Ballplayer: Pelotero [HD]

A riveting real life "Jerry Maguire" documentary about Major League Baseball greed.
I admit that I'm not a huge baseball fan but this 79-minute 2011 documentary kept me glued to my TV screen with anticipation as to how the story (actually two stories) would end. If you are a fan of professional baseball, this is a "must-see" film.

There are two facts that you will learn quickly as the film begins: 1) 205 of all major league baseball, players come from the Dominican Republic and 2) July 2nd is the first day that MLB teams can draft a player (who must be at least 16 years old). The film follows two young men as they (and their trainers and agents - who get as much as 35% of the contract fee if the player is signed but NOTHING if no contract is completed) try to negotiate multi-million dollar contracts to get them out of the poverty they live in in the DR. Players from the DR began playing in US MLB in the 1960s but by the 1980s, they were getting $million contracts. Now it's, not about the game, but about "show me the money".

My fellow Amazon...

Two Personal Stories Provide Controversy, Intrigue, And Intense Human Drama To This Baseball Documentary
Having seen numerous baseball documentaries (a couple even about this very specific narrative scope), I thought it was improbable that "Ballplayer: Pelotero" would offer anything new to the discussion. The Dominican Republic supplies so many terrific players to the Major League American baseball scene, it's almost impossible not to be fascinated by a culture that lives for the game as one of its primary economic opportunities. As a statistical phenomenon and anomaly (this film suggests that the tiny country supplies 20% of contemporary players), it is a topic that has been studied, discussed, and analyzed in countless other variations. Having seen a few, I didn't expect "Ballplayer: Pelotero" to be essential viewing. But as they say, the subject makes the movie. And the two players who are profiled in this sparse new film (it runs only 77 minutes) provide plenty of unexpected intrigue and scandal.

Narrated by John Leguizamo, the film begins in the months preceding the...

"A COMPELLING DOCUMENTARY OF WHAT IT WILL COST TO ACHIEVE THE AMERICAN DREAM!"
This film is a gritty look of behind the scenes and a look on the inside of Major League Baseball and its top quality talent in the Dominican Republic. It describes what the contracts are about, the competition, and corruption. Who will qualify, standards, and what players will actually become a part of Major League and the American Dream. Interesting and thought-provoking throughout. Highly Recommended!

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Shut Up And Play the Hits [HD]

Beat the document
This 3 disc set is Oscilloscope release #45. Inside is the documentary feature about LCDSSs' final performance at MSG. The movie has whole songs from the concert which emphasize the quieter and meditative tone of the interview segments and over the shoulder next morning footage. There are extra extended interview segments with James Murphy if you didn't get enough during the movie. The main feature really is the double disc set of the concert, which features 2.0 stereo and 5.1 mixes both sounding rich and clear. The near 4 hour show is documented in its entirety including backstage breaks. While it can be exhausting to sit through everything this set offers, you will find a greater understanding of yourself and the band if you listen close and loud. My speakers were buzzing by the finale and I was fine with it.

A Wonderful And Joyous Concert, With a Sad Ending.
I've been interested in electronica music and the Amazon computer suggests a lot of things that it thinks I might like. About five years ago it suggested a CD by LCD Soundsystem titled "Sound of Silver." I took the suggestion seriously because I'd read a review in "Rolling Stone" and I'd already decided that this would probably be a disc I'd enjoy. I bought and I indeed liked it very much and followed up later by also purchasing (and reviewing) "This is Happening" and "London Sessions." This was just a very good band and I loved their music and James Murphy was a terrific singer! Excellent recordings!

Well, LCD Soundsystem quickly and easily worked it's way into my list of a half-dozen favorite musical acts (including deadmau5, Daft Punk and Matthew Dear) that were the highest on my playlist. Then the notice came out that they were shutting the band down. Quitting? How can this be? This is one of the freshest and best bands around and they're quitting right as they reach...

Only vaguely familiar with the band-
But I love behind the scenes music movies. I couldn't understand the leader's motivation for disbanding-but I think that was kind of the point. He didn't understand, either. I liked that it showed the tightness of the friendships, in short little clips. And how sad it was to leave it all behind. The musical performances were excellent and great fun, but none of it was was compelling enough that I would watch it again.

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Fringe: The Complete Fourth Season

Best Sci-Fi show on TV since X-Files
Have Fringe seasons 1-3 on DVD and currently dvr season 4 episodes. This is intelligent television. Plots are unique, FBI cases are super sci-fi in nature, characters are well developed and the dialogue is top notch! John Noble is brilliant as Walter in each universe, as is the rest of the cast. I cannot wait until Season 4 is released on dvd.

Crazy genius!
I love this show! From the pilot episode I have grown the love each character hero and villain alike, especially Walter. The action and plot twists are in a league above the rest!

A Bit Uneven, But Still Better Than 99% Of Television Fare Today
For its first three seasons, "Fringe" gave sci-fi junkies the type of show that had gone longing since "The X-Files" left the airwaves. It is cerebral, it is emotional, it is at times funny, and (most of all) it is well thought-out. Essentially, it is all the things that 99% of television programs these days are not. While this fourth season of the show is a bit uneven and doesn't quite live up to its previous cannon of work, it is still a quality show that provides some much-needed scripted drama to a TV market over-saturated by reality and competition shows.

(Minor spoilers ahead)

Like many TV show seasons, this fourth season of "Fringe" is broken down into three primary plot-arcs:

1. The search for Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson), gone missing after the activation of the machine that brought the two universes together.

2. The Peter/Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) relationship, further complicated by the sheer number of universe-related...

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Man on a Swing

Another great Frank Perry Film
I was so happy when I noticed that Amazon had this hard-to-find Frank Perry film (almost all of his are hard to find) available to stream or download. The first Frank Perry film I watched was The Swimmer, and I have been a fan ever since. I was lucky enough to be living in Los Angeles when the Egyptian Theater featured a retrospect of some of his films including The Swimmer, Doc, Diary of a Mad House Wife, and another favorite of mine, Play it as it Lays. I would highly recommend all of his films including his first, David and Lisa. There's just something about them, that I still can't put my finger on. There's a quirkiness to them, and occasional imperfections, especially in The Swimmer, considered one of the first independent films, but under it all is a unique, but often subtle, auteur vision to his films. Man on as Swing was no exception in terms of those qualities, but it also has the feel of a film in which the director had a very solid command of his craft. It's Perry's...

A fascinating performance in an otherwise underwhelming film
Inspired by a true case, Frank Perry's Man on a Swing sees Cliff Robertson's police chief in a small town (the kind that still looks like it's stuck in the late 60s in 1974) out of his depth when trying to solve the murder of a young girl. The case is clearly going nowhere as he almost sleepwalks through the investigation as if numbed by shock, though that may just be because the police are too busy getting their fingerprints over the evidence and drinking Budweiser and making sure the logo is facing the camera at every opportunity: police stations, bars, at home - any time is Budweiser time for these cops. For the first couple of reels it's not much above TV movie of the week level, but it jolts into life every time Joel Grey appears as a clairvoyant who offers to help with the case even though he claims to have heard nothing about the murder. But just how reliable is he and what are his real motives?

It's certainly a fascinating performance, and a surprisingly controlled...

Eerie Mystery
Unusual based on fact movie from the 1970s about the tragic rape/murder of a beautiful young teacher in a California town. The movie changes many of the facts of the case, including the resolution, but this is really unimportant because the film is unique and the acting is terrific.

The murder investigation is interrupted by a phone call to the police chief from a man who describes himself as a psychic. He says he doesn't read the newspapers but has a "feeling" that he is needed to help with an important case.

Grey as the "over the top" psychic monopolizes every scene he is in. You can't take your eyes off of him. His character is nicely balanced by the down to earth common sense of the police chief played by Cliff Robertson.

But the drama doesn't stop at the station because at home Robertson argues with his pregnant wife, Dorothy Tristan, who doesn't like the Grey character. Robertson is doubtful himself, but Grey has so many facts that he...

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Basic Instinct 2 [HD]

Neither Uncut NOR extended! Total Deception!
I can't beleive I'm the first to mention this! There are a few "good" (wink-wink) scenes which have been removed from this DVD version! A lesbian scene and part of Stone's hot tub scene are gone. It' seems clear that the makers of this film are depserately trying to lose as much money as possible. Although perhaps this DVD is selling well for them since they've went to the extent of flat out lieing to the consumer about it's content. Studio DVD labels make me laugh with their "Unrated-Uncut" sellpoint that always amounts to almost nothing interesting.. but this is unusual since the DVD is actually MISSING scenes. Tragic.

