The Good Humor Man

FUN 70'S FILM
FELT LIKE I WAS BACK IN TIME.. FOR MOST PEOPLE I THINK THEY WILL THINK IT HAS SLOW MOMENTS BUT I ENJOYED THE STORY.. MAKES YOU THINK WHEN ITS ALL DONE HOW YOU WOULD HANDLE SITUATIONS THE SAME OR DIFFERENTLY.. FUN MOVIE..

The Bleacher Teens and Smelly Bob
For a While I thought I would never see this movie I only wanted to see it for James Ransone.I rented it from blockbuster and when I saw it I laughed at the funny stuff they were saying and stuff this movie is about
friends who rip on each other and mostly on the enemy clique one of
Jay's friends John gets in serious trouble when a fight with the enemy
clique happens "is John responsible for a death or is he not?"

blast from the past!
Great flick evoking past times. I loved re-living the 70's; trends, styles, autos and lingo from growing up in middle america. Fun mixed with "a crisis of conscience" makes this a very enjoyable movie with good character development and thought provoking plot. I did not want it to end!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Death of a B-Boy

An Artist's Struggle
A gritty tale of an Artist's struggle against a big Record company's desire to make him fit the mold of every other rap artist out there.
Low budget but high value storytelling by Mr Petrie!





Click to Editorial Reviews

Nightmare Detective

3

Sonic Underground: Sonic to the Rescue

Sonic Underground, Sonic to the Rescue
We liked this movie, I like the action of it. I used to watch the show and play the Sega Genesis game when I was younger, so that was cool for my kids to see it also. I thought the theme song was a little weird. Here is what my kids, 8 and 10 say about it, it was awesome, and I really liked it. They liked the characters, they were funny.

loved these episodes
my 2 kids just discovered sonic and loved this Dvd they have enjoyed enjoyed this dvd it kept them entertained for a long time in the car when we went on vacation

great game
my grandson loved the game, there was no problem wit purchase & it came before expected. It was easy for a 6 year old to play

Click to Editorial Reviews

What Were They Thinking?

I think Jimmy Stewart gave a wonderful performance as the Airline pilot remembering the DC-3
This anthology misses the mark in its assumption that all of the performances were "big mistakes". James Stewart was a decorated B-17 Pilot in World War II, in addition to being a famous and well loved actor, and continued to serve his country as a brigadier general in the air force reserve for many years. Maybe now this will inform the makers of this anthology about "what were they thinking?", at least in the case of Jimmy Stewart. I believe a person like Mr. Stewart needs to be judged for his whole life, talents, and public service, before we go too far in trying to ridicule him for doing a short film at the end of his career that glorifies the earlier history of a profession that he loved as much as his acting profession.

Free with Prime, but still not worth it.
I'm not sure what the people who decided to release "What Were They Thinking" were thinking. I'm guessing it was something like "Hey! Here's some stuff in the public domain (or available for next to nothing)that has famous people in it, and that we can try to pass off as funny or entertaining based solely on the name we give the video!" The video is neither amusing nor interesting, and I would like to add in passing that Amazon needs to hire people who know the difference between "would of" and "would have" to write the capsule descriptions on their videos. (Need a hint, Amazon? "Would of" is meaningless!)

Who titled this?
This is not a comedy. It is an assemblage of 3 shorts of different types. The first 2 were possibly used as movie trailers long ago. The first is an excellent short illustrating Jimmy's love of flying throughout life. For me, it was very moving. He (after he became famous) risked his life for our country. The second a simple narration by Jimmy of the USAF Blue Angels. The third uses Reagan in a WWII instruction film on how to differentiate fighter types during a dogfight. I'd like to chew out the guy who named this, but I suppose that he should at least be thanked for bringing to us something which would otherwise remain unseen.

Click to Editorial Reviews

American Gangster (Combo HD DVD and Standard DVD) [HD DVD]

A Superb Film That Exceeds Expectations
This viewer rented the DVD form of AMERICAN GANGSTER, having passed it by in the theatrical run, thinking that it was yet another 'crime and corruption in New York' genre film. It was surprising to discover that this very long film (just under three hours in the Unrated version) is completely riveting and in a way far different than the usual gangster film: this story, based on real people as outlined in an article by Mark Jacobson (transformed for the screen by Steven Zaillian), and while it has its share of grisly killings, it seems more concerned with the issues of integrity in the face of police corruption as embodied in the character of Richie Roberts, the etiology of the heroin use escalation following the Vietnam War, and the presence of a 'Black Mafia' lead by one Frank Lucas. It is delivered with compelling gusto and intelligence by director Ridley Scott and has some of the best acting of the year. In other words, this is not a film to be lightly dismissed as a Hollywood...

American Gangster - Awesome and Tragic (Spoiler Free Review)
American Gangster 2-Disc Unrated Extended Edition

In American Gangster Ridley Scott has created the perfect storm of an American movie masterpiece. An amazing group of actors, headlined by Denzel Washington and Russel Crowe, produces a very convincing period piece of 1970s New Jersey and New York and the crime culture that existed there. It's hard to feel anything but shame watchig this movie. This movie is both believable and tragic, and it startles me that neither Crowe nor Washington received nominations for two incredible performances.

The Story and the Script

The story is supposed to be based on the real life exploits of Frank Lucas. Movies like this usually exaggerate. The fact that this movie is so believable makes it all the more tragic. There are no black and white characters and we are left to choose between murdering drug pushers and crooked cops.

The...

Excellently acted and directed, but . . .
we've been here many times before. This film offers nothing new to the genre, but it is still a terrific film.

Ridley Scott is an already proven director who is well overdue for an Oscar, but just what attracted him to this story is something of a mystery. Perhaps being a diverse director with films like the first Alien and Gladiator he wanted to add another genre to his credits and that is admirable (more admirable than Martin Scorsese who keeps making the same film over and over again and then wonders where the Oscar is). However, Scott could have selected a gangster film that didn't include so many tributes to better films in the genre (The Godfather, The Untouchables and...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Angels in the Dust

A powerful film
I first saw this film when I tok a high school geography class to see it...I have now purchased it directly from the producer Louise Hogarth. It is a superb film which tells an emotional story about how a wealthy white family gave up all their comforts to provide a home and an education for almost 600 orphaned children who have been impacted by HIV/AIDS. Everyone should see this film!!
You can purchase it from DODreamOutLoud.org (213-405-5824); they sent it to me and it arrived in 2 days!
We need more films like this one!

Wonderful!
I saw this film at the Anchorage Film Festival in December and it was wonderful -- so touching yet real without being too graphic about the horrific details. I fell in love with these amazing children as well as with this family who left their affluent life in Johannasberg to devote their lives to these children. I am recommending that we use this movie for a "movie night" at our church; I look forward to viewing it again.

Excellent film
Wonderful life story of people we are hoping and praying for. This film brings to light a couple that have given their lives to those with HIV/AIDS in South Africa. They do amazing work there. May more be inspired by this film to go into the places everyone else seems to have neglected.

Click to Editorial Reviews

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe - Volume One

This series recaptured the feel of the original.
While it was short-lived Masters of the Universe (2,002) series was a great show. It was begining to hit it's stride when it was cancelled. Thus so many children did not get to see the world of He-man. But with this DVD set they still can. And it is well worth the $16 pre-order for Volume One. As always the people at BCI will do a top notch job. The episodes had morals that were not aired in the US, moral similar to those on the '80s cartoon. These are included in these releases and so much more.

The Tradition Revisited On DVD At Last
At long last, fans are treated to what many consider the most accurate and exciting rendition of the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe saga. Debuting in 2002 under the Mike Young Productions umbrella, this latest rendition of the He-Man source material closely follows the original Filmation standard set in the early 1980s with modernized animation quality and in-depth stories that further built upon the original characters and environments.

While the show lasted for 2 full seasons (26 first/ 13 second) it looks like the good folks at BCI (based on the 286 minute run time) have decided to break the show into three 13 episode sets. Keeping that in mind, it appears as though the first volume will contain the following season 1 episodes across 3 discs:

The Beginning Part 1
The Beginning Part 2
The Beginning Part 3
The Courage of Adam
Sky War
The Deep End
Lessons
Siren's Song
The Ties That Bind
Dragon's Brood...

