Randolph Scott: The Warner Archive Classics Collection (5 discs)

FANTASTIC supplement to the Budd Boetticher Collection of Scott Westerns
I have always been a fan of the classic westerns but was never a big John Wayne fan or even a real Clint Eastwood worshiper. For me the ultimate Western was always Shane, and I measured most westerns by that lofty standard. I grew up watching The Rifleman TV series, which sadly is still not fully represented on DVD (only on the long out of print 6 MPI box sets, which I have), and the Lone Ranger of course.

Until westerns started showing up on DVD, I never had many on home video. Then I started getting into the John Ford westerns, starting with The Searchers of course, the best Wayne western he ever did. What attracted me to Ford was the cinematography of course, and the gritty realism of the storytelling. From there I got into the Jimmy Stewart-Anthony Mann westerns, all great collaborations and again more realistic to me than many of the over the top Wayne movies. With Mann, the more noirish element was brought into the Western, with more complex storylines than a simple...

Randolph Scott--the BEST! Period! :D
If you want to leave your troubles behind and go back to a time when it was 'SPOT ON' to be the good guy.....this is the guy to go to. Heroes of a by gone era......Randolph Scott, John Wayne, Matt Dillion, etc. Heroes kids could look up to and want to be like. Heroes who always looked out for the little guy and stood up for and knew the difference between right and wrong. When I have had ENOUGH of the ugliness of this world (via the news) I put in one of these movies and feel safe and happy for a moment.....all is right in the world. It can be this way again if we all look out for one another and stick together........REJECT the hate mongers. :''')

ANOTHER TOP NOTCH SET OF SCOTT FILMS
I can't add much to C.R.s review other than, CARSON CITY and WESTBOUND are in color and they are all fullscreen, except WESTBOUND its widescreen. Hopefully now we can look forward to another set with THE NEVADAN,CORONER CREEK,WESTERN UNION,BELLE OF THE YUKON and others.

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Mafia! & The Wrong Guy + Gone Fishin - TF

I love just the Wrong Guy, worth every penny
I bought this because Dave Foley mentioned it on WTF and said it was never released it because studio bought it out by Disney. He said it was "the best work I have ever done". You know what he was right, my wife who does not like Foley was laughing her ass off especially for last 50 minutes.

Mafia is just a good as the Gone Fishin. You just ask why?

4 for Foley
Dave Foley rules in The Wrong Guy. So does Craig from Malcolm in the middle. This set is cheaper than a copy of TWG by itself, plus you get a movie that has Danny Glover and Joe Pesci just chillin'. What could be more relaxing?



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Puppy Love

No Stress and Stiletto Heels
If you like safe, clean, and predictable romantic comedies, especially with a dog, you'll love this movie. Hallmark/Gaiam put out bunches of these films(see recently released, Fairfield Road), and they're well made with good actors and family friendly, this one's Dove approved for all ages.

Here stars Candace Cameron Bure, who's very good at this type of role, as single mom/professor Megan, and hunky guy, Victor Webster as Jake the aging ballplayer. Their paths cross when Jake's dog is mistakened for a stray and adopted by Megan and her 10 year old daughter, Caitlin(well played). Both Caitlin and Jake love the dog, but Megan and Jake are at odds with each other. All parties agree on joint pooch custody.

There's light comedy, and the possibility that the battle between the sexes could lead to an unexpected romance. Our kids were interested during the first half while the dog was the main focus, but got antsy when the romance started to rear its mushy, gushy,...

Absolutely Adorable!
This was such a cute fuzzy movie. The main charactes do a great job at acting distant at first, then gradually warm up to each other. Perfect little movie for a rainy, afternoon.

Great Fun Movie
This is a must own movie for all dog lovers. It is a perfect movie for a rainy or quiet afternoon

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It Happened In The Park (villa Borghese)

Quirky, but you might like it
This is a decidedly quirky film, not to everyone's taste for sure, but has some very enjoyable moments. It's a series of vignettes, set in the Roman park known as the Villa Borghese, and taking place during a single day. The director, Vittorio De Sica makes an appearance in the most farcical of the pieces, as a middle-aged womanizer, tripped up while attempting to slip away for an afternoon seduction. There are some touching moments as well. Very enjoyable if quirky is your cup of tea.





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The Falcon Mystery Movie Collection; Volume 2

Great selection of the final "Falcon" 1940's mystery movies starring Tom Conway
The Falcon Out West 1944
The Falcon In Mexico 1944
The Falcon In Hollywood 1944
The Falcon In San Francisco 1945
The Falcon's Alibi 1946
The Falcon's Adventure 1946

I've always enjoyed the old Falcon mystery movies series from the 1940's, especially after Tom Conway took over the role. This DVD set is all Tom Conway and presents his final films as the Falcon. These are all well-made films that move along at a rapid pace (especially "The Falcon In Hollywood"), have interesting characters, and some comic relief. My favorite is "The Falcon In San Francisco", but there's not one of them that's a bad film, and they're fun to watch late in the evening when you don't want to see any of the "entertainment" offered on broadcast TV or cable.

This is a 2-DVD set with 3 films on each disc. Although the old RKO films are great, the packaging of the DVD set is below average and could have easily been made more appealing by Warner Brothers simply...

WONDERFUL! MORE FALCON MYSTERIES NOW REMASTERED!
One of my favorite DVD collections was the first septet of THE FALCON mysteries starring George Sanders and then passing the torch to his on-screen and real-life brother Tom Conway assuming the role. The first volume left me, of course, wanting to own the rest of the series. I was hoping that Warner Brothers would follow with a Volume 2, and now it has finally arrived and was definitely worth the wait.

Each one of these films here is a delight, with Conway sleuthing his way through various scenarios and proving to be an amusing lothario in each one. My particular favorite is "The Falcon in Hollywood", because it is not only a nifty-little mystery, but it is also a behind-the-scenes look at the RKO studio lot of the era. Very cool.

Although only 2 discs, the brief running time of each film makes for all six films to fit on the dual-layer DVDs with fine quality (and a great value!). All 6 films in the set have been remastered for the occasion, and are a distinct...

THE BEST OF THE THREE BOX SETS
I've seen the George Sanders Saint collection, Sanders and Tom Conway Falcon edition, and now Conway's Falcon series..one reason I enjoyed this last entry might be a slight preference for Tom over George..but that's pretty subjective...the primary reason has to do with the way the movies were filmed...many of the the early films of the series were shot on the studio lots with the standard claustrophobic sets...perhaps war restrictions played a part in this..in the Conway Falcon episodes, you have what appears to be on location settings from out West, Mexico, San Francisco, and Miami...certainly not the closet capers of the earlier films....and as I said I do prefer Tom to George...Sanders seems a little lucky and heavy afoot at times, while Conway is more crafty, always with a trick up his sleeve..I believe the writing for Conway's last six films easily trumps the earlier works, with only the annoying sidekick common to all of them...and you won't want to miss Jane Greer in The...

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Broken Roads

Great film and Soundtrack
The soundtrack for this film was perfect!! The scoring and mood it captured were spot on. Get the film - get the track!!!

A TERRIFIC NEW FILM!!
A pleasant surprise film in an age of violence and extravaganzas!! An excellent cast creates an old story in a new and exciting way. Great locations, excellent camera work and a terrific cast!! Sally Kirkland is still wonderful and Shoshanna Bush is a real find.....I sure hope to see alot more of her. This film is definitely a MUST SEE!!

Spectacular.
Beautifully filmed! Beautiful story line! Incredibly touching movie! Good to see a great film in a day that most movies don't seem to capture anything of substance! 'Broken Roads' is ABSOLUTELY a MUST.SEE.

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Ghost Encounters: Paranormal Activity Abounds

k7
Lots of footage for your buck! I live for ghost shows, haha...this one was very cool. I started orders shows like these rather than the big Hollywood ones because a lot of those seem sooooo acted. I want to wonder if its real or not, not be certain that its fake! This one made me wonder. Eeriness abounds!

Shane
Wow! Great dvd. I'm a big fan of all the ghost shows and this is on par with all that stuff if not a little better. They need to make a series of this. I'm so there.

bring on the ghosts
Paranormal research is an awesome area to explore. Especially when you get to do it through the eyes of experts who know what they are doing and have the proper equipment. I have watched this one a few times.

