Marine Recon

Marine force recon
to see the Marines version of a fast acting Strikeforce to know that they have an elite warrior class as if anyone didn't know that the Marine Force Recon trainedand help create marsoc which stands for Marines Special Operations Command the Marine Corps version of Special Forces

Not what he expected
Good quality. Content was not what hubby expected but he was the one that ordered it so next time he should check some previes. LOL

Marine Recon
The Man on the cover of this video is our friend Ssgt Daniel Leach. When we found this we ordered one for him and for us. We now have the first autographed copy. My son is a Marine and Ssgt Leach was his recruiter.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Shelved: The Rise and Fall of 11:11

great film wish i had the DVD
i am a new filmmakers and this film has become one of my favorites of all time docs. i wish they would make this a DVD i woudl deff buy it on DVD but at least i own it on Here. thank you Amazon for carrying it. you guys rock as always!

Good Docmentary
I wish they had the chance to finish it, maybe one day they will. Thanks to Rocky for making this movie to explain the reasons behind the incomplete movie.

Shelved, and it should have been kept there.
Mean spirited? No, I was curious enough to purchase it, but Amazon certainly won't return my money for an awful documentary. Ok, so a movie doesn't get made; therefore, let's get back our money by making a documentary movie out of it? Really?? come on?

Click to Editorial Reviews

God Bless America

Bobcat keeps getting better. I loved this movie but it is not for everyone. An extreme "Falling Down". I say A
"I know it's not normal to want to kill, but I also know that I am no longer normal." Frank (Murray) has almost had it. He is tired of reality TV, he gets fired from his job for looking up a co-workers address and just found out he has terminal cancer. He decides to end it all but right before he does he sees something on the TV that changes his mind. I must start by saying I loved this movie, but it is not for everyone. Bobcat is getting better and better as a director and writer. I have really like "Sleeping Dogs Lie" and "World's Greatest Dad" but I think that this is his best one yet. I can best describe this by calling it an extreme version of "Falling Down". Without sounding too un-PC or getting the FBI after me Frank in this movie does things some of us want to. Especially those who hate reality TV and are sick of the people on it. I am not advocating what is done in this but I did get a sense of relief knowing I'm not the only one. The acting is good but the writing is great...

"Falling Down" meets modern culture
Yes, it's preachy, but also tremendously intelligent and meaningful. Among a sea of shallowness, G.B.A actually has something to say. "Let's be more civil" is the theme here, and it's presented in the most graphic and blunt way possible. It does have some structural problems, but if it lacks cohesion, I believe it's because it ultimately succeeds in being one-hundred percent honest. Also, Joel and Tara should appear in way more movies. They are great actors (especially Joel) and so unsung...
It's great, but not for everyone, and Bobcat doesn't care. That's commendable in this day and age. He wants to insult Glee and Diablo Cody (I hated "Juno" for the same reason he does)? He does. He can't be bothered to care if someone won't like it or aiming for universal appeal thus stripping the movie out of all pottentialy controversial opinions or moments. And, boy, does this have them...
I loved it from minute one, but, I can't stress this enough, YOUR ENJOYMENT OF THIS PIECE DEPENDS...

Hate reality shows, Wesboro Baptist Church or Glen Beck...then you're gonna love this movie
Are you one of those people who feel ill when exposed to reality televison? Did you watch the moive Idiocracy and think, "This isn't just a movie, it's a prophecy." Do you let idiots win arguments because it just isn't worth it to waste the oxygen? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, then I highly recommend that you watch God Bless America.

God Bless America has to be one smartest films I've seen in years. This isn't some generic garbage that Hollywood poops out, with the intention of pleasing everyone...it's the exact opposite. This movie has a target audience, and you'll be 100% sure if you're that target audience, if you can make it past the first five minutes of the movie. If you can't make it past the first five minutes of this movie, I would suggest you go and enjoy some Jersey Shore reruns.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Mac & Devin Go to High School

A Dull Stoner Comedy That's Not Even Smart Enough To Be Dumb Fun
Every generation needs its great stoner comedies! Who better than vocal supporters of the smoke, Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa, to usher in a cool and contemporary new vision of high times at high school? Seemed like a great idea and I was actually rooting for "Mac and Devin Go To High School" to be a mind altering good time. Aside from a few amusing ideas, though, this Snoop Dogg production harshed my mellow. Painfully unfunny and utterly plotless, this barely even qualifies as a movie. Form start to finish, it runs just over an hour which includes two full musical numbers and a series of unrelated man-on-the-street interviews to serve as filler. Without these elements, it would be more like forty minutes. Even that might be acceptable if the movie offered any entertainment value. Not even half-baked does this qualify as fun. Its humor is almost non-existent, its performances are lifeless, and its graphics are amateurish (seriously, the special effects are done on someone's home...

Puff, puff PASS
One of the worst stoner flicks Ive ever seen. If you're looking for some Cheech and Chong, Half Baked, Jay and Silent Bob etc etc THIS AINT IT! The 2 stars is for Snoop, and the cameos. Least it was cheap through Amazon, even being that its a Blu Ray. Still a total waste of cash.

Im not a pot smoker
Im not a pot smoker, but thought it be fun, it was really bad but if I was high who knows maybe I'd love it. Unless your a pot smoker and even if you are I'd say pass. It's not as fun as you think it would be.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Possession

No mere human can stand in a fire and not be consumed
"Possession" is one of the most romantic movies I have ever seen, alongside Tom Tykwer's "Heaven." A double-edged tale of love, passion, and words that can entice or betray, this is one of the few masterful films that actually brought tears to my eyes. Wonderful acting, beautiful direction, and one of the most amazing love stories ever seen in a movie.

Roland Michell (Aaron Eckhart), a brash young American scholar, is studying an old book of the famed poet William Randolph Ash when he encounters an old love letter. After some digging, he theorizes that it was addressed to the more obscure poet Christabel LaMonte -- but both poets were either married or in a long-term relationship. If he's right, it would rock the literary world. He seeks the help of Maud Bailey, a cold feminist scholar who has a particular fondness for Christabel's work. Maud tries to bring him down to earth by explaining that Christabel was a lesbian, but Roland is undaunted.

They travel to...

Victorian Romance leads to Modern Connection
"No mere human can stand in a fire and not be consumed."

While doing research in the British Museum, Roland Michell (Aaron Eckhart) discovers letters written by Randolph Ash who had an affair with a lesser-known poetess, Christabel LaMotte.

Maud Bailey (Gwyneth Paltrow) knows Christabel's poems by heart and Randolph seeks her out as an expert to help him figure out why a "chaste spinster" and the "married Randolph Ash" never revealed their love to the world. He has one clue, a love letter.

Christabel and Randolph's love is based on a common love of literature and intellectual discussions, poetry and passion. They are like minds that somehow connected and together they find immense happiness despite their circumstances. Although they fight their attraction to one another, they eventually create a world of turmoil and tragedy.

Gwyneth and Aaron have a subtle chemistry but it is not "quite" the mingling of spirits that occurs with Christabel...

The past will connect them. The passion will possess them.
"Possession" is one of those movies where as soon as it is over you want to go out and read the novel upon which it is based the better to be able to enjoy the full tapestry of the story. Reading A. S. Byatt's 1990 Booker Prize-winning novel would also allow you to better appreciate the adaptation by David Henry Hwang, Laura Jones and director Neil LaBute, which offers some interesting and creative approaches, both in terms of the story and how it is portrayed cinematically.

The story is essentially a romantic mystery. American Roland Michell (Aaron Eckhart) is working as an assistant to a literature professor in London doing research on Randolph Henry Ash (Jeremy Northam), a poet Laureate during the reign of Queen Victoria. Roland discovers some letters from Ash that suggest the poet, a paragon of devotion with regards to his wife, had a romantic relationship with Christabel LaMotte (Jennifer Ehle), a minor poet and apparent lesbian, at least according to the historical record...

Click to Editorial Reviews

No Holds Barred

FINALLY!! A classic 80's flick
Here it is. The legendary "No Holds Barred". This is not a great movie - or even a good movie, but it's a classic. It represents a time and place for lots of golden era wrestling/Hulk Hogan fans out there. I remember how big this event was when it hit theaters - everyone was clamoring to see it! The tie-in on actual WWF programing with "Zeus" (Tiny Lester) was way ahead of it's time and is something we see a lot of in todays WWE programing. Be warned that this movie really sucks, but it's awesome too!

