Viva la Bam: Complete Seasons 4 & 5 (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)No matter how bad your parents thought you were as a kid, they should thank their lucky stars that they aren't Phil and April Margera. Professional skateboarder and all-around pain in the ass, Bam Margera is the Dennis the Menace for the new millennium. After the Jackass show ended it splintered off into two strains, one of which, Viva La Bam, stars Bam and his crew (other Jackass survivors, Ryan Dunn, Raab Himself, Rake Yorn, Brandon DiCamillo) as they find new ways to torment his long-suffering parents. Bam and his gang pull all sorts of pranks and stunts to make his parents' lives a living hell. Throw in the nearly incomprehensible Don Vito (Phil's rather large brother) and you've got the makings for one of the more entertaining reality shows.
Fans will be pleased to know that all the episodes are featured gloriously uncut with all the cuss words intact! Breathe easy, parents. The uncut nastiness is limited to the language. The shameless nudity is still blurred.
There are audio commentaries for every episode by Bam, Phil, April, Ryan, Brandon, Rake, Tim and Raab. As you can imagine, these are pretty funny, chaotic tracks as Bam and co. dish on all sorts of behind-the-scenes stories. Bam, obviously, dominates these tracks, but his mom does comment quite a bit as well. Although, the glaring omission of Don Vito is unacceptable!
There are nine deleted scenes, including more footage of Bam building a skate park in his parent's house and Raab under the thrall of a hypnotist while the boys were in Las Vegas.
"Scavenger Hunt List" is the entire list of tasks that had to be accomplished from the season's climatic final episode.
"Q&A**Holes" is a bunch of text screens with the cast answering several questions not so seriously.
There is a small collection of behind-the-scenes photos.
There is also music video's for Bam's brother's band, CKY, Clutch, Turbonegro and the DiCamillo Sisters (basically Brandon, Bam and the lead singer from the Bloodhound Gang).
For such a nonsensical show there is a surprisingly amount of extras that are all done in the same flavour as the show. Even the menus capture the vibe of the show, which is a nice touch. Fans will no doubt dig this collection while all others are advised to stay far away! You may not derive any deep meaning from this show but there are worse ways to kill a Friday night.

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Item Name: Viva la Bam: Complete Seasons 4 & 5; Studio:MTV

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Gaelic Storm - Live in Chicago (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)Since I "discovered" Gaelic Storm a bit over three years ago, I have made it a "must" to be in the crowd anytime this exciting and talented crew is anywhere in my area (West-Central Ohio). So I have been privileged to hear GS live 15 - 20 times.
Let me promise that the performance captured in Chicago on this DVD is the REAL THING. It captures the spirit, and the lively, and lovely, enthusiasm and driving Irish music that Gaelic Storm presents every time out! Watching that DVD in my living room (I wasn't in Chicago when it was recorded) frequently has me on my feet clapping (and yeah, sometimes even jumping up and down)with their amazing music. Gaelic Storm is the ONLY band that has the power to make me jump up and down since I was 17 - - - and I am now 72. The magic of their music ALWAYS draws me to the front of the stage with the teens (and some others)who comprise a most enthusiastic, yet gentle, mosh pit. I just cannot keep from jumping with the kids on such GS bell-ringers as "Courting in the Kitchen" or "The Hills of Connamara", or "Tell Me Ma", or "Beggarman" and so many others.
Yep, this DVD presents a true picture of the electric atmosphere that is generated by a Gaelic Storm concert. I wouldn't part with my copy for $100.

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TRACK LISTING - Courtin in the Kitchen, Johnny Jump Up, Swimmin in the Sea, Lonestar Stow-Away, I Miss My Home, An Cailin Des Rua, Me and the Moon, Born to Be A Bachelor, Ghost Lit Raiders, Rocky Road to Dublin, Johnny Tarr, Pina Colada in a Pint Glass, Punjab Paddy, Spiderman Set, Drink the Night Away, Stain the Grout, Beggerman, Tell Me Ma

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IMAX: Coral Reef Adventure (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)As a half-century scuba diver who has been diving Fiji, the Great Barrier Reef, Moorea and Tiputa Pass in Rangiroa over the years, I can vouch for the authenticity and genuine beauty of this splendid documentary, as well as for the unfortunate reality of the threats to these areas. In particular, we have been diving Fiji's Bligh Waters for years, most often with Rusi Vulakoro (also an excellent singer) who appears prominently in this production. Rusi and Jean-Michel Cousteau demonstrate some of what they are doing to preserve this paradise.
The McGillivray-Freeman production and Michele and photography is top notch, and our friends Rob and Cat, owners of the liveaboard dive boat NAI'A used for the filming, guided Howard and Michele Hall to all our favorite sites - their cinematography is superb, in spite of the major problems faced by using the huge and unwieldy IMAX system. Those interested in scuba diving, some of the world's best dive spots and the state of the ocean will love this DVD - and come away convinced we should never have called this planet, 70.78% of which is covered by the world's oceans and water, "Earth."