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Night of the Demons 2

A pleasing Second Take
Night of the Demons 2 disappointed many people, mostly due to the fact that they seemed to expect something more akin to its predecessor. I don't count myself amongst those individuals, however, because I've come to expect sequels, especially the 1980s horror-based ones, to become more humorous as they progress. Personally, I thought this movie was actually very enjoyable, in part because of the return of Hull House and our favorite possession candidate and in part because of the humor involved. Sequels that take themselves too seriously oftentimes fail as frightening follow-ups.
The movie borders around Halloween once more, the only time the demons can truly be a happy-go-luck bringer of evil. Enter a group of kids from St. Rita's Academy that thought it would be fun to have a party at the infamous Hull House, and you have yourself the beginning of a bloodbath. Added into the story are a few new concepts as well, like the question of what would happen if something were carried...

Equally entertaining sequel.
Highly enjoyable sequel features another group of teens going back to the same mansion. As before, all hell breaks loose eventually. Played more for laughs, this one's just as fun as its predecessor(though the pacing isn't quite as good as the original)and it has even more gore, nudity, and lesbian kisses (Cristi Harris, yum!)! Steve Johnson's make-up effects are excellent and probably his best work to date.
*** 1/2 out of *****

It will scare the hell out of you -again!
This movie was a little corny than the first.It was about teenagers from st. rita's acadamy that want to throw a party at hull house.Among the teenageers is Angela's sister Milissa(mouse) and wierd things start happening so the teens leave thinking they were safe.Boy were they wrong.One teen brought back lipstick from the house and relised Angela!At a church dance Angela unleashes evil.So a nun a priest and the surviving teens must face Angela and her demon buddies at hull house!This movie had a lot more nudity than the first and It will scare the hell out of you!

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Les Miserables

The one and only Jean Valjean
I saw the movie for the first time when I was 10. I am not of the French background. I fell in love with the mistique of France. Partly it happened because of the inspiring characters created by Jean Gabin and other gaints of the Hexagon. A discovery for everyone who thinks about G-d, destiny, duty, revolution. To my opinion, that is the only version that wouldn't have made Victor Hugo livid had he seen it. Jean Gabin will always remain the only "authorized", canonic Jean Valjean. All other musicals and shows, no matter how flamboyant and and new agy, are lacking that "since 1815" cognac-like nobility that Jean Gabin embodies so well.

Les Miserables (1957) Jean Gabin is Jean Valjean
I saw this movie when it came out, and I also saw most of the other "Les Miserables" as they came out..this one is simply the best (Victor Hugo must have turned in his grave at some of the newer versions) One disappointment for me especially, why do you not offer this classic in the original French version? Gabin was one of the best French actors in this century and his gravelly voice is unique and especially missed in this movie.

Excellent acting, although not th best picture quality
This is an excellent adaptation of Victor Hugo's excellent novel. All the Actors are excellent. The only draw back is that the picture quality is very poor. If it is 'Remastered" this will be the best way yo can enjoy Les Miz (Except for the musical) Buy it its only $25,

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Pill

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.

Light Comedy with a NY Touch
Light comedy with a NY touch for those in the dating world. Good directing and acting. Nice scenes of New York City.

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.....

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The Mooring

Touching Realism and Some Real Tension
“The Mooring” is more affecting than the usual crazed-stalker-in-the-woods film. It cares enough to lend some plausibility to the girls’ predicament. A group of young women are sent out on a milder “Outward Bound” sort of excursion away from their accustomed urban comforts. All of them have been compulsive over-users of cell phone and Internet technology, sometimes with serious consequences. So there’s a reason for their being set down in the woods without a working cell phone among them.

Then the conversation here is much more realistic than the usual film-version of conversation among teens before they start getting picked off by backwoods psychopaths. While the two-hour limitations of the film doesn’t allow us to get to know all nine girls very well, we do get a glimpse of some of their distinctive personalities. What’s most refreshing is that these girls’ conversation isn’t limited to foul-mouthed belligerence...

Surprisingly Good Slasher Film
Thomas Wilson Brown is perfect as the creepy villain. This is more of a suspense/thriller than a horror film, and that's not a bad thing. You actually feel sorry for these girls because they look like actual high school girls, not typical Hollywood mid-to-late twenty year olds. The thing I really liked about The Mooring was that it's not your typical slasher film, yes there's plenty of that, but it paces nicely. Sure, I would have liked to see more of a background on why the killer became crazy, but there are plenty of surprises and the cinematography was really impressive for being a low budget indie film. Definitely worth an evening watch. You'll never think of the river the same again!

HOW DO YOU MOVE THE HORSE?
The Mooring comes across as two separate films. The first half consists of a group of giggly young girls going camping/boating. They are all in trouble due to their addiction to the electronic media: i.e shyness, accident while texting, cyber bullying, writing Amazon reviews etc. They give up the gizmo world and are assigned tasks like "write a hand written letter" or play a board game...things they have difficult doing. I really liked this aspect of the movie as the effect the electronic media has had on society still lacks data points.

This was a way to build character and to eliminate cell phones before it digresses into a bad abduction story with a guy who plays violent video games and has trouble relating to people.

The main problem I had was there were too many girls to get to know. It was difficult to establish all those characters. The second problem I had was that the first half of the picture was pretty darn decent as a separate film. I resented the...

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Bath Salt Zombies

I HAD AN IDEA ONCE
This film is not about zombies in the traditional sense. An illegal drug called bath salts is making its users become violent and rip people's faces off. Done to a punk rock sound track, the film is more about the music than the production. Bad acting and dialouge. The opening is animation, and not very good animation. A short 70 minute film for people who are stoned. Good nudity.

Parental Guide: F-bomb, sex, nudity (Erin R. Ryan, Bella Demente FF)

Awful movie
The plot was pretty bad, and it didn't make a lot of sense. Had a lot of disconnects in the story.

just plain bad
So much potential, so much let down. Another low budget bash with horrible acting that was much smarter in design than execution. One to avoid.

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Fangoria Presents: Axed

TODAY IS ALL ABOUT YOU
Just when you think there is nothing new in horror, something comes along and grabs you. Axed is a separate breed of dark comedy, I call dark slasher comedy. This include scenes you find yourself laughing at, yet embarrassed that you do so.

Kurt ((Jonathan Hansler), a somewhat prudish man just got the ax at work. I like the small details Driscoll works into the scene. At a beautifully laid out breakfast table, Kurt picks up and looks at a burnt toaster waffle. Having just been fired at work, Kurt decides to have a surprise family day taking everyone into the country. As they pass school, Kurt informs them of his plans.

His daughter Megan says, "This isn't funny."

Dad replies, "I wouldn't say that." A little hint the writer tosses at us that this was meant to be a very dark comedy.

Dad has issues with his family. His son Jay (Christopher Rithin) isn't manly enough and gets bullied. His daughter Megan (Nicola Posener) isn't modest enough...

Effective
An effective if mostly unpleasant British thriller about a man who loses it after being downsized from his job. He brings his family out to the country for an impromptu holiday that's really an excuse to kill them off before committing suicide himself. This is fairly intense and well-acted but not really much fun. If you're on the mood for something a bit on the grim and sad side then this might be for you.

Axed review
I rented this after watching another Fangoria sponsored release Human Resources. I give this a little less than middle of the road review. It was mildly interesting but I just wasnt as riveted to the film as Human Resources. I am not interested in purchasing this at all. A British release with fair acting just not a unique story.

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3 Weeks to Daytona

It's not the machine, it's the dream (official tagline)
"3 Weeks To Daytona" - starring Scott Cohen ("Kissing Jessica Stein", USA network's "Necessary Roughness"), Jorja Fox ("ER", "The West Wing", "CSI:") and Rip Torn ("Men In Black", "Freddy Got Fingered"), directed by Bret Stern ("R2PC: Road to Park City").

I was lucky enough to see this at the private screening in NYC in 2011, and got to chat with the director after. It's a film about NASCAR, but it's not all racing - though there are several very good racing scenes in it. Instead, it's a film about the people behind the racing: Chuck Weber (Scott Cohen) drives an airport limo by day, but his real passion is racing... unfortunately, he hasn't won a race in years. His girlfriend / crew chief...

Great Movie
If you love Jorja Fox, race cars, kids & cheering for the underdog, then you will definitely enjoy this movie.

Good
A movie about a man and his dream and the things that come between them, you know that little thing called life. It was worth watching and I enjoyed it. Scott Cohen was excellent as always as the down and out race car driver who still dreams of making it big. He's out of money, on the out's with his girlfriend, struggling at work and at times is a horrible father. All he really wants to do is race his car; the car he can't afford to fix and he can't seem to win with.

He has one last chance at redemption. It's a way to redeem not just his racing dream, but like all good sports movies, if he can fix that he just might be able to put the rest of his life back into place as well.

