Michael Douglas: Triple Feature [Blu-ray]

Good Michael Douglas Film Collection
3-disc set (2013) includes: Fatal Attraction, Disclosure and A Perfect Murder. There is roughly 82 minutes of bonus content along with an audio commentary for Fatal Attraction and 2 audio commentaries with an alternate ending for A Perfect Murder that has been ported over from DVD releases.

Fatal Attraction is about Douglas getting trapped in an affair with a psycho who wants to have his baby.
Disclosure is about Douglas getting sexually harassed by his female boss while the company tries to cover it up.
A Perfect Murder is about Douglas plotting to kill his wife after finding out about her affair.

This could almost be called the "Michael Douglas Affair Collection". All are worth watching. Fatal Attraction made a huge impact with audiences when it was released. Disclosure reversed traditional gender roles. A Perfect Murder has now been added to the Fatal Attraction/Disclosure 2-pack also on Blu-Ray. These are three good films starring Michael Douglas...





Click to Editorial Reviews

Popeye Cartoon Collection: Volume 2 (Famous Studios Era)

Request for information
I am interested in Popeye Cartoons that have Eugene the Jeep in them, Such as Popeye Presents Eugene the Jeep (1940), Hag Way Robbery (1960) and Jeep-Jeep (1960), I Wants Me Mummy (1978) or Jeep thrills (1980) Please help me locate any of these.





Click to Editorial Reviews

In the Mouth of Madness [Blu-ray]

Great work by Carpenter and Cast
Before I get into my review of the film itself, let me say that one of the other reviewers is quite correct. The commentary on this DVD is hands-down the most mind-numbing exercise in boredom ever. "So, you used a soft focus back lighting here to deepen the shadows, right?" "yep". Not a real quote from the commentary, but it gives you a taste of the tedious nature of their conversation.

The movie, on the otherhand is anything but boring. I had been a Carpenter fan for quite some time when I went to see this in the theater. Most of Carpenter's films seemed to be centered around a certain atmosphere. IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS is wrapped around a concept. If enough people believe something, does it become reality?

Sam Neill plays John Trent, an insurance investigator who specializes in smoking out con artists. He is hired to find Sutter Cane (played with relish by Jurgen Prochnow), the world's leading author. The search leads to a town that shouldn't...

Carpenter's Tour de Force
Much more than a simple horror movie, In the Mouth of Madness takes the viewer on the twisted tale of insurance fraud investigator John Trent (Sam Neill) sent to find world famous pulp horror writer Sutter Cane (Jurgen Prochnow of Das Boot, Dune). Carpenter's cinematic style reaches its pinnacle in this wild ride and his self-composed score completes the masterpiece. Full of outstanding introspective scenes juxtaposed with Carpenter's trademark wit, ITMOM delves into the core of reality and, more importantly, the perception of reality. What is reality but what the mass populus believes it to be? Sutter Cane's twisted books have become more believable than the Bible in the world of ITMOM and John Trent finds himself an unwitting pawn of Cane's warped apocalypse. A visually astounding, thought provoking movie that is not to be missed.

My favorite horror movie bar-none
If you're a horror fan this is the movie for you. If you're like me and you love supernatural horror more than slasher horror, than this is THE movie for you. Scares and a deep, strong story, through and through. A superb ending. Can't be beat. This should be in any horror fans library to watch whenever you they can.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Drug War

Johnnie To's aggressively superb crime film
"Drug War" begins with Choi behind the wheel of a car, puking out of a window, driving recklessly, and crashing into a restaurant. That's a hell of a way to start a film. You're thrown into the drug operation in Jinhai currently run by Anti-Drug Squad leader Captain Zhang. Zhang's team is always going undercover with Sun Honglei portraying at least five different characters over the course of the film. Honglei is a chameleon and mimics body movements, facial expressions, voices, and stories of other characters in the film to near perfection.

Zhang impersonates Haha in one of the best scenes of the film during their meeting with Chang. Haha is eccentric, always boasting and bragging about his accomplishments, and has this booming laugh. Seeing Zhang, who's usually soft-spoken and laid back, take on this personality with ease, is incredible. The confrontation with Chang is intense thanks to cocaine making an appearance. The entire sequence has similar tension established in...





Click to Editorial Reviews

Jug Face [Blu-ray]

Creepy flick.
Jug Face reminds me why I don't go into the woods. It's a creepy thrill ride that left me equally uncomfortable and entertained. It's a wonderfully-acted and twisted backwoods horror that seems believable in a way that should scare everybody. Check it out.

The Pit Wants what the Pit Wants
and so does the movie viewer!

We were looking through a list of movies available On Demand on our TV. We watched, oh, I don't know, perhaps a dozen previews. They all seemed to be a conflagulation of every other movie in that genre that came before it. Like just a really bad knock off. I'm sure those movies would have been just fine, but just as easily forgettable and predictable.

Then we saw the preview for Jug Face.

And so it appeared we had not only found a movie sure to entertain us with messed-up characters, but we also found something unique. Something we hadn't felt as though we'd seen a thousand times before.

The paranormal element was so beautifully handled that for the first part of the story I wasn't sure if the pit TRULY wielded any power, or if these people were just crazy! (Or both!) You'll have to see the movie for yourself to find out.

Chad C Kinkle really captured the spirit of paranormal horror in its finest...

Glad I gave it a chance!
When I saw the title of the film, I really wondered if I should watch it or not. But, the positive reviews it received pushed me to give it a chance. And I'm glad I did! While the situation surrounding Ada's pregnancy is a tad uncomfortable, the whole situation isn't far-fetched nor are the characters. The actors, many of which I'd never heard of before, really did a wonderful job. Sean Young (the only one I had heard of) did quite the job of playing a mother I'd never wish to have. The ending was heartbreaking but didn't leave me crying foul. It's not a movie for everyone and not every horror fan will like it, but I definitely don't think this one is a dud.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Slap Shot (Blu-ray + Digital Copy + UltraViolet)

Fantastic, Funny, a CLASSIC for ANY Hockey Fan
Slap Shot is a great hockey comedy. It's a hilarious, vulgar, completely wild joyride through the trials of a failing 70's steelmill-town based, utterly amateur hockey team. Failing, that is, until their players resort to pure violence in an attempt to keep their franchise alive.

Paul Newman plays the womanizing player/coach who, after a series of embarassing losses (including one to a visitng team's center who's flat drunk) needs to work with a 3 brother gang of misfits, who all look alike and have an incredibly aggressive style of playing.

Chaos insues when Newman's character decides to finally play these "goons" with his other teammates, and he watches as the fan base increases when they proceed to physically demolish - without any love for the game - the opposing teammates in an series of hysterical scenes that combine the best in hockey photography with hilariously explicit dialouge and violence. The shot of the goon's nonchalanty skating past the...

Maybe the greatest sports movie ever
Ask hardcore hockey fans (the kind that are familiar with the Montreal Maroons or that understand that present-day hockey is virtually figure-skating compared to the seventies) what their favorite sports movie is, or ask hockey pros what their favorite sports movie is; probably more than half the time, you'll hear "Slap Shot". Some "serious" sports films suffer from self-importance or a lack of realism; try watching a good war documentary for actual life-and-death situations. Thankfully, "Slap Shot" doesn't take itself terribly seriously yet still manages to paint an accurate, believable picture.

Sure, the humor is rude and crude, but necessary to paint a somewhat accurate picture of `70's minor league hockey (surely these guys weren't discussing Plato or speaking in blue-blood accents). It may be offensive to uninitiated people (e.g. people who don't watch hockey or team sports in general), but the humor is oft-hilarious for hockey fans.

Paul Newman plays...

At last, the original version is saved
I have just received (and watched) the DVD version of "Slap Shot", and I thank the powers that be for restoring the original sound track to the movie. The generic music that was released on VHS took the heart out of the movie. With the restoration, and the excellent digital quality of the movie, my favorite film is complete. Now, a full 5 stars only because I can't give it 10.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Hate Crime

Can't Hate on Hate Crime
In my line of work... I've seen a lot of films. They are normally repetitive, same scripts with different casts and takes forever for the action to pick up. Not this James Cullen Bressack film! Hate Crime could be the most significant film and socially relevant film that Bressack has made to date. It displays and tackles racism in a way I've never seen before on film. The interesting thing about the film is that the gore doesn't solely drive it... it's the story. The characters ill fated family trip gone ballistic is truly frightening frankly because it COULD happen. Bressack's great pacing thankfully keeps the film moving quickly even though at times you want a moment to process the heinous acts you've seen. But that's apart of the grandiose direction of the young director... dive in the water head first and check for the sharks along with its temperature later! Clearly it's a winning formula because Hate Crime along with ALL its actors' believable (and at times disturbingly gross)...

