Art is... the Permanent Revolution

Quiet Contemplation Of The Artistic Process: Two Narrative Threads That Never Quite Fit Together
As a movie experience, "Art is...The Permanent Revolution" is a bit more modest in scope than its title may imply. This incredibly low-key effort is undoubtedly a must-see for any artist that toils in anonymity hoping to take the world by storm. In many ways, though, it is two films in one. In the primary narrative, we are introduced to contemporary artists who are each working on a piece. One is a wood engraving, one is an etching, and one is a lithograph. The film starts these works at the beginning and as the film proceeds, we get an up close look at the process that brings the final products to fruition. Over it all, the artists lend a gentle commentary about any number of topics. Everyone is genial enough, but at times it seemed to lack focus. Interspersed with these interview segments are montages of artwork (from famous masters and/or uncredited artists) that generally unite in some social or political theme. Although there are occasional ninety second history...

Resurfacing the Centuries-Old Power of Protest Prints
"Has a work of art ever stopped a bullet?" we are asked in the opening scenes of the fascinating documentary Art is... The Permanent Revolution. Then, printmaker Sigmund Abeles poses his question another way: "Guernica is an incredible painting but did it stop a single bullet? I'm not sure." In fact, this thought-provoking film isn't about the entire range of the fine arts as the title suggests. Manfred Kirchheimer's documentary focuses specifically on the last 500 years of print making as protest. While that may sound like a very narrow topic, the 82-minute film branches off into religious and spiritual themes at every turn.

Here are just some of the provocative branches the film unfolds ...

Were you in the crowds who flocked to see the Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus exhibition that has been touring the U.S. over the past year? The printmakers we meet in The Permanent Revolution open up new perspectives on Rembrandt's vocation by paying more attention to his...



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The Callers

This three-generation family can auction (almost) anything!
Being a longtime attendee of "country" and "estate" auctions in Eastern Pennsylvania (especially in Lancaster and Berks County, where more such auctions take place), I was particularly interested in seeing this new film. It was filmed in these two counties and concentrates - mostly - on the Zettlemoyer Auction Company outside of Allentown, PA where the three generations of Zettlemoyer men are still going strong with weekly (sometimes more) auctions. There are other area auctioneers featured but the Zettlemoyers seem to get most of the screen time.

With all the interest in "what is stuff worth?" reality TV shows (Antiques Roadshow, Pawn Stars, Storage Wars, etc), this DVD release is very timely. And, if you like those reality shows, you'll probably enjoy this. I will warn you that the director has a habit of not carrying the filming of the auctioning of a unique item to the conclusion so that you will hear what it went for. This is particularly annoying in the coverage of...

A Glimpse Into The Past: Dedicating Your Life To The Art Of The Sale
With all the interest in shows like American Restoration, Storage Wars, and Pawn Stars (among others), the timing of Susan Sfarra's documentary feature "The Callers" seems well placed. Set largely within the rural areas of Pennsylvania, the film details the lives of professional auctioneers. I wasn't particularly familiar that this subculture was still so prevalent, so "The Callers" was a fascinating glimpse at an ancient art form and one that may be facing its dying days. Many of the subjects interviewed have the business in their blood and it has been an occupation passed on through the generations. The movie follows several well established individuals and gives us a bit of insight into the allure of the auction. We hear anecdotes from both the professionals and by some who love to participate as customers. Truthfully, there's nothing too deep presented in "The Callers" and much of the film is left to observe auctions in actions. And yet, I still felt the presentation was...



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Leave It on the Floor

More than what I expected
I have seen this movie/musical twice on LOGO. I must admit at first viewing I was not expecting it to be a musical. However, I watched it and thought it was just OK. When I was able to catch it a second time, my perspective changed. There was a lot of talent and a few stand outs in this performance piece. There was some comic one liners, spotlight performances, and a few surprises like a performance by Ledisi @ the funeral scene. The contrast/comparison likens this to the documentary of Paris is Burning but this is so much more. It's still "theatre" but more contemporary with relevant topics beyond the ballroom scene. I mos def plan to support by purchasing a copy.

"Sexy, Sexy, Sexy, all righ now. Sexy,sexy,sexy"
I love this movie. My fav character is Princess and I believe Justin is going to call. If Justin doesn't call then I think Princess should walk as a sex siren.

Pleasantly Surprised!
I found this movie at my local Gay Film Festival and had seen the trailer many times. I was blown away when I arrived at the theater and it was by FAR the best movie I saw the entire festival. I laughed, cried and had a blast.
This movie so well illustrates Ballroom culture in a tangible way that was a pleasure from start to finish!
Also, the music and dance numbers are absolutely amazing! I wish there were a soundtrack for this :(

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4 Wedding Planners

lovely Hawaiian romantic comedy
sweet family dramedy in a beautiful setting with charming performances. felt like you got to see s slice of the real hawaii. well worth watching!!!

Fun Premise. Worth A Watch
The 411 by Maria:

Ahhh...very sweet movie. Not too sappy which is what I expected with the title. The 4 Wedding Planners are Miriam, Lily, Twinny and Hoku a single mom and her three girls

My favorite part is the beginning where we see the story during the credits of how this eclectic family came to be showing how Miriam ended up with 3 daughters and 3 different fathers in a serious of funny little cartoon animations.

Lily is very independent and is pretty much the anti "marriage" daughter so when her boyfriend proposes she runs. She takes a plane and comes home to her wedding planning family after many years. They are not planning her wedding, they literally plan weddings for others.

Lily and her sisters are all very different. Twinny is pregnant "often" and the baby, Hoku just wants to be in love and is with Lily's former boyfriend.

The movie is fun, light and sweet. I love Illeana Doughlas as Miriam the mom who is running a...

I loved the actors, i liked that there was no dirty language, loved the hawaii location and theme, it was funny and we could wat
I loved the actors, i liked that there was no dirty language, loved the hawaii location and theme, it was funny and we could watch it as a family. The end was okay but could have been better. I wouldn't mind a sequel.

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Jaws 2 [HD]

No Masterpiece, But Still Worthwhile...
To believe that any effort to make a 'Jaws' sequel could compare with the impact of Steven Spielberg's original was a doomed notion even in 1978: the original was and is a cinematic classic of the highest order (despite having spent much of the '90s in almost-infinite rerun on the Turner networks), so much so that no sequel would ever have been able to measure up to its legacy. What happened basically is this: Universal execs saw the budget and schedule for 'Jaws' balloon so badly because of all its production troubles that they told Spielberg he'd never work in Hollywood again, UNTIL the movie was released and broke every box-office record imaginable. As they are wont to do in the face of staggering profit, these moneymongers quickly turned keel and told Spielberg they were behind him 100 percent the whole time and they wanted to know when he was planning to start shooting 'Jaws 2'. Spielberg, being smart, said 'No thanks', so the execs decided to go ahead with 'Jaws 2' without...

A very solid sequel
I was only 4 when the original groundbreaking film Jaws was first released in 1975. In 1978, I was old enough to see Jaws 2. A film, that while it pales in comparison to Spielberg's classic, it's still an exciting and enjoyable action thriller.

The story takes place several years later and focuses on Martin Brody's (Roy Scheider) two sons and their group of teenaged friends. The summer resort island of Amity is once again facing a threat from a great white shark. After several mysterious deaths Brody is convinced that a another shark is lurking in the waters. The Mayor and town council think otherwise. Brody's two sons and a large group of their friends take off in their sailboats and big trouble ensues. Acting alone, it's up to Brody to come to the rescue.

While lacking the intial shock and surprise Jaws generated, this sequel manages to capture a couple of nice surprises. The film's big climax is geniunely exciting. Roy Scheider delivers a first rate performance. The...

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water...
Jaws II DVD

Roy Scheider returns as the police chief of Amity, a resort town somewhere in New England, which has been terrorized by a Great white Shark (GWS)

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water, he's back.