Never Thought I'd See The Day.....
With the DVD format being around for over 16 years, I eventually gave up hope that "no Holds Barred" would EVER become available on the format. So, imagine my surprise when I get a 5am phone call from my best friend telling me that it was finally going to be released! I was 12 years old when this film was released in theaters, and a huge fan of wrestling at that.... So seeing the immortal Hulk Hogan on the big screen was indeed a pipe dream for me, and "No Holds Barred" fast became one of my all-time childhood favorites. After seeing the film again recently through adult eyes, I can say with confidence that it is undoubtedly cheesy....but in a good way. Pretty much what you'd expect from an 80's action/comedy. I've been a DVD collector for the past decade with over 1,100 titles in my collection. "No Holds Barred" has remained at the top of my 'most wanted' list for YEARS.

My only hope is that the film will be presented in its original widescreen format. I can't...

No Holds Barred Is Just Plain Fun!
Over a decade before The Rock became a movie star in "Scorpion King", big Hulk Hogan got his chance to be a movie star. Who could forget his starring debut as WWF champion, Rip Thomas? Rip is the biggest star on cable and this is bad news for a competing network run by the evil Mr. Brell (played by Kurt Fuller), who demands Rip sign to his station. Rip won't do it though as he is signed with another company and "his word is his bond". When he is turned down, Brell looks elsewhere for talent and promotes a tough man contest where the winner gets a whole lot of money and a spot on his network. Enter Zeus, a convicted killing machine who takes out the competition.

While Zeus makes for huge ratings, Brell still isn't happy. He wants to promote a match between Zeus and Rip. He will stop at nothing to get it either as he hires a female assistant to seduce Rip and has Zeus hospitalize his little brother. This of course sends Rip on a rampage and results in the ultimate...

Click to Editorial Reviews

On Her Majesty's Service

Love the background, love gary ;)
I bought this as we didn't get the documentary in the states. I loved seeing how he put the song together and the places he visited and the people.

On Her Majesty's Service
The story of how Andrew Lloyd Weber and Gary Barlow teamed up to create the signature song for the Queen's Jubilee. It is a fascinating story of Gary Barlow writing the lyrics in Africa and then traveling throughout the Commonwealth to record the variety of singers and instruments seldom seen. Their completed product was "Sing".....absolutely beautiful. Also the moments spent with Queen Elizabeth when "Sing" is watched and presented to her.

Beautiful, beautiful documentary
This is a beautiful documentary, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I was entranced with every minute of it, and have watched it three times. It was wonderful to see Gary Barlow bring joy and recognition into the lives of these young and old artists, and I was thrilled to later learn that many of them were actually flown to London to perform at the Jubilee concert.

I won't quickly forget the faces of those beautiful African girls, and their lovely voices. Gary was charming and easy with all he met, and continually showed his love of what he was doing. Nicely done.....

Click to Editorial Reviews

Mac & Devin Go to High School [Blu-ray]

A Dull Stoner Comedy That's Not Even Smart Enough To Be Dumb Fun
Every generation needs its great stoner comedies! Who better than vocal supporters of the smoke, Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa, to usher in a cool and contemporary new vision of high times at high school? Seemed like a great idea and I was actually rooting for "Mac and Devin Go To High School" to be a mind altering good time. Aside from a few amusing ideas, though, this Snoop Dogg production harshed my mellow. Painfully unfunny and utterly plotless, this barely even qualifies as a movie. Form start to finish, it runs just over an hour which includes two full musical numbers and a series of unrelated man-on-the-street interviews to serve as filler. Without these elements, it would be more like forty minutes. Even that might be acceptable if the movie offered any entertainment value. Not even half-baked does this qualify as fun. Its humor is almost non-existent, its performances are lifeless, and its graphics are amateurish (seriously, the special effects are done on someone's home...

Puff, puff PASS
One of the worst stoner flicks Ive ever seen. If you're looking for some Cheech and Chong, Half Baked, Jay and Silent Bob etc etc THIS AINT IT! The 2 stars is for Snoop, and the cameos. Least it was cheap through Amazon, even being that its a Blu Ray. Still a total waste of cash.

Im not a pot smoker
Im not a pot smoker, but thought it be fun, it was really bad but if I was high who knows maybe I'd love it. Unless your a pot smoker and even if you are I'd say pass. It's not as fun as you think it would be.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Billy the Kid

A good early talkie Western
The cut down Grandeur process still looked good and Mack Brown was a likeable hero(unlike the Robert Taylor remake he didn't get shot at the end but rode off into the sunset).Wallace Berry played himself as usual but it's always interesting to watch him.A worthy addition to my Western collection.

billy the kid
Really enjoyed it! Some things were different from the folklore I have read
But good, not often do they have a happy ending
Lovin it.



Click to Editorial Reviews

Girls Gone Wild: Wet & Willing 3

gone softcore
I remember GGW being wilder. The camera pans away from the certain areas. The girls are hot. I would just like to see all of them.





Click to Editorial Reviews

Almost Beautiful

A fascinating and entertaining insight
The Last Dance is a hardworking and increasingly successful gothic/dark alternative band from Orange County, California. In their DVD documentary "Almost Beautiful" we witness firsthand the blood, sweat, and tears that goes into this band. Most people are aware that major musical acts have an entourage to help with the logistics of touring, but what about the smaller acts? Almost Beautiful allows us to see the band undertaking EVERYTHING, from loading up their van (which is an art form in itself), planning the itinerary, driving from gig to gig, setting up their own equipment and basically handling every detail that goes into planning and executing a successful tour. Music takes not just talent, but hard work. The Last Dance proves time and time again they have a work ethic we should all strive toward.

Talent? The band has it in spades. We get to enjoy their special style of gothic rock in numerous performance clips and witness the band during a most interesting recording...

It's almost beautiful !!!
I totaly liked this Rockumentary. I discovered this U.S. Gothic Rock/Darkwave band back in 1996 just by curiosity buying their album "Fairytales". A Great album that totally had the spirit of origional Gothic !!! Many great and never dissapointing albums followed and I even had the chance to see them perform twice and meeting them in Person. They really know how to bring it live !!!It was only recent that I bought this DVD (about 3 years after release) as I first had the feeling that it was yet another Rockumentary in a row.
But I'm very glad I did it because as soon as I watched it it took me back to all the great Last dance's Years !
This DVD was the most entertaining in it's kind that I've seen. It is so insightful the way it shows how members of a goth band are actually regular normal people who enjoy what they do. The movie has also lot of emotions like happiness and sadeness (the loss of their great Drummer Ivan) but is also very entertaining, sometimes funny ... A...

Excellent Documentary
I love The Last Dance. It was great to see a little more in to what they do, and what they go through during a tour. I highly recommend it to any fan.

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Horse Whisperer [Blu-ray]

Heals the heart, strengthens the spirit.
The Horse Whisperer is not a typical Hollywood movie. But then, none of the films Redford has directed, are in any way typical. The first time I really took notice of his work, was after seeing "A River Runs Through It". He had managed to tell a brutal, sad story in a mystical way that held me spell-bound.

Whisperer takes that feeling one step further. It will hold you and then squeeze your heart till the tears come. This is not a sad film however. It is the story of a spiritual journey that a family makes with the aid of a talented guide, Tom Booker, (played by Redford himself). Each of them takes their own paths but make it through some trying times, emerging stronger than when they began.

The story gets going as a result of a terrible accident involving two young girls who are out riding in icy, lightly forested terrain. The lone survivor, Grace, is traumatised by the loss of her friend, her foot and, in another way, her horse Pilgrim. Not...

Brilliant visual artistry
Many have already addressed the plot of this film, so I will not not go into detail. However, I feel compelled to touch upon the visual storytelling in this film.

Movies are first and foremost imagery. As many legendary filmmakers have said, a good film can be watched with the sound turned off and still communicate every bit of the story and emotion through the images alone. This includes cinematography but goes light years beyond lighting and framing a scene. Each shot must be planned and designed, from sets to props to location scouting, from blocking the actors' movements to using color and shapes, textures, and spatial relationships. All these must communicate the text and subtext simultaneously.

I said all that to say this: Redford and his team blew me away with "The Horse Whisperer." The first act alone is filled with enough information in every corner of the screen to chew on for days. One example among dozens is the use of symmetry, parallel lines, and...

A Beautiful Movie
The Horse Whisperer is sucha beautiful film it takes your breath away. The film's stunning cinematography, it's awesome acting and great storyline make it a 4 star movie and one of the best of 1998.

Scarlett Johnasson is the star of the show, she plays 14 year old Grace, a horse-lover who has just had a terrible accident with her friend. Her mother (Kristin Scott Thomas) helps her daughter and her horse, Pilgrim by taking her to a 'horse whisperer '(Robert Redford) who can heal horses.

This is a very sad, beautiful and lovely movie and don't be put off by it's mammoth length (2 hours, 48 minutes) - to me it felt like 1 hour rather than 3.

