Moulin Rouge (D-VHS) (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)I must admit that when I first went to see Mouln Rouge in the theaters, I was most reluctant. It looked cheesy to me, but I kept hearing good things about it. So finally I went, and was blown away. This movie, from a writing aspect, breaks no new ground, but visually,it is astonishing. The beautiful thing about film is that the same story can be told over and over in different styles. And Baz Luhrman's style is most definitely unique. The movie pulls you in from it's opening moments, and rarely lets go. I did find the movie slightly over-indulgent at times, as though Baz was throwing certain visual effects in for the sake of throwing them in. But the acting all around is incredible, and the music is absolutely genius. Many may have a problem with what could be describe as a 2 hour music video, but I loved it. It is definitely geared towards the MTV generation, but I think it can be enjoyed by all. All in all, it is the best movie I have seen in a long time.

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Digital VHS (D-VHS) is the first high-definition home video format. These tapes deliver more than double the lines of resolution and 10 times the capacity of DVDs. When played in a D-VHS player attached to an HDTV set, these movies will sound and look better than ever. D-VHS tapes can be played only on D-VHS players.

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Alice in Wonderland (1982) / Children's Theatre Company (1982) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was in search for Alice in Wonderland on Amazon, as I could not find the older versions for rent in the local video stores. I had no idea there were so many different versions when I began my search for the 80's version that I remembered on TV as a kid. I came across this one and it had a lot of good feedback, so I purchased it. Anyone looking for the TV version they remembered when they were a kid, this is most likely NOT the version you want. While it was well put together, keep in mind that this version is a broadway stage set. A few props against a black backdrop, and some good actors. For the time that this was made, the make-up artist's did a great job. They spent a great deal of time on the costumes. I rated this movie 3 stars because I didnt think it was worth the price. This version is for someone who is an Alice-in-Wonderland super fanatic and wants every single version ever made. If your in search for the older version you remembered on TV, I found 2 versions to be the ones I remembered: 1972 version on DVD w/ Fionna Fullerton & Dudley Moore, and the 1985 version on VHS that stars musicians (Sammy Davis, Ring Starr, ect.) I decided to write this review because I didnt want to see anyone else feel ripped off and let down to find out this was not the version they were in search for. Hope this review was helpful.

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Bourne Ultimatum (Single-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo) (2010) Review

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(More customer reviews)My PS3 works fine. This "flip disc" contains the DVD on one side and Blu-ray on the other. This Blu-ray WILL NOT PLAY IN MY PS3.
Unfortunately I've already purchased the whole individual collection and now must return it to Amazon.


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Titanic (Descriptive Theatre Edition) (1997) Review

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(More customer reviews)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 Commentary which include romantic moments between jack and rose and historical and action shots as well!!
Commentary by Academy Award-Winning Director James Cameron
Cast and Crew Commentaries by Stars Kate Winslet and Gloria Stuart and Oscar-Winning Producer Jon Landau and Executive Producer Rae Sanchini
Historical Commentary
Visual Effects Breakdown of the Unforgettable Stunts
Music Video "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion
...and much more!! Titanic collector's edition is a dream come true not just for all those titanic fans out there but it will be a jewel in any dvd collection!!
AND LAST BUT DEFINITELY NOT THE LEAST.......if you own a multi-region dvd player or watch dvds from all regions on your DVD ROM, then you have an option of buying from amazon UK where you can choose between the two disc and the four disc set!!


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This "Descriptive Theatre Vision" 2-video set was produced for the blind & visually challenged. The film is described by director James Cameron & actress Angie Dickinson.

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Madmen of Mandoras/The Devil's Hand (1956) Review

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(More customer reviews)"They Saved Hitler's Brain" is a cinematic travesty made over a decade or so by two different sets of people, starring two different sets of actors. What could possibly go wrong? The basis for the film is the very short 1963 feature "The Madmen of Mandoras", which was apparently shot years earlier and shelved for a while. In the late 1960s (1968 seems the most agreed upon date), some television brain trust wanted to broadcast "The Madmen of Mandoras", but it was too short to fit in a traditional movie time slot. They hired some film school students to shoot additional wraparound footage to boost the running time. The result is one of the most jarring viewing experiences in cinema history, and ranks up there with the very best of Ed Wood or Ray Dennis Steckler for enjoyable camp viewing.
The film opens with the newly shot footage of a smarmy male and a voluptuous female CID agent arguing and engaging in possibly the worst banter in film history. The acting and writing will both make you cringe; the good news is you frequently can't hear what's being said over the loud background music. It seems that the CID is investigating the death of a scientist who was working of the G-Gas project. The dead scientist knew of the antidote, and they discover that Dr. John Coleman, another brilliant scientist, has been kidnapped and taken to the South American country of Mandoras.
The G-Gas plot sort of devolves into a "Wild, Wild World of Batwoman" pursuit of evildoers, with the movie going on to feature crazy Nazis planning to take over the world, Hitler's head in a jar (who the cast refers to as "Mr. H") yelling orders in German, a brain dead kidnapping and murder subplot, lots of stock footage, a supremely annoying and pathetic romance subplot, ridiculously inept car chases, doublecrosses, gunplay, explosions, a fire, and Hitler's head melting. Everything is here but the kitchen sink, and that may be here too, just too grainy and out of focus to see.
For someone who adores nonsensical B-movies, "They Saved Hitler's Brain" is a film to marvel at, and I particularly recommend it as a double feature with "The Thing With Two Heads".

