An Empress and the Warriors

Under-rated
If you're just looking for an Asian beat-em-up with shallow story and little to no character development, then watch Ong-Bak or something along those lines. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love those action-oriented movies as well. But this is not that. I feel as though most of the negative reviews are coming from people who expected something entirely different out of this movie.

That being said, this was an excellent movie. Not the greatest Chinese epic (I think Hero might be my favorite), but still a rather good one. The point of this type of movie is not to spill blood and guts all over the camera (although that is often a guilty pleasure of the viewer); it is instead to provide some sort of insight into what makes us human through a setting of violent despair. This movie does it well.

After watching the entire movie, I must say the title says it all: "An Empress and the Warriors." I did not realize the significance going into it, but the movie is really the...

Outstanding
This movie is the exact reason I've stopped watching most everything out of Hollywood. This movie makes all of the so called "blockbusters" or "epics" look like high school class projects made by slackers and stoners. If you've never seen Hong Kong cinema, or think that all Chinese movies are just Kung Fu flicks with bad dubbing, you are in for an amazing surprise. This is better than Crouching Tiger, House of Flying Daggers, or even Hero. Watch this movie, then buy it.

Decent Action...But the Uninspired Script Can't Match the Best Wuxia Epics!
2008 seems to be the year for Chinese epic dramas. "An Empress and the Warriors" was released before the "Romance of Three Kingdoms" related films by Daniel Lee (Three Kingdoms) and John Woo (Red Cliff). The film is helmed by Tony Ching Siu Tang (Naked Weapon) and if you are familiar with this director's past works, you'll know that he is a good action director. However, I do believe the skill of good storytelling eludes him--"An Empress and the Warriors" is pure brainless fun, with decent production values and may well be a good "date" movie.

After the kingdom of Yan is mortally wounded after a battle with the Zhao army, the king chooses to leave command to an orphan, named Muyong Xuehu (Donnie Yen) who is not related to the royal family. This bold decision raises the ire of Hu Ban (Guo Xiao-Dong), the king's nephew who is ready and willing to lead. Yan Feier (Kelly Chen) is the king's daughter and was bestowed the sacred "Swallow sword" (I know!) as her father's dying...

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Melvin

Bullies, Nerds, And Zombie Mayhem--A Campy Horror Film That Sometimes Struggles To Find The Right Balance
I had high hopes going into 2009's "Melvin" which I had never heard of before. The DVD release has a absurdly funny introduction from the estimable Lloyd Kaufman, who for 40 years with Troma has redefined true independent cinema as well as made bad movie magic! Kaufman, who also has a funny cameo in the film, is a tastemaker I can stand behind--so his stamp of approval goes a long way with me. I know there will be a contingent of viewers who proclaim this film a cult masterwork. There will also be those that detest it for its low budget origins and amateurish feel. In truth, "Melvin" is neither the best in its class nor an outright disaster. If you enjoy bad movie mayhem and copious splatter effects, then this might make for a pleasant evening. At times silly, overwrought, overacted and underacted at the same time--the film's second half has a relentless pacing that makes up for some of its earlier shortcomings. There are moments of inspiration interspersed within the film,...

Zombies have feelings too!!!
I enjoy a good zombie movie and "Melvin" is just that! Melvin Purvis, a Super Nerd if you will, is bullied in school by everyone, from the jocks to the cheerleaders. He takes it all in stride until one day a joke goes bad and Melvin is accidentally killed. Three years later he comes back from the dead and enlists the help of another not so hip college student, Norton Pincus. Norton at first is unwilling to help but eventually the nerdy duo go on a gory killing spree to take revenge on Melvin's killers!

This is a fun movie full of heart. Well produced with lots of very creative special effects and cool looking zombies. The many one liners will keep you chuckling to yourself throughout the flick. Well written and superbly shot, you'll forget that "Melvin" is indeed a low budget film. I enjoyed watching the extras too which include some behind the scenes video and a fake trailer for a movie within the movie called "Night of the Driller".

The cast was full of top...

Retardedly Awesome
This is classic cheesy horror. Plus it gives you a great look at what can be done with virtually no budget. Melvin makes all the right moves and nails the genre. A must see for horror fans.

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In Dreams / Heroes

feedback
the artistic style the story telling if your into motion comics you will like this it appeals to all fans everyone opinion is there own but it's a good read to see in action





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Watchmen (Special Edition)

Additional changes for Director's Cut
The director's cut runs about 25 minutes longer, and incorporates more elements from the comics, adds more violence, as well as more shots of Dr. Manhatten's schlong. Some of the previous scenes are reworked with additional dialogue. Information has been supported by sites such as AICN etc.

Overall, the storyline and conversations are better fleshed out, and this version is truer to the comics. The largest additional addition is that of Hollis Mason's death, which is spectacularly directed to the score of the Intermezzo from the opera Cavalleria Rusticana (think Godfather III).

(1) Rorschach gets additional dialogue, some straight from the comics.

(2) When Rorschach searches the Comedian's apartment shortly after the opening scene, he encounters two cops still stationed there. He fights briefly with them before jumping back out the window.

(3) Conversation between Dan and Rorschach (beans scene) is extended.

(4) All flashbacks...

The End is Nigh.. But at Least it's the Ultimate Cut
Finally, Zac Synder's vision as it was meant to be. I can't believe they milked the DVD release for literally ever last penny they could. Nevertheless, I am incredibly pleased to own 'Watchmen: the Ultimate Cut'.

The Set Includes:

Disc 1
- Watchmen, the Ultimate Cut (1080p/VC-1 Transfer, 215min)
- Commentary from Zac Snyder and Dave Gibbons (Explains everything from prop inspirations to plot alterations)
- BD Live

Disc 2
- The Phenomenon: The Comic That Changed Comics (HD 25min)
- Real Super Heroes, Real Vigilantes (HD 26min)
- Mechanics: Technologies of a Fantastic World (HD 17min)
- Watchmen: Video Journals (HD 36mmin)
- Under the Hood (HD 38min)
- Story Within a Story: The Books of Watchmen (HD 36min)
- My Chemical Romance, 'Desolation Row' Music Video (HD, 3min)

Disc 3
- Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comics (1080p/VC-1 Transfer, 325).
- Watchmen Video Journal, Dave Gibbons (HD...

Better than theatrical release, but more to come in December
This edition is an improvement over the theatrical release and is closer to the book. My only disappointment related to this edition was that I opened the package to find a coupon for the ULTIMATE edition, which is to be released Decemberish. The next (and I hope final) version will have the Black Freighter story woven into the main story as it is in the book. If you don't want multiple versions of this film, hold off buying until the end of the year.

I agree with the other reviewers who note the film's ending is an improvement over the book's. It just makes more sense in the context of the story. This is not a knock on Mr. Moore, of whom I am a big fan.

I don't understand the folks who are so down on this film, unless it is that they just had the wrong expectations and/or didn't do their homework before watching it. It was never meant to be another Spiderman, Superman or Hulk story.

Kudos to Mr. Moore. Kudos for the team who produced this film.

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The Sound of a Dirt Road

Good Movie :)
I agree with some of the other reviews that movie is a little slow at times but it does have a great message. The story line is solid. The actors are good for a low budget film. The main characters are real feeling and you can "get" them pretty quickly. I liked that it was something everyone can watch. Like someone else said there is some tobacco smoking in the film but if you consider where it was filmed (Texas) that's pretty standard issue and it's not promoted in anyway. Just something they do. They do show the wedding scene just not in a traditional way. It's just a couple of min. long with no dialogue.
I would highly recommend this movie for anyone looking for a good clean family movie.

Really low budget film
I bought this for my 17 year old daughter for Christmas and we were really disappointed. The film in general was poorly done. The acting is amateur and the writing was just plain boring! It sounded really good when I was shopping on line, but it did not measure up at all to our expectations. We are giving it next year as a joke to my brother-in-law. It is one of the worst movies we've ever seen. At least it was clean, but that's about all you can say regarding "The Sound of a Dirt Road". Sorry! We really wanted to like it.

don't waste your money
We would like to be able to support independent film makers such as this but the movie was inferior - the acting was terrible, the story line was unclear, & the sets were not true to life (i.e. female patient didn't have an IV while in the hospital - obvious that it was filmed in a doctor's office, etc). Besides that, they portrayed smoking as acceptable; after church while visiting with other church members, some of the men were smoking. We were so happy that we bought this at a place that would allow returns so we got our money back.

