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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Harry Carey Jr hosts John Wayne meets Lucy show

Not just the show but great stories by Harry Carey Jr
Harry Carey Jr tells the best stories. He was there and makes me feel like I was there too. I loved the segment about Morgan Woodward. Really nice doc and the ENTIRE Show.

Hilarious
I so enjoyed this blast from the past. I remember watching her shows with my children many many years ago.



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Sherlock Holmes TV, vol 6

I love all that is Sherlock
I like watching any Sherlock movies/tv shows. It's easy to watch and easy on the ears. I Get tired of listening to swearing on tv so I search out classics

Tamp your Pipe and Sit Back
I bought all thirty nine episodes on DVD (the first thing I ever purchased on Amazon, in fact) when my Sherlock Holmes infatuation was blossoming almost ten years ago. The only other portrayal of Holmes I was well-acquainted with were Conan Doyle's books themselves. I am glad that this light-hearted show was my first visual introduction to Holmes.
What you will find unique about this show is Sherlock Holmes' sense of humor. I never got a strong sense that Holmes laughed at himself in the books. There is some of it here and there, but all things considered I think Conan Doyle himself was a rather intense man. But this show bravely creates a Holmes with a twinkle in his eyes. I thought Downey Jr's portrayal in the recent films was reminiscent of Ronald Howard.
Also, this is a great black and white. Some of the shooting and on-location stuff is really awesome from a film buff perspective.

Great Series
I love the old productions of stories like Sherlock Holmes. This one was really nice with good acting and a solid plot.

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Splinters [HD]

Brilliant.
This is one of the most personal, subtle yet utterly gripping films I have ever seen. Presented with no agenda or intrusion from its maker, this story is allowed to tell itself - and it does so brilliantly. A real work of art and yet so very accessible. Really special film.

unique: one of a kind!
As an anthropologist, I appreciate the sympathetic, balanced portrayal of the conflicts between the young Papua-New Guinea surfing hopefuls, and the close look at this exotic culture's traditions. The cinematography is over-the-top outstanding, the scenery breathtalkingly gorgeous. It's fantastic to see the enthusiasm and enormous seriousness with which the Papuans approach surfing. It also dedpicts the traditional roots of sexism as girls are not expected to be "good for much" except being ordered around by menfolk. Surfing for the girls is a path to full equality. Classroom social science teachers and professional anthropologists could easily use this film in classes where social change is the topic, or in sociology-of -sport curricula.
I would love to purchase thin DVD form!



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Marvel: X-Men 2 Disc Set- Animated Series

For any X-Men fan, its worth a look.
I am an X-Men fan.

I've been once ever since the Animated Series premiered during the 90's.

Since then, I've collected comics, movies, games and any other items related to the Marvel Heroes.
When I learned an Anime was being made based off the comic, I wasn't sure of what to expect.
I felt, if it was done correctly, it could end up being just as good as the old 90's series was.

After watching all the episodes, I can say that while I was rather disappointed, I don't think it
was bad at all. The voice acting ranging from Steven Jay Blum to Jennifer Hale is well done,
and the designs look fairly interesting and awesome. This is clearly the best sounding and
best looking X-Men series yet.

The only downside, and the biggest one, is the story.

Without spoiling much, the X-Men are summoned to Japan to investigate the mysterious kidnappings
of mutants there. The story, like a lot of Anime, is slower paced,...

Not worth the time... even for fans.
I really wanted to like this series, but just couldn't. The art is excellent. The voice over is very well done. The action, when there is action, is fast and brutal without being violent; meaning it reaches a middle ground that will be suitable but satisfying for a wide audience. What is wrong then? The problems are in the pacing and story. The series really should have been about half the time, as there was a lot of material that could have been cut without hurting the story at all. There are some sections that just seem to drag and other sections, such as Cyclops mourning, that are repeated far too often. It does not help that the story is predictable and unoriginal. There may be some new elements, but any fan of the X-Men will have already seen most of this content in some shape or form. Overall, there are just too many better ways to spend your time and money to recommend this to anyone but the most diehard of fans (and they will be most familiar with this material).

Perfect!!!
Great Chapter in the X-Men saga!!! love seeing the X gang in Anime form and loved the Voice Actors they got for this series... Highly Recommended to any X-Men fan!!

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Mega Shark Vs Crocosaurus

Not as fun as msvgo, but still very entertaining!
So, there I was, searching the net for a new b ( or maybe z...) movie to give me entertainment for and hour and half. Then, by some stroke of luck, I found the sequel to last years unofficial movie of the year MEGA SHARK VS GIANT OCTOPUS. What better creaturer c to do battle with the mega shark next than a crocosaurus? And there we have it: MEGA SHARK VS CROCOSAURUS. I imediatly went onto amazon.com to pre-order my copy. And today was the day that it arrived!

As previously stated, our mega shark has apparently survived the fight with the giant octopus. We get a new team of people- including erkel- that plan on killing both the surviving mega shark and the new crocosaurus. Caos ensuses as each of there plans fails causing more and more destruction. So what's on the menu for our two creatures? Well, our mega shark still has a taste for battle ships and submarines, but not so much for planes or bridges anymore. Our crocosaurus on the other hand has a craving for African...

Awesome!
SO if u haven't seen Giant Shark Vs Mega Octopus, apparently the shark survived its first mega monster battle. I Loved the acting especially because URKLE (Sp?) was in it!

as far as B Monster Movies go this is right up there with Boa Vs Python and Komodo Vs Cobra

Very Very awesome, I totally recommend this for fellow B Movie Enthusiasts!!

(If your looking for a fantastic Cinematic Piece of Art....this is NOT for you)

This movie is AWFUL - That's why I bought it...
The crew at "The Asylum" are notorious for making preposterous, ham-handed knockoffs of popular movies. I.E. "Transformers" becomes "Transmorphers" - if they were ever to get into the candy market, I'm sure we would see "N&N's" and "Buttertoes". That being said, The "Mega Shark" series is enjoyable on a very strange level. The first one, "Mega Shark VS Giant Octopus" was just so laughably bad you had to see it to believe it. Online hype based on the title alone gave that movie a life of its own. The sequel, "Mega Shark VS Crocosaurus" sucks just as bad, if not worse, but if you love terrible grade-Z direct to DVD titles featuring giant monsters and former child stars, this one is for you. While the original gave us former 80's pop icon Deborah "Debbie" Gibson in the lead, this one gives us Jaleel "Steve Urkel" White. Massive shark fights Ginormous Crocodile in this outing. With bad CG all the way 'round. The computer animation looks like something from a PS2 cutscene. The...

