G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

The Movie was an explosion of action and special effects! But......
Yesterday, I received my 2 disc edition of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, and I looked over the sleeve and it looked nice and got me all excited, reminded me of the G.I. Joe days of when I was a kid watching the cartoon! Then, I later last night put the second disc in to check out the extras! HA that was a joke! The only extras on this 2 disc is the making of the movie, and the special effects behind the scenes thing. Now granted those were cool, but the only real reason for the second disc is for the digital copy! I honestly think this movie is not worth [...] at all, maybe 16.99! Big deal you get the digital copy! How many of us out there really use the digital copy? Where was the deleted and alternate scenes? Is it really coming to the point where things are going to Blu Ray and not to regular dvd which their are a heck of a lot more dvd player owners then blu ray! I say if you are looking at this review on deciding whether to purchase the 2 disc, wait till it goes cheaper and...

guilty pleasure popcorn movie..
I am a fan of this director-Stephen Sommers...."Mummy", "Mummy Returns", "Van Helsing". He really knows how to direct an action pic.

Based upon, yes, the popular action figure for several generations. This film throws a lot of CGI effects (which are impressive) and good-looking actors on the screen. I enjoyed all the eye candy and the action scenes.

the story has something to do with good guys protecting an ultimate weapon from the bad guys; the usual chaos follows.

this movie is a nice way to warm up your cold winter days with heavy action.

recommended mood to be in when you are about to watch this movie: lethargic. You won't feel lethargic after watching it!

fun, energetic film..

Good, but not GI JOE
This is a good action movie, but it's not GI JOE. I don't know why they even bothered to call it GI JOE if they weren't going to stick closely enough to the original source material. Sure you can change things up a bit, but you don't need to go this far. The only time I got the chills at the sight of something that even vaguely represented GI JOE was when Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow were on screen, but that didn't make up for it. The other thing about this film is that it's for the kids. Gritty and real this is not. Some might say it's a bit harsh but I think it's only a hop skip and jump away from Power rangers territory. Even the Fantastic Four seems more serious, and more convincing, at times (much better acting played a big part in this) and even they stayed closer to the source material (Yes, even the one with Silver Surfer). So if you're looking for a good action movie this is good, but we've yet to see something that brings GI JOE to the screen. To be fair, the biggest...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Valerie Bertinelli: Losing It And Keeping Fit

Bait and Switch
I was excited to purchase this DVD because I adore Valerie Bertinelli but the DVD I purchased has one 20 minute workout and another barely 30 minute workout (not a 40 minute workout). During the DVD intro with Valerie and her trainer and during their separate interviews, portions of workouts are shown that are NOT in my DVD! For example, my DVD does not include exercises involving a chair (with additional triceps exercises) and it does not include any cardio bursts.

Who is responsible for this? Are there actually different versions of DVDs out there? And did I just pay full 'used' price for a partial product?

I suggest to anyone about to purchase this DVD to communicate with the seller and confirm it contains all the workouts - chair triceps and cardio bursts included.

Best workout DVD!
I truly believe that Losing it and Keeping Fit is the best workout DVD to come to market in many years. It is easy to follow, challenging and fun. Valerie's personality is so real and her relationship with the trainer (Chris)keeps the workout fun. Lastly, the workouts are very effective and full of variety. Chris does seem to like lower body type moves, which is great for the legs. Kudos to Gaiam for once again bringing a great product to market.

Im a beginner
I recently purchased this DVD because I was looking for something easy to follow as I've just decided to begin working out again and I need something to spark my movitation to become fit. I love Valerie, she's relatable and personable.Its like exercising with a girlfriend who has all the same gripes about exercising and keeps it real, unlike watching a Jillian Michael's dvd. I love the quips and banter between her and the trainer Chris. I just wish there were more workouts on the DVD. The workouts do concentrate more on legs and less on upper body. I agree with one of the reviewers that some of the exercises, like the chair bends shown in the preview and bonus material dont appear in the workouts. Perhaps these may be shown on future dvds if there are any to follow. All and all, this a good DVD for a beginner but eventually you will have to go on to an advanced dvd or a different workout to challenge your fitness and weightloss.

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Incredible Mr. Limpet (Keepcase)

KNOTTS WITHSTANDING
After I watched this movie last night, I found out that Don Knotts had passed away. Kind of a creepy feeling! Anyway, Knotts who won five Emmys for his role as Barney Fife on THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW was certainly one of our most endearing clowns. With his trademark voice and bug-eyed delivery, Knotts is one of the true legends of our time, and in LIMPET, he shows us why. Although he has more screen time as the voice of the fishy Limpet, Knotts manages to create a loveable character. The plot's been rehashed in many other reviews, so I'll stick to what makes this animated/live action film such a pleasure. With the cartoon stylings of the early sixties, the movie gives us a dreamy undersea world populated with such creatures as Crusty the Crab and the lovely Ladyfish. On the human front, we're blessed with character actors Jack Weston, Larry Keating, and Andrew Duggan. And the delightfully underrated Carole Cook, whose last scene with Henry the fish is unexpectedly poignant and...