The cast was for the most part excellent, the story was pretty good, the budget was low, but the movie is worth watching. Just don't expect a big Hollywood production. If you're fan of Scott Cohen or Jorja Fox you won't be let down, both put in great performances.

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Special Forces (Forces Speciales)

Some `Special' Production Value & Excellent Performances Battle the Clichés In SPECIAL FORCES
Good military thrillers are hard-to-find, and that's probably because the field of cinema has long cultivated lesser soldier pictures masquerading as something bigger or grander than what they truly are. For example, a reviewer for the Hollywood Reporter draws a light comparison to the Rambo films ("a body count that rivals any of the Rambo films"), and, to be honest, I think that does a disservice to SPECIAL FORCES as well as it does Rambo. Rambo is clearly a fictional creation; sure, he's entertaining and a crowd-pleaser, but the men who make up true-life Special Forces teams have very little in common with and how Rambo goes about his job. Rambo is bigger-than-life. He's over-the-top. Real soldiers lie low much of the time, and they only rush into combat when either ordered or find it absolutely necessary.

It's a fine-line distinction, but it's one that should be made when discussing competent military thrillers like SPECIAL FORCES.

(NOTE: The following...

The Mission Was A Woman: A Daring Rescue Leads To A Brutal Cross Country Chase
As I sat down to watch the French film "Special Forces," I was poised to enjoy a complex story of tactical operations and international politics. And in the opening scenes, that's just what the movie seemed on the precipice of serving up. However, as the primary story line came into focus, it was clear that "Special Forces" really wasn't about an elite military squad in anything other than title. We see a couple of missions, but nothing of any real strategy is presented. I would have enjoyed these scenes a lot more if the screenplay had delineated just what made this squad so spectacular from a technical, intelligence, or stealth point of view. But as I said, this action endeavor isn't really about a special forces team per se. It is rescue picture. If you remember the tag line for Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan," it stated that "the mission was a man." Here, the only objective is the rescue of a woman who happens to be a French war correspondent. In other words, the mission was a...

loved it
I loved it some whale like tears of the sun , I will make this movie part of my DVD collection the sooner they make this movie a DVD release the better .

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Easter Parade [Blu-ray]

Astaire, Garland, Irving Berlin, and Movie Magic
Originally intended as a re-teaming of Judy Garland and Gene Kelly, EASTER PARADE ran into trouble when Garland's doctors advised against her working under the direction of her husband, director Vincent Minnelli--and no sooner did director Charles Walters take the helm than Gene Kelly broke his leg. Out of such confusion are movie musical miracles born: although a bit old to act as Garland's leading man, Fred Astaire was coaxed out of retirement. He and Garland had tremendous chemistry, EASTER PARADE was a box office smash, and Astaire unexpectedly found himself reborn as an MGM star.

Set in 1900s New York, the film's story line is flimsy but enjoyable. After long-time dance partner Ann Miller abandons the act, Astaire hires chorus girl Garland and attempts to recast her in his former partner's mold--a situation which offers Astaire and Garland considerable comedy and gives Astaire the chance to parody several of his own famous dance of the 1930s. Garland eventually convinces...

I Love This Movie!!!!!!!!
Some movies (especially movies from today) are really to me just a waste of time and money. People just don't seem to care about what people see on the screen anymore. And that is one of the reasons I LOVE old movies! Because you can always, almost, well, you can really never go wrong!! And Easter Parade is one of those movies to just treasure. To save for your children and grandchildren. So they can's appreciate the past, and know that there once was a time when people cared about the things they put on that larger than life screen.

Easter Parade begins with the ballroom dancer, Don Hews (Fred Astaire). Who is in love with his goregeous partner (Ann Miller) Oh, what a star!

Those two are a great team that audiences love. But when Nadene, (Miller) becomes hungry for renown, she dumps him for the Zigfield Follies, and Don's best friend, the handsome Johnny Harlow (Peter Lawford).

Angry Don sets off to prove to Nadene that he can dance with anybody and...

Fred and Judy - who could ask for anything more?
This film is a joy from start to finish and, as has been mentioned elsewhere, the colour and sound reproduction on the DVD are excellent. On this `special edition' there is also an interesting extra in the making of documentary - Easter Parade: On the Avenue - in which you get to learn interesting little snippets such as the fact that Anne Miller had to dance her numbers in a surgical corset due to the fact that, shortly prior to shooting the film, her husband had pushed her down the stairs and broken her back! Also, some might not have known that, but for a similar, though not quite so severe injury, Gene Kelly might have been playing the lead. The aspect ratio also means that you get the full screen image rather than it being cut down.

There is so much to enjoy: not least, of course, We're a Couple of Swells, in which Judy had to persuade Fred to `dust on' and go very much against the normally suave, sophisticated and elegant grain! It is in this number that she seems...

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Irreconcilable Differences (Special Edition)

the movie is a GEM, The DVD is a Crime!
I have liked this movie for years and years. It was well done, charming, and worth repeat viewings.

Lionsgate has done an appallingly awful job on this DVD. They don't even know who their audience are...

It opens with a very inappropriate red-banded, R rated noisy hard-sell preview of a horror movie, followed by another horror preview. Both of these fourth-rate screamers have unknown casts, yet they were treated infinitely better than the feature we are paying for on this disc - a well written movie starring four very famous actors. While the horror movies got newly remastered in widescreen with new interviews, this movie seems to have been copied from a grainy pan/scan transfer on an old VHS tape.

The gratingly cheesy-busy menus seem to have been made up by someone who thinks the 80s were nothing but disco. The scene selection is lazily authored to force the viewer to manually navigate from page to page, rather than linking them together so you...

IRRECONCILABLE TRANSFER
I echo some of the other reviews. The movie is terrific; the other "Lost" titles (with the exception of "Slaughter High") are full-framed but pristine prints. This transfer is as grainy as if I had taken the VHS and copied it myself to a DVD. It's an amazing rip-off, but I guess it doesn't matter to Lionsgate. I can't imagine what can be done, save sending back the discs. But since there's no other version (EXCEPT an old VHS copy--with the same quality) you're plum f***k out of luck.

Please read if you are a fan of this movie.
This was a great movie with an all star cast. The plot was fantastic and it was an excellent "feel good" movie. The movie gets five stars and the film transfer to dvd gets zero stars. My rating is two stars. I love this movie so I bought it to have it in my collection. I am keeping it even though it has many dark scenes and blackouts. Keep this in mind and hopefully someday we will get a good print of this film.

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Marvel The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes! Volume Six

Baffled...
If you haven't delved into "Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes" yet then you need to know that each episode does not stand alone: they are part of a continuing narrative and build the story over several episodes, if not an entire season.

That said, since the fifth volume of this series is supposed to contain episodes from the 2nd season out of sequence, does that mean the viewer is expected to switch discs with this sixth volume and back again in order to watch them chronologically?

Has Disney gone insane? Does anyone know what the word is on this issue?

*******************************************************************************************
Seems we'll get all we have coming to us, but may have to wait for a complete two season set to iron out the mis-ordering of the episodes - if ever.

Season two episodes are as follows (from Wikipedia):

27 1 "The Private War of Doctor Doom"
28 2 "Alone Against A.I.M."
29 3...

Wonderful!!
This is a great DVD with wonderful stories and the last of the DVDs for this series. The only disappointing part of this experience is that Marvel stopped making Avengers:EMH. Not sure why they did this because everyone I talk to loved this series.

Conclusion to an Epic Series!
I've been an Avengers fan since childhood and I have to say this show pays it's respect to old mythology and new in this series. The characters are all on target. The writers aren't missing a beat. It's just too bad that the show is being canceled. It was too good to last. It was very intellegent, and well produced. It didn't fail this old school fan of the Avengers. I just have to ask, what show is going to replace it? I just hope the new Avengers series is just as complex and drawn out as this one.

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Innocent Bystanders

The Last Time Into The Breach
Director Peter Collinson's production of 'INNOCENT BYSTANDERS'-1972 arrived at the wane of the Spy Film genre as fans were seeing Sean Connery leave the James Bond franchise and awaiting Roger Moore to attain the mantle. This film owes alot to that particular time frame even down to the ludicrous music score by John Keating trying to emulate the sound and themes of John Barry. It does, however, succeed by having a clever script by James Mitchell which is based on the novel by James Munro and a stellar cast. Stanley Baker who's career was largely forgotten at this time plays John Craig, a washed up psychologically scarred Department K agent who's given one last job to redeem himself by his boss, Looms, played magnificently cold and calculating by the great Donald Pleasence. Dana Andrews ,in one of his last appearances , plays the head of the CIA and Cec Linder who played Felix Lieter in Director Guy Hamilton's classic Bond opus 'GOLDFINGER'- 1964 plays his shrink. We also have...