Excellent Film
This film is exactly what you would expect a home invasion to be, SCARY and DISTURBING as only upcoming Director James Cullen Bressack can bring! If you like YOU'RE NEXT you will love HATE CRIME, get your copy today!

Jacked up
Feels real. Call me sick but i laughed a few times. It's simultaneously disturbing and entertaining. The villains are creepy and unsettling, needing no motive other than blind hate. The victims come off as victims, you feel for them. Great acting, great concept, well shot and edited. Applause to the whole cast and crew. Nice to see boundaries being pushed.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Vikings: Season One [Blu-ray]

One Step Closer To Valhalla: History Channel Presents Its First Scripted Series With The Nine Episode "Vikings"
After scoring blockbuster ratings as well as multiple EMMY nominations for the dramatic miniseries "Hatfields & McCoys," the History Channel is forging forward with its first ever scripted series in "Vikings." I don't know about you, but a series about Vikings seems perfectly attuned to a television market that is currently enjoying a plethora of dark and complex adult dramas on cable networks! Created by Michael Hirst, this nine episode series was shot in Ireland and looks absolutely terrific. One of the things that most surprised me on checking out this endeavor is just how expensive the series looks in terms of period recreations, sets, locations, and effects. It shouldn't be too surprising, Hirst has worked on a number of noteworthy historical dramatizations including Showtime's "The Tudors" (which he created) and "The Borgias" (on which he is an executive producer). As with any fictionalization, though, you should expect some liberties to be taken with the subject for the...

This show is great and more than fairly historically accurate.
Being raised in Iceland we started learning about our history at nine years old and we read our history as far back as Ragnar Lodbrok, we also learn to read Edda in its original writing, but that depends more on how long you stay in school. Lot of the knowledge also comes from archeological dig sites and artifacts. We are proud of our heritage so our history is relentlessly drilled in our heads. I know these characters fair to say, pretty well. Although a lot of the history of the Vikings was word of mouth until the 12th century, when the history of the Early Vikings- Icelandic- and Norse- saga was chronicled, mostly by the Icelandic historian Snorri Sturluson, it is fair to say that History Channel did their research extremely well, from the script down to detailed props on the set. The story in the first season, I have seen are accurate but of course, since this is not a documentary some fictional drama is woven masterfully into the story.

The actors are ALL great and...

Those interested in the Viking Era (800 - 1100 AD) will love this new series.
The writing is crisp, the storyline engaging (though based on limited known historical records), the characters are refreshingly multidimensional and brought to life by a cadre of very talented actors.

Watching history unfold from the perspective of these particular Viking invaders was fascinating, albeit violent and at times, stomach churning. Our present historical account is based on the records of monks and priests who were both literate as well as the frequently targeted victims.

Clearly, the Viking perspective is speculative, as they left few records, but I found it to be believable as well as wonderfully entertaining. It was a relieve to see there wasn't an attempt to whitewash or glamorize.

Kudos to the fine writers, excellent actors and committed directors for bringing history back to life. Double kudos for Vikings being renewed for a second season.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Slaves to Passion

honest
very bad, nothing to celebrate a woman's physical beauty or showcase a woman's potential for companionship. This wasn't even erotic and the artwork was subpar.

I plan on taking this video to Sunday school in church
When Juichrio dies unexpectedly, Kaoru suddendly realizes that Reika is now free for the taking, and all of his erotic fantasies becomes very, very real. Will Reika's sadistic desires to be the key to Kaoru's artistic renewal... or will he become nothing more than a slave passon.



Click to Editorial Reviews

Topaz [Blu-ray]

Back from the dead.
The reasessment of Hitchcock's 1960's work continues, begun with the amazing Marnie. (Torn Curtain may be a lost cause, however.) It's fair to say that Topaz benefits from this ongoing reconsideration. It's just a very good movie.

The plot follows an episodic but compelling arc along the trail of French cold-war spy leaks. A number of satisfying (and inter-twining) sub-stories among the large cast are well presented. The parallel infidelities of the Stafford/Robin husband and wife are interesting and key to ultimate plot resolution. Some very nice "set pieces" are included, the tent poles that support Hitchcock movies. I found the location photography to be both realistic and refreshing. The film's main fault, of course, is the absence of a convincing ending. How Hitch believed that the "duel" ending would stand up is beyond me. I'm not sure how Uris ended his book.

Jarre's music is almost laughable, certainly in comparison with the monumental Herrmann. Topaz is...

Had potential. . .
THE MOVIE:

Topaz is one of those movies that when I watch it I keep checking the time to figure out how much longer I have to watch it. The reason is simple. There are some great scenes and there is an okay story but it takes to long to actually get to the story. The movie picks up for me whem Frederick Stafford goes to New York. I think the movie could have included only a little bit of the things that happened before since we are told that there is a defecting russian (Credits). Then have the russian defector tell what he knows. Finally John Forsyth commissions Frederick Stafford in his hotel room and the movie starts like that. I would take other bits here and there out. It could have been a great hour and 45 minute movie! It would have had it's problems but it would be enjoyable. (Many would disagree that so much could be taken out but this is my opinion.) This brings me to ----

THE DVD:

I like that there is an uncut version on the dvd- the problem...

Second-Rate Hitchcock Has Its Moments
Director Alfred Hitchcock's uneven adaptation of Leon Uris' "Topaz" does not rank among his finest efforts. However, the 1969 espionage thriller is not without merit. There are classic Hitchcockian touches scattered amidst a rather overlong story, particularly his imaginative use of sound during the New York segments. Though lacking in star power, the international cast (particularly John Forsythe, Frederick Stafford, Roscoe Lee Browne, John Vernon and Karin Dor) is better than expected. Unfortunately, the film suffers from several lengthy dialogue sequences that bog down the globe-trotting narrative. "Topaz" cries out for more action - and less talk - from the Master of Suspense.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Law & Order: Thirteenth Year

Fred Dalton Thompson as the DA we all hate
It says a lot for his acting ability that at times I had trouble remembering that the views expressed by DA Arthur Branch were not necessarily those of the actor portraying him, Fred Dalton Thompson. I cordially loathed him throughout his years on Law & Order. Now Sam Waterston, as EADA Jack McCoy, not only has to fight ignorant, biased or obstinate judges, underhanded, sleazy and even criminal defense attorneys, he has to deal with this red-neck boss. This is a very good season, but not the best. One of the most interesting episodes feels incomplete, because it focuses on a very busy day for the detectives and practically omits the DA's office entirely. It's a nice change of pace to see the detectives deal with overwork instead of showing them on just one case. There is a particularly annoying episode, Chosen, which features a slimy lawyer whose neck should be wrung, and an excellent one in which an apparent domestic terrorist turns out to have a surprise motive. As always, several...

American Jihad
This episode in the 13th Season of Law & Order was an excellent representation of the rage and distortion that followed the 9/11 attacks. As always, great script, direction, cast, and especially a fine performance by lead guest actor Ali Reza Farahnakian.

Law and Order:The 13th Year returns!!
Returning to the crime scene on The 13th season of "Law and Order" returns with former senator Fred Dalton Thompson joining in as the new DA Arthur Branch. Also in the 13th season it marks it's 300th episodes, and with the late Gregory Hines guest stating in this season. Also returning in the 13th season are Sam Waterston, Jesse L. Martin, S Epatha Merkerson, Elisabeth Rohm, and the late Jerry Orbach. There are 24 extreme episodes in the 13th season!! This is worth watching it!!!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year

Happy New Year, Pooh and Friends!
Actually, more like New Year's and Christmas, as that's what this DVD features.

The story begins with an opening segment in which Pooh Bear hides a present he has for Piglet. Then our friends gather together and tell little Roo about a past Christmas. This segment comes from the special "Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too," featuring the characters from "The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh." Pooh and his friends are getting ready for Christmas. They decide to make a Christmas list and come up with all sorts of gifts that they want to give each other. But when the list is lost to the wind, Pooh and Piglet decide to dress up as Santa and a reindeer and make gifts.

Later, they recall a New Year's in which Rabbit wanted to move away because he was irritated Pooh's eating honey, Tigger's bouncing, Piglet's being afraid and Eeyore's gloominess. So they all made resolutions to change and swapped personalities.

One reason this production is neat is that it...