The excellent music composed by John Williams will always make me think of JAWS.

Watch out for the seabirds, they'll know when the GWS is around.

The parasailing shown reminded me of using a bobber while fishing or fly fishing for trout... The skier was like trolling for marlin. When the ski boat blows up there is no direct evidence of what happened and of course the mayor and the city council don't want to believe. The police chief is fired. He didn't help himself when he cleared the beach and shot at a school of blue fish.

Throughout the movie the GWS is anthropomorphized so that we / the movie makers give him almost human intelligence.

Not recommended for anyone who wants to...

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Master Qi and the Monkey King

Interviews, History And Dazzling Performance Bring The Peking Opera To Life
I have never seen the Peking Opera in person although it is something that has always fascinated me. I have seen it represented in many fictional films, however, and thought that Alan Govenar's new documentary "Master Qi and the Monkey King" might be the perfect way to get a closer look. And I was not disappointed. Combining dance, music, storytelling, acrobatics, and martial arts--the Peking Opera is a feast for the senses. This film tells the story a troupe in New York City led by a stage legend (Master Qi) who emigrated from China to bring this art form to a wider audience. (Quick note: Although set in the United States, the film is almost entirely in subtitles). It's an interesting juxtaposition. In China, Master Qi was famous throughout the land. Here, though, she and her husband live in moderation while financing everything very personally. This shows a real fortitude and commitment that you can't help but respect in the unassuming Qi (she seems much less bold when not...





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Peppa Pig: Muddy Puddles and other stories

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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My friend, Oscar.

A quirky, heart-warming tale
My husband and I saw this film when it was showing in New Orleans, where it was made. We both enjoyed it and we kept talking about it. It's a heart-warming story with excellent acting and a good soundtrack. If you enjoyed "Benny and Joon" you'll like this film, too.

This is a must see movie
I saw this movie when it made it's premiere in New Orleans. What a wonderful movie about friendship and unconditional love. Taylor Slade does a remarkable job in her role as an awkward pre-teen and Blake Balu gives a tremendously touching performance as her mentally challenged friend, Oscar. The entire supporting cast is stellar with stand out performances by Luis Q. Barroso and Micheal P. Sullivan.

A must see
This is a great heartwarming movie. Blake Balu and Taylor Slade are both great and convincing in their roles.A must see for teenagers and adults alike, to learn about acceptance of people who are not like us.

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The Sword Identity

SHADOW AND SOUND
This is another Chinese film that had me scratching my head. The bad guys in this are the Japanese, who we never see. There is discussion and fighting among the various martial arts schools and the military as to what weapon and technique to use against the Japanese. A sword copied from the Japanese and altered in China is being promoted by one man, who is thought of as a Japanese pirate. Hence the title.

The movie appears to have some levity by design in an attempt to keep the action/drama from becoming too boring. However the foreign humor is well...foreign humor and only the slapstick aspect translates well.

The martial arts aspect of the film is stressed in some minor fighting hints in a technique the old master calls, "Shadow and Sound." The film appears to have some Chinese cultural appeaL that is not universal unless the theme is pirating from foreign countries is okay for the defense of the nation. The fighting is minimal and even the women who dress in...

A master strikes once - this film strikes out
THE SWORD IDENTITY (Orig. title WO KOU DE ZONG JI, 2011, 111 minutes) must be one of the most simultaneously rewarding and downright confusing martial arts films ever conceived. A master from China conversant with its history might appreciate this in full. I could only appreciate it in pieces, or rather, piecemeal.

Set in the Mind Dynasty - though I rather question both the costumes I saw and the dialect as I heard it - an argument sets in among the martial arts school masters as to how to deal with a Japanese pirate who has infiltrated the unidentified city.

To simplify the background: a military general previously perfected a technique that would defeat the Japanese katana as it was back then. Another general, and I think this was the first general's brother, developed a technique that would defeat the warrior rather than the sword.

The military strategy was an attack formation to defeat the Japanese "pirates"; the martial arts technique was designed...

form follows function
When is a sword not a sword? That is a question asked by this film. In a land of tradition (and traditional weapons), how does something new get added to the mix? This interesting film tries to show some of the ways in which that question could be answered. A good, off-beat look at a martial arts genre film.

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Inga Collection

Review of Inga (1967).
Inga is the weakest Joe Sarno film that i have seen. It's quite boring without any plot! It does not progress and it never climaxes. On the back cover, it says that this is an erotic masterpiece, which is far from the truth. I think that Joe Sarno tried to make an art film but the result was disappointing for me! I expected a lot with INGA. A film that was a huge hit. Earlier films by Sarno like "Sin in the suburbs" and "The love merchant"are much better. They are more dramatic with good stories. The transfer by retro seduction is very good, just watch the dubbed version and not the "original" swedish. I have not seen the other two films, yet.





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The Edge [HD]

Back to Siberia....
This movie is about an isolated labor camp in Russia. A war vet chooses the camp because he wants to continue to pilot trains, but he has been deemed unfit by his superiors. Out in the middle of nowhere, he figures he'll find his last chance. He does and that's what this movie centers around. Of course they try to squeeze in a bit of romance, but the whole premise is boring. I did watch the entire film. Its ok for what it was. The only Russian language film I have ever seen. It's probably the only one I ever will see.

builds steam but.....
The characters are two-dimensional for my taste. However it is no worse than many other american films with the focus on what's going on than a relationship.That it is full of colourful Russian characters makes up for it somewhat.
Despite this complaint it is more likely to be a 4 star film as it is well made with good photography and direction. This is a solid film with great scenes of snow bound forests and an iron beast ( - the steam train and a pleasing spirit-mascot in a large bear)
Thankfully it is not a depressing film about camps and broken spirits but about endurance and care.

Well worth watching
I didn't know what to expect with this movie. I was very pleasantly surprised. I rated it 5 stars and hopefully this will attract some attention. It is probably a four star movie, but given that it is up against all the popular Hollywood fare, it is not unreasonable to give it a bit of a push. First of all for train fans, it does have trains. They are a central part of the story. Set in Siberia, in World War II, refugees of all types try to find their way. A romantic triangle of sorts, with individual Russians and Germans trying to find their ways through the mess they are in, provide the raw materials for this reflection on life, war, and morality or more accurately, the making of ethical decisions. And there are some great scenes of the beauty of the countryside, mixed in of course with the brutal conditions under which people are trying to survive. I am not a film critic, but the directing, story line, acting, etc., all seemed to be top notch.

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The Great American Pastime

Very average...
I really didn't know anything about this movie, but I like movies about baseball and thought I'd give it a try. This is definitely not a movie I'd plan to watch again, as it was merely ok.

Basic premise is that a busy father gets convinced to try teaching a little league baseball team. The team is awful, his kid is assigned to a different team, his wife hates baseball and thinks another kid's mother is flirting with him, etc. Basically everything that can go wrong does--until it all works out in the end. Sound like your cup of tea? If you like harmless and silly old movies, you might just like this! :0)





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Dancing Sweeties

sweet music
Cute movie, not great, but fun to watch. The opening sequence with credits is quite interesting to watch with couples dancing to the 1929/1930 music. Sue Carol did not make many films after this, but if I'm not mistaken became involved in behind-the-scene portion of film making. She also married actor Alan Ladd. The main song "The Kiss Waltz" is very pretty and danceable. They sing it several times in the movie. I read recently another song was cut from the film before release, "Dancing With Tears In My Eyes" which became a big hit in 1930 with recordings by many of the top orchestras of the day. Too bad the producers didn't keep that song in the film. Tommy
Forgot to mention, Grant Williams, the male lead in this film, was married at the time to 17-year-old Loretta Young. Marriage was annulled by her mother during this same period. Williams was cocky and obnoxious and not very likeable. There's one very funny scene when Carol's role brings him home to meet her mother...





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Closer [HD]

Great character study! Which one are you?
This movie is RAW. If you want a feel good, bubble gum and lollipops type of movie, this is not for you.

