Titanoboa: Monster Snake

A little glimpse into the mysteries of Paleocene and a good general lesson about constrictor snakes
This is a quite good document about the discovery and analysis of remains of the greatest snake ever found until now. It also tries to reconstruct the life of this unique creature by using CGI, which allows us to have a glimpse into a still quite obscure but passionating time in Earth's history - the Paleocene (65 to 56 mllion years ago).

The remains of this gigantic snake were found in Venezuela, in coal mines of Cerrejon. It soon became clear that this creature, named Titanoboa cerrejonensis, was the longest, largest and heaviest snake ever discovered. It is considered that adult Titanoboa could grow as long as 15 meters (50 feet), had the diameter of 1 meter at the thickest part of the body and weighed as much as 1135 kg (2500 pounds)!

The description of the discovery and analysis of remains is quite interesting, although maybe slightly too long. It is followed by a general lesson about the constrictor snakes in which we can watch one of the scientists being...

Giant Prehistoric Anaconda
Great video for the person that likes giant snakes, you will also see Anacondas in the great Venezuelan Llanos and can compare some aspects of Titanoboa with them.

historic snake
For the person interested in Herpetology, fossil finds and true life facts this is the DVD for you... It answers the questions; of is it real, where was it discovered, when it was found and who found it, how many different disciplines contributed to it's completion for exhibit. Excellent presentation..

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Roseanne: The Complete Third Season

A six star season, but the DVD set itself could have been better
Season three of Roseanne doesn't revolve around any particular overriding story arc, but the kids are definitely beginning to grow up. As in almost every season, there are quite a few changes taking place in all of the characters' lives, but the show's greatness mainly lies in the "real life" way that each situation is handled and in the raw emotions and interactions of the characters, not in the situations themselves.

"The Test" is a great season opener as Roseanne and her family wait for the outcome of her home pregnancy test. There are some precious moments, such as when DJ asks if he was an accident, and Roseanne tells him that he was a surprise, the difference being that "an accident is something that you wouldn't do over again if you had the chance, but a surprise is something you didn't even know you wanted until you got it." The girls show their selfish side, trying to make a case for not having the baby even before the test is complete. Becky goes as far as asking...

Groundbreaking Season, But The Shoddy DVD Treatment Continues
The 1990-1991 third season of "Roseanne" was clearly the season where the show really defined itself. While the first two seasons were good, especially the second, the third was the first Perfect Season, and it was also when the show really started to take risks and tackle heavy issus with amazing skill, all the while remaining laugh out loud hilarious.

The first episode of the season was "The Test," and it was test in many ways. It was the first episode to air after Roseanne's National Anthem incident, where she pissed off most of America and was called a disgrace by President Bush (quite ironic considering how his son is running the country these days). Fortunately, the incident was forgotten and "Roseanne" continued to roll along smoothly, turning out some of the finest episodes of the whole series. Who doesn't love "Like, A Virgin," in which Darlene is caught making out with her friend Brian on the couch? And who could forget the classic Halloween special, "Trick...

WHERE ARE THE COMMENTARIES?
I'm delighted that the uncut episodes of ROSEANNE are being issued afterthe snafu of the first season. But, WHERE ARE THE COMMENTARIES? Before Anchor Bay decided to release the show on DVD, Roseanne spoke to HomeMediaReatiling ([...]) on March 27, 2004 and said:

"Roseanne said she would be happy to create extras for a DVD package. She's particularly keen on providing commentary tracks and promises to come clean on the notorious behind-the-scenes conflicts between cast and crew. "I would totally do commentary for it, because I remember almost every show and what was going on," she said. "I would say, `Well, this is where such and such was fired.' There are good stories." And yet she maintains, "We always had fun, the cast. We always had great fun every day on that show."

We're going into the third season and still no commentaries. You'd think someone who controllled the show so completely as Roseanne did would be proud to talk about her struggles and triumphs on...

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Edge of Darkness [HD]

Gibson's Updating of "Edge" A Masterful Retelling of A Great Story
"Edge of Darkness was a sensation when it first aired on British television in 1985. Aired on PBS in the United States, it was a dark, brooding thriller that seemed destined for a big-screen version that would be found lacking in ways big and small. However, Mel Gibson's 2010 version of the story still provides a lot of the sadness, bitterness, and intrigue with some changes that while they do necessarily improve the story, they don't damage it, either.

Gibson plays Tom Craven (played as Ron Craven by Bob Peck in the original), a widowed Boston Homicide detective eagerly awaiting the visit of his only child Emma, who works for a research facility, Northmoor. Soon into the visit, Craven sees that his daughter is very ill. Just as he is taking her to the hospital, she is shot and killed. Being a police officer, Craven immediately assumes that the bullet was meant for him, but upon investigating further, he soon learns that she was involved in the illegal entry of Northmoor by...