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Take a once-in-a-lifetime journey across the South Pacific for a spectacular IMAX adventure. Joy, ecstasy, a spiritual high: these words describe the exhilaration of diving a pristine coral reef, and ocean explorers Howard and Michele Hall bring their love of the ocean into action. With Jean-Michael Cousteau, deep reef scientist Richard Pyle and Fijian diver Rusi Vulakoro, they explore and capture on film the dazzling underwater world of coral reefs, magical places here on Earth. This tropical excursion through the South Pacific will surprise and delight you as you fall in love with the reefs, and your heart will ache at the tragic, irretrievable loss of these fragile worlds.

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Avenged Sevenfold: All Excess (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is, a DVD for the fans. Who else would buy it anyway? The guys did a great job compiling footage from their entire history to give you a glimpse into their world. It is great to see that these are down to earth, if a little wild, guys who made good. By the way, this is the best band out there today, and anything they do in the future will be great because they continue to push the boundaries and make great records, not singles for pop consumption. Part of the DVD also clears up and ongoing issue about Shadows' voice. They decided before Waking the Fallen that that album would be 1/2 scream, 1/2 sing and the next album (City of Evil) would be a singing album. Zacky said in a guitar mag interview that they didn't want to contribute to that noise polution (screaming) anymore. I can confirm that Shadows does have plenty of vocal power and can still scream when he wants to. I saw them in Atlanta last year and he has live vocal power comparable to Steven Tyler.
If you want a live concert video, this isn't it. It has about 4 live songs and 4 music videos, plus an audio only version of Pantera's "Walk". There is plenty of live footage of the guys on you tube if that is all you are looking for, even newer versions of songs like "Second Heartbeat" that are mostly singing. If you want an in depth look at the band and want to see a little raunchy good fun, buy this DVD. Great job by Avenged Sevenfold by putting out something the fan base (and it is a big fan base) will love. For those of you out there just getting a glimpse of these guys, buy the CD's, buy the DVD, buy a t-shirt, and get on the mailing list. When the new album and tour comes around, it is going to be an amazing ride.

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The debut major-label album from Avenged Sevenfold (aka A7X)shattered preconceptions of punk and metal as 2005's City Of Evil sold morethan 800,000 copies, shot to Top 30 Pop, and won the band Best New Artist at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards.Now, prior to the release later this year of the band's next explosive album, the DVD All Excess brings fansup-to-date with a visual and aural history of the group. This is only thebeginning for A7X.

