Big Love - The Complete First Two Seasons (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)I love TV series that deliver great entertainment and social commentary in a non-preachy, stereotype busting way, that really make you think and laugh, and sit on edge of your seat, all at the same time. This series is close to the top of my list of such. (Dexter, the HBO series--switched to network CBS in 2008 is another)Dexter.
After reading Jon Krakauer's Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith I inevitably acquired a most negative view of Mormon fundamentalism, especially polygamy. This series made me reconsider my verdicts on Mormonism, and even (never dreamed I'd say this) on polygamy itself. I still believe polygamy is a landmine with the odds against its success pretty high. But the series shows how it has some novel advantages over monogamy, if the husband and wives have love, a sense of humor, and lots of grit and flexibility....and--absolutely a key--if hubby truly loves all wives "THE SAME" (I know, this is Solomonic long shot! Bill pulls it off here though, in quite an endearing way!).
Be ready to chuckle endlessly (e.g. at Bill;s 'heroic' attempt to satisfy all three high-sex-appetite wives, and at Bill's parents' over the top schemes) but also to be serious, thoughtful and root for Bill's kids' realistic and poignant struggles with life in Mormon Utah, and his brother's almost heroic sbility to remain a good man in the nest of a Mormon fundamentalist "prophet" Roman (Bill's wife #2 Nicky's father).
Season 2 manages to cast ALL the characters in an even more morally ambiguous, and yet simultaneously more likable, way than Season 1. Although some scenes are almost slapstick but hilarious, others are totally 3 D, melancholy, and believable. Be prepared to LOVE BIG LOVE!

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HBO pushes the boundaries once again with this hit show about a man with three wives. Bill Paxton (ALIENS) stars as Bill Henrickson a Salt Lake City Mormon who appears to have eked out an achingly mundane existence for himself. But scratch beneath the surface and Bill is far from ordinary. Balancing three wives--Barb (Jeanne Tripplehorn) Nicki (Chloe Sevigny) and Margene (Ginnifer Goodwin)--who live in adjoining houses Bill also has seven children to raise. He negotiates the strange and stressful setup throughout the show while his best friend Don Embry (Joel McKinnon Miller) often chimes in with some advice from his own life as a polygamist. This release includes every episode from BIG LOVE\'s first and second seasons.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre:TELEVISION/HBO UPC:026359794322 Manufacturer No:97943

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Gilmore Girls - The Complete First & Second Seasons (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)If you can revisit a town full of smart colorful, quirky characters every single week, you would watch the Gilmore Girls. If you missed any of the episode or would like to watch the episodes over and over again (like I do) so you can catch the witty dialogue, you would get this DVD collection covering the first two seasons. And it is well-worth getting the DVD just to be able to feel transported into that small town cozy banter anytime you feel like it rather than wait for a rerun.

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Welcome to quaint Stars Hollow Connecticut.People often mistake Independence Inn's manager headstrong single mom Lorelai Gilmore and her equally willful teenage daughter Rory for sisters.Lorelai and Rory cope with the same emotional ups and downs including Lorelai's overbearing old-money parents and the joys and frustrations of the male gender.This heartfelt humorous drama appeals to young and old alike with its blend of traditional family issues and hip contemporary attitude.System Requirements:Running Time:1898 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre:TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating:NR UPC:012569593619

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STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE - COMPLETE SERIES (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)Caveat emptor / buyer beware!
This is just a note to people considering buying "Star Trek: Enterprise The Complete Seasons 1-4" on DVD from certain Amazon sellers.
If you see the Star Trek: Enterprise DVD collection in a single box rather than in four separate boxes (one box per season), it's likely an Asian import edition rather than from the studio.
Especially beware the appellation "the Chosen Collection" which was copied from the complete collector's edition of Joss Whedon's TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The Buffy "Chosen Collection" is official while the Star Trek: Enterprise "Chosen Collection" is not.
Furthermore, if the DVD set mentions it's region free, then it almost certainly is an Asian import, because the studio does not have a region free version of Star Trek: Enterprise on DVD (at the time of this review).
It's true the Asian import edition will be considerably cheaper, and as I mentioned region free, but there are drawbacks as well. For example, the audio and video quality suffers relative to the regular edition. Also, if there's a scratch or other slight defect on one of the DVDs, most of the sellers won't refund the buyer's money or replace the DVD(s). Some might, but it could be tricky (and perhaps despite their claims to the contrary). Not to mention that purchasing an Asian import means the money goes to the Asian distributor and its affiliates rather than to, say, the cast or crew or anyone else on the actual production team -- which in turn could presumably be funneled into bringing back Star Trek (although it's debatable).
And please make sure to read Oren D. Applequist's helpful comment below regarding World Express Mail Service (EMS).
Anyway, obviously people are free to do what they like, but I'm mentioning all this so buyers can at least be aware of the risks.

