The Wolf Man (1941)

Monster Movie Heaven comes in a long-overdue deluxe edition
If you've been keeping up with the DVD releases of Universal Monsters, you might already know this is the 3rd time The Wolf Man has been released in the past 10 years. But this new deluxe 2-disc edition should prove to be the definitive release. In addition to a spectacular restoration (which is still not quite perfect, but probably the best the film will ever look on home video), there is an exhaustive array of bonus features. Actually, only two of them are new, but when added to the already excellent extras carried over from previous releases, this is simply a must-have for anyone with even a slight interest in the film.

But let's take a quick look at the film itself. The Wolf Man has always been my favorite Universal Monster. I think it's the combination of Curt Siodmak's poetic and gothically romantic screenplay, and the Everyman performance of Lon Chaney Jr. as Larry Talbot. Chaney will perhaps forever reside in the shadow of contemporaries like Karloff and...

The birth of Universal's most tragic monster character
Among the pantheon of classic Universal monsters, only Dracula and Frankenstein's monster stand taller than The Wolf Man. This 1941 classic starring Lon Chaney, Jr., is a must-see for anyone claiming any interest in horror movies. The film has exerted a huge influence on the art of bringing horror to life for over six decades now, thanks to the heralded make-up prowess of Jack Pierce, the tight and powerful script of Curt Siodmak, some impressive photography work, and wonderful performances from a truly stellar cast of actors and actresses.

There is just something different about The Wolf Man; I have a hard time viewing him as a monster Larry Talbot is a thoroughly sympathetic and tragic character. Dracula loves being a vampire, Frankenstein's monster is just an unfortunate victim of circumstance whose various body parts have already lived full lives, but Larry Talbot desperately hates the monster he has become. He's already a sympathetic character, coming home after eighteen...

Universal Fans Drop Everything and GET DVD ALREADY!
When Universal started putting out the classic monsters on DVD this fall, I just knew I'd have to wait a long time for the underappreciated Wolf Man. But no! On the heels of the OUTSTANDING discs of Frankenstein, The Bride & The Mummy comes another first-class offering. Like the others, THE WOLF MAN contains an excellent documentary as well as the trailer and a commentary track by a film historian. The print of the film is gorgeous. I don't care what your age is or when you first saw this amazing film, if you're a horror fan you simply must own this one.

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Rambo 3

greatest action star of all time at his zenith
Rambo 3 is usually regarded as the weakest in the series. However, I love this film, simply because Stallone plays a borderline superhero better than anyone else. How many other men can combine such a powerful physical presense with so much force of character? While the real-life Stallone is certainly not as virtuous as Rambo, he is known to have incredible willpower and determination. These qualities dominate his portrayal of John Rambo.You look into this man's eyes and you simply cannot imagine him being small or petty. He is reminiscent of Harry Callahan in that regard. Whatever his limitations may be, his integrity and courage are beyond question. In addition, Stallone is so devoted to the discipline of bodybuilding that he has actually managed to create a distinctive look for this film. (As he has done on many other occassions for various movies.) Stallone is so powerfully built in Rambo 3 that he actually seems like an extension of the rugged Middle Eastern desert environment...

I am RAMBO, hear me Roar!
John Rambo is once again caught up in the world of War and death as he comes out of 'retirement' to rescue his long time friend Colonel Trautmen from the Russians in Afghanistan.

This explosive action movie brings back Sylvester Stallone as the grunting, no-smiles, super buff, near indestructible, one-man army guy, John Rambo. With a vast array of weaponry (some I'm sure he pulls out of nowhere), helicopter gunships, tanks, his trustee Rambo bowie knife, and funny one liners, he will win this war, even if he has to kill everyone to prove it. This is great for a high-action, no brainer night of fun with the mates. RECOMMENDED!!!

80's Action Classic with Current Times Twist
It seems America needs the help of John Rambo one more time as he treks out to the rugged mountains of Afghanistan to save his friend. This movie is packed with action straight from the beginning until the end!

Starting off in the Orient where Rambo seeks to find inner peace by living with Buddhist monks and making some extra money by stick fighting locals. All is well until old pal, Col. Trautman and his CIA friend show up to persuade John to help them funnel arms to the Afghan freedom fighters, (who at the time were fighting the Red army). Rambo quickly declines the offer (Even after seeing some persuading pictures of maimed Afghan children) claiming his war is over.

Dissapointed, Col. Trautman leaves on a solo mission with a convoy of Afghan and American fighters to end up being caught by a ruthless Russian commander who tortures him, and Afghan men and women prisoners day and night.

Rambo learns of the news and now is forced to back to the war he didn't want to fight to...

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Langhe Doc. Stories of heretics in the Italy of warehouses

Interesting Documentary from a Little-Seen Side of Italy
This documentary features interviews with farmers in the Langhe area of Piedmont, specifically those who are not willing to succumb to mass commercialism. They are the few rebels holding on to respect for the land and historic farming methods, and in this documentary we hear from them, as well as approach the question of whether these artisanal farming and production methods are even possible in the modern age.





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Nude Trails - Redwood Forest with Madison Page by Scenic Workouts

Happy Nude Trails
I loved this video! I loved watching this girl jog through the beautiful forest with her ponytail flying up and down. She's has a wonderful playful nature, jumping over tree roots and stumps as she goes along and inviting you playfully to keep up with her. The scenery is beautiful. It shows a lush woodsy setting in a high definition format with sunlight streaming through the leaves... absolutely gorgeous! I like to workout to this video, but sometimes I just put it on as background too. It really makes me feel like I'm out in the woods and makes me feel good.

Sexy!
Very sexy! Love the concept. It is very hard to find a good sexy nudie movie these days, and this does it. Model is cute and is enjoying the run. Great striptease. And the camera doesn't shake at all, as you might expect from following a jogger through a nature trail. Please make more! And release in Blu-Ray!

Sit back and relax....
My expectations were not only met but exceeded with this video. I bought it for the scenery (which I won't comment on here specifically, but it is relaxing, and well done), the model, and the concept of a progressive strip and streak through the forest. The model is very fit, natural, kind of a girl next door type, and urges the viewer to follow along with her as she teases off more and more layers. What I especially liked is that once fully naked, she still has quite a ways to jog, and an A+ bare bottom, with plenty of wiggling and cheek flexing through the trail, so need I say more...The camera work is well done in terms of angles, following along, close up, distant, crystal clarity. In sum, softcore fans should get this video, and thank me later.

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Die You Zombie Bastards!

If you like Troma movies you'll like this.
Die You Zombie Bastards is a really dumb movie. I am a member of that group of people who truly enjoy dumb humor. There are some laugh aloud parts that I can't mention here because they would ruin the movie but trust me, they are hilarious. Don't watch this movie thinking it is a horor movie, because it's not. There is only one scene that is sort of stomach turning, the rest is pure camp. The only one that can act their way out of a paper bag is the female lead. The rest of the actors ham it up like they were sniffing helium. If you enjoyed such Troma movies as Class of Nuke 'Em High or The Killer Condom, this movie is for you. If you think those kind of movies are dumb, run, don't walk away from this one.

wonderful
DIE YOU ZOMBIE BASTARDS! is all about yelling, violence, and nudity, right in line with all those troma movies(Lloyd Kaufman even manages a voice cameo). We've got a crazy serial killer couple split up by a South Park-esque super villain who plans to turn everybody into zombies. This sends our man Red on a trek all across the world(on a geographically bizarre map) to fight zombies and hear about stories of weird Bahamaian hunters and Swedish cheese demons and all sorts of great things like that.

And there's dogmen. If you love dogmen, just get this already. You can't go wrong with dogmen. Not werewolves. Dogmen. If you think the idea of dogmen isn't so great, then definitely don't buy this film.

The humor's great and never lets up, it's constantly bizarre, and there's plenty of messiness and nudity to satisfy you if that's the sort of thing you demand of your ridiculous movies.

