Wonder: The Lives of Anna and Harlan Hubbard

Great documentary
Remarkable tale of Harlan and Anna, their decision not to work for THE MACHINE, but to find a way of living natural lives as free of money as possible. Long before popular movements of the eco-kind, they made their houseboat and floated away. They were young, they made music, they invented solutions on a daily basis, made friends and grew together in laughter and work.Years later, they built a wooden house, grew as much food as they could and lived fulfilling lives. Sadly they had no children, but inspiring story!

Review based on having visited with Mr & Mrs Hubbard several times growing up
Picture quality good. It is a full hour of information. A documentary. Just wasn't what I expected. I grew up going to the Hubbards with family, school trips, and church outings. Seeing first hand their home and artwork. Will keep my copy. I would suggest going to a local showing if you have a chance and then decide wheter to buy your own copy or not.

"Wonder" by Morgan Atkinson
A remarkable litany concerning the iconoclastic lives of Harlan and Anna Hubbard who lived a Walden-like existence on the Ohio River for 40 years, w/ contributions from Wendell Berry, Will Oldham and Ben Solee. Gives one pause re: our gadget filled, smart phone obsessed lives and what constitutes true fulfillment.

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Myrna Loy & Williams Powell: Collection

All but one of the Powell/Loy films are now on DVD
This collection contains five titles currently not on DVD that were made starring the famous duo during the same time frame as their "Thin Man" series. With the exception of 1947's "The Senator was Indiscreet", this puts all of the Loy/Powell films on DVD. The extras described below are from a press release from Warner Home Video. The biggest let-down about this set is the lack of commentary for any of the films, but Warner probably figures with the amount of documentary material they put in the Thin Man Boxed Set, they would just be going over old territory. The films, in chronological order, are as follows:

Manhattan Melodrama (1934)
This is more of a movie with Powell and Loy than one about them as a couple. The focus is more on Clark Gable and William Powell, who play two orphans who grow up together but wind up on opposite sides of the law. Myrna Loy plays the woman that both characters love. Gable plays the gangster in this film, Powell the guy who goes up the...

A TRUE 5-STAR SALUTE FOR ONE OF FILMDOM'S GREATEST SCREEN TEAMS!
When it comes to screen chemistry between two stars, there were probably only four that stood the test of time...Fred & Ginger, Flynn & de Havilland, Tracy & Hepburn, and my personal (non-musical) favorites, the unbeatable combination of WILLIAM POWELL and MYRNA LOY.

A million thank-you's to those amazing folks at Warner Brothers who keep managing to find a way to drain my bank balance...and I couldn't be happier. Every set from Warner is a winner, but this one is particularly appealing, because I've practically worn out my 6 Thin Man discs!

Here we get a broader spectrum of this terrific twosome. Their screwball shenanigans take center stage in laugh-filled romps such as DOUBLE WEDDING, I LOVE YOU AGAIN, and LOVE CRAZY. All hysterical. All worth countless viewings. Equally compelling are the more serious films in this set, the box-office smash MANHATTAN MELODRAMA, where CLARK GABLE shares the screen with Loy and Powell, and the highly underrated EVELYN PRENTICE...

Nick and Nora step out
After a considerable wait, the remaining five movies which starred Powell and Loy is available on DVD and it is really great to be able to enjoy their efforts. Powell and Loy were stars of the very successful "Thin Man" series (the title character was actually the murder victim in the first series, but most of the fans thought it referred to Nick Charles). Along with the six movies in the Thin Man series, the pair made seven other movies (not counting the Powell vehicle "The Senator was Indiscrete" in which Loy makes a cameo appearance) leading many to believe that they were in fact married in real life.

The movies in this series run the gamut from the sorts of melodramas that MGM famously churned out in the 30s. To be honest, I prefer the later comedies. Clearly, after the success of the first of the Thin Man movies, producers understood that the pair was very well suited to light comedy and animated banter. In films like "Love Crazy," "I Love You Again" and "Double...

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Amazing Love: The Story of Hosea

Saw a preview and this is an incredible story for all youth groups to see.
Amazing Love, Directed by Kevin Downes, is a great movie for families and youth groups. It is a sharp reminder of the danger of cliques. The scenery is incredible and the scenes (flashbacks) to Israel and Hosea are spot on. I plan to show this to our church youth group.

great movie
Too many Christian movies tend to be cheesy, or have not quite up to par acting, but this one should stand out as surpassing expectations. Great acting, and a great plot. It bounces back and forth between modern and Biblical times and shows a great picture of God's love for us. A top-notch movie the whole family can watch

A nice movie
Amazing Love is a nice Christian film that is partly about a youth group and partly about the biblical story of Hosea. It is a clean film and worth watching.

I have seen two other films by the director and I am a big fan; they are "Time Changer" and "The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry." However, I was a little disappointed with part of their new movie and was not able to enjoy it as much as the previous two films. It took awhile to get going. The film did not get to the Hosea story for thirty minutes. The thirty minutes spent focusing on the youth group could have either been shortened, or made to be more entertaining. For example, more conflicts with the troubled girl other than just the spilled coffee could have happened. Camping features more than just fishing, and the opening thirty minutes could have also had the characters doing other camping activities such as canoeing, swimming, or hiking. All of these could have been pulled off in the same amount of time, and would...

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Requiem for a Heavyweight (1956 Television Version) / Patterns (Movie Version) -Written by Rod Serling of Twilight Zone fame

good television
Requiem for a Heavyweight has to be one of the best television dramas ever conceived and aired. Same with Patterns

best version
this version of requiem for a heavy weight is much better than the anthony quinn version which hurts me to say it as I love anthony quinn. Jack palance is one of the only famous actors that used to be a heavy weight pro boxer in real life. his acting is perfect. it is a great story. the other version is over dramatized and over acted. the ending is also different and better.

Classic Rod Serling
I've seen the movie version of Requiem many years ago and found it quite good. Rod Serling often wrote about man under pressure with regard to his work. I did not know there was an early TV version of this story until I found out about this one starring Jack Palance, Keenan and Ed Wynn, and Kim Hunter. What a cast. It's nicely done for early tv, and the ending is different than the movie. Patterns is a theatrical film, also written by Mr. Serling and once again about work pressures, this time in a big business in the city. The performances here are also quite good, featuring Ed Begley. It reminds me of the Twilight Zone episode _A Stoop At Willoughby.

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Coldplay: Live 2012(CD/DVD) [Explicit]

Amazing Concert - not captured well on film
Out of 500+ concerts, this year's tour by Coldplay blew me away and jumped into my top 5 immediately. I flew to Dallas to see the show and then to Tampa, it was just so amazing and I am not the world's biggest Coldplay fan. I cannot explain the euphoric feeling that was at these shows, especially with the lit up wristbands.

The Blu Ray is a complete let down. I do not understand why people make concert films now that don't focus on one frame more than 2 seconds. This Blu Ray could cause a seizure, as it basically snapshots of 2 seconds of different angles, audience shots and fireworks chained together for the length of the film. I wanted to see the band play and I do like seeing the audience reaction, along with the stage show. There were some amazing effects on this tour, and sadly you get to see tiny little clips here and there. There's just no sense of cohesion to this "film". I cannot get engaged with the band on stage because of the fast edits, nor can I get...

Over aggressive camera work prevents this from being a 5-star release. The included CD suffers from the loudness wars.
Coldplay's first new live release since the Sidney, Australia, 2003 DVD is a welcome one, albeit a completely different type of live release. Where "Live 2003" was the entire night of an Australian show on the Rush of Blood to the Head tour, "Coldplay Live 2012" was shot at several venues and incorporates elements of a film/documentary instead, with five insightful interviews with the band members dotted throughout the "set list" as "intermissions".