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Mutant X - The Complete First Season (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)I remember this show was pretty good. I liked X-Men and, though some saw this as a rip off of that franchise, it still was something different. I kind of wished they'd made them natural mutants like in the Marvel universe. But then I suppose they wouldn't have had thier super bad villians Genomex.
I was VERY excited to learn that this show was going to be released on dvd. That was until I found out they were releasing many dvds with a few episodes and a high price to each. That sucked. But now I just learned from tvshowsondvd.com that there was a boxed set coming out. Then I came here to Amazon and found it true! Yay! Only forty bucks for this set? THAT I can handle! As soon as I have some extra cash, this set will be mine!
Not the best sci-fi show out there. But it wasn't the worst either. Sadly this show didn't come back for a fourth year. Maybe some other station will pick it up. Look at the shows Sci-Fi Network has picked up and made into hits. While I'm not a completely dedicated fan to this series (I didn't see every episode and, out of the three seasons I probably saw less than 10% of them) I still would like to see it continue.
My main point is this: If you are a fan of X-Men or Fantastic Four or Avengers or Teen Titans or Justice League (or any other story where there are super powered humans and things of the like) this show is for you.

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MUTANT X - SEASON 1 BOX SET

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Weeds - Seasons 1-3 (Amazon.com Exclusive) (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)Great! All three seasons were amazing! Too bad there are only 10 episodes in season one, 12 in season two, and 15 in season three. I could've watched 24 episodes in each season easily!

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Ugly Betty - The Complete First Season (Spanish Version) (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)In retrospect, the 2006-2007 television season debuted an unusually large number of first rate new series: HEROES, MEN IN TREES, 30 ROCK, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, DEXTER, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, and UGLY BETTY. That is a remarkably strong group of new shows. UGLY BETTY occupied a unique niche among them. The new show it most resembled was MEN IN TREES. Both were light fare, intended to entertain and charm rather than challenge and rattle. It was unorthodox, but in comforting ways. It was, basically, a very nice show. One never came away from any episode shocked or dismayed as with the best episodes of DEXTER or FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, but to tell the truth, after a week of watching my favorite shows on TV--BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, LOST, DEXTER, and others that were sometimes exceedingly emotional affairs to watch, I found it a refreshing change of pace, never shocking, never emotionally taxing, never intellectually demanding. It managed always to be smart while also very easy to absorb. Most of all, it was great fun.
The plot was simple. Betty Suarez desires a job in publishing. After she applies at MODE magazine, where she has a disastrous interview, she finds herself mysterious hired as assistant to editor Daniel Meade, playboy son of Meade Publishing owner Bradford Meade. It turns out that Bradford had seen her leaving the building and ordered her hired for his son simply because she is as far from a fashion model in appearance as can be imagined. She has terrible hair, dresses horridly, has garish braces, thick glasses (and eyebrows), and carries more weight than your standard attractive woman. Father makes her employment mandatory for his rare-do-well son. Very quickly, however, she proves herself not merely necessary for Daniel's professional life, but a good friend as well. One of the most attractive aspects of the show is, in fact, their genuinely caring, completely platonic, friendship. Working at MODE pulls Betty into a world of interoffice intrigue and political infighting. To be honest, I could have lived without any of the stories. The appeal was just about 100% based on a large number of likable and adorable characters popping up each week.
America Ferrera, who had previously been amazingly effective in the cult-hit film REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES and the teen chick flick THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS (a sequel to the latter is due in 2008), simply steals this show as Betty. Though not a slender actress, America in fact has a beautiful face. They do a great make up job on her, however, putting a terrible wig on her each week (with very stressed looking hair), gluing thick, fake eyebrows on her, giving her thick-framed, brightly colored glasses, fake braces, make up to give her an unpleasant complexion, and an incredibly unflattering set of clothes. Despite this dramatic transformation each week, Betty manages to be utterly charming and adorable. A couple of people I've talked to feel it is a bit of a cheat to have an attractive woman play someone who is supposed to be "ugly," but I think it would be a bit cruel to take an unattractive person and have them play such a role. I would be surprised if she does not get an Emmy nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy. Lauren Graham deserves to win in this category (as she does every year) for her genius work in THE GILMORE GIRLS, but since the Emmys year after year have ignored Graham (her show is on the wrong network), I will probably be pulling for America to win.
Ferrera is supported by an amazingly strong cast. Eric Mabius is wonderful as Daniel, consistently showing himself to be a decent guy despite his efforts to transform himself into a waste of humanity. I think there is a secret contract someone dictating that Alan Dale appear in every other show on TV in some capacity or other. He is his usual stern self as Bradford Meade (he also has a very occasional but ongoing role in LOST, the only show I've seen him on where he gets to use something like is native Kiwi accent). Vanessa Williams is a lot of fun as the scheming and unscrupulous Wilhelmina Slater, the fashion editor at MODE who would love to be the editor in chief. Ashley Jensen, who really is Scottish, plays the head of wardrobe at MODE and one of Betty's few friends at the magazine. But the people at MODE who make the show worth watching are Michael Urie and Becki Newton, who play Marc and Amanda, Wilhelmina's gay assistant and the mildly sluttish receptionist, both of them for most of the season Betty's mortal enemies (though by end of season she was making headway with both of them as friends, in particular Marc, inspiring him to come out to his mother). There is also Henry, winningly played by Christopher Gorham. He had previously played the title role in JAKE 2.0, on which UGLY BETTY executive producer Silvio Horta also worked. I suspect his appearing on UGLY BETTY has something to do with that connection. Gorham is a very good-looking guy who is somehow able to pull off completely nerdy guys, in this show an accountant.
But there is more than just the office. There is Betty's home life. Veteran character actor Tony Plana plays Betty's illegal immigrant father (one of the subplots deals with his attempt to get a green card). He is one of these actors who has appeared in literally hundreds of TV shows and movies, but has rarely had an especially prominent role. You love to see fine actors who have paid their dues get a great role like this one. Ana Ortiz is hysterical as Betty's garish sister Hilda, but the person who steals nearly every scene in the Suarez household is twelve-year old Mark Indelicato, who plays Betty's nephew Justin. We don't know that Justin is gay, but his effeminate swagger, his deep love of stage musicals, and his encyclopedic knowledge of fashion marks him with all of the stereotypes.
This show is too smart to be a guilty pleasure, but it is just as much fun as one. It doesn't go on my list of my absolute favorite shows. It isn't as sophisticated or as intelligent as FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, as engrossing as LOST, a fist-in-the-gut like DEXTER or THE WIRE, or as original or jaw-droppingly brilliant as BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, but sometimes you just aren't in the mood for something as heavy as these shows. Sometimes you just want to have a good time and relax. I promise there are few shows on television more perfect for that than this.