GREAT MOVIE BUT BLU-RAY IS REGION A ONLY
DOES NOT APEAR TO BE STATED ON THE PRODUCT ITSELF, BUT AMAZON IS CORRECT FOR THIS BLU-RAY'S REGION CODING. SADLY, IT WILL NOT PLAY ON REGION B PLAYERS, AN UNFORTUNATE SITUATION WHEN THERE HAS BEEN NO SEPARATE RELEASE FOR REGION B.

Secret agent capor for those tired of the Bond gimmicks
I was pleased to discover that Amazon carried the DVD of this 1972 British spy film.

I had only seen (in part) one other version and that was a version shown on network television years ago. For some reason, the TV version in the USA included additional scenes, apparently filmed in New York. I know that it has been a trend lately to release DVD versions (and even theatrical versions) of films called the extended cut, the director's cut, or a version with an alternate ending.

The early version of INNOCENT BYSTANDERS was, I believe, one of those theatrical films with new scenes added to the televised version to pad it out to fit into a network time slot that could include commercials. The most shameless example of this is the Hammer film KISS OF EVIL or KISS OF THE VAMPIRE which has newly (and insipid) scenes filmed for the televised showing. In some cases, scenes in the original theatrical films are often expurgated because they include footage (usually violent)...

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Live Nude Girls [Blu-ray]

The irony of the title will not be lost on the right audience
You have to smile at the idea of all of those viewers, predominantly of the male persuasion, who took one look at the title of this DVD, and may be a second look at Olivia D'Abo, Dana Delaney, and Kim Cattrall on the cover, and decided to rent it only to end up being bitterly disappointed. You have to give credit to writer-director Julianna Lavin because she reneges on all three parts of her title. Working back to front, except for some flashbacks the characters are women in their early thirties and not girls, the nudity is more emotional than physical (and for the latter you have to look really quick and then wait for the end of the movie when there is a lot of water), and when there is nudity it tends to occur in fantasy rather than reality. So there are going to be people totally devoid of any understand of the concept or irony who are not going to like this movie and the fact that what substantive nude scenes exist are erotic as defined from the feminine perspective will just...

definately a chick movie,but has a lot of laughs
This is definately a chick movie,but has alot of laughs with an ensemble cast of very talented ladies.This movie has alot of talk between women about sex,personal fantasy and turn ons. Its not the kind of thing that men would hear women talk about(very enlightening,it seems women talk about sex even more than men do). I still suggest this video for men because there is alot of eye candy:Kim Cattrail in a g-string teddy and Olivia d'abo in a lesbian fantasy scene along with Dana DeLany in a fantasy spanking scene and Cynthia Stevenson running around in her underwear. This movie is aimed at women but is really ok for guys too.

Dishonestly titled.
A better title might have been, "Chatty Neurotic Girls". Very talky and static; not terrifically engaging, unless you like the idea of eavesdropping at a substantially atypical girls' night out. There's a fine, attractive cast (Cattrall seems to be rehearsing her character from "Sex and the City," from what this cable-deprived fellow has read of that series), but (yawn) not much to do, and the situations are SO drearily melodramatic. More live nudity would have been an improvement.

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Live Nude Girls

The irony of the title will not be lost on the right audience
You have to smile at the idea of all of those viewers, predominantly of the male persuasion, who took one look at the title of this DVD, and may be a second look at Olivia D'Abo, Dana Delaney, and Kim Cattrall on the cover, and decided to rent it only to end up being bitterly disappointed. You have to give credit to writer-director Julianna Lavin because she reneges on all three parts of her title. Working back to front, except for some flashbacks the characters are women in their early thirties and not girls, the nudity is more emotional than physical (and for the latter you have to look really quick and then wait for the end of the movie when there is a lot of water), and when there is nudity it tends to occur in fantasy rather than reality. So there are going to be people totally devoid of any understand of the concept or irony who are not going to like this movie and the fact that what substantive nude scenes exist are erotic as defined from the feminine perspective will just...

definately a chick movie,but has a lot of laughs
This is definately a chick movie,but has alot of laughs with an ensemble cast of very talented ladies.This movie has alot of talk between women about sex,personal fantasy and turn ons. Its not the kind of thing that men would hear women talk about(very enlightening,it seems women talk about sex even more than men do). I still suggest this video for men because there is alot of eye candy:Kim Cattrail in a g-string teddy and Olivia d'abo in a lesbian fantasy scene along with Dana DeLany in a fantasy spanking scene and Cynthia Stevenson running around in her underwear. This movie is aimed at women but is really ok for guys too.

Dishonestly titled.
A better title might have been, "Chatty Neurotic Girls". Very talky and static; not terrifically engaging, unless you like the idea of eavesdropping at a substantially atypical girls' night out. There's a fine, attractive cast (Cattrall seems to be rehearsing her character from "Sex and the City," from what this cable-deprived fellow has read of that series), but (yawn) not much to do, and the situations are SO drearily melodramatic. More live nudity would have been an improvement.

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The Thief of Bagdad [Blu-ray]

Thief of Bagdad (Deluxe Edition) from Kino
Douglas Fairbanks' "The Thief of Bagdad" is in the public domain, so it's no surprise that there are many DVD and VHS versions of this film available, from bargain basement tapes with no music taken from battered source prints, to high-quality editions with fine music and extras. (Many of the reviews given here are for different editions, so if they complain about the video transfer, missing scenes, or the musical score, keep in mind that such comments don't apply to all editions.)

The Kino "Deluxe Edition" is digitally mastered from a 35mm archive negative, with 19 minutes of rare outtakes and special effects footage as extras. The film is tinted throughout -- a color effect that was used on its initial release, and which adds greatly to the fantastic nature of the story and its immense sets.

The new score by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra (a quintet that specializes in reviving music used during the silent film era) is based loosely on the original "cue sheet" for the...

Outlaw all post-release editing.
This is truly one the most spectacular films ever made, not suffering for having been made during the silent era. However, as correctly stated by another review of the film, the DVD version runs to 139mins as oppossed to the VHS 155mins. This is not due to DVD faster frame rate, but rather because the DVD version has had a huge portion of the film cut for no obvious reason. At one point, the Hero (Fairbanks) has fulfilled the prophecy of the princess and has been the first to touch the rose-tree, the next minute he is seen explaining to her (in an intimate scene) that he is not what he seems. Having seen the VHS a number of times, I can confirm that the DVD version has been brutally cut. Do not buy the DVD version, as it is a let-down with those scenes missing; thus the reason for my one star, which would otherwise have been 4 1/5 (5 stars with the Rimsky Korsakov soundtrack). You have been warned!

Simply Great- Kino Deluxe Edition
I haven't seen many silent films, but this must be the one of the greatest "fantasy" films of this period. I read it was made at an astonishing cost (for 1924, year of its release) U$ 2,5 millions!!? (It must have been filmdom's most expensive feature before the 1926 "Ben-Hur").

Douglas Fairbanks is in excellent shape & form, for the "athletic" part he has to play (at his "acrobatic" best-considering he was 40 years old when it was made); and embodies the hero (the thief of the title) perfectly, who is "redeemed" by the power of love (in the shape of a "languid" princess played by Julanne Johnston). The sets are just awesome & gorgeous (designed by the legendary William Cameron Menzies), plus deft direction by Raoul Walsh.

Great acting by Anna May Wong (as one of the princess' ladies in waiting) and SoJin (The Mongol Prince), who are perfect as the "villains" of the story.

The Kino DVD Release, brings a digital stereo orchestral new score, adapted from...

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Deep Rising & The Puppet Masters + The Minion - TF

This is a GREAT deal!
I loved Deep Rising. In fact, it's a quality movie that for years has been forgotten about. Then, right when I ordered it, I see it's back on TV on FX. Wow. Synchronicity. That combined with the Puppet Masters (alien overthrow) good movie make it a great deal.

Would be perfect without Minion lol
This is a great set of movies, with the exception of Minion! Dolph Lundgren should be ashamed to even put his name on it, much less have acted in it!! Deep Rising and The Puppet Masters are awesome movies!! Great story lines and just down right must haves, for any Sci-Fi enthusiasts. Minion stinks up the set and unfortunately is poorly conceived, acted and executed. Get the other two though!!



