Firing Line with William F. Buckley Jr. "Proposals for Welfare"

Who is Jimmy Carter?
After watching this most revealing 'Firing Line' you may have to rethink that question. The then-governor's (1973) views on social welfare, fiscal responsibility (particularly regarding the role of the federal government versus that of the states, but also touching on the personal inasmuch as he purports here to disdain the idea of public monies being handed out to the able-bodied as a byproduct of his belief in the 'Puritan work ethic'!), and racial politics are so measured, so reasonable (albeit within the Keynesian paradigm), it's difficult to believe you're listening to the same feckless Utopian who presided unapologetically over an administration (and compliant Congress) that ran the U.S. economy-- and its global prestige-- onto the rocks just a few short years later. You can draw only one of two conclusions: either he was being disingenuous in his responses to Mr. Buckley's pointed queries (perhaps engaging in what he deemed to be populist sophistry to make himself seem more...





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Spirit of the Pony Express

Amazing movie that capture the sprit of America during the time of the Pony Express.
I can't recommend this movie enough if you are a history buff or someone who is interested in how the American West was created and the amazing people who established a little thing called the Pony Express. Even today, there are many people who have dedicated their lives to preserving this part of history and it's showcased beautifully in this amazing film. Seriously, good stuff.

Excellent social studies support!
My students loved the information. Really held ten year old's attention. Real time and primary source material working well together.



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Flesh on Fire: Addicted to a Dream

Actors: Do you know who you are??
If you are an actor and want to come to Hollywood, you better know who you are...and you better watch this documentary. Be prepared. This film is raw and is as real as it gets when it comes to seeing what life is really like when trying to make it as an actor in Los Angeles. To watch the transformation of Donnie Faught and what he has to give up just to live his dream is, at times, heartbreaking. Yeah, the tears will come...they did for me. Yet for all the pain, I found myself truly inspired by his conviction to becoming a A-list actor. His love, his passion will move you to think about what you are truly "Flesh on Fire" for.





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A Firing Line Debate: "Resolved: That U.S. Industry Does Not Need Protection"

Interesting debate. Dated, but useful in historical sense.
This Firing Line Debate was not what I hoped it would be. First, WFB Jr takes almost a backseat in the discussions. The apporach to the debates in the '90s is to have 4 versus 4 with equal time to debate and represent their cases. Very balanced, very democratic. Because there are 4 on 4, each person has less time to talk and thoroughly get into discussion about topics. As a result, people are speaking hurriedly and often punctuate their points by giving minispeeches either while answering and sometimes while questioning their opponents. Because the opposition has less time to address what's being said, they find themselves forced to interrupt. Instead of a strong civil discussion, you have something which is much more contemporary (and undesirable to many) which is a lot of loud crosstalking instead of listening and responding. This is a universal criticism of this debate format for all of the debates I've seen from this period.

The debate over this issue is more academic...





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Quebec Magnetic

Heavy on "Death Magnetic" but with a few welcomed oldies! Frantic editing is a disappointment.
This is my fourth, yes fourth, Metallica Blu-ray from this tour. I have the shows from Mexico, France, Big 4, and now this one. Hey, for a fraction of what I pay for a concert ticket, I get to own a Metallica show in stunning Blu-ray quality video and audio, and this is what you'll get with this disc. No disappointments here. Video is stunning. Awesome black levels with minimal grain, evident only in shots using stationary cams of lesser quality. The laser show in the opening song gives evidence of the visual treat early on. The 5.1 DTS-HD Master audio is quite good also. Not the best I've heard, but overall well balanced and in-your-face.
With 8 out of the 10 songs from "Death Magnetic" on this one, it helps to like this CD, which I do. But the nicest surprise is the inclusion of the songs they don't play too often, such as Shortest Straw, Holier than Thou, Breadfan and Phantom Lord to name a few. I believe I enjoyed the Bonus Tracks and Footage portion more so than the full...

Nice! Rivals prior releases great sound quality
This tour has garnered quite a few live releases, and I have seem them all from Nimes, to Mexico to Sophia and on. I do not detract stars based on set lists, I simply review the product itself, set list is really a matter of opinion. Now down to the bolts: Great picture, viewed on a LG LED 55 inch tv via PS3 and it was amazing, the 5.1 DTS-HD sound was fantastic. I didn't really find the cam views a distraction, nor do I think it was frantic or manic. I've seen frantic filming and I didn't feel this concert had that, there are switches but they aren't anything that detracted from my viewing personally. AC/DC's River release had far faster changes and took some getting used to, but I still didn't feel it detracted from the experience, but again, this is really a personal preference, you'll have to watch to see if it's an issue for you (which you can view on MetallicaTV on youtube, full songs from this release)before purchasing. The extra songs included were a great addition, all...

Get a proper director next time
This is not about the music or the choice of songs.

What I find annoying about this DVD is the way it is captured.

The director thinks he has to change angle every two seconds just to prove how dynamic the show is.
Same with the shots from the crowd all through the show. I think I saw half of the audience in irrelevant close-ups all through the DVD.

Stick to te show and eventually throw in some crowd shots in between songs !!

While in Canada Metallica had better contacted Pierre an Fran

Letter of Introduction

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Death Rides a Horse / A Reason to Live, A Reason to Die - 2 DVD Set (Amazon.com Exclusive)

Massacre at Fort Holman
I bought this 2 disc DVD set for A Reason to Live...A Reason to Die AKA Massacre at Fort Holman (This is it's first Region One DVD release). Don't get me wrong, Death Rides a Horse is a classic, but if that's what you're after pick up the Wild East DVD release of that film which includes special features.
As for A Reason to Live...A Reason to Die the transfer is great and in widescreen. As for the film itself, well I had high hopes for it based on the fact that it starred James Coburn, Telly Savalas and Bud Spencer and was directed by Tony Valerii (Leone's protégé and director of MY NAME IS NOBODY). With those three headlining why wouldn't it be great? Sadly it was pretty run of the mill and was basically a Civil War era Dirty Dozen. I thought it would be interesting to see Bud Spencer as part of such a serious ensemble and I have to say he was the only fun thing about the movie and steals all his scenes. As for Savalas, he's not part of Coburn's Dirty Dozen and is...





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Ted

A downright hilarious R-rated comedy with a lot of heart
When you grow up with a woman who makes teddy bears by hand and sells them for a living, they kind of become that extra member of the family. As a child, there were times when the bears would be in positions or places that weren't where they were thought to have been left. Our theory was that whenever we weren't around, whether it was if we left the house or went to bed or whatever, the bears would get up and throw parties when we weren't around. So any movie that features something like a living teddy bear that can talk probably resonates a bit more on this end than for the average person.

"Ted" pretty much already had that nostalgic factor to it with the concept alone. While Seth MacFarlane doesn't always hit it out of the park with each episode of "Family Guy," "American Dad," or "The Cleveland Show," when he does get it right it's something special; it's hilarious, it's emotional, and its references are spot-on. "Ted" is MacFarlane at his best. The trademarks he's known...

