Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker [HD]

"You've Been Trained All Your Life To Be A Spy, Alex."
I'm a fan of the Alex Rider novels, so I approached the DVD with some trepidation. I love the books. Can't wait for the next one. But the movie release never even came close to my city, which is the capital of the state. That concerned me.

Alex Rider is a 14-year-old spy that was trained by his Uncle Ian to be strong and independent. Perhaps not a spy. We never know for sure. But through the six books that have been published so far, we've gotten to know Alex quite well. He's not your average kid, but neither is he happy-go-lucky about being a spy. The movie depicts him, more or less, as that, though, and that's one of the parts where book fans will object.

What you see on the screen is very much a more light-hearted version of Alex Rider, bordering on slapstick comedy at times. Think of the original book series by author/creator Anthony Horowitz as Sean Connery's James Bond as opposed to Roger Moore's take on that character. Book Alex is more subdued,...

Great Kid Flick
This is a fun, "mission impossible" style adventure film for kids. The action scenes are realistic, not the cartoon-type stuff you see in the Spy Kid movies. My kids were glued to the screen because of the non-stop suspense. The opening scene is very intense and incredibly well done and I believe sets the tone for the entire movie. A refreshing note to parents--there is little to no objectionable material in this movie. I noticed no bad language, no smoking or drug use, and no sexual content or innuendo. I also thought Ewan Mc Gregor brought nice credibility to this film. This was a great kickin' it movie for kids and teens. Well done.

"Spy Kids" merges with James Bond
Look out 007! There's a new secret agent in town, and he's going to knock the socks off the girls who used to swoon over you (at least the teenaged ones.) In this action-packed teen adventure, unwilling secret agent Alex Rider (Alex Pettyfer) signs up with MI6 to spy on an eccentric eye-shadow wearing billionaire (Mickey Rourke) whose generous offer to equip all the schools in the UK with super-computers seems much too good to be true.

Alex has unknowingly been groomed to be an agent by his uncle (Ewan McGregor) and after all, there's no one better for the job than the man who was Obi Wan Kenobi. Soon, Alex is sent off to boot camp, prepped for his first mission and outfitted with an arsenal of cool gadgets and gizmos (but no real weaponry).

The stellar cast makes this movie seem a lot better than the plot indicates, with appearances by Bill Nighy as Alan Blunt of MI6; Sophie Okonedo as the Special Operations Division operative with the Bond-like name of Tulip...

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Breaking and Entering [HD]

OUTSTANDING!!! (beware spoilers)
Just watched this movie last week during Jakarta Int'l Film Festival (JIFFEST) 2006. I wasn't sure at first, as I chose this movie only because Jude Law and Juliette Binoche were in it.

Jude Law and Robin Wright-Penn played as a non-married couple, living with Penn's teenage-autis daughter in UK (I think it was London). If I recalled correctly, Law & Penn been a couple for around 10 years. Law worked as an architect, while Penn stayed as a housemother, taking care of her daughter.

Problem came when some burglars broke into Law's office and stole many computers. Among them was a laptop with so many Law's personal files. One of the burglar was a young boy with some remarkable acrobatic abilities. First he took a peek from the rooftop to see door security passwords, broke the very high window-ceiling, enter the warehouse very fast with his acrobatic skills, turned off the alarm, entered the password, the door opened, and his gang entered. And this burglary happened...

Better Than You've Probably Heard.
Anthony Minghella has spent the last 10 years of his career making films based on books. And he's showed a knack for it. First, "The English Patient" won Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Then "The Talented Mr. Ripley" became one of the best films of that year and picked up some Oscar nominations. Finally, "Cold Mountain" was nominated for more Golden Globes than any other film and got Renee Zellweger an Oscar. "Breaking and Entering" is the first film I've seen by Minghella based on an original screenplay and it's weaker than his previous films. It's no wonder though, because it's completely different material. "The English Patient" was a big epic that brought to mind films like "Lawrence of Arabia," while "Cold Mountain" was a war film/melodrama with big, expensive-looking scenes. In scope, this film most resembles "The Talented Mr. Ripley" but even that's a stretch. I would never guess this was a Minghella film from watching it. It takes place in modern day London, is very low on...

Beautiful, Subtly-Shaded Drama of an Affair...
Director/writer Anthony Minghella's exploration of three lives intertwined by pain, guilt, and loneliness, "Breaking and Entering", benefits by the earnest portrayals of Jude Law, Juliette Binoche, and Robin Wright Penn, a script that never attempts to 'glamorize' the central affair, and Minghella's willingness to allow the story to take it's time to unfold (almost 40 minutes pass before Law and Binoche even meet one another). While the film was unsuccessful in theaters, it is a multi-layered, rewarding experience that deserves a place in your video library!

While the catalyst of the story is a pair of break-ins of Law's offices by Binoche's son (Rafi Gavron), the action serves more as an introduction to the lives of the leads; Binoche is a Bosnian refugee, struggling to provide a stable home for her son, and to save enough money to return the pair to their homeland; Law and Penn are a couple worn down by caring for Penn's autistic daughter (Poppy Rogers), and a growing...

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I Melt With You [HD]

Overwrought, Preposterous, AND Strangely Fascinating: It's Hard Being A Privileged White Guy
There are two questions one has to propose after watching an overwrought parable of a film like "I Melt With You." Is the movie any good? And is it worth watching? I know some who feel these answers are always the same, but I don't. If someone asked me if Mark Pellington's outrageous examination of middle-aged regret was good, I'd have to say no. So over-the-top and patently ridiculous, the movie is an absolute mess tonally and thematically (even to the point of morphing into a thriller for its conclusion). But is it worth watching? There's something to be said about the absolute madness of it all that makes "I Melt With You" sickly fascinating. Even as I was laughing at how inept the story line felt, the movie kept pushing into greater and greater outrageousness. And I must admit, there is an odd entertainment factor to be gleaned from this unpredictability. While it may not be a "good" movie, it patently refuses to back down and play it safe. I respect that as well. My rating,...

I want 147 minutes of my life back...
Two stars only because the soundtrack rocks and Carla Gugino is in it. The actors are good but the story is soooooo depressing. I should start a list of terrible movies that take their titles from great songs. This one would be close to the top of that list.

Worth Checking Out
I found it interesting and unusual, though the actual plot is unlikely. The casting and acting were excellent. The actors are all seasoned pro's at the top of their game. It was worth watching just for that. I liked it enough to watch the whole thing. I intend to watch again and pay more attention.

This isn't a movie I would buy in DVD or Blu-Ray, but it is worth checking out on TV if you get premium service.

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Monster Truck Adventures: Right Turn Races

My Son Loves This More Than "Cars"!
When I asked my little guy which character he liked best, he said, "Meteor! Meteor is the big one that has 6 wheels. He's blue and he's a monster truck and he loves Jesus!" Later, he built his version of Meteor with Legos, complete with his super cool 6 wheels. Right Turn Races includes 6 episodes. Each episode has a lesson and a bible verse that goes along with it, like the one for Episode 6: 1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Right Turn Races is a good 75 minutes long. It's super fun and appropriate for kiddos of all ages. My son loves another series by the same studio so I knew he'd love these. If you have a son or daughter, or any child in your life, who likes Lightning McQueen and Cars, I highly suggest Monster Truck Adventures. Even better because, like my little guy said, these trucks "love Jesus"!

Great Movie
Son had seen this movie in a catalog from Christian Book Store but they were out so I found it online. Movie in great condition and delivered promptly. Son loves it and it has a great storyline.

Good
Arrived as expected ... Have not watched it yet but when my son gets it I'm sure he will be very happy

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Catechism Cataclysm [HD]

Movies this funny are rare
This movie is funny, movies this funny are rare, quite rare. Steve Little is perfectly cast, and the movie is directed with zesty irreverence.

If The Exorcist and Deliverance Got Married & Had a Buddy Comedy
There aren't a lot of movies that you should simultaneously not think about too hard and take the time to think about. This is one of those few. On its surface, The Catechism Cataclysm is a road buddy comedy set on a river rather than a road, with buddies who aren't quite buddies, on an adventure to find what they're missing . . . whatever that is. There's toilet humor, indie humor (is that what it's called? Oh hell, you'll know what I mean when you see the movie), physical comedy, and just plain random goodness. That in the end it manages to also be a feel-good movie is just the icing on the cake.