Good, Raunchy Fun!
Basic Instinct 2 is fine, campy fun. People who see this and take it too seriously simply just won't get it. This film is about the most menacing, conniving and manipulating vixen every put forth. Everyone who gets involved with her either dies or gets taken through the ringer. She uses sex as a weapon, and she's always one step ahead of everyone.

Sure, Sharon is trying a bit too hard in this film--the excessive hair-flipping is a bit much--but this is totally understandable. The first film was her best performance ever, plus it was the film that put her on the map. In the first film she had a unique, charming quality where should go from the sweetest, condescending seductress to the most evil woman around in the same sentence. Here, we find a much more hardened Catherine Tramell. Is this how Sharon's acting has evolved, or is this how Catherine has evolved as a person 14 years after the original? You be the judge. Regardless, Stone at age 47 is flat-out still hot...

3 1/2 Stars: You Always Hurt The One You Love
Catherine Tramell is the perfect role for Sharon Stone who, though not a great actress is certainly a screen "personality" : someone that commands your attention. You simply cannot take your eyes off of her perennially, it seems, gorgeous face and body.

In her other roles, other than arguably in "Casino," there is a falseness in Stone's approach as if there is a scrim between her and us...her technique "shows" and she is simply not effective.

But in both "Basic Instincts," Stone has found the role of a lifetime: one in which everything about her persona, her acting abilities and her charisma come together and form a cogent performance. And believe me, Stone's Catherine Tramell is a chew-the-scenery, gut-splitting, batten-down-the-hatches p-e-r-f-o-r-m-a-n-c-e.

"Basic Instinct 2" is much better than it has any right to be: the screenplay, is pretty good, David Morrissey as Dr. Andrew Glass: Catherine's foil, plaything, Psychiatrist, though at first kind...

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My Sucky Teen Romance

It is what it is
I enjoy low budget indy films. And the fact this one was made by such a young cast and crew made it especially enjoyable to view on a Christmas break afternoon with my tween and teen daughters.

No, it's not high cinema. But the story line, acting and production values are at least equal to shows playing on venues like Disney Channel or Nick.

This film was directed by Emily Hagins, and we watched it after seeing "Zombie Girl: The Movie," a documentary done in 2006 about Hagins, who was then an aspiring 12-year-old director making her first feature length movie. My youngest daughter was disappointed Hagin's first film "Pathogen" is no longer available on DVD or through other outlets.





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The Dark Mirror

Olivia De Havilland Shines
Although director Robert Siodmak is most closely identified with noir classics such as The Killers, Crisscross, and The Phantom Lady, The Dark Mirror is a fine addition to his portfolio. Expanding on the scope of his creativity, Siodmak relies heavily on the performance that he draws from star actress Olivia De Havilland. The Dark Mirror is a psychological thriller about a murder committed by one of two twin sisters; Ruth and Terry Collins. Playing both sister roles, De Havilland's acting ability and developmental character depth is tested. De Havilland passes admirably. At first the twin sisters seem physically and emotionally similar. Subltle nuances differentiate their personalities and it is De Havilland's fine acting that peels away the layers of emotionalism that define each sister's character traits. De Havilland aided by keen camera work by Siodmak, keeps viewers on edge as she shifts roles within frames that are shared by both sisters. ( I still don't...

Double DeHavilland
The Dark Mirror is an improbable, yet entertaining suspense story about a detective and a psychiatrist's attempts to determine which one of a pair of twins committed murder. The movie succeeds because of the effective performance by Olivia deHavilland as the twins. Rather than making the twins polar opposites (which is what most actresses whould have done and most twins aren't), she subtlely distinguishes between the two, and her performance at the climax of the movie is very memorable. The special effects to give the illusion of two Olivias are quite good, especially given the time when the film was made. All in all, it's an entertaining movie and I'd recommend it.

Strong performance by De Havilland elevates psychological thriller
After a doctor is found murdered, the chief suspect is a woman (Olivia De Havilland) identified by several witnesses at the scene. But the detective (Thomas Mitchell) assigned to the case discovers that she has an identical twin sister (also De Havilland) which begs the question ..... which one is the murderess? The director Robert Siodmak (THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE) and De Havilland tip their hand fairly early in the film so that we know who the murderer is so the suspense comes from how will they find out and will they find out before she commits another killing. Siodmak provides the requisite moody atmosphere and De Havilland does an excellent job of differentiating between the two sisters, it's really one of her best performances. Lew Ayres is the psychiatrist who attempts to find out which is the twisted sister through psychological means and ends up falling in love with one of them. The screenplay is by Nunnally Johnson who would return to the subject again nine years later with...

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Girl In Progress [HD]

Awesome movie, even though it's 'meta' and isn't a comedy
If you're expecting a lighthearted comedy, then stop here, because you'll hate this movie. It's as close as American movies ever come to a true tragedy.

This movie is about a girl, Ansiedad (which means anxiety in Spanish, which shows how clueless her mom is), who is really frustrated with her life, and wants to turn her life into a coming of age drama, where she escapes in the end by boarding a train.

Ansiedad does a bunch of research, trying to figure out how to be the girl in the movie that breaks through, and attains popularity in school. After she's graphed this out in her room, she meticulously follows her plan, step by step. Everybody else in the movie is clueless about what she's doing, even when she tells them, and she keeps following her plan to it's tragic completion.

Ansiedad is played by Cierra Ramirez, and her mom Grace is played by Eva Mendez. Ramirez does a great job of acting a super smart kid who's actually pulling off a crazy plan to...

Unexpectedly Pretty Good
I liked this movie. A lot. It was a welcomed change to the traditional emotional strife via Mother and Child.
The story revolves around a young teen who has grown tired of her mother's childish irresponsible ways. Especially when it comes to married men and money. Also the constant moving which is about the only thing that changes in their life. This movie, as depicted in Ansiedads research is akin to a metamorphosis. The teenager believes that a rite of passage would lead her on the path to freedom from her mom, this life. But as in life nothing goes as planned. Very good movie for a family to watch and discuss. Teens and preteens only though. B+

Fun, a bit weird, oddly fulfilling
Well it isn't a masterpiece of cinema, but not a bad flick. The high school girl Anne/Ansiedad comes across as a borderline narcissist who cruelly dumps her best and only friend in pursuit of a consciously thought out, clinically executed "coming of age" project. Her mother (Eva Mendez) is a flighty, sexy but lost working gal who nearly destroys a doctor's marriage, then nearly loses her daughter, then nearly ruins the restaurant where she works. Patricia Arquette is the stable, reasonable English teacher who anchors Ansiedad's adventure and occasionally fills in where mom is lacking. There are a few other supporting characters who are somewhat unusual and generally well played. Kendall Cross, as Alice Harford, the doctor's wife (who seems to always address him as "Doctor"), is a surprisingly solid and sympathetic character who is fighting to keep her own dysfunctional family together. Altogether, the cast is interesting enough that it makes up for what might be otherwise a rather...

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Where Do We Go Now?

Ambitious and touching
"Where Do We Go Now?" (2011 release from Lebanon; 100 min.) brings the fictitious story of an isolated village in Lebanon where Christians and Muslims, tired of the endless and senseless killing of/by the Christian and Muslim men, are living together more or less in peace. The opening scenes show the village women, both Christian and Muslim, marching together towards the cemetery where they put down pictures of their fallen husbands, sons and other male family members.

But the peace is threatened at times, not just by petty local events such as the strange disappearance of shoes from the mosque, but more so by watching the news on the one working television in the village, showing increased tension between Muslims and Christians. The women in the village decide that they need to ease the tension by whatever means possible. To say much more of the plot would be to ruin the viewing experience of this movie, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out...

One of the best films describing the fundemental problem of the Lebanese society
One of the best films describing the fundemental problem of the Lebanese society. Nadine Labki has a long standing passion in bringing up the issues and topics that are considered as a "hot potato" topics in Lebanon.

A lesson in humanity
A very imaginative way of treating the subject of religious differences in a war torn society. It is funny, entertaining, human, makes you cry and makes you laugh at the absurdity of separatism!

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Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind [DVD + Digital Copy] (Universal's 100th Anniversary)

"I DON'T WANT THIS ANYMORE!!!"
When you hear the basic storyline of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," it sounds like another one of those "wacky" romantic comedies that they love to put out every month. However, when you realize that this is written by Charlie Kaufman (who also wrote "Adaptation" and "Being John Malkovich"), then you know that this will be a very different movie. This is such an enjoyable, hilarious and a brutally honest film that has immediately become a favorite of mine.