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Titanic

The Pros and Cons of this Series
I am a historian, but I have also fairly accepted all Titanic movies and TV shows. So I will tell you about the Pros and Cons about this series and you can decide if you like it or not.

First off, let me say that I liked it. This series presented a new dynamic to seeing the Titanic and it also presented new real people who were on the ship (the Wideners, the Duff Gordons, and Dorothy Gibson are some examples). However, the first thing I will talk about is how the series is set up. The first three episodes have generally so many different points of view that are happening on the show. This is an awesome new way to look at a TV show, but you may not like this new style and thus the whole way the series is filmed will not be good for you. So in the end I liked this new dynamic, but depending who you are you may not like the way it is filmed with various point of views.

Now what are the plots? The good news is that this series did not generally rip off the popular...

Julian Fellowes Lost At Sea
The DVD hasn't been released here yet but the 'mini-series' is now over. It is difficult to call this amalgamation of snippets about an historic tragedy a miniseries because it was spread out so unevenly (3 hours on first night, one hour on second night) and we are now informed that the film is a total of 184 minutes which means that the fourth hour was completely filled with the most distracting and disrupting of commercials. Why this new version of TITANIC wasn't place on cable television where it could have been enjoyed on one uninterrupted three hour showing is beyond understanding. Perhaps when the DVD is released and there are no loud and ugly commercials every 5 minutes the story will hold together.

Julian Fellowes, so respected for his writing of such series as Downton Abbey, etc. seems to have the urge to tell the story of the event through quick snippets of personal stories among the passengers - a commendable idea, but when the tiny tales are buried in the...

Drown-ton Abbey: The Fellowes Formula Falters Due To Uninspired Personal Drama
I was quite excited when I heard that Julian Fellowes had signed on to write a new miniseries exploring the legendary Titanic tragedy. Fellowes is the reigning champion of upstairs/downstairs drama as evidenced by his Oscar winning screenplay for Altman's "Gosford Park" and his wildly successful production of "Downton Abbey." While that upscale soap opera is currently all-the-rage, it seemed a prime opportunity for Fellowes to branch out. Without a doubt, the class divisions, struggles and tensions aboard the Titanic certainly appeared to match his previous themes. And yet, while the idea seemed like an easy home run, "Titanic" (for all its elegance) is lacking in character drama that makes one actually care. The passengers on this ill-fated voyage are only superficially presented and their back stories are largely uninspired or entirely predictable. While there are still some good elements to "Titanic," therefore, I never felt the time investment in watching the four part miniseries...

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Margaret Thatcher - The Iron Lady

Enjoyed this film!!
I thought this was an interesting film covering Margaret Thatcher's political life as well as a glimpse into her personality. I watched The Iron Lady movie that was made in Hollywood and
was very disappointed that it was mainly about her dementia and life in retirement.
This documentary from the UK was so much better!!!

Worth Watching
This is a great review of the Thatcher years in England from her entry as an MP to Parliament to her resignation as Prime Minister and her thoughts following the resignation. Highly recommend.

compelling film
This is one of the most compelling documentaries on this incredible lady. Fascinating film.....def worth watching. if you enjoyed the feature film you will love this as i did.

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Booker's Place: A Mississippi Story [HD]

Review of DVD with bonus features - A must see re: race relations in the south
Though the name of Booker Wright is in the title of this compelling documentary, it's really the story of TWO families and THREE generations. I'll try not to spoil your watching of this film (which I highly recommend) by giving you too much information. (I hate spoiler alerts.) But you should know the basics. In 1965, filmmaker Frank De Felitta went to Greenwood, MS (a southern town in which racism was at its highest with many lynchings of blacks by the Ku Klux Klan and where "slavery" still existed - 100 years after the Civil War - in the form of cotton plantation owners virtually "owning" their "employees") to film the current social conditions for NBC News. He found one man - a black waiter - who "spoke his mind". Shortly after the film was aired that waiter (and, later, restaurant owner) Booker Wright was attacked and later murdered (two separate events). It was Wright's granddaughter who, while searching for the film shown on NBC, discovered De Felitta's son, Raymond, who - as...

One Moment Of Truth: An Unlikely Hero Exposes The Reality Of Racism In A National TV Broadcast Circa 1965
Raymond De Felitta's new documentary "Booker's Place" is both a filmmaker's personal journey and an intimate look at an unlikely hero who stepped into the national spotlight during the civil rights struggle. It is a film filled with nostalgia, regret, anger, and pride. De Felitta's father made an NBC documentary in 1965 that featured a stunning sequence in which a Greenwood, Mississippi waiter, Booker Wright, spoke candidly about his treatment as a black man in his town. Wright was no activist, but he clearly placed himself in harm's way by expressing his true feelings. Televised nationally, the piece all but destroyed Wright's life. He lost his job, his business was vandalized, he was brutalized, and he ultimately paid the highest price possible. "Booker's Place" tells the history of this story through archival footage and personal recollections. What makes this an incredibly personal tale is that it is presented by the descendents of those involved. De Felitta joins forces...

A great film
This film was obviously made by passionate film makers. Raymond De Felitta is a wonderful weaver and this story is sadly beautiful. Great music... great information. Great movie.

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On The Ice

Arctic Suspense!
Great movie filmed in Barrow, Alaska. It touches on life in a small, remote town and modern Inupiat life. Regardless of its subjects, the plot is good and appealing to anyone who enjoys suspense/thriller/crime movies.

Great Flick!
I love how this director used Alaska as the back drop not the main character. Beautifully shot and a good story-line.

on the ice
I thought the movie was very slow moving. I was interested for about the first 30 mins. The ending wasnt what I expected wasn't in my opinion the best way for a movie to end.

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The Fields [HD]

Fresh, skillful...and not very compelling.
The list of great things in this movie is substantial. Everything from the locations and music to camera angles and lighting is superb for a modest-budget film (or genre film, really). And the acting is top-notch. Cloris Leachman is amazing and it's no exaggeration to say that in a different kind of movie, an Oscar nomination for supporting actress would not be out of the question. The viewpoint of the film is largely that of 8-year-old Steven, played magnificently by Joshua Ormond.

So why did "The Fields" leave me feeling so disappointed?

It comes down to the story, which is a memoir of actual events in the life of scriptwriter Harrison Smith. And it just doesn't add up to that much. Don't get me wrong--I don't demand that every movie I see be "The Avengers." I like smaller, quieter movies that focus on relationships and character. But in a story that amounts to a modified version of the "home invasion" horror sub-genre, more must go on than an old...

