarzan of the Towpath": The...

Great Series, confused releases
Hello Summer Winers,
Well I'm back to give you another hopefully correct listing of this '98 series contents. I first should correct my '97 listing review where I listed the '97 contents. My apologies to you and my mistake was believing and cutting and pasting the then listed '97 contents from the BBC America site. I actually cut and pasted the then BBC America listing of the '97 release contents when I posted that review, it turns out they later changed the contents and instead included "Extra Extra" as the special in the '97 release rather than the "Here Comes The Groom" special which the website then listed as part of it's contents. So NOW it looks like, according to the BBC America website episode list of contents, "Here Comes The Groom" will be on this new '98 series DVD set rather than the '97 set. I wish they could get it straight on what the contents are. My apologies for quoting the source, who I thought knew best.

I don't believe I need to extoll the...

Supurb
Last of the Summer Wine is the best of British comedy. I watched all of the 1998 episodes on PBS over the years but wanted a CD copy to watch these wonderfully funny programs again. The CDs I received are of very high quality video and audio.

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A Royal Scandal

A Lost (?) Gem
I saw this movie a couple of times on afternoon TV at least forty years ago and would give anything to have it on DVD. It's a hilarious farce with Tallulah Bankhead giving an unforgettable (well, obviously) performance, ranging from sharp wit to pure slapstick. Catherine the Great, a part she was born to play, and admirably backed up by a stellar supporting cast. It was prepared and partially shot by Lubitsch, then when he fell ill Otto Preminger took over. Please bring it back!

Great comedy
"A Royal Scandal" is a Royal Treat with members of the Hollywood royal comedy teams of the 40s. The film was developed by comedy master Ernst Lubitsch (1892-1947) who gave us such memorable films as "Ninotchka" (1939), "The Shop Around the Corner" (1940), and "To Be or Not to Be" (1942). Multi-talented Otto Preminger took the directing reigns when Lubitch got sick, and stayed true to Lubitsch's intentions. Lubitsch liked to say "Nobody should try to play comedy unless they have a circus going on inside", and this film is every bit a fun circus with fast delivered witty lines, slapstick at every turn, and marvelous tongue-in-cheek performances from all.

The film features Tallulah Bankhead as Catherine the Great with Charles Coburn, Anne Baxter, Mischa Auer, and Sig Ruman as members of her court. William Eythe co-stars as Bankhead's love interest.

Tallulah Bankhead (1902-68) was more of a personal force than an actress, although she had many memorable performances...

OTTO PREMINGER, OPUS 8
**** 1945. Directed by Otto Preminger. St.-Petersburg, Russia. XVIIIth century. Catherine the Great has just fired her last lover when she meets the naive Alexei Chernoff who wants to warn her against a possible revolution. This film was meant to be directed by Ernst Lubitsch who chose the script before falling ill. Nonetheless, ROYAL SCANDAL remains a sophisticated comedy à la Lubitsch with witty and energetic dialogues. Tallulah Bankhead, Charles Coburn, Anne Baxter, William Eythe, Vincent Price and Sig Ruman are all given the opportunity to present a one (wo-) man show worth remembering. Highly recommended.

In addition to the present edition, you can find a zone 2 DVD released by the BFI (British Film Institute) at amazon.co.uk or another zone 2 DVD released by Columbia Classics at amazon.fr.

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Repo Man (Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

18 years later, still my favorite movie
Repo Man is completely unclassifiable. Funny, dark, biting, thrilling, confusing, action, adventure, it's all there. Emilio Estevez plays Otto, a "white suburban punk" living in LA's sprawl, with a nowhere job that he loses in the film's second scene. When his hippie parents admit they sent his college fund to a TV preacher (We're sending Bibles to El Salvador!), Otto meets Bud (Harry Dean Stanton), a cocaine-driven Repo Man who needs an extra driver. Otto joins the firm and soon learns the Repo Code; Bud's version (You see, a Repo Man gets himself INTO tense situations), and the other regulars at Helping Hand Auto share their philosophies too. Light finds Bud's view tedious but is willing to handle shoot-outs when he's not reading parodies of Scientology (Diuretix), Miller seems completely neuron-fried (The more you drive, the less intelligent you are), and Oly is along to make a four-pack. (Did you notice the four experienced Repo Men are named after beers?) Let's go get a...

A Proud One Among Many
Every decade, there seems to be a movie that defines the angst of the culture and the subculture, the collective feeling that something is wrong with the establishment. To call this zeitgeist is misleading; these films don't reflect the spirit of the times as much as they somehow tap into the opposite - they manage to create an all-around sense of unease about the state of the world. In the 1960s, it was The Graduate and the bombshell look at the end. For the 1990s, Fight Club identified many things wrong both with pop culture and those acting in rebellion against it. For the Reagan-saturated 1980s, the distinction falls squarely on Alex Cox's debut film Repo Man. In one of his first roles, Emilio Estevez plays Otto, a street punk who loses his job and college savings in the same day due to misunderstandings and television preachers. At the end of his rope financially and mentally, he agrees to make a quick 20 bucks by helping experienced repo man Bud (Harry Dean Stanton). Realizing...

"I don't want no commies in my car. No Christians either."
Alex Cox sends up the Reagan era in a black comedy about car reposession. With a stellar soundtrack and lots of quotables, Cox is the precursor to the Coens and Tarantino. Cox sends up everything but the kitchen sink-suburban life, televangelism, nuclear fear, UFO conspiracies, commercialism, self help cults, and more I'm sure I missed here. Straight up lo-budget classic if you have a taste for irony and absurdity.

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A Monster In Paris

-M- FANS BEWARE: NO FRENCH LANGUAGE TRACK
A Monster In Paris (Un Monstre à Paris) is a 2011 French animated film by former DreamWorks animator Bibo Bergeron (director of Road to El Dorado, and more embarrassingly, SharkTale). Yes, that's right, 2011. The film first released theatrically in France in October 2011, and then in the United Kingdom with the English dub in January 2012.
In April of 2013, OVER 16 MONTHS LATER, the United States is just now receiving an official release.

Which is utterly baffling, considering that even before the film's French release, A Monster In Paris went viral and gathered a cult following on the internet, with a large percentage of these fans American (myself included), due to the film's beautiful animation and music.
The music in this film is by Matthieu Chedid, better known by his stage name -M-. I became a fan of -M- and his music through A Monster In Paris. I now own three of -M-'s albums, having imported the CDs from France.