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Casserole Club

Steve Balderson's The Casserole Club: A Review by William Butler
The Casserole Club by Steve Balderson is one dish you can't stop eating. You will savor each bite as if it were your last. What leads from a quaint get together of friends and neighbors, turns into an exploration of dark inner feelings and desires. Steve Balderson brings you into the lives of five couples: Sugar (Susan Traylor) and Conrad (Kevin Richardson), Kitty (Starina Johnson) and Sterling (Garrett Swann), Jerome (Daniela Sea) and Leslie (Mark Booker), Marybelle (Jennifer Grace) and Max (Michael Maize), and finally Florene (Pleasant Gehman) and Burt (Hunter Bodine).
Sugar (Traylor) suggests that the women make a casserole dish and bring it to a little get together and let their husbands judge who made the best dish. The winner gets a T-shirt that says "Queen Casserole". This is only the beginning of what lies beneath the happy exterior of these home makers. The Casserole Club starts off as a comedy but quickly changes directions into a drama from this point on.
After...

Tuna noodle
Movie was ok. Acting was ok. Story was odd but expected. Ending was abrupt. Love the setting of the movie and costuming. Character development was good. Intended or not, this movie left me feeling a bit disturbed, and wanting... As mentioned earlier it ended a bit abruptly.

A review by Dr. Joseph Suglia
A review by Dr. Joseph Suglia

Steve Balderson's The Casserole Club (2011) is a film about a group of very nasty, very selfish suburbanites in the late-1960s who try to escape the plastic tedium of their lives through ritualistic spouse-swapping. This one-sentence synopsis hardly does the film justice. Watching it is like being thrown around a cage by a gorilla at your local elementary school's Christmas pageant.

Usually, when you watch a mainstream Hollywood film, you know exactly who the characters are--often before the film even starts, thanks to the super-saturations of advertisement. And not long after the film starts, after the ham-fisted labeling of every quirk, every gesture, every impetus, you know where the characters are going. You know where the characters come from. You know what the characters are going to do. There is seldom any surprise.

In the case of The Casserole Club, it is impossible to anticipate what will happen next, how the film...

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Forger

Caramel by the Sea
JHutch is an artistically-talented 15-year-old boy who's mother left him. He ends up entering-but-not-breaking into the home of an artist who eventually becomes his temporary guardian and who commissions a forged painting from him.

Basically, Everly (the artist/art dealer) takes advantage of Joshua's talent and the fact that he is a kid with no place left to go. In steps Anne Marie, who DOES in fact give a care about him. Turns out that Anne Marie and Everly have a little something in common.

Then there's Amber, who Joshua decides right away he has a thing for. He befriends her and her older brother and becomes a bit possessive of her. Amber (Hayden Panieterre) doesn't have a crucial role in this film. I think they just threw her in for a romantic element.

Still confused about the little Irish guy. I'm not sure if he's supposed to be Everly's partner or his partner, partner if you catch my drift. Either way, he's a bit annoying.

Storyline...

Great cast! Great location! Great score! Great movie!
The beautiful scenery of Carmel, in combination with a great cast and score, make this movie a great one. I really look forward to more from this director...

Stellar cast, gentle film, I wanted and expected more
THE FORGER (a/k/a CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, Prod. Josh Hutcherson/Carlos De Los Rios, Writ. Carlos De Los Rios/Lawrence Roeck, Dir. Lawrence Roeck, 2012, 110 minutes) was sort of fun, humorous 'after-school-special' type drama that kept me watching.

Josh Hutcherson plays Joshua Mason, a Carmel, California kid of immense misfortune. His horrifying monster of a mother, drug addict and child abuser, abandons him in a motel room where he is later found. Though he is supposed to be 15, Joshua somehow eludes school and even foster care. He is taken under the wing of a suave art forger (Alfred Molina) who needs Joshua's immense artistic talents.

One thing simultaneously refreshing and frightening is the art forgery lesson this film teaches. Never have I seen a film specifically oriented this way, but it felt quite real to me. More real than the drama it enfolded.

Along the way he meets the wonderful, immortal Lauren Bacall as Anne-Marie, the local eccentric...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Fletch Lives

I'm gonna give 5 stars to this movie ...
I'd have to really go 4.5 but 4 is unfair. Fletch is back and it's great. Leonard Maltin should relax a little bit and lighten up. Starting off in a mafia-controlled seafood restaurant, we find Fletch in drag and the object of desire of a near-sighted Greek man.

Inheriting a Louisiana mansion, Fletch flies down next to an obnoxious but friendly nasal-surgery candidate. Yet another classic dream sequence, and this one is not to be missed, as "Old White Joe", Fletch fantasizes that his ex-wife's lawyer, his boss and the cute gal from the office all fall at his feet. The imagery from Disney's "Song of the South" is pure genius and you might notice "Ted Underhill" making a cameo appearance at the end of the dream sequence (there must have been 300 extras here or a *whole* lot of CGI ... check out the *very end* of the dream sequence closely).

I love it. Again beautiful women involved here including the lovely Julianne Phillips. This is Cleavon...

My fave film when I was a kid
Peggy-Lee Zorba, Nostradamus, The Colonel, Billy-Jean King, Hank Himmler, Claude-Henry Smoot, Peter Lemonjello, Ed Harley, Elmer-Fudd Gantry and Bobby-Lee Schwartz II. Not to mention Fletch himself. Has Chevy Chase ever played so many people in one film?

I love Fletch Live, it is so damn funny and cackles with hilarious dialogue. It's a bloody shame that the critics were beastly, when it first came out. Chevy Chase, once again, nails the role of Fletch and only he can deliver the deadpan sarcasm in a way no other actor can.

The plot may be a little weak but it works fine. Fletch quits his job as an investigative reporter after he inherits a plantation mansion in Louisiana. But he stumbles upon another mystery and does his best to unravel it.

His disguises will make you grin from ear to ear (Claude Henry Smoot steals the show) and they way he comes out with the most ridiculous of things when he's talking to people makes you wonder why they ever believe...

not as good as the original but still damn witty
This movie is no way as good as the first one, but don't let that put you off. It has some very funny and witty moments throughout with some great one liners by Chevy.

Highlights include:

- Chevy as Claude Henry Schmoot, a guest healer on a tv evangelist show

- Chevy as a member of the KKK

- Chevy confessing his sins to evangelist preacher "I parked in a handicapped zone. Actually on a handicapped person - but I told him I'd be back in five minues so that's not such a big deal."

The film does run out of steam towards the end a little but is definitely worth a view.

Click to Editorial Reviews

My Favorite Spy

Hope "spies" it up in a long-awaited DVD
I remember watching this 1951 comedy on lazy weekend afternoons while growing up. It's among Bob Hope's best, brimming with Hope's trademark wisecracks about cowardism & his supposed prowess with women, all set against an atmospheric backdrop of menace (in this case, spy business) which served Hope well. Gorgeous brunette Hedy Lamarr is his leading lady here; but of course, it's really Hope's movie all the way.
This is one of those rarely seen comic gems which vanished from the movie landscape years ago. So glad it's finally getting its DVD release!

Finally a Fine Transfer
Not among the best of Hope's films, but still a pleasure. Filmed in black and white as all Hope spy films must be. The good news is that unlike other Hope films of this period (The Great Lover, Lemon Drop Kid), the transfer on this DVD is excellent. If only such a clear copy of My Favorite Brunette were available.

My Favorite Spy
I saw this movie over thirty years ago and thought it was a great movie; when I watched it recently I still enjoyed it but not as much as when I was younger. It seem more thrilling then. Still I enjoyed it and love classic movies that are comedies.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Return to Innocence

Wonderful indie film by a new director, recommended!
The DVD/movie is about the fictional story of Tommy Jackson, a physically, emotionally, and sexually abused 13-year-old boy; the story was actually adapted from a novel. However, the movie feels real and is primarily about a sexual abuse case. The film is moving right from the opening scene, where the FBI arrests the boy's mother for making pronographic videos of him and selling them on the internet, as he stands in a room with a camera, clad in only boxer shorts--a very haunting scene. The rest of the film focuses on his relationships with two therapists in his new home, a treatment center, called New Horizons. However, the nature of Tommy's relationship with his counselor develops into a crossing of boundries that is exposed by the other therapist. But Tommy although seemingly confused and hurt by the events, will defend and even strike back to preserve their relationship, "keeping the secret." He pushes it all the way, resulting in a dramatic court case that examines the...

An example of independent cinema at its best
Based on the subdued novel, which is a very good read, Return to Innocence tackles the issue of an alleged sexual abuse on a minor, with the unique spin of placing the man in the position of victim and the boy as aggressor. You really get a sense of the danger the man is in and you find yourself pulling for him during the trial. Richard Meese (the man) nails the sympathetic male role to perfection, while Andrew Martin (the boy) does a very convincing job at making you love and hate him at the same time. This film is not for everyone, but those of us who work amongst children as I do (teacher) will find this little film to be an educational tool in addition to its entertainment value. It is a well-crafted movie, and a true example of independent cinema at its best. .