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Madmen of Mandoras (1963 74 mins.)Less than an hour after famed American neurobiologist John Coleman addresses a conference on the deadliest nerve gas ever developed he vanishes. Meanwhile on a small island called Mandoras in the Caribbean a group of fanatics from Nazi Germany have developed their own deadly nerve gas and intend to use it to take over the en of the world. The group carried out a secret experiment after WWII to give eternal life to the brain of Adolf Hitler. In the meantime the professor's daughter and his son-in-law in possession of a clue find their way to Mandoras. Can they find her father and stop these madmen before they take over the world? Now released under it's original film title this new edition has been mastered from the original negative and it has never looked so good!The Devil's Hand (1962 71 mins.)Rick Turner is haunted by strange dreams of a beautiful woman. When he and his fiancvisit a local doll shop he is surprised to encounter a doll that looks just like the woman that haunts him. He is also surprised to discover that not only does the owner of the shop have a doll that looks like his mystery woman but there is also a doll that looks just like his fianc . He soon finds himself involved with a satanic cult and the life of his fiancis slowly fading.System Requirements:Run Time:145 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre:HORROR Rating:NR UPC:787364718894

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Ninth Gate (D Theater High Definition Video) (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)I approached this DVD with caution, never having seen the film before and noting its three-star review here, but I came away incredibly satisfied.

I partially blame the trailers for this film for the disappointment expressed in some of these reviews (the rest of the blame rests simply on the closed minds of today's moviegoers). When I first saw the trailer I expected a terrifying occult film filled with demons and supernatural happenings. That would've been an easier film to make. What I saw, however, was so much better.

This is a slow-paced film, which moves along quietly, gracefully, and keeps you glued to the screen for its entirety. Cast performances are all wonderful, especially Depp, of course, who continues to choose the most interesting projects in film today. There are no grotesque demons and very few special effects. Polanski's subtle touch creates images that etch themselves in your mind nonetheless. One example is the wheelchair-bound Baroness careening across the room to burst into her office (don't want to spoil any more). Suffice it to say that certain images in this film are as terrifyingly memorable as Kubrick's twins in THE SHINING, for example.

Although this film is not a "horror" film by any standards, I found myself genuinely scared throughout. Evil is always just around the corner. You never doubt its existence and you're terrified of the moment when it may reveal itself.

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Band of Brothers with The Pacific Part One Review

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(More customer reviews)That modesty and that sentiment seems to be shared by all the survivors of Easy Company, 506th PRI, and many of them can't hold back the tears as they mumble it. One of the great benefits of this marvelous series was the closeup interviews of the real men portrayed, those wonderful old seamed faces, breaking at last with emotion as they recall their experiences and the love of their comrades and the pain of loss of other friends. It moves me greatly, and I'm glad the Extras in this set has an extended documentary re-tracing the time-frame of the film with these real veterans recalling the action we've seen re-created.
Brought with loving care and fanatic attention to detail by producers Steven Spielberg & Tom Hanks and their carefully chosen band of producers, directors and actors, this is an unsentimental, near-documentary telling of the story of Easy Co. from training to D-Day, Hedge Row fighting, Operation Market Garden, Bastogne, into Germany, liberation of Death Camps, and the capture of Berchesgarden & Hitler's Eagle's Nest.
Throughout it all, the aim has been to tell it straight and get it right. They have done so in remarkable style. The truth HAS enough drama, and the various episodes reveal it. We get to know these men and care about them. We marvel at their endurance and the way they go about getting the job done, professionally, and with matter-of-fact, everyday courage. It is a true tribute to the Citizen Soldiers who won the war.
With 10 episodes and lots of extra goodies, presented within an exceptional package, there is just too much to review here. Some memorable moments: the harrowing jump into the explosive, tracer-lit night skies of Normandy; the assault on the 88's; Winter's killing the young German; the episode dedictated to the Medic; the monstrous artillery barrage on the men in the snowy forest of Bastogne; the shock of the farmer's wife on seeing the closeup hand-to-hand killing of the German by "Bull"; and finally, the incredibly moving scenes of the liberation of the Concentration Camp, and the final days of Easy at the War's end.
These last episodes are all the more powerful because we have followed Easy Co. and these men and have seen the death so random and arbitrary around and among them that a slow emotional tension has been built that we now realize with the intensity of anger/pity/horror at the Camps and the bittersweet joy and subsequent farewell of VE day.
I could cite great moments by each individual actor, and nicely played and effectively understated but powerfully emotional scenes but suffice it to say this is an ensemble piece with superb performances throughout. The quiet power of the different episodes underscores how wonderfully written the entire piece is, and with corresponding excellent direction and production values.
A one-of-a-kind production, having the time to tell the tale with detail and care, and with all involved doing honor to the men who lived it. And finally, there are those men, bringing it all back to the reality of real lives lived. Exceptional stuff.