The INCREDIBALLY SUPERB Mr. Limpet!
Highly entertaining! Don Knotts gives his best performance in this picture. Kind of funny with the mix of animation and live action in a non-Disney film. With the animation, the singers, it's so lovely. I enjoy every second of this film. Too the people who highly dislike this movie, you're missing out on it. You don't have to be a child to enjoy it. "The Incredible Mr. Limpet" is the finest non-Disney animation/live action film.
Too bad this was one of the last films to be made before the Warner Animation Department in Burbank shut down.

"Das Limpet"
THE INCREDIBLE MR. LIMPET (1964) is one of the most underrated films of all time. Coming in at approximately #64 on my own personal Top 100, MR. LIMPET is a blend of live action and colorful animation, an impossible fantasy film which somehow manages to entice even the most sourpussed of viewers. Although it starts out a bit slowly, MR. LIMPET is irresistible, a pure entertainment experience.

The fishlike Don Knotts is perfectly cast as Henry Limpet, a nebbishy bookkeeper from Brooklyn, circa 1942. Walter Mitty-like, Henry dreams of being a war hero. His one other passion is his fish tank. When Henry is rejected from military service as a 4-F, he falls into a depression and escapes into unreality by wishing he was a fish.

Walking on the Coney Island pier one day with his wife, Bessie, Henry takes a misstep and falls into the briny Atlantic. Lo, and behold!---he is instantly transformed into a (cartoon) fish (complete with pince-nez glasses). Although Henry is...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Victory at Sea: Volume Two

victory at sea
Great product! Delivery was quick and easy.exactly what I was looking for. I would recommend it to others.very satisfied! I will continue to order.





Click to Editorial Reviews

Avalanche Angels

Fantastic documentary on hero avalanche rescue dogs!
This excellent documentary is well worth your time. It is a moving account of avalanches and their victims, and how a typical search and rescue goes into planned action. The DVD revolves around highly trained rescue dogs and their handlers, and the often dangerous and risky rescue operations that often ensue after a fresh avalanche has buried it's victim(s). If you are a canine lover, you will especially be enamored of these 3 beautiful dogs featured in this documentary (a Lab, German Shepherd, and Austrian Shepherd?). Towards the end, Juergen, a young risk taking snowboarder who was rescued a year before, gets to meet the German Shepherd (and his handler) who found and rescued him! My only gripe based on an observaton was, that despite the dogs being handled with great love and respect, I would have hoped that they get a larger pen to sleep in at night, rather than the cramped crates that are shown in the film. Yes, I know that dogs like a contained, smallish area to settle in at...





Click to Editorial Reviews

Bruno

and he doesn't look a thing like Borat
I have to see Bruno more than once, most people probably do too. That's because Bruno is one of those rare movies where you're laughing so hard at some parts you know you're missing the next funny thing. As gay, Austrian fashionista and celebrity-wannabe Bruno, Baron Cohen continues his jaw-droppingly crass and outrageous stealth comedy antics. Purportedly, Baron Cohen has been beaten up while in character, so it only seems fair that he makes his audience laugh hard enough to hurt.

Of course the usual Baron Cohen caveat is in order: yes, its offensive, yes, its gross, yes, there is a LOT of nudity, mostly male. If any of this is not your cup of tea, that's dandy, no hard feelings. If you don't mind the occasional sight of literally bouncing balls in the name of comedy, Bruno is pure gold.

Post Borat fame has probably necessitated that more of this movie be staged, with at least some of the people (a talk show host, the driver of an oncoming car) in on the...

Laughed so hard.... but not for the easily offended
This movie is *clearly* for those not easily offended. It is shocking and hysterical, but I don't think I could allow my parents to go see it.

Sasha Baron Cohen's latest creation, Bruno, makes his way to America to become uber-famous any way he can. And he goes through lots of different attempts on his way. Acting, interviewing celebrities, guesting on talk shows, becoming straight, he tries many methods, each with it's painfully funny result. You'll love the Paula Abdul interview, particularly.

The interactions with people are wonderful, and you will be appalled at what some parents will do to get their children into show business. Just stunning.

There are a lot of shocking/uncomfortable funny moments (be prepared for gratuitous male nudity), and I am no sure how they will hold up for repeated viewings, but in a crowded theater, it was a scream. The ending is worth the buildup, and stick around for the closing song.

I laughed so hard...

"I want to become the most famous Austrian superstar since Hitler!"-Bruno
After the movie Borat in 2006 Sacha Baron Cohen returned to the big screen in 2009 with another of his characters, gay Austrian (you read that right, it's not Australian) Bruno. 19 years old Bruno is known for hosting what is said to be the most famous German speaking television show outside of Germany "Funkyzeit mit Bruno", a show about fashion and for his flamboyant style. Bruno is doing well in the world of fashion but when he gets fired, his assistant leaves him and his lover dumps him he decides to leave for America in order to become famous by any means.When he comes to America Bruno tries a talent agency to get to stare in a big Hollywood movie and become famous, he unsuccessfully tries to starts a new television show, he does an interview, interviews people and he even tries to become straight amongst other things. He will do anything to get famous and is not ashamed of it which will end up in hilarious situations . Bruno to me was really funny, there were some moments were I...