Defect in the 1st disc
BCI Guy has passed along some official information with regards to the February 13 news entry, about the replacement discs for the Volume 1 MOTU DVD set:

"The replacement disc for Mattel's He Man Volume 1, Disc One can be ordered by either sending an email to HeManDisc@gmail.com or calling 866-641-3472. Please include your name, your address, a daytime telephone number and the store name and location where you purchased your DVD.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe - Defect Found on Upcoming Vol. 1 Set; BCI to Replace Disc via Toll-Free Number

Victims Will Also Reportedly Receive A Free 'Gift' For Their Troubles
Posted by David Lambert

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (2002) - Volume 1 won't arrive on DVD until this coming Tuesday, February 19th for most fans. But one fan managed to snag a copy very early at a local shop, who sold it to him before street date. This turns out to be good for publisher BCI, because the fan - who...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Gabriel

"Destroy The Fallen" ~ Angel Wars
Synopsis: The Archangel Gabriel descends into the intermediate world of Purgatory on a mission to destroy a group of fallen angels who have taken control of the realm, thus preventing the human souls there from evolving upward. Six Archs (Archangels) have preceded Gabriel on this dangerous mission and all have mysteriously disappeared into the foreboding landscape. Will Gabriel be able to stand alone against the combined forces of Sammael, Amodeus, Lilith, Molloch, Ahriman and the rest? And what of the six missing Archs? What horrible fate has befallen them?

Critique: The '07 film `Gabriel' has cleverly blended disparate elements from numerable popular, financially successful films and added several interesting ideas of its own into one storyline that may not be highly original but is definitely entertaining.

Recipe for making `Gabriel':
- Begin with the basic ingredients (storyline) from the cult classic `The Prophecy' minus the comedic elements provided by...

Where angels fear to tread
I haven't enjoyed a movie so much in quite a while. It's dark, gritty, action-packed, but the action doesn't distract from the great story. I especially loved that it didn't shy away from using actual biblical angel names instead of making up something to avoid offending anyone. This movie can be watched on many levels: just for the surface story or for the deeper view of humanity, good, and evil through the eyes of the main character, Gabriel. Either way, it's a great movie for all angel fans or really anyone up for a dark action movie with a good story.

Amazing Film
This dark, orginally unknown film is building a growing, enthusiastic following outside of its cult, low budget origins. Shot in the tradition of The Crow, Highlander and Sin City, it has an artsy, comic book appeal. Excellent production qualities, lighting and sets belie its tiny, independent film budget.

This is fantasy-horror stuff, and it takes awhile to get into the twisted apocolyptic world that the characters inhabit. However, the strong acting and near perfect casting soon grips you into this strong and mystical morality tale.

A truly remarkable find in film making, especially noteworthy coming from a group of relative unknowns from Australia. A great add to your collection.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Redacted

Not Good
I have nothing against anti-war films. However this was just bad in general,bad acting,bad character development, Dis-jointed editing and unrealistic portrayal of journalists and military personnel. I would not recommend this for even the most the avid anti-Iraq war activist. The Iraq war sucked but so did this movie.

REMAINS essential viewing: NO MORE WAR!
Websearch these facts culled from recent news reports. Inability to accept them demonstrates how much your personal paradigms have been recently redacted, as revealed by this near-documentary film. Do not deny the truth, but act on it.

One of every four homeless in America is a vet.

Desertion is a record high; higher than in a generation, five thousand each year. The suicide rate among vets is at an all time high. Often we read the phrase, "Not since Vietnam . . ."

Casualties are at an all time high, and remain undercounted. Body armour keeps people alive without limbs and vision, etc. And we still refuse to count the civilian collateral damage now in seven figures by reliable sources, the same women, peasants and children we claim to liberate, now under two Bush invasions of this impoverished yet petroleum rich land. The grave is no liberation.

Our ally Turkey invades our allies the Kurds in Iraq, and like papa Bush we desert our Kurdish...

DePalma's Awesome Anti-War Statement...
If you have read any of my other reviews, you'll see that I am a very huge fan of Brian DePalma's. I love every film he has ever made! But, don't let that distract from my opinion of this film. It's a film like this that makes me favor his work so much. Yes, there are some very scathing reviews of this film on here (and all over the web), but there are some really glowing one's as well; and, rightly so!
First off, this is NOT a 'war film', but an 'anti-war' film. Yes, Brian had the b*lls to make a statement declaring how awful this whole war mess in Iraq really is. And, the results are magnificent. This is possibly the most powerful piece of anti-war propaganda since Kubrick's "Paths of Glory", and/or DePalma's own "Hi, Mom!". Comparable in plot to his film "Casualties of War", DePalma used the 'raped-girl-murdered-family' theme here to symbolize the whole brutality and senselessness that is war. And, the whole 'raping of a nation' that it encompasses.
This is not just a...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Horseland: To Tell the Truth

My kids love it!
What a shame the Horseland series was short lived. My kids love horseland they want more but they don't understand the show was cancelled a longtime ago becacuse they still want toys base of this series and there are none. From what I've found on the internet the toy that's on the auction sites is not reasonable. Overall I like the series and the message it sends out to kids about friendship ,truth and not to judge someone before you know them. So we own the whole series all four DVD's it's worth it!

kids love it
My kids love the horseland series and I am always so glad to get a new video.

Great for 4 and 5 year olds
Our 4 1/2 year old is at that stage where she can handle a bit more complexity than the average video, and the Horseland series fits the bill well. And the stories have great morales that I hear her repeating afterwards. Try this one, and if they like it, buy the whole set; they're cheap used on Amazon.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Fantastic Four - World's Greatest Heroes Volume 3

Should read contents better
Didn't realize that this volume had episodes I already had in Vol. 1.But that was my error. Otherwise it was fine.

FF forever!!
I've been a fan for over 30 years, these videos are a lot of fun!!

Fantastic 4 are Ok!
The Volume 3 is good. In some parts, Jhonny's flames are not so good. They made too much transformation on Ben's costume. My favorite episode is with Ironman.

Stan

Click to Editorial Reviews

Click Clack Moo - Cows That Type... and More Amusing Animal Tales (Scholastic Storybook Treasures)

LOVE THIS!
We originally borrowed a version of this video from the library and my daughter loved it so much that I decided we needed a copy. This version is better because it has more stories. She particularly loves the cows, the crocodile, and she constantly wants to watch "Let's give kitty a bath." She is two and we are very selective about tv time for her, but this is great!

Great movie. Kids loved it.
I got this movie four days ago. We have seen it about 5 times. Sometimes twice in a row.
Boys are 6 and 4. I think that says it all.

Great video
My son loves to see these scholastic books on DVD. He can recite the whole book at will after he has watched it a few times.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Crave Film Series

Short and Powerful
This DVD is a collection of three short films based on stories from McManus. The films are only about 10 minutes each. The three films were interesting, but I enjoyed him speaking before and after each one more. The theme of the 3 films are things that we crave in this life: Destiny, Intimacy, and Meaning. This dvd is faith based, but at the same time is very down to earth and easy to relate to. It only takes about 45 minutes to watch the entire disc, but it was definitely enjoyable and insightful.

Excellent dvd! A must see!
The Crave films series is a wonderful dvd and belongs in every believer's collection. In the first story, a man who escapes from prison comes to a family's home and the drama that ensues is enough to make you want to cry! I almost did!
The second story is about a pop star who shares a hospital room w/ a little girl and forms a bond that pushes the man to a drastic but heart warming sacrifice.
The third story isn't as good as the others in my opinion, but it involves friendship that couldn't have come at a better time. Overall, this dvd was worth buying in my opinion, although the third story was weak and something that I didn't care to watch again. I would still give this dvd 4 stars out of 5 b/c the previous stories were so good and left me w/ a feeling of peace. Get this this dvd now!
Oh and btw: These films are truly short films. They are only about 10 mins. each, so if you're looking for 30 min. films, you will be disappointed.