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Based on the bestseller by Stephen E. Ambrose, the epic 10-part miniseries Band of Brothers tells the story of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army. Drawn from interviews with survivors of Easy Company, as well as soldiers' journals and letters, Band of Brothers chronicles the experiences of these men who knew extraordinary bravery and extraordinary fear. They were an elite rifle company parachuting into France early on D-Day morning, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge and capturing Hitler's Eagle's Nest at Berchtesgaden. They were also a unit that suffered 150 percent casualties, and whose lives became legend.

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Celine Dion: Live in Las Vegas - A New Day (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)That Celine Dion is one of the most generous and sincere artists in music today is pretty well-known. While she has taken a beating from the media and from detractors for being over-the-top in some of her vocals, a bit too dorky in her performances and in interviews, she has remained (sans the chest-beating) true to herself and to the music and fans that made her famous.
This DVD set is not only for those who saw the show and want a copy of it to remember, or for those who didn't get to see it and wanted to, but it really feels first and foremost like a gift to her die-hard fans. Most others wouldn't care for the extended amount of footage (over 3 hours worth) dedicated to the trivia about the show, its creation, execution and evolution over the past four years.
I did see the show twice in 2003, and feel that the DVD does a wonderful job of recreating the experience, but if you didn't get to Vegas and sit in the theater that was specifically built for this show, it's not the same.
A couple of other differences for those who saw the show: Nature Boy was omitted as the opening and swapped out for the more appropriate "A New Day Has Come" .. I always thought it was odd that the title song from the show was not sung back in 2003. Also removed is the tacky and ill-fitting cover of "Fever", but added in are "Love Can Move Mountains" (one of my favorites of hers of all time) and "River Deep, Mountain High" in full Tina Turner Tribute mode.
I do regret the omission of two of my personal favorite songs from the shows I saw in 2003 - Je'taime Encore (I Love You Still), one of her most haunting French-language songs she's ever recorded, and the show-ending "What a Wonderful World" that, as she sang it, had black and white photos of people from the audience on the giant LCD screen behind her. It was a touching and intimate way to end a very theatrical production. You CAN, however, get both of the audio recordings of these two songs on the live CD of the show that was released a few years back.
The fan tribute on here, while often cheesy, is also an endearing look at some of her biggest fans. That Celine was gracious and kind as she met personally with them all, moved to tears by some of their personal 'thank you's to her, underscores the grace and humility that accompanies the great gift of song she received.

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An unprecedented 5 year run! More than 700 sold out shows! 3 million spectators! Everything about the record -breaking show that changed the history of entertainment scene in Las Vegas! This 2 setBlu-ray Disc includes Celine Dion's show in the colosseum at Caesars Palace and three exclusive documentaries: Travel to Las Vegas with the fans- join Celine at home, in her car, in her dressing room and even backstage - find out all the secrets of "A New Day" More Than 5 hours of Never Before Seen Footage Blu-ray Disc Trackslisting: 1.A New Day Has Come 2.The Power Of Love 3.It's All Coming Back To Me Now 4.Because You Loved Me 5.To Love You More 6.I'm Alive 7.I Drove All Night 8.Seduces Me 9.If I Could 10.Pour Que Tu M'aimes Encore 11.I Surrender 12.Ammore Annascunnuto 13.All The Way 14.I've Got The World On A String 15.I Wish 16.Love Can Move Mountains 17.River Deep, Mountain High 18.My Heart Will Go On Disc 1 The Concert (93 minutes)Because You Loved Me - A Tribute to The Fans (41 minutes) Disc 2 A New Day: All Access (120 minutes) A New Day: The Secrets (53 minutes) Video/Audio:Mastered in High Definition PCM (uncompressed) Stereo (48kHz/24bit) Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround Sound (96 kHz/24bit) Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound (448kbps)

