Showing posts with label dvd series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dvd series. Show all posts

8/23/2012

Mutant X - The Complete First Season (2001) Review

Mutant X - The Complete First Season (2001)
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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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1/17/2012

Oz: The Complete Fourth Season (2000) Review

Oz: The Complete Fourth Season (2000)
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This, above all other seasons of Oz, has been on my want list for some time. Finally it will be here. I am a HUGE fan of actor Brian Bloom and Christopher Meloni. And to see them together in the series makes me happier than you can believe. The Keller/Beecher storyline is admittedly my favorite, and it is in season four that so much happens in that development. And who else is there to bring about more drama into their lives? Why none other than blue eyed Brian Bloom, that's who. Though the other storylines running are very interesting also, I'd recommend this DVD set to anyone just on the Keller/Beecher/Barlog storyline alone. It has a lot of meat and heart attatched to it. Please don't miss out on this fantastic DVD!

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(HBO Dramatic Series) The Millennium ended with a bang at Oswald State Correctional Facility, Level Four--aka, Emerald City--as racial tensions reached an all-time high. Now, following a two-week lockdown and the appointment of a new Unit Manager, things are definitely changing, but not necessarily for the better. Prison officials are looking for ways to end the hostilities and return Emerald City to normal...but when was Em City ever normal? And if anyone thinks the worst is over for Oz, they're wrong--dead wrong. DVD Features:Audio Commentary:Audio commentary by creator Tom Fontana, Rita Moreno, Dean Winters and Lee Tergeson Deleted Scenes:30 minutes of deleted scenes


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12/22/2011

Gilmore Girls - The Complete First Five Seasons (2000) Review

Gilmore Girls - The Complete First Five Seasons (2000)
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The quick, witty dialogue of Gilmore Girls is an homage to screwball comedy films like His Girl Friday and Bringing Up Baby. It works surprising well, largely because there are different levels of speed talking: Some characters can keep up, others get lost, and some try on certain days and prefer to be normal people on other days. References and allusions abound as well. Some of the cultural references are highly obscure - that is, even with your ability to pause and rewind the world of Gilmore Girls, there are times when even the viewer can't keep up. This is all part of the fun of a dialogue-driven comedy that serves its main characters far too much coffee and a hilarious amount of food.
When the plot turns serious and the dialogue slows down, the sparkling planned community shimmers away as the stuff of real life creates drama. I appreciate that the writers understand the need to feel drama slowly. You can't banter through it, because only happy people relish in clever games.
It's hard to explain how a show about mostly white, middle class people living in a crime-free fantasy has become so popular, especially on the WB, which has been one of the few channels to embrace all of America's cultures, races, classes, and so on. I think the answer is that the relationship between a single mother and her daughter and an absentee father is highly translatable to many Americans. There are many conversations detailing Lorelai's struggles to provide for her daughter. Viewers also empathize with the weird and uncomfortable encounters with rich, elitist people, namely, Lorelai's parents.
The DVDs are somewhat lacking in extras - a making-of video and some extended or extra scenes are all you get. I think fans of the show would enjoy a dialogue dictionary of all of the references the characters make, a list of the books Rory and Jess are always reading, a map of Stars Hollow, a coffee cup, and Sookie's recipes.

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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.

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11/11/2011

Oz: The Complete Fifth Season (2001) Review

Oz: The Complete Fifth Season (2001)
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What is it that makes HBO's ultra volitale men in prison drama Oz such compulsively addictive viewing? Perhaps it's the layers of storylines being told over one another, perhaps it's the fact that this is one of the finest ensemble casts ever assembled, or, possibly, because one is so shocked at what is seen on screen that they anxiously, or dreadfully, await to see just who gets shanked next or what else develops. Whatever the case, Oz remains one of the best shows to ever grace HBO, and one of the most underrated. The fifth season of Oz begins with the aftermath of the kitchen fire, followed by the power control triangle between Tobias Beecher (Lee Tergesen), white supremiscist leader Vern Schillinger (J.K. Simmons), and Kareem Said (Eamon Walker). In the meantime, the mother of Ryan and Cyril O'Reilly (Dean and Scott William Winters) comes to the prison to teach the prisoners of performance arts, while a few inmates train some dogs to be guides for the blind. Of course not all of this ends well at all, but what else would you expect while taking a trip down this blood soaked yellow brick road? Standout performances from Tergesen, Simmons, Walker, the Winters brothers, Kirk Acevedo, B.D. Wong, Ernie Hudson, Terry Kinney, and the rest of the usual suspects are highlights here, but it's Law & Order: SVU's Christopher Meloni who steals the show as Beecher's psychotic lover Keller, who has coming agendas of his own. By the time season five comes to a close, it is apparent that the end is soon near, and by the time it reaches it's climax, you'll be begging to see how it all comes to an end.

