300 / Troy

DOUBLE FEATURE - FANTASTIC!
My husband really likes these "Double Feature" movies, any way he can get more for his money he is a FAN! These are two of his favorite movies and at the price he glad to have them for his personal movie library. The items were shipped super fast and in perfect condition, Thanks!





Click to Editorial Reviews

D.W. Griffith's Abraham Lincoln [Blu-ray]

old but worthy
This film crackles with age, but is still worthy viewing, and is historical for more reasons than just because it is about our 16th president. It was D.W. Griffith's first "talkie", and has a resplendent performance by Walter Huston. It also boasts a script by poet and novelist Stephen Vincent Benet, and beautiful cinematography by Karl Struss, of placid pastoral scenes, exquisitely lit interiors, and depictions of the Civil War.
Huston's marvelous portrayal of Lincoln is broad and strong, with angular body language and a "gentle giant" feeling.

The film starts at Lincoln's birth, through the struggles of his youth and love for Ann Rutledge (Una Merkel), marriage to the eccentric Mary Todd (Kay Hammond), whose mental fragility is subtly demonstrated in how she tries to get out a spot in some fabric, his persistence in keeping the Union together through the war at all costs, and his assassination.
A wonderful "biography" film, and a good...

D.W. Griffith takes a Money Shot at talky films...
Accused of fostering racism in America after his Masterpiece, "The Birth of a Nation", David "D.W" Griffith takes a shot at making sound (talky) films with Abraham Lincoln (1930). Griffith was heavily influenced by the still photography of Matthew Brady and that influence can be seen in the almost "Newsreel" like feel of this movie. Many have criticized the performance of Hollywood legend Una Merkel (Ann Rutledge). However, a lot of her performance can be attributed to the dialogue and the fact that this was D.W. Griffith's first of only two talking movies. Walter Huston gives an award winning performance as Abraham Lincoln even though he was somewhat handicapped as an actor with the slow pace of the film. You can see that there is an amount of unease with Griffith and the new technology. All told, this is the greatest telling of the life of Abraham Lincoln from a true film master.

D.W.GRIFFTH;S LINCOLN
this movie was done very well and walter huston did a very good job as Lincoln but the price for the idem is to much

Click to Editorial Reviews

Dixie Burns

Excellent
This production brings the civil war to life. The music and video together tell a heart wrenching story that effected all Americans in one way or another. Royal Wade Kimes has a voice like no other. You cannot watch and hear this without feeling the pain. I highly recommend watching this.

AWSOME
As a proud Marine who has 13 Confederate ancestors I watch this movie and see what they felt like during the War Between the States. Royal Wade Kimes really showed the emotion that all Veterans have felt coming home whether coming home as a flag or in person. I am glad someone has finally put in a movie and in song what most Veterans feel coming home. THANKS a BUNCH!



Click to Editorial Reviews

Children Who Chase Lost Voices

Truly one of the Best!
This is truly one of the best animes I have ever watched,the intensity and emotion behind each of the characters and their actions is overwhelming at times and these emotions certainly won't fail to move any person who has had any relation to love, loss of someone important or simply just a person who has the felt the warmth of motherly love. Story is great and I like the fact that it doesn't beat around the bush but it constantly keeps focusing on the most important aspects of the movie. The development of the main character, Asuna, and her relationship to the other characters as we move forward in the movie.

The art was what was truly amazing about the anime and definitely its selling point. Nearly every scene involving the environment or the atmosphere around our characters was simply breathtaking and almost without comparison. In addition to these scenes being absolutely amazing there weren't just a few of them but this movie was filled with beautiful landscapes and sky...

(4.5 stars) Children Who Chase Lost Voices" is a gorgeous, touching animated film worth watching!
Makoto Shinkai, the former Falcom graphic designer, who took the anime industry by storm back in 2001 when he released his anime OVA titled "Voices of a Distant Star", which he created on his Power Mac G4 and using several software and voice acted by he and his wife Miko and music provided by his friend Tenmon.

The OVA inspired many for the fact it was independent, created on a small budget but looked significantly better than some major anime series by well-known animation studios.

Suffice to say, the person who grew up inspired by Miyazaki films was now given a chance to create more animated films and he would eventually achieve success with "The Place Promised in Our Early Days" (2004) and "5 Centimeters Per Second" (2007).

In 2011, Shinkai returned with the animated film "Children Who Chase Lost Voices ("Hoshi o Ou Kodomo") which he directed, wrote and produced.

And now the film was released in the U.S. on Blu-ray and DVD courtesy of...

Children Who Chase Lost Voices
First, I want to comment on the dvd itself. This dvd was from Malaysia. Before I ordered, I was concerned about that quality and that it might be a bootleg. I'm still not 100% sure, but it played without problems on my region 1 player. The video, audio and english subtitles were all perfect. So all-in-all I'm satisfied with the product.

Now onto the movie itself. I purchased this simply due to the fact it is a Makoto Shinkai film. I'm a big fan of his work. I wasn't disappointed. The animation is beautiful and vibrant as expected. This story is more of a "fantasy" film than some of his others. Without going into detail, it's basically about a girl who embarks on a mysterious journey with many weird, scary, dangerous, touching, happy sad events happening along the way. It's an interesting journey. Something along the lines of a Miyazaki film ala Spirited Away. Will the girl survive the perilous journey and make it home safely? Better find out for yourself.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Vamps [Blu-ray]

Stakes the vamp craze with great wit. Not clueless, but very clever.
This film has the satire for this vamp generation of movies that Young Frankenstein had for those certain classics. The actresses are great, and the appearances of stars-you-may-remember all make this a very fun movie. Very refreshing! The more you know about vampire mythology, the more you will enjoy the humor (a great Vlad the Impaler). A film that the "clueless" x-generation will enjoy.

A Nutshell Review: Vamps
I can't believe how many negative opinions surround this film. I mean granted, its not Oscar worthy or going to go down in time as one of those incredible films, but the humor, sarcasm and light hearted tone are greatly enjoyable. Perhaps some people cannot vibe with the blunt somewhat twisted humor, but I loved it.

For a movie of this caliber, the story was actually fun and entertaining, despite being as campy and cheesy as it actually is. But what really made the movie work was the list of people credited to the cast; Alicia Silverstone, Krysten Ritter, Sigourney Weaver, Marilu Henner, Richard Lewis, Wallace Shawn and Malcolm McDowell.

Total cult classic in the making!

Sweet, fun, romp of socialite vampires
I normally like the darker vampire movies but this one was so sweet and good-hearted. Two 'young' vampires out on the town,trying to keep up with the current tech trends. When one is suddenly summoned for jury duty, the fear of being found out causes them to go on a quest that will change their lives forever. Great cast, Malcolm McDowell plays a supporting role. His character is fun. Wallace Shaun is wonderful in the role of the father of the love interest. Sigourney Weaver is fun in the master vampire role. The stories that interweave are sweet, and the movie leaves you feeling good. Totally not my normal style but I am glad I gave it a chance. I would recommend it highly.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Catching Hearts

VERY Nice Story!
I really liked the message! and think it is a great film for teenagers to watch.. I will suggest it to my friends.

Crucial Film
Very important movie. So glad the Christian film industry has entered this topic of discussion. Please share with unbelievers. Thank you!



Click to Editorial Reviews

Drew Barrymore Triple Feature (The Wedding Singer / Music and Lyrics / Going the Distance) [Blu-ray]

Enjoyed all three
Drew Barrymore has really grown as an actress. These three movies not only show that but also her comedic talents. These are no brain er movies that are just fun to watch. Seeing Hugh Grant dancing and singing was a great treat. For the price you can't beat this deal.

Three for one!
I don't love Going the Distance, but the other two movies are well worth the price. Wedding Singer is a classic, and Music and Lyrics is underrated.

Drew Barrymore Trio
Here are three movies, starring Drew Barrymore, that are just plain fun to watch. Lots of laughs with great co-stars.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Story of Abraham

Disapointed
I love ordering Bible story videos for my children. This video ended very horribly. The promise child was not the child bore by Haggar the servant; it was the child of Sarah. This video would leave a person who does not know the Bible believing that the child of Haggar was the promise child. I do not like any of the cartoons in this series.

Good DVD
This was a good product to add to the ones I have for use with the children at church. They liked it.