Behind all the comedy lie some questions maybe worth pondering on a serious level. What do you do when you feel like you're losing your faith? What if it might be the only thing you have? Who are your friends, and why are they valuable? Should you really camp out with those two Japanese girls and their intimidating bodyguard?

If you're a fan of any of the actors, or...

Quarky, Weird, Addicting
Just watch it, it will be totally worth it. It has become one of my favorite off beat indie movies.

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Pokémon DP: Sinnoh League Victors - Set One

Sinnoh's Best!
Ash's Journey is Coming to a Close in the Sinnoh Region, but his Journey is far from over! In This 2 Disc 11 Episode Box Set, their is plenty of adventures to come! First Buizel is Trying to master a new move in "Short and to the Punch"! Also Dee Dee I mean Dawns Rival Ursula Returns in "Yes, in Dee Dee It's Dawn"! Does Dawn have what it takes to win her 5th Ribbon? Monferno Gets Angry again in "Fighting Ire With Fire". Does Monferno have what it takes to Control Blaze? Ash Finally Challenges the 8th Gym Leader Volkner in "The Fleeing Tower of Sunyshore" or will the actions of Team Rocket stop the battle? Also the Legendary Pokemon Heatran appears in "Pokémon Ranger: Heatran Rescue". Can a local Pokemon Ranger Rescue Heatran from a collapsing mountain? All this and more await for Pokemon Fans!

Great Series!
I can't wait to watch all of Sinnoh League Victors! Even though they don't make complete season box sets, you can buy these sets. However, these I find are not as of a reasonable price. Think about it, you are spending about $50 ($45 for the sets plus shipping and tax) for I think 34 episodes, when you can buy the previous bigger box sets (Battle Dimension, Galactic Battles) with around 52 episodes for the same price. I tried to wait until these sets went on a lower sale price, but still no change. Black and White sets 1 and 2 you can buy for cheaper and those sets are newer and have the same amount of episodes like these sets. So I think it's a rip off, but if you want to complete your collection, like me, go for it.

If you buy box sets 1, 2 and 3, then you will have all of Sinnoh League Victors. On here, Amazon lists them as "Sets" which is fine. Get all 3 sets and that's all of this season. If you are a Pokemon fan and enjoy the anime and want to complete some dvd box...

Pokemon Fan
Im still a huge Pokemon fan , so I still purchase Pokemon products from the figures to the show and movies . Dont have any of the games so I mainly stay to the series and figure line of Pokemon and all their products are well made and amazing . Its Pokemon , its funa and still Lovable .

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My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic: The Friendship Express

PONIES!
Ah, My Little Pony. A name that, in the minds of many people, invokes images of cheaply-made and comically saccharine cartoons with zero interesting stories, zero interesting characters, and an air of crass commercialism; after all, the cartoons are based on a popular girls' toy line, and all the cartoons have to do is sell said toys. But Friendship is Magic, which premiered last October on newly-launched cable network The Hub, is a very different creature indeed. Created and developed by Lauren Faust, who some people may remember as a writer for The Powerpuff Girls, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is a series with compelling storylines, wonderful and engaging characters, exceptional animation, delightful humour, and no crass commercialism anywhere in sight. This show, which by all intents and purposes should not have been good, is one of the best animated series to come along in years.

Why? Let's start over.

You may have heard in the last few months that...

A mom's review
I thought I'd add a review here since I don't believe any of the others, yet, are from moms. From MY KIDS perspective, (and the only reason I gave it 4 stars) this is probably not the BEST choice of episodes. They do not really care as much about charactor developement. While the first 2 episodes are virtually essential to the rest of us, my kids, boys 5 and 4 and girl 2 1/2, don't really care. They just want the scenes that make them laugh. Baby Cakes or Griffin Brush-off are their favorites and the ones they would have picked. Out of the episodes on here, I'd say my kids like the same one as most bronies would pick, The Last Roundup. And oddly enough, for the same scene. They find it hysterical that Derpy is so clutsy and the town hall is falling apart. I have not decided whether I will buy it yet or not as I am still letting them watch it on youtube but we do not have cable so I most likely will end up buying this DVD. I LOVE that My Little Pony is now written in a way that draws...

Like Sesame Street, a show that can be cherished by young and old
MLP: FiM is probably the best show ever made. The story tells about Twilight Sparkle and her friends getting into adventures and learning about friendship. Upon it's arrival, it has generated fans young and old and has become an instant classic thanks to the heart, soul, beauty, and genius that is Lauren Faust (wife of Powerpuff Girls creator Craig McCracken) who's creativity and brilliantness made this show a success. Now the show will finally arrive on DVD thanks to Shout! (which I dub as the next Anchor Bay). The DVD will consist of 5 or so selected episodes. Alot of people are complaining that they want a season box set loaded with features and believe me I want that too but remember, it's a kids show and kids want to enjoy it as much as the fanbase and let me say I'm fine and happy with this release as long as we get the best incarnation of MLP to date on DVD!

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Hugo (Two-disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy)

_This_ is why we go to the movies
Different people go to the movies for different reasons. Some of us want to be entertained. Some of us want to be dazzled. Some of us want to be engaged by a story, or by characters that stick in the mind after the film is done. Some of us want to be transported to a different time or place. And some of us want to see talented actors create a bit of magic in the hands of a masterful director. Martin Scorsese's Hugo does all of these things. It is, more than any other film I've seen this year, _why_ we go to the movies.

The film is based on the novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. If you've read the book, then you know the story already, but for everyone else I am going to be careful here and not reveal anything that might spoil the film. I will say that Hugo is about many things, but at its heart, it is about obsession, discovery and how one person's story can lead to - and become entwined with - another's.

The film is set in Paris in the...

No-Spoilers review of the 3D movie and the coming 2D DVD
Few read reviews to find out whether the reviewer liked the film. They want to know whether THEY will like the film--to decide whether to see the movie or not, and whether to see it in the theater or wait and see the DVD (or the download). That's the task I'll take on here.

As the Rottentomato website has already shown (it assembles and correlates scads of reviews from the press and the web, along with reader responses), the critics adore this film, the audience somewhat less so.

Part of this has to do with managing expectations. The marketing presents Hugo as an Avatar-ish 3D fantasy with a C3P0 (StarWars)-type flying robot. this is actively misleading, though that's not the director's fault.

What Hugo is, is a fable--not a fantasy--that's part tween adventure and part infomercial for the preservation and viewing of old silent movies. Most importantly--and this is a point that hasn't been made by most reviewers here and elsewhere--it's a film about...

Early review on blu-ray 3D
I was able to legitimately get an early review copy of the 3D version of the Hugo 3D blu-ray. I am not reviewing the film. I am not reviewing the acting. I am reviewing the 3D. It is incredible. Every bit as engrossing as it was in the theater. If you own a 3DTV, you owe it to yourself to buy this movie. Sure, the film itself is not everyone's cup of tea, but if you're just looking for reference quality, mind-blowing 3D? This movie will suck you in from start to finish. You are a part of the world of Hugo, from beginning to end. And, honestly, no 3D has been this engrossing since Avatar. If you love silent film, film preservation, or cinema in general, along with your three dimensions, this will be the absolute must own disc of the year! Even if they don't like the movie itself, your friends will be impressed with the 3D FX. This is one of the few films released where you can genuinely and proudly claim, "This is why I bought a 3D television!" Enjoy.

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The Pill

The PILL
No what I expected, very slow and not interesting. absolutely no point. unreal and at some point stupid.
Boring and expensive for this type of movie.....

The Pill
Great rainy Saturday or late night movie. I could see this scenerio played out in so many lives. I would rent this again.

No rhythm
There is really no story and the dialog kind of lame...
I guess it's just ok to watch without really watching...

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WWE: Royal Rumble 2012 [Blu-ray]

A Royal FUMBLE?
Steel Cage Match: World Champion Daniel Bryan vs. Big Show vs. Mark Henry - A funny moment happened before the match where Big Show went to give his hat to a fan (Randy Orton's daughter) but he ended up scaring her to the point where Show had to laugh & say "I know your dad." Show & Henry both used their heavy weight & strength advantage at various times like sandwiching someone between themselves & the cage, tossing & slingshotting Bryan into the cage, and Show's powerful shoulder tackle. With Bryan being the smallest guy in the match, he tried to sneak out the cage but then resorted to his strength in wrestling like working over Show's legs to take him down while keeping both men down with various kicks, a tornado DDT from the top rope followed by the LaBell lock, and his superior speed that worked for him when trying to escape over the top. It was a good match & one the best match between Show & Henry throughout their entire feud but one thing to pay attention to was the visual...