It's actually kind of funny...
Die You Zombie Bastards! (Caleb Emerson, 2005)

One of the late Jamie Gillis' attempts to break into the mainstream came with Night of the Zombies in 1981. It is such an unrelentingly bad movie that I find it amazing anyone ever cast him in another one. And yet, Gillis' final film role is, yes, in a zombie movie. I grant you, it's a zombedy, which is a much better fit for Gillis than the hardboiled-detective-horror-flick that was Night of the Zombies, but still, you gotta wonder. At least, you gotta wonder until you start looking farther into the cast list.

Die You Zombie Bastards! is the third installment in the ongoing tale of Red (Tim Gerstmar), a serial killer, and his lovely wife Violet (Pippi Zornoza). In this installment, an evil genius, Baron Nefarious (Geoff Mosher, who previously worked with Emerson on Toxic Avenger IV), is raising an army of the undead to do his bidding. Nefarious falls in love with Violet and kidnaps her, sending Red on a...

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American Bully

terrifying
I'm half Asian and when I was young I was picked on by kids who were raised by parents from post Vietnam and had grand parents who were post WW2. Every comic book, TV show and book showed Asians as always being evil. The people that picked on me sounded just like the kids in this film. There were the crazy kids and the fools that just stood there and did nothing. I was so scared I brought a knife with me at all times for fear of something like this happening to me and I'm talking about the 70s and 80s. This film was great. It scared the hell out of me because if felt so real.

"American Bully" : Pluses and Minuses
"American Bully" contains a decent attempt to illustrate bigotry and intolerance in post-911 America. The chronically profane dialogue carries a lot of weight in characterizing the wild--but still, Brandon excepted, fairly typical--adolescent protagonists despite the fact that the boys' voices all sound alike (and is it just my imagination, or is the lip-syncing off?). The Typical Smaller Town, USA, setting is, perhaps intentionally, confining, and, while low budget films often have a certain appeal, this one's limitations work against it pretty glaringly. I had much higher hopes for "American Bully": More development of the storyline and characters' motivations, particularly those of arch-bully Brandon O'Leary, could do miracles here. All the same, it certainly kept my attention and honestly surprised me in a couple of spots. If you don't expect too wide a scope and appreciate tense, disturbing films centered on teenagers getting themselves and others into troublesome, ultimately...

Satisfying Seller and Great Item :)
I was really satisfied with the film and the seller's timely fashion in shipping the item to me. The movie was a drama-thriller, I'd say. Focuses on the different opinions of people based on the effects of the events of 9/11. Truly a mortifying film on how far one's hate will take them to harm others. Great performances from actors, Marshall Allman (Prison Break), Matt O'Leary (Domestic Disturbance) and Ross Britz (Maskerade).

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Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins [HD]

A real fun movie ;->
I love pretty much anything that Mo'nique is in and anything Martin is in. To see them here together was a real treat. This movie is fun and enjoyable and sure it's corny and silly in some parts, but you can't take it too seriously. The cast is great (Nicole Ari Parker, James Earl Jones, Cedric the Entertainer, Joy Bryant etc) and the story fun.
Roscoe has moved across the country to get away from his family and is a talk show host out in LA. He goes back home to visit when it's his parents' 50th anniversary. It's there that we see exactly how zany his family really are and why he left in the first place. It's hilarious and yet we do also see him accept his family as they are too.
It's not Oscar material for sure, but it's a great movie for light entertainment with a terrific cast that will surely make you laugh. It's enjoyable and I really liked this one.

I LOVE IT!!!
I think this movie is fantastic. I laughed the whole way through. I can't believe that it got even 1 bad review. Oh well, can't please everyone, right?

Funny, but flawed
When Roscoe is forced to go home for his parent's 50th anniversary he finds his family still treats him like the goofball he once was. Even with his trophy girlfriend, he gets no respect, least of all from his brothers and sisters and cousin.

I found this film amusing. I particularly liked Mo'Nique as his sister, and the scenes of his relatives on his television show in the credits. There were some cliche elements I could've done without such as the country mouse cliche (Roscoe became a big star, becomes egotistical materialistic etc.) Also the glories of finding true love with your high school sweetheart. *Yawns* These tropes are done to death in films.

There is a little grossness, mostly in the forms of fake and kind of silly dog fornication. (Between his girlfriend's pomeranian and a golden retriever), and suggestive themes. Not for small kids, but teens have probably seen worse.

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On Point (Institutional Use)

Well done ballet documentary featuring professional and pre-professional grade dancers
Fortunately, this is one documentary that does give us what ballet documentary lovers want: rehearsing and dancing. We follow the experiences of several contestants in ballet, modern, jazz, flamenco and tap, but most of the time seems to be devoted to ballet. There are also plenty of sessions with teachers and judges, as well as company directors looking for new talent. The style is very professional and exciting to watch. The only negatives are the image quality which is good but not great, and the aspect ratio is the old one: 4:3, so either you will view it with bars on the sides, or, as I do, just stretch it(I am so used to the stretch that my brain automatically adjusts and I hardly notice it!), unless you still have an old TV set.
Highly recommended for those who enjoy ballet documentaries and a variety of dancing styles.

Of minor interest
This is a movie about The Brasilia, Brazil Dance Seminar and Competition. It is of some interest to ballet afficianodos (who would lose little from skipping this) and of very little interest to someone who is not already deeply interested in ballet.

ballet
well I haven't had a chance to watch all of it what I saw I really liked . It kinda shows what they do to prepare for there classes and shows. The Ballet World .they have a board that helps there points .

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Death on Demand

Demand more than death here. Demand some quality!
Playing like a bad mix of 'House on Haunted Hill' and 'Halloween: Resurrection' (yes, worse than 'Halloween: Resurrection'), we follow the story of three couples (including a couple football players, an emo lesbian, and a porn star. . . seriously) who are invited to the former home of amateur mountain climber & psychotic murderer Sean McIntyre (which might be the lamest name for a killer in the history of horror). Why? Because some rich guy (who looks like the prickish lovechild of Eli Roth and Colin Farrell) promised them $5,000 if they'd participate in his live-stream webcast at the haunted house. As expected, the ghost of McIntyre is brought back during a séance (why do I even bother?) and begins to stalk down his house guests.

Well, what's there to say? I wasn't expecting much here, and I got what I was expecting. This simply is not a good film. The premise isn't awful, I suppose. Worse ideas have made better films. But, though it's said too much: The execution...

YOU DON'T LIKE VELVET?
The movie opens with the McIntyre murders, a black and white scene of a guy killing his family, then himself. 20 years later the house becomes a scene for a reality show where contestants must spend the night in the house equipped with sound (screams) and cameras. The characters entertain us with some "good" cheesy dialouge. The contest takes place on Halloween night with live streaming. In order to get viewers, they add a porn star to the group. The group includes two rival football players and their girlfriends along with a lesbian who is paired up with the porn star.

The couples initially hold a seance lead by Daphne Ciccarelle who dabbles in the occult...now it is a matter of who lives and dies and whatever plot twists they can come up with.

I liked the overall "B" movie quality to this film. While it isn't anything new to the horror film genre, I enjoy rip off movies that are done well with characters and dialouge.

Sex, nudity (cutie Anne...

So dumb.
<strong>Death on Demand</strong> (Adam Matalon, 2008)

Before helming the terminally stupid <em>Death on Demand</em>, Adam Matalon had directed two things: Sesame Street skits and a short called <em>Sex and Camping</em>. No, I can't figure it out, either. But it makes a lot more sense than <em>Death on Demand</em>, whose continuity issues in the first half-hour would really be a problem if you could somehow bring yourself to give half a fig about the goings-on therein.

Plot: Sean McIntyre (<em>Sixty Cups of Coffee</em>'s Jerry Broome) was a mountaineer who went nuts and killed his family twenty years ago. Ever since, his house has stood abandoned, rumored to be haunted. Fast-forward to the present day, and college student Richard DeNola (<em>Over the G.W.</em>'s Dan Falcone), looking for a way to make some quick cash, comes up with the idea of doing a webcast from the house, offering five grand to anyone who manages to stay the...

