61 (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)Upon its release, 61* immediately became a classic. The baseball scenes are the best of any movie ever. You never feel like you're watching actors. But the key to the movie is its realism. Thomas Jane and Barry Pepper are extraordinary as Mantle and Maris, respectively. Everything from their batting stances to the way they stand in the lockerroom is perfect. And older baseball fans will love seeing Yankee Stadium at its finest, complete with Bob Shephard as himself. In the broadcast booth comes more of 61*'s subtle brilliance. Behind Mel Allen and Phil Rizzuto is a WPIX 11 sign, which was the Yankees' flagship station for 40 years. It may not seem like much, but it is just part of the painstaking efforts to make the movie as real as possible. What many baseball movies lack is dialogue from broadcasters. They tend to say the score, situation, etc., but rarely tell stories, which---as any baseball fan knows---is how most air time is spent. 61*, however, features several moments where Rizzuto talks about lasagne he ate at a restaurant, wishing happy birthdays to fans, and joking about how the outfielders positioned themselves when he was batting. Baseball fans should eat that stuff up. The movie has minor flaws---Bob Cerv began the season with LA, for instance---but nothing that detracts from its overall greatness. Everyone involved in this movie, from Billy Crystal to all the actors, did their best to recreate the most famous season any sport has ever seen. If you are a baseball fan, you absolutely must see this movie. If you're not a baseball fan, you should still see it. Fifty years from now, 61* will be as much a classic as Field of Dreams or Bull Durham.

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MLB Vintage World Series Films - Philadelphia Phillies 1950, 1980, 1983 & 1993 (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Phillies have been in existence for 123 years and have only made four World Series appearances, so this DVD is something of an anathema for a Phillie fans. It is both sweet and bittersweet as it celebrates their greatest successes, especially the 1980 championship, but also magnifies the futility of the team (the Marlins have been a team for only ten years yet have won one more title than the Phils). That being said, this is a fine encapsulation of the championship years. It would great if they would release a dvd of the complete 1980 World Series as it was a classic series and would a must own for any fan of the team.

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1950 PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES vs NEW YORK YANKEES 1980 PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES vs KANSAS CITY ROYALS 1983 PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES vs BALTIMORE ORIOLES 1993 PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES vs TORONTO BLUE JAYS Relive all the classic moments of four Phillies World Series appearances in 43 years in this one-of-a-kind digitally-preserved DVD. Led by Richie Ashburn, Robin Roberts, Jim Konstanty and Del Ennis, the 1950 "Whiz Kids" won the pennant on the last day of the season and faced the New York Yankees in the Fall Classic. Thirty years later the greatest moment in Phillies history took place at Veterans Stadium when Tug McGraw struck out Kansas City’s Willie Wilson. The scoreboard said it all: WORLD CHAMPIONS! Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Larry Bowa, Greg Luzinski, Garry Maddox and Bob Boone anchored the Phillies. Schmidt and Carlton were joined by the likes of Joe Morgan, John Denny and Al Holland to win another Phillies NL pennant in 1983 and a trip to the World Series against Baltimore. In 1993, Lenny Dykstra, Darren Daulton, John Kruk Curt Schilling, and Mitch Williams led a wild and crazy bunch to an upset victory over Atlanta in the playoffs. In dramatic fashion, Toronto won a second consecutive World Series championship.