Been watched several times
This DVD has been watched several times already. We have several WWE dvds and this one he goes to frequently.

Royal Rumble 2012
Steel Cage Match: World Champion Daniel Bryan VS Big Show VS Mark Henry: Bryan's feud with Big Show was one of the worst feuds of all time. Rather then show Bryan's Bret Hart type skills, WWE puts him in feuds against the worst opponents. I dont really him winning too many matches as a champion. Anyways, this match was pretty good and Bryan escapes with the belt once again.

Some diva's eight woman tag match, skip as always.

John Cena VS Kane: I'm not going lie, this match was going pretty damn good and out of the blue, both men leave the ring and get counted out. Kane attacks Zack Ryder backstage, brings him out, and tombstones him in the ring. Yea, WWE isn't known for good storylines anymore.

Brodus Clay VS Drew McIntyre: I'll admit at first Clay's gimmick was amusing, now it's just old. Nothing really to see here, just the same old crap from Clay.

WWE Champion CM Punk VS Dolph Ziggler with John Laurinaitis as guest ref: Ziggler has the...

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Acts of the Apostles - Part 2

Dean Jones does a great job with this!
True to Scripture. The acting and scenery made the story telling come to life.
Beautiful job. The visual makes Scripture even easier to understand.
The only thing I would have done differently is offer Part 1 and Part 2 as a package deal.

Very Well Done!
This video (actually part 2) is excellently done. For people that just don't want to take the time to read the Bible, this is a fascinating option. The acting is superb!!

Not bad
This is not a bad documentary. Just not as good as I was hoping. Hard to explain and others might enjoy it much more than I did.

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Gospel According to Matthew, The - Part 1

A happy Jesus?
Are you tired of reenactments that aren't faithful to scripture? Then the Visual Bible is for you. This entire four hour video is word-for-word from the NIV. No subtractions or deletions. It is beautifully filmed and would be great for group study. You can even follow along with the verses because they are placed at the bottom of the screen. The Jesus of this video is amazing. He's full of life and happy. Yes, I said, "happy". If you're used to the older videos such as "Jesus of Nazereth" and "The Greatest Story Ever Told" then this portrayal of Jesus may be a bit of a shock. I'm not down-playing these videos, I think they're great. However, the "Visual Bible" seems to better portray Jesus as the scriptures do. By the end of this video you truly see the bond between Jesus and the apostles. You will also see the most gruesome crucifixion scene that I've ever seen done. You can almost feel His pain. I would definitely...

the power of The Word
This is a lovingly crafted production of The Gospel According to Matthew, and is a treasure to own for repeated viewing. Filmed in Cape Town, South Africa, it is visually beautiful, with marvelous detail in the costuming and set design; it has a cast of mostly unknown actors, anchored by Richard Kiley and Bruce Marchiano. Notable in the cast is Gerrit Schoonhoven, wonderful as Peter, and Marcel Van Heerden as John the Baptist.
Kiley is fabulous as an aging Matthew, who is dictating his gospel to two scribes, and with his resonant voice he narrates portions of the dramatization of Jesus' life.

Bruce Marchiano is remarkable in the long and difficult part of Jesus. His portrayal is strong, warm and accessible. It is a Jesus who laughs and hugs people, and the first two tapes are largely in this upbeat mood, with it not getting dark and dramatic until the entering of Jerusalem on the third tape.
Marchiano is the only one in the cast with an American accent, which at first...

Life-changing
This video portrays Jesus in a way that I have never experienced. It depicts Him with very real emotions. There is laughter, joy, sadness, despair, etc. I was very impressed with the fact that the entire story was told from scripture...verbatim. There is no words added, whatsoever, it's told strictly from scripture. I didn't think I would like that but that turned out to be one of the most impressive things. This video will definitely change your life. If you don't Christ, you will...if you want to know Him better...you will! After watching this, I don't know how anyone could refuse His gift of salvation!

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The Myth of the American Sleepover [HD]

Tepid and honest and dull and involving
Myth of the American Sleepover is a teen-themed but adult interest directo to video film about a group of suburban Detroit kids on the last day of summer vacation, before they either go off to high school or college. The events in this film take place in people's yards, at a lake, in their homes and at the University of Michigan.

There isn't a lot going on in this movie other than the stuff kids do in the summer. They attend parties, try to impress each other, try to find that romantic interest or generate same from a member of the opposite sex (no obviously gay interest that I saw) and have varying levels of angst, disappointment, excitement and fun trying to figure out themselves and other kids/young adults. The sleepover theme comes from a group of girls that sleep over at one of the girl's parents' house, where the movie's only real conflict arises.

But this is not a film about particularly conflicted people; it is a slice of life film without message or...

OK
This movie does a decent job of capturing that time between being a 'tween and when you can drive. Most of these kids must be 14-15. So, in a year, they'll be driving and humping like rabbits. But they're still at that awkward stage of having these newfound raging hormones, but not knowing what to do with them. Yes, there's a lot of wandering around and banal conversation... because that's what kids this age are all about. There are some tender moments, but overall nowhere near as enjoyable as Dazed And Confused or some classic teen film like that, nor is it a movie like Kids.

Know what you're getting
This film will play better to former teens than current ones. The cast is populated with inexperienced actors (some of whom are more effective than others), and the filmmakers are more interested in showing a small slice of summer than taking you on a more traditional narrative journey.

Before watching, put yourself in the mindset of American Graffiti or Dazed & Confused: this is an ensemble story where nothing "big" happens, and many of the characters end up in the same place - literally and figuratively - where they started.

If you want plot twists and prom scenes and epiphanies, look elsewhere.

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The Yellow Sea (English Subtitled)

Korean Tale of Murder, Double Crosses, Car Chases, Inept Cops and Mah-Jong!
EDIT: The folowing review is based on the full version and not the hacked to pieces offering that Fox have put out both on DVD and Az Instant Video. It is a 5 star film, but only when viewed in its entirity. Please see the reviews for the DVD that explain further, the full version with English subs is available in Region 2 from Az.UK

This is a truly stupendous film that takes a while to sink in. It is South Korean (with sub titles) but starts its story in Yanju City in the Yanbian Province of China. This is an area next to the borders of North Korea, Russia and China, the local Koreans are referred to as Joseonjoks and Gu Nam (Ha Jung-Woo) is one such man. He has borrowed 60,000 Yuan to send his wife to a better life in Korea, but that was six months ago and he has not heard from her, most suspect that she is a bit of a flibbertigibbet and as such has dumped him and their daughter for the high life of making a living from lying down. He meanwhile has to repay the debt to...

Riveting
Yellow River is about happenings in a region of China where people live on the edge and depend mostly on illegal activities for survival. Gu Nam lives alone and owes a lot of gambling debt, his wife has left for Korea and he has not heard from her. He loses a lot of money one night playing MahJong and is offered to pay his debts by going to Seoul as an assassin.
The movie is divided into four chapters as The Cab Driver, The Killer, Joeseonjok and The Yellow Sea), and at 140 minutes a very long film. However it is relentless and well made, Na Hong Jin directed this film and does a fantastic job portraying Gu Na, as the assassin who is weak at first but develops a will to live and mercilessly slaughter his enemies.The enemies do multiply and multiply and so do the fights. These are some amazing sequences which involve mobs and running. There are no guns employed to kill these people but knives and any other objects that can be picked. Most of the film focuses on Gu Nam and his...

Extremely gritty action flick
This film dices up non-stop shooting, stabbing, clubbing, chopping and lots of other acts of violence in a very inhospitable backdrop of wintertime somewhere in Korea to somewhere in China. There are so many fight scenes that the director has to cut fight scenes short to get on to the next fight scene. What I mean by this is that a guy walks into a room with a knife and the next scene almost everyone in the room is dead. Also - if this movie is representative of the actual invincibility of Asians, then nobody should go to war with an Asian country under any circumstances because everyone there needs to be shot about 20 times and/or stabbed ~50 before they die. I personally like martial arts films a bit more (ie Jackie Chan & Sammo Hung) but this flick definitely satisfies as a gory romp through the underbelly of somewhere in Asia.