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Guge: The Lost Kingdom of Tibet (Discovery HD Theater) (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)52 minutes. American archaeologist John Bellezza joins Tibetan historian Tsering Gyalpo in telling the story of how the Guge Kingdom came to flourish and then collapse. Using reenactments, the story features the riches and opulence of the Royal Family, and the collapse from the King's brother encouraging the Ladakhis to attack in the early 1600s.
The filming of Tsaparang is excellent. I would prefer more information and film of the paintings and statues

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High School Musical 3: Senior Year (Deluxe Extended Edition + Digital Copy + DVD and BD Live) (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)The movie is truly amazing! (And it`s an extended edition!) Anyone who liked the first two will literally fall in love with this one! I think that even if you didn't see the first two, you will like this one because of what it talks about. This movie is about something we all go through: saying good-bye to our friends after high school. Addiotionally, it's nice to see ateen movie that doesn't revolve around sex, drugs, violence, and profanity.
The East High Wildcats decide to put on their final show together at their school: a musical about their twelfth grade experience. It'll be a pretty unique musical because, for once, they won't have to play a character - they'll be playing themselves! But due to her incredible intelligence, Gabriella, the female protagonist, is offered to skip her senior year in high school and go to straight onto college right away. Will she accept Standard's offer, leaving her friends, boyfriend, and the musical behind? Will Troy, the male protagonist, chose to continue with basketball or will he chose a career than involves acting? Will Sharpay win a scholarship to New York's Julliard University of Performing Arts or will her brother? Will Ryan and Kelsi find true love? Find out in this exciting conclusion to one of the world's greatest film series! The only good thing recently produced by the screwed-up Disney Channel! Yes I hate Disney Channel, Hannah Montana, Cory in the House, Jonas Brothers, and all of the other inappropriate teen shows they've decided to put on a children's channel. But High School Musical is different. It teaches both kids and teens a valuable lesson and it allows adults to revisit their past. The plot is actually relevant to what many people feel and...it's a teenage musical! You don't see something like that everyday! Just watching Troy and Gabriella perform a beautiful waltz is reason enough to buy this film. Also, the old fashioned music at the end proves that rap, hip hop, and pop isn't always what you'll see in a teenage film.
The songs are as original, catchy, and wonderful as they are visually stunning! During "Scream," the turning walls that represent Troy's confusion are spectacular! The disappearing pictures on the wall in Gabriella's solo "Walk Away" were really quite sad. The Statue of Liberty that shoots fireworks out of its head in "I Want It All" is amazing. The sets in "A Night To Remember" will leave you with your mouth wide open. "Right Here Right Now," "Can I Have This Dance," and "Just Wanna Be With You" are three incredible romance songs. And, of course, Troy and Chad turning into little boys in "The Boys Are Back" was really cute. That reminds, "Right Here Right Now" and "The Boys Are Back" are so of my favorites because of what they talk about: not wanting to grow up. Anyway, n case you forgot or are too lazy to read the customer reviews for the HSM3 soundtrack, here are the songs:
1. "Now Or Never" - Troy and the Wildcats basketball team
2. "Right Here, Right Now" - Troy and Gabriella
3. "I Want It All" - Sharpay and Ryan [A TRUE BROADWAY SONG!]
4. "Can I Have This Dance? (Version I)" - Troy and Gabriella
5. "A Night To Remember" - cast!
6. "Just Wanna Be With You" - Ryan & Kelsi, Troy & Gabriella
7. "The Boys Are Back" - Troy and Chad
8. "Walk Away" - Gasbriella
9. "Scream" - Troy
10. "Can I Have This Dance? (Version II)" - Troy and Gabriella
11. "Senior Year Spring Musical" ***made up of reprises of NOW OR NEVER (Chad, the Wildcats basket team, cheerleaders), I WANT IT ALL (Ryan), JUST WANNA BE WITH YOU (Sharpay & Jimmy, and later Troy and Gabriella), and A Night To Remember (Sharpay vs. Tiara), as well as a new song: Last Chance (Ryan and Kelsi)***
12. "We're All In This Together" - cast!
13. "High School Musical" - cast!
14. "Just Getting Started" - during the end credits, winner of the Get In The Picture ABC7 contest
By the way, during the "I Want It All," you actually see Gabriella The Maid a bit more than you did in the theaters because you see that part of the song in a different camera angle than you did in theaters. That also lets you see an important-looking lady giving Ryan a newspaper with him and Sharpay on the cover. This is not due to the extended edition thing because the song is the same length, but, like I said, the camera angle is different so you see more things.
The special features on this Blu-ray are freakin' cool! Even though it's a single disc release, it has the exact same content found on the Two-Disc release, plus more! These are the Special Features (the last two aren't found on the two-disc release).
-- Extended Version Of The Movie
-- Optional Sing Along Version
-- Bloopers
-- Deleted Scenes
-- "Cast Goodbyes" feature
-- "Night Of Nights" feature
-- "It's All In The Dress" feature
-- "Senior Awards" feature
-- New Cast Profiles
In addition, just like in the Two-Disc release, you can download a digital copy of the movie. And as if that weren't enough, it comes with the first disc of the Two-Disc Edition!!!!! Now you can watch the movie practically anywhere because you have the regular version as well as the Blu-ray version!!!! What do you know, it is a two disc after all. ^_^

