Saturday, October 19, 2013

Thunderball (Two-Disc Ultimate Edition)



This is what Bond is all about! Clearly the best Bond film in the franchise!
I noted that this is the only Bond film of the entire series that, to date, has not received a single 1-star review here on Amazon. That's pretty dang good!

Director Terrence Young had introduced us to Bond in DR. NO and FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. Guy Hamilton then took us down the GOLDFINGER road, and while his attention to action made that the first SMASH Bond film, he also seemed to lose alot of the more down-to-earth flavor that made the first two Bonds so much better.

But, Terrence Young returned for his final Bond film, and somehow managed to provide the perfect mesh of the realistic Bond from the first two films, and the more action-oriented Bond of GOLDFINGER. The result is a very happy marriage indeed - it's just too bad there were very few legitimate children born of it!

THUNDERBALL contains all the great locales, villains, and Bond coolness that we love, without getting into the ridiculous, gadget-filled territory of the later films. It...

The Thunderball Phenomenon: Skip the Special Edition for the 2-Disc Ultimate Edition
In the wake of the enormous success of GOLDFINGER, THUNDERBALL became one of the most anticipated films in cinema history. "Bondmania" was at a fever pitch in the 1960s and that lended a certain air of confidence to the cast and crew. By Bond's fourth adventure, everyone was assured of success and everything was done on the largest scale possible. THUNDERBALL is often regarded, along with GOLDFINGER, as one of the better Bond films. It contains all of the elements of a good Bond flick at a time when Bond was not tired or clichéd. Bond's fourth adventure finds him taking to the sea, culminating in some of the most spectacular underwater fight footage ever recorded. And with Terence Young once again taking the director's chair after his temporary hiatus, the audience and the film is in good hands.

After the opening "gun barrel" sequence, re-shot for the first time in widescreen format with Sean Connery playing the part, we are greeted with the opening pre-credits...

Thunderball Rocks!
THUNDERBALL (1965) the fourth of the James Bond 007 series is among the best of the films. As a follow-up to the phenomenally successful and definitive GOLDFINGER, THUNDERBALL is just a shade less satisfying. In terms of tone and composition the two films are of an era in the James Bond mythology.

Sean Connery returns as the inimitable British Secret Agent, this time set against SPECTRE Agent Number Two, Largo (Adolfo Celi). SPECTRE has stolen an atomic bomb and is holding the world hostage.

Largo is a worthy adversary. Strongly-built, silver-haired, wearing an eyepatch, and more physically intimidating than Gert Frobe's plump Goldfinger, Celi's Largo lacks the faintly tongue-in-cheek air which animated Goldfinger's behavior. In fact, the entire film lacks the decidedly humorous undertone of GOLDFINGER. The villains are more vicious, and Connery's Bond, his wit more honed than ever, is playing for keeps.

The theme song (with Tom Jones singing), plot and story...

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For Your Eyes Only [Blu-ray]



One of my all-time favorite Bond movies in a nice package
THE MOVIE
There wasn't much further 007 could go as far as sci-fi wizardry and fantastic characters after the cartoonish MOONRAKER that had seen James Bond propelled into space.
What was called for was a `back to basics' approach that emphasized realism, exotic locations, less gadgetry, down to earth villains and a return to the ruthlessness that Roger Moore had exhibited in movies such as THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN and THE SPY WHO LOVED ME. What better way for the filmakers to return Bond to his roots than to tap into original Fleming source material.
Taking characters and situations from not only the Fleming novel FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, but also the keel-hauling sequence from LIVE AND LET DIE writers Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson wove together a complex and enticing cold war spy drama that included some of the staple setpieces underwater and on the slopes that had served the character so well in the past.
As the late John Brosnan noted in his review of the...

One Of The Best Bond Films
After MOONRAKER's excesses, it was a wise decision to bring Bond back to earth, and back to basics with FOR YOUR EYES ONLY. FYEO features one of the best casts of any of the Bond films, including standout performances from Topol (playing one of the most likeable rogues in all of the Bond films), Julian Glover, and one of the best (and most beautiful) Bond women of all in Carole Bouquet. Lynn-Holly Johnson IS a little annoying as a spoiled young olympic hopeful, but the character is SUPPOSED to be annoying, so she actually was a bit of inspired casting. The story brings Bond back to the style of the films of the 60's, as Bond once again squares off with the Soviets in a race to recover a sensitive piece of computer equipment. Roger Moore gives his best performance as Bond in FYEO, as we finally see him show some toughness as well as his suave sophistication. Humor is present, but not so much as to distract from the film. The pre-credits sequence is a fun bit of...

Disappointing Special Edition DVD can't mar Moore's best
The new range of special edition DVD versions of the Bond films are being released in groups from 1999-2002, and fortunately this fine effort was in the first batch. Others have remarked on what most fans regard as the very best of the Moore Bonds, and I won't dispute them here. From it's nifty nod to the George Lazenby performance in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" to the fine ensemble acting, to the sheer style of the non-traditional ending, FYEO succeeds because it marks one of the few times the producers took special pains to incorporate Fleming into the script. For that effort, a full five stars are well-deserved.

Where this product fails, however, is in living up to the standards this Special Edition series has set for itself. Like other entrants in this series, FYEO has audio commentaries by the filmmakers. As with all the Special Editions, the Ian Fleming Society, perhaps the most 'serious' of the Bond Fan Clubs, provides a narrator who ties...

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Sold Out: A Threevening With Kevin Smith



Almost as good as the first one
I am a big Kevin Smith fan, and the first Evening with Kevin Smith is my favorite work by the guy by far. I prefer it to his movies (which, have gotten crappier and crappier recently...blasphemy, I know!). I think the second EWKS was a step down, but this one is almost right up there with his first. It's absolutely hilarious and I highly recommend it.

If you're not a Smith fan, I don't know why you would even be reading reviews for this. However, if you somehow are, let me say if you don't mind a lot of profanity and graphic descriptions of sex acts then you will find this hilarious even if you aren't familiar with his work, or if you think he sucks. If you don't like profanity, then again...I don't know what you're doing reading reviews about Kevin Smith material.

I've read some reviews complain that some of the material he goes over they've already heard on his website, or that it just sounds like he's doing a stand up routine. HE IS DOING A STAND UP ROUTINE...

Solid Kevin Smith Q & A; A lot of Smodcast Material Repeated
I am a pretty big fan of Kevin Smith. I listen to his and Scott Mosier's Free Podcast (called Smodcast) fairly regularly. I own the other Q&A DVDs, and I have really enjoyed most of his movies.

When I got "Threevening," I was expecting that it would be a little bit more "manufactured" for DVD than the other DVDs solely based on the fact that it is the third installment and, obviously, now it is more of a money-making venture than the first Q&A DVD that paid off nicely. The first and arguably second DVDs seemed to be much more organic in the sense that the filming was of Smith doing a true Q&A format, actually answering questions (though, in a long and winding way) and conducting the events not to produce, market, and sell a DVD, but to actually answer peoples' questions.

When you watch "Threevening" it is pretty apparent that the events were organized (staged?) for the sole purpose of maximizing the profitability of DVD sales and not to genuinely answer fans'...

Good, but not great
I am probably the world's biggest Kevin Smith fan. I own everything he has released on DVD or in print. Given that, it is with a heavy heart that I say this one is not as good as the two previous incarnations. It's good, especially if you haven't read his books or listened to his smodcast. For the diehard, though, there is precious little new material.
One of the things that made his previous "Evening With..." discs so wonderful was seeing his interactions with the crowd -- beyond just the regular Q and A, such as dealing with hecklers, making phone calls to bosses, etc. There's none of this. No particularly interesting questioners, and not much (in 5 hours)in the way of movie making anecdotes -- most of the good stuff comes in the "special features" on disc 2. There's plenty of "TMI" (too much information) moments, so be warned. It's a decent disc, but if you had to pick, I'd go for Evening 1 and 2, in that order.

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One Crazy Night: The Sequel



One Crazy Night - A Word From The Director
Meet London Hilton, drunken jet setter. This time he's had one too many and ends up married to London Latsis (Adam Cootes) after a drunken celebrity driven party at Club 69 in Berlin. Upon waking Hilton gets some good advice from the Marriott Brothers 'RUN Flee back to the US'. Hilton runs and Latsis is right behind him. Chaos and desperation ensue. Sometimes true love can't be denied.

Director's Note: If you are looking for a Raiders of the Lost Ark or an E.T., this movie is probably not for you. This is more like a very early John Water's Movie where a group of friends got together and made a crazy movie. If you like early John Waters movies (i.e. Mondo Trasho, Multiple Maniacs, Pink Flamingos and/or Female Trouble), I believe you'll enjoy One Crazy Night.

