The Comebacks Uncut [HD]

the funniest spoof
This was the ultimate funniest spoof, its just like scary movie 3 and 4 but its about football, its a little dirty in some ways but if you like football and spoofs this is a perfect combination

Worth A Chuckle (Or Two)
THE COMEBACKS is one of the dumbest, crudest, foul, uncouth, imbecilic movies I've ever seen (and based on all the films I've seen that's saying something, folks).

But. . .who cares?

This is a film that allows you to sit back and let ribald David Koechner take you on one wild and zany ride as the hapless, inept football coach Lambeau Fields (football fans will adore that name). Koechner isn't just over the top: He's practically in your grill as he tries to mold his team of dysfunctional malcontents into a competitive college football contender. Along the way we're treated to one sophomoric sight gag after another, and the film repeatedly spoofs several contemporary movies with all the delicacy of a doberman in a meat locker.

But again, who cares? THE COMEBACKS is intentionally bad (and dumb), and definitely worth the handful of chuckles it brings. The team's music video spoof to Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" and Frank Caliendo in the broadcast...

Comebacks
FUN! FUN! FUN! If you like dumb humor (and who doesn't?) then you'll love this movie. Great cast too!

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The War of the Roses (Filmmaker Signature Series) [Blu-ray]

Must see for everyone
How do you hold on to someone who want stay and how do you get reed of someone who want leave?

Oliver and Barbara (Douglas and Turner) meet at the auction. With instant chemistry between the two they are soon married. Typical American family - perfect house, 2 children, work-slave husband and bored wife. As time goes by, Barbara realizes that she no longer likes Oliver and asks for a divorce. Unfortunately for her Oliver is still crazy about her, but agrees to give her the divorce. And as we all though this would be just another civilized split, all hell breaks loose. Barbara wants to keep the house that she found and decorated, but Oliver (who paid for it) will not give it up either. And after an advice from his lawyer (DeVito) he moves back into the house. While Barbara is determined to get Oliver to leave and Oliver is trying to rekindle the romance, there civilized coexistence quickly becomes very interesting.

Believe it or not I have not given much of the movie away. Yes,...

Black Comedy at its best
Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas star in this movie with a chemistry greater than either of their previous films together, namely Romancing the Stone and Jewel of the Nile. Their shared screen time is filled with a frenzied mixture of passion, anger, lust, devotion, and resentment, a relationship that, however abstract and unrealistic it is skewed in this movie, reflects what's left of a lot of relationships once the lust leaves the marriage, or once a couple finally spends some time together (i.e. after the kids have left the nest).

It has been a long standing joke that once the kids go to college or leave the nest, many spouses find themselves wondering: "Who the hell did I marry?" Things that were never noticed now are found nagging; a sensitive husband suddenly becomes controlling; a neat homemaker suddenly becomes obsessively compulsive; a mother, now that her duties are cut, becomes anxious to get out of the house. This is exactly what this movie relates, from the Roses'...

Love it or hate it, Appreciate it!
It'd be a little redundant at this point out this film is a black comedy. That'd be like stating that Scream is a horror movie. But what exactly makes War of the Roses so funny yet so bleak? In my opinion it's the same type of entertainment one gets from listening to really nasty juicy gossip. Like when your tech-ed teacher tells you why it's bad to get your hair or fingers too close to the sanding machines.

The film is narrated by DeVito, a lawyer retelling a tale he lived through when dealing with a once happily married couple... an especially materialistic married couple! So the entire movie switches from 'past' to 'present,' focusing mostly on the story of the soon to be unhappy lovers. After their so-called civil divorce, they are both determined to keep the dream house they both contributed to, and Oliver, the once husband, is determined to keep his former wife, Barbara, who can't stand him to the point of making them both miserable! From here, the story just...

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Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3 [Blu-ray]

Lives up to the original!
This movie was totally funny!

I'm a big-time fan of the original BHChichuahua, but I found part 2 lacking and forgettable. Part 3 is way better, almost as good as the original in terms of laughs, thanks in large part to newcomer scriptwriter Dana Starfield. There were certain music scenes that had me literally rolling on the floor with laughter, and a certain happy ending that appears halfway through the closing credits that had me in tears.

I feel like a lot of effort was put into this sequal; I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys the original.

Better Than a Vacation to Fiji!
This charming film is delightful from the first bark to the last peanut butter pit! If you haven't seen the film and don't know what I'm talking about, let's just say that dogs and peanut butter is a more unbeatable combination than peanut butter and chocolate. George Lopez and the rest of the voice actors give real heart and soul to all the darling dogs, even the ones with bit (or bite sized) parts. And of course, Papi rules! This is Disney at its finest: whimsy, fun, beautiful production value and great animated magic that takes you to a happy, light-hearted place which is sometimes just what the doctor ordered during these stressful, difficult times. I felt like I was on a wonderful fantasy vacation with my lovely dog friends at the very posh Langham Pasadena. Not only five star accommodations, but a five star film all the way! The talking animal effects are the most effective to date and helped pull me into their idyllic, happy world. Felt as rested as if I went on a spa...

Disney classic!!
This is for sure a Disney classic, because this movie has everything a great disney classic needs, great characters, great/funny/sarcastic villians, and a great catchy song sung by rainia Rodriguez. The story was great the chihuahua animation was awesome really cool, good story and always kept everyone interested in the movie.

I highly reccommend if looking for a good family film!

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The Venus Wars

Remastered, Widescreen, Vivid in Color - Venus Wars - A Masterpiece in Story and Animation
Released twice before by Central Park Media and an owner of that release, I had to purchase this new release of Venus Wars by Discotek aka Eastern Star and do a comparison. I collect Discotek releases so I know for a fact, all their releases, are always a significant upgrade. Why else would they go to so much trouble in reviving an old, out of print classic and giving it a new release? Read below to find out.

The old Central Park Media release was letterboxed, grainy and looked like a washed out VHS source. You could just see the dust, the scratches and grain from the print. The colors looked bland and the detail was not showing through on the DVD. Considering the first DVD release was 1998 and the next authored release was 2003, standards are a lot higher today and therefore I would have to rate the video quality a D on the old releases.

Now fast forward to 2012, the Discotek release is Anamorphic Widescreen, the picture finally fits the screen and allows the...

Good anime.
This is one of the first anime movies that I watched, so I have a lot of nostalgia for it. For years I was forced to watch a low quality VHS version. So I am glad to finally have it on DVD. The video and sound quality are pretty good considering the age of the movie itself.

GREAT ACTION!
This is a very action pack anime if I ever seen one. Storyline is wonderful and the action is awesome!

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The Heart Specialist [HD]

These reviews are horrific and crude...
I am a filmmaker. I understand the complexities when it comes to having an idea for a film and executing it. I understand that. But let's be honest, this film isn't at all what you expected it to be. For me, the film made me realize that not all African-American comedies are sheer foolishness. This story is simple, sweet, and at times, very funny. The acting was good from the principal cast, better than I thought it would be (especially from Wood Harris; he proves time after time that he is capable of taking on the most unusual and unique roles).

To the reviews based on the film in general, you don't have to like (or review) every film you see. I don't like a lot of films for different reasons, whether it's based on the script, the acting, the directing, cinematography, etc. -- but, that's not the issue here. The issue is the audience and lack of a critical response to what they felt went wrong with the film as a whole.

Movie makers want movie goers to appreciate...

Heart Specialist has a heart
Does every movie have to be judged by the standards of "the Hollywood package"? I think not. I think there's definatly room for movies like this that don't fit neatly into a little pidgeon-hole of "drama" where there are no laughs or "comedy" where everything's slap-stick. This movie more closely resembles life: you have to laugh at things that are too overwhelming for tears; on the other side of laughter you find an amazing lesson that sticks with you and changes you like no lecture ever could. Not to mention that things happen sometimes that are just....je'n se pas.
Young intern Ray Howard (Brian White) has followed his heart and a woman to Florida's "Mediocre Memorial" despite his blue-blood Harvard education and all its promise. Good-looking and well-educated, he is, or is about to be, a man who can have anything. Or is he? As he encounters one brick wall after another he is noticed by the dynamic duo of Donna (Zoe Saldana) and Dr. Z (Wood Harris) who decide he is...