Refreshing - Original
In this age of Superheroes, glittery vampires and recycled, re-purposed story lines where acting and writing take a back seat to "who can come up with the coolest CGI," occasionally a real film sneaks in. The Fields is a throwback to when movies actually had substance, superb acting, writing, directing, cinematography, the whole magilla. I don't recall a suspense film being made in the past 5 years that drew mystery up from the screen like a smoking tendril from the end of a cigarette. This film does that and more. From the stunning visuals, to the use of imagery though positioning, The Fields is unique. The field, obviously a character in the film is in the present with a crossroads at the opening with a secret. To the east and west of that secret are two possibilities personified by those who occupy those locations. Surrounding it are the players - all who have beaten their own paths outside of the stalks that encase a young boy's imagination and curiosity about all of the...

Scary without being gory
Saw this film on the big screen and loved it because it was scary without being gory, and Cloris Leachman and the rest of the cast are outstanding. It is well done for a film with a small budget and the fact that it is based on true events is freaky and makes it that much better. A perfect summer thriller!

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Let the Bullets Fly [Blu-ray/DVD Combo]

Like John Woo meets Stephen Chow with a touch of Kurosawa
Fast paced, beautifully choreographed, and downright silly, Jiang Wen's Let the Bullets Fly is what you'd get if combining the action and comedy of John Woo and Stephen Chow. Wen, who also co-stars and co-wrote the script, reportedly agonized over the writing to the point where he went through 30 drafts until he finally got it right. While the multiple characters and multiple double-crossings can get a touch convoluted and hard to follow, Wen's film is frequently hilarious and pays homage to classic Hollywood movies better than many Hollywood productions do.

An old school Western at its core, Let the Bullets Fly has the dusty old look of a John Ford film, with Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo also a clear influence. Don't be confused by seeing so many stylistically different directors referenced, as the film mashes up and switches genres at the drop of a hat, making for a wildly off balance experience that is an absolute blast.

Set in 1920s China, the story begins with...

Pure fun (Chinese pun intended)
If you require your Chinese movies to be ponderous, self-serious period dramas, then this is not your movie. I think this is the reason why this movie does not get higher review ratings. Also, if you don't like movies that require you to pay attention from start to finish or you miss something important, again this is not your movie. This is also not a preposterous kung-fu movie, thank goodness. This is action comedy, like Indiana Jones or those awful Tarantino ripoff films, but with much better humor. The movie is dialog-driven, which can be demanding when reading subtitles; but it is worth the effort, as clever dialog is the strongest merit of the film: lots of puns, quotables, double-entendre, farce, and idiomatically entertaining profanity (this is the movie with the "F you" scene, where everybody ends up shouting "F you" at each other back and forth). This movie is hilarious, brilliantly acted by the three main stars, and very clever. Chow Yun Fat is especially outstanding,...

Best moive from China
The box office of this movie is the 2nd in China for all time. The first one is Avatar. This is the best Chinese movie in my opinion. Three top Chinese actors showed they excellent performance in this movie. A must buy blu ray. I own the Hong Kong editon for a much higher price at the first day of 2011. I don't know how the English Audio, but I think it's better use Chinese Audio and English subtitle.

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Roadracers [Blu-ray]

Great JD Hommage - Nonstop Fun
I have seen this movie more than ten times and I never tire of watching it. It's got everything: humor, action, romance, Blaise Pascal's pensees (remember Nixer's French Fry/Human Condition analogy), and most of all, red hot rock and roll music. Rodriguez's films were lost on me after El Mariachi, but this little gem I cannot praise highly enough. Anyone looking for the songs from the film, check with Norton Records (their 1980s re-issue covers are all over Dude's garage).

agree: the coolest movie ever that nobody's seen
Even if this movie was made for TV it should have been released for the big screen. As it is nobody seems to know this gem. Insanely great music, Johnny Reno's My Mistake alone worth the price of the tape. Great characters like the Nixer and Dude. This movie has major cult potential if only people knew about it.

Very cool stuff
Robert Rodriguez hits every corner with this ultra-cool sendup of '50's rebel movies. Cheap without looking cheap (except where Rodriguez intended it), this film is alternately chilling and hilarous. You can never tell when or where some totally outrageous sight-gag or outlandish bit of sarcasm will turn up, even at the most "serious" moments. Truly off-the-wall.

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Progressive Power Yoga: Volume 3

It's pretty good
I have the set of 3 Progressive Power Yoga dvds and have done all of them many times. I like them all, but I like #3 the best. It is LONG, about 90 minutes. My body feels tired and invigorated after this workout. Nothing in this video is hard to do for those who have practiced yoga for awhile. The posed require an intermediate level of strength, balance and stamina. If you are a first time beginner this will be very challenging and probably not the best choice.





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Secret Life of Birds - Blu-ray

Interesting and well photographed
This is a nice little disc but with just a little more thought it could have been even better. The presenter has a strong Welsh accent, (no bad thing as he is talking about birds in his beloved Wales), but not everyone will follow this easily and the decision to leave off subtitles is lamentable. The episodes all start off with the same rather lengthy introduction which leads to confusion as one thinks the disc may be faulty and one is getting a repeat of the previous episode. It also gets tiresome as the episodes progress. Photography is excellent and sound more than adequate. It is available very cheaply indeed and if you like this sort of niche program and are not bothered by lack of subtitles it is a good buy. Despite being labelled zone A it is actually region free and as this disc is not on sale in Wales, or anywhere else outside North America, it can be happily purchased on line for shipment anywhere.

Birding with an old world charm
This excellent series shows what the birds of Wales must encounter for their survival. It is a good portrayal of European bird life, something which Americans don't often see unless they travel there. Many of the bird families are the same, although the species have different color patterns and lifestyles from our American birds. With beautiful picture and sound made possible by the blu-ray disc, you get the closest view possible. The set contains five programs and is a little more than two and a half hours in total length. It's now a real bargain at less than ten dollars (including shipping) from Amazon's sellers. If you are interested in European birds, this miniseries offers much in representing the wildlife and intriguing landscape of a small country.

The secret life of WELSH birds! still an awesome 5 part BBC series
When I bought this I was thinking this would cover birds around the globe, as the packaging nowhwre mentions that it's only Welsh birds. (the reason I deducted a star from my rating)
This wonderful 5 part BBC series only covers the birds that live in Wales, each episode runs 30 mins.
Still i did learn some stuff, and there was some beautiful and intersting feathered friends.
The PQ and AQ on this blu-ray relasese is stellar, and it's affordable from the films ar Mill Creek, this is also availble on Secret Life of Birds - 5 Part Series DVD for thsoe who dont own a blu-ray player.
I used to go bird watching when I was younger lad, I miss them good ol' days.
I need to do it again one day...