Remember Alcohol is Not Included and a Three Drink Minimum is Recommended Prior to Viewing

Not Rated

An Alcohol Not Included Release of a London Hilton Film

Really Dreadful
I'm all for DIY film making -- unfortunately this falls way short. Poorly acted, poorly written. It's called a comedy -- but it's not at all funny. I didn't care about any of the characters except for wondering how long I would have to endure them. I can't recommend this film. Save your money.



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Blood +: Volume 3



Love It
I love the series of Blood+. It does not drag on and it keeps you interested the entire time. It is also relatively easy to follow.

Superb
I love the series and its music. Thank you for sharing such a good show with the world. Blood+ is awesome!

blood vol.3
why i have choose this rating? the why is that everything was great and i have no dislikes and i will recommend to everybody. it's a great cartoon it's a must see thank you.

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Dr. No [Blu-ray]



The Bond That Started It All
A landmark film, "Dr. No" (1962) introduced Ian Fleming's 007 to cinema audiences. Despite the author's initial objections, Sean Connery defined the character of James Bond with his remarkably self-assured performance. Ursula Andress' iconic beauty and Joseph Wiseman's restrained villainy were equally memorable. Thanks to the contributions of director Terence Young, set designer Ken Adam, editor Peter Hunt and composer John Barry, the 007 style was immediately established in this Jamaican adventure. Producers Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli should be applauded for getting the most out of their limited budget. "Dr. No" succeeds as an unpretentious spy thriller - minus the gadgetry and gimmicks in later Bond outings. The film's impact on popular culture cannot be underestimated.

Bond on Blu.....at last!!!
My comments apply only to the newly released Blu Ray version.
I will not review the film it's self since everyone has no doubt seen it at least once.
I have waited 2 years for the Bond films to be released in a HD format, and the waite was worth it.
The picture quality of this old film is simply awesome. The color saturation, the "depth" and contrast are very film-like.
I felt like I was discovering the film for the very first time.
Watching it on my 60'' display, it looked like I was seeing a brand new, fresh from the lab, film print in my own living room.
And it gets better, I am told (but havent viewed my copy yet) that Thunderball looks even better.
If you are a Connery James Bond fan, and own Blu Ray, this is a no-brainer.
Highest possible recommendation, and Amazon has it for a good price.

Great first EON outing for legendary spy
Outside of Bond fandom very few people know that Sean Connery was actually the second actor to play the character of James Bond. In the 1950s there had been a television production based around Ian Fleming's first spy novel "Casino Royale" in which American actor Barry Nelson had played 007 as a US spy with Clarence Leiter as his British counterpart. Fast forward to the early 1960s and work is once again getting underway to bring the fictional spy to the screen. Cast in the lead role is what one UA executive referred to as a "lorry driver" and with a small budget (a measly $1 million) there seems to be little hope for the fledgling franchise. Yet when Doctor No (the final choice for the first of the series) hits screens it changes the film industry, sending reverberations the likes of which are still being felt today. Staying largely faithful to the Fleming book of the same name (something that was not to last) the rather modest movie set screens afire, helped enormously by the...

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Alien - Predator Total Destruction Collection



Pretty great little package
Depends on how much you like the movies included. I actually enjoyed both Alien Vs. Predator movies movies as time has passed. At first I thought they were both horrible travesties, but now when I watch them I am oddly entertained. The other six movies are classics (well, except for the 4th Alien movie), and the transfer is decent enough.

Great set minus one star for "Predator" transfer/recording
Ok, so this sets rocks period. 8 nights of Alien/Predator movies and your hooked. Now Im buying posters, toys, masks, video games, comics, and novels as much as I can from now on. All the transfers and quality was right on except the only downside, the "Predator" 1 DVD transfer/recording seems like it was made from a VHS tape. Now Ive heard that the only "Predator" DVD and Blu-Ray transfer was done this way so you cant complain because thats how all of them are. Also, my tv is stuck at 1080i (its from 2006) and I watched the Predator DVD on a 480p tv and it looks fine. I bought the Matrix 4 movie collection and it came on two disc double sided, this set every disc is stand alone with a cool sticker/graphic on it. Plus all the disc have special features so it is loaded with extra content. This set rocks!

Alien-Predator total destruction
8 movies for less then forty bucks how can you go wrong! the discs come in slim cases, and the package looks great on the shelf

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Singh Is Kinng



Singh is Box Office Kinng
Three and a half stars for this one.

Okay, SINGH IS KINNG is pretty silly, but tubloads of fun. It's mostly a comedy but with several action sequences thrown in. And, naturally, a romantic subplot creeps in.

In the Punjab region there sits a tiny village, in which dwells the well-meaning but ridiculously accident-prone Happy Singh (Akshay Kumar). When Happy's most recent escapade - in which he tries to capture a runaway chicken - ends up wrecking half the village, the outraged villagers concoct a scheme to get him out of their hair. The scheme pays off as it results in Happy volunteering to go to Australia to fetch back the notorious gangster Lucky Singh, who hails from this same village and is causing it massive levels of shame with his illegal exploits. So off Happy goes.

Except that a ticket mishap has him making a brief stopover in Egypt, where he meets and falls for the gorgeous law student Sonia (Katrina Kaif). Finally in Australia, Happy finds...

Worth Watching
A good-hearted Punjabi simpleton (played by Akshay Kumar), who's a fish out of water in a Western country, falls in love with a Westernized Indian girl (Katrina Kaif) and helps her prepare for her wedding to the wrong guy while hoping she'll realize he's Mr. Right. Sound familiar? Re-treading the same story from Namastey London (2007), with the same lead actors, is almost as much fun as the first go-around, but while Kaif sparkled before, her character this time is flat and underdeveloped. Nonetheless, this action comedy delivers plenty of thrills and laughs, and Kumar--the hardest working man in Bollywood--displays an energy that's borderline manic. His character's stupidity makes him fearless and his frankness endearing, even to criminals, and he bumbles his way into heading a Punjabi mob in Australia--and his touching modesty and selflessness redefine what "king" means. American rapper Snoop Dogg has a cameo in the film performing the title song, marking the first time a mainstream...

Best Punjabi movie ever.
Very funny movie. I love it. Every actor, especially Akshay( who always rocks) were very good. I am happy that it's a hit.

What I liked about the movie:
Songs, Acting, Comedy

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According to Jim: The Complete First Season



It's good to follow Jim
I had been waiting a long time to get the first season of According to Jim. I can't understand why there are other shows that are not so good but come out sooner. This one (and Just Shoot Me!) had taken a long time.

If you saw the show you know what it is all about. The Special Features are good, specially the part where Jim tells us the inside about the show, the characters and even the set up and mementos by the fridge that remind everyone one the set about their families and loved ones.

My only regret is that I finished watching the whole season already and there isn't even a date for the second season or a way to subscribe -like they always have here at Amazon- to be notified when it will come out.

Don't miss it. It's funny! Jim and his brother in law make a great pair. I like the fact that unlike other family sitcoms, Jim does wrong most of the time but you don't actually blame him but empathize with him because he is a regular guy not pretending...

Hilarious.....
So, since I'm from Luxembourg and have the opportunity to see this on German TV, it is the synchrone version. They have german voices. Well, I know Jim's real voice from movies, which I see in original version in Luxembourgish cinemas. Well, in Luxembourg we kind of are polyglotte.....
So to see this TV series in original, I bought it through AMAZON in the U.S.
I adored this. It's even more refreshing than in German. Apart of Andy (arggggghhhhhhhhh) always showing his fat belly to everyone, my favourite caracters are Jim and Dana and the two girls. So keep going James Belushi! And please, the next seasons quicker on DVD!!!!!!!!
And last but not least: all fans of Belushi, buy his audio book: Real men don't apologize. THIS is something to laugh out loud an sometimes also get a little moist eyes too.
Marie-Rose from Luxembourg

"live dangerously ... start a family.."
we thoroughly ENJOYED this 1st season. when the show first started, did not watch any of it due to work commitments and our own family' craziness lol. the writing is superb and the whole cast is EXCELLENT. the chemistry of 'jim' and 'cheryl' is spot-on. the show's other family's nucleus, 'dana', 'andy', 'ruby', 'gracie', and even baby 'kyle' -each has their own moments. they're funny. we all LOVE 'andy' - he is so hilarious ... especially when he is around the 'ruby' and 'gracie' especially 'gracie'. i like the way, j belushi potrays jim. a loving dad and husband, but what a HE-MAN ... but, so 'absent with malice' .... he, obviously ADORE his family, love his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, yet being himself - all HE-MAN-LIKE but with a HEART!. can't wait for the season two dvd! a must buy!