Very good
I love this product nicely presented for kids. My kids and I enjoy watching it, over and over this a great satisfaction for the mind

Click to Editorial Reviews

Rossni: Demetrio e Polibio [Blu-ray]

Perhaps I'm Too Easily Pleased ...
... but if I'd heard this opera in Roma in May of 1812, I'd have gone home raving about the miraculous birth of the fully-formed Gioachino Rossini from the head of Mozart. And if I'd heard bits of it in the home of the librettist Vincenzina Mombelli and her family, for whom Rossini tailor-composed the four roles of Demetrio, Polibio, Siveno, and Lisinga, I'd have sold my palazzo and invested my scudi in the future career of the teenage genius. Domenico Mombelli, the pater familias and a well-established operatic tenor, certainly recognized the precocious genius of the 13-year-old Gioachino; he must have sung the role of Demetrio in the preliminary performances of the opera in various small theaters before its successful premier in Roma. That juicy role is sung in this production by Yijie Shi, another youthful prodigy, born in China, trained in Japan and Europe, a skyrocketing star in Rossini productions. I had always supposed that such a "squillo" was genetically restricted to Italian...

The Ghosts of Opera Past
There's a wonderful double-take moment at the start of this 2010 Rossini Opera Festival production of Rossini's Demetrio e Polibio, which turns out to be a thoughtful way to present the work and at the same time manages to strike the perfect balance between the traditional performance and more modern conceptual. The stage curtain draws back at the opening to reveal a final curtain call of a performer for an unseen audience out the back of the stage. His self-congratulations out of the way, the stage hands having moved the sets to the wings, the scene is set for some ancient 'ghosts of opera past' to arise out of the packing cases to re-enact a historic performance of the drama of Rossini's Demetrio e Polibio.

It's a clever and effective compromise that works well for this one particular Rossini opera that needs a thoughtful and considered approach. Demetrio e Polibio is Rossini's first opera, which he started to compose when he was only 14 years old. The nature of this...

clever production
I was surprised that I liked this obscure, early Rossini. The entire cast and support throws itself into the work. Certainly, in spite of few familiar names, the singing is superb.
Most often we read complaints when the "set" design seems truncated, too simple. This one is curious, for it seems to begin
only after a 'regular opera', and everything is packed up and ...lights off..turned off by a "fire marshall, who smokes cigarettes"...which gives us a clue that there is going to be a lot of fire hazard. Indeed... the players all seem to have soem kind of device in the palm of their hand and with a flick of the thumb, blazes up quite frightfully. Later, as part of the script, the palace is invaded by the enemy bent on recapturing this lost son. There are lots of guys with torches, the red lights waver, and the red curtain wavers to produce the imagery of a great fire...with "first responders coming out in their
usual gear with refelctive tape on their firemen gear, and...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Eight Is Enough: The Complete Second Season Part 2

eight is enough
It would be better if season 2 was not part 1 & 2 its an extra cost that shouldnt be

Give us Season Three Too
Okay, if you come from the Eight is Enough generation(Wednesday nights before Charlie's Angels)like I did, then you had a favorite Bradford kid. Mine was Elizabeth, the youngest daughter. The episodes I most remember would have been from the last half of of Season 2, which is this collection, and the first half of Season 3. I think EIE made it's mark with Season 3, so definitely hoping for that release to follow. We need to be reminded that traditional values are a necessary way of life, as most television shows these days lack.

show is great but price is way to much
the show i love the price is the worst thing that i have ever seen 30.00 for just part 2 give me a break. that 30.00 should be for the season 2 period

Click to Editorial Reviews

2 Days in New York [Blu-ray]

Delpy Turns French Stereotypes Upside Down in a Funny Farce with the Help of a Solid Rock
Julie Delpy really has a good ear for shrewdly observational, overlapping conversations. It started with her Richard Linklater-directed bookends, 1995's Before Sunrise and 2004's Before Sunset, in which she and Ethan Hawke contributed much of their own dialogue (and earned adapted screenplay Oscar nominations for the latter). She then translated her unique gift to her own sophomore directorial effort, 2007's 2 Days in Paris, a romantic dramedy that mined her character's repressed hesitancies about settling down with a neurotic, irritating interior decorator named Jack. Delpy comes back again as the star, director, and writer (this time partnering with co-star Alexia Landeau, who plays her sister Rose) of this 2012 sequel, a culture clash comedy paced like a free-for-all...

We need more movies like this
We need more movies where the female character is more complex and interesting like this movie. I love 2 Days in Paris and again 2 Days in New York. Chris Rock's character is also funny and not one sided. Chris Rock needs to find more of this type of character for his acting career. Kudos to Julie Delpy for writing, producing, directing and starring. Please Julie, give us more movies like this.

Hysterical
I wasn't going to watch this, cause the trailer wasn't all that, but I then I read Ed Uyeshima's review (the first one here, go Ed go!) and I was like "whoa! some professional reviewer guy on Amazon?.... a female Woody?"

And that got me going. Its been a while since I've seen SUCH a fun movie... So many things! Right off the bat, the funny things, coming fast and furious..."squeezing, squeezing, squeezing"... And Cris Rock! What a perfect addition (conversations with Obama). And the fight for her soul with Vincent Gallo, and Chris didn't believe it??? LOL!!!!!!!! The kids in costumes with blood! "Want some grass to take back to Italy?" HA HA HA...The elevator scenes... <gulp>...the scenes when she fights with her sister!....my 5, 1/2 French sisters, they'll love it, I'll have to have them see it.

The supporting cast was totally amazing too, all of them FUNNY AND GOOD...my favorite was her dad, particularly the scene when he was tickling Chris Rock...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Dust Up

Dark Campy Humor, Great Soundtrack
For a low budget indie movie, this was a good effort by Ward Roberts and crew. Some parts were outstanding, and other parts lacking.

Outstanding:
- The main lead and villain did a superb job on their parts. Campy, yet professional.

- The Music and how it flowed with the plot was outstanding. Gotta get me some spindrift

Lacking:
- The lead lady and her man lacked feeling, and it was hard to really get into feeling emotional for their "hardships." It was a hard sell on seeing why anyone would help them out.

- The plot flow could have been better. I had trouble buying into the plot at times. Yes, it was supposed to be cheesy and campy. I just believe it could have kept my interest better.

- Some of the support actors were a little weak. I wonder if it was the characters or the expectations of the director?

Even though it was choppy, It kept my interest through the whole film. It was enjoyable for a dark humored,...

Awesome movie!
The film is a wild ride throughout. Reminds me of a Tarantino or Rodriquez movie. Lots of action and laughs throughout. Highly recommend it.

Funny and unexpected
Wow. just... wow. I really love this movie. Very funny and twisted. You really love the characters you, both the good guys and the bad guys. highly recommend if you're looking for something totally awesome.

This movie is not for young children due to violence and some gross out moments.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Variable Geo Neo: Complete Collection

Medocre fight scenes
Nothing out of the ordinary. Foil a holey sinister plot to undermine a science experiment. . .would have been better with more thought. Fight scenes were alright, but not spectacular.

Surprised me....
I was a bit surprised by how good this was. It has a fairly good plot given the subject matter and carries it out fairly well. If you like adult anime, this collection might just be down your line. I enjoyed it.

Variable Geo Neo
Love the series, but it left some unanswered questions. Who was behind the cloning programs, and what were they trying to achieve. Should have developed the plot between the clones. if you like series like Marine A Go-GO, then Variable Geo Neo will definitely be a must own!!!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Natural Selection

Solid film with a lot of heart
Heard that this film had won a lot of film festivals - but I didn't know anything about it, and I had only vaguely heard of the actors. Pleasantly surprised. I laughed. I cried. Would definitely recommend, which I'm doing right now!

It May Have Just Been Me
Well acted. Beautifully filmed. But this movie just did't work for me. It's a dark comedy, for sure, and maybe it was just my mood that day.

Left-of-center movie delivers
I was recently browsing for a good movie in the film section of my local library and stumbled upon this. I looked at the DVD jacket and noticed this won some awards at various movie festivals, and that was good enough for me.

"Natural Selection" (2011 release; 90 min.) brings the story of Linda (played by Rachael Harris), who lives within a closed Christian comunity in suburban Houston. Linda finds out that her husband Abe has a 23 yr. old son, now living in Florida, the result of Abe's frequent visits (unbeknownst to Linda) to the local sperm donor bank. Abe suffers a stroke and may be in his last days, and as a last wish, he asks Linda to look up his son and bring him back for one final visit. Linda obliges and finds Raymond (played by Matt O'Leary). Raymong couldn't be more different from Linda ans his only motivation to join Linda for the drive back is that he seems to be in trouble with the law. What we get next is a road movie that chronicles the ups and downs of...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Nature: Siberian Tiger Quest

Too much Chris Morgan, not enough tigers!
I wish they would've showed more of Park's amazing footage of the Siberian tigers, with an offscreen narrator. But there's maybe 20 minutes of that great tiger footage and the rest is close ups of Chris Morgan (who thinks we should know who he is) in a documentary of Chris Morgan. Instead of the narration being about Park and the families of these rare tigers, we hear a lot Chris Morgan saying "I" and "me" in just about every sentence. Park has a right to be aggrieved if he sees this, because it was his years of solitude and danger in the Siberian wilderness that made it all possible, and then Chris Morgan pops up and makes it more of a story about Chris Morgan. In the end, there's even too much Park. This documentary is an hour long and like I said there is maybe 20 minutes of tiger footage.