Best comedy in many years!
After being beat down by Hollywood's recent (say, the last 15 years) interpretation of comedy, I was skeptical of this movie.
But, since it seemed different from your basic mindless, re-hash comedy(Epic Movie), or endless do-over (W. Farrell, J. Carey), thought I'd give it a chance.

After watching Ted, I was actually happy to have taken the time to see it, and that doesn't happen often in this age of re-makes and sequels.
Being 49 years old, it's tough to come across a new, funny comedy. This is definitely one.
Admittedly, there are one, or two, scenes that even made me cringe.
This is NOT a movie for kids, or folks whose laces are tied a bit tight(as noted by a few bad reviews,... 'What did you expect, Teddy Ruxpin?').

Most people will find this quite funny. 'Most'.

TED = Longer version of Family Guy
If you like the Family Guy humor with the the PG-13 edits, then you'll enjoy this movie because this Family Guy with no holds barred. The story and plot was a typical boy meets girl plot but all the little quips and snide remarks in this movie is what made it a funny movie for me. Again, before you decide to buy or rent this movie, watch Family Guy. If it made you laugh out loud or even chuckle at all the morally incorrect jokes then this movie is for you. If you're easily offended at racial, ethical, and/or religious jokes then this movie is not for you.

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Firing Line with William F. Buckley Jr. "On Impeachability"

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Argoman The Fantastic Superman

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Life Stinks / Mr. Saturday Night - 2 DVD Set (Amazon.com Exclusive)

My Comments
Our family loves Mel Brooks' sense of humor in his movies, and absolutely love this on with him starring in it, as he has such funny facial expressions that add to the enjoyment of the movie. My Mom who lives with us, kept telling her other children that live in different places, they need to rent this movie it's so funny. I tried to see if it was a movie that could be rented or seen on Netflix, but they do not have it. The only way to see the movie, is to catch it airing on TV or buying it, which I did as a present to my Mom, and she was thrilled.

Life Stinks
I'll be honest. I only purchased the double set to acquire Life Stinks. My only other choice was the boxed set and I already had a couple of the films in the boxed set. I loved Life Stinks. I had missed it when it first came out

I'm not much of a Billy Crystal fan so I can only say Mr. Saturday night was a pleasant extra.

I Love Mel Brooks
I always search Amazon.com first because they always seem to have what I want and at a reasonable price. This DVD set was not exactly what I wanted; however, it was less expensive to buy this DVD set than to purchase just the "Life Stinks" DVD. I highly recommend this DVD set to anyone who loves Mel Brooks and wants to get "Life Stinks" at a good price.

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The Taking of Pelham 123 / The Hillside Stranglers - 2 DVD Set (Amazon.com Exclusive)

Billy Zane at his best
Billy Zane can do wonders with his facial expressions and they are all represented here as a serial killer He should capitalize on this technique of his.

Excellent Picture
This dvd was all I could hope for. To get both movies was great.
The picture quality is a 9 of 10.



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Erotic & Sex-Line: Beautiful Girls Volume1 (Special Edition) REGION FREE

Beautiful European Gals - Who All Get Tantalizingly Nude
This is a tasty video featuring beautiful European girls, who start out somewhat clothed, but who all end up totally nude after giving us an enticing strip tease. They're not wearing much to begin with, so there's not many articles to remove. The first two ladies, and two of the cutest, are totally naked from start to finish.

All of the babes are very pretty, with petite breasts - "B" and "C" sizes, mainly - with lean figure and not an ounce of fat. If you told me that all of these women were either models, dancers, gymnasts or athletes, I definitely wouldn't have any trouble believing you. All are very young. Early-to-mid twenties, at the most. So the quality of the performers is fairly high.

Most of the women in the earliest part of the video just undress and get nude. Those later in the movie do just a bit more. The music accompanying their strip tease is clean and classy; lots of piano solos and guitar ensembles mainly. The photography is simple and...

Very Soft-core
Anxiously awaited for the arrival of Volumes 1 & 2 of this video. Received it today and watched both. If you are looking for beautiful, nude women, they have that. If you are looking for more than just very softcore erotica, they don't have that. Don't pay no more for them than the asking price on here, you will be disappointed and duped out of your money. 5 stars for the women, 3 or less stars for the content.

soft porn. loads of boobies and doesnt show the pussy
Soft porn, if you want to see boobies and girls taking clothes off. this is your movie. they dont show the girls pussy. which sucks because that turns me on. hahahah

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Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla

"Hey Duke!"
My experience with minor brand DVD companies (such as this unspecified plain box one) has been satisfactory, as I'm not interested in commentary, deleted scenes or other bonus features, that is, stuff these discs don't offer. Transfers are "best available source" and quality can vary from very good to only fair.

.
Sammy Petrillo as Jerry Lewis is nothing less than remarkable in BELA LUGOSI MEETS A BROOKLYN GORILLA (1952). It's little wonder Jerry hated this younger man, for the kid had his act down to the tiniest nuance. Especially enjoyable is when Sammy drops the "la-la-la nice lady" voice to do a corny stand-up routine in his natural baritone and manner. Just like that (snap) Jerry Lewis vanishes.

Conversely, Duke Mitchell is no Dean Martin, and he clearly knows it. Twice, Mitchell sings in a near-operatic vibrato. The balance of the time he's content to let Sammy carry the load, which the kid does admirably.

Evidence of a 'C' grade budget is...





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The Jade Mask / Meeting at Midnight - 2 DVD Set (Amazon.com Exclusive)

Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan.
Two World War 2 -era Charlie Chan mysteries.with the inimitable Sidney Toler in the role of the famous Chinese detective.
Mantan Moreland as "Birmingham Brown" provides the humor as only he can. Wonderful entertainment for the whole
family.





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Shakugan no Shana: Season Two, Part 1 (Limited Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

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Mission [Blu-ray]

Extraordinary
There is nothing to compare with this DVD. Original and Interesting presentation and music. Everything about it is unique, the singers (soloists and choir), the instrumentalists, and not least the magnificent setting, colors and sound. A treasure

Splendid!
Great learning experience about Agostino Stephani. He was a priest. a diplomat, as well as a composer.
His music is performed by Cecilia Bartoni and filmed in the French palace of Versailles;
Great music and great visuals.

She has a lovely voice
I enjoy listening to this, bought it becuse the Norwegian newspapers gave it such good rating, and they were right

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Chios: Martyrdom and Resurrection of a People

Scholarly Addition to One's Library and Sensitive and Artistic Production Values
This film is an important addition to my historical library of DVDs. Unbiased and rendered with incredible images and the music by the gifted Eleftherios Bournias really gives one a sense of the suffering, the bravery and the struggle. Specific attention is also given to American sympathy and involvement. The bottom line of the film is the most important aspect of the documentation of such a tragedy and that is -- how we must all learn to forgive. Very delicately and very powerfully done. I highly recommend it to those who value scholarly reporting.





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Aliens & Demonology: A Study Throughout History and Scripture

LOVED IT!
America needs to see this. We are all being fooled by the media and by evolutionary thought. this is the real deal.