Jim Carrey plays "Joel;" a quiet and shy person who keeps to himself most of the time. He's bummed out when he discovers that his girlfriend had a new procedure done in where she has erased him from her memory. Not knowing what else to do, Joel decides that he must get the same thing done to him and goes to the clinic to have her erased from his memory, hoping that the pain and sadness will go away. When he's undergoing the procedure, unconscious and reliving the memories as they are being erased, Joel...

Just when you thought romantic comedies were unoriginal ...
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, which I saw tonight in an advance screening, is the most twisted, original romantic comedy I've seen in a long time. Coming from the mind of Charlie Kaufman, this film is luckily more in the vein of BEING JOHN MALKOVICH and ADAPTATION than HUMAN NATURE.

The film, which operates on the premise that people can delete bad relationships from their memories, travels essentially backward down its story's timeline. It examines several key themes regarding compatibility, fate and how our memories can make up who we are.

Jim Carrey, who plays his role of Joel straight rather than wacky, delivers his best and most human performance since THE TRUMAN SHOW. But the movie, thankfully, belongs to Kate Winslet. As Clementine, the girlfriend who Joel wants to either love or forget, Winslet is wacky, colorful and hilarious - the sort of girl you want to either love or strangle.

While their central story plays out mostly within Joel's brain, several equally...

Highly Original, Deeply Moving
I think that people who say that there's no such thing as an original plot ought to see this movie and see if they still believe it afterwards.

"Eternal Sunshine" is just as creative as "Being John Malkovich" but without the characters who did despicable things (i.e. taking over people's bodies) in the latter movie. Instead, the story centers around Joel (Jim Carrey) and Clementine (Kate Winslet) who are two very appealing "nice people."

I'm a guy, so naturally my eyes are on Kate Winslet. She really does merit the description that one critic gave her, "very easy to fall in love with" (I know I have). Besides this movie, I've seen her in two other great roles in "Sense and Sensibility" and "Enigma." In "Eternal Sunshine" she plays the shy man's dream girl: a wacky, flaky woman who lights up every scene that she's in. Yet she's also a wounded spirit, fighting a problem with alcohol.

Jim Carrey does a fine job playing Clementine's soul mate (and in some ways her polar...

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Korn: The Path of Totality Tour - Live at the Hollywood Palladium [Blu-ray]

KORN MIXING THE NEW WITH THE OLD
On their tenth album "The Path Of Totality" Korn gave their sound a much needed shot in the arm, it seems working with a whole host of Dubstep and Electronica artists had revitalised the band even if it did split Korn fans down the middle. Then again at this stage it doesn't really seem to matter what Korn do, the fans will complain anyway. So for the launch of their new album Korn would play the Hollywood Palladium along with Skrillex, Excision, Datsik, Downlink, Kill the Noise, and 12th Planet who all had a hand on various tracks on "The Path Of Totality" album.

The Blu-Ray of the show is stunning as the band enter the stage to flashing LED lighting that's both behind the band as well as over the crowd and it's evident from the opening track "Get Up!" which features Skrillex joining them on stage playing guitar that the new direction the band have taken is just as heavy as their earlier ground breaking material. The first half of the gig is made up of seven tracks from...

Great!!
This is a cool DVD. You can hear some of the new songs and some classic songs. I wish it had more closeups



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High School

Fun Stoner Comedy With Some Excellent Performances
I sat down to watch "High School" with no preconceived notions about the movie. All I knew was that Michael Chiklis was in it and that was good enough for me. I can't say Chiklis stole the show here, but he played a part so different than what he's played recently in Vegas and The Shield that my wife didn't even recognize him. Chiklis plays a high school principal hell bent on getting drugs out of his school but of course that becomes impossible to do when honors student and soon to be class valedictorian Henry, played by Matt Bush, decided to toke up for the first time the day before a school-wide drug testing program is implemented.

Henry and his stoner friend Travis, played by Sean Marquette, decide that if EVERYONE fails the drug test then nobody can really be held accountable. Sound thinking, right? Well, in order to get enough drugs to dose the whole student body they have to rip off the local drug dealer "Psycho Ed," played with gusto by Adrien Brody who...

DRUGS: THINK ABOUT IT!,
Hank (Matt Bush) is a high school student who is MIT bound. He has become reacquainted with his junior high friend Breaux (Sean Marquette) who is not MIT bound, and might be classified as a "Stoner." Breaux convinces Hank to share a bone with him. To their surprise the principal (Michael Chiklis with a bad wig) announces a drug test for the entire student body with everyone who fails being expelled.

Hank envisioning his life going down the drain, because what college would ever take a high school kid who got high once in his life, our duo gets an ideal that if everyone was stoned and failed the test, they would throw it out. The brownie bake sale being held the same day as the drug test provides them the delivery method and the film director says, "Okay cast, everyone act stoned."

Sure it was nice to see Lisa Simpson and Booger as instructors and Adrian Brodie as a mentally unstable drug dealer. But as a stoner film goes, this one doesn't measure up. Consider the...

A pretty funny and somewhat original stoner comedy. More like "Girl Next Door" then "Harold & Kumar". Great plot. I say B
"Drugs, fornicating, a grown man singing about his feelings, it's time we win this war, expunge this school of all dope fiends." Henry Burke (Bush) has everything going for him. He has a scholarship to MIT and is in line to be his classes valedictorian. After an accident leads to detention he is brought back together with his old friend Travis (Marquette). They decide to take a break that night and unwind with a joint. After the school's representative in the national spelling bee loses it on TV the principal (Chiklis) institutes a mandatory drug test for everyone in the school. Fearing he will lose everything Henry and Travis come up with a plan. I am not really a fan of "stoner' comedy (I did like the Harold & Kumar movies) but the plot to this and the cast made it seem interesting to me. I was not disappointed. Adrien Brody is very funny as the man they steal from and Colin Hanks is good as a clueless asst. principle but Michael Chiklis steals the movie. Playing a clueless...

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For The Love of Money

ONE WRONG TURN AND YOU CAN CRASH
Izak (Yehuda Levi) and Yuni (Joshua Biton) are young cousins in Israel with big plans. Yuni has a brother Levi, who robs banks. Izak's family owns a bar that allows illegal gambling in the back room with unsavory characters. When their lives are threaten in Israel,by a hothead named Tommy (Edward Furlong), they head to the LA to live the American dream. While in America, they manage to step on the toes of a drug czar, Mickey (James Caan) while fixing his car. When Levi gets out of prison and rejoins the family, his criminal ways haven't ended.

The film is based on a true story, and during the final credit run they show us actual photos of the characters with spellings such as "Izak" as opposed to the traditional "Isaac." I found that the story bordered on being exciting, but lacked the Hollywood glitz and drama style to put it into that thriller category.

The movie holds your interest, but just when you think it will grab you, it lets go. My biggest complaint is...

For the love of money
This movie was way over rated. The idea was fun and a few of the characters were ok but overall wait for Netflix

All around good movie
Great movie/cast amazing that this was a true story.

Highly Recommend, had a great movie night with all the family and friends.

"Sometimes doing the right thing can land you in a whole pile of trouble"

Great quotes from the movie

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Preaching To The Perverted

Who ever said Love wasn't Painful??
Preaching To The Perverted is a visually stunning foray into the bondage nightclub scene, with a surprisingly gentle and heart-warming love story behind it.

The photography, costumes, cast, settings, effect, and music all combine into an exquisitely beautiful and erotic film. If you want dirty "spank me till I bleed" cinema, this is *not* your film. PTTP is a gorgeous visual delight with an industrial/club soundtrack and a lot of eye candy.

There is beauty, love, humor, and yes...a bit of "strapped down" stimulation. Rather like a more risque Exit To Eden, with the stage beauty of All That Jazz.

The Story? Young Peter, played by Christien Anholt (Marcellus in Mel Gibson's Hamlet and a bit part in Power of One) is recruited by Henry Harding (Tom Bell), member of Parliament who heads the United Front Opposing Filth.

They send Peter into the heart of the sex and fetish clubs in order to gather evidence for prosecution in his campaign to shut down the industry. Peter is a...

Would you like an extra pillow?
Finally on DVD. Love it. I first saw this mistresspiece about the same time as the equally wacky, sex-drenched Tromeo and Juliet (What? You didn't know Juliet had a lesbian lover?), and it has lost none of its magic.

Other reviewers have described it well, so I won't overkill the story line. While this is a lightweight look at the S & M industry/subculture, it is genuinely entertaining, with Chris Anholt (Tia Carrere's sidekick in Relic Hunter) perfectly cast opposite the Divine Guin Turner - check out Go Fish and Chasing Amy.