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UGLY BETTY:COMPLETE SSN1 BETTYFIELD E - DVD Movie

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Masked Rider - The First (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'll describe the product in the order I saw it. Firstly, the title on the actual DVD is "Masked Rider the First", not "Kamen Rider the First" as shown/as it should have been.
Upon getting it, I was disappointed, but not surprised, to find the supposed 2-disc set was, in fact, one DVD.
The special features are surprisingly well-put together, featuring the trailers (without subtitles), trailers for other projects from years back that the company that released this DVD has apparently acquired (as is frequently done with import releases), and, shockingly, a very in depth and detailed behind the scenes feature that I really enjoyed and that was actually subtitled.
The film itself has an acceptable subbing job, and I was pleased to find that there was no poor dubbing to suffer through, I suppose they finally ran out of monotoned voices to lazily read out lines.
Picture quality is a bit off, but that might be due to transfer stuff (though I don't know why, Japan uses NTSC too), subtitles are clear and easy to read, and the sound quality is excellent
Highly recommended for the Kamen Rider fan or even just someone who has been looking for a good piece of tokusatsu to show to a friend in the hopes of getting them interested too. This flick also makes a surprisingly good date movie, it has action and romance, some slow bits where you can easily get away with a bit of making out, as well as some unintentionally funny bits
NOT for kids though, there is totally a naked dude in part of this film, parents'll want to take a look at this before showing it to the kids. Also, parents'll want to figure out if their kid is really ready to read and watch a film at the same time.

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Takeshi Hongo, a man of extraordinarily keen intellect, has his promising future snuffed out by an evil secret society known as Shocker. They create experimental cyborgs in an attempt to take over the world. Eventually, Hongo is turned into a cyborg - Masked Rider 1 - but soon regains his self-awareness. Realizing that he is now controlled by evil, Hongo escapes.Shocker views Hongo as a traitor and dispatches a new, nearly identical cyborg - Masked Rider 2 - to destroy him. But they're too evenly matched and their duel ends in a draw. Growing impatient, Shocker sends two new cyborgs - Snake and Cobra - to kill them both. KAMEN RIDER THE FIRST is a new adaptation of the popular original manga created by Shotaro Ishinomori.

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The Country Mouse and the City Mouse Adventures: Tales of Travel (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a cute series which we had in VHS and it was getting old/worn, so I got the DVD to replace it. My daughter is 7 and still enjoys watching these all these years later. It's simply town and country mice (2 cousins) off on adventures with other mice.