Outstanding film.
It is a fascinating film. Sad, beautiful, amazing. I would definitely recommend this film to others, especially those interested in preserving our beautiful wild creatures.

Great insight
Despite the fact that indeed there is bit of camerawork devoted to the host, he has a job to do and he does it well. As I watch this show I am moved by the story of not only the tigers, but the man who brought them to us. His story and his sacrifices are incomprehensible by today's standards and I appreciate them. One quote I remember is that in the city "people are god, in nature, not so". (Loosely translated).
His insight into the love of nature, (even when it could kill him in one instance), and his amazing discipline, is so very rare these days. He is an inspiration to people of every age.
Sooyong Park is to be admired and supported as he understands the word "devotion" and the knowledge that comes from that. His insight on the human situation of solitude is not to be missed also. Well done.

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Postman Always Rings Twice [Blu-ray]

The Sexiest Film Noir
I love all film noirs because of the way they were filmed and acted. The setting were always fantastic and the plots always teeming with murder, blackmail, and alienation. The characters were low-lifes, detectives, or femme fatales. In all film noirs, there is romance, but the sexiest film noir, by far, is the original version of The Postman Always Rings Twice. The on-screen chemistry between platinum blonde Lana Turner and drifter John Garfield is enough to carry a 113 minute movie. Throw in Cecil Kellaway and Hume Cronyn as part of the great supporting cast, a wonderful story by James M. Cain, and tragic irony and the result is one of the fastest moving, most enjoyable film noirs produced in the golden age of Hollywood.

Lana Turner's Cora ranks as one of the most seemingly innocent and utterly drop-dead beautiful goddesses ever to touch the silver screen.

Excellent Film Noir
This is the best and original version of The Postman Always Rings Twice and it captures your attention from the opening scene when Frank Chambers narrates how he came to The Twin Oaks and met up with Cora and Nick Smith. From the moment Cora intentionally drops the cap off her lipstick tube(so that it rolls to Frank and he has to pick it up)they are both hot for each other and Cora is anxious to do away with her much older, boring cheapskate husband. The movie keeps your interest throughout and you wish they still made films like this again. Highly recommended for all mystery movie buffs and collectors of real Hollywood films.

The best noir ever made
.
At the beginning of the movie, when Frank (excellent John Garfield)arrives to the lonely gas station, a sign makes explicit the movie plot: "Man Wanted". Cora (Lana Turner) needs desperately a man to satisfy her and kill her husband.

This is a criminal drama marked by destiny, thanks to James Cain, and exasperated by Niven Busch, greek tragedy and alarm signs lover: Cora first appears with a blindy white dress, and Frank's hamburger is burning. And, as it must be, a black cat starts the fatality of treason.

This movie is EXCELLENT, undoubtly the best NOIR there's ever been. John Garfield, before being accused of being a communist by senator McArthy, gave life to Frank, a handsome tramp that gets a job at a gas station where a "man is wanted". Lana Turner steals the show performing Cora, the beautiful and dreadful wife of the gas station owner, Cecil Kellaway. This is Tay Garnett's best work, and the cinematography is perfect for a movie that it's literally creepy, dark,...

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Doctor's Wife

Exceptional experience
This documentary was quirky, funny, heart-wrenching and exhilarating. For anyone moving to a small community, watch this movie and take notes. There are few better ways to ingratiate yourself to a new place than to become part of the community, and these guys show you how that's done. Recommended.

Funny, inspirational and moving
This Australian doco will strike a chord with anyone who has had to re-establish themselves in a new town. Vincent and Jonathan relocate from big-city Brisbane to a small (very small!) town in Central Queensland. Jonathan has documented their move in this terrific film. While Vincent slotted quickly into a busy country medical practice, Jonathan was left to find ways to become a part of his new community. As "the doctor's wife" he had a certain role to play. The ways he does this, and the reactions and feelings of the townsfolk, (most of whom had never, to their knowledge, met anyone gay), is a revelation. Anyone contemplating a similar move could do much worse than follow some of Jonathan's advice.
This is a funny, and ultimately very moving, story and well worth the time to check it out

Pleasantly surprised
when I read some of the reviews, I almost skipped watching this little film. But I decided to watch it anyway. I was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed it. Jonathan is a very talented film maker and artist. I found this film to be interesting and worth the watch. Give it a try.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!: Complete Series

What Every Scooby-Doo Fan Needs To Know About This Release
There is some false information in the reviews for this. First off, this box set is not missing any episodes of the series "Scooby Doo, Where Are You!" The "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!" series originally ran for two seasons, broadcast from 1969-1970. Both of those seasons are here, amounting to 25 episodes.

The success of the series lead to an hour-long series in 1972 called "The New Scooby-Doo Movies." This series is partially available on DVD, but is not included in this set.

Scooby-Doo returned in 1976 with 16 new half-hour episodes that were paired with another Hannah-Barbara show (Dynomutt, Dog Wonder) in a series called "The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour." The 16 episodes were later retitled "The Scooby-Doo Show" for reruns and are sometimes referred to as Season 1 of that series. These episodes aren't included, but are available separately.

In 1977, 8 more episodes were produced under a 2-hour package called "Scooby's All-Star Laugh-A-Lympics." These...

Scooby-doo, Here Are You!!!
This set will contain all three seasons of the original Scooby-Doo series, universally referred to as Scooby-Doo Where Are You? (despite the fact that the third season was officially titled The Scooby-Doo Show).

This show is a part of many people's childhood regardless of what generation they are apart of. Originally airing in 1969 it became a classic and that's why even as a child growing up in the nineties I remember watching this series every morning almost religiously. It became so loved that its various incarnations have continued to air from 1969 to this very day in 2012. It also spawned three live action movies and countless animated movies. All that aside, Scooby-Doo Where Are You? is where it all began and what some (myself included) regard as the best. The atmosphere was dark and spooky, the characters were simplistic but well defined and the monsters were still fresh, as were the mysteries.

This new complete series set, is being put out for those who...

Scooby-Doo is the best!
Old school Scooby, no dog does it better. My youngest loves this set and it does not leave the TV stand.

Click to Editorial Reviews

2001: A Space Odyssey / Clockwork Orange

John Heinrich
Both of these movies are stellar to say the least, I saw both of them when they came out. I was prepared for 2001: A Space Odyssey but A Clockwork Orange totally took me by surprise! Love both of them and just ordered this DVD of both movies for my daughter who is living in Europe!

4.5 a great idea, almost perfect...
There's not much to say about this set for the well initiated, so here's a brief sum:
PROS: ACWO & 2001, two classic Kubrick films together for an MSRP of $15 and a average retail price of $8-$12
CONS: 2001 seems to be an exact extraction from the 2disc set released a few or so years ago; on the disc itself it says "DISC 1 MOVIE" uh...2001 isn't disc 1, for one thing, and...even if it were, what's disc 2? Another movie!! So...2001, even though it's in the 2nd slot, the 2nd slot being that which is closer to the back of the casing (pardon me if I'm not thinking far enough outside of the bun), 2001:ASO is Disc 1 and includes the movie 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY. So what the heck is Disc 2? You can either come to your own off the wall nonsense conclusion or you can assume what I wrote above is THE TRUTH!

DISCLAIMER:
*I haven't actually watched these discs, so restoration quality, if applicable, is unknown at this time and probably will remain so for...



Click to Editorial Reviews

Disaster: Land & Sea

wow! great old tv and rare movies!
this is a great set! great tv movie the president's plane is missing with Buddy Ebsen and many great tv actors.
the Poseidon adventure with Rutger Hauer! never heard of it! I haven't watched all but these two are worth
the price. They don't make great movies with great actors like this anymore.
update: 2 of the movies are tv classics! one is a sci-fy! movie which is pretty
much what you get from sci-fy movies nowdays and a pretty bad tbs movie with luke
perry called the TRiangle! I tried watching when it first aired didn't finish. I
tried watching again didn't finish! but the other four are still worth the price!

