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Broken Trail Two-disc Description:

SET IN 1897, PRINT RITTER & HIS NEPHEW TOM HARTE BECOME THE RELUCTANT GUARDIANS OF 5 ABUSED & ABANDONED CHINESE GIRLS. THEIR ATTEMPT TO CARE FOR THE GIRLS IS COMPLICATED BY THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO DELIVER A HERD OF HORSES WHILE AVOIDING A GROUP OF BITTER RIVALS INTENT ON KIDNAPPING THE GIRLS.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3306 in DVD
• Brand: DUVALL/CHURCH/ALLEN
• Released on: 2006-09-05
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Full Screen, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 184 minutes

Features

• ISBN13: 0043396157170
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Customer Reviews:

Lyrical, Sweeping Western a Triumph…
“Broken Trail”, a dream project for producer/star Robert Duvall, and AMC’s first original film, is the spiritual heir to Kevin Costner’s 2003 “Open Range” (also starring Duvall), and one of the most moving, involving Westerns of recent years.

With a charismatic, extremely effective performance by Thomas Haden Church, as Duvall’s long-estranged nephew, the film is one of only a handful of Westerns that combine epic sweep, superb characterization, and an understanding of the ‘Real West’, without shortchanging decency, or respect of an individual’s worth. The era was hard, justice could be swift and brutal, and Duvall, as aging but upright Prentice Ritter, lives by his own rules; to protect the helpless in his care, to respect others, and to be unafraid to resort to violence, if necessary. Tom Harte (Church), despite some family history problems with his uncle, lives by the same code, and the two men, driving a herd of horses from Oregon to Wyoming to raise cash for a ranch, become the ’saviors’ of five young Chinese women, sold into prostitution, who inadvertently fall into their hands.

These are good men, in a jaded world, and their journey picks up other ’strays’, as well as the women; young Virginian fiddler Heck Gilpin (an engaging Scott Cooper), is rescued by Tom in a saloon; aging Chinese laborer Lung Hay (Donald Fong), and careworn prostitute Nola John (the wonderful Greta Scacchi) join the group after Tom saves the Chinese women from rapists, in a boarding house/bordello. While neither Ritter and Harte were overjoyed at the strange direction the drive was taking, they would not allow harm to fall on ‘innocents’, and the group bonds into a warm ‘family’, with Nola and Ritter finding a mature attraction between each other, and Tom and Sun Foy/#3 (Gwendoline Yeo, who speaks only Mandarin, in the film), gently falling in love.

Danger is never far behind them, however, as brutal ex-con ‘Big Ears’ (Chris Mulkey), with a score to settle with Nola, and a ‘contract’ to return the Chinese women to whorehouse owner Kate ‘Big Rump’ Becker (Rusty Schwimmer), trails them, leading a gang of killers…

While the film is long (240 minutes), director Walter Hill, an old hand at Westerns (his “The Long Riders” is one of my favorites), keeps the story constantly engrossing, and Duvall and Church have a warmth and authenticity as the characters that will stay with you, long after the movie ends.

Shot in the Canadian Rockies, “Broken Trail” combines grandeur and intimacy seamlessly, has moments of great humor to lighten the drama, explosive action, and a bittersweet sense of nostalgia…

It is, simply, superb!

A Western you can take a date too…
I watched this film on AMC. This is AMC cable network’s first original production starring Robert Duvall and Thomas Haden Church. It is a fictional story that everyone will want to watch. The background for this movie is based on historical fact of the time. I knew I was going to watch this western as soon as I read that Robert Duvall was involved in the project.

This movie takes place during the late 1800s. It starts with two horse wranglers played by Duvall and Church. Duvall’s character, Print Ritter, is Church’s uncle. They decide too wrangle horses and sell them to the British Empire who needed them for the Boer War. In the movie we follow this magnificent heard of horses as they are driven east across beautiful country. During the drive they run into five Chinese women who were being kidnapped from the West Coast and brought to the interior west to serve as prostitutes. The story of our horse drive and the story of five Chinese women become intertwined.

What makes this western special is we see the personal growth of Print Ritter from lonesome cowboy to father figure. And what makes this western unique is we see the story from the view of the female characters. Though the movie did not end exactly as I expected, it was close, yet seemed more real.

This is a must see movie. The story line, acting, scenery, background are all top notch. It was hard for me to believe that this was not very large big screen production.

A Romantic Yet Gritty Western - Top Notch!
Wow! This is why filmmakers make movies. This movie will capture your imagination and heart. It is a big epic of a western, beautifuly filmed, with an intriging story line that will keep you guessing right up until the very end.

I am a devoted western movie fan, and this movie ranks up there with the very best of the genre.