This is one of the BEST character studies I have seen in a long time. It's ugly, it's raw, but it's REAL and that could be why some felt so ill at ease. To like this movie is to accept that people really are this selfish and ugly-hearted. This could very well happen and that's what turns your stomach.

By far, Clive Owen owns this movie! You are disgusted by him from beginning to end, but find yourself rooting for him on several occasions, then mad at yourself that you are doing so. But then when you look at the alternative for Anna (Julia Roberts) in Dan (Jude Law), you allow yourself the moral misstep. Dan is quietly selfish and insecure. You realize early on there's an invisible bar that he's set that no one can meet or sustain.

At the end of this movie, you'll ask yourself (in regards to family, friends, and intimate relationships) are you the...

You Always Hurt The One You Love
"Closer" is a handbook about how not to act in a relationship. It is about deception in all its various permutations: lying, cheating, pretending to love someone, pretending not to love someone.
"Closer" is about anything other then actually being close. In fact "Closer" is about staying as far away emotionally from people as you can: playing games with each other, taunting each other with frank descriptions of intimate encounters and instigating brutal arguments in which the need to hurt and cut as deeply as possible is paramount.
The four involved are: Alice (Natalie Portman), Dan (Jude Law), Anna (Julia Roberts) and Larry (Clive Owen)
Adapted from Patrick Marber's play of the same name, "Closer" several times retains the artificiality of a stage play. Movies are naturalistic, the Stage is artificial and at times the screenplay and Mike Nichols direction leads the actors down the wrong path artistically: for example Julia Roberts, the warmest of screen actresses...

Sweeter
"Closer" is a heavyweight breathtaking drama that rivets the viewer's attention. The characters are not entirely likable, although each is eminently watchable. Director Mike Nichols won the Oscar for Best Director for "The Graduate" in 1967 and has been nominated 3 other times for "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" (1966), "Silkwood" (1983), & "Working Girl" (1988). Along with films like "Primary Colors" and the TV mini-series "Angels in America," he has an unparalleled ear for dialogue. No, it's not particularly pleasant. No, these are not the people your pastor hopes you will be. But each of these characters represent needs and desires that are shared by most people and are as confused by them as are many. Patrick Marber's screenplay adaptation of his stage drama is heart-wrenchingly truthful.

Of the four strong performances here, the most revelatory for me was Julia Roberts' portrayal of American photographer Anna living in London. She is selfish but has a...

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Exile

Food for Thought
John Simm has become one of my favorite actors. He obviously selects his roles carefully and never disappoints. Exile is a story of a man who rejoins his very dysfunctional family (father and sister) after burning his career bridges. This series is well worth watching.

My opinion
the DVD arrived on time and is in really good condition. The story line is excellent and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Great
Jim Broadbent a fine British actor has done some fine movies and this is a good one, a real mystery in the true sense without being too murderous, John Simm who plays his son is also great, it's really good with lots of twists and turns along the way

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Essential Games of the Texas Rangers

A Great Set
I'll be the first to admit the Rangers do not have the deepest history in sports. Take a look and you will see that two of the greatest games in their history here are AL pennant wins (no World Series wins yet) and both within two years. Still, such as it is, I think the selections here are appropriate. There are other notable moments, but these were the four biggest.

As a fan, it's nice to have these archived - which also means I can finally erase the 2010 ALCS game 6 off my Tivo after two full years. The only complaint I have is the source on the Nolan Ryan 7th no hitter. Granted, that was 20 years ago and thus sources may be scarce, but I was surprised to get the Toronto television feed. Surely someone at Fox Sports has the tape from when it originally aired - I believe on HSE prior to Fox taking them over. I also know there are at least portions of the audio feed by the late great Mark Holtz which would have been a nice inclusion as an overdub perhaps.

This was originally supposed to be a 5 or 6 disc set
This box set was being planned as a 5 or 6 disc box set with the inclusion of Games 6 and 7 of the 2011 World Series to be included. As these DVDs were being prepared, a funny thing happened. The Cardinals, down to their last strike TWICE, rallied twice to win the Greatest World Series Game of All Time, Game 6, with David Freese's clutch triple and game winning home run making history. Then, the Cardinals sealed the deal by winning Game 7 and winning their 11th World Series title. They quickly had to reformulate this DVD box set and withdraw Games 6 and 7. For those essential games, see "The 2011 World Series" box set, made in Cardinal red and white. So Rangers fans, enjoy your box set of "essential games" while Cardinals fans polish their 2011 World Series rings!

add---I hear they are working on a Greatest Games of the Houston Texans DVD set for football which will be 20 minutes long......



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The Life and Death of a Porno Gang (Special Edition) [Blu-ray]

LIKE NOTHING THAT YOU HAVE EVER SEEN BEFORE
You had better believe the hype on the sleeve as this brilliant film from Serbia crosses boundaries never before seen on film.The nudity and hardcore sex is unexciting due to the overweight and not good looking cast members involved. It must be the first time that beastiality is seen in a mainstream film.Horrors of graphic decapitations in the war scenes may make some viewers look away.There is plenty of humor in this very unusual film about a group of people making a porn film.I was tempted to give it a rating of 5 stars but there were some problems with the bluray disc. The controversial reversible sleeve cover is the same as the non -controversial one .It is said to be a SPECIAL EDITION....for what I do not know. There is a very dreary full length making of documentary and the deleted and extended scenes do not appear on the bluray despite being on the menu.I am waiting for a reply from the distributor regarding this. Worst of all are the English...

Not quite as haunting or as powerful as A SERBIAN FILM, but a shattering experience none the less.
The Life and Death of a Porno Gang is an undeniably powerful, funny, and hard hitting film that is sure to shake people up quite a bit. It's one of the more surprising films I've seen this year, and, quite honestly, it's one that I think most definitely deserves to be seen. It was made at about the same time as A Serbian Film was and is often compared to it. Honestly, I think the two films are actually very comparable in a lot of ways and they both are essentially saying the same thing, but they both have very different approaches. Lets get what they have in common out of the way first. They are both about pornography and snuff films. They are both are pessimistic and angry films. Both films have an industrial tone and music score and they both feature obscene content. Both of the films explore human corruption. The most important thing that they have in common, however, is that they both have a passionate filmmaker character in them that is willing to transgress morality for the sake...

Mediocre...
I had heard that Life and Death of a Porno Gang was as disturbing and controversial as a Serbian Film, except there was more humor and the characters were more likable and relatable. After watching it, I disagree. I did not find the characters relatable and found the movie to be pretty boring overall. I sympathized more with the characters in a Serbian Film, and I thought a Serbian Film was better paced and more sinister. As far as disturbing and controverisal...yes there is homosexual sex but that's barely of note as far as controversy; I've seen that in a mainstream drama and in the Spartacus series. The only thing I found notably unsettling was a very jarring decapitation scene, which was a video within the movie and did not involve any of the characters. I can't say anything very good about the movie.

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Love Affair

An Affair to Remember
This movie has been terribly underrated! I saw it when it first came out and, due to my prejudice towards the 1957 Cary Grant/Deborah Kerr film, I couldn't see just how good it really is. I recently saw it again and absolutely love it now! Beatty is charming and Annette Bening, as in "The American President", glows toward the camera. She is simply one of the best actresses and the greatest stars around, in my opinion. Katharine Hepburn is perfect as Beatty's aunt. Give this movie another chance -- if you love romantic movies, you'll love this "Love Affair".

One of the Best Romance Movies
I have seen An Affair to Remember long before I watched Love Affair. Altho "An Affair..." became one of my favorite classics (along w/ Gone with the Wind and Casablanca), I personally prefer Love Affair because i was more moved by it. the actors are brilliant, especially Ms. Bening, whose eyes captivate the audience. she just GLOWS in it and Mr Beatty is effortless in playing himself. they give the film a sense of reality. the movies basks the audiences in feeling of excitement, despair and hope of falling in love. it's a classic. so yeah, don't forget the box of tissue. i can't get enough of this film!