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Judy Garland Show: Vol. 1

This series is a big disappointment.
This series of DVDs seemed to have great promise when announced ... a re-release of out-of-print material previously released by Pioneer and Geneon, with the mention of improved sound quality. This series may have slightly better sound but is painfully lacking due to having been ruthlessly edited. Why they would do this seems incredible ... whole chunks of the shows are missing and the promised extra material is minimal. Searching out used copies of the previous releases would be much more satisfying, if you want my advice. I bought Volume 1 but was unhappy with it. Volume 2 just arrived today and is equally poorly done. I am returning it for refund. Such a huge disappointment.

BUYER BEWARE.
I remember seeing this show on PBS years ago. Judy is at her best. Her performances of "Come Rain or Come Shine" and "As Long as He Needs Me" are among her best. The quality is excellent but I must say I am VERY disappointed. The liner notes state that Liza sings "You Are For Loving" from her off B'way show "Best Foot Forward". This has been cut and in it's place is an inept 'Lone Ranger' skit with the very untalented Jerry Van Dyke. The liner notes also state that there are outtakes, which is also not true. The Editorial Review on the Amazon product page states that the first episode on this disc is the show with Mickey Rooney. It is NOT. I have to wonder if the person who wrote the liner notes and the person who wrote the Editorial Review even knew what was on the disc.

JUDY GARLAND: FABULOUS, TIMELESS TALENT
Infinity Entertainment is re-releasing "The Judy Garland Show" (1963-1964) on DVD. The series was previously available on Pioneer, but those editions have since gone out of print. Infinity promises to release all 26 episodes in a 12 Volume Set-- 2 episodes on each DVD.
The first episode of Volume One illustrates what was wrong with the show. All three major TV networks at the time (CBS, NBC, and ABC) had a bidding war to sign the amazing and incomparable Judy Garland to a weekly TV series. CBS, having won, couldn't decide which "format" to put Judy in (note: nobody "formats" Judy Garland!) and seemed determined to change her from a dynamic diva into an average TV personality. Whatever changes CBS threw at her (and their were innumerable changes throughout the 26 episodes), Judy gamely rolled with the punches and gave her very best.
The first episode starts promisingly; with Judy singing "The Sweetest Sounds" with Count Basie and his orchestra. Later, she also sings...

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Echelon Conspiracy

hardly revolutionary, but a fun thrill ride nonetheless
Very similar to last year's "Eagle Eye," but with Shane West instead of Shia LaBeouf. This movie has a bit more intelligent script, but contains a lot less special effects (although there are several pretty good car chases). The theme of the U.S. government creating a machine for "national security" that then turns against them is nothing new and hardly science fiction these days, but the movies about it seem to be abundant. "Echelon Conspiracy" doesn't strike too far from the herd but it's still quite entertaining.

AMAZING!
Okay, I know people say this is a copy of Eagle Eye, and if you look at the trailer they are alike, but honestly I believe it when they say Eagle Eye is the one that is like THIS movie. Echelon Conspiracy was done around same time Eagle Eye was, only difference is Eagle Eye was released in theaters first. I vote for this one to be quite honest. Seriously, this movie keeps you on your toes about what happens. ABSOLUTELY recommend this movie!

ONE CALL, THAT'S ALL
***PLOT SPOILER REVIEW***

The film starts out as an excellent thriller/mystery in spite of the lead being Shane West. Shane stars as Max "glass jaw" Peterson a man who installs programs in computers to prevent hackers. Max gets a strange phone that sends him text messages which saves his life and gives him money. We also know the government is after this device and other people have received such a phone and have died from following its instructions. At this point the film is an excellent thriller/mystery.

There are few suspects and clues in this production and then we find out whose the culprit and the film becomes boring. Max saves the day from a stunt he saw in "War Games" or if you prefer, the Star Trek episode "The Changeling." At this point I groaned. Perhaps if you have never seen either of those two productions, this might seem pretty darn good. As for me, I got bored when I realized you could kill the "bad guy" by tripping over the plug.

Ving...

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Necessary Evil

Not Necessarily So!
With the exception of Lance Henriksen's stellar performance, this was a total yawner! What a waste of time. The writer of this inept loser must have been on drugs...and not the legal kind. I could have done better with a few glasses of wine (legal stuff) LOL! The cover of this DVD has nothing to do with the movie...none whatsoever. It should have been a 30-minute short story. There's no horror...no thrills...horrible acting (except for Lance)...and no special effects...in fact...NOTHING special. AVOID!

It was an Ok Movie
I liked it.. Nothing too scary but good. arrived on time in great condition. No complaints Just not a 5 star kinda movie.

Definitely worth a look!
I really enjoyed this movie. When I look for movies I avoid the mainstream stuff. And most anything from Asylum Pictures. This is definitely not mainstream. It's offbeat, unusual and more than a little hinky. And that's a good thing. Is it perfect? I've never seen a perfect movie. But this movie doesn't follow a pat formula. It's creepy, atmospheric and the cast is solid. It's got Lance Henrikson, Danny Trejo, Gary Hudson and Richard Reihle. Those are names that I look for in movies as a fan of character actors. And it has a brief appearance by a creepy-ass clown. Bonus. It's not for everyone, granted, but genre fans will be pleased. It's worth your while to spend a little time with "Necessary Evil". Well done, all.

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Green Lantern: First Flight (Single-Disc Edition)

The DCAU does it right again.
Green Lantern: First Flight is an awesome film. It doesn't waste a lot of time on the origin (which takes place in the first few minutes) and heads straight to the action. Some people might see this as detrimental, but I like how the DC animated projects a lot of the time will just assume that you know the basics of what is going on. It saves a lot of time and allows the movie to start getting to the point.

First off, I was surprised at how brutal some of the violence was for this cartoon. I know that these releases are not necessarily tailor-made for children, but this is no JLU episode. People are impaled, shot, torn through walls into the vacuum of space, and there is pretty much non-stop fighting through most of the 120 minutes. I don't have any problem with that, but it might not be to everyone's liking.

Plot-wise, it's not Shakespeare, but we are talking about an action cartoon here. There is a hero, a villain and lots of cool use of the Green Lantern...

"In brightest day, in blackest night..." (c'mon, chant it with me!)
In the Marvel universe Daredevil is the Man Without Fear. In DC Comics that label falls to Hal Jordan, who shows no fear and brandishes a will of friggin' iron. I'm not one to be on Hal Jordan's jock but I've been reading comic books long enough to know just how much this guy's been put thru the wringer. Not only did he have to put up with Oliver Queen in all those socially relevant stories, but years ago Hal Jordan went insane and turned to the dark side - but having your city murdered under your nose might do that. Dude became a mega-supervillain called Parallax and wreaked incalculable devastation. Later, Jordan sacrificed himself and eventually took up the mantle of the Spectre, after which he came back from the dead (coming back from the dead being only marginally more challenging than chewing gum IF you're a comic book character). In DC's line of direct-to-video original animated movies, it's only natural that the spotlight first focused on the Big Three. But, after Superman,...

First (Class) Flight for Green Lantern!
Green Lantern First Flight: Two-Disc Special Edition

(Released July 28, 2009 by Warner Home Video)
Another Looong DVD Review by Joe Torcivia

With 1992's BATMAN THE ANIMATED SERIES, producer Bruce Timm began a roll of excellence in adapting DC Comics' characters and concepts to animation that continues unbroken to this day!

In GREEN LANTERN FIRST FLIGHT, Timm hits all the right notes, concepts, and character bits to create as perfect a Green Lantern film as could be imagined.

Everything is as it SHOULD BE. Test Pilot Hal Jordan is summoned to the crash site of the dying alien Abin Sur, receives Abin's Power Ring, and is transformed into Green Lantern! Little of the precious running time is spent on this well-known origin, and the transformation takes place between 3:45 and 4:10 of the film. THAT'S EFFICIENCY!

The balance of director Lauren Montgomery's film (again, as it SHOULD BE) is spent introducing the Green Lantern...

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Voltron: Fleet of Doom

THIS ONE IS STRICTLY FOR THE DIE-HARDS...
This 2 hour made-for-television "Voltron" movie debuted near the end of Voltron's original run in late 1986 (it even aired on primetime where I lived!). In this sequence, (animated for American audiences) both the Lion and Vehicle Force Voltrons are featured, and they join up to battle King Zarkon and Prince Lotor's "Fleet Of Doom". In my humble opinion, the animation and music from this special (along with the 2nd season of the Lion Force Voltron) does not measure up to the original animation of Golion and Dairugger XV, the anime that the Voltron series was based on.