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Studio: Direct Source Spec ProdRelease Date: 02/27/2007Run time: 94 minutes

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Foyle's War: Set 2 (4pc) (Ws) (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'd previously rated Series 1 of FOYLE'S WAR at four stars. I'm happy to report, after finishing the Series 2 discs, that the ongoing British telly miniseries has graduated to five stars. It's superb, and I'm desolate that I must wait until 2005 for the release of Series 3 that's airing now in the UK. (Of course, if I move to England ... Nah, the wife would never go for it.)
Michael Kitchen is Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle, who's been ordered to remain at his post as homicide investigator for Hastings and its environs; he'd much rather be doing his bit for King and Empire fighting the Nazis across the Channel. Indeed, his son Andrew (Julian Ovenden) is a flying officer with the RAF. The two other series regulars are Samantha "Sam" Stewart (Honeysuckle Weeks), the army's Auxiliary Territorial Service enlistee assigned as his driver, and Paul Milner (Anthony Howell), Foyle's assistant inspector returned to home front duty after being wounded during the disastrous British invasion of Norway.
The delight to be found in the four episodes of Series 2 is the underlying complexity of each plot, the tip of which is a murder being investigated by Foyle and Milner. Yet, even as the layers of the onion are peeled away, the viewer is still surprised at the intricacy of the solution, most of which is unraveled in the depths of Foyle's mind and revealed to the audience at the end, and which has ramifications that ripple far beyond the simple presence of a local corpse.
As in Series 1, the storylines of 2 encompass so much more than a tawdry homicide or two: homosexuality in the RAF, collaboration between British Big Business and the Nazis, black market commerce in luxury food and petrol, and skullduggery by Franklin Roosevelt's personal emissary sent to negotiate the Lend Lease.
My personal favorite episode is number four, "Funk Hole", wherein Foyle is relieved of his duties after being reported as having expressed seditious and defeatist statements while cowering in a London air raid shelter during a Luftwaffe bombing attack. The labyrinthine explanation for that was totally unexpected. Moreover, it looks like Sam and Andrew are to be an "item" - surely to be continued in Series 3. Indeed, at one point when Sam accompanies Andrew to a showing of "Gone With the Wind", we see her out of uniform, dressed in civvies, and with a smashing hairdo. Blimey, what a bird!
FOYLE'S WAR is sumptuously fleshed out with period costumes, automobiles, hairstyles, and commercial brand names. This is first class, period entertainment. Would that American TV was so good.


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The critically acclaimed PBS series that weaves mystery with real historical events returns with four stories set in September and October 1940. Winner of the Audience Award at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in 2003, the series stars Michael Kitchen (Proof of Life) as quietly enigmatic detective Christopher Foyle whose territory on the south coast of England is rocked by the chaos and danger of World War II. Also starring Anthony Howell, Honeysuckle Weeks, Julian Ovenden, and featuring Nicholas Farrell, Alan Howard, Corin Redgrave, and Amanda Root. The Mysteries: Fifty Ships-Foyle's determined investigation of a body on a deserted beach puts at risk the donation of American Aid and the crucial start of Lend-Lease in the war. Among the Few-Pilots and their girlfriends live fast and die young in a story of greed and passion where Foyle finds appearances are deceptive. War Games-Divided loyalties lead to revenge and murder when a businessman puts profits before principles in a secret pact with the Nazis. The Funk Hole-Foyle finds himself accused of a serious offense, which complicates his hunt for a ruthless murderer at a sinister hotel. "Brilliantly explores the moral gray areas of war"-San Francisco Chronicle "For mystery fans, Foyle is a must-see" -The Houston Chronicle "A series to be relished" -Radio Times

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Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom + CD (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)I just finished watching the movie and it was FABULOUS. I would recommend getting the video at soon as it releases. I will be doing just that. Jumping the Broom was a great love story. It had all elements of a great movie. It was heart-warming, and funny, sad and a feel good movie. I have but two negative comments, the first being it was way to short and I would have loved more. Story lines could have developed into more but as it was it was GREAT. My next negative is where was WILSON CRUZ. Not having this final and important member to the movie was extremely DISAPPOINTING and would not have destroyed the story line. I will purchase this movie and I am going again to see it.

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Goodbye Mr Chips (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)Though I may not have seen this DVD, I just saw the same exact movie on PBS only minutes ago. After it ended, I knew I had to get it, so I look it up on trusty Amazon.com, and to my amazement I find it here! Sadly, I'll have to wait to get it, but I must say that this was the most beautiful and moving cinema I've ever seen! The movie was absolutely genious and Martin Clunes, a favorite British comedy actor of mine from Men Behaving Badly, suited the character absolutely flawlessly. I cannot stress how highly I think of this movie, though I only saw little more than an hour of it. I can't wait to see the rest once this DVD comes out. I reccommend it to anyone who can comprehend something a bit deeper than an action flick of today, something rare I find. Still, this movie is great and you will love it if you have any sense of film appreciation at all!

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He went from teacher to legend in one lifetime.Arthur Chipping, the Latin master at an English boys’ boarding school, is as awkward as he is stubborn. The eccentric schoolmaster lives a full, rich life within the cloistered school, defined by his role as the intellectual shepherd of generations of young students. Then, everything changes.When Mr. Chipping travels through the countryside on summer holiday, he unexpectedly falls in love with the unconventional Kathie (Victoria Hamilton, Mansfield Park). The love and devotion of his new wife ignites his passion and brings him out of his shell, revealing the sensitivity lying beneath his gruff exterior. But after tragedy strikes, Chips’ true character is put to the test in the most difficult examination of his life. Ultimately, it is a lesson that will last a lifetime.Goodbye, Mr. Chips is a tender, heartwarming story that spans over 50 years in one passionate life. Portraying the storied Arthur Chipping in James Hilton’s classic tale of love and transformation, Martin Clunes (Shakespeare in Love) turns in a bravura performance in a film filled with countless noteworthy turns.