So you can imagine my...

An adorable animated movie with stunning music
When I first saw clips of this movie on YouTube, including the by-now-famous song "La Siene," I was so impressed that I immediately began scouring the Internet for a US release date for the movie. When I learned there were no plans for a US release, I was rather disappointed, but I wouldn't let that deter me from seeing this movie. In the end, I splurged and purchased two copies of the DVD (one for myself, one for our local library) from Amazon's Canadian store.

Now seeing that there's an upcoming US DVD release, I'm kicking myself for not being more patient, but I don't regret having purchased this. It's a beautiful movie, and while maybe not quite Pixar quality it's adorable and charming in its own right.

"A Monster In Paris" takes place in 1910 Paris, during the flooding of the Siene river, and focuses on a short, shy theater worker named Emile and his eccentric, bombastic friend Raoul, a delivery man who fancies himself an inventor. While dropping off a...

Love the music.
I am a French teacher and I can't wait to use this movie as a culmination of our study of Paris (I teach younger children). Vanessa Paradis has an angelic quality to her singing that fits this role perfectly. I appreciate the innocent storyline, there are no adult references or innuendo as there are in so many Disney movies.

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The Ultimate Fighter 17 Team Jones vs. Team Sonnen Finale

New look season
I am a big fan of the UFC! I love the changes in format for the reality show and the better quality of fighters. This is going to be an exciting season.

good show
enjoyed it, good fighting. its a diverse group of guys. I was surprised to see a contender from Guam where im from. even though he lost UD. had some good fights in it. made me want to watch more if the episodes weren't so expensive. they should sell the whole season in one package that cost lower than buying the individual episodes

Fist meet face. Face meet mat. Good night!
Some of the best fights in TUF history. Check out the first 3 episodes to see what I mean and decide for yourself.

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Two Little Bears

FINALLY ON DVD!
I remember seeing this cute family film when I was a kid and had been looking for it on VHS through the Eighties and Nineties but now I have the DVD and am very satisfied. A cool chance to see Brenda Lee at the height of her late 50s/early 60s popularity!





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Baseball: The Golden Age of America's Game

Average At Best
Can't really recommend this one. I had seen parts of it on previous baseball DVD's. It actually repeated within the disc of this set itself. If it is the only DVD of vintage baseball you have ever seen, you may enjoy watching it once. Not much new for veteran viewers.





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4some

A Lightweight, But Surprisingly Sweet, Czech Comedy That Has Sex On Its Brain (And Everywhere Else)
There is a refreshingly open and adult perspective about sex presented in the new lightweight Czech comedy "4Some." Let me translate that: many people are going to hate Jan Hrebejk's look at unconventional relationships. The movie suggests that friends can embark on an unorthodox sexual adventure that defies conventional norms AND not be ruined or punished for the event. Wow! What a suggestion, a shocking notion that we are free to make our own decisions as long as we're not hurting anyone else. Of course, the opponents of sexual liberation will say this movie subverts decent living and the institution of family. I say that it redefines family and live and let live. I won't contend that "4Some" (also released as Holy Foursome and The Holy Quarternity) is the best film you'll see this year. It's not. But if you don't mind a candid comedy about the reawakening of middle-aged sexual desires, the movie feels strikingly different

I would try to be purposefully vague...

IT DELIVERS!
This movie is subtitled, but don't let that sway you from tuning in. The most alluring thing about 4some is that, it is so REAL.
I was expecting the usual Hollywood take on couple's sex, you know, real hot women, and equally good looking men.
This film features men and women that could be your next door neighbors. This, and the realistic build-up to the sex scenes makes it very very sensual. I felt while watching it with my girlfriend that we were viewing someone's private video of their Holiday!!
The movie was low budget with no special effects. I would like to see this movie one more time. You know, when you see a movie a second time, you ALWAYS see things you missed!! Truly looking forward.

It's and Okay movie
It's and okay movie it was excellent to rent and watch once. But the price was kind of high also for renting. I think this movie should rent for about 2.99

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Disneynature: Wings of Life (Blu-ray / DVD)

Extraordinary Film!
This is an extraordinary film. This was shown at a film festival in January where I live, and people are still talking about it. One of the attendees said she was moved to tears by the beauty of the film, while one of the children in attendance said it was one of her favorite movies of all time. Not only is the cinematography extraordinary, but the story is nothing short of stunning, and eye opening at the same time. I would highly recommend this film.

Simply Magnificent!
Everything that Disney does is top notch and Wings of Life by Disneynature is no exception. I was thrilled to find this division of Disney as I hadn't yet had any exposure to it. The movie is as extraordinary as I would expect of Disney and more. The above pictures just you just a glimpse of the amazing photography involved.

I was so blown away by the ability of the camera's to get close enough to capture the images that it did with such clarity and vibrant color. I have never seen the detail of a bee's face or the pattern of a butterfly's wings so close up before. Learning about pollination and seeing it up close and personal is something my kids would never get to experience like this.

Narrated by a flower, we are taught the importance of the flower in nature and how it impacts all living things. I learned so much science and even history from watching this. My three and five year olds were glued to the TV and I really thought they would lose interest once they...

Beautiful film!
This is a beautiful film. I saw it at the Dallas International Film Festival, and the whole audience loved it. I will be buying this on Blu-Ray.

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Code of the West

Win/Win vs. Win/Lose...
This is a documentary that must be a requirement for every citizen of any country. Although the topic is about marijuana in state of Montana, it is about politics and how the system works for every single issue in a human society. Laws are designed to bring peace of mind that not only our rights are protected but more importantly, the laws were passed since it benefited the society not necessarily all or whole. Unfortunately that was not the case in Montana or just like most issues which is polarizing this nation not because of a certain groups or institutions but due to certain and I repeat, certain humans, careless, selfish humans that operate on basis of win/lose instead of win/win... Here are the players;

1. PLAYER A: Federal government which passed regulations to make hemp illegal with the help of the big pharma, oil companies, plastic companies, fabric industries, pesticide and chemical companies and many other big organizations which find the health benefits and...

Intriguing Look at The War on Drugs
As governments across the country take the marijuana trade out of the hands of violent criminals and put it into the hands of local authorities, this compelling story of what happens when the federal government comes to blows with a state's right to govern itself is a particularly timely look at the struggle toward more sensible drug laws.