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It's a new year, and Emerald City's got a brand-new look. The walls are cleaner, the cafeteria is bigger, and everything is fresher...everything on the outside, that is. Inside the hearts and minds of the prisoners, Oz is just as dark and raw as ever. The renovations may be complete, but the mayhem is starting all over again. DVD Features:Audio Commentary:Audio Commentary: Episode 8 "Impotence" with Tom Fontana and Dean WintersDeleted ScenesOther:Season 1 - 4 recaps


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11/07/2011

The Riches - Season 1 (2006) Review

The Riches - Season 1 (2006)
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I originally started watching this only because Eddie Izzard was in it, simply because I find him to be amazing. However, the show in itself is just phenomenal. It's very quirky, off beat and definitely filled with a dark comedy aspect. I don't know if everybody will like it, but if that's your style, you should definitely check it out. And even those who may not like it, have to at least respect how clever and original the show is.

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RICHES SEASON 1 - DVD Movie

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10/01/2011

Mutant X - The Complete Third Season (2001) Review

Mutant X - The Complete Third Season (2001)
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There was a huge movement and after a huge fight, the Mutant X Fandom finally made sure that the third Season was out on DVD and it was definitly well worth the fight we put up.This show just gets better and better every season. Despite the absence of Emma DeLauro (Lauren Lee Smith) the very capable and edgy Lexa Pierce (Karen Cliche) adds a new twist to an already wonderful show.Though she is no Emma many fans immediately warmed up to her and with good reason. She shares a great chemistry witht he other three members of the cast, all of whom seemed to know there characters like anything.
The plot is brilliant.Every episode has amazing twists and turns.And as well as the main storyline and action, every episode the viewers are treated to a new secret about each of the four main characters.So every episode as we reach the climax, we also get closer to the heart of Brennan, Jesse, Lexa and Shalimar.
The only thing I missed was Adam's prescence.John Shea played the part wonderfully, an his guest appearances brought back the old feelings from season one.
This is one any sci-fi /fantasy fan with any taste has to buy.
Mutant X Lives!

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The Saturn-Award nominated Mutant X television series combines all the excitement of a thriller with the ingenuity of science fiction.And as Maxim put it, "Mutant X's feline wild child Victoria Pratt is the sexiest genetic anamoly we've ever seen.

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8/18/2011

Flight 29 Down, SEASON 1 (2005) Review

Flight 29 Down, SEASON 1 (2005)
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This series is a great family show. My girls (16 and 11) both enjoy the the plot line. It even has my husband and myself anticipating the next epoisode. I would recommend it!

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Item Name: Flight 29 Down, SEASON 1; Studio:Discovery Kids