Mel Gibson is Back in the Saddle
It's been seven years since Mel Gibson has appeared on the silver screen, and he definitely chose the right film as his comeback vehicle. While the conspiracy theories that make up the film aren't incredibly original, you are still treated to Gibson's strong screen presence and a tense storyline.

I'm unfamiliar with the British miniseries that this film was based on, so I'm basing my opinion solely on my thoughts of this movie in particular. A variety of mysterious characters prevent the film from being predictable, and you're thrown an interesting curveball from what the movie's trailer might lead you to assume about the story. I will also fess up that this was the first movie I've seen in years with a scene that made me jump in my seat (to the people in front of me, I apologize for getting popcorn on you).

One funny thing that I'll give kudos to director Martin Campbell for is not hiding the fact that Gibson is all of 5'9" in real life. Jay O. Sanders...

A nice, intelligent, adult thriller.
"Edge of Darkness", directed by Martin Campbell, is a well made film. It has an engaging mystery, and characters that act realistically to what is presented. More so the actors, especially Mel Gibson, deliver fine, brooding work. Gibson, with his first film since "Signs" (eight years prior), doesn't skip a beat. While he certainly looks his age, he brings an intensely physical presence to the film. "Edge of Darkness" was based on a television series and because of that, the film can feel episodic during the middle. But that can be forgiven since the beginning and ending are both so tightly edited and Gibson is an incredibly relatable hero. "Edge of Darkness" is an unusually intelligent, decidedly adult, and ultimately satisfying thriller.

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Independent Lens: Facing the Storm: Story of the American Bison [HD]

Terrific Film about Destroying and Saving a Symbol of American Majesty
Can the buffalo survive?
In this new century, we all are asking: Can America survive as the world's greatest democracy? Instead, we ought to be asking other urgent questions, including: Can we preserve the American bison--better known as the buffalo--the symbol of American majesty and the true fruit of America's plains from sea to shining sea?

A shortened version of this film was shown on PBS in April 2012 and, if you saw it, you should know that the PBS series routinely cuts documentaries like this. What aired was slightly more than 50 minutes, so you'll find another half an hour in the DVD.

So, why should we care about the bison? Here are three reasons.

THE HISTORICAL REASON: As we quickly learn in this dramatic retelling of the American bison's story, there is no greater symbol of America's wasted abundance than the buffalo. Through relentless hunting, the population went from more than 30 million to a tiny handful left in a remote valley of...

Important Issue and Quality Film
This movie is extremely insightful and offers the logic of bison "management" in the United States for over a century. Producers rely on primary sources and interviews to explicate the plight of the buffaloes throughout time. It offers diverse perspectives on bison politics ranging from Native Americans to cattle ranchers. Most of all the film helps the viewer to decipher their position on the issue by presenting economic and environmental perspectives in a neutral manner. Overall, this movie offers a balance of entertainment and information which is seldom seen in documentaries.

A Tremendous Documentary!!!!
Facing the Storm: Story of the American Bison is one of the only Documentaries about the American Bison on DVD. It is very informative and traces the history of the orignal American Animal on the North American Continent through the years.
Once there were 60 million who roamed the Great Plains, then came planned extermination and finally reclaimation and rebirth. Thank goodness there were men like Dr Hornaday and Teddy Roosevelt who had the foresight and vision to save this magestic animal and symbol of America for posterity. Long live the Great American Bison!!!!

Note: Never approach a Bison in the wild, they are unpredictable. When they get angry, their tails stand up!!! And they will charge you if provoked. So be careful when trying to view Bison in the National Parks for your own safety. Keep a safe distance. They may look like docile Cattle but they are not!!!

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Operation: Get Rid of Pinky

Best indy flick since Romero's night of the living dead
I cant even express in words how great and wierd and different this movie is. Whoever directed this musta been a sheer genius. I would imagine he attended school in philadelphia to have the kinda brain u need to come up with something so distasteful yet tasteful as this film. And whoever played pinky has to be a hottie. Buy the flick. You'll watch it iver and over again i promise.

Very Weird and Funny
When I first saw the trailer to this film I had no idea what to expect. This is one of the weirdest but at the same time most creative Indy films I have seen in quite some time. Slow start and they try to do too much at the end but there are a lot of funny parts in between.

To complain about the film's acting and obvious lack of budget would be unfair; anyone seeing the trailer is already well-aware of what they're in for. This film is slightly more accessible Troma piece, in that it goes way over the top in terms of gross-out effects in an attempt to shock the audience, including crude racial and toilet humor, not to mention gore.

This movie clearly isn't for everyone but if you like "Troma" I recommended this film.