From a guy's point of view...
Okay, I'm not into chick flicks, but I like romantic movies. This movie is amazing because it avoids the pitfalls that alot of romantic movies fall into by not mixing an essential amount of testosterone necessary to keep a guy feeling like he's part of the scenario. (I absolutely abhored Best Friend's Wedding.) Movies that are of the same genre as this: An Affair to Remember? A classic, but by the time I was old enough to appreciate romance movies, I was intolerant of Cary Grant's accent. Sleepless in Seattle had it's moments. BUT, Love Affair nails it! It's funny, clever, romantic... Annette Benning commands the screen. Warren Beatty--I mean, does this movie strike an exact chord, or what? The chemistry is perfect because, aside from the tragedy it entails, it IS a true story! WB is depicted as a famous womanizing stud (which anybody who's been around for a few years is well aware that he actually was). One day traveling on a plane he meets the woman that's his soulmate. The way she...

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To Be Friends

A beautiful movie
One would be very fortunate to experience a love as profound as these friends in this movie. The emotional level is raw and touches the very core of who we are. It is best to watch alone and the music is perfect for this movie.

Beautiful.
A European style art movie, with the slow pace and deep emotional exploration that this entails, but with the extraordinary natural beauty of a California coastline location, and the highest of Hollywood production values.

A very beautiful film. Intimate, for sure not a happy movie, but with tender moments of natural lightness, and lashings of reflections and insights into the human condition.

Oh, and I did compose the soundtrack, by the way, so this will of course make some of you think I'm biased for Team To Be Friends... but actually, I wouldn't have written a review at all if I didn't mean this.

So proud of this little film, and also, the wonderful performances of Joelle Carter and Todd Stashwick under Jim Eckhart's skilled direction.

An important, significant and beautiful film.
`To Be Friends', unlike almost all American television and contemporary film, expects the viewer to participate, to listen, and as one character aptly explains, "To see." This is a movie that barely allows your mind to wander away in distraction; if you are not continually engaged you'll miss important clues that bind the moments of scenic vistas and dialogue together into a story of tension infused with significant meaning. Warning: This is not a film to multitask to, stop and start, or to check e-mail by because the subtleties of the film demand your participation to understand the plot on your own. Unlike almost all national artistic work created today, this film does not do the work for you. Additionally and refreshingly, there are no chase scenes, steamy bedroom exploits, violent outbursts or bleeping interchanges of distraction. `To Be Friends' is an intelligent, sensitive and uncompromising film that explores the oftentimes painful and awkward experience of the...

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The Big Leaguer

A Pleasant Surprise
Wasn't really expecting much from this movie since I bought it with a group of other baseball movies such as eight men out, 42 and the natural but was pleasantly surprised.
It was a nice baseball story about early spring tryouts for the new york giants, who would make the cut and who wouldn't with several interesting sub plots going as well.
Since I am a native of NYC, grown up in a time of 2 stadiums Shea & Yankee, I found it really fascinating to see, what I assume, were the actual polo grounds.
I have seen Ebbets field in many movies and pictures before but knew little more than word of mouth about the Polo grounds so it was fun to see it.
This is not one of the great baseball movies but it was light hearted with of course a little love story thrown in as well.
I would recommend it.

fallow time in Robinson's career
The early 50's were a bad time for Robinson all round, finances family life and committe hearing s in the political turmoil of his day, I find it interesting many minor people or writers developed some problems, but he was probably one of the larger presences and after Key Largo to Hell on frisco Bay where he teams up with alan ladd, his roles were in B pictures, and minor films, and I doubt there was much money in them or a boost in his career and he seems to have disappeared during the 50's,...around 59 he would return as character actor in some minor roles. This film was one of his first I believe which didnt even open in New york..probably had little release and if there was much release wouldnt go anywhere..its appeal is in smallness, showing us the baseball of the early years. an age when people didnt check whether we saluted or we werent so regimented, we were relaxed easygoing, we went to a baseball game and enjoyed our cities...smallness we found ourselves at home in these...

Big Leaguer
As baseball fan. I've waited for this movie to released on DVD. Strong performance by Edward G. Robinson. Vera-Ellen was excellent as the female lead.

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Tonight You're Mine [HD]

You Instead. Finally a USA release
I had to order this dvd (under its original title "You Instead") from the uk and it only would play in my laptop. Finally its being released to where I can watch it normally.
Its a very predictable story, yes. Alot of people aren't going to like it because of that. It moves at a odd pace for a movie. Frankly it moves more like real life. Its set at a music festival and apparently every scene was filmed in one shot. It has a very natural flow in that sense but is not hollywood and your basically seeing a video tape of these two dragging each other around and all that takes place with them.
2 rival bands get into it at a festival and a security guard decides to hand cuff the 2 singers together to stick it out for the rest of the night. The two are racing around trying to find a way to separate themselves to they can go on as planned but they wind up falling in love.
I love the music and the general spirit of the film. You also get to see some of natalia tenas...

Very predictable. Very cheesy. Very un-original. All that said this is still very good. I recommend this. I say B+
"If musicians can't get along what hope we got?" After Morello (Tena) shakes Adam's (Treadway) car in order to make him stop playing guitar they start to fight. When a security guard drives by and sees them he decides the only way to make them get along is to handcuff them together. That sounds bad enough but they are at a music festival and are both scheduled to play and no one knows where the key is. For those that have been following my reviews you may have noticed that I am not a fan of cheesy, predictable, un-original movies. This movie is an exception to that rule. Five minutes in the two are handcuffed together and after about 6 minutes you know how it will end. That said it is still very entertaining and really fun to watch. The music is actually really good as well and the song where the sample "Tainted Love" is great. This is nothing more then a cheesy predictable love story but even so I enjoyed it and I recommend it. Overall, nothing new and won't keep you guessing but...

Fantastic Film
This movie caught me completely by surprise! I've been watching a lot of British movies and kept seeing this one on trailers so finally decided to check it out and all I can say is WOW!!! Its a very simple film, only 116 min long, but its a very uplifting story. The main premise is two very different musicians get handcuffed together during a film festival and have to work together to accomplish things. I actually met Natalia Tena and she signed this movie for me which makes me enjoy her work even more because she is truely an awesome person :) For anyone who wants to enjoy a simple beautiful story, then Tonight You're Mine is for you :)

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HD Florida Beaches 2 / Waves Relaxation Nature Videos [Blu-ray]

Buyer Beware
Buyer beware these are 1080p (HD) quality DVD's.... NOT BLUE RAY!! The beach waves and background mountains all showed diagonal jagged pixels on my new 60" Samsung LCD Set. If you're buying this for a 32" or smaller the quality might be acceptable and the jagged resolution may be unnoticable....but if you plan to play this DVD on a true large screen TV, then save your money or keep hunting for a true Blue Ray version. The upsetting part about this purchase is they put an HD quality DVD into one of the Blue plastic Blue-Ray style CD cases and that is just deceptive marketing! :-(

These are going back!!!

Superb Product, Even Better Customer Service
My wife loves the beach but lives in the desert, so for Christmas I wanted to give her the gift of hi-def, surround sound beachfront experience. We popped it in our PS3 Christmas morning and, as expected, the locations and photography were superb. My wife issued many an ooh and ahh, but as the guy that bought and installed the entertainment system, I noticed a problem. The back speakers weren't working. I double checked that BluRay disk provided a surround track (which it did) but I couldn't get it to work. Since I had some free time later that day, I emailed "customer service" which is basically the email of the videographer that shot the project. One day later (did I mention it was Christmas?) he personally emails me back and helps me fix the issue. He even followed up! This is exactly the type of business I like to support. You can feel confident in the craftsmanship, artistry and support of this product.