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The Prophecy & Hellraiser (Complete Collection)

The Prophecy & Hellraiser Collection
Being a fan of Hellraiser, I was very excited to buy this, and having 5 more movies, was a plus. Never seen any Prophecy films, but I tought this was a very good buy. 11 films for $10. That's less than $1 per film. There are no special features. It's just the movie. Just a "Play & Chapters" menu. It comes in a 4 disc set.

Disc 1 - Double-sided
Side A: Hellraiser III(Fullscreen)/Hellraiser:Bloodline(WS)
Side B: Hellraiser:Inferno(WS)

Disc 2 - Single-sided
Hellraiser:Hellseeker(WS)/Hellraiser:Deader(WS)/Hellraiser:Hellworld(WS)

Disc 3 - Double-sided
Side A: The Prophecy(WS)/The Prophecy II(WS)
Side B: The Prophecy 3:The Ascent(WS)

Disc 4 -Single-sided
The Prophecy:Uprising(WS)/The Prophecy:Forsaken(WS)

Complete?
I've been considering this for a while, but I think the title is a bit misleading. How can it be complete if it's missing the first two Hellraisers?

Horror Movie Heaven
11 Movies in one case ( The Prophecy 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 ) are all on one disc. ( Hellraiser 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 ) are on 2 discs one is two sided, sadly Hellraiser 1 and 2 are not part of the set but that's ok. I bought the used ones ones they are excellent I'm very happy with the picture, color, and sound all very clear, and arrived in the mail in perfect condition. The reason I am not saying much about them in the review is because other reviews have already given tons of info about it which is the one of the reasons I bought them. But I will sat this I am in horror movie heaven

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The Civil War: Beyond the Battlefields (3-Pk) [Blu-ray]

Wrong reviews
I must say that I find it rather inappropriate to list these 4 reviews since they are not about THIS DVD at all! They are reviewing an older "The American Civil War, Collectors Edition...NOT the 150th Anniversary Collector's Edition which has only now been released. If you look closely you will see that the dates of the reviews are several years old. It will,I'm afraid, put some people off from purchasing this because of the very poor reviews.

Typical Madacy junk!
If I'd realized that Madacy was behind this garbage, I'd have run the other way! As with most all of this label's releases, this is as about as interesting as listening to buns rise at the local bakery. Combine that with very poor mastering of the video content: no color correction when the alleged experts are interviewed, no sharpness correction to reflect the blu-ray format, etc. This will be donated to Goodwill, maybe a less experienced viewer will enjoy it. I certainly didn't. Madacy should be ashamed of themselves for selling this!

Very Good Doco
Being an Aussie with a Civil War interest this series was very informative with lot's more detail on subjects such as weapons , ammo etc than I have seen before. A worthy addition to anyones collection.

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IMAX: Born to Be Wild [Blu-ray]

2 Wildlife Sanctuaries - One Strong Message
This movie parallels two different wildlife sanctuaries in two different parts of the world. And because the movie is filmed in 3D, with IMAX quality, viewers feel like they are right there. To top it off, Morgan Freeman is the narrator.

In Kenya the story takes you to a refuge for baby elephants managed by elephant expert, Dame Daphne Sheldrick. She and her team rescue baby elephants from the wild who have lost their mothers for various reasons and nurture them until they are old enough and strong enough to be released back into the wilderness. Half way across the earth from Kenya is Borneo, where an orangutan sanctuary - deep in the rain forest - rescues baby orangutans whose mothers have been killed. It is here that primatologist, Dr. Birute Galdikas, and her team, act as mothers to these fragile creatures until they can be released back into their natural habitat.

The cuteness factor of the baby animals in this movie is off the charts. There is a scene where...

It's beautiful, it's poignant, it's sad; and it lasts 40 minutes.
This really is a great movie for kids and adults alike, albeit it does have some rather sad parts which may affect younger children. It does go beyond (and sets its aims higher) than many nature movies by showing that animals are not just cute, cuddly and goofy, but also sentient beings with feelings and fears which are in real danger from mankind's stupidity and greed.

It also showcases and celebrates two extraordinary women thousands of miles apart who have given their lives to the cause of helping to save two very different species (African elephants and orangutans). I took my three year old son and was proud to point to these women as heroes worthy of praise and emulation.

The only problem that I had with this movie is its very brief running time. I thought that a mistake had been made when the credits started rolling a little after half an hour in. I understand that it was an IMAX movie, which generally run about half the time of features, but thought...

A heartwarming film!
I took my kids to see this back in August 2011 at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

It was their 1st IMAX experience (they are 4 and 2 years old). They were so patient and were riveted!

I love how it was all about FAMILY. Animals need love and care just as much as humans.

I have been searching online for the video since then. I have it preordered and I can't wait to rewatch it over and over!

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Thor at the Bus Stop

Thor at the Bus Stop
Big names. Tons of special effects. Epic proportions. That's what I'd expect to see in the 2011 movie "Thor."

I'd also expect to be able to figure out the plot within the first 15 minutes. Maybe I'll catch "Thor" on TV someday, but I'll pass on the theater.

Instead, I recently shelled out $22 to buy a quirky, low-budget independent film called "Thor at the Bus Stop" made in 2009 by brothers Jerry Thompson (as "Thor") and Mike Thompson (as "White Trash Chuck"). It has no mind-bending CGI or Oscar-winning actors (its only recognizable star is magician Teller, in a rare on-camera speaking role, who is handcuffed in a police car completely forgotten by the arresting officer).

Yet what is endearing about "Thor at the Bus Stop" is that I never knew exactly how it would end, its gentle satire kept me chuckling for the entire 99 minutes, the background music was catchy, and I cared about what happened to all the characters, even the ones who started out...

Loved It!
A sweet story about Thor the god of Thunder and how he saves the world. Buy it, watch it, smile and be happy, rinse and repeat.

Great movie and a sweet ending
The film's Directors took an ordinary suburban Las Vegas neighborhood and some ordinary people and made a great film. The points on character and belief stood out. The reviews are as quirky as the film's characters and some are uneven but overall the film satisfies for a patient watcher.

Mr. Thompson LOOKS like the God of Thunder.

A great first effort from the Thompsons.

More satisfying than many of today's; soulless multi-million dollar CGI filled crap fests.

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Farmageddon

A Must see film
We saw Farmageddon - The Unseen War on American Family Farms last fall, when it was in a local movie theatre. It's produced and directed by Kristin Canty, a mom of four, who couldn't understand why the healthy food she wanted to buy for her family, was so hard to find.

Kristin said, about why she made this film, "I decided I needed to tell this story. My goal was to let these honest farmers using centuries old farming practices tell their side of the stories. So, I set out to make a film. Farmageddon is in no way meant to convince anyone to drink raw milk, or eat grass fed beef, but rather an argument to allow those that want to make those choices to do so. It is simply about freedom of food choice. The government needs to stop harassing small farmers, private food buying clubs and co- ops without food freedom.... we are not free."