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: 25th Anniversary Collector's Edition (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles / Secret of the Ooze / Turtles in Time / TMNT) (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)Ever since I started watching blu-ray last year, I had always wondered when the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies would come out on blu-ray. They've been overdue for a remastering, and plus, their anniversary is this year, so what better timing? I saw this set pop up right here on Amazon and I saw that my wish had finally been fulfilled. The question is, though, did they get the remastering they deserved?
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - The classic that everyone knows and loves. It's darker in tone than the other three, thus capturing the original comic book feel that Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman gunned for back when they did the original comics. Of course, parents didn't like it, so the tone didn't stay in future sequels. However, the literal darkness of the film happens to be the achilles' heel of this release. There's grain all over the place. It looks as if they transferred some of it, but didn't bother to do it on some scenes. One scene where Raph wanders out in broad daylight wearing a trench coat is where the grain is at it's worst, believe it or not. The dark scenes ALL have grain all over them. Some scenes are entirely devoid of any grain, though. So, what gives Warner Bros.? Couldn't touch all of it up? Now, believe me when I say this: This is the best the movie has ever looked. However, it lacks the detail of better blu-ray releases (though some of the detail is noticeable in the costumes of the Turtles), and the grain was to be expected, considering how dark the movie originally was, and as well as it being rather low-budget when it was first shot. The animatronics still stand the test of time, and this is the best they've ever looked, but I still wish more effort was put into reducing the grain and enhancing the details in a lot of scenes. Overall, if you don't mind grain in your films, you'll be fine with it, but this could be better.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze - My personal favorite of the collection. I've watched this countless times growing up on VHS. It looked rough then, but blu-ray has done it some justice. The grain isn't nearly as bad as the first movie, which is a plus, and it's not even noticeable much at all in brighter scenes. Plus, the detail has been enhanced to a fault. It's still not quite perfect in any regards, but I was satisfied overall withe visual quality. Tokka looks great with ever little greasy detail on his scaly body, and in the opening scene in the robbery, you can actually make out the faces of the robbers through their panty hose masks. This is also the best animatronics of the three live-action movies, and is timeless in it's execution. This is the best the movie has ever looked, though there are still some steps that could be made to better the picture just a little more. I was happy with it, though.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III - I'm not typing "Turtles in Time" next to it because some idiot at Warner Bros. put that on the box. That is not the official subtitle to the movie, it's the name of the Arcade/SNES video game, and it's a very good one, at that. Anyways, this is the most hated of the series, and within good reason The plot features absolutely no key villains from the Turtles universe, the animatronics are terrible (their lips flap around like Big Mouth Billy Bass) as they weren't Jim Henson's work like the previous movies, and the plot overall is so-so. However, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I don't really remember watching it as a child, just the first two movies, so I'm really taking this viewing as a first, to my recollection. As for the transfer, it's the best of the three live-action movies by far. Besides a tiny bit of grain in the opening scene with the samurais riding in the sunrise, there's no more to be found. The Turtles looked highly detailed, right down to the pores on the costumes. The lush Japanese setting looks gorgeous in this transfer, and it really makes the movie that much more bearable to watch. While it lacks a sound plot and has laughably bad animatronics, it looks very well done. If only this much effort were put into the previous two, this would be the best package possible.
TMNT - I actually saw this in theatres the day after it came out, I owned it on DVD first day, and I got it on blu-ray last Christmas, so this is actually a triple-dip retail buy, for me. The plot is solid, though it it is reminiscent of the goofy single episode plots they used to have in the 80's cartoons, mixed in with some internal struggle amongst the Turtles, especially Raph and Leo, of course. Some say Mike and Don play nothing but mere cameos, but they make a significant enough appearance to make an impact. There's enough laughs to know that at least Mikey is around in good quantity. As for the picture quality, it looks exactly as it did before on blu-ray, and that means there's nothing wrong with it. It is blu-ray perfection. Screenshots do not do it justice. Every turtle is brilliantly detailed, you can see every hair on Splinter, every detail in every wall, and don't even get me started on one key fight over halfway through the movie that I will not reveal due to possibly spoiling the movie. This fight, which takes place in the rain, is one of the single most gorgeous pieces of CG work I have ever seen. It's brilliantly animated, just as the rest of the movie is, and the amount of detail is mind-blowing. This movie is one of the greatest showpieces for the blu-rat format you will ever find, only to be rivaled by Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete, which still stands as the most gorgeous movie of all time, in my eyes. A perfect picture for a great CG movie, overall.
As for extras, you get everything previous releases got. That's it. The only difference is that there's a trailer for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Smash-Up, coming to the Wii and PS2 next month, on the first movie's disc, but it's the very first trailer released, so its nothing new. It's just mastered in hi-def, though the actual game will look nothing like it, so what's the use? Overall, Warner did a terrible job for adding any special interviews, featurettes, or commentaries to commemorate the 25th Anniversary. I could personally care less about extra features, but those that are steamed about it are within good reason.
The extras we DO get, however, is part of the packaging. As you can see in the pictures one member nicely posted, it comes in a pizza box-esque design. I love it. It's actually much sturdier than you'd think, and the discs hold into their trays rather tightly. You also get 8 collectible cards, a reproduction sketch signed by Peter Laird (though it's printed, not actually signed), a reproduction of the original comic by Eastman and Laird that is based off of the original movie, an a beanie hat, which looks like it'd fit a younger head rather than an adult head, though I haven't unpackaged it for collectible reasons. It's a nice package overall, though many have complained about it not being in normal elite cases. You can always do custom cases, but this works perfectly fine and suits the collection well.
You may be wondering "Why the 4 stars?" after the first two movies weren't done as well as they could have been, but it's simple: This is the best they've looked. If you want a better picture for all of them, this is the only way to go, and they all look better, especially the last two. I did knock off a star because they didn't go the extra mile for the release by adding extra bonus features nor remastering the first two movies as thoroughly as they should have. However, hardcore Turtle fans like me will love it, I can say that much. It's worth the $60, in my eyes, but if you're only particular of getting the first movie (which I have found many are), wait up on this release. One can hope that it will get a re-release down the line from Warner like 300 and The Matrix have gotten, and hopefully, with better quality, as it's the one that got the short end of the stick, and the one most people will likely not be that satisfied with. However, if you want Turtles II and onward, they all look good to fantastic, so it's worth the purchase.

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Cowabunga, Dudes! Blu-ray Collection Includes All 4 Films with Radical Extras and Collectibles! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Turtles in Time, and TMNT.