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Smallville: The Complete Fifth Season (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have been a fan of "Smallville" from the beginning, and was very happy both as a viewer and a fan at how this season turned out. In direct opposition to season four's disastrous story arch involving Isobel and the Teague family attempting to manipulate Lana, this one takes a much more serious (and yet enjoyable) path through Clark's choices and their ultimate consequences. It also shifts the love interest from Clark and Lana to Lex and Lana, something they have been hinting at four seasons and only now have the courage to bring out.
Lex Luthor and Jonathan Kent do battle to become state senator, Lionel Luthor switches sides (again), Clark consummates his love for Lana and then is forced to give her up, Chloe starts working for the Daily Planet, one of the leading cast members is killed off, and it winds up in the most explosive, dramatic, and powerful season finale of the series.
It's rare that I have enjoyed almost every episode in a season, but there is some solid stuff here -- "Lexmas" is a heart-ripping "what if" featuring Lex's alternate life if he is to choose the path of good, with a sadistic twist in the second half to make Stephen King take a step back; "Tomb" is a fantastically fun ghost story in which Allison Mack plays an alternate Chloe; "Reckoning" brings two consecutive deaths and a painful funereal; "Mercy" revolves around the charisma between Martha and Lionel when a manic madman forces them to make their way through his house of horrors; and five or so episodes revolve around the steadily building seduction of Lana Lang. Tom Welling also makes his directorial debut (and a marvelous one at that) in "Fragile," an ironic twist of fate since it contains a super-hot first kiss between Lana and Lex at the end.
I am a little disappointed that there aren't more features (one would have thought at least "Reckoning" and "Fragile" would get a commentary, and no blooper reel is unfortunate, since many of the actors have mentioned the various pranks and oops! on set) but will be delighted to own this season. I look forward with great anticipation the possibilities the next will bring.

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An astonishing season of destiny! Clark Kent now carries a full load of classes at Central Kansas U., but that's not all he carries. He carries the full weight of his - perhaps the world's - destiny. "We call this season Superman in Training," series co-creator Alfred Gough says. "Clark is going to accept his destiny." During this exciting pivotal season: The Fortress of Solitude rises. A spaceship mystery unfolds. A dark tragedy - one even Clark's powers can't prevent - strikes. These and more key elements of Superman lore fall into place.

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Jackie Chan Adventures - The Search For The Talisman (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)Having taped Jackie Chan Adventures on both Kids WB! and Cartoon Network, and having recently purchased all three JCA DVDs used (never pay retail!) I can WITHOUT A DOUBT say that these episodes are intact AND that they are edited.
Wha?! You ask.
Depends on the episode. Some are completely intact. Some are missing from a few seconds to a few minutes. This has more to do with each DVD's combining three episodes into a "movie". While some complain that the intros are missings, this is not completely accurate as some are and some are not. Some actually have trimmed scenes... Where these DVDs really deviate is by playing one opening credit, all three episodes in "movie format", then all three "Ask Jackie" spots and finally a combined ending credits. Strangely, though they use the opening theme music during the end credits as adopted in later seasons NOT the "Chan is the Man" song originally used.
Why Columbia/Tri-Star (Sony distributes the show, but not the DVDs) chose to go with the "movie format" instead of just a straight-forward Episode 1, Episode 2, etc. and then stopped making the DVDs with Episode 9 is beyond me. I would like to see a Season One, Season Two, Season Three, and Season Four box set (especially since JCA has been picked up for a fifth season) with each episode being treated as an individual, hence my only giving these DVDs three stars each.

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JACKIE CHAN'S ADVENTURES is the exciting new animated series from world-famous action hero Jackie Chan. You've never seen Jackie like this! Archeologist Jackie Chan's eleven-year-old niece Jade proves action runs in the family when she arrives from Hong Kong to live with Jackie and his wise, old uncle in San Francisco. Meanwhile, Jackie has found an ancient Chinese talisman, and now he's got government agents and gangsters chasing after him. Soon, Jackie and Jade learn the secret powers of the Rooster talisman and must use magic and martial arts to stop the villainous Valmont and his thugs from stealing the powerful prize for their own purposes. When Jackie and Jade travel to Mexico to find the next talisman, Jackie ends up in the ring with world class wrestler El Toro Fuerte. He quickly discovers the Ox talisman but Valmont's goons are on his tail. Jackie and Jade team up with the mighty wrestler to battle the bad guys in a championship match of good vs. evil.