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Line

give this film a chance, seriously
I've read the other reviews and while I agree with many of their points I do wonder if maybe I saw a different film from the one that the reviewers are describing? For the new viewers who have yet to decide whether or not to try this one I would strongly suggest that they do so, and with these observations - first, I saw a film about family, several families actually and all dysfunctional yes, but about Family, blood ties, betrayal in one family, tragedy and loss in others. The use of Mexican/US drug wars as a catalyst may have caused some viewers to think that this is a routine gritty crime movie but the writer(s) wanted something epic, life and death, which these ravaging drug wars are, to put the bigger theme of Family into high relief.

As to the casting, I appreciate it whenever actors challenge what they've already done twenty times, so I rather liked the choice that Andy Garcia made in particular, I do not think he was wasted at all. Liotta played his assassin's part...

Michael Mann light?
La Linea or 'The Line' is a film starring Andy Garcia, Ray Liotta, and Esai Morales and a powerful setting in Mexico.

The plot revolves around the current climate in Mexico regarding the drug cartels and the infrastructure
that lies within them, however unlike the Italian Mafia they're not as romantic nor interesting and this film certainly does not help. Ray Liotta stars as Mark Shields as an assassin spear headed by a United States private agency to eliminate Pelon played by a surprising Esai Morales who is trying to prove himself as the newly selected boss to the dying former if you will don Javier Salazar played by Andy Garcia, while Salazars son Diablo played by Jordi Vilasuso is trying to vie for power. The film goes through the usual developments that you would expect in an film that is equal parts 'Traffic' and 'Man on Fire' although not nearly as good. The direction by James Cotton is very Michael Mann in it's style however I commend him for making the film...

Over dramatic, a poor Blu, but still slightly worth the time
Not a reference Blu in any category, but some of the popular local favorites are in this with some meaty roles including Liotta and Trejo. Without a doubt a prolific cast overall, with Andy Garcia, Armand Assante, Bruce Davison, Valerie Cruz and others.

The story tries to follow various lines of people whose lives intersect (directly and indirectly) this cartel operating out of Tijuana. We have hired hit men, an ailing godfather, CIA/DEA guys running their ops against the bad guys, internal cartel strife and Afghanistan farmers trying to sell their product into the US. Sounds like a lot and it is, almost too much in the 95 minutes they gave this. Ray Liotta was great but he only gets some of the screen time. Trejo gets more speaking time than normal in his films so I enjoyed that (he gets to do his usual of shooting guns, torture and looking awesomely bad). The subplots abound, and each one gets bookended with the same aerial shots of the city - both day and night - that...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Santa Buddies

A Christmas Miracle
I have always been a huge fan of the Buddies movie. More than the original Air Bud series. This one though is so far my top fav. It really explains the true meaning of Christmas. Plus the cuteness between Puppy Paws and the buddies is great humor. The cute stray puppy Tiny in the pound also sings a short beautiful song "A Christmas Miracle" and it brings tears to your eyes. Highly worth the price!

My son loves these buddie movies
This is mainly in response to the previous reviewer complaining about this movie. This movie is obviously not for you because your an adult and you probably don't have children. Because if you did, you would see that kids love these movies, my son watches them all the time(he's 4). The target audience is obviously children, not some grumpy old man with internet access and extreme distaste for Golden Retrievers.

Kids talking dog movie. *Warning gives doubts about Santa.* Not Disney Quality.
I did not like the movie. Like poorly made for TV movie. Not Disney Quality, however my sons & grandkids(ages 1,3,5,9,11)liked this movie since it had talking dogs. I bought cheaper for $19.95 at Toys r us.

Santa questions were easily explained as I told them everyone believes different things, just like some celebrate Chanukah or Kwanza instead of Christmas. I reminded them that the real Santa can not go to every single place at the same time and the store santas with the fake beards are his helpers. Dogs praying to Santa were explained as them just making wishes.

***warnings kids movie not for adults.
Doubts about the Santa.

Click to Editorial Reviews

How to Be

Awkwardly funny and heartwarming
This is a funny film, the humor can be awkward and uncomfortable but in a charming way. This is a good movie if you can appreciate this kind of humor. Robert Pattinson portrays his character well, he's sad and pathetic and likable. Rebecca Pidgeon (who is always good) and Michael Irving play the mother and father and are both great!

Absolutely stunning to watch.
Hits on so many serious notes in such a funny way. I wouldn't recommend it for someone who doesn't understand ironic humor. Robert pattinson does an amazing job with a character who is awkward and looking to find reasons for who he is.