High marks for the Blu-ray, which was released in scope format and will have black bars at the top and bottom of your screen even if you're watching on a 16:9 widescreen HDTV. This IS normal, no need to try and adjust your set. Coldplay released this in the cinemas for a short engagement and that is likely the reason behind the aspect ratio choice, although I would have welcomed it being released re-cut to 16:9 for home video release given that it is a concert film and no real loss would have occurred unlike what can happen with...

Very disappointed
I was there (in Paris, Stade de France with my Mimine (french fancy name given to my girlfriend)).

Nothing in this Blu-ray falls short of the amazing concert we attended to. I wonder what a guy like Steven Spielberg would have done with the filmed material. The image just doesn't capture the emotion of that early night of September. The editing is so jerky it must have been done by a teenager and the sound is muffled.

This is un insult to this amazingly creative band!

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World Of Discovery - Wolf: Return of a Legend (Amazon.com Exclusive)

Very good
Beautiful footage. I have always held a deep love for the Sawtooth Pack and actually saw Jim's second film 'Wolves at a door' and Living with wolves' before this one. They are much more informative on the pack itself and Jim and Jamie's life amongst them. You begin to perceive each wolves personality and it's impossible not to grow fond of them. Wolf: Return of a legend was created in the early years Jim began forming the pack and though they leave quite a bit out on the individual wolves themselves, it's extremely informative. I had always known that many viewed wolves as ruthless killers and a threat to livestock but to see some clips and footage of the audacious acts to exterminate them was heartbreaking yet eye opening. Wolves are far more similar to us than most would even imagine. Their passion, concern and love for one another is reflected the same as we love and cherish our own. I would recommend this film to anyone and ask that you also watch 'Wolves at our door' and ' Living...

A must have!
I wore out my VHS version of this story. Wolves are my favorite animal and I have enjoyed watching the DVD already. I received the order quickly and the price was unbeatable.



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Ramrod

Range wars and then some
One of the bitterest of all range war westerns, Ramrod is an early example of Andre De Toth's muscular intensity that characterises all his work in the genre through the string of very satisfying Randolph Scotts in the 50s to the extremely bleak Day of the Outlaw (1959). Joel McCrea is just fine as the initially weak cowpoke who tries to keep peace on the range in the face of two rival camps, one led by rancher's daughter Veronica Lake (in a ferocious, chilling performance) and the other by tough hombre Preston Foster, who loves and is rejected by her.

De Toth handles the complex plot and screenplay with his usual sharp explorations of shifting allegiances and betrayals of trust; Don Defore's edgy performance as McCrea's erstwhile friend is pivotal in embodying the film's dark mood and tone which some commentators have labelled noir.

It's great to see some of the Scott/De Toths on or soon to be released on DVD. Why not this film? Its brooding sense of evil is...

great movie..... not so spectacular BR disc....
I loved this movie.... and boy is it packed with star power from McRea and Veronica Lake to Lloyd Bridges and Donald Crisp and lets agree that Andre De Toth knew how to direct. I'd give this a solid 5 star review if the BR disc was priced at $15 and was a beauty to behold. As it is ...its $25 bucks and not restored ...full of dust and other issues which should be addressed at this level of price in today's market place. I'm happy to own this disc but I can't give it any more than 3 stars when you consider its high price and low quality of image.

I've had good luck with Olive Films blu rays but it seems they just spit out whatever they get so I'll proceed with caution going forward. The Trap starring Richard Widmark was another of theirs I picked up today and its just a dreadful transfer.... truly horrible and again $25.

DAVE NASH--RAMROD.
A ramrod or segundo is the owner's man, his or her representative standing between the owner and range crew. In this case Dave Nash, newly appointed ramrod, is called upon to stand not only between his boss and the crew but also every other cattleman on the range. The reason is that the the 66 outfit is contemplating introduction of sheep to what has been up to now only open range cattle country.

As the film opens, we seem to be getting 'in medias res' after certain things have happened, events of which we have no information. As things move along many things become clear, however, the cheating, lying, murder, and out-and-out villany continue to unfold anew. As one character eventually states, too many men have died in this unofficial range war. For it has become open season, with many characters, including Dave Nash, to have seemingly changed their typical, accepted pattern of behavior.

This film of 1947 follows the Macmillian hardcover book by Luke Short...

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Lord Byron

Free your mind and let the rest follow
John Kennedy Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces meets British poet Lord Byron's Don Juan, Childe Harold's Pilgrimage and shadows based on a true story all rolled into one. Bravo.

Take romance and sex, weed smoking, drinking, poverty, religion, a little violence, lack of medical care, crisply ironed clothing, and dismal fate topped with a lottery win; put in a stew of various mental acuities, symptoms of autism, brain injury, and partial seizures; blend meandering and wanderings in search of the meaning of life, and you've got this modern Lord Byron of the Lower Income Louisana Suburbia. The only thing missing from this work are the stereo-typical accents making this film's dialogue authentic and accessible.

Incredibly the shooting budget was less than $1,000. The camera work and editing on this were superb. 10 STAR work from award winning Indie filmmakers.

Someone's student film?
I watched the documentary to the end but would not watch it a second time. To my knowledge I have never met a person such as Lord Byron. His way of being was new to me - articulate loafer exploring his new interest in religion as he interprets it while cavorting with other's money and property as well as affections. The subject did not engage me, but if a first film, good enough production.

One of the best...
I don't often review films, but I was lucky enough to see this movie at a local film festival, and it is hands down one of the best independent films that I have ever seen. Zack Godshall is a Louisiana native, and his honesty and sense of humor about his home state lend this film an incredible sense of place and of regional identity. The movie makes a powerful statement about the loneliness of human existence, without being hopeless or overtly existential - it is simply raw, honest, and thoughtful. It astounds me that this film was made for under $1000. It is truly a testament to Godshall's talent as a storyteller that he was able to produce this beautiful, powerful film.

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Hostel/Hostel 2/The Tattooist/The Hunt for the BTK Killer - 4 movie set

4 Horror Movies at a Low Price!
With Halloween just days away, there's nothing better than watching horror movies, which are constantly being aired on cable channels, but most of them are edited for content. Mill Creek Entertainment recently released four shocking horror films onto a two-discs set. Tower PR and Mill Creek Entertainment kindly sent me a complementary copy to review. This pack contains the splatter-fest Hostel (2006) and its sequel Hostel II (2007), along with The Tattooist (2007) and The Hunt for the BTK Killer (2005).

Hostel starts out as a typical college vacation trip film, where Josh, Paxton, and their new friend Óli just want to have a good time. They get a tip that there are 'easy' beautiful women in Bratislava and of course they go. Things seem normal as they meet three women who seduce them, but they have no idea of what horrors await them.

Hostel is not for the weak-hearted! It, along with the Saw movies, created what is known as the "torture porn" genre. The...

It is a good packjust
i like the combo,and the price was right,and then some! i got this for one move and the rest are just a plus.

Hostel Part 1 & 2
I have only watched both of the Hostel movies and I have always enjoyed them. The quality is great as well. I recommend the Hostel movies for anyone that isn't easily nauseated and likes some twisted humor.

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The Guru

Culture clash, circa 1969 - rueful, nostalgic, thoughtful - 4 & 1/2 stars
Merchant-Ivory films would later explore the clash of Western & Eastern cultures in more weighty terms; but in the early to mid-1960s, their films had a looser, more comic style, a product of the times that really captured the tone of those times. Inspired by the stories of real-life musicians (such as George Harrison) who went to India in search of both musical & spiritual teaching, here we follow pop star Tom Pickle (Michael York) as he goes to study the sitar with master musician Ustal Zafar Khan (Uptal Dutt). The dedicated guru soon discovers that having Pickle as his guest & student has landed him in a pickle as well, with star-smitten hippie girls showing up to disrupt what should have been a serious apprenticeship. Or is Pickle really all that serious in the long run? One hippie girl in particular, Jenny (the always delightful & irresistible Rita Tushingham), may well be more than a mere distraction. Meanwhile, the guru's own family & household also suffer the effects of...