However, it is very cool to see the casts of both versions of the Voltron series interacting for the first time onscreen. For those who want to discover the magic of the Voltron series for the first time, I highly recommend starting with the original five episodes of the Lion Force Voltron, sometimes available as "Castle Of Lions", or on Amazon you will find at least the four of the first five episodes on "Vol 2:...

Pop Culture bliss.
Before "Anime" was a household word, kids were tuning in to see the ultimate mecha, Voltron:Defender of the Universe every afternoon. A sort of Holy Grail of an episode is the "Fleet of Doom" installment, in which the the Golion (Lion Voltron)team and the DairuggerXV (vehichle Voltron)team up to battle an evil alliance between their respective nemesis, King Hazar, and the Drule Empire. I caught part of it once when I was a kid, and was never able to catch it again.I recently got this tape, however, and it does not dissapoint. Cheesy? Sure.Dated? You bet. Fun? YOU BETTER...BELIEVE IT!I could vege in front of this wonderful escapist fare for hours right now, just as easily as I did all those years ago. In fact, I think I'll order a few more tapes and do just that.

A blast from the past!
Great to see good anim. again, with a PLOTLINE! None of the dumb lack-of-plotlines that you find in the ... "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers"(how I hated that show!)
Voltron is right up there with He-Man and ThunderCats.
A must buy for anyone who loves 80's stuff!

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The Moth

entertaining pre-code thriller
Firstly, no, this isn't some wiggy 1930's horror movie about a giant moth terrorising a big city. 1934's THE MOTH (aka "Seeing It Through") casts former burlesque dancer and silent movie star Sally O'Neil in one of her final leading roles as a shamed heiress who runs into even more trouble with a pair of jewel thieves.

Disgraced and disinherited after she's photographed dancing in her underfrillies at a big New York society party, heiress Diana Wyman (O'Neil) decides to run away to the relative anominity of New Orleans at the height of the mardi gras season. During the rail trip, Diana befriends Marie (Rae Daggett), a dancer who moonlights as notorious jewel burglar "The Moth", all the while being tailed by one of the employees of her guardian...

Entertaining piece of nonsense. Petite, saucer-eyed Sally O'Neil is charming in the lead, though sadly, a combination of the transition to talkies and severe bouts of stage fright prematurely ended her screen career...





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Big Man Japan

Effing Hilarious
Saw this at Facets in Chicago last night, and it was amazing. It's one of those movies that I want to show to all my friends.

Fair warning, DON'T WATCH THE US TRAILER. They should fire whoever was responsible for that. This is a CGI action movie the same way "This is Spinal Tap" is a 90-minute live recorded performance by U2. That is to say, it's not. 90% of Big Man Japan is shot in a documentary style and it has a hilarious "slow burn" style of humor that is just not evident from the trailer. If you're expecting slapstick and big monster fights, you'll get some of that but it's not what the movie is all about. It's very Christopher-Guest-ish, so think "Waiting for Guffman" or "Best in Show" (or again, "This is Spinal Tap").

I probably laughed harder at the ending to this movie than I did at anything all year, and I feel sorry for the people who didn't "get" it. Do yourselves a favor and watch some old tokusatsu like Ultraman or Spectreman before you see this...

Beware the Big Man Japan!
If you aren't fairly familiar with modern Japanese comedy then you are probably going to miss a lot of what "Big Man Japan" has to offer. For example, "Downtown" is not a name that is going to mean much to most Americans, but they are a phenomenal comedy-duo that are incredibly influential and whose style dominates much of modern Japanese comedy. Think Monty Python's Flying Circus, The Second City Theatre, or Saturday Night Live.

"Big Man Japan" (Japanese title "Dai-Nipponjin" or "Giant Japanese Person") is "Downtown" member Matsumoto Hitoshi's big screen debut as both a staring actor and a director. Much of the humor is in his trademark style, and he brought along plenty of famous friends for cameos, although noticeably missing is his "Downtown" partner...

I laughed a lot, and don't even know the references; worth seeing if just for the hilarious fight scenes
As other reviewers here have stated, this is largely a satire on certain genres of Japanese film, and it helps to know those references. But even as one who's seen a pretty small amount of Japanese film (except Kurosawa, a true genius), I still found it slyly funny during the many slow character-driven parts, and incredibly stupidly hilarious during the fight scenes.

Even if you get bored with the satire of the superhero's daily life (it is indeed very dry wit and meant for those with enough intellect to not demand a new fight every two minues), simply fast forward to the half dozen fight scenes, which are among the most insanely goofy visual weirdness I've ever seen, and I've seen plenty. They mock the monster genre while simultaneously glorying in the splendid silliness of the whole concept. Plus, the monsters are some of the weirdest creatures you will ever see. Just looking at them is funny, but watching them fight the bored superhero is a whole new type of laugh...

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Ultimate Fighting Championship: Ultimate Comebacks

Worth it for the quality and fights
UFC's first blu ray release will be a "best of comeback" fights in which one fighter is getting beat and ends up winning in the end. 240 minutes total makes for 4 hrs worth of fights. I posted the match list below but im not really sure why fights like Jardine vs Alexander are on this because that was a generally one sided fight except for one punch. 5 of them were also released on the "Best of 2007" dvd set and only 2 of them are unavailable anywhere due to Ultimate Fight Night events not being released. I recommend this if you dont have any of these fights and are just looking for a "best of" compilation because theres really nothing new here besides that. All are great fights though and the quality will be perfect so I gave it 5 stars.

Pete Sell Vs Scott Smith(UFF)
Alessio Sakara Vs Drew McFedries(UFC 65)
Martin Kampmann Vs Drew McFedries(UFC 68)
Renato Sobral Vs Jason Lambert(UFC 68)
Keith Jardine Vs Houston Alexander(UFC 71)
Jon Fitch Vs Roan...

The Real Deal
Since I'm not a cagefighter, and have never been to a mixed martial arts
competition, and have never purchased an ultimate fighting dvd before, please let me give you those disclaimers.
The purpose of my buying this dvd, aside from a lifelong interest in boxing. etc., was to get a greater understanding of this sport. My nephew is a heavyweight cagefighter in Flint, Michigan. Haven't followed his career as closely as what I would have liked, but I do know that he has won a recent "main event". Having migrated from there to here (Oklahoma City) in 1981, I try to keep in touch with the family.

I would love to tell you that my nephew has inherited his skills from me, but that would be somewhat of a stretch (you ought to see me in action!)
So, all kidding aside, this was just a great ultimate fighting dvd!

Amazon has listing this dvd at 240 minutes. The dvd lasts about 2 hours and 3 minutes of 100% action. Featured bouts:

Pete Sill vs. Scott...

Solid UFC vid for New and Seasoned MMA Fans
The overall interface and fights are quite nice, exciting as well. Yet, some fights aren't in super high res as some other ones; for there were fights which didn't use to be broadcasted in HD back in the day. So the upscaled fights are really the only fights you can pick out the difference HD rez quality.

Overall: 8.5/10

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CUPID'S MISTAKE

Worst movie I have seen in years
Was this a student movie? It was not at all funny. Very lame! The production values were terrible. The acting was childish.

Took another risk with Vanguard and regret it again
I was intrigued by the ad promos from certain publications, and by the interesting accomplishment of being in the Guinness World Records for budget/release. I wholeheartedly support independent cinema, but there should be certain lines drawn, and this should have been kept in the can as a reference point of early work.

We follow the events in several people's intersecting lives as each hopes to find love but finds rejection instead. Hand held cameras follow these characters as one might see in a home movie. The sound is intermittent, the acting is improv with lengthy takes and repetitive dialogue. The production did not worry about the barrier being broken as mic pacs are visible on belts throughout, the "epiphany" videos seen at the end by the ladies could not exist unless the "second" camerman is acknowledged and the improv lines counter whatever continuity there was from the beginning of the film. Plus, our main character is a double stalker (follows both his love...

Director's Best
I have to admit my bias up front. I have known director Young Man Kang for 16 years. It is amazing that he could make any kind of feature for a thousand dollars, let alone one that engages the audience. Again, maybe it's my bias because I generally don't like action films and that is what Kang usually makes - for considerably more money than he had to make Cupid's Mistake - but this is his best in my humble opinion. I got into the story and cared about the characters and stopped thinking about how little was spent to make the film. In case you are wondering how I can be reviewing a movie that does not come out on DVD for almost another three months, I will note that it used to be available to watch online many years ago. If you like indie film and want to see what can be done with truly very little money then watch Cupid's Mistake. Neither the production nor the acting is brilliant, but the fact that it exists and keeps you watching is a miracle. When will you do another romance,...