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Brian Sewell's Grand Tour of Italy (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)BRIAN SEWELL'S GRAND TOUR OF ITALY is grande indeed. TEN episodes show what the upper-teenage British nobility route that might have been taken plus the sights seen. This recreation of a "Grand Tour" trek (via car, not carriage) was researched from books and diaries left behind 300 years ago by the young men who set out to finish their education in Italy. The trip took months, a year, or more. It was designed for the gentlemen to see the best art (and purchase some), architecture, experience the Italian culture, learn the language, and experience the female "freedoms".
Over 24 cities and small towns are passed through and filmed. Beautiful. Local people open their hearts to the film viewers. Every stop is another historical moment in the lives of the Grand Tourists. Each displays paintings, architecture, and/or artifacts that can be seen up close as well as from a picturesque nearby hillside. IT IS AN ADVENTURE WITH ITALIAN PAINTING, ARCHITECTURE, RAPHAEL, TITIAN, MICHELANGELO, & an intense view of the cities of FLORENCE, ROME, AND VENICE (just to name 3).
Your filmed Grand Tour has as its guide, famous & controversial art critic, Brian Sewell. So why 4 stars, and not 5?
Sewell often rubbed me the wrong way. But he's won reviewing awards; I have not. At times I wished I could pay a few extra Euros and get a new tour guide. Perhaps one as knowledgeable as Sewell is tough finding. Honestly, there is a lot of intellectual wealth from Sewell.
What's wrong with Sewell? Often his personal taste, conservative to the n-th degree, has him putting down much Italian art, architecture, life, wine, food, etc. and using terms as "It's awful!", "Reduculous", "Awful". Sometimes he's wrong, I've been to Italy. Just outside of the Pompeii digs gate is the best pizza in the world (my opinion). Sewell refused to eat Italian pizza, and made fun of most of what he did eat on film. Italians will never buy this DVD set.
At a Renaissance church in Todi, (he nicknamed "Pepper Pot"), he stated upon exiting, "Well, dear, oh dear and lawks a mercy. that's a bit of a dog's dinner. Pedigree chum, but still a dog's dinner." When Sewell abounds in intellect, he fails in tact.
Perhaps Sewell wants to comically portray the manner and breadth of the Grand Tourist's educational aspect regarding the bird and the bees. It sounds more like he's hung up in some perverted way with classical nude painting and sculpture, fixing on "buttocks" and other personal body parts. "Gosh!" (his word). And then he's a bit over the top with his gestures, overly dramatic speech, and his white umbrella. Perhaps I'm just too picky nicky. "Gosh!" "Awful."
Aside from Sewell's quirks and humor bits, this is "bloody good" viewing.
The 4-DVD set is really very good, highly recommended. Educational, pleasant to the eye and ear, historically wonderful, and cheap. It costs less than the price of a pair of passport photos.
....Bonus Features add additional facts on Italian artists of the period, explanations of terms and tidbits like fancy dressed "macaroni", map, list of what the rich tourists packed, and more.
....THANKS ATHENA FOR THE SUBTITLES. Very helpful for names & places.
....And a Biography of Brian Sewell explaining why my opinion of him is certainly not acceptable to the British.
This is Italy like I've never seen it on film prior.

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Famed British art critic leads the ultimate Italian adventure
In the 18th century, well-bred English gentlemen would undertake a Grand Tour of the Continent for refinement--as well as for drinking, gambling, and sexual adventures--before assuming their place in society. Now, Brian Sewell follows the footsteps of those young aristocrats through Italy, exploring the art and architecture, manners and mores that shaped European civilization.

With unmatched erudition and understated wit, this distinguished British art critic lovingly examines Italy\'s grandest cultural treasures. His journey takes him through Rome, Florence, Venice, Naples, Siena, and Milan, with plenty of stops along the way. More than a mere travelogue, this fascinating series showcases the country\'s dazzling cathedrals, palazzos, paintings, and sculptures while also giving insight into the travels and travails of tourists past.

Brian Sewell writes for the London Evening Standard and advises museums on three continents. His numerous awards include the Hawthornden Prize for Art Criticism and the George Orwell Prize for cultural commentary.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Julia McKenzie and Agatha Christie biography, Photo gallery, Cast filmographies

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Rubicon (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)This film is definitely not for everyone, and even the most ardent supporters of experimental film will have a difficult time sitting through the entire thing, especially the parking meter section which was cool but just seemed to go on about ten minutes too long. Artistically this is inferior to the work of Stan Brakkhage but I found it to be more entertaining than a majority of his work - perhaps the presence of music helped. Ah yes, the brilliant soundtrack by Edward Kurland is both a wonderful complement to this extraordinary work and a beautiful specimen of ambient non-pop on it's own. I will admit that I was initialy drawn to this film by the presence of Edward Kurland's music but now that I've seen the film twice, I will in the future keep my eyes open for films by Simon Tarr. I am not quite sure what Simon is trying to say with Rubicon, if anything at all, and he does have a slight tendency towards self-indulgence. But what great experimental artist working in these postmodern times does not display such tendencies. I actually think this strenghtens the work, as we are forced to meditate on the same themes as the artist. When I watch a scene of this film, for example the scene with the birds, I can tell that I am only seeing a minutia of what the film-maker was seeing by the time he was through editing. This is a beautiful thing because one knows that there is an infinitude of layers and codes(and not to mean "codes" in the classic or even literal sense) contained in each frame. Five stars - would give it six if I could. This film needs to be seen by many more people than it has.