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Ice Age 4: Continental Drift

Predictable, nothing new, but still fun for the whole family
The Ice Age series, across the four in the series, has been full of adventure and fun, and Continental Drift is no different. Scrat the squirrel starts the continental drift in his never ending pursuit of the acorn. Manny is separated from Ellie and Peaches during the drift and there begins his adventure with buddies Diego and Sid.

Sid is united with his family who, it turns out, just wanted to leave his granny with him and disappear. The granny, voice of Wanda Sykes, brings in fine humor. The pack, in their attempt to reunite Manny with his family, runs into evil Captain Gutt, the reigning pirate of the frozen waters. They venture off with his boat after beating his crew, only to run into him again. Here starts a friendship between Diego and Shira. Captain Gutt in a desperate attempt to get even with Manny holds Peaches hostage. Manny and the entire pack, including Granny, fight back with gusto.

The overall pace and adventure of The Continental Drift is at par...

Great animated family film!!!
Last summer, my family and I saw this movie, as we are die-hard fans of the Ice Age film franchise since the first film was released in 2002. Laughed from beginning to end. We saw it twice in the theater, we enjoyed it that much! When it came out on Blu-ray/DVD (which I got for Christmas), we enjoyed it even more!

The plot: Sid, Manny and Diego are definitely in for the ride of their lives when they met a set of pirates, and Diego gets a girlfriend (voiced by J-Lo!).

If you liked Pirates of the Carribean and if you love the Ice Age movies, you'll love Ice Age 4: Continental Drift!

My Daughters favorite movie!
I dont know if im happy i bought this or not. I ordered this a month ago and ive watched it probably 48 times with my 3 year old little girl. The movie is great, but be careful if you have a little one you will become more familiar with this movie than you ever expected lol

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Shameless: The Complete Second Season [Blu-ray]

Shameless S-2; A Mirror of My Family
This is a terrific series. I grew up with a couple alcoholic parents that delved into some mild drugging and I see a great deal of my childhood as well as my own adult life in so much of Shameless. I'm not saying my family's lives were as hilariously funny as Frank's whole crew but I'm sure they could get some good material from me. I'd feared this series would be taken as too farsical and dispensed with after the first season. Usually when I like a series really well it disappears. William Macy has done a terrific job of depicting a deplorable, filthy, alcoholic with absolutely no morals. My hat is off to the rest of the cast. It is impressive the child actors can bring across such convincing roles portraying the lives of a dysfunctional family so well.

The title sums it up...absolutely Shameless
It is an additive series. You have to watch just to see how low the family can sink and shake your head at the next act.

Awesome season!
Loved the second season! Everything tied together so dysfunctionally, yet so awesomely. Loved every single story line; had kringe worthy moments along with the 'awe' moments as well as the 'holy s***' moments. Highly recommend this season and if you haven't seen the first season, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!

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Pitch Perfect

Aca-mazing!
If you read a synopsis of Pitch Perfect, it just sounds like your typical rom-com, coming-of-age, singing movie; but I swear to you it's not. After being forced to see it by my stepbrother and his girlfriend, I was very, very pleasantly surprised. Pitch Perfect is probably one of my favorite movies ever now. As soon as the credits started rolling I knew I was in love and I needed to see it again. So I did, a week later. The music was aca-mazing! The soundtrack is absolutely off the charts! I am obsessed! My favorite song from it is the Bellas finals. The plot was a bit cliché, but good. The acting wasn't fantastic, but the goal here clearly wasn't to try and get nominated for an Oscar. They just wanted us to like the movie, and I more than liked it, so they succeeded.

Anna Kendrick played Beca, an amateur DJ who wants nothing more than to leave college and move to Los Angeles, causing her to be miserable all the time and shutting out everyone who cares about her. Her...

Action movie manly man who loved this film
I'm not a Ron Swanson, but I am a beer drinking, boot wearing, steak eating Die Hard loving guy. In other words, I was pretty much not the target audience for this film. But enough of my lady friends convinced me to give it a shot. I got these girls into Sons of Anarchy and Spartacus: Blood and Sand respectively so I figured I owed it to them to take their word.

I loved this film for a variety of reasons. I remember seeing the trailer and rolling my eyes and assuming it was some kind of terrible Glee era product trying to capitalize on the success. And honestly it could have been, but that still didn't detract from my enjoyment.

First, so far as I can tell this is an original script/film etc. And whether that's good or bad doesn't detract from my appreciation. So already points for being something new, even if the story is as predictable as you can kind of guess it is. But I've seen Die Hard tons of times. It's about the journey not the destination...

"Glee" and "Mean Girls" have a baby named Pitch Perfect
Definitely a PG-13 flick, this over-the-top story of a talented DJ who discovers the Accapella Diva within is well worth adding to the DVD library. Crazy talented men and women, some sweet relationship development and just enough raunchiness from the ladies to to keep any viewer on their toes, this is a movie that one will watch over and over and over again. Sure, it's a movie with a bunch of pretty people set at a college that looks nothing like reality, but hey . . . stranger things have been made believable on the silver screen.

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Hans Christian Andersen [Blu-ray]

Hans Christian Andersen not quite, but very entertaining
Hans Christian Andersen (1805-75) was an Ugly Duckling. He lived in the third largest town Odense, in Denmark. The son of a cobbler he was poverty ridden and a failure as an actor and it wasn't until he moved to Copenhagen and won the patronage of Frederick VI, through his poetry, that he wrote his fairy tales and developed into a swan. Like many artists he wasn't particularly happy, and never did marry, although he was very fond of Jenny Lind (1820-87) the Swedish Nightingale a soprano given the name by P.T. Barnum during her tour of the United States between 1850-52.) Charles Vidor's film does state at the beginning, This is not the story of Hans Christian Andersen but a fairy tale about the great spinner of fairy tales. The Danes objected to the way Hans Christian Andersen was portrayed even though Goldwyn had rejected 21 previous manuscripts, so the film company inserted this statement in the credits.

Danny Kaye with his chiselled features does resemble H.C.Andersen...

Memorable and magical -- a must to share with your kids
With all due respect, Leonard Maltin just doesn't get it with regard to this movie, and I hate to think his negative comments might prevent someone from seeing it. This was one of the most memorable movies from my childhood -- and I can only have seen it twice at the most, because there were no videos in those days. We had the soundtrack album and those glorious and, yes, melodic, songs burned themselves into my consciousness. I could not wait until my daughter was old enough to share this movie with, and now that we are watching it together (she is three), it is a joy to see her, too, respond to the magic and music of Danny Kaye's charming performance. For the past three months it has been her most requested video, and when we aren't watching it, she wants me to sing the songs, and when I can't do that, she sings them herself! And now that she is familiar with the musical versions of the fairy tales, she wants them read to her, and is thereby learning to listen to much...

Enchanting, elegant study of filmmaking in the early 50's
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN presents a fanciful, fictionalised re-telling of the famed storyteller's life, highlighted by Frank Loesser's beautiful score and the perfect casting of Danny Kaye in the central role.