A very merry pooh year all year round.
This is an excellent christmas time story for all lovers of winnie pooh and friends, young and old alike! Its a story that can, and probably will be, watched again and again. There are two interactive games for younger children which should keep them occupied for an hour or two. My children aren't "fans" of winne pooh but have watched this over and over. good value for money!!

Good Holiday movie
A good Holiday movie with all the usual cast. I watched this movie this morning with my nephew to introduce him to the Holiday *this is his first* and I enjoyed it as much as he seemed to! My only small complaint is that when they go into different part's of the story (ie the new year celebration) it seemed a little arkward. Other then that, two thumbs up.

I hope that this will become a holiday tradition.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Giant (Blu-ray)

The story of Texas itself in this star-studded family saga
The 1956 film is aptly named; everything about it is huge. Three years in the making, and a full 202 minutes long, it's the sweeping story of a Texas family that starts in the 1920s. Elizabeth Taylor is the young bride from East who, after a whirlwind romance with Rock Hudson, comes to his huge 595-acre Texas ranch. Here, she finds his unwelcoming sister, prejudice against the Mexican servants, and a condescending attitude to her as a woman. James Dean is here too, a sullen ranch hand who yearns for her as well as wealth. She's feisty though, as well as beautiful, and the rational center of the film, which spans a quarter of a century, as she and Rock Hudson quarrel, make up and raise their three children. Texas changes too. James Dean, the ranch hand, is the first to discover oil, and all of their lives change dramatically then. After a while all the land in the area is gushing oil wells where cattle used to roam.

During the course of film the makeup changes to show the cast...

An Epic of the Flatlands
Those of us who live on the dusty, windswept plains of western Texas and Oklahoma readily appreciate a moving, gripping, well-made film that portrays the harsh, yet aesthetic abundance of this region. Equally enjoyable is the portrayal of what was once a titanic clash of two industries: cattle ranching and energy. Throw three young, very capable actors into the mix, and suddenly you've got an epic as entertaining today as it was forty-plus years ago.

GIANT is the story of a west Texas ranching dynasty, the sprawling Reata Ranch, overseen for generations by the Benedict Family--currently run by Bick Benedict (Rock Hudson). Bick takes as his bride an "Easterner," petite and pretty Leslie Lynnton Benedict (Elizabeth Taylor). Leslie's transition from Maryland to the dusty flats of west Texas is the epitome of culture shock, yet she's up to the task, even to the point of challenging the ingrained bigotry toward the local Hispanic population. Bick's conservative stubbornness is at...

THIS DVD IS AN INFERIOR TRANSFER OF THIS CLASSIC
The two stars that I rate this DVD is simply for the terrible transfer of this classic motion picture. This movie is a 10 star movie, but this particular DVD release is simply terrible. It seems as if they used third generation, or even fourth generation negatives to create this transfer, with absolutely no regard for consistancy. Some scenes are tolerable, at best, and seem that the transfer might have come from a decent third generation negative, and some scenes are totally dismal and seem as if they were done from a fourth generation negative that was found on the cutting room floor. There is absolutely no consistancy of the colors and brightness from one scene to another. But this is only the half of it. The transfer to this disc was done in a near full screen picture which cuts so much of the scenery off of the sides of every frame. It was a shame how this disc was done. This beautiful Hollywood epic deserves such better treatment. The roles played by Rock Hudson, James Dean and...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Twilight Forever: The Complete Saga Box Set [Blu-ray]

Twilight Forever: The Complete Saga
If you're a big fan of the Twilight Saga, then you're going to love this set. If you don't yet own the movies on blu-ray, then this is probably the set you'll want to purchase. If you do already own them, then you need to decide if an upgrade is worth it. I'm not sure if it is, but below is a breakdown of exactly what's in this set (the most important of which is 2 hours of new Bonus Features) so you can decide for yourself.

The packaging is double-sided, with Edward/Bella on the front and Jacob on the back. The blu-ray discs come housed inside an exclusive photo-album case (with the discs inserted into the pages rather than in normal blu-ray cases). Unfortunately, while this type of book-style packaging is nice to look at, it has been known to scratch the discs - you'll want to be very careful removing the discs for viewing.

**********

This is a 10-Disc Blu-Ray set. Here is a breakdown of the discs:

1: TWILIGHT - Movie
2:...

The is a MUST HAVE for fans of The Twilight Saga!
There are so many extras included with this boxed set that you can not help but want to add this collection to your Twilight library. Well worth the price.

I can't wait!
I own all of the movies but only on DvD and can't wait to buy this Blu-ray box set. Mostly for deleted scenes from breaking dawn part 2.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Hart of Dixie: The Complete Second Season

A slice of Southern charm
I enjoy this show each week and love the cast. There's always something to make me laugh out loud and something to tug at my heart. There are so many love triangles going on that you have to pay attention but my very favorite is the Zoe-Wade pairing. I can see lots of possibilities as these two work through their attraction to each other in spite of their differences. Some of the small town "goings-on" have to be taken as tongue-in-cheek but are fun to watch. Hats off to the writers for creating such a charming place. I hope The CW keeps this show around for a long time.

Such a cute romantic comedy
Love Love Love this show. I hope they dont cancel like they do everything that's good on Tv these days.

I love this show!
All I wanted was a lighthearted show to fill my time in the evening after the kids were in bed. I had seen commercials for this show and was always interested, so I tried it out on Netflix. I was instantly addicted. I watch the entire season 1 on Netflix within a week and stayed up way too late to do so! But I could not get enough. Once that was over, I had to catch up on this season so I purchased all the episodes on Amazon Instant Video to catch up to the current one on TV right now. I am almost disappointed that I have to wait a week to see the next one now. :) Even my husband got into this show, which all he watches is news and the history channel....so it is good!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Elf: 10th Anniversary [Blu-ray]

Very Cute
I am not really a Will Ferrell fan but this movie is so cute. It's light entertainment and makes me smile.

It makes you forget how commercial Christmas has become.





Click to Editorial Reviews

Grown Ups 2 (Two Disc Combo: Blu-ray / DVD + UltraViolet Digital Copy)

THERE'S A RAFT IN THERE?
The sequel comes with very little plot. Our foursome all have their child issues. David Spade suddenly has a long lost son so he doesn't miss out on the fun. There is an 80's theme party with a ridiculous townies vs. college boys fight.

The humor is still crude, but perhaps a bit less than before as I found it tolerable. The film mostly relies on one liners and insults as is typical in a Sandler production. This film also highlights the talents or lack thereof of many Hollywood larvae including the Sandler clan, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Paulina Gretzky. Team Jacob fans can watch Taylor Lautner in an uncredited role as Fratboy Andy. My how they have fallen.

Will work as a rental. No hurry to rush out and see it.

Parental Guide: Brief male rear nudity. 1 f-bomb. No sex. Sex talk and general crudeness including urination, feces, and fart humor.

Best comedy of the year
As if the movie 'Grown Ups' could get any funnier, they go and make Grown Ups 2 and completely blow everyone away! This movie had an amazing cast, tons of jokes, and a good plot. Shaq and Stone Cold guest star and it's a real hoot!

Grown Ups 2
This movie is hilarious i'm glad that they kept the original cast but to bad that rob schnieder is not in the film. I thought that the first one was better but this one is still good and funny. there is non stop laughs in this film. if you just want to see a funny movie then this is for you. if you have not seen this movie then I recommend you do

Click to Editorial Reviews

James Dean Ultimate Collector's Edition (Blu-ray)

finally on BR...... but,
If you're planning to buy this, go to the Amazon UK site and its more than half off. I ordered this on 08/01/13, and I got it for 21GBP (which is about 31USD) shipped, with all the extra stuff. Also, according to the UK site, its region free! Not bad at all.
Edited: 08/02/2013
As pointed out by Seb: While looking at the inset on both websites, it appears that all the contents (extras) are the same (postcards, book, posters). So, if you're looking to save a few dollars, check out the UK website. And yeah, all three movies are same: Giant, Rebel and East.

Order the U.K edition
I Just preordered the James Dean Blu ray U.K edition for 21 GBP not bad compare to $89.98 USD.
Also like the U.K boxset design better takes up less space on the shelf than the U.S edition.
The U.S boxset has a 7 blu-ray discs the U.K set has 6 blu-ray disc release minus one documentary.

THE UK VERSION HAS 8 LESS EXTRAS
If you get the UK release ( released only a few days earlier than the US ) you will not only get one less disc but 8 less extras.This includes 3 feature length documentaries,four extras from Giant and the newly discovered outtakes from Rebel without a cause.Best to get the US release if you want the complete package.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (Unrated Rich Mahogany Edition) [Blu-ray]

UNRATED- was uncalled for.
I LOVED this movie when I saw it in the theatre over the past summer- so I was pumped to see an "unrated" version come out on DVD.