Interesting Movie
This was a interesting movie-The ficrtional plot is somewhat similar to what happened when, in 1966, George Harrison came to India to study with Ravi Shankar. Of course, there are some things that did not happen in real life-they only happened to the character in the movie (who was played by Michael York).



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Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Season 1, Vol. 2

Here's what to expect from the latter half of season 1
This review is written by a totaly blind viewer. Yes, I used those words together in a sentence. So don't expect anything too terribly visual here. That also means I won't be discussing picture quality and all that technical stuff either. Bores me to tears anyway. Anyway, on with the contents of this set.

My mega boxset from Timelife arrived a day or so before I happened upon this preorder and am writing this review as of 8-14-2012, and it contains this exact same title, naturally. So here's what you'll be getting should you purchase this half season set from run of the mill DVD joints or amazon.com this November. You'll get the remaining 30 episodes that comprise the second half of season 1.

31. Calamity Kimberly
32. A Star is Born(First MMPR episode I ever saw back in May of 94 as a rerun of course, so this one holds a special place in my heart for getting me hooked.)
33. The Yolk's on You!
34. The Green Candle, Part I
35. The...

Content Listing
The Power Transfer Pt. 1 (87)
The Power Transfer Pt. 2 (88)
"Goldar's Vice Versa" (89)
"Mirror of Regret" (90)
"When is a Ranger Not a Ranger?" (91)
"Rocky Just Wants to Have Fun" (92)
Light's Camera Action (93)
"Where There's Smoke, There's Fire" (84)
Scavenger Hunt (95)
"The Great Bookala Escape" (96)
"Forever Friends" (97)
A Reel Fish Story (98)
Rangers Back in Time Pt. 1 (99)
Rangers Back in Time Pt. 2 (100)
The Wedding Pt. 1 (101)
The Wedding Pt. 2 (102)
The Wedding Pt. 3 (103)
Return of the Green Ranger Pt. 1 (104)
Return of the Green Ranger Pt. 2 (105)
Return of the Green Ranger Pt. 3 (106)
"Best Man for the Job" (107)
Storybook Rangers Pt. 1 (108)
Storybook Rangers Pt. 2 (109)
Wild West Rangers Pt. 1 (110)
Wild West Rangers Pt. 2 (111)
Blue Ranger Gone Bad (112)

This set has the last 26 episodes of Season 2 and honestly it's like a breath of...

My review
Before i'm attacked, I already own this set. How? well i bought the time life exclusive 40 disc dvd power rangers boxsets. so my season 1 vol 2 is the exact same volume being released in november.
I'm not here to talk about the show. I'm sure if your here, its because your fully aware of this amazing series. This volume concludes season 1, ending on 60 epiosdes. This volume has the remaining 3 dvds, each dvd contains 10 episodes. this set comes with closed captioning for those who have regular dvd players, NOT bluray players that play dvds, those will not display the captioning. No, there is no loss in picture quality. since this season had episodes that lasted no more than 19min, a few at 18min. thats why they are able to put so many episodes without losing video quality, but because of that, they had no space to put in the episode teaser and preview for the next ep onto these dvds. its a sad thing, but who knows, if enough people flood shout factory with emails to add in all...

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Israel My Home

Wanted more
Wanted to see more of the land punctuated with history. I expected to see pictures of the land with explanations of significance.

Great DVD
My husband and I watched this DVD last night and really enjoyed it. It was very interesting and we loved things about Israel we never knew before. We are traveling with our church to Israel this October and feel that this DVD has helped me to organize my thoughts and my minds-eye view of locations to see while on our trip. We are very excited to go to Israel for the first time to see first hand where our Jesus walked, taught, and performed miracles!



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GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth - Final Cut

Is unfettered growth sustainable?
I am looking for a film to open a discussion on growth...there are some who believe growth is always good. They tend to be people who profit from building..Does it matter that they build on wetlands...How do we find the right balance between growth and housing...How many malls is too many?

Not your average dark documentary - it is funny and even a bit silly now and then. Hopefully it will set the right tone for a civil discussion.

Eternal Growth is NOT the Way to Eternal Bliss
We can continue to fight and lose at 10,000 points of environmental darkness, or we can see the light of true sustainably as an overarching issue. "GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth" offers the hope of a real and practical solution to our cultural and environmental dilemma. See it to feel better and do good. There is a way.

Critique of Growth with Humility and Humor
This is a great little film with a straightforward message: It's OK to be against growth.

Some might say this film goes too far, but if anything, we will have to take its arguments further. The film draws out the limitations of a growth economy and shows the very real factors underlying our growth predicament. This would be a great film for students, because it can spark debates and get students thinking about new kinds of economic thinking. I fear the economy their parents' generation bequeathed them is nothing more than a Ponzi scheme.

Already looking forward to Growth Busters II!

Update: After a couple months, this film still sticks in my mind - the sign of a great film in my mind.

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The Comeback

A good straight up documentary
A good straight up documentary of the show, prepping for the show, and comments from the competitors. Not much drama involved like in Pumping Iron, but still good. The extra feature is Arnold doing different poses in his earlier days. The DVD had different music from the VHS I saw, and a longer running time. Worth getting.

Great old school bodybuilding DVD
This short DVD is a good look at Arnold and some of the other prominent bodybuilders from 1980. You get to see training, interviews, and a lot of posing during the competition. I personally feel Arnold won due to his popularity and was definitely not the best competitor in the field. But this is a great DVD for any bodybuilding or Arnold Schwarzenegger fan.

great
than you product was great like the dvd, already saw this item three times. i highly recommed this to others

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Disgruntled Employee

Disgruntled Viewer...
One man film studio - Jersey-boy Bill Zebub is a prolific maker of marginal modern exploitation product, and he HAS been busy! Every so often I get lured back to his low budget domain to see what (if anything) 'new' is cooking in his fevered brain. My most recent 'experiment' in this vein netted me: 'Disgruntled Employee' and I guess it sorta taught me a lesson I'll try not to forget, next time: "just say no"!

To be fair - Zebub doesn't aim too high in his cinematic explorations of gratuitous sex and violence, and you generally know what U R going to get when you pop one of his flix into your DVD player: gratuitous sex and violence! In this lurid little tale we are introduced to 'Steve', a rather creepy unlikable guy who works as a 'handiman schlep' in an office full of 'hot gurlz'. Steve is constantly trying to put the make on his attractive co-workers but they all (except one!) find him repulsive and are constantly complaining about his 'inappropriate behavior' to the...

disgruntled employee
i liked the movie. it's about an inept janitor gets fired with repeated offenses, which triggers a brutal kind of revenge. he takes out his revenge, with all the female workers. later all the women are killed in a fire. small kids should not watch this movie.

A gift
My husband loved this movie...He enjoys B-rated horror flicks...So this was a great gift for him! He wants to order more!

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Transatlantic Coffee

"An independent wonder"
From the first few seconds into the opening sequence of Transatlantic Coffee, I was hooked. The beautiful shots, the soulful melody of Alix Paige and expert use of lighting all blend together perfectly in setting the tone for this wonderful New York original.

We notice straight away that the man sat in a carefree New York City blues bar is troubled. His edgy disposition accompanied by jarring images of distant or recent memories flash on and off screen against the tempo of the music, portrays a man burdened with repressed thoughts that are invading his mind. As the opening sequence ends with a very high pitched drawn out noise, a speeding train races past a block of apartments, sharply bringing us back to Alex's morose reality.

The film begins quite slowly, establishing Alex (Kevin Pinassi) as a depressive, drunken man whose choice of employment, (providing entertainment as a clown), contrasts with his disdain for life and sullen nature. His longing desire to...

Dark, Moody, Original and Highly Convincing
I feel like I found a goldmine! It's a gem in a sea of horrible storytelling. Loved the ending. Watched this film on Prime the other night after hearing about it from a Twitter friend. I usually don't do reviewes on movies but I thought this film deserves to be heard.