Wow! picture is so sharp and surround sound like you're there!
This is as close to the real beaches of Florida and I've been there 6 times and I've relaxed at Tampa, Sarasota, Fort Myers, Key West, Islamadora, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale.

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Secrets At The United Nations: Fountainhead of the New World Order

Great
This is a great video by Pastor Mike Hoggard, a lot of interesting information and he references the Bible as well.





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Jaws [HD]

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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Truck Farm

A joyful story about how some motivation, community connections, dirt and seeds can start a movement
This is a wonderful film. It makes you think about how easy it is to make a difference in your community and bring good produce to local tables. What I loved most about the film was its upbeat, whimsical approach to the subject through the musical accompaniment. Share this with your friends and family and I'd be surprised if it didn't move you to plant some seeds in your uncle's old pickup, or better yet, your backyard.

Informative and Very Entertaining
So much technical information within a wonderfully, delightfully, positively, produced piece! So glad I purchased, rather than rented. Great Work!

Truck farm
Well made interesting and entertaining documentary. It will inspire you to find your own pick-up to plant. Much more it makes a statement about ecology, sustainability, and the food we eat. Enjoy.

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The Hanging Tree

A NEGLECTED MASTERPIECE! THANKFULLY, IT IS AVAILABLE ON DVD.
This psychological Western ranks as high as "High Noon", if not a little higher. It is truly a sublime work of art. The script, based on Dorothy M. Johnson's novel, is intelligently written by Wendall Mayes (Anatomy of Murder) & Hallstead Welles. Much of the movie is filmed in the beautiful Ahtanum and Nile Valleys, Yakima, Washington and director Delmer Davis shows a good eye for action and bold vistas. Shot in Technicolor and superbly acted by Gary Cooper, Maria Schell, Karl Malden and Ben Piazza, the film is artistically and visually stunning! A haunting title song by Jerry Livingston (nominated for Oscar) and dramatic music score by Max Steiner (Sergeant York, The Fountainhead) complement the unforgettable story.

It is 1873, the Gold Trail, Montana. People from all walks of life are coming to small miners camp in hope to strike gold. Among them is Doctor Joe Frail. A complex man. A survivor of the ultimate betrayal that left him emotionally damaged. An excellent doctor,...

Abused Classic
While this Gary Cooper gem is a must have classic, I would recomend waiting for a U.S. release. The DVD seems to have been copied from a video tape source, with just a passable picture and the sound has an annoying amount of noise present. Only buy this copy if you just can't wait and HAVE to have it. The five stars are for the story, not the copy.

Will someone explain why this film is not available!??
This last time I saw this film, which was probably 15 or 20 years ago, it was excellent!
The scenery was breathtaking, and it was Gary Cooper in color!
I remember reading it was George C. Scott's first film, too.
Somebody has the rights to this film, and I guess they're holding out for big bucks. So what.
Does anyone think we'll pay $50 for a DVD? Or $80 for an obsolete VHS? C'mon, people!
The Hanging Tree is a good story, the film was done well and it affords great entertainment.
But, "whomever you are," if you wait long enough--no one will care. If you wait another 15 or 20 years, not enough of us will be around who care.
Can you imagine if there was a Rudolph Valentino film which had not been seen in 50 years? There would be a short line at the Box Office for that one!

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Cosmic Origins

Very thoughtful presentation
I watched a version of this that I borrowed from my library and now will buy it. Very well done. Cogent, sharp, thoughtful. I also enjoyed the explanations of the various theories (I'm a science fan, especially science fiction). I recommend this for any age group.

Intellectualy Stimulating
This film explores all of the theories about the origin of the universe. The scientists interviewed to explain the theories are credible, even though some are difficult to understand because of heavy accents. Arno Pensius is especially accurate when he explains that any scientist can invent a theory and then it becomes the responsibility of others to disprove it. If you love physics and science you will love this film. If you have ever trully wondered where and how it all began you will appreciate the metaphysics aspect. I purchased one copy from another source and am ordering a second copy to give to a friend.

GREAT video!
This is a great video. So many youth are being told bald-faced lies by people like Richard Dawkins who wrap a veneer of pseudo-science around the junk they are peddling. This video presents a straightforward approach that makes the logical conclusion that our scientific understanding points to the existence of God and is not in conflict with faith.

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Cross of Lorraine

Grim,Taunt, Tightly Written, Superbly Acted War Melodrama - MGM firing on all Cylinders !
World War 11 films that depict "Patriots and Quisling's"- the stoic, furtive, passive and violent civil resistance to the Nazi/Japanese Occupation of conquered nations were extremely popular with wartime audiences ."Joan of Paris"1941,"This Land is Our Land"1942,"Hangmen also Die"1943, "North Star"1943,"Edge of Darkness"1943, "China"1943, "Dragon Seed"1944, "The Seventh Cross"1944, "To Have and to Have Not"1944 and "Hotel Berlin"1945 are all outstanding examples of well crafted movies of this type. "The Cross of the Lorraine" is arguably the best and most representative example of this genre along with the excellent "Hangmen Also Die" because it is so grim, gritty and realistic. Its screenplay stresses character development by showing Frenchmen and Germans "warts and all" as venal opportunists, self sacrificing patriots, sadistic bullies, men who have lost their faith and courage and then regroup within themselves to find redemption. The film depicts the...

Terrific, violent WWII potboiler starring Gene Kelly
Gene Kelly trades his dancing shoes for combat boots and really shines in this shockingly violent film, which makes up in nail-biting tension what it lacks in subtlety. The scenes between Gene and Peter Lorre in the prison cell are as brutal as anything from the era, and the big escape scene with Jean Pierre Aumont driving the get-away ambulance will put you on the edge of your seat and keep you there. Kelly's acting chops are really showcased here, as his cocky, defiant spirit is shattered by his prison experience, transforming him into a broken emotional invalid.

But that's BEFORE the final moments of the film. When the wily, dashing JeanPierre unexpectedly turns the tables on the Nazis, we see a brief close-up of Kelly's tormented face---the explosive will-to-fight rekindled within him---a split-second image that continues to dominate my memory of this film 40 years after having first seen it on local TV.

It's about time that MGM-Warner's got around to...

Cross of Lorraine
It would be hard to add any comments to the reviews already posted. If you are are adding to your collection of WW2 era spy and resistance type films, dont forget to add this gem

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The Happy Road

My Favorite Kelly Movie
I watched this film more than 50 years ago on German TV and absolutely loved it!
Fortunately it had a rerun on German TV in the early 90's and later I transferred my VHS tape of "The Happy Road" to DVD.
But it was a German dubbed version and I wanted the original English track.
It was a few times on TCM with lots of drop outs during the scenes at the manouvre (Michael Redgrave) in the last third of the film, but hopefully those are not on the DVD.

Other wonderful Kelly movies that I can highly recommend:
1. The Devil makes three (filmed in Germany after WW II, with Pier Angeli)
2. Cover Girl (1944, with Rita Hayworth)
3. The 3 Musketeers (1948, with Lana Turner as Lady de Winter)
4. Les Girls (1957, with Mitzi Gaynor and Kay Kendall)
5. On The Town (1949, with Frank Sinatra and Vera-Ellen)

Ca, Ca C'est La Vie!
To the lighthearted strains of Maurice Chevalier's introductory titular song, composed by Georges Van Parys, we are ushered into this sweet comedy, directed by Francophile Gene Kelly, who takes leave of musical productions in this effort.
Here, Kelly plays a transplanted American widower trying to set up a business in Paris when he receives word that his son, Danny(Bobby Clark, whose previous credits included a young onlooker on the Hebrew's emancipation day in "The Ten Commandments")has run away from a Swiss boarding school, in which he'd been placed due to his father's frequently having to travel, and his desire to give him advantages he himself was denied.
The boy's nocturnal escape takes an unexpected turn when he is joined by schoolmate Janine Duval(a very sweet and docile looking Brigitte Fossey), who convinces a reluctant Danny to let her go with him via tears, pleading , reminding him of her ability to speak French, which will be invaluable to him on his journey...

for a happy time
I'm french. I live near the place where a part of this movie was realised. This is a refreshing moment to see these children at this time (1957) when life was so simple with the country style. So pleasant.