At 66 cents a picture, it's really a bargain.
With three quite solid made for television films, and three decent ones, this is a great bargain. The President's Plane is Missing, The Poseidon Adventure and Death Flight are performed by established television (and some film) stars and actors, with the latter two presenting versions of Very Big Hollywood successes. The remaining three are less ambitious and pretty much of the B picture, routine but watchable type. The first type can easily be the center of an evenings viewing, while the second will easily fit the slot of a second feature when you want something to watch while gradually readying for a night's sleep. I do not have the enthusiasts television set but on a relatively new one of moderate size all the films looked good.

Set includes "SST: Disaster in the Sky"
Took a chance on this DVD hoping "Death Flight" included in the release was the 1977 ABC-TV movie. Good News, it does have this great "bad" TV-movie starring Robert Reed, Doug McClure, Tina Louise, Bert Convy, Peter Graves, Burgess Meredith, Brock Peteres, George Maharis, Martin Milner, Susan Strasberg, and more. The cut of the film is not the one shown on American network television,brief nudity is included in one scene. Transfer is 4x3 and looks pretty good. Great to have a legit DVD of this movie!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Dark Horse

Amazing. Hillarious. Thoughtfull. Better than The Master.
Yeah I said it. I enjoyed this more than The Master which I saw on the same day as this. The Master was beautiful in many ways but this movie leaves you with so much more. Justin Bartha deserves an Oscar nomination for bringing this miserable character to life with out making him annoying or any more ridiculous than he needed to be. Donna Murphy was also incredible and deserves all the supporting actress awards that will be bestowed upon others.

No one makes movies like Todd Solondz. One of the only true independent filmmakers out there. Shoe string budget, unconventional storytelling, great performances and respect for the audience. Check this out while you have the chance. I would love to see more films like this (that are only released in a handful of cities) receive the accessibility and cost effectiveness of the digital format. Doesn't replace seeing it in the theater but if you live in bum-f*** Utah this might be your only shot.

NO CREDIT, NO EXCHANGE, NO REFUND
There is nothing like getting two dysfunctional people together to create a successful quirky indie. What I liked about this film more than many of the others in this genre such as "Jack Goes Boating" or "Greenberg" is that I felt comfortable laughing at the plight of the main characters.

Abe (Jordan Gelber) works for his dad and lives at home with his parents (Mia Farrow/ Christopher Walken). He still collects toys and hasn't reached his maturity potential. He lives in the shadow of his successful brother (Justin Bartha). At a wedding, Abe meets Miranda (Selma Blair) a shy, overly medicated woman once married to Mahmoud (Aasif Mandvi). Abe is supported by his secretary (Donna Murphy) who becomes his imaginary conscience.

The setting takes place somewhere in New Jersey between Eagles and Giants country. The title "Dark Horse" is a reference to Abe. His dad likes dark horses. i.e. like the old days when the Giants would lose, but cover the point spread. Abe...

A Different Direction from Todd Solondz
Dark Horse is the latest film from Todd Solondz and is a markedly different animal from his previous films. It still maintains his misanthropic spirit but it's lacking much of the provocative material that so often brings attention to his work. That's not to say Dark Horse isn't provocative; it just shows Solondz at his most gentle and forgiving.

Solondz has long had a knack for great opening scenes and this is no exception. Abe (Jordan Gelber), an overweight and balding man, sits at a wedding next to Miranda (Selma Blair). He begins hitting on her, completely unaware of her disinterest. Following her outside, he asks for her phone number and seems oblivious to her obvious reluctance to give it. From here Abe goes home and we see he epitomizes arrested development. He lives with his parents (Christopher Walken and Mia Farrow) in a room filled with action figures, he works for his father but brings nothing to the company, he blames all of his problems on the failings of...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Austin Powers Triple Feature (International Man of Mystery / The Spy Who Shagged Me / Goldmember) [Blu-ray]

wonderful box set..and the first movie..FINALLY proper aspect ratio!
I enjoyed this series of films very much. The "Goldmember" film a bit less but overall a very creative and funny pop culture feast! One of the big bonus's for me anyway is to finally have the original Austin Powers movie in the proper 2:4 aspect ratio after years of having to watch it on 1:85 on normal DVD. This may not mean much to some viewers but to those interested in seeing what they did at the theater it does. The other two films came out in proper 2:4 aspect ratio on DVD previously so why the original was formatted a bit off was always a mystery to me. The films look great on Blu-ray ...and while they don't have any NEW bonus features to my notice..at least they did import all the old ones and music videos (some blu-rays are coming out WITHOUT the previous bonus features).
I picked the set up for a price that came to about $15 per film so I think its a very good value.

Austin Powers: Shagadelic Edition [Blu-ray]
Finally, there are subtitles for "Austin Powers In Goldmember" as I could not get Closed-captioning to work on the DVD version.

Note: Be careful opening the package as the set is shrink wrapped very tight and might cut the loose page on the outside that you might want to keep. (The real box has Austin Powers & Dr. Evil on each side.)

Shagadelic Flashback to the 1990s!
It's hard to believe almost 10 years have gone by since we first saw Mike Myers' Austin Powers character for the first time. These are among the funniest films made at the close of the 20th Century. For the most part, they are chock full of sightgags and silly puns and give Mike Myers ample opportunity to wear funny costumes and try out as many joke accents as possible. Myers rises to the occassion each time out, eventually playing 4 characters at once ala Peter Sellers.

As introduced in the first film (International Man of Mystery), Austin is swinging 60s' superspy who thinks he's a lot hipper than he really is. Think Sammy Davis Jr trapped in Davy Jones' body and you'll have an idea of what Austin is like before seeing him. Also introduced in the first film is Dr Evil (also played by Myers), a cross between Blofeld and Ed Sullivan. If anything, Dr. Evil has even better lines and gags than Austin himself.

The three films primarily spoof the James Bond series...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Ghostmaker

Very well executed, extremely well acted supernatural thriller
I am completely shocked about the last review! The person obviously has something "personal" against this film. Her rant sounds unreasonable and very off mark!
"The Ghostmaker"is a very entertaining supernatural thriller,not very original or extremely well directed, but, with good special effects, refined cinematography, and, delivers quite a few surprises!
All the cast is good, and, the drug dealer(Domiziano Arcangeli) is excellent.
The third act lacks a much deeper character's development,some more fascination, and, the dialog is at times very cliche'.
But, over all, it all comes out as a very well made product!
Infact, there's always something that keeps your interest alert, while, even some highly emotional moments give humanity to most leads and sub plots.
Again,it may not be a very artistic or profound film, as i was hoping, but, it is indeed a very enjoyable,unique movie, with a few, but, very thrilling moments, and, even some explicit ,and, timely...

YOU BETTER NOT HURT MY GOLDFISH
This film was originally titled "Box of Shadows." "Ghost Machine" would have been a better title, but that was already taken a few times. Kyle (Aaron Dean Eisenberg) is a college kid with a rich beautiful girl friend Julie, (Liz Fenning) and a roommate Sutton (J. Walter Holland)in a wheel chair who has an unhealthy passion for Julie. Kyle also has a drug problem and a money problem.

While cleaning out a home, Kyle comes across a coffin the owner wants to dispose of. Kyle keeps the item and researches it with the help of a friend (Jared Grey) who adds the geek aspect to the film. This is a 15th century coffin with a music box in it. It was designed by the evil Wolfgang Von Tristem. When used, it gives a person an out of body experience, i.e. makes them a ghost.

The film is a little like "Altered States" and a bit like "Flatliners." The beginning of the film holds your attention as they go through a discovery phase. I loved the concept, but as the film progressed I...

The Ghost Maker
This movie was better than I expectd.It wasn't great but it was good.Alot better than most of these low budget horror movies.The movie managed to hold my intrest and didn't have that much gore in it.Instead it went with the spooky/creepy factor.That coffin contraption was pretty cool.The movie had an old school feel to it.It reminded me of an 80's movie,wich for me is a good thing since I grew up watching horror movies from that era.It kinda has a surprise ending.Although Some of you might figure it out.I think they could make a part 2 to this.Some thing's I didn't like were some of the characters and the ghostly special effects weren't that great but it had a good story.I give it 6/10 or 3 and a half stars.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Screwed

IT'S NOT RISKY...
Sam (James D'Arcy) returns from Iraq and wonders about his future. He turns down an easy drug dealing job from his mates to go work as a prison guard. As a prison guard he gets caught in the middle of the politics of crooked guards, drug dealing prisoners, and an unscrupulous wing governor. His life spirals out of control, the thing he was trying to prevent, and he doesn't realize it.