I Liked It
I'm honestly not too surprised that some found this movie a little slow. It doesn't follow what seems to be the standard cliche for "African American" comedy dramas, IMO. That is, absurd drama, stereotypes, a measure of preaching and even more over-the-top drama followed up with an illogical ending all the while with sprinkles of black culture throughout and slapstick. While there was admittedly some level of 'preach' here, it wasn't so different than any other movie and I felt it was well done in the various subtle ways due ot the characters' interaction.

I will try not to give too many spoilers away but warn that I might, so you may want to skip to the end of the review if you don't want to know too much. The synopsis was already well described, the main characters are Ray, Donna and Dr. Zachary (Sidney), played by Brian White (JoJo White's son!), Zoe Saldana and Wood Harris. The story is about a young doctor trying to find his way - and the pieces of his heart -...

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The Black Belle

great film
this is a great indie film... a very original film... a perfect portrait of LA's most dangerous angel and all the men desperately and destructively falling in her path.

Laugh out loud funny!
I love movies that really make me laugh. There is a scene in this film that made me fall off my couch. It's a scene with Bret Roberts and Brian McGuire, who's actually the Director of the film. It's a dark comedy and not for those who are easily offended, but the writing, directing and acting earned my five stars. It's always a joy to find an indie gem like this.

Don't waste your time.
This movie is terrible. The acting sub-par at best. I watched the entire movie hoping for some redeeming quality, unfortunately that never happened. Pick anything else to watch.

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Kung Pow: Enter The Fist [HD]

One of the funniest
Kung Pow is one of the most hilarious movies I have ever seen. I've seen it more than 15 times, and I still laugh out loud every time I see it. This movie uses footage from an old 1970's Kung Fu movie and splices it together with some new footage made specially for this movie. This mishmash is then dubbed with cheesy sounding voices. It's a completely nonsensical and silly movie. You won't be able to resist laughing. Perhaps the most famous scene in this movie is when the hero happens to find a cow and this cow jumps up and challenges him to a fight. There is even milk shooting out like the bullets in The Matrix. If you have a craving for a goofy movie, this is my top recommendation. If you don't like goofy movies, then avoid it.

Why rate this intelligently, when it's brilliantly stupid?
It's insane, and I'm not talking about the movie... yet. I've seen reviews where the person is straining their vocabulary to make their negative review of this movie sound credible and intelligent. Truthfully, reviews have to be intelligent if they are going to be negative, (the critic's reputation depends on it) but this movie doesn't deserve such spellchecking. It is stupid and wonderful and that's all that matters. Why? That's a question you almost don't need to ask. Either you like this movie or you don't, (but even if you don't you may eventually change your mind).

For the record, writer director Steve Oedekerk has taken an obscure Hong Kong movie from the 70s, digitally transferred it, and incorporated new footage of his own and redubbed the voices for some well needed comedic insanity. The result is something you don't need the IQ of say... a movie critic (*ahem*) to appreciate. Sometimes in life, things don't make sense nor do they need to. I imagine that movie...

Spoofs a Genre Readily Spoofable
Sometimes a movie's best charm is in perfectly hitting upon a certain relaxed pace that lets a viewer just flow with its light screwball comedy. This movie did that for me. Sometimes specific episodes seemed like they'd be tedious or boring in some movies, but this movie set its mood so precisely that they were welcome here. A movie like CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON, with its dead-serious tone demanding a creedence that was certainly stretched by scenes seeming to defy gravity and other things, invites having minor fun poked at it by a spoof like this. As such this movie is timely, and that perhaps increases its charm. Should someone call this film stupid, that would be hard to refute, but if stupid, it's delightfully stupid. Maybe its success is due to being perfectly attuned in what it demands from its audience. I've seen movies that were stupid but begged to be taken seriously, and watching them can range from embarrasing to insufferable. But KUNG POW: ENTER THE FIST begs only to...

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The Do-Deca-Pentathlon [HD]

Slice of Life
Two brothers, each pushing middle age, and each with their own set of baggage, breathe new life into an old and unfinished piece of business at a gathering at Mom's house (the old family home) for a family birthday party. The Do-Deca-Pentathlon is an epic battle of strength and mettle, and is comprised of a series of 25 quasi-sports events (ping-pong, skeeball, arm-wrestling, air hockey, breath-holding, push-ups, laser tag, go-kart racing, etc.). The game ends after 13 of the 25 games are won, and the prize is the the coveted "Best Brother" title. And so it goes.

I loved this independent film: it was not unnecessarily complicated (a breath of fresh air), the characters and the situations were wholly relatable, and for the most part, everybody was nice to each other, even when they didn't want to be. At just over an hour long, the story never lagged. I am very happy I took a chance on this quirky film I'd never heard of...and so will you, I'd wager.

great
The acting was great and the editing was fantastic. it's a story about sibling rivalry and life expectation gone wrong. sometimes the only way to tell someone you love them is to have a not so friendly competition to find out who is the best at life.

Funny And Entertaining
This is a very entertaining film which I enjoyed thoroughly. It is smart in an unobtrusive way and funny, too. But mostly, The Do-Deca-Pentathlon is a poignant drama which explores the estrangement of filial love gone terribly wrong. The immediate theme which is developed with great humor and insight is competition and who's better. The struggle (which takes place over 25 grueling tests of physical exertion) is one of honor as much as of prowess. The mystery of what's ultimately at stake propels the narrative forward. The Do-Deca-Pentathlon is a very male film. The woman characters are depicted as wretched and helpless in the face of hormone-driven adolescence run amok in middle aged men. This is a deftly constructed film from the Duplass brothers whose always interesting work seems to be maturing quickly.

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Theo: God's Heart

Great for teaching the kids about Jesus
My kids view the Theo series at their Sunday school class and are so excited to get to watch it at will now. Such a brilliant illustration of the bible and Gods love for us. Superb.

EXCELLENT!
Theo movies (we have the whole set!) teach God's Word in an accurate and simple way children can understand. They like watching Theo over and over. Educational, yet fun, too. I can't reccomend these enough. Conservative music throughout.

Excellent.....very well done....
We have bought the whole series so far for our daughter (8 yr old) and it has been a very good tool for us to explain God to her.....even for us it has been an excellent way to hear about the word of God and our Christian faith.....very good job! And please keep making more!.......Suarez Family..

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Saving Sarah Cain [HD]

Favorite Lewis book now a favorite movie! 5 Stars all the way!
I was hesitant to buy this movie since I love the book by Lewis and thought no one could make a film to do it justice. I also live in Western PA among Amish and know many well. I didn't think they could be portrayed right either. I was so wrong! Landon did an excellent job! I cried! This movie is so touching! The acting is EXCELLENT! The story of redemption shines through clearly. I have to buy this movie for many who feel like Sarah in the beginning...hurt by life and very hard toward God and others...this movie shows the way back home to God & family... We need more movies like this!

Very rough start but ends strong
This adaptation of Beverly Lewis' novel The Redemption of Sarah Cain is another commendable addition to the oeuvre of telefilm producer/director Michael Landon, Jr. Taking great liberties with the plot of the novel, the picture turns the usual Witness-esque story of the 'English' trying to adapt to the life of the Amish on its head. It places the devout orphans of the protagonist's recently departed sister in the heart of a major city and explores the effect it has on their hearts and their family dynamic.

The beginning of the film is worrisome due to extremely clunky dialogue that sounds like it was cobbled from a book of movie journalism cliches. All the editor (played with sorely-needed light humor by Elliott Gould of M*A*S*H and...

Good to watch - then have family disussion
Good FAMILY movie.
It will be a reference point for family discussions about life, values, even death of a parent.
Best of all, no part of this movie is not child friendly.

It didn't "hold" my older girls attention....but I bet she will want to watch it again.
I bought the book too and hope to start it soon.

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Grandma's Boy [HD]

"Don't judge me, monkey."
Allen Covert, who we all know from his character parts in numerous Adam Sandler movies, stars in this film. The movie definitely has a familiar Sandler-type feeling to it, but I thought it worked well with the given cast.

It all starts out with a hilarious scene where Alex (Covert) is being evicted from his place while playing video games. It turns out his roommate has acquired a penchant for Filipino hookers and he's spent all the rent money on his addiction. It sounds pretty weak, but it's a great scene and it's really well done.

A good number of actors make guest appearances. Rob Schneider is the Middle-Eastern landlord, David Spade is a feminine waiter at a health food restaurant, Kevin Nealon is an overly spiritual boss, the kid from Dodgeball (Joel Moore) plays a video game designing genius who has a robot as part of his dual personality, the mother from Everybody Loves Raymond plays Alex's grandmother... Nick Swardson (who is a professional stand-up comic)...