From the movie's website, "Americans' right to access fresh, healthy foods of their choice is under attack. Farmageddon tells the...

If You Like Local Foods, Make Sure to Watch This!
I saw this film in DC at the premiere and I'm looking forward to getting the DVD to share.

This film is an amazing eye-opener. I'm a big supporter of fresh and local food, and respect my farmers. I had no idea what small farms are up against these days, now I do.

Police with flack jackets and guns raiding small family farms, because of raw milk? Sounds more like a science fiction film rather than a documentary, but it's true. I did some fact checking on the Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund website.

Most folks I know, value and trust the fresh food from our neighboring farmers, and don't need the government stamp of approval to know that it's good (or safe) to eat.

I mean come on, because raw milk from an inspected dairy crossed state lines, it's suddenly an imminent health hazard? That part made me angry. What a waste of food, money and time! That inspector looked like she was raised during the depression. How on earth did she let all...

Becoming more than a consumer
Americans are beginning to realize the myriad problems with the industrial food system, and many people are turning to local farmers for alternatives. But the farmers who work to produce healthy local foods face serious challenges from government bureaucracies that work for the interests of the industrial food system.

Farmageddon is an important movie that shows some of the challenges these farmers face, and why every person needs to become an active citizen, not just a consumer, if we want real change in our food system.

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The Greatest Player Ever

A great documentary focusing on the early career of Wilt
I liked this DVD. It goes all the way back to Wilt's high school days, and it features interviews with his high school coach (who in fact produced this documentary). It also features the audio from the game where he scored 100 points (I believe that game was not filmed). All in all it was well done and very nostalgic. I was left wanting more at the end, as it clocks in at a little under 1 hour. Highly recommended though for basketball fans who want to learn the history of this great athlete.

Truly One of the GREATEST ATHLETES
Growing up with some of the NBA's modern greats like Jordan and Kobe, I never got a chance to really see Wilt play in his early career apart from clips shown on ESPN classics. This documentary proved to be an exceptional documentary about his early years in high school through his globetrotter days, up to his early record breaking days in his career. The Stilt was a beast compared to all those other high school kids.

WOW! It is outstanding to see how he changed so much of basketball. The film is a definite must see for any basketball fan old and new. You get to see the greatest basketball player ever and how he revolutionized the game. Check it out!

Bio/history
Needed a few more shots of epic battles. Wilt vs Russell, Kareem, Willis Reed etc. Overall pretty good, though. Still my fav. player of all time.

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Brokedown Palace

Interesting Subtext and Great Acting make this a Film
This is a film, it seems, that people either love or hate. There is truth, perhaps, to both the criticism and the compliments that have been bandied about by this film. One thing that is clear to me is that looking more deeply into the film's subtext would probably change a lot of minds.

True, some of the auxiliary characters are cliche' and underdeveloped. But in fairness, that's why they are "auxiliary."

True, not all of the sets and camera work were Academy Award character. But once again, in fairness, the imagery of the film and the beautiful use of light and color makes some of those faults less apparent.

True, it is a horrible story about what "happened" to them. Yet once again echoing other reviewers, this story is not really about the horror of the prison experience in and of itself.

What holds this movie together is the acting of Danes and the complexity of her character. What did happen between her and Nick Barnes? We never...

Friendship
Dismissed by some as lightweight because they felt the Thailand prison scenes were not brutal enough, this is actually a terrific film about the complex friendship of two girls and a sacrifice made by one to save the other. Claire Danes gives a great performance as the girl most likely to get into trouble and Kate Beckinsale shines as the good girl who sees more in her friend than her parents do, especially her father.

After graduating high school they cook up a scheme to visit exotic Thailand on the cheap and do something special, telling Beckinsale's parents they are off to Hawaii. They meet Aussie Daniel Lapaine and he charms both girls into going to Hong Kong with them to continue their adventure. Jealousy plays a part as it is unclear at first which one he likes the best. But all is not as it seems and he disappears just as heroin is found by customs in their backpack.

What follows as they are imprisoned in Thailand with seemingly no way out as each begins...

Heart Wrenching
It is a story of two best friends who end up in a Thai prison for supposedly smuggling drugs. Claire Danes,Kate Beckinsale and Bill Pullman did amazing performances. The ending is such a good ending. I can watch this movie over and over again. It is a really heart wrenching movie.

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20-Film Movies for the Mancave

excellent
I found this exciting over 29 hours of movies including twenty films in all. I have watched the whole thing yet. I haven't watch one.





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In Too Deep [Blu-ray]

Too too deep
Great performance by LL Cool J and Omar Epps. Epps is a undercover trying to bring down a notorious gangster LL who find's himself getting in too deep he forget's who he is. You have some good actor's in this film Nina Long ,Pam Grier ,and apperiences by ,Nas ,Shyhiem ,and Jermanie Dupri. This film is worth getting and for LL fans you get to see a thug side of him.

Excellent, a must see
I am an 18 year old white male from a high-class family.. I loved this movie.. The performance of Omar and ll cool j is just amazing.. i would recommend this movie to anyone who likes suspense movies and doesnt mind a movie about black suburbia

GREAT MOVIE
This is a great movie with a cast of great actors. Omar Epps plays Jeff Cole a rookie detective that goes undercover as J.Reid to capture the infamous drug pusher 'God' played by LL Cool J. As Jeff plays the role he starts to really become J. Reid, his boss notices that he is in too deep and pulls him from the case and sends him away until things cools out. Thats where he meets and falls in love with Myra played by Nia Long. He eventually get put back on the case and proceeds to become J.Reid. Because god's main man crossed him J.Reid becomes his main man and god trust him with everything which brings about his down fall. Omar Epps was so convensing in this movie that I thought he wasn't going to turn him over, but in the end he remember who he is and does. Just all around great

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Forgotten Funnymen - Al St. John: Fatty and Mabel's Simple Life (1915) / Waiter's Ball (1916) / Stupid But Brave (1924) / Bridge Wives (1932)

film muet
j'adore tous les films muet mais surtout ceux avec roscoe,mabel normand,charlie,mack sennett ,al st john et la keystone.j'espere qu'il y aura d'autres films a vendre





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The Darkest Hour (Special Edition) [Blu-ray]

Missed the Boat
The Darkest Hour is the second feature film by former art director/production designer Chris Gorak and a production of Timur Bekmambetov who previously directed the satisfying action thriller Wanted in 2008. The film stars up-and-coming young actors Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild), Max Minghella (The Social Network) and Olivia Thrilby (Juno). The premise of the film follows two young adults (Hirsch, Minghella) who travel to Moscow, Russia for a business deal gone bad and in the process meet two young women at a club (Thrilby, Rachel Taylor). Unexpectedly, an clandestine invasion by an invisible alien species results in the destruction of Moscow and several cities around the globe. Hiding in a club cellar,...