Excellent for academic use or a community event
I am a professor of sociology and faculty advisor for a chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy. The students showed this film at a community, social event. It is a great balance between education, inspiration, and entertainment. I am also planning to use the film in class to discuss political movements, institutional resistance, cultural and ideological differences in the US, and drug policy reform. Although it seems the tide is turning against the failed War on Drugs, this film shows the difficulty in making any changes to the system. While there are so many ballot initiatives about marijuana in states around the country, it is important to see all sides of the issue in-depth. This film provides that perspective. I recommend it for any audience!

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Under Jakob's Ladder [HD]

Locally shot.
I bought this movie after finding out it was shot in the town I live in. Good little story and not bad for a low budget film. It's more a keepsake than a movie I'll watch over and over again.





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Star Trek: The Next Generation - Season 7

STNG 7
In the 7th and final season, the crew runs into Hugh the Borg, Picard and DaiMon Bok meet again, we meet Data's mother, Worf's half human brother, Wesley is back, and Tash Yar returns in the final two-part episode.

All 26 episodes are contained on 7 disks.

1) Descent (part 2) - Taken prisoner by Lore and the Borg, the away team consisting of Picard, Troi and Geordi is trapped while the Enterprise is attacked by the Borg ship. Riker and Worf, discover that Hugh, a Borg, is in hiding on the planet.

2) Liaisons - Picard's shuttlecraft crash lands and when he leaves to look for medical aid for the pilot, he meets a woman named Anna, who has apparently been stranded alone on the planet for seven years. Anna won't let Picard leave and he finds out that no there is really alive.

3) Interface - A new interface is being tested by Geordi to control remote unmanned probes. Utilizing his visor implants, Geordi is able to see, hear, and experience whatever conditions the probe...

The Next Generation graduates boldly bow out...
The seventh season of TNG was a mixed bag; the show's budget had been reduced and many on the writing staff moved over to the new hot property DS9 (in fact The Storyteller episode of DS9 was originally written for TNG). Nevertheless, there were a number of stand out episodes during the seventh season.

I've seen many fans complain about Masks. It's an intriguing and well written episode that allows Brent Spiner shine. It's a little unclear at the resolution what the artifact was attempting to do by transforming the Enterprise into a dead civilization but it still manages to work despite it's shortcomings.

Although Genesis seems to rush to its conclusion (it could easily have been stretched to a two part episode), Gates McFadden's sharp direction creates an errie mood. It's one of the few episodes that recall Cat's Paw from the original series. It's definitely a Halloween type of episode and is filled with interesting make up designs. It's also Reg Barclay's swansong on the series...

Great Season Finale. A Lot Better than the others
Descent, Part II -- Picard, Troi and Geordi are held prisoner by Data, who has joined his evil brother Lore in assuming leadership of the Borg. (Stars Jonathan Del Arco who reprises his role as Hugh from Season Five's "I, Borg")

Liaisons -- While the crew plays host to a cultural exchange with some Iyaaran ambassadors, Picard is stranded on a barren planet with a woman who falls desperately in love with him.

Interface -- Geordi defies Picard's commands and risks his life in what appears to be a futile attempt to rescue his missing mother.

Gambit, Part I -- Picard and Riker becomes part of a mercenary ship and crew. (Stars Richard Lynch from Invasion U.S.A., and Puppet Master 3. Also stars Robin Curtis from Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)

Gambit, Part II -- Picard and Riker masquerade as mercenaries in order to retrieve a potentially lethal Vulcan artifact. (Stars Richard Lynch from Invasion U.S.A., and Puppet Master 3. Also stars Robin...

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Call Me Mister

Call Me Happy
HAPPY with peppy Betty Grable musical, HAPPY with the print quality.

CALL ME MISTER takes place in Japan just after World War 2. Betty is touring military bases in a USO-type show (called CATS) with sidekick Benay Venuta when she runs into soldier and ex-hubby Dan Dailey. Grable has two outstanding musical numbers: She begins "Japanese Girl Like American Boy" in a colorful kimono, then segues to navy whites with the Dunhill trio in a terrific tap dance routine. The second is the finger-snapping "I'm Gonna Love That Man Like He's Never Been Loved Before." What's puzzling is that she and Dailey perform only one number together, "I Just Can't Do Enough for You, Baby," an interpretive style dance that was popular in the early 1950s. Good supporting cast features Danny Thomas, Dale Robertson, Frank Fontaine. Plus an uncredited Bobby Short practically steals the show singing "Goin' Home Train." Busby Berkeley is past his prime as he stages the musical numbers, including a...

Not exactly my favorite Betty Grable film but still happy to own it
I really love Betty Grable but this film is not exactly up to par with most of her other films.
The one thing that really bothered me was the casting of Danny Thomas. Like a previous reviewer, I find him to be obnoxious and his scenes overly long. If the DVD had chapters, I'd have to skip over his scenes.

Dan Daily was not one of my favorite of Betty's leading men BUT at least he could dance and be her equal on the dance floor. Most of Betty's other dancing partners were either uncredited people (like choreographer Hermes Pan), ballroom dancers (like Cesar Romero) or men that gamely moved through a routine (like John Payne and Victor Mature). Dan Daily at least hoofed a good routine and had some charm in the process.

Like all films in the Fox Cinema Archives series, there are no chapters, no trailers, no extras of any kind - just the film.

I'm just happy to finally see this and other films in this series finally released on DVD. There are a lot of...

Grable and Dailey Back in Business
Pleasant if mild musical comedy loosely, very loosely based on Harold Rome's stage revue CALL ME MISTER. The film which is set in post WW2 Japan has a better than average plot for a musical. Only two songs remain from the original show: CALL ME MISTER and GOIN HOME TRAIN performed by Bobby Short in his only film appearance. But the main reason for watching the film is the re-teaming of Grable & Dailey. They work so well together. To me the best original song in the film is I'M GONNA LOVE THAT GUY sung by Grable and chorus. Busby Berkeley staged the musical numbers as well as the finale and this is far from his best work. Danny Thomas has a couple of funny routines. The Technicolor print looks fine for a FOX MOD. Grable was coming to the end of her long reign as queen of the FOX lot and her musicals of the early 50's were never as good as her 40s films, although one never tires of her performances. Her next film with Dailey MY BLUE HEAVEN released circa 1952 would be their last...

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National Parks Exploration Series: Glacier Park - Crown of the Continent [HD]

Informative introduction to the park
While it would be unfair to compare this piece to those put out by the BBC, it is on par with (and in some cases, better than) most others (including some by National Geographic) when considering informative value, quality of images and composition. I was not at all disappointed.