Surprisingly funny
I'm usually leary of anything bearing Adam Sandler's Happy Madison production label, but much to my surprise, Grandma's Boy is a blast. Allen Covert (who also co-wrote and produced) stars as a 35 year old video game tester working on a hit new game, and in his spare time he is secretly designing his own game while smoking a lot of marijuana. When he gets kicked out of his house, he ends up living with his grandmother (Doris Roberts) and her two room mates (Shirley Knight and Shirley Jones) while dealing with his best friend (Nick Swardson), his ultra tan dealer (Peter Dante), his super hot new boss (the ultra hot Linda Cardellini), and some other weirdos as well. Despite it's predictable plot and gags, Grandma's Boy works mainly because of it's stars and the blast they're having filming it. Covert, Swardson, and Dante (all of which had a hand in either writing or producing the film) are quite funny in their roles, with Swardson stealing the show as a granny loving master of Dance...

Idiotic Perfection
It's rare that I give a comedy five stars, but "Grandma's Boy" is perfect. Comedic timing, a brief romantic angle, wonderfully silly acting and a fun plot make this one of the most perfect comedies I've ever seen. Allen Covert plays Alex, a recently homeless video game tester who's just looking for a break. He visits his local weed dealer, played tightly by Peter Dante, to see if he can stay at his house for awhile. Alex has second thoughts about staying there when he finds out that Dante's African tribesman buddy, Dr. Shokalu, has acquired an actual lion to protect the stash. His next attempt at bedding down is with his game-testing buddy, played with stereotypical geek charm by Nick Swardson. His sleepover experience at Swardson's home reveals that Swardson still lives with his parents, has a lot of toys, and a really cool car bed. It also leads up to the first really funny (and really wrong) confrontation involving Covert and one of Swardson's family members. From there,...

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Just Wright [HD]

Just Wright Review
JUST WRIGHT

STARRING: Queen Latifah, Common, Paula Patton, Pam Grier, James Pickens Jr. and Phylicia Rashad

WRITTEN BY: Michael Elliot

DIRECTED BY: Sanaa Hamri

Rated: PG
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Release Date: 14 May 2010
Review Date: 25 May 2010

It's been refreshing seeing so many romantic comedies as of late, that were not only good, but clean as well. Leap Year, Letters to Juliet and now Just Wright, have all been very tasty films and were all rated PG.

The adorable Queen Latifah who is one of the few people in Hollywood you can tell has a good soul just by looking at her; stars as Leslie Wright. All of Leslie's life, she has been the `friend' to charming and available guys. No one has ever wanted to be more than that with her in the end, and to add insult to injury, guys tend to fall for her best friend Morgan (Paula Patton).

Morgan is indeed beautiful, but then so is Leslie, and only an idiot...

Predictable plot, interesting characters
Nothing about this film seemed any more unique than any other romantic sports style film. Boy chases girl. Boy gets girl. Boy dogs girl. Boy makes it better. The end. While other friends and family around me were just dying for the release date of this film, I wasn't going to see it. However, when I saw Common and Queen Latifah (fake?) flirting it up on "The Mo'Nique Show," I found them entertaining. They sure did look believable, so it made me want to see them in action. I saw the film. I won't lie to you. It is about as predictable as you would guess. Leslie is the girl's guy, the next-door-neighbor style lady who is chummy with all the guys but they don't really get a spark out of her. She's every guy's best friend who's a girl but not girlfriend material.

But her roommate Morgan (Paula Patton) knows what to wear and what to do to sink her teeth into a man. Her eyes are set on Scott McKnight (Common), and he of course chases her. She badly wants to be a basketball wife...

Great Movie
I love this movie so much. I have watched this movie at least 4 times since I purchased it. Every time I watch it I always feel so positive about meeting the right man for me. Queen Latifah and Common had such great chemistry. Paula Patton was just too cute and funny. James Pickens Jr., Phylicia Rashad and Pam Greir were so good as the parents. The story was so positive. It is too bad that Hollywood doesn't produce more postive movies about African-American relationships like this.

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Romeo + Juliet [HD]

appropriate reimagining of classic text
I think a lot of reviews of this film have been unduly harsh. I have had a fair amount of Shakespearean exposure (I was an English major in college), and I am actually impressed with Baz Luhrmann's interpretation of the text. Some people are so blinded by the seeming erudite stuffiness of Shakespeare's work that they forget what this play is really about. `Romeo and Juliet' is a teenage melodrama! With that said, this film works well.

* To begin with, Leonardo DiCaprio and Clare Danes come off just right as the "star-crossed lovers." They handle their lines - perhaps - a bit awkwardly, and their key scenes are overacted. But as far as I'm concerned, their somewhat `poor' performances are actually perfect. In the reality of the play - Romeo and Juliet's behavior (though arguably passionate) is less than genuine. They are young, fickle, and full of hormones, and what might seem like acts of heart-felt love and desire are actually just curious explorations of subversive...

Special Edition is SPECIAL indeed! Great for thy collection!
This review is STRICTLY for the SPECIAL EDITION DVD of the film. To me it's already a given as to what a masterpiece Baz Luhrmann has put to the screen.

The special edition gives you all the treats you need. I'm not talking about still pages of text to read! I'm talking RAW footage of DiCaprio & Danes practicing their lines, many, many production scenes that leave your mouth open like, "oh, my gosh, I had no idea they had to go through all of that trouble just to shoot that brief scene"-kind of stuff, and best of all, an early treatment (pitch) for the film that was shot in Australia w/ DiCaprio in some alley ways. Rather lengthy, not just a mini-clip, Amazing! Insightful interviews of Baz Luhrmann; why do Shakespeare, how difficult it was to sell the idea to Hollywood, why he made the movie in the style that it is, etc.). If you have the original DVD & are debating, go for it!

The only disappointing thing was the production value of Claire Danes' interview... DiCaprio's...

Crisp, fresh and breathtaking; this reimagining stands at the head of the pack...
William Shakespeare's classic `Romeo + Juliet' is probably one of the most influential pieces of literature ever recorded. You can feel its presence and influence breathing life into just about everything we read, watch or listen to these days. With a tale this classic, this important to modern cinema it becomes something a bit wary to tackle it at its core and `remake' it from scratch. One may be a tad hesitant to embrace its new shape and form and rightfully so. When you look at the track record for remakes it becomes apparent that in general what was once golden should be left well enough alone. In Romeo + Juliet's case though this is a reimagining so magical it surpasses the original and becomes a momentous piece in the history books of cinema. Yes, Baz Luhrmann single handedly breathes a whole new life into this adaptation, handing to his audience a masterful and experimental film that never lets us out of its grasp.

The first thing that Luhrmann did right was...

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Tooth Fairy 2 [HD]

kids will love it.
This is a place to review the products not express an opinion against a celebrity that a person thinks is stale. For anyone that wants to know if it's a great movie for kids, my 4 and 5 year old love it. There is nothing offensive about it. It's not going to win any Oscars but I'm pretty sure the makers didn't expect a nomination. There is no violence and it's a cute story. Nothing about it you'll have to explain to your kids later. So for parents that just want 90 mintues of peace and quiet its worth the purchase.

Fun for the whole family!
I judged this by the same standards I would judge an adult movie:

Did it keep my attention throughout the film?
Was the story-telling original?
Was the sequence of events credible (within the context of the fantasy)?
Was the humor original and did I laugh spontaneously?
Were the casting choices and acting good?

I consider myself a harsh but fair critic, judging a work by its merit within its own genre. I thoroughly enjoyed "Tooth Fairy 2."

Kids loved it.
My kids loved it that the "Head Fairy" was a kid. They know Larry the Cable Guy and his redneck ways, so the farce was complete. Total turn-around from the Rock version.

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Predator [HD]

Fox blows it on Blu-Ray again
My 1-star review is not for the movie, Predator, which I love. I bought it twice on DVD: the first single-disc release with no extras, and then the excellent 2-disc special edition. I am not going to be buying on Blu-Ray, however, until the chowder-heads over at Fox start including all of the ALREADY PRODUCED extras on their Blu-Ray discs. Case in point: Predator.