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Matador [HD]

Brosnan Completely Creeped Me Out ....It Was Wonderful!
Think you know Pierce Brosnan as an actor? Think again. This film reveals him as the anti-James Bond, a creepy assassin who suddenly grows a conscience in his waning years. No more REMINGTON STEELE, no more 007. This guy needs a serious injection of scruples.

When Julian Noble (Brosnan) is assigned to "rub someone out," there's no hope for his target. That is until one day he's contracted to take out a man in Manila and has a nervous breakdown, ending up face-down in a pile of donkey dung.

Then we move on to/flashback to Mexico City, where Julian meets up with Danny Wright (Greg Kinnear, ), a down-on-his-luck businessman who tries to befriend Julian in the hotel bar. But Julian's antisocial behavior gets in the way often and nearly forces Danny away. But they form a sort of twisted friendship and Julian takes Danny into his confidence while watching a bullfight and shows him how to function as a killer. Danny is both terrified and exhilarated.

Then,...

Going In For The Kill
Julian Noble (a witty, debauched, ironic Pierce Brosnan) is a hit-man for hire and at a crossroads in his life: after years of killing for money, bedding anything within sight and inhaling as much liquor as he can, Julian is having trouble carrying off his assignments. Has he developed a conscience? Is he bored? Does he no longer need the money? It's never really made clear but "The Matador" is one of those films in which the journey is much more fun and important than the destination.

Along the way, Julian hooks up with a nebbish Danny Wright (a perfect Greg Kinnear) and Danny's wife (Hope Davis) both of whom hilariously accept Julian at face value: they are both excited and turned on by Julian's occupation and welcome him into their home for conversation, bourbon and pecan pie.

Director Richard Shepard keeps a tight rein on the proceedings and though much of the action has to be seen to be believed, the film rarely bogs down in its own absurdity.

The...

Fantastic tale of a whacky friendship
Now this is an unusual and quite enjoyable movie, with Pierce Brosnan like you've never seen before and with Greg Kinnear giving a hilarious and touching performance, best for both in a long time. I loved the quirky conversations, the no bs jokes, the bright color schemes, the glow of cardamom yellow, aqua and flame red in the background, flower beds and their drinks. This movie is full of flavor, shades and produces quite a few chuckles, but also has some nice moments that make it an enjoyable experience and gives a sense of satisfaction at the end.

Brosnan plays Julian Noble, an assassin that meets up with Danny Wright (Greg Kinnear) in a bar in Mexico. Those two are as far from normal life style as possible in an exotic place; one just finished a "job" while the other has a semi successful business deal in the works. Julian finds out that it's his birthday and realizes he has no friends. As a secret killer, a hush hush man, he starts chatting with Danny at a bar and buys...

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Ancient Giants: Origin of All Pagan Mystery Religions - Babylon - Vol 1 of 3

Amatuer at best
This was like watching a third rate radio program. Very disappointed in the presentation and lack of content. Don't waste youth money!





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Scarlet Pages

Elsie Ferguson relatives
Because my family is related to the actress Elsie Ferguson and my granddaughter shares her name and theatrical talent, I bought this CD for a family Christmas gift. I think it will be a nice way to honor the ancestor and encourage the granddaughter's talent and have a family movie event.





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I'm Not There [HD]

A Successful Exploration and Cinematic Investigation of an Artist
I'M NOT THERE is clearly not a movie for everyone. The concept of the film is experimental, the execution of the 'documentary' is actually an amalgam of the aura and influence of one man in the music world instead of a linear history of a famous singer/poet, and the goal seems more to find the effect of Bob Dylan's chameleon persona on those people with whom he came into contact than it is to relate the story of a fascinating and important American artist.

Writer (with Oren Moverman) and Director Todd Haynes ('Far from Heaven', 'Velvet Goldmine') has gathered images, memorabilia, fragments of interviews, and responses from acquaintances and from these he has pieced together a quilt-like panorama of the enigmatic, elusive, ever-changing Bob Dylan. The result is not meant to be a precise history, but instead a 'feeling' for the man who so profoundly influenced American music in the 1960s. Haynes selected several top actors to inhabit various aspects of Dylan's life and...

Extras-Packed Collector's Edition!
Director Todd Haynes has reinvented the musician biopic by manipulating its conventions to suit its subject instead of the other way around which is what has always been done in the past. I'm Not There invites us into Bob Dylan's brain and has look at the world through his eyes. We also see how Dylan is perceived by the media and his fans. Because Haynes is pushing the genre to its extremes the film is quite hard to follow at times as we jump all over the place in time and are confronted by various takes on Dylan. However, I think it is a film that will only improves on subsequent viewings as what Haynes is doing becomes more apparent and understood.

On the first disc there is "An Introduction" featuring four text essays that help one get a handle on the film. "Who's Not There: Six Faces of Dylan" explains who each of the six Dylans the actors are playing and what they represent. "Tangled Up in Clues" claims that Haynes' film is "an homage to 1960s art films." It does an...

Amazing, but only for a very particular group of people.
I adored this film. It is more like a puzzle or mosaic than a story, but it comes closer than anything yet to painting a good picture of such an interesting man.

This film is nonlinear and abstract - people who like a concise, plot based story are not going to like it. People who don't know or care much about Dylan's career probably won't get much out of it.

But for those of us who are diehard Dylan fans and enthusiasts, it is a very rewarding experience. You will recognize particular scenes and shots. You will marvel at how many known aspects of the man are shown.

I recommend this film, but only to diehard Dylan fans and fans of nonlinear storytelling.

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The Valley of Gwangi

One day he will learn to obey the law of Gwangi...
The Valley of Gwangi, aka Gwangi, aka The Lost Valley, aka The Valley Time Forgot, aka The Valley Where Time Stood Still, (whew!) stars James Franciscus (Beneath the Planet of the Apes) and Richard Carlson (It Came From Outer Space) and while they were decent, the real star of this movie is special effects creator and legend Ray Harryhausen. Franciscus plays Tuck Kirby, a cowboy looking to make a quick buck by brokering a deal for the sale of a horse that's being used in his ex-girlfriend's Wild West circus show that is located 'just south of the Rio Grande'. Gila Golan plays T.J. Breckenridge, owner of the circus, with Carlson as Champ Connors, the protective fatherly figure/manager of the circus.

Anyway, a discovery is made of some sort of prehistoric animal, a wee little horse, and we soon find out the animal came from an area called the 'forbidden valley'...or at least that's what it is called by the gypsy-like tribe that seems to live near it, which, by the way, are...

Underrated Harryhausen Classic Mister Kirby?
This was always one of my favorite Ray Harryhausen films. The Jerome Moross score elevates this film from being just another standard fantasy motion picture and transforms it into a Western dinosaur roundup. The setting enhanced by the score and Harryhausen's convincing stop motion creatures really dupes the viewer very subtly into thinking that this Western could have happened. Or almost! The actual valley when first seen by the cowboys has a very unsettling look about it, somewhere between prehistoric and surrealistic. The Jerome Moross score is very reminiscent of his "THE BIG COUNTRY," "THE PROUD REBEL" and "THE JAYHAWKERS." The dinosaur work here by Harryhausen ranks among his best. "I see what you mean Mister Kirby."

HARRYHAUSEN'S DINOSAURIAN TOUR DE FORCE
Resurrecting an aborted project that Willis ( KING KONG ) O'Brien wanted to make himself, Ray Harryhausen followed-up his successful Hammer film ONE MILLION YEARS B.C. with this movie, working once again with longtime partner Charles H. Schneer. Filmed in Spain, this 1969 offering has stunning stop-motion animated dinosaurs.