With so few documentaries available for Glacier National Park, I am left wanting more. This, of course, is of no fault of the creators of "Crown of the Continent."

If you are looking for a breath-taking viewing experience, this video is probably not for you. For those who enjoy nature and the history of our parks, I would highly recommend "Crown of the Continent."





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Save the Date

Save the Date
A real film about how life sort of just happens. very relatable story and characters. The story plays out like events would in life and that was what made this movie so great. if you enjoy stories that are more realistic then this is for yo Lizzy Caplan and Alison Bree are stellar and you will fall in love with them. The dialogue is key in this film so enjoy and pay attention. i will say the last scene wasnt my favorite but the rest of the story makes up for it

good, honest, more!
Really enjoyed this movie and the dark humor was a nice departure from the standard, cliched romcom. Sad at times and i wish it didn't end where it did (not that i'm always opposed to ambiguous endings), but I'd definitely watch it again! Loved the cast and in particular thought Lizzy Caplan did SUCH a credible job with the role.

Great quirky movie
Lizzy Caplan steals your heart as a complex, self gaurded 30something who has love thrown at her when it's the farthest thing she wants. She most choose between the love she has become comfortable with, and the rebound guy turned soulmate. As well as her sister's (Alison Brie) wedding witch she feels obligated to help with. Great performances from Mark Webber, Geoffrey Arend and Martin Starr also.

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French Chef: Julia Child's Dinner Party Favorites

Julia at her best. Black and White series from the 1960s
Now that more Julia Child DVDs are coming out it is good to know what is on each one, so you don't duplicate.
These are all black and white episodes before the 1970s.
6 shows
STARTERS & SIDES: (Soupe au Pistou) (Asparagus from Tip to Butt)
ENTREES: (Cassoulet) (Roast Duck a l'Orange)
DESSERTS: (Cake for Company) (Tarts aux Fruites)

The quality of the shows---picture wise---is about 8 out of 10. Some flickering and graininess but it is worthwhile to see her in the early stages of her shows. Enjoy!

Fabulous
Thanks, great movie really enjoy the entertainment of the artist Julie Child's personality and her funny antics, she was quite the lady.

One more for a JC collection
I have all her video's to date. These are not repeats. It is very entertaining to watch these early episodes and be able to see how she improved her on screen persona...especially entertaining when she describes an 'exotic' ingredient or piece of equipment that we all have in our kitchens today.

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Mere Dad Ki Maruti (Hindi Movie / Bollywood Film / Indian Cinema DVD)

A decent spin
This is one of the better movies to come out of Bollywood this year.

Sure, these days it's all about (Huh!) 'Glamour', with John Abraham stripping off, Sunny Leone and Ameesha Patel getting plenty of 'exposure' and every charmless hoon with big tattooed arms learning how to scowl and point a gun, so 'Mere Dad Ki Maruti' seems a little 'humble'.

Sure, it's plot is a little thin - it's essentially a remake of "Ferrari Ki Sawaari", minus the endless emotional cues - but it has enough charm and interesting characters to get it over the line.

And it's lucky to have "Charm"; the two main leads, Saqib Saleem as Sameer, and Rhea Chakraborty as some sexy 'Jazzleen', have about as much charm as a brown paper bag. No, actually, I take that back, brown paper bags are innocuous and, at the worst, fade into the background.

Sameer and Jazzleen are about as likeable as expired fish smell, and whenever they are on screen talking about how cool and sexy they...





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Our Daily Bread [Blu-ray]

Look for the 2005 re-release
If you're interested in getting this excellent compilation of films about the Great Depression, then please note that Image Entertainment re-released this DVD in late 2005. The cover is slightly different, featuring a still photo of two children from "The River." For some reason, Image hasn't been on the ball lately, and many e-tailers (including Amazon) continue to list this title -- as well as the silent documentaries "Grass" and "Chang" -- as out of print. It isn't. You can still find it here occasionally and with e-tailers who specialize in rare and hard-to-find DVDs (like Facets). There's no reason to pay more than $30 for this title unless you want the OOP 1st issue.

The movies themselves: As John Marr points out in his review below, "Our Daily Bread" is a little dated and corny in its story and acting, but it's still a fine movie made by a superb American director, King Vidor. Vidor made this movie independently -- hence some of the non-professional actors...

Outstanding documnetary overview of the Depression
There are very few movies I chose to see again and again, and fewer still when it comes to documentaries. However this film is filled with wonderful period pieces -- mostly carefully chosen newsreel and movie clips -- that weave a woeful tale of the Depression. Strangely enough,the film is almost exhilarating, showing the courage and perseverance of individual Americans as well as the country as they faced the 1929 Crash and struggled through the grim thirties. There are dozens of carefully chosen movie clips using characters portrayed by Cagney,Bogart,etc., as well as many other lesser known actors and films dealing with very real issues of survival. I bought this DVD three years ago. When I went to purchase it for a friend I was surprised to see that no one had reviewed it! It deserves five stars and a much wider audience. (There is a short film, "The River", about the 1937 Mississippi flood, which by itself is worth the price of the DVD.)

A historically significant American film. Attention: Criterion, please...
After reading the reviews of the Alpha print, I purchased the Synergy one. It is a little washed out, though not nearly as bad as the Alpha one sounds. The vhs copy I made from TCM is somewhat better. Also, there are no menus. The movie starts with the FBI warning, and proceeds right into the film. At the end, it cycles right back to the warning and starts over again. Furthermore, although you can navigate forward and backward between chapters, they are not well placed. Sometimes, the chapter puts you into the film in the middle of a word! Nevertheless I am very happy to have this film on dvd. I would rate the Synergy version as approximately acceptible if you love this film. Also, having a dvd makes it easier to use in a history class.
I just did some research on this film for a grad project. King Vidor was unable to obtain funding for "Our Daily Bread." Banks did not want to fund a film that portrayed them in a bad light. Vidor mortgaged everything he had to make...

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State of Emergency

A Great Zombie Flick that Deserves Attention...
I have to confess: when I first saw the DVD cover for this film, I thought it was going to be a comedy. I'm not sure why, but the expression of the character on the cover gave me the impression that he was in a funny situation. Thus, my expectations weren't very high when I started watching it. But wow...I'm glad I did give it a chance; STATE OF EMERGENCY is a top-notch zombie flick that delivers on many levels.