Return To Innocence
"Return To Innocence" is a low-budget, black and white, independent feature focusing on a very provacative subject: sexual child abuse. Despite the boy in the bed on the DVD box cover, the film is not exploitative or sensational. It deals with the exlposive subject with care and understanding, not only for the characters, whose story it tells, but the young actors asked to portray the victim(s). It's a bit talky at times, almost more court-room drama than anything else, but a compelling drama overall. This is the kind low-budget movie and raw, provacative story that rarely makes it to theaters, so it is pretty courageous for the writer, producer, director to have made the movie in the first place, and then to have released it (many years after it was finished) on DVD. It is certainly worth finding and watching. I congratulate the actors and all the production people for their talent and their effort.

Click to Editorial Reviews

David the Gnome (4-Disc Set)

5 stars BUT..!
I read that a lot of people were getting bad versions of this set. The person that is responsible has stated on more than one "bad" review that it was due to a bad batch of pressings. Well, as far as that goes it must be fixed because all four of my disks work. On the contrary, the packaging on mine was terrible. Disks three and four do not fit and are loose in the case. With that being said, I see no reason to take a star off. Also, there is no episode listing so you will have to go to Wikipedia for that information.
As for the quality of the transfer from VHS to DVD, it looks and sounds fine to me. I am 31 years old and grew up on this show and am very thankful this company bought the rights and brought it to DVD. My one year old has been watching it with me as I bought it for him. I forgot the show had a message as well as being well written with awesome animation. When my boy starts gaining comprehension of what he is watching, it is going to be just that much more special to...

Takes me back...
Grew up watching David the Gnome. Love this show. Great quality. It's an old show but the quality of the DVDs are great. Would definitely recommend to those who also grew up watching David, Lisa and Swift!

A delight for all ages!
I grew up watching this show. It combines a beautiful mixture of moral learning and mystical advernture that you just can't get in Japanamation these days. This wonderful show combines lessons about nature and old world values, without being boring or overbearing. Its a show that you can easily watch with you kids. And I can guarantee that they will have some questions simply because they don't understand some of the old way of doing things. It will definately make your childern more grateful for all the amenities they enjoy/take for granted today.

There is the occasional tree hugger undertone, but childeren don't notice it because they have no political veiw points yet. The lessons are about being helpful to others and respectful to the world around you, lessons that todays youth are in bad need of. It is not a purely educational program but an advernture in every episode that imparts and reinforces values along the way.

I highly recommend this video to anyone...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Cape Town in South Africa

One of a few
There is not a lot of video material available of Cape Town which is a popular tourist destination. To record this video clips about the city was not a bad idea.





Click to Editorial Reviews

Godzilla Raids Again

Rarely seen in the US, the 1st Godzilla sequel "raids again!",
FILM HISTORY

This film made in 1955 is the very first sequel made to the original "Gojira" aka "Godzilla, King of the Monsters" in its US release. The film was rushed into production in order to capitalize on the popularity of the first film. In the US it was apparently released by a different film company than the first film, so the title was changed such that the word "Godzilla" didn't even appear in it! The US theatrical release title was "Gigantis the Fire Monster." The film has been released in the US under other titles over the years, such as "The Return of Godzilla" and as "Godzilla Raids Again" when it was on VHS tape. The original Japanese title was apparently, "Gojira no gyakush

Breaking Away

A classic
I don't want to make a bigger deal out of this movie than it deserves. It's not a world-changer and the ending is a bit predictable, but it is a wonderful and charming coming of age story and an honest look at small-town America. And cycling and Italians play central roles -- a plus for an American cyclist living in Italy, like me.

But having an affinity for things Italian or for bike racing is not necessary in order to enjoy this 25-year-old classic. What is necessary is an appreciation for small things and memories about the mysterious period between adolescence and adulthood. If that describes you, then chances are you'll enjoy this touching film.

Amid the praise I should say that the DVD package is only average: the original trailer and teaser are there, but it would have been nice to have some commentary from director Peter Yates, some of the actors, or from critics who were fans of the film. A "Making of Breaking Away" mini feature would have also been a welcome...

Film: 5 stars; DVD: 1 star
This is a fabulous film, one of my all-time favorites: a funny, bittersweet, character-driven masterpiece of small-budget filmmaking, shot in a town I lived in for five years.

Obviously, this was a cheaply done DVD release by Fox of a film that deserves a deluxe special edition. Besides the lack of extras, interviews, and audio commentary, I could not believe the poor sound quality of the DVD digital transfer: street scenes, crowd scenes, etc. sounded like they were recorded in a digital bucket! We had to turn down the sound during the pivotal Little 500 scene, because the digital garbage was so annoying.

Having seen this many times on tape, I know that the sound of this low-budget film was not always good, but it was never horrible until this cheap digital mastering. Fortunately it does not completely ruin the experience of this wonderful film, but I wouldn't be in any hurry to replace a VHS tape with this DVD!

Fox, fix your mistake and treat this film properly!

"The Italians are coming!!"
It's about time they released this Masterpiece on DVD. In 1979, I was a 19 year old boy. My MAMA had just come home crying from the movie theatre, having seen this FILM. She said to me, "I just saw a movie you have to see. It made me weep because it reminded me of you." Then she hugged me and I thought, God, I gotta see this movie! Then I did, and it had the exact same effect on me, and still does to this day.
This is not just a "feel-good-coming-of-age" story. This FILM is a profound and intelligent comedy of an inner search for an identity. What self-aware human being hasn't confronted the blinding journey of the Self? Should I go to college and major in Business? Or should I become an Italian and race bicycles? Heck, I'm in my forties and sometimes I still don't know who I am.

PAPA (WORRYING ABOUT DAVE)-played hilariously by Paul Dooley.
"He's gonna be a bum, Evelyn... An Italian bum."

Everyone in this FILM is searching. Except for maybe Moocher. Socrates would have...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Mash

Suicide is Painless
The Five-Star Collection is Fox Studios' top-of-the-line releases. Movies like French Connection have already made the list, and now Fox debuts the greatest anti-war movie of all time, M*A*S*H. The basis for the long-running TV series (which also debuted recently on DVD), M*A*S*H introduces us to the antics of Hawkeye Pierce (Donald Sutherland), Trapper John (Elliot Gould), Hot Lips (Sally Kellerman), and Radar (Gary Burghoff).

Altman's black comic masterpiece doesn't have a solid plot so much as a series of skits and sketches about life during the war. From golfing 5 miles from the front to suspension of marital promises to trying to figure out why people are dying all around, M*A*S*H handles the gruesomeness of stupidity of war in the only way possible - if you're not laughing, then you're going to be crying, so it's probably better to laugh.

And what a way to bring this classic to DVD - the movie has never looked so good. For being 30 years old, it looks great after Fox's...

"The game of life is hard to play, I'm gonna lose it anyway"
Probably no cinematic comedy produced by Hollywood in the last half of the twentieth century is as irreverent, disdainful of authority, critical of war and its effects, and, incidentally, as funny as "M*A*S*H", that 1970 comedic masterpiece starring Donald Sutherland, Elliott Gould, Tom Skerritt, Gary Burghoff, and Sally Kellerman; written by Ring Lardner, Jr.; and directed by Robert Altman, in his directorial debut.

"M*A*S*H" is actually a very difficult film to review for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, it's darned near impossible to provide an adequate synopsis for readers who've never seen the movie. Because, unlike most modern films that contain a linear story line, an easy-to-follow plot, and well developed characters that one can either root for or vilify with ease, "M*A*S*H" is a film that can only be described as a series of loosely joined comic vignettes, featuring a set of very true-to-life characters that are all BOTH very likeable and flawed.

"M*A*S*H" is...

M*A*S*H - intelligent satire in a benchmark DVD release
M*A*S*H is one of the zaniest and most intelligent satires ever produced by Hollywood. This is a war movie in which only two shots are fired -- as signals in a football game. It is a masterpiece of wider appeal -- even to veterans -- than is suggested by its setting in Korean War military hospitals, or by its director's explicit aim of promoting liberal opposition to the Vietnam war during the '60s and '70s.

The 2002 two-disk M*A*S*H special edition from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment in many ways is a benchmark for DVD releases of cult movies. Picture and sound quality are high. The special feature content is entertaining and insightful.

This content includes extensive retrospective comment by director Robert Altman, producer Ingo Preminger, former studio boss Richard Zanuck, scriptwriter Ring Lardner Jr, actors including Donald Sutherland, Elliott Gould, Sally Kellerman, Tom Skerritt, John Schuck and Gary Burghoff, and medical veterans of the Korean War. We see the...