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Return [HD]

The War At Home: Earnest Performances Highlight This Quietly Personal Film
I've followed Linda Cardellini's career ever since the wildly entertaining days of "Freaks & Geeks" (a great show that never had the audience it deserved, but everyone loves in hindsight). She has matured in interesting ways as an actress, and brings a surprising gravitas and a world weary appeal to the indie drama "Return." In many ways, it is Cardellini that is the primary selling point of Liza Johnson's introspective look at a soldier's homecoming. "Return" is not the first film to delve into this subject, nor will it be the last. It does, however, have a unexpected matter-of-factness that serves the piece well. The screenplay isn't populated by big dramatic moments. Instead, it is filled with quietness, regrets, things left unsaid, disappointments. Cardellini brings a tremendous amount of depth to this believable role without ever resorting to grandstanding. Every emotion is simply etched across her weathered face.

Cardellini plays a wife and mother returning to her...

Mutant Consciousness in Return
I have spent many years involved in attempting to characterize a state-of-being my best friend, a silver-star, purple-heart, two-tour veteran of Vietnam, and I have recognized in each other: Mutant Consciousness. We each seem to possess that perhaps undefinable focus upon reality which exists far outside the norm. My friend has also been diagnosed, and has rejected the authority of those who make such diagnoses, as experiencing PTSD. Personally, I never sought any sort of straight explainations for who and what I am. Let it be said, though, that the two of us and very few others we have run across possess, or admit to possessing, this mutant outlook. Kelli most assuredly does, as must Ms Johnson -- or at least she knows someone who does. Possibly from a couple of old guys a lyric from an old song might help one to understand. The Jefferson Airplane sang: "When the truth is found to be lies/And all the joy within you dies...." Their answer was finding someone to love. Kelli...

A search for solid ground
After a tour of duty with the Army overseas, Kelli returns to Ohio to her family and the expectation of re-assimilating back into the life that she knew prior her deployment. Reality trumps her expectations, however, and so begins a narrowing journey to find solid ground again. This is the crux of 'Return'.

Make no mistake : Linda Cardellini puts this movie on her back, and carries it the entire way. She turns in the best performance of her career to date as the young soldier struggling with life as she once knew it. Michael Shannon somewhat steps outside of his comfort zone in his role as her husband, Mike. While often playing quirky, left-of-center characters with strong personalities, he opts for a reserved, soft-spoken approach to play Mike. His performance is as solid as any that he's ever given, and his ever-expanding resume continues to make him one of the more reliable actors working today.

Evenly paced, 'Return' is a character study of a life...

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Mandrill (English Subtitled)

Wonderful Bond Homage
I loved this movie. In many ways, this movie is as much a loving Bond spoof as the French OSS 117 films with Jean Dujardin...though not nearly as broadly comical. Everything about the film is brilliantly on-target, from the staging to the John Barry/David Arnold-esque music. The movie is structurally an homage to DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER (stealing the teaser almost beat-for-beat) and yet surprisingly original, too. As a child, Mandrill sees his parents killed and grows up seeking revenge against their murderer. The clever twist here is that Mandrill intentionally models himself on "John Colt," a cheesy 70s Bond/Shaft/Flint character. So you get a spoof within an homage. Cheeky. If you are fan of Bond films, Blaxploitation, and Eurospy movies, this is a must-see. Now I have to find the soundtrack!

Excellent revenge film
I really enjoyed this Chilean revenge action film. The hero is on a mission to avenge his parents death but a woman makes his revenge a pyric victory. Filled with campy goodness including a series of fake 70's spy films starring a fictional "John Colt" who the hero modelled hmself after this film has tounge firmly in cheek but also delivers on good gun battles and mma style fight sequences. The lead female is smoking hot, the heroes uncle is a great mentor who has great advice for seducing women and best of all Mandrill is an old school bada**. Watch Mandrill you wont be disappointed.

WHERE'S WALDO?
This film is so bad I thought it was a spoof of 70's action films complete with wack-a-da wack-a-da music and disco. Marko Zaror plays hit man Mandrill and is given a voice that sounds like Jason Statham. His parents were killed by a hit man named "Cyclops" who lost an eye during the incident. He has become Mandrill's target. Earlier we saw Mandrill looking for a guy named Waldo, asking everyone "Where's Waldo." You can't help but laugh. There are flashbacks to his youth and his TV idol, John Colt, an oriental action hero who is also unintentionally comical.

In order to get to "The Cyclops" Mandrill must get the information from his daughter who he woos.

Terrible acting and dubbing.

No f-bombs, brief sex? no nudity (arms in way). This film might be better to watch as an MST project.

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Acts of the Apostles - Part 1

Incredible!
This video certainly deserves 5 stars. You couldn't get the message of Acts across any better than this. The characters,especially Peter, are very colorful in how they make the Scriptures come alive. I'm happy at how they tell it word for word from the Bible, and not like many stories you see on the History Channel that are too overdramatized. These are the kind of programs that should be seen on TV, not sure why they aren't. Would absolutely be worth buying.

A great film for all to see.
This film a verse by verse account of the Apostles through the book of Acts. It is informative, uplifting and a good way to teach children or a new believer. As well to just enjoy it yourself.

FAITHFULLY DONE
CLEAN AND MORE ACCURATE THAN ANY OTHER MOVIES MADE. I LOVE IT. WILL ALSO LOOK FOR PART 2. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND...

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Episode 2

One of the best!
From "Sister Wendy" like art reviews to underground drug deals, this movie takes you from the English countryside to the New York streets and a WW2 art theft. Helen Mirren make an incredible transformation from a washed up jazz singer to art dealer in an effort to find a murderer and ends up undercover in an art mystery. The music by Jenny Darren is worth the price all by itself.
Watch for the occational surprise, there are several scenes set up to look like great paintings. This movie is just plain fun! Although I would rate it R for an uncomfortably graphic homo erotic scene, not over the top, but not for kids. The specific scene is a set up for a tableau of Saint Sabastian by the murderer. There is one art lecture not to be missed, you will be able to pronounce Judith slaying Holofernes by Artemisia Gentileschi, just like an art critic!
This movie was done by the BBC for Masterpiece Mystery years ago, I haven't seen it since, I was thrilled to find it, and it was...

Far Fetched but Fun
*****REVIEW CONTAINS PLOT SPOILERS*****

I missed this when it was on Masterpiece Theater originally, actually had never even heard of it. But the premise sounded interesting, I really like mysteries that involve events that happened long before, so I gave it a try. And I have to say I really enjoyed it a lot.

The performances were all good and earnest and as a result the movie was very diverting even though the plot was preposterous. There are many twists and turns and much globe hopping involved. Helen Mirren, who I could watch read the phone book, carries off several different persona's for her character and they all appear effortless. But her character is one of those fantasies who, despite having a history of near-fatal substance abuse which also destroyed her career, is irresistible to all she meets, to the extent that an ex-boyfriend hands over a gun to her, no questions asked.

Another plot issue involves the Franco Nero character. While it...

Where are closed captions
While I thoroughly enjoyed the Painted Lady, I remain unsatisfied with Amazon streaming product.

The worst part is there is not the ability to display closed captions. I love British films and TV but my ears do not allow good enough definition to understand all the dialogue.

Next Amazon streaming lacks a good ability to search films using categories that are more relevant.

Thank you for asking

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Tomorrow When The War Began [HD]

Great movie based on excellent book
This movie begins as a coming of age romance story set in Australia. It becomes an action flick when Australia is invaded and the characters have to fight to survive.
It is a satisfying coming of age story but spends too much time developing characters (done well) to be a great action flick.

I am also a fan of Red Dawn, but thought this movie was much better.

If you are a fan of the young adult series Tomorrow When the War Began know that this movie fits the first book quite well and thoroughly sets the scene for a sequel (or nine). I have read the books, where all the components are thoroughly fleshed out, I rather enjoyed the movie.

Entertaining adaption of an excellent book!
This is the film adaption of John Marsden's 1993 novel of a group of teenagers caught up in a foreign invasion of Australia. In short - it's great! Given the books popularity, I had some concerns that the film might not do it justice and it might look like `Home & Away' (Australian TV Soap) goes to war! But the actors, most with TV acting experience, do a creditable job and aren't there solely for their looks or profile. For the most part they fit what a normal group of teens would look like and as the action kicks in they take on a suitably unkempt look anyway. Of the key characters, Homer was very good and most importantly, Ellie worked for me too. There was a surprise or two in terms of casting choices and frankly Robyn will not work for everyone. A real plus was that some of the secondary characters get more exposure than in the book. The interactions between them all are fine, with the humour in particular being well delivered. For those concerned about coarser things, there is a...