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It's time to celebrate as Disney's phenomenal High School Musical hits new heights in High School Musical 3: Senior Year! Fresh from the big screen, this motion picture extravaganza delivers non-stop entertainment from start to finish! It's almost graduation day for high school seniors Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, Chad, Ryan and Taylor - and the thought of heading off in separate directions after leaving East High has these Wildcats thinking they need to do something they ll remember forever. Together with the rest of the Wildcats, they stage a spring musical reflecting their hopes and fears about the future and their unforgettable experiences growing up together. But with graduation approaching and college plans in question, what will become of the dreams, romances, and friendships of East High's senior Wilcats?Find out what happens to all your favorite characters in the big screen musical sensation, High School Musical 3: Senior Year! It s a fabulous celebration the whole family will love! Disc 1:
Includes extended version of the movie and all of the bonus features from the 2-Disc DVD
Plus, Exclusive Blu-ray Bonus Features including: Senior Awards, New Cast Profiles, BD Live (includes BD Live Photo Feature)
Disc 2:
DisneyFile Digital Download Copy Disc: Watch your DVD disc in the living room and your DisneyFile digital copy on the go
Disc 3:
DVD copy of the Extended Movie
Special Features: *Extended Version of the Movie *Cast Goodbyes *Bloopers *Deleted Scenese *Night of Nights *It's All in a Dress *Sing-Along Mode *Senior Awards *New Cast Profiles

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Wolves Review

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(More customer reviews)I was expecting this to be a high quality nature film similarily filmed to Planet Earth. Imax has sorely disappointed me. At best the quality isn't great and it doesn't even look as good as nature films recorded on lower quality equipment.
Also, if you expect this DVD entitled "Wolves" to include anything remotely related to footage with wolves in it you will be disappointed. This movie is a documentary about the rape of the aboriginal culture. There are about 4 minutes of actual footage of wolves in the wild.
You would be better served by staring at a still image of a wolf if you hope to learn about wolves rather than watch this painfully bad "wolf documentary"

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Ocean Oasis (IMAX) Blu-ray (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)I work in the AV Services department of the San Diego Natural History Museum, and this is our destination film. I have seen this movie on 8/70, DVD, and now Blu-ray well over 50 times from beginning to end.
As this movie was created for our museum, its a wheee bit hard to give an objective description. However, if you like nature documentaries, especially of the sea, you will probably enjoy this a great deal. Even more so if you live in or enjoy California or Mexico.
If you own the DVD: Get the Blu-ray. The DVD version is.... not so hot (at least the ones I've seen). The Blu-ray looks fantastic. Not as good as a 8/70mm film print (which is significantly more detail than a 35mm you would see at most theaters), but for the home market, pretty darn close.
As a note to the previous reviewer: yes, for some odd annoying reason, the subtitles in English are enabled by default. They can be disabled (just not in the setup menu of the movie). You will need to be playing the movie and toggle through the subtitle options (English, Dutch, German, Mandarin, Swedish, and None).
Now if they would just release the main theme as a song for Guitar Hero.....