Surprisingly entertaining
I watch this movie ON DEMAND as one of those "watch it the day it's released in theatres" sort of thing. Basically, I wanted to see Robert in a role that wasn't vampire or wizard related. The Twilight buzz has officially worn off and I was really just over the whole R-Pattz & K-Stew phase. This movie was hilarious! I am not a British Comedy fan by any means either. It was just plain fun. Parts were so quirky and weird and uneasy, but so believable and relatable. Robert was sensational. It was nice to see that he really can act outside the hype of his other movies. This movie is a must see for everyone.

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Maiden Heist

A Charming Film
The prior reviews of The Maiden Heist have given a good idea of the story of this film. To those I have some non-spoiler comments.

The Maiden Heist, to judge from the clapboards, was originally titled The Maiden Lady from the painting that Christopher Walken is obsessed with. This film answers the question if museum guards actually like the art they protect. The three guards of the story - Christopher Walken, Morgan Freeman and William H. Macey - are all obsessed with different pieces of art. They feel very protective about their art so when they learn that the entire exhibit will be moved to a museum in Denmark and replaced by some avant-guard art, they decide to save their favorites.

Morgan Freeman plays a soft-spoken affable man who enjoys drawing and painting; William H. Macey's character claims he was a Marine but changes his combat stories and Christopher Walken is a quiet homebody who daydreams about protecting his Maiden Lady from ant harm. Marcia Gay...

Low-key heist film with another perfect Marcia performance
Even though Marcia Gay Harden has a supporting role here as Christopher Walken's retro-laden wife, she plays pitch perfect the supplemental but powerful wife. Otherwise, the only other stand-out surprise would be William H Macy's bold outing as a bronze statue obsessed museum guard (right down to the several nude scenes where he shows off his impressive 59-year old muscular tone).

The story follows three museum guards as they decide to pull off a heist of their favorite artwork after the museum sells the pieces off. Each of these guys have their own weird little nuances that make them the perfect trio of dysfunctional museum guards, but most of their backgrounds are never really delved into. Most of what we get are three old guys trying to be something more than they ever have been - but in a low-key semi-realistic kind of way. Morgan Freeman plays the affable "sexually questionable" (from the making-of) character which just did not feel right, and Christopher Walken really...

I Laughed Hard!
Some of these reviews seem a bit harsh for this enjoyable and endearing film. Let me share what I liked most about it. Christopher Walken.

He stares at a painting entitled "The Lonely Maiden", and has fallen deeply in love with it over the years, while his very attentive and loving wife (Harden) waits patiently for him to come back around to her. She does not know about his love affair with the painting, and she comes off as kind and doting. SHE is the lonely maiden. I figured that out early. Walken is entranced with the painting, when all the while the true lonely maiden was right in front of him. Of course, he loves his wife and is attached to her forever (you can tell that they have an old-fashioned and sadly-gone view of marriage--stick it out to the end no matter what). And as he plans the heist with his fellow security guards, he keeps his wife's needs in mind the whole time. There is also a very sweet happy ending for these two (Shhhh).

Macy's character is...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Angels & Demons (Single-Disc Theatrical Edition)

Don't buy Two-Disc Extended Edition
Other reviewers have adequately commented on the motion picture itself. This review pertains to the so-called Two-Disc Extended Edition. While most two-disc editions provide the viewer with hours of additional features on the making the motion picture and the cast and crew, this edition provides the viewer with only three ten-minute featurettes, that easily could have been included on the feature disc, and about 20 "previews" for other motion pictures. At typically a 50% premium in price over the single-disc version, the three featurettes are not worth the price. Buy the single-disc version instead and enjoy the movie.

Brown knows symbols, Sony knows Blu, Hanks knows Langdon [reviewing the Blu-Ray edition]
Very briefly, I would like to begin by addressing some of the criticism concerning this movie.

Some are unhappy because the movie does not closely follow the book. This happens to be true but how many book-based movies do? For the sake of movie-making, Dan Brown's book was not followed to the letter or even closely. However, it may be worth knowing that Dan Brown was the movie's executive producer and he absolutely approved all the major plot changes. If fact, he confesses to actually suggesting some of the major changes. Perhaps those who read the book should treat the movie as work 'related' to the book but not THE book illustrated. It's still Dan Brown's work but this is cinematography that was inspired by his book, to be appreciated and enjoyed as a movie.

I heard statements that the book was somehow anti-Christian or anti-Catholic. I disagree. I will not reveal the plot by providing substantial details but the movie concludes in a way that suggests respect...

Great Movie
This is one of those movies that was truly better than its predecessor. The good thing is you don't need to see Davinci Code to understand this movie. Its like Ron Howard took it to heart what people were saying regarding the DaVinci code, it was good but needed some more action to keep you interested.

Angels and Demons does this perfectly. Still a great story line, but tons of action, and a great score.

I left the theater after seeing this with a huge smile on my face. In plain words...

It was awesome!