Predator on Blu-Ray features a higher definition transfer (though on a single layer disc), but carries over none of the special features from the 2-disc DVD. How hard would this have been? Make it a dual layer Blu-Ray, and just throw them all on there in standard definition. That would have guaranteed and instant buy for me. But this habit of dumping the film bare-bones onto Blu-Ray is reminiscent of the early days of DVD, and I thought we were past that. Other studios are doing a fine job of including all the special features, so why is Fox being dumb? And why are they slapping a $40 MSRP on a bare-bones...

Shameful Quality Blu-Ray
This is the worst quality Blu-Ray I have come across so far. $26.95 is outrageous for a DVD to Blu-Ray dub. Your probably better off getting the widescreen DVD than the Blu-Ray and playing the movie on upscaling DVD player, you will get the same quality. The movie is classic, just don't buy the Blu-Ray version unless you find it in a bargin bin somewhere.

Ultimate Hunter Edition is FANTASTIC!
I recently tried to watch my Predator DVD, circa 1997 (or thereabouts) and it looked horrible. It was a fullscreen, widescreen disc with black bars on top, bottom, left, and right (which insluts my HD TV). The film was also not cleaned before transfer so it included wonderful hairs and scratches too. That's not to mention the films always horrible fuzzyness.

Don't believe all the whiners, Predator: The Ultimate Hunter Edition is the best this film has ever looked, and probably ever will look. Some people complained about too much Digital Noise Reduction. They said that it doesn't look like its supposed to anymore...don't listen to them. I almost didn't buy this disc because of all the complaining people were doing, but I'm glad I did.

Yes, there are maybe 3 shots where Carl Weathers' face looks a little too smooth in the beginning of the film, but that comprises about 10 seconds of the film. The rest of it looks great. The film still has film grain, it just isn't...

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Max Payne [HD]

Suspend disbelief and enjoy!
The Blu-ray Disc includes the Theatrical Version and the Unrated, Extended Cut. We watched the 'Extended Cut' and were not disappointed. They spared no change in producing this film. If you want to see the best your Blu-ray system can deliver, then look no further. It was extraordinarily beautiful---almost 3D like. I'm left to think of some of the snow scenes and how I felt I could reach out and capture the giant snowflakes---how I reached for a throw, suddenly feeling a chill.

I thought Mark Wahlberg did a splendid job portraying Payne. I was immediately drawn into the storyline with him seeking those responsible for the brutal murders of his wife and baby and how he was willing to die to avenge their deaths. His grief and anger were palpable and justifiable.

I've enjoyed Max Payne video games and I don't feel that they did an injustice to the gaming fans, with this production. I could easily translate Mark Wahlberg's character and the setting, into that...

Great action & camera but that's about it
I enjoyed this movie for the action and cinematography but that was about it. The gun play is fantastic, and it reminded me of the movie "Desperado," starring Antonio Banderas and Joachim Almeida (it even featured Cheech Marin as the bartender) from 10 or 15 years ago in its emphasis on fancy gun play. That much was entertaining at least.

I didn't mind that the plot was full of holes (after all, the movie is based on a video game so I wasn't expecting anything profound there),but unfortunately, the worst thing about the movie is that Wahlberg, who is certainly a talented actor and who I like, just doesn't seem that involved in the role. His whole performance is somewhat wooden, and from his past roles he's certainly capable of better. He's also a quite competent martial artist and quite athletic, reminding me of Lawrence Olivier when he was young, who used to do all his own stunts, when he broke a lot of bones. My generation only remembers Olivier from his senior years'...

Max Payne
Three years ago, NYPD detective Max Payne's wife and baby were murdered. Max gets himself transferred to the cold case office where he can continue searching for the killer who got away. He's a loner, but two people reach out to him during a fateful week: Alex, his ex-partner who may have found a clue, and BB, the security chief at the pharmaceutical company where Max's wife worked. Meanwhile, bodies are piling up, some as a result of a drug on the street that is highly addictive and, for many who take it, brings hideous hallucinations. When one of the bodies is a woman Payne was the last to see alive, her sister comes looking for him armed to the teeth; Max must move fast.
I thought this movie was pretty good. If you ever played the games and liked it, then you will like the movie. Great action and great visuals.

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The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel [HD]

Great Fun
"The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" is great feel good film. I found it to be quite captivating and am very glad that I made the effort to see it. I recommend it to others.

In brief, the film revolves around the coming together of seven elderly and somewhat impecunious Britons who, of their own volition, and quite separately, decide to retire to The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel in Jaipur. They discovered the place on the internet and, as we all should know, the internet can sometimes be a bit misleading. Indeed, this is the case here. The hotel had been billed as a marvelous palace when, in fact, it was tired and chaotic.

The seven visitors form the key members of the cast and are led by Judi Dench, Maggie Smith and Bill Nighy. Some can adjust to the way of life in India while others fail completely. Along the way, we are given a peek into daily life in India in all its colour and noise.

The movie is often funny but always enthralling. I will say no...

A thoroughly delightful film.
John Madden's "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" may not be a great film, but it is a thoroughly enjoyable one that will keep you entertained from beginning to end. It isn't challenging in the slightest, which has caused many critics to downgrade it, or damn it with faint praise. All I know is that the audience in the packed theater where I saw the film applauded at the end, and I applauded with them.

By now everyone knows the story of "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel." A group of English retirees decides for various reasons (mostly financial) to move to India. The retirement hotel they choose sounds glorious from the brochure, but turns out to be a rundown, if once-grand, hulk run by a young Indian with much more enthusiasm than skill. A lot of comedy ensues, and a little conflict and tragedy; attitudes are changed, old bonds broken, and new bonds forged.

The ensemble cast of British character actors ranges among the super-famous (Judi Dench, Maggie Smith), the...

Couldn't be better!
I saw TBEMH at a theater in a community well-known for its attractiveness to retirees. Most of the audience seemed to be over sixty. I am in my 70s. The reactions I heard were all about relating to the characters and the dialogue. Most of the dialogue was more original than Maggie Smith's comment about green bananas, which I've heard dozens of times before. Having visited northeastern India and felt its overwhelming splendor and squalor, I was reminded of much of what I saw there. India itself seemed to be one of the characters, and was ably supported by both young and old Indian characters but also stood on its own with the visuals and the cacophony. The Hindu funeral made me wish I could have one too when my time comes. This is a movie I will see again and again just for the pleasure of seeing people and places that make me feel that it's really OK to be 70 and "out there."

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O. Henry's Full House [HD]

A Full House Indeed.
At long last one of my favorite films has finally made it to DVD and I can throw my TV copy VHS away. O Henry has always been a favorite writer of mine and it just so happens that he is buried right here in Asheville, North Carolina. If you visit his grave you will find coins on it in honor of THE GIFT OF THE MAGI. I remember first seeing this film on television back in the early 1960s. I was especially taken by the story of THE LAST LEAF (and still am today). It spurred me on to find and read other O Henry short stories where I then discovered that he had written well over two hundred of them!

For this 1952 omnibus film 5 stories were chosen (THE COP AND THE ANTHEM, THE CLARION CALL, THE LAST LEAF, THE RANSOM OF RED CHIEF, and of course MAGI) along with 5 different directors (Howard Hawks, Henry Hathaway, Henry King, Henry Koster, Jean Negulesco) and a top notch cast (Charles Laughton, Richard Widmark, Anne Baxter, Fred Allen, Jeanne Crain and a young Marilyn Monroe). To...

Heartwarming stories with a message
These 5 stories are based on O Henry's short stories about the lives of the average human being. Very heartwarming and insightful. Most have a "message" about life, love, and the pursuit of happiness. Well acted and well written. Funny and poignant. My favorite is "Gift of the Magi" and the true meaning of love. Best if viewed with your family.

Narrated by John Steinbeck
Not mentioned anywhere else in the description and cast, is that the introduction to each story by John Steinbeck. He didn't do many appearances on film, so this is a special surprise and pleasure.

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The Transporter [HD]

Rules are made to be broken
Transporter DVD

Transporter is a high action movies involving an ex-Special forces soldier who earns his living transporting "packages" for various clients, mostly shady. In this movie, the transporter ( Jason Stratham )violates his own rules ( he's real big on rules ) and looks inside the package, doesn't like what he sees and doesn't complete the delivery. Bad idea, now the client is after him, along with the police. The movie is set in the French countryside so if you don't enjoy the thrill-a-minute action, just enjoy the view.

Highly recommended for fans of Jason Stratham , James Bond movies, and high action movies, especially car chases.