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4 Film Favorites: Nightmare on Elm Street 5-8 (Freddy vs Jason, Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare, Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child, Wes Craven's New Nightmare)



5 6, Grab Your Crucifix, 7 8, Gonna Stay Up Late!!!
A Nightmare on Elm Street 5- I've read some reviews on this movie, and a lot of people don't like it. I honestly didn't think it was too bad! The night before graduation, Dan and Alice are having sex, then the nightmares begin again. Alice is in the shower, then she's transported to the asylum where Amanda Krueger was raped and where Freddy was born. (Robert Englund does another awesome job as Freddy Krueger!) If Alice can find Amanda in the real world, Freddy will die. Freddy is reborn and instead of haunting Alice's dreams, he haunts her unborn baby's dream, mixing reality and the real world. During her dreams, she sees her son, Jacob as a child, trying to help her stop Freddy. There was one cool part when Freddy is on a skateboard, coming after Alice's friend. A gross part for me was when Freddy is making Greta eat a lot of food at the 'rich-people' party her mom is having. Another friend, Yvonne tries to find Amanda while Alice tries to stop Freddy from haunting her child's...

ANOTHER AWESOME PACKAGE 8.5 OUT OF 10
Now that I have reviewed the previous 4-film collection, it's time for me to review the second 4-film collection. I loved every film in this franchise and didn't feel any of them were bad. This is a terrific horror franchise that was always trying something new, no matter how absurd or ludicrous the ideas may have been.
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 5: THE DREAM CHILD REVIEW: SCORE: 8.25
WHAT IT'S ABOUT: A year after the events of the fourth film, the film's two survivors; Alice and Dan have now started dating and have made new friends; Greta, Yvonne, and Mark. Things seem to be going on without Freddy Krueger, but Alice keeps having dreams about Freddy's mother; Amanda. Then Freddy rises from the dead again and raises hell with the group, and the only way to stop him is to find the final resting place of his mother so she can destroy him.
MUSIC: Nothing new, but no complaints since it fits the mood pretty well.
ACTING: Still pretty cheesy along with the dialogue, but...

Could have done something new
As a whole, I give the entire Nightmare series 5 stars. Well maybe all except Freddy's Dead. But besides that, these 4-film fan packs are great. Inside of leaving reviews for both packs, I'll just list a few problems I have with them:

1. They have the same menus that are found in the Nightmare DVD boxset, and individual DVD releases. They could have at least done something new with the menus for a new release.

2. If your looking for deleted scenes from Freddy Vs. Jason, they aren't on here. It's just your standard widescreen/full screen movie with trailer and commentary.

3. An unrated version of Dream Child on DVD would be nice. I know it's next to impossible to get though cause apparently the film master got ruined and they can't transfer it to DVD. Ahh well...at least their is the trusty old VHS.

Besides these three problems, this set is good for two things. It's a nice addition to anyone's Freddy collection. And it's good for...

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Home Alone: The Complete Collection



Love this set.
I hear what everyone is saying about no changes to this set and not remastered and so on. I have never owned the Home alone set but have always loved the movies, especially the first 2, and I don't really care if they are not remastered or have extra features. This set is cheap and it has all the movies and they are just as funny as when I saw them originally. So I say for under $30 it is a good deal..

YOU MUST READ THIS BEFORE YOU PURCHASE
First of all these are excellent movies, I have been watching them for almost 20 years (original was released in 1990-91) and I love watching them each year on video. However this three star review is based on the fact that it doesn't include the Family Fun Edition of the first film. If you are buying this thinking that it includes the Family Fun Edition of the first movie, don't waste your time. This does include the original dvd releases of all 4 films and it is a great deal. However when I purchased this I assumed since the family fun edition was the most recent edition it would be included IT ISN'T This is simply a rerelease of the previous Home Alone Boxed Set!

TOTAL RIPOFF
To anyone thinking that this collection might include newly remastered widescreen versions of the films, it DOES NOT. Instead, 20th Century Fox has assembled a shameless repackage of the original non-anamorphic discs for films 1 and 2. The transfers look like they were done during the infancy of standard def, which means quite lousy. They couldn't even include the recent Family Fun Edition of the first film (which is remastered). I didn't bother checking films 3 and 4 because it's obvious this is a cash grab for a surplus of the original discs, which have been collected before. The outside box doesn't even bother to tell you the specs of the films (probably anticipating a reaction like mine). Nothing new here except the packaging. Whatever department head gave the green light to this attrocity is in the wrong line of work.

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Lil' Bush: Resident of United States - Season Two



This Show is Crazy Funny!
I'm not one for too much political humor but when I first saw this show on Comedy Central, I fell on the floor from laughing so hard. I hope that they don't cancel the show just cause baby Bush is leaving office! My wife thinks it's a little too out there but what does she know!

"Usually I make up my mind without thinking"--Lil' Bush
Lil' Bush is a good animated show. It covers many sociopolitical issues of the day although not as directly as South Park and it doesn't induce laughter tears like South Park and Family Guy. Still, there are some very funny lines and situations in these episode which can be subtle or over-the-top (usually the outlandish stuff involves Barbara Bush who is just as loose and sexually deviant, if not more so, in this season as in the first). The second season seems to have a lot more swearing in it, some of it very funny but others seem a bit unnecessary. Condoleezza has some major mood swings in this season and swears a lot more. Jeb does not have as big of a role in this season and there is not as much music. Also, all but the final episode is full-length instead of being divided into two separate episodes like in season 1. To stretch the stories out, there are some filler elements like "Cheneyoki," "The More you Know" take-offs, Laugh-In Skits, "Letter Time", and "Demo-Bratz"...

Rare Product
Unless you really like the series, the $40+ for it is not worth it. It is quite a rare product.

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Friday, October 18, 2013

...Comedy in the Living Room, Vol 4



BETTER than the stuff on the NETWORKS
I had to watch this movie twice because I was laughing so hard I missed alot of the jokes. If your love Chris Rock, Robin Williams or Carlos Mencia you will LOVE these comics. I am recommending it to all my friends.





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Witness to the Mob



A MOB MUST SEE
Witness to the Mob is an absolute MUST SEE for ANY fan of Mob films and NY mob history. A dramatic retelling of the story inspired by the NY Times best selling novel Underboss, "Witness" recounts the rise of John Gotti and his right hand man Sammy 'the bull' Gravano within the NY crime scene and the Gambino family.

Packed with stars known to this genre (three from the Sopranos), the film portrays the violent times with a sense of great realism. Told from Sammy Gravano's side of the table, it contains a sense and perspective unlike other films, for Gravano was not 'the dapper' Don, he was the man who made things happen in his own way.

The style is a narrative one in the same way Goodfellas is... in this case, the narrator is Nicholas Turturro in the lead role of Gravano. It works wonderfully as it brings you into the storyline on a personal level, providing insights as the film moves along.

No collection of mob films should be without this one, and I,...

Not on DVD!!!!!!! What!!!!!
I cant believe this movie is just going to be released on DVD, what a shame. It should have been released a long time ago as far Im concerned. This one of the best Mob movies ever right in between Godfather and Goodfellows and Donnie Brasco. What really dissapoints me that it is going to be released in full screen, who ever is putting this out should really consider a wide screen format. Tom Sizemore does a better job then Armand Assante in portraying Gotti (although I thought Assante was pretty good in the HBO movie Gotti). Trust me if you like Mob movies and crime dramas this is most definitely for you. The story telling is so compelling that your eyes will be riveted to you tv screen. By far it is deserving of 5 stars, now do yourself a favor and buy it or at the very least rent it you wont be dissapointed.

Sopranos warmup in cheap warmup suit
I gave up waiting and hoping that this forgotten TV flick would see a proper DVD release...apparently, whoever owned the rights were out of their minds not to release this during the height of Sopranos Fever.

The 1996 HBO movie Gotti has been widely available for ages as a cheap DVD, and has become a home classic for those who like to point out what guy was in what other mob movie and who got whacked when and where. Witness to the Mob should be packaged with Gotti and sold together as a one-two punch of shameless Wiseguy Actor Guild fodder for repeated viewings and drinking games.

The cast in this one is pure Wiseguy Actor Bingo. This appeared in 1998, a year before The Sopranos would change the face and quality of Mafioso drama forever, and it feels like a warm-up for that series (only without the good writing, direction, drama, etc). Michael Imperioli, Tony Sirico, Vincent Pastore, Frank Vincent, the guy who played 'Murmur', the guy who played Carlo Gervasi,...