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7/22/2011

Revelations (2005) Review

Revelations (2005)
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"Relevations," a six-part TV mini-series comprised of one-hour episodes, is as well crafted, produced and acted as any modern movie blockbuster.
Based loosely, but definitely not literally, on Biblical prophesies depicting the End of Days, the story, (by David Seltzer) builds steadily from hour to hour until the thrilling and truly terrifying climax -- pitting the ultimate good against the ultimate evil with the future of the entire world hanging in the balance.
The Apocolyptic tale unfolds through the experiences of Dr. Richard Massey, (brilliantly portrayed by Bill Pullman) whose daughter Lucinda, Lucy, was brutally murdered by a satanist in a ritualistic sacrafice to the devil in which he cut out the child's heart while she was alive. (In a VERY wise move, viewers are never shown the murder, but only learn about it and its aftermath.)
The murder, and subsequent arrest of the non-repentent killer Isaiah Haden (portrayed in a chilling performance by Michael Massee) triggers a series of international events that supposedly coincide with the Christian Biblical prophesies describing the ultimate battle between God and Satan. Especially chronicled is the "Second Coming" of Christ, who is believed by Christians to one day to return to earth to vanquish evil forever and literally end the physical world.
While the story is based on a Biblical foreshadowing, the core event depicted in the series is not: the apparent second virgin-birth of Christ. While Biblical theologians have debated End of Days prophesies since they were first translated, there has been little argument among Christians that Christ will not return as an infant born of a second virgin mother. Nonetheless, this fictionalization in "Revelations" does nothing to blunt its force or diminish its entertainment value.
In a country where polls have repeatedly shown that people have more trouble believing in God than in the devil and evil, I found this mini-series especially poignant and even profound.
Presented in a wide-screen format that increases the movie feel to the series, locations around the world were used to provide an authentication seldom found in TV productions. Blessed with a stellar cast of outstanding actors, the series fearlessely depicts its horrifying vision, replete with ever-building satanic-spawned violence and mature religious themes that have seldom, if ever, been depicted on the small screen.
In the series, Dr. Massey is aided by Sister Josepha Montefiore (played with subtle force and compelling humanity by Natashcha McElhone), who is a member of a Catholic group outside the sanction of the Vatican who believe that the Christ child has again been born. Sister Josepha, along with Massey, travel the world in search of the infant, and eventually find his mother, who claims to have been a virgin when he was born.
While the duo look for the baby Christ, Haden amasses an army of santanic followers from among the inmates where he has been imprisoned. Demonstrating truly supernatural powers, Haden eventually escapes and begins an all-out assault on the forces of Heaven.
Dr. Massey's former stepson, Hawk, becomes an unwitting pawn in the cosmic drama when he is kidnapped by Haden's dominion to become the new sacrifice to Satan. Look for a frightingly wonderful performance by Fred Durst, (front man for the band Limp Biscuit) who protrays Ogden, a bloodthrusty satanist who helped kidnap and torture Hawk.
Also providing especially noteworthy performances are Finonnula Flanagan, who plays Mother Francine, a member of Sister Josepha's order, and John Rhys-Davies, who plays Professor Lampley, a colleague of Dr. Massey's.
Flanagan is riviting in her role after she and the others of her order try to protect a young girl who was struck by lightening then miraculously begins prophesizing in ancient languages and foretelling the coming of the End of Days while in a fatal coma.
Eventually, Flanagan's character "releases" the child through a mercy killing (an act seldom depicted on TV) as agents of satan's army attack their complex with murderous force leaving a trail of corpses. The satanists take the child and also cut out her heart (off-camera), but she has already gone to heaven, thanks to Mother Francine's very controversial actions.
Obviously, this is not a movie for the squeamish, but to its credit, the bulk of the violence is merely described; or if depicted, generally performed at the edge of the camera or only the results are shown. Nonetheless, there should be a strong warning as the series does build its violence to a hypnotic timbre by the end.
Somewhat similar to a religious (but much more frightening) Indiana Jones, the series is incredibly spellbinding and may leave viewers not only breathless but perhaps re-evaluating their own religious beliefs and commitments to ensure evil NEVER secures a lasting stronghold that will doom our planet.


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The time of miracles is once again at hand in the six-hour epic event, Revelations. Bill Pullman (Independence Day) stars as Harvard professor Dr. Richard Massey, an astrophysicist who’s certain that all worldly events can be explained by science. He is challenged by Sister Josepha Montafiore (Natascha McElhone, Solaris), a devout nun who leads him on a quest through a world of true believers, heretics and Satanists. Drawn together by personal tragedy, they are swept into a deepening mystery when they discover evidence that the world, as predicted by The Book of Revelations, has reached The End of Days. Join the battle for the fate of mankind in the electrifying phenomenon, Revelations. Time Magazine declares, "It delivers." – James Poniewozik (Time Magazine) END