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The Northern Kingdom

A pleasant little indie
A cast of unknowns do a decent job on this melodrama that mixes several storylines, unrelated, in a thread that seems to carry some type of positive life affirming message. There's some Iraq veteran drama, along with some dysfunctional family situations, mixed with unconventional lifestyles, all set in northern Vermont. The actors seem to speak too loudly on occasion, but otherwise the acting is relatively professional. The grim New England winter scenery does nothing to enliven the action.





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The Edge of Love

An incredible film, a beautiful Blu
The product description actually hits every aspect of what this film is about, so that left performances and product quality for me. From the opening scene of Kiera Knightley singing (BEAUTIFULLY in her own voice and with the first of many facial close-ups) I was hooked.

The picture clarity and DTS were the best I have seen and heard for a movie of this theme/topic. Everything about the techinical aspects of the film was superb. I kept trying to find fault, even with the night shots and the dark almost black and white London sequences, but nothing would falter. The DTS was mixed perfectly throughout, even in the rain sequences and the remote bombings. Which, if you have your system cranked up thinking this is a dialogue film only, at around 16:20 you will end up blown over backwards, and that happens several times.

The main featurette is also 1080 and lasts nine minutes. It is mostly footage from the film as narrated by the main cast and director (except...

Atmospheric, Uneven, But Engrossing...
Loosely based on the wartime experiences of legendary Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, John Maybury's "The Edge of Love" is visually breathtaking, capturing the claustrophobic intensity of London during the Blitz, as opposed to the serenity of Thomas' Welsh seacoast home, with an artist's eye; but as drama, the story tends to drift, particularly during the rather melodramatic 'third act', despite vivid performances by Keira Knightley (who can sing!) and Sienna Miller. Ultimately, the film is an engrossing misfire, worth viewing, but lacking a cohesive core.

Thomas (as portrayed by Matthew Rhys), is a moody, brilliant, but childish artist, full of passion, but unable to see beyond his own desires. When his childhood lover, Vera Phillips (Knightley) appears in London to pursue a career as an entertainer, he begins a campaign to bed her, and relive his past...which doesn't sit well with his beautiful, tempestuous wife, Caitlin (Miller). While both Thomases have relaxed mores about...

Worth seeing
I found this film particularly interesting for a number of reasons. Firstly, the representation of Dylan Thomas' work life seems to be fairly accurate, whilst the the parts about his love life (the core of the film) seem highly fictionalised. Then there's the casting. Cillian Murphy (Irish playing English), Sienna Miller (English, to all intents, playing Irish), Kiera Knightley (English playing Welsh, beautifully), and Matthew Rhys (Welsh playing... Dylan Thomas!). Oh, and look sharp for Suggs from Madness as a nightclub crooner.

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The Land That Time Forgot

The title's misleading
I'm giving this four stars because as Asylum Movies go it's one of their best.

However it is not an updated take on the novel The Land That Time Forgot: A Tale of Fort Dinosaur which was disappointing. Whether read as one complete novel or in it's trilogy release As The Land That Time Forgot, The People That Time Forgot and Out of Times Abyss The story of Caprona contains an evolution based mystery and a love story. It is not about time traveling via the Bermuda triangle. This screenplay isn't even loosly based on the previous movies The Land That Time Forgot/The People That Time Forgot which contained FX of mediocre laughable quality. Those however in hindsight at least made an attempt to use the source material. This resembles a low budget attempt at something like...

Nice surprise
Yup, this is a low budget movie with cheesy special effects, but you know what? For a low budget movie with cheesy special effects, it really isn't too bad. Sure some of the stuff that happens is unrealistic, but this movie does not take itself too seriously and is kind of fun. The monsters look fake compared to other movies like Jurassic Park and that mess that Will Farrell put out, but who cares? Just enjoy it. And wow, Timothy Bottoms looks so much like George W. Bush in this movie.

Kudos to Howell for Acting and Directing.
I'm a big Edgar Rice Burroughs fan and don't usually like movies that change things from the book. My thought is, if the book was good enough for you to want to make a movie of it, why are you changing things? However, though this definitely changed things from the E.R.B. book, I loved it!

It had elements from the book. The Germans and their U-boat were there, but it was more just an island in the Bermuda Triangle with dinosaurs on it. Even so, the story was good. The acting was good and for a low-budget movie the special effects were really good. I have to give kudos to C. Thomas Howell for great directing.

It begins on a small boat in a storm. There are two couples, plus the captain and his mate. The next morning, when the storm is gone, they have no idea where they are. They spot an island and decide to head for it. They drop anchor and all but one head for shore. They soon discover pterodactyls and a t-rex, and upon finding the beach once more,...

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The Man Who Saved Christmas with Bonus CD: Simply Christmas

A "feel good" tale that's just right for Christmas
A.C. Gilbert couldn't stop the war, but he made sure the war didn't stop Christmas. When the War Department asks Gilbert to turn his toy factory into a munitions plant during World War I, he agrees ..... for awhile. When the government wants America to give up Christmas, he turns that thought around and goes back into the toy business while maintaining his government contracts at the same time.

Jason Alexander, provides a wonderful portrayal of A.C. Gilbert and proves he can move far beyond his annoying character from "Seinfeld." Kelly Rowan is perfect in the role of Mary, A.C.'s wife, and Ari Cohen is marvelous as Frank Gilbert, A.C.'s brother who becomes lost in the fighting "over there."

While not historically accurate in all the details, this film provides a nice glimpse into life in the early part of the 20th century. Scenery and costumes are beautifully done and seeing all the things made from A.C. Gilbert Erector Sets makes me wish that I still had...

Mr. Gilbert Also Goes to Washington
My wife and I give this movie two thumbs up, and she gave it one star less. She also said it wasn't your traditional Christmas movie. Set around WWI, Christmas is alive and well but war also encroaches, tugging at the heart as loved ones await the fate of a favorite son who goes MIA. The cast radiates in this real life drama and the cinematography captures the essence of early 20th century Christmas with great lighting and eye candy. Mr. Gilbert really does go to Washington and manages to really save Christmas from a group of rabid congressmen. Okay, maybe they were mostly stuffy. A wonderful story, true Christmas and war. It goes up in my list as one we're glad we bought.

The Man Who Saved Christmas
I worried that this movie might be a little boring but purchased it anyway because I enjoy watching Jason Alexander and Ed Asner. I loved the small-town scenes and old-time romance between Jason's character and his wife. These days it is hard to find a movie where a husband and wife support each other in spite of adversity and naysayers. I love the fact that this is based on a real person. It is heartwarming and will make you want to hug all your family. This movie is suitable for all ages.

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Miss March (Unrated Fully Exposed Edition)

Thousands of people are on the Internet. And half of 'em downloaded my song!!!
This is a stupid, crass, moronic, juvenile ile and I loved every minute of it. There are at least 5 scenes that I have never seen before in a film. Add that to the Tucker guy being one of the funniest guys I've seen in a long time, and a rapper named Horsed*ck.Mpeg and you got yourself a party. don't confuse it for THE OFFICE now, it's not clever. Miss March is just plain laugh out loud funny. It's absurd. I highly reccomend it for those of you who like silly, leave your logic at the door comedies. Plus what other movie has the line: "Lesbians...break down that door!" Get it and laugh.
Oh and amazingly enough, Hef was very good in his part. It didn't seem forced or fake. I bet if I'd break into his den, he'd talk to me the same way!

I Guess I Just Have Bad Taste....
but I couldn't help but laugh at the insane humor on display here. I suppose I'm just an immature teenager at heart sometimes (and I love The Whitest Kids U Know, well, at least the first 2 seasons).

I don't know if I can recommend this film, because it's obviously not for everyone......in fact I don't think it's for anyone really, except for me and my friends. So if any of you are reading this.....oh what the hell, you're gonna buy it anyways.

EXTREMELY CRUDE, BUT STUPID FUN! YOU'LL EITHER LOVE IT OR HATE IT!
Every once in a while a film defies all logic, has no business getting a four star rating and offers nothing new to a genre and yet it succeeds where so many other like films fail. 'Miss March' is so stupid that you can't help but laugh at the over the top gross out gags that propel this stupid film through it's running time like a torpedo propelling through water.

The cast especially Cregger and Moore play two childhood friends, one who is a sex crazed kook and the other a reserved guy waiting for the right time to lose his virginity to his girlfriend of 2 1/2 years. After one of them comes out of a 4 year long coma(don't ask!), the two embark on a cross country road trip and extreme wackiness ensues!

The film is full of raunchy ridiculous high jinks and nudity and shouldn't even be worth looking at, but I must confess that I haven't laugh so hard in a while. It's just stupid fun, but I think this film will only appeal to a certain crowd of people who like a...