As the film opens, cobbler Hans is entertaining the children of Odense, Denmark, with yet another fantastic tale, much to the consternation of the schoolmaster who feels the children are having their time wasted when they should be studying. This seems to be the opinion of most of the townspeople, so Hans is politely told to leave town...for a while anyway. Hans and his young assistant travel to the bright lights and bustle of Copenhagen for a fresh start, but old habits die hard and soon Hans is entertaining a new group of children with his amazing storytelling talents. When Hans is engaged to make slippers and toe-shoes for the city's ballet troupe, he becomes entranced by the prima ballerina Doro (Zizi Jeanmaire in her film debut) not knowing that she's married...

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The Good Doctor

A Quiet, Intelligent Drama
You can't quite call this movie a suspense thriller, although there are certainly suspenseful scenes in it. What's that noise in the back of the medicine room? Who's there? Will he be caught?

It's more of a quiet, intense character study. A young doctor becomes obsessed with one of his patients. When she is released from the hospital and seems likely to go flitting off with boyfriends, in social circles removed from him - he arranges to make her sick enough to have to come back to the hospital - to him. He does this in a sort of abstracted state of mind. We are never sure how far he really intends his sickening of the girl to go.

But, for a while at least, he succeeds in making her his own, a saintly pallor of a girl transfixed on her hospital bed.

This is a compelling, involving movie. It is brilliantly acted. Every character becomes starkly real on the screen - from the randy, self-seeking orderly - to the Doctor himself. If you like low-key...

2 1/2 stars: A good performance by Orlando Bloom can't save this creepy drama
Orlando Bloom stars as Dr. Martin Blake, a first year resident under the supervision of Chief Resident Waylans (Rob Morrow). Blake is loner who has a hard time mixing with the staffers. He has no friends and lives in a stark but kind-of-cool apartment. An 18 year old girl comes under his care with a treatable urinary infection. Diane (Riley Keough) has a boyfriend but when they appear to be breaking up, confides in Dr. Blake. He is smitten with young Diane.

When she is released, her family invites Blake over for dinner. Their motives appear to be one of thanks but to also prompt a romance between Blake and Diane's older sister who is on the make. Certainly a doctor will do just fine. Blake has other ideas. He's only interested in Diane. Upon a return visit to pick up a gift basket they had prepared (way too many coincidences in this film) he excuses himself to the bathroom where he alters Diane's medication which lands her back in the hospital.

Through...

Excellent thinking person's thriller
With the new medical thriller the Good Doctor, British star Orlando Bloom finally comes into his own as an actor of substance and a screen presence to be reckoned with. This represents something of a coming out party, playing the challenging role of Dr. Martin Blake, an unassuming man who wants to be good, but is for some unknown reason drawn towards an evil he just can't help. Bloom is perfectly suited for this role, playing the character appropriately low key, as unassuming, calm and is totally convincing. Bloom, has been an actor that has impressed me little with his career choices, but I have always suspected that there was more to him than what we were getting in movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.
Dr. Blake on the surface appears as a kind, friendly, outgoing young doctor who's just arriving at his new post in an American hospital under the supervision of Dr. Waylan (Rob Morrow). However, he quickly has a clash with an outspoken Nurse (Taraji P...

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Gandu

Radical cinema, extremely potent for cult film fans
I had the pleasure of watching Gandu in 2011 at the Starz Denver Film Festival, it was easily the most impressive and audacious movie not only there but probably anywhere else in recent memory. The film really mixes it up in regard to tone and style, which of course can be off-putting to common viewers, but in my opinion it was exceedingly fresh, something that could be built on in today's contemporary film environment and what one might expect from a director that's not content to just follow traditions yet still has a firm grasp on filmmaking and how to create a vibrant and beautiful picture. It's very radical, anyone with a taste for cult and super progressive cinema would probably relish this, I for one am glad to see it released in DVD format, it fully deserves it. Too bad it didn't get the theatrical release it deserved, I used to work in the art house circuit as a projectionist through the 90's and this would have been a huge hit.

Total Psyched
A brave attempt by Q. Some parts of the movie was very tiresome but none the less Horihor - nara nara

An interesting but not great film
It's hard to judge Gandu since it deals with the trials of a young man searching for an identity in India, a rather foreign experience for someone who grew up in mainstream America. So it's difficult to form any connection with the characters. I suppose someone who grew up in an American ghetto could form a bond with them. The film is quite graphic with explicit, on-screen fellatio.

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Rhythm Is It! You Can Change Your Life in a Dance Class

Inspired
I bought this for my high school senior, who wants to major in music education so he can give back to future high school students. It was appropriate for my son that the film focused on the teens and young adults in the performance. I found the interviews of the teachers and of the students a poigniant reminder of the trials of that age.
The interviews of the dance teachers were particularly inspiring to me. As an art educator, and an art therapist, who has worked mostly with troubled youth, I was moved by the comments from teachers to the students that the training was not just about learning to do a dance. It was training for new patterns to carry into the rest of their lives.
I was very grateful this version had subtitles. I will watch this film many, many times and share it with others.





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Total Recall (+ UltraViolet Digital Copy)

Differences between the Director's Cut and the Theatrical Cut
I'm primarily interested in the storyline differences between the Director's Cut and its theatrical counterparts, so here are the differences between the two (NOTE: SPOILERS FOLLOW).

The Director's Cut runs about 12 minutes longer than the theatrical cut. No additional gore has been added although additional F-bombs have been added. Ethan Hawke makes a surprise appearance in a scene that was cut from the theatrical movie.

(1) Extra scene of Quaid meeting with a Human Resources Management representative from the Cohaagen administration who requests that he sign a non-disclosure agreement given that he works at a sensitive defense production factory. (I can see why this was cut as it didn't add much to the overall storyline.)

(2) Extra scene of scantily clad women in Rekall neighborhood. (The three mammary gland-ed lady still makes the same appearance with topless nudity.)

(3) In the scene where Quaid finds the hidden holographic piano...

Different Enough From the Original To Make It Entertaining
I just got back from the Midnight showing of this movie and I have to say that I was actually quite impressed with the storyline as it differed just enough from the original to make the film very entertaining, yet didn't seem to be a complete re-hash of the original Total Recall starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Of course the special effects were much better than the original film, but I have to admit that Arnold has such a presence that it makes it very hard to compete against him. Especially when you are playing the part he played so well in the original. However, Colin Farrel does do a good job playing the role of Douglas Quaid, or is it Hauser. I'm not really sure and that is the point of the movie. The cast is rounded out with Bryan Cranston from Breaking Bad: The Complete First Season fame reprising the role originally played by veteran...

KILL HIM ON SIGHT!
I kept thinking about the original film while watching this one. To put it simply: Arnold was better than Colin Farrell. Kate Beckinsale in the expanded role is better than Sharon Stone, and I really love them both. Jessica Biel is better than anyone, if you don't believe me, ask her. What I really liked about this film is the updated special effects, down to the electronic notes on the refrigerator door. I love attention to detail.