I had never heard of STATE OF EMERGENCY before I got the press release, but I would wager that horror fans will definitely be hearing about this one soon. While it does not really bring anything new to the table, it is a taut, thrilling survival story that will have you squirming in your seat and hiding your eyes.

One major aspect of this film that jumped out at me is the way it looks. I saw in the closing credits that it was shot on a Red One camera, and you can certainly tell; the picture is crystal clear and the quality of the imagery is...

Better than expected
After reading the 4 star reviews I figured I'd give this flick at shot. I have to say it was surprisingly better than I thought it would be. The zombies are kind of a mix between the 28 days later drones and the walking dead monsters. They did have a bit of intelligence to them, which definitely lended to the spookiness of them. This isn't exactly a gore fest film. Obviously our heroes do some zombie slaying, but there isn't the mass amounts of blood and guts as in most zombie movies. Instead, the film-maker focuses on the survivors and how they deal. I did like the fact the characters didn't clammer around making all the ridiculous mistakes that most do. They took steps that it seemed like actual people might take in the situation. All in all, it's not the absolute best of the genre, but it's worth a watch.

I Liked It (but I'm Not Sure Why)
Other reviewers said that this movie moved slowly, and they were right. For some reason, though, the movie still worked for me. I guess I was expecting another pseudo-zombie gore-fest, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that this movie did not fall into that category. It was slow but interesting with a couple of decent scares; not brilliantly acted but engaging. If you're not sure what you're in the mood to watch, give this a try. If nothing else, it will help you fall asleep.

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All Hands On Deck

Cinemascope in "pan & scan"; are you kidding? Don't the original dollar-bill aspect ratio film-elements exist?
I'd LOVE a copy of this film... just NOT in the "as-seen-through-a-keyhole"
modified to fit your square, glass screen, CRT, ancient TV set processing.

I'll probably NOT see this review in-print because I'll remind you of what
Spielberg calls t-h-a-t process: "cra-po-vi-sion".

Looks even worse on a widescreen TV; you can imagine WHAT you AREN'T seeing!

FINALLY ON DVD!
This Pat Boone service comedy is like the movie "Everything's Ducky", also with Buddy Hackett, but this time featuring a pelican instead of a duck...and it also has Boone croon a few tunes during his heyday. Now they need to get 2 more Pat Boone movies on DVD: "The Horror Of It All" and "Mardi Gras".

All Hands On Deck
I have no other comments except that the quality, definition is good. It is an old movie remember? Good bye.

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Summer Wars [Blu-ray]

Welcome to the world of OZ
If Hayao Miyazaki made a cyberthriller, the result might be something like "Summer Wars." This colorful little anime movie spends most of its run straddling the line between a family reunion comedy and a world war entirely on the web. And the results manage to stir your heart and make you laugh at the same time.

Math nerd Kenji is shocked when popular upperclassman Natsuki asks him to come to her family's country house for the weekend. Unfortunately, he's there under false pretenses -- not only is Natsuki claiming that he's her boyfriend, but that he's a wealthy college student at Tokyo U. Yeah, that is inevitably going to backfire.

But something far worse happens when OZ (a crazy hybrid of amazon.com, Facebook, fighting video games and... well, just about everything you can find on the WWW) is hacked -- and Kenji is the main suspect.

The truth is actually much more sinister -- a horrendous program called Love Machine is devouring OZ user avatars, and...

A touching family story wrapped in a stunning cyber-thriller!
Or is it the other way around?

Reminiscent of American movies like "War Games," as well as anime greats like "Spirited Away," this movie blends suspense, comedy, family, and a touch of romance in an expert mixture that is fun and heartwarming.

Kenji is a math genius with no self-confidence and, in his opinion, nothing else he is good at, especially when it comes to the fairer sex. He is spending his summer break working in tech support for the mega-giant, all pervading social networking site Oz when the girl of his dreams, the popular upperclassmen Natsuki, asks if he can work for her over the summer. The job is simple, she says. He just needs to accompany her on a trip to her Grandmother's house for a family reunion and do whatever odd jobs are needed to help out her big family. When it turns out that the real job is to pretend to be her fiancé, he balks at first. After all, he has never even taken a girl on a date, let alone gotten serious enough to be...

An excellent localization
I received my preorder of this DVD the other day, and I'm thoroughly delighted with it. Having seen the original Japanese version, I was pleased to see that the localization to English was well done. The dubbing is good, the translation natural, and the voices match to the originals quite well. There are subtitles in a few places where necessary. You get art cards showing the Oz avatars of the main characters, which are quite nice. And the extras (interviews with voice artists and original commercials for the movie) are good too. Besides being a great story in its own right, this'll be the perfect DVD for me to share with family and friends to help them understand what this crazy anime hobby of mine is all about.

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Place to Place: Complete Collection

A show that...
You know has a tremendous manga, just from watching episodes. But you don't have to read the manga to enjoy this.

This is one of the most enjoyable and silly shows you'll likely see in anime. The characters support each other very well and the comedy they create is fantastic. Some of the gags are rather old ones seen in anime but for some reason this show makes them funny again.

The one fault with this show is it doesn't go into the backstory for Tsukimi. You see it in the opening theme and it shows that she isn't really human anymore but you will wonder about her and it just won't be answered. Turning to the manga is likely the remedy to this. But again, you don't need to read it to enjoy this. This is a slice of life comedy where each episode pretty much stands on it's own. The story feels like it takes place in the middle of where the grand story is in the manga but it is not hard to pick up or get into. You get to know the characters easily...

The most enjoyable lighthearted romantic comedy
This is the most recent romantic comedy that I really enjoy watching it that I watched it over again a few more times, which I rarely do that as most animes I don't find enough enjoyment to watch it again. If you enjoy lighthearted anime especially if you like Lucky Star then this is a must watched, most of the characters especially all the female characters are very interesting in their own way which bought a lot of comedic moments. The only disappointment for me is that Sentai didn't bother to dubbed it over for the US release otherwise this would have been an excellent collection.

Great shape and price.
The price was very reasonable and the product was new. The show was funny and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys comedies.

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Meet Me After The Show

Gorgeous Grable, Great Songs, Grand Print
Debbie Reynolds once said that her favorite Grable musical number was No Talent Joe from "Meet Me After the Show." And she's probably right. It not only shows off Betty's singing and dancing talents and her still-beautiful figure, but also her sense of humor. In fact, this movie gives us one of Betty Grable's best comedic performances.