Apart from being sheer entertainment with a great soundtrack, the movie captures the madness by which corrupt and perverse Government officials presume to judge a subculture in which the genderless, non-hierarchical role-playing is actually very sane and healing.

Hilarious, sexy, exciting. I hope they make a sequel with the same cast.

Amazingly fun movie...
If you have any interest in BDSM at all, this movie will be a lot of fun for you. It's not a pillar of the genre that all members of the community should see at all costs, but it is certainly vastly entertaining.

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Chronos (IMAX) [Blu-ray]

A visual and aural treat!
Originally released as an IMAX film in the mid-80s, Chronos on DVD unfortunately can not match the power of the IMAX experience. But really; what TV can compete with a 5-story-high screen? I saw the film three times in IMAX and each time I saw something new and amazing. I couldn't wait to get this film on DVD. Any shortcomings the Chronos DVD has are related to the size and clarity of the image as displayed on a television, not the film's content. The images of earthly constructions both natural and man-made are drop-dead-gorgeous, and the music -- a nonstop electronic instrumental score -- is mesmerizing. At roughly 45 minutes in length, you'll not want it to end. The disc has a spare and clunky interface and no special features, but who cares? Chronos is a wonder that I find myself watching again and again.

A great disappointment
Playing my Chronos Blu-Ray I was literally shocked at the incredibly poor image quality that was possible in a transfer to Blu-Ray. As one reviewer stated - even some standard-def DVDs look better. The image resolution is not what I expected from a HD format. Excessive grain permeates even the brightly lit scenes. The constant brightness shifting or flickering was simply annoying and was present throughout the entire presentation. The shaky image in the first Grand Canyon scene looked amateurish. I thought Chronos in Blu-Ray would be an impressive feature to show off the capabilities of HD , unfortunately I would be embarrassed to show this to anyone.

The subject matter of Chronos was impressive in some locations but the harmonious blend from scene to scene that was displayed in Baraka was not present , simply a conglomeration of shots that seemed to be added together with no real theme. The dated music (even by 1980s standards) by Michael Stearns makes watching this poor...

From Some of The Fathers of Wordless Narrative Film
Released in 1985, "Chronos" is a forty-minute long "visual-music journey". It is a Presentation of the Reuben H. Fleet Space Theater of San Diego, California and S.E.M. Lagode, Paris, France.

"Chronos" was filmed on location at over sixty sites around the globe. Images of significant natural beauty, architectural complexity, iconic historical sculpture and various panoramic cityscapes were captured on 70mm film using mostly slow motion and time lapse cinematography.

The wordless narrative structure of the work primarily attempts to convey feelings of reverence and appreciation for the breath-taking subject matter. In addition, it also suggests states of significant anxiety experienced as a consequence of the pace and complexity of modern urban life.

Electronic music, composed and performed by Michael Stearns, is thoroughly integrated with the considered, slowly paced editing of Alton Walpole and Ron Fricke. Image and sound interpenetrate one...

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The Hike

WELL MADE SLASHER / SHOCK MOVIE
This movie was quite a surprise! An effective new slasher movie that isn't so predictable and is actually very intense in certain scenes. All you need to know is that a group of beautiful women go for a weekend hike in the woods and run into some very nasty situations. I'm not giving anything away here and urge fans of slasher flicks set in the woods to check this one out! Beware though...some people may be offended by a couple of squeamish rape scenes with tied up girls but the violence is never glorified and the suspenseful ending is a real nail biter worth seeing. This isn't some micro budget flick. The production values are great and the cinematography is excellent. At times it reminded me of 'The Descent' (but without the creatures). There aren't a lot of special effects on display as the movie is more suspenseful and shocking than gory, but what is shown is indeed gruesome. For fans of solid creepy / suspenseful slasher movies that aren't predictable.

An all Girls weekend in the woods is not usually a good idea
The scenery was beautiful,the cast was good ,the acting for the most part above par for the budget.It was very brutal and violent but there wasn't a lot of gore involved although there was lot's of blood and a few mild effects.
I always like the extra gore in these films because basically as lovers of this genre that's what we like to see coupled with the other elements I fore mentioned.
There are lot of rape scenes but it plays into the heart of the plot,They weren't so bad that I couldn't watch the entire scenes like the rape scenes in Last House on the Left or I Spit On Your Grave but they were still brutal.
It's a good story and an entertaining film and the ending is unexpected and exciting.Think Eden Lake Meets Resurrection County..

A bit too drawn out; predictable
I was kindof looking forward to some softp*rn in this, and was disappointed when no one was even nude, let alone no sex. The story may have been decent, if you snooze through some of it. Could have done the whole movie in 30 minutes.

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Streets of Fire [HD]

Weird, unique, thrilling, rock opera adventure.
This film bombed with reviewers and at the box office when it came out -- but I loved it! And its soundtrack remains one of my favorite lps/CDs.

It's a weird tale of a biker gang leader (William DaFoe) who kidnaps a rock singer (Diane Lane). Her nebbish manager (Rick Moranis) hires her ex-soldier/ex-boyfired (Michael Pare) to rescue her. He hires a sidekick, ex-soldier Amy Madigan.

What makes this film so weird is -- you wonder WHEN it's taking place. It's full of anachronisms. The art direction looks 1950s (the malt shop, some of the costumes, the old police squad cars, the teletype). Yet you have female soldiers, and an integrated police force. And the biker gang leader looks like he's dressed for an S&M leather party, in a black leather farmer's overall bid. Very strange.

The dialog is also strange. Very stylized -- to the point of parody. Women are "skirts." Everyone's sarcastic, snarling zingers at each other. Even the bit players. The film feels...

I LOVE THIS FILM TOO MUCH!
I first saw this movie during my formative teen years, and it has affected my sense of style and taste in music and movies ever since. Though I would not go overboard in saying that it is a "very good" movie, but it is a "great" movie.

It has been said that this is the '50's movie set in the '80's Walter Hill always wanted to make, and he succeeds in catching that feeling. The people are clad in '50's garb, the cars are glorious pieces of Detroit steel or Studebakers, the biker gang lives the dream of Link Wray's music and the threat of Brando's "Wild Ones," the music is at times fast and urgent, like youth racing to an exciting finish, or moody and atmospheric, catching tension, sorrow, and romance. The production value is first-rate, every rain puddle in place, glorious neon colors, and a literally "ripping" scene disolve.

Hill has created a complete world here. The story takes place in a city that is so huge a wanderer (such as Amy Madigan's or...

soldier boy saves queen of the hop from leader of the pack
"streets of fire",ive gathered was intended to be part of a trilogy by director walter hill[director of 'the warriors'],but poor box office sales,nixed that idea.
i saw the movie at a local cinema in my hometown in 1984 and less than two weeks later it was gone replaced by some'john hughes' schmaltz or someother dreck of that kind of 'teen 80's' ilk.
i thought 'streets of fire' was fantastic,an utterly compelling 'juvinile delinquint film noir western',complete with ravaging biker gangs,sultry rock'n'roll singers,surly hot rod gangs,poutng tuff chicks,glowering bad boys,swithblade knives,black leather jackets,tuff words in tense situations,street brawls with sledge hammers,chopped lowered hotrods,do-wop groups,sexy fishnet wearing strippers,sax honking rock'a'billy bands,burning motorcycles,gun totin' bad ass dames,you name it...this movie has it all.
amid flashing neon,wet city streets,screaming subways,foggy back alleys,menacing bikers,pseudo-tuff punk...

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Munger Road

I would have rated higher but...
This was a great suspenseful movie. I love horror, hate gratuitous gore. Had me on the edge of my seat. I would have given four, maybe five stars EXCEPT...

SPOILER ALERT: the ending - to be continued? Really? This isn't a weekly made for TV movie, so that was a total rip-off. SO you basically are watching a movie with a story you may never know the ending to. That was a very cheap shot.

Decent Movie ... With a Crap Ending ... Here's the A-Z!
** CONTAINS SPOILERS **

I mean, sure, we've all fallen prey to a great horror/murder premise that leads us in to watch it with either a good storyline, a good trailer or even just some well put together cover art re: DVD or poster ... but ending anything on TO BE CONTINUED is b/s of the highest order, sorry!

OK, as you can read either a) "it was so realistic, so wonderful," or b) "it was bad, so bad" in the 22 other reviews listed here before me, let me bring you up to speed quickly with an A-Z ... a local fair is setting up for the weekend and at the same time a convicted child killer breaks out of prison (we never see his photo on the fax though) and a group of 4 teens journey out to Munger Road, the scene of some spooky goings-on over the years.