In an American market of highly commercial, audience appealing pictures with typical subject matters, special effects and bland characters (just look at today's movie listings) this film takes all of that and flushes it. It's obvious that the filmmakers had a vision and went with it, not worrying about what the American public is familiar with. This film is something to be experienced and I mean that.

As the film starts, you'll notice the unique way the story will be told, with it's long takes, allowing the actors on screen to become real. The writing is deep and has so many moments of "Wow, that is so true". The actors in the film, Kevin Pinassi and Rachel Marie Lewis, whom I have never seen before...

An Indie Masterpiece
A one of a kind, indie masterpiece. A dark and hypnotic drama that simultaneously explores the ecstasy of new found love and the wrenching pain of loss. Transatlantic teeters on the edge of a fever dream, but never falls off giving it a thrilling undercurrent, even when its pacing is deliberate and almost meditative. All of this while exhibiting an eroticism and honesty about sex that is all but nonexistent in mainstream American cinema. And I would be remiss if I didn't point out the beautiful and hardened lines of New York City serve as the perfect backdrop to the story. Transatlantic Coffee is another reminder that independent film is alive and well and worth finding.Loved every minute, with it's deep script and breathtaking visuals. Can't believe it's FREE on Prime! Rent it, if you like real filmmaking. Don't rent if you want explosions.

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Revealing Mr. Maugham (NTSC)

"Revealing" Mr. Maugham?
Revealing Mr. Maugham (2012) is the new documentary on W. Somerset Maugham directed by Michael House. One can buy it through Amazon by requesting a copy (either PAL or NTSC) made.

Honestly, I wasn't expecting too much of it because so far biographies about Maugham have not been too successful. I attribute this to the fact that Maugham writes so much better about himself that it leaves other people's efforts pale in front of his Summing Up (1938), A Writer's Notebook (1949), or the semi-autobiographical Of Human Bondage (1915).

The description on the back of the DVD case reads: "For the first time the full story is told of one misunderstood & influential Gay writers..." It puzzles me immensely what was in the mind of the person when he/she was writing this. I think it is very likely that Maugham would reject the label "gay writer." In the age of gossips and invasion of private space, his homosexuality swells into an exaggerated importance that distracts the reader...

Engrossing
Although I haven't read any Maugham (yet!) - I still have been exposed to his work without knowing it. Much of his work became the basis for screenplays e.g. If you have seen Bette Davis' atrocious Cockney accent in Of human bondage (1934), or Joan Crawford in Rain (1932) then you've seen a screenplay of his novels. Actually a lot of Hollywood connections - Marilyn Monroe might have appeared in a 3rd version of Of Human Bondage had she live a bit longer. That would have been something to see. It seems he was a master of depicting sexual jealousy. Who wouldn't be interested after knowing that? A life full of intrigue (he worked for British intelligence), great fame and wealth, and betrayal (both by him and others).



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Scrooge & Marley

Could be a cult classic
This gay and updated version of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol could become a cult classic. But it also has a message for everyone. Just as gay people can appreciate the many straight versions of this famous tear-jerking tale, so people of all persuasions can enjoy Scrooge & Marley - if they abandon prejudice.
The movie was made for $100,000 in just 12 days, a great feat. I would have liked to have seen how much better it could have been with bigger bucks behind it. Fans will love it, maybe partly because of, rather than despite, its occasional student movie feel - watch out for when the Ghost of Christmas Present reveals the children beneath his robe. Despite its limitations, this production is funny and sweet and the story is so strong that I still had to wipe away a tear.
Part of the fun is guessing how our beloved characters and scenes will be given a gay and contemporary twist. I don't want too spoil too many surprises, but to give you a taster, Scrooge is gay with...

I pleasant surprise
I saw this movie on opening night and I left with a huge grin on my face and a great feeling of community. It was well done with some great special effects and the acting was superb! A gay twist to the classic Scrooge story was presented well. This is definitely a family movie and will leave you walking away with a warm heart and you will be glad that you saw it! A great way to start out the holiday season!

What a charmer!
I had no idea what to expect but this sounded clever so I gave it a shot. What a surprise! This movie is just delightful. In spite of the reasonable expectation of high camp it stears a steady course with genuine, sweet laughs and warm holiday cheer. It is a twist on a timeless classic told through a refreshingly new lens that reveals we are all a lot more alike than you might think. Utterly charming and sentimental. I cried real happy tears! Highly recommened. And the soundtrack is amazing...

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Capone's Whiskey: The Story of Templeton Rye

Christmas Gift
The Story of Templeton Rye for my parents for Christmas. They really enjoyed watching it. Thanks for such a unique item to give as a gift.

Iowa History in the Depression Days
People had to do things not everyone liked. It kept the farm going and the family together at the same time.

Stories galore
It was nice to hear the stories from others that we had heard in our own parts of Iowa. Loved the information about Capone and the brother that had changed his name and worked on the side of the law.

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Ballet Class with Dmitri Roudnev Beginning/Intermediate Level

ballet instrcution
I gave this video 3 stars although it doesn't deserve it from the visuals...only the theory Dmitri is talking about. Unfortunately his student is not able to follow his instructions...not because she doesn't try but because she can't.......which makes me even feel sorry for this little girl in writing this review. The little girl is trying very hard to execute what Dmitri wants ...but all is forced and it is quite painful to see her trying to keep her balance in full turn out which she can't manage and see her sticking her 'bum' out to compensate. Ditto her arms ... since she doesn't have the turnout she's 'grabbing' with her arms which means her elbows are permanently dropped even though he keeps telling her to 'rest them lightly on a table top'. Pity since all the other videos Dmitri has produced are great - Partnering Secrets, Ballet Class Vols V and VI as well as Ballet Class in Russia. Regarding Ballet Class V and VI he uses Amercian professional dancers (Joffrey Ballet)...





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Sing, Boy, Sing

Interesting Teenage Sensation Film
"Sing, Boy, Sing" from 1958 and 20th Century-Fox Cinema Archive may be pan and scan, but it is one their films in Cinemascope and one hopes that they could provide a widescreen version. This otherwise neglected film is made from poor source material, there are a lot of imperfections and definitely not up to the standards set by the Warner Archive. This was Tommy Sands' first film, after which he did "Love in a Goldfish Bowl" then Disney's "Babes in Toyland" before disappearing in the all-star cast of "The Longest Day." He also later appeared in "None But the Brave" in 1965. He does a pretty good job in "Sing Boy Sing." He brings a vitality that was missing in films with Pat Boone and other singing sensations. Perhaps the strongest element in its script by Claude Binyon brings us a clash between his success and unscrupulous manager played well by Edmund O'Brien ("Synanon") and his revivalist grandfather played by John McIntire. Nick Adams gives a great performance that forecasts...

Tommy Sands a teener's delight in the 50's
I wanted to get this and paid through movie on demand, or whatever they call it. But, it is pan and scan, which I hate. I sent it back was told a widescreen version would replace it. But in the beginning it says Cinemascope then that it has been modified to fit your screen. Nick Adams co-starred at the beginning of his career. Sorta corny but so was most of the teenager films in the 50's. I enjoyed it but not in pan and scan. Wake up FOX VIDEO.

Tommy Sands first film. He married Nancy Sinatra...for awhile. He was a regular on the Tennessee Ernie Ford Show that was filmed at the old El Capitan Theater in Hollywood on Vine Street in those days. Across from the Capitol Records building. I used to visit the filming about twice a week.

Buyer beware.
Pan and scan again from Fox Archive! Why don't they leave them in the archive until
they find a proper 2.35 version!

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Bike-O-Vision Cycling Journey- Yosemite & Death Valley National Parks (WS #20) [Blu-ray]

I use them during the winter months.
I have two of these DVD's they are great to use in the off season during the winter months when I have less outdoor activity. Sometimes I play other music to go with my work out on my training bike. I like them because the scenes are long and I notice something different every time I watch them.