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That '70s Show: The Complete Series



Good Show, Great Package...
I was a slightly-more-than-casual fan of the show during its' initial run, but I phased out when the media decided to focus more on the antics of the celebrity cast members than the show itself (I call it the "Friends Syndrome).

Amazon sold this collection for under $100 as a Gold Box Deal recently and it was too cheap to resist. After receiving the series and taking a good look at the packaging, I am glad I made the impulse purchase.

The box set itself is designed to look like a 45RPM Singles Box, complete with metal buckles on the sides to keep it "locked" and a plastic strap on top. The box is cardboard but the sides are printed with nostalgic-looking textured paper, complete with cheezy "sticker art" highlights. The front of the box has a plastic window that exposes the first season's promotional cover. All in all it feels solid and durable and MUCH higher-quality than I expected it to be in when I bought it.

Opening the box: each season has been...

This box set finally gave me a reason to buy the entire series at once.
I have to admit that I didn't really watch this show when it was on air, but just like most shows that I get into, it's when they are in re-runs. I really got into this show when I started working at a TV station that aired "That '70s Show." The problem was we nevered really aired all the episodes, so since getting the box set I started seeing episodes that I have never seen before and viewing the shows in the order that they originally aired, the shows make a lot more sence to me. I find this box set to be exactly what I wanted when purchasing all the episodes. I wasn't looking for a lot of thrills, just the DVDs containing all the episodes. This box set is straight to the point and doesn't take up a lot of room on my DVD storage shelf. I do find the interviews and the few extras very interesting and having a copy of the final script to the last episode was a nice little touch. The only complaint I have is that the DVDs are packed a little to tight in the box. Other than that...

best show ever!
This is such a good show, and to have them all on DVD is just awesome.. little pricy, but this compilation covers all 8 seasons.. They're all great with the possible exception of season 8 after Topher G leaves the show.. anyways.. this is a great addition to any DVD collection.

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Moribito: Guardian of The Spirit, Part I: vol 1 & vol. 2



If you enjoy dramatic anime, Moribito: Guardian Of The Spirit is for you!
The fantasy anime "Moribito: Guardian of The Spirit" is based on the novel by Nahoko Uehashi. Although I did not read the original Japanese version of the book, nor did I see the series in Japanese as Karen Weiss did, I have been following it since it's TV debut here in the USA on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim (currently playing as part of the Saturday Night lineup, although it airs at 5:30am on Sunday mornings as of the date of this writing on October 27, 2008). I must say that so far, I agree with everything Karen wrote.

This is a truly spectacular piece of artwork that will feed your soul. The story (written and directed by Kenji Kamiyama) takes place in an unspecified country at a time when the Emperor was thought of as a God to his people, and so HONOR for the Imperial throne is paramount. The Emperor must do whatever it takes to protect his people and avoid any appearance of being connected with evil.

The story opens with the land in a period of drought,...

A gorgeous, complex epic fantasy
Balsa, a female bodyguard for hire, saves young Prince Chagum from what appears to be a horrible accident. When it's revealed that the boy is possessed by a demon, and that his father, the Emperor, is trying to rid himself of the boy before his condition becomes known and undermines the divine Imperial authority, Balsa is tasked with Chagum's protection by the boy's mother, the Second Empress. She goes on the run to save Chagum's life, while enlisting the aid of two shamans to discover how to cure Chagum before it's too late...

Nothing is quite as it seems, and even the "bad guys" are acting from noble motivations, as it seems that the demon inside of Chagum may cause a horrible drought to descend over the kingdom, killing thousands in thirst and famine.

Gorgeous artwork, wonderful music, and well-rounded characters--"Serei no Moribito" is a delight from start to triumphant finish. After having watched this series during its initial broadcast run on Japanese TV,...

See This Anime`
Really, there's not much to say. This is a quality anime with good action and a solid plot. The characters are likable, and there's not even too much gore, for those who are sensitive to such things. The world seems well thought-out, and I enjoy the pacing of the story. This was actually well worth the purchase price.

It's not the typical hyper-chibbi-tentacle stuff. So, if you're bored and hyper and looking to just watch a bunch of explosions, this isn't for you. But if you are looking for a good story, with some intrigue, and characters who aren't bouncing around like a Saturday Morning Cartoon, you owe it to yourself to watch this!

There are no tentacles. No Japanese school-girl uniforms. Just a good story using high-quality animation; with characters with their own motivations. Characters you'll find yourself rooting for! Not too many GOOD anime come up, these days. So, this was a nice surprise. Check it out, you wont be disappointed.

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All She Wants for Christmas



It's not that bad...
Maybe I have bad taste or something, but I actually enjoyed this movie (albeit, only as a guilty pleasure), and was surprised to see all the one-star reviews. This is your typical made-for-tv / lifetime-original-movie fare, and if you go into it knowing what to expect, it's an enjoyable ride. Sure, it's corny, patronizing, and full of hammy acting from no-name actors, but it's a sweet and simple movie that captures the spirit of the season pretty well...and that's what I expect from this type of feature. After watching Lifetime Network's Christmas specials for the past few weeks, this one actually stands out as one of the better efforts.

Waste of time!!
There should be a minus system when giving a review. I would give this sleeper a minus five for poor acting and boring plot.

Not Worth The Money/Not Worth The Time To View It!!!!!
This movie is terrible! The acting is soooo bad!!! The dialogue is even worse!!! Storyline virtually non-existent. Couldn't stand to watch it for more that 5 minutes. Do yourself a favor & don't waste your hard earned money. Should have waited until someone had reviewed it before buying it. It is an insult to just about every other Christmas movie ever made. This DVD will be donated to the library.

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Wagon Train, The Complete Color Season



THE CASE FOR WAGONTRAIN
There was a time back in the 1950s and '60s when primetime network programming relied so much on Westerns that nearly every night of the week featured at least one. While some rode off into the sunset without much ado, one of the best, and longest-running, "Wagon Train," set the bar for style and authenticity that few other Western series ever achieved.

This DVD set, all 3,900 minutes of it, presents the 1963 season -- all 32 90-minute episodes filmed in color, as well as 16 classic episodes (black and white) from the series' other seven seasons. The show, based on the legendary John Ford Western feature film "Wagon Master," starred Ward Bond (who reprised his role from the Ford film), John McIntire, Robert Horton, Robert Fuller, Frank McGrath, Terry Wilson, Denny Scott Miller and Michael Burns. Each week the show told the stories of a wagon train heading west from Missouri to California in the days following the Civil War.

What set the series apart from many of...

FABULOUS
Beautifully remasters and the interviews were wonderful. So many fond days came back of all those great old tv westerns of yesteryear. The old time belief that they were too violent, geez, they are mild compared with the stuff they show on tv. These were tame, taught good lessons and it's a shame more of them are not available to show to our children and grandchildren. The days of the westerns seem to be over, what a loss and shame, but thank goodness to such people as those at Timeless to bring back those gold old westerns. I wish I could list a bunch more I'd love to see to share with my family. I'm glad I lived through that magical period, tv was worth watching back then.

Here is what's on the DVDs:
Thought this would be helpfull as I wanted to know myself BEFORE I spent my money:

Disc #1 -- Wagon Tran: The Complete Color Season
The Molly Kincaid Story
The Fort Pierce Story
The Gus Morgan Story
Play All
Disc #2 -- Wagon Tran: The Complete Color Season
The Widow O'Rourke Story
Robert Harrison Clarke Story
The Myra Marshall Story
Play All
Disc #3 -- Wagon Tran: The Complete Color Season
The Sam Spicer Story
The Sam Pulaski Story
The Eli Bancroft Story
Play All
Disc #4 -- Wagon Tran: The Complete Color Season
The Kitty Pryer Story
The Sandra Cummings Story
The Bleecker Story
Play All
Disc #5 -- Wagon Tran: The Complete Color Season
The Story of Cain
The Cassie Vance Story
The Fenton Canaby Story
Play All
Disc #6 -- Wagon Tran: The Complete Color Season
The Michael Malone Story
The Jed Whitmore...

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The Audrey Hepburn Story/ If Only/ The Suburbans



Triple Feature
This was a great buy! I expected three movies on one disc, but there are actually three movie discs inside. I love Audrey Hepburn and Jennifer Love Hewitt, and these movies are terrific.

I liked it !
Great package of movies. I originally got it for "If only" but The Audrey Hepburn" story was a good surprize..

It is a must have
For Jennifer Love Hewitt fans it is a must have DVD.
If you are not a fan this DVD will make you want to see more of her movies.