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The BIG Train Trip

An EXCELLENT video for my little train lover!
I purchased this video for my son because he's IN LOVE with trains. After watching a few Thomas the Tank Engine shows I decided not to let him watch it anymore (They were either teasing each other or being just plain mean to each other, a behavior I didn't want my 2yr old to repeat) and I started looking for train video's online. I chose this one because it was on sale and I love Small-Fry video's, my son has a TON of them and loves them all. This was an excellent choice. It shows you a trip across Canada in the train car. From waking up and eating in the train's resteraunt to going to sleep in the bunk beds. Plenty of footage of trains. No annoying songs. A great purchase, I highly recommend this video for little train lovers! I also recommend the Great Plane Trip and and the Big Auto Plant.

Mom of little train buff
My 2 1/2 yo son loves this video. The train is seen from all angles and is complimented with great scenery. It is parent friendly (no annoying music)and almost relaxing to watch. It is a super video that not only talks about trains but gives a tour of Canada as well.

An Adventure for the Whole Family
Pop this DVD into your DVD player and take a family-friendly, entertaining, and more importantly educational adventure across Canada and 3 times zones. This BIG Adventure begins with Union Station and the Royal York Hotel in Toronto, Canada.

As with all of the Little Mammoth BIG Adventure episodes, a child narrator is your guide. Educational concepts are introduced to children (and parents/ educators) via simple graphics such as a map of Canada and the upcoming train route, a "weight" that "drops-in," or animated examples of how many car tanks of gasoline it would take to fuel the 2 massive train diesel engines.

As the adventure begins, children get a sense of the excitement and flurry of activity that goes into preparing for a big train trip (one lasting 3 days and 3 nights in this case). See such jobs in action as:

* Hotel Check-In Staff
* Hotel Bellhop (who takes you and your luggage across the street to Union Station)
* Union Station...

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Klitschko [Blu-ray]

KLITSCHKO - don't miss it
An excellent film, not only regarding the world of boxing - but family honor, self respect, awareness and integrity. Definitely worthy of sharing with young people trying to get a grasp on the world (and the spoiled ones who need direction). Good to know there ARE some good people still moving forward with kindness and a sense of family - which Americans are getting confused with. Just buy it!

Great!
These guys had the depth of persona needed to be true heroes and winners. What great role models for fans and non-fans alike buy, the way they lived their lives both in and out of the ring

Great documentry
Wow, I stopped watching boxing when Tyson started biting peoples ears off. Never even heard of these guys. My exchange student told me about them so I got the movie for us to watch. If you are a boxing fan or a fgan of good people doing the right thing this is a great movie!

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Seeking Salvation: A History of the Black Church in Canada

nice description, amazon
I would guess that this description is to a different movie? this film was lacking any con men. I guess I missed that part.

This is a documentary about the black church in canada, so you know





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The Lion and the Lamb, Told by Amy Grant and Christopher Reeve

THE Lion and the Lamb
This one I clicked on and after the first few minutes realized this is for very, very, very small children and it didn't interest me at all.

So sweet
This story is such a sweet change for our little ones to see. And it is nice to hear the voices of Amy Grant and Christopher Reeves, since he is now deceased. Nicely done--nothing else like it.



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Man Overboard

Funny
Yes it is independent so not Million dollar polished but Is far funnier than some of the Big money fluff pieces (I'm looking at you Will F. and Jack B.).

This is very Married With Childrenesk I would love to see it made into a sitcom.

Good salesmanship advice. Bad movie.
The first part of the movie offers insight into sales practices for which every consumer should be on the lookout. Then turn it off and save a couple of precious hours doing something else.

Great Movie
I thought that this movie was very funny and the picture quality was fantastic.
Pick this one up and you won't go wrong.

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The Savior Is Born, Told by Morgan Freeman with Music by The Christ Church Cathedral Choir

Just wasn't my cup of tea
I don't think it is the product or me. I think we just weren't meant for each other. I bought this because I am a huge fan of both Jesus and Morgan Freeman and figured the combination would be interesting.

OK
Wanted a video to watch with the family at Christmas. Adults enjoyed it. Kids did not seem to enjoy 30 minutes of pictures of stained glass windows though.

The Savior is Born is a good family film.
Good family viewing and very appropriate for celebrating Christmas. I liked this presentation because it is an appropriate viewing I can enjoy with my grandchildren.

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Margery Williams' The Velveteen Rabbit, Told by Meryl Streep With Music by George Winston

Classic
This lovely narration by Meryl Streep just makes the great classic even better. She has a gorgeous voice but doesn't ''act''. She truly reads. As enjoyable for me as for my daughter.

Cute bed time story
I like the book because my son loves it as do I. It sets the mood for bedtime when he is all worked up.

a classic
I watched this recently with my granddaughter, it brought back memories of watching and reading this story to my daughter at the same age.

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Millions: A Lottery Story

Sudden wealth can be a blessing or a waste
First of all, the synopsis that Amazon uses to describe this documentary has nothing to do with the film contained herein:

"With the help of beautiful loner, Laura, Jake Reid travels to rural California to dig up the past and the loot from a botched robbery that killed his outlaw father years earlier. But the town of Covello has many dark secrets and Jake and Laura quickly realize that they aren't the only ones looking for the missing money."

A better description would be:

This documentary examines the lives of three winners of lotteries, two individual winners in New York and a group of school cafeteria workers in a small town in Minnesota. While the two New Yorkers managed to squander the entire sum of their winnings before ever the cameras roll, the more down-to-earth, Garrison Keilloresque ladies in Minnesota seem unwilling to allow money to change their core beliefs. In each story, you are given a sliver of time in which to learn a few things...

Boring...
This flashes back and forth between two has-been 1980's lottery winners and some cafeteria workers in Minnesota. The old men from New York are both poor now, and the cafeteria ladies (most of which are still working) are all doing fine, and have not squandered away their winnings. I would not recommend that you watch this unless you enjoy documentaries...and it's full of "fluff" and silly stuff that is totally irrelevant to anything else in the film.



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The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald: Reader's Guide on Video

Very Helpful
This is an odd video, I had to read this book for a class, I had read it in high school but I could not remember the details. This was great, it gave me insight I definitely missed the first time around.

Book Report
I was a little disappointed in this video. I was really looking for a more indept experience as to the writing of The Great Gatsby. With the renewed interest in the book by the recent release of yet another film I thought I'd re-read this classic. Hoping to gain some insight into the author and maybe a discussion on the plot. I gave it an okay rating only because somewhere out there a struggling high school student might use this basic information on his or her's next book report. As for me...I'm sorry I wasted the money.

Helpful!
This is like Cliffs Notes or Sparknotes on video. I pretty much used this because I didn't have time to read the book. It goes through the book and explains everything and uses pictures to make it clearer.

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The Tale of the Voodoo Prostitute

Really quite a good story to hook you with...
from Brain Damage films.

This Urban Thriller has some cool moments with women hit-men,voodoo prostitutes( see title) and many,many female deaths shown .

Reminds this reviewer of all those exploitation films from the south in the '80s-Drugs,Pimps, pimped-out cars and those accents...Cajun and French and News Yauks.

The main villian, And let us add the pimps are victims too ( `Bout time on that one...Quentin Tarantino missed that boat),Is truly MEAN ,Capital `M'.

The only law enforcement to be seen is corrupt and has an ANDREW DICE CLAY persona.





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Live on Stage: Heimspiel

Blu-Ray issue
I just came back from Germany and obviously as a german this album is a must-have. So I bought the blu-ray concert making sure that A, B, C region free is mentioned on the back of the bd. I inserted it into my USA PS3, the logos come up and after that a black screen. That's it. I was quiet upset. After looking into this issue I found out that even tough A,B,C region free is mentioned on the bd the 1080i/50 will not play on a USA PS3. This is apparently the standard format in Europe which will not work in the USA. A normal consumer will not know this detail and will buy the bd with big hopes. I wasted my money. Bummer. I still give it a three even tough I did not watch it at all. Be aware you Germans in the USA with an american PS3. Bis bald. Let me know if you have any idea on how to play this in the USA.





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Sk8 Life

interesting skateboarding story
The main story line was interesting but moves along slowly, fortunately there is enough skating action to keep it from being too slow to watch.
I would watch it again, the characters are likable and interesting enough to keep your attention through the slower parts of the story.