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The Magnificent TATi (PAL)

A Must See
Don't miss this truly wonderful film. Tells Jacques Tati story in a way that makes you laugh (a lot) and cry (a little) while showing you tasters from every Tati film. Discusses Jacques Tati's avant-garde roots and offers real insight into Tati's unique genius. His courage in pushing the boundaries of cinema is explained and Tati's unique approach to narrative and use of sound is also explored in ways that are very stimulating - clips from a foley studio makes for great viewing. A short sequence on Mimes is very insightful and wonderfully filmed. Some interesting interview footage with Tati's assistant is nothing short of fascinating. Best film on a cinema director I have seen in years. A must for anyone into movies.





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Moyers & Company: United States of ALEC

Moyers & Company
Moyers is always good. I was a little disappointed that he didn't name names or companies - actually I had heard of ALEC and wanted to learn more. This is a great film if you know nothing about ALEC

Bill Moyers to the rescue!
This should be at all public places for people to see and recognize what their lawmakers are doing. A real eye opener.



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Warner Home Video Western Classics Collection

A pretty good collection of western films from the 50's and 60's
This is a pretty good collection of miscellaneous westerns by Warner Home Video. There is no word on extra features yet, but here are the details on the films themselves and my viewpoint on each one.

Escape From Ft. Bravo (1953) Directed by John Sturges. (4/5)
At the end of the Civil War, Ft. Bravo is being used to house Confederate POWs. William Holden stars as Captain Roper, a man responsible for retrieving escapees from the Fort. He is often brutal in the execution of his duties, but he feels he must be or risk even more escapes. Eleanor Parker comes as a visitor to the fort and butters up Roper. All the while she is helping enable the escape of her true love, a Confederate prisoner. Roper falls in love with Parker's character. When he finds out the truth - after the prisoners escape - he could just leave them to the Apaches. Instead he goes out to rescue and retrieve the prisoners and the girl who betrayed his trust.

Many Rivers To Cross (1955) Directed...

Nice package for a nice price!
Even though I like Westerns, I can't say the movies in this package are all excellent; they range from good to maybe very good at best.

Warner does its job again and the picture quality is very nice and aspect ratios preserved. If you like actors like Robert Taylor, William Holden and Glenn Ford, and Gregory Peck, you may want to consider getting this box set since it also has a good price.

Considering everything, I gave the package 4 stars but the movies would get between 3 and 4 stars from me.

NOT BAD MOVIES......NOT BAD PRICE
I've had my eye on this collection since it came out, but with a real interest in only 3 of the movies due to high cost I held off buying. Yet today at WalMart I found the entire collection of 6 DVDs for $15.00.

I watch western movies and also read many fiction and non-fiction books on the west so several of these films meet my interest. Nothing better than seeing a book you have read brought to the silver screen. Among the better ones here are THE STALKING MOON (From noted western writer T.V. Olsen's book of same name), ESCAPE FROM FORT BRAVO, and THE LAW AND JAKE WADE (Fawcett Gold Medal Book 756, Marvin H. Albert). While the other 3 DVDs are interesting the above 3 are the ones of main interest to me, and was surprised how good a movie such as SADDLE THE WIND turned out to be. I am less interested in CIMARRON (remake from 1931) and MANY RIVERS TO CROSS.

Warner Brothers seems notorious for not opening their vaults to issue many DVDs, even the acclaimed...

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Expendables 2

The Boys are BACK!
Let's get one thing straight. You don't go into a movie like The Expendables without knowing what you are getting yourself into. If you've seen the first film and enjoyed its larger-than-life salute to big 80's action stars then you know exactly what you should expect from the sequel. It's more of the same formula: Big on star power machismo, ammunition, and one-liners and simple on plot, exposition and intelligence. The bottom line is; you don't watch The Expendables expecting any Academy Award winning performances. If this doesn't sound like kind of movie that you would normally enjoy watching then you came to the wrong party.

The Boys are BACK: Sylvester Stallone as Barney Ross, Jason Statham as Lee Christmas, Dolph Lundgren as Gunner Jensen, Terry Crews as Hale Caesar, Randy Couture as Toll Road and Jet Li as Yin Yang while Mickey Rourke is out as Tool but the testosterone meter is still off...

Big, Bloody, Blow-'Em-Up FUN!
When Sylvester Stallone dreamt up the original EXPENDABLES film, it was designed to be a throwback to the cheesy 80's shoot-'em-up spectacles that were low on plot and character and high on action and adrenaline and combine many of cinema's greatest (or at least somewhat famous) action stars in one film, and it succeeded in some ways and failed in others. The biggest problem that I had with the original is that there were too many patented Stallone-As-Screenwriter moments when he tried to make the film more serious than it EVER needed to be. But when the action was on, it was really glorious to watch all of the over-the-top silliness explode like a Wile E. Coyote cartoon on crank. Fortunately we're treated to much more of that silliness and much less of the seriousness in the Simon West (CON AIR, LARA CROFT: TOMB RAIDER) directed EXPENDABLES 2.

As the film opens with a terrific opening set piece of an assault on a fortified bunker, we are reintroduced to our team of...

The Best Worst Best Worst Action Movie
Expendables 2 is rife with gun play, stabbings, explosions and fun one-liners. Frankly, this is exactly what the movie presented it to be. If this comes across as indicative of the kind of movie that of movie entertains you then please note that Expendables 2 a genre archetype.

If you expect a deep plot and a layered story then look elsewhere. Frankly, it's hard to imagine someone that would look for this approach here. Such criticisms that speak to this are unfounded as they do not actually review the product as advertised.

I don't want to spoil the film. Let me just say though that Chuck Norris plays a Messianic figure a la Judah Maccabee (obviously not like the suffering servant Yeshua Messiah). He has an almost otherworldly indestructible attribute. This alone made the movie worth a viewing.

Bottom line: If you are an American male with a good amount of testosterone in you veins you will enjoy this film.

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NFL America's Game: 1970 COLTS (Super Bowl V)

A Great Game Lost Forever. All We Have Left Is a Bad Highlight Reel.
This film highlights the 1970 Season and features Bill Curry, Bubba Smith, Ernie Accorsi and Mike Curtis sharing there memories.

The NFL Films footage is amazing and well worth the price. Ed Harris does a great job with this video. I can see why he was chosen.

According to many accounts, Super Bowl V was seen as an embarrassment. NFL Films' famed John Facenda dubbed it "The Blunder Bowl". Even some of the former Colts players deemed it an "empty win". Bubba Smith to this day claims he never wore his Super Bowl ring. And to top it all off, the NFL made a ridiculous call awarding the MVP to a player on the losing team. I believe the decision to give the MVP to a loser, forever stamped this game as a disaster. You'll never see that mistake made again. (Sorry Chuck good game but no MVP.)

The emotion that comes out of Bubba Smith, Mike Curtis and Bill Curry is intense. It puzzles me that these guys are not happy about a game they won? OK, they lost to the...

Best Episode of a Great Series
The NFL Film's America's Game is wonderful series. This is the best episode. The 1970 Colts were a team haunted by the failure of Super Bowl III. As Bill Curry describes, the 1968 Colts were on the verge of being proclaimed the greatest team in NFL history. The loss in Super Bowl III not only took that away from them, it forever branded them as the first team to lose to the AFL, to be constantly relived in NFL Films highlights and on ESPN classic. The 1970 Colts used that failure as the catalyst for the 1970 season in attempt to redeem themselves. However, it is only after winning Super Bowl V do they realize that even a Super Bowl victory can not make up for that loss. Growing up a Baltimore Colts fan, I have always understood this. As sports writer Bill Gildea put it, "no one in Baltimore ever got over the loss in Super Bowl III." I am 50 years old and I still haven't gotten over Super Bowl III. The shame of it is that the 1970 Colts should be celebrated for its remarkable...