Whomever was in charge of putting this DVD together yanked a huge chain on this release. I had expected the "unrated" version to be funnier than the theatrical version which I thought was one of the year's funniest movies, because in general, "unrated" cuts have been better than the "regular" release.

This "unrated" version skips a couple really great monents from the theatrical version, one instance is when Carell's character "Brick" utters "I ate a big red candle" during the party hangover sequence and they replace it with a joke that's nowhere near that great non-sequitor. Near the end of the film they edited out Ferrell's lines just before he picks up the phone in the bar (something about "once being an anchorman")which was more in line with the film's plot/angle than the new scene of Burgundy eating cat poop. A TERRIBLY UNFUNNY...

ferrels best comedy
This limited edition version which is only at sale at a certain retail chain and here evidently features a interesting box with a 'diary' of Ron Burgundy and trading cards. The package has two blu ray discs with a unrated version of the movie and a made for dvd flick as well. I don't know if they will release this modern classic comedy on a regular blu ray without the extra film but certainly the packaging will be different after this edition sells out. Making it a collectors edition. This imo is a modern classic comedy, the movie just does everything right , it's funny and has great acting from everyone involved and it features the golden age of news anchorpeople the seventies, that was the decade when women really made inroads into the field and laid the groundwork for all the top anchors that would follow. The seventies too are always a great decade to have a comedy in, it's the predigital age (1980's-) and things were in someways better than today for sure, others not. but at...

I'm.....Ron Burgondy?
Lets be real. This movie is good, and I mean really good. Don't act like your not impressed. Will Ferrell is a genius, honestly. If you disagree with me I will fight you. Simple as that. I will fight you. This movie is rich and compelling. Bottom line. You won't regret watching this movie. Bottom line. I mean who cares if he doesn't speak spanish? He looks really good in this movie. He makes Sinatra look like a Hobo. This movie is also very informative. It could be a documentry. You learn alot about things you probably wouldn't have known before you watched this movie. For instance, did you know diversity was a old old wooden ship that was used in the civil war era? I'll be the first one to say I did not know that. I also was unaware of the meaning behind the name San Diego. I also didn't know that the germans discovered San Diego. Suffice to say, I learned a lot while watching this movie. Go watch it now.

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Deflowering of Eva van End

Bittersweet movie of dysfunctional family
Let me state upfront that I am a huge fan of the Film Movement's library of foreign and indie movie. This is the July '13 release of the DVD-of-the-month Club (to which I subscribe). The movie will be available on Amazon as an Instant Video in early December.

"The Deflowering of Eva van End" (2013 release from the Netherlands; 98 min.) brings the story of the van End family, at first sight a seemingly 'normal' middle class Dutch family consisting of mom and dad, and their 2 sons Erwin and Manuel, and daughter, Eva, a very shy, introverted high schooler. As the movie opens, we see them having dinner, and Eva tries to tell them that a German exchange student is arriving soon for a 2 week stay, but she is ignored. When the German student arrives, a guy named Veit, the family is taken by surprise, but the parents readily accept Veit into their home. Veit is like a guy from another planet, almost too good and too nice to be true. Meanwhile we see the sons Erwin and Manuel...





Click to Editorial Reviews

Argo: The Declassified Extended Edition (Blu-ray+DVD+UltraViolet Combo Pack)

4.5 stars... "This is the BEST bad idea that we have"
"Argo" (2012 release; 120 min.) bring the story, based on true events but fictionalized for Hollywood purposes, of how CIA operative Tony Mendez (played by Ben Affleck) goes to Iran to help rescue 6 Americans who are holed up in the Canadian Ambassador's residence ever since Iranian fanatics violently took over the US Embassy compound. In order to get the 6 Americans out of Iran, Mendez proposes that they pose as Canadian film makers, who are in Iran scouting for appropriate locations to film Argo, a Star Wars-like adventure. When the various options and alternatives (foreign teachers? agriculture specialists? no, film makers!) are presented to US Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, he looks incredulous, but when reassured about the various options available that "they are all bad ideas. but this is the BEST bad idea we have", Vance blesses the mission. In order to lend credibility to the idea that he is involved with this fake movie, Mendez and his Hollywood connections set up a fake...

ARGO: Declassified Extended Edition - List of New Special Features & Items included
Most people, myself included, really enjoyed "Argo". If you don't already own the film, this Extended Edition might be the way to go. But if you already own the original blu-ray release, then is it worth an upgrade? Well, hopefully the details below will help you make a decision.

Included on the blu-rays:
- Theatrical Edition of the movie
- Extended Edition of the movie (an extra 10 minutes added to the film)
- 3 New Special Features + all the special features from the previous blu-ray release

Included in the box set:
- 40-page book premium featuring behind the scenes photos, production notes, bios and more
- Argo One-Sheet Poster (you know they are going to fold it to fit it in the box, so it will have creases right down the middle)
- Map of Tehran movie locations (14" x 20")
- Reproduction of Tony Mendez's CIA ID card

So if you enjoyed the movie, then you might want to consider picking this up. I'm interested in...

Tense, intelligent, and even quite funny
Ben Affleck continues to prove himself one of Hollywood'd best, most intelligent 'mainstream' film-makers.
In Argo he manages to combine nail-biting suspense created with a minimum of violence or standard movie
action, a sharp, dark sense of humor about the weirdness of both espionage and Hollywood, and makes a film
about getting American hostages released from Iran without giving in to jingoism.

Affleck even takes the time at the beginning of the film to put the Iranian revolution into a larger context of prior American
involvement and manipulation in Iran's politics, thus making the Iranians' hostage taking horribly wrong, but also somewhat
human and understandable.

The story itself is a doozey, and definitely fits into the `you'd never believe it if it weren't true' mold. Using a fake movie as a
cover-up for a long- shot rescue operation sounds like a bad episode of `Mission Impossible' (or even `Get Smart'). But here
it...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Fitzgerald Family Christmas

Irish-American Christmas
Let me start by saying to the reviewers complaining about the profanity and brief sex scene, I have no idea what else you were expecting. 'The Fitzgerald Family Christmas' is a very loose continuation to Burns' 1995 indie 'The Brothers McMullen', neither of which are made for children. Moral? Don't always expect all holiday movies to be wholesome family fun in the tradition of 'A Christmas Carol' etc!

Gerald "Gerry" Fitzgerald (Burns) is a blue-collar Queens mick trying to gather his dysfunctional siblings together for a very special occasion: their father, who abandoned them many years ago, wants to spend Christmas with his family this time around. We find out the primary reason is he has something big to tell them, which may or may not go very well given the cicumstances. The refreshing return of the Burns/McGlone-as-brothers combination is great. Burns' Fitzgerald is basically an older and more mature version of his previous Barry McMullen, minus the sexual hang-ups and...

Awesome Movie
Love Ed Burns and hope he continues to make his movies! Ed always has such a humorous realness to his movies and you will once again see it in this movie!

this is the way to make a movie
love this movie - love all of ed burn's movies. very personal, realistic, touching, acrimonious - just like every family. burns knows how to make a movie personal and brings you in so you almost believe it could be your family. he let's you be a part of every movie he makes.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Doctor Who: Series 1-7 Limited Edition Blu-ray Giftset

All-Inclusive
For those of you wondering, all of the specials are indeed included in this set. The Blu Rays for Series 2-7 independently contain the Christmas specials that preceded that season. If you'd like to go through the contents of each individual series, you can look them up here on Amazon and you will see that the specials are included in the sets.

To summarize: Every single episode of Who that has aired since 2005 will be on this set.

Doctor Who: Series 1-7 in the Blue Box
I haven't seen this box set but do own the Tennant specials and subsequent series on Blu-ray. At this point, I just want to make a few remarks about image quality.

I had often wondered why the early reboot series were not in available in Blu-ray. Some web research led me to the answer. Doctor Who Series 1-4, with exception of the last two specials, were shot in Standard Definition (SD). SD PAL (Europe) is 576 scan lines as opposed to SD NTSC (US) 480 scan lines. When mastered for DVD some resolution was lost, not a whole lot overall, but some. Blu-ray Disc (BD) has more than enough room for that full SD PAL to shine. It will *never* be full 1080 HD but these will look as good as they ever will!

The current Series 5-7 on BD look and sound *fantastic*. So, allons-y! This is the set to get.

Web rumors indicated Series 1-4 will receive separate BD releases in 2014. Till then -- Geronimo!