Gunner March, 2008

Hey guys and gals! You'll both like this one.
I wasn't expecting to enjoy an action flick last night, but when my hubby popped in Transporter I found my attention held almost against my will. I don't generally choose action for my own movie nights. Unexpectedly, the combination of incredible but well-pulled-off stunt sequences and the undeniable charisma of Jason Statham hooked me in.

In case you (like most law-abiding citizens) didn't know, a transporter is the guy who not only acts as a high-priced delivery service for such savory folk as mobsters, but also occasionally lands gigs driving the getaway car from the scene of the crime. From the opening scene where he is doing just that, our transporter, Frank Martin, is clearly the best in the business. A series of improbable car stunts and narrow escapes during the getaway chase establishes the general fast pacing of this movie and the slick professionalism of our "hero". And guys, his Beemer almost has enough gadgets to qualify as a 007 model.

This transporter made the...

Jason Statham had better become a big star.
The title of the movie is The Transporter. That's apt, considering it's Jason Statham's character, who truly steals the entire movie. It's been a VERY long time since an action star has made the kind of impression Statham has, who's delightfully cool and charismatic, physically agile and imposing, and simply a great deal of fun to watch for every minute he's on screen.

The Transporter was 2002's best pure action film, loaded with thrilling stunts, fast-paced car chases, and some of the most memorable fight scenes (the oil-slick fight is a classic). True, there's not much of a story and a lot of the other actors are pretty bad (Ric Young, Matt Schulze), but the pacing is tight, the action's non-stop, and Statham and Qi Shu make for a surprisingly decent pairing. This is enthusiastically recommended to action fans.

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Last Decade Of Steam

My own fault for not reading the fine print.
After wading through about 60 pages of video offerings on Amazon about trains and not about trains I was surprised to find this video about the last decade of steam and clicked buy immediately. Only after receiving it did I find out it is about steam in Australia. It's OK but I was thinking it would include the last decade of American steam and include my favorite Big Boys and Challengers. Instead it is about a bunch of steam engines I have never seen before so to me just a curiosity. It was spelled out in the ad and I missed it.





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The Best of Ancient Aliens, Blu-ray Edition

Four Episodes Of Great Speculative Entertainment, But Poor Marketing And A Steep Per Episode Price Tag
First of all, my lowered rating has everything to do with this particular release and NOT the TV show "Ancient Aliens." As the History Channel has veered away from classic historical content to shows with more entertainment pizzazz, "Ancient Aliens" has always seemed like a good fit to bridge this gap. Tales of mysterious and unexplained phenomenon, folklore and legend, and intergalactic speculation cross all international boundaries and are an inherent part of ancient history and cultural iconography. And as this documentary series began in its first season, it did a good job acknowledging the various interpretations of alien myths across the globe. Sometimes, over the years, the topics have gotten a bit thin and/or repetitive--but overall, this speculative entertainment has produced many an intriguing episode.

I'm not exactly sure, however, what the market is for this particular release. It has four episodes, has no special features, and runs about 3 hours and 46 minutes...

The visitors
This 2 disc set begins in Egypt at the Step Pyramid, the oldest of 97 pyramids. Some of the evidence, at times seems rather tenuous - one of the reasons given for evidence being that the ancient Egyptians wanted to fly. Most people do dream of this; but then we are shown models from Egypt and South America that if made larger, in the same exact proportions, actually would fly.
There are mysteries that cannot be explained. These 2 DVDs do not hold definite answers, but they absolutely present questions that are unanswerable and lead to conclusions that there were visitors to ancient civilizations. It is amazing to see Monte Alban - a mountain with the top cut off...why? Except that it looks like a perfect area for landings.

The discs contain subjects on: the evidence, mysterious places - like the Bermuda Triangle, aliens and the old west and the Mayan conspiracy. They admit much of the evidence is ambiguous and one appreciates this honesty.

Emphasis is put on...

Loved it! Still want more...........
Can't beat the price. A good start to the series. I have some episodes recorded on my DVR that I would like to get permanently, too.

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Damsels In Distress

Quirky but loveable
This is the long-awaited return of writer-director Whit Stillman, who we last saw with the delicious 1998's "Last Days of Disco" movie.

"Damsels in Distress" (98 min.) brings the story set at a fictional Northeast university in which a group of young women, namely Violet (played by Greta Gerwig), Rose (played by Megalyn Echikunwoke) and Heather (played by Carrie MacLemore) take a transfer student Lily (played by Analeigh Tipton) under their wings. The group is determined to bring a better life to students, running the Suicide Center (which they rename the Suice Prevention Center). Of course that is not counting for the guy troubles that may, and will, occur. One of those is a fellow named Xavier. There is a hilarious scene in which Lily tries to explain that Xavier is spelled with an X, when one of the other girls say that it is surely it is spelled with a Z, as in "Zorro", at which point Violet surmises that the letters X and Z are pronouned the same when not ending in a...

Another Great One from Whit Stillman
After reading reviews I thought this film would be much different than his others but now that I have seen it I think it was quite similar. It is critical, smart, interesting, and funny. Some of the dialogue is absolutely hilarious. Whit Stillman is the only filmmaker I know of that writes pretty realistic yet comic films about the elite. It is fascinating to me to see how these people think. This film, even more than his others, shows how sad and pathetic the people that run the world really are. Sure they are oppressing just about everyone on earth and their actions cause untold devastation and suffering yet they believe they are doing the right thing "God's Work". This is a scathing yet sympathetic critique of the American aristocracy. One would think this would be impossible but here it is. He really has matured as a filmmaker. This is his most complex and nuanced work yet. Also, as with most cutting edge art, this film will likely require repeated exposure for one to...

Not A Whit Has Been Lost Since The Last Days of Disco
Life, perhaps, is an allusion. Therefore, gentle reader, please move on to a different review if you don't smile in Pavlovian fashion when hearing uttered the name "Whit Stillman."

Recently I learned that Stillman's Last Days of Disco has yet to break even in sales. Alas, how long we NCAs (see below) have waited since they booked that clown! Damsels in Distress, gratefully, is scarcely stillborn-- rather, it's more Still. If you have worn laser holes into your Criterion-Collection copies of Metropolitan, Barcelona, and The Last Days of Disco, then Damsels will not disappoint. However, if you are unfamiliar with the signature dialogue, settings, motifs, and characters of this returned-to-America auteur, perhaps Damsels will disappoint. Here, I write for the initiates. (And for these, I whisper, "Watch closely: the professor and one of the two off-campus waitresses are familiar friends from the trilogy!")

What's to tell? There are four principle characters, all...

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John Tucker Must Die [HD]

Surprisingly Entertaining
With little to do in an unfamiliar town, I found myself sitting in a familiar place: a movie theater. My only choice was seeing John Tucker Must Die, which I'll admit I was less than thrilled to see. I just hoped that I hadn't wasted 8 bucks to eat overpriced popcorn. And I was pleasantly surprised: John Tucker Must Die is actually funny and cute. Granted, the title gives off an edgy feel, something this movie is completely devoid of, instead being a chick flicky, teen comedy in the same vein as 10 Things I Hate About You.

Kate (Brittany Snow) is the new girl at school. Her mom (Jenny McCarthy) has a tendency to skip town when things get rough in her love life (a la Hilary Duff's mom in The Perfect Man), so Kate is pretty clueless when it comes to love. Which is what makes her the perfect vessel for three girls to use in order to get back at John Tucker, who had been dating all three of them. So they set their seemingly evil plan in motion: get John Tucker to fall for Kate...

Just another teen movie
John Tucker Must Die is just like all the other teen comedies of our time. We have the wallflower, Kate (played by Brittany Snow), who feels invisible because her mother is constantly moving them around on her search for the perfect man. Because she moves around so much, she feels invisible in school and finds it hard being the new girl. She desperately wants to fit in and decides to try harder.

At her new school a guy named John Tucker is the most popular guy--captain of the basketball team, loaded parents, the whole shebang. Her job as a waitress at the local restaurant lets her see the fact that John wines and dines a different girl every night of the week, all of them completely oblivious to the fact that he's cheating on them. He dates one of each high school stereotype: the pretty head cheerleader, Heather (Ashanti), the smart reporter, Carrie (Arielle Kebbel), and the vegan activist/whore, Beth (Sophia Bush). When they discover that they're getting played, the...