MOR at Best
Perhaps Crave has some nice moments, but it is too Middle of the Road to be gripping television.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Mighty Machines: Big Wheels Rollin'

Great!
This DVD is very imformative and entertaining. My son is 2 1/2 years old and loves it. He watches it so often that he knows it word for word.

He now knows about lug tools, truck cabs, engines etc.

My two year old nephews love this DVD
Toddlers love to watch the big trucks and construction vehicles. I highly recommend this DVD.

It was a big hit with my nephew!
I bought this dvd for my autistic nephew, who loves watching the 18-wheelers go down the highway. He was very entertained by it and requested it over and over!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Hitman

This was a hit with me
I didn't expect to be impressed with this movie because in my mind it was simply another flick made from a video game but man, I was blown away! In fact it was so enjoyable that ten minutes after finishing it I wanted to see it again, and that rarely happens. Never mind the few geographical errors, this movie is all action and there is no waste of precious minutes on mindless love scenes - the one actually has one cut short by the main hero and it was humorous, how he was all business, him being this monk killer for hire who lives a chaste life. In a way it was like a James Bond character who actually didn't try to bed all the babes, impressive. And Timothy Olyphant was flawless, even thought I prefer men with longer hair he looked cool and totally acted the part, mysterious, brooding but with a heart in there somewhere.

Bald and serious, dressed in an expensive suit, red silk tie and an impeccably crisp white shirt the Hitman is a force to be reckoned with. He's not too...

It helps that he is a little bit HOT!
I really enjoyed this movie....I mean what is there not to like. You have a hitman (the sexy #47) who has been trained from childhood to be the best at what he does. Trained to hold his breath, shoot anything that moves from any distance, armed with sexy weapons and a barcode (tattooed beautifully in his scalp), along with an air of calm (that would make anyone scared who he faces), he is the perfect killing machine and running for his life. Determined to protect Nika, a prostitute to the President of Russia, from who else (her lover), #47 goes about the task of fighting the bad guys and righting what he thinks are wrongs. With a Interpol Cop on his heels, he attempts to uncover the truth about why someone he thought he killed wants him dead and what the whole thing is about. I enjoyed this movie...with its cool fight scenes and nice special effects. It was definitely worth renting on a Sunday afternoon.

Much Better Than I Heard
I had heard a lot of bad things and bad reviews about this movie. I was suprised when I watched it that it was as good as it was. I thought Timothy Olyphant did a good job and that the girl who played his love interest was also good and HOT. The guy that plays T-Bag on the TV show Prison Break was also good. I have never played this game but I thought the story was pretty solid. It kind of reminded me of The Bourne Identity as he is a trained super assassin from a place that churns them out and he has flash backs of good and bad things.

Anyway, the action rocked and it was exciting and entertaining beginning to end. It was pretty good and fun to watch.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Living in Peril

Who knew being an architect could be so dangerous
"Living in Peril" is a 1996 thriller starring Robe Lowe and Jim Belushi. If I am not mistaken, this is the first time since "About Last Night..." both of these actors shared the screen. My brother and I both have a love-hate vibe for "About Last Night, but LOVE the chemistry Lowe and Belushi shared. Therefore, when we discovered they were in another movie together we had to see it. It is also nice that this DVD provides a nice widescreen presentation.

This film is about an architect named Walter Woods (Rob Lowe) who is traveling from Seattle to Los Angeles for month in order to design a home for an "off the cuff" client (Jim Belushi). Walter did have reservations about leaving for a month. His pregnant wife Linda (Dana Wheeler-Nicholson) is still very much traumatized by her abusive ex-husband. This promotes nightmares and paranoid thoughts for Linda. This doesn't please Walter, but he has to...

Minor TV movie
A minor suspense film. Looks like it was made-for-cable. Okay acting. An architect, visiting LA on business, is terrorized by an unseen enemy (who may be an angry road rage trucker). The detectives investigating the incidents are especially poorly portrayed: flatly written and performed with boredom. And the prostitute with a heart of gold is sexy, but her role is just silly.

The sets and characters kept reminding me of The Landlady, a more boring film, that also had a prostitute living across the hall from the protagonist. The wife is played by Dana Wheeler-Nicholson (who was great in Circuitry Man), who seems to have shot her few scenes in one day, in the same room (aside from a shot at the end).

I'm giving it a generous three stars because it was still entertaining, in a low-brow/low-budget sort of way.

love this movie
A dark, dry, comedic mystery/drama of a crazy murder plot for revenge. I always loved this movie and it was never available for many years. I got a copy of it on VHS many years ago and was thrilled when it came out on DVD. If you like strange, dark comedy. With some action and dry humor thrown in. Check this movie out!

Click to Editorial Reviews

And Justice For All (Special Edition)

Great Al Pacino film..
This film is a must-see for die-hard Pacino fans and should-see for fans interested in viewing an enjoyable film with a statement that remains timely over time.

'And Justice For All' is nearing one-quarter of a century in age and while Pacino has matured as an actor, his role in this film definitely deserved the nominations for the Oscar and Golden Globe that it garnered. The closing courtroom scene provided a very strong glimpse and more than a hint of the brilliance to come in Pacino's superior acting ability, as well as a striking and disturbing statement on the justice system. As billed this was a satire on the world of the courts and while not your normal courtroom film, it contained a revealing and bleak message. Reviewers who have indicated the incidents in this film were not realistic have much to learn about the inner workings of justice. This was a dire, but accurate depiction of the inner workings of courthouses all over the land.

The cast was filled with an...

Pacino shines in courtroom satire
Ever since watching the Godfather films I've been a huge Al Pacino fan. His amazing over-the-top performance in the courtroom scene at the end is what makes this unsympathetic look at our criminal justice system so memorable. However, I agree with other reviewers that the plot is slow at times & the movie wavers uncomfortably between comedy & drama. The humor is at times a little too forced & the disco music doesn't help. One of the things I really enjoyed was seeing the great Lee Strasberg play Pacino's grandfather. Remember Godfather Part 2 when Pacino had Strasberg "taken out"? I only wish they could've made more films together. The great cast also includes John Forsythe (who plays a TOTALLY unlikable villian), & Jack Warden, whose suicidal antics get annoying after a while. Of course, it's Pacino that makes this movie so entertaining & so watchable 25 years later. While it's no masterpiece I still highly recommend it to Al Pacino fans (&...

...And Justice For All (1979)
Director: Norman Jewison

Cast: Al Pacino, Jack Warden, John Forsythe, Lee Strasberg, Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Lahti, Sam Levene, Robert Christian, Craig T. Nelson, Terri Wooten.

Running Time: 119 minutes

Rated R for language and some violence.

There were quite a few of these types of films in the seventies, not really comedies or dramas per se, but a clever mixture of both, and part of the reason that the '70s are regarded by many as the richest era for films & film-making. Another sample which comes to mind is "Mother, Jugs, and Speed" - not as good, but comparable. These films point to a darkly humorous take on our existence, usually taking place in modern, contemporary times, and in an urban setting. In this one, the legal - justice system is targeted; it's the system we supposedly depend on and which elevates our nation (the U.S.) above the rabble of the world. But the way it's examined here, the system doesn't really work. It's...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Speed Grapher, Vol. 3 - Three (Viridian Collection)

Kagura is taken
The two runaways make it to an abandoned research facility. They think that they be able to learn about the condition Kagura suffers from. Doing this may lead to a cure. While they are there, Saiga has a run-in with Suitengu and the true power of the enemy is revealed. Kagura is also taken back to Tokyo by a traitor.

This anime starts off with a bang. It's a constant thrill ride with some cool characters that have alarming special powers. The animation, voice acting, soundtrack, and plot are all very well done. This anime is very strange. The premise is very original and kinda takes you by surprise. If you've seen Eyes Wide Shut, you can kind of get a feel for the type of vibe this show has. It's not as perverted as Eyes Wide Shut, and this is mainly an action series,but the mood is very similar. I really enjoyed it and recommend it to anime fans that don't mind a little weirdness sprinkled in with their anime.