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Thursday, October 17, 2013

Fraggle Rock: The Complete Series Collection



Fraggle Rock Fan
Just received the Fraggle Rock Complete Series Collection. It is superb. The colors, the sound, it is just like the original series broadcasts so many years ago. I will cherish this collection for a long time. Brings back wonderful memories when my kids were young. Great value. Much better than most of the stuff on tv for kids now, just my opinion, though. I thought I had bought the complete collection a few years back. It was a rip off. The episodes had been copied off of the tv and the quality sucked big time. The episodes only played half of the time. Should have known better. This is the real deal, though. Lots of extras too. Hope other people enjoy this collection as much as I do.

just awful
So i broke down and bought this today. I had originally bought the first five single dvd's that came out (where it all began, dance your cares away, etc.), then rebought most of those epesodes with the first three season releases. I figured, "What the heck. I'll suck it up and buy it." Let me tell you that those of you who decided not too are better off. This is just awful.

First, the packaging is horrible. The binder like book that the dvd's are held in makes it very easy for them to fall out and come loose in the box. When first opened it, about a third of the discs were out of the sleeves.

Second is the Bonus material. there are some new on disc pieces that were not offered on the first three sets, but thats pretty much it. none of the extra little things that made the other sets fun (like the character art pages from season three). The only non-disc extra in the box is a poster sized concept art picture of "The fraggle rock universe".

And third,...

Quality Analysis -- (Packaging)
Here is how I would rate this product:

- Packaging......: 8 / 10
- Video Quality..: 10 / 10
- Arrangement....: 10 / 10
- Overall........: 9.5 / 10

For anyone who purchased the previous Complete Series which was released in 2008, you know how horrible it was arranged and packaged. Most people who ordered the old version received it in shambles. The discs were scattered throughout the box and many people reported scratched or damaged discs.

The packaging for this new product is much better. Each season is packaged in its own rigid plastic case (same style as most DVDs come in). Each case has an individual cardboard sleeve, and all 4 seasons fit into a simple cardboard cover.

I purchased my copy off a store shelf (I didn't have it shipped). At the store, there were 3 copies on the shelf, and unfortunately, all three copies "rattled" when I tipped them over, which indicated to me that there were probably loose discs inside...

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Get Smart [Blu-ray]



Really Great, Not What I Expected At All
Before I watched this film, I read the reviews of the press and most of them weren't great. I am unfortunately one of those guys who will put himself off watching it because of those bad reviews. I'm gutted I did as this film was simply the personification of brilliance from start to finish. It's slick, stylish and downright comic excellence. Even for a film like this, the special effect and general action would put even James Bond to shame. It's exciting, quite emotional at times, cool at others and just downright silly at the times that are left.

Steve Carell plays Maxwell Smart, a secret agent who desperately wants to get on the field. The government agency he works for known only as CONTROL are infiltrated by an evil agency known as KAOS which compromises the identities of all the current field agents. So in order to battle this force and still stay a secret, the chief of CONTROL puts smart on the field and assigns him the title of agent 86 partnering him with the much...

A perfect blend of action and comedy!
This film is the first I'd seen in YEARS where I actually laughed often during the entire film! Steve Carell is a fitting Maxwell Smart, bringing the personality and humor the character requires. (I'd been a fan of the old tv series, watching re-runs on Nick at Nite.) He's really the only man for the job that I could even picture in the role. And Anne Hathaway steals the show as the beautiful Agent 99. Anne and Steve compliment each other in every scene with hilarious, witty dialogue and facial expressions that only they can do. The Rock was also awesome as Agent 23. And Alan Arkin is surprisingly side-splitting as the Chief! I laughed at everything he did/said! SEE THIS FILM.

Very Entertaining!!!
I don't go to very many movies at the theater, usually wait for the DVDs to come out. Get Smart, however, is one movie that I saw twice at the theaters. Laughed my head off both times. Steve Carell plays an excellent Maxwell Smart and Anne Hathaway is great as his beautiful and sexy sidekick. If you remember the TV show you'll love this movie. The nuances connecting the movie to the show will make you smile.

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Kung Fu Panda / Secrets of the Furious Five (Two-Disc Double Pack)



Two Thumbs Up for Panda, Not So Much For Furious Five
The Furious Five movie is only 22 minutes long, so it's not really worth it to pay the extra $7. Stick with the single disc version and you'll be getting a lot more for your money.

Keep the Panda, Lose the Five
I've got no issues with the feature film; it was just as good when I saw it in the theatres twice. But the Furious Five add-on is just a waste of time and money. It is about 30 minutes of backstory on the Furious Five as it explains how they came to study under Master Shifu. There are also some live-action demonstrations of their various fighting styles and a test to discover which kung fu style you are, but all in all it's just a waste. Get the movie only, save your money.

Furious Five only OK
The Furious Five disk was a bit of a letdown. Much of the animation in the featurette (not a full blown feature) was not the usual high quality animation. Flashbacks were told in a different style of animation. Just not up to expectations of the main movie. Also, even if you get the fullscreen version of Kung Fu Panda, it seems as though the Furious Five disk is in widescreen (at least mine was). And, I should add that the price on Amazon.com was NOT as good as other places on the release date.

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Spin City: The Complete First Season



Subtitles/Captions
Great show, love it. I taped it on VHS. I'm so glad it's on DVD now. Only problem : there are no subtitles or captions for the hearing impaired (or non native english speakers) for whom they're a great help and sometimes the (fake ?) laughs cover the pun or punch line. I hope the next installments will provide this sometimes much needed feature.

One of the all time best comedy series finally comes to DVD
This is one of my favourite comedy series, right up there with News Radio. Its clever and witty, but wouldn't be anything without Michael J Fox. He is just brilliant as the anchor of the show and his character enables all the others to shine just as much as he does.

I can't say enough about how much I love this show, it also has the unique ability to cross borders in that you don't have to be an American or even a New Yorker to appreciate the storyline. I'm an Australian, but I still love the characters and the stories. Just can't get enough of the Spin!!!

Campaign for great TV!
Having made his initial TV debut years earlier as Republican Alex P. Keaton, Michael J. Fox blatantly crossed the political aisle in his triumphant TV return.

Now he is playing Democratic New York Deputy Mayor Mike Flaherty. Flaherty is a curious combination of Al Gore and George Stephanopoulos with lots of requisite/inevitable `Kennedy family' references tossed in.

His boss is Mayor Randall Winston (Barry Bostwick), a more-or-less transparent spoof of Bill Clinton. In terms of physical structure at least, there is a fair resemblance. Vocal-inflection and intelligence, I don't see a comparison, but hey, politics is the game of compromise. You take what you can get.

Basically, this is a small-screen version of Primary Colors: a warm-hearted but satirical look at Democratic politics. And the 24-episode season won't make you incur a personal deficit in order to own it!

A favorite episode is "Kiss Me Stupid" where another childhood crush, Luke...

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Wild Things 1-3



More Action in Blue Bay
Sarah Laine (Marie Clifford), Brad Johnson (Jay Clifford), Sandra McCoy (Elena), Dina Meyer (Kristen Richards), and Linden Ashby (Michael Morrison), star in this third episode of the "Wild Things" movies.

Marie is a spoiled eighteen-year-old who stands to inherit two very expensive diamonds from her late mother's will. However, step father Jay has decided to challenge Marie's inheritance. He owns a construction company which is deep in debt, and he's fighting off the advances of local loan sharks to whom he owes money. He wants the diamonds for himself so he can pay off his debts. Enter Elena, the towel girl for Marie's swim team. Jay starts flirting with Elena at a diving meet and invites her to Marie's birthday party. Upon seeing Elena arrive uninvited, Marie attacks her, and they begin fighting in the pool.

Jay arrives to break up the fight. He then sends all of the party-goers home and invites Elena inside. The following morning, Officers Richards and...

The great lurid trash of the original reduced to mondo plot twists
I have seen the original "Wild Things," but managed to miss "Wild Things 2" and have proceeded, at my own pace, to "Wild Things 3: Diamonds in the Rough." Even so, I would tend to doubt that the second film is more like the first film than the third film is, because this 2005 television (?) movie really rehashes what happened in the original. The problem is that the original "Wild Things" was lurid trash glossed up to be all that it could be, mainly on the strength of the chemistry between Neve Campbell and Denise Richardson, who along with Matt Dillon were nominated for the MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss in 1999 (and it was not like Dillon's presence was necessary to earn the nomination). "Wild Things 3: Diamonds in the Rough" is a pale imitation in this regard. Sarah Laine as Marie Clifford and Sandra McCoy as Elena Sandoval are fine enough on their own, but put them together and throw any one of the males in this movie into the mix and the execution is simply not up to the...