Set around the turn of the century in Mexico, it is a very Kong-like tale of a mighty creature ( the titular Allosaurus with T-Rex attributes ) that is captured in "Forbidden Valley" and brought back to a local Wild West show / circus to make money. The monster flees its bonds and proceeds into a magnificent cathedral, which becomes consumed in a raging inferno and brings about its demise.

Harryhausen, who worked a full year on the special effects, effectively populates a valley that is lost in time with a number of prehistoric animals, which include an equine Eohippus, a "plucked ostrich" called an Ornithomimus and a horned...

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Stott Pilates Pilates for Golf DVD (Set of 2)

DB
Vey low impact. A lot of talking it seems. Not sure if exercises really work because of how little you're actually doing.

The game is in the details!
If people don't feel this is enough workout, they really aren't focusing in on the details of Pilates method exercise. What makes these DVDs award-winning (STOTT is famous for exceptional quality I always appreciate) in that they give you the detail to get it right. If someone wants a quick choreography of big moves that leave you feeling winded, then this is not the DVD for you. However, as a Pilates instructor, my clients love this DVD and report excellent results IF they pay attention to the small details of posture placement and quality of movement. Golf is a sport that really requires an attention to detail and power as well as control in the swing. Pilates is an exceptional way to improve one's game if done right. I highly recommend this DVD and the level II as well. Not sure if Amazon sells them also as a set, but they are cheaper that way. If not here, look at the STOTT website for the set - and nope, I do not work for them. :-) I honestly think people will be amazed at their...



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Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation

Great Movie, Terrible TV Quality
First off, I wanna say if I were just rating this movie alone it would be five stars. I grew up watching it as a kid and loved it. Especially Plucky's story line. It is pure classic 90's silver animation.

However, who else noticed how lazy they were with this DVD? It looks like a thirteen-year-old burnt it on his laptop. The menus are obviously templates and the themes have nothing to do with 'Tiny Toons' or Warner Bros. at all (except for the main menu). I expected the movie quality to be bad since it was converted from tape just like the episodes. But damn, it looks worse than it did on VHS. Hopefully no one who buys this will be watching it on a big screen. Your eyes may bleed.

Regardless, I'm glad it's out on DVD. I just wish they would have spent a little more time cleaning it up. 90's TV animation gets no respect in regards to video quality.

About time!
This was one of the best direct-to-video releases I can remember...however, that was 21 years ago. Lots of the jokes (Roseanne Barr singing the national anthem comes to mind) aren't going to register with new, younger viewers. Most of the movie should hold up well enough, though, that's it's worth purchasing. The DVD cover, however, is rather unfortunate. It's not an accurate portrayal of anything that happens in the film plus it would make the movie appear more juvenile than it actually is (there are several instances of more adult humor in this movie, although they should sail right over most younger kids' heads). But it's a very funny movie with very good animation made when a very good early 1990s animated franchise was doing some of its best work.

It's GRAINY!
This is a 5 star movie, don't get me wrong! My kids (12, 1 and 1) LOVE IT! I used to watch this as a kid and I love it too. However, I got this in the mail today, put it on and it looks AWFUL! It is not even a bit remastered, the Tiny Toons series looks better than this! Very grainy and the colors are dull! I own A LOT of TV cartoons and this is by far the worst quality DVD I own! I watched this on a 63" LCD, 42" plasma and a 32" LCD TV - the movie was equally bad on all 3 screens. I am so disappointed!!! The copy on YouTube looks similar, and it's free. I should have waited for it to drop in price, I am really upset I spent $13 on this! Great movie, but not worth the price the way it looks. The DVD deserves one star, the movie 5... I gave it 3.

___________

UPDATING to add that I have decided to return this. Only adults handle disks at our house (very carefully may I add) and somehow this disk has started to freeze. It froze about 24 minutes into the movie and I...

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House: Season Eight (Blu-ray + UltraViolet)

An incredible final season for an incredible show.
I am going to write two reviews. One will be spoiler-free. The other will delve into the final season of this amazing series.

Spoiler-free:

How do I sum up a show that has influenced me so greatly without giving anything away about the finale, or the episodes that lead up to it? I think the answer lies in House as a character. I have to assume if you are reading the review for the final season of a show that has had eight, that you are at least somewhat familiar with it. I am going to assume that because there is no way to talk about the character as a whole without going over the past seasons. I will not spoil eight at all, but I will talk about seven in this review, and how it ties into eight beautifully.

So, here we go. House is as damaged as a character comes. He has tried to find love, with Stacy in season two, and Cuddy in season seven. Some can argue there was even something between he and Cameron in the first season. House is capable of love...

A memorable exit for House & company
The long-running medical drama's final season picks up with House facing the consequences of Season 7's destructive act against his ex-girlfriend Dr. Lisa Cuddy -- he's in prison, where we learn he's been the better part of the last year.

Although House is no longer a doctor, his basic nature means he's unable to stay away from puzzles, especially when they concern medicine -- meaning, House is a frequent visitor to the prison clinic. In the season premiere, "Twenty Vicodin," Dr. Jessica Adams (Odette Annable) is a bit wary at times, but despite the reasons for House's being there, Adams quickly deduces that this man is a medical genius from whom there's lots to learn.

After much wangling on the part of House's former team member Dr. Eric Foreman (Omar Epps) - who is now the Dean of Medicine, taking over for Cuddy - House is able to work at the hospital again. The only problem is, he no longer has a team - during the past year, everyone scattered to other parts...

The Doctor's Last Call
"House, M.D. November 16, 2004 - May 21, 2012

I love this show and will always be a fan of the series, but it has continuously been going downhill and I must admit has not been on my favorites list. Although "HOUSE, M.D." had a great run, I felt it lost everything that once made it such an outstanding show... a couple seasons ago.

Aside from the previous comments, I will miss this show for three reasons. One being, it was once a spectacular series and it's sad to see it end without returning to its original glory. Two, the interaction between House and Wilson has always been a big highlight of the show, to me. Lastly, I will miss Hugh Laurie. I feel no one could have played a better Dr. Gregory House.

All and all, I recommend season eight if you are a fan and want to follow the show until the end.

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Pocahontas Two-Movie Special Edition (Pocahontas / Pocahontas II: Journey To A New World) (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo in DVD Packaging)

"If I Never Knew You" Excised...Again
Back in the mid `90s, the Disney studio excised a pair of songs from two of their releases - "Pocahontas" and "The Muppet Christmas Carol" - that both negatively impacted the theatrical versions of each film. The reasoning was simple: the songs in question ("When Love Is Gone" from the Muppets and "If I Never Knew You" from "Pocahontas") were too "adult" in nature, leading some parents to take their kids out to the snack bar or the bathroom to avoid sitting in their seats for the 3-4 minutes those respective numbers were on-screen.

It didn't matter that the songs were vital to each movie - comprising arguably the most dramatic moments of both stories - or that anyone other than a restless five-year-old wouldn't have had a problem sitting through them. The editing shears were out, and neither song would appear in the theatrical release of either picture. Flash-forward several months. Once "The Muppet Christmas Carol" hit video, director Brian Henson insisted on the...

Pocahontas on Blu-ray
I bought this set just for the first Pocahontas movie as it's one of my favorite Disney films. There's not a whole lot of extras here, as opposed to other Disney Blu-ray releases, presumably because they felt the need to cram the sequel on the same Blu-ray; or maybe it's because Disney doesn't consider Pocahontas a strong seller. Whatever the reason, it's a bit disappointing.

On the Beauty and the Beast disc, you have the option of playing the movie with the deleted song (this is done by assembling two titles when authoring the Blu-ray with different segment mapping, and doesn't require additional room on the disc), but for one lazy reason or another, Disney decided not to do that with this disc, and instead just include the song as an extra. For what it's worth, I thought that particular animation segment was lazy, simply presenting a montage of earlier parts of the film, though the song is nice. The "deleted scenes" are hardly that, as they're mostly just black-and-white...