-Jack

Click to Editorial Reviews

YogaWorks for Everybody: Fit Abs

Full Body Workout, Especially the Abs
After working out with the YogaWorks Beginners' AM/PM DVD for a few weeks, I decided I was ready for a more intense workout. This DVD provides a full body workout with a focus on your abs. The instructors are very motivating and provide clear directions, help you breathe correctly and really challenge you. I could feel the muscles in my arms and legs working throughout the entire workout and I definitely felt the burn in my abs! This DVD can provide a fun, yet challenging workout for anyone. If you have forgotten some of the yoga poses, this DVD also has the Learning Guide to remind you. For those who are not able to attend classes at one of the YogaWorks studios, this is a great way to stay fit, healthy and active.

Beginners Only DVD, not for Intermediate or Advance practice
I was disappointed with this video. After reading the description I thought I was buying a DVD that was a "Core Yoga Flow practice" and it was not that at all. The 40 minute segment is very choppy, there is no flow what so ever, and the instructor often stops all moves to explain things for 1-2 minutes before going into the next sequence. I was expecting a vinyasa style flow that had me sweating, but with all the stopping/explanations and the awkward transitions not of a normal vinyasa class I wanted to turn the DVD off 15 minutes in. Definitely for beginners.

so-so
Wouldn't buy this DVD again... It's definitely a good yoga DVD but in my opinion it's just for beginners. The best part is that the instructors talk you through everything so well that it actually allows you to focus on your movement and not break your neck looking at the TV in order to follow the master yogi.
I got this DVD mainly to bring variety into my ab workout routine, but have to say that I was disappointed... However, one of my friends, who works out every blue moon, found some exercises rather challenging.
So if you are a beginner - go for this DVD because it's very explanatory and the exercises won't kill you!

Click to Editorial Reviews

YogaWorks for Everybody: Beginners AM/PM

Fun and Simple Yoga Workout for Anyone
This DVD is perfect for anyone to try, especially beginners. After practicing yoga a few years ago, I wanted to get back to it again and this DVD was a great choice. Before you get into the yoga workouts, you can watch the Learning Guide to learn all of the different poses, which is great if you never practiced yoga before. The instructors provide clear and simple directions during the workouts making it fun and easy to follow. The DVD has three different sessions you can participate in: AM Wake-Up (very energizing and a great way to start my day), PM Relax and Restore (helps me relax and unwind after a long day at work), and the Beginners' Class. The Beginners' Class is calming and relaxing, helps me clear my mind but also strengthens my core muscles. After the yoga session, you will be relaxed and full of energy. If you live miles away from one of the YogaWorks studios like me, this is the best way to learn and practice yoga by known and knowledgeable teachers.

Detailed Hatha instruction for beginners w/a slow pace
Many reviewers have written some great details about the content, so I'll just keep this brief.
Menu options:
AM wake-up w/Billy (10 min)
Beginner's w/Patty (45 min)
PM Relax & Restore w/Patty (10 min)
(Play All)
Learning Guide w/Patty (15 min)

You'll excuse me not knowing the full names of the instructors, they didn't give their last names, nor could I find the credits anywhere, not even at the end of any of the segments. I could not even find info on the yogaworks site.
Patty's teaching style -
She does tell you always when to inhale/exhale which is great, she tells you what areas each pose strengthens, she gives good postural instructions on how to do the poses correctly, but her teaching style & voice is the style of an aerobics or toning gym class. Her voice is not soothing, I believe she doesn't always give the Sanskrit names of the poses, nor uses terms that are more aligned with traditional teaching like Rodney Yee, etc. This...

Yogaworks for Me!
I heartily concur with the other reviews. This is an excellent video for beginners. The instructor effectively describes each posture, moves at an easy pace and offers modifications for people who are less flexible. I am a beginner and this video affirms & supports everything my instructor has been teaching in class. A great way to practice yoga at home.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Dancing with the Stars: Dance Off the Pounds

Fun and cardio!
Let me start off this review by saying that "Dancing with the Stars: Dance off the Pounds" is my favorite DVD in the "Dancing with the Stars" (DWTS) series of workout DVDs. The styles of dance were fun, actual routines were taught as opposed to just unconnected moves in previous DVDs, and I actually worked up a huge sweat! The choreography was a bit complex, but I really enjoyed the challenge. Beginners to fitness and dance may be a bit frustrated at first, though. There is no warm-up, therefore the viewer has to either do his own or just let the beginning of one of the workouts act as the warm-up. The DVD was divided into the following four parts of the workout:

Swing - Led by Kym Johnson, it is the most basic of all the routines. It's almost an intro to the Jive, which is a style taught later on in the DVD. I found the moves to be rather easy to follow; although there is really no breakdown of the steps. It includes moves such as triple steps, rock steps,...

Dance Workout DVD fan says "It's Adorable, Sophisticated, and Fun!"
I'm a DVD dance-workout junkie. I buy *everything* dance-dvd, almost. This is the best of the four Dancing with the Stars workouts. It's not modern dance - it's super-cute jive, swing and funky-quickstep. It's a great workout.

The first segment is adorable and sweet learning the American dance 'the swing' (triple-step, rock-step, the sailor, etc.). Great intro to what's to come on the dvd. It's not slow either.

