Peter and the Wolf

Technically stunning, and thematically dark
"Peter And The Wolf" (2008)
Technically stunning, and thematically dark, this amazing adaptation of Sergei Prokoviev's classic children's piece, features marvelous stop-motion animation from director Suzie Templeton.

The film places "Peter" squarely back into its Russian origins, but rather than an idealized rural-agrarian past, it places the story in a more modern setting, amid glum, drab, rundown shacks and tattered forests, a grim vision of a Soviet-era or post-Soviet Eastern Europe, complete with gun-toting thugs (the hunters of the original story here seem more like cold-hearted militiamen) and the nearby village appears as a rundown, dismal cinderblock outpost. Amid this crushing gloom, Peter finds wonder and joy, unlocking a secret garden where he and his friends the bird and the duck (both crippled and unable to fly) are able to play and forget the bleakness around them.

While this may sound a bit miserable, the film itself is a marvel: the amount of...

Beautiful, stark and amazing!
Suzie Templeton may be little known outside of the world of stop motion animation circles, but she is an incredible talent with a penchant for dark, thoughtful and sometimes twisted short subjects. With Peter and the Wolf she delves more into the mainstream and handles her biggest project to date.

Templeton has weaved together an international co-production between studios in Britain and Poland, using stop motion animation and digital effects to create a modern retelling of the Sergei Prokofiev musical.

There are plenty of reviews of the movie itself, but the amazon.com description does not include information about the plethora of extras on this new Region 1 DVD. Included are:

The musical themes
The story in pictures
The making of Peter & the Wolf
Behind the scenes documentary
Audio commentary
Educational workshop

If you are worried about buying an $18 DVD for just a 32 minute feature, you can rest assured you are...

Peter without the narrative (or Prokofiev's ending)...delightful, brave and touching
For a young boy, unhappiness can be a natural state. Peter and his aged grandfather live in a scrabbly old farmhouse on the edge of a forbidding Russian forest. The grandfather has built a wooden fence around the dirt yard and forbids Peter to go into the forest, where dangerous things lurk, like wolves. Peter hates this. All Peter has for a friend is a scruffy, long-necked duck. When he goes into town two hunters bully him. Still, Peter is a good kid. He helps a bird with an injured wing fly again with the help of a balloon. He sneaks out and plays on the iced pond, skittering and sliding and joined by the duck. He accepts his grandfather's fat, fat cat as a creature perhaps not to like, but not to hurt. Peter even manages to catch the dangerous, hungry and mangy wolf in his net. Peter stops his grandfather from shooting the wolf. When he and his grandfather take it to town, Peter is a hero. But it's not to last. Those hunters show up to taunt and bully the wolf. Peter stops them...

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Sleepless in Seattle (10th Anniversary Edition)

My absolute favourite movie @>---
Other than The Breakfast Club, Sleepless in Seattle is my all time favourite movie. I know it's older now, but to me I will always watch it over and over again. I like to watch it a couple of times a year because I always enjoy it and never tire of it.

As everyone probably knows, Tom Hanks and his son move from Chicago to Seattle after Tom's wife dies and they need a new start. Hoping to find a new love for his father, Jonah calls a radio station to speak on a talk show to help his dad out. Their radio call name is Sleepless in Seattle. Listening to the conversation all the way in Washington DC is Meg Ryan who has just announced her engagement to Bill Pullman. She seems to fall in love with Sam (Tom Hanks) instantly as she finishes his sentances and is hooked by his story. Being a writer, she does a story on him and finds herself wanting to get in touch with him. She makes the journey over to Seattle and manages to say Hello to him (before almost getting hit by cars...

Christmas Magic
Some people have songs, my husband and I have a movie. We not only met in Seattle, my husband lived next to Lake Union, very close to where this movie was made. He actually saw them filming scenes from the movie.

You could say the roles were a bit reversed, being I was the one getting over a relationship and he was not really looking at the time. Having lived in Seattle for many years, I especially enjoyed seeing scenes from Pike Place Market and West Seattle.

Rosie O'Donnell adds to the wit with lines like: "You want to be in love in a movie." Tom Hanks gives a sensitive performance as Sam who lost the love of his life. He and his son Jonah, live on Lake Union. Annie (Meg Ryan) is caught up with plans for her wedding. She is engaged and not looking for love. Yet, as it so often happens, love does appear when you are not looking.

One night Annie hears a radio show where Jonah has called in to ask how his father could find a new wife. The radio host...

Two guy heroes, only one girl does not a "chick flick" make...
Most people think "Sleepless" is meant to please a female audience, but I think it is a dad/son bonding story all the way. I like it, I see parts of it as often as it shows up on cable, and it portrays man/woman love in a very good light. In this age of easy and too-often divorce, that's a positive. Yes, it is sentimental, but there is nothing wrong with provoking sentiment in an honest fashion. It is perfectly cast, competently written, directed and filmed, and only a Grinch could hate it.

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Deadfall [HD]

Best of Everything.. Don't miss this one!
Hardcore movie fan, especially Thriller/Mystery/Suspense/Horror-> I really enjoyed this movie. Unique story line that all weaves together in the end. Some amazing Graphics Scenes. The actor's chosen were great for their roles. Some gore...more shocking not scary. Definitely not a watch with children..intense sex scenes and believable "shocker scenes" (don't want to spoil it) I rated this 5 stars and would watch again. Don't miss if you want to watch something with great acting, unique twists, suspense, and just enough romance.