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The Boston Red Sox 2004 World Series Collector's Edition (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)Bad News First: No games from the series against Anaheim (which were on ESPN rather than Fox), in which David Ortiz put on a hitting clinic--a one-disc overview would have been really nice. Really nice. . . . Thanks, ESPN, for helping out with copyright stuff. . . . That knocks it down to 4 1/2 stars right there. But the real drama came with the Yankees series, though, so I'll survive. I don't have a good enough system to notice some of the more technical picture/color/resolution issues that have been mentioned, so I'm fine with that, too, even though some others have voiced valid criticisms. That's pretty good for bad news. . . .
The Good News: Everything (and I mean everything!) is on these discs. This set of DVDs is a spectacular collection of the most important ALCS in Red Sox history, some of the most exciting baseball to be played in October, and then the World Series, which seemed terribly anti-climactic somehow after Games 4 & 5 against the Yankees and a nice partial comeback by the Cardinals in Game 1 of the World Series. Whatever I might be missing from the Anaheim series, I get back twofold from this set--back up to 5 stars. Easy.
The Games: Aside from a disastrous Game 3 (which might be good to watch just to keep the comeback in even better perspective), the games were close, competitive, and dramatic. Some pretty good drama unfolded in Games 1 & 2, despite the Red Sox losses. Game 4 showcased a classic display of determination (by both teams) within a back-and-forth struggle, "the steal" by Dave Roberts, and the ultimate vintage walk-off home run by Ortiz in the bottom of the 12th inning. Game 5 followed in those big footsteps and provided possibly even more drama, with the Red Sox tying the game in the 8th inning and the two teams playing five more scoreless innings--each team with multiple opportunities to win the game, with the dramatic finish in the bottom of the 14th. That game went close to six hours, and we missed a great game between St. Louis and Houston, because by the time this game was over, the other game was well into the 8th inning. . . . Games 6 & 7 seemed less "exciting," simply because it seemed that the Sox had all of the momentum: Schilling pitched great in Game 6, and Lowe pitched a one-hitter through six innings in Game 7. Every time the Yankees made a move, the Red Sox made a bigger one in response. All of those moments are there, however, to relive in whatever fashion you choose--watch the complete games, skip around, whatever. . . .
The Setup: The games are all there in their entirety. However, half-inning chapter breaks make it very easy to negotiate your way through a whole bunch of baseball (Games 4 and 5 went forever. . .) in much less time than the original games took.
The Packaging: Beautiful. Hitting statistics, pitching stats, box scores, and inning-by-inning summaries make it easy to find a particular at-bat or half-inning (some of our memories are failing, so this feature is particularly helpful. . .). Trivia, attendance, weather info, umpires, quotes from players, pictures of memorabilia, and a host of other things are on the cover of each DVD, making it good reading material, as well. It's all there. All of it. If you need a piece of information regarding these games that is not on the cases, then you need very professional help. . .
The Bonus Features: Some of us love them, and this set includes one disc devoted to just "stuff," most importantly the 2005 Ring & Banner Ceremony, which was not included on any of the other World Series DVDs. Interviews, player bios/features, trip to the White House, celebrity interviews, post-game celebrations, etc. are all included. Complete postseason batting and pitching stats are on the inside of the case, also--Nice bonus. . . !
The Price: Can you beat it. . . ? MLB online was offering each game, but it would have ended up costing more than this set (which I bought for less than $80 at my local Bull Moose store) and would not have had any of the nice packaging offered on this set. I could have pictured really bare-bones discs and cases, but MLB and A&E did a tremendous job putting together a quality package for a very reasonable amount of money.
Bottom Line: If you are a fan of baseball and, in particular, a Red Sox fan, then this set is a virtual "must-have" for your collection. It is the first time that MLB has done such a project, and I hope it is successful. Who wouldn't like to have some past great World Series and playoff series to see in their entirety? This is an invaluable resource for future generations of Red Sox fans and for baseball fans in general--hopefully a trend has been started. The NESN DVD (Faith Rewarded) is a great summary, with some nice local insights and perspectives. The official MLB World Series DVD (one disc) is nice, too, if you want just a summary and a few highlights. Neither can compare to this set, though. Some of us want the whole enchilada, and this set provides it, with a nice salsa on the side. . . .

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The amazing comeback victory over the New York Yankees and World Series sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals requires an equally incredible collection of memories. This unprecedented 12-DVD Collector’s Edition preserves all of the remarkable drama for your viewing now and forever.

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Mantle - The Definitive Story of Mickey Mantle (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)An absolute treasure for fans and historians; for the fans who might expect alot of the same clips and stills and are thrilled to see something "new"; for the historians who can enjoy the high quality of the previously seen and (believed to be) first time viewing of the content.
It's always great to watch a non-overdubbed kinescope and here we have one from '52 with the Voice of The Yankees calling a MM base hit. (I could watch these undoctored clips for days on end...HBO, what do you think?...).
Besides the rare clips we have a chance to enjoy rarely seen Mantle relatives, and famous co-workers such as Bill "Moose" Skowron, Joe Pepitone, and Phil Linz, who are not as visible as some other teammates in similiar packages, in well-produced interview segments.
I was particularly touched by a 1968 (his final year) press conference including a young fan; and what was possibly his very last public statement in 1995.
The viewer/fan might find this documentary remarkably "frank", in comparison with other works which glorify the Mick without mention of his long, sad personal decline, although some of the stills of the dissipated Mantle are somewhat disturbing. I think this necessary, though mildly depressing theme could have actually been balanced with some *on-field* shortcomings - I refer to the 1959 to 1960 fall from grace when he was roundly booed - his batting average dropping 61, then 80 points in two years; an insightful segment could have been wrought in regard to the infamous "bonehead" of August, '60 when Mickey, thinking it was two outs, not one, did not run hard to first base, and caused Roger Maris to get into a double-play break up resulting in an injury which left him with 39 homers and Mantle 40. My idea is that Mick wanted Roger to break Ruth's record the next year because of this situation. There is no mention of the Mantle late '60 to '64 "Comeback".
Another lesser-discussed chapter (not explored here) is his serious shoulder injury in the '57 Series, which permanently affected his uppercut from the left side.
Yes, and it looks like the author also missed a chance to expound on that "lost" season. Not talkin' about '53 or '63, which left a huge gap statistically. It was that 1966 season, that summer, ten years after, when the Mick, coming up to age 35, had a June-July explosion of power, which really has remained unrivaled to this day. Hitting monsterous home-runs in bunches, it only stopped when another miserable injury sidelined him. The round-trippers slowed, but enough energy was sustained for him to end the season at .288 (the previous season was .255). To me, this a very important element of the Legend. Although, I gotta believe, that Mick didn't realy notice. The Yankees finished 10th that year.
I've been a Mantle fan since the '50s and have read many books, essays, and articles on this legend, and I can say that this DVD, despite a few missing pieces which could really have put it in orbit, belongs on the same shelf as *any* exceptional treatment.