The second instructor and routine really shines, is a crazy-fun good time; the pace increases as you are taught the taught the international version of 'swing' which is called 'jive' (faster triple-steps, kicks, heel-bops, Big-X step, swivels, the charleston, the Lindy,etc.) High-impact and difficult cardio which can be modified by not doing arms.

The last segment is a suave, dressed-in-black quick-step routine that is explained well and, tho different, has the same great dance-flow as the first two parts. Make sure you watch it to the end it...

Fun and challenging!
This DVD is a VAST improvement over the previous DWTS DVDs. First off there are less sections, but the segements are longer, which I like more since I think choppy short segments don't give you an adequate workout.

Lots of cardio in this DVD, and while it is a whole lot of fun, it is very challenging. I was soaked after doing the workout. To give you an idea of my background, I am an intermediate level in fitness DVDs and I have been dancing since the age of 4.

I decided to do this DVD from start to finish so I could see the quality of the workouts and time it as well.

The first section is Swing with Kym. This is great, alot of what you may have seen in the Jive sections if you got the first DWTS DVD, but it is still a very good workout. Kym not only does swing, she also adds in some Charleston, which was a nice change since I've never done that. You may be a little lost if you don't have any background in dance, but Kym does do her best to explain...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Inglourious Basterds

Blu-ray quality nice, but "Special Edition" not so special...
This is just a review of the Blu-Ray "2 Disc Special Edition" since there are plenty of reviews of the movie itself by reviewers far more qualified than I.

The video and sound quality is excellent and I have no complaints about that. But I have to give this 4 stars instead of 5, because, I just don't get some of the "marketing lingo" on this package:

* This version does NOT include a running commentary. None at all (not director, not actors, not cinematographer, nothing). To me this is really odd -- it seems that almost all DVDs released in the last 10 years have had some sort of commentary track. Especially with a Tarantino movie, this seems like something you really WANT to have.
* I think this is the only Blu-ray version available right now. It includes the "digital copy" but that is just a lower-res copy of a movie with DRM, nothing wrong with getting that with it, but that is one of the TWO discs in the "Special Edition"
* If this is the only one...

Very, VERY entertaining but could have been a classic.
One of the great pleasures of Quentin Tarantino movies is the wonderfully inventive casting that he employs. In PULP FICTION, he revived the career of John Travolta, made Samuel Jackson a star, pushed Bruce Willis into another echelon and even helped get Ving Rhames off to a good start. In JACKIE BROWN, he burnished Pam Grier & Robert Forster's careers. In KILL BILL, he reinvented Uma Thurman and reinvigorated David Carradine. Even in DEATH PROOF, he introduced the world to the amazing stuntwoman Zoe Bell and gave Kurt Russell the kind of part he's missed out on for too long.

And now, wonderfully, in INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, he's introduced the American viewer to some stellar European actors, namely Melanie Laurent and particularly Christoph Waltz, now an easy favorite for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar.

Tarantino also frequently tries the patience of his viewers with his rococo dialogue and insistence on constantly reminding us that we're watching a movie. In...

WARNING: This movie may not be what you are expecting...
This movie is really pretty outstanding. The opening scene is intense, frightening, shocking, and appauling all at once, and it sets up the entire film perfectly. I really had no expectations for this movie because I had read so many mixed reviews and none of them really said anything, so I actually thought this was a really good movie although a bit drawn out. The film is artfully done beautifully shot and extremely well acted.

Now here's why you may not like this quite as much as I did and why my wife absolutely HATED it.

What most expected from this movie:
1- Gore, action, and more gore and more action
2- A story that follows the Basterds as they wreak havoc on Hitler's army
3- Maybe a few subtitles as the film does take place in France after all
4- Classic Quentin Tarantino comedic dialogue

What the film actually is:
1- A character driven story HEAVY on dialogue and other than the last 20 minutes extremely light on...

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Hangover - UNRATED (2009)

Hilarious film, a good overall Blu
I finally got to see this film and the Blu gave a nice first viewing, and even doing the rated/unrated back to back it still kept me laughing.

The Blu clarity and sound quality are solid and there were no failings even with the volume of night sequences. The desert shots were done adequately so there was no light saturation or blur - overall the presentation in both versions makes them a good investment for being one of the few comedies you might buy on Blu. The unrated runs eight minutes longer and contained nothing that would warrant the usual attraction for being titled as such. By the time they get to the roof to start the night there were four brief sequences added in, including some extra dialogue in the opening house scene, a little more with that abusive girlfriend and a fun spot in the hotel room. The main difference between the two would be a funny one minute scene as they take the tiger back to Tyson's house (elevator addition). Otherwise, there are no R rated...

Must see
I was a little hesitant to see this movie, it seemed like one of the all too recent movies where all of the good parts are featured in the trailer, and that's all you've got. So not the case. Not only was it a packed theatre at the midnight showing, but there was not any interval longer than three minutes that had a quiet audience. Nobody could stop laughing!
From Zach Galifiakanis, we had a stellar show. His ability to play the creepy weirdo is out of this world. His wolf pack speech was amazing.
The cameo from Mike Tyson was hilarious!
Don't miss the end credits where a lot of the missing information is revealed.