Click to Editorial Reviews

The Perfect Witness

Riveting and scary
Not a run-of-the-mill slasher movie but a scary thriller that has many twists and turns. I don't recall another recent movie like this one - it has a Hitchcock or film noir feel. The acting is excellent and Wes Bentley gives a great, restrained performance as the troubled witness. I was on the edge of my seat during the film. The violence might be disturbing to some but it is not gratuitous. This is a movie that is enjoyable because it is so different, unpredictable, and thought-provoking. Not a typical Hollywood movie.

Ride the Downward Spiral..
I always imagined that someone in the world of reality TV would actually attempt what this movie chronicles - a filmmaker capturing the activities of a depraved serial killer. Well, obviously there'd be some moral concerns (rightly so) with the concept, but this movie also explores what else you'd find on that particular downward spiral. Highly suspenseful and engrossing, you can't help but feel trapped, much like the main character in the film, played convincingly well by Wes Bentley. I had the opportunity to watch this one on the independent circuit and was surprised. A strong debut for this up-and-coming director. If you want to be a bit disturbed, this will do it for you.

A Pleasant Surprise from an Unpleasant Movie
Given the resources, this was an outstanding, surprisingly well-made film. Borkowski is not only impressive in his portrayal of the serial killer- who is actually more level-headed and logical than all the other characters around him- but he (along with Thomas C. Dunn) also wrote the story.

Also noteworthy is the inclusion of the realistic profile that killers could be people who do charitable work under the watchful eye of the public during daylight hours. There are so many movies that show antagonists in an absolute black-and-white portrayal, and this is simply not the case. We often hear news reports of monsters being hauled away when neighbors are interviewed afterwards with astonished faces, saying "he was such a nice, quiet person with good manners." In showing this, Borkowski and Dunn gives the film an added angle that a murderer could be any one, just around the corner, your neighbor or mine. And that's the primary key to creating fear, because when you walk...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Shallow Hal

some misconceptions
I've perused some of the less favorable reviews of this film and I believe there are some misconceptions about its humor and message. One misconception is that the movie makes fun of fat people. It doesn't. There isn't one scene where we ever find ourselves laughing AT Gwyneth Paltrow. What we laugh at are the reactions of Jack Black to what she does. For example, when she downs the milk shake she shares with Black, it's not the gulping of the shake that makes us laugh but Black's incredulity when he turns around and sees an empty cup. And when we see the two in the canoe, it's not the canoe we chuckle at, but the sight of the befuddled Black paddling air. So the laughs don't come at Paltrow's expense; they come at Black's.

Yes, the movie relies on typical fat-type jokes - ie, overeating and crumpled funiture. But there is a subtle point in these hackneyed images that distinguishes them from your usual fat fare. Paltrow only seems to overeat by the standards society imposes...

The Bigger The Better!
Being that I am a heavyset person myself, I was able to put that fact aside and appreciate this movie for what it really is. Truthfully, I didn't find this movie funny but I did find a strong message. This movie goes to show that size doesn't have anything to do with the person on the inside. Gwyneth Paltrow's character Rosemary goes to show how underneath all that excess flesh that there is still a person. I think "Shallow Hal" is a movie that helps demolish discrimination against heavyset people. This movie didn't only give examples of heavyset people but of people who were skinny and just not physically attractive to that of one's expectations. Hal is a very shallow character and he is an example of all those people who discriminate against heavyset men and women and people who are not attractive. Like Hal in the movie, people can change and widen their horizons for something more beautiful. "Shallow Hal" is less of a comedy and more of a motivational, moving story about...

Surprisingly sensitive; feel-good DVD!
Okay, I sheepishly confess that I watched this DVD expecting to see some patented Farrelly brothers humor: crude, insensitive, and in-your-face. WOW, was I surprised.

This movie is definitely humorous (we laughed out loud at times) but when it's over, you come away with a heightened sense of sensitivity for those people society categorizes as "ugly", "fat" or "undesirable." And if you're not careful, you may just approach life a bit differently once you've watched this excellent movie.

Hal (portrayed wonderfully by Jack Black), and his best friend Mauricio (Jason Alexander) are a couple of obnoxious, shallow guys who make no apologies for their fixation on dating ONLY young, beautiful women. This is tough for both of them, as neither one is particularly good-looking. But, they drive on doggedly in their pursuit of women who are consistently "out of their league."

Everything changes when Hal is stuck in an elevator with a self-motivational guru, who gives Hal a "gift"...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Dan in Real Life

Plan to be surprised...
I blame it solely on that horribly cheesy poster art portraying Steve Carell's head laying on a stack of flapjacks, but I wrote off `Dan in Real Life' well before actually seeing it despite the good reviews and word of mouth from friends. It was supposed to be really good, but in my head all I saw was cheesy ridiculousness pretending to be sincere. I'm really glad that I finally gave in and watched this film this past weekend.

What a treasure.

I know this may seem like an odd comparison, and I will say off the bat that the film I'm about to compare it to does have some heavier themes, but this reminded me a lot of last years independent surprise `Rachel Getting Married'. In fact, I actually think that overall, `Dan in Real Life' is the better of the two films, or at least the most complete and comfortable of the two (when have I ever shunned away from discomfort in a cinematic offering?). I had a few issues with `Rachel's construction, but here I was...

Dan's the man! A quiet little film on just how quirky love can be.
A tired formula gets a shot in the arm by affecting performances in this quaint little film that will touch you.

I have grown to really appreciate the acting talent of Steve Carell who really can carry a film. Carell darn near stole the show in Bruce Almighty to the point where the funniest segments were cut from the theatrical release because he upstaged Carrey so much, but those scenes where fortunately made available on the DVD release. Carell was again the saving grace of Evan Almighty and The 40-Year-Old Virgin in which both most likely would have died unnoticed had it not been for his sincere performances. This comedian definitely knows how to act. Carell reminds me of the legendary Dick Van Dyke when he had serious roles or moments and Bob Newhart's...

Yours Truly, Love Struck in Rhode Island
Anyone who actually believes that love is a many splendored may not get their money's worth from "Dan in Real Life." Here's a film that shows just how unexpected, irregular, and confusing love can be, both in terms of family and romantic interests. There's intelligence to this story that's equally humorous and heartbreaking, proving once and for all that love is difficult to receive and even more difficult maintain. At times, it's also difficult to acknowledge, especially if it's being kept a secret. The greatest difficulty of all is letting go of love, to recognize that the past is the past and to know when to move on. All this is explored in "Dan in Real Life," a smart, witty, and touching romantic comedy that doesn't lose itself to an overabundance of clichés. The formulaic elements are there, but they're presented in a new way, and they're used in a story that can actually support them. They're not used simply because we expect them to be.

The plot focuses on Dan...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Silk

'Come back or I shall die'
For those who fell under the spell of Alessandro Baricco's novel SILK, a meditation about love, desire, and conflict, this cinematic transformation adapted as a screenplay and directed by Fran

Barbie Mariposa

Follows the fairytopia formula... in an uninspired way
We pre-ordered the Mariposa DVD because we like the Fairytopia series so much.

First off, its a story-within-a-story. The first ~10 minutes and last ~5 minutes are Elina telling the story to bibble. My girls love Elina and Bibble so they are of course happy to see them again.

The movie itself follows the Fairytopia formula very closely. Instead of Laverna, you have Henna. Instead of bibble, the bunny. Instead of fungi, you have Skeezites. Its a race against time. Its a formula that worked very well before, and could work again.

But whats missing? Gone are the bright uplifting moments, like the appearance of the crest of courage, the changing from fairy to mermaid and back, Bibble talking funny after eating magic berries, and other things that made the other movies more fun. My kids react nicely to the best movies, but not this one. There is a lot of drama, but not very much happiness to balance it out.

A bit more about the drama:...

o.k.
I eagerly bought this movie for my four year old. We were expecting to enjoy it as we LOVED The Island Princess. We were also disappointed. The skeezites are scary and my daughter also asked me to skip those parts. The eating of the fairies wasn't necessary, and could have been done differently. This movie will definitely be shelved for a while. That being said, the imagery and colors of the movie are beautiful, which would be the only reason we would dare to watch it again.