A guilty pleasure - and not bad
In this movie, four young Americans (including Emile Hirsch, from Speed Racer, and Max Minghella, from Art School Confidential, among others) get stranded in Moscow when an alien invasion (represented initially, intriguingly, as a lethal form of electromagnetic waves) attack Moscow, leaving almost everyone dead. Our friends hide in a sort of basement, and when a few days later, they emerge from inside, they find wholesale destruction, and the news that the aliens have attack planet wide, but also intriguing hints that there maybe other survivors. And soon enough, they find that some Russians have banded together to resist the invaders.

Produced by Kazakh filmmaker Timur Bekmambetov (from the interesting Nightwatch franchise) this movie is nothing special but is surely an entertaining outing. Among the plus: the survivors escaping from the aliens in a desolate Moscow, including empty landmarks like The Kremlin and Moscow State University. Among the minus: some of the special...

surprisingly good
especially for what looks like a relatively low budget endeavor. casting was good, actors were likeable, dialog felt fresh, the pacing was crisp, and while it followed the usual structure (5 survivors becomes 4, then 3, then 2, etc) it offered a few surprises along the way. it made excellent use of the Moscow location, and the special effects were not as cheesy as you might expect. worth a rental.

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IMAX: Born to Be Wild

2 Wildlife Sanctuaries - One Strong Message
This movie parallels two different wildlife sanctuaries in two different parts of the world. And because the movie is filmed in 3D, with IMAX quality, viewers feel like they are right there. To top it off, Morgan Freeman is the narrator.

In Kenya the story takes you to a refuge for baby elephants managed by elephant expert, Dame Daphne Sheldrick. She and her team rescue baby elephants from the wild who have lost their mothers for various reasons and nurture them until they are old enough and strong enough to be released back into the wilderness. Half way across the earth from Kenya is Borneo, where an orangutan sanctuary - deep in the rain forest - rescues baby orangutans whose mothers have been killed. It is here that primatologist, Dr. Birute Galdikas, and her team, act as mothers to these fragile creatures until they can be released back into their natural habitat.

The cuteness factor of the baby animals in this movie is off the charts. There is a scene where...

It's beautiful, it's poignant, it's sad; and it lasts 40 minutes.
This really is a great movie for kids and adults alike, albeit it does have some rather sad parts which may affect younger children. It does go beyond (and sets its aims higher) than many nature movies by showing that animals are not just cute, cuddly and goofy, but also sentient beings with feelings and fears which are in real danger from mankind's stupidity and greed.

It also showcases and celebrates two extraordinary women thousands of miles apart who have given their lives to the cause of helping to save two very different species (African elephants and orangutans). I took my three year old son and was proud to point to these women as heroes worthy of praise and emulation.

The only problem that I had with this movie is its very brief running time. I thought that a mistake had been made when the credits started rolling a little after half an hour in. I understand that it was an IMAX movie, which generally run about half the time of features, but thought...

A heartwarming film!
I took my kids to see this back in August 2011 at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

It was their 1st IMAX experience (they are 4 and 2 years old). They were so patient and were riveted!

I love how it was all about FAMILY. Animals need love and care just as much as humans.

I have been searching online for the video since then. I have it preordered and I can't wait to rewatch it over and over!

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Silk - The Belly Dance Veil Workout, with Tanna Valentine: Open level bellydance instruction, Fitness class, Complete belly dance how-to

Where is the ten-star button?
Tanna's done it again! This is my most favorite bellydance DVD, right next to Cocktail. I wish Tanna would put out more bellydance DVDs using the same format. She covers quite a few veil moves in a small amount of time, but she does it in a way that puts beginners at ease, with reminders about safety and paying attention to what's comfortable for you. I have a fairly large bellydance DVD collection, but this has to be one of my most top-rated. It has plenty of WOW! factor. You feel like WOW! I can do that. And it's amazing. But the best part is that Tanna has provided some fabulous workouts. They are fun to do but you look amazing while doing them. This is my idea of exercise!

Love it, love it, love it!

If you want to buy only two bellydance DVDs, get Tanna's Cocktail and Silk. They give you a sense of having accomplished a great deal in a short time, but you will keep coming back to them because the workouts are so much more fun than what you typically find...

Fun, Low- Impact Dance DVD
I am a beginner (bellydancer) and have not had very much experience with the veil. I was interested in trying it, so I bought this dvd and I was not disappointed.

The instructor makes everything clear & easy to learn, so you can get to the veil workout and start dancing. The break downs are great and she covers traveling steps, turns, and a few basic bellydance moves (undulations, shimmies, snake arms, figure eights, etc.) that are used in the veil dance workout choreography. If you have never bellydanced or used the veil before, you can accomplish all the material on this DVD.

But do know, this information is not meant to be a complete instructional on veil work. It does not cover all the in's & outs of all beginning veil technique. It's focus was more on learning the steps to be able to do the veil dance workout as fun exercise.

Once you learn all the moves then you can go onto the veil dance workout portion of the DVD. The workout is sectioned into...

Pleasantly surprised
Bought this on a whim without expecting too much after working with veils for over a decade but was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoy it. The "flow" is smooth and so much fun to get a quick workout/dance when short of time or when your just not feeling improvisational that day. Have used several times and recommended to friends. I agree it would be great for beginners but I think any dancer would enjoy this DVD.

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Death of a Superhero

Death of a Superhero - worth your time!!!
The plot of the film is integral to the joy of experiencing it, so I will be intentionally vague. The story deals with a teenager who has cancer. How he copes and who goes on the journey with him are the basis of the story. I would say the film is worth watching for that alone!

As far as the technical part - Scenes are shot at home, school, hospital, as well as country and sea side. There is a good bit of animation interspersed into the entire work as well as some very graphic comic style art. Sounds a bit hectic, eh? (Film Festival entries can be a bit of a risk - hand held cameras bouncing up and down and boom mikes in the corner of the picture... :) In my opinion, the director created magic... The timing between dramatic scenes and the graphic was perfect. camera distance and motion were never distracting from the action or dialog. I distinctly noted the stillness and framing of the scenery shots - It has been a while since I have seen a movie where the camera was...