Tale of Two Cities - Baltimore / Indianapolis
This superbowl V I remember as a youth barely and it was great to re-live this moment on dvd! I always loved Bubba Smith and the Baltimore Colts defense. On this viewing, this Superbowl V was not a very exciting game, filled with turnovers and some sloppy playing on both Baltimore and Dallas but good viewing anyway.

I loved the commentary by Bubba Smith stating that since the organization left in 1983, the Baltimore Colts players have been shuned by the Indianapolis Colts, the present Colts have no history of their team during the Baltimore years or don't respect it, what a shame!!

This dvd is still a great view!

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Under Jakob's Ladder

Locally shot.
I bought this movie after finding out it was shot in the town I live in. Good little story and not bad for a low budget film. It's more a keepsake than a movie I'll watch over and over again.





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Adams Apples Chapter 1: The Family Ties

Wonderful!
This series is wonderful. Great cast, with the excepion of a couple of characters, but overall-this is one I've added to my DVD collection. I sure hope they come back with Season 2! Pay special attention on chapter 6 to vocalist Irene Logan's beautiful "My Mind Dey" that she sings in the club scene-excellent!





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Earthling

Caution - Objects May Be Closer Than They Appear
Interesting premise. A mysterious object appears from space. As it approaches earth it causes a disturbance. The result is some people have strange dreams. However this is not a 50's type sci-fi. It is more of a psychological thriller where high school teacher Judith (Rebecca Spence) and a few others must find out who they really are on the inside. As we watch this movie we to travel the same path and may find out who we really are.

Looking at one line reviews of this movie you will come away with totally different visions of what you are about to watch. The movie gives too many dimensions and allows the viewer to fixate on just one or two of them. What may appear to be slow to one viewer is methodical to another. What may look unduly artsy to one viewer is the only way to portray the story in the time and media given.

The actual execution of this movie includes drugs and weird relationships. I cannot help but think that they are trying to disseminate more than...

A smart indie sci-fi.
I wasn't sure what to expect, but I have to admit I fell for this movie. It works at a different pace than typical mainstream action sci-fi, but it builds in a way that's intelligently layered and completely compelling. The director has the great sense to tease information about the characters in a way that had my mind working overtime to put the pieces together, and while I'll admit that I was the tiniest bit confused at points, I was mostly just satisfied to have gotten a mental workout!

Not For the Casual Viewer
I get ticked when I see a movie like this and I don't understand everything that's going on because I'm not sure if the film maker did a poor job in relating it, or maybe the lower production values caused me to not hear certain key elements, or maybe I simply didn't get it. Whichever it is, this seemed like a really cool concept and movie but I couldn't make total sense of it.

Here's the scoop. A joint American/Russian space station is approached by a large-ish organism that looks like a bacteria. Next thing you know a few select people on earth are experiencing odd events and begin to grow horn-like protrusions on their foreheads. The heroine, a teacher, is approached by one of her students and is brought into a small circle of people and enlightened as to what this is all about.

Watching this immediately reminded me a Shane Carruth's "The Color Upstream" in that it is a very elusive telling of a science fiction story that is almost entirely writing and acting...

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Judas Kiss Blu-ray

Gay cinema, meet your game changer
For me, Judas Kiss (which I saw at the Frameline Film Festival in San Francisco this past June)represents a huge leap in indie gay film making. After years of coming out stories (who have their place, but are clichéd riddled these days), it was fun to see a movie where no one was suicidal about being gay, was not being beat up because they're gay or just worried they could be gay. It also differs from the others in this genre with its lush cinematography and impressive use of CGI effects (and on such a low-budget I know these movies work with). In this film, screenwriter Carlos Pedraza (the web series Star Trek: Phase II) and director J.T. Tepnapa (the funny short Masturbation: Putting the Fun into Self-Loving and the web series Star Trek: Hidden Frontier) takes a simple idea -what if you could go back in time and change your past- and spins a tale about the paths we choose when we're young, and how (at the time) we never think about the consequences of our actions. From that...

Surprisingly good and creative "coming of age" story with a paranormal twist.
"Judas Kiss" is a rather creative and ambitious story about destiny and second chances. The main character is "Zachary", a 30-something failed movie director (David's character) who reluctantly agrees to help judge a film school scholarship competition at his old alma mater. Being housed in a dorm room for the festival makes this even more of a journey for Zachary, since it reminds him of all the promise and potential he showed back then, which he sold out by making some bad decisions then and since. At a gay bar near campus, he meets a student (played by Richard Harmon) with whom he spends the night. It's not until the next day, meeting the filmmakers, that he realizes the young man is one of the contestants. Even stranger: the young man's name is Danny Reyes, which is Zachary's real name, and the film he presenting is actually one that Zachary made when he went to the school. A mysterious older man clues him in that he is somehow being given a second chance to perhaps change...

A clever, charming gem of a movie.
This film, Judas Kiss, was absolutely amazing, and everyone leaving the film festival theater where I recently saw it was touched by it and its message of regret, redemption, and hope for the future. Judas Kiss has a little bit of something for everyone, but most especially, it is a story that every viewer can relate to... reflection upon one's own life, regret over decisions made, and what you might have done differently if you could. In this innovative film, the character of Zach actually does get a chance to change some things in his younger life. But will his younger self, in that "all-knowing-invincible arrogance" of teenage youth, listen to his older self, and take a different path that will change both of their futures? That indeed is the question in this charmer of a film.

The film has a professional and compelling soundtrack, lighting, photography, and editing, I was blown away by its message of regret, redemption, and the possibility of change. Charlie David, Sean...

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Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups [Blu-ray + DVD Combo]

This will be a new holiday classic
This is a great family movie and will be a new classic for kids of all ages. My younger daughter loves the dogs and my older daughter loved Josh Feldman, the human character who did a great job and will be the next Disney cutie. As a mom I loved the believable cast, great music and an important lesson learned at the end, not to mention that the whole family could sit and watch together. Buy and enjoy.

This children's movie is depressing.
I was looking for a movie for my kids - ages 5 and 2 1/2 - to watch as a treat. This seemed like a safe choice. How can you go wrong with a movie that has cute dogs and Santa? I was wrong. This movie is depressing. A significant part of the plot includes the (human) kids trying to deal with their first Christmas without their mom, who has recently died. I can deal with the sickeningly sappy parts of the movie, but the whole thing about the kids' mom's death is a bit much for a children's Christmas movie.

A fun family movie
This was a cute movie bringing forth the Santa Paws series again. My kids loved the original movie and when they saw that we had received this movie to watch the wasted no time in getting me to put it on. The premise of the movie was fun and the dogs definitely get into some mischief, but in the end they learn some valuable lessons about the Christmas season and about themselves and they share this with the viewers as well. I don't want to give away too much, but this movie was a lot of fun for the whole family, and if your kids are like my daughters they will love the movie and adore the puppies!

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Cirque Berzerk

cirque soleil meets rocky horror picture show?
While there were a few circus-worthy acts in the mix, the overall feel and look was less professional than expected. The effort was half-baked in that if they really wanted to present a dark carnival there should have been less comedy and fewer attempts at modern dance with much more emphasis on the berzerk and bizzare. in 2013, this was neither. It was probably a great idea in the head that fell flat when finally executed.

Dark, interesting, visually impressive, but...
Not sure if this was just a bad recording, but the vocals really threw this for me. Visually stunning and I enjoyed the underworld cabaret angle quite a bit, but every time a vocalist did their thing it undermined everything else going on.

Fantastic Fantasy!
A dark remake of cabaret and circus with a touch of freak show, that kept me interested and watching. Bezerk made me want to run away with a circus again, after all these decades.

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The Search for Kennyboy

Hilarious romp
This is a fun and hilarious movie - If you appreciate solid comedies & tongue-in-cheek action flicks, this film is for you!