Not bad for low budget canadian flick
Not bad considering the actors were all canadian skateboarders and was shot on location in Vancouver with a very low budget.



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The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Told by Glenn Close with Music by Tim Story

Simply, SLEEPY HOLLOW at it's element!
Glenn Close does a FLAWLESS narration of Irving's classic spooky tale! Truly, Rabbit Ears brings the actual story to it's full glory with stunning images, music, and timeless storytelling. I have watched this video annually every October. Perfect for a windy Fall evening or a Halloween party! Woderful, I can't say enough about it! So enchanting, you will be drawn as much into the story as your kids!

Fantastic creepy fun!
This is one of my favorite Rabbit Ears stories. Glenn Close gives a masterful dramatic reading of the story and the music and sound effects add to the sheer creepiness. Great for Halloween. The illustrations by Robert Van Nutt are incredibly rich in color and have a kind of period style that fit perfectly with the story's setting. There is a companion CD that has the exact same narration by Close and music by Tim Story (Audible.com) and a Kindle eBook version so you could listen and "turn the pages" at the same time.

Simply, THE BEST telling of "SLEEPY HOLLOW"
Glenn Close... A name sinonymous with talent in the performing arts. "Sleepy Hollow"... That chilling tale about a decapitated demon horseman, perfect for a windy fall evening.

The Rabbit Ears production of "THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW" is superb in all it's tastes. It combines the vivid imagery present in the actual W. Irving story, strong music, and Glenn Closes' wonderful narration. I have annually watched this 30 minute show EVERY October just around twilight on a windy evening. So spooky, it's wonderful, and there's no doubt that, just as it captures adults, but children's attention as well.

Make this video a part of your Halloween collection! IT'S PERFECT!

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Rip Van Winkle, Told by Anjelica Huston

A classic!
Narrated by Angelica Huston, this classic tale comes alive once again! Lazy but endearing to all the village (except his wife) Rip Van Winkle nods off to sleep. Time passes him by and he awakes an old man with his friends and family having departed in the customary way of aging. Enchanting. Again, my grandchildren accompany me on yet another adventure!

Nice!
It is a nice visual to accompany the written story. My kids at home and students at school really enjoyed watching this dvd.



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Squanto and the First Thanksgiving, The Legendary American Tale, Told by Graham Greene

A Wonderful and Fun Way to Teach American History to Children
I bought this for my grandchildren to watch during the Thanksgiving Holiday, and they LOVED it. They watched it over and over and ended up asking all sorts of questions that started great family discussions. Highly recommended!

Different from the book
Loved the story but my daughter would say it wasn't like the book. Of the the book is always better but I think for a little movie it is worth seeing and educational.

Good
Good teaching tone...but monotone voice is a little boring. Very slow moving. If you could play in FF would make it much better.

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Greatest Moments at Husky Stadium

Probably not worth $20
I got this for $12 at a local retailer, and it's probably worth that if you are a dedicated fan.

Don't believe the "4 hours" description, it's 10 episodes, and each episode is 22 minutes. It could have easily fit on 2 DVDs or even 1 DVD, because it's a 4:3 standard def display; I suspect they split it up onto 4 to make it sound beefier than it is.

The episodes are okay, but they don't really go into much depth. I was hoping for more; this is a golden opportunity to have a deep history of the Huskies and it's just a cursory overview.

A good reminder of some great memories, but that's it.

very good but coulda been better.
Excellent overview of great moments for the Dawgs in Husky Stadium. But it falls a little short. There have been SO many great moments that they need to come up with a few more volumes, because there are to many games and moments left out. The video quality and content are excellent. 4 stars only because they left so much out. Now they need to come up with a 'Great moments in Husky Football History'. Now THAT would be great!

A good collection for Husky fans
This is a decent collection of highlights and remembrances from former Husky players, coaches, and those who covered them. This is a UWTV production so obviously it's not NFL films, but it's adequate (standard definition all the way). As mentioned in other reviews, it consists of ten 22-minute episodes that frequently borrow from each other. Don't expect any real surprises or insights, but I'm sure it'll bring back some great memories for any Husky fan.

Keep in mind it's the greatest moments in "Husky Stadium", not "Husky Football", so while it does give an overview of the Husky program over the years, it is by no means complete. A lot of the focus is unsurprisingly spent on the James-era Huskies, and specifically on the Warren Moon-led Rose Bowl team of '77 and the three Rose Bowl teams of '90-'91-'92. The Neuheisel era is mostly ignored with the exception of an episode dedicated to Tui's 300 yard passing/200 yard rushing game against Stanford, which is rather odd...

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Dirty Jobs Collection 8

Mike Rowe Rocks .
As it turns out this will be a last season collection of Dirty Jobs. Sadly after 50 states , it is suddenly over. Hopefully we will see Mike in future shows on TV as his talent is going to be missed terribly by his fans .

great show
this is a very funny and entertaining show. love mike Rowe, he makes the jobs fun even when they are a pain to do. would recommend

Dirty jobs is great, discovery sucks for cancelling it
Dirty jobs is great, discovery sucks for cancelling it. This IS and was a great great show, showing the everyday man working for his money, instead of all the stuffy crappy managers and banker types who dont work for a living. It was a good run, I wish they would have done more.

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How the Leopard Got His Spots, Told by Danny Glover, Music by Ladysmith Black Mambazo

great storytelling...music and artwork a pleasure!!
This reminds me of the children's stories from my childhood. The characters are memorable and fun. The language is ticklish and festive..

Excellent movie! Really takes me back...
I used to have this story as a Windows 95 computer game, but now that I'm using Windows 8, I can't go back and play it again for old times' sake like I want to. This movie is the perfect solution to my wish for a walk down memory lane. I adore the music the Ladysmith Black Mambazo performed for the game, the audiobook and the movie, and Danny Glover's narration makes this story every bit as lovable as it was meant to be when Rudyard Kipling first wrote it.

In summary, I am so glad I found this again. Thank you, Amazon!

Its a KIDS film.
I thought this was going to be an evolution documentary. Boy was I wrong. Its a kids book on video. Turned it off in 3 minutes .... Waste of money if your an adult.

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The Tailor of Gloucester, Told by Meryl Streep with Music by The Chieftains

Engaging
My four-year-old was disappointed at first that this was not a movie, just a "story," but she was soon entranced and moved to tears because Simpkin had no dinner. I enjoyed the music.

charming
I enjoy reading aloud to my family and being read to, and Maryl Streep does a great job of reading the story. I watched it when I didn't feel well and found it very soothing. The artwork contained little vivid color, but the washed out effect accurately portrayed the tailor's life of poverty and enhanced the story.

Beautifully narrated...
The story is similar to the tailor and the elves with the elves being replaced by mice. Merryl Streep narrates this with such an engaging variety of different voices one forgets its her. The story takes center stage as the knowledge of who narrates it falls away. Great sound effects and visuals.

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A Gingerbread Christmas

It's Cute
I loved the way the gingerbread cookies were clothed, very christmasy!
It's a simple storytelling with pictures but really has the christmas spirit.





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Nanny McPhee [HD]

What you need is Nanny McPhee
That's what Mr. Cedric Brown (Colin Firth), the widower father of seven children who'd take the team Olympic Gold for mischief-making does. Working at a funeral parlor with two silly assistants, Mr. Jowl and Mr.Wheen (Derek Jacobi), he relies on nannies to look after his offspring, but his childrens' antics are all to drive away the nannies; in the case of Nanny Weston, they make as if they were eating the youngest, an infant.

Mcphee (Emma Thompson) arrives at the Brown resident one stormy night, and her profile silhouetted outside the door reminds me of the shudder one thinks when Alfred Hitchcock's profile is shown on his show. If the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz and Mary Poppins were thrown together, one would get Nanny McPhee. She's clearly no beauty, as she has two warts on her face, a swollen nose, and a tooth that hangs over her lower lip. She also carries a crooked staff which she taps on the floor in order to conjure magic.

She...