Too scary for little girls
My daughter waited for the latetest Barbie title, Mariposa only to be disapointed when it was released. The Butterfly Fairies are constantly being chased by creatures (Skeezites and a sea beast) which are trying to EAT them through the whole movie. There is also a Butterfly Fairy that betrays the queen and helps the Skeezites to try to eat all her friends. This is in a movie that is meant for little girls, I can't see how this was approved for release. This movie doesn't have the attributes of the other movies, it's too scary. My daughter keeps asking for us to "skip this part" because it's too scary. This movie only teaches our children they are too small and someone is always tryng to get them.

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Backyardigans: Tale of the Mighty Knights

Another eggs-cellent adventure
The Backyardigans intro gets a new look and sound for the hour-long rock opera episode "The Tale of the Mighty Knights", which has intrepid knights Uniqua and Tyrone performing egg-sitting duties for King Pablo. Although this isn't egg-zactly the hardest assignment, the mighty knights approach the job with great professionalism, and all goes well until the egg goes on a roll.

Scrambling off in pursuit, the knights face hard-boiled characters like Austin the Grabbin' Goblin and Tasha the Flighty Fairy, until the grande finale unfolds on Dragon Mountain, where it's out of the frying pan and into the fire. There's also a guest appearance by Broadway performer Adam Pascal.

The second episode is "Blazing Paddles", where Pablo the Ping Pong Bandit puts the wind up Sheriff Uniqua and the citizens of Ping Pong Mesa, until a masked stranger wielding a cactus paddle blows into town and proves that being selfish ain't worth a hill of beans. This one is set to Arabic pop...

Tons of Fun
I make no secret of the fact that my 4-year-old isn't the only one in the family who adores this show. My husband, daughter, and I watched this new movie with great anticipation and it did not let us down. The movie is chock full of catchy tunes that Gen Xer parents will appreciate as they are influenced by 80s music. My husband and I also enjoyed the silly egg-related jokes that were woven throughout the movie ("Our egg has been poached!") and the movie features the world's cutest dragon. In the words of my husband, "I want that dragon!" The production values of the movie are also really high and full of beautifully colored and rendered forests, mountains, and a lava-filled cave.

Love it
We DVR'd this when it was on TV and my 3 year old daughter loves it! She loves to act out all the scenes with her backyardigan dolls, and she uses a play easter egg as the egg they are all hunting for. The songs are rock-opera style and very catchy. Unfortunately most of them get stuck in my head for days at a time, but that's my problem. :-)

Click to Editorial Reviews

You Move You Die

Excellent New Zealand indie film from a promising creative source
You Move, You Die is a really cool little indie film from New Zealand. It reminds me of Mad Max in its modest production value and well planned characters. Don't get me wrong, the story isn't comparable to Mad Max at all, but they both feel like they were made from the same hand.
You Move, You Die is similar to Snatch and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels with its criminal action and variety of interconnected plot lines. There is a lot of swearing in this film, but its there to reinforce a character or land a joke. The actors have Australian accents, but anyone who's watched a film with genuine British accents can understand everything said in this film.

Overall it was a good buy and I think there's a bright future out there for Ketzal Sterling.

A Kiwi Reservoir Dogs
**Plot Spoiler**

Ketzal Sterling is the head of a small gang of well dressed thieves-think of the characters in a Quentin Tarentino film like Reservoir Dogs. He's starts out in the morning with a large diamond ring to give to his girlfriend. He's walking down to the shops to meet his mate when he gets robbed. He calls his main man, they find out who the thieves are and begin to track down the stolen ring. In the meantime, they meet up with some interesting kiwi characters.

As it turns out, the ring is a prop for a robbery. Ketzal and his gang recover the ring, go to his girlfriends job, which turns out to be a jewelry shop. We'd been operating under the impression throughout the film that Ketzal was going to propose-hence the desperation to retrieve the ring. Instead he asks his girlfriend to stick the ring in the shop safe. Once she has opened the safe, the crew robs the shop.

Ok. So NZ is a small country. Big budgets for films are rare. A lot of...

Ketzal Sterling has incredible talent.
The first thing I want to say is I am incredibly critical of any movie I watch and it's hard to keep me interested when I can be doing something mroe valuablewith my time.
When I saw this on the shelf in the video store, it seemed like it would follow the template of the Guy Ritchie films. Seeing as Snatch and LS are two of my favorite movies, I gave this one a shot. I was NOT disappointed.
While the production quality is not the same as Richie's films, which is on purpose, it was just as entertaining. You can definitely see the influence.
What's most impressive is this movie was written by Sterling in 7 days and it was filmed in 7 days. Unbelievable.
I laughed almost non-stop.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Baby's First Sounds: Discoveries for Little Ears

Give this one a try!
This DVD is my son's favorite. He's been watching it since he was about 6 months old, and he's now 16 months. This is digital board book, so the more that you watch it with your child, the more he/she will get out it.

What I like...
1. The quality of the DVD is wonderful. The animation and the pictures are vivid and colorful. It's extremely engaging for little ones.
2. The basic sounds are simple enough that my son can imitate them.
3. The puppets (especially the little lambs and the bumblebee) really help draw the child in. My son jumps for joy whenever the bumble bee comes on screen. (In the tradition of Baby Einstein, the bumble-bee is the host, so you'll see her often.) The little bee makes sounds like she is talking right to the baby. So, my little one talks right back.
4. There is a huge variety of animals (dogs, ducks, turtles, lambs, and hippos, just to name a few).
5. The music is excellent and very soothing. Its perfect for...

BIG DISAPPOINTMENT!
I couldn't wait to get this after reading the description. My son is just starting to talk and I thought the ba-ba-ball and other words they had in the description would be perfect to advance his communication skills. The dvd is nothing like the description. It spends way too much time on foreign languages and not enough time on baby's first sounds! Like the other reviewer said, your child won't learn anything from this...except sheer boredom! My son has no desire to watch it and he loves almost all the other Baby Einstein dvds. It really makes me wonder if they had a children's focus group watch this! Big disappointment to us, especially coming from Baby Einstein/Disney!

Not Enough English
This DVD will not teach your child much. It has about 5-10 mins of each lang. listed on the dvd case. My daugther will watch the english part then she pays the rest no attention.

Click to Editorial Reviews

30 Days of Night

A Clever, Visceral and Atmospheric Vampire Horror thriller
It's nearly Halloween, so I went to see a horror film today, so here I am ready to share my thoughts on the vampire horror-thriller "30 DAYS of NIGHT". The film is based on the graphic novel/mini-series by Steven Niles and Ben Templesmith. I like vampire movies in general, although I have to say that NOT all "vampire flicks" are created equal. Thankfully, I am happy to say that this film lives up to its promise, and has become one of my favorites.

An isolated small Alaskan town called "Barrow" with a population of 560+ experiences 30 days of total darkness. No sunlight will be seen for a period of a month, so most of the town's inhabitants leave for this period to brighter pastures except for the 152 townsfolk; of whom some one stated that " we live here because we can". On the last day of sunlight, unusual things start to occur; satellite phones are found destroyed, the aforementioned one emergency helicopter is damaged beyond repair, even snow dogs are killed. The town...

A good but flawed adaptation
30 Days of Night is pretty much a siege movie with heavy elements of horror and gore. Siege movies always succeed and fail depending on whether the tension and dread built up from the beginning of the film suspends the audience's disbelief. Siege films like The Thing and Romero's Living Dead trilogy works well because right from the get-go we see the tension build not just on the location the cast are put in but within the besieged survivors as well. Survival becomes that much more difficult due to human frailties and an inability to work together bringing the whole group down. The monsters outside are bad enough, but sometimes it's the survivors themselves who must share the blame.

David Slade's (director) movie does a very good job of bringing the initial tension and dread the comic brought to life in its first chapter. The story takes place in Barrow, Alaska which happens to be located within the Arctic Circle as to allow it a very peculiar yearly event of having...

30 days of night Limited Exclusive
Okay so on the extra disc you get insight of the film being made. Sound effects, clothes, stunts, teeth, alien look of the creatures, their trademark killing blow look, the strange language of the vamps, the premiere, etc....

Fantastic to watch if you were ever interested in directing a movie you get to see a glimpse of what all the director has to do.