Feels Like a Film Noir
This film has action, violence, sex, and not a few stories about dysfunctional families. The script writing is fine, the actors are terrific and I loved seeing some old timers like Sissy Spacek and Kris Kristofferson. I think the cold desolate Canadian filming locations certainly add to the overall feel of the film and definitely play background to the cold hearted killer's mentality. I could have done without the sex scenes, (we certainly didn't need them back in the day when Noir was gorgeously done.)and the love story was weak, but the overall subject of the film - don't treat your kids bad or they may turn out twisted - does work. There is a wonderful climactic ending - for once (in awhile) Hollywood gets it right. In a weird aside, I wonder what the film would have been like if Bana and Hunnam had reversed their roles AND if the film was shot in black and white. BTW, Bana was very good.

TWISTED CONUNDRUMS and one messed up Thanksgiving
A FANTASTIC THRILLER: with realistic action and broken people. Few characters in this movie are perfect, if any.

OK, I was really impressed by this little gem and had suspicions it was done on a limited budget despite the quality and effort clearly put into it. So I did some research. It was shot on $12M. After seeing that figure the first time I was actually disappointed because it seemed large to the ordinary person. Then I thought again - Many of the stars they brought together have probably commanded 12M just for their own salary for one picture. Clearly this was a labor of love by people who thought it should be made.

Seriously- Olivia Wilde - Kate Mara - Eric Bana - Sissy Spacek - Kris Kristofferson and others.

PLOT: A brother and sister team from a broken home in the south are fleeing an Indian Casino robbery they conducted not far from the Canadian border(in the dead of winter of course). Their car crashes on an icy road in the middle of...

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Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas

Mickey and company enter the digital age in spectacular fashion!
This is a movie you could watch every day for a month, and not fry your brain.

I know, because I had to. My son was obsessed.

The five shorts comprising "Twice Upon A Christmas" are all delightful, and perfect family viewing.

First I must say that the digital re-creation of our favorite animated characters has been done to perfection. Eye-popping crystalline perfection.

The Minnie-Daisy ice skating duel features those dancing hippos and crocs from Fantasia, and beautiful digital effects and designs.

Huey, Dewey and Louie's journey to the North Pole has a classic caper feel to it; it's fast and funny. When one of the little guys drifts a little too close to a snoring Santa's breath, he initially winces. Then he smiles and says, "Hm! Peppermint! With a hint of mocha!" It's cute. My wife and I laugh, and my 2.5 year old wonders why.

Goofy and his son Max has some nice musical numbers in it. Again, seeing these characters...

Stunning Animation and Great Slapstick
After getting this DVD from the library last year, I knew that my son was a big fan of Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas. In fact, so was my husband. He's an artist, and very critical of shoddy animation. However, with this DVD, he often comments on the well-done, vibrant images of computer animation. (If you're a parent of a child, you probably already know how shoddy some of the CGI can be in kid videos! Happily, this is not rendered poory like some movies.) In fact, I was amazed at how Mickey's sweater looked so real, as well as the snow-covered trees, holiday lights and Christmas trees, Minnie and Daisy's gossamer skating outfits, and so on.

An open "Storybook" presents each tale, and we are whisked away into five magical stories showing true-to-life situations involving relationships. (And you KNOW how the whole family/relationship thing can get during holidays... *wince*).

Clever writing abounds, as well as numerous sight-gags. My son and I think it's...

Great stories. Wish it were longer though.
My only disappointment with this DVD was that it wasn't longer. The five shorts on this DVD were great, especially the one with Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck as dueling ice princesses and the story of Pluto's adventure's at the North Pole hanging out with Santa's reindeer. I thought this last story could've been a feature length tale in itself.

While I agree with many that seeing the characters in full-fledged 3D animation, I don't think this new rendering of these wonderful characters could have been done any better. No, it's not animation of the quality in the top budget motion picture releases, but it's nonetheless extremely well done.

If you love Christmas and you love Mickey and the gang, you and your family will love this DVD.

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Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3: Dog Days

Refreshing and unexpected...
This was fun! I wasn't expecting it.

This was not movie I would choose to go watch.

We only went to see it, because the kids wanted to go to a movie, and this was the only one that was showing that they could go to (all other kids movies that were showing, we had already seen). This was the only one left, for us to go see, at the local theater.

I'm glad it was, and that the kids pressed on.
For me, it was refreshing, for once to watch a great non-animated kids movie. I (and the rest of the family) love animations. Disney/Pixar, DreamWorks etc. So Dairy of a Wimpy Kid, would not be something we would normally go for.

I have to say, I liked it very much. Lots of laughs. Mom, and the kids (7 and 12) liked it too.
Every now and then, I was looking to my right, just to watch our 7 year old luaghing out loud. He had a great time! So did his older sister.

Funniest One Yet, Don't Have to Have Read the Books to Enjoy It
I have not read these books, but 2 of my 3 kids have (all elementary school age) and they wanted to see this movie. We've seen the other two movies, but I think this was the most entertaining of the three, for both kids and adults. It's summer in this one, the kids are therefore home from school, and more of the drama is family-based than school-based. Greg and his Dad are at odds - Greg wants to play video games all summer, and his Dad wants him to get outdoors. Both think they have little in common, and Greg ends up deceiving his family about a summer job in order to get his Dad off his back. Of course everything comes out in the end, and he learns valuable lessons about honesty, and both he and his Dad learn lessons about acceptance and loyalty. There are MANY laugh-out-loud scenes, including one involving their new dog and a pot roast, another when Greg's older brother Rodrick (who almost steals the movie) is saved from drowning in the pool, and more when Greg and his best friend...

Fun family film!
Go ahead, call me immature (though I prefer young at heart), but I really did enjoy this movie.

School is out and there are 73 days of summer vacation. Greg Heffley imagines the days ahead to be filled with video games in the family living room. Unfortunately for Greg, his parents have other ideas, urging him to play outside, read literature, and get a summer internship. That's when Greg has an idea . . . if he tells his parents that he got a job at the local country club, he can spend his days at the country club pool (where the girl he likes, Holly, spends her time) AND make his parents happy. What could possibly go wrong?