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6/10/2011

Rawhide - Seasons 1-3 (2008) Review

Rawhide - Seasons 1-3 (2008)
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Fans of Rawhide have been without the series for decades, with the exception of some reruns now and again, the series has been referred to as the lost series and has been completely out of reach. Parmount has put together what was once only a dream! Completely remastered picture qualtiy and uncut episodes. These episodes have never been seen uncut due to ever longer commercials eating into the show on television. Seasons 1-3 in a complete offering and is a dream come true. This is great for the whole family! Thank you Paramount!
Here's a great editorial review for Rawhide below
Like anyone growing up in the late fifties and early sixties I watched as much television as possible. Remember that this was the era of the eleven inch, black and white screen, the single three inch speaker and the universal remote was the youngest family member who had to get up to turn the knobs. This was also the golden years of television. The series that were around back then created the genres that are still around decades later. There was also something special about TV back then, it was the era of the western. Every single boy had a cowboy hat, boots and play six shooter. Even the girls refused to be left out and clamored for a fringe skirt cowgirl outfit and hat. The vast majority of television programming was dedicated to the American old west. Every network, all three of them, filled their schedules with one variation of the theme after another. Most of those series are now only a small footnote in the history of television. Several remain today as cult classics and the undisputed leaders in this field. After `Gunsmoke' one TV western still stands above the rest `Rawhide'. This was `THE' show to watch back then. We kids would put on our cowboy gear, make the coffee table into a covered wagon and sit there mesmerized by the action. This is more than an old television show; for many of us this is a piece of our personal history.
The folks over at Paramount Pictures have the most incredible vault of classic television series imaginable. Anybody would love to be able to sit there for a month or two watching the myriad of shows they have on tap. Since this is not a likely prospect it is very fortunate that Paramount has been in a sharing mood. Lately they have been bringing out DVD set after set of series from these golden years. Now they have the second volume of the second season and like the previous ones, it is fantastic. The thing about `Rawhide' is it may have been one of the most famous television westerns but it was not very typical of the genre. Most westerns had the required action. There were good guys with white hats and bad one wearing black and the Native Americans, `Indians' back then, where rarely more than savages. Rawhide took a different slant. It was a dramatic series that just happened to be set in the old west. The six-shooter was there but not as important as the moral and emotional dilemmas the characters faced each week. The stories were centered on the characters over mindless action. It was possible to do this back then. Now so much of television has degenerated into mindless pap that it is easy to forget just how powerful this medium is. In those days everything was new and the studios were willing to take a chance. Rawhide stands the test of time because it dared to be different. So bring in the youngsters and let them see television the way it was meant to be. If they complain just make them stand behind the TV holding a set of rabbit ear antennas like we had to.
The premise of the series is elegant in its simplicity following the lives a group of cowboys working on a cattle drive. Many westerns showed cowboys riding around, shooing cattle now and again but it always felt like the cowpokes really didn't have a whole lot to do. This series depicted the arduous struggle to move a heard of cattle from one location to another. It was a daily hardship battling the weather, rustlers, the cattle and even each other. The drama of the series came organically from the realism of the characters and stories. These were the kind of men that built the west. At the head of the chain of command is Gil Favor (Eric Fleming), the trail boss. He is the one in command of the drovers and support staff on the drive. He is a man who has been around and seen it all. Although he is grizzled and tough he is also fair. His right hand man is Rowdy Yates (Clint Eastwood), the ramrod. It is up to him to work along side the men making sure they do things right. While the men keep the cattle in line it is up to Rowdy to keep them moving in the right direction. Also in constant attendance is Wishbone (Paul Brinegar) the camp cook. He you are responsible for providing a group of hungry cowboys with chow you have to be ready for just about anything. He depends on his assistant Mushy (James Murdock). One of the senior wranglers is Hey Soos (Robert Cabal) he is not a stranger to getting into trouble. Usually there to scout out the land ahead is Pete Nolan (Sheb Wooley).
This series doesn't look or feel like a television show at all. It is more like short, 50 minute, movies. The production quality here is spectacular. There is more emphasis on the plot than action. The fight scenes are just a small part of the series and this set it apart from the large pack of westerns back then. Life on a long cattle drive was shown in a realistic fashion. On such a trek boredom was the real enemy. Cowpokes looking for some excitement on their down time would head off to the nearest town and typically get into some mess or another. There are also plenty of slice of life shots. In one the men side around the chuck wagon, the center of cattle drive society, and grab a snack, mend their clothes, get in a snooze or tend to their saddles. These quite times were usually disrupted by some form of mayhem. Either it is a group of cattle rustlers out to steal the heard or an Indiana attack that forces the cowboys into action. Each episode was titles `Incident at ...' which is extremely fitting. These stories are notable incidents on an otherwise routine cattle drive.
Every episode begins with Gil waxing philosophically about some aspect of his line of work. Whether it is how the good Lord swells a little stream so it takes days to cross or the economics of bringing in the heard on time and in sellable shape Gil gets to show off his deeper side. This was also the series that made a star out of Clint Eastwood. He is more than an actor; he is a true renaissance man who has achieved fame as an actor, director, jazz musician, composer and even a politician. This is where it all began for him. He could stare down the meanest bad guy with a single stare and if necessary back it up with his six-shooter. Also gaining a good deal of fame here was the singer of the theme song, Frankie Lane. This song has lived on long after the series was cancelled and is known throughout the world.
Paramount certainly took care of the original elements of this series. The black and white full screen video is incredibly clear. There is a little speck every so often but over all the video is excellent. This is better than I remember the show ever being. the Dolby 2.0 mono is clear and without flaw. These episodes are completely re-mastered and it shows. Typical of an older television set for Paramount there are no extras included. That really doesn't matter here; the series is a great buy on its own. This is a must have for everyone that appreciates quality television.