For the "Kid" in everyone!
In the past few years, it seems like all of the movies that are safe to take young children to are computer generated animation films full of adult humor. The kids are entertained by the animation - the parents by the adult humor. "Nanny McPhee" thankfully breaks the mold with a sweet story for everyone in the theater. Children identify with the young actors in the film and the story never drags. The six-year old who accompanied me is usually one who loves action cartoons, killing, shooting, etc. When we left the theater he said, "That's the best movie I ever saw!" Thanks, Ms. Thompson, for reminding us about what children SHOULD be watching at the movies!

A MOVIE FOR EVERYONE
I saw this movie 10 minutes ago in a hotel room. Immediately, I go to Amazon.com to see if I can buy it. This is how good the movie is. You want to own it and watch it again and again. The story is good (no doubt, if you have read the book). The director is good. Just love it. Highly recommended.

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Blindness [Blu-ray]

Awesome movie!
Wow, why does this have such a low rating on IMDB and why does so many people hate it? The only answer that I can come up with is that most of the people that hate it are teens that don't know the meaning of "plot hole". There's no plot hole in this movie. The fact that there's no explanation why people become blind is not a plot hole, it's just not an important detail. Saying that it's plot hole is just like saying that the fact there's no explanation why people become zombies in Dawn Of The Dead is a plot hole. It's not a plot hole, it's just not what the movie is about. It was intentionally not explained. Anyway, it's an awesome movie! It's not only entertaining, it's also sad, disturbing, powerful and I could go on and on and on! I'm pretty sure that it's the only movie that made me go from sad to disturbed to happy and to sad again!

Short review, I know, but I'm just not good at writting reviews. I just hope that it's atleast slightly helpful.

A Blind Bud
It is easy to understand why this film received such terrible reviews. "Blindness" is a very difficult film to swallow; it's largely unpleasant, cynical and even disgusting. But is this portrayal of humanity farfetched, a sloppy exaggeration of human beings' capacity for baseness? One need only look back in history to find the answer. In short, this is not a film which you emerge from feeling "warm and squishy", although if one makes it through the end that -may- be possible.

Many of the criticisms are aimed at the lack of plot development. But this would be like calling "The Ring" a terrible movie on the basis of its inadequacy in explaining how a girl can walk out of a television set. Or claiming that "Mrs. Doubtfire" was awful because Robin Williams' accent was actually Scottish and not English. There are films that are intended to petrify and others which amuse; the purpose of "Blindness" is neither. It is not a well-defined plot which drives this movie, but rather...

Underrated and masterful
The Bottom Line:

Director Fernando Meirelles and his screenwriter Don McKellar actually improve on the source novel with this excellent and intelligent film that expertly portrays what Saramagos' "white blindness" might do to society and enlarges upon the allegorical themes of the book; inexplicably reviled by most critics and a film that some seem to find sordid, Blindness was one of the best and most thought-provoking movies of 2008.

3.5/4

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Juan of the Dead

Smart And Silly: This Zombie Comedy From Cuba Has Some Of The Year's Biggest Laughs
I have an unrelenting fascination with all things undead. But with the current zombie craze reaching an all time high, it seems like every other movie, TV show, and book features my flesh eating friends! There's a LOT of contemporary zombie action, so it's becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish something truly special from the crowded pack. The perfectly titled "Juan of the Dead" is a movie I wanted to see and thought I'd almost assuredly like. I assumed it would be an amusing, if not particularly substantial, addition to the undead canon. Well, not only did I like it, I LOVED this little Cuban film. (Yes, it is in subtitles). It takes familiar horror and survivalist themes and filters them through a deceptively smart and engaging screenplay. What's more, it is absolutely hilarious! I laughed out loud often in "Juan of the Dead" and that came as somewhat of a surprise to me. It is simultaneously silly AND witty. An astute political satire, an unusual cultural...

Simply amazing!
I waited months to see this movie and when it finally was shown in NYC, I invited my friends to go see it with me. The movie definitely exceeded my expectations and my friends loved it.

Juan de los Muertos is funny as hell and very witty. Without creating political debates, it delves into Cuba's political background and social reality in a humorous way.

The actors, some good, some not so much, were very enjoyable to watch. They had great chemistry and it really felt as if they were having a blast doing this movie. You really fall in love with these characters.

The graphics were better than I expected, given that I had read some negative reviews about that. I actually liked them. I mean, this is a zombie movie, you don't want it to look like some slick Hollywood production.

A original, good take on the zombie genre
If you like Zombies, watch this. It is really that simple. It contains some scenarios that I have never seen and it is very original. The cultural difference (from America) enriches this movie and even the end credits are cool.

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Davy Crockett And The River Pirates

Two Mike Fink Specials......
This is Disney live action at its best!

I have loved these storeis since a young girl when they appeared on the Sunday night Wonderful World of Disney. Although geared for young boys, girls love these stories too.

Wonderful scenery. Wonderful lessons of river history from a bygone era. Frequent mentions of the Ohio River, Pittsburg, Kentucky, Natchez and New Orleans.

Adults and children well love this video.

One of my favorite Disneys to watch on Sunday Night
I used to really like watching Davy Crockett when the Wonderful World of Disney came on. This video brings back all those warm fuzzies. This is not my best Davy though. This has Mike Fink the River King in it. Davy is a passive mellow guy and doesn't react to Finks braggert ways. Fink trys to bait him over and over but Davy just keeps plowing on and always wins the bad guys over. Fink and Davy eventually team up to find the river pirates who are posing as the Indians and thieving boats on the river. I relived some good old memories and got to feel like a little kid. I remember wanting a gun from Disneyland so I could be like Davy Crockett. Its kind of funny because I'm a girl but Davy was a real important symbol to me when I was little.
Lisa Nary

More fun than KING OF THE WILD FRONTIER
This review was origionally of the VHS Davy Crockett and the River Pirates which is no longer available

This movie was great and the character of Mike Fink "King of the River" made it so. I've always been into characters and this made this movie better than the first. By meeting and making a near equal Disney provided a great foil for this movie. Mike Fink is a fun guy willing sneaky enough to cheat but also big enough to laugh at a joke on himself and not make excuses when he loses. The entire group of river men were fun. Buddy Ebson and Russel and of course Fess Parker as Davy Crockett played their roles to the hilt. (The scene of Russell and Jocko in the bar was tons of fun.) Again we see adventure and action and fair play win. And again we ALSO see more than meets the eye. We see the lesson about peer pressure (Russell and his wager) We see the virtue of helping out (the stranded farmer). We see its possible to fight and compete in a rough and tumble way, and shake hands later...

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Amy

A review of the DVD...
OK, this is a review of the actual DVD from Amazon... and it's a real disappointment. This film was shown theatrically in a 1.85:1 widescreen ratio (or 1.75:1, depending on whom you ask). This DVD is full-frame, 1.33:1, and worst of all, it is in poor condition - looks like a rip from the original VHS tape. The only thing good about this is that it is the film, and it is available in this authentic, direct-from-Disney effort. It's a real shame.

To bad that deaf viewers cannot enjoy this DVD.
THis DVD has no subtitles or coptions. So, though the film deals with the lives and situations of deaf children. Deaf children cannot watch this film. Disney is heartless.

Hear With Your Heart
This is a great family film that teaches compassion is for all, those with
"handicaps" that are clearly visible, and the ones we keep deep down
inside ourselves, that can rise quickly to the surface, demanding to be
dealt with...come what may....

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Jaws

5 stars and the dvd is a bargain
Well, I bought the DVD dts and I think you'll like the extras such as the outtakes, deleted scenes, and especially an excellent documentary. You'll get the behind the scenes from Spielberg, the actors, photographers, and the producers. In today's film world this movie could be made rather easily, but back then you'll see the tremendous undertaking that went into this production. The movie itself, of course, is just amazing. At one point Spielberg says that the shark is the star, but the scenes on the boat will show you 3 stars at the top of their game. The sound quality is outstanding and exact, but I do have one complaint.... on the 5.1 DTS their isn't much activity from the back 2 speakers. The sound coming from the front 3 is great, but they could have done more. This movie is just as suspenseful as when I saw it in the mid-seventies. I hadn't really watched it in awhile and I had forgotten the outstanding acting performances by Scheider, Dreyfuss, and Shaw...