Click to Editorial Reviews

François Ozon - A Curtain Raiser and Other Shorts

Amazing shorts collection from one on France's best young directors
This is an amazing shorts collection from one on France's best young directors. They're smart, sad, funny, sexy and each short has the emotional impact of a feature film. Especially Little Death. With UNDER THE SAND, Ozon gets better and better with the seeds of genius clearly apparent in these short masterpieces!

D'Amour
This is a bizarre collection of short films - very Euro, bizarre scenarios. Ozon is a French filmaker of some reknown in France but not in the States. Unless you are a fan of offbeat plots, unknown actors with the exception of Garrel then this is not for you. The only viable short is the one with Garrel however that's a bit disapointing compared to any of his other works.

Amazing work of art
I found this to be a fascinating and admirable film. The plot seems simple but the dialogue contains insights about life that are confirming and enlightening. It is an ingenious film. In a short time, with a simple story, it reveals much about human nature. I saw it on the Sundance channel and knew that I would want to share it with others so I am purchasing it.

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Spirit Is Willing

A Fun Movie
If you love love-smitten ghosts and teenagers getting the blame for everything that goes wrong, you'll love this movie. The video and audio quality are excellent; far better than a previous DVD release of this movie.

If laughter is your thing, this is great!
This is not a movie for small children but for teens and up it's good, solid family entertainment. Sid Caesar and Vera Miles have ghost problems and their son Steve (Barry Gordon) is right in the middle playing straight man to a bunch of ghosts and taking all the hits for things going wrong.

I was willing to watch this
Not the best William Castle film but it had its moments. There was more Jill Townsend in this than in the "Seven-percent Solution" but was a fairly juvenile film. I liked it but my wife was bored and left the room.

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Original Christmas Classics Gift Set

Blu Ray set is OK
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is my favorite Christmas classic, as it likely it is for many people. Getting it in HD without having to watching it with commercials, is a treat for sure!

In the latest set (2011 release, this review is for the Blu Ray set, NOT DVD set), you only get 2 discs instead of 3. You get Santa Claus is Coming to Town on one discs and Rudolph and Frosty on another disc.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town - looks OK, but for a film in HD, I guess I expected something better. My understanding is this is due to the original masters and not a lack of trying. I would say this looks better than it likely ever did when it aired.

For the audio portion, you get English 5.1/2.0 and Spanish 2.0. For those of you thinking that you'd like to hear the film in 5.1, I can say... don't even bother. To me it sounds like all they've done is done some matrixing of the audio, with the majority of it coming from the center channel, and ALL of the same...

Blu Ray Review
Alright, so I got this collection in the mail today and popped all 3 movies in to see how the transfers look.

Overall, I'm fairly disappointed. I think Rudolph looks the least remastered. It might just be because the setting is so white but there's very little detail and often the lighting was inconsistant (though that's probably stuck in the original film). Santa Claus is Comin' to Town looks the best. There's lots of nice, vibrant colors in it. Frosty is somewhere in the middle. The audio is incredibly soft on all 3 and not really worth noting. I'd be very interested in a more professional review from someone who knows more about the original negatives and whatnot, but as for my eye-based review I'd give it an overall C-grade.

There are, of course, some improvements. I've yet to see a 1080p transfer that doesn't do any good, but, to be honest, I wish I had been able to resist and saved $30. At $15 I'd be satisfied, but not $30.

As for bonus features...

be advised that the two disc bluray edition only has four of your Christmas favorites...
As there are number of collections called "The Original Christmas Classics", and another called "The Original Television Christmas Classics" there can be some confusion about that is included in each set. Particularly as they are all collections of features by Rankin/Bass (except as noted) primarily from the 1960's, and traditionally shown during the holiday season.

"The Original Christmas Classics" DVD set includes the seven features listed below, while the Bluray set with the same name, the subject of this review, only includes the first four titles.

1. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (1964 47 minutes)
2. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (1970 51 minutes)
3. Frosty The Snowman (1969 25 minutes)
4. Frosty Returns (1992 23 minutes
5. Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol (1962 53 minutes)
6. Little Drummer Boy (1968 25 minutes)
7. Cricket On The Hearth (1967 49 Minutes)

The Bluray set has two video discs. Disc One contains...

Click to Editorial Reviews

LOVE WITH THE PROPER STRANGER

One Of My Favorite Romantic Movies
Natalie Wood is Angie Rossini, the Macy's salesgirl who gets pregnant by hapless trumpet player Rocky Pampasano, played by Steve McQueen. When she looks him up to tell him about her problem, he doesn't even remember her but does find a doctor to perform an abortion. Seeing her in that seedy, back alley situation does something to this basically-nice guy and he rescues her before she has the abortion. Seeing these two characters bond is a romantic adventure. From their desperate struggle to raise the money for the abortion to their dinner date where he tries once again to seduce her, I fell in love with watching them fall in love. Add a hefty heaping of comedy Italian-style to this. Tom Bosley is classic in his first film as the man hand-picked by Angie's brothers to win her heart. Her mother has an Oscar-deserving scene when she takes to her bed on hearing of her daughter's out-of-wedlock pregnancy and rants in Italian as she tries to keep this news from the priest. The...

A DVD must
Both Wood and Mcqueen are at their absolute best in this love story that translates into any era. Why do we have to wait for movies of this calibre to appear on DVD, when the studies release so much rubbish that nobody wants.

Mike Lewis-Hart. Australia

A complex film that works well
McQueen and Wood are outstanding as a foot loose musician and a Macy sales clerk respectively in New York City. Even in a city of millions you still get involved with the lives of two families. While McQueen and Wood are standouts, the supporting cast help make this a solid and memorable film.

The movie begins with an empty hall and quickly it turns in to a musicians hiring hall. Here is where we first meet McQueen and Wood. Wood is coming to see McQueen about the after effects of a one night stand a few months earlier. Naturally, the woman remembers the man, but the man doesn't have a clue. What makes it tougher for McQueen is that he already has a girl friend when he meets Wood again. Eddie Adams is great here as McQueen's suffering girlfriend. When McQueen asks about maybe getting her help for a friend who needs a doctor for his pregnant girlfriend, the result is predictable but Adams is superb as she makes her opinion known.

The families of these two...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Tales That Witness Madness

Ghoulishly fun horror anthology.
Fans of "THE TWILIGHT ZONE", "TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE", and other horror anthologies will relish this ghoulishly entertaining four part horror film. The movie opens at an asylum in England run by Donald Pleasance who has just recently solved four fascinating cases. This leads to the four patients relating in flashbacks the shocking stories that led them to be brought to the asylum. The first tale, "Mr. Tiger", is about a boy who introduces his bickering parents to his IMAGINARY pet tiger. In "Penny Farthing", an old-fashioned bicycle sends its owner back in time to unveil a horrible crime. The third and best segment, "Mel", stars the beautiful and sexy Joan Collins as a housewife who finds herself competing with her husband's beloved pet tree! And the fourth and final segment, "Luau", is a riveting tale of voodoo and cannibalism featuring Kim Novak as a mother who is better off not knowing what's for dinner. A crazy...

CAMPY IF DATED FUN
TALES THAT WITNESS MADNESS brings us four tales of terror, helmed by reputable horror director Freddie Francis and released in 1973. HALLOWEEN's Donald Pleasance and the venerable British legend JACK HAWKINS frame the four tales with some kind of gibberish about Pleasance finding out the horrible "secrets" of four mental patients. The first is a little boy whose invisible tiger takes an intense dislike to his bickering parents (including Broadway's Georgia Brown in a surprisingly banal performance); Peter McEnery and Suzy Kendall fare a little better in the muddled, but spooky, tale of a bicycle that takes McEnery into the past, for what purpose, I never figured out; sultry Joan Collins and the bland Michael Jayston (NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRA) play out a two-character drama about a wife jealous of her husband's new found "tree"; and the ever lovely Kim Novak overemotes her way through a lurid tale about human sacrifice and a particularly disturbing luau. More...

Am an Amicus and Hammer completist
Until some months ago , when i streamed this fun little anthology , i had forgotten it even existed . I LOVE all the horror anthology pictures made by both Amicus and Hammer studios . Agreed , some are better than others and several titles have quite modest charms to recommend them . With this release , the United States has only the wonderful DR. TERROR'S HOUSE OF HORRORS yet to be released on dvd/bd in our region 1 format . These various films are seldom actually very scary by today's standards . They have history , assorted constaints , casts , writers , directors and so forth distilled into each delightful time capsule though . If retro horror fun IS your cup of tea ?