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Thomas & Friends: Calling All Engines

Train warfare
This is one of our most played DVDs, mainly because there are so many of my son’s favorite characters crammed into the story. Thomas fans will be able to identify many of the trains, both steam and diesel, including Thomas, Lady, Diesel 10, Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, Toby, Harvey, Mavis, Diesel, Iron ‘Arry and Iron Bert, and more.

There are five catchy songs, including “Busy” which will have you humming all day, and for shorter attention spans there are short breaks in the action for cartoon challenges.

In this story, there is to be a new airport built on Sodor, which will bring in lots of visitors to the Island. Unfortunately, this also brings the Steam Engines into close contact with the Diesels, and before long the island is in chaos as train warfare breaks out. To compound matters, a storm hits the island, further delaying the work schedule.

With the vacation season plans headed for disaster, Thomas rallies the...

HIT Entertainment Fall Short Again
My two-and-a-half year old and I have watched Calling All Engines approximately a dozen times since we purchased it about a month ago. We are both huge Thomas fans and so I write this review with mixed emotions. I would like to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this DVD, but alas, even my precocious wee one, likes this video less than its predecessor, Thomas and the Magic Railroad (2000)

The storyline of Calling All Engines is entertaining, the scenery, as in all episodes of Thomas and Friends, is outstanding, and the songs are entertaining. The DVD also contains bonus features including an interactive game, a read-along story, Diesel 10 Means Trouble, character gallery (the weakest of the bonus features), deleted scenes, and a music video. Although diehard Thomas and Friends fans will enjoy this video, there are problems with the film that make this Calling All Engines substandard.

Although HIT Entertainment has great success with its television programming, they...

PREVIEW FIRST -- Bad lessons taught
We were so excited to get this DVD because my 2 year old grandson loves his little rubber Thomas the Train engine. We started to view the first segment and were disappointed in the quality of the animation first of all, but then came the question to the viewer (most likely impressionable children) "Can you think of a way that Thomas can trick the diesel engines because he doesn't like them?" WOW! and it gets worse from there. Then further in the movie we expected that there would be some kind of reprimand or lesson about how bad it was for Thomas to do such a thing, but guess what -- that never occurred. We promptly removed the DVD from the player and threw it away. It would have been nice to know that this DVD contained questionable content inappropriate for young children. WHAT A WASTE OF MONEY.
Thomas & Friends: Calling All Engines!

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Pokemon Elements, Vol. 2: Fire

Love pokemon, this is only 3 episodes..
My son loves pokemon. I got him this dvd and he liked it. He commented that the epsiodes are not in order, they are from three different seasons. The dvd was only 3 episodes so it was about a play time of 50 minutes. I would rather spend more money and buy the whole seasons.





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Bart Got a Room

Bart Got A Room, But Danny Got A Moment That Lasted Forever!
Brian Hecker wrote and directed "Bart Got A Room," which is filmed in his lovely hometown of Hollywood, Florida. In fact, numerous scenes were shot around locales which were familiar to him as a child. This film is very autobiographical in that Hecker based it on memories of his senior prom as well as the proms of his friends and relatives. Watching this film made me think of my own prom and I wished it had turned out as wonderful as it did for Danny Stein (Steven Kaplan).

"Bart Got a Room" is a warmhearted, bittersweet drama of a young man, Danny who must make numerous decisions concerning his upcoming prom. The most important decision involves who will be his date. He's torn between taking someone with whom he can become romantically intimate and his best friend Camille (Alia Shawkat). In the meantime, his parents' divorce weighs heavily on his mind. Danny is a good kid. He yearns to see his parents (perky Cheryl Hines and downtrodden William H. Macy both...

Excellent teen comedy, filled with heart & angst & laughs!!
Wow, this is the prom movie that all the other "teen prom comedies" tried to make but failed. While every other prom movie focuses on nudity and raunchy sexual jokes, this movie takes the entire genre to a new level by actually portraying the TRUE angst and the TRUE sexual frustration and the TRUE comedy that takes place when you're a high school student desperately trying to get laid (or just trying to get a date) on prom night.

Anybody who lived through the traumas of high school will completely relate to the honest & real & smart characters in this film... with a moral to the story that will blow you away and leave you thinking about this film for weeks afterwards. I loved this movie so much that I saw it twice in theaters.

Plus, I should also mention that this movie isn't just about prom night -- but it also parallels the struggles between children looking for love, and divorced parents looking for love. So this movie will appeal to teens and adults...

That William H. Macy just knows how to make us laugh.
Much of "Bart Got a Room" is going to feel a bit old hat for some, but you know what? Sometimes it's a good old hat, the kind that you just want to keep around despite knowing exactly where it has been. There is much familiarity in the setup of Brian Hecker's debut feature: poor kid can't get a date to the prom, his parents are divorced, and he has a best friend that thinks it would be funny if they went together. Reading this, at first you would probably think the movie doesn't have much to offer, and would rather spend your money on seeing whatever Kate Hudson or Renee Zellweger are up to this weekend at the box office.

Slowly but surely, this indie gem has something great up its sleeve: the characters develop into three dimensions, the comic devices take us into new, interesting territory and there's an ending that cries so far from what we are led to expect. Not only that, the movie has its references to Blake Edwards and (naturally) Woody Allen, but this is a...

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Beach Kings

Better than Spiker - More Legal than Sideout
Rent it. It's forgettable as it follows the same idea as Sideout. Former star college basketball player decides to try volleyball and makes the finals on the AVP tour after one month of training and a little beach romance. I liked it better than I thought I would after reading about it in DIG Magazine. It's a good looking movie but sports movies often fall flat on being believable including stiff cameos from star athletes. Unrealistic game play at times. A scene outside a store with a bunch of TVs in the window forecasting the doom of the AVP's hot rookie seemed like an event from another era. What store still has TVs in the front window? Also, if you've ever wondered what happened to Jaleel "Steve Urkel" White, he manages the team. Any homage to Sideout made this much less original.

Only if you're a beach volleyball fan...
It's okay to watch and appreciate this movie if you're a beach volleyball fan, otherwise, you'll have no clue as to what's going on. Very interesting story about beach volleyball players though.

Gift
I sent this to someone who is away from the South Bay where is was filmed and they liked it.

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Tarzan of the Apes

Very First Tarzan Still Packs A Mighty Punch
The fact that this film was made in 1918 and is silent doesn't matter a bit. It's actually more faithful to Edgar Rice Burroughs' fictional jungle hero than the Tarzans that followed. Elmo Lincoln strikes an impressive figure, looking very much like the way Frank Frazetta's later illustrations depict the character. Lincoln, who did all of his own stunts in this film, was the only actor to play Tarzan who actually killed a lion when the animal unexpectedly attacked him while filming a scene. The actor stayed in character by putting one foot on the lion's carcass and letting out a triumphant cry, and this amazing scene remains in the film.

Alpha's DVD is the most complete version available and the quality, which can be hit or miss with Alpha, is consistently very good throughout - definitely the best you're apt to see on this title. If you're a Tarzan and silent movie buff this is a must-have disc, plain and simple.

An Absolute Gem
I have this on DVD and it's a cracker. I can't understand the criticism of Elmo Lincoln. Some of the comments made border on the ludicrous. Him one big feller and looks like the very sort of guy to survive in the jungle! Perhaps viewers are getting too used to the current fad for 'Tarzan - Male Model'! (Did y'see the last 'TV' one? - aaargh!) My copy has an incredible soundtrack which uses extracts from old 78 records, which has been put together with such care an effectiveness that there should have been an award. A joy from beginning to end, I cannot recommend it highly enough.

The Original Tarzan Film, Still Fresh and Exciting!
1918's "Tarzan of the Apes" is certainly a novelty, the first full-length feature appearance of Edgar Rice Burroughs' legendary creation, and it's easy to laugh at the far-fetched ape costumes, exaggerated acting style of the era, and melodramatic plotline...but if you give the film a chance, you will discover a treasure, a production remarkably faithful to it's literary source, and quite well-made!

The film follows the book's early concepts fairly closely, as Lord and Lady Greystoke, unwilling castaways on the African coast (with Louisiana bayou country substituting for jungle), die, tragically, with their orphaned baby son raised by a female ape who had lost her own infant. The child actor portraying the young Tarzan, Gordon Griffith, is astonishing, nude for most of his performance, but very relaxed and believable. While barrel-chested, lantern-jawed Elmo Lincoln, 29, portraying the adult Tarzan, lacks Griffith's grace (the actor originally cast as the adult Tarzan,...