Finally On DVD
Jaws was Stephen Spielberg's first hit and after his initial reluctance to release his movies on DVD, it finally makes its DVD debut. We all know the story, a great white shark terrorizes the waters off of Amity Island. The movie is based on Peter Benchey's best-selling novel. This is one of the rare instances where a movie is actually better than the book it was based on. In Mr. Benchey's novel, there is are some extraneous sections such as an affair between Ellen Brody and Hooper that really don't add to the story. The movie streamlines the book and the changes made bringing it to the screen actually improve on the book. The performances of three stars are superb. Roy Scheider plays Chief Brody as an everyman. We can all relate with him as he is just trying do his job and the right thing but is caught in the middle. He wants to close the beaches to catch the shark, but the people he is protecting want them opened as the water is the source of their livelihoods...

JAWS Dazzles on Blu-Ray
The original summer blockbuster, Steven Spielberg's JAWS quickly became my favorite film growing up, having devoured it on VHS and on ABC's Sunday Night Movie presentation (the one with the added footage) so many times I could recite dialogue before I was out of grade school. Over the years I've been able to see it on the big screen (thanks to a visit with Lukas on Martha's Vineyard back in `96 or so), but despite that - and having reviewed numerous laserdisc and DVD releases over the years - only now with Universal's Blu-Ray edition do I feel like I've really, completely seen "Jaws." This is a spectacular HD presentation on every level and is sure to thrill fans of this classic 1975 screen adaptation of Peter Benchley's bestseller.

There's not much I can say about the movie that hasn't been written or documented - from behind-the-scenes books to countless documentaries - since the film's 1975 release date. Spielberg's miraculous direction took advantage of every difficult...

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White Wilderness

Disney should have been put in jail
If you grew up on Disney's wilderness tales as I did, you may be shocked to find them to have been falsified documentaries. Not only false, but in many cases cruel. In this particular video for instance a polar bear is actually PLACED at the top of a steep snowy hillside and forced to "accidentally fall" several hundred feet. Additionally, this is the title that propagated the myth that lemmings commit suicide. They don't. Walt's producers actually THREW them off a cliff and taped it, saying they jumped... Check out Cruel Camera - Hollywood Animals.

No money should be made from the sale of this footage...

Disney should have been put in jail
If you grew up on Disney's wilderness tales as I did, you may be shocked to find them to have been falsified documentaries. Not only false, but in many cases cruel. In this particular video for instance a polar bear is actually PLACED at the top of a steep snowy hillside and forced to "accidentally fall" several hundred feet. Additionally, this is the title that propagated the myth that lemmings commit suicide. They don't. Walt's producers actually THREW them off a cliff and taped it, saying they jumped... Check out Cruel Camera - Hollywood Animals.

No money should be made from the sale of this footage...

Another Disney Nature Classic
When I was a kid, our family always looked forward to Sunday Night and "The Wonderful World of Color". It was an hour of Disney productions. Sometimes there were Disney movies in two parts, sometimes Disney serials like "The Adventures of Davy Crocket", sometimes Disney cartoons, and sometimes we'd get to see some of the fabulous Disney Nature films. I can still see the Disney movies and cartoons if I want but I really miss the Disney Nature films. I went searching and was able to purchase "White Wilderness" which focusses on animal life in the artic. I was reminded early on to watch my weight as I watched the walrusses laboriously waddle around the rocks. The two young polar bears were a hit for viewers of all ages. There were some life and death scenes as well as some very unusual footage of a wolverine in the wild. I also got to finally view lemmings which I found very interesting.

The one problem with this and other Disney nature films I've seen recently is that...

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The Living Desert

Living Desert Review by James Marchese
Walt Disney's Living Desert is the finest desert nature footage ever produced--the standard. Released in 1953 in full color it took 3 years to make. It has many fine points including a 2:25 breathtaking sequence in which a large female wasp subdues and paralyzes a tarantula with her stinger. Beautiful botanical time lapse photography is also featured. The Best Documentary Oscar was created for The Living Desert and it was the first recipient of the award. What more can I say---everyone young and old should have the opportunity to see this film.

Every library needs Living Desert
Living Desert is the introduction to ecology that every child needs to see. It combines extraordinary footage with entertaining music and intelligent commentary, and probably was responsible for millions of Americans learning to look beyond the obvious barren view of our natural resources. So why isn't a copy of this tape in every public library branch in the country? Why not ask your local library if it wants a copy, and make a charitable (and tax-deductible) contribution to our national common body of knowledge? This is the grand-daddy of nature films.

Excellent
This is top notch! I hope it comes back

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Death Wish 3 [Blu-ray]

This is meant to be a parody, right?
I know that Michael Winner got his start making comedies, then turned to making blunt and chilling action movies such as The Stone Killer, The Mechanic and the first Death Wish. However Death Wish 3 is so over the top that I have to wonder if Winner wasn't winking at the audience - and one or two scenes seem to be making some kind of satirical statement about this kind of entertainment catharsis. Paul Kersey returns to New York City to visit an old war buddy, but finds his friend dying from a beating given by the local thugs. Kersey is arrested and, while in the local jail, has a run in with the gang leader, a psychotic named Fraker (played with just the right amount of swagger by Gavan O'Herlihy). The police chief (Ed Lauter) is so frustrated with Fraker's gang running (and ruining) the neighborhood that he releases Kersey and wishes him happy shooting. "You're turning me loose?" Kersey asks. "I'm turning you loose." The cop replies. What follows is a...

Violent. Violent. Violent. And Funny.
DEATH WISH 3 is, for its time, an extremely violent movie. Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) is a seemingly placid soul who goes about killing several hundred thugs and crooks in 1980's NYC. The "plot" finds Kersey returning to NYC where he visits an old war buddy, whom Kersey finds dying on his apartment floor, a victim of intruding gangs. Having lost his friend, Kersey decides to move into his buddy's old apartment and take up a war against the gangs overrunning the neighborhood. I wouldn't even say this is a tale of revenge, because you never get the sense that Kersey gives a damn about his friend's death. It's basically an invitation to kill, something Kersey accepts when a police commissioner asks for "help" in thinning out the criminal herds.

Kersey, a character born from the "silent majority" of the Nixon Era, has no character arc, no narrative, no place to go where he will eventually find peace. This movie is a showcase for violence-- funny, absurd, over-the-top...

SHAME ON YOU MGM!
... for messing up such a great movie! Movies like this one need special treatment. Putting this out in fullscreen is like giving it no attention at all. It's a shame because today even ultra-low budget films are being properly remastered for DVD releases. It seems that MGM does not realise at all the cult status of this movie- I mean there are countless people out there who have been waiting for a decent release of this movie. I don't consider this an upgrade to my old, fullscreen VHS so I won't be buying it.

As for the movie itself... no words could possibly describe it. It just reaches perfection.

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Fastest [Blu-ray]

The Rossi phenomenon
This picks up where Mark Neale left us in "Faster", his panoramic story of the MotoGp era from 2001 to 2002. The film mainly focuses on the 2008 to 2010 seasons. Despite the cover, Rossi on the malevolent Ducati, the 2011 season is barley mentioned.

But what a story. This is motorcycle racing in its glory days. Most of the narrative is around Valentino Rossi, one of the greatest sportsmen of our time and unequivocally one of the best there has even been in the premier class. The basic story, his move to Yamaha, quick dispatch of Biaggi, Gibernau and up to 2010, of the new pretenders is expertly told through interviews with riders, the eloquent Michael Scott, ebullient Julian Ryder and the proto-Nietzschean philosophy of Dr Costa. Along the way, we get insights from the always effacing Colin Edwards, a surprisingly mature Jorge Lorenzo, taciturn Stoner and from the up and coming Marco Simoncelli, who's sadly premature death gives the film a very touching aura.

The...