Click to Editorial Reviews

August Rush

The Music that Brings Us Together
"August Rush" is a fairy tale. It doesn't have princes, princesses, evil stepmothers, witches, or big bad wolves, but it's a fairy tale nonetheless. And as such, it tells a story that resonates so strongly with its audience that it casts a magic spell. This movie is told in the language of music, and it exemplifies the harmonic connections between people, the rhythmic bonds that can never be broken in spite of distance and time. It's also told in the language of faith, of the belief that love will indeed conquer all. No, this is not a realistic idea, but that's not the point. Isn't it nice that we have films like this to escape to when realism is bringing us down? Isn't it wonderful when we find that one film that can raise our spirits? "August Rush" was that film for me, and I recommend it to anyone in need of a rejuvenating emotional boost.

The film stars Freddie Highmore as an orphan named Evan Taylor, a quiet yet determined musical prodigy. He was born as the result of...

Music and the Harmony of the Universe: A Film for Dreamers
AUGUST RUSH will not go down in history as a profound film: many will even go so far as to dismiss it as kitsch, maudlin, and a simpleton take off on 'Oliver Twist', and other pejoratives. For this viewer the little film is tender and frequently requires suspension of belief, but in the end the idea of the story does indeed bring a tear to the eye.

Based on a story by Paul Castro and Nick Castle and transformed for the screen by Castle and James V. Hart, the premise is that of a fairytale, but an unusual fairytale built around the impact of music. On one magic night in New York City classical cellist Lyla Novacek (Keri Russell) and popular Irish guitarist/singer Louis Connelly (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) meet on a rooftop, languishing in their own disappointments with life and finding solace in each other's arms, and that night Lyla becomes pregnant, never to see Louis again, and struggling to keep her baby despite her father's demands to abort. Lyla delivers her baby boy, but...

"Music is Harmonic Connection between all living beings -- The Wizard"
Some people hear the rhythm in a step, the strident beauty of a police siren, the whip of a powerline in the wind. Evan Taylor (Freddie Highmore) doesn't get a decent night's sleep in the orphanage because of it. His fellow inmates call him freak because he believes both his parents are living and they'll come for him--if only he call out with the music that connects them.

As he says, "I believe in music the way some people believe in fairy tales." So, Evan decides after eleven years and some days to escape the orphanage and go find the music--and his parents.

Even ends up in New York City with zero street smarts. He really doesn't even know how to cross the road. A fortunate encounter puts him near Arthur (Leon G. Thomas III), a street busker his age who's willing to help--for a price. Arthur introduces him to Wizard (Robin Williams) who gives musically talented street kids a place to stay in exchange for half their take. The Wizard quickly discovers that...

Click to Editorial Reviews

To Kill A King [Blu-ray]

Surprisingly good historical drama
To Kill a King (aka Cromwell and Fairfax) came as quite a surprise - the film's troubled production is a local legend in the UK, the reviews were lukewarm and the film was further scuppered by a dreadful ad campaign and trailer. Then there was the fact that director Mike Barker's feature debut, the insultingly stupid The James Gang, was one of the very worst films I've ever had the misfortune to see. And that's ignoring Rupert Everett's efforts at promoting the movie in the States by describing it as boring rubbish and his performance being the only worthwhile thing in it.

The omens weren't good, to put it mildly, but it actually turned out to be a surprisingly entertaining and ambitious retelling of the troubled relationship between Lord Fairfax and his deputy Oliver Cromwell in the aftermath of the English Civil War. I can't vouch for its historical accuracy (widely criticized in the UK), but as drama it works very well, despite the fact that Roth's Cromwell isn't at the...

Too short a film for too big a subject
"To Kill a King" - well, I've been waiting for a couple of years for a region 1 release. Initial reviews were all very mild, if not mean. The film itself is not cheap or badly shot. It is as good as any other history film about ("Elizabeth: The Golden Age" for example.)

The simple reason for the criticism is that the audience waiting for this film wanted something a bit more realistic and historically accurate. This is a subject that fascinates me (having read Antonia Frasier's "Cromwell" and "Charles II" plus "The Trial of Charles I: A Documentary History"). Sadly, there is too much going on to satisfy in almost all directions. We don't get to see much of the trial of Charles I, we don't get to see any of the Civil War, Pride's Purge is fairly swiftly done, and then we get a massive time lapse of Cromwell's rise and fall all in an hour and a half. Too much is happening and not enough time to allow the audience to care.

To say this is a bad movie, however,...

For God's sake, let us sit upon the ground
And tell sad stories of the death of kings.

Richard II, Act iii. Sc. 2.

Oliver Cromwell and Thomas Fairfax led the Puritan revolt against Charles I that resulted in what as known as the Civil Wars. In the mind of Cromwell and his supporters, Charles I led a series of bloody civil wars against the Parliamentary forces that challenged Charles I's right to absolute rule. These civil wars caused the death of approximately 10% of Britain's adult males. It was a bloody time. Eventually, Cromwell and his supporters determined that the only way to end the civil wars was to put Charles I to trial. The trial and subsequent execution of Charles I was a watershed event that left England a republic (albeit only temporarily) and created the legal theory that tyranny was not a right of rulers but a crime against the ruled. The trial destroyed forever the right of kings to act with impunity from justice and the principles established at this trial still exist today and were...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Bobby Deerfield

Forgive the flaws, and you will be moved
This is one of my favorite films. For the haunting score. For the restrained direction. And for Pacino's understated, yet ulitmately moving performance. Watch him change from cold, efficient Formula 1 champion to confused lover to enlightened human being who finally understands that finding love is worth the "risk". It is a film a many small, yet revealing moments. This Pacino before the "hoo-haw" phase. His eyes speak volumes. And Marthe Keller is his equal. Only she could bring out the Mae West in him. See it.

An Overlooked Classic in Pacino's Portfolio
This has got to be one of Pacino's best -- and deserves to stand alongside his more well-known classics. But if you're looking for the slow burn-to-rage formula Pacino mastered in "Serpico" and "Dog Day Afternoon," look elsewhere. This is an altogether different film. Silence is used to great effect. The viewer is left to ponder dialogue and action rather than having the characters explain.

As the rigid Formula One driver who has never considered death -- until a crash and a dying girl are suddenly thrust upon him -- we watch Pacino undergo a convincing change. Little by little we see a simple adage, 'everything is sweeter when you take a risk,' take hold and help him reclaim the reality of his life.

Deerfield's story -- and the power of that little phrase -- should be a motto for us all! And the irony of this movie is that the story upon which it is based, by Erich Maria Remarque, is called Heaven Has No Favorites.

Pacino once said that he felt closer...

The Europe that used to be.....
Watch this film if you are one of us "40 somethings" that used to frequent Europe in the 1970's, as teenagers...in search of new love (a.k.a SEX!) and finding oneself.

I agree with one of the reviews posted here that says this film is "a mood piece". And that it is! More than any "deep story" about a race driver etc...or the life and death of a young, eccentric woman....its simply a beautiful film.

I was not surprised to learn today that Sydney Pollack directed this fine cinematic artwork. He is a very capable director, just watch "Out of Africa" if you want to see some exceptional film making!

I gave this film 3 stars for the calm, romantic, almost "haunting style" the film projects onto the viewer....and Pacino's 1976 Alfa Romeo GTV sports car, driving around those old streets of Italy rated 2 stars all by itself!

If you loved the Europe of the 1970's...before it became "Americanized" and full of McDonald's etc....this is a throwback...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Leprechaun Triple Feature

Worth your green gold
THE MOVIES: In the original "Leprechaun," Jennifer Aniston and Mark Holton (Francis Buxton in "Peewee's Big Adventure"), along with a few other people, fend off the little limerick-spouting guy with all the makings of a B-movie, including numerous plot holes and humor (watch the characters throw a bunch of shoes at the Leprechaun only to have him throw up his hands in exasperation when he realizes he has to polish all of them and try not to laugh).

In "Leprechaun 2," The Leprechaun tries to win himself a human bride. This sequel is just as strong as, if not stronger than, the original, with well-written characters and some cool deaths.