Not So Wild: Yet Another Story That We Have Been Told 7 Years Ago
So they still keep doing this, I mean, `two-sequel policy.' Get one surprise hit, and make two sequels, whether or not you need them. They did it to `Cube'; they did it to `Mimic': to `Species' 'Cruel Intentions' or so many countless examples. Of course, not all of them are bad (Wes Craven and his `Scream' trilogy for instance), but as far as `Wild Things' goes, we don't need any more. But here it is, another sequel `Wild Things: Diamonds in the Rough' which is slightly better than the previous sequel, but still unnecessary.

You know, the formula is now very familiar. Imagine one rich, spoiled high school girl Marie living in Blue Bay. And now, Marie has a step-father, who just got two diamonds worth $4 millions. Next, another girl Elena, bad girl who, as you know, cannot get on well with Marie at school or party. And one day Elena has the police arrest Marie's step-father for raping. But you know better, much better, if you have seen the original `Wild Things.'...

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Little Fugitive (Special Edition)



THIS WAS MY FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MOVIE
In 1953 I started school at PS 188 on Neptune Avenue in Coney Island. Each year, The Little Fugitive would be shown in the auditorium ...and every year I loved it as much as I had the year before ... I never forgot the movie and whenever anyone would ask my favorite film, even as an adult I would always mention it ... Several years ago when visiting NYC with my own children, after spending a day in Coney Island, eating at Nathans and going on the Cyclone, we wandered into a Manhatten video store and I was astounded to see it on a shelf. We immediately rented it and it was as wonderful in 1998 as it had been in the 1950s. My children loved it and continue to mention scenes from it today in 2003! A wonderfully charming film that goes right to the heart of childhood.

Perfect...Absolutely Perfect.
Though this film is certainly not for all tastes, I have to say that it's definitely one of my all time favorites. I strongly recall watching it on PBS late at night as a child, and was overjoyed to rediscover it as an adult. It doesn't hurt at all, either, that I'm a HUGE fan of Coney Island history, and that this film is chock-full of 1953 footage of the park, back in the good ol' days.

The plot is incredibly simple - a young boy is tricked by his older brother and latter's unkind friends, into believing that he's committed murder. The boy runs off to Coney Island to take it on the lam, and, while there, learns a whole lot about the world. From finding out about the glory of 5-cent deposits, to (finally) riding a real pony, we see what's important in his little life, and see how he ekes out a survival for himself during his day and night away from home.

There is hardly any dialogue once he's in the park, and it's refreshing, really - almost a sensory...

A "Gem" Of A Movie!
When you first start watching this movie, you think the director has a budget of $10. But what you discover is a pioneer of the indendent film. This little gem is a whisical tale of 7 year old Joey Norton, who's dooped by friends into thinking he's shot and killed his older brother, Richie. Upon believing this, Joey exiles himself to Coney Island, with Richie in hot pursuit. The film does a wonderful job of catching the innocence of the 50's. If you can get them away from the computer, video games and Sponge Bob, I truly believe that even kids today would enjoy this little piece of "Americana"

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Futurama: Bender's Game



Incentivise that employee for a great movie.
This movie is completely independent from the other two films, with everything back to normal at the beginning of it from when the last ended. It's pretty easy to follow along for thsoe who haven't seen the other two, or even the rest of the series. As others have mentioned, this movie takes on a D&D / Lord of the Rings feel to it as it explores the fantasy realm, but it's nicely explained as to why it happens that way. Everything seems to blend together well in this movie (the various subplots set up at the beginning join together). The movie also refers back to the original series and explains various things: a possibile origin between the Farnesworth-Wordstrom rivalry, more on the Mom-Farnesworth relationship, Nibbler being picked up off Vergon 6 as it implodes (and why it does implode), and a few other things. I think all of these add to what's known in the Futurama universe without taking away from anything, and fits very well in to what is already established.

I...

The unmistakable stench of dwarf urine!
The first two Futurama movies were ok (well, to be honest, Beast with a Billion Backs was terrible), but this third installment is a winner. It has all the sly humor from the classic Futurama seasons that you've missed, and then some. I enjoyed the greater inclusion of Dr. Zoidberg.

The premise is quite true to life; the Planet Express crew must deal with the increase in dark matter fuel prices. This somehow segues into a Lord of the Rings plot which I won't spoil, but it actually works out quite well. We have an interesting tie-in between Mom and Professor Farnsworth.

All the old favorite characters are here too, including Morbo the Annihilator, Nibbler, Sal, Scruffy the Janitor, and George Takei. I didn't see Zapp Brannigan or Kif, but they weren't missed, and would've detracted from the story, or rather, the semblance of a story.

In conclusion, I think it's the unmistakable stench of dwarf urine that makes this Futurama movie a winner!

What do barbarians, great axes, and Bender's Game have in common?
I'm the target audience for Bender's Game. A lifelong gamer of over two decades (yeeck, I'm getting old), I also know and love the book by Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game. With the title alone, the Futurama writing staff is clearly letting me know this is the movie for me.

Bender's Game starts promising, with jokes about the rising cost of fuel prices. There's also a sly joke about Leela's anger issues, which are controlled by a shock collar. A shock collar Leela starts to find ... titillating. Just when things get interesting and this plot point could turn into something awkward and funny, it's dropped.

Bender discovers that he has no imagination and, aggravated that he can't participate in a game of Dungeons & Dragons, flips out Mazes & Monsters-style, renaming himself Titanius and wandering the sewers. He then gets sent to the HAL institute, Arkham Asylum for robots. This plot point is pursued to a point and then dropped.

Meanwhile, Mom (that's...

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Project Runway: The Complete Fourth Season



WARNING - winner spoiler on DVD case
I just started watching this season on DVD and was looking at the back of the DVD case. One of the included extra features names the winner in its title. Be careful about reading the back of the DVD if you don't want to be spoiled.

Major Talent, Minor Drama
This is my favorite season of Project Runway ever. The level of talent is unparalleled. Any of the final three designers could arguably have won and most likely would have won any of the prior seasons. Some of the challenges are silly (making costumes for wrestling divas comes to mind) but they add a bit of comic relief. The guest stars are appropriate and interesting. Sarah Jessica Parker's episode is a particular favorite because not only are the designers awe-struck, but they also have to wow her with a design for her "Bitten" line using only $15 of materials. Tiki Barber's challenge is also particularly interesting because it once again showcases the differences between designing for women and men.

There is little of the bickering among the contestants that has been so prominent in some seasons. And there is no clear villain among the cast. Didn't miss either one.

As for the "extra's": We do not have Bravo TV in our cable line up, so the shows are a first...

Still a high-quality show!
Season Four of "Project Runway" starts out slow, but it builds up steam and draws you in... the show is still a high-class production and leaves other "reality" shows in the dust.

Early on, Tim Gunn pronounces this season's ensemble to be the most talented group they've had on yet... but it's a little hard to believe him since the cast lacks the dynamism and sharply defined personalities of earlier seasons. Nevertheless, a couple of designers quickly reveal themselves as unlikable or bizarre, and that always adds a little narrative spice. I would say that this season was largely packed with bland personalities, but once they drop out in the first half, the show gets more exciting, and when it becomes clear that one of the most irritating contestants has a pretty good shot at winning, the subsequent eliminations will get your adrenaline going.

This season was also marked by constant one-upping on the part of Heidi Klum and the producers -- almost every episode has...

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Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Little House on the Prairie: The Complete Television Series (Nine Seasons + Three TV Movies)



What are you looking to get out of this set?
That's the question you must ask yourself before buying this complete series set.

For a number of years I have seen the individual season sets available and while I've been tempted on several occasions to pick them up, something had always stopped me. Maybe I didn't consider myself a big enough Little House fan, or maybe I was a bit put off by some of the negative reviews I had read here about them, or maybe it was a little of both. But when I saw the complete series out together in one place, I couldn't resist temptation any longer.

I'll begin by saying that those people who have complaints because of audio/video quality and editing have legitimate gripes. If I were a Little House purist seeking complete, uncut, pristine episodes, I'd be more than a little disappointed, too. However, I'm not necessarily one of those people. Yes, some of the episodes obviously have been edited a bit, and some of the episodes show their age, but not all of the episodes show...

Love the show, this set is a JOKE. Why? Read on.
I'm not about to go over the seasons here. I will let it be known though that Little House On The Prairie is one of the greatest TV shows ever. It was a time where TV shows were innocent fun and anyone could watch it and not have to worry about foul language or some toilet humor. A time where shows like Gilligan's Island, The Brady Bunch, Leave It To Beaver, were all seen on regular network TV on a daily run. Kids and family alike could enjoy!! Gosh I miss those days of TV shows.