The fair is a waste of plot time, the escaped convict too (as he proves to have been already killed in a hit and run at 11pm the same night he escaped), and so the only two stories are a) the Sheriff and his...

Good All Fashion Fun
Director Nick Smith has done an excellent Job with his first Movie " Munger Road". It reminds me of an Alfred Hitchcock thriller. Cast is great and Bruce Davidson does a fantastic Job as the Town Sheriff. I can wait to see more from Smith

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The Wrath of God

BETTER THAN I REMEMBERED!
Saw this at the drive-in when it first came out and remembered it as being a somewhat sub-standard Western, kind of a Spaghetti Western/Sam Peckinpah wannabe, and though that may be true, THE WRATH OF GOD does have a few slight merits of it's own.

First is Robert Mitchum's performance as the sleepy-eyed priest who mows 'em down Django-fashion with a hidden machine gun. He scoffs the Lord, swears, drinks whiskey, smokes cigars and kills. Back then, I thought it just a ruse, now, I'm not too sure. Is he taking this "Fatherhood" seriously, or is it all just part of the scam? Certainly one of Mitchum's best roles, though not nearly as great as his other heavenly outing in NIGHT OF THE HUNTER. Still, food for thought.

Secondly, Victor Buono finally gets to play a somewhat good-guy, or at least be on Mitchum's side. He's a likable lout in the George Sanders fashion, a con man who is always looking out for himself, yet leads a courageous attack on the enemy stronghold,...

the rate of this dvd.
the rate of this dvd.
im very happy for this dvd and l think im never seen so good dvd the last 20 yers.
one of the best with robert mitchum.
country pickin from sweden malmö

Robert Mitchum has made an excellent movie again, plenty of action and I loved his big red tourer that seems to go anywhere.
I don't think they make tourers like that big red one with Robert Mitchum driving.... no matter what terraine.
I very much liked the role he played and reaction to the varying situation caused by the villans..... I would recommend this movie to people who like action and an interesting storyline.. as you now know I really go for Robert Mitchum's movies..... his versatility with role playing is excellent. regards Movie Junky

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My Trip to Al-Qaeda [HD]

Compelling and Concise: Understanding The History, Culture, And Psychology That Led To 9/11
To be completely honest, I had very little interest in seeing another documentary film profiling Bin Laden, Al-Qaeda, or even the events of 9/11. After ten years of watching every related news profile and non-narrative (and fictional) movie on these topics, I'm on complete information overload. What's left to say? I mention this in preface to my comments about Alex Gibney's "My Trip to Al-Qaeda" because the experience really took me by surprise. I found this film to be so smart, so insightful, so unusual, and absolutely riveting. I'm not prone to unnecessary hyperbole (like Best Movie Ever!), but I think this is nearly essential in understanding the history, culture and psychology that led to that fateful day. But it doesn't stop there, it offers further commentary about the aftermath of the event and critically examines actions in the war on terror that might have been a part of a master plan. And whether or not you take these conclusions as gospel, it certainly presents an...

Good documentary, but a bit of a stretch.
Overall, this is a decent documentary that sheds light on how Al Qaeda formulated. Like one other reviewer said, Lawrence Wright's monologues seem a bit forced an unnatural. The biggest criticism I have is that Wright more or less asserts that bin Laden turned on the United States because his pride was hurt when we turned down his offer to help with the invasion of Desert Storm. Maybe Wright didn't mean to state this as the only reason, but he focused on it like it was a main reason.

Superb Background
One of my students (I teach a violence and terrorism course at one of the CSU campuses) taped this from HBO for me. It is magnificent and this should receive an award. If you wonder why we have terrorism today, this tells a significant part of the story. Wright outlines how Egypt, our ally, a dictatorship, but our dictatorship, managed to turn Islamists into Jihadists. Thanks, President Carter. You managed to create Sunnis that are now willing to kill us and then in Iran, Shias willing to kill us. This should be mandatory viewing for everyone. I will buy it as soon as it is available. Very well done. TC

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My Magic Genie ( Alf's Button Afloat )

The Crazy Gang goes crazy over a genie
Australian filmmaker Ralph Smart is a scenarist on this wonderful comedy gem from Gainsborough Studios. The Crazy Gang, 1930s precursors to the Goons and Monty Python, unleash a genie (Alistair Sim) from a button made from metal off Aladdin's original lamp and the fun and games begin. Sim and the Gang are hilarious. An absolute hoot. Smart's co-writers Marriott Edgar and Val Guest often worked together on Gainsborough comedies with the Crazy Gang, Arthur Askey and Will Hay.





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Born Undead [Blu-ray]

If you love bad movies...
The cover and title make this look like a new release horror movie. I was definitely fooled. But it's actually a 2003 flick by noted German schlockmeister Olaf Ittenbach that was originally titled Garden of Love. (Ok, the title change makes sense). Born Undead opens with the gory massacre of a dozen people who appear to be hippies in a large house. Only a young girl manages to survive--but after waking from a two year coma she has no memories of the traumatic event or her former life and is adopted by her Scottish cousins. Years later as a student at university she sees troubling visions of her dead father on television screens and thinks she might be going crazy. Finally finding out the truth about her past, she travels back to her childhood home to see if it brings back any memories. What she finds is something far more horrible--and gory. This isn't a good movie by any accepted definition of the term but between the gooey gore effects, stilted line readings, bizarre plot...





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The Great O'Malley

Classic
Very good old classic movie. Great story line (might appear out dated to some but still a refreshing story) Pat O'Brien was one of many stars from the gangster era movies and with Humphrey Bogart makes this one a keeper.

artificial story of policing among ethnic groups..doesnt wear well
The 1930's was a time of great international tensions? The ethnic tensions which exploded in the first world war boiled up throughout the period prior to this film,..and this film within its short alotted time aims to discuss this in the microcosm of new york city..so it is an ambitious production..but the film towards the end meanders towards a disney like ending? I recently saw a film Water for Elephants, a homage to old film making and the film works since the character played by Reese Witherspoon breathes life within her almost like a small figurine is espanded into the young man's carnal imagination..like the pictures of a hollywood gossip magazine where the photos begin to talk..the supporting role in this film played by the Bogart character..its interesting later in life this actor visited at his home in 1954..a large mansion..that morning he signed to film in Italy in The Barefoot Contessa..but the 5 visiting students instead of talking about movie stars..and stuff like...



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Sitting Target

Actioner Seems Better Now Than When Released
Warner Archive has released MGM's 1972 British actioner, "Sitting Target" starring Oliver Reed and Ian McShane in a kind of buddy picture that suffers from a lack of morals as a lot of British films were prone to from the mid-sixties. In Britain, unlike "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," the buddies eventually turn on one another as a twist. Not very sporting. And the violence ala Peter Collinson (this was after 1967's "The Penthouse" and 1969's "The Italian Job" and 1971's "Fright") is brought to the screen as directed by Douglas Hickox who had previously directed the film version of Joe Orton's comedy "Entertaining Mr. Sloane" and would later direct "Theatre of Blood" and "Zulu Dawn." And as in Britain in 1971 when Sam Peckinpah delivered "Straw Dogs" we learned a lesson through the violence. Here we only know that "vengeance is the Lord's" ultimately, and we knew that from the beginning, but wanted to sit through it. Jill St. John, the leading lady who never really became...

Brutal British Thriller; Finally released!
I caught "Sitting Target" a few times on cable TV many years ago and have been looking for a DVD release ever since, so it is with great delight that I see Warners is producing this film as one of their made-on-demand discs. Very much a product of its time, "Sitting Target" is a brutal British thriller in which an imprisoned criminal (Oliver Reed) breaks out to kill his unfaithful wife (Jill St. John). Nasty in a very good way. I will be ordering this today!

Brutal, stylish, uncompromising.
This is an under appreciated gem. The critics, wrong-headed as always, lambasted it when it was first released. For some reason, the popular consensus names the vastly overrated "Get Carter" as the crime classic from that era. But for my money "Sitting Target" blows it away. Oliver Reed is seriously bad ass in this,like a man possessed. His brooding presence hangs over every frame. His character is, on the surface, a malevolent brute, yet he managed to bring some depth to the part; I felt the sadness, the tragedy, when it all ended. His character did, after all, love his wife. Bravo.

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Titanic

"...I'm Sorry I Didn't Build You A Better Ship Rose..." - TITANIC in 3D
*** THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE "TITANIC in 3D" MOVIE on BLU RAY ***

Holidaying in Ireland, I happened on the preview day of James Cameron's "Titanic in 3D" at the new Odeon Cinema in The Point Area of Dublin's refurbished docklands (or "The Quays" as they're known locally). We caught the first showing on 5 April 2012 - debuting on their all-bells-and-whistles "iSense Screen". "iSense" features razor sharp Real-3D imaging on a gigantic screen with state-of-the-art surround sound. So myself and the two kids popped along - donned the crazy specs - and started to watch. The sheer spectacle of what came next has prompted me to write this review...