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In his much-anticipated first feature-length motion picture, Simon Tarrpaints a stunning, sweeping technohistory of the human race to obsolescence.Sacred geometry and ominous CGI intertwine with a retelling of the storyof Noah to illuminate the illusion of authority and the nature of autonomyin the contemporary digital sphere.

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Beyond Reality - The First Season (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)BEYOND REALITY appeared on the USA cable network for two seasons. Forty-four half-hour episodes aired between 10/1/91 and 3/1/93. The show centered on two university-based parapsychologists, portrayed by Shari Belafonte (as Laura Wingate) and Carl Marotte (as J.J. Stillman) and their explorations of poltergeists, telekinesis and other such eerie phenomena. Also appearing infrequently was Nicole de Boer (as Celia Powell).
MCE's DVD set of BEYOND REALITY contains all 20 Season #1 episodes plus two from the second season. They probably did this to evenly divide this program's catalog into lots of 22, but short of consulting J.J and Laura, we can't know for certain if a Season #2 collection is in the foreseeable future.THE RAY BRADBURY THEATER - Complete Series consists of 65 episodes-- all based on show host Bradbury's short stories. It's a little-seen and fascinating 1980's anthology of sci-fi and fantasy that featured such fine actors as William Shatner, Jeff Goldblum, Leslie Nielson and Peter O'Toole.The "Beyond Reality" Season #1 list is sequential by original airdate.
Also included are episode titles and featured guest stars.
Mirror, Mirror (10/4/91) - Lynne Cormack/Nicole de Boer/Peter Dvorsky
The Doppelgänger (10/11/91) - Len Doncheff/Kenneth Walsh
Miracle Worker 10/18/91) - Chris Makepeace/Cedric Smith/Nick Rice
Return Visit (10/25/91) - Cynthia Preston/James B. Douglas/Jill Frappier
Intimate Shadows (11/1/91) - Scott Hylands/Kate Trotter/Steve Whistance-Smith
Echoes of Evil (11/8/91) - Doris Petrie/Richard Sali/Susan Kottman
Range of Motion (11/15/91) - Deborah Duchene/Nicholas Campbell/Susan Hogan
The Cold (11/22/91) - Robert More/Janet Laine-Green/Laura Press
The Bridge (11/29/91) - Nathaniel Moreau/Sandy Quan/David Ferry
Black Magic (12/6/91) - Krista Bridges/Lindsay Merrithew/Anthony Sherwood
Enemy in Our Midst (12/14/91) - Jennifer Dale/Mathew Mackay/Andrew Gillies
Asylum (12/20/91) - Errol Slue/ Denise Fergusson/Roy Lewis
Killer Instinct (12/27/91) - Jennifer Griffin/Lawrence Bayne/Allan Price
Sins of the Father (4/17/92) - Marvin Ishmael/Nigel Bennett/Ashleigh Ann Wood
Nightmare Without End (4/24/92) - Laura Bruneau/Peter Krantz/Vince Marino
Master of Darkness (5/1/92) - Colm Feore/Leah Pinsent/Jeremy Ratchford
Siren Song (5/8/92) - Nancy Anne Sakovich/Larissa Laskin/Sharon Dyer
Justice (5/15/92) - G. Danovan Spence/William Lynn/John Tench
The Fire Within (5/22/92) - Von Flores/Janet Lo/Lawrence Tan/Henry Li
The Color of Mad (5/29/92) - Geordie Johnson/Dixie Seatle/Ron Small

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Beyond Reality chronicles the unique lives of two adventuresome university professors who delve into the mysterious world of the paranormal.Shari Belafonte stars as Laura Wingate, a parapsychologist who has traveled the world studying different cultures, religions and strange occurances. As the open-minded, witty and outspoken head of a private university's Parapsychology Department, Laura devotes her time to teaching but is constantly distracted investigating paranormal events.Carl Marotte plays J.J. Stillman, a clinical psychologist who has been trained in the traditional sciences. He is inquisitive, responsible and often overly analytical.Together, Laura and J.J. apply their combined expertise, curiosity and compassion to investigate the fascinating, extraordinary, but completely plausible world of the paranormal.