So let's get to the point of why this BOX set is so bad and a one star. Well it's simple, it's chopped up and cut to bits. At least give fans the UNCUT version of the show. It's not like there are commercials to worry about and if you expect us to pay a couple hundred dollars to own the whole show, then put a bit of effort into it and at least give the true fans what we want. UNCUT!!!!

I'm not here to complain about the price. I'll GLADLY shell out plenty of cash for any show that I...

How is this "Complete"?
These are the edited for commercial reruns. They are chopped up. I have no idea how the title can say with any conscience - "complete" unless it means "complete..ly mangled" or "complete waste of money". No thanks I will wait for the UNEDITED versions to come out if they ever do. These are NOT remastered, and these are NOT uncut.

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Gurren Lagann: Part 1 (Limited Edition DVD + Artbox + LED Light)



Not often i'll spend 70 bucks for 9 episodes of anime, but Gainax makes me.
Only other time I payed this much for anime was FLCL (6 episodes, 80 bucks)
Now I've payed 70 for the first 9 episodes of Gurren Lagann, having bought the first, sub-only release, and now rebuying for this. But I'm not buying the new releases for the dub. I'm buying them for three reasons. First, I wanted the artbox. It opens by lifting the top side, which open's the Gurren's mouth. The second is the special features. The first releases only had the show, nothing more, and while the features on this are still pretty light, they're better than nothing. Finally, the Core Drill. While not as nice looking as the drill that comes with the Revoltech figure (it's a LITTLE stubby), it evens out in the fact that when you flip a switch, the golden drill glows green with spiral energy. Now, I can go out in public, flip the switch, point into the air and shout "MINE IS THE DRILL THAT SHALL PIERCE THE HEAVENS! ORE O DARE DATTO OMOTE YAGERU?"

A great show!
Gurren Lagann is one of the best anime shows I have seen in a while. It goes way over the top and enjoys doing it. It is a show that unapologetically pushes the boundaries of absurdity, and makes it seem not so absurd.

This DVD will have the English Dub tracks, as well as the original Japanese tracks. If you only want the Japanese version, go to the store right now, Gurren Lagann Volumes 1-3 Subtitles only is on the shelves for only $20 a disc, nine episodes per disc. This looks to be a more traditional anime DVD release. $60 Special Edition, $35 regular edition, you're looking at two discs covering the first eight episodes or so. The Drill LED looks to be pretty cool and the box art also seems stylish. This should be a pretty good release.

That's about $18 per four episodes of Dubbed versions, as opposed to $20 for nine episodes of the Sub only version. Shop wisely!

Decent art box and DVD set
With this, you get 2 dvds worth of great anime, an art box to store the first season, and Simon's core drill. The anime itself is superb and quickly became one of my favorites with just a few viewings. The art box has a good amount of character art on it, a good satin-like feel with some gloss, and a cool magnetic flap. The core-drill can be put on a necklace and lights up green with the flick of a switch. I got it all for less than 20 bucks and am very pleased with it.

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The Christmas Toy



Kermit is GONE!
Kermit's opening sequence and his introduction to the cast have been edited out. Gone, too, is the entire "Old Friends, New Friends" song finale, in which Kermit shows up and joins the cast singing the song. All that's left is a brief chorus heard over the closing credits.

For those who have never seen the 1986 original, this will make no difference. For myself and my kids, who fell in love with the original version, this Kermit exorcism is quite sad. Plus, the song finale was an important closing celebration of the show.

The DVD transfer is pristine, but one star is missing, in tribute to the missing green frog dressed in a Santa suit. I'm sure there are purist Henson fans who will not be as generous as I.

There should be a lump of coal in Disney's stocking this year.

Jim Henson is in tears over this DVD
Studio Lyons should be ASHAMED of this DVD release. No extras. Missing opening by Kermit and closing finale of Old Friends, New Friends. This is one of the best Christmas films ever made and they do it no justice. To add insult to injury the disc is labeled as CC closed captioned for the hearing impaired and our friend who is hearing impaired came to watch and we assured her it has subtitles so she could enjoy the film. She was so heartbroken being a big muppets fan that she could not follow the film because there IS NO CLOSED CAPTIONING. Luckily I already own the VHS release and it has closed captions and no missing scenes. DO NOT BUY THIS DVD!!!!

Kermit has been cut out of the picture... again!!!!!
I recall this film well and we already own the old British release but the fact that Disney has not allowed Kermit to appear on this dvd is yet another example of how Henson's creative spirit is ultimately usurped by the market place. We all remember how much overlap there was between Henson's worlds; Fraggles would appear in Muppet films, Sesame Muppets appeared along side Fraggles and Muppets and this conveyed the most important thing in Henson's world, the family unit, his family was reflected here and what Disney and Hit should know by now, is that one product will support the other; these are old films, just waver the rights and someone take note, the Muppet franchise works at it's best when the Muppet family supports each other. These are old films, just leave them alone ..... by editing this film they have spoilt it, Kermit and the cast end the story in a huge sing song and musically, they have butcher the ending.

What made the magic of such Muppet specials is that...

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NFL: Tennessee Titans - 3 Greatest Games



Great for Titans fans!
In this 3-pack, you get the Music City Miracle game, the 1999-2000 AFC Championship game against the Jaguars, and Vince Young's first game in Houston, where he scored the winning TD in OT.

This is the full replay (minus commericals) of the televised game. The only real negative is that the games were not shot in HD, so you don't get the clarity that you see in today's games. They still look really good.

The choice of the Houston game probably wasn't the best, since Vince isn't the starter now. It was still a great game for him, but I would have liked the 1999-2000 Indy playoff game, the 2002-2003 Steelers playoff game, or even the 2003-2004 Baltimore playoff game instead.

for the football fan
love it!!! I love it so much that i am in the process of buying the greatest games of other teams. I wish that the NFL could/would product these in a better way. Perhaps a person could pick any three to five games and have them converted to a video/DVD pack. That would be something!!! As far as the Titans go, they could easily make a five or ten games. i would love to see the November 2009 game between the Titans and Cardinal where Vince Young throws for over 350 yards and makes a game winning throw on the last play of the game!!! So perhaps, we will have a volume 2.

Great games missing
It will have been nice to add to this collection of the Titans the great Houston Oilers Games since there's no way you can find the games of the Oilers on DVD.

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Primeval: Volume 1 (Series 1 and 2)



"It's not everyday you meet a potential girlfriend...and find a dinosaur."
Possibly a few scattered SPOILERS...

Okay, the Brits have sure been bringing it to the TV sci-fi genre. Originally aired on the U.K.'s ITV network, PRIMEVAL is the latest offering to reach the States, and, to me, it's just as addictive as DOCTOR WHO (Doctor Who - The Complete First Series) or TORCHWOOD (Torchwood - The Complete First Season).

PRIMEVAL basically plonks prehistorical and futuristic monsters into the present and has them scaring the bejesus out of the unsuspecting British population. These often frightening beasties come from rifts in the space-time continuum which are manifesting unpredictably in the U.K. A small team of scientists, led by maverick evolutionary professor Nick Cutter, investigates these temporal doorways. But Cutter and company are often hampered by the British government, which (perhaps...

ANOTHER GREAT SERIES FOM THE UK
Those of you who subscribe to BBC America, you are in for a treat - Primeval (Series One) is coming soon. For the rest of you, here's your chance to buy a great series ahead of the curve. I have the Complete Series One and Two from Region 2 (UK) and I'm going to assume that they are the same even though no details were provided.

It's a great series about time portals being discovered by the British government when creatures from prehistoric time (and the future in the second season) suddenly appear to wreck havoc on it's citizens. An evolutionary zoologist named Nick Cutter (Douglas Henshall) is brought in to contain the problem. He brings his assistant, Stephen (James Murray), the UK equvilent of post grad assistant (Hannah Spearritt), and the newcomer - a geeky college student with a gift for prehistoric info (Andrew Lee Potts).

Of course this group butts heads with the government types but there is romance too between Dr. Cutter and the government agent...

If only American television gave more shows like this a chance
I'm not going to go on another rant about canceled sci-fi/fantasy series again. I'm not! Instead, I'm going to praise the good people of Great Britain for bringing us quality entertainment when nobody on our side of the Atlantic will do so. God bless the BBC for giving shows like this one and Hex room to grow. "Primeval" is packed with cool characters with charming accents, great-looking CG beasties by the boatload, beautiful women with the inevitable sexual tension that results from hot people working together under high-stress situations, some wicked good humor, and more of the mind-bending time-travel conundrums that sci-fi fans flip for than you can shake a velociraptor at. If you like dinosaurs, time-travel, or science-fiction thank the BBC for this gift.