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An American Affair

coming-of-age tale meets JFK
***1/2

Written by Alex Metcalf and directed by William Olsson, "An American Affair" at least earns points for originality. For what starts out as a fairly conventional coming-of-age tale set in 1963 Washington D.C. suddenly turns into a piece of historical fiction when the obligatory older woman 13-year-old Adam Stafford (Cameron Bright) falls madly in love with turns out to be none other than the mistress of President John F. Kennedy himself. Thus, not only is Adam introduced to the wonderful world of raging hormones but to the sociopolitical issues of the day as well.

Adam is the son of two journalists who have no clue their child has been peeping into the home across the way, enjoying a full-court view of Catherine Caswell (nicely played by Gretchen Mol), a glamorous divorcee and ex-CIA agent guaranteed to get any healthy young American lad's juices flowing. When Adam introduces himself to her, Catherine hires him on as a gardener, a setup that gives the...

real story is better than the movie
This movie, clearly and transparently based on the last year in the life of Mary Pinchot Meyer, is, unfortunately, not as good as it could have been. All the real characters are here and very thinly disguised: Ms. Meyer, Cord Meyer, James Angleton, JFK, with the addition of a fictional nice teen-age boy who happens to live next door. This character is the problem. Though well-acted, the role is poorly conceived, and the boy's various shadowings and spyings look absurd. Plus there's some tiresome material set at his Catholic day school. Gretchen Mol is wonderful, as is the actor who plays the Angleton character. But this could have been so much better if the filmmakers had taken a tougher position. Left out are Ben and Tony Bradlee and their role in the destruction of Mary Pinchot Meyer's (possibly inflammatory) diary. On the plus side, the LSD scene is nicely done. Bottom line: a fascinating tale receives a mediocre treatment. What a shame!

My new favorite movie
It is a gripping story that clearly illistrates the atmosphere of the day. For history fanatics, it does make some leaps of faith. But there is much more truth in it than fiction. I have studied the assassination from multiple sorces. When the same names keep popping up, it gains truth in my world. So if you want to get the "feel" of those days and these people, this is your movie. If you require absolute historical accuracy, get a documentary DVD.
The portrayal by Mol is excellent. The politcs are nicely contrasted with the boy's Nixonite parents. It leaves one saddened, and feeling like you were asleep during those days and missed it all.

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Angel of Death (2009)

Slightly entertaining episodic fiction, supps give it a higher rate
I had not watched the original web series or read the comic so I guess that makes me a non-fan/follower. On its own this would be a standard slice and fight film but with a very agile and capable action gal. Instead they included a plethora of supplements that help give this entire package a higher rating. Actually, I had ordered this because of Doug Jones as I am one of those behind-the-scenes kind of supporters and he is another one of those guys that no one knows but has been seen by everybody (Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy, Doom, etc.).

You have a standard (and completely unbelievable in the beginning) story of a hit woman turning the tables and killing all of those she worked for in the past. This change of heart stems from having a 12" blade stuck in her brain, but hey - this is entertainment not reality. The stunts are good, the film look is average to grainy throughout, and the acting painful at times. But what makes this (especially for the fans) are the special...

Tough Thriller
I didn't know anything about Ms Bell before I watched this movie. While I agree with some of the critics that occaisionally her acting skills lapse, there's no doubting her abilities as an action hero, right down to the Bruce Willis style singlet. I found some of the tough fight scenes difficult to stomach, they may not be real but they "felt" damn realistic to me.
The storyline mixes up the vengeance/vendetta themes of similar movies in a clever way, and I liked the central character's response to her own feelings about the terrible things she had done. I originally gave this 3 stars, but after reflection I think it's worth 4, despite a few short comings in the lead's performance.

The Best DTV Movie Compiled of Episodes of a Web Series You'll Ever See
"Angel of Death" is, indeed, a movie collected from episodes of an action/crime show that aired exclusively online. Luckily enough, this isn't a fact that you need to dwell on while you're watching the film: unlike other 'movies' compiled from TV episodes - like The Crow - Stairway To Heaven or a number of "Walker, Texas Ranger" features - "Angel of Death" feels pretty much like a real film on its own, without intentional restraints on story progression and individual scenes. Got it? Good. Now we can focus on the other things it is - a very good solo debut for stuntwoman Zoe Bell, the real heroine behind Lucy Lawless in Xena and Uma Thurman in Kill Bill.

The story: Eve (Bell) is the archetypal assassin - deadly, efficient, and utterly remorseless - but when a...

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Fast & Furious

New Movie, Original Parts...
After three high-octane rides on the street racing scene, the fourth film in the "The Fast and the Furious" series features a departure from the flashy, overblown colors, obvious CGI-enhancement, and at times over-the-top stunts of the previous two films. With "Fast & Furious" the series returns to its roots with a grittier, more realistic leaning tone and reunites the primary players from the original film's cast of gearheads for more high speed mayhem.

"Fast & Furious" finds Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) continuing his lawless ways in the Dominican Republic alongside his girlfriend Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) and a new crew of velocity addicted miscreants. When the law begins to close in on Dom and his crew, difficult choices are made, plans are put into motion, and a life is lost. All of this forces Dom to return to his native Los Angeles on a quest for answers and to ultimately deal with those responsible. While back in town, Dom is reunited, albeit begrudgingly, with his...

Fun!
If you enjoy the series, you will continue to enjoy fast and furious! It pretty much feels like a real sequel of the original with the cast back! Alot of action, cars, american muscle, you name it! Decent storyline, but it's all about action and fast cars! The video quality is great as well and sound on a nice system!

Love It...
I have been a sucker for "Fast and Furious" movies ever since I saw the first one the opening night in the theater.

This one is no different. It's not a great movie by any means, but it's absolutely perfect if you like the others. I liked having Vin Diesel back in the action for the first time since the first movie (other than the tiny cameo at the end of "Tokyo Drift"). I also liked the plot to this one. It seemed to make a bit more sense than some of the other movies.

Overall, if you like "Fast and Furious" movies, then you don't need to be told that you need to add this one to your collection...

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1001 Classic Commercials

Good value, with a couple of unexpected pluses
I've been buying disks and tapes of old commercials for about a decade now. This three disk set will likely contain a fair number of the ads that regulars to public domain and retro media sites already have bought before now. But one nice plus this collection has, which the others I have had definitely do not, is a chapter break for each commercial. It's not a complete index of every commercial. It's the ability to hit your remote's chapter advance button and move to the next commercial, one ad at a time, through each disk. This makes cueing specific ads up, or skipping items of less interest to you, much easier than any other collection I've seen. (Most disks on the market seem to be made up of bulk transfers of old ads in 30 to 50 commercial chunks. Much of this material came straight from an online archive of public domain material in this form, and until now, no one has troubled to break it up for easier use.)

The video quality is of a very wide range, and some of the...

OVER 16 HOURS OF BABY-BOOMER COMMERCIALS
Exactly what I was expecting, over 16 hours of old television commercials from the '50s, '60s & '70s . I would have given this product 5 stars but the picture quality on many of the commercials isn't that good-- I guess that's to be expected. Nothing here has even remotely been digitalized or enhanced in any way. These commercials have been sitting on dusty shelves in a basement somewhere since the last time we saw them, some over 50 years old. For the price it's definately worth it. I bought another series of old commercials last month and paid $25 for only 3 hours. Those exact same commercials are on these DVDs PLUS 13 MORE HOURS!!! One bit of advice if you buy this product...buy two sets. If you lend this out to a baby boomer you'll never see it again.

A trip down memeory lane, and just a trip
The commercials on this disc are of varying quality, but that's to be expected - no one ever thought there'd be a demand for old commercials when they were made, so I imagine they weren't archived very well. Still, there are hundreds of commercials on this disc that'll transport you back to your childhood and make you point at the screen while shouting, "Hey! I remember that!!!" A lot of fun, but best taken in small doses.

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Journey to the Moon: The 40th Anniversary of Apollo 11

A Pleasant Surprise (three and a half stars)
My first thought on initial viewing was:"What a rip-off, I've been mislead and want my money back!" I decided to cool down and just watch the entire thing and THEN decide. Firstly, the whole thing is done on the cheap, so no new interviews and recently stated proclamations by Armstrong, Collins or Aldrin, which was really what I came for. I can live with that,though. The voice-over is colorless and uninspired, it sounds like something on a one-reeler the A/V boys wheeled into science class a minute ago and the narrator even calls it a "Saturn Vee", not once but TWICE! The soundtrack was a solo acoustic guitar strumming melodiously but really, what more do you need? They were capable and it was pleasant to listen to. The "extras" were old NASA public relations films concerning Apollo 11 (in a general sense) which was narrated by Burgess Meredith, Apollo 12 & 13 (as post-mission reports) Apollo 17 ( no matter how they tried to 'spin' it, I'm STILL mad congress cut NASA's funding for...

good addition to your space collection.
A good companion to "In the Shadow of the Moon".
I would buy both. This DVD reminds me of "For All Mankind" because it is made from the classic 16mm film footage. The soundtrack is also very nice.