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The almost mythic career of Yankee slugger Mickey Mantle is the subject of this acclaimed HBO Sports documentary special. Over 18 seasons with the Bronx Bombers, despite constant nagging injuries, Mantle managed to hit 536 home runs, twice hitting more than 50 in a season. He finished ten seasons with a batting average of .300 or more and suited up for seven World Series. To this day, ?The Mick? remains the greatest switch-hitter in baseball history; however, behind his country charm and good looks there was his wayward lifestyle that harmed his marriage, his relationship with his four sons and ultimately his health.

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The Bronx Is Burning: World Championship Limited Edition (5pc) (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)One Saturday afternoon with nothing on TV, I flipped to a channel that was having a marathon of this show. Three hours later my husband came home, said, "What are we watching?" and sat down beside me. Three hours after that, we only managed to tear ourselves away because a storm was coming and we had to unplug the TV. It was that good!
The series portrays the Yankees' tumultuous 1977 season against the background of the events in NYC that summer. Although the Yankees were loaded with colorful, over-the-top characters, the main focus is on the "relationship" between George Steinbrenner (Oliver Platt) and Billy Martin (John Turturro). In a better world, George and Billy would've gone to couples counseling and learned to compromise for the good of the team, but in reality they crashed like a baseball-themed Hindenburg--repeatedly, and spectacularly. At the same time, the Son of Sam was terrorizing the city, an ungodly heat wave had everyone sweltering, a mayoral campaign was heating up, and a thunderstorm elsewhere on the power grid caused a blackout of the city. All the events seem to mirror each other, and all are recreated with authenticity. It's obvious that the producers researched the events and people well, and original news footage is mixed in to give a "you are there" feel.
As far as the acting, everyone does a good job, but Turturro and Platt especially stand out. Turturro seems to have a knack for taking abrasive characters and making them sympathetic--he did the same thing with Howard Cosell in "Monday Night Mayhem." And Platt is hilarious as Steinbrenner; he has the voice and mannerisms down pat. Daniel Sunjata makes a good Reggie Jackson, even though he doesn't really look or sound that much like the real Reggie. The rest of the cast also works well. Nice additional features are the interviews at the end of each episode--not just with Yankee players, but cops involved in the Son of Sam investigation, electric company workers, etc.
It'd probably be good to have a little baseball background to watch this, but you wouldn't need much; my husband has no interest in baseball and he enjoyed it just as much as I did. It would be good for couples to watch together, because whichever one wasn't interested in sports would probably be interested in the background events and vice versa. So even if you buy it for yourself, your significant other will probably be glad you did.

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ESPN Original Entertainment presents The Bronx Is Burning, the amazing-but-true story of how the 1977 New York Yankees single-handedly helped raise the spirits of a city in a time of crisis.

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Eastbound & Down: The Complete First Season (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the funniest series I've seen in along time. With only 6 episodes in season 1 you'll be left wanting more. Sarcastic, fun loving assh*le genius Danny McBride with guest appearance Will Ferrell, tie this show into a comedy that leaves you covering your face in embarrassment, wondering how they got the balls create such a gem.
Do yourself a favor and pick this one up. Underrated as hell, spread the word. Kudos, Danny McBride.
Also see the "Foot Fist Way" if you like this DVD.

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In this hilarious new HBO comedy series, Kenny Powers, a washed-up former Major League Baseball star, is forced to return to his hometown to teach P.E. at his old middle school. While preparing for his triumphant return to the big leagues, Kenny moves in with his brothers family and proves adept at burning every bridge he crosses.

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My Boys: The Complete Second and Third Seasons (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have enjoyed this show since they first started airing it! Being a Cubs fan from Illinois, it was nice to have a show that hit closer to home. Most shows like this are set in NY, but not everyone lives there!!! The characters are more developed in these seasons and I find myself identifying more with PJ. There isn't really much to say but i like watching this show and am ready for more!

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MY BOYS:COMPLETE SECOND & THIRD SEASO - DVD Movie

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