I've seen about 10 films in 3D - some like "Despicable Me" have impressed and actually met the hype - the rest have either felt gimmicky or a downright hindrance - or worse a crass monetary exploitation. Even the new Aardman Animation feature film "The Pirates..." - which we'd seen some days earlier - is not great in 3D...

3D and Blu Ray quality
We all know the story so my review is for the quality of the blu ray (image quality) and 3D. The quality of the image is very impressive. The colors are vivid, a lot of contrast, very clear picture. It's hard to believe that this movie was converted from 2D to 3D because the 3D effect is one of the best I've ever seen. There was no noticeable ghosting. I had seen the 3D version of this movie in the theatre and thought it was good. However, it is even more impressive on my 3D TV (47 inch LG). The characters often appear to be with me in the room, they pop out of the screen. There is a lot of depth throughout the movie, which is also visable in darker scenes. The picture is amazing. You get the feeling that you are in the movie...when the boat sinks, you feel as if you're part of the action. I was very impressed with the quality of the 3D. I would recommend this to anyone who owns a 3D TV...worth every penny!

FINALLY..... THE DVD TREATMENT TITANIC ALWAYS DESERVED!!!
Finally, the most successful film in the film history gets the dvd treatment it deserves, bringing much respite to the fans all the over the world. Previously available barebones edition dvd has been replaced with a 3disc collector's edition dvd set, loaded with all those great never before seen stuff.

Here's what one can look forward to in this edition:

New high definition digital transfer with the main feature spread over two discs to get the highest possible picture and sound quality...and thankfully it does include DTS6.1 ES track!!!

Never before seen footage (approximately 58 minutes, alongwith the main film but it will be available through branching option on the disc unlike LOTR EXTENDED editions!!)

All-new making-of featurettes which will include time lapse footage of the massive set and studio construction.

Incredible Alternate Ending - "Brock's Epiphany"

29 Never-Before-Seen Deleted Scenes with Optional...

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Mind the Video Man

Classic Think Thank
This is the 9th video made by Think Thank. Great movie with some creative snowboarding. Jesse Burtner sure knows how to make a great snowboard movie.





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Make Believe [HD]

More to this film than meets the eye
Obsessions in youngsters aren't necessarily bad as MAKE BELIEVE proves. On the surface this is a film about a competition for magicians of a young age and as such it explores the fascination and need and the other painful aspects of adolescence that center on being noticed, accepted and to feel OK about themselves. That is what make this films work and why it has become an inspiration for so many young people who are trying to follow their dream - a trait too many of their subsequent generation have forsaken or found inappropriate in the dog eat dog world of making a living.

Along the say in this beautifully paced docudrama we meet six contestants who will vie for the title of Teen World Champion in the World Magic Seminar in Las Vegas. Each of these contestants captures our hearts and through their penetrating focus on preparing for the competition and the notice from the public, from their families and from each other weaves a story that revisits what it is like to dream...

An Interesting and Entertaining Look Into The World of Teen Magicians - Recommended
"Make Believe" is a surprisingly entertaining documentary covering the quest of young magicians competing to become the Teen World Champion at the World Magic Seminar in Las Vegas. This is a look at some of the most talented of the contestants before, during, and after the competition. There is a subculture for almost everything and this documentary shows that the magician culture is very much alive and active.

I enjoyed seeing how the kids balanced their daily lives with the demands of preparing for the competition. These are very dedicated and determined performers that literally spend hours a day practicing and refining their acts. The filmmakers did a great job capturing the emotions and sense of anticipation in the days leading up to the event.

It is easy to forget how young these magicians are when you see the first rate magic they perform. It is also easy to forget that they are competing for a title that will help propel their magic careers and land them...

Cool
I envy these kids. Not because they can perform magic, but because each one has found a skill which they want to develop and feel a passion and commitment for. I don't think a person would have the energy and drive to keep perfecting their magic skills unless they really felt something for it. I thought the Japanese teen was the most amazing - he taught himself how to perform magic with very little resources compared to the other teen. I liked how he incorporated nature into his magic, and practiced for hours. What talent!

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Dreamin' California's Coast - Malibu to Big Sur

Interest in Trip to Area
I saw this Travel scope on PBS and decided to rent it to see again with with my wife. I thought the episode highlighted the main attractions of the this part of the coast that we have not visited.





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Holiday for Love

This Is Also Known As Christmas In My Home Town!
I love Christmas movies and I also love Christmas themed romance books and this movie though not adapted from a romance book really seems like it could have been. It is about an executive working for a large company that makes farm equipment, the company is having finincial problems and thinks that by cutting jobs at the factory level that it will get itself out of finincial trouble so they send several executives to several small towns to go undercover and investigate how eficient the factories are being run and to make up a report to see if the factories should be closed. Tim Matheson reluctantly goes to a smalltown in Nebraska which actually was his hometown that he moved away from when he was a child and his mother left his father. He winds up getting stranded in a blizzard and meets a young widow and her daughter played by Melissa Gilbert and Michelle Tractenberg and spins a tale that gets out of control when he pretends to be a big buyer of farm equipment that the townspeople...

A Holiday for Love
Our family collects Christmas movies, and around the holidays, we watch nothing else. This is quickly becoming one of our absolute favorites. Melissa Gilbert and Tim Matheson have sweet charming chemistry, and are well paired for this film. Travis Tritt's performance was a surprise to me. I didn't know how well he acted, and loved his character.

This is a heartwarming inspirational movie, and one to be viewed over and over again especially around the holidays or when you just need to feel better.

underrated actor!
A very cute, wonderful movie. If you're a Travis Tritt fan, you'll love him in this and love his character. He proves to be a very good actor who seems to have personally experienced some of the story in his own life (some of the facial expressions and timing seem to come from his personal experience, not from acting!) I'm always looking for good Christmas movies, and this one was new to me. Also gave me more insight into Travis' "Where Corn Don't Grow" and I discovered just how talented this man is - and underappreciated! A great find.

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Elles

(3.5 stars) Sensual, natural and entertaining!
From Polish filmmaker/screenwriter Malgorzata Szumowska ("Stranger", "Happy Man") and co-writer Tine Byrckel comes a film about self-reflection in "Elles".

Starring actress Juliette Binoche ("The English Patient", "Three Colors: Blue", "Cache") and young talents Anais Demoustier ("Therese Desqueyroux", "Last Winter") and Joanna Kulig ("The Woman in the Fifth"), "Elles" was released on Blu-ray and DVD courtesy of Kino Lorber.

VIDEO:

"Elles" is presented in 1080p High Definition (2:35:1 anamorphic widescreen). While watching this film, there was something beautiful about the Michael Englert's cinematography. From scenes showcasing the women outside of their patio and you can see the buildings and scenery around them, for me it was the juxtaposition of beautiful images through Anne's home. From her cooking food to wearing her silk pajamas, there was this look of beauty that was captured on camera. Almost heavenly to describe the living conditions of...

Should be titled "Demise of a Marriage"
"Elles" (2011 release from France; 96 min.) brings two parallel stories. In the first one, we meet Anne (played by Juliette Binoche), a reporter for the renowed French fashion and lifestyle magazine "Elle". Anne is writing an article on escort services provided by young women at university in Paris. The article focues on two such women: there is the timid Charlotte (played by Anais Demoustier), and there is also the more brash Alicja (played by Joanna Kulig), a Polish student who has emigrated to Paris for her studies. The second story line centers around Anne's family: her husband and her two sons. Everyone in the family seems to be in their own little world and Anne feels frustrated and boxed in. The movie plays out over the course of a single day (but with flashbacks) as Anne is trying to finish her article for Elle, and is also preparing for a dinner she and her husband are hosting that evening for his boss.

Several comments: I realize that the movie is titled "Elles"...

Pointless...
Bored housewife, unappreciated by her husband etc. interviews two student prostitutes, gets intrigued and then turned-on by their seemingly more exciting, more liberated lifestyle. Lots and lots of questioning looks and smiling between the interviewer and interviewees and... that's about it. No real exploration of the realities of these girls' lives, or their clients, a couple of fairly graphic but unerotic scenes and huge amount of well worn cliches. All explored before in the equally insipid, superficial and cliched Belle de Jour. The issues it raises are interesting but, like Belle de Jour, it delivers no answers and the real question is what on earth is Juliette Binoche doing in such a boring and pointless film? A waste of her and your time.