The action was fast paced. The future looks similar to "The Fifth Element" but with more computer gizmos. If you have seen the original version, then you can miss the first few minutes of this one and be able to pick it up.

For some reason they eliminated all the fun aspects of going to Mars. That is why we watched the first film. Instead we get a film where we simply root for the terrorists. The terrorists are revolting against the Chancellor who wants to replace workers with synthetics, although this theme was poorly developed...

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The Late George Apley

Ronald Colman shines in this witty comedy classic!
"The Late George Apley" is a true comedy classic. I held my breath when this DVD arrived hoping for a good print. I wasn't disappointed. It delivers a top-notch cast (including some of Hollywood's greatest character actors), wonderful script, excellent photography and masterful direction by Joseph L. Mankiewicz ("A Letter to Three Wives", "All About Eve"). If I have any complaints it's that a snippet of film is missing (it's the same in all the prints I've seen). In the scene where Vanessa Brown is about to play her piano waltz there's an obvious, sharp cut and when it returns Peggy Cummins is suddenly in the scene without actually having entered the room. Did some TV station cut the solo and neglect to put it back in? Regardless, anyone who buys this DVD is in store for pure entertainment. "The Late George Apley" had it's New York premiere as the Easter attracion at Radio City Music Hall and earned rave reviews. It hits Boston snobbery but always with humor and warmth. I...

A fine transfer to DVD-R
The 20th Century Fox Cinema Archives reissue of "The Late George Apley" is a fine transfer to DVD-R, as clean as when I first saw it on television. Disregard the misapplied review that claims it is an inferior transfer from videotape. That was written for a shoddy bootleg version that is no longer being sold through Amazon. You may place full confidence in this product. I'm glad to have it, because I've waited for a playable DVD version for years.

Finally available
This is one of those movies I saw as a child and I never forgot it. It was a book first, then a successful play, and finally a movie with Ronald Colman perfect as the lead. My whole family quoted from this movie for many years and it was never available on any kind of release. Now, it's out and it is so enjoyable. Thanks to Fox!

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American Blue Note

Well Presented And Affecting Film.
Essentially a series of interjoining episodes such as may be found in a collection of short fiction wherein are portrayed common characters, this film has nary an uninteresting moment as it chronicles the attempts from a saxophone playing head of a jazz quintet, Jack Solow (Peter MacNicol) to locate steady employment for his musicians, not an easy task within a highly competitive entertainment environment. The veteran cinematographer and film school mentor Ralph Toporoff directs this work, reflecting in its close attention to detail his knowledge of the scenario's subject and, when scenes are basically melodrama, Toporoff along with members of his cast and crew successfully address them in a naturalistic fashion. Intriguing personal elements are introduced into the episodic script that stand very well on their own, aided by sensitive playing from the well-selected cast, smoothly implemented camera setups, and clever utilization of sparse resources, as evidenced in footage concerning...





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Trancers 4: Jack Or Swords

Go get them Jack
I am a fan of the Trancers movies and this movie didn't disappoint me. I thought that the performances was very good and it gave you the image of actually being in medieval times.

Trancers 4: Jack of swords
I bought this movie because i liked the trancers movies I thought it was cool & i liked the actors in it.



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The Age of Czeslaw Milosz

Personal Accounts of Czeslaw Milosz's Life
The Age of Czeslaw Milosz is a two-disc documentary that portrays Czeslaw and his life through various people he had become close with throughout his later life. Unlike most documentaries that display very "text book" type material, this documentary not only displayed his inspirations, accomplishments, and struggles but it also showed his personality and how much he meant to the people around him. He is noted as the hero of history and literature of his time, but from watching this documentary, it was clear that he was also a hero to many people who knew him personally.

This documentary goes completely into depth of his life, as well as historical events that was going on during, such as World War II. Although the documentary contains such serious topics, the entire tone of the film is peaceful, humorous, and passionate, much like Czeslaw was himself.

Anyone who is a fan of the great Czeslaw Milosz is sure to love this documentary and should see it. It is a...





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Erotic & Sex-Line: Beautiful Girls Volume2 (Special Edition) REGION FREE

Same ole Same old.
This is a video of beautiful bodies alright, same women as in part 1 in fact. But, falls way short on what I thought I was purchasing,(read my review on Volume 1.) If your into women playing with their chest and suggective play elsewhere(those parts cut out,) then these two videos were made just for you. If you are looking for more than softcore, keep searching.

not at all what i expected
not at all enjoyable, nothing toget excited about, The girls were overrated as being beautiful, they were pretty but not beautiful

More of The Most Beautiful Women In Germany.
Beautiful Girls, Vol. 2 is an adult DVD that features all of Germany's most prettiest girls, fully naked and showing their bare breasts for all to enjoy. But just like Vol. 1, these nude women are shown from the waist up, due the director's choice to not show the girls' bare vaginas. Anyway, this DVD is perfect for anyone who are only into softcore erotica and like to see nude women showing their bodies, and nothing else.

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Heavy Metal Thunder: Movie

GREAT BAND
AWESOME DVD OF THE CAREER OF A VERY UNDERRATED BAND SAXON. THIS BAND WAS NEVER TRULY APPRECIATED IN THE UNITED STATES AS THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN.

Saxon
I have to say that there's was a lot of history done in doing this movie,well planned out with former and current players of this nwobhm beginners. Biff and co.went through some tough changes for a reason and there seems to be a calling for a reunion which I don't believe will ever happen. Anyway,great production,performances and sound from this heavy metal band,they seem to get better as time progresses!

Great content, US Blu-ray not 2 discs, same as import.
As of this writing there are 2 versions of this Blu-ray available on Amazon, an import that has been available since Dec. 2012 and the US version that became available in April 2013. I waited until the US version became available to buy this because in the product description it said the US Blu-ray was a 2 disc set. I scoured the internet to find out more but couldn't find any info regarding this. This seemed a bit strange to me but I thought hey, maybe the US is getting some exclusive content so I waited. I just got mine and sure enough it's a single disc.

I called Amazon customer service and all they could do was offer a replacement and take note of my complaint. I mentioned that the Blu-Ray cover insert was reversible, on the outside the UPC was different then the one on the inside. I also noticed that the inside of the cover insert had the green label with the German text and a #12 on it but not the outside. What I think is going on here is that they just flip the...

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The Hi-Lo Country

Authentic dying Old Southwest
What critics can't understand is that this is the way these ranch people were and still are. I was partly brought up on a ranch in West Texas, near the Hi Lo country in New Mexico. Ranch People really do have names like big boy and little boy and often speak in a slow taciturn way like Billy's character. And there are a few wild ones like the Woody Harrelson character. What the film portrays is the genuine hardness of life and human relationships in this lonely stark ranching environment, which was even more so in the time portrayed. I have met all these characters many times in real life and this film touched my heart for a way of life which is still painfully dying. The film is a great slice of American life. I will be interested in seeing what the same critics make of the soon to be released All the Pretty Horses, similar in many ways and also filmed in New Mexico. Critics, how about some respect for new Westerns that do not star Clint Eastwood and lots of violence or...