Click to Editorial Reviews

Knock On Wood

Danny Kaye at His Very Best!
Danny Kaye is at his zaniest and best in the 1954 comedy Knock on Wood. Knock on Wood stars Danny Kaye and Mai Zetterling. Other actors in the film include Torin Thatcher, David Burns, and Leon Askin. The film was written and directed by Melvin Frank and Norman Panama, with wonderful songs by Danny Kaye's wife, Sylvia Fine.

Jerry Morgan (Kaye) is a ventriloquist who is having trouble with his love life: just when his relationship with his girlfriend gets around to marriage, his dummy turns jealous and spoils everything. Jerry's manager is so distraught; that he threatens to quit unless Jerry sees a psychiatrist, Enter Ilse Nordstrom, played by Zetterling, who tries to help Kaye find the source of his problem. The chemistry between Kaye and Zetterling throughout the movie is wonderful. The two of them eventually fall in love.

At the same time, Jerry becomes unwittingly mixed up with international spies, danger and intrigue, while he runs from the police. In his...

Love the movie, DVD is bare bones version
Danny Kaye has always been a family favorite, and this movie is a gem. Storyline has been well covered, so I won't go there. We have had it in VHS recorded from AMC years ago (back when they were American Movie Classics) and it has seen plenty of use. We are thrilled to have it in DVD format, but wish it had been a studio release with better treatment. As mentioned in another review, it is in 1.85:1 aspect ratio and there are no extras here, not even closed captioning.
In spite of all that, I am glad that it was released at all as a regular DVD (not DVD-R, as so many classics are these days). Some have mentioned their concern that it may be a bad transfer, as they saw in "Inspector General". I had a bad copy of that once (remember that it was in the public domain and people could get away with releasing it in any form of garbage) and this is a much better quality than that was, though not as sharp and crisp as if it had been digitally remastered.
If Paramount wasn't prepared...

A Kaye gem makes its way to DVD!
Released before "The Court Jester", "Knock on Wood" ranks along with that aforementioned film as one of Danny Kaye's best movies. A classic which hasn't seen the light of day in ages, it is happily coming to DVD. As a ventriloquist caught up in intrigue with stunning Mai Zetterling (what a name!), fans can watch wide-eyed Danny try out funny dialects, double-talking dialogue and weasel in & out of danger as only Kaye could do it.
Those who've already seen all the classic comedy bits but have had to wait to see them again, rejoice; those who are being introduced to the film for the first time, you're in for a real treat!

Click to Editorial Reviews

When Love Steps In

Ah...maybe not.
I can't agree with the other reviews. The acting was not the worst I've ever seen, but it wasn't good either. The plot was one that is OVER-DONE. Seriously, we can do better than this.

Smokin'
Constance Freeman's stageplay "When Love Steps In" deals with issues that are current and revelant in todays world. This storyline is equipped with the essential elements to properly convey the messages. WLSI is a must see!!!

Excellent play
This play is excellent. It covered trials in marriage that many couples are dealing with in society today. Danny Boy, Terrell Carter and the cast are very talented. I LOVE this play!!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Mexico: The Royal Tour

Enjoyed this video! Worth the money.
Video quality and subject matter was interesting and traveling with the President of Mexico and his family was fun. The sights visited and tour was fun.

Excelloent DVD
I watched the program on TV and wanted a permanent Dvd of it. I even ordered a copy for my niece who researxches history of Mexico--this is one of the best films about touring Mexico.

great!!!
This video is great! It is exactly as it was shown in the PBS programming. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in learning of Mexicos highlights and places that one may not be aware of.

Click to Editorial Reviews

HERE COMES THE GROOM

Not Only Did I See This Movie... I Was In It!
Hello, I'm Beverly Washburn. After appearing in Superman and the Mole Men with George Reeves, my agent secured a role for me in Here Comes the Groom. I played the little war orphan, Suzie. My mom was thrilled that I would be in nearly every scene, except for the fact that I wouldn't speak english... only a little French. I went on to appear in many more movies (like Old Yeller and The Greatest Show on Earth), and by the time I reached my twenty first birthday, I was on more than 500 TV shows. But Here Comes the Groom is a favorite of mine. I still have the gifts that Bing and Jane sent me after the filming, and I have years worth of Christmas cards from Bing. He was a very nice man to me. Look for a "blooper" in the film when Jane Wyman takes off my coat. I can't believe they let that one slip. It's a wonderful film for the entire family, and I even get to sing a few bars of the Oscar winning song, In The Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening with Bing!

An Essential Film
This film is a must see for all who love old movies. Not only is the cast incomparable but the storyline keeps you hooked. Newspaperman Pete Garvey (Bing Crosby) has successfully elluded marriage until his girl back home (Jane Wyman) sends an ultimatum. After many delays he finally returns to find she is engaged to a multi-millionaire and the wedding is eminent. Hilarity ensues as he tries to win her back and keep two war orphans he's adopting. A Frank Capra masterpiece with the unforgetable song 'In the cool, cool, cool of the evening'.

Great Movie, worth getting !!
Ever since I was a kid I have loved this movie. I would watch it three or four times a week as a young kid. My older brother got me liking Bing Crosby and I tell you, this is one of his best in my opinion!! Great songs, great story, great acting, its all there!! I lost the movie some years ago and now I'm getting it so my wife can see it!!

Click to Editorial Reviews

VeggieTales: St. Nicholas: A Story of Joyful Giving

Let confusion reign...
First, let me say we are big Veggie Tales fans, or perhaps I should say Classic Veggie Tales fans, as more and more of their more recent offerings have fallen flat for us.

We were hopeful for this latest Veggie Tale, especially since it started off with the premise that Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber would explain who Saint Nicholas really was. In the beginning, the story does just that, showing Nicholas' life as a young boy in ancient Greece, and is in fact fairly accurate through Nicholas becoming an orphan.

It is Nicholas' (young) adult life that the Veggie Tales team takes creative license with. Had this not been a story about an actual historical figure AND one that was claiming to set history straight, I would have had no problem with the ensuing silliness. But instead of sharing the story of how Nicholas helped 3 daughters with no dowry money by throwing sacks of coins through their window late at night, the V.T. team puts Nicholas in ridiculous...

Sad representation of a wonderful saint
I was very sad and angry to see how the VT crew butchered the life of a powerful saint. Saint Nicholas was a good and holy man, not a misguided preacher's kid. I can even get over the silliness about him being a masked hero running through the streets, but I cannot stand the slander of his early life. If you aren't going to speak the truth about holy men, avoid their stories completely. BTW he was not Greek, he was from Turkey. Getting kinda sick of the Orthodox=ethnic associations that seem to be acceptable. There was plenty to produce a powerful story of learning and loving God as you grow up into the faith, not turning it into the false "He got saved" moment that is the typical adult Evangelical conversion story.

Jolly Young St. Nick
Watching Saint Nicholas, one can only note how much better it is than most of the recent holiday specials, which try to have a moral to the story, but end up flat and heavy-handed. VeggieTales, on the other hand, go far beyond morals to express big ideas. The recent VeggieTales movie, The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A Veggie Tales Movie (Widescreen), was the sort of superior entertainment that, while it enthralls kids, also engages adults. It's hard to believe this featurette is only 45 minutes, because it runs the gamut from light laughs to moving pathos to profound finale, the same arc as a feature film. Adults who happen to walk by while it's on TV will probably find themselves drawn in. Kids will see something new every time.

Bob the tomato tells the true story of St. Nicholas, while Larry the cuke constantly interrupts with more conventional ideas of Santa Claus...

Click to Editorial Reviews

On The Double

Danny Kaye does double duty
After the success of his dramatic turn in "The Five Pennies", Danny Kaye returned to comedy at the tail end of his film career. Fortunately, "On The Double" is probably his last great film, a jaunty WWII intrigue-filled farce about a timid American soldier (Kaye) tapped by the military to serve as a decoy for a famous British Colonel (who's targeted for death by the Nazis) after it's discovered he's a dead ringer for the man. From there, poor Kaye fumbles through his role as the stakes get higher, involving himself in the Colonel's personal entanglements with his lovely but underappreciated wife (Dana Wynter) and amorous chauffeur (Diana Dors). As with Kaye's best films, this one relies on his special gifts for dialect, wordplay & rubber-faced timing. Just watch Kaye as he does his stuff in such hilarious comedy pieces as a military innoculation ceremony; a "dignified" ballroom complete with lost contact lenses, a wild Scottish dance, and food fight; and a climactic gag marathon of...