BTW -- WB says --

Special Features:
All...

It is all here!
A special Blu-Ray high-definition box set of every episode and special since the 2005 Relaunch, up to The Name of the Doctor. This is a must have. The episodes in series 1-4 were originally shot at the UK's standard definition of the time, 576i, while everything from Planet of the Dead onwards was shot at 1080i. All are being converted up to 1080p for this gift set. Also included in the set is an Eleventh Doctor Sonic Screwdriver Remote Control for TVs and other home media equipment. That alone is $100.00. The on-disc contents should be identical to those for the previously-released complete season sets (apart from the definition increase, of course). Each season will come in its own case, with an outer box to contain them all in. The set may also contain a few other little souvenir nick-knacks.

The up-converted series 1 to 4 sets will also be made available to purchase on their own,
but likely not until the middle of 2014.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Bounty Killer [Blu-ray]

Mad Max meets Lara Croft - Excellent!
The action, violence and infrequent gore is totally over the top! This is a movie Quentin Tarantino WISHED he could have made! Never a dull or slow moment and with all the right touches. I would recommend for 18 and over.

Great movie
Great movie. Plenty of action. Very good plot/storyline. Very entertaining. Christian Pitre is definitely somebody to watch....she is going places

awesome movie
This movie is brilliant . The plot is great ,several great action scenes , and what can I say about Mary Death . HOT HOT HOT!!!!!!!! This movie is in my top 10

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Greatest Ears In Town: The Arif Mardin Story

An absolute "gotta see it"
Whether you're a musician, a soundman, a producer or simply a fan of pop music through the years, The Greatest Ears in Town may well provide you with more insight into how "hits" are created than any other film you'll ever see. From R&B forward, Arif Mardin understood the nuances of musical creativity, and this film brings them forward for you to see and learn from while also providing a truly entertaining experience. Compare this to any American Masters feature doc from Lou Reed to Les Paul. Wow... no wonder this gentleman won so many Grammy's. Totally recommended...

Packed Full of Amazing Music Moments
This film is a treat for any real music fan. It is packed with priceless stories from the likes of Phil Collins, Aretha Franklin, Bette Midler, Norah Jones, Barry Gibb, Chaka Khan, and tons more. I loved the anecdote about how the "Chaka, Chaka, Chaka Khan" hook from "I Feel For You" was created by Arif Mardin hitting a button repeatedly on the control desk (shown in the film) and another by Barry Gibb telling us how Mardin essentially created the Bee Gees' signature falsetto vocal style. Those are just two magic moments in a tremendous film. I can't recommend this more highly.

Marvelous and loving tribute to an often-overlooked American music icon
When you think of the great producers at Atlantic Records, the first names that come to mind are Amet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler. These are the guys who get the publicity. But another in the group of four Atlantic top staff (including Ahmet's brother Neshui) is Arif Mardin and he was different from the rest in two ways: First, and foremost, he was an arranger and composer, as well as a producer; Second he was more low-keyed and less ego-centric than the rest. In 2006 he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and decided to record his third solo album - but with original music, some composed in the 1970s - featuring his "friends". Mardin had talented friends: Bette Midler, Norah Jones, Dr. John, Chaka Kahn (it was Mardin who devised the hip-hop "Chaka Kahn, Chaka Kahn" riff on the 1984 platinum hit "I Feel For You") and Carly Simon. He almost completed the album before his death at age 74 in June 2006. His son, Joe, vowed to finish the album, and did.

It was Joe who decided to...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Footloose (2011)

Surprise! Your kids will love it just like you did back in '84!
They remade Footloose? I groaned when I even thought about how bad this was going to be. I liked the original, and didn't even consider seeing this when it came out at the theatre. Flash forward to a cold and rainy night, and my teenage kids decide to rent this on pay per view. I groan again, thinking how awful this is going to be. I couldn't even watch it, so I puttered around the house doing everything else but sit there and watch a somewhat iconic movie be destroyed. Two hours later, and my kids could not stop talking about it. They loved it. Curious, I plopped down and watched it. They wanted to see it again. I was shocked. The first thing that grabs your attention is how my kids kept thinking the clothes and hair were cool. I told them that in the ancient 80's, we used to flip our collars up, have our pants cinched at the ankles, and wear our hair short on the sides and long on top. I also told them we used to dance. It was a blast from the past, but a bridge to the...

Surprisingly good
From Tom Cruise getting down in his tighty whiteys in "Risky Business" to Jennifer Grey having the time of her life in "Dirty Dancing", eighties movies were filled with great moments involving dancing. They were one of a kind, and can't be recreated with the same impact. If you asked me before I saw the reviews, I would have said that the cinematic world did not need a remake of "Footloose." Mainly, because I can't think of a remake of an eighties' film that bettered the original. In this case, I've only seen bits of the original, so I thought this was pretty good.

The plot is the same as the `84 version. When a group of teens are killed in a drunk driving accident, the minister (Dennis Quaid) whose son has also died, and the town officials ban virtually everything teens do for recreation, including dancing. (Drag racing busses aflame, does get a pass.) Three years later, Bobby's younger sister, Ariel, played by Julianne Hough, is busy doing everything that's been...

LOVED this movie
I loved the remake of Footloose. I was a fan of the original, and think this movie stayed true to the first, and added so much to it.

Kenny Wormald does a fantastic job as Ren- boy can act, move, is hot,and has chemistry with the whole cast. Julianne Hough does a great job as Ariel.
She has really impressed me with her acting, and can dance so well. Miles Teller as Willard.. WOW. I'd never seen him in anything before, but
he's so funny. As good as Kenny, and Julianne are in this (and they are good), Miles has some great scene stealing moments. His girlfriend, Rusty, is
also fantastic. I'm not sure of the actress, but she's beautiful, and can dance. Andie McDowell is fantastic as Ariel's mom, Vi. She has a understated
strength. Dennis Quaid does a good job as the concerned father of Ariel, and the town reverend. There are several fantastic scenes where Ren and the Reverend
talk- my favorite being towards the end when he asks for permission to take...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Back to the Basics Fitness Program

Finally, Fitness for All of Us
First, I have never been in the military, but greatly respect all who are or have been, and wish I would have been. Secondly, about the Back to the Basics dvd: my wife and I both needed to exercise more. My wife wanted me to exercise with her. Neither of us love jogging. Well, I did some of her exercise tapes with her. No, thank you. It did not take me long to realize that I got tired of "Step, touch," ballet moves, dance moves, or exercise programs with all women dressed in leotards. I came across this dvd while searching for one that my wife and I would both like. This is it. Both men and women are in the video, dressed modestly, all equal. Unlike some of the dance dvd's with 100 choreographed moves, this one is easy to follow. The cadence is great to keep time and stay up with everyone else. It is difficult, but not too difficult. It is a combination of cardio, strength, and more. One does not need barbells, dumbells, exercise balls, or anything else. I wish I could get an entire...

Showing results
Been working out with this DVD for alittle over 3 weeks and I am starting to see and feel results. It's a good beginning-intermediate level workout, I enjoy the military flare to it.

my opinion
Back to Basics is a great video if you need help getting into shape.
Whether you are planning to join the military or need encouragement to get back into the fitness groove this is great video for you!

Click to Editorial Reviews

High School of the Dead Ova: Drifters of the Dead [Blu-ray]

An entertaining - yet strange story
The group finds themselves on a tropical island, seemingly free from the outbreak. AS the gang enjoys some time that does not involve killing zombies or fighting to survive, it is when they set a fire of some leaves that things get "interesting". Can they snap out of it before something bad happens?

This story does not really have a place between the first and soon to be coming second season, but it is a good escape from the horror that they have had to endure so far. A good hold over until they bring the new season over and we learn the fates of this group and the world they reside in.

Note the running time
While I thoroughly enjoyed High School of the Dead, and highly recommend it on Blu Ray if you are into fan service heavy, zombie, action anime, this tiny episode should have been included as a bonus feature on that set and not as its own full release. 16 minutes? Really?

I've seen the episode they are putting on there. While it is a fun, enjoyable episode, I really can't recommend paying $9 for it. Your choice though, just be aware of what you are getting.

HOTD OVA
While our favorite band of survivors from the series does make an appearance in the OVA (they don on swimsuits too and scour a somewhat marooned island) the storyline here has little relevance to the Highschool of the Dead main story. I'm not going to give any details out, but you can expect a heaping helping of ecchi, though there isn't really any "full" nudity (and thus no censors).