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Digital Video Essentials: HD Basics (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been using the Digital Video Essentials DVD to calibrate my TVs for quite a few years and I've always loved the results, so when I heard that a Blu-Ray edition was coming, I was ecstatic.
Well, now that I've got it, it still does an excellent job, but for owners of the DVD edition, you're really not getting anything new. Almost everything on here is directly from the original DVD, only remastered in 1080p. There are a few things that have been added that pertain to LCD technology and explanation of the HD color standards, but the vast majority of content is exactly the same as the DVD.
The one thing that is a definite improvement over the DVD edition is the menu system. Instead of being forced to fast-forward through explanations to get to the test patterns, now you can bring up the pop-up menu and select a test pattern directly. So, once you've learned how to use the test patterns, you don't have to watch the explanations again in order to get to them.
So, if your Blu-Ray budget is a little short and you already own the DVD edition, then I'd say just stick with what you've got. After calibrating my TV again with the new Blu-Ray edition, I ended up with the exact same settings that I achieved with the DVD, so in that respect, you're not going to get a more enhanced calibration with the Blu-Ray edition. Apart from that, I'd say its worth it just for the improved menu system, if you don't mind re-purchasing basically the same thing over again.
If you don't own the DVD, I'd say buy this immediately, but don't let the "HD Basics" tagline fool you. This can be pretty technical if you've never used a disc like this before. Just take your time, watch all the intro videos (and there's a lot to the intros), and you should be fine.

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The Rocky Horror Picture Show (35th Anniversary Edition) (1975) Review

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(More customer reviews)I loved going to "Rocky Horror" when I was in college, but watching on home video just wasn't the same. I'm probably committing heresy but there's a reason why this sci-fi, horror, B-movie satire, rock musical didn't really make it big until theaters started showing it as a midnight movie and fans started attending in costume and talking back to the screen. The 25th anniversary DVD, with several audience participation options, really is the next best thing to being there.
For the uninitiated, "Rocky Horror" tells the story of two clean-cut American youths, uptight Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick of "Spin City") and Janet Weiss (Susan Sarandon of "Dead Man Walking") whose car breaks down on a dark, deserted road in the middle of a storm--the classic beginning to many horror movies--and who seek help at a nearby castle. Castles, as Rocky fans know, don't have phones! What this castle has instead is a cross-dressing mad scientist Frank-N-Furter Tim Curry, in perhaps his finest performance), two very creepy servants, Riff-Raff (Richard O'Brien, who wrote the musical) and Magenta (Patricia Quinn), and various other hangers-on, including lovers Columbia (Little Nell) and biker Eddie (Meat Loaf). Brad and Janet walk in on a party celebrating the creation of Frank-N-Furter's muscle-bound boy-toy "Rocky." Bed-hopping chaos soon ensues, until the servants reveal their true identities and take control.
Punctuating this wacky plot are some of the wildest rock-musical songs ever written. In addition to the classic "Time Warp," there's O'Brien's salute to cult-classic B-movies, "Science Fiction Double Feature," Meat Loaf's "Hot Patootie," and Sarandon ode to sexual self-discovery, "Toucha Toucha Touch Me!"
So much for the "Rocky virgin" portion of the review... What makes the DVD so exceptional is the chance to experience "Rocky Horror" at home nearly like you would in the theater. The DVD has the option of turning on the audience screen comments as well as another option for viewing members of the Rocky Horror Fan Club performing select scenes before returning to the main movie. For those less familiar with audience participation, the DVD can prompt when to throw toast, toilet paper, rice, etc., light a match, put your newspaper on your head, etc.
The second disc contains fascinating interviews with cast members, where fans can find out about their reaction to starring in this cult classic. Meat Loaf's description of not realizing what "Rocky Horror" was going to be about and running out of the theater when Tim Curry entered wearing fishnet stockings, spiked heels, a merry widow, and a leather jacket and singing "Sweet Transvestite" is hysterical. Patricia Quinn talks about how her fondness for the opening song, "Science Fiction Double Feature" made her want to take the role even though she hadn't read the rest of the script. What? Don't remember Quinn singing that number? In the stage versions she did, but the song got reassigned in the film version--and Quinn makes her feelings about that QUITE clear. Sarandon makes the interesting observation that "Rocky Horror" probably kept a lot of art house theaters in business over the years, since they could count on good revenue from the midnight movie, even if the latest regular-hours offering flopped. In Bostwick's interview, however, the actor sounds a bit like William Shatner giving his anti-Trekkie diatribe on "Saturday Night Live."
The only disappointments on the DVD are that the outtakes really aren't that interesting and actor bios aren't provided. I would have liked to see what else the "minor" cast members did after Rocky, but that information is limited to a few lines in the companion booklet. Also, some of the audience-participation comments are nearly impossible to understand because fans are talking over each other. But then that's part of the modern-day theater experience. Even Sarandon noted in her interview that talking back to the screen has gone from the more unison catechism approach to a loud free-for-all.
What seemed so risqué and shocking a few decades ago seems much more innocent today, but it was great when it all began and it's still great! If you've never ventured into the theater to experience "Rocky Horror," this is the best way to experience it at home.