The film starts out interesting and draws you in. However, after about 90 minutes or so, you can't wait for it to be over. James D'Arcy plays Sam in a rather bland almost characterless fashion. His character was hard to get into, and as the centerpiece of the film, he was a hard guy to root for as he becomes his own enemy.

Not the best British crime drama out there, but it does seem like the longest.

Parental Guide: F-bomb, sex, nudity.

IT'S NOT RISKY...
Sam (James D'Arcy) returns from Iraq and wonders about his future. He turns down an easy drug dealing job from his mates to go work as a prison guard. As a prison guard he gets caught in the middle of the politics of crooked guards, drug dealing prisoners, and an unscrupulous wing governor. His life spirals out of control, the thing he was trying to prevent, and he doesn't realize it.

The film starts out interesting and draws you in. However, after about 90 minutes or so, you can't wait for it to be over. James D'Arcy plays Sam in a rather bland almost characterless fashion. His character was hard to get into, and as the centerpiece of the film, he was a hard guy to root for as he becomes his own enemy.

Not the best British crime drama out there, but it does seem like the longest.

Parental Guide: F-bomb, sex, nudity.

You're screwed mate
Screwed is a serious take on the life of an ex-squaddie and what life is like in one of the tougher British Prisons as an active prison guard. The story is based on the experiences of Ronnie Thompson, who wrote a book about it and also penned the screenplay to this film. Thompson spent seven years working in various prisons and the screenplay is based on the book and the experiences he went through in the job.

James D'Arcy plays the lead role of Sam Norwood and plays it really well. It is quite a versatile role in that he had to play an ex-squaddie, just back from Iraq and portray all that goes with that. He suffers from nightmares and flashbacks and the death of his friend dying in his arms haunts him. Not the best grounding for working in an enclosed space with hardened criminals who have the ability to spontaneously self-combust at any moment. Darcy, whose real name is Simon D'Arcy is an accomplished actor who has been around since nineteen ninety-five and starred in...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Company (Stephen Sondheim)

An Eclectic Cast Highlights Story Over Song In This Enjoyable Sondheim Revival
When you're a theater lover, you greet every revival of a Sondheim work with great enthusiasm. "Company," to my mind, has always been one of the master's more accessible pieces. Originally produced in 1970, the show may be a product of its time but with a powerhouse roster of songs including "The Ladies Who Lunch," "Being Alive," "Side by Side by Side," and "Another Hundred People," it makes for an era well worth revisiting. This star-studded production, shot at Avery Fisher Hall with the New York Philharmonic, certainly had a curiosity factor working for it with its eclectic cast. Headlined by Neil Patrick Harris, the show also features the always welcome Patti Lupone. But in addition to these two, the cast boasts a number of less likely (but no less recognizable) faces. Craig Bierko, Anika Noni Rose, Katie Finneran, Martha Plimpton (Raising Hope), Christina Hendricks (Mad Men), Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men), and Stephen Colbert are some of the others on stage. This filmed version...

Stephen Sondheim Lives On....
In 2011, I was sitting at the local movie theatre when a preview for Stephen Sondheim's Company came on the screen- I immediately had a musical theatre nerd-gasm. I've listened to this show over and over again, but I never really grasped the full concept of the show. I bought the 2006 Broadway Revival DVD in hopes to gain some more insight into the show- I received, some. It wasn't until I saw this production (one of only a few in the theatre), that I completely understood Bobby's story.

The scale of this production, and the staging was simply magnificent. Many forget that this was Company: In Concert because it feels as though it's a full-scale Broadway production. The full orchestration was fantastic, and the talent on stage, sublime: Neil Patrick Harris embodied Bobby perfectly. Patti LuPone's Joanne had me on the edge of my seat- I've always been a fan of her. And the three young ladies playing Bobby's girlfriends (Chryssie Whitehead, Anika Noni Rose, & Cristina...

The best Bobby since Larry Kert!
I saw Company! at the Alvin Theater, of Broadway on December 8th, 1970 (Elaine Stritch forgot a line in "Ladies who lunch" and turned to the audience after a LONG pause saying "Do you think I forgot the line?") and have seen every reincarnation I could find since then. I have a copy of the script, the Alvin Theater Playbill and am a Company! junky. Loved Raul Esparsa in the 2006 revival, but it lacked the full orchestra Sondheim deserves (Angel Desai strained to sing "Another Hundred People"). This cast solves every problem I've seen in previous reincarnations and NPH pays great tribute the the Late Larry Kert, while Martha Plimpton and Stephen Colbert are awesome. No one else could be Elaine Stritch, but Patti Lupone holds her own. Bravo!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Bleach: Uncut Part 1

Not a review for DVDs only for the case.
This was not the boxed set. Just the DVDs in a generic case. DVDs were in good shape but the case looks like I bought them in a flea market. Not a collectors item in any way.

Fast shipping & perfect condition
Great price too.
I haven't seen this series since I was a kid and this transaction was awesome.
Fast, simple and easy.

just what the doctor ordered
Was exactly what I was looking for and can now watch the series and enjoy fully as it should be

Click to Editorial Reviews

Bleach Uncut: Box Set 3

Details about the Limited Collector's Hollow Mask
There are plenty of well written reviews on this page and the standard box set of season 3 Uncut Bleach page that all articulate very well just how awesome this show is. Season 3 ranks among the best (though later seasons which have aired in Japan are EVEN better, and this sesaon sets the groundwork for the later storyline.)

I am strictly going to talk about the Limited Collector's Hollow Mask which comes with this set, so you can decide if it is worth it the extra money. Someone smarter than me will probably post the picture, or I will if I can figure out how. It still warrants a description though, more than just a visual.

I am not usually one for "collectible knick knack" items found in limited edition sets, like figurines, etc. But this is just really, really cool.

The hollow mask is very high quality, seems like it's some type of material similar to ceramic--but very solidly molded (not delicate.) It is boldly painted, and brilliantly, is it...

If that's the only way, then I'll just have to do it
Now that they've gotten into the Soul Society and the Seireitei, Ichigo and Co. have ANOTHER problem: rescuing Rukia and escaping with their body parts intact.

Unfortunately, it's not going to be that easy. "Bleach: The Rescue" kicks everything about this brilliant anime up a notch -- lots of blood, sword-fights, a fiery climax at the execution grounds, and some amazing character development. But the best part is that the treacherous conspiracy merely hinted at in prior episodes, which sparks a minor civil war within the Seireitei.

Yoruichi starts the badly-wounded Ichigo on a special new training regimen -- to rescue Rukia, he must achieve achieve bankai (the ultimate release of a zanpakuto) in three days. In the meantime, Uryu has encountered the most horrendous of Soul Reapers, who is responsible for the death of a loved one, and Captain Hitsugaya is confronted by an old friend who tries to kill him -- accusing him of murdering Captain Aizen.

But...

If that's the only way, then I'll just have to do it
Now that they've gotten into the Soul Society and the Seireitei, Ichigo and Co. have ANOTHER problem: rescuing Rukia and escaping with their body parts intact.

Unfortunately, it's not going to be that easy. "Bleach: The Rescue" kicks everything about this brilliant anime up a notch -- lots of blood, sword-fights, a fiery climax at the execution grounds, and some amazing character development. But the best part is that the treacherous conspiracy merely hinted at in prior episodes, which sparks a minor civil war within the Seireitei.

Yoruichi starts the badly-wounded Ichigo on a special new training regimen -- to rescue Rukia, he must achieve achieve bankai (the ultimate release of a zanpakuto) in three days. In the meantime, Uryu has encountered the most horrendous of Soul Reapers, who is responsible for the death of a loved one, and Captain Hitsugaya is confronted by an old friend who tries to kill him -- accusing him of murdering Captain Aizen.

But...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Marvel Knights: Astonishing X-Men BluRay Box [Blu-ray]

oss Whedon's award-winning Marvel comic book series receives the motion comic book treatment on Blu-ray!
Joss Whedon is well-known for creating TV series such as "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", "Angel", "Firefly" and "Dollhouse" and the screenwriter, executive producer is also known for his writing work on comic book series. A big comic book fan, Whedon was a cowriter for "X-Men", "Thor", "Captain America: The First Avenger" and wrote and directed the upcoming film "The Avengers".

In 2006, Whedon caught the attention of fans with his series "Astonishing X-Men" which he stayed onboard for 24 issues. It has become a major best-seller for Mavel comics and was nominated for several Eisner Awards and winning "Best Continuing Series" in 2006.

The first six issues of "Astonishing X-Men: Gifted" was then released on DVD in Sept. 2010 courtesy of Shout! Factory as part of Marvel Knights Animation. These animated stories (also known as motion comic books) are more like comic books with slight movements but with voice acting and special effects. And two more DVD's were...