Personally (and I repeat, PERSONALLY) I found the OVA to be tedious and a little boring compared to the main story frame. Basically ridiculous actions lead to ridiculous delusions which in turn lead to ridiculous ecchi scenes. Again, no connection to the brain bashing, zombie milling storyline in the prior 12 episodes.

I'd say, take a miss with this. Nine bucks just isnt worth it. Not sure why the OVA would be sold by itself, let alone who is going to pick it up by itself.... Unless the cover art appeals to you as a collectors item (as of current Amazon.com doesn't display,...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Young Adult

Uncomfortable, Brutal, And Even Sad: This Black Comedy Is Also A Stunningly Bleak Character Study
In the latest collaboration between director Jason Reitman and writer Diablo Cody (they gave us "Juno" and she won a Screenplay Oscar in the process), our protagonists may be older, but that doesn't make them any wiser. In fact, Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron) still resides in the rarefied land where her high school days were the pinnacle of her success. She has an idealized memory of her popularity and perceived true love (Patrick Wilson), so when confronted with the disappointments in her big city existence--she attempts to reclaim some of her former glory. Specifically, she hatches a plot to return to her home town and rescue Wilson from what she believes is his domestic prison--namely a wife (Elizabeth Reaser) and new baby. "Young Adult" is marketed as a black comedy, and it certainly has some of the most awkward and uncomfortable humor that you're likely to encounter. But in essence, it seems like a dramatic character study whose narrative arc is depicted largely through...

Truth Hurts, Donut?
This was a tough watch. I expected anti-hero dark comedy, but it's far more dark than comedy. Sure, we're given plenty of the 'oblivious beauty queen in state of painfully arrested development.' It was fun watching her attempts to skew reality in the way that best suited her needs; that's the defining trait of the Mean Girls, after all. Then the pity happens. We see that she's seriously broken under there, and we're expected to feel bad for her. Poor, sad drunk pretty girl. And just when she seems to be at the brink of a genuine breakthrough, she hops back into her broken life and drives away.

While I admit that a magical Romey & Michelle redemption for Mavis would have infuriated me, it would've been nice to see that she learned even the slightest bit from her escapade. But the fact is, some people simply don't learn. They peak at 17, then face 60 long years of mediocrity. That's an ugly truth. Some people have their lives utterly ruined at 17 and never quite get over it,...

Reitman an auter? Maybe.
Thought I'd put in my two cents. Unlike his father, Reitman is rapidly becoming a genuine American auteur. No one working in Hollywood today gets the incipient loneliness and social malaise of post-modern America, "How we live today," as it were. His last two films, this one and Up in the Air, totally nail all the odd comic elements of a society going joylessly through the motions - the sterility and formlessness of airport culture, the soulless vapidity of small town life, the weird highway ramp hotel non-culture, successful people trapped in their own self-made defensive cocoons, not to mention the perverse enjoyment of misery and depression fueled by endless booze and empty sex..Reitman is basically aiming his films at people who read things other that Twilight. He is drawn to writers like Walter Kirn and Diablo Cody because they seem to have something to say about the sad Way We Live Now that is not driven by research and age demos. The irony of Mavis, the ultimate "hip" urban...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Red 2 [Blu-ray]

Our Favorite Foursome
Here they are again, our favorite former black-ops CIA agents, still Retired and Extremely Dangerous, who must reunite and track down a portable nuclear device, invented by a man who has been held for over 30 years in an institution for the criminally insane.

If you saw the original "Red" you know that after all the wild events, Frank and Sarah became a couple. Now we get to see what happens AFTER the "happily ever after...." (It's hilarious!)

We see:
* Bruce Willis ("Red") Frank is in a domestic frenzy, deliriously heaping his shopping cart at Costco with countless household items.
* John Malkovich ("Red") Marvin is horrified to see Frank in this condition. He will do anything...
* Mary-Louise Parker ("Red") Sarah has an edge over Frank and Marvin: people LIKE her, but she can only watch Frank's new-found domesticity with a mixture of dismay and affection.
* Helen Mirren ("Red") Victoria is in the middle of another "side job" when...

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE KREMLIN, STAYS IN THE KREMLIN
The film incorporates Wikileaks as the new problem child for Moses Frank (Bruce Willis) and company. An article claims he and Marvin (John Malkovich) were involved in a 1979 operation called "Night Shade." They have become wanted men.

In an expanded role Sarah (Mary-Louise Parker) our meek lady from Kansas has become a thrill seeker and joins the group as they travel the world to find "Night Shade." In addition to Interpol and the Feds looking for our heroes, there is also a hitman (Byung-hun Lee) after them and Victoria (Helen Mirren) is also contracted to kill them...Malkovich proclaims "Friends don't take out a contract on friends." They are allied by KGB agent Katja (Catherine Zeta-Jones) to the displeasure of sweet innocent Sarah who says..."Can't we just kill her?"

The film is filled with Malkovich one liners which we enjoyed in the first movie. The expanded role of Sarah added to the feature. This is perhaps a notch below the first installment, but a...

Intense Suspense
"Red 2" is a superb action film that touches on the continuation of most of the characters from the first Red film. My husband and I both agreed that "Red 2" was even better than the first "Red." However, he was undecided at first about who was his favorite character. This was because Bruce Willis and Louise Parker elegantly played a couple very much in love and playing out their relationship among various heists. Lee Byung-hun gave a marvelous performance as a gifted assassin who deep down has a good sense of right and wrong. However, my husband admitted that he enjoyed Anthony Hopkins in the role as Dr. Edward Bailey the most. This was because Hopkins gave an admirable performance as a physicist who is called upon for his talents. My favorite performances were a tie between Helen Mirren as Victoria Winters and John Malkovich as Marvin Boggs. Mirren gives a splendid performance as a trained and true femme fatale who still has a heart for her fellow friends while accomplishing her...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman: The Complete Series

One of the best shows EVER!
I preordered and have been waiting for this show to get on dvd since Sony stopped after volume one.
Mary Hartman was way ahead of its time and so well written.
I was too young to watch it when it first aired but I do remember watching several episodes on TV Land 10 yrs ago and I loved it and so glad ShoutFactory is putting out these classic shows!

Never thought the entire series would see the light of day again
WOW this is just incredible! I never thought I'd see a day when the entire series would be released on DVD! I thought all we'd get was that pitiful Sony Vol.1 DVD set from several years ago. Now we can once again see Jimmy Joe Jeeter when the TV set falls in the bathtub and when Garth Gimble gets impaled by an aluminum Christmas tree and Loretta Haggers singing 'Baby Boy' on Dinah Shore Show, Mary's nervous breakdown, and lots more. I was only 9 years old when this was on TV originally but somehow I watched it even though the humor was over my head. I can't wait to see it all!

Shout gets a big shout out!
This was one of the best DVD release announcements ever! One of the best comedies ever! Now, we at now longer relegatedcto 25 episodes. With Shouts's release, we will have the whole series, at once! I really didn't think we would see this day but I'm thankful for it. Thank you, Shout (with Sony getting none of it)!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Superman Returns

A Superman we can root for
I remember seeing Superman IV in the theaters when I was six, how there were so many people swarming all around, how there was excitement. Clearly it was a shoddy movie, but to a kid you just can't buy that kind of palpable movie madness.

Now I'm as old as my parents were when they saw the very first Superman, and I've got to say this must be what it felt like. I think Bryan Singer is fast becoming one of the most respectable directors in Hollywood, and what he did with this movie--on a far, far grander scale than either of his X-Men movies--merits SOME kind of award come Oscar time.

We all know the story--Kryptonian boy comes to Earth, saves man from the foibles of archnemesis Lex Luthor, woos Lois Lane. Singer and Co. decided to have this movie pick up after Superman II (wise move) but you never really get a jarring sense of chronology--no General Zod references here. Instead, Supe has just returned from a nearly five-year journey to see if anything remains of...

Not Even Kryptonite Can Stop Him!
I can now forgive Bryan Singer for ditching X-Men - possibly even he couldn't have saved X-3, but what he did with Superman Returns puts him at the top of the heap of action film directors. Quite simply Superman Returns is just about perfect. It has nearly everything one could want in a 21st Century incarnation for the Man of Steel and the physical production is visually as eye-poppingly glorious as anyone could hope for. The flying scenes (especially the Superman in space scenes) have a breadth and beauty around them that almost stops one's breath - absolutely stunning.

As we've come to expect, there is great humor throughout with winks to the comic books and previous Superman flicks and director Singer doesn't shrink from paying obvious homage to the Reeve flicks - a very nice touch, indeed. Singer doesn't shrink, either, from going for broke in the second half of the film's more emotional content and the balance between action, love story, and pseudo-religious,...