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Fasten your garter belt and come up to the lab and see what's on theslab!It's The Rocky Horror Picture Show Special Edition, a screaminglyfunny, sinfully twisted salute to sci-fi, horror, B-movies and rockmusic, all rolled into one deliciously decadent morsel.And now there'seven more to make you shiver with antici...pation:two additionalmusical numbers, "Once In A While" and "Superheroes", never seentheatrically or available on video!The madcap, musical mayhem beginswhen rain-soaked Brad and Janet take refuge in the castle of Dr.Frank-N-Furter, a transvestite mad scientist from outer space who isabout to unveil his greatest creation - and have a bit of fun with hisreluctant guests!Join Tim Curry, Barry Bostwick, Susan Sarandon androck star Meat Loaf in the most popular cult classic of all time.

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Stone (2010) Review

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(More customer reviews)STONE is dubbed a "psychological duel", and it is. Robert Deniro plays Jack, a parole officer who holds all the cards in the life of Stone (Edward Norton) a convicted arsonist who is pleading his case to be released from prison, back into society. Stone will stop at nothing, including using his wife to manipulate Jack.
The movie leads you to believe that you know and understand all the characters involved but they go different directions as the movie goes along. It does a pheonominal job of progressing its characters and revealing more and more about who they were and who they are becoming.
With guys like Robert DeNiro and Edward Norton and a superbly underated and fearless actress Milla Jovovich, STONE is an outstanding character study and may hit home with a lot of people who could be going through life in an unhappy marriage or living life without hope. It is impossible to give too much insight without giving away important elements to the story. The story elements and plots changes are so subtle they don't actually hit you until the afterfact, which is brilliant.
I'm afraid that STONE has a lot of machinery and mechanics going on, only to drive to nowhere. Or maybe that's the whole point. Maybe it is supposed to go to nowhere because that's the whole message that looms over the movie from the opening sequence to the finale. Jack lives a soulless existence and he can't escape. Unfortunately, that message also leaves an empty feeling with the audience and makes STONE just an average movie experience.

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Academy Award winner Robert De Niro and Oscar nominee Edward Norton deliver powerful performances as a seasoned corrections official and a scheming inmate whose lives become dangerously intertwined in this 'gritty and engrossing thriller" (Steve O'Brien, WCBS-FM).Jack Mabry (De Niro), a parole officer days away from retirement, is asked to review the case of Gerald 'Stone" Creeson (Norton), in prison for arson. Now eligible for early release, Stone needs to convince Jack he has reformed, but his attempts to influence the older man's decision with his wife Lucetta (Milla Jovovich) have profound and unexpected effects on them both.This tale of passion, betrayal and corruption skillfully weaves together the parallel journeys of two men grappling with dark impulses, as the line between lawman and lawbreaker becomes precariously thin.