Australia's "Red Dawn".
Based on a series of bestselling young adult author James Marsden's books, this details the lives of teenagers living out a last bit of fun with an adventurous road trip/camping vacation to a remote area, before school is about to come back in session. Starts off innocently and freewheeling enough as they leave a small country Wirrawee town somewhere in NSW. One night one of the kids awakens to the sound of squadrons of jets zooming overhead... and goes back to sleep thinking nothing of it.

When the teenagers pack up and return from their "secret" grotto which they established is theirs, they find most of the homes abandoned,families missing, power out,dogs shot dead, and vehicles burning. Going further into the center of town by nightfall they soon see the truth: Australia has been invaded by an unknown, Asian "Coalition" possibly Chinese, Indonesian or Burmese-or all of them. Brutal and uncompromising, anyone arguing with them in the "indoctrination" prison camps they've...

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Shadow of Afghanistan

Superb Documentary!!!!
The footage and information in this documentary is the most insider look at Afghan history that I have ever seen in a film. Very thorough and compelling look at the background of this fascinating country. Covers several decades of Afghan history. Not to be missed by those who are interested. I wrote this review because the only other review of this film was foolishly ignorant. This is one of the best documentary films I have ever seen! And I can understand the speaker easily.

Don't buy this!!
The person speaking in this documentary was difficult to understand since there was background noise going on during the entire documentary and the person speaking was drowned out by this noise. I wish I hadn't bought it.



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Archive of World War Two - Victory at Sea - Parts 13 to 16

Fantastic love the narration
If you enjoy this era of American history, this series is a must see. The narration is intense and the footage is so well shot

Excellent work
Wonderful look back at the beginning of World War Two. I remember watching this series as a small boy and it is great to be able to add it to my History collection and be able to share it with my children and grandchildren who have no knowledge of this period of time in our country's history.

Bring em back.
It would be a shame to lose the other part of this series.American need to be reminded of what our freedom cost,so that we don't ever forget what we gave to keep mankind free!

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Black Butterflies [HD]

Finding the Essence of Ingrid Jonker
BLACK BUTTERFLIES is a biographical drama based on the life of Ingrid Jonker. For those who are unfamiliar with this poet the following description my aid in the appreciation of this film: `Ingrid Jonker (19 September 1933 - 19 July 1965) was a South African poet. Although she wrote in Afrikaans, her poems have been widely translated into other languages. Ingrid Jonker has reached iconic status in South Africa and is often called the South African Sylvia Plath, owing to the intensity of her work and the tragic course of her turbulent life. Her work has also been compared to that of Anne Sexton.' Greg Latter has written the screenplay that attempts to give us all the facets of this enigmatic personality and the film is directed by Paula van der Oest. It is obviously an act of love.

We meet Ingrid and her sister Anna as children, poor, without shoes, and taken to the home of their Apartheid father Abraham Jonker (Rutger Hauer) the Minister of Censorship for the parliament...

Good Performances, But Not Much Insight, Distinguish Another True Biography of Artistry Tinged With Madness
The beautifully produced biography "Black Butterflies" tells the story of South African poet Ingrid Jonker. Admittedly I was not familiar with Jonker's work or life, but it's pretty easy to determine just where the tale is headed within the first few minutes of the movie. Jonker came to international attention when one of her works about apartheid was quoted by Nelson Mandela nearly thirty years after her death. Jonker, it would seem, was another great artist living at the precipice of madness and emotional instability. A number of causes are hinted at, but nothing is really developed in "Black Butterflies" beyond the surface representation of a woman struggling with unknowable demons. I really wanted to know Jonker and to be devastated by her life story. But without digging deeper into her psyche, the movie never let me get close enough to its subject to appreciate her turmoil. Luckily, the role is portrayed by vibrant Carice van Houten. Van Houten brings an urgency and...

Finding the Essence of Ingrid Jonker
BLACK BUTTERFLIES is a biographical drama based on the life of Ingrid Jonker. For those who are unfamiliar with this poet the following description my aid in the appreciation of this film: `Ingrid Jonker (19 September 1933 - 19 July 1965) was a South African poet. Although she wrote in Afrikaans, her poems have been widely translated into other languages. Ingrid Jonker has reached iconic status in South Africa and is often called the South African Sylvia Plath, owing to the intensity of her work and the tragic course of her turbulent life. Her work has also been compared to that of Anne Sexton.' Greg Latter has written the screenplay that attempts to give us all the facets of this enigmatic personality and the film is directed by Paula van der Oest. It is obviously an act of love.

We meet Ingrid and her sister Anna as children, poor, without shoes, and taken to the home of their Apartheid father Abraham Jonker (Rutger Hauer) the Minister of Censorship for the parliament of...

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Neon Flesh [HD]

Bad Cops, Bad Girls, Bad Men, Questionable Dogs and Transvestites!
This is a rip roaring very original film from Spanish film maker Paco Cabezas (yes it has subtitles), who has made a full length version of his film short of the same name from 2005. It is about Ricky (Mario Casas), he is a street hustler whose mother is doing time having been done for soliciting sex. He has been selling recreational narcotics for some years and has saved up enough money to go sort of legit.

His idea of legit is to open a whore house where his mum is the Madame, she has always wanted one and also positive that it has to be called `Hiroshima'. In order to make this a reality he enlists the help of uber pimp Angelito (Vincente Romero), he runs some ladies including toothless drug addict Scag. He also has a minder who is intellectually challenged in the shape of `The Kid' El Niño played with aplomb by Luciano Caceres. They form an unlikely bunch and there is also transvestite La Infantita (Domaso Conde) who is saving up for a sex change operation so...

`A son will do anything to win the recognition of his mother'
Ricky, a young man who has grown up in the streets, wants to re-open the old Hiroshima Club (a brothel) with his two close friends in order that his mother, who has just been released from jail, will find a place where to work. Seems a rather simple idea, but enter writer/director Paco Cabezas and this `comedy' becomes a rather raunchy bloodbath of poor taste saved only by the performances of a group of really talented actors!

To summarize the rather directionless story, try the following: `Ricky (Mario Casas , a young charismatic Spanish actor who makes this story work) was abandoned at age 12 by his prostitute mother, Pura (Angela Molina). He lives the life of a street boy with help from pimp Angelito (Vicente Romero) and his junkie girl friend Scrag (Macarena Gomez); Angelito's hulking, simple-minded associate, El Niño (Luciano Caceres, another triumph of a performance); and transvestite La Infantita (Damaso Conde) who is trying to make money for a transgender...

Another great performance by Mario Casas
A bit overkill with the violence but overall entertaining. Surprisingly funny at times. It brings attention to human trafficking as it truly exists around the world.

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Conception [HD]

Comedic light on real life
I thought this was a cute movie that sheds real light on young relationships, stuck relationships, new parents, engagement, marriage, flings and of course conceiving. This was a pretty good cast ensemble, dialouge was natural and very realistic and the movie in one way or another will be very relateable.

I'd recommend this movie if you just want to laugh or see how certain relationships may look from the outside, or want to feel like whatever relationship you're in is not foreign territory.

Awful
Bad acting -- the screenwriting is worse. Horribly edited. I felt absolutely nothing for any of the characters. Just a random grouping of scenes.

Supprisingly Funny
my fiance and I were really shocked at how good this movie was - deals with all aspects of people trying and not trying to get funny and somehow all ties together

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Puss in Boots

Fantastic Telling of This Much Loved Character
I just got back from watching this movie in the theater and let me tell you that it was utterly fantastic from start to finish. The sheer genius of the people who put this story together is deserving of all the accolades that could be bestowed upon them. The story was utterly impeccable and the combination of the the old fairy tales, the Shrek films, and most importantly the behaviors of all our beloved pet cats are interwoven seamlessly into this story. I couldn't believe all the ways that they found to make this movie so memorably funny and endearing to the audience (and especially us cat lovers) that it was a really fun movie to see.

Now if you are familiar with your childhood fairy-tales, the basic premise of the movie is that Puss (in Boots) along with Humpty Alexander Dumpty, and Ms. Kitty South-Paws start an adventurous trek to obtain some magic beans in order to provide access to the goose that lays the golden eggs. And yes, there just may be a beanstalk...

A dog person who thinks this is the cutest cat ever
I'm a dog person. No if's, and's or but's about it. Not even a dog person, I only like huge dogs (German Shepherds, Labs, Collies, etc.) that cats hate. But Puss in Boots is quite possibly the cutest cat ever (in film) and temporarily made me think, "Maybe I should give cats a chance." Not only is the cat cute; this film is adorable.