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Futurama: Bender's Game (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)This movie is completely independent from the other two films, with everything back to normal at the beginning of it from when the last ended. It's pretty easy to follow along for thsoe who haven't seen the other two, or even the rest of the series. As others have mentioned, this movie takes on a D&D / Lord of the Rings feel to it as it explores the fantasy realm, but it's nicely explained as to why it happens that way. Everything seems to blend together well in this movie (the various subplots set up at the beginning join together). The movie also refers back to the original series and explains various things: a possibile origin between the Farnesworth-Wordstrom rivalry, more on the Mom-Farnesworth relationship, Nibbler being picked up off Vergon 6 as it implodes (and why it does implode), and a few other things. I think all of these add to what's known in the Futurama universe without taking away from anything, and fits very well in to what is already established.
I really enjoyed the movie, probably more than the other two movies. The one thing I didn't like so much about the DVD were the features. I didn't find them all that exciting. I enjoyed seeing how to draw the characters, and the genetics lab was somewhat interesting (but limiting). Everything else wasn't bad, but just seemed a bit short.
Features:
-Movie Commentary
-Storyboard Animatic for part one (~ 20 minutes)
-Futurama Genetics lab (you can choose two characters and see what they look like merged- but only for a small number of characters)
-Dungeons & Dragons & Futurama (~ 7 minutes, explains D&D references in the show)
-How to draw Fry, Bender/Flexo, Leela, & Zoidberg (~ 8 minutes)
-3-D modeling of various ships in the series (~ 5 minutes)
-Deleted scene (only one)
-"Blooperama," outtakes from the movie (~ 2 minutes)
-Bender's Anti-Piracy Warning
-Trailer for the fourth movie: "Into the Wild Green Yonder"
The packaging I got my DVD in was the cardboard "carbon neutral" packaging, in which the disc is put into a cardboard slit. I went out and bought a CD envelope to put in my box instead of using the slit.
The box did contain 4 Futurama postcards: giant Bender and Zoidberg (from the Anthology of Interest), Fry and Leela running away from aliens attacking, an ad to "Keep your robot clean" and a generic "The future is today, worry about it tomorrow." Even though these were mostly put in to advertise that these images were for sale in paintings, I kind of like the extra of having postcard-sized art ("One 'art' please").

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With fuel prices skyrocketing, the Planet Express crew sets off on a dangerous mission: to infiltrate the world's only dark-matter mine, source of all spaceship fuel. But deep beneath the surface lies a far stranger place... a medieval land of dragons and sorcery and intoxicated knights who look suspiciously like Bender. So park your hover-car and saddle up your unicorn for Futurama's grandest adventure yet: BENDER'S GAME!

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Young@Heart (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)Young@heart is a mixed chorus composed of singers and band members 70 and above. If you think that means show tunes and old standards, you're wrong. Some of the songs you'll hear covered:
"I feel Good," James Brown
"Purple Haze," Jimi Hendrix
"Schizophrenic," Sonic Younth
"Fix You," Coldplay
"Yes we Can Can," Allen Toussaint
"Forever Young," Joan Baez
This is an amazing group of people. Joe, who at 86 can remember a song in one afternoon, had enough chemo to kill a person, but he was still up on stage. Fred, who has congestive heart failure must sing sitting down with oxygen at his side, is still up performing. Bob, who had a heart attack, was performing his songs from his hospital bed when he had a heart attack.
Their music is in large print. In order to learn their songs, many of them are using a compact disk player for the first time and literally didn't know which side of the disk was up.
They're consummate performers. They dance even if it hurts and they smile for the audience. Even after they'd learned a troop member died an hour before, they gave an amazing free performance at a local prison.
They've discovered the joy of music and they're passing it along to audiences everywhere. I promise you will both laugh and cry in this film. You may also be moved to try some new things. Music brings joy to many lives and it's clearly never too late to get out there and try something new.
Rebecca Kyle, June 2008

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Get ready to rock out with the most entertaining "golden oldies" you will ever meet, a fun-loving senior citizen’s choir called Young@Heart. To prepare for a show in their hometown that is only weeks away, the lovable seniors must learn a slate of new songs, ranging from James Brown to Coldplay. The chorus’ tireless musical director leads the group through a series of hilariously chaotic rehearsals, proving that hard rock can be hard work - especially when you’re hard of hearing! Climaxing in a triumphant performance that will leave you cheering, their inspiring story celebrates the unbreakable bonds of friendship and the life-affirming power of music!