Her boss, Darryl F. Zanuck, promised her Cary Grant for her leading man, but delivered Macdonald Carey. (Well, at least he got the Carey-part right.) Carey plays her producer husband who is starring his wife in a Broadway musical. When she discovers her husband in the arms of the show's backer, Gloria Carstads (Lois Andrews), Betty suddenly develops a case of amnesia and heads for the beach night club in Miami where Carey had discovered her. Carey and her show's leading man, Eddie Albert, follow and find her reverting back to her roots as a honky-tonk singer with a stuffed polar bear ("It's a hot night in Alaska, you can feel the heat...

Minor Grable Musical
First off I have to say that FOX got it right this time. This MOD is a beautful Technicolor print. However, this is a silly Grable backstage vehicle bolstered by some terrific musical numbers choreographed by Jack Cole. Grable opens the film with a hot tap dance number partnered with Steve Condos and another male dancer. Impressive too is the jazzy, unusual BETTIN ON A MAN sung by Grable and beautifully photographed, and NO TALENT JOE with an assist from Gwen Verdon. I FEEL LIKE DANCING with Grable and Verdon feels similiar to some of Cole's choreography from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Three for the Show. Apparently Jack Cole likes to use candleabra. Julie Styne and Leo Robin wrote the score. The beautful EVERYDAY IS LIKE A DAY IN MAYTIME sung by co-star MacDonald Carey is just thrown away. Its also used mostly as background music. Eddie Albert and Fred Clark co-star. I believe I spotted George Chakiris in the chorus of dancers. The musical numbers certainly make this film...

Terrific musical numbers, costumes & stage scenery
The production design of this film is wonderful. The costumes, that were the last word in 1951, are great examples of that period. I love the stage sets and the opening credits; fabulous art work!

Betty is, of course, as wonderful as ever. MacDonald Carey lacks the charm of Betty's previous leading men. He doesn't dance and I think his singing is dubbed. Honestly, I think John Payne (who could sing and tries to dance a little) would've been a better choice. But, alas, he was long gone from Fox by 1951 and Fox's roster of stars by that time really lacked a good match for Betty.

There are several stand out musical numbers and the choreography is landmark to it's time period.

I've had CDs and records with the songs from this film for a long time. It's finally nice to hear the music in context with the film.

I must admit that I burst out laughing when a montage of Miami scenes and the song, "Oh, me O My- ami" came along in the middle of the...

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Losing the Thread

amazing revelation in Losing the Thread
Losing the Thread is an extremely impressive presentation given by Dr. Rachel Corday who has the personal as well as academic
background to offer enlightening information about the nature of psychosis. rather than being formal and talking about technicalities
Dr. Corday talks to us personally, directly, and openly about these illnesses that are so difficult to explain. excellent.

Losing the Thread
Corday's presentation is highly unique. She comes from her heart with a sharing of her own highly personal experience with psychosis with an obvious deep desire to help others understand what is it like to "lose the thread." Surely, it offers both comfort and insight to anyone who deals with psychosis or is close to someone who does - as well as for general public education. As she calmly searches for the best words to relay exactly what she wants to say, her sense of humor comes through to shed light on a very serious subject.

"Spellbinding"
Not at all what I was expecting, based upon the Amazon product description.

This is not enlightened biography as found in "A Beautiful Mind," "Girl Interrupted," or Clifford Beers classic "A Mind that Found Itself." Dr. Corday appears to be "spell bound" by her medications and makes some remarkable claims about their efficacy.

Dr. Corday is not a psychiatrist, psychologist, or any kind of medical professional, not that those credentials are important to share her first-hand experience with psychosis. However, she peppers her narrative with phrases like "chemical imbalance" and makes several vague references to diseased or different brain anatomy, none of which have been shown to exist in the living (or dead) brain of any person with serious mental illness, to "explain" her personal psychotic experiences. While her personal narrative, body language and interpretations of self and experiences through her separate...

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Future Weather

Young girl fears for the planet
"Future Weather" finds a bright young girl trying to spread the word about climate change while her personal world is collapsing. Launduree (Perla Haney-Jardine), age 13, is forever trying to inform her rural Illinois community about the dangers of global warning. She plants trees wherever possible and lectures her best friend about the importance of mussels to the marine environment.

One day she comes home to her trailer park to find a note from her single mom (Marin Ireland) saying she has gone off to Hollywood to follow her dream of being a makeup artist to the stars. All she leaves behind is $50. Still, Launduree clings to her home and a school carbon dioxide experiement. But her grandmother (Amy Madigan) has other plans. Thrust together, they learn to trust each other in the face of an uncertain future.

The film works best as a character study of a youngster too intelligent for her environment and Ms. Hanley-Jardine does an admirable job anchoring the...

A Small Family Drama Bolstered By A Terrifically Understated Lead Performance
I had never heard of the indie "Future Weather" by first time writer/director Jenny Deller before sitting down to watch it. And this lack of expectation probably served me well. A very small picture, "Future Weather" paints a vivid portrait of small town life, a girl's search for purpose, and the restructuring of a fractured family. With strong supporting turns from Lili Taylor and Amy Madigan (one of my choices for the most underrated actress ever), the movie is both smart and grounded. But what makes this effort stand out has got to be its young star, Perla Haney-Jardine. Front and center in almost every scene, Haney-Jardine creates a truly original protagonist. Her character, Lauduree, is not the typical representation of teen angst that you've seen a dozen time before. Instead, she plays the savvy outsider. Instead of confronting the difficulties in her personal life, she chooses instead to focus on a myriad of ecological concerns. But in many ways, this obsession stands...

Yes I Liked It. But is it Any Good?
Now and then a movie comes along that throws me for a loop. I sit and enjoy it, but can't really figure out if it was any good or not. This is one of those movies.

Here's the scoop. Lauduree (Perla Haney-Jardine) is a budding and exceptionally bright girl whose mother has just ditched her to try and make it as a makeup artist in Hollywood. Lauduree is in the middle of some plant based experiments to try to determine shifting weather patterns. She needs to keep mom's disappearance on the down low to stay in the game. Grandma Greta (Amy Madigan) finds out and does her best to help. Lauduree's teacher, Ms. Markovi (Lili Taylor) is also in to help as best she can. Can water find it's own level here?

This is writer/director Jenny Deller's expansion of her earlier short film also starring Perla. It was a wise choice to keep her because she's mostly what's happening here. Madigan does a really good job and Taylor is okay, but it's Perla who steals the show. She gives a...