Cute
This is a cute movie, more for young girls. I loved it, i am a kid at heart. This movie shows to not mess with women that what goes around always come back around. I highly recommend this movie

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The Left Hand Of God [HD]

Only one point to make
This is one of the good ones. Moviegoers who are not traditionally devout, who find no comfort in organized religion, often find they can't stand movies with any religious content. This is a good one, though. Humphrey Bogart plays an American pilot who has found he has only one way to escape the Chinese warlord (Lee J. Cobb? LEE J. COBB? Yeah, really!) who has practically owned him for years. Rent it first, if you like: this is one of the good ones, though.

The Left Hand of God
I first saw this movie as a kid when it was first released. I have seen it a number of times since then and always enjoy it. Is the casting a little 'off'? Certainly! Is the idea of Bogart as a priest somewhat strange? Absolutely! But does he play the role well? Yes! Is Lee J. Cobb amusing as a Chinese Warlord? Indeed! Is his make-up exaggerated? Yes, beyond belief!!! But again, does he play his role well? Yes! And the others, do they play their roles well? No question! I read the reviews posted here and find that what others say is true - but - this is still an entertaining film, reasonably well acted, and has a superb cast. This is not a movie to be dismissed. It stands the test of time and it stands up to be reseeing. I whole heartedly recommend it to everyone.

BOGIE LEFT HAND OF GOD
AS A BOGIE FAN,THIS IS A MUST SEE FOR ALL BOGIE FANS.
A DEPARTURE FROM THE STEREOTYPICAL BOGIE ROLE.
WELL ACTED AND HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO MOVIE LOVERS.

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Conception [HD]

Comedic light on real life
I thought this was a cute movie that sheds real light on young relationships, stuck relationships, new parents, engagement, marriage, flings and of course conceiving. This was a pretty good cast ensemble, dialouge was natural and very realistic and the movie in one way or another will be very relateable.

I'd recommend this movie if you just want to laugh or see how certain relationships may look from the outside, or want to feel like whatever relationship you're in is not foreign territory.

Awful
Bad acting -- the screenwriting is worse. Horribly edited. I felt absolutely nothing for any of the characters. Just a random grouping of scenes.

Supprisingly Funny
my fiance and I were really shocked at how good this movie was - deals with all aspects of people trying and not trying to get funny and somehow all ties together

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After the Dawn

Boring
Too much story telling... the story was focused more so on her brother than the zombie... what's the point? Useless movie

What about it?
First - not bad, acting was good, script was well thought out and film quality was okay, but by the end, I was ready for it to be over and doubt I will re-watch it. Really needed a lot more action puncutation and some more energy - my regret, is that if you look at the "infected" make ups in the special features - hey - there was some really GOOD make ups done, but we barely get to see it in action - with the care in the make up that was evident (in special features), this could have been so much more of an exciting and re-play value film....or as Moses would have said...."Let my Zombies, go!"

Could have been better
Bad story line . . hard to follow along . complicated . . still trying to figure out the ending . . but I think this movie could have been better if better explained . . .

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The Invisible War [HD]

A Disturbing And Shocking Examination Of Sexual Assault And Systemic Cover-Up
Filmmaker Kirby Dick made, arguably, one of my favorite documentaries with his thrilling expose of the movie ratings board (MPAA) in "This Film Is Not Yet Rated." Clearly, he is not adverse to challenging the status quo and asking the probing and provocative questions that help to define an issue. This unblinking gaze is turned onto the horrific subject of sexual assault and cover-up within the military in the eye-opening, unpleasant, and powerful "The Invisible War." And the result may leave you quite stunned and disturbed. This is certainly not a new topic, I've heard about quite a few individual cases through the years. But the quantity of these events might just surprise you and Dick uses the government's own internal statistics to support his claims. Here's a couple of examples: about 20% of women in the armed services have endured some type of sexual assault (these are just reported numbers as well) and men entering service are 15% more likely to have sexual assault in their...

A shocking documentary that made a difference - when the Secretary of Defense watched it.
To realize how timely this documentary is, I watched the DVD last night and on this morning National new on ABC-TV was a story that charges were being brought in San Francisco this week on multiple sexual assaults on women in the armed forces in San Francisco. As you will learn (among many astounding facts in this 97-minute documentary) if you watch it (and you should), no cases of these sexual assaults were brought to conviction until this past Spring (2012) when Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta watched the film and changed the rules as to who had power to make decisions in these cases.

Director Kirby Dick is best known for his Oscar-nominated film on the Motion Picture Rating Board, but this film covers an even more serious topic.

The fact that the Department of Defense estimates that 20% (!) of all females in the Armed Services have been raped will probably astound the average American. But Dick has the proof. Though at least 20 women (and, a few men - yes,...

A strong call-to-action
I'd encourage everyone to go see the film if it plays nearby. I've been reading up about it but the actual film is even more powerful. The systemic injustice suffered by these men and women is horrific. The military seems like a very hostile workplace. And it scares me to realize that the perpetrators, who often go scot-free or even promoted, may one day mix amongst us civilians without our knowing. They could create new victims in workplaces and in our neighborhoods. I am glad that the Secretary of Defense is taking some steps to improve the process, but more needs to be done. Kudos to Kirby Dick and his team for bringing this important issue to our attention.

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Tazza: The High Rollers (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Gambling, Revenge, And Greed: A Stylish Must-See Crime Epic From South Korea
I've long been a fan of the slick South Korean crime drama "Tazza: The High Rollers" and I'm pleased that it's finally getting a belated North American debut. The film was initially released in 2006 and did quite well both critically and popularly. When it played in America on the festival circuit, for example, it won Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Feature at the Newport Beach Film Festival in 2007. Not exactly the Oscars, I know, but someone besides me must have liked it! Gritty, excessively violent, and absolutely ruthless, perhaps "Tazza: The High Rollers" isn't for everyone. But for those that like to explore the seamy underbelly of the dark side of life, the universal concepts of greed, corruption, and power positioning remain intact. And, as you might expect, power and brutality in the criminal underworld are inextricably intertwined and "Tazza" doesn't shy away from an explicit gruesomeness this relationship creates.

Boiled down to...

Fine Bunch of High Rollers
Super cool film about Korean card gambling, Hwatwu - game of flowers. Ace performances, brisk edting and direction, and a moral core. Players with honor above seduction of money. Loads of violence - you play, you pay. You get caught cheating, you're dead. Much more substantial that director Choi's next crime-robber film, the blocjbuser The Thieves. Tazza has more grit. Cool movie.



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Enlighten Up!

Interesting and Honest
For some reason, I feel like I should start with the conclusions:

He does not achieve enlightenment. He does not experience any great philosophical realizations. He does not become a great yogi. He does not become a lifelong yoga practitioner. I do think Yoga changed his life, but I am not sure if he would agree with me.

Kate is a documentary filmmaker. She picks Nick, an out of work journalist as her subject. The purpose is to follow Nick as he explores the world of Yoga. Nick starts out visiting several yoga studios in NYC. He spends time with Gannon and Life of Jivamukti. He travels to Santa Monica, where he works out with DDP (Diamond Dallas Page), the former professional wrestler who created YRG (Yoga for Regular Guys). He goes to India where he meets BKS Iyengar and the late Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. He goes on to meet several Indian Yogis & Guruswho are NOT into the physical yoga, but more into the spiritual(such as devotion - Bhakti) aspects of the...

Hatha is not "yoga", good film but misses the point
I enjoyed the film. Now he claims not to have changed his life. But take a look at him at the beginning of the film and at the end - he's a bit mellower and more sure of himself at the end. Not night and day but it is there.

Part of the fun of the film is the director trying to work out her own life through the guy. Her "Are you there yet, are you there yet, are you there yet"? Well, that makes anyone tense. And it is good to know that by streching, twisting, wrenching you are probably not going to become Enlightened. Most Hindus I know find a one year journey to Enlightenment laughable. Especially if you expect to get there by standing on your head.

Pros: Nick seems like a great guy. He's handsome, honest and willing. The director is interesting and she realizes in the course of the film how much she is bringing her own life to bear on him. You get to meet some great teachers. And the conclusion is honest.

Cons: Most Hindus view the hatha...

Slow and painful.
I have been waiting to see Enlighten up! for a while. It was sadly not worth the wait. The movie promises us to show the benefits and spiritual growth of a newbie to Yoga on a half year intensive yoga trek.

What we get is Nick who seems to have been picked for looks rather than personality walking around in a confused state (but looking good). We are then whizzed around the New York and then the globe looking for said enlightenment via yoga. Nick's mumbling and increasingly tightlippedness seems to lead to tensions as the filmmaker tries to salvage things. Time lines get lost and there is no indication as to how much yoga is being done or where Nick is at apart from the odd 'dunno' here and there.