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Bad Karma

Excellent straight to video
This is a straight to video movie and in that context a strong 4 star. My bias here is I consider Ray Liotta one of our best and most honest actors. I think he is vastly under-rated and now just keeps working (like Sam Jackson) rather than waiting for that "big" picture to come along. He never phones it in and raises the level of each flick he makes. Here we have a typical plot: man into the bad stuff, has an event, changes his life and the past comes back to violently haunt him and his love. You can figure it from that. Actually enjoyed it more than the big deal production "Savages" which I saw the day before. Although that movie had a theatrical release, this is a full star better in terms of entertainment if not production values. Well worth seeing.

Pleasant (if quick) Australian crime drama
"Bad Karma" (2012 release; 85 min.) is an Australian crime drama. In the introduction of the movie, set in Sydney, we see Molloy (played by Ray Liotta) and Mack (played by Dominic Purcell) living hard and getting ready for a heist. For reasons too long to explain here, Molloy at the last minute skips out from the actual heist. Mack on the other hand gets arrested and is sent to jail. Fast forward three years: Molloy is now living in beautiful Gold Coast, drug-free, working a regular job, and in a serious relationship. Then one day out of the blue Mack shows up, having been released from jail. He immediately pressures Molloy to join him in a stick-up of the local convenience store. Will Molloy give in? Can he convince Mack to leave him alone? To tel you more would ruin your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is a tough crime drama and several scenes may be too violent and/or too upsetting for the faint of...



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We Have a Pope

We have a winner!
I was highly impressed with this gem of a film, one that obviously understood the beauty of a subtle and meaningful approach to a controversial subject without shying away from inserting needed moments of humor and charm. Tackling the idea of doubt, insecurity and wavering faith, `We Have a Pope' addresses a concern that may not be thought of very often but one that deserves our attention. By centering the affair on a newly elected Pope who feels inadequate and quite frankly overwhelmed by the assignment bestowed on him by God, `We Have a Pope' adds a serious depth to the age-old topic of personal spirituality. With a blisteringly authentic performance by Michael Piccoli, this beautiful film moves with grace and highlights emotional assertions that one cannot help but feel akin to. Piccoli should be up for Oscar consideration, but that won't happen. The way he balances out this conflicted man's fears and enchantments is astonishing to watch. Such a soulful performance, one...

"Food for Thought"
This unusual and sad tale does a really nice job of recreating the pomp and circumstance of Vatican rituals and politics. There is a strong farcical element, however, that takes up too much viewing time and detracts from the seriousness of the story--namely a wacky psychoanalyst organizing a volleyball tournament for the Cardinals. Otherwise, this film is pretty unique and provides some useful philosophical food for thought.

(2.5 STARS) "Habemus Papam": Intriguing Idea Not Fully Developed
"Habemus Papam" ("We Have a Pope") is an Italian comedy drama directed by Nanni Moretti ("The Son's Room"). Michel Piccoli plays Cardinal Melville, who, after being elected Pope, insists that he cannot take the office and flees the conclave. The story may remind you of a William Wyler classic, but the intriguing premise is less effectively used here.

The director's bold attempt to portray a pope as a human is a worthy one, but his approach is tame at best. Michel Piccoli is wonderful as Cardinal Melville, but even the veteran player like Piccoli cannot make the character of Cardinal Melville credible, because the unfocused script fails to delve into his personality as deeply as it should. His interactions with people in Rome do not reveal much about the person for which the film is made. The reference to a stage drama (Chekhov ... what else?) is too obvious. After all, we are all actors.

Moretti himself plays a psychiatrist, who is called in to talk to the newly...

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Resident Evil: Damnation

When Things Are Done Right...
Resident Evil: Damnation improves upon the first Resident Evil CG movie, Degeneration, by leaps and bounds! Not only did Capcom tweak the appearances of the characters (and for the better!) when in comparison to the last movie, they also took many demands of the fans to heart. A good part of the appeal of the Resident Evil franchise is its trademark monsters, in which case this feature film does not fail to resurrect some of the most notorious creatures from the more classic games of the series. That does not go to say that they have done away with the new, either. With an interesting blending of creatures, Damnation takes that next step into the future of Resident Evil, teasing you with what is to come a few weeks down the line with Resident Evil 6.

The plot at first may seem difficult to follow, but with Leon Scott Kennedy holding the reigns and Ada Wong throwing him a bone here and there, the story definitely does not disappoint. Between all of the monsters, fighting,...

Nice RE Movie To Watch Until The Release Of The RE6 Game
As you watch the beginning to the ending of the movie it feels like the producers and writers intentionally made the movie as a prequel to the RE6 games storyline but don't let that detract you from the entertaining story that is already in the movie itself. Like on reviewer stated the movie brings into play many of the former monsters and creatures that you see in the games as well as some cameo time with another iconic RE character as well. The CGI Animation is great and the actions is pretty good too.What is almost sadly ironically funny is that some of the fight scenes here are much better then the ones in the live action RE movies. Basically this is a must for any Resident Evil fan or those who like CGI action movies but regardless this is a nice collection to anyone's movie collection and for fans enough to tide us over until the release of RE6.

Does its survival horror roots proud
In one of the special features on the Blu-ray, director Makoto Kamiya says he was aiming for a "Resident Evil 4" Leon and that he wanted to put Leon through hell. That is the perfect way to describe Leon's journey throughout "Damnation." The Las Plagas virus is now being used for war tactics and utilized in ways that have yet to be introduced in the games. What's great is that "Damnation" throws you into the first person perspective and makes you feel like anything can jump out at Leon and attack him at any moment. The renders as well as the computer animation are crisp and fluid at all times, especially the hosts of the Plaga, the Lickers, and the Tyrants. The only time it looks awkward is when people talk for long periods of time. You begin to notice that their facial expressions don't seem as natural as they should be, but it's easy to overlook.

The lighting in the movie really stands out, especially in the basement sequence and whenever Leon picks up a flashlight. It's...

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Rosewood Lane [HD]

How Do Movies this Bad Get Made?
Don't investors even bother to read the script?

Here's the basic plot: a celebrity psychologist/talk show host moves into her dead father's house, where she is promptly menaced by a paperboy. But despite ample evidence that the paperboy has invaded her home and stalked her, the cops and her friends ignore her, because they all know she has a troubled psychological past. In other words, "Oh, Rose, just because he shows up in your basement unannounced and urinates in your boyfriend's face doesn't mean you're not crazy."

It quickly becomes clear that the paperboy is some sort of demon who murdered Rose McGowan's father, so Rose does the smart thing: instead of moving out of the house, she adopts a cat for protection and arms herself with a baseball bat. The cat does nothing to help her out, but the baseball bat comes in mighty handy after the demon paperboy murders her boyfriend, her best friend and a police detective and shoots Rose through the torso with a...

Pretty Decent
Decent creepy movie, definitely. However I have to agree with another reviewer - the ending left me confused. I know some people love the elusive ending - but really, just wrap it up for me. I think it's a bit of a copout to leave it kind of open. But the movie itself was really quite decent - and yes, nursery rhymes are pretty violent!!

A tense movie with a very creepy kid that really helps the horror aspect of the movie. Worth renting. I say B-
"Hickory Dickory Dock..." Talk radio psychiatrist Dr. Sonny Blake (McGowan) is moving back in to her father's house one year after his death. Her neighbor gives her a warning about the neighborhood paperboy. After meeting him she begins to notice that he is very strange and may have actually killed her father. When she goes to the cops they don't believe her stories and she is left to discover the truth on her own. I have to start by saying that overall this was a pretty creepy movie. It was pretty tense and interesting but began to repeat itself after 45 minutes and seemed like the same 2 scenes were being done over and over. The kid in this is very creepy and he makes the movie. This is the kind of movie that makes you want to scream at the people on the TV to turn around. All that said the movie is a little slow in parts but still not a bad watch. Very much worth renting. Overall, tense and creepy and worth seeing. I give it a B-.

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Genesis 7 Episode 2: Journey to the Sun

Excellent
Good for young viewers. Informative and entertaining. Not much else to say, so just filling space now so that I can submit.





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Barbie: The Princess & The Popstar [HD]

Light, breezy fun.
This is another in a long line of fun Barbie movies. Many reviewers complain about this being a rip-off of Barbie: Princess and the Pauper, but it should be understood that this is not a rip-off, merely a different telling of a classic tale. The pop-style songs in this movie are vastly different than anything in Princess and the Pauper, which had a more traditional Broadway style, so I'm not sure what other reviewers are referring to when they say the same songs are being reused here. Similar themes represented in various songs does not make them the 'same songs', just like the same theme of the movie doesn't make it 'the same movie.' This is a fun, enjoyable movie with a light, pleasant touch. If you are looking for deep, meaningful themes and profound messages, you won't find yourself beaten over the head with them here. This is a fun movie, made for fun, for little girls (and anyone who likes a good movie) to enjoy. As with all of the newer Barbie movies, this is more modern in its...