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Rawhide is the tale of tail boss Gil Favor (Eric Fleming) and rugged cowhand Rowdy Yates (Clint Eastwood) driving cattle across the old west while meeting up with adventure and drama along the way.

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6/02/2011

Deadwood: The Complete Second Season (2004) Review

Deadwood: The Complete Second Season (2004)
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Deadwood is perhaps the best show HBO has made, and that's saying something. There is no other TV show, barring perhaps 'The Wire', which is written with such a keen ear for dialogue and with such fleshed out characters. Season 2 is just as good, if not better, than the first series. It moves with slightly more pace and some of the more interesting characters, such as Cy Tolliver and Alma Garrett, are explored in greater depth. Tolliver - played by the incredible Powers Boothe - truly becomes a force to be reckoned with in this second series. The powerplays between him and Al Swearengen make for some of the most interesting television one could hope to see.
Among other things, we see in season two the return of Bullock's wife and son; the softer side of Al Swearengen; a sadistic geologist with a keen eye for gold; and blood-letting between Mr. Wu and a chinese rival from San Francisco. Throughout, we are treated to a healthy dose of Deadwood's trademark violence and profanity, the latter of which rolls of the tongue with surprising eloquence. Swearengen makes certain curse words sound as if they are as natural as 'if', 'and' or 'but'.
Ultimately, the most outstanding features of this series are the following:
1) Al Swearengen - again, as in the first series, Ian McShane is amazing.
2) Cy Tolliver - Powers Boothe devours every scene he's in.
3) Seth Bullock - Timothy Olyphant's sheriff walks the streets of Deadwood like a cauldron about to teem with furious anger. The addition of his wife and son, and his illicit affair with Alma Garrett, add further tension.
Pick up series two when it comes out. Strangely, it's already out here in Australia!

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1877. A new day is dawning in the Black Hills outlaw camp of Deadwood. For better or worse, times are changing, and the transformation from camp to town is imminent. Unsavory new arrivals - looking to cash in on the lucrative anarchy -- and a government of outsiders usher in an era of hard decisions and brutal power struggles among the camp's founders, all learning the hard way...fortune comes with a price.DVD Features:3D Animated MenusAudio CommentaryDocumentariesFeaturettePhoto gallery