Enjoyable film...what a breath of fresh air!
Review of Operation: Get Pinky by Mark Polito: I found out about this interesting and very enjoyable debut film by Matthew Merz from a show called Reel Times hosted by Alex Bove on CCP's cable television station. I love to watch Indy films because they are made by individuals who have a great energy and enthusiasm for film. Their intentions are pure and unadulterated. Even the so-called failures are good because of the love for what they are doing. The show opened with Matt Merz being interviewed by Alex Bove, a professor at Community College. I liked Matt's honesty about the production of the film and his stories involved in the process of getting it completed. I was looking forward to watching the film just by watching him talk about it. The movie came on and I saw a realism in this first effort film that brought me back to the very early films of Martin Scorsese-Who's That Knocking at My Door; Spike Lee-Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop: We cut Heads; and even early John Cassavetes -...

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A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures

Make more animal movies like this!
This movie doesn't get enough credit. So glad we gave it a chance. It's right there with disney/pixar or dream works. The graphics are beautiful and the music is wonderful as well. My 3 year old loves it. The cover of this movie just doesn't do it justice. I wish they'd make more animal movies like this and stay away from those weird animated movies.

Adorable
The story follows an actual sea turtle's life. Of course there are liberties taken, such as the turtle's best friend and love interest. But overall the story is based on true life events of a tracked sea turtle. There are some big names in this movie including: Melanie Griffith, Kathy Griffin, and Tim Curry. (I heart Tim Curry, by the way.) Our main character, Sammy, goes through a lot in the fifty years from when he was born, including dealing with both man made and natural obstacles- but through it all he keeps his head up and his thoughts on his lady turtle friend from birth, Shelly. There are strong tones of environmentalism in this film, so be ready for some questions in regard to this.

wonderful
This is my 4 year old granddaughters favorite movie, and I confess I love watching it as well. The artwork is lovely and soothing, the characters are endearing. The soundtrack is delightful. Teaches compassion and friendship, and yes, to a previous reviewers dismay, actual environmental issues. It does so in a basic way that even a child can understand, such as warning sea creatures to "don't eat the plastic" or seeing the effects of dumping garbage in the ocean (hardly controversial!) Great movie for entire family.

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Gray Lady Down [HD]

Davey Jones' Locker
On the big board at NORAD, there is a single horrifying word that, when lit up, makes even combat hardened Admirals and Generals weak in the knees. The word is "DISSUB." It means that there is a disabled submarine, lost somewhere under the waves. It is a word that every senior officer at NORAD hopes that he never, ever sees on his watch.

This is a movie about just such a circumstance; an American sub (SSN) on her way home after a routine patrol collides with a Norwegian tanker, due to low visibility. The sub sinks to an unstable ridge on the side of an underwater mountain in the depths of the Atlantic. A furious rescue operation then gets underway by the US Navy to save the sailors trapped on board.

This is a fine submarine movie which boasts fine performances by Charlton Heston and Stacy Keach. Even the usually one dimensional David Carradine plays a passable under-appreciated engineer. The direction is also quite good and the special effects are...

a solid "disaster" thriller
The misfortunes keep piling up, as the Neptune, a nuclear submarine that has collided with a Norwegian cargo ship, sinks to the bottom of the waters near Cape Cod. There are many interesting character studies, as the increasing stress brings out the dark side, and also the heroic aspects of the personalities cooped up and running out of air, as well as those above, attempting to rescue the stranded sub.
Two underwater vehicles are used in the rescue, a two-man experimental Snark, and a DSRV (Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle). There are many taut, exciting scenes in the process, and the pacing by director David Greene keeps the action flowing.

Charlton Heston delivers a strong performance as Captain Blanchard, with moments of anguish he dare not show his crew. David Carradine and Ned Beatty, who operate the Snark, add a lot to the film as they try to find the "Gray Lady Down" on the murky ocean floor.
Other notable performances come from Stacy Keach, Ronny Cox,...

Great Movie; Terrible DVD Presentation
"Gray Lady Down" was Charlton Heston's last movie as an action lead, and it is a much more pleasing film than some of the other 70s disaster films he appeared in like "Earthquake" and "Airport 1975." This time, the disaster story of a nuclear submarine trapped on the ocean floor after colliding with a ship on the surface, has an air of believability and tension and the rescue procedures we see as the Navy tries to get to the sub before it's too late are well done. Compared to today's high-tech sub movies, "Gray Lady Down" may seem quaint, but that only serves to enhance its charm as a more realistic action film than today's mindless drivel.

Christopher Reeve has a bit part as an officer, and it was this appearance that first brought him to the attention of producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind when they were looking for candidates for "Superman".

Unfortunately, this new DVD release is not the right way to experience the...

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