The real problem here is the film maker, she asks shallow questions that are answered in a 'yes' or 'no' has no real structure to the movie or the yoga practices. She parades a few old friends that have a limited grasp on reality. My favourite was in Hawaii where Nick...

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The Corn is Green (1945)

A COMPELLING DRAMA WITH A GIFTED CAST...
This is a great, old style drama which sees Bette Davis in the role of L.C. Moffat, an English school marm who has inherited a house in Wales. Highly educated for her time, Ms. Moffat, moved by the squalor, poverty and ignorance of an illiterate people, takes pains to start up a local school, much to the consternation of the local yokels. Soon her efforts bear fruit, as she comes upon a diamond in the rough in the form of Morgan Evans, an orphan who is struggling to survive in the mines, but is gifted with a native intelligence and sensitivity which belies his surroundings. Well acted by John Dall, Morgan has glimpsed the world outside his rural village through the magic of the books provided by Ms. Moffat. It is she who is enlarging his world view. Enlisting the aid of the local squire, she grooms Morgan for a scholarship at Oxford.

Ms. Davis gives a compelling performance, as does the rest of the cast. The movie is a wonderful portrayal of the relationship that has formed between...

Intense Relationship Between Teacher and Student
Bette Davis stars as Miss Moffat, who inherits a home in a Welsh mining town and decides that she will educate the young, especially the boys, who are otherwise doomed to a life in the mines. One student, played by John Dall, gets her attention when he reveals depth beyond what she expected, and before long, they are working hard towards getting him a scholarship to Oxford. However, the housekeeper's conniving daughter threatens to ruin everything. Davis is very good as the crusading, very emotionally controlled middle-aged teacher, only once in a while letting us see her act. The supporting cast are all good, with Dall especially strong as the student fighting against his background. There is the occasional moment of stiff dialogue, but there are also some terrific lines as the intense relationship between teacher and student is explored. Irving Rapper doesn't have much punch as a director in this or any of his other films that I have seen, but the story is the kind that will...

DAVIS WILL SAVE US.
Bette Davis does a commendable job portraying L.C. Moffat, the prim, spinsterish English school teacher who comes to the small village of Glensarno, Wales to claim a house she's inherited. Moffat is appalled at the lack of education received by the young men who live in ignorance and squalor in the mining community, so she decides to set up her own school and teach what she can to those who are willing to learn. Miss Moffat's prize pupil is Morgan Evans (John Dall, his debut) who shows natural intelligence, perhaps genius...Rosalind Ivan does well as Watty, the reformed shoplifter who has become an activist in a militant religious group. Joan Lorring also made her debut in the movies playing - with considerable skill - Bessie, Watty's strumpet daughter who eventually complicates matters with her feminine "charms". Davis is so terribly noble and plays the martyr with such conviction that you are only subconsciously aware of the sexual undercurrent between the student and...

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Don Quixote (Mr Bongo Films) (1957)

Fine film poor transfer to DVD
Kozintsev was one of the great Russian directors, and his films of King Lear and Hamlet (available on DVD from Facets) are among the best - especially interesting because they give a Russian perspective on the themes of these familiar plays, as Kurosawa gives a Japanese perspective to King Lear (in Ran) and Macbeth (in Throne of Blood). I saw an archival print of Kozintsev's Don Quixote (in Russian with subtitles) many years ago. Seeing the aged Nikolai Cherkassov play the delusional would-be hero (decades after playing the Russian hero Alexamder Nevsky and Ivan the Terrible in Eisenstein's films) was very moving. Inevitably, the film greatly simplified Cervantes' sprawling novel, but the performances and cinematography still left a vivid memory.

Unfortunately, the DVD from Corinth has only dubbed English dialog (no menu or choices) and a murky transfer of the original color photography. So my rating is for the film, not their DVD transfer. In contrast, Facets did an...

a masterpiece of cinema
After reading "too many books" about chivalry, Alonso Quijano decides to change his name to Don Quixote and personally rekindle chivalry in the world. This middle-aged man images the world to be much more colourful and romantic than it actually is, giving much amusement to all of those that observe him. For Don Quixote, an inn is a castle; wine jugs are perceived as small ogres and a windmill is a grand monster. Don Quixote doesn't save the world all by himself as he recruits a peasant in his village named Sancho Panza to be his quire by wooing him with eloquent words about bravery and adventure. Don Quixote and his squire are out to be the heroes of their day, however this role isn't an easy one as so many people (including Don Quixote's own family) not only stand in their way, but also actively discourage them from going out to help others.

Despite his best efforts to do well and make the world a better place his actions rarely result in anything improving, and more often...

A sublime masterpiece of the cinema!
This adaptation from the most famous and relevant literary jewel in Spanish language, has been regarded for many like the most successful until this date.

Starred by the great Russian actor Nicolai Tcherkasov as the ingenuous Hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha (Alexander Nevski)and costarred by Vladimir Tovtbiev as his inseparable Sancho Panza, the great Kozintsev knew how to handle and impress it with that demanded human candor, slender doses of humor and penetrating humanity without falling into stereotypes .

The sequence of the windmills was treated with admirable poetry and expressive eloquence. This is a true masterwork all the way through.

Don't miss it.

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Goodbye First Love

This is love?
Goodbye First Love (Un Amour de Jeunesse) is a French film about a young woman's relationship with her first love over a span of eight years, supposedly based on director/writer Mia Hansen-L

Just Around the Corner

ONE GUITAR, ONE VOICE, CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
What would do if you woke up one day, & were told that your life as you know it, would never be the

same? If you were diagnosed with a progressive, debilitating disease, one in which, while, somewhat

manageable, there is no current cure? Bob Benjamin received that news one fateful day 12 years ago

and, instead of withdrawing from the world and his family & friends, he chose to fight. With more

than a little help from his friends, The Light of Day foundation was started to help raise money

for the research of Parkinson's Disease, and to help find a cure for the 50,000 - 60,000 new people

diagnosed with the disease each year.

What began as a birthday party for Bob to help raise money for Parkinson's, has now grown into a

global phenomenon of annual concerts & benefits, that stretches from the New Jersey shores to

Glasgow, Scotland. Through the music and interviews of musicians and friends,...

Engaging
Not only is it informative, there's so much heart and soul to this story, it just increased my admiration for Bob Benjamin and all the wonderful musicians who keep Light of Day glowing, well done

Great story
Powerful documentary about a unique individual. Bob Benjamin presents an inspiring model for anyone who wants to excel in the face of adversity. He has touched the lives of many, many people.

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Brooklyn Brothers Beat The Best

Dark humor, excellent story line
I absolutely loved the movie! I rented it because I was an "extra" who was cast in several scenes filmed in Berlin, MD. Although I ended up on the cutting room floor, I am so glad I took the time to watch it. The movie was heartwarming, full of hilarious moments (dark, slap stick, romantic, just about all comedic elements). The music and vocals were really catchy and cool.The vocals had a sort of Jack Johnson feel to them. As far as Indy films go, this was one of the better ones I have seen. I had a good mix of drama, humor, a little suspense and a great story line! I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a relaxing, don't have to think too hard, movie that leaves you just a bit more upbeat when you are done then when you sat down.

Way to go Ryan, you nailed this one!!

Gives hope to dorks (But not geeks) everywhere!
Taken from my blog christopherspring.blogspot.com

This was a film that I hadn't heard anything about even when I had picked up the DVD headed up to the counter and bought it off one of the few HMV employees in the country to keep his job. Upon buying it I quickly asked the man if he'd heard of this film. His shrugging response gave the impression that he a) wasn't really that thankful for his job being saved and b) that a moose on the front cover doesn't impress everyone... I know, I was shocked to find this out too.

From the opening scene I knew that my moose-inspired investment was a piece of genius. Roughly, the film is about a struggling musician who ends up, through some pretty funny circumstances if you're not the person himself (including punching a "retarded" kid in the face), going up on tour with a musician who has made it his aim to be the best musician in the world on children's instruments. The film is about their trip across America and their...

One of My Favorite Films
I first saw this at the Florida Film Festival in Orlando and fell in live with it. It totally charmed me.