Thrilling Race Footage Makes This An Essential, If Overstuffed, Tribute For Fans Of MotoGP
I don't follow competitive motorcycle racing and don't know much about it, but I thought Mark Neale's documentary "Fastest" might provide a good introduction. I watch a lot of documentaries about every conceivable topic, so I'm always interested to see how well something will translate to newbies on the subject. "Fastest," which covers the MotoGP World Championship, may be a bit daunting to someone who doesn't avidly follow the sport. At first, we're introduced to Valentino Rossi as he seeks an impressive 10th world title following a horrific accident. As the focal point of the film, Rossi certainly is an interesting character who is a true superstar and trendsetter in the field. But Neale's narrative never stays in one place for very long and instead of telling a straightforward account, it jumps back and forth through years of racing as the topics veer all over the place. It has so much information, it's almost exhausting to try to keep up (maybe that's why it's called Fastest)...

Thrilling Race Footage Makes This An Essential, If Overstuffed, Tribute For Fans Of MotoGP
I don't follow competitive motorcycle racing and don't know much about it, but I thought Mark Neale's documentary "Fastest" might provide a good introduction. I watch a lot of documentaries about every conceivable topic, so I'm always interested to see how well something will translate to newbies on the subject. "Fastest," which covers the MotoGP World Championship, may be a bit daunting to someone who doesn't avidly follow the sport. At first, we're introduced to Valentino Rossi as he seeks an impressive 10th world title following a horrific accident. As the focal point of the film, Rossi certainly is an interesting character who is a true superstar and trendsetter in the field. But Neale's narrative never stays in one place for very long and instead of telling a straightforward account, it jumps back and forth through years of racing as the topics veer all over the place. It has so much information, it's almost exhausting to try to keep up (maybe that's why it's called...

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Fidel

Fidel - Then & Now...
Just saw the HBO film "Comadante"(2003), which I ordered through the Amazon UK Marketplace, by noted director Oliver Stone, and found it an excellent recent profile of the "Old Fidel" Castro. It seems like such a perfect "Bookend" to Saul Landau's excellent portrait of a "Young Fidel" Castro in his Prime, shot 36 years before, beautifully filmed in color, as he made his rounds all over Cuba and gave his "Progress Report" on Cuban Socialism, after it's first 10 years. Finally, after 30 years, it will soon be available on American Home Video, on February 24, 2009, for Americans to judge for themselves.

It has now been 50 years since the triumph of the Cuban Revolution. The fact that both of these excellent films by American directors have been virtually BANNED from U.S audiences since they were made, shows that the Dark Forces of Demonization and Fear have been blocking average Americans from the opportunity to look objectively at Castro, and yes, perhaps even becoming...

A unique perspective
What is so rewarding about this traditional-style documentary is the humanization of Castro, a figure made grotesque and often demonized in the United States by a very small minority of persons. Regardless of how you perceive "socialism", this documentary shows Castro from a relatively positive profile and therefore his and Cuba's history from a unique perspective. Americans will be surprised to discover that in many parts of the globe Castro is considered a great hero, whereas here he is portrayed as equal parts monster and tyrant. No mention is made of repressive measures or political prisoners however, an interesting omission, but given the fact that almost all reports and documentaries focus exclusively on his "repression" and the fate of political prisoners, it is somewhat understandable. Even the uneducated would benefit from seeing this documentary, and would probably think of Castro in a different light.

Great DVD
I've seen other DVDs that were clearly biased against Fidel and the Cuban Revolution. This one was less critical than most orthodox Marxists would be, however I still enjoyed it and recommend it to many people.

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The Perfect Stranger

Beautiful Movie
The plot is simple. A lawyer named Nikki played by Pamela Brumley gets a dinner invitation on the night her husband is going to a ball game with his friends. She believes that the invitation is really from her husband who feels bad about leaving her alone on a Friday night, so she accepts. When she arrives at the resteraunt she finds instead someone she has never seen before, a man, well dressed, who claims to be Jesus Christ. At first she thinks it's a joke and wants to leave, but hey, why give up a free meal? She goes along with his story that he is Jesus Christ and proceeds to ask him questions about everything she can think of from various religions to the creation of the universe. What follows is one of the most interesting conversations put on film.

Let me state that I am not a born again Christian, but when I first saw this film I was glued to the TV, it is a film that makes you think. It is a film that is entertaining, it is a film that is as interesting to those of...

Want to Dine Out with Jesus?
My wife and I recently had a dear friend over for dinner. Even though a Catholic she like many have struggled with the concept of Jesus being the only way to God, that the Bible is the authentic Word of God, if God is so loving why is there so much suffering in this world and that just being a "good" person qualifies one for heaven regardless of their belief. To our delight (and relief), we came across "The Perfect Stranger" in our cable guide. Without all of the typical religious voices of Christian broadcasts this movie simply and cleverly answered our friends questions all within a modern, intimate dinner setting with none other than Jesus, business suit and all.

The thematic of the movie is that it's all about relationship and NOT religion. It's about accepting God's gift of grace to you and not trying to earn God's favor, because...well, you just can't. This "My Dinner with Andre" format is both entertaining, challenging and engaging. When the program ended our friend...

The Perfect Stranger
I was roaming the aisles of our neighborhood video store when I came across this movie. Thinking the actress looked like Catherine Zeta-Jones Douglas, I asked the clerk if he had seen it, he hadn't but I felt compelled to rent it anyway. I am blown away by the sincere, simple, yet effectiveness for the story. I am a Christian, but most Christian-type movies seem sappy, goofy, certainly nothing a non-believer would find interesting, I barely think they are worth the time.But, this movie is different! It is very well thought out, thought provoking in a simple premise, just honest. Bless the cast, and crew for following their hearts. Bless you for watching it and spreading the Word!

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Watchers 4

Disjointed and Confusing
I've seen all the Watchers series by L. A. Marzulli. My favorite is Watchers 1, which flowed evening and smoothly and seemed to have an overall theme and message, although this was presented via different subject matter.

However, Watchers 4 seems like someone just took some clips that were laying on the floor and taped them all together.

There is one segment about a "Rockwall" in Texas. Considerable time is given to this blasted wall. However, the DVD does not set it up contextually. I have no clue why I am watching a long segment on an old wall in Rockwall, Texas. What should have happened is for L. A. Marzulli to introduce the segment by explaining what the wall is, why it should have any interest or significance to a viewing audience, and what this wall seems to imply to L. A. Marzulli. I was totally at a lose and was happy when this segment was completed.

Prior to the tiresome wall segment, There were some interesting comments by right wing...

BORING...
HOW MANY TIMES ARE THEY GOING TO KILL OFF THE OUTSIDER? I THINK THEY OUGHT TO JUST STICK TO THE ORIGINAL AND MAKE IT A 4 TO 6 HOUR MOVIE WITH ALL THE DETAILS OF THE BOOK AND LEAVE OUT ALL THIS EXTRA GARBAGE.

Awesome!!!
I loved this, I am so glad to get a christian view on it. I am excited to see any new productions from LA Marzulli. I have started listening to his podcast's (acceleration Radio)

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New Jack City [Blu-ray]

A Great Two-Disc Special Edition
The two-disc special edition of New Jack City is a great investment for fans of the classic hip-hop drama. Released in 1991, New Jack City was the first feature film Mario Van Peebles released. The film also was a breeding ground for actors who went on to have very successful careers. The music of the "New Jack" movie is almost as memorable as the movie itself. Ice T stars in the film as a "New Jack" cop who goes undercover to break down the "CMB" crime mob. Crack was running rampant. Wesley Snipes starred as Nino Brown and Allen Payne starred as his right hand man "G-Money." It's a great film and Chris Rock appears in the film as a crack head named Pookie. "New Jack City" is the first hip-hop gangsta movie classic. It wasn't just a shoot em' up bang bang movie, it really captures the essence of those mafia/organized crime movies. The DVD's packaging is very nice.

The Road To New Jack City-
This is hands down the best featurette on the special features...