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30 Rock: Season One (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)Bizarrely, NBC debuted two new series in 2006-2007 that were behind-the-scenes looks at fictional TV shows that bore astonishing resemblences to SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. Aaron Sorkin's STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP, the more highly touted of the two, did set its fictional SNL on the West Coast, but never really caught on with critics or with many fans and was eventually cancelled. On the other hand, 30 ROCK was an immediate hit with critics and gradually built more and more of a fan base. Though the ratings were never especially strong, NBC has perhaps the best track record of any current network for sticking with quality shows and attempting to nurture a fan base (on any other network both 30 ROCK and FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS would have been cancelled well before the end of the season). Hopefully more fans will discover this superb show and its long term future will be assured.
While the Sorkin series had very tenuous SNL credentials, 30 ROCK's are iron clad. It was created and produced by SNL veteran Tina Fey, who along with Gilda Radner is possibly the most gifted female performer the show has produced. Lorne Michaels serves as a producer, Tracy Morgan is one of the major stars on the show, and a long line of SNL performers appear as guest stars on the show. Rachel Dratch has appeared in so many episodes (albeit as a number of different characters, from Liz Taylor to a Cat Wrangler) that she could almost be considered a regular. It wouldn't be quite correct to call this a SNL spin off, but it comes as close as possible to being that without actually being one.
The show started off as very funny from the very beginning, but it evidenced one of the marks of a good show: it got better and better as it went along. While the writing and the jokes are sharp from the very beginning, the use of the characters got really good in the second half. One of the marks of a good show is that the second half of the debut season is better than the first half. And this one certainly did.
The ensemble cast is absolutely first rate, but three people really stand out. Tina Fey is not only the driving force behind the show, she is delightful as Liz Lemon, the head writer for THE GIRLIE SHOW, the fictional series they all work on. Alec Baldwin is shockingly good as Jack Donaghy, the NBC executive who oversees. He will be certain to get an Emmy nomination, something he will definitely deserve. But for me the funniest thing on the show is Tracy Morgan as an insane (literally) movie actor who joins the show. The overall atmosphere is one of surreal chaos.
I hope the show really takes off with fans this coming season. NBC's Thursday night line up of shows is perhaps the best group of really intelligent comic series ever. Back when they promoted "Must See TV" (which I never watched), they relied mainly on sit coms filmed in front of live audiences. But the current line up features filmed comedies that are smart, funny, and a hoot to watch. And for me they are really are, in contrast to the FRIENDS era, shows that I really feel I must watch.

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Emmy Award winner Tina Fey writes, executive produces, and stars as Liz Lemon, the head writer of a live variety program in New York City. Liz's life is turned upside down when brash new network executive Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin in his Golden Globe winning role) interferes with her show, bringing the wildly unpredictable Tracy Jordan (Tracy Morgan) into the cast. Now it's up to Liz to manage the mayhem and still try and have a life. Join in the behind-the-scenes hilarity with the complete first season (21 episodes) on DVD.

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How I Met Your Mother: Season Two (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)This show takes the audience on a bit of a backwards journey down memory lane. The premise has the narrator (Ted) telling his two children the story of how he met their mother. Along the way we meet Lilly and Marshall (known to each other by the sickeningly sweet nicknames Marshmellow and Lillypad) who are a funny, picture perfect cute couple (well...they are now, anyway, after their relationship trouble in season 1). We also meet Robin (Ted's on again, off again girlfriend who turns out *not* to be his future wife) and that rascally womanizing egomaniac, Barney.
I think the casting in this show was outstanding. Neil Patrick Harris shines as Barney, and Alyson Hannigan puts forth a brilliant performance each episode as Lilly. The character of Ted is a good fit for Josh Radnor (who we have thus far only seen in small bit parts in various films, such as Not Another Teen Movie (Unrated Director's Cut). Jason Segal and Cobie Smulders round out the cast nicely as Marshall and Robin. (and if you think you might recognize the voice of the "older Ted Mosbey" during the narrating portion of the show...it's probably because you do. The narrator is actually Bob Saget).
Season 2 pretty much picks up where season 1 left off. In a bizarre case of cold feet, Lilly breaks off her engagement with Marshall and moves to California for an art internship. Marshall is left in New York, alone and heartbroken, while Robin and Ted strike out in their new relationship (despite the fact that they both know they want very different things out of life). Barney, as always, provides much of the comic relief throughout the show, and remains his usual womanizing self. Season 2, from start to finish, is hilarious. I particularly enjoyed the episodes "Ted Mosbey, Architect" and (my all time favorite episode so far) "Robin Sparkles". When you watch them, you'll see why (I seriously couldn't erase the episode Robin Sparkes from my TiVo for like a month, because I just kept re-watching it!).
The dialogue is sharp and witty, and the interpersonal relationships within the group are really fun to watch. I can't ever get through an episode without laughing out loud at least once, and I think thats a good sign for a comedy sitcom. This is situational comedy at it's finest, and while the storylines and situations aren't believable in an apply-it-to-real-life sort of way, it's nonetheless entertaining and humorous, which is sort of the point.
The season 1 box set contained at least 5 episodes with writer/director/producer commentary (with the season finale episode containing commentary from the 5 principle actors). Hopefully season 2 will have the same, because a lot of the commentary is really entertaining!
Bottom line, this is a great show. I'm going out on a limb here (a very high, terrifying limb) but I think this show has the potential to at least partially fill the shoes of shows like "Friends" and "Everybody Loves Raymond", as far as filling the half-hour comedy sitcom void is concerned. Give it a try, and I promise you won't be disappointed.

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A love story in reverse: A fresh new comedy about Ted and how he fell in love. The series is narrated through flashbacks from the future about the 5 friends and their dating misadventures.