Amazing, insightful, extraordinary
Some may view this as a depressing film- one to avoid. I disagree. This is a film about a very young man 15 years of age, who contracts leukemia. This young man deals with the knowledge that he may soon die, and he reacts at first with anger, depression, and fear. His mother does not know how to deal with the reality that she may lose her son...his father tries with all his power to help his son, but realizes that with all his love and compassion- there is nothing he can do to save his son from the darkness- so he tries to be his friend. His brother and friends try to spur him on with humor - with a single-minded goal not to let him die a virgin.
Along his travels he meets a strong-minded and independent girl at school, who helps him by simply being his friend.
Using his incredible artistic gifts- he often draws very dark, sexually charged comics about himself being a superhero- saving people from the dark forces...but in the final analysis
the end the darkness takes...

Already done
I already submitted a review about this. What I forgot to mention in it is that the coloration of the movie changes with the changes in the mood of the protagonist. When he is in a low or depressed mood, there is virtually no color; when he is happy or satisfied or relieved, the colors are more vivid. Please add these remarks to my prior review.

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Modern Problems

I've been waiting for this.....!
What's up with some of these poor reviews? You people suck. Dabney Coleman's peformance, alone, puts Modern Problems over the top.

Can you really deny lines like..?:

"You see...what you need to realize is..she's a manipulatin' b!tch.."

[or]

"Don't look at me like I'm a freak..! I'm not a freak! He's the freak! I'm a g*ddamned goodlookin' man!"

...exploding ballet pants, extreme nosebleeds..and Nell Carter! What's not to love?

Now, if they'll just release a soundtrack featuring that killer TUBES song, I'll be happy. :)

Good to watch every now and then
The biggest problem is, the sound, and no closed captioning, so alot of gags are missed. After that it's a very funny movie, in a Big Trouble In Little China kind of way. The movie is far out, except it, sit back & laugh. Don't look for OSCAR material here.
Chevy's girlfriend leaves him, he gets doused in nuclear waste,
and wreaks havoc with hilarious results.

Love me or hate me - a rare '80's classic - I love it!
This is an awesomely funny movie, with a twist. It is one of the few rare movies I consider a personal favourite. Warning, though, it is clever adult entertainment, and some of you will simply not get it. It is spew-your-popcorn-over-the-chump-in-front-of-you funny, but also subtly deep, real, dark and very, very clever. I tip my hat to Mr. Sinister's concise summary, "A little slice of Regan-era fatalism". If you crave funny, clever and repeatable viewing that genuinely thoughful, this is a rare gem. A comedy onion!

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Say It Isn't So

Cute little offbeat romance.
I guess I'm admitting to a guilty pleasure, but I liked this quirky little romance. It was a veritable roller-coaster ride of plot twists to delight any connosieur of zany ribald irreverent comedy. And the romantic mix is a plus. To say much more would give crucial twists away, so I won't. All I'll add, is isn't Heather Graham a marvel? She makes me wonder if she was cryogenically frozen for a decade or more. Until recently I'd known of her only from LICENSE TO DRIVE back in the late eighties or so. She was or looked like a teenager then. Nowadays she reappears in this and AUSTIN POWERS THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME, still looking like a teenager and never loosing a beat with her acting ability and charm. As for her looks, I've heard of Oil of Olay, but this is ridiculous. Where has she been all this time? I hope she keeps up her good work and I see her in more movies soon.

Are these people joking?
My gosh, what is wrong with the people giving this movie 1 star! It is a funny movie. The movie is about incest, but it is funny. It's weird, but the plot is kind of like marrying his sister.

Anyways, the movie is funny. That dude from American Pie is in it, and he gets into trouble. The cow, the plane, and even the entire movie had me laughing hysterically.

The movie is great. It's good comedy, I don't know why others say differnetly.

Good Actors, Bad Plot
Gilly, a dog-catcher, meets Jo, a ditzy hairdresser, the girl of his dreams. Everything seems to be going right until we find out that the lovebirds share the same parents. (!)

There are some great actors here and some really funny scenes (kudos to Orlando Jones), but too much gross slapstick and incest jokes for this audience member. If seeing Heather Graham cut Chris Klein's ear off and stab him with scissors doesn't bother you, then maybe seeing Chris Klein with his arm stuck inside a cow's rear end will. All in all, it was too gross to be good.

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House Of Boys [HD]

Riveting tale of gay party boy in 1980's era Amsterdam
Frank is a gay teen who runs away from his repressive parents in Luxembourg, in order to live his life in the hedonistic, drugs-and-sex fueled nightlife of 1984 Amsterdam. He finds work at the House of Boys, a notorious private gay show club/bordello run by the strict Madame, a drag queen. Frank immediately develops a crush on Jake, his roommate in the club's dorm, who makes it clear that he is straight and has a girlfriend. Of course, being in this line of work suggests Jake is open to other possibilities, and the boys eventually become very close ... too close, according to Madame, who feels it may be bad for business. But the real villain here turns out to be AIDS, then called "gay cancer" in the media, which eventually impacts heavily on their lives.

A look at the movie poster or DVD cover, or even most of the trailer, could lead you to believe this is just another fluff film about go-go boys playing their customers and each other. It is much more than that, actually a...

Discovering Love - the good, the bad, and the ugly
Some viewers, unfortunately, will pass on this film as the cover of the DVD makes it appear to be a gay sexploitation waste of time. It is anything but that. Written and directed by Jean-Claude Schlim (with assistance from Christian Thiry and Robert David Graham) this is one of the finest films about the early days of the AIDS pandemic and long with `Longtime Companion' is probably one of the more important films for the public to understand the inception of the disease that still hovers darkly over the globe. The cast is rich in talent and the method of unfolding the story is superb.

In opening credits we see an apparent carefree young lad running through sunlit cornfields - perhaps reference the path to Oz: where that goes is revealed at the end of the film. It is 1984 and a gay high school lad Frank (Layke Anderson) escapes his rigid parents by moving to Amsterdam where he lands a job as a bar boy in a gay dance club, the House of Boys run by a man referred to as...

Discovering Love: A story and a history
Some viewers, unfortunately, will pass on this film as the cover of the DVD makes it appear to be a gay sexploitation waste of time. It is anything but that. Written and directed by Jean-Claude Schlim (with assistance from Christian Thiry and Robert David Graham) this is one of the finest films about the early days of the AIDS pandemic and long with `Longtime Companion' is probably one of the more important films for the public to understand the inception of the disease that still hovers darkly over the globe. The cast is rich in talent and the method of unfolding the story is superb.

In opening credits we see an apparent carefree young lad running through sunlit cornfields - perhaps reference the path to Oz: where that goes is revealed at the end of the film. It is 1984 and a gay high school lad Frank (Layke Anderson) escapes his rigid parents by moving to Amsterdam where he lands a job as a bar boy in a gay dance club, the House of Boys run by a man referred to as Madame...