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Dark Angel Season 2 Eng Dol Sur/french Dol/span Dol/1.33:1 (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)Overall, I enjoyed Season Two of DARK ANGEL, though I still prefer Season One. Despite the fact that I have a basic problem with Season Two, a large number of things were done very well. Like Season One, it was a well written, superbly produced, well executed season with some great new characters and some interesting new plot developments. Above all, Season Two represented a major improvement in Jessica Alba as an actress. In Season One, there were a host of scenes in which I was depressed by her rather flat vocal delivery and a surfeit of emotion at times when more was called upon. She is immeasurably better in Season Two, possibly a result of additional training, and certainly a result of being more comfortable in her role. She impressed with her athleticism in Season One, but she seems even more capable in her fight scenes and stunts in Season Two. She even seems more beautiful, probably the result of losing just a hint of baby fat (she was, after all, just out of high school in the first season).
The biggest problem I had with Season Two was the amazing lack of continuity with Season One. Like THE X-FILES or BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER or FARSCAPE, DARK ANGEL is a series that depends on long story arcs. That was true of both Season One and Season Two, but while each season had a great deal of internal narrative over the course of the season, not quite enough carried over from one season to the next for my taste. For one thing, a number of characters simply vanished. John Hurt, who was so prominent in Season One, leaves after a couple of episodes in Season Two (I suspect he would have returned in Season Three). Max and Original Cindy's coworker and friend Herbal vanishes with nary a word. The Asian police officer who was so prominent also fades from the scene. And the brilliant Stephen Hawking-like character (in that he is both brilliant and trapped in a wheelchair) disappears (perhaps because he might have possessed the knowledge to rid Max of the targeted retro virus that keeps her from having any physical contact with Logan) also vanishes into thin air. On the other hand, we are confronted with a host of new characters, so the feel of Season Two is much different from Season Two. Also, some of the carryovers from Season One have lessened roles. We don't see very much of Original Cindy or Sketchy in many episodes, as their onscreen time has been cut into by Alec and Joshua. On top of this, many of the emphases of Season One are altered to accommodate plot shifts. For instance, plot lines revolving around Agent White squeeze out many of the humanitarian and justice efforts by Eyes Only. Or take Max. In Season One much of the interest revolved around her attempt to find a satisfying life despite the rather unusual hand that fate has dealt her. She also apparently changed biologically from Season Two, although no specific mention is made of this. For instance, she had no moments where she needed a quick injection of Tryptophan (again, if her neurological condition was corrected during her incarceration at Manticore, no mention is made), and unlike Season One, she never had a period in Season Two where she went into heat (as a result of her feline DNA). These changes are all quite separate from changes wrought by plot development. There were just too many details that got pushed out of the show. Given the lack of continuity with Season One, I felt slightly uncomfortable with the predominance of Alec, Joshua, and White. These are not bad characters, but I didn't like to see more familiar elements squeezed out for the inclusion of the newcomers.
Nonetheless, Season Two was overall an exceptionally strong one. There were very few weak episodes and only one genuinely awful one the absolutely wretched "Gill Girl," which might be the worst single episode of the two seasons. The more one thinks about the latter episode, the worse it becomes (e.g., the transgenic gill people have gills and lay eggs to have offspring, like fish, but they look human and communicate by cetacean-like vocalizing, which would make them mammals). I love the way the writers keep painting the transgenics into a corner, and even Logan, so that by the end of the season the identify of all of the transgenics have been revealed, Eyes Only has been exposed and shut down, and Max and all of her friends have literally been driven out of life among non-transgenics. Max's situation has been radically altered by the end. One assumes that working at Jam Pony is now impossible (despite Sketchy and even Normal abandoning their prejudice against transgenics). No more evenings at Crash, no more motorcycling around the city, no more biking. Even her beloved hot baths might be impossible now. Clearly, big things were intended for Season Three.
One huge, huge reason for fans of the show to seek out the DVD set, even if they have it recorded on video, is the commentary. Although we sadly did not get a Season Three, the commentators reveal the major plot details that were anticipated. For instance, we know that Max was somehow the possible savior for the human race, but we are not sure how. What about Logan's ability to walk or Max's virus? They spill the beans. It doesn't make up for having a full season, but at least they resolve some of the larger questions that might otherwise be eating away at fans.
I am not privy as to why DARK ANGEL was cancelled. Perhaps the ratings weren't what they had hoped. Perhaps it was too costly of a show. In a way, the worst thing that ever happened at FOX was the enormous success of THE X-FILES. Ever since they have been looking for its replacement, and they kill all shows that don't manage its ratings. Along the way, they have killed off a string of superb shows, like FIREFLY, WONDERFALLS, and this one.
At some point FOX needs to realize that they are superb as a network at developing great shows, but fail miserably in making commitments to those shows. As it is, I am afraid to watch or allow myself to become interested in any show that appears on FOX. Why make a commitment to a show that they themselves won't make a commitment to? My feeling is that you development a quality product, and then stand by it and promote it until either the show slips in quality or there is a long term demonstrated lack of interest in it. FOX is to be commended for backing the creation of some great shows, but is to be condemned for failing to support them.

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