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How I Met Your Mother: Season One (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)Told in a sort of flashback format, How I Met Your Mother follows the story of Ted (Josh Radner) and his group of friends, Marshall (Jason Segel), Lily (Alison Hannigan) and the ever hip Barney (Neil Patrick Harris). Ted is searching for romance in New York City when he falls for the lovely Robin (Cobie Smulders), who isn't quite ready for a big relationship, despite a strong attraction. Over the course of the first season, we follow Ted and company through many a hilarious night, including Barney and Marshall's karaoke binge with Korean Elvis, Ted's meeting a mysterious woman at a wedding who he subsequently falls for, and a hysterical look at Barney in his pre-suit era thanks to the arrival of a mystery tape from an old paramour.
The writing is sharp and fast paced, told in a multiple vignette style that Seinfeld perfected. Of course a hit show wouldn't work without a solid cast, and this one is excellent. Radner has the right blend of earnestness and puppy dog charm as he searches for true romance, Segel shows his excellent comic timing just as he did in shows like Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared, and Hannigan is completely right as Marshall's fiancee. Her blend of humor, elegance, and geek beauty is just perfect for the role. Smulders is a nice addition to the group, but its Neil Patrick Harris' turn as the bachelor extraordinaire Barney who is the real star of the show. The writers' equip him with catch-phrase heavy lines that are quickly becoming "legendary." The writers also leave a somewhat tantalizing mystery as to who Ted eventually marries.
The November release of the hit CBS comedy How I Met Your Mother continues the excellent trend of quickly releasing TV seasons to capitalize on an existing audience. The 1st Season DVD set contains all 22 half-hour episodes, six audio commentaries with cast and crew, a gag reel, and a video yearbook . This is the perfect gift for any fan of the show or a great way to introduce it to someone new. So Suit Up, and enjoy this great show. Recommended.
A.G. Corwin
St.Louis, MO

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A love story in reverse: How I Met Your Mother is a fresh new comedy about Ted (Josh Radnor) and how he fell in love. When Ted's best friends Marshall (Jason Segel) and Lilly (Alyson Hannigan) decide to tie the knot it sparks the search for his own Miss Right. Helping him in his quest is his bar-hopping "wing-man" Barney (Neil Patrick Harris), a confirmed bachelor with plenty of wild schemes for picking up women. Ted's sites are set on the charming and independent Robin (Cobie Smulders), but destiny may have something different in mind. Told through a series of flashbacks, Ted recalls his single days, the highs and lows of dating and the search for true love.

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Naked Brothers Band - Battle of the Bands (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)Okay, so my kid, now 10, gave up piano years ago. But now wishes she was in The Band! Instead she just follows every move these kids make. I told her she should get back into lessons and she too could be a star. Well, maybe. Anyway, I love that these kids actually have a bit of comedic timing and seem to enjoy every minute they are on camera. I know their parents (Nat and Alex Wolff's Mom and Dad are actor/director and pro musician respectively) are very talented and look like they are having fun with the show too. Get it for your kid if they are a fan. They'll dig it and it's all good fun and totally family friendly. Now we hope her uncle can get their autograph next time we go to LA. He claims to know someone that works with them who is famous in her own right. Cool!

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Join Nat, Alex and the Band in a one hour special, The Naked Brothers Band: Battle of the Bands, as they sign up for a battle of the bands charity event.As if battling one of the coolest bands around isn’t enough, now Nat has to compete with the other band’s lead singer for Rosalina’s heart! You won’t want to miss a second of this hilarious never before seen music adventure.

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Criss Angel: Mindfreak Giftset (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great DVD set including seasons 1&2 and a Holloween show to boot. Criss Angel is a phenomenal ILLUSIONIST(a subtle reminder to those who feel he sold his soul to the devil in order to do what he does) These are mainly on the street live audience ILLUSIONS that are MIND FREAKing. I dont know how he does it, dont want to know, only want to sit back and have my jaw drop each time he pulls off what seems impossible..
I highly recommend this DVD set and cant wait for more to come out in the years to come. He is the best as far as I am concerned and this collection does the Best justice...GOD bless JB

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Set includes Mindfreak Season 1, Mindfreak Season 2, Halloween Special all packaged in a lenticular outer slipcase. As the box is rotated, Criss slowly disappears from the package, and the Mindfreak logo moves up and down on the spine of the box.

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The Flintstones: The Complete Series (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)Love the Flintstones. Have been waiting for a nice priced complete set. Unfortunately the paper sleeves for the discs WILL end up scratching the dvds. Im sure some will be scratched upon purchase . So I will get the single sets. I recommend people buy those instead. Much nicer cases and only about about $15.95 more (105.94 for all the single sets) than that the silly looking box the complete set comes in. Course Im still giving it four stars for the episodes.
UPDATE: The regular sets have now been put back to their regular price of around $32. So its not so good a deal anymore. I guess you could wait for them to be on sale again or just take your chances with the complete set. Plus theres no new bonus material so the only thing your getting EXTRA is the UGLY ORANGE BOX. This set is basically the orignal six season sets repackaged. Again I think its best to wait for good prices on the single sets. The packaging is much more convienent.