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Our Paradise

Surprising love story, completely free of stereotypes
I enjoyed this movie a lot more than I expected to based on other online reviews. There is a good bit of nudity, but not a lot more of Dimitri Durdaine than anybody else, and (in contrast to at least two others, including Stéphane Rideau) none of him that would qualify as "full frontal" - "full side" is more like it, and even those rarely show much except skin. Some other reviews give the impression that he almost never wears clothes and that the camera examines every square inch of his body, neither of which is true at all.

What there IS more of in this movie than most is naked middle-aged and older men, which may bother some people but delights me. Except for Durdaine, all of the naked men in this movie have pot bellies, including Rideau (who's getting comfortably close to middle age himself), which is wonderfully refreshing in an age when only bronzed and hairless gym bodies under 30 ever appear in American gay movies (Can we say BOR-ing?).

Now that...

Original French Gay Drama
Our Paradise (Notre Paradis) is the latest film from Gael Morel of `Le Clan' fame. It stars Stephane Rideau (`Presque Rien') as Vassili, an ageing rent guy who cruises the streets of Paris looking for tricks. He is also a dab hand at `finishing his clients off' and I do not mean in a `professional' way - yes he's a murderer. Then one wet, Parisian night he stumbles across a young man who has been attacked and robbed. He decides to help him and ends up taking him home. The boy has no name and says no memory of before he met Vassili.

So they decide to give him a name and hit upon Angelo (Dimitri Durdaine in his big screen debut). They then start a passionate relationship that does not exclude paying clients. Then they start to work as a team, but Angelo is attracting most of the attention and Vassili can't let his own proclivities stay dormant for too long. They end up seeking their paradise which will involve others, with unexpected consequences.

This is a really...

Great dark movie
I absolutely loved this very dark movie.Love can be strange at the best of times - and this is one of those movies.trust the French to create beautiful movies

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Don Giovanni

Mozart miracle!
This is possibly the most beautiful opera video ever produced. It was not filmed on stage, but on location in Vicenza, Italy, with absolutely stunning setting. It features excellent performances, including Ruggero Raimondi (the perfect Don) and Kiri Te Kanawa (the perfect Donna Elvira). Of the 5 or 6 greatest operas ever written (all Mozart's, in my opinion), some say Don Giovanni stands out as the most perfect achievement. Whatever your opinion may be, by getting this video you will be getting the very finest rendition of this masterwork I have ever seen. It is sung in the original Italian, with English subtitles. Incidentally, one reviewer complained of the poor quality of the sound. This is unfortunately true (shame on Kultur Videos!) but don't let this stop you from purchasing this excellent video - you won't regret it.

the beautiful production and the beastly sound
This is a "movie opera", and I am not a fan of them, because I find some of the passion is filtered out when the singing is separated from the acting, and though this film is well done, it has a lot of that "lip-synch" look, which dims the dramatic impact. I would rather watch a filmed live performance, with less gloss, and more feeling.
The lavish production is stunning to look at, with great art direction (by Alexandre Tauner) and cinematography (by Gerry Fischer), a very attractive cast, and of course, Mozart's score, which I think is his most sublime masterpiece.

The singers are excellent: Kiri Te Kanawa as Donna Elvira, and Edda Moser as Donna Anna really shine above all, both so lovely and graceful, and vocally wonderful. Moser especially manages to be emotionally expressive. Ruggero Raimondi is a fine Don Giovanni, Jose Van Dam a rather elegent Leporello, with John Macurdy as Il Commendatore, Kenneth Riegel as Ottavio, Teresa Berganza as Zerlina, and...

Visually, the best Don Giovanni on DVD
Joseph Losey's Don Giovanni is masterful. The opening scenes resonate perfectly with the music. The gathering clouds slowly darkening the sky and the melancholy sea beating against the shoreline foretell of a sea-change. Bad days are ahead for the Don. Ruggero Raimondi is the perfect Don Giovanni - totally believable and true to Mozart's characterization. The location shots add a dimension to Opera that take this production to another level. Losey makes sure the music is always in sync with the action. When Don Ottario is singing in the Gondolla, for instance, the oarsman is keeping perfect time with the music which, esthetically, is a major improvement over what is normally a dry section of the Opera. Another interesting touch that Losey gives to this production is the character, played by Eric Adjani, called the "Silent Valet." A sly mephistophelean presence that provides an excellent counterpoint to the levity of José van Dam's Leporello. Though he never speaks, his...

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Bullet Collector

Don't let this opportunity slip by...
Not to all tastes but for those who have a true love of truth in cinema, this is a must-see. I'll stop just short of calling anyone who sees it and does not like it a dunderhead. When an opportunity comes along to see a lean, no-nonsense piece of art, take that opportunity. Highly recommended.





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Virgin Murders

Superior Indie Thriller
I wouldn't exactly call "The Virgin Murders" a "horror" film - at least not in the technical sense of what such films are nowadays. It's more of a psychological thriller - with just a pinch of the supernatural thrown in to add a little spice. And while it's a bit lacking in its production values (it was, after all, shot on a shoestring budget in Arizona), its portrayal of its protagonist's slow and agonizing downward spiral - with solid performances from both the lead and supporting casts - more than makes up for it. All in all, a very promising debut from director Tina Randolph McCulloch!

Wow
This film is definitely not your average horror flick. Lots of twists and surprises to be sure. Kept me on the edge of my seat. I will rewatch this one.

k7
A very suspenseful movie...and pretty dark, too. It's a little random with the supernatural monsters & all, but it makes sense in the context of the story & adds a very original flavor.

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That Cold Day in the Park

Distinguished stage actress in her finest hour on screen.
Desperate for companionship, a lonely spinster invites a young homeless boy up to her apartment and then goes to drastic measures to make him stay. Following her Oscar-winning turn in Mike Nichols' ground-breaking drama "Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?", this is the gifted Sandy Dennis' finest hour on screen. As the demented heroine, Dennis makes you feel your way into her character's dark and ultimately disturbing world. It's a blissful, strikingly effective performance, and watching it one might wonder why Dennis didn't win a second Oscar. The film is also well-directed by a supremely talented fellow by the name of Robert Altman whom you may know as the creator of such hit films as "MASH" and "NASHVILLE". Unfortunately, "THAT COLD DAY IN THE PARK" bit the dust at the box-office. Like so many of Altman's films(3 Women, in particular), the movie requires a great deal of patience to fully understand its meanings, but those who sit it...

Upper middle-class solitude
In this old film by Robert Altman, we discover how solitude for a young woman is a plague on her way to happiness and satisfaction. She comes to the point where she cannot even ask anyone for the contact she desires. She lives in a completely artificial and closed world. One day she brings into her world a stranger she finds in a park and she desires him but she treats him like a canaribird in a cage : she feeds him, she bathes him, she dresses him, she provides him with all comfort, she even provides him with a woman, but he cannot escape, he is a prisoner. It is only within that frame and after a long evolution that she finally finds the courage to ask for what she wants, and yet with no promise that the cage will be reopened. In other words, after a long life with her mother after the death of her father and among people who are from her mother's world, she is totally handicapped in society and unable to navigate properly among desires and obstacles. She can only take and possess...

Intense Unique Poignant
Sandy Dennis is at her best in this film set in Vancouver in 1969. She plays a lonely woman and takes in a guy who pretends to be a mute. The most powerful aspect is what's going on in her mind..her break with reality when she realizes her vision of their relationship is an illusion. This mute guy is one evil dude. It's easy to empathize with Sandy's character. Another unique experiment in '60s revolutionary film: smashing many societal barriers.

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The Factory

IT WAS A DARK SEDAN
Gary (Dallas Roberts) has a hobby. He kidnaps prostitutes and impregnates them. He also kills a "pre-op transgender prostitute." (The best surprise is no surprise.) Mike Fletcher (John Cusack) and Kelsey Walker (Jennifer Carpenter) are two Buffalo detectives assigned to find the missing girls. This is not a who-dun-it. We see the culprit. The first part of the film establishes character and dysfunctional relationships. When Abby (Mae Whitman), Mike's prostitute looking daughter, becomes the latest missing victim, Mike crosses the line to find her.

First off, I love John Cusack, but he is no Liam Neeson. This doesn't have the action level or intensity of "Taken", or even "Taken 2." We watch as Mike tries to locate his daughter as well as we see his daughter being "cared for," so there is no feel of urgency for the audience as there is for Mike who is trying to piece things together. There is also a flashback sequence that pops up from time to time. This ties to a twist which...