A Real Disappointment
Words cannot convey my disappointment with this DVD, which touts itself as a commemorative documentary about one of mankind's greatest achievements, yet is full of errors and omissions. It was slapped together from stock footage and canned interviews from other sources. It purports to give a history of the steps to the moon, yet ignores Project Gemini, which proved the feasibility of working in space with the first American space walk and the rendezvous & docking maneuvers which made the Apollo moon missions possible. There is no excuse for the voice-over announcer to refer to the mighty Apollo booster as the Saturn Vee! It is hard to believe that any adult in the year MMIX couldn't recognize a Roman numeral. I expected to relive a cherished memory of my childhood, but instead worried about how little research and effort was put into a chronicling such a momentous event. Some better choices would be the excellent TBS documentary "MOONSHOT", "Walter Cronkite Remembers"(CBS), or...

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Bob the Builder: Teamwork!

Kids love it
My kids, ages 2 & 5, love watching this over and over. There are some good life lessons as well and just lots of heavy equipment.

Bob the Builder
This show is cute! It shows team work and general polite manners. My 2 yr old daughter was totally mesmorized by this show.



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Barney: Let's Play School

Fun and Educational
I purchased this first Barney video for my now 22 month old daughter 2 months ago. This is at a time when she's really learning to speak our language, and she has learned quite a bit from this video. She loves Baby Bop and sings along with Itsy Bitsy Spider, and is even more thrilled when I join in. The alphabet sequence is long, but that's a good thing because it reinforces what she is already learning about letters. There are many songs in the video, and the scenery changes with each song so it keeps her interested and entertained. She also loves to dance along with the kids and the characters. There is an underlying storyline which she does not understand, but I know she will grow into it. I highly recommend this video for your toddler.

Great Bright Educational DVD
This is the first Barney Disc I have bought. Barney is not well known in Australia but my daughter (almost 3 years old) loves the DVD. She dances around and joins in the activities.

I was particularly pleased with the bright vibrant colours and the clarity. The educational subjects (ie 123 & ABC) were varied and well thought out.

Great value for money with the added material, interactive games, previews on other Barney shows.

I will definitely be purchasing more !

Captivating
This is the first Barney DVD I bought for my 18 month old daughter. She absolutely loves it. She watches it only about 10 times a day! Now even I know all the words. The songs are catchy and educational, with dancey rhythms. She has put aside Sesame Street and Blues Clues for this one. This DVD keeps her busy for extended periods of time. When I invite my friends over who have little ones too, they have their own party with this DVD. I absolutely recommend it for keeping the very active 18 month old busy and educated.

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Chasing the Green

Excellent Indy Film
This is the 2nd film by, up and coming director, Russell Emanuel. I saw it at the Laemmle's theater in downtown L.A. and was pleased to see that Mr. Emanuel is staying on course with his personal films and is growing. The film could have used a bigger budget to help sell the "excessive 80's lifestyle" theme that the two main characters fall into, but with a little theatrical license that is an easy hurdle to over come. "Chasing the Green" is NOT a golf film, but a commentary on the hypocrisy of our government and how it treats the small business man trying to compete with big business. This film is also a great brother story and the lead actors playing the brothers were excellent. Plus there's a great supporting role played by the always wonderful, William Devane.

Smart and Thoughtful
This is a very smart and thoughtful movie one will not soon forget. What looks like a simple story is actually based on a true story about how the government can interfere with business and destroy it. If you believe that free enterprise and capitalism is a good thing, and you enjoy your earned freedom, the information in this movie is a must. The acting is well done, with enough cameo's to keep us seasoned movie goers happy, and the story is smart enough to keep it in your mind long after it is over.

Worth a Look
William Devane is terrific, as is Robert Picardo. Sure, it's not the Social Network, but definitely a worthy film and definitely "worth" seeing. My understanding is that the Trustee who took over their business (played by William Devane), really did try to sell their customer lists to competitors, and was removed by the government only after the damage was done. You can't make stuff like this up.

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Ni Hao, Kai-Lan: Kai-Lan's Great Trip to China

Created a love for Chinese in my child
We are a interracial family and have really wanted our child to learn Chinese along with English. Kai Lan truly has sparked her interest. She is 4. She is constantly coming up to us and asking us how do you say "----" in Chinese. She also tells us words in Chinese that she learned from Kai Lan. She loves watching this movie and insists on watching it at least twice a day. She also now loves learning Chinese. I have every intention of buying all the Kai Lan movies and/or books as they have been a huge plus in helping our child learn Chinese.

fun video for little ones
The main show in this DVD is A trip to China. In it Kai lan and her friends board a plane and fly to China to meet Kai Lan's aunt and a baby Panda. Of course it is a cartoon, so there are no realistic scenes in it from China, but it does show a little about the cultural difference. Eating noodles and putting on slippers in the house. It also has a section with the famous changing of the mask. The end has a lot of fireworks (which were invented in China).

The moral lesson is about trying new things, and it thankfully does not have the really negative behavior or actions like some of the other episodes.

The meeting the pandas is not realistic b/c it is a family that lives together and of course they talk --- but my little one (2 years old) loved it because they introduced the panda as a bao bao. Which is her Chinese nickname. The main Mandarin word taught is Happy and there is a little song about it that has the word Happy through out it.

The...

Our introduction to Chinese language and culture
My kids (ages 5 and 7) love Kai-lan. I was pleased that there was not as much [...] behavior on this one--it dealt with some fears about trying new things (and they always liked the new things--I think it would be better if sometimes they tried it--and liked the old shoes better). Great culture (shoes off in the house, spending time with older relatives, bamboo forest, naming ceremony) and vocabulary, catchy songs. An unofficial bonus is that for this midwestern girl, Kai-lan's super-Michigan accent in English is a comforting taste of home.

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Punky Brewster

Just a Repeat of the Same Stuff
I own all four seasons of Punky on dvd and each one was worth purchasing. I actually bought this item out of curiosity to see if there were any bonuses or anything new added. It was only $5, but even that was too much. It's only 8 episodes as described, all that were already included on the season one set. They aren't even all the best of the season. They are the first 8 from Punky Finds a Home Part 1 to Go to Sleep/A Visit to the Doctor. They stop short of one of the best, Miss Adorable. But I'm guessing that is on the next volume. So basically, this seems to be the first volume of the first season split into separate discs.

The box is plastic and is unnecessarily large, almost as big as the full season set, and only contains one disc which is housed in a black envelope. I don't know why they couldn't use a regular slim disc case, to take up less space and keep it from getting scratched by sliding it in the envelope. What a waste of packaging.

No...

Pointless Release
I am wondering why this is being released. The complete live action series has been released over 4 season sets and Season 1 volume was released separately last year. The complete animated series minus the episode "The Shoe Must Go On" was released as bonus features in the season sets. The description does not mention any bonus features so I would recommend the season sets. If this set contained the Punky Brewster cartoon "The Shoe Must Go On" then I would buy it for the episode that Shout Factory did not release in their box sets.

I love Punky!
This dvd is just 8 episodes not a full season but is price accordingly. It has the most important episodes to introduce people to punky that might not have seen the orginal show. It has the episodes when she first meets Henry and how they came to live together. It has her becoming friends with Cherie and taking over Henry's house in her colorful punky style. I enjoyed the show when I was a kid and my kids now love punky. I have the complete 4 seasons. I bought this as a gift for one of my daughter's friends who has a golden retriver like Brandon! It was a great gift without spending too much money to see if she liked the show and now that she loves punky too, her mom has bought the seasons. Her mom like me was happy there is a show that even after years still teaches great lessons and kids love to watch!

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Thomas & Friends: James Learns a Lesson

Thomas and Friends: James Learns a Lesson
I purchase this DVD and other Thomas DVDs for my granddaughter. She enjoys them with popcorn just like the movies.





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Thomas & Friends: Percy and the Bandstand

beware...
This is not your traditional Thomas DVD... It's done on the computer, and my son hates it! The trains mouths move very weird and fast... the people are creepy, just all around weird...