Initially I wondered whether I'd actually go see the film considering I liked Shrek but wasn't sure if Puss in Boots could pull off a film all by himself. However, I saw a behind-the-scenes interview with RedEye featuring Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek talking about the film. I'm a HUGE Antonio Banderas fan so I like to see/hear him in anything. (He's almost as hot as Puss in Boots. Well, maybe it's a tie.) The more they talked about the film and the more reviews I read, the more I decided to give the film a try.

The summary: Puss in Boots meets up with his friend-turned-rival Humpty Dumpty and they plot out how to get magic beans...

Animated fun.
An infamous cat befriends a female, and meets up with an old friend, an egg, sort a Humpty Dumpty. Together, they try to steal a goose who lays golden eggs, for reasons of enrichment, revenge or redemption. The Puss in Boots character is funny and very likeable. This is standard animated fare, but the animation is excellent, and the film is clever, funny and will be fun for the whole family to watch. This one does not rank with the terrific animated movies of recent years, but is certainly one that you should take the kids to see, as everyone will enjoy it.

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Hard to Forgive

Hard to forgive
Ulysses Salett Director his short features "Break thru" and "Hard to Forgive" was done with one mini Camcorder shot in Atlanta GA Ulysses and ex con Gave his life to Christ while in prison and now Produces his own Music and films.. Listen to his music and his testimony watch his video you will be bless. Ulysses has been self taught with no training. God is not finished there is more to come.
Hard to Forgive"Break Thru" Get Ulysses Music too.Gospel Anthology 2





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Best of Archies Weird Mysteries

Great Take on the Classic B-Movies
Just like the cover, b-movies are the basic plot and feel of the series. After a terrible accident happened in the Riverdale's High School lab, strange things happen in the small town. Archie Andrews is a reporter for the school newspaper. He investigates every mystery along with his friends, Jughead Jones and Dilton Doliey, his girlfriends, Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge, and his frenemy, Reggie Mantle. Yes, I said girlfriends, as both Betty and Veronica are both in love with Archie.

Some of the b-movie themes are: aliens, a werewolf, a cursed mummy, a 50-foot Veronica, a ghost, creatures, and Veronica clones. In Invisible Archie, both Reggie and Archie turn invisible after a lab accident, which is a spoof of The Invisible Man movies. Most of the episodes play homage to old scifi and horror movies. My favorite was Attack of the Killer Spuds, a spoof of the Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but instead of pods the aliens use potatoes.

The Archie gang has a new...





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Passione

Thrilling
A glorious film of wonderful music. Really exciting. I have watched it a number of times already and am eagerly awaiting the soundtrack CD. It has opened up a fabulous new world for me. I have the Italian DVD and I can't wait for an English subtitled version to come out now as I would love to know more about what is being sung and said. And I would love it to have a director's commentary too. And maybe some extra numbers? Thank you so much John Turturro for this magnificent movie.

Joy and love
It has been a very long time, if at all, since I have watched a film that brings so much expression, ethnic diversity, and just plain, child-like fun. The artists are so authentic, and so in love with what they do; the photography and locations are a perfect backdrop to the lucious, voluptuous, soulful exuberance of a people and a place. Italy, for all its faults, is still the place to feel wholly in love with life; the food, music, and eroticism is joyous. Thank you to all who give such pleasure and playfulness. I carry this music around in my soul.

A perfect title
I loved this film. The passion of John Turturro lights up the screen. The music, personalities, and interviews are all deserving of this title. I've watched it a number of times and still have the desire to see it again. John T. says at the beginning, "Soon you'll be singing these songs," and sure enough I keep going back to hear them again.

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Last Fast Ride: The Life, Love and Death of a Punk Goddess

Angel with dirty wings...
Having known Marian personally and been part of some of her antics, it was a real trip down nostalgia lane watching this vid...but it also disclosed for me things I never knew about her life. Especially the end, when many of us were wondering what the hell happened? Everything seemed like it was going well for her. But, now I have some of the answers. It doesn't fill the void that is left in our heart, but at least we can sort of understand what it happened.

As for the documentary, I think it was well done, but I would have liked to have seen more interviews with people who really knew her back in the day like Ginger Coyote, and more from Texas Terri. Also, I don't think people will ever realize how close she and Daniel Deleon were...I think he was like her anchor in so many ways. It does touch on this, but I think it should be said that he was a true, blue friend, and stood by her side, through a lot of thick and thin. The world would be a better place if we all had a...

nice to see a woman hold her own in hardcore
I'm not much of a hardcore fan, so maybe I'm talking out my ass, but it seemed like a pretty macho scene from the outside. So it was pretty cool to see a real femme fatale (who appears to have been quite nice in real life) in that arena. Not being a hardcore music fan, the music didn't do too much for me; it would've been interesting had she lived and done the psychobilly thing with her later band-- I think it actually would've been pretty good. She did have a nice voice, and atonal-shout-singers don't always transition well into other genres that require real vocal skills. You can't always hear her voice in the recordings, until the slower stuff in the end.

Having said that, I never really understood the hardcore revival(or as they said 'punk's not dead') of the 1990's- to me, while it's democratic and all that, it felt like a dead horse even in the 80s. But I guess it speaks to a lot of people and it seems (they will hate this comparasin to death) almost like the Grateful...

Well done with great ventage footage
Well done documentary with great access to those who knew her best. Great footage an old photos of early life bring back memories of days gone bye.

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Dinosaur Jr. - Bug Live At 9:30 Club: In The Hands Of The Fans

In the Hands
Amazing watch, i expect nostalgia to about this in the future. i like Bug even more now, I probably prefer this recording to the actual studio album.





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Grindhouse: Mutant Hunt

The Hunt Is On!
I first saw Mutant Hunt when I was about 9 or 10 years old back in the glory days of VHS. In order to obtain a copy, you couldn't just stroll into the family friendly Blockbuster Video. No siree, Bob! You had to go the the ma and pa video stores(remember them? RIP).
I was fascinated by the box cover, which was a beautiful painted image(remember those?), that made the film look like something it could never live up to. What fascinated me particularly was a small disclaimer thingee that stated, "Too Gory For The Silver Screen", which had an image of a theater screen with a circle and slash through it like the Ghostbusters logo. I mean, I had already seen Dawn and Day of the Dead, not to mention Fulci's Zombie and Re-Animator, and those films had no such statement on the coverbox. God only knows what THIS movie was gonna show! Well, as you can imagine, it was all a marketing ploy of a then fairly new idea of straight to video films. There's an adequate amount of gore in the film I...

I'm surprised I didn't develop a dissociative disorder as a form of mental defense against this assault on good taste.
I'm surprised I didn't develop a dissociative disorder as a form of mental defense against this assault on good taste--or even bad-horror taste. This review is a long one, but there was just too much worth sharing to leave anything out.

So here's what I read on Netflix about this little gem: "When a corporate executive unleashes an army of cyborgs on New York, there's only one man that stands between the Big Apple and total annihilation." I'm not sure that a 1986 direct-to-video flick can deliver on that very well. But I watched it anyway.

Former gay pornographer and director Tom Kincaid (aka Joe Gage), known for the mind-numbingly stupid The Occultist and Robot Holocaust, has woven this atrocity that is littered with more horror in its production than in the film itself. You can just imagine how well this was written when the flick opens with some shoulder-padded General Zod wannabe (named Z) who is so mild mannered that he comes off as someone who should be...

Should be in the "So Bad it's Great!" Hall of Fame
Okay, this movie is not good. In fact it's awful, but it's the amazing can't take your eyes away kind of awful. How can anyone not like a movie that has a 5'6'' latino ninja who only contribution to the film is the worst one-liners and round-house kicks ever to be perpetrated on screen? Or the bounty hunter who instead of decorating his home with pictures, bookshelves, or potted-plants, decides to decorate it with machetes, a shotgun, handcuffs, and a crossbow? And I don't believe I have ever seen a more anti-climatic and completely unresolved ending than this one offers. I actually totally lost track of what was happening in the film, but since the plot was paper-thin at best it didn't really matter. Definetly one of those films that are appreciated by those who truly enjoy cheesy-trash movies.