HD Collection of Joss Whedon's X-Men
Joss Whedon's time at the helm of the Astonishing X-Men will forever be recorded as one of the best story arcs in Marvel history (see Astonishing X-Men Omnibus). The motion comic adaptation takes the comic book story that made Marvel history and creates an entertaining sort-of-cartoon version that will appeal to readers of of the comic as well as to a new audience.

What is a motion comic? Its a bit of a hybrid genre-- the video looks like someone was able to animate the spaces between the panels in a comic book. The conversation bubbles are replaced by voice actors. The voice acting is spot on. Emma Frost drips with her elite mannerism. Wolverine is gruff and quick-witted. The voice actors do a great job of dramatically portraying the x-men without going over the top into the field of campy or too corny: It is not a Saturday morning cartoon-- in some ways it much better.

I loved the 1990's...

WoW this was good.
I love this series even if it's motion comics and even MY wife liked it! Yes do watch this NOW!...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Ocean's Triple Feature (Eleven / Twelve / Thirteen) [Blu-ray]

Decent Movies - Amoung the Worst Blu Ray Transfer
I enjoyed the movies my self and looked forward to the BD release, but when I put them in my player and noticed the almost DVD quality video I felt ripped off. There are numerous artifacts through out the movies and bad colors. Buy with caution.

for those looking for this box set on Blu-Ray.... STAY AWAY!
This is, without a doubt, the WORST quality blu-ray movie I have seen!! what were they thinking when they did this transfer? It is hard to see a big difference in this regular DVD and the Blu-ray.

The movies are great. the quality is a real let down. This review is based on the HD quality, not the review of the movie, as it should be on the Blue ray box set listing. Don't waste your money until they do a better job with the quality of the conversion

Three of the few movies I care to watch again and again. In a box.
The pros:
Brilliant ensemble cast
Entertaining story lines that are enjoyable through multiple viewings

The cons:
Lack of special features (Ocean's 12 disk special feature consists of...drumroll please...the TRAILER alone)
No real justification to buy box set unless you are just really really excited about owning, well, the box

Click to Editorial Reviews

Superman: The Movie / Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut / Superman Returns [Blu-ray]

Triple Feature
This is a great purchase. You get three movies for the price of one. It comes in a single box but each film has its own Blu-ray disc (3 in total) so you do not have to worry about data loss due to compression.

Superman The Movie - Is the extended cut remastered. The video quality is only slightly better than on DVD.

Superman II The Richard Donner Cut - Let's face it, this is the reason you want to buy this. And it is terrific. The video quality is superior and music is crisp. This is why its better to buy this three disc set rather than its stand-alone version.

I have not seen Superman Returns, therefore cannot comment.

Bonus material included
Warner Brothers usually starts a film immediately after the BD loads. This may have confused other reviewers. At each BD's main menu you will find listed all of the bonus found on the individual movie releases. At least this is true for my December 2012 Amazon purchase. I did notice my player prohibited going to the main menu until the movie started. Also, a Pop-up menu exists and has a link to special features. My individual release of one of the films behaves the same way so these discs are equivalent to the individual releases.

Main video bonus (numbers are minutes:seconds):
Superman the Movie: Donner/Mankiewicz Commentary
Taking Flight(30:14); Making Superman(30:41); Additional Footage(9:21)
Superman II Donner Cut: Donner/Mankiewicz Commentary
Intro(1:54); Doc(13:20); Deleted scenes(8:44)
Superman Returns: Main Doc(173:42); Resurrecting Jor-El (4:00); Deleted Scenes(15:54)

I verified that "Superman Returns" has Dolby...

Trilogy Blu Ray Review
As one who is an avid superhero fan, though doesn't consider Superman to be my fav (that honor goes to the best superhero, Batman), I was happy to see a fairly inexpensive bluray set of these three films.

Having feared (from previous blurays) that the quality of transfer for the first two Superman films would be no better than the DVD, I was pleased to see that they do seem to be a high quality transfer and looked pretty good. The sound, two was pretty good.

My only criticism was that I was hoping for some special features, but given the price, it is definitely a lot better than the more expensive Superman Anthology...hopefully Superman III and IV will be out on blu-ray separately at some point so I can completely my set...for now, the two best Christopher Reeve Supermans and the new one will have to do!

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Point of Regret: A Killer Unleashed

Great movie, I will watch again and again
This movie takes you into the mind of ruthless killer. It wasn't quite what I expected but was still very enjoyable. I'm going to watch it again this weekend with my friend.

Shane
I understand this is the director's firs film which makes this even more impressive. This is a great example of how a quality movie can be made for a small budget. Great character development and compelling story line

A truly amazing debut film!
This movie according to reviews was made for an unheard of figure of only 500 hundred pounds sterling. In consideration of this and the fact that it is the writer/director SImon Tate's debut feature film it is an amazing, if dark, story with many twist and turns!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Big Trail [Blu-ray]

Years Ahead Of Its Time: An Iconic Epic That Expounds "Manifest Destiny" And Other Template Themes Of Post Silent Westerns
This review is for "The Big Trail" (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)
PLEASE NOTE THAT ONCE AGAIN AMAZON HAS LUMPED REVIEWS FOR ALL VERSIONS OF "THE BIG TRAIL," THUS DENIGRATING THIS DVD VERSION!!!

I am baffled as to why reviewers have given the restored 70mm (wide screen) version of "The Big Trail" anything but five stars. As other reviews have indicated, the film was made on the cusp of "talkie" movies and the innovation of William Fox's 70mm The Grandeur Process that would eventually lead to modern day wide screen format films in 1953--twenty-three years after "The Big Trail." As such, viewers need to keep in mind that the script, filming, and editing were all based, in various degrees, upon the silent film format of filming. Furthermore, this is not really what I would call a "western" by today's standards, although it clearly is the template for the genre. Nor is is it an action or drama film. Rather, "The Big Trail" is a silent movie "lag" that has seldom...

STUNNING 1930 70MM WIDESCREEN EPIC TRANSFORMS 22 YEAR OLD DUKE MORRISON INTO "JOHN WAYNE"
Finally a DVD transfer of the "Holy Grail" of early widescreen epics.

This 1930 film directed by Raoul Walsh was intended to make 22 year old Duke Morrison a star.

And indeed it did.

While John Wayne became a star, this striking ahead-of-its-time 70mm widescreen film was dismissed, forgotten and virtually lost. In the 1980s it was rediscovered and restored but previous DVD releases were only the alternate 4x3 format since most theaters at that time (early 30s) were unable to show a widescreen format properly. And most TVs were "square" as well.

Fox publicity says it accurately and simply: "In this sweeping pioneer adventure, a courageous young scout (Wayne) leads hundreds of settlers across treacherous cliffs, through brutal snowstorms, Indian attacks and buffalo stampedes to their destiny out West. Along the way, he loses his heart to a beautiful pioneer woman (Marguerite Churchill) and never stops trying to win her love. Tyrone Power...

the NEW (2008) widescreen edition is finally here!!!
This is an epic movie for so many reasons....not the least of which is that it is the first major starring vehicle for John Wayne and he is very good and startlingly young and handsome to boot. Legendary director Raoul Walsh made an asbsolute spectacular film and THIS edition is the first release of the 70mm WIDESCREEN version!!! I won't go into the story or the history...there are very servicable featurettes on the DISC that give great detail and help the enjoyment of the picture. The second disc contains the lesser 1:33 version. The restoration is pretty darned good for a 1930 movie and I couldn't be MORE pleased to finally have this "important" movie in this format and aspect ratio!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Ill Manors [Blu-ray]

The World on drugs(UNIVERSAL) Baby..
This is a excellent film. Too Bad that this disc is in a Non USA format (PAL). If you seen the Movies JUICE,STRAPPED,MONEY- POWER- RESPECT and NEW JERSEY DRIVE, then you got the story. This film is the British version..

America take note....
...Ben Drew is a genius artist. The records...Strickland Banks, Ill Manors, the Ill Manors film (movie),his acting in other's films....keep an eye on this guy, he really is a talent.