Harrelson's Best Performance
This character study, set in New Mexico in the early `40s, begins with an enigmatic narrative that infuses "The Hi-Lo Country," directed by Stephen Frears, with a tension that ultimately runs high throughout the entire film. The story focuses on the friendship between a couple of cowboys, Pete Calder (Billy Crudup) and Big Boy Matson (Woody Harrelson), who upon returning from the war are trying to make a go of the cattle business, while bucking some stiff competition from the local cattle baron, Jim Ed Love (Sam Elliott). At the same time, Pete becomes aware that he is not alone in his obsession with a married woman, Mona (Patricia Arquette); Big Boy has it bad for her, too, and she just happens to be the wife of Jim Ed's foreman, Les Birk (John Diehl). And, as usually happens with a situation involving obsession, things quickly begin to get sticky for all concerned. Big Boy, it seems, is the one headed for trouble; he's hot-tempered, stubborn, and fearless to a point bordering on...

SUNRISES AND SUNSETS
Set in the late 40's in New Mexico, HI-LO COUNTRY has the nostalgic beauty of things passed. Pete and Big boy live in the traditional cow-boy way ; hard days in the company of cows and horses in the tough new mexican climate, heavy drinking in the bars of the towns at night and the usual women & rodeos cocktail on week-ends. But this life cannot last for ever. Progress, lawmen and fast money are killing little by little one of the most enduring american dream.

Director Stephen Frears opposes in HI-LO COUNTRY these two different ways of life that can't live together. Curiously enough, the new generation is prompter to use guns in order to solve problems and young senoritas are far more rational than the sons of John Wayne. But one thing doesn't change in the turmoil of time : nature and its breath-taking beauty.

HI-LO COUNTRY is a beautiful movie, an out of time movie which can reconcile you with true cinema. Note the wonderful musical score which explores with...

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Nest of Vipers & Tails You Lose

Double Dose of Western Thrillers
The latest release from Wild East Productions boasts a double feature which blends the Spaghetti Western with the suspense thriller in two rare films starring two underrated American actors. Up first is the best of the lot, Director Piero Pierotti's (here billed as Peter E. Stanley) 'TAILS YOU LOSE' aka 'HEADS OR TAILS' aka 'TESTA O CROCE'- 1969 starring John Ericson as an outlaw trying to solve a murder plot involving an innocent prostitute whom he is in love with. Here the actresses shine as we have incredible performances by Sheyla Rosin and Danila Surima as well as an early appearance by Euro cult babe Edwige Fenech years before her Giallo thrillers with Director Sergio Martino and who graduated to sex comedies and here is involved in a brutally strong whipping sequence. Ericson is awesome as he disposes of the suspects leading to a tragic ending. It boasts a beautiful music score by Carlo Savina and intense camerawork by Fausto Zuccoli. Next we have character actor Luke Askew...





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Hermano

Amazing film
Finally this film will be available for purchase!

This is a beautiful film about growing up in the "school of hard knocks" in Venezuela. A tough but tender film with an ending that will leave you breathless with surprise. A must see for all aficionados of Latin American Spanish-language drama.

Excellent Movie
Outstanding movie about brotherhood and a cautionary tale about the consequences of revenge. This is a very worthwhile movie to see.

A Heart-Wrenching from an Unfortunately Common Condition
The beginning of the film, the find of an abandoned infant, is as emotionally striking as the ending of the film; and through the story it weaves through the many times told scenes of the tough, brutal, and lawless lives of poor communities throughout Latin America and other parts of the world, yet told with a different nuance, naturalness and vividness which makes the viewing interesting. The film's acting, cinematography, and staging is remarkable; and, since it is centered around soccer, it provides a very close insight about the passion of the game, in very well choreographed scenes and shots, of film and of the ball, and presents it as it is, one of the only routes out of the characters predicament. But the movie is not about soccer, it is about human character, its vicissitudes, and its redeeming aspects from within our humanity.

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The Nutcracker [Blu-ray] - Mariinsky Ballet

Missed a lot of wonderful dancing because of bad directing
Viewed this production of The Nutcracker as a Fathom Event at the local movie theater. I was very excited to watch the production until the camera work started getting weird.

Why would a director shoot a dancer from the waist up? Why would he do close ups on people not even dancing? It started with the dolls at the Christmas Eve celebration and just got worse. My absolutely favorite variation is The Snowflakes, but it was an out of focus mess. The two featured dancers may have been really nice dancers. Who knows? All I saw were blurry corps de ballet running too close to the camera.

If you don't mind missing fantastic dancing because of bad camera work, than you will like this.

Film director shoud go to jail
A wonderful dance performance, but film director ruin it, constanly moving cameras in and out, cuting dancer's legs off, it is a "CRIME"! A film director with NO COMMON SENSE...even unprofessional people know, dancing is about feets, legs, whether they are in contact with floor or in the air, not "zum in" about faces. Please, Please, Please choose a better filming
director for ballets! Just compare to the recently released Nutcracker from Bolshoi, this film
director has a lot to "learn" from "The Art of Filming Ballet". What a pity.....a great performnace ruin by an incompetent film director!

The Nutcracker [Blu-ray] - Mariinsky Ballet
why does a cameraman want to dance with dancers? Can he dance as good as dancers? The worst ballet shot ever seen.

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Deathship [Blu-ray]

DEATH SHIP is not GHOST SHIP
DEATH SHIP is not GHOST SHIP. GHOST SHIP is a game. DEATH SHIP is real.

This is one of my favorite of the horror movies they used to show on Saturday afternoons when I was a kid. I have such fond memories of it that I bought the original movie poster a few years back. I've worn my VHS to a thin strip and I'm so glad that it now has a proper remastered DVD release, but I'm almost worried about seeing a cleaned up, sharper version! The "original", shown-on-TV copy I grew up seeing was so distorted and darkened that you could barely see the ash covered walls in the interior of the ship. Like NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD and THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, something about the poor duplications of the film seemed to make it better - more seedy - more disturbing. Regardless of my nostalgia, I'm sure the remastered version won't disappoint...

A grim trip to sea worth your time..
Scorpion Releasing continues with their next exciting genre release, this time a real classic in the form of a lesser known violent ghost story at sea, Death Ship.

Featuring the always welcome George Kennedy (whom would go on to further 80s horror fare - see the excellent Just Before Dawn) and the ever familiar Richard Crenna, this is a very original horror movie which tells the tale of a group of shipwrecked survivors that happen upon a rusted out old abandoned ship from the 1930's. They go aboard, as it seems like a chance for survival from the open sea, but they soon realize they are in far more danger on the Death Ship!