Searched 15 years for this movie!!!
On The Double, Wonderman and Court Jester are my 3 top favorites for Danny Kaye's hilarious comedy. I had a VHS taped version of On The Double from the television that was about 20 years old (low quality and full of commercials and cutoff about halfway) so I am very pleased to get the DVD version. The only things that would make the DVD release better is special features but I'm not complaining. Danny Kaye at his best! Look into his other films such as Five Pennies and White Christmas. Great, clean entertainment for the whole family.

Lunacy At Its Finest
On The Double

Danny Kaye had a long and varied career as an actor, singer, and dancer with stops on the Broadway stage (Lady In The Dark, Let's Face It), radio and television circuit, and Hollywood film (The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Court Jester). At one point, he had his own TV show, The Danny Kaye show, airing on CBS from 1963 to 1967 that won both Emmy and Peabody awards. He could perform songs with tongue twisting lyrics, many of which were written by his wife; his movie roles often contained plots featuring body doubles and cases of mistaken identity that induce gut busting laughter. The film under review, On The Double, is one of these.

Kaye plays an enlisted military man with such a gift for impersonation, he's entered into a secret program to impersonate General Laurence McKenzie Smith, who we're told is busy planning the D-Day invasion. Part of Kaye's comedy is his ability to deliver long lines in one breath: "How many times have I told you...

Click to Editorial Reviews

THE GIRLS OF PLEASURE ISLAND

Beautiful WWII romance classic!
This is one of my mom, sisters' and my favorite movies. It's sweet, really funny, cute and fun. So glad it's finally available to watch here! Thank you Amazon, you're awesome! Worth the watch for the first time or the fiftieth. Enjoy!

Awesome Movie!
My sister and I watched this movie at a sleepover when we were young and I have been looking for it ever since. This is a very hard to find movie and very worth the reprint if someone would put it on blueray! Thank you Amazon.

Classic
Marines, girls, a troubled father, and no stop humor. If you love classic movies with clean romance this one is for you.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Mifune

The Lighter Side of Dogma
Despite the fact that it adheres to the strict aesthetic tenets of Dogma 95, Mifune is about as accessible as a romantic comedy named after a Japanese actor can get. Although Soren Kragh-Jacobsen's film, like the Dogma releases that preceded it (Breaking the Waves and The Celebration) eschews special effects, incidental music, etc., Mifune isn't nearly as dark.

Kresten (Anders W. Berthelsen) is an ambitious businessman who has successfully concealed his rural past until it catches up with him upon the death of his father. He leaves his new wife (who just happens to be his boss' daughter) after the honeymoon, telling her he'll be back soon, but sparing her as many details as possible. And so he returns to the ancestral farm, hoping to tie up a few loose ends and then return to his comfortably bourgeois existence in the city. But the situation at home turns out to be far worse than he thought, particularly in regards to his mentally challenged brother, Rud (Jasper Asholt), who...

Three good reasons to see "Mifune"
This is a very good movie that has three things going for it...

1. It's an excellent example of the Dogme style of filmmaking, carried out most notably over the past eight years by Lars von Trier. And since von Trier's most notable work is so draining to watch, you can get acclimated to Dogme with "Mifune" director S

Silent House

Excellent direction and acting by Elizabeth Olsen make this movie a winner!!
I saw this movie last night on pay per view in my hotel and I only watched it based on the merits of young Elizabeth Olsen, after being very impressed by her fine performance in "Martha, Marcy, May, Marlene". Quite frankly I didn't know what to expect and my expectations were not that high. I've seen lots of indie horror movies that try real hard but end up falling short on the chills, often resorting to haggard, old plot devices to try and scare the audience. I am not easily scared and the vast majority of horror movies coming out today, fail, time and time again to scare me to any great extent.

Such was NOT the case with "Silent House". This movie pulls you in from the opening frames with Elizabeth Olsen sitting on a rock by the ocean. Miss Olsen is classically beautiful and is proving herself to be a very talented actor. As she is drawn into the big, dark, sinister house, there is an overwhelming feeling of dread that permeates this atmospheric little chiller and the...

Silent House US version
I happened to catch the original Uruguayan Silent House just by chance flipping through channels on late night TV. I was captivated. I'm a complete Horror freak, and the movie kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. I LOVED the continuous camera sweep (ala Russian Ark), and the acting was superb. I don't scare easily, and I rarely jump at the typical scares in horror flicks, but this movie got the best of me a few times. After watching it, I immediately logged on to Amazon to order the original Uruguayan movie.

Sure as anything, I soon found out that there was a US remake coming out. As far as I'm concerned, there is very little talent in Hollywood, and it's a common trend to just remake popular movies to cash in on their success. I was very skeptical, but because I loved the original, I decided to give it a try. I was not disappointed.

Elizabeth Olsen is not of the same strain of her twin sisters who have ridden the wave of their childhood...

A scary movie with a twist.
A young woman who is moving out of an old home with her father begins seeing and hearing unexplained things. She is extremely frightened as she runs from whatever or whoever may be lurking. Featuring the highly talented Elizabeth Olsen, this movie is quite scary up until the final minutes when the story takes an unexpected turn. This is when the film loses something, but it does distinguish it as more than just a standard horror film. I found the movie very frightening and unpredictable. Liz Olsen is such a talent, she is able to project true fright throughout, and the film is able to maintain this until the surprising conclusion. Overall, this is a solid effort in the horror genre.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Sesame Street: Elmo's Magic Numbers

It's more than just numbers and Elmo - but the chapter stops could be improved
I've really enjoyed the DVD releases from the Sesame Street Workshop that Warner Home Video has been releasing. I particularly like the "music" and "parody" volumes and you'll find my five star reviews of these on Amazon.

While parents who want to have "Instant Sesame Street" available for their children will want this volume, and for that it might rate five stars, I could only give it four stars because it's not exactly what is described by its title.

This DVD contains two hour-long (well, actually 58-minutes) Sesame Street shows. None of them actually "stars" Elmo. There are sections with Grover and the other Sesame Street characters And though there are sections dealing with numbers (and the "tips for parents" bonus feature gives suggestions for discussing numbers) it's not all numbers. There's a lot about the weather too! There are a couple of cute musical numbers - my favorite is "Are Rocks Alive?" (note this not about numbers) sung by a 60s style girl...

not the best of Sesame Street
Maybe this DVD is better to watch than absolutely nothing, but this one's a dud. I got this because my kid loves Sesame Street "Alphabet Challenge" and "Kids' Favorite Country Songs." Those two titles keep my son's full attention and he even bops along to the music. My son ran away within 5 minutes of this starting. Lame. Hubby agrees. We'll stick to Alphabet Challenge and Country Songs.

not the best Elmo DVD out there
We own more than 20 Elmo DVDs and this is, simply, not the best one out there. Not sure what's "wrong" with it exactly. Our two-year old just doesn't seem to enjoy it that much.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Bad Boys Of Comedy - Volume 2

false advertisement
Pure rip off. I'm upset about it too. I bought this DVD because I wanted to purchase a specific video of a particular comedian: Rasheed Thurmond, who is HILARIOUS! If you type his name on this website's search field - the "bad boys" video comes up. I distinctly remember that this show is where I first saw Rasheed. Problem? He's NOT on the DVD. The show I saw had Rasheed and way other funny comedians who don't appear on this DVD at all. The seller must have wanted to be safe and kept the mediocre ones for this DVD in my opinion. Rasheed is not for everyone. Either that or what we purchased was the "short version" of season 1. He was THE BEST ever on that show. Too funny for words. If you don't believe me, google his name and watch his comedy clips. You will cry laughing. Or take a look here...[....] (scroll down).

comedians missing from the dvd
There were some comedians missing from the dvd, i wish i could have gotting the 1 with all the comedians. It would have ben much better & worth it.

Nice up and comers
I saw this series on HBO and it was hot. First just to say, everyone won't laugh at all the comedians...that's just the way the business is. My favorite was Will E. Robo who you will laugh at nonstop, as long as you don't mind risque content. One guy does an awesome Ruben impression, and the Denzel guy was good too. Look closely and you can see Babs and the other singer from Da Band in the audience. Hot

Click to Editorial Reviews

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Intriguing Video
Great exploration of the composition & geological history of the Earth. I have watched it several times & still enjoy it!





Click to Editorial Reviews

Preschooler Learns Colors and Shapes

Average DVD
I bought this for my toddler son who enjoys learning about everything, especially colors and shapes. Although he is interested in this a little, it does not hold his attention as the Rock 'N Learn series or Brainy Baby DVD series do. The production seems to be low budget and this DVD does not really go into detail about shapes as it should be (like a triangle has 3 sides, a circle has no sides etc.). Also, while it mentions colors and shows them, it does not show the word itself for each color. However, I do love their Galloping Minds flashcards. On the other hand, I will not order any other DVDs from them. I bought this one after borrowing the Galloping Minds-Baby Learns Numbers and Animals with Mr. Twiddles from the library..which was great and entertaining. Not much to like about this DVD though and I would not recommend it either.