Influential and surprisingly still holds up today
Mario Van Peebles directed and co-stars in this influential and well filmed urban crime saga that surprisingly still holds up today. New Jack City, like King of New York, Boyz N the Hood and Menace II Society, has spawned a host of immitators to this day, but it's Peebles heartfelt message that sets New Jack City apart from others. Peebles stars as one of the honest cops (along with pimp turned rapper turned actor Ice-T and Judd Nelson) trying to nail ruthless drug czar Nino Brown (Wesley Snipes) and bring down his empire of drugs and murder, to little avail. A young Chris Rock stars as a recovering addict who Ice-T and co. look upon to help them nab Nino, but it soon proves to be something that is much easier said than done. Unlike the "gangsta" films that followed, New Jack City offered a glimmer of hope under the violence and pounding hip-hop soundtrack, and it helped launch the career of the charismatic Snipes who would become an action star as the decade progressed. The rest...

New Jack Drug-goons
I grew up on a staple of spaghetti westerns (Terence Hill), kung-fu (Bruce Lee & Jacky Chan) and action (Bruce Willis) flicks but as a young black man growing up in Kambuzuma, Harare, Zimbabwe I did not identify myself with any ONE genre. Kine 1000 was a typical urban cinema goer's paradise.
Enter Wesley Snipes in 1991's New Jack City and my whole world changed. Here was a despicable villain, vicious, arrogant and totally self-serving an individual as you ever will see, yet he was charming ang very likeable at the same time. I identified with him, I hated his politics (so to speak) but in the same breath I knew a 1000 like him who corrupted nations and enriched themselves while so doing. The movie was set in America but it could have been enacted in any urban city in the world.
Happening, relevant and totally and brutally believable! Snipes is excellent, Allen Payne, Ice T, Judd Nelson & Chris Rock not far behind this movie set the the tone for all drug related movies to...

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Peppa Pig - Muddy Puddles

God Save the BBC!
OK, I clearly should have lived in England. Maybe I will someday... Charlie and Lola, Maisy, Connie the Cow, Peppa Pig... All loved by my family and me.

If you are an appreciator of things from abroad, and even if not, you've got to get this DVD. HOLY COW, funny and adorable. ALL I CAN SAY IS -- WATCH THE POLLY PARROT EPISODE. If you don't crack a smile there's something VERY wrong.

Peppa Pig was introduced to us through Noggin, a spin-off channel for preschoolers from the beloved Nickelodeon. When I first saw a Peppa Pig short with my daughter I was immediately smitten. If you are hesitant to purchase this DVD, maybe you can catch an episode on one of these channels if you have cable. Otherwise, maybe you could go to the Peppa Pig website and view one there.

Unfortunately, there are not many products (toys) available in the USA yet from this series unless you want to pay heaps of money to have it shipped from the UK. Hopefully that will...

Cute and Entertaining Video for Kids (and Parents!)
We ordered this video for our kids (ages 4 and 2 1/2) after seeing the shorts of the Peppa Pig show on TV. This video is excellent. It contains 10 short stories that focus on sibling relationships, families, manners and plain old fun. Our favorite is the "Polly Parrot" one. It's hilarious. The pigs are very cute and, in addition to talking with one another in fantastic English accents, they also snort!!! You can't help but laugh. I would recommend this to kids and parents of all ages!

Works in US! YAY!
My daughter loves Peppa Pig so we have been looking for a DVD that works with the DVD players sold in the United States. This is it! The episodes are great and the DVD plays beautifully. Finally!

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The Incredible Journey

Based on the excellent book
this is THE version of Sheila Burnham's book 'The Incredible Journey', animals don't have to talk to be entertaining. This is a film with REAL animals, real animal training, and no farting jokes to be found. Adventure, touching moments and again, real animals. Bravo that this film is still available!

Ten Thousand Times Better Than The Remake
This earlier version of the movie is straightforward storytelling, without any rediculous attitude. (I'm wagering that 90% of the reason the new Disney Movie, "Treasure Planet" failed is because of the absolutely hideous haircut the lead character wears.) Even my six year old loved this video. The nature scenery is spectacular. I hate the fact that the inferior updated version of this movie can be found on DVD but this classic version is only on video. Some of the people currently making the decisions at Disney ought to be replaced.

A True Gem
While I do enjoy watching both Homeward Bound and Homeward Bound II, though the ages of the dogs got reversed with the bull terrier being the young dog instead of the old dog, neither will match the beauty of the original. Not only do the animals not talk, viewers are treated to the rich and talented voice of Rex Allen as the narrator. To watch these well-trained animals seeming to play their roles with no humans around beats voice-overs any day. To watch old Bodger start to slowly make his way to Peter, his young master, and then gradually increase his speed until he is flying into his arms, is heart-warming to watch.

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Sophie & Sheba

Sophie & Sheba
This was on the top of my 6 year old granddaughters list. She watches this movie over and over.
Great gift for her. Great "family" movie for all ages.

granddaughters love this movie
My granddaaughters loved this movie and they can tell the story about the elephant so serious. It is cute to watch them be so engrossed in a movie.

Lightweight Elephant Comedy/Drama
The meat is thin on this family friendly movie, but it does provide clean, circus fun and a cute elephant.

A teenage ballerina runs off and joins the circus to be with her beloved elephant. There she makes friends and a few foes as she gets to perform and work at rescuing her animal.

The storyline is basic and thin, and one that might not hold child and ,definitely not, adults, interest for long except for the cute animals. The actors are ok; there is a small circus setting with animals including a black panther and, of course, Sheila, the endearing elephant.

No language, sex, only mild peril, a few dramatic parts, some bouncy music and a touch of young romance. I don't dislike it, but wouldn't watch again.

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Zombie Horror Fright Fest!

4 Bad flicks
All 4 of these movies are pretty bad. The effects are bad, the acting is bad, the story is bad, most of them have big holes in the story and jump around without explanation.

Shane
Zombie extravaganza, complete with enough gore to satisfy the hungriest gore-hound! I got this figuring "I can't go wrong here" and I was completely right. All four movies were complete zombie madness. I am a satisfied customer.

Great compilation
I make it a point to check out all the zombie flicks, so this turned out to be a real bargain for me. Not something I would pop in around the kiddies as this stuff is pretty gory. Get ready for some intense zombie action my friends.

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Burma: A Human Tragedy (Narrated by Angelica Huston)

Burma DVD
This will assist me to understand the country of Burma and its people. maybe I will visit one day soon.





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Never A Dull Moment

Unexpected gem from Disney and Van Dyke!
This is a nice little film that seems to be mostly forgotten by Disney fans or fans of Mr. Van Dyke. That's too bad, because the film is lots of fun, and gives Dick Van Dyke full range to showcase his physical comedy skills.

If you thought all there was to Van Dyke's physical comedy was tripping over an ottoman, you'll be able to see his full range here.

An actor mistaken for a crook, Van Dyke's character Jack Albany is taken to a gangster stronghold where a big art heist is being planned. Van Dyke is wonderful as the cowardly actor playing the part of a tough crook in order to stay alive.

Besides the great comedy of Van Dyke, we also have the added treat of Edward G. Robinson sending up his famous gangster image. An avowed art lover in real life, Robinson goes after a famous painting in the film, and even tries his hand at abstract art.

Also on hand are Slim Pickens, Henry Silva, and Jack Elam. Dorothy Provine ("That Darn...

Dick Van Dyke at his best !
Dick Van Dyke plays an actor who gets mistaken for a gangster. And they want him to help them steal a painting, He try's escaping from the big house but something always goes wrong. He gets in to more trouble when the real gangster that he is supposed to be, turns up!

Watching Dick Van Dyke playing a gangster is VERY funny. A film not to be missed!

Fun Live Action Disney
Well, in the hit and miss world of Disney live action DVD releases, it looks like we lucked out on this one. The ever so king of physical comedy, Dick Van Dyke, is presented here in this delightful comedy in its original aspect ratio of 1.75:1. As one viewer stated, buying Disney live action DVD's is like rolling dice. Looks like we have a winner on this one. Van Dyke scores a hit with his performance along with a delightful support cast of quality actors; Edward G. Robinson, Dorothy Provine, Jack Elam, Henry Silva and Slim Pickens along with several recognizable character actors.

This DVD one not to be missed. But keep boycotting the "Black Bearded" releases and reward Disney when they bow to the wishes of the consumer.

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