Creative indie romp
Loved this first effort from director Justin Wood. A delightful, entertaining tour through pop culture in the form of a sly action flick. Screened at the Buffalo Film Festival and at Seattle's True Independent Film Festival to excellent reviews. Appropriate for ages 10 and up--my teens enjoyed it too.



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Freemasonry: Fatal In The First Degree

The truth uncovered
We had a little background but this was a serious eye opener.
Our Bible warns us about being deceived but these people are specialists!!!!!
They use all the Biblical terms to get away with their conniving words and actions !!!!
May they burn in hell for deceiving the young & innocent into a corrupt & sickening organisation.
BUT we will hand them to the real & living God
and then start to pray for them

Shocking information!
I must say, after viewing this video, the puzzle pieces all came together for me. I knew quite a bit of this information, but never saw how it all fit together. If you truly want to understand the Masons, the Illuminati, the mysteries of Osiris and Isis and other fascinating information, watch this video. It is the quickest, most interesting 2 and a half hours I have spent in a long time. All of the information comes right from the horse's mouth. I rented it and watched it on my TV via Roku, but of course you can watch it on your computer, as well.

Farcical Bulls***
If you want to listen to 80 minutes of circular logic and conclusion jumping for $3.99 then this is for you.

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World Of Discovery - Beautiful Killers (Amazon.com Exclusive)

no sound on this
I have volume all the way up and still no sound, and without closed captioning, you simply miss out on too much with the sound gone. Good thing they were offering this for free to prime members!

Great
Great. Wish there were more available definitely would like bigger educational series to choose from. We also watched living with wolves

no sound
Sat down with the family to watch this but there was no sound. :( We were all bummed out. So don't wast your time.

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Down To The Sea In Ships

Down To the Sea In Ships
This movie has been a long time in coming! I remember DTTSIS as a young man and it always was a movie I wanted to see 50 years later but it was never available until now. 20th Century Fox finally released it and I am really impressed with the quality of the picture as well as the sound of it. It rings true with the sense of whaling in the latter part of the 19th century. Widmark, Stockwell and of course Barrymore could not have been a better choice to see this movie in its full granduer! There are few whaling movies I am familiar with with the exception of Moby Dick with Gregory Peck as Ahab, but Barrymore brings a more intense, sincere and emotional style to this movie. Widmark was truly the "star" of this motion picture but I do not slighten Stockwell's performance with Widmark. McIntire, Flippen, Calloway and of course, Harry Morgan(M*A*S*H) rounds out the movie! Not being part of the sea(raised on a cattle ranch in Arizona), I always enjoyed movies about the sea and of course...

Excellent sea drama
This film centers on the grandfather/grandson relationship on a whaling vessel. It is quite a terrific movie and the cast is excellent. Dean Stockwell has always been a good actor and has always been a winner in his juvenile roles. For top adventure and drama and beautiful black and white photography, I highly recommend this film.

Down To The Sea In Ships a Treasure !
Available at long last to the public, a classic off to sea adventure taking place in the halcyon days of whaling in the U.S. this film is sure to please the average veiwer as well as the avid seafarer among us.
Full of historically accurate whaling practices and wrought with the human struggle of right versus wrong, a must see !
If you're a fan of Lionel Barrymore you owe it to yourself to get this movie and see what I believe to be one of his best performances. Also stars Richard Widmark and a young Dean Stockwell.

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It Happened in Athens

NOT WIDESCREEN!!!
As JM's all time #1 fan, I was very much looking forward to receiving this dvd in the mail and ready to throw out my old dvd bootleg copy of it. However, after viewing the film from the 20th Century Fox Cinema Archives dvd collection, I think I'll hang on to it. Not much of an improvement, if any, from my bootleg. Here's why: The picture is VERY grainy on a high definition television screen, even for a manufactured on demand dvd with no remastering. And the picture ratio is standard TV size (Formatted to fit, this screen, the intro says), and NOT the original widescreen/Cinemascope in which it was filmed and originally presented. Not what I was hoping for. The C-Scope would have made the cinematography look a lot more appealing and 20th Century Fox should know better that to release a cropped product like this in the digital age. If this were a Monroe film, I'm sure it would have gotten a much better home video representation. Maybe someday.... On the plus side: Jayne looks...

It Happened In Athens
Congratulations Rupert Murdock, You've Conned me again. The number of these pan & scan t.v. prints of Fox's cinema archive series now confirm you as 'KING of CRAPP' across all media. The cinemascope & color by deluxe are even displayed on the cover art....SHAME!

RELEASED IN 2:35 BUT NOT HERE
great, fun, thrilling, dramatic & exciting movies released in a format that doesn't enhance your viewing pleasure. the studios......go figure.....why do they do the viewing audience such a disfavor? 5 stars for movie & 0 stars for dvd

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Monster Jam Freestyle 2012

Best Monster Truck DVD
Bought this for my monster truck crazy two year old, he loves it. The quality of the picture is amazing, feels like you're at Monster Jam. This DVD is just freestyle, the only part anyone really likes about Monster Jam, so that keeps my little monster's attention.

Monster Jam Freestyle DVD
My son loves monster jam, he has pretty much every truck they have, and this dvd is perfect for him. His favorite is the crashes, and there are a lot of crashes in this dvd. Great purchase!

Love it
Bought this for our grandson, he LOVES monster trucks and he will set and watch this over and over! He will get all of his toy monster trucks and have them beside him while hes watching!

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The Alamo: Thirteen Days To Glory / One Man's Hero - 2 DVD Set (Amazon.com Exclusive)

Definite Television Pablum
You had the actors, but not the screen play. The Alamo story always falls into the hands of romantics who neglect the drama. Another failed effort.

an excellent Texas history lesson.
This movie was excellent in its portrayal of the ALAMO story. I highly recommend to serious history buffs and everyone else.



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Intrigue in the Bakumatsu - Irohanihoheto: Coll 2

Anime was Good
its came in good condition with no problem it is an excellent anime and it was amazing to watch and see

Finale To A Very Entertaining Samurai Action Anime
If you liked the series Samurai 7 or Samurai Champloo then this series is a good addition to your anime collection. The characters and storyplot are enjoyable enough and the animation is clear and sharp an the soundtrack fits the melodic tempo found in a lot of samurai movies or animes. The villains and hero's are pretty standardized as you see in a lot of animes but they're endearing and you do cheer them on through their ordeals. The Japanese voice cast did a terrific job and for the most part so did the English dub cast though there were one or two they might have though about recasting.

So if you already have the first set then this is a must have and if you're unsure of the series I'd advise checking out a few episodes online if possible you probably find yourself more entertained with the series then you first expected...

The Intrigues of Akizuki Y

2012 San Francisco Giants: The Official World Series Film

Brings back a magical season of wonderful memories
I've been waiting for this since the end of the World Series. The package includes the World Series highlights film plus a number of regular season and post season extras -- including the complete NLCS game 7.

This a great opportunity to remember those nail-biting, record-setting and inspirational NLDS, NLCS & World Series games -- the Giants threw 4 shutouts, won 6 elimination games and ultimately took their last 7 in a row on the way to a 4 game World Series sweep of the Tigers.

The Giants post season had it all: timely hitting, great pitching, awesome defense -- and yes -- good breaks. Reliving the redemption of Barry Zito was moving -- he's gone through such tough times since signing with the Giants. Re-watching Ryan Vogelsong's post season dreams come true was wonderful. Remembering Tim Lincecum's brilliant post season relief appearances was fantastic. Marco Scutaro reaching out and enjoying the rain right before he catches the ball for the final out of...

OUTSTANDING
If a person doesnt care for a certain sports team, then writing a nasty review is just childish. One should realize that a World Series highlight video is for two kinds of people; the first obviously would be fans of the team that triumphed; the second viewer would be someone who appreciates the historical context and wants that for their archives.