The Greatest Story Ever Told...No but I'm still laughing days later.
First of all, this was a very smart, gross, dark, crude, hilarious and obnoxious film that had me in tears throughout the film. Yes, this subject has been done to death, but not to this level of enjoyment. I haven't enjoyed a Vegas bachelor party film this much since "Very Bad Things" and I would have to rate this higher. My wife enjoyed this film as much as me and she commented how rare it is to see a film that is consistently funny from start to finish. My expectations were very high after all of the hype leading up to the release of this film and it didn't disappoint.

The director does a great job setting the stage for a night no one can remember. Each role was cast perfectly with Zach Galifianakis stealing the show. Make sure you don't leave early and miss the slide-show during the credits. Freaking hilarious!!!!

If you are easily offended by crude humor or you, then this isn't the movie for you.

Thank you, Todd Phillips for another over-the-top,...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Walled In [Blu-ray]

If this film was in French it would be great Euro trash... Oddly recommendable.
If this film was in French it would be a perfect piece of style conscious, Euro trash "suspense" and "terror-lite" type movie making. It is not in French. But it is, however, unashamed to act out its peculiar premise and its stylishly framed but derivative plot devices with a vague Euro-esque decadence, as though everyone in the film wished that they had in fact been speaking French or Italian. Think "The Shinning" meets "Psycho" meets "Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea". In fact, echoing "Sailor Who Fell...", Mischa Barton bears a more than suggestive resemblance to Sarah Miles, and Cameron Bright bears a striking resemblance to Jonathan Kahn, the boy who played Sarah Miles' son in "Sailor Who Fell..."

There's something about the film that makes you think that the producers and writers were thinking of Asia Argento, or felt that aspiring to make an Asia Argento like film was a high calling.

The production values are much higher than you might have any...

CLAUSTROPHOBIC HORROR
One good thing about the newest generation of horror film directors is their willingness to move on to something different, to make horror films with new ideas and stories rather than just rely on the tried and true. It may not always make the best film or the scariest, but at least they make the attempt and deserve credit for doing so. Such is the case with WALLED IN.

The film opens with a young child trapped in a tall yet small cell, perhaps 2 feet wide. As she calls for her father, the cell beings to flood with a dark bluish gray substance we can only assume is concrete. It fills until it covers her and we move forward to the present day.

Mischa Barton plays Sam Walczak, a young woman who has just graduated from her training as a demolition engineer. Belonging to a family and demolitionists, it is her job to study the structure of a building and decide the best way to bring it down. As a graduation gift, her father presents her with the task of setting up the...

The week's most pleasant surprise by far.
Walled In (Gilles Paquet-Brenner, 2009)

The trailer for Walled In was hands-down the best trailer I've seen so far in 2009. That always means one of two things: either the movie it belongs to is going to be eight different kinds of totally awesome or one of the worst movies I see that year. And while Walled In has its flaws, it's definitely closer to the awesome side of the equation. In fact, I'd call it the best movie I watched this week without much hesitation.

Sam Walczak (The Oh in Ohio's Mischa Barton), a newly-minted engineer at her father's demolition firm, gets sent on her first assignment--the government-ordered demolition of a high-rise apartment building in the middle of nowhere. The building still has a few quirky inhabitants, most notably the caretaker, Mary (Paranoia 1.0's Deborah Kara Unger), and her lonely son Jimmy (Cameron Bright, who will soon become the heartthrob of teen girls everywhere in New Moon and Eclipse). Jimmy and Sam hit it off,...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (Single-Disc Edition)

More of the Same? Yes, but well done
Most sequels either fail miserably at trying to "top" the original ("Miss Congeniality 2" springs to mind), or succeed beyond all expectations ("Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan" is a good example).

"Night at the Museum 2, The Battle of the Smithsonian" hits neither of these extremes: it has no pretensions about being a great film. It seems the writers and producers just wanted to make a film that their audience would enjoy, and they succeeded. Certainly, the original film was better and more original in many respects, and there is lots of continuity with the first film, as many of the characters have returned. There are also some notable additions to the cast, such as Amy Adams - who is superb as Amelia Earhart (as many of my fellow reviewers here have noted).

Yet, the scene stealer in the film though is not Ms. Adams, but Hank Azaria, who plays the Egyptian Pharaoh Kahmunrah: the evil and inept older brother of Ahkmenrah (the Pharaoh from the original film)...

Even Better than the First!
My wife and I enjoyed the original "Night at the Museum" we expected to the sequel to be typical of seconds... not quite as good. However, "Battle of the Smithsonian" bucks this trend - and in our opinion it is significantly better than the original. The plot is a bit silly - our favorite night-watchman had made it big as inventor of useless products. His new position as CEO means that he is no longer working at the museum. The museum has also undergone a few changes - namely most of the exhibits are being shipped into storage. The storage is below the Smithsonian... and that is where the action begins!