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Benji [Blu-ray]

The greatest family movie of all time
I have wanted to review this 1973 family classic for a very long time now, but it has been extraordinarily difficult to review something and someone who was a truly vital part of my childhood. Some of my earliest memories are of this loveable little dog. When the 25th anniversary edition of the film came out in 1998, I finally had the chance to reacquaint myself with my dear old friend, and it was a truly moving experience. All these years later, Benji remains the ultimate family movie experience. It can be quite a sad and touching experience, as well, and my emotional attachment to it has kept me from reviewing it for far too long already. The children (and adults) of every generation need to be acquainted with this film; Benji is the great American dog who has rightly been called America's Most Huggable Hero. I absolutely treasure this film from my childhood, and I want all children to feel the love this movie expresses and epitomizes.

The story of this movie is almost as...

I'm 35 Years Old and I Couldn't Stop Crying
I watched this film last night for the first time since I was a child. Move over, CITIZEN KANE--this film should be number one on AFI's Greatest Films of All Time List! I bawled when little independent Benji was trying to communicate with the police that he knew where the kidnapped children were being held hostage. He worked his furry butt off trying to rescue them!

Especially moving is the scene in which Benji finally figures out how to get the attention of the police and family and makes a mad dash over there. All the while, these flashbacks and connections loop through his canine brain: the bound children, his lady dog friend being kicked by one of the sinister kidnappers, the menace of handguns, etc. This is where I just couldn't stop crying. This movie is more than just a cute kids' film--it's a paean to the loyalty and love of dogs everywhere!

ROCK ON, BENJI!

P.S. Includes an Oscar -worthy performance from Frances Bavier of Aunt Bee (THE ANDY...

An Old Time Comfort
I grew up watching this movie. And as long as I can remember, it has given me such a comfort throughout my trials medically and emotionally as a child. Although some of the content may "scare" young children, it had more of a positive effect on me. All kids are different so I would reccomend that the parent or guardian watch the movie first before you let your child.

Anyway, watch the movie with an open mind and let you decide yourself if it's worth seeing again. :)

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Immortals [Blu-ray]

Clash of the...uh...300...uh...oh yeah, Immortals
Immortals is plain and simply a fun take on Greek mythology. After the Gods fail to answer his prayers, King Hyperion searches for the Epirus Bow in order to release the Titans and destroy the human race. It is up to young Theseus to become the leader he was meant to be and stop this mad King. Sure, the story is thin and the dialogue isn't groundbreaking, but man did those fight scenes deliver the goods. It basically combines elements from Clash of the Titans and 300, only with more blood and extended combat scenes where you can actually see the damage being inflicted. Due to popular demand in the comments section, the next sentence is a SPOILER. I absolutely loved the scene where the Gods came down and fought the Titans at the end. What a beautiful display of visually gory bliss. The CGI was mostly used to great effect, which was a shocker. The way Mount Olympus was portrayed was the best version I have seen, with very little cloud coverage.

The acting from Henry Cavill...

Phenomenal and Artistic
Tarsem Singh is truly a genius when it comes to artistic movie-making, as done before in his film "The Fall," which was one of the best dramas i have ever seen. Mickey Rourke was just incredible as the evil and merciless Hyperion, who just about brutally murdered everyone in his way. Henry Cavill was convincing as Theseus but could have done a bit better. Luke Evans was great as a younger-looking Zeus, and Freida Pinto was just beautiful eye candy as Phaedra, one of Hyperion's virgin oracles. As this film is impossible to not be compared to 300, i have to say, i think this one wins the war; 300 was a very incredible ACTION movie, but not as a whole complete film. It gave us a tiny bit of story in the beginning, little character development, and all action throughout the second and third acts of the film. Immortals on the other hand, mixed the action with story, carefully pacing the awesome visuals and fighting with dialogue and confrontations between characters. The visuals, by the...

Style over substance, but quite a lot of style.
Western literature has been mining Greek mythology ever since the time of the Romans, but the last few years have seen a volume of screen adaptations not seen since Ray Harryhausen was in his prime. The start of the 2000s saw a couple of films set in Ancient Greece but without the gods ("Troy", most notably, then "300", though the latter adopted an oft-copied stylized book that had little to do with reality either), which gave way to myth-based adventures (the "Clash of the Titans" remake, the adaptation of "Percy Jackson and the Olympians"; incidentally, though that latter film was bad, I highly recommend the books it was based on). "Immortals" has, based on the trailers, been pegged as a "300" knockoff with the gods present. There are certainly some similarities, but Singh's visual sense is ultimately much different than Zack Snyder's was (there's a lot more beauty and colour in this world, for starters, whereas Snyder's emphasized earth tones and grime. Plot details are...

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The Lion King 1 1/2

Surprisingly good direct-to-video release from Disney
We're all aware that not much can compare to the original Lion King film. The animation, songs, voices...everything just perfection. However, as an ardent fan of the film, and in particular Timon and Pumbaa, this was snapped up as soon it went on sale - and boy, what a nice surprise! A direct to video release that's actually decent!

This film is much of an improvement on the first "sequel". Simba's Pride just didn't hold any of the magic of the original story - and barely held my attention for one showing before being put onto the shelf to get dusty. I was immediately more interested in this film as I thought it's premise held much more entertainment quality. "Yeah, I'd like to see how everything was through Timon and Pumbaa's eyes" I thought, and I wasn't to be disappointed.

We're originally transported back to Timon's younger days to see why he came to team up with Pumbaa. It's dealt with very wittily, yet with enough warmth that you actually do care what happens to all...

Very fun, even if very different than the other two films
Our whole family actually really enjoyed this film. It should be noted that where the focus of Lion King 1 & 2 was primarily drama with comic relief, this film does not take itself seriously and is pure comedy. So, if comparing it to the other two films, you will likely come away disappointed. However, taken for what it is, pure and unadulterated nonsense, it is quite enjoyable. (I mean, come on, it's hosted by Timon and Pumbaa! What'd you expect?) :-)

If you were one who felt that the subject matter or drama of the original Lion King (or it's sequel) were a bit too intense for your young child, you'll be pleasantly surprised at this light-hearted fare featuring the Lion King ensemble. It's a great way to introduce children to the cast of characters they've become familiar with through theme parks, Disney marketing and television, in a harmless way.

If you're a big fan of the Lion King, you'll likely also enjoy this energetic and cheeky romp, with...

For the True Disney Fan!
We got to see a sneak showing of this Disney treat, and laughed until we cried! This clever retelling of the epic Disney story has more jokes and humor than any I've seen in a long time. And there are plenty of laughs for adults as well as children. If you call yourself a Disney fan, then this is a MUST OWN! From beginning to end: inventive and ingenious. (Note: Movie fans may find that just as the Lion King mirrored the story of Hamlet, this version may remind you of an indie film that told the same "Hamlet" story through the eyes of two minor characters -who's paralle storyline zig-zagged across the same chain of events. Only with nowhere near the same humorous results!) Hint: Place the remote where all can see it - or you'll think someone is playing with it!

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London River

Two well apart worlds united by a common destiny!
After the crude aftermath of 07/07/05 in London, Elzabeth (Brenda Bleythin)who works as farmer in Guernsey, devout Christian decides to go London after failing to hear from her daughter. On the other hand Ousmane (Sotigui Kouyate) is a West African Muslim who has come from France to find his missing son.

Both parents are unknowingly inextricably linked by the traps of destiny and will face more call the tragedy of racial prejudice or religious beliefs.

A concise and memorable film, where nothing is reiterative, which had a flawless script, masterful performances and superb direction both behind the scenes of Bouhareb Rachid.

A bold, stark and bleak movie that takes a tiny portion of this collective tragedy that rocked the city of London in that fateful year.

You can not ignore one of the thirty best films of this decade for the world. I recommend it widely.

P.D. This film deserved to Sotigui Konyaté the Silver Bear Prize...

Allow These Two Lonely Travelers To Fill Your Heart...
Directed by Rachid Bouchareb, this movie is set in England during and following the bus bombings of July seventh, 2005. A long widowed mother, Elisabeth (Brenda Blethyn) has been watching the happenings on her television during the day, leaving messages for her daughter, Jane, to call her back.

Elisabeth lives in the lush countryside by the river on a small farm, and spends her days active with her animals and her church activity. She frequents the cemetery where her husband, William, has been laid to rest after his service in the war. She talks to him as if they were carrying on a conversation and also sees her brother Edward at the farm.

A lone man, Ousmane (Sotigui Kouyate) has traveled from Africa fifteen years prior, now residing in France although has journeyed to London. He has come to look for his son Ali, after the bombing has caused him to go missing. Ousmane has promised his wife that he will find and return him to his family in Africa...