Hilarity ensues and, in the end, Greg must pay the consequences for his deception (which I appreciate because I may be immature, but I am still a parent).

This is a fun film!

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Sense & Sensibility (Special Edition)

"Is Love a Fancy or a Feeling?"
When Emma Thompson was approached with the suggestion to write a screenplay based on Jane Austen's first novel "Sense and Sensibility" (1811), she was somewhat doubtful because, as she explains on the DVD's commentary track, she felt that other Austen works, like the more expressive "Emma" and "Persuasion" or the sardonic "Pride and Prejudice" (already the subject of several adaptations) would have been more suitable. Four years and 14 screenplay drafts later (the first, a 300-page handwritten dramatization of the novel's every scene), "Sense and Sensibility" made its grand entrance into theaters worldwide and mesmerized audiences and critics alike, resulting in an Oscar for Thompson's screenplay and six further nominations (Best Picture, Leading Actress - Thompson -, Supporting Actress - Kate Winslet -, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Score - for 20 minutes' worth of composition - and Costume Design); and double honors as Best Picture and for Thompson's screenplay at the Golden...

Rich, nuanced, witty - a true gem!
Emma Thompson's adaptation of Jane Austen's novel and Ang Lee's direction of it prove to be a stunning and talented combination. This story about the complexities of love, society, and family won my heart in the first few minutes with its excellent acting, smart dialogue, and lush period setting.

The movie focuses primarily on the two oldest sisters of the Dashwood family - Elinor (Emma Thompson) and her younger sister Marianne (Kate Winslet.) Elinor is practical and independent-minded, caught between her societal position as a woman and what she wants for herself. In contrast, Marianne is impetuous, artistic, passionate; she pursues her emotions as though nothing else matters. When both sisters fall in love with different men, they react very differently to the awakening of their affections.

The acting in this film could not have been any better. Although critics have complained that Emma Thompson is too old for the part of Elinor, she at once dispels all doubts with her...

Beautifully Done
This recent movie adaptation of Jane Austin's "Sense and Sensibility" is just marvelous. Emma Thompson's enchanting screenplay is so close to the novel, and that's such a rare treat in a movie version. Yes, Emma Thompson is a bit old for the part of older sister Elinor but, she's so endearing, I'm willing to let it go. The supporting cast is very powerful, with performances by Kate Winslet, Greg Wise, Imogen Stubbs, Alan Rickman, and Hugh Grant toping off a fabulous ensemble. Winslet is especially wonderful as the younger Dashwood sister. She's completely sweet, young and innocent. Her heartbreak at the hands of handsome and dashing Willoughby is extremely powerful and emotional. It's an all around well acted movie. Lots of wondeful performances. This is acutally a very funny movie and so beautifully shot by Director Ang Lee. Every aspect of the movie is wonderful. It's treat for all Austin fans and an all around wonderful film.

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Bob The Builder: Snowed Under / The Bobblesberg Winter Games

Choose another Bob Movie- Too much arguing and yodeling
My 2 1/2 year old son loves anything to do with Bob the Builder. The new characters Bennie and Zoomer are great and my son likes the Zoomer toy. This movie is really too long and negative for a child his age. It is a full length movie rather than several short episodes like the other Bob the Builder DVD's. Scoop spends most of the movie arguing with or criticizing the other machines. Here are a few examples of the dialogue -- -- "We're here to work not to have fun," "You're just a show off," "You need to stop being such a know it all," etc. I believe they are trying to introduce the concept of teamwork, but I think it is introducing way too much corporate culture at such a young age. The yodeling may be very annoying for most as well. I would buy "Dig, Lift and Haul" instead of this movie.

Bad, Bad, Bad.
Like the other reviewers I also have a 3 year old who is crazy about Bob; he must have watched 'A Christmas to Remember' a thousand times (me too!!). But this christmas effort is very disappointing. He was so excited by the online reviews and sneak peaks, but has never asked to watch 'Snowed Under' again since seeing it for the first time at christmas. Hated the 'team leader' personality given to scoop - very confusing for my children too. Scenes were stretched, unnecessary boring bits were used to fill the time and the overall pace was slow - nothing to capture a child's imagination and enthusiasm. And way too much yodling too. My 2 year old didn't sit still for more than 10 minutes. Shame.

Yes he can!
My child loves Bob The Builder! This seasonal version is a a great ex-scape from the norm. But I think he can do no wrong.

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Houseboat [HD]

Cary, Sophia and 50s Fashion and Romance at its best
Houseboat was the first movie I ever saw in a drive-in. Imagine seeing Cary Grant and Sophia Loren dancing to a Sam Cooke love song on a screen the size of a football field. The wardrobe for the movie is stunning. When did we stop taking the time to dazzle with matching hats, gloves, etc.? Obvious beauty aside, what really impressed me was the award winning script. The explanation Cary Grant gives as a parent about death, and the kids dialogue and behavior rang true. The kids behaved like any children would when one parent dies, and an absentee parent appears to take them from the safe world of their grandparents. The kids were terrific in their roles. Cary Grant and Sophia Loren were superb considering she had just dumped him to marry her current husband. One wonders what would have happened if Cary and Sophia had really married. Would they have lived happily ever after like they did in Houseboat? Who knows. At least we can have that fantasy time and time again on DVD.