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Mahler: Symphony No 8

Far more than just a Barnum & Bailey act
In spite of the fact that over a thousand performers are employed here, this is actually a remarkably 'musical' account of Mahler's colossal 8th symphony. The sound quality captured here is equally remarkable for such a challenging, one-off performance. The enlarged choral forces and augmented string section (strings were combined from both orchestras) shift balances away from the brass, woodwinds and vocal soloists, and transfer greater emphasis - logically enough - on to the choral passages. There is, in fact, historical precedence for doing this and I'll elaborate on that point further down.

A previous reviewer suggested that Dudamel should have striven for a more detailed and clearer performance. But we already have two DVD's of Mahler 8 that do just that: Bernstein/V.P.O./DG (combined with an equally fine Mahler 7) and, more sharply focused yet, Chailly/Gewandhaus Orch./Accentus from the 2011 Leipzig Mahlerfest. That's not to mention a whole slough of very fine and...

A great musical event
Gustavo Dudamel's Mahler First on DVD was, as Clive Goodwin points out, quite disappointing: focused on superficial effect rather than substance, especially in comparison with the stunning Dvorak "New World" he recorded with the Radio Symphony Orchestra Stuttgart (Birthday Concert for Pope Benedict XVI). One could then suspect that the young conductor had not quite plumbed the depth and idiom of Mahler's musical language. So it was with slight trepidation when I ordered the disk, but everything fell into place happily when I played it the first time around. If you want to know my own personal ambivalent feelings about the Eighth - Mahler's last, gargantuan and somewhat desperate fling with late Romanticism - do read my reviews of the Bernstein (with the Seventh) and Tennstedt (with the First) readings on DVD, both noble and persuasive performances, though now dated in audio and video. The outstanding recent recording by Chailly and the Gewandhausorchester brought the oratorio-symphony...

A Mahler Must
You can't get much more exciting than Dudamel, the Bolivars and the L.A. Phil with more than 1000 on the stage!! The backstage interviews and preparation peeks make this a must-have for a Mahler collection. The music is an exceptional undertaking. We won't see another extravaganza like this in our lifetime.

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Food Matters

Very well organized and fact supported movie.
This should be vital material to watch if you're in the medical or nutrition/physical fitness world and have an impact on teaching others about how to take care of and heal themselves.

This is what the mainstream schools miss and don't teach, even though after the movie you'll feel like you've just seen something that makes such plain sense, but is not widely held as truth.

I encourage for people to have viewing parties with this and spread the message. Why else is cancer affecting 1 in every 2 people, neurological diseases going through the roof and diabetes out of control for our children and adults.

Encouraging you to quit reading this review and grab the movie (I think it's on netflix as well or you can download it from their website). I am a PT and this was information that I can easily use to pass onto my patients. It's good common sense information that can make you stop and realize that what you eat is much more important vs. how much you eat.

You ARE What You Eat!
This was one of the MOST informative documentaries that I have ever watched. Everything I saw shocked me in a good way and sparked a change in my lifestyle. Everyone who has health issues should watch this, and get educated about nutrition. It makes a BIG difference.

Everybody should watch this movie
This is a great movie that everybody in the industrialized world should watch, especially America. It's probably not going to keep you hanging on the edge of your seat since it's mostly interviews with various people. However, the information contained within is priceless. If you read lots of health books it'll probably help reinforce what you already know and if you don't it will probably inspire you to start. If you're new to the kind of info presented in this documentary you might want to check out these books:

1. Ultraprevention by Mark Hyman and Mark Liponis
2. Empty Harvest by Bernard Jensen and Mark Anderson
3. 50 Secrets of the World's Longest Living People by Sally Beare

There are countless other great books but this is a start. I hope this movie and others like it inspire more people to start taking responsibility for their health.

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Werewolf: The Beast Among Us [HD]

Blu-ray Review: "Werewolf: The Beast Among Us"
Classic Universal Horror films are being honored this October. What better way to do that than to add a new movie to the franchise? "Werewolf: The Beast Among Us" is Universal's newest attempt at giving the tragic hairy monster another chance to shine after the disappointing reaction to "The Wolfman." Don't let the direct-to-DVD tag fool you. This is an entertaining and intriguing addition to the genre of werewolf movies.

I still don't know what there was to be disappointed in with "The Wolfman." It was the perfect blend of two of my favorite horror brands: the gory gothic world of Hammer and the classic Universal look of the monster made famous by Jack Pierce in the 1940s. I am one of the few people who actually loved the film and felt it was a great homage to the classic monster movies of the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s.

"Werewolf: The Beast Among Us" tells the story of a young man (Guy Wilson) in the 19th century named Daniel. His village is being attacked by a...

BORN TO KILL
A group of werewolf bounty hunters, led by a man whose parents were killed by a werewolf in the first scene, come to the aid of an Eastern European town plagued by a super werewolf. In the village lives young Daniel (Guy Wilson) a doctor's apprentice who has studied the werewolf. He joins up with the team of experts to hunt the werewolf.

People who are bit by a werewolf and survive are called "wurdaleks," a zombie looking creature. To make the story interesting Nia Peeples is one of the hunters and Daniel has a love interest in Eva (Rachel DiPillo). Like all good werewolf movies, it has a gypsy.

The special effects are not the greatest, but get a passing grade. The smart storyline is the biggest attraction. The characters could have been better developed with better lines to make the film more interesting. Considering what has come out as late in the horror genre, this one is above the pack.

Parental guide: No f-bombs, sex, or nudity. I watched the...

Werewolf has its moments, but bad werewolf effects and generic storyline hold it back....
I decided to blindly stream this on Netflix (available as of 10/13/12) and enjoyed it a bit. A young doctor decides to join a group of hunters to stop a menacing creature that has been terrorizing his village. It has some decent moments, including scares and thrills, but doesn't live up to it's potential.

The story is fairly simple, as I previously summarized. So, it's easy to follow which can be seen as a plus. But, the characters were very generic and have been seen a dozen times in other films; the mysterious yet cool hunter, the smooth yet annoying hunter, the strong yet attractive female hunter, etc. The dialogue is also littered with one liners, I did laugh at the story of the horse with wheels for legs, though. Also, I heard several different English accents, which didn't really make sense to me. The gore and action effects were actually really good. But, the werewolves felt out of place and the transformations were a little lackluster and disappointing. Also, it's...

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Little Fockers [HD]

A Juvenile, Laugh-Free Nail-in-the-Coffin for the Series
The third film in the Meet the Parents series takes place five years after the last outing and reunites the original cast, while adding some new characters and expanding previously smaller roles. Not only has original director Jay Roach been replaced by Paul Weitz, a sign of trouble to be sure but you know a series is in trouble when it has to introduce children into the mix...Writers tend to introduce children in order to expand their story when that story has run its course. Despite the title, the children don't play too big of a role in the movie and are pawns of the script used to create a reason for these characters to reunite a final time. I enjoyed the first two films in the series and I admit that I went into this thinking it was unnecessary but despite these reservations, I watched the movie with an open mind expecting a mediocre comedy that would entertain me for 90 minutes. While I wouldn't call this movie "boring," I was not prepared for just how mediocre it actually...

Hollywood - Please Stop Making Terrible Pointless Sequels
So it's been 10 years since Meet The Parents, and boy has this franchise been mined to death. For the 3rd movie, let's strip away all writing talent, all of the jokes, and hey throw out the plot while you're at it. There is absolutely no point to watching this movie, the gags are the same as 10 years ago, and most of the major players simply phone their parts in. They even had to shoehorn Hoffman and Streisand into the film, gee wonder why they're in scenes by themselves? Because they couldn't clear their schedules enough to show up for major filming. (Valentine's Day ring a bell anyone?)

Anyway, avoid this like the plague.

Nothing like the first two movies
This movie was nothing like the first two movies.....it was not funny at all....I rented it from the redbox so I am glad I only wasted $1

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Me and Mr. Jones on Natalee Island

PLEASANTLY SURPRISED
I WAS FASCINATED BY THE CONTENT OF THE MOVIE AND THE TWISTS ALONG THE WAY WERE A NICE ESCAPE, THE ACTORS IN THIS MOVIE WERE A FRESH REPRIEVE FROM THE NORMAL SUSPECTS. THE SCENERY IS SERENE AND BEAUTIFUL AND HELPS MAKE SUCH AN HORRIFIC EVENT A MUST SEE. WHILE THE TRAGEDY IS REAL THIS MOVIE WILL HELP KEEP NATALEE REMEMBERED ALWAYS





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