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Studio: Hanna BarberaRelease Date: 10/28/2008

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Wisegal (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)When I first saw previews for Wisegal I knew that I wanted to see it. It had a great cast and a great storyline. Turns out it was better than what I thought it would be. Alyssa Milano gives a great performance throughout the movie and she really "sells" her character. If you like Lifetime movies OR Alyssa Milano then I think you'll like this movie.
Short Storyline: Patty's (Alyssa Milano) husband dies and she doesn't know how to support her family anymore. She meets a guy who is in the mob which she doesn't know at first. She needs money to support her family so she goes to work for him. Throughout the movie Patty learns more and more about the mob and the guy that she doesn't like until finally she tries to get out. Watch the movie to see if Patty can make it out of the mob...
Again I thought this was an excellent movie and the acting was amazing.

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Loyal to the Family. Devoted to her own. Alyssa Milano stars as Patty Montanari, a tough Brooklyn widow and mother who takes a job working for a local crime family and soon becomes romantically involved with a married mob captain (Jason Gedrick of DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES). But as Patty rises in the organization\'s ranks, she finds herself sinking deeper into an underworld of paranoia, betrayal and murder. Caught between the Feds, the Family and the man she loves, can she pull the trigger on the decision that may cost her everything? Academy Award® nominee James Caan (THE GODFATHER) co-stars in this acclaimed Lifetime movie inspired by the incredible true story of the woman who dared to defy New York City\'s most infamous Mafia empire. From executive producer Joe Pistone - the real life Donnie Brasco.

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Deadwood: The Complete First Season (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)The best kept secret on television is Deadwood, a semi-true story of the lawless town in South Dakota that popped up during the gold rush days of the 1800's. The real Deadwood boasted legendary residents like Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickock. Both figure prominently as characters in the TV series but are far from the only great characters on display.
Perhaps you've heard of the series, but never gave it a look. Or perhaps you were warned by others that the language was so profane as to render it unwatchable. True, the series isn't for anyone under the age of 18, but it must be understood that this semi-historical piece was written to represent the actual dialect and social tenor of the region at that time. Deadwood was a rough place without real law, and gold was on everyone's mind. All the elements for great drama were there. Greed, corruption, deceipt, innocence, morality (or a lack thereof), hope, hate, fear, addiction, murder, jealousy and love. Deadwood truly represents a kind of sociological study of human evolution within a laissez faire society.
It was clear from episode 1 that the new Deadwood series on HBO was something special. By episode 4, I was certain that Emmy nominations/awards were imminent. The show was largely ignored by the Emmys, likely sufferering from a combination of "newcomer syndrome" and overshadowing by The Sopranos. But make no mistake, it was more than worthy with the actors comprising a splendid balance of the familiar and the unfamiliar. Regardless of fame however, there isn't an off performance to be found in the season. Nor is there a grossly derivitive one. The characters are all satisfyingly deep, nuanced and often downright quirky.
The writing, as is the case with most HBO original series, was entirley engaging with a character and rhythm all its own. It is to be savored as a fine wine or concerto. Unlike many adult drama series on the "other networks", Deadwood never loses its momentum. There is no need to manipulate the audience with cheap antics to get them to care week to week. The story, actors and writing take care of that. Each episode flows to the next with amazing fluidity while always maintaining an anticipatory mood.
There is really no need to get into plot points as it would require a review the size of the Deadwood script and would involve spoiling much of the drama that one should experience as purely as possible. Suffice it to say if you enjoy adult themed series such as The Sopranos, you will love Deadwood. Even if you don't like westerns, it won't matter. The acting, writing, and plot are just that good. Give it a chance. You won't be sorry.

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(HBO Dramatic Series) 1876. In the Black Hills of South Dakota lies Deadwood, a lawless town inhabited by a mob of restless misfits ranging from an ex-lawman to a scheming saloon owner to the legendary Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane. The richest gold strike in American history provides the backdrop for HBO's next great drama.DVD Features:Audio CommentaryFeaturetteOther

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The War at Home - The Complete First Season (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)This was without a doubt a highly underrated comedy series....but unfortunally, it was so underrated & overlooked that after having it change timeslots various times during the two season that the show was eventually cancelled & I highly doubt that there will be a season 2 DVD set so this is all that we're going to get of this show. This show is about two middle aged adults with teenagers trying to raise them up while dealing with real life situations. This isn't like the other television shows of this nature as this one takes on the issues dead on using dark comedy & takes on real life issues going on in today's society regarding teenagers & adults not only through real life but also through confessionals (ala "Real World"), flashbacks, and flash-fowards. From interracial dating & the race issues involved with it, cyber sex, drugs & alcohol, cosmetic surgery, teenage sex, punishing your kids, the male ego, homosexuality & more. With Dave & Vicky being middleaged parents with their own adult problems along with their kids in Larry who's parents think he's gay & his best friend/neighbor Kenny who actually is gay with a crush on Larry; Hillary the typical sexy teenage daughter who's more into dating than school; Mike is the youngest who's about video games & hormones whenever he's not trying to hustle/blackmail his dad;...it's just got the formula for a good comedy & this show is just that. With DVD extras being deleted scenes & confessionals from the cast & crew (right in the same humor as the actual episodes)...I recommend to pick this up as this is probably the last trace of this underrated TV show that you'll see.