Click to Editorial Reviews

East/West

Trapped in Stalinist nightmare
I saw this movie at a cinema in Southern California, surrounded by elderly Russian immigrants. It had such an emotional impact that at least one lady was overwhelmed and required physical assistance leaving the theatre when it ended. "East-West" is a stunningly open Russian/French-produced film about life in post-war USSR. Although the characters are composites, the story is based on cruel historical events. When Stalin "welcomes back" all expatriated Russians, Alexei is overjoyed to leave his long self-exile in France and sail to his beloved homeland. Aboard ship, he and his fellow passengers celebrate their imagined homecoming to the glorious "Workers' Paradise". None of them has any idea of the brutal changes which have occurred under "Uncle Joe's" regime. Only betrayal awaits them. Upon the instant of their arrival, they are thrust into a nightmare of totalitarianism from which there is seemingly no escape. Many of the...

An emotional, beautiful story of love, and deception.
This beautiful movie is about a couple and their child's experience living in and trying to escape from Stalinist Russia. The husband (Alexei, played by Oleg Menshikov) is Russian, and his wife Marie is French. When the Soviet Union decides to call back its emigrees, they return to Russia with their little child, As soon as they return, they realize that it is not as they had thought it would be. They are immediately interogated, terrorized, and threatened by the state. In the poverty of Kiev, they befriend Sasha (Sergei Bodrov Jr.), a swimmer, who is full of potential, and who wants out of Russia too. As the story progresses, they realize that they have a chance to escape... The ensueing drama is intense, and great sacrifices are made... Suspenseful, and emotional, this movie is a must see. The Russian background is beautiful, the acting superb, and the story touching. A must see for anyone who appreciates foreign films.

This film took my breath away
The story of one family's sacrifices for one another makes you value that which so many of us take for granted. Not only is this film an excellent recreation of life in Post WWII Russia, but it also has you cheering on the characters as you follow the story of Alexei, a Russian emmigrant who fled Russia only to return many years later with his family following the end of the second World War, Marie, his French wife, and their son. I appreciated how the film realistically showed that families weren't perfect, and that families did not necessarily mean blood relations, but instead those you loved and cared for. Catherine Deneuve is as strong as ever as she places an actress who tries to help Alexei and Marie escape the horrors they find in Russia. This film was not suprisingly nominated for Best Foreign Film 1999. For French speakers, it's easy to follow, despite the captions, and exciting to watch when you realize how much of the language you can grasp and understand...

Click to Editorial Reviews

I Kissed a Vampire

I Kisseed a Vampire
I like this movie. It is really fun to watch. Drew Seeley does a great job as the bad vampire. Lucas Grabeel does a great job also. The music is really fun!!! I'm glad I bought this movie!

GLEE VERSION OF TEEN Vampire love story
The music and singing was wonderful and very entertaining. The storyline was average along with the dancing. A few talented dancers with some average or below average which mixed with mostly average acting I thought it deserved 4 stars. I would highly recommend for teenagers who enjoy glee and the adult looking for a nice YA movie with great singing. Overall very watchable and refreshing to see a movie without curse words and slimy sex. two thumbs up for that!

Great fun for tweens and teens and musical lovers!
This movie is a ton of fun. Great songs, great fun, and great performances.

Lucas and Drew have unbelievable voices, and all the girl characters kick butt.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Bad Education

Gael Garcia Bernal as "homme fatal"
This is the movie that confirms Gael Garcia Bernal's status as the most erotic male screen presence since Alain Delon doffed his shirt in "Plein Soleil." In this film he plays at least three characters, including Zahara, a drag queen, for which portrayal Pedro Almodovar, the director (who has a cameo in the film as a poolboy) has compared Bernal to Julia Roberts. Think sensuous lips. But most viewers, I believe, will prefer him as Juan, doing pushups on the floor of his brother's kitchen, or as Angel, diving into a swimming pool in his underwear. But even as Juan, in sunglasses at a museum in Valencia, Bernal may remind discriminating filmgoers of Barbara Stanwyck, in the famous grocery sequence in "Double Indemnity." Which brings me to an important point: Almodovar's film is many things--part autobiography, part exploration of sexuality--but it is above all a film noir, despite its bright colors, with Bernal as the "homme fatal." I think it works. Any fan of the genre will be...

Pandora's Box
Gael Garcia Bernal, playing Juan/Angel/Zahara is the centerpiece, the place in which the heart of this film resides, for it is his broken damaged heart that sets the tone and the focus of Almodovar's "Bad Education"

And at the core of Bernal's tour-de-force performance is his shredded psyche: broken apart by years spent plotting revenge for the drug addiction and childhood abuse of his brother, Ignacio. Juan is one of the "damaged people" of whom Tennessee Williams so often writes. And Almodovar has chosen to make Juan not only a hero but also a heroine, the femme fatale, Zahara.

Almodovar, never one to be squeamish or afraid of censure, is out for blood in "Bad Education" as he slices open and excises the sexual mores in Franco-era Catholicism in which child abuse was accepted as the norm. (Unfortunately, nothing seems to have changed much)

Moviemaker Enrique Goded (Fele Martinez) gets a visit one day from a man claiming to be Enrique's friend from...

Tangled Tale of Exploitation, Ambition, and Revenge.
"Bad Education" is writer/director Pedro Almodovar's remarkably creative comment on sexual abuse among Roman Catholic clergy, but it is far from being straightforward or confined to one theme. The film weaves a complex tale of exploitation, deceit, ambition, seduction, and blackmail that places a story within a story and shifts back and forth in time. Sixteen years after they attended school together, Ignacio Rodriguez (Gael Garcia Bernal) visits Enrique Goded (Fele Martinez), who was his closest friend when they were 10 years old. Enrique is now a famous film director in the midst of a minor creative crisis. Ignacio is an ambitious actor looking for a job, and he has brought a short story he wrote based on their childhood experiences for Enrique's consideration. The story, entitled "The Visit", tells of a female impersonator named Zahara who by chance meets his old schoolmate Enrique, whom he loved as a boy. Zahara is eager to see Enrique again, but after he has carried out an...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Frequency [Blu-ray]

Frequency: Incredible! This movie has it all.
I first saw Frequency the day it was released in theatres, after I saw a preview that got me extremely interested in the movie. I didn't know quite what to expect, but what I found was well written movie, with excellent acting performances and a very gripping storyline, a truly enjoyable moviegoing experience. The story focuses on a cop named John Sullivan (played brilliantly by James Caviezel in a breakthrough big screen performance) who lives in Queens, NY in early October 1999, which happens to be the date of an appearance of a phenomenon that allows John to communicate with his father Frank (with a very solid and emotional performance from Dennis Quaid), on the same radio, in the same house. The interesing part is that John talks to Frank thirty years earlier, merely days before Frank, a firefighter, dies herocially trying to rescue a person trapped in a blazing fire. Frank and John end up making catastrophic changes in the timeline, which leads to the brutal murder of John's...

It's A Keeper!!
This review refers to the New Line Plarinum Series DVD edition of "Frequency"...

I consider a good thriller, one that not only keeps me on the edge of my seat after the first viewing, but one that keeps me there with every viewing. "Frequency" is one of those, that no matter how often I watch it, it takes it's hold on me from the first frame and won't let go until the last. It's more then just a thriller though. It's some fabulous Sci-Fi entertainment with great special effects, it's the poignant story of a special bond between father and son, and there's lots of heart pounding action sequences as well. Add to that one fabulous cast including Dennis Quaid, Jim Caviezel and Andre Braugher, a fresh take on time travel, and you are in for 2 hours of some fine entertainment.

A Police Officer John Sullivan(Caviezel), by a miracle of nature, is able to contact his father, Frank(Quaid), on an old ham radio. The miracle?...The Northern Lights make a rare appearance in...

First rate science fiction thriller
This highly imaginative science fiction thriller is an entertaining mind bender of a film. Toby Emmerich's story takes a fresh approach to the time travel angle. Rather than having people traveling through time, Emmerich has them communicating through time using a Ham Radio that has been augmented by an Aurora Borealis. Ok, there aren't many Aurora Borealis events as far south as New York City, but there isn't any trans-time communication noted in the scientific literature either, so we need to allow the story a little latitude.

After we accept the premise, this ingenious plot incorporates many different elements to entice the viewer. There is the human angle of a son speaking to his dead father, the many twists resulting from altering the ribbon of time, and the solving of a thirty-year-old serial murder case. The various elements are combined effectively by director Gregory Hoblit (Primal Fear, Fallen) to produce a fast paced action thriller with sufficient character...

Click to Editorial Reviews