Brenda Blethyn Shines Bright!
This a wonderful and touching movie and Brenda Blethyn is the reason! Although a difficult and painful story to watch, it is filled with emotion, warmth and love. Truly a must see!

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Bad Actress

BAD ACTRESS: A Few Screws Short for A Good Screwball Comedy
There's a fine line distinction between comedy and farce. Comedy is the broader term. Comedy defines an entire genre of humorous stories. On the other hand, farce is a very particular brand - a very particular beast, if you will - within the entire world of comedy, a subgenre of the main animal. What distinguishes farce from comedy? Generally speaking, comedy relies heavily on cleverly timed punch lines, one right after the other; farce - in its truest form - relies heavily on maintaining the comic pace of the entire piece. Comedy delivered poorly isn't funny, and farce delivered without the proper sense of timing isn't comic; rather, it's dull. I've heard it said that comedy is clever dialogue while farce is frenziedly verbal calamity - simple humor versus sheer unbridled, nonstop lunacy - and that's a sentiment I strongly agree with.

That said, BAD ACTRESS isn't a `bad' film at all. Its writing is clever, just not consistently winning. Its lunacy is endearing,...

Great Actress
The wonderful Beth Broderick (who would forget her as the clever, smart and sexy Aunt Zelda in "Sabrina the Teenage Witch") plays Alyssa, a TV stars who's best times are over long ago. She now does commercials for her husband's air condition company.

After the accident of their daughter, Alyssa's husband (a fine performance by Chris Mulkey) tries to find his inner peace in Buddhism. Alyssa sees no other way than to kill her husband. He will not be the only one. The body count rises and so does Alyssa's career.

I just loved the weird sense of humor in this film (which director Robert Lee King also used in Psycho Beach Party) and the funny inside jokes.

Beth Broderick's performance as washed up TV star is really outstanding. She is not only a great actress, she also looks great in this film. She has two gorgeous funny nude scenes in "Bad Actress". Her beautiful face, pretty legs and that perfect body makes every 20-year old girl fade away.

If...

Stupid movie
Pretty stupid movie and to be honest in many cases you could see pretty bad acting overall not just the hammy performance by the lead woman. but the other characters as well. Not worth buying thats for sure.. Id save your money for a better movie. Also i noticed in many places it seems sound quality was kind of poor.. Meh.

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Ballet Dreams

Teaches children to have bad attitudes
I don't really like Angelina's attitude. I would not want my daughters acting like her, therefore I wouldn't want them watching this again.

Angelina is great!
My kids don't like most shows - they get scared really easily. This is a great show - they love it!

My Grand daughter Loves it!
As well as I! this is an enjoyable movie that can be watched continuously and never get tired of it

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Two Minute Warning [HD]

"the whole place is a kill-zone"
Filmed in and around the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, this often absurd but always entertaining thriller will be enjoyed by those like me who have an affection for '70s action/disaster movies like "Airport", and the many that followed it.

This like the other films follows the usual formula in the first half by giving us a glimpse into the lives of the participants, which the net of fate reels in for the grand finale, and Charlton Heston and John Cassavetes have a slew of excellent actors to back them in these many parts, like Martin Balsam, Beau Bridges, Gena Rowlands, and even Walter Pidgeon as a pickpocket.

The plot starts with an unidentified sniper killing a cyclist from a hotel window, and then moving to a rooftop location in the stadium, where a championship football game will be played to a sold-out crowd. One of the more realistic parts of the film is how the screaming, cheering crowd is oblivious of what is happening around them (some of it amusing if...

It only takes one sniper...
It only takes one sniper to cause mayhem at a jam-packed Los Angeles Coliseum in this terribly underrated film that was wrongly tagged as an assembly-line disaster pic or a violent big-budget exploitation film. TWO-MINUTE WARNING gets good performances from leading actors Charlton Heston, Martin Balsam, and John Cassavetes in this well-made suspense thriller of police forces trying to stop a mysterious psychotic sniper from shhoting into a crowd of between ninety and one hundred thousand at a championship football game in the Coliseum. The film concludes with a horrible stampede of panic and horror that has all too accurately been repeated in real life in European soccer violence.

Although it has certain melodramatic elements and an all-star lineup (Brock Peters, Gena Rowland, David Janssen, Jack Klugman, etc.), TWO-MINUTE WARNING mostly avoids the pratfalls common to the disaster genre. And the climax, while indisputably violent (earning the film its 'R' rating) is never...

Good 70's action flick
This is an interesting movie, especially in light of what's happened in this country over the last 30+ years.

Filmed in and around the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 1976. Very low tech by todays standards, but that is part of the appeal. It's always fun to see the old cars, fashions and technology.

There is a long list of stars, as with most movies of this era: Charlton Heston, John Cassavetes,Martin Balsam, Beau Bridges, Gena Rowlands, and even Walter Pidgeon as a pickpocket.

The plot revolves around an unidentified sniper during a championship football game with a sold-out crowd. Unfortunately, you never learn his identity, his target or his motivation.

There are some terrible lines in this movie. The acting is fair to good. The best scene was near the end, when the police are shooting it out with the sniper, and the television crews are watching it all from their trailer.

Overall it's a fair movie that's intersting as a...

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Stretch Flex & Tone

Wonderful, Slow Stretch Sequence That Increases Range of Motion (ROM)
I just finished going through this DVD for the first time and had some things I liked and some disappointments. The Stretch part was an excellent slow, thorough stretch. It would be great for those who have a limited range of motion, recovering from an injury, or just beginning to exercise. It is also a good all-over stretch for anyone, although it is longer than I usually spend stretching, because I get enough stretch from yoga, usually one of Rodney Yee's DVDs.

The second part, the "Flex" section by Rodney Yee, is great. In fact, I already own two copies of Rodney Yee's Power Yoga Flexibility. I didn't need another one. It's worth the price of the whole DVD if you don't have it.

The third part was the "tone" section, kind of a "walk-it-out", now "walk-it-out with your knees a little higher", warm-up where you keep raising your knees a little higher as you warm up, to increase your heart rate, and then a boxer's shuffle. I don't do those because they hurt my...

Meh
I am really out of shape and wanted a video thats got a great stretch routine, this video seemed old and i ididnt even finish it before i decided i didnt like it. I would look elsewhere.



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The Twilight Zone - Vol. 36

The New Exhibit is still terrifying
"As a result, the episode lacks the slick elegance and grim humor that marked Beaumont's best work, but it is nevertheless funny."

Funny? Who does this bozo think he is? This is the best of the best. The New Exhibit still give me chills. It is a master work.

The Physical and Metaphysical Capabilities of the Mind
Elixirs, potions, whimsical spells, unearthly pacts with ethereal folk and the like, have often conjured up interesting storylines in the TWILIGHT ZONE. "The Chaser" is no exception, though in a much lighter vein. George Grizzard is perfect as the scorned lover falling for a very indifferent pillar of pulchritude, Patricia Barry via the assistance of John McIntire. Curious results found her.

"The Rip Van Winkle Caper" is one of those TWILIGHT ZONE episodes that gets constant play on the perennial run of holiday Twilight Zone marathons. Still it is fun to watch this tale of greed and cunning deception as criminal mastermind played, by Oscar Beregi, and his coldblooded partner, played by Simon Oakland, steal a treasure trove of gold bullion. Going into suspended animation for a hundred years they figure nobody will ever connect them with the crime. Inflation comes in many flavors. There is much more than the inflation of their egos that comes into play here.

"The...

"The New Exhibit": Dark and Disturbing
"The New Exhibit," by Charles Beaumont, is my favorite episode on this DVD. The dark, psychological script is typical of Beaumont's work for THE TWILIGHT ZONE. Gentle Martin Lombard Senesceu (Martin Balsam) is the avid curator of the "Murderer's Row" exhibit at Ferguson's Wax Museum. Trouble starts when Senesceu, upon learning that the museum will soon be abandoned, buys the life-size figures of such legendary murderers as Jack the Ripper, Albert W. Hicks, and Henri Landru and stores them in his basement. In time, Senesceu becomes so attached to his "friends" that he even begins to guide them with his own will. This is the perfect role for Balsam (who had previously played the detective in Hitchcock's PSYCHO), with his unassuming manner and intense eyes; his performance is a tour de force, from the quietly eerie opening scene in which one can see the first glimmerings of Senesceu's madness, to the explosive climax. "The New Exhibit" also boasts an excellent supporting cast --...

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