Another Solid Barbie Singing Movie
Mattel's tradition of putting out singing friends movies in Autumn (and fairytopia themed movies in Spring) continues with Princess and the Popstar.

In this movie (which follows the previous Barbie movie The Princess and the Pauper story similarly), Barbie is Tori, a modern princess wishing for a bit more freedom away from propriety. Meanwhile, Nikki stars as popstar Keira - who wears a wig in the same tradition of Hannah Montana and is a popstar by day and normal girl by night. Keira longs to be away from the responsibilities of being a popstar (making the next album, paying her employees, the late and long hours). Tori is hounded by her Aunt to become a proper and noble princess - but Tori is too full of mischief to be a boring girl like that. With the aid of a magic microphone (Keira) and hair brush (Tori), the girls are able to exchange places and enjoy each other's worlds.

The DVD contains all the singing and original songs you expect from the friends'...

Different story arc
This does have the same basic idea as Princess and the Pauper but is it the same movie? Not at all! The girls are more carefree and childish in this film, I mean that in the best way possible. You get two entirely different characters from Keira and Tori than we did with PatP's Anneliese and Erica. For one, these girls seem much younger and reflect teenagers of today. Also the music is bent towards pop (obviously) and they don't spend nearly as much time focusing on love interests as they do on showing the girls beginning to really see the world around them and how they can make a difference. This is not to say that PatP wasn't good, I love both movies equally, I just think its unfair to lump the two together when the only thing they have in common is that theyre both loosely based on The Prince and the Pauper (Popstar being VERY loosely based). As for the similar song, I assumed Tori was a descendant of Anneliese's royal family. I could be wrong but they were looking through...

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Going Home

Mitchum is brilliant
This is one of the hardest Robert Mitchum films to find, so I was excited to see it available at last. Mitchum is brilliant, as usual, in this. The film is not for the faint of heart--it's an intense film full of sadness, with some brutal moments. Mitchum was really on a roll with this film, "The Yakuza," "The Friends Of Eddie Coyle," etc.

Tony Land's review
If you're a Robert Mitchum fan you'll enjoy this movie, it's quite a sad, involved plot, not one that will appeal to everyone, but it does keep your interest. The support actors Jan Michael Vincent and Brenda Vaccaro do a fine job and as usual Robert Mitchum acts the part to perfection. I can understand why this movie never went down as a main line movie basically because the subject matter is not a pleasant one, but as they say these things do happen in life and the difficult story is handled quite well. You could say it's a thought provoking film. Definitely worth watching in my view.

Good movie
A very tense drama. Both Robert Mitchum & Jan Michael Vincent played their roles really well. The movie definitely showed how violence destroys families & individuals, especially when the anger & rage go unchecked for years as it did with Jan Michael Vincent's character toward the end of the movie. The poor guy should have gotten some help with all he was having to deal with, but they just basically kept him in an orphanage until he was old enough to leave & he had to deal with all that stuff on his own. Not a good combination. All in all, it was a good movie.

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Word World: Sound It Out

Learning to Read has never been so Fun!
My son age 1 3/4 and daughter age 4 1/2 years old love Word World! And what's not to love, it's a show that in my opinion demonstrates that learning to read can be so much fun! Word World teaches children letter sounds, how to build words, rhyme, and much more through encouraging stories and song. It's really awesome how it gives children a visual in how letters come together to form words. Both my children learn visually so this set has been a total joy to have.

On Sound it Out, there are over three hours of play to be had split up between two 90 minute discs. On each disc there are about 7 to 8 episodes as well as some special bonus content. A speaking of special content, there's even a fun little poster included with the DVD that you can hang up in your child's room.

Disc 1

* Dog Wants to Play Ball
* Pl-Pl-Plane
* Pig's Big Moonlight Feast
* Snug as a Bug
* A Star is Born
* Mail Mix Up
* Playing Spies...

I really didn't think these videos were that great
This video entertains my toddler but it's not really as educational as I thought it would be. I expected it to show far more words and sound them out clearly at a pace a toddler can follow. We have a bunch of educational videos and some of the other ones we purchased are a lot better.

2 discs each about 90 minutes Long
2 Discs and each one is about 90 minutes long, includes 16 episodes! I think this is great for helping children learn letter sounds and having each character made of the letters that spell the words is great! I have let it play in the back ground for my daughter since she was about 6 months old. Now at 1 yr she will sit and watch at least half an episode.

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The Loved Ones (2012) [HD]

Brutal!
Wow. This really is something special - an object lesson in how to take familiar genre tropes and make them seem completely fresh. I knew nothing of the plot before seeing this and I recommend you do the same. Be warned, it's gruesome, but there's a welcome vein of jet black humour throughout and it is beautifully shot (blu-ray highly recommended). Here's hoping director Sean Byrne can pick up the horror auteur baton that Neil Marshall seems to have dropped and give us some more of this. Fantastic!

A Creative Fresh Spin on a Tired Format
Nowadays, it can be hard to find a modern horror film that is both entertaining and fresh. Stale cliches and an overabundance of low budget dreck is littering movie queues and vending machines all over the world. But make no mistake, "The Loved Ones" is destined to become a cult classic. From the beginning of the film, it is apparent that it will not conform to the usual cliche (I mean, how many horror movies about torture and teen proms have been made the past four decades?). This film transcends the boundaries of the typical horror film; the torture scenes are brutal but not dark and depressing, making them even occasionally humorous. And this is all the more tolerable because this is not the kind of movie (as many modern horror films are) where everyone in the film is needlessly slaughtered.

What's even better is the fact that the acting is convincing and even at times superb; there are a number of still scenes with limited dialogue, removing the stale, banal one liners...

It's my party and I'll be insane if I want to
I have been waiting for a US release of 'The Loved Ones' for quite awhile and it was well worth the wait.
The acting was great especially Robin McLeavy who plays the certifiably insane Lola Stone.
Horror fans will not only covet this film but want to own it for sure..Xavier Samuel is not only a good actor but he's hot as well..Yes,give us girls some eye candy for a change.
The story is so bizarre and far fetched but it doesn't matter,it's makes for a great horror film.
There are some very grit your teeth moments as Lola and her demented father torture Xavier's character Brent in most horrifying of manners and the genius aspect of Robin McLeavy's Lola is I hated her so much that I wanted to stab her myself about 50 times and I'm not violent ,I just love to watch it on film or TV..there are some really strange surprises and a great ending .There isn't that much gore but there is a lot of bloody violence and there are some quick gore effects but nothing really...

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Adopting Terror

Adopting Psycho Parents!
Adopting Terror aired on Lifetime earlier this year, in which I didn't watch it because I don't care for most of the channel's programming. The movie was made by Asylum Home Entertainment, whom I have reviewed a few DVDs for this year, and they nicely let me view an online screening of Adopting Terror through Fordela.

The movie stars Sean Astin and Samaire Armstrong as Tim and Cheryl Broadbent, who are proud parents of their newly adopted daughter, Mona. Just when they are adjusting to being a family, a stranger shows up at Mona's first birthday party. The stranger is Mona's birthfather, Kevin Anderson (played by Brendan Fehr), who was released from prison on a technicality.

Kevin follows Cheryl while she is grocery shopping, he shows up at their house, and he even shows up at their friend's home to mow the yard. The police can't help them as there is no real proof that he is stalking them. The social worker, Fay Hopkins (played Monet Mazur), tries to give them...

Love it!
This movie is one surprise after another very suspenceful. I was deff thrown a curve ball when finding whom the child's true parents were.

Waste of Electricity
What a waste of time this movie was. I even regret the amount of electricity I used to watch this movie. This by far has to be the worst Lifetime movie I have ever seen. The character's were shallow. At first I thought that the adoptive mom had a speach impediment, but then realized it was just the way she spoke. Also, her hair was so thin that you could see the wallpaper designs through her hair. The acting was terrible - to the point that even the baby was annoying. This is one of those movies that you wonder who gave the movie the "green light" for it to be produced, and how drunk were they. The adoptive father was a complete twit. There were so many unrealistic scenes in the movie and just the whole storyline seemed absurd. No research was done. I would have rated this movie as "0" stars, but I had to put in at least "1" star - and that in itself is far too generous.

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