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Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)The impression that "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2" gives is that it's a bubbly, bright, and--for all intents and purposes--meaningless sequel to the first film. To my relief, it follows the example set by its predecessor, a surprisingly levelheaded friendship story. Four years after discovering a magically fitting pair of jeans, best friends Tibby Tomko-Rollins (Amber Tamblyn), Carmen Lowell (America Ferrera), Lena Kaligaris (Alexis Bledel), and Bridget Vreeland (Blake Lively) have returned for a second chapter that remains on perfectly equal ground with the first, focusing on coming-of-age issues like maturity, self-discovery, family, and love. Unoriginal ideas? Maybe so, but that doesn't mean they're any less effective. If anything, they make the film's message that much clearer. It helps that many of the girls' problems are based in reality--high school issues, like being pretty and popular, are pushed aside in favor of adult issues, like pregnancy scares and family crises.
If there's anything we learned from the first film, it's that the magic of the titular jeans was symbolic; by in large, the girls worked through their own ups and downs on their own, with no miraculous intervention other than their friendship with one another. We learn pretty much the same thing in this film, which sees each character facing new, more mature challenges. Let's begin with Carmen, who doubles as the film's bookend narrator. She now attends Yale, working as a stagehand for the theatre department. Her mother (Rachel Ticotin) has since remarried and is now pregnant with her second child. When Carmen's hopes of spending the summer with her friends are dashed, she decides to join a Shakespearian theater company in Vermont with a prima donna named Julia (Rachel Nichols). Once there, a British actor named Ian (Tom Wisdom) coaxes Carmen into auditioning for "A Winter's Tale"; to her shock--and to Julia's horror--she's cast as Perdita. As rehearsals continue, she begins to fall in love with Ian.
Next, there's Bridget, who plays Soccer at Brown University. Lately, her interests have shifted to archeology. While on an expedition in Turkey, her instructor, Professor Nasrin Mehani (Shohreh Aghdashloo), opens her eyes to the fact that she's only running away from her past. Bridget, it seems, is still haunted by the suicide of her mother. And her relationship with her father (Ernie Lively) is worse than ever; before leaving for Turkey, she discovered a box full of letters her grandmother had written her, letters her father wanted to keep hidden. Returning to the United States, Bridget takes a bus to Alabama and finally meets her grandmother, Greta (Blythe Danner), an accommodating woman with a matter-of-fact outlook on everything, including her daughter's mental illness.
The next in line is Tibby, who continues to pursue her filmmaking dreams at NYU. Forced to stay in New York for the summer to rewrite her screenplay, she gets a job at a local video store. She's now dating Brian McBrian (Leonardo Nam), who was introduced in the first film as the "Dragon's Lair" champion. When their relationship is threatened (for reasons I won't reveal), Tibby begins to wonder if she was meant for happiness. She does put up a wall every time she gets close to someone, and that's because, deep down, she believes that those you love the most will eventually abandon you. Her attempts to get sympathy from Carmen are flatly rejected; she doesn't appreciate how uncommunicative Tibby has been all summer.
Finally, there's Lena, who attends an art college in Rhode Island on a scholarship. Heartbroken after breaking up with her Greek boyfriend, Kostos (Michael Rady), she reverts to her old timid ways. She then meets Leo (Jesse Williams), the male model hired to pose nude in her art classes. It isn't long before they fall in love, although we suspect it's for all the wrong reasons. All she really knows about Leo is that he's a nice guy, and he's incredibly handsome. But does she know what she wants out of life? Does she even know who she is? How can know she when she's torn between two men?
Naturally, the pants themselves have to play a part in this story, and indeed, they're continually FedEx-ed from friend to friend. The question is: Do any of them need the pants anymore? You'd think that, at this point, a pair of old jeans traveling the world would reveal itself as a big metaphor. They may realize that by the time the film ends. I'm not entirely sure, though.
Moments of this movie are perhaps a little too sentimental, and the general plot may be a little too formulaic. At times, the dialogue is a bit contrived. Consider this conversation: When Tibby says drearily, "I suck at relationships. I should have been a guy," Lena calmly responds, "A guy wouldn't care about sucking at relationships." Only best friends in a coming-of-age story could get away with lines like that. Then again, I never expected a reinvention of the wheel. Movies like "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2"--and its predecessor--are aimed at a very specific audience, namely teenage girls; if they can get something out of it other than the sight of four young women looking pretty, if they can leave the theater understanding the more complex aspects of the story, then the filmmakers can include all the predictable dialogue they want. I think this movie will get the job done, not merely for teenage girls, but for anyone open to the idea.

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SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS 2 - Blu-Ray Movi

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APE 3D (Big Fat Movie Show in 2D & 3D) Review

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(More customer reviews)This DVD should have a big red sign over it saying "WARNING!!! THIS MOVIE IS CONTINUALLY INTERRUPTED BY TWO ANNOYING SOCK PUPPETS!!"
Two versions are contained on this disc. One in 2-D, with annoying sock puppets, and one in digital 3-D, with annoying sock puppets.
There is nothing on the box mentioning anything about the puppets.
So, anyone buying this will likely, as I did, assume that this is a
legitimate release of the movie APE in its standard 2-D and original 3-D
forms. It doesn't even indicate what 3-D format it is. You have to see
the inside leaf to find out that you need to buy digital shutter glasses. They just took a 2-D print of the film, likely lifted from the previous DVD release from IMAGE.(Seek that version out if you don't want to see puppets.) Luckily for me, I own this set up and even have a processor for turning other recordings into this format. I had even turned my IMAGE APE DVD into 3-D with it. It has several depth settings.
Does it work? That depends on what sort of 3-D you prefer. This process, called "Lazer 3-D" creates depth in the image. On a TV it gives you the feeling of looking into a deep box or tunnel. This is similar to recent so-called 3-D films like Nightmare Before Christmas and My Bloody Valentine. However, some foreground objects do seem to come out at you just a bit.
Lazer 3-D did a great job turning the original Night of the Living Dead (a grainy public domain print)into a 3-D film. There was real depth to it and they even added some CGI objects and effects to the film that did indeed shoot out into the room with you. Blood that splatters on your glasses, etc. I recommend it. It's pretty cool. And I recommend buying one of these Lazer 3-D set ups. The 3-D version of APE that I created was way better than this DVD, and I didn't feel the need to
crack jokes with a sock on my hand. Mystery Science theater was funny at first, but the others that followed have worn out their welcome.
I've tried watching MS3K in recent years and I find it to be a drag.
It was funny when I was 22. Now I am 39 and it just doesn't hold up.


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