Click to Editorial Reviews

Prairie Love

Love, Awkwardness, And Relative Isolation: An Extreme Indie Showcasing An Unlikely Romance
"Prairie Love," from writer/director Dusty Bias, is an extremely low-budget indie that hopes that you will be captivated by its eccentricity and quirkiness. It has an unusual and appealing story that might have been mined for big laughs or intense drama. Bias, instead, keeps things on an even keel with a very understated tone. If you watch a lot of independent cinema, you'll recognize many of the arty conventions here. There is stilted dialogue, meaningful silences and stagnant camera shots taken from abstract angles. All of these things can and have been used to good affect in numerous other films, but "Prairie Love" starts to feel a little monotonous due to pacing issues. It's a real shame too, because I love the central plot line of the film and found the actors strangely appealing. As a odd love story, the screenplay comes close to succeeding. And as a comedy, there are hints of a great movie in evidence. Bias has a wonderful and original idea for a movie, but it just...

Crazy Love on the Lam
This movie reminds me a lot of "Fargo" and its many moments of jolting surprise and impromptu change. While its story or plot may initially appear to be blase - a cowboy drifter aimlessly travelling across a wide-open, snowbound prairie in a beat-up old station wagon - something suddenly happens to change all that. He picks up a hitchhiker whose car has broken down in the middle of a blizzard and, all of a sudden, that which was once a ho hum existence, now becomes a fascinating tale of love, lust and murder. As the hitchhiker shares his story about going to visit a female penpal at a local penitentiary, the drifter suddenly comes alive. As a survivor who has always lived his life on the margins of society, the wonders of sex have never been part of his lonely lifestyle. Now as he listens to the fantastic plans of his new travelling companion, his mind becomes transformed. He, too, wants to be able to have a woman in his life, and the only way he can do it is to hijack the other man's...

What a wonderful movie! Finally, something new to watch.
I lived in the North for years... you could feel the cold from your theater seats. I really loved the humor; I am so tired of all the movies out there...the same thing over and over again. Prairie Love gives "love stories" a fresh face. It is fun and touching. I loved every minute. I shall be watching for whatever this new writer gives us next. We can only hope he doesn't take too long.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Trilogy of Life (The Decameron, The Canterbury Tales, Arabian Nights) (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

Best transfer of these films, but....
If you are planning to order these BDs, chances are you need no introduction to Pasolini's Trilogy of Life.(*1)

I first watched these films during my college years, and was immediately drawn to Pasolini's very unconventional film-making techniques.(*2) Thus, when these were up for sale last November from the redoubtable Criterion Collection, I preordered the blu-ray set. The "Criterion magic" does not disappoint, but.... If memory serves, there are more than 3 or 4 instances when vertical red straight lines appear prominently in the Canterbury Tales.(*3) So here is the puzzle: Why are they (still) there after the careful restoration?

I love Criterion Collection. Even though their products are more expensive, they are almost always worth the additional cost. In particular, these are great improvements from BFI's Region B (UK) blu-ray releases in terms of clarity, contrast, color scheme and especially naturality of the skin tone. So they are really currently the...

Pasolini The Master
In a sentence: A cinematographic experience.
Pasolini takes you to beyond your imagination. Love the architecture and the spaces he creates. He approaches cinema as painting.

lost world and lost art
Pasolini's Trilogy Of Life reminds us of what life used to be and what cinema could do before it was castrated by US "franchises"

Click to Editorial Reviews

Lukewarm

Could've been much better
I preordered this movie, because I like John Schneider, and I was very impressed with Jason Burkey's acting in October Baby. I guess my expectations for this film were high, because October Baby was fresh in my mind, and it was a quality film-- great acting, plot, music, cinematography, etc. Lukewarm had a promising storyline, but the acting was hit and miss, and the music was uninspiring. John Schneider did a fine job, as always, but he had a small part (contrary to his prominent picture on the cover!). I'm still quite impressed with Jason Burkey. He was as believable in this bad boy role as he was as every girl's dream guy in October Baby. The main character was only so-so-- kind of stiff. The ending was very abrupt. With better acting, music, and production, this could've been a wonderful film. As it is, it is probably worth your time if you enjoy any of these actors, or if you're not too picky. My advice: rent or borrow it before/instead of buying it.
For Christian...

awesome movie
Our family only watches movies we believe would be pleasing to the Lord. We do not watch secular TV. We buy christian based DVD's instead of TV. This movie is on our shelf. A keeper! We recommend!

Great and inspiring movie.
After seeing this movie I could count the many times I have seen actual situations in my life and family members. The message is so powerful that we cant say Forgive me without taking a stand and living forgiveness. As a writer I see this as many women send their experiences and are struggling with this. I hope those that see this movie really meditate. great over all.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Savages

Much better than I expected based on the negative Amazon reviews...
I enjoyed all 132 minutes of this film, although I was reluctant to rent it at first based on some of the negative reviews here. It was one of the better films I've seen in a while. Without getting into the plot (do we really need long, amateur interpretations of the plot?), it was also better than what I expected after viewing the trailer. If you're considering renting it don't hesitate. I'm not recommending purchasing it since it's not the type of movie someone would watch more than once. The entire cast did a great job of making this movie highly entertaining. The supporting roles played by Travolta, Hayek, and Del Toro were superbly done. Most of the negative reviews seem to be from people having higher expectations from Oliver Stone, or from having read the book, but I was simply looking for something worth watching. Thank you for taking the time to read my review.

Grisly cat and mouse thriller
Oliver Stone returns to his most violent movie since "Natural Born Killer," this time focusing on a couple marijuana entrepreneurs and their shared girlfriend. Chon (Taylor Kitsch in his best movie role yet) is a former Navy SEAL who manages to bring back potent marijuana seeds from his tour in Afghanistan. His lifelong friend Ben (Aaron Johnson) is hooked on Buddhism and doing charitable work in Africa. His college degree is in business and botany. How perfect. Together they amicably share a love interest in Ophelia (another surprising performance from Blake Lively), who is known as "O."

As the story centerpiece "O" is the glue that holds things together. She's also the chief weed sampler. The story suggests that this relationship may be a bit more than two boys liking a girl but that question is never quite answered. Hmm. All is well until they get an "invitation" to join a powerful Mexican cartel headed by Elena (Salma Hayek). Saying no is not a good idea, as...

Better than I thought it would be
I was expecting to be disapointed after reading all of the negative reviews. While I can't say that it was a great movie I do think it was very entertaining and I will probably buy the DVD.

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Otto Preminger Collection (Hurry Sundown / Skidoo / Such Good Friends) [Blu-ray]

Preminger Way Ahead Of His Time
Preminger was never really appreciated enough for his gifted art. I've got to admit that when I was young I was turned off by Preminger purely on the grounds that I found him strange looking and his accent almost comical. But as an older adult I have really taken a good look at his work and find his talent at the genius level. Also he is every bit as original as someone like Kubrick and I know this is blasphemous but I think he had far more to say than Kubrick. Preminger was originally a protege of Daryl F Zanuck but soon felt controlled and unable to express his own ideas so he set out on his own with what yielded his greatest artistic achievements. He would take a story that most directors could only deliver straight forward action with and inject ideas that trancended the plot and often expressed the notion of the absurd nature of human existance. Much of this was done in such a sly tongue and cheek manner that you really had to be up on your Premingerisms to realize it. This...





Click to Editorial Reviews

Heathens & Thieves

Loved It !!
This moive is one of the best westerns that I have seen in quite a while . Don Swayze was perfect for the part of Col Sherman , the cast was good however he was the star of this movie. While many westerns tend to be nothing but shoot em up stereo types this moive actaully had you thinking and there are a few things where I caught myself saying " didn't see that coming " and yes there is a lot of action , give it a go you'll be glad you did .

A western like no other!!
I love this film!! I saw it at the Downtown LA film festival and it was AMAZING!! I'm bummed that Gwendoline isn't on the cover art though. And also how come she is only credited on the Amazon Prime version and not the DVD version? Amazon you need to fix this problem ASAP!!!

One of the best Westerns of this century (so far)
This is a wonderful classic Western in the tradition of Sergio Leone and Lonesome Dove, happily updated for modern times without the awful racial stereotypes so common of this genre in the 40's through the 80's. While the bit-part Hispanic characters don't get to be much more than cardboard cutouts, overall this is a great film in the classic tradition that finally manages to portray the complexities of race and the post-Reconstruction New West without the usual Cowboys and Indians tropes. A post-millennial, post-racial Western that still evokes all of the wonderful noir and grit of its lineage without the redface, blackface, and yellowface that detracts from the originals. Up there with the Coen's True Grit reboot, Blackthorn, Deadwood, and Hell On Wheels. About damn time.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Symphonies [Blu-ray]

Schumann like never before
Paavo Järvi and his Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen have set an exalted benchmark for the art of today's Beethoven interpretation with their recordings of the nine symphonies in 2010. Now they are back on DVD, this time in perfect audio and video on Blu-ray, with a recording of the four Schumann symphonies that includes a 98-minute concert film, "Schumann at Pier 2". The Blu-ray disk has an amazing total running time of 271 minutes, with a 27-minute lightweight bonus on the "making" of the Schumann project and some touristy stuff on the city-state of Bremen thrown in. Those of us familiar with Järvi's Beethoven project have been impatiently looking forward to the Schumann recordings with high hopes, and the finished product exceeds all expectations indeed. This is Schumann like you never heard him before. The recording venue (no date given), a former dock warehouse and now a "popular" events center in Bremerhaven, is nicely done up, lighting is fairly discreet (better...