Crazy twists, bad police work and a fairly miserable two hours
The Factory is currently on Netflix and I can only say I'm happy I didn't pay for it. Set in Buffalo, NY - which must have one of the worst police departments in history according to this film - it's a miserable tale of abducted prostitutes and the obsessive cop who tries to track them down. Apart from the cliche of the obsessive cop, needless to say his daughter also gets abducted by the same guy. Jennifer Carpenter plays Debra Morgan and is likely to get typecast in this role forever.

It's a dark movie that's almost too dark for its own good, where the clues generally don't lead anywhere and eventually the way the killer is found is ridiculous. There's a twist at the end which is one of the most absurd I've seen in a long time (they spice it up with flashbacks of the hints like they're remaking the ending of The Sixth Sense). None of the cops knows how to call for back up and amid the abduction, sexual abuse and general aura of violence, there's a fat guy who gets called...

Not Really a Recommendation
At the end of the opening scroll of the cast appears the blurb "inspired by actual events." I did a little checking and found that this film is apparently (loosely?) based on the story of Gary Heidnik, who was executed by the state of Pennsylvania in 1999. Heidnik was a serial killer who preyed on prostitutes and brutalized them in a manner similar to that depicted in this film.

In the film Dallas Roberts portrays Gary Gemaux, the Heidnik character. John Cusack plays Mike Fletcher, a police detective who became obsessed with solving the case. He had spent a lot of time trying to catch the killer during a three year stretch before the period covered by the film.

The film is more than a bit melodramatic. Figuratively speaking, as the conclusion approached, that train is roaring down the track, the damsel is tied to said track, and Detective Fletcher is galloping to the rescue. In the movie, the Heidnik settting is changed, for Fletcher is driving recklessly through...

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The Tarzan Collection Starring Gordon Scott (6 Discs)

Gordon Scott, the last great movie Tarzan, in one swinging set
This collection from Warner Home Video gathers all six of Gordon Scott's Tarzan adventures. In my opinion, Scott was the last of the great movie Tarzans. Scott portrayed Tarzan during five years of cinematic transition that evolved from the more familiar Tarzan fare of greedy, khaki-suited hunters (in 1955), to grittier Tarzan sagas featuring roaming bloodthirsty jungle terrorists (in 1960).

It is much less expensive to purchase this set than to buy the Gordon Scott Tarzan titles individually. These are DVD-R discs that do not have any "extras." However, the picture quality on each film in very sharp and the sound is excellent.

With these DVD-R discs, the viewer can simply hit the "play" button on the remote and watch each film all the way through. Also, the films are divided into "chapters" of ten minutes each. The menu page does not list the chapters by number or title, but the viewer can proceed through a film by hitting the "next" or "previous" buttons on...

Tarzan...Cowboy Heroes....Gordon Scott.....gone, gone, gone**
There was a boy....he grew up in Florida in the 1950's, he was a "nature boy". He loved playing outside, riding his bike all over the countryside, climbing trees, jumping and swinging from limb to limb and swimming in the nearby river, springs and lakes.....and hiking, fishing and camping.

Gordon Scott was this boy's hero. Scott's Tarzan was a force for Good. He loved the forest , the jungle and respected and loved the good people and animals that lived there. The bad people and bad creatures he avoided as much as possible. The evil "white man" with his guns and technology were the enemy of the jungle and the enemy of Tarzan. These movies were great fun back in the fifties and it's so good to finally see them again. Of course all of this was a myth but an honorable myth.

The greatest action hero of all time in the classic mythical battle of primitive man against the forces of evil and civilization.....we know who wins, unfortunately, but it was fun while it...

Great Tarzan collection
This is the third collection of Tarzan movies in my collection. Both the video and audio are excellent and would highly recommend it to any one who enjoys the adventures of Tarzan. But to me Johnny Weismueller was the only Tarzan. These videos have no extras, each episode is on its own disc and case.

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The Terminator (Remastered) [Blu-ray]

Superior transfer, but still things to complain about...
Video:
The new transfer looks great. It's sharp and grain is intact. However, it should be noted that the color-timing is not what you'd be used to for this film. It takes a tealish look, especially in certain scenes. The look works for the film, but it's certainly not what we have seen over the years on TV, VHS, DVD, screenshots, etc. It's a whole-new look for the film. Whether or not it was the intended look from the start, or whether James Cameron had a hand in making it look this way has yet to be seen. But over-all it is a superior transfer, and it makes owning this disc worth it.

Sound:
Fairly active and robust surround sound here, but sadly it is the remix sound. The original mono with the original sound effects is missing once again, so expect a few moments of "Wow, the sound effects there were horrid."

Extras:
A couple of featurettes, nothing terribly formidable. Also, the deleted scenes in SD. All of the extras here can be found on the...

Glad they remastered it; the picture quality is great!
I'm quite content with the newly remastered The Terminator (Remastered) [Blu-ray]. Right away I noticed the superior quality in regards to the picture & audio. Fine detail in closeups is very apparent, yet, the film grain is intact. I definitely recommend this new edition compared to the sub-par original T1 blu-ray release from a few years ago.

Best transfer i have seen
I own the movie in 3 formats, vhs, dvd and now the remaster. Best i have seen. I really felt like it was the first time i saw it.

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On the Waterfront (Criterion Collection)

It was you Charlie....
If you want to know why Marlon Brando inspired and influenced an entire generation of actors, see On the Waterfront. His Terry Malloy is real down to his fingernails. Brando in his prime took and held the screen like no one else, absolutely magnetic, whether as a seeming uncaring pug with unawakened nobility in his heart (Terry) or a Mexican revolutionary (see Viva Zapata) or a racist jet ace (Sayonara) or whatever.

Matching Brando is a perfect cast. Karl Malden, Eva Marie Saint, Rod Steiger, Lee J. Cobb, there isn't a missed note or lesser performance from any of them, not to mention the thugs and real-life dockworkers surrounding them. Elia Kazan was an actor's director, and his skill at eliciting superior performance is nowhere more evident than here. He also knew how to make a movie, and his work with the camera and pacing is first rate. The B&W photography is gritty, beautiful and serves to locate the film in time and place while eliminating distraction from the...

One of the best films of all time
Often mentioned among the greatest films of all time, this gritty story of corruption in the longshoremen's union and one man's courage to resist the mob bosses, hits with the force of an emotional sledgehammer. The film was nominated for 12 Academy Awards and won 8 including best picture, best actor for Marlon Brando, best director for Elian Kazan and best supporting actress for Eva Marie Saint in her feature film debut. The acting talent was so deep that four cast members (Saint, Malden, Cobb, Steiger) were nominated in the best supporting actor category. The film was also rated number 8 on AFI's top 100 list of the twentieth century.

The story focuses on Terry Malloy (Marlon Brando), a small-time former boxer whose brother was highly placed in the corrupt longshoremen's union. Terry lures out Joey Doyle, an informant and friend of his, so the mobsters can deal with him. Terry thinks they are going to rough him up to keep him quiet, but instead, they throw him off a roof to...

VERY DISAPPOINTING TRANSFER OF AN AMERICAN CLASSIC
Columbia continues its downward spiral where its classic DVD output is concerned. "On The Waterfront" is not only a great Academy Award winning film, it is an American icon. The plot is concerned with a union stooge, Terry Malloy (Marlon Brando) who eventually realizes that the intimidation racket of his boss, Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb) is an evil and destructive force in his community. Eva Marie Saint costars as Edie Doyle, the sister of a man who was thrown off of a rooftop on Friendly?s orders. It is partially through her love and the stoic commitment of Father Barry (Carl Malden) that Terry reforms his ways. Rod Steiger is particularly effective as Charley Malloy, Terry?s brother.

Quite simply: this transfer is a let down. Contrast levels are extremely low, fine details are lost in video noise reduction enhancement and digital grit, grain and noise are detected throughout. The gray scale is poorly balanced. Scratches, chips and distortions in the original camera...

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Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake 4

This is silly really!
I'm giving this a midway review, as I will be buying and loving it, but at the same time, I have to agree that we want FULL SEASON releases! They did season one so why not follow on with the others? Any one who's seen the show on TV (especially recently) will know that a lot of the episodes do follow on from one another, particularly with the Lich's story line, and the history of his arrival and even the hints to what was to come (farm boy Finn in his dream in the 'king worm' episode), I really hope the full seasons do get the release they deserve, but at the same time I will feel ripped of having brought all the random collections too, which I will continue to do for the convenience of sticking a DVD in the player! Please I any one from CN actually reads these for feed back on their products (which would make sense) listen to your fans before you lose them, for what they see as money grabbing marketing instead of quality releases!