The Man of Tomorrow Returns...
It's taken more than a decade to get the Man of Steel, The Man of Tomorrow, and the Big Blue Wonder to find his way back onto the big screen. After the debacle that was Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, it would be understandable that many people would be skeptical going into Superman Returns, the first film in the franchise since 1987. But now, in 2006, Bryan Singer has done what many comic book and film fans have been hoping for with the treatment of Superman - he's restored the magic, respectability and wonder to the character.

Clocking in at a nearly-epic 2 hours and 34 mins, Singer and company return to the world of Metropolis, where Superman has seemingly disappeared for close to 5 years without a trace. The world has moved on when Superman finally does make a return, a shock to the world, and even more of a shock to his love - Lois Lane. But being a part of the world, of course, Lois has also moved on - becoming engaged to the boss's son, and raising a child, placing...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Knightriders [Blu-ray]

Great B-Movie with a fine performance by a young Ed Harris
I discovered this film during the early days of HBO, when the mix was blockbusters and movies the networks did not want. George A. Romero's 1981 film "Knightriders" falls into the latter category. This is about a group of free spirits who combine a Renaissance Faire with knights in armor jousting on motorcycles between the good knights and the bad knights. It quickly becomes apparent that the personas of the main characters follow those of the legend of Camelot: the King (Ed Harris), Lancelot (Gary Lahti), Merlin (Brother Blue), and Mordred (Tom Savini), along with a Genevieve, Galahad and even a Friar Tuck thrown in for good measure. After all, this is a symbolic retelling of the tale and if you want to take it literally you are going to be left behind in the dust.

At the beginning there is a good-natured rivalry between the "good" knights and the "bad" knights. The rules of the kingdom say if Mordred and his black clad gang defeat the King or his champion, there will be a new...

One for the B Movie Hall of Fame
Occasionally, I discover a B movie that is so off the wall, so cleverly quirky, and so perfectly original that it earns a place in my imagination and in the ranks of my favorite films. `Knightriders' is such a film. After the briefest of runs on the drive-in theater circuit, it moved directly to late night airings on Cinimax in the early `80s, and there earned a small cult following. Now, with this fine DVD presentation, this odd B movie masterpiece should continue to garner new fans.
`Knightriders' tells the tale of a troupe of odd ball outsiders and their low budget traveling Renaissance fair. The main event in this fair is a genuine jousting tournament between armor clad knights mounted on motorcycles. The troupe is composed of a mismatch of hippie types who dig the romance of the medieval mythos, and adrenalin junkies who are only in it for the bikes and the action. The figure who holds them all together is King Billy (Ed Harris), the group's founder and star, who is driven...

REAL LIFE INSPIRES A REAL GOOD MOVIE
Back in the 1970's, George A. Romero went to an event of the Society for Creative Anachronism This is a group of folks who study and recreate the middle ages, including the art of combat. At this particular event, something happened that caused a large faction to split off and form Medieval Studies and Restoration, a splinter group. According to legend, Romero said to himself "I gotta make a movie about this!" He went to the sudio heads, but they did not think such a film would have commercial viability. Then in a fit of pique he said "allright, supposing we have them joust on motorcycles?" and that's how the movie got made.

The story of this movie is about a travelling renaissance faire that jousts on motorcuycles. There are two factions, one that is doing it for the Arthurian dream of honor and chivalry, and one that is doing it for the action and the money. The group fractures, but the splinter group winds up realizing that they were missing...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Lilyhammer: Season 1

Waffles, Goat Head, Fermented Trout & Un-Organized Crime In Norway! Watched by 1/5 Of The Population Of Norway!
MINOR SPOILERS:

"If I didn't watch the Olympics in 94!" Frank "The Fixer" opts for witness protection in Norway. An important distinction is that Lilyhammer is not a program about the Mafia or even crime. What the show is about and what makes it work is the cultural differences. Steven Van Zandt to his credit does not try to create a new mob persona and plays Frankie as he played Sil.

While the cultural differences are the base of the show, it is the subtle and not so subtle comedic moments (including the facial expressions of Steven Van Zandt) that make the show a pleasure to watch. Whether it is the jail cell that looks like a college dorm room (along with a guard that apologizes for locking the door) or the Employment Counselor that is genuinely offended when Frankie (AKA Johnny) attempts to bribe to get a liquor license, so that he can purchase a bar, the ancillary cast of characters keep the show fresh.

I watched all 8-episodes in 2-sittings...





Click to Editorial Reviews

Mystery Science Theater 3000: 25th Anniversary Edition [Limited-Edition Collector's Tin]

Moon Zero Two, Day The Earth Froze, The Leech Woman and Gorgo
This set contains two episodes with show creator Joel Hodgson as host and two with head-writer Mike Nelson as host. The former are from the Comedy Central era of the show while the latter are from the Sci-Fi Channel era. These are four solid episodes that fans thought might never be on DVD, so Shout! Factory has again done an excellent job of securing the rights to the films to ensure fans can add these to their collection.

MOON ZERO TWO, Episode 111
James Olson and Catherine Von Schell star in this 1969 UK color science fiction film that is really just an old western about miners set in outer space. A group of criminals want to salvage a valuable asteroid by crashing it into the moon and the only place to do it unobserved is on another miner's claim, so they dispose of the miner. They hire a salvage team (headed by Olson) to get them the asteroid, but unknown to them the missing miner's sister (Schell) hires the same salvage team to help her find her brother. It's...

Worth buying for The Day the Earth Froze alone
Of all the movies given the MST3K treatment, "The Day the Earth Froze" was hands down my absolute favorite, so I was frustrated that it hadn't turned up on any of the DVD releases...until now. And how appropriate that it's being included on the 25th Anniversary Limited Edition. Long before I discovered the fascination of Finland and Finnish culture, I was laughing until my sides ached while watching Joel and the 'bots skewer this movie. I can't wait to hear them singing "He's a loser" about Lemminkainen while using bad Scandinavian accents for much of the commentary. Do I remember the other three movies on this collection? Yeah, vaguely, and they'll be worth viewing. But the day I can pop "The Day the Earth Froze" in my disc player and blissfully join in the commentary a la Rocky Horror Picture Show will be a very good day, frozen or not!

Well Worth The Money
I currently own EVERY box set MST3K has put out and I'll never complain about the price of these things. Growing up in Minneapolis MST3K was a very large part of my childhood and these box sets take me back to those days. Im very happy to see them celebrating 25 years by bringing some classic episodes to DVD. Gorgo and Earth Froze are worth the price alone but we also get Mitchell! Either one of the Joe Don Baker films that are riffed are classics and it actually created a beef with Joe Don and the Mistie crew where Joe wanted to beat their A$$es.

I wont go too much more into depth but think about it...Wont you?

Click to Editorial Reviews

Ghost Hunters International: The Final Season

Great study of the what lies beyone - with great style!
I like GHI because it is an honest approach at finding the truth: is there life after death? And what, exactly are all these spirits? Why do they stay in certain places? Why are some of them malevolent, and some almost "friendly." I also like the characters. They are dedicated to finding the truth and very human, which really comes across. The only thing I don't like about GHI is why some of the the team members mysteriously disappear from the episodes, with no explanation. Production staff: if you are going to take us behind the scenes and give us a true reality-based approach to what is really going before-during-and after production, which is a big part of the draw, I think; then why not share with us what is really going on: what are the team members thinking? And how do they feel about their work and each other? Robb comes to mind. I liked him. No tatoos or funky hair styles. Just an honest guy that made the show that much more believable to me. But then he just...

No more debunking... Just sensationalist & dishonest rubbish.
Two incidents in this episode really exposed the shoddy nature of these investigations. Both take place during the reveal.

The first was the description by Barry to the clients of an incident in which Susan felt something grabbing at her right leg (first above & then below the back of her knee). In relating the story Barry misleads the clients when he states that the incident occurred "seconds" after they claim to have heard a disembodied, growling noise. However, the noise they heard was deep inside a cave they were exploring. Whereas Susan felt the grabbing at her leg whilst they were walking through the woods back to the plantation thus making the time lapse AT LEAST a matter of minutes, not seconds. Whilst technically (semantically) EVERY event happens a certain number of "seconds" after other events. But when the actual measurement of time is closer to 4 or 5 minutes at the very least it renders Barry's description of "seconds" as both hyperbolic and misleading...

So sorry its gone
I love this show and Ghost Hunters also. I am so upset that it's been cancelled. I think Barry did an excellant job as lead investigator. I am really going to miss it.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Amores Verdaderos

Best Novela
I loved Amores Verdaderos . I watched in CC3. I wish it didn't have to end. Maybe a sequel someday? I hope because I miss watching it. Best novela ever!!!!