The series follows a group of scientists whose job it is to keep under wraps a series of anomalies in the form of space-time rips. Through...

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Return to Sleepaway Camp



a great sequel
I've been very excited about watching this, ever since I heard about it. I checked the IMDB almost daily for updates, and was constantly irritated that the release date kept getting pushed back. But I finally got to see it.

There's no cold open, straight to the credits. When I was watching the credits, they looked really good, and I was thinking to myself, "Wow, this is going to be a real movie. High production quality, etc." Then, the actual movie started, and it looked just like the last one.

I enjoyed this movie a lot. I thought they did a great job of making it a sequel, which is hard to do when the first one was made 25 years ago. It has the same feel, same style of writing, like it was made a year or two later.

Isaac Hayes is an awful actor, and Jonathan Tierston has only done one other thing aside from the first one, and that was in 1987. He is definitely not an actor. Vincent Pastore does a really good job. I was disappointed that Aunt Martha...

Don't Be Mislead
Be Careful! I just noticed a review on here stating that this movie was the full version of that craptacular "Sleepaway Camp: The Survivor" footage that was an extra in some of the Survival Kit Box Sets. This movie has absolutely NO relation to that. Return To Sleepaway Camp is a direct sequel to the unforgettable original Sleepaway Camp. Ronnie and Ricky are back and so are a bunch of gruesome murders at camp. This was directed by the writer/director of the original Sleepaway Camp and is a welcome return to fun who-done-it slasher movies!

a really predictable sequel, which is not a bad thing...
Known for having a shocking surprise ending, Sleepaway Camp (1983) is a classic 80's slasher, written and directed by Robert Hiltzik, that has gathered a huge cult following over the years. Two "unauthorized" sequels followed in the 80's, which did not involve Hiltzik, or stars from the original film, Felissa Rose and Jonathan Tiersten. With the support of fans still interested in seeing another sequel, Hiltzik resumes the story more than two decades later, in Return To Sleepaway Camp (2008) a direct to video release. This review contains significant spoilers, so proceed at your own risk.

Hiltzik completely ignores the events in the previous two sequels, and resumes his story some twenty years after the infamous events at Camp Arawak, where transgendered Angela Baker (Felissa Rose) went nuts and committed a number of shocking murders. At Camp Manabe, new owner and bird lover Frank Kostik (Vincent Pastore) has Ronnie Angelo (Paul DeAngelo), a former counselor at Arawak,...

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Cooks Country: Season One



Printable versions of 26 selected recipes round out this highly enjoyable presentation of tasty delights
Cook's Country Season One is the DVD collection of all thirteen episodes from season one of the public television show "Cook's Country", featuring Chris Kimball and America's Test Kitchen Chefs. A distinctly American cooking show that demonstrates how to create great recipes like Chocolate Blackout Cake, Cincinnati Chili, Raspberry Chiffon Pie and much more, Cook's Country Season One also broadens its informative repertoire with general food shopping and preparation tips, tricks, and techniques, such as which cookware, kitchen tools, and supermarket foods are most worth buying. Printable versions of 26 selected recipes round out this highly enjoyable presentation of tasty delights, highly recommended for viewers of all levels of skill and experience in the kitchen. Approximately 5.5 hours, closed-captioned.

Cooks Country - Season 1
I recently started watching Cooks Country on T.V. because it was too hot to work outside. I have watched many cooking shows, but, most are a tad too fancy for me. However, Cooks Country / Americas Test Kitchen really appealed to me. They keep things simple, show you how to save money, buy good quality and tasty items on a budget. They make it interesting! I like the videos because they can show you technique, something you don't get with just a paper recipe. I'm retired now and plan to learn more cooking. I will purchase more of their videos as I have not seen any of the first 10 or 11 seasons. I have also purchased a few of their suggested pieces of kitchen equipment and have been satisfied with all. I find the videos very handy for a quick reference to go back to.
Thank You, ATK & CC Rehd

Best All-Round Cooking Show on TV....LOVE IT
I can not get enough of this show. I just started watching the show this year and now want to go back and see all the shows I have missed. Along with great recipes, they give cooking dos and don'ts, taste tests, and reviews of all things for cooking.
They will actually show examples of cooking gone wrong! Love that. I also have 2 of their cookbooks which are illustrated and will explain why they pick a certain process, this advice I need because sometimes I may try and cut corners if I don't understand why I need to follow instructions exactly.

Highly reccommend!!! I will be buying these cookbooks and DVDs for Christmas presents.

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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Chowder, Vol. 1



Best new cartoon
Chowder is a great cartoon and I'm thrilled to have it on DVD finally! I just wish the first Vol. contained more episodes than 5, when the first season had 20 episodes total.

Segments included on this DVD:
- The Froggy Apple Crumple Thumpkin / Chowder's Girlfriend
- Grubble Gum / The Cinnamini Monster
- Certifrycation Class / The Sing Beans
- Majhongg Night / Stinky Love
- The Thrice Cream Man / The Flibber-Flabber Diet

Great Cartoon-Skimpy DVD
I love Chowder. but this is too little content for the price.
This DVD does not contain half of Season 1. It contains one fourth of Season 1. There were 20 episodes containing 38 cartoons (Two were double length). This DVD contains 10 of the 38 cartoons as five episodes. The description above says 10 episodes when it is actually ten cartoons. The widescreen picture is beautiful, and the cartoons are grouped into two cartoon episodes (just like on TV) so that you get to see all of the clever and funny openings and closing credits. The menus are well done, and include a "Play All" option. But this is gonna cost over $[...]bucks for the first season IF they all come out on DVD!?!

A must buy for animation lovers
Chowder is really one of the greatest things to come along on Cartoon Network since Dexters Lab. It has a different and highly creative art style that is absolutly gorgeous. Not to mention that the show itself is hilarious and fresh. I already have both seasons downloaded through Zune, but buying the DVD's was a no brainer as soon as I heard about the widescreen format.
It seems trivial but the full widescreen picture, which the show is originally made for, makes quite a difference even from the intro and you get to see all the beautiful lighting on the inner sides of the oven that you couldnt see before. Also, the picture quality itself is improved drastically over digital downloads, no more digital artifacts blurring up the screen during Chowders many random food transitions or fast sequences. The dvd looks amazing and crisp even on my 1080p TV being played off an xbox360. My only gripe is that you only get a few episodes per DVD, and the next installment isn't even due for...

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M*A*S*H TV Season 3



The Final Season for McLean Stevenson & Wayne Rogers
The success of the 1970 film "MASH", which was directed by Robert Altman, inspired the production of one of the most successful and longest running TV series of all time: "M*A*S*H". While most of the main characters from the original film were portrayed in the TV series, only one of the film's actors reprised his role for the TV series: Gary Burghoff. Like the film, the show was about the men and women working in a fictitious U.S. Army "Mobile Army Surgical Hospital" (or MASH unit) known as the 4077th during the Korean War in the early 1950's. For the first three seasons, the U.S. Army personnel stationed at the 4077th included Lt. Col. Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson, 1929-1996), Major Frank Burns (Larry Linville, 1939-2000), Maj. Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan (Loretta Swit), Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce (Alan Alda), Capt. "Trapper John" McIntyre (Wayne Rogers), Father Francis Mulcahy (William Christopher, except for the first season pilot episode), Cpl. Walter "Radar"...

Another classic season
Some consider the third season the show's very best, full of humor but also more boldly playing with serious topics. The actors are really at home in their characters by this point, and the audience knows them inside and out, too. They no longer need to play gags over-the-top to work because we know them so well. And because we know they so well, the serious turns hit home.

Reams have been written about M.A.S.H.; offering accolades would just be repeating what has been said before. Among the most popular sitcoms ever made, the show still stands the test of time despite being a "period" show. The jokes still work, the characters are still charming and feel like old friends, and the show still more enjoyable than most of the shows that have come and gone since.

Like the other sets, this DVD collection is bare bones (though not poorly produced). We get the episodes spread out over several discs in a sturdy triple-case and a small booklet with info on each episode. That's it. No...

The first two were done very well
I bought the first two M.A.S.H. seasons when they were released, and I was impressed by the quality of the video and audio transfer. The video was crisp and the sound was excellent. It is clear that they have gone back to the original masters, transferred them to digital and cleaned them up. It's kind of funny that with the advances in technology, the Mash episodes look better now than they did then. They also broke the laugh track out so you can turn it off. This isn't a big deal to me, but my wife likes it.

So the downside is that it is light on the extras such as commentary or, but I rarely bother with them anyway, so it's not a big deal for me. What I really want is what they have delivered: a great looking, great sounding copy of all those great old M.A.S.H. episodes.

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