"Battle of the Museum" blends, action, humor and a numerous celebrity cameos into a fun-filled flick. The story introduces us to some Egyptian pharaoh (can't remember which one), Ivan the Terrible, Napoleon, Amelia Earhart , Abe Licoln, and miniature Einstein bobbleheads! The star of the story is the incredibly imaginative action sequences... the jumping in-and-out...

Not the movie
Stop putting the previews of movies as free downloads. It's silly, I'm not going to waste my time downloading a movie preview. I thought it was the actual movie, for free.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Julie & Julia

Five Stars for Film, No Stars for DVD Special Features Manipulation
Well, I guess it's finally happened...the consumer and film buff who does not own a Blue-Ray compatible DVD player is now officially SOL. The standard DVD release of Julie and Julia contains as special features only a commentary track and behind-the-scenes featurette. To get the full array of special features, one must purchase the Blue-Ray version of the film, AND of course, a Blue-Ray dvd player. Here are the features NOT available on the standard dvd: tour of Julia Child's kitchen in the Smithsonian; featurette "Friends and Family Remember Julia Child;" and "Cooking Lessons," with Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, and other renowned chefs preparing several of Julia Child's best-loved dishes. Why can't the studio release a two-disc special edition in the standard format for consumers like me who don't own the latest home entertainment equipment? I loved the film (especially The Divine Ms. Streep), loved Julia Child's book "My Life in France," very much liked Julie Powell's book "J &...

Behind Every Great Woman There Stands a Great Man . . .
What in the world does television and concocting-French-food-in-America pioneer Julia Child have in common with just 30-something government employee turned food blogger, Julie Powell?

Other than the love of food, oodles of butter and a big project to fill the need for purpose, the two main characters in Nora Ephron's biopic, "Julie and Julia" share great marriages with men that are not put off by their mate's desire for self-identity defined by more than a few little bouts of self-absorption. Like a good soufflé, Ephron folds the stories told in two books, Powell's "Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously" and Child's "My Life in France" without deflating the overall mixture, although this reviewer would have enjoyed more scenes with the wonderfully talented Meryl Streep who redeems herself quite well (all...

A far better film than a book.
All too often when a well loved book is turned into a film, fans of the book bemoan how the director or the screen writer got it wrong and all the wonderful things the book had that got lost on the way to the screen. And then you get the rare case when the film is so much better than the book that you wonder if you'll ever bother to look at the book again. "Julie & Julia" with Meryl Streep and Amy Adams is one of those films.

Based on Julie Powell's blog, a New York office drone, dreading the approach of the Big 3-0, breaks out of her life by attempting to go through every recipe in the first volume of Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in one year. While the book focuses almost exclusively on Julie Powell in her Queens apartment, the film splits time equally between Amy Adams' Julie on her epic food quest and Meryl Streep as Julia Child in post war France, who takes cooking lessons as a way to break up the boredom of her day waiting for her husband to come...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Widescreen Edition)

dvd details
Since I had to look elsewhere for DVD details (to decide whether to buy the 2-disc or one-disc film), I thought I'd post here:

1-Disc Wide screen and Full Screen DVD

*Includes both a wide screen and full screen version of the film.
*No special features
*RRP $28.98
2-Disc Digital Copy Special Edition DVD

*Widescreen version only
*Additional scenes (6:31)
*Close-Up with the Cast and Crew of Harry Potter special. Matthew Lewis ("Neville Longbottom") and Alfred Enoch ("Dean Thomas") lead us on an entertaining look at the cast of Harry Potter as they explore their interests away from acting and spend a day on set with the production team (28:30)
*J.K. Rowling: A Year in the Life: A fascinating and intimate look into the life of J.K. Rowling over the last year of writing "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." (49:32)
*One Minute Drills: The cast has 60 seconds to describe their character's personality, history,...

So sad, so... very... sad.
First. please let me say that I adore (nay, worship) the Harry Potter stories. So, being a gen-you-wine "Potter-Head" I was first in line to see Half-Blood Prince.

It was an interesting movie. Nice special effects.
Disjointed enough however that one MUST have seen all the previous movies and/or read the books to follow the plot.

...Most importantly, it bears little resemblance to the Harry Potter books!!!

Really. I can forgive replacing the actions of one character with another character, to save time, I can even forgive eliminating whole chapters for the sake of brevity, but to change scenes, edit whole parts, and invent whole chapters???

Beware, below, there be SPOILERS! Don't read if you haven't watched!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some examples of lost scenes:

-Dumbledore confronting the Dursley's? Gone.
-The invention of a fight at the...

Don't Buy This Edition. Great Film, but Not the Extended Version!
Warner Brothers is trying to fool us again - calling this an "Ultimate Edition" when it is NOT the extended version of the film. It comes with behind the scenes extras and commentaries, but the movie itself is the same! I expect this is because they decided after the first 2 Ultimate Editions that they would wait and re-release all 8 movies at once in another Ultimate Edition, but this time a Box Set with extended versions of all films - to entice everyone to buy all the movies yet again. Hold off for now and watch your DVD copies - next year we can all buy the REAL Ultimate Editions!

Click to Editorial Reviews