Charming, Family-Friendly Comedy!
'Houseboat' is a throwback to the kind of sweet, happy comedies Cary Grant did in the late '40s-early '50s, and it foreshadows the domestic comedies James Stewart and Henry Fonda would do in the sixties. Granted, there is more romance (and with Sophia Loren as the objection of affection, Cary has it all OVER Jimmy and Hank!) but ultimately, it scores as a terrific family movie, as Loren, playing an inept but adorable housekeeper/nanny, wins the affection of widower Grant's kids, and awakens in him a more complete love than he was experiencing with his society girlfriend (played effectively by the beautiful Martha Hyer).

Living in a rundown houseboat to save on expenses, Grant and family lives had become a boring routine, until the arrival of Hurricane Loren, with her Italian philosophy, her singing, and her unmistakable femininity and sex appeal (which introduces oldest son Paul Peterson to the joys of puberty, and to daughter Mimi Gibson and younger son Charles Herbert a...

a family classic
HOUSEBOAT is one of my favorite movies. I remember my family taping it when I was about 7, and I loved watching it. Needless to say, when the new DVD version was released I instantly snapped it up!

The story is about a widowed Government official (Cary Grant) and his three unruly children. A chance meeting throws the beautiful Cinzia Zaccardi (lovely Sophia Loren) into their lives. Cinzia is the daughter of a prominent classical conductor, and is looking for a change of scene. When she decides to become the children's nanny, no-one is prepared for the hilarity and heartache that is to follow...

This is indeed a lovely family film, with a few shades of "The Sound of Music". The new DVD version offers an average-looking transfer of the film, with a photo gallery and two trailers as the extras.

Also starring Martha Hyer, Harry Guardino, Paul Petersen and Eduardo Cinanelli. (Single-sided, dual-layer disc).

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Pinocchio (Two-Disc 70th Anniversary Platinum Edition)

BEWARE PURISTS--this Digitally Restored version TAMPERED WITH ORIGINAL ARTWORK'S COLOR PALETTE!!!
I just saw a special engagement of this latest 70th Anniversary version of Pinnochio at Disney's El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood in advance of the DVD re-release. Though I am happy to see the movie be given public exposure on a big theatrical screen, over the years I have seen many theatrical screenings of the movie on at least 12 different occasions including an original nitrate 3-strip Technicolor studio vault print in the early 1980's (before the studio dismantled its last nitrate screening room) and non-digital film restorations and was shocked to see that this latest restored version has digitally tampered with the film's original color palette for no justifiable reason.

Some of the chosen character hues are modern day, popular color hues, but look out of place in this early animated classic including certain pinks, reds and blues which are reused so often in identical shades that to classic animation buffs it becomes distractingly noticeable. For those animation buffs...

The finest animated feature ever made. Period.
The one-two whammy of audience and critical indifference to "Pinocchio" and "Fantasia" killed Walt Disney's desire to experiment with the limits of animation in the 1940s. From then on, play it safe was his motto. This may be one of the greatest tragedies to beset popular American culture in the 20th century; despite the depths of pretension and kitch in "Fantasia," it was at least evidence of a spirited mind in pursuit of the unattained -- but "Pinocchio" must have broken old Walt's heart. There are visual effects in this movie that remained unchallenged until the digital age, and it's worth recalling that every single one of them was drawn by hand. It has one of the most beautiful and exciting musical scores in the history of the movies (I can't hear Cliff Edwards' high, pure falsetto holding that final note of "When You Wish Upon a Star" without chills), a deeply plangent sense of emotion that never tips over into bathos, and a wealth of detail that is still staggering after 65...

Timeless Musical Fantasy
Disney has restored this all-time classic to its original brilliance. The universal themes of love, family, friendship and good vs. evil make this educational and enjoyable. Yes, there are some quite scary scenes and evil is shown for what it is. However, just as in most fairy tales, good triumphs over evil in the end.

The story is told by Jiminy Cricket and the start of the movie is peaceful. He arrives at Geppetto's home where there are music boxes, toys, amazing clocks and a puppet who is just "all strings and joints." Geppetto is just painting on the finishing touches before he heads off to bed. The "cutest" black and white cat named Figaro adds warmth and amusement to the story. The sassy fish Cleo is a visual delight.

As the woodcarver drifts off to sleep, he says: "Wouldn't it be nice if he was a real boy?" He then sends Figaro to open the window and sees a wishing star. He makes a wish and while he sleeps, the Blue Fairy brings the Marionette Pinocchio to...

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Cropsey

Creepy as Hell
This movie creeped me out. As someone who finds true stories more engaging than fiction i was a big fan of this film. I love how the different pieces were woven together to paint a truely horrifying tale about a killer from Staten Island. From the Cropsey legend, to the horrifying images from Geraldos Willowbrook Expose, to the truely tragic stories of missing disable children.
The filmakers may not be Martin Scorscese but the film works because they were working with a truely engaging topic. They conducted compelling interviews with most of the key players.

Lackluster, anti-climactic
BEWARE!!!

The other reviews of this movie use words that would normally describe something intriguing, something that builds itself up to a giant mystery, only to be answered in the last 20 minutes of the film. But sadly, this is not the case with "Cropsey."

This movie, although very sad, has no real weight to speak of. Cropsey gives you little more than a brief background of the events that took place in the 80's involving some missing children who were never found. Bottom line, if you really want to know what happened here, don't waste an hour and a half and 3 bucks, read a short article and that will tell you more than what you get here.

In conclusion, if you like watching people stumble around in the woods, asking viewers rhetorical questions, with no real direction or destination, then this is the movie for you!!!!!!! For everyone else, keep looking. . .