One of the favorites!
This is one of my favorites! Whenever my 2-year old puts it in the DVD player, I have to sit down and watch it.

This was the first Thomas DVD I watched in CGI. It was creepy at first, but after a while I warmed up to it. It didn't seem to bother my son, and held his attention.

It was interesting to see the inside of the Locker Room at Knapford. I had seen it in the minatures in the older shows, and often wondered what the inside of the buildings looked like. Now I know! It would be nice if we saw the inside of more offices.

I was quite surprised to see a live-action human in the show: Engine Driver Arkwright. He brings an energy to the interludes. He is very believable and engaging. My son's favorite part is when he makes his "sandwich with smelly Sodor cheese!" Hope they will use the Arkwright character in more shows. Maybe they could even bring a live-action Lady Hatt, or Sir Topham Hatt himself!

This is a good DVD for a rainy...

Will provide viewing fun and playtime entertainment over and over again
Lionsgate is a premier producer of both adult and children's DVD entertainment for the home. This DVD specifically for preschool children is especially recommended as wholesome entertainment. From the popular 'Thomas & Friends' series comes "Percy and the Bandstand" (46 minutes) that invites preschoolers along with Thomas, Toby, Duncan, Percy and all the other engine friends to accompany Sir Topham Hatt for a hot-air balloon ride, a top-secret birthday party, a special bandstand surprise, and more! "Percy and the Bandstand" is enhanced for solid fun and entertainment with the inclusion of such special features as a 'Songs of Sodor' game and three 'Read Alongs'. A superbly produced DVD, highly recommended, that will provide viewing fun and playtime entertainment over and over again.

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Joe Schmo 2

It's about time!
The second season was definitely superior to the first in every way. The ridiculous lampooning of just about every reality show standard is fantastically done: alliances, stupid contests for "immunity" and of course the way-too-self-important immunity ceremony. The stereotypes that REAL reality shows always seem to choose, are all here in hilarious fashion. Not to spoil anything... but there is one moment with a falcon (yes, a real falcon) that is, I swear... the funniest thing I have ever seen on television! Thank you Spike for FINALLY releasing this comedic gem! HIGHLY recommended!

great show, not so great quality
I remember religiously watching Joe Schmo 1 and 2 weekly on SpikeTV. I bought the first DVD set as soon as it came out as I have this one. I give the show 5 stars, I also love how they included the 90 minute episode that was advertised to air but was cut down to a hour. My only complaint is the quality of the episodes aren't so great. I would compare it to watching a Vhs tape of the show recorded on the fastest speed. Actually that may look better than what we have here because there's a lot of digital artifacts and distortion such as a green halo around the skin of anyone in the lightest shadow.
Show: 5 stars
Quality: 2 stars
Overall: 4 stars seems fair right? ok maybe not but I love this show and glad to have it all together on dvd.

Excellent, Amazing Show, Reasonably Decent DVD Presentation
As an editor for an online website about television, I was sent a screener of "Joe Schmo 2" before it aired on Spike TV. I was highly impressed by the show, having already enjoyed the first season of the program. Seeing the series as it arrived on TV, I delighted in the program, but was dismayed by the poor treatment of the program by Spike TV.

"Joe Schmo 2" takes what happened in the original program and raises it to the next level. This program gets more outrageous, more original and more fun the first one even did and that one was pretty great. Watch for characters such as Bryce, the crazed stalker and Gerald, the gotta-be-gay guy. All are performing for Joe and Jane Schmo (Tim Walsh and Ingrid Wiese), the only two who think that it's all real. However, as the early portion of the show continues, it soon becomes very clear that Ingrid is having major difficulty believing that it is all real. What will happen and how will it affect the show...

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Break

A noir drama
Frank Krueger, Sarah Thompson and Chad Everett star in this 2009 stylistic black drama about a hit man, Frank, who is contracted to carry out an unusual job. When 'The Man', the city's crime boss discovers he is terminally ill, he enlists Frank to carry out his own assassination. But 'The Man' is selfish and jealous and does not want his love interest to live if he is to die. But that means that Frank is to kill his lover .. and so he must alter the job. Action-packed, different and filled with dark humor. I liked it.

Depressingly Bad
Barely watchable. Don't be deceived by the fake rave reviews. Obviously written in an effort to attract the unsuspecting.

Fun movie!
BREAK is more than an action film - the characters are all great with Michael Madsen having a fetish for fat women, Chad Everett as the twisted crime boss, a bodyguard who only speaks in haikus and David Carradine having a little person as a pet on a leash. This movie is a lot of fun!

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The Wonder of It All

Some interesting moments, but nothing terribly unique
The history of the lunar landings has been covered by many documentaries over the years, so the story itself is one that has been well told. The Wonder of It All took a different approach in interviewing only the surviving moonwalkers (who were willing to participate), giving us their perspective on the program. While this gives you more depth into the thoughts of a very select group of astronauts, it doesn't tell you much of anything about the actual history of the Apollo program. A space fanatic will understand all of the details surrounding the stories already (and will have already heard many of the stories contained within...either from other documentaries or from reading the astronaut biographies). As a space fanatic, I don't necessarily mind not having bits of the story re-told to me. The average viewer, however, may not have the luxury of knowing the rest of the story beforehand.

Also, the film itself is largely just shot-after-shot of the astronauts being...

Exploring Inner Space
This is a great companion piece to David Sington's film In the Shadow of the Moon.

Sington's film dealt more with the Apollo program and the missions themselves. This film focuses on the men who actually walked on the moon. During Apollo, we tended to think of the astronauts as identical and interchangeable -- maybe it was the spacesuits that hid their faces; maybe it was the terse technical jargon they spoke -- but here they appear as very different human beings, united by high intelligence and fierce determination. The film examines how, as distinct individuals, they shaped our exploration of the moon, and were shaped by it.

In a very subtle way that might not even have been recognized during the actual interviews, this film turns into an exploration of inner space. Instead of science lessons from Apollo, these are life lessons from Apollo.

Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean, who left...

A Unique Gem You Can't MIss
The Wonder of It All is one of those smaller movies that the studio system doesn't know what to do with, so they just ignore it, and in doing so, deprive the public of the kind of film they would undoubtedly enjoy and savor. The footage is impressive, but more interesting is how the filmmakers have chosen to look at things from the perspective of the moonwalkers as humans, not as the professional heroes we have all been trained to see them as. These men are people first, with real emotions and feelings (though, it might be questions in John Young's segments :-)).

The Wonder of it All is not afraid to ask what it is like to be a man and do these things, rather than what did the training tell you it was like. This is a truly human and emotional film (and I am not even a space buff) that resonates on many levels.

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The Great Buck Howard

Excellence
If you ever had to wonder why you loved John Malkovitch, this is the reason why. This is the kind of movie you watch with your mouth open. The acting is strong. There's not a lot happening, this isn't a thriller, but even in the most ordinary scenes you can see that everyone believes in their characters. I thought I had this film figured out, but I was happily wrong. This story defies convention! John is simply fantastic in this role. Colin Hanks turns in a competent performance. He's a young actor so he still has to cut his teeth a little, but he did a fair enough job. His father even shows up for a scene and that's always nice.

But the real heart of the story I think is "do you still believe in magic?" not the real kind with witches and spells - but "magic" in a sense of wonder and amazement. I don't want to give anything away but in every scene when you think the story is about to fall apart, John Malkovitch pulls it off! He holds this film together with his bare hands...

Malkovich's "favorite year"
This fine film recalls to mind O'Toole's "My Favorite Year." It follows the travels of an aging mentalist (Malkovich) as he enthusiastically performs before shrinking crowds of aged fans---observed with growing admiration by his road manager, a sceptical young writer (Colin Hanks). Malkovich creates an ode to live performance. The film gives us the same joy as we see the once-famous performer demonstrate that his fame was well deserved.

A GREAT SMALL FILM
Among the many films that are released each year we are treated to some huge blockbusters. One this week out on DVD will no doubt be WATCHMEN. But while that movie may be the most sought after film, it will also leave many behind who won't get to the store in time for their copy. So instead, why not take a risk and watch something a bit more human, a bit more funny and a bit more sad. Why not watch THE GREAT BUCK HOWARD?

If you've never heard nor seen this film don't be surprised. As I said, blockbusters tend to take up space in the multiplexes around the country where an 18 screen complex offers only 4 films at a time. If you have HDNet, you may have caught it on the premier night it ran. If not, do so now.

Colin Hanks stars as Troy Gable, a young student in college studying to be a lawyer not because he loves it or sees himself having a future here but because his father has sent him here. Realizing he has no desire to live this life, he takes off and heads to...

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