A generous account of the four symphonies which currently leads the visual field
This set of the four symphonies was made in 2012 with the view of presenting Schumann in a new light as a result of deep and penetrating discussion and rehearsal. The orchestra chosen for this project is a chamber orchestra made up of musicians who value their own solo careers. The orchestra is self-governing and is used to having considerable input to their performances. In this way they form a collaboration with their conductors. This has certain similarities with Abbado's relationship with the Lucerne festival orchestra for example. The orchestra itself is about 50 strong and thus is of an appropriate size for Schumann. This is a modern chamber orchestra and there is no attempt to reproduce the sound world attempted by the 'authentic' movement such as with the Gardiner CD set for example.

There are a number of bonus films included with this set and these set out to enlarge on this approach to Schumann and the use of the venue etc. To do this there is an emphasis placed...

Pleasant Video Schumann
I admit to a weakness regarding Schumann Symphonies, already having some nine sets in my CD collection. This one is reasonably well played and conducted, but offers little to the collector in terms of revelatory conducting, or visual attractiveness. The industrial venue provides little feast for the eyes, and the camera is not always where you would want it to be at the time. In addition, the sound has a rather homogenized quality, that loses detail and lacks full presence. It's all decent enough, but better to stick to some of the great CD recordings.

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Dish

Great
Very interesting & enjoyable - learnt a lot about the history of the event as well as some facts about australia

Great movie
Really enjoyed watching this. It was both funny and inspiring. I'm sure my mom and step dad will love this gift.

.Great movie!
I love this movie and told my friends about it. A real story. Captive! Wonderful movie. I would tell any one I know to watch it.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Highway

Definitely a Movie to smoke & laugh too!
Very Funny movie! Definitely a movie 2 smoke then watch! Devin the Dude & Lil Duval are 2 Funny & U will watch it over & over! Much funnier than Mac & Devin (the Wiz & Snoop movie) #IJS

I'M TALKING ABOUT A TRAIN WREAK
This is another African-American stoner film. This one stars Devin Copeland and Roland Powell and is a cut below others in this genre such as "Budz House." The inconsistent plot (which is okay for a stoner film) concerns our heroes trying to steal plants from hillbillies in western Kentucky. The film incorporates "chronic breaks" or mellow trips at certain times to add to the pot humor.

The production exhibits many low brow qualities with its frequent racial humor directed at both blacks and whites. Frequent use of the N-word. A poorly and immaturely written script, that in spite of all the short comings and as disgusted as I was, I did find myself laughing at some of the confrontations.

I loved the cartoon Chronic Break sequence of "Kush" which combined classic "Heavy Metal" type animation with a "Kill Bill" type hero. If only the whole film had measured up.

This is a film that is better if seen stoned and by someone who never lived through the early...

Hillbilly Highway
I bought it because i'm in it and I wanted to see how the project turned out. The union had to sue them before I got paid.

Click to Editorial Reviews

London 2012 Olympic Games BBC [Blu-ray]

Very good but not enough - Look at durations
Duration Sport
1:11:34 Running
1:08:11 Cycling
0:38:30 Equestrian
0:37:35 Swimming
0:33:48 Box
0:27:33 Men's Gymnastics Artistic
0:27:11 Rowing
0:26:15 Lost Time without Sports
0:18:53 Tennis
0:15:30 Football
0:11:57 Women's Heptathlon
0:11:43 Sailing
0:09:39 Taekwondo
0:07:27 Turbulence Rowing
0:07:05 Long Jump
0:06:54 Hockey
0:04:36 Triathlon
0:04:17 Diving
0:03:48 Modern Pentathlon
0:03:21 Judo
0:02:31 Women's Gymnastics Artistic Why so little ???
0:01:55 Shooting
0:01:46 Beach Volleyball
0:01:37 High Jump
0:01:10 Basket
0:00:56 Table Tennis
0:00:54 Discus Throw
0:00:46 Handball
0:00:00 Gymnastics Rhytmic Why nothing ???
0:00:00 Pole Vault Why nothing ???
0:00:00 Synchronized Swimming Why nothing ???
0:00:00 Trampoline Why nothing ???
0:00:00 Volleyball Why nothing ???
7:27:22 TOTAL

All 5 blu-rays did not play
I purchased this blu-ray set (5 discs) from an American company through U.S. Amazon. It arrived on December 12, 2012 and I returned it, the next day, on December 13.

I tested all 5 blu-rays on my Panasonic blu-ray player. There was audio, but no video. So, I got sound, but no picture. My Panasonic blu-ray player works on my other blu-rays, DVDs, and CDs.

~~~

I did some research and here is some useful information for U.S consumers.

Samsung players and most LG players will play this BBC product (coded Region Free).
Sony and Panasonic will not play this BBC product.
Many Toshiba, Sharp, Pioneer, and Denon players will not play this BBC product.

The above information is from "Burketop". Please read the commentary dated December 4, 2012 which is located under a review dated November 14, 2012. I suggest you read Burketop's full commentary for more complete and accurate information.

~~~

December 24,...

Amazing!! A must buy!
Best coverage of all the London Olympics. Full opening and closing ceremonies and great summary of the events. It's a must buy!

Click to Editorial Reviews

We Can't Go Home Again & Don't Expect Too Much [Blu-ray]

Ray meets expectations
What a thrill it was to see these movies made available at last on video on Amazon. In fact, for the past three years, I regularly surfed Amazon in the event that "We Can't Go Home Again" would become available one day. And as a bonus, this DVD includes other short films made at this time of his career. I've seen nearly all of Nicholas Ray's films, but not these ones. Don't expect "Rebel Without a Cause" or "Johnny Guitar". The films on these discs are experimental and improvised collaborations conducted by Ray and his students, very talky but honest aand revealing. They are not easy to watch, at least in one sitting, but the conversations are compelling and even mesmerising, reflecting the political and social conditions of the times. These films are the bridge between Ray's main body of work and his collaborations with Wim Wenders. I will be watching these movies again and again as I am sure there is much more to be gained from multiple viewings of these...





Click to Editorial Reviews

CHiPs 99

Get ready for high speed action . . . CHiPs is back!!!
This movie is great as not only as a sequel to the series, but as a stand-alone movie itself. I was a fan of the series as a kid in the 70's & 80's, and with the introduction of new series' I gradually drifted away from CHiPs in syndication, but CHiPs '99 kind of whetted my apitite to revisit some of the old episodes and "rewatch them for the first time", and it's been a great ride all around.

Awesome Return
What else can I say beside wonderful! I used to be a big fan of the show as a kid and as an adult I just loved the new version. Great bikes, lots of action and Ponch at his best. This movie is a wonderful version of the old television series and if it came on tv again, I would watch it. There are some very good scenes. Who wouldn't love to see another movie like that? Jon had some trouble with his position as a Captain and the return of Ponch. It was hard for him to keep defending him. But hey, someone has to keep that guy in line. Loved the flashback bits and it was nice to see that Jon finally got married. Although I would have loved to see more of Sandy. And I loved the helicopter pilot Stormy. Very funny guy.

Ponch comes up with some wacko ideas the entire movie, but the guy is rarely wrong. You got to give him credit for that. He knows no rules, but would you want someone else to watch your back? The music was great. I think of of my favorite scenes was on Judge...

The magic is still there baby!
For the 25 years I have spent on this planet, I would have to say I spent 22 of them glued to "CHiPs". The chemistry betwen Frank Poncherello and Jon Baker is electric. "CHiPs" 99 is the same formula of the past set to current times. I myself was shocked to see officer Baker take the place of the legendary Srg. Gatrare. As far as Ponch goes, what can I say he's still Ponch. As soon as Ponch and Jon reunite the magic is back. The pyro stunts "CHiPs" was known for are better than ever. True "CHiPs" lovers are going to flip over the cameos of past "CHiPs" stars Bonnie, Baricsa, Fritz, Harlin, Captin Gatrare , and of course Grossman. The icing on the cake is the blockbuster Ponch lays on everybody at the end.

Click to Editorial Reviews