WOW!!! AN AWE INSPIRING STATEN ISLAND N.Y. DOCUMENTARY...
A loner lived in the tunnels and in the forest lands of the active and than defunct Willowbrook Institute during the 1960s, 1970s,1980s. Children were disapearing on staten island between 1972-1987. A Loner named Andre Rand who worked as an orderly in the Willowbrook institute from 1966-1968, was caught and accused in 1987 after the last victim Jennifer Schwieger age 12 was found buried on the abandon willowbrook institute grounds, 150 yards from Rands makeshift camp. Rand who was convicted in 1988, was convicted again as his parole date came near in 2004, his next parole date won't be until 2037 he will be 93, assuring the families of the deceased children Rand will die in prison. The thing that gets me is Rand has been in prison twenty five years and still has'nt confessed, no one has even come foward that might have been involved with Rand to confess to authorities, the true capabilities of a pathological liar. The truly amazing thing is that authorities have'nt found any positive...

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Step Up Revolution Dance Workout [HD]

Great Dance Moves For the Dancer In You
OK...well...this video is for the dancer in you. Great moves if you love dancing. I really wish I could do it because it looks really cool. Loved watching but I could not pick up the basic moves at all. Plus, I felt that they expect you to know a little something about dancing. They do give you some direction but than you move right in and this uncoordinated individual could never keep up with this. Part 2, the Latin Groove which was 21 minutes was the only part I could come close to getting. It was fun and sexy and I could see how you could get into great shape by doing this every day.

If you are someone who gets discouraged when you can't get the moves don't bother but if you love dancing and want a challenge go for it. Great dance moves taken from the movie Step Up Revolution.

GREAT WORKOUT & DANCE MOVES!!
I was really excited to try this out!! Mostly because I LOVED the movie & the choreography was awesome!!! I enjoy dancing a lot and have pretty good coordination, although I am far from being a professional. I'm latina and dancing is pretty much a requirement when it comes to being a part of the Latin Culture, so I knew I would be able to at least get the basic steps down. I had to pause and rewind some steps a few times, but if you keep going & do it often, you'll be a pro in no time! I love a challenge and enjoy learning new dance moves, so this DVD was perfect for me! I would recommend it to anyone who loves to dance no matter what your age may be :)

Love the movie, hate the workout
This workout DVD is cheesy & not even a lot of fun. It's nothing like the movie moves & definitely not something I could watch/work out to every day. Too bad...

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Ski School 2

Good film. Bland DVD.
"Ski School 2" is a departure from its predecessor. Whereas the first "Ski School" was a party film, the sequel is a romantic comedy, albeit a romantic comedy geared more for the guys than the ladies. I love the first film, so in comparison, "Ski School 2" comes up short. However when judged on its own, the film still gives a nice, warm, comfortable feeling of entertainment. It may not have you rolling on the floor like the first film, but it is more dater-friendly.

The DVD is minimal, really bare bones. It consists of nothing but the standard FBI warnings and the feature title track itself. There are no menus of any kind. The film does have chapter breaks, but there is no chapter selection menu. There is only one audio option, Dolby 2.1. On the bright side, the picture is crisp.

Despite the minimal philosophy of this DVD, in the end I decided the film itself was all I really wanted. I've been waiting on pins and needles for the original film to come...

Hubba,Hubba,Hubba
the skiing the mountain view the hot chicks awsome, Pure 1980's cheese watch it and make sure the kids are asleep.

Quite possibly one of the greatest pieces of American cinema
There have been great sequels like Godfather II but none have ever reached the cinamatic heights of Ski School 2. Dean Cameron reminds me of the young Tom Hanks in the classic Volunteers another awesome movie from the 80s. The skiing montages and footage are sweet and I defy you to find a better movie to enjoy with your buddies over delicious beers.

They don't make silly comedies like these anymore and thats a damn crime. I love a great art film like anyone else but plot-lite silly films that you can watch just for a good laugh just aren't out there anymore. I honestly tell my friends that this is one of my all time favorite films and I am not kidding. Give it a watch - I can promise three things: 1) lewd and silly physical comedy, 2) goofball antics, and 3) gratuitous nudity in the classic 80s style. God bless Dean Cameron and all the wacky people that made Ski School 2!

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Strangers [HD]

Would recommend this film
I wanted to leave a review for this movie because I think it touched on something very close to my heart. It is a movie about crossing boundaries and not living your life based on worldly prejudices. In this movie an Isreali man and Palestinian woman allow themselves to develop a relationship despite the presence of war and hatred that enveloped the two cultures at the time. It may not be likely that such a couple might have stayed together at that time, but I think the point of the movie is that everyone has a choice to make when it comes to how you choose to view the world. Are you going to live with the prejudices passed down from generation to generation, or are you going to allow good things into your life that you may not have imagined for yourself?

Decent Movie, Bad Character Flaws
This is going to sound weird but Strangers was in one hand interesting and in the other disappointing. It started out as I expected. We follow Eyal first as he arrives in Germany and travels to his ex-girlfriend's house whom he made a pact with years ago. They promised each other they would go to the World Cup together no matter what, even if they broke up. Well keeping his end of the promise, he shows up at her house only for her not to answer his phone calls or answer the door. As he searches for a place to sleep for the night, he meets Rana on the subway. They accidentally switch bags which later results in them meeting back up. This leads to them spending time together, going to the World Cup together, and sharing a place to sleep for the remainder of their stay. Basically they do a lot of talking, drinking, love making, and cigarette smoking (which I am fine with up until later).

Things start getting interesting once Rana receives a mysterious phone call and tells Eyal...

I Was Completely Won Over By Script And Acting
That a child back home was asthmatic with a sitter did nothing to deter me from empathizing with the mom's dire need for a bit of time to herself, and that she and her Israeli friend strike it off and become involved seemed totally appropriate given their dire isolation prior to meeting. If we choose to attach to the rapid rhythm of their love affair and empathize, we have some experience of joy in sharing their love. It is a movie about passion overcoming mediocrity and prejudice. It was the beauty of their sensitivity to the possibility of love that rescues them from the garbage bin of history. The Jewish-Arab dimension was treated sensitively and well. Knowing people on both sides of that unfortunate historical fact lead me to believe the writers really were sensitive to the impossible situation Israelis and Palestinians face. Unlikely opportunities presented themselves in this story, but the love-shared value overcame all improbability and the plot sounds true and is in no...