The previous silly review should be ignored.

The game in the rain
The film itself is okay with a quick synopsis of the regular season and the bigger moments during the playoffs. Bought this mostly for NLCS Game 7 because it has the commentary from Kruk & Kuip and John Miller. It also has the STL track as well if you are interested.

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World Of Discovery - Orangutans: Children of the Forest (Amazon.com Exclusive)

Review
I bought this to donate to a silent auction at our Zoo's "Gorilla Dinner". Worked well.
All the proceeds go to saving the Orangutans.





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World Of Discovery - The Secret Life of 118 Green Street (Amazon.com Exclusive)

The Secret Life Of 118 Green St.
This is a classic! Using great photography, it gives you a different perspective on what's going on in your house.I've used the VHS version for years in my science classes.

Not made in 2008
I did not realize that this was made in 1990 - or maybe even before that. Old move, grainy, not what I hoped to get. Looks like a home made copy of the VHS version. 2008 is misleading. Sorry to say this because it is a great OLD documentary, I just thought it was redone in 2008.



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World Of Discovery - Earthquakes: The Terrifying Truth (Amazon.com Exclusive)

okay - a little dated...
overly dramatic in a few places... but was pretty informative and interesting in others with some decent graphics. overall, was a decent watch.

Dated
This documentary might have been really good at one time, but it's seriously dated (1994). There is some nice historical info on how an earthquake in China sparked the modern attempts to try to use seismic data to predict them. There is also some nice footage of the Alaska quake.



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The Leach Pottery 1952 (2nd Edition)

leach video
Expected it to be longer....have more on the pottery and techniques. Perhaps him demonstrating a bunch of different forms? Would've been nice...

Making History
It is a rare opportunity to see Holocaust through non-European WWII participants' eyes.

In-spite a government order, a Japan's vice-consul in Kaunas, Lithuania, had issued visas for Nazi-fled Jewish refugees to freely pass via Japan into a Dutch Pacific colony.

With all appreciation of a personal courage and humanity demonstrated by a historic character, a reviewer noticed a string of mere incorrect details describing the timing screened while exposing steadily diplomat's work-related consultations on an issue with his close, toddlers, which what was, probably, a very national specific of the Japanese family relationship.

The USSR was factually the only European country having opened its boarders unconditionally to the Jews fleeing from the Hitler-occupied lands also a long-term serving SU foreign minister Litvinov had a day prior to Germany's officials visit been replaced for an ethnic Russian signing the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact changing the Europe...



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The Castilian

EL CID WITH A DIFFERENT EMPHASIS AND NOT AS GOOD
This spanish-made "spectacle" was released a year after "El Cid" and takes a different look at the medieval Spanish wars between the Moors and the Christians. Whereas the Charlton Heston epic carried a message of unity for loyal Spaniards, whether Moorish or Christian, this movie is a flat out jingoistic anti-Moorish propaganda film. Both movies had large casts, huge battle scenes, a struggle of a hero to unite Spain, a romance, and are told in a style evoking tales told by medieval troubadors. "El Cid," however, has garnered both critical and popular accolades and is actually a damn fine movie, though its stylistic earnestness gets an occasional campy snicker. "The Castilian"'s stylistic earnestness fails to impress and the production values show a depressing cheapness for what was supposed to be such a big movie.

Frankie Avalon (!) plays a travelling minstrel who tels the tale of a hero who defeats the Moors in an epic battle...

The Spanish Story
I see this movies go to many many many years. This is a amusing epic with Espartaco Santoni in the leader character. The count Fernan Gonzalez (another Cid "caballero") and your battlers versus the invasors Arabians. The ending battle is one Spanish Legend. Santiago (Saint James) voyaged from heaven to Spain for combat this enemy.
Broderick Crawford is a bad king and death coming soon. Frankie Avalon sing in Spanish with American accent. Is a kind serie B not great but amusing very much.

The Castilian
This is a fun, lesser known show about the Reconquista (not for the strict History minded). Made after El Cid and on a much more limited budget apparently, it makes up for it with the filming on the historical sites. It does somewhat remind me of an Iberian release of Krazcy, or Alexander Nevsky (propaganda works against the Germans, but here against the Moors).

An enjoyable two hours, despite a sound track that was propbably the worst part of the movie.

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Tetherball

Loved The Hot Chicks...Didn't Care for the Rest
This movie gets two stars because of the naughty, delicious women/girls in the movie that was worth watching. The filmmaker knew exactly what he was doing in that capacity. In fact, that was the only reason why I watched the whole movie. The other necessities of the movie that are primary of climbing the star-rated-scale, meaning the script, acting, direction, and cinematography were not to be taken seriously. It obviously wasn't meant to be impressive due to the limited budget.

I'm lovin it
Anyone with half a brain knows that Tetherball is an awesome movie. Great quality, great camera scenes and angles. 5 stars, thumbs Up! Great job guys!

Awesome Low Budget Film!!!
Art is a very subjective thing, but I also like movies that make good on their promises. This film features a great story (well great for a booze and boobs comedy!), I personally love underdog stories, and they definitely pulled this one off.

Forewarning before buying this... if you don't like Low-Budget Films, then this movie won't be for you. But if you do like low budget films... then you are in for a treat!

Ron Jeremy quite possibly had his best NON-ADULT performance in this film... I always hate films where the Homosexual Character plays it OVERLY FLAMBOYANT, Ron played it very cool, calm, and CREEPY. You couldn't ask for a better villain.

Dustin Diamond has about 8-10 minutes of screen time in the movie. He plays the "Down-on-his-luck" Trainer in this film... and I must say, KUDOS. I don't want to give too much away, but he STILL HAS IT. Very funny performance, in a way that most people aren't used to seeing him.

Last but not least, I...

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Terra Blight

A beautifully made, must-see film
What an amazing work of art-- the filmmakers have perfectly documented the global e-waste situation in a way that is accessible to all. They remind us of how electronics are voraciously consumed and thoughtlessly discarded in the West, but more importantly, they reveal to us where that waste ends up. The reality is shocking and tragic. The environment is not the only victim-- generations of people in developing countries are dying in e-waste cesspools. Terra Blight gives us some hope as well. Recyclers are just beginning to mechanize a system to separate and reuse old electronics. This beautiful and important film is a great first step to getting the word out. Students would especially benefit from seeing it. Not only is it informative, but it's also entertaining and very well edited. See it and you won't walk away unchanged.

Insightful and Engaging
I'd recommend this film to every person who has and currently owns any sort of electronic device(i.e. everyone!)
The film offers a glimpse into what effects our consumer driven society has on the third world.

A Call to Action Regarding Electronics Recycling and Waste as an Asset
"Terra Blight" is a short yet concise documentary about the lifecycle of e-waste. The film takes place between two locations: the USA, where electronics are glorified as a scientific advancement and social pastime and owning at least one is almost mandatory, and Ghana, where computer components are seen as valuable resources to feed one's family or send one's kids to school. This stark contrast brings to light not only the injustice of the United State's dumping of their waste where it is "out of sight, out of mind", but also the large disparity in access to technology amongst various regions of the world. Frequent interviews with environmental journalist, Mike Anane, and a tour of an environmentally responsible American industrial electronics recycler Creative Recycling give some more hope to the situation and show us the direction we need to go in to do justice to the planet and those suffering from poverty.

There were some parts upon which I would have liked expansion,...

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Travel Wild Antarctica Unpredictable Weather

Not bad for what it is, but at least not trying to be something else
I stumbled across this little trip video of a cruise to antarctica. The trip focuses on adelie penguins and the huts of Scott and Shakleford (not sure of the spelling, his boat got stuck in the ice). Some good thoughts at the end from someone from the New Zealand Dept of Environment who discusses how environmental tourists can make others excited the way scientists (or my writing) cant.

Not a video to hunt down, but I don';t feel like I wasted my time watching either.





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