Amores verdaderos
This novela is awesome!! You guys should all watch it! I love all the cast and the story!! So sad it's over though! :(

Amores Verdaderos
Starting watching this telenovela around the end of December. Remembered Enrique Yanez from a telenovela that also starred Lucero.. Totally absorbed in this telenovela and fell in love with all the characters,,,,I cannot wait for this to come out on DVD so I can watch it over and over again.. If you are interested try watching La Duena, Lazos De Amor and Destilando Amor, exceptional, awaiting your answers

Click to Editorial Reviews

Family Tree: The Complete First Season

A Big Hearted Eight Part Mockumentary Series About A Search For One's True Identity
The HBO series "Family Tree" is the latest endeavor by comic genius Christopher Guest (co-created with Jim Piddock, another terrific comedic actor). Guest has been in the business for decades as a writer, director and actor (shout out to Spinal Tap). For me, his artistic peak as a filmmaker came with his series of faux documentary features that began with 1996's "Waiting for Guffman" and carried on with 2000's "Best in Show," 2003's "A Mighty Wind," and 2006's "For Your Consideration." Guest's specialty in these films is that he really understands his subjects and has a genuine affection for them. Although absurd, they have an underlying tenderness and sweetness. He and his cast of largely improvisational performers (there is a somewhat regular stable) skewer topics such as amateur theater, dog shows, folk music, or the quest for Academy Award glory. Deadpan and droll, these features are both wickedly funny (especially Guffman and Show) and surprisingly truthful. Their humor...





Click to Editorial Reviews

Hugo [HD]

_This_ is why we go to the movies
Different people go to the movies for different reasons. Some of us want to be entertained. Some of us want to be dazzled. Some of us want to be engaged by a story, or by characters that stick in the mind after the film is done. Some of us want to be transported to a different time or place. And some of us want to see talented actors create a bit of magic in the hands of a masterful director. Martin Scorsese's Hugo does all of these things. It is, more than any other film I've seen this year, _why_ we go to the movies.

The film is based on the novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. If you've read the book, then you know the story already, but for everyone else I am going to be careful here and not reveal anything that might spoil the film. I will say that Hugo is about many things, but at its heart, it is about obsession, discovery and how one person's story can lead to - and become entwined with - another's.

The film is set in Paris in the...

No-Spoilers review of the 3D movie and the coming 2D DVD
Few read reviews to find out whether the reviewer liked the film. They want to know whether THEY will like the film--to decide whether to see the movie or not, and whether to see it in the theater or wait and see the DVD (or the download). That's the task I'll take on here.

As the Rottentomato website has already shown (it assembles and correlates scads of reviews from the press and the web, along with reader responses), the critics adore this film, the audience somewhat less so.

Part of this has to do with managing expectations. The marketing presents Hugo as an Avatar-ish 3D fantasy with a C3P0 (StarWars)-type flying robot. this is actively misleading, though that's not the director's fault.

What Hugo is, is a fable--not a fantasy--that's part tween adventure and part infomercial for the preservation and viewing of old silent movies. Most importantly--and this is a point that hasn't been made by most reviewers here and elsewhere--it's a film about...

Early review on blu-ray 3D
I was able to legitimately get an early review copy of the 3D version of the Hugo 3D blu-ray. I am not reviewing the film. I am not reviewing the acting. I am reviewing the 3D. It is incredible. Every bit as engrossing as it was in the theater. If you own a 3DTV, you owe it to yourself to buy this movie. Sure, the film itself is not everyone's cup of tea, but if you're just looking for reference quality, mind-blowing 3D? This movie will suck you in from start to finish. You are a part of the world of Hugo, from beginning to end. And, honestly, no 3D has been this engrossing since Avatar. If you love silent film, film preservation, or cinema in general, along with your three dimensions, this will be the absolute must own disc of the year! Even if they don't like the movie itself, your friends will be impressed with the 3D FX. This is one of the few films released where you can genuinely and proudly claim, "This is why I bought a 3D television!" Enjoy.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Byzantium

Amazingly Well Acted
In a time of many various forms of what it is to be vampire, like in 'True Blood', 'Twilight' movies, and 'Vampire Diaries'. Byzantium is a refreshing take on vampirism. Like the movie 'Underworld: Awaking' we have a mother/daughter team that is trying find their own identity in the world. However, in Byzantium, we get the real deal. What we find is a movie that is portraying a real life relationship between mother and daughter who are fighting to stay alive. To the detriment of an all male vampire league. The strength of the movie comes from the acting abilities of Gemma Arterton and Saoirse Ronan, as the mother and daughter lead. In the world of the 19th century and in present time they both have to deal with a male dominated world. But in the end they find their own strength as women. Showing that women are just as powerful as men, intellectually speaking. However, the ending shows that there is the potential for a sequel. Like Christopher Nolan, if there is a sequel, I...

A dash of realism
Finally, a vampire story that explores the paralyzing loneliness that must come with immortality. Something sorely overlooked in the slew of human-vamp love stories flooding the media these days. Great to see themes untouched since the likes of Bram Stoker and Anne Rice, and at the center of it all two strong, determined female leads. The film also boasts impressive, yet never heavy-handed CG. Very satisfying indeed.

Interesting and Unique
Overall, this is an excellent movie and well worth the time and money to watch. In a time of too many vampire movies, in particular Twilight, this was an interesting and unique story. And it really moved away from the dangerous male vampire seducing an innocent girl. There are 2 strong female lead characters. It is very well acted, and I think it moves at a good pace revealing story as it goes. I think at times it might appear slow, because it is building anticipation in the audience for resolution. There is depth to the characters and realistic and interesting interaction/relationships. There aren't clear divisions between good and evil. Characters all fall somewhere in the gray area on the continuum, which really reflects the reality of the human or superhuman condition.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol

Wait Until You See the Car
I won't be cliche and tell you that your mission, should you choose to accept it... You know the rest.

Without a doubt, this is the best of all the Mission Impossible movies, including the original. Over the years, the MI franchise had become something of a cartoon of itself. So, it seemed appropriate that Brad Bird should be chosen to helm MI4 Ghost Protocol. As the Oscar winning director of the Incredibles, he made animated cartoons seem very real. Now, he's made Mission Impossible real again. He's injected a fresh breathe of confidence, humor and camaraderie into a series that sorely needed it. He's not only re-invigorated the franchise, he's re-invigorated Tom Cruise's career as an action star. With this movie, Tom is back on top.

You'll notice that there is a lot of the Incredibles in MI4 Ghost Protocol. That's not only because of Brad Bird's influence, but because the Incredibles was a humorous homage to action films. You could say it's the IMF meets the...

5 star movie but 3 star blu ray disc
I think there are several reviews already with the same complaints but I just thought I would add my voice to the chorus.

No spoilers.

The Movie- 5 Stars
This movie has a ton of "hands-down" moments. Among them:
- Probably one of the best pure action movies I have ever seen. Yes, the plot is silly, but this is not a movie you walk into expecting it to change your perspective on life. It's just a fun and exciting movie which puts a very nice spin on the tired franchise with the Murphy's Law conundrums. Part of the fun is watching how Tom Cruise and team find their way around everything that the plot throws at them. One of my favorite sequences in MI3 was the Italy scenes where a daring heist is carried off flawlessly. In this movie, you have tons of heist scenes where absolutely nothing goes right and the movie still manages to find that tricky signature balance between action/plausibility/humor that carries the viewer from scene to scene with bated...

Updated for Blu-ray-Well made thriller from director Brad Bird ("The Incredibles") bodes well for his future as a director
UPDATED FOR BLU-RAY:

A couple of things about the Blu-ray edition 1) Paramount has done a stunning transfer with nice depth, clarity and detail. Skin tones look quite nice as do textures. The audio is VERY active with a great losslss 7.1 mix.

Be aware however that the sequences shot in IMAX format are NOT presented in the wider aspect ratio for the film (unlike, say, "The Dark Knight"). Also this includes a code for a Ultraviolet "copy" which means you'll have to stream the film rather than upload it to your portable device. There's also a code for itunes as well if you go that route.

The special features are good for the two disc editions but I am a bit disappointed that we don't get a feature length commentary track from Brad Bird and tom Cruise but we do get Bird's commentary for the deleted scenes and alternate opening sequence for the film. We also get featurettes on the dust storm sequence (a truly amazing sequence in a film filled with them) as...

Click to Editorial Reviews