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Letters to Juliet

Redgrave is a gem!
I took a dear elder aged friend to this movie on a bad day in his life, hoping to distract him momentarily from events he couldn't do anything about. Instead, the movie re-invigorated both of us, and brought us repeatedly to tears. Say what you want about "feel good" movies, there are times when they are just what the doctor ordered!

Vanessa Redgrave is the heart of this film. The delicately fearless way she sets out to find her young lover, the grace with which she moves through the ups and downs of a process that could end in heartbreak, the care with which she brushes the young Sophie's hair...she is simply and purely lovely. Women d'un certain age should enjoy the possibilities she presents for aging beautifully.

I also suspect this movie was made after the death of Redgrave's daughter, Natasha Richardson, and so the scenes in which she calls Sophie "my darling" and loves her so freely are especially moving. Hollywood, listen up! Cast more Vanessa Redgraves,...

I am happy with "happy".
I went to this picture with my mom because I enjoy romantic films and adore Italian landscape. I was pleasantly surprised. The cast was absolutely charming, and I didn't come away with that "why did they have to put that in there" feeling. A true "feel good" movie. So many films go along nicely then suddenly BAM! an unexpected horribly sad plot twist. This gets worse than old at times. I'm a big Austen fan, and although she wrote with unexpected plot twists she always ends with a happy, if predictable, ending. And how do "her" film adaptations do?! Awesome! Let's hope hollywood learns something here. I hated to see the film end, and could have turned right around and watched it again. Way to Go! Some great young stars shine in this film. Hope to see them around again.

a crowd-pleasing chick film
This is the true story: In 19th century, people of Verona indicated a house as the residence of Juliet from William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." Later, in 1937, it became a tradition to go to Juliet's grave in Verona and leave Juliet a letter about one's love problems. In 1990s the amount of letters reached astronomical proportions and a group of volunteers, who call themselves "Club di Giulietta," took it upon themselves to answer each and every letter that's left for Juliet.

Enter Hollywood: A young woman named Sophie (played by Amanda Seyfried) on her pre-Honeymoon discovers a letter left unanswered since 1957 and decides to answer it. This sets in motion the entire movie and, lo and behold, the audience is following the film's characters through Italy's countryside in the search for one true love.

"Letters to Juliet" is a cute romantic comedy that has some pretty scenery and captures of Verona, Italy. The movie is rather unrealistic but in a nice,...

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The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes

70's Masterpiece finally available on DVD
It's a sad commentary on the films featuring Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, that two of my favorites have nothing to do with Doyle at all. The first is They Might Be Giants (with Joanne Woodard a woman named Watson and George C. Scott as a man who believes he is Sherlock Holmes) and Billy Wilder's late period masterpiece. Stuffed with Wilder's characteristic cynical wit, sophisticated dialog and outstanding performances The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes has been out of circulation for too long.

MGM's terrific reissue features a number of extras that make this edition worth waiting for. While it doesn't have the cut scenes reintegrated into the film, it does feature a deleted scenes gallery that suggests how the film might have been had it not been butchered prior to general release. Sadly, there's much missing from this "lost" footage and, as a result, we don't get a restoration as much as a "recreation" with bits and pieces and script segments.

While this isn't the best...

So much was LOST!
This film is a cult classic and well deserving of that status. It's one of my favourite films and for YEARS we were promised the excised footage would be replaced and we could finally see this marvellous film in the form Billy Wilder meant it to be. Well, I am sure like all fans of the film, we waited with hope that NOW they would include all these scenes. And while the film transfer is great and I was sad to see there is NO footage to speak of to be added. There are snippets of film of other adventures, stills flashed over a poor soundtrack, but according to MGM there is no extra scenes, they have been lost.

WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT!

The film is still a must for Billy Wilder, Robert Stephens, Chris Lee or Sherlock Holmes Fans. But just do not expect all the lost footage to be restored.

It is a very very funny look at Holmes, a more human look perhaps. This is a mirthful look at the adventures of Sherlock Holmes, lovingly portrayed with a twinkle in his eye by the late great...

Billy Wilder is a wonderful director, after all . . .
Why a mess like IRMA LA DOUCE makes a profit and a lovely film like this sinks without a trace is a mystery bigger than anything on display in this "lost" case of Sherlock Holmes, which involves the Truth About The Loch Ness Monster, some very sinister monks, and a lovely woman (Genvieve Page) who drags Holmes into the middle of it all (Well, she does show up on his doorstep stark naked in the middle of night. What's a gentleman, even one who's a bit of a misogynist, supposed to do?). Robert Stephens brings wit, melancholy, and anger to the role, keeping all of these elements of Holmes' personality at play simultaneously, and he is matched splendidly by Colin Blakely's Dr. Watson, who's smarter than Nigel Bruce's Watson and more fun than Conan Doyle's. Page is poised, charming, and ambiguous as the heroine, just the sort of girl to hold Holme's interest. There's also a wonderful supporting performance by Christopher Lee as Holmes' brother Mycroft, a sputtering...

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Angelina Ballerina: Mousical Medleys [HD]

Singing and Dancing!
This is a classic Angelina Ballerina DVD that is full of dancing and songs. Very cute and musical. My kids (my boys and my 2 year old daughter) enjoyed it and we have watched it a few times now. I love though how Angelina and her friends work together to solve problems, make decisions and be a good friend. It is full of great lessons for preschoolers and very simple for kids to understand. This is a great DVD whether you have an old or new Angelina fan!