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Hiiro No Kakera: Season 1 [Blu-ray]

Enjoyable!!
Okay, so I just finished both seasons like a week ago with english sub, and enjoyed so much that I thought I would buy it japanese with english sub if need be. So I get on here and then I realize they are dubbing the series in 2 months....lol *face palm*....I like the characters and even though they could have done with a little more action and less school/cheer up time, the story was interesting enough to keep me watching....even though I had to hang on for the first few episodes....not to mention the 2nd season is a head and shoulders better than the first...it sums up the series pretty good and has a lot more romance...but what can I say, you can't watch the 2nd season without watching the 1st, but the 1st desperately needed the 2nd to clear things up and make things more entertaining.
XP

Love it!
I loved this anime and I loved it dubbed in english. It was very clear and had no problems with the dvd at all. Can't wait for season 2. I have it on back order for November!

Anime was Good
its came in good condition with no problem it is an excellent anime and it was amazing to watch and see

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Hunting Season

Great Movie!
I love the cinematography and the dramatic story line. All the acting is believable and it leaves you wanting more.





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Stand Strong

Must see!
Our world is experiencing a lot of stumbling blocks, two of which are withdrawing from God and tough financial situations. This great film addresses both of these! And is very well done, with a great story line, tear filled scenes as well as ones that make you laugh. Great for family movie night!

Fantastic Movie with a very Timely message
We absolutely loved this movie. It wasn't afraid to share a tough message in a clean uplifting way. On top of the the content - the movie itself is very high quality and entertaining to watch. I am recommending it to everyone!!

Clean and Christian
It's hard to find good media these days that is clean enough for the whole family, and even harder to find modern day stories of virtue and solid Christian principles. I was so happy to see what a great job Illumin8ed did on Stand Strong. Great Bible-based messages, full of real life lessons for young and old. It will have you laughing and crying. Definitely a keeper!

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Sitting Pretty

Clifton Webb is a scream
This is not a particularly well-known movie any more, but it is a great film worth buying and enjoying. Clifton Webb plays the prissy and effeminate Mr. Belvedere, a no-nonsense butler who moves into Robert Young and Maureen O'Hara's home to watch their bratty sons. Webb immediately instills discipline into the home and the boys end up adoring him, even if he is a martinet. The hilarious scenes he finds himself in... delicious!

Clifton Webb's comedic timing is underrated and the plot twists and ancillary characters will entertain and delight you throughout. This is one of the best sleepers from the 1940's and will have you laughing from beginning to end.

Window to a sweeter time
It is a farce/comedy. The story has mystery, romance and humor. What it lacks is the harshness of the movies today. A brief escape to a sweeter time. I love looking at the decor their home.Very enjoyable.

sitting pretty
this is a wonderfully funny and entertaining movie.clifton webb is great as mr. belvedere. robert young and maureen o'hara were also terrific as the parents of the 3 boys. also if someone knows where i can get the 2 sequels on video mr. belvedere goes to college mr. belvedere rings the bell i would appreciate it very much.

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A Whisper to a Roar

A Choice Worth Dying For
This story about the universal desire for democracy and the human price that is paid to attain it is as inspirational as it is informative. How shocking the parallels are as we watch dictators from five countries betray the very people who believed they were liberators. News footage from the Ukraine, Venezuela, Egypt, Malaysia and Zimbabwe is used to dramatize the common theme that when power becomes absolute, the result is catastrophic. But the primary message of the film focuses on the courage of the oppressed to risk everything for liberty. When we see how people risk their lives for the right to vote, it is a reminder of how many squander that right and often ignore the implications of complacency.

The gentle beginning is disarming and brilliant. A parable reminds us of what we have long known: a hero becomes a dictator when power is absolute. We know it, but when we see it evolve in the film, we feel the truth of it and the warning that it is a truth we must...





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Power Stretch and Sculpt with Tonya Larson

Very slow
I usually do vinyassa flow yoga, and wanted something to just concentrate on stretching. This was not the video for me. While she did have some good stretches, it was very easy and slow moving. I got very bored. The title "power stretch" mislead me... It should have been restfull stretch for beginners. Wish I had rented it instead of buying it because I will not be doing the video again.

Beautiful set and workout
I love this workout. The set is beautiful. At first I thought it was going to be all down-dogs. I'm a lifelong migrainer and downdogs make myhead pound with pain. But there is so much after that! It's a little slow, which is fine with me , but the workouts are very graceful and all of the poses I'm used to. It's a total body workout. I rented this, but I'm going to buy it!



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Sons and Lovers

Fox Archives offers disappointing transfer
First off, five stars for the film, even though its handling of Lawrence's novel is hamstrung by the restraints of the times (and MPAA). That said, the transfer in this no-frills Fox Archives edition is lackluster. This was one of the best photographed of all black-and-white CinemaScope films, and it's very drab here, only slightly better than downloads I've seen of the Australian version. Fox has transferred the film to a single-layer DVD disc of 4 GB, simply not enough to capture the nuances of the cinematography of Freddie Francis. I suppose it's better than nothing, but it is a shame Fox didn't exercise a little more care with this multiple Oscar nominated film. As noted recently in reviews of Fox Archives offerings in the New York Times, the Fox series is very uneven, with some transfers far better than expected and others pretty awful. This one falls close to the latter category.

SONS AND LOVERS -- A GREAT MOVIE
Sons and Lovers is a semi-autobiographical novel set in a coal-mining community near Nottingham, England in the early 20th century. D.H. Lawrence wrote the book but Jack Cardiff, an amazing cine-photographer directed it in 1960 with a great cast -- Trevor Howard and Wendy Hiller as the parents and Dean Stockwell as Paul. The book covers the lives of the parents, their loves and losses, but the movie cuts in when son Paul Morel is an adolescent, torn between love for his mother and two young women. You can almost feel the dust and the grime of coal combined with a gritty, frustrating, but nevertheless appealing and passionate story. Black and white makes it all the more appealing. The DVD is PAL (Australia)but you can get conversion software. Surprise, it played on my Toshiba laptop in the U.S. without downloading software. For D.H. Lawrence and Jack Cardiff followers its worth the effort. Why it is not available yet in the U.S. on NTSC format is a real puzzle because the movie is a...