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5/31/2011

Miracles - The Complete Series (2003) Review

Miracles - The Complete Series (2003)
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I'm so fed up with broadcast corporations cancelling shows that have even the slightest hint of cerebral value. FOX tops my list of stations that have an almost A.D.D. style of shoot and cancel -- they did the same thing to WONDERFALLS, another fine series that made you think.
MIRACLES was off to an excellent start: put a young man in the priesthood on a special Catholic task force who's sole purpose is to seek out reported miracles in the world, then report back to a cardinal as to if they were real, fake, or unknown. Paul Callan (Skeet Ulrich, Scream) is this one-man force who has science, religion, and a wobbling faith all tied up inside himself. MIRACLES starts out showing us this dark man visiting a cemetery being moved. When they dig up the coffins, a nun who was buried there falls out of the bottom of her casket. And she's in perfect condition, even though she's been dead for 160 years. Come to find out, the graveyard is sitting next to an apricot orchard, and apricots have a preservative effect. Paul realizes this immediately and kicks open a few other coffins to prove it -- inside those are perfectly preserved corpses, too. Thus we get to see that Paul isn't looking for miracles, but is simply trying to give credence to the unexplained.
Also in the first episode, we get to see Paul nearly killed in a train versus automobile crash. While lying in the crumpled car, he sees his blood on the windshield; and it forms a sentence (this is called Hemography) that reads "God is now here." And then a young boy (whom he'd been investigating because of claims that the boy healed with a touch of his hands, but then became ill after each "healing") comes to him and heals Paul ...then the boy dies. When Paul reports back to the cardinal about what he'd experienced, the cardinal dismisses his claim, so Paul up and quits the church. But in the wings is waiting a man who runs a special paranormal research agency. Alva Keel (Angus Macfadyen, Braveheart) becomes Paul's new boss, and the discoveries they make are terribly disturbing.
Apparently, most people who've seen the message that Paul saw in his blood didn't see "God is now here." They saw "God is nowhere." And so begins their spiritual, paranormal, and dark journey.
The thing that bugged me most about this series was its title, MIRACLES. I didn't see most of what they found to be miraculous as much as disturbingly dangerous. But even so, the series held together pretty well regardless of its name.
Paul has to try and overcome the fact that he was saved by a child who gave up his life for Paul's. This horrible event haunts Paul throughout the series as we repeatedly witness his visions and dreams of the boy, eyes bleeding, face gaunt, hair falling out.
It is worth noting, too, that this series has very little in the way of spiritual upliftingness. There are touches of it, but mostly the episodes hit on something dark coming, something terrible. The apocalypse maybe?
The viewer is never given any insight into what exactly is in store for Paul and his paranormal investigations. And, unfortunately, we'll never really know for sure since the show was cancelled (can I bare my b&tt so that FOX executives can kiss it!)
But I do have a theory of my own. Paul was an orphan and never knew his mother or father, and this plays a vital part of Paul's character and how we view him. He's a loner, but a good person at heart. He's just suffering over what to do with his questioning faith in ...everything. But everyone in the series wants to be near him and trusts him. He also goes through Hell on Earth; during his investigations he almost always gets the cr@p beat out of him, only to recover and move on to the next case. I think he was being set up for something large and important; perhaps to become an angel or a type of disciple for the next coming.
But, again, who knows. FOX's idiocy has ruined another great character show. Morons!
I didn't give the show 5 stars because some of the episodes were pretty pedestrian in nature and easy to figure out, but the acting, excellent filming, and haunting music all made this a very watchable series.

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The ABC network drama finally comes to DVD!Includes 7 Episodes Never Before Aired in the U.S.!Paul Callan (Skeet Ulrich) is an investigator of modern miracles whose own faith becomes tested with each new mundane explanation. Then something happens that changes everything. A young boy with the power to heal saves Paul’s life - and pays for it with his own. But before the boy dies, they both see the words "God Is Now Here" written in Paul’s blood, launching Paul on an odyssey of paranormal investigation and spiritual awakening.Paul finds a kindred spirit in a former Harvard professor turned investigator of the occult (Angus Macfadyen), who opens Paul’s eyes to the growing number of "strange occurrences" that may signal a much more sinister revelation. Teaming up with a former police officer (Marisa Ramirez), these investigators explore the unexplained and try to find a solution to the coming "darkness" before it's too late.Special Features include: -Interview & Commentaries -Deleted Scenes -5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound

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4/20/2011

Odyssey 5 - The Complete Series (2002) Review

Odyssey 5 - The Complete Series (2002)
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An intelligent well written series that was cancelled too soon "Odyssey 5" only ran one season on Showtime before the network in its infinite wisdom (much as the Sci-Fi Channel did with "Farscape") to pull the plug before writer/creator/producer Manny Coto had a chance to resolve the story. Coto went on to revive "Star Trek: Enterprise" surprising the best two seasons of that show and providing one of the most compelling story arcs "Enterprise" had. He's since gone on to co-producer and writer "24". Even without its resolution "Odyssey 5" is a worthwhile show to watch. Working on a shoestring budget compared to most shows Coto managed to produce a number of intelligent episodes with some outstanding acting and effects work. Although the DVD set lacks the powerhouse extras we see on some releases it does include a terrific commentary track on the pilot episode with Manny Cotto and Peter Weller providing the play-by-play on the shooting of the show and unshot episodes.
While completing a routine mission to service a satellite the crew of the Space Shuttle Odyssey 5 Commander Chuck Taggart (Peter Well), biologist Kurt Mendel (Sebastian Roch?), Neil Taggart (Christopher Gorham), astronaut Angela Perry (Tamara Craig Thomas) and TV newscaster Sara Forbes witness the implosion of the Earth. Suddenly the human race with the exception of these five individuals has been wiped out. Running out of oxygen and with no options the crew wait for their end aboard the Space Shuttle. They're saved by an alien who calls himself the Seeker (John Neville "Baron Munchausen" and "The X-Files") whose own world was also wiped out by a mysterious force referred to as Leviathan. It seems the Seeker has been trying to contact other intelligent species for 300 years but each time he arrives it's the same-the world has been destroyed with all its inhabitants. The Odyssey 5 crew are the first survivors he's run into and he offers them the hope of averting Earth's destruction by sending their consciousness 5 years into the past so they can unravel who and what was behind the Earth's destruction.
While some episodes of the show could be a bit routine (for example the one where the crew begin losing their memory had a lot of potential but fails to deliver)the overall quality of the show was extremely high with intelligent scripts that dealt with difficult ethical and moral issues within a science fiction frame work. For example the series frequently deals with the impact when the crew tries to change tragic or difficult events in their own past and how things don't quite work out the way they had planned. Overall the show had much promise and I'm hoping that Coto returns to the show again either in a TV mini-series format (hopefully with the original cast) or film to resolve the cliffhanging conclusion of the show. Sony has provided us with "Odyssey 5" on five dual layered single sided discs. Although there's some minor digital artifacts overall the show looks splendid. With sharp, bold colors and a strong 5.1 mix. The dialogue is clear and crisp while direction effects are particularly nice during the pilot episode.
While short on special features the show is presented as it aired on Showtime not the version that was broadcast on the Sci-Fi Channel. Manny Coto and Peter Weller provide an intelligent perceptive commentary track on the two hour pilot episode. It's a pity that Sony chose not to have them do a commentary track on any of the other episodes but I'm grateful that we got some extras with this set. I'm sure that Showtime probably had a behind-the-scenes featurette that they aired prior to the show's premiere but Sony would probably have to license that from Showtime. The price for the 19 episodes is a bit steep (but not out of line with other shows of its type) however given the excellent transfer, 5.1 mix and commentary track it's worth it. Coto doesn't share how the series was going to conclude in the commentary track as he has hopes that he might be able to revive the concept for a made for cable movie (Sci-Fi this is your chance to make up for screwing the pooch when you cancelled "Farscape") or a series of movies. I'm hoping that he can pull it all together as this series (and its fans) deserves to have a resolution worthy of its intriguing concept.
A terrific show that certainly deserved better treatment than it received from Showtime (hey if Showtime can keep on some of the trash they've committed to over the years they certainly should have lived up to the commitment to allow Coto to close out the series), "Odyssey 5" may frustrate a few fans because it doesn't have a resolution but the show's terrific writing and acting make this a worthwhile show to pick up for science fiction fans. I knew there was a good reason why I cancelled Showtime.
So why not 5 stars? The transfer is exceptional (5 stars) with great 5.1 audio. The show deserves it but without a resolution and only 1 extra (Manny Coto and Peter Weller's commentary track which is exceptional)the set gets four stars. Hopefully Coto can convince the Sci-Fi Channel (which ran the series recently) to spring for a six hour minin-series to tie up the loose ends much like "Farscape" (a show that Sci-Fi idiotically cancelled and then returned to for the concluding mini-series).


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ODYSSEY 5:COMPLETE SERIES - DVD Movie