Are you serious CN? Quit jerking us around.
Let me make it clear, the one star review is not of the show but of the DVD itself. I love Adventure Time. It's one of the best kids shows created, but Cartoon Network insists on screwing over the fans by releasing these volume sets. Haven't we proved that we're worthy of complete season DVDs? I'm sick of these random assortments of episodes. Until CN decides to release this fantastic show in complete seasons, I will feel no remorse for heading to the open seas to obtain them.

These cherry-picked releases are BS!
I love the show but choosing to hand out random collections over full seasons is a jerk move on their part. At this rate we will probably see bootleg compilations of all the seasons do date before seeing an official season 2 release. Maybe the powers in charge of marketing and releases have a marble rattling in their skull for brains. Or maybe they just want to push people to go digital. Making some money off on-demand before investing in production and shelf space. Who knows but it sucks all the same to only have the option of scraps or digital.

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The Great Fight

PERFORMANCE WAS AWESOME
It's a great theme, specially for those who have children with Autism, people would be more understanding of them and their family.

Awesome Movie!
Really good film that is sort of a Rain Man meets the Karate Kid. Will appeal to anyone who likes MMA, a good story, and a chance to see Robert Loggia and Charles Durning (in one of his last films.)



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Atlas Shrugged II: The Strike

Better than Part 1
This is Part 2 of the Atlas Shrugged series; and it's a powerful continuation of Atlas Shrugged Part 1. I viewed this when it was released into theatres.

This part depicts the United States' further decline into the depths of economic despair. And it shows how increasing government oppression causes the decline to accelerate, even as more and more producers and innovators disappear from industry.

The acting is good to very good. Samantha Mathis brings a more dynamic range of acting skills to Dagny Taggert. Jason Beghe is first rate in his role as Hank Rearden, and Esai Morales is exceptional in his role as Francisco d'Anconia. In fact, I must say that these three are much better suited to their roles, especially at this point in the story. For example, Hank Readen's speech before the court was much more forceful, I think, than if it were rendered by Grant Bowler.

The camera work, computer graphics, scripting, and cinematography are all first...

Plan 2 from Galt's Gulch
Ayn Rand must be rolling over in her grave. As readers of Atlas Shrugged know, one of Ayn Rand's sacred words is "competence": she accords it the reverence that a Jesuit reserves for the word "chastity". Her villains aren't merely evil: they're morons who'd have trouble running an elevator. So it's a cruel irony that Atlas Shrugged is being so thoroughly botched.

The origins of this disaster go back some 20 years. In 1992, producer John Aglialoro paid $1 million for an 18-year option on the film rights to Atlas Shrugged. The outlook seemed promising, with big names like Charlize Theron and Anne Hathaway being considered for the lead role. But first a contract with Turner Network Television fell through; then another with Lions Gate Entertainment. Meanwhile the years were ticking by.

Suddenly, it was 2010 with rights on Atlas due to expire on June 15 of that year. Aglialoro made the fateful decision to press on. The screenplay was still being written in...

True to Our Times
I went to see Atlas Shrugged, Part 2, at one of my local theaters the day of its first showing. The film is a pretty accurate reflection of the direction our Nation is taking. Little wonder that the movie makes Hollywood critics and D.C. politicians uncomfortable. The film reveals what they really are and what they are about. The characters are believable, the acting is supurb, and the plot ties into current events very well. I'm looking forward to Part 3.

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Yogi's Gang

Yogi Cleans Up
This is a totally fun collection of complete episodes from the Yogi's Gang TV series. The humor is toned down considerably from that of the short cartoons of the late 50's and early 60's, and the situations are rather didactic in nature--teaching kids about the pitfalls of selfishness, gossip, greed, litter, and so forth. In fact, the series would be downright preachy except for the fact that Yogi and his friends make it all entertaining. The great old characters are here--Yogi Bear, Boo Boo, Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss, Magilla Gorilla, and the rest. In each episode, one or more of the members of the crew of Yogi's Ark falls prey to the temptation brought by the show's "guest villian" such as the Greedy Genie, Lotta Litter, or the Prankster. Naturally, right thinking and right acting prevail by the show's end, so every story ends happily for all but the villain, who usually runs away looking for more corruptible souls to influence. The real treat in these stories is the...

Yogi's Gangs lessons
I want say if you want to teach your children lessons about life than Yogi's Gang will provide the tools. I realize some people rather have something that lacks life lessons than I would recommend buying another HB classic than.

Love it!
Good collection of classic HB cartoons. I love Atom Ant and this DVD includes some shows. Even my 3 year old enjoys the cartoons!

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Nova Sciencenow: What Will the Future Be Like

Thinking ahead
This is a 60 minute DVD that has English subtitles and video descriptions as its extras. PBS host David Pogue explores 4 subjects; humanoid robots, mind-reading machines, augmented reality and the possibility that gamers, working together could help cure disease.

The main section - robots shows what a robot can do, how they are built to overcome obstacles and how they help people today and in the future. We see paraplegics walking and firefighters supported to carry heavy loads. Also explored are machines that read your brain's impulses and what Goggle has already brought out... a small computer in eyeglasses and how gamers can combine together to solve problems.

Many of these ideas already exist and are being used and are not the fanciful ideas of the future such as a helicopter in every driveway.
Still this is an interesting exploration into developing technology.

Impressive Developments In Process!
David Pogue does his usual great job of narration - witty and informative. I was especially impressed by the segments involving robots - robots that can autonomously walk, right themselves, and even play soccer, along with other robots that can help one carry heavy loads and help the severely disabled walk. The robots actually can learn from experience - eg. to resist being pushed over, and to imitate the movements of someone in front. Also demonstrated - a limited ability to read one's mind, as well as for a human to issue commands merely by thinking them (wearing 14 electrodes).



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Letter Bee: Collection 2

Fantastic second installment
This DVD series is moving along nicely. Just like the first volume, Sentai has released an excellent-quality set with crisp native resolution, good sound, and good subtitling. I also love the fact that the average release interval for these discs only seems to be approximately 7 weeks. This is a wonderful change from other distributors who keep the wait times deliberately long so they can build up anticipation, or cram their product with pointless filler in order to drag out the story and maximize profits. Kudos to Sentai for keeping it real, and for keeping the volumes grouped according to the Letter Bee/ Reverse storyline.
As with the first set, there are a couple of episodes in this volume that don't occur in the manga, and the sequence of events gets changed around a bit, but that's just the way the anime was made. These discs are streamlined, with only the Letter Bee Academy shorts and clean opening & ending as additions.
Keep `em coming, Sentai. I'm eagerly awaiting...

One of the best TV anime in recent years
Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee makes use of a lot of the elements that make a good anime: Engaging characters, an original plot, comedy, drama, cool action scenes, and of course, crazy hair! I need not expound on the plot, as you already have a decent product description, so I'll spare you of that.

The show is beautifully drawn, with an equally beautiful color palette to go with it and as mentioned, the action scenes, while not as frequent as in other anime, are fun to watch. Tegami Bachi's biggest fault animation-wise, however, are the CGI Gaichuu (gaint armored bugs), which look horribly out of place in their (mostly) 2D animated world. But the writing makes up for it.

This is a shounen series (aimed at teenage boys), so expect some action violence, a little profanity, and the occasional immodestly-dressed girl. Later episodes also have some nudity, but the naughty bits are covered up. There's also at least one Letter Bee Academy short that has a bit of off-color...

what i think
i have 650 Collection of movies and all are dubbed in English but some company's
try to save cash bye not make them English dubbed. i can read a book of it then buying the movie

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A Talking Cat!?!

The Family-Friendly Spiritual Successor to "The Room"
I enjoy absurdly bad movies. If you are a fan of cult favorites like "Troll 2", "Birdemic: Shock and Terror", or (my personal favorite) "The Room", this belongs in your DVD collection.
"A Talking Cat!?!" is about... honestly it doesn't matter what this movie is about. All you need to know is that a former porn star is one of the leads, the cat's voice was recorded over a speakerphone while some guy was in his kitchen, and the cat's acting is all thanks to a laser pointer that is clearly visable in many of the shots.
The best part is that this is a family friendly movie! If you have friends that might be put off by the extended love scenes in "The Room" but still want to watch a terrible movie, this is definately for you!

83 minutes I'll never get back...but that's ok
This movie is so bad, that it is good. I can see it becoming a cat lover's cult movie. I swear my 10 yo could make this film on her video camera. It is THAT poorly produced. The story is sweet, but that's about all I can say. LOL

One of the Best
Fantastic movie, I was told by my favorite Hollywood actor, John Stamos, that this flick was great if you loved both cats and Eric Roberts.