I received this DVD to review in exchange for sharing my honest opinion.

Very Amazing and Awesome Musical Stories on this Very Amazing DVD!
Once Again another Great and Amazing Dvd with Very Wonderful and Musical Stories! 1 Story is about Art,ANother About Recycling,another about working together as a Team,another about Opera and History and one about performing a Special Musical.All these awesome stories are very Heart Warming and Very Incredible for both Kids and Adults!

Great for the Musically Minded
My three year old daughter Paige is going to be the musical one in the family as she loves anything to do with music and dance. She has always loved Angelina Ballerina but I knew she'd be especially excited to watch Mousical Medleys since it has an emphasis on music as well as dance.

Angelina is a spunky little mouse with a talent for dance and fun friends that she has many adventures with. Things don't always go according to plan for Angelina but she has a way of working things out. I like that this DVD encourages working together and solving problems; perfect for my three year old!

"Angelina's Camembert Parade" was Paige's favorite episode because we recently went to a parade and she can't stop talking about it. It's funny the things that stick in kids mind at certain ages. We have been to many parades before but this is the first time it really made an impact.

Angelina Ballerina: Mousical Medleys is clean fun for your toddler and even those that...

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Can't Buy Me Love

You Can't Buy Love, But You Can Buy This Movie
Amusing story of a nerdy high school student Ronald Miller (Patrick Dempsey) who discovers that becoming popular isn't the greatest thing in the world. After she accidentally ruins her mother's suede dress with some wine, Cyndi, the most popular girl at school (played wonderfully by Amanda Petersen) will do anything to replace it before her mother gets back from her trip.

Enter Ronald. After seeing her desperate attempt to replace the dress at the mall, Ronald makes a deal with Amanda. He'll use the money that he has earned all summer by mowing lawns to buy a new dress, in return for Amanda's help in turning him to Mr. popularity.

Along the way, Ronnie learns lessons about the true value of having real friends, and towards the end of the movie Ronald discovers that he is still himself.

This film, which is no longer produced by Touchstone Video (a division of the Disney Corporation) features many couple of stars before they hit it big. Gerardo, the Latin-singing...

Best 80's movie made going to DVD
An 80's teen romantic comedy that you can watch over and over again. There is more to the story being told than money cant buy you love. I think a deeper message to this story is no matter how life changes and the world around you changes dont get caught up in all. Stay who you are and true to yourself and everything will work out in the end. On another note Im very happy that Buena Vista Home Entertainment is finally going to put this movie out on DVD this summer. So to all of you Can't Buy Me Love fans out there lets hope they include some special features. I myself would love to hear a commentary from Patrick Dempsey and Amanda Peterson and some deleated scenes. There is not much info from Buena Vista other than its being released this summer. ...

From totally geek, to totally chic...
I can only vouch for the VHS version, but this movie is a total classic. While it has a solid message about the futility of popularity and the innate human urge to make tribal judgements about others, it is also a delicious piece of entertainment.

Pat Dempsey gives a stellar performance as Ronald McDonald Miller, the RoboNerd who fakes his way into the fast lane, and Amanda Peterson proves she is more than just serious eye candy with a sensitive and intelligent portrayal of the head cheerleader and Ron's dream girl. Yet in spite of a brilliant performance in a very very hip teen movie, Amanda didn't seem to do any films worth a dang after this classic. What an outrageous waste of talent.

The excellent supporting cast, script and John Hughes quality direction make Can't Buy Me Love one of the most refreshing and intelligently "feel good" movies of all time. LOVE the ending.

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Fantastic Mr. Fox (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Can't stop watching this movie
Ordinarily, I watch a movie one time. On rare occasion, twice. Has to be a really special movie (or highly quotable, a la Caddyshack or Pulp Fiction) for me to desire multiple viewings.

That said, I can't stop watching "The Fantastic Mr. Fox". The animation is fascinating, the voices are perfect, and the writing and vibe are pure Wes Anderson. On every subsequent viewing, more details come to light. The expressions on the faces of the characters, the way they eat (you'll have to see it), etc. Can't stop watching. Every wordless gesture invites repeated viewing. i.e., something as simple as Kylie shrugging his shoulders and grinning caused me to watch it over and over. Same with Ash turning to look at the camera after a redemption of sorts.

I'm almost embarrassed by how much I like this movie. I'm 46 years old, for crying out loud. But I do.

Fabulous, whimsical, funny as all get out - there's something quite fantastic about Mr. Fox and friends
When we meet Mr. Fox he's in a bind - he and Mrs. Fox get caught in a trap and she tells him she's pregnant and he promises never ever but never again to risk his life taking from farmers. He'll get a respectable job, as a columnist for the local paper, but two years later (12 in fox years) they have a misfit teen and a visiting cousin and Mr. Fox is feeling middle aged and anxious, and itchy for the danger and criminal excitement of stealing poultry.

He's a wild animal at heart, he insists, not made to settle down into age and oblivion. He comes up with a plan, and along with his friend, the possum plumber, plans one last heist, not just any heist but the big one, stealing from the fiercest farmers around: Boggis, Bunce and Bean (you know: one fat, one short, one lean, but uniformly mean). They don't take it lying down. Mr. Fox's carefree and careless indiscretions turn into an all out war between the farmers and the animals, and everyone will have to work together and...

Fantastic Mr. Fox
When I saw previews for this film in the theatre, by wife and I exchanged eye-rolls. So when I borrowed a friend's copy out of sheer boredom with the current panoply of predictable, music video children's films, my expectations were low. In fact, we began this film close to the kid's bedtime so I'd have a reasonable excuse to bail out early.