"Leprechaun 3" moves the Leprechaun's inevitable search for his gold to Vegas. While this movie marked the beginning of decreased production values (and quality) for the series, there's still fun to be had as well as a metaphor for losing oneself to avarice.

THE DVDS: Each movie is released on its own DVD (so...

movie
this movie is so DUMB its funny I bought this for my daughter for her birthday she just love it.

thank you
The item arrived much early than expected it's a 3 disc feature the first disc worked perfectly but the second disc did I cant even see the beginning of the movie I have to skip ahead to the next chapter which sucks because I've never seen the second movie.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Lucky Ones

A Gem!
I saw this at the Tribeca Film Festival and have been hoping to get a chance to see it again. This is what true independent filmmaking is all about -- low budget, intelligent script, amazing actors (watch for Jeffrey DeMunn's cameo). Loren Paul Caplin made this film a few years ago yet he seemed to have access to today's newspapers and magazines. On the surface it's about fame & tabloid journalism, but it's really about a spiritual quest to make some sense of it all. As a bonus, there's a wonderful short by Caplin and some of his music. This guy has been around -- music, poetry, film -- and he knows how to tell us what he's seen and heard and felt.





Click to Editorial Reviews

Little Playdates: Critter Friends

Life Saver for Mother of 9
Although Critter Friends is not as good as Little Friends and Little Adventurers, I love this DVD! Little Playdates is on to something with these videos. They keep the attention of my young children allowing me to get some things done around the house that I wouldn't normally be able to. 5 stars in my book!!

Best Baby/Toddler Video- Must Have!!!!!!
What a wonderful, fascinating video for babies and toddlers who love animals! My 14 month old and I snuggled on the couch during a bout of the flu and it was the FIRST thing to make her smile in days! We were SO thankful for this mesmerizing video! She is a little animal lover and is definitely engaged by all the interesting animals, not to mention the adorable children. The music is great and we love to dance along with the video. Definitely one of the best baby/toddler videos out there and I would recommend this as a gift or for your little ones!

If you are not familiar with the Little Playdates Series, these videos help to teach positive social interactions between children by showing babies/children playing together in unique learning environments (as opposed to animation). These videos can also help expose children to diversity and are great for children of all backgrounds and equally great for boys and girls! Truly a positive influence on our little ones...

Little Playdates
Poor quality video - more like home movies and not a very good flow. Content does not seem to be well thought through.

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Rage

splatter riffic fun
Independent horror in all its glory. I've seen alot of horror flicks and quite a few considered "A" flicks that sucked alot worse then this.This was a wild,fun,crazy ride of a movie! The acting was great from most of the cast ( a little weak from the kids in it )and the production values were suprisingly good. The special effects were over the top excellent for an independent movie and the editing and music was also solid. Overall this was a really good flick and I would recomend it to anyone that gets into independent horror. Some people have said it was only worth one star and all I have to say to that is you better just stick with your big budget duds and leave this for the down and dirty horror buffs.Kurtzman does it again!

Splatter Punk at its Best.
With all of the cheap horror flicks emerging from independant film companies today, it can be quite difficult to seperate the gems from the trash. When I first heard about "The Rage", I must admit that my expectations for the film were not exactly high. In spite of the fact that emenient soundscape band Midnight Syndicate was composing the soundtrack.

Oddly enough, however, there was this nagging thought in my mind that implored me to give the film a chance. And when it finally arrived on dvd, I decided to purchase it.

Now, there are very few horror movies that have been able to grab me and never let me go in the past. This film is one of them. "The Rage" is simply put, one of the grandest and goriest splatter films in the annals of horror cinema.

Fans of the macabre who purchase this dvd will not be disappointed. But for those who say otherwise; it would be smart not to upset Dr.V ;)

Pardon Me, My Brain's Exposed!...
If you are a fan of the more splattery film experience, then THE RAGE is the perfect pick! Filled w/ nearly non-stop gooshy action, including flesh-devouring, mutant maniacs! Axes, hammers, and screwdrivers stuck in various craniums! Mad science! Flocks of hideous, puppet / CGI turkey vultures! And a raving, raging Reggie Bannister (PHANTASM)! A secret serum turns normal, law abiding citizens into slobbering, gore-crazed insaniacs! This one's right up there w/ RE-ANIMATOR, UNDEAD, DEAD ALIVE, and other sloshing classics! Enjoy...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Jake's Booty Call

Generation Y's Male Manifesto
Jake's Booty Call is one of the best films I have ever seen. I can't believe I would actually write those words, but I do so for the simple reason that I can't believe this film was actually made.

This film is the male component of Generation Y's world in a nutshell. It shows our love for music of the 60s, films of the 70s, and the video game revolution of the 80s. For many males of Generation Y, the whole world was easily accessible by airplane, and for our young men, it was upon foreign soil where many of life's ropes were learned.

From a production standpoint, JBC is amazingly well executed. The soundtrack is so good it deserves to be released separately; the camerawork and animation seems a labor of love. I do not believe any corners were cut with this film -- I believe it was produced exactly as the creators imagined it. I wonder how much of a say the sagely folks of National Lampoon had in its production.

I would guess that many people who...

Off the hook!
If you have played the Jake's Booty Call series of flash games The Romp created, you will enjoy this movie. Just like the games really, it's not the sort of movie you can laugh hard at with a group of people unless you are truly self confident and feel comfortable with whoever is watching it with you- which was probably it's downfall when it was being screened early on in the advertising campaign. I laughed as hard as hell throughout the movie myself, and could easily watch it many times over. Get yourself a JD and coke and sit back 'n relax for this one. If you love Jake's form, you will not be disappointed. If you like a bumpin' soundtrack too, they don't let you down there either. Printz Board's "Keep It Jumping" and other awesome tracks make the movie feel truly pimpin.

For those of you who haven't played the games before, I suggest you get into them before watching the movie for maximum appreciation and understanding. Some people just don't get it, since they've never...

Any guy can relate...
I played the Booty Call flash games in college (they're still out there) and loved Jake's attitude and the way he talked. Me and my friends have so many one-liners from the games that it's kind of obnoxious but mostly hilarious. Watching this movie is pure vicarious entertainment. You laugh at how direct and sexual Jake is with women and wish you could be too.

The story does not matter at all. It is all about Jake revisiting territory he did in the games, except it is a passive experience instead of an interactive one. If this was made into an interactive DVD like the Harold and Kumar 2 Blu-ray, it would be even more amazing than it is!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Little Playdates: Little Adventurers

Great entertainment!!!!!
My 14 month old son has never been the type to watch tv. The only thing that ever caught his attention was if other kids were on tv. He has little to no interest in cartoon characters. I read that babies love to watch other kids and see pictures of babies their age, so I figured these DVDs would be interesting to my son. These DVDs are GREAT!! My son LOVES it! He loves watching the kids run around, play, interact and dance to the music. He dances to the songs and laughs at the kids. I even chuckle at the cute songs and kids at play. It's like a baby music video :) I highly recommend these videos!!!





Click to Editorial Reviews

Day Zero

Day zero approaches
What if the draft were reinstated, and the young men of the United States suddenly forced to join the army, fight, and perhaps die -- without any free choice?

Thankfully, that hasn't happened just yet, and hopefully it won't anytime soon. But "Day Zero" takes a hard, sometimes frightening look at three young men who face that very ordeal. Instead of pompous politics or big war stories, it's an intimate, visceral experience that seems more interested in the "ordinary guys" than in the war itself.

In the near future, terrorists have struck again, this time attacking the West Coast -- and in response, the United States has reactivated the draft. All males between eighteen and thirty-five have to sign up for army duty in one month. This includes three friends: street smart cabbie Dixon (Jon Bernthal), wealthy young lawyer George (Chris Klein), and fragile writer Aaron (Elijah Wood).

In the month that follows, all three are struggling -- George wants to...