I was not disappointed, I keep watching it again and again.

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Celtic Pride & The 6th Man + The Associate - TF

Very funny
I brought this DVD as. Gift for my daughter,she loved it, it came on time and in perfect condition, love the movie with Whooping Goldberg,





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UFC 154: St-Pierre vs. Condit

UFC 154...
The big sell for this card was the return of Georges St-Pierre. His last fight was April of last year where he defeated Jake Shields. Hew as then scheduled to face Nick Diaz at UFC 137, and then Carlos Condit at the same event after some rescheduling. With two weeks before the actual event it was reported that St-Pierre had to pull out of the fight due to a knee injury. Then, in December with a new event on the horizon for the St-Pierre/Condit fight, St-Pierre then announced that he injured his ACL. In a strange way, this can be seen as the beginning of UFC's bad luck with injuries continuing thus far into the year still. In the time afterwards, Condit went on to capture the Interim Title in a fight that has been talked about and analyzed to the point of exhaustion. So, 18 months later recuperated and healthy, fans are finally able to witness the fight that had originally been scheduled a year earlier.

Mark Hominick started the night off with a fight against Pablo...

Great fights
I have been training and fighting after the Main Event Stars were coming up. Now I can see them shine and learn something as well by watching Conti in this dvd is epic.

Only one fight was worth watching and that's not the main event.
Only one fight was worth watching. That was the one between Marck Hominick and Pablo Garza. All three rounds captivated me. It's because it's a balanced fight where both fighters had equal skills. In round 1, fighter 1 took down Fighter 2 and hit him hard many times. In round 2, fighter 2 turned the table. Now, he's the one who was on top literally. Round 3 was very suspenseful to me because I could not predict who was going to win. It's also a bloody fight too. One of the fighters got multiple cuts on his face and bled a lot. It's scary.
I'm sorry I could not refer to these fighters by their real names. Otherwise, it would ruin your enjoyment.

The long-awaited bout between Georges St-Pierre and Carlos Condit was a huge disappointment. One guy dominated the fight from beginning till the end. It's boring.

Because there was only one exciting fight, it's better to watch it on Netflix or borrow the DVD instead of buying it.

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Hats Off to Dr Seuss Collector's Edition [Blu-ray]

Almost A Complete Set, But Not Quite I Bet. But It's Not Bad and I'm Not Mad.
Since Warner Bros. to this day is helping Universal releasing DVD and Blu Ray releases of the Dr. Seuss TV specials made at DePatie Freleng in the 70's and 80's besides the the ones made by Chuck Jones and Turner Entertainment. I'm glad to see that they're releasing a 5-disc DVD and Blu Ray release of these Dr. Seuss TV specials for us collectors to buy on one set. You get 5 of the main Dr. Seuss specials:

*The Cat in the Hat (1971)
*The Lorax (1972)
*Horton Hears a Who! (1970)
*Dr. Seuss on the Loose (1973, though labeled "Green Eggs & Ham And Other Stories")
*How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)

It also includes 4 extra Dr. Seuss specials in the bonus features:
*Daisy-Head Mayzie (1995)
*The Hoober-Bloob Highway (1975)
*Pontoffel Pock, Where Are You? (1980, later retitled "Pontoffel Pock & His Magic Piano")
*The Butter Battle Book (1989)

Other bonus features includes a sing along version of The Cat in the...

Original
I love this boxed set, it's the original Dr. Suess shows, because most Dr. Suess are now narrarated by Martin Short which I do not like. Very satisfied.

Seuss perfection!
All your favorites Lorax, Cat in the Hat, Grinch and Horton too all there in one great collection great clarity will be classics for years and years!

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Julius Caesar [Blu-ray]

One of the few good movie versions of a Shakespeare play.
Much better than the earlier Julius Caesar, which starred Marlon Brando as Mark Antony and James Mason as Brutus. In this version, Jason Robards as Brutus is admittedly an embarrassment, but the rest of the cast is quite strong. The delivery of Antony's funeral oration by Charlton Heston is brilliant, powerful, well-paced, the dramatic high point of the movie. Richard Johnson as Cassius, John Gielgud as Caesar, Robert Vaughn as Casca and Diana Rigg as Portia are fine actors, with full dramatic presence, at home in Shakespeare's language. Brief parts, like the soothsayer's and the cobbler's, are memorably played. The screenplay omits two short passages that are important to the plot: (1) Cassius' avowal in the first act, after his attempt to persuade Brutus to oppose Caesar, that if their positions were reversed and he, Cassius, stood as well with Caesar as Brutus does and Brutus made a comparable appeal to him, he would certainly not listen. (2) Immediately after the...

Fine Performance by Heston but I prefer the Brando version
Charlton Heston does an admirable job as Marc Antony in this 1970 version of Shakespeare's play. Certainly you will come away from this film wishing he had performed more Shakespeare on film. However, I must admit a strong preference for Marlon Brando's performance in the same role in the 1953 version of "Julius Caesar," and especially the funeral scene where the performance of the mob is equal to that of the actor in the pulpit. It would have been equally worthwhile to see Brando attempt more of the Bard as well.

I also find that across the board the acting is slightly better in the earlier version. In this color version it is strange to see Jason Robards, Jr., who made his reputation performing the works of Eugene O'Neill on the stage, flounder so badly with Shakespeare, and I have to admit his performance gets in the way of my enjoyment of this film. Of the other actors it is interesting to see John Gielgud take on the title role since he played the lean and hungry...

What do Moses, Ben-Hur, and Antony have in common?
What do Moses, Ben-Hur, and Antony have in common? Answer: They all look like Charlton Heston.
If somehow you missed the play or the history, basically Julius Caesar let his status go to his head and is about to take on the role of emperor. It is up to a handful of Noble Romans to see that this does not happen. The play is about these individuals, their individual purposes and what happens to them after the attempt to stop him. The focus is on Caesar's right arm (Mark Antony).

This is a 1970 rendition of Shakespeare's play "Julius Caesar" that is well adapted for the screen. Hence the characters are well known contemporaries. You will notice the major players and might miss some of the others such as Preston Lockwood (Trebonius) who played the Judge in "Strong Poison" ASIN: B000062XDY. With many movies the actor out shine the character and totally changes the emphasis of the story. However this version is well done with maybe the exception of Jason Robards (Brutus) who...

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An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet)

A Bit Melodramatic and Cheesy for Adults but Hits All the Right Notes for the 6-10 Year Old Girl Set
I watched this movie with 2 six year olds and 2 eight year olds (3 girls and a boy) and it was a hit. It is pretty standard American Girl fare - the plot centers on McKenna, who is a fantastic gymnast but has some struggles in school, and then injures her foot which prevents her from practicing gymnastics right as she's heading into a big competition. Her parents decide it's the perfect opportunity for her to bring her grades up, and get her a tutor, who happens to be wheelchair-bound, enabling lots of politically-correct realizations about disabled individuals on the part of McKenna. In the meantime she has a falling out with her best friend because she's embarrassed to tell her she has a tutor and the friend can sense she's lying about something. The movie is basically about McKenna navigating through all these elementary-age dilemmas and challenges, and about the lessons she learns in the process.

The film is very unrealistic when it comes to gymnastics, and on several...

A Great Movie!
This was a fun, family oriented film that fits in well with the American Girl series of movies. The movie brings out some salient messages that I love to share with my own girls in relation to friendship, teamwork and perseverance. What I love most about this movie is that it is the type of movie that you can watch over and over again with your family and it reinforces messages that you want your girls to see and believe in! The acting in the movie was great and my girls just loved the film in its entirety. If you are a fan of American Girl or a fan of great family oriented films that will motivate and inspire your girls to achieve more, you will want to pick up this film today!

McKenna Shoots For The Stars
My mom got this movie for me! I am twelve years old, and a big fan of American Girl. We currently own two other movies from AG, and I have seen all except one. I would say this one was tied with Carissa Stands Strong! It is a wonderful movie about friendship,telling the truth, and confidence.

McKenna is a young gymnast hoping to make the regional competitive gymnastic team. Her coach (Cathy Rigby, olympic gymnastics medal winner)helps her to perfect her moves. She works hard at her sport, but is having trouble in school. When her parents suggest a tutor she is embarrassed. McKenna tries her best to hide it from her friends. Then she takes a bad fall in the gym, and is stuck in a cast for eight weeks. Soon she comes to like her tutor. They even become friends. Having her leg in a cast helps her to understand her tutor better. Her best friend, Tyling, feels replaced, and there is only three weeks until the competition. She is torn between her two friends, gymnastics and...

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