JACK CARDIFF, OPUS 4
**** 1960. Based on D.H. Lawrence's Sons and Lovers (Modern Library Classics) and directed by Jack Cardiff. Academy award earned by Freddie Francis (Best B&W Cinematography) and Golden Globe by Jack Cardiff (Best Director). A young man is torn between his possessive mother and his well-behaved girl-friend. He'll finally find sexual fullfilment in the arms of a married woman. This film is a very good adaptation of D.H. Lawrence novel, the director and the actors managing perfectly to create a palpable sexual tension by means of the musical score, visual metaphors, suggestive gazes and body movements. Highly recommended.

Another cinematographical version of this novel is available here: A TV movie directed by Stephen Whittaker in 2003 Sons & Lovers.

If you own a multi-zone DVD player, be aware that you can also find a zone...

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Gilmore Girls: The Complete Series Collection

Our Little Corner of the World
I want to preface this review by saying this: I envy each and every person that will forever be able to pick up this set and experience the magic, whimsy, and zanyness of the Gilmore Girls fresh and anew for the first time.

`Gilmore Girls' which ran from 2001-2007 on the WB and CW networks is a show that is simply about a mother and daughter. But it goes so much further than that. This particular mother/daughter combo are best friends and separated in age by a mere 16 years. Yet, more than the interactions between Lorelai and her daughter Rory, typically the zany towns-people are the characters that steal the show. Their incredibly charm, matched with `the Gilmore Girls' wit, all set within the picture-perfect New England town of Stars Hollow, makes "Gilmore Girls" seem almost like a story book fantasy.

The series begins with Lorelai reluctantly starting to rebuild her relationship with her waspy high-society parents, after they agree to fund Rory's private...

Great set at a great price, but nothing new
Picked up my set today and I am submitting my review for those of you wondering about the extras and such. First off the packaging: As you can see in the pictures, the packaging is something you would expect to find in a Barbie Doll box. All of the seasons come in their own respective folders with pictures of the cast and different designs on each. All of the discs are numbered 1-42. The discs come in cardboard sleeves which worried me at first because I was expecting to find a lot of scratched or damaged discs(Like in the Stargate-SG1 set). But upon inspection of all the discs, they all came in perfect shape with no scratches at all. There is also the "Gilmore-isms" book with all of the references arranged alphabetically with the episodes they appear, and a short description of each. The other book is the episode guide which has all of the same descriptions for each episode as the season sets. The discs, while having different cover art than the seperate season sets are all the EXACT...

Seriously? Come on...
Let me begin by saying this is a review of the product...NOT the show. The show is one of my all time favorites, I miss it and I wish it were still on.

Anyway, I had purchased every season individually as they were released. Each season was in a very nice, well constructed box set and the design of them fit the show perfectly. I'm a person who appreciates a good product when I see it and I was happy to collect these.

As a collector, I was VERY surprised and pretty disappointed to see this complete series set. I had every intention of buying it when it came out...glad I didn't. A friend bought it before I had the chance and I have never seen something so poor. The discs are in cardboard sleeves that promote scratching. The box itself is very flimsy and not very well put together. And who designed it? The design is WAY off and doesn't really go with the show. It's cheap and just all together weird. It all seems very much thrown together as an after thought. Clearly...

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Small Timers

WHEN THREE BLIND MICE SIT ON A TUFFET, THE COW JUMPS OVER THE MOON
The opening scene has our threesome breaking into an electronic warehouse only to discover it is going to be a Chuck-e-Cheese. The crime is interrupted by a cell phone call by the daughter (Brenna Demerson) of one of the burglars. Afterwards the film spends time to build character and establish future plot points.

This is a quirky indie comedy which was written, directed, and stars Jonny Cruz. He is teamed with with Jordan Spradley and David Conard. The film centers around a bank robbery and the robbery of Caesar's Phallus, a diamond/ruby object that gives "new meaning to diamonds are a girl's best friend." The humor is at times adult, but masked for a PG-13 audience. For instance, there is the BuKaKi Pawn shop and a police detective (Robby Storey) who questionably misspeaks due to an injury.

A fun comedy with a cast that has diversity. Good characters. Nice one Jonny.

Parental Guide: No f-bombs. Brief comedic near sex scene. Male rear nudity.

I Had Low Expecations For This Movie.
I started watching this movie without much expecations. But by the end of it I loved Antoine and thought that Ricardo was hilarious. This movie is not going to change your life or give you something to think about... But it will make you laugh.



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Wake Up And Live

First rate Fox musical comedy
"Wake up and Live", released in 1937, is maybe the best example of the Twentieth Century Fox musical of the late 30s. Take an amusing screenplay with genuine satire, in this case on radio and based on the publicity seeking feud of journalist Walter Winchell and band leader Ben Bernie, fill it with comedians such as Patsy Kelly and Ned Sparks, specialty acts like the Condos Brothers with their stunning tap routine and Joan Davis with her hilarious dance, and add a delightful leading lady, the gorgeous Alice Faye. The cover art for this DVD captures perfectly the fun in store.

The film was a smash hit in 1937, noted for its art deco sets and its sheer entertainment. Faye fans will be disappointed that her part is not bigger but she pairs beautifully with Jack Haley and her overwhelming personal charm dominates every scene in which she appears. She was a star rapidly moving to the top.

The songs are great too. Haley is dubbed by the smooth vocals of Buddy Clark and...

Most enjoyable Fox musical
I was greatly surprised at the enjoyment I got out of this film. It is a delight and Alice Faye and Jack Haley are excellent in it. The quality of this Fox Archive dvd is very good. Beware, a lot of the Fox catelogue is very poor. Just try and watch WAIT TILL THE SUNSHINES,NELLIE and you will see what I mean. Their quality control is rubbish.
But this is a gem. Buy and enjoy.

So happy to see that FOX is finally listening to it's customers!
I'm a very big fan of Alice Faye so I bought this DVD solely based on that. I've known the songs from this film for years because they have been available on various CDs and records for a long time. Very few of her films of the 1930s are available on DVD or VHS.
As part of the Fox Cinemas Archives series, the DVD is strictly bare bones: no chapters, no trailer, no commentaries, no extras of any kind - just the movie.

I want to mention that the film really belongs to fifth billed Jack Haley (although two non actors have the lead parts - bandleader Ben Bernie and newspaper columnist Walter Winchell). Jack plays a former singing vaudevillian who wants to transition to the radio but has "mike-fright" and freezes before a microphone. Don't expect the familiar "Tin Man from Oz" singing voice (his real voice) to come out of Jack -for this film, his voice was dubbed by some crooner. Haley does a good job lip-syncing but still, it's not the voice you expect to hear...

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