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4/16/2011

Night Stalker - The Complete Series (2005) Review

Night Stalker - The Complete Series (2005)
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Grissom from "CSI" needs to be called in on this unusual homicide. It seems that a network ABC mysteriously killed a show that they wanted. It appears that they just pushed it in front of the runaway hit "CSI" but there could be much more to the murder than meets the eye. Remaking a classic whether it be good or bad is always tricky business because you risk alienating the original fans and can be unable to pull in a new audience. "Battlestar: Galatica" is a rare success in the area "reimagining" the concept for a more sophisticated audience. That show has polarized fans of the original they either love it or hate it but producer/writer Ron D. Moore shaped a new series from older material that captured a solid audience because of its intelligent scripts and well written drama. Frank Spotnitz a producer/writer on "The X-Files" and "Millennium" takes the inspiration for those shows "The Night Stalker" and "The Night Strangler" TV movies as well as the humor laced camp classic TV show that followed and unsuccessfully updated it for today's audience by imitating the shows they inspired. While the show failed to live up to its potential it improved by leaps and bounds over time and showed potential after emerging from the shadow of its inspiration. It's possible the show may never of had much of an audience as Spotnitz alienated core fans of the original cheesy but fun TV series (these same people probably never realized that "The Night Stalker" began life as a serious modern day horror movie with humor vs. a humorous show with horror). For what it's worth "The X-Files" took much of the first year to find its groove and I believe that "Night Stalker" would have improved. After the promising pilot episode the show took a downward turn but began to improve again just as ABC pulled the plug. While actor Stuart Townsend can't hold a candle to Darren McGavin's charismatic performance in the original TV movies and the TV series (one of its saving graces) he does a credible job as does most of the cast.
As befits a new TV series "Night Stalker" looks quite good in this transfer. The gritty, detailed images from the TV show have never looked so good. The 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround audio sounds nice with the dialogue and music coming through with crystal clarity. My only reservation is that the entire series run of ten episodes plus the extras and commentary tracks have been packed on two single sided dual layered discs. The Show looks extremely good even with 5 episodes packed onto each of the two discs and with commentary tracks, deleted scenes and a featurette "A Conversation with Frank Spotnitz" included on the set.
"Night Stalker" only lasted 6 episodes. The extras here are pretty good considering the short run of the show. We do get an intelligent commentary track from writer/producer Frank Spotnitz, Daniel Sackheim and Michelle Maxwell MacLaren on the pilot discussing both the triumphs and failings of his new series as well as how he would have resolved the story arc that was designed to last at least a season regarding the murder of Kolchak's wife Irene. We also get a second commentary track with Spotnitz and Sackheim joined by co-producer John Kousakis "The Sea" the second on a two part episode (the second episode didn't air on network TV but did air on the Sci-Fi Channel). Spotnitz provided commentaries for some of "The X-Files" episodes he wrote so he's a pro here providing a wealth of information about the creation of the show and its brief development. Spotnitz and his co-producer also appear on "The Sea-Part 2" providing information about that episode.
You can also print two scripts commissioned for the show but that weren't produced due to the cancellation of the show via the Interactual player. The Interactual software is included on the second disc. The first is "Ascendant written by Melissa Blake & Joy Beth Blake and the second written by Emmy Award winner Darin Morgan ("The X-Files" episodes "Jose Chung's `From Outer Space'" and "The Final Repose of Clyde Bruckman" among many others). While it's not the same as having the final two episodes produced, it does allow fans of the series to continue to delve into the Kolchak's world.
"A Conversation with Frank Spotnitz" provides the background on the creation of the series and Spotnitz's approach with the material. While a big fan of the original TV movies and the TV shows Spotnitz also recognized that the original series could never work today. In tone the show is closer to the original TV movies and "Millennium" as well as "The X-Files". Spotnitz also discusses the reasons for the change in location for the series as well his choice to use high definition video cameras to shoot the show vs. film. Spotnitz discusses the resolution of the show much more in the commentary tracks but he also points out that although Kolchak didn't kill his wife he was born evil which makes him the perfect anti-hero for the story. At the conclusion of the interview we get a brief snippet of an outtake. We get deleted scenes for three episodes "The Pilot", "Three" and "Into the Night".
While "Night Stalker" didn't get the love it deserved and went passed into the world of cancelled shows that just didn't get a chance, we can still enjoy it on DVD. Touchstone has done a marvelous job of presenting the show including commentary tracks, a featurette, two scripts in DVD-ROM format that can be printed out and deleted scenes.


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Carl Kolchak returns in a new series of spine-tingling adventures. Produced by the X-FILES' Frank Spotnitz and based on the original '70s suspense drama, NIGHT STALKER updates the chilling classic in a startling new way. "There's something stylishly scary at work here," says The New York Times. Caught up in an obsessive hunt for his own wife's murderer, Kolchak (Stuart Townsend) discovers that his imagination is no match for the evil that truly lurks in the dark. Paired with skeptic Perri Reed (Gabrielle Union), television's favorite crime reporter will stop at nothing to uncover the supernatural side of the night. Featuring four episodes never seen on TV that complete the series and a host of exclusive bonus material, this 2-disc DVD set is so good it's scary.

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