What if the Draft were Reinstated?
The Draft as a means for supplying the armed forces with manpower ended with the Vietnam War. DAY ZERO is a thought provoking film that raises the question of how today's youth would respond were the Draft reinstated as a result of the ever-growing Iraq War. Writer Robert Malkani and director Bryan Gunnar Cole respond to the question by creating three characters, long time friends, but each with a different response to the forced servitude in a wartime situation. As with any film dealing with controversial subject matter there are ideas presented that will disturb just about everyone no matter their stance on compulsive servitude, and it is that aspect that makes this film work so well in jolting our thinking.

The time is New York, now, and the media has just announced the reinstatement of the Draft to cope with the drained national volunteer army. Three friends receive their draft notices simultaneously: successful lawyer George Rifkin (Chris Klein) whose marriage to a...

Best Elijah Wood Performance to Date
It's 30 days before DAY ZERO, when three friends are to be drafted into the army during the raging war in Iraq. They react to the news and somehow come to terms with reality. On this simple (even thin) premise, Bryan Cole crafts a well balanced 90 minutes, which manages to cloud a specific or biased point-of-view. Sure, there's anti-war clambering and patriotic posturing. There's plenty of flag waving and flag burning, but this film is not about the draft or serving one's country. As a reviewer who has already been drafted to face a war (in Viet-nam) and had to grapple with decisions that would ultimately shape the remainder of my life, I know this film is about "the inner self"--the draft being the catalyst and the reactions mere symptoms to the rumbling of the human spirit or the lack there of.

The three stars carry the film a long way and beyond. Chris Klein as George Rifkin represents the majority view, that the draft is a life interrupter. One never gets the impression...

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Last Hit Man

An intense family drama with flying bullets
While we were not sure what we would find with this little movie, it turned out to be engrossing and enjoyable. Joe Mantegna and Elizabeth Whitmere make a believable father and daughter and, although I can't say I support their line of work, I entirely believed in their characters and what they were doing.

The film sags a little a few minutes before the end, but it does end well (an open-ended finish that makes me speculate about a possible sequel).

I'm glad we bought a copy of this, and look forward to watching it multiple times.

The story is great
The story is great and joe mantegna shows again his great talent in acting.
I just can advise this movie.



Click to Editorial Reviews

Goya's Ghosts

Goya, Los Caprichos, and the Decline of Rationality
Milos Forman has a gift for combining fine art subject matter in period pieces that are not only entertaining but also educating. In GOYA'S GHOSTS he not only explores the multifaceted aspects of the great Spanish artist Francisco Goya as a painter of court portraits as well as canvases of dramatic collisions between the factions of people versus military cruelty of 18th and 19th century Spain, but he also dissects the infamous Spanish Inquisition, not only by defining characters who represented the Holy Office and the victims of the 'purging' but also by subtly remarking on the tenor of the times by focusing on Goya's 80 etchings titled 'Los Caprichos'. This is a richly realized film that captures the horror of the times while it offers insights into the changes that occurred in Spain in a rather comprehensive fashion.

1792 and while Francisco Goya (Stellan Skarsg

Hooligans

More Potential than Execution
Comparable to Lock Stock & Barrel, or Snatch. Lock, Stock.. would have been 4 star in my book whereas Snatch with or without B Pitt was still about 3 for me but that movie had its fans and if you were one of them you may like this as well. The acting is kind of low budget and over-exaggerated. Lots of violence, with a slightly humorous edge. The story, which initially attracted me to the movie, is better in synapsis than actual viewing experience I thought, but again, depends what you like. I've got friends that really liked "Snatch". Irish accents are thick (no subtitles on this U.S. edition) but it's understandable enough.





Click to Editorial Reviews

Pride and Prejudice by DVDBookshelf

A Bargain at Twice the Price
My wife and I had never bought a DVD audio book before so this was new for us. Nevertheless, to get 13 hours of entertainment for less than $10.00, was really a bargain. Add to that the fact that Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" is our favorite romantic piece of all time, in all its past incarnations, and this DVD is a real treasure. We rate it with five (5) stars.

What appeals to me most about the book is that it so resembles life in that circumstances or people that you think are bad can turn out to your advantage. Mr. Collins, as one example, may seem like a vainglorious person who just gets in the way with his constant gossiping and self-praise. But he, like Lady Catherine, Lydia, Wickham, Mrs. Bennet, and some of the other characters bumble into creating the situation where Elizabeth and Darcy can at last be together and live happily ever after. The novel is a work of sheer genius and is, as we've heard, the most widely read piece of literature in the English...

Pride and Prejudice The book on DVD
This is great if you don't want to read the book and really want to know what the Author wrote and can't seem to get enough of the story. I really love this story and enjoy any version.

Delightful!
This audiobook is very well done. I throughly enjoyed! The formatting works well. It was easier to use on the dvd player so I could fast forward and rewind to get to places inbetween chapters. On my computer I could only access at chapters.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Rain in the Mountains [HD DVD]

Okay story; needed better acting and photography
The story here is okay, but the acting, directing, and photography leave much to be desired. This was clearly made on a shoestring budget, but even at that, there should have been more quality control. If you want a better film about Native Americans, try Smoke Signals or Christmas in the Clouds.

Appealing Despite Amateurish Approach
This film shows its indie, low budget origins. The script is disjointed and contains too many fey, improvised characters - such as the dead man who cavorts across the landscape dispensing mystical wisdoms. To be fair, some of the annoying intrusions of this impossible fellow were probably due to misfortunes that dogged the filming of this movie. There's no Director's commentary on this DVD, as the jacket might lead a person to believe. But there's a printed Director's statement. When you lean in close to read the small print of this statement, you learn that the lead actor in "Rain" had a stroke during filming. The Director had to shuffle scenes and make other adjustments to fill in the gaps caused by this setback. That's probably how the dead man's role got expanded.

Despite the high school recital last-minute, run-on, pulling together in the face of catastrophe quality of this movie though, there is definitely something memorable and heartwarming about "Rain." Steve...

This is Very Funny!
Not at all what I expected. It was different and very funny. I was thoroughly entertained. If you're looking for a light flick & some laughs, I think you'll enjoy this.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Lethal Force

An amazing blast to the face and funnybone
Alvin Ecarma's LETHAL FORCE boasts geysers of blood à la the LONE WOLF & CUB films, blazing guns (and latent homosexuality) from John Woo's A BETTER TOMORROW, and a bevy of stylistic and thematic nods to other favorite films from CONAN THE BARBARIAN to EVIL DEAD 2 to ARMOUR OF GOD. Even the temporary soundtrack present when I saw LETHAL FORCE at a riotous MicroCineFest 2001 screening (where it walked away with the Audience and Judges' Awards for Best Feature Film) possessed musical cues (and sound effects) from ENTER THE DRAGON, FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE, and other films of high regard.

Frank Pritchard stars as Jack Carter. He's a well-meaning patsy caught between his old friend, Frank Savitch (Cash Flagg Jr.), an unstoppable assassin, and Mal Lock (Andrew Hewitt), a wheelchair-bound super-baddie with a legion of white-masked goons at his command. Director Ecarma does well to keep things fresh in what could otherwise be a staid action film with wonderfully kinetic...

ln a nutshell...
A BLAST of Funtastic Kung Fu, Chop Socky, Tom Foolery, & Highbrow Highjinx... LOVED IT!!!

TOTAL GARBAGE
This so-called movie is total bottom-of-the-barrel garbage. Total crap in everyway--script, acting, direction, production values. Looks like it was made by retards, and I don't mean the kind with downs syndrome. People with downs syndrome would have made a far better movie than this POS. The dum-dums who made this should buy up every copy and burn them all. God was this thing horrible. To see an actually awesome shoe-string-budget movie, check out "There's Nothing Out There." Now that's awesome low-budge movie-making. STAY AWAY FROM "Lethal Crap."

Click to Editorial Reviews

Divided We Fall

Bough for Sunday School age boys
We really like the Bible Man series. It is good encouragement to our boys in class to look for the right answers when dealing with issues.





Click to Editorial Reviews

Battle of the Bulge: Featuring Bone Crusher

great buy!
Bone is awesome! No complicated choreography and easy on the joints. Can do this everday without burning myself out!

Battle of the Bulge
This item is a joke- don't waste your money. I was going to give to a friend but I'm ashamed of how amateurish the tape is made!



Click to Editorial Reviews