Disney Fails Again!
I should have read the reviews before buying this Blu-ray set. I am so disappointed that the song "If I Never Knew You" was again removed from this wonderful film. Why would Disney back-pedal by only offering the edited verions of this film? Sure, go ahead and offer the original version, but also offer the restored version with this wonderful song included back into the film and not as a "Deleted Scene". How hard would that have been? The work of restoring the song back into the film was already done with the 10th anniversary DVD release. Sometimes I just don't understand why these obviously poor decisions are allowed to follow through at Disney; "The Muppet Christmas Carol" debacle being another case in point. Also, what's with stacking the discs on top of each other in the case? How cheap can you get?!

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Sunny

Great Film Touching Hilarious
I recently say the director's cut for this film at the Las Vegas Film Festival . I went in late and didn't know what to expect, but was immediately drawn in and laughing. It's the story of a woman runs into an old high school friend and discovers she is dying of cancer. She then goes about getting to gather the old high school gang of girls called Sunny. There are flash backs to the thing they did in high school as well as adventures they go on as adults during this quest to reunite the group. It is the ultimate chick flick and even with sub-sitles you will want to watch it over and over. I know I can't wait to purchase this item.

when a lot of one's lifetime has run its course
I can understand the review by "Pearls of Wisdom," but, as a guy of a certain age, my take on this film was a bit different. I have been through so much in my life, lost and gained so much, but I always knew there would be (in the words of another movie) a "before" and an "after" no matter what happened. Well, these days my "before" is beginning to outweigh my "after" with a vengeance. It seems every morning I get up to the "after" getting smaller and smaller, and the "before" getting exponentially larger and larger. In other words, I now carry a very big "before," and with little or limited "after" to do something about anything I might still wish (prior to "getting my ticket punched") to recapture or to alter about my "before".

This seems the stealth message of this movie. We never know how much time we've got left. How often I've wanted to embrace and reassure the little boy going through so much in my childhood, to let him know that things will get better. He...

Sunshine Sunny!!!
What an excellent ensemble cast. The casting director did a spectacular job arranging the right young ladies in the teen group as well as the ahjumma group. The chemistry between the two groups made this an enjoyable and worthwhile movie. I have personal experience in group dynamics as watching this movie brought back a lot of pleasant as well as sad memories for me.Give yourself two hours and take this time to view this most delightful heartwarming movie. I will be a fulfilling 2 hours of Sunshine Sunny!!!!

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Color Out Of Space

Wunderbar!
If you are enjoying the 'Mythoscope' retro-styled films of the HPLHS you will want to see DIE FARBE, a German adaption of THE COLOUR OUT OF SPACE (as of course the gentleman from Providence would have insisted it spelt!).

Shot in sumptious B&W with a very competent cast and clever effects, Huan Vin shows that he is a talented director and writer that clearly understands HPL's vision of otherwordly horror that relies largely on suspense and concept rather than outright violence. In relocating the story to rural Germany the story loses very little from the original, and the inclusion of WW2 takes it into another direction entirely.

The first five minutes are a little poorly realized with some very noticeable green-screen that took me back to the Color Seperation Overlay technique of the 70s, but once the filming shifts to almost entirely location-work in the German countryside the production does not make a wrong step. It looks terrific with atmospheric locations...

AWKWARD START - BUT GREAT ADAPTATION.
I've recently found myself re-reading Lovecraft's works and found that new productions, bringing his stories to film, were available. This story was one of my favorites. Whatever you may think of his writing, Lovecraft set a standard that was, and still is, employed by authors of gothic and horror fiction.
Most attempts at translating his works to film have been dismal abominations.
Although there are major changes and important elements left out, overall this German production worked for me as a small budget homage to the original story.
The first few minutes are the only real detraction due to some dreadful acting by a character who, fortunately, has no re-occurring appearances. Afterwards, the acting is in keeping with any larger budget flick. The effects are minimal but several are quite creepy and work very well in the black and white format. The horror could have been intensified and extended if certain elements of the original story had been included but...

The Best Adaption of an H.P. Lovecraft Story
The Color Out of Space is considered to be H.P. Lovecraft's most unfilmable work largely because Lovecraft often wrote of things "beyond description" or that human language lacked the ability to convey. So when I heard that an independent filmmaker in Germany had tackled the work, my expectations weren't very high. After watching The Color Out of Space (originally titled Die Farbe which is German for The Color) I came away extremely impressed. The filmmaker managed to capture the eerie feeling of Lovecraft's story which is something that is very hard to do, only a couple of films out there have managed to pull that off.

Purist and hardcore fans of H.P. Lovecraft's work will complain about some changes that were made to the story, including one at the end. I loved the twist that's included near the conclusion. It both surprised and shocked me, which doesn't happen very often. Fans of Lovecraft and independent horror should find The Color Out of Space well worth seeking...

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Sweet Kill

Sweet Kill
Definitely a different concept. 50-60's heartthrob Tab Hunter stars as a person who can only get aroused when the women is dead so he goes on a killing spree with the women he meets.This movie was also called the Arousers.Ample amount of nudity[of course]. Also stars Roberta Collins who was featured in other Roger Coreman movies.





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Bilitis

Bilitis - VHS Version
This story is based upon Pierre Louys' turn-of-the-century novel, deals with a young schoolgirl's awakening to love. It takes place during her summer vacation at the home of a family friend, Melissa. The young girl, Bilitis, is shocked when she witnesses her friend and her husband making love, however Melissa encourages Bilitis to discover the aspect of love by seeing a young photographer, Lucas. When Lucas tries to make love to Bilitis, she rebuffs him and runs to Melissa, who in comforting Bilitis finds herself responding to her kisses and embraces. Melissa tells Bilitis there must be nothing more between them.

Bilitis discovers Melissa's husband is with another woman, so she decides to find another man for Melissa. She returns with Nikias, a rich young man who has loved too many too well, and both Melissa and he know they cannot have an affair. In the end Melissa and Lucas becomes lovers and Bilitis returns to her school realizing she is not yet ready for...

good film with one glaring fault
Bilitis is a coming of age film about an innocent girl staying with Melissa (a family friend) and her husband. She learned some painful lessons about love during her stay, such as witnessing the husband forcing himself on his wife every night, his infidelity, and Bilitis's own contentious romance with a local boy named Lucas. She decided to help Melissa by finding her a lover. However, Melissa and Lucas became romantic, and Bilitis returns to boarding school heartbroken but wiser in love.

Overall, the story and cinematography are good, and the actors (especially Patti D'Arbanville) are talented and attractive. However, I couldn't overcome the fact that Ms. D'Arbanville looked much older than her classmates. In fact, she was 26 years old at the time. This shatters the illusion of a teenager finding her first romance. Casting adults as teens is common, and if you can see past the 10 year spread between actor and character, this film deserves four stars. Additional note: most of the...

BILITIS-1977
The english photographer & director,David Hamilton...& music score,lovly as ever by Francis Lai..makes this story about a young schoolgirl's awaking to love,pure magic.The beauitful

PATTI D'ARBANVILE..as..BILITIS..is just breathtaking.Sure there's a whole lot of nudity.But it's not pron.There's no girls running around having sex.It just shows them as girls togehter might be in the vision of the director.I happen to own an ORIGINAL VHS..it's a PERFECT ORIGINAL.It can be order at"MOVIES UNLIMITED".That's how I got it.And it took a lot of years.I once had it on BETA.I now have it on a dvd-burner print.PERFECT!

The story takes place around the beginning of the 20th Century.

Bilitis forsakes the man she loves to give him to her best friend.Played by MONA KRISTENSEN..as..Melissa.It all takes place on her summer vacation away from home.Bilitis discovers Melissa's husband is with another woman,so she decides to find another man for her.Doing so Bilitis is...

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