Well, the kids loved this movie and so did I. It's wonderfully paced, the animal characters are idiosyncratic and immensely likable, and the dialogue is conversational and amusing. I don't like when an animated children's film includes a stratum of adult innuendo. That, to me, is targeted marketing, and those carefully distributed oblique references that make mom and dad chuckle exist to compensate for a weak story. No gimmicks here. Funny situations, cleverly crafted characters, technically superb animation, and a novel story.

We've must've seen it 10x since that first night. Any other film and I would have...

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The Whistleblower [HD]

Fighting human rights violations
"The Whistleblower," based on a true story, is a gritty movie about sexual trafficking in Bosnia. Kathryn Bolkovac (Rachel Weisz), a Nebraska cop, is a divorced mom who takes a job with a security contractor for big pay and a short tour in the Balkans. She discovers that ethnic tensions have caused local cops to refuse to investigate domestic violence cases, particularly those involving Muslims. She is promoted and put in charge of gender affairs by a U.N. official (Vanessa Redgrave), but is increasingly frustrated. After building cases against sexual traffickers, she's told they enjoy diplomatic immunity.

Bolkovac is a lone crusader, persuading fearful women to testify against their abusers, bucking diplomatic hypocrisy, and dealing with rampant paranoia. Ms. Weisz heads this topical political thriller, turning in a powerful performance, one of her best. The movie underscores the collateral damage caused by politics and maintaining the delicate balance of world...

A sharp, intellegent political drama that's not easy to watch
The Whistleblower is not a comfortable film to watch, nor is it supposed to be - Rachel Weisz takes on an extremely difficult role here that could have come across as monotone in the hands of someone less capable. I used to think she was a fairly average actress but she's clearly become somebody extremely skilled around challenging material. Some of her final scenes in the film are Oscar-worthy and underscore a number of sickening truths that have been developed throughout the script.

From the first few minutes, it's pretty clear that the story isn't going to have a happy ending and once you see what military contractors and UN officials were conspiring to achieve, it's enough to make you want to write letters to your elected representatives. I haven't read anything to indicate that the situation shown in this film is untrue and it paints an extremely shameful picture of what Westerns organizations were doing while supposedly protecting civilians.

Overall, it's...

Harsh Realities Exposed
THE WHISTLEBLOWER is a film that kicks you in the stomach and then continues to play out the worst possible truths that we'd rather not admit exist. The theme of the film is Human Trafficking, and apparently there are about 2.5 million victims around the world today - young people who are sold into sexual slavery for the financial gain of people from all areas of life, including our own government, the International Practices Task Force, and contracted companies supported by the US Government to rebuild who are assigned to third world countries and countries besieged by or recovering from war, and in our own cities in this country. This film is based on a true story, a story written (and discussed in the bonus track on the DVD) by Kathryn Bolkovac who was transferred from her police job in Lincoln, Nebraska to Bosnia (with the promise of $100,000. and a six month term) to monitor the local Sarajevo police and advise them on proper police procedures. Bolkovac's story was written for...

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West Side Story (Full Screen Edition)

WEST SIDE STORY Impresses
Wow. What a great DVD.

The one hour documentary featuring interviews with some of the cast, Robert Wise, Harold Prince, Sondheim, and some key crew members is completely engrossing. Home movie footage showing the filming of the movie is included. Examples of the techniques that the movie makers used to film a musical are fascinating. I was amazed that the knife scene, for example, is COMPLETELY counted out and the actor/dancers' movements were choreographed down to the second (breath, two, three, four; stab, two three; look, two, three, four). Incredible! Rita Morena is particularly informative regarding the dubbing of her song "A Boy Like That". The Robbins/Wise codirecting of the film is explained. And some of Natalie Wood's original vocals are included. The documentary is invaluable for fans of the film.

As for the film itself, it looks and sounds incredible on my widescreen HDTV. The anamorphic transfer is very good.

The DVD is packaged very well. The...

THE Musical, As It Should Be Presented
"West Side Story" is proof that the sum of its parts can not only be greater than the whole, but possibly be the greatest!

Little known writer in Elizabethian England pens a drama about two star-crossed lovers. Flash ahead to the turbulent streets of New York in the late 1950s and early 60s. Turn feuding families to rival gangs. Add music, choreography, make it vital. Then find a brilliant director who knows what to show, and watch as it takes home every Oscar it can.

We know the story of this film but what's important for you to know about here are the extras you get in this package that make it worth your while: The first disc is the film, preserved perfectly. And the second disc has your special features.

First, you get a great documentary on the making of the film. Titled "West Side Memories," Principals like Sondheim, Moreno, Chakiris, Beymer and more sit before the cameras and explain the process of preparing and executing what could be the...

ONE OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING MOVIE MUSICALS EVER!
When "West Side Story" hit the Broadway stage it must have shocked theater critics. A balletic musical about street gangs and murder, with such an emotional swell built in, that even the most hardened cynics must have left the show dewey-eyed and humming the Leonard Berstein score. The film created nothing less than an international craze and garnered an unprecidented 10 Oscars - the most of any musical.
PLOT: In a nut shell, this is Romeo and Juliet in the ghetto. Natilie Wood (dubbed by Marni Nixon) is Maria; poor, Puertorican and in love with Richard Beymer (Tony). But her brother, Bernardo (George Chakaris) and his girlfriend, Anita (Rita Moreno) don't approve. If you know your Shakespeare, you know how this one ends. The difference here are the songs, so electric and outstanding that they easily steal the show. Try listening to "America" or "I Feel Pretty" without tapping your toes or "One Hand, One Heart" without getting goose-bumps. It's impossible.

MGM gives...

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