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When Dave and Vicky were growing up, their parents had it easy. Back then, there were no "time-outs," no one had any "boundaries" and their parents had no idea what their kids were really up to. Now Dave and Vicky have teenagers of their own, and anything their kids might even think about doing, Dave and Vicky have already done at least twice. But knowledge isn't power; it's a giant pain as every day is a battle to keep their kids in line. Fifteen-year-old Larry isn't exactly a frequent diner at the 'cool kids' table in the cafeteria, while 16-year-old Hillary is a know-it-all and is just emerging onto the dating scene. Meanwhile, thirteen-year-old Mike is all hormones and video games. Dave and Vicky figure if they can send these three off to college without a police record or kids of their own, they've done their job. This witty, irreverent show goes inside the heads of a modern family through the use of a confessional space where the characters reveal everything they could never actually say to one another. DVD Features:Deleted ScenesDeleted ScenesFeaturette:Living Room Confessions ? All new featurette with cast and crew Gag Reel

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Codename Kids Next Door - Sooper Hugest Missions File One (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm 28 and I love this cartoon. It's corny and at times it's pretty stupid but the pure ridiculousness of it is what makes it so entertaining. I love the concept of 2x4 technology and having guns that shoot condiments, ice cream, gum balls etc... is classic! Not to mention the robots and other vehicles that are made of everyday things like carousels, cars, school lockers, and even a chimney! Codname KND puts a great spin on the action cartoons of the twenty first century. No blood, no guts - just plain fun and gags that can be appreciated by children of all ages. Also, the constant spoofs on classic movies; Robin Hood, Star Wars, Terminator, etc... is entertaining to adults who watch with their children (or by themselves!) I'm a lifelong lover of cartoons and although I really didn't like Codename KND the first few times I watched it I eventually came to love it and now watch it every chance I get. I've also converted a few of my adult cartoon loving friends into fans.
As for the animation style - it's true that the characters are drawn pretty amusingly. They look like pencils with apples stuck on them for heads, hands and feet but instead of complaining about the style take it for what it is. The entire cartoon is a spoof and the way it's drawn emphasizes that.
A comment on the accents of the characters; While reading through other reviews I noticed many complaints on how fake the British accent of Numbah One sounds. As stated in the previous paragraph - this is a spoof and how much more ridiculous would Numbah One sound if he had been voiced by someone with a real British accent? Could you seriously imagine Hugh Laurie reading the part? I believe that a real British accent would get even more complaints and besides, if you actually watched the cartoon you'd realize that neither of Numbah One's parents have an accent which would clue you in - he's just a kid trying to be cool as so many kids do. I've never heard a convincing accent come out of a child's mouth without extensive training. And to bash on Numbah Four's accent, calling it a bad British accent, is further proof that you don't watch the show. Numbah Four is Australian.
The characters all have distinct personalities and their individuality is part of what makes them so fun. Watching this cartoon takes me back to my own childhood, back when cartoons were only on Saturday morning and for an hour or two after school. Back before Nintendo and Xbox... When our imagination was all we had and we used it to the point of frying our brains. Today's youth can't always appreciate a cartoon like Codename KND because they can't necessarily relate. If you don't like it that's okay and feel free to trash it all you want, that's your right and I recognize your right. We all have different opinions and I love that amazon gives us the ability to share our opinions. Don't use these review spaces to put down the other reviewers though - that is immature and unnecessary. Who cares if someone misspells a word? I'm sure that I've misspelled quite a few words in my own review! Also, if someone writes a review that you don't agree with don't trash the person, just write your own review and leave it alone. Allow the consumer to make the choice don't try to sway them to your way of thinking. The purpose of these reviews is to share your opinion of the item in question with the intent of informing people of what it is they're considering purchasing.
I love Codename KND and I reccomend this cartoon to cartoon lovers everywhere!

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Five extraordinary 10-year-olds, dedicated to freeing all children from the tyrannical rule of adults, have formed a covert team called the Kids Next Door (KND). To mask their identities, they have taken numbers instead of names, led by Numbuh One from the fortress of their treehouse! DVD Features:FeaturetteOther:Exclusive KND Game Boy advance cheats. Also, Cartoon Network bonus toon: Foster's Home for Imaginary FriendsTheatrical Trailer

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