While low on atmosphere, this film still does have some - and it's effective. The Nazi element is unsettling and gives cause to the paranormal violence that the survivors have to face. There is a quite memorable scene with the beautiful Victoria Burgoyne in the shower, when a large amount of blood ruins her day. Pretty awesome...

a huanted nazi ghostship... OH, SOOOOO GOOD!
i first saw deathship in a cinema back, somewhere in the late 1970's. i love haunted ship and train movies and, i have seen alot of them! deathship is hands down the BEST of them!
george kennedy prformances of the "bipolar" captains is some of the acting of his career.
sorry folks, i'm not giving away any spoilers to this damn good movie.
folow up deathship by seeing the thai movie deathtrain... you will be so overjoyed that you did so!

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Shameless: The Complete Second Season

Best new show on T.V.! I love the Gallaghers!
Probably one of the best shows on TV. All the actors are great, even the kids, and we can all easily connect with their characters. It's almost impossible not to like this show. I also love the comedy resulted by all those hard situations they have to go through.

Shameless is one of the best shows to come along in a long time. Sometimes the depictions of life on America's edge are so real I can barely watch. While veteran character actors like Wm Macy and Joan Cusack deliver every week, the children in this show are phenomenal. Some of the best acting from young people I have ever seen. Lip breaks my heart - a brilliant kid with no blueprint for success. Karen and Fiona are two sides of the same coin - achingly vulnerable one minute and steel backbone the next. I have been Fiona at times in my life (as a single mother in poverty) the actress hits so many nuanced notes - brilliant. whoever writes this knows the alcoholic dance intimately and is fearless. Thank you to all...

Great show.
I love this show. All the characters are great. Hope the seasons continue. I have recommended it to others who like it too.

Because You Want To See What Happens Next!
NO SPOILERS:

When Howard Stern first moved to NBC NY, management tried to control him. He rebelled. Then the ratings came out. Most enlightening was that the people who proclaimed to despise Stern, actually stayed with the show longer than fans. The reason? "Because they wanted to see/hear what happened next!"

Shameless is a cornucopia of taboos that is marketing material for the Christian Right/Family Values Coalition! Homosexuality, drug and alcohol abuse, child neglect, frequent sex, criminality, etc.

Shameless is a dark comedy that is both shocking and funny with enough gratuitous sex and nudity to take the edge off a typical Sunday Night after having spent the lion share of the day watching football. There are also from time to time some real dramatic moments added to the mix. However, the main reason why I regularly tune in and have rated this *5 is because I find myself in the position of continually wanting to see "what happens...

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Our Beloved Month of August

Zone-1 version not released yet, but I saw the Zone-2 version
This Zone-1 DVD may differ slightly from the Zone-2 DVD I bought a few weeks ago, published by Second Run DVD [...]. Here is a comparison:

Zone-2 DVD (shown at several film festivals) - main feature: 144 minutes; special features: 23 minutes (including only one short film, "Canticle of All Creatures"; 16-page booklet featuring an essay by Kieron Corless).

Zone-1 DVD (as described above): 153 minutes run time, including three short films (70 minutes) and "deleted scenes"; published by Cinema Guild.

How the film was made is described in the booklet included with the Zone-2 DVD:

"In summer 2006, when funding collapsed for a feature film he'd planned to shoot in Arganil, Gomes scaled down his crew, downsized from 35mm to 16mm and went there anyway to document the summer festivities, without any clear idea of what he'd use the footage for. Editing it together afterwards he and his collaborators realised, in the light of the amassed material,...

Keeping it in the family
Set in Portugal and taking full advantage of the nature and characteristics of the land and its people - at least in one particular provincial location of Arganil - this is a lovely and unusual little film. The style of filmmaking makes it sound a little obscure and intimidating - it's a mixture of documentary, commentary, improvisation and fictional drama with the filmmaking process opened up as well - but the end result is a fun and fascinating film that is not so different from the themes and subject matter of Xavier Giannoli's The Singer starring Gérard Depardieu.

Central to the storyline - such as it is - is T

Rihanna: Loud Tour Live at the O2 [Blu-ray]

AUDIO IS HORRIBLE
I bought this for my wife as she is a huge Rihanna fan. Well, she is disappointed to say the least. She loves to blast her Blu-Ray concerts on our surround sound and the audio from this Blu-Ray falls way below expectations. Like another has mentioned, there is NO HD AUDIO. Just Dolby Digital 5.1, which is abysmal and Dolby Digital Stereo which makes it sound like Im listening to it through the TV speakers.
To compare, I bought my wife, one of the other Rihanna concerts, on DVD(Good Girl Gone Bad) and the audio on the DVD is MUCH better compared to this one. The songs that have bass do not have any bass and when it does hit, if any, it sounds off.
Video quality is just average, slightly better than DVD.
Also, there is no pop-up menu!
Very disappointed in this, not Amazon, but the audio producers of this Blu-Ray.

Heres a hint for the audio producers: If you're going to offer a concert on Blu-Ray, make sure it has HD Audio!

Worst bluray concert of 2012
MPEG-2 in 2012? 224 kbps DD in 2012 on a bluray! Are you kidding me! I have dvd concerts with 1.5 mbps DTS on a 4.7gb dvd.

This is unacceptable in every sense of the word and the menus are dvd quality too boot! The disc needs to be redone or taken off the market end of story.

Her bluray concert from 2008 had DTS-HD and AVC and looked fantastic on a BD-25! A BD-25 is more than enough room for great audio and video of concert material. The DTS-HD track is over 5 mbps for most of the concert.

For those that got the deluxe edition of her new cd a sampler of the concert is on a dvd. The sound mix is totally different and sounds much better. The dvd uses .19 kbps 2 channel DD. The bluray uses .224 kbps 5.1 DD and .12 kbps 2 channel DD and the bluray sounds noticable worse with both tracks than the dvd. Be prepared to turn up your receiver as well. Mine went up by 10+ db. MPEG-2 averages around 18 mbps for video.

Amazon quite selling this for good...

Poor audio degrades great concert
This is a difficult blu-ray to review. The main reason for buying it is obviously Rihanna's performance and there is nothing wrong with the show itself. The show is great and is everything you probably would like to see in a Rihanna performance.

Show/performance: 5 stars

It is the poor quality that went in to the production of this blu ray that is the problem. I cannot comprehend how Def Jam/Universal Music were able to mess this one up in the way they did. Surely they must have sufficiently qualified people to make a decent product.

Video: it feels like an upscaled DVD version. The image is sharp, colours are a bit flat and some compression is noticable. Compared to her previous blu ray, video quality is not as good.

Overall video quality is fair: 3 stars

Audio quality is a different story. No HD audio content and the audio they did use is low quality, outdated, 128Kbps stereo and 240Kbps 5.1 The overall result is a very flat...

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Forced to Fight [Blu-ray]

THE GLOVES ARE OFF
Scotty (Arkie Reece) is a fighter for crime boss Danny G.(Peter Weller). When he refuses to take a dive, it cost Danny money. Scotty is punished for his actions and his brother, a retired fighter (Gary Daniels as Shane), is coerced back into the ring to pay off his brother's debt. Shane doesn't want to fight as he now is raising a family. Alexandra Weaver plays his wife Connie.