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Terrorists

Rarely broadcast Sean Connery winner
One really can't account for good taste. This rarely broadcast thriller starred Sean Connery as he was first attemtping to escape 007 typecasting during the 1970's. He is in fine form here as a Scandinavian Security Chief trying to negotiate with and outwit a team of terrorists. Excellent winter landscape photography adds to the film's realism and there are some interesting plot surprises along the way. Kudos to 20th Century Fox for releasing this gem on DVD; I never thought I'd see this film again. The quality of the DVD is very good as well.

One of Connery's lost films but a good thriller.
I wish I would have waited till the DVD came out because I paid $29,99 for the VHS tape. But anyway, very good movie and Connery is at his best after the post 007 era. He is more of a classy verison of Dirty Harry where he breaks all of the rules to get the terrorist but does it with charm!

CONNERY'S SECURITY
In a pre-9/11 world, THE TERRORISTS addresses the fears we all have of being victimized by self-righteous, insensitive terrorists. Tame by today's standards, this little known vehicle for Sean Connery is an intelligently plotted and tense little thriller. Connery plays the no-nonsense head of Norway's Security, called in when a group of British terrorists invade the home of the British Ambassador and hold him hostage, demanding release of imprisoned compatriates and safe passage out of Norway. These plans go awry however when the British government discovers the drop point and the terrorists are forced to make a change in plans. This change is orchestrated by a fellow terrorist, played with subdued relish by DEADWOOD's Ian McShane, who holds a commercial airline and its passengers hostage until the other group is released.

As in most British films of the seventies, the pace is deliberate but there is a good amount of suspense generated, and Connery is effective in his...

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Finale 2: Deader Than Dead

Finale II, Deader Than Dead
This movie is awesome! Not only is it serious, but comedic, too! It's an independent film, with wonderful (local) talent, great cinematography, good music and a unique story.





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Into the Abyss

One of 2011's Most Important Documentaries
Werner Herzog's second documentary of 2011 shows him at his least abstract. His previous doc, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, showed him experimenting with 3D and was a pretty straight-forward effort until the epilogue, but Into the Abyss is Herzog at his most focused. A rarity, he never appears onscreen and his iconic voice provides no narration, only appearing to quietly ask questions from behind the camera. Into the Abyss is populated with traditional Herzogian figures, people so delightfully weird they couldn't possibly be fiction, but the subject matter is far from delightful. Rushed into theatres after a surging interest in capital punishment, the film profiles two convicted killers, one's impending death by lethal injection, their crime, the climate of capital punishment, and those acquainted with them in various ways.

It's not Herzog's style to make the documentary equivalent of a persuasive essay and...

A Microcosm Of Violence: Class, Justice, And Humanity Filtered Through Filmmaker Werner Herzog's Perspective
Esteemed filmmaker and documentarian Werner Herzog scored with two high profile projects in 2011. First, the contemplative and reverential "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" detailed the discovery of the earliest recorded man-made paintings in the Chauvet Cave in Southern France. And, in what couldn't be a more dissimilar topic, he made "Into the Abyss." That's the thing about Herzog, though, he takes subjects of interest to him and then makes intensely personal films. In "Into the Abyss," he tackles the dissection of a decade old murder case in Conroe, Texas and follows it through to the present day execution of one of the convicted parties. At once, the piece wants to explore the details of a senseless act of violence, make a statement about class differences in society, explore the darkness inherent in humanity, and contribute an opposing argument to the death penalty debate. That's a lot of hefty goals! And although always fascinating, I'm not sure that the picture accomplishes quite...

If you think this film is about capital punishment, then you don't know Werner Herzog well enough
* Werner Herzog: "The film is not just about capital punishment or death, victims and perpetrators and executioners. It's also about the urgency of life."

This isn't an "issue" documentary, one concerned with facts and arguments. It has those things, but it is not about those things.

* "I do not do interviews. I'm not a journalist. I have no catalogue of questions. I have discourse. And I do not know where it will lead me. A goal is to look deep into the heart of ourselves."

Like most Herzog films, this was an ambitious undertaking, but it was ambitious for a different reason. "Fitzcarraldo" and "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" were ambitious because of immense logistical challenges. But this film was ambitious because he was trying to look 'into the abyss' of ourselves, and especially because he was trying to look 'into the abyss' of certain cautious and unrevealing rural Texans.

* "I was fascinated by this particular crime because of its...

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Two Girls and a Guy

Confused?
In case you got confused by all the controversial reviews...and can't decide to spend 84 minutes of your time on this film, here are some suggestions. DON'T WATCH IT IF: 1. you tend to pick movies with stylish cinematography that enhances dramatic or spectacular scenes; 2. you prefer movies with twists and turns woven into an elaborate screenplay; 3. you expect some sizzling scenes from the title or the NR-17 rating; 4. you are currently savoring your first love or consider yourself a hopelessly romantic person. But DON'T MISS IT IF: 1. you really enjoy dark comedy whether it's an indie or some Hollywood rare bird; 2. you love witty, sassy, sarcastic dialogue, and don't have a problem with profanities; 3. you readily accept any ludicrous circumstance as a natural facet of life; 4. you realize that it's common for couples to talk only on the surface about issues they're afraid to cope with, until a certain point where they must spill the beans to save the relationship or get it over...

honest and compelling
Robert Downey, Jr. displays once again, his tremendous talent and his ability to take the audience along on an emotional journey. The dialogue was honest and true to life, and Mr. Downey dominated each scene he was in, as he normally does. He not only displays his acting talent here, but the scene in which he stares in the mirror and takes a good look at himself is one of the most riveting I have ever seen. Any fan of Downey's, James Toback, or of honest films about relationships will love this one! The claustrophobic sets add to the suspense and edge of your seat quality of the film.The humor is edgy and nervous, like the characters themselves.On the whole, an intelligent, worthwhile film!

One of my all-time Favorites
Wow, I just looked up this film on a lark as I'd seen it a number of years ago... given the mixed/neg reviews, I figured I should put in a couple cents here, give this film its due 5 stars.

It would be a terrific exercise/experiment/experience to know enough of each person to contextualize why they did or did not like this film. I actually typically find I like films that sprawl across cities and countries, epic of backdrop. But what was so fantastic about this film is that it was epic of performance, of communication, of a different landscape of love than one normally encounters in films.

I suppose, cinematographically (sp), it unfolds like a expanded play or a focused Mamet film. I remember exclaiming, during a particularly heated argument-communication, "that's how it IS!" -- there were just so many incredibly authentic relationship-communication details in a movie largely about deceits (self and other) and truths.

I believe I saw the film "Jules et...

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