While his brother Scotty is at home recovering, Shane is fighting. He can fight Apollo Creed, Mr. T, and the big ugly Russian guy all in one night. The film consists of fighting and Shane's deteriorating home life as he uncharacteristically goes off the deep end against family and friend. This aspect was not well developed. In the beginning, the fighting seemed like choreographed kick boxing. It didn't look real. The characters overall needed better developing and the plot needed a better twist or at least a decent one. They also needed to develop the fight opponents better. Unless you're a fan of...

STAR DESERVES MORE PRAISE
I've always been a big martial arts film fan. It started when I first saw ENTER THE DRAGON while in high school. To me that film remains the best martial arts film ever made and one of the top ten action films ever created. It was also the film that opened the door for more martial arts films that made their way into the mainstream in the 70s and increased in the 80s and 90s.

There were a number of martial arts stars during those decades that seemed to come out of nowhere and find themselves at the center of films. Billy Blanks, Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Sho Kusugi and more were front and center on the video shelves. Towards the end another star emerged as well, Gary Daniels. While his movies did well, he never seemed to get the attention he deserved. What was nice was that he did get the chance to continue on where so many just disappeared. He even got to star in some great movies such as THE EXPENDABLES. And now he returns to be the name above the title in the just...

Gary Daniel's best yet!
I always have been a big fan of Gary Daniels and he is one of the few great martial arts/actors.He gives a solid performance as a family man forced to fight to clear a family debt.Peter Weller was great as a sleazy fight promoter.He kinda reminds me of the father from Hardcore Pawn.The ending was awesome as the credits roll.I hope to see him in more films as the lead.It's well worth the 10 bucks at Walmart.

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Chess Masterworks

A mesmerizing journey through cultures and history!
As someone who loves world travel, antique objects, and interesting stories, I really enjoyed "Chess Masterworks." In many ways, it's not really about the game of chess at all, although I think most avid chess players would appreciate it. I would recommend it especially to art historians, but also to anyone who collects or just appreciates handmade and historical objects and the intriguing questions and stories that accompany them. When were they made? How were they made? Why were they made? For whom were they made? The mini-documentaries create a fascinating tapestry, weaving together the pieces of chess sets with art, culture, history, politics, religion, and philosophy. From the wacky Salvador Dali chess pieces which were made from casts of his thumbs, fingers, and nipples, to the Communist Propaganda pieces glorifying the virtues of the communist revolution, to the whimsical Sea Life set with lobster bishops and sea horse knights, to the abstract Persian Muslim Silver Mushroom...

Just Breathtaking!
Everything about this video is incredible! I've played chess for years and years and never thought it would make for a moving story. Boy was I wrong!

I found myself quickly engrossed in the amazing cinematography, camera angles and historical back story of each set... all wrapped by a hauntingly beautiful musical soundstage that choreographed each edit. Very beautiful and educational. Wouldn't be surprised to see it in the future as a special on The History Channel or TLC.

Chess Masterworks
Greetings Folks - this video is a masterwork in itself. The subject matters is treated with respect. It is obvious that this team of film makers is focused on quality.

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The Invisible Maniac

Fun movie
If you like 80's movies with cheap plots and unnecessary nudity, then you'll love this movie. The acting is better than in Dolomite and the ladies are beautiful. It's a good movie to watch when you are bored with the usual Oscar winning movies.

My God....
This movie was asolutely hilarious. The Scientist is a freak and can get somewhat annonying, but when he goes on his killing spree, I couldn't stop laughing. The sandwich scene had me on the floor. Rent this if you have nothing to do, it's hysterical.

Horrible Quality DVD - Do Not Purchase
I own an old VHS copy of this movie. As a fan, I have been waiting for the DVD of this movie for a long time. When I saw that there was finally a DVD release of this movie, I purchased it--- But the purchase turned out to be a mistake. The image and audio quality of this DVD-R are horrible. The video is blurry, the movie bounces around the screen, and the audio track sounds awful. My old VHS tape actually looks and sounds better. Do not purchase this DVD-R.

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Bro'

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze [Blu-ray]

Pretty good sequel
This film opens with tremendous confidence and energy. The humor of the Turtles may be so 1990 but I still dig it. The opening scene in the shopping mall is way funny and a great way to introduce is to the sequel. At the time the style of the Turtles wasn't so stale, so the plot may seem a bit childish or dumb now.

I have no doubts that if this movie were made today it would not be subtitled 'The Secret of the Ooze'. One can hardly expect high art from a movie called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II but they could have subtitled it something a little less crass. Apparently taking place right after the first movie (where's Casey) it wastes no time bringing back the Shredder and the rest of the Foot Clan.

This time Shredder aims to steal the cannister of ooze that mutated our heroes so he can make his own monsters to avenge his defeat. The result is Tokka and Rahzar and it seems like a half-attempt at a live-action version of Rocksteady and Bebop. As you can imagine, this plot isn't...

Nearly as good as the original
This Turtles film is almost as good as the oringal. It's not quite as dark and serious as the first and does have a few goofy gimmicks. Actually specifically, it's the two mutants Shredder creates that are gimmicky. Still it's a cool movie. If you liked the first or anything Ninja Turtles related, give it a shot.

VHS transfer?
It's nice to be able to get all four of these together in one package, however the video quality is horrible. I would swear that the source used for these movies are from a pretty bad VHS copy.

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Firing Line with William F. Buckley Jr. "How Does One Find Faith?" [Full Version]

Abridged Version of Interview
If you are interested in Buckley and Muggeridge and the question of faith, then this Firing Line interview will be immensely enlightening and enjoyable for you. And you should try to find the transcript which I have found in some of Muggeridge's books. Unfortunately, this DVD is an abridged version of the original one hour interview (which was presented after Firing Line was changed to a thirty minute format), and lasts for less than 30 minutes. It in simply incomprehensible that the original 1 hour interview should be cut into pieces like this, and it is for this reason that I give it the one star. The portion of the interview presented is great, but I certainly hope that future Firing Line DVDs have complete, not abridged programs.

A must see/must read
In 1980, as a young medical student, I happened to catch this interview, and was spellbound by these heavyweights discussing one of life's most vital subjects. In something I had never before done, nor since, I paid for a transcript, which has been one of most prized possessions. It is now ragged around the edges, but I still re-read parts, and have oft quoted it. I am going to order the DVD now, but just wanted a few of you know how powerful are the thoughts of Muggeridge, and encourage you to do the same. One day, when they get a bit older, I would like to share both the transcipt and interview with my 5 children.

Tom W. Goggin, MD
Athens, GA

IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THIS ON DVD!!!
I watch this and can only think here's proof that the present is not always (or even often) better than the past. Compare this to any current talk show and you'll see what I mean. Truly, the fact that these are (finally) being made available on DVD is a godsend.

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Firing Line with William F. Buckley Jr. "The Crisis of Intelligence"

Intelligent discussion
Vernon Walters provides a smart advocacy of intelligence operations. The issues of 30-40 years ago seem no different than today.





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Firing Line with William F. Buckley Jr. "How to Speak, How to Listen"

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Firing Line with William F. Buckley Jr. "Is England Still Influencing America?"

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