Robert Duvall, best known as “Agustus” in Lonesome Dove, dons western garb once again and stars in a lengthy, yet thoroughly enjoyable tale of a horse drive across the plains to Sheridan, Wyoming. Duvall employs his nephew in the endevor, and they unexpectedly meet up with a variety of both endearing and unsavory characters along the way.

This is not a shoot ‘em up western. It is not action-packed. It meanders at a leisurly pace, as an actual horse drive would, yet an enjoyable pace from beginning to end. Duvall, as the patriarch Print Ritter, and his nephew Tom Harte, (played exceedingly strongly by Thomas Church) take about 500 head of horses to Wyoming. On the trail, they cross trails with an evil pimp who is moving five Chinese girls to a mining camp where they will be sold into the living hell of prostitution. The Chinese are sweet innocent beings who are being mistreated by the pimp, and through a series of incidents, the girls become the responsibility of Ritter and Harte. From there, the group picks up additional characters: another trail hand, an aging abused prostitute, Nola, played wonderfully by Greta Scacchi(who becomes a potential love interest of Duvall), and a Chinese man. This western is unusual in that the men portrayed have an inate sense of honor, and they treat their “guests” with dignity and kindness, which is unusual treatment indeed. The men vow to protect their companions until they can be safely dropped off in a town where they will be protected and not abused.

On the trail we are treated to the troup interacting with each other. Nola falls in love with Duvall’s character, as she senses the goodness inside him. She has never been treated with respect or kindness, and she sees a future with Duvall that would be romantic and tender in their love for each other. Meanwhile, nephew Tom has his shy eye on one of the Chinese girls, and they form a tentative, but budding relationship along the way. Throughout the trail drive, the viewer wonders how the love interests will play out.

As with any good western, there is a chief antagonist, and in this case, he is a former customer of Nola’s, “Big Ed”, who is obsessed with her, yet absues her, and in the past nearly killed her. He is paid to bring the Chinese girls to the mining town, and like any evil man, he surrounds himself with three other equally evil companions to accomplish the job. Plans are made to overcome Duvall and his group, take the Chinese girls, and steal the horse herd.

The climax occurs at the very end of the film, so it keeps you guessing right up until the very last minute. I will not spoil the ending here, yet suffice to say that the ending is tension-filled, action-packed, and beautifully directed for maximum suspense and impact.

Robert Duvall is magnificent. He is the quintessential cowboy, a role that he was born to play. His easy mannerisms and style of acting rank an A+ in my book. Thomas Church plays a powerful role as well, as the chief protector of the group. He is as physically hard as Duvall is tender-hearted, and the two make a fine contrast. All the actors portray their roles wonderfully and most believably. It is as though you are along for the ride, watching it all unfold. One is not aware that these are actors playing roles, no, these are reallife characters, and that is what draws you into this 4-hour movie, and keeps your interest.

This is a movie that is not suitable for young children due to gun violence and a brief rape scene. It is however, a movie that both men and women will enjoy together, for the male-female relationship is continually explored throughout the movie. Most westerns do not appeal to women, but this one is different, as much of the movie is interpreted through female eyes.

In conclusion, this is a great western that is worth every minute of the 4-our time span. It will engage you and show a side of the west that no other film has attempted. Highly recommended without reservations. Find a nice easy chair, sit back, and enjoy this beautifully-made film.

Jim ‘Konedog” Koenig

Amazon.com
The lives of two stoic cowboys and five abused Chinese women become intertwined in Walter Hill’s sprawling miniseries Broken Trail. Print Ritter (Academy Award winner Robert Duvall) and his nephew Tom Harte (Thomas Haden Church, Sideways) agree to deliver a herd of 500 horses from Oregon to Wyoming. Along the way, they rescue the young women–most of them still just girls–who’re being transported to a brothel to have their virginity auctioned off. When the madam sees she is about to lose the girls, she screams at Tom, “What about my property?” He shouts back, “That’s the price of being a capitalist, lady.” Unable to overcome the language barrier, Print assigns numbers to the girls. Number 3, Sun Foy (Gwendoline Yeo, Desperate Housewives) is the most fearless and perceptive of them. Though the others don’t want to be called Number 4–an unlucky numeral in their homeland–Ye Fung (Olivia Cheng), the most tragic of the group, doesn’t care. Targeted for her beauty, she finds herself unable to overcome the trauma. The number suits her, in her mind. Along the way, Print and Tom rescue Nola Johns (Greta Scacchi), the proverbial hooker with the heat of gold, who was forced into prostitution after her husband died.

The cinematography is gorgeous as the camera sweeps over the lush landscape (the Canadian Rockies subbing in for wild West of the late 1800s) and Hill does a formidable job of pacing this 3-hour drama with just the right balance of dialogue and action. For Duvall, Broken Trail is the last piece to his Western trilogy, which started with the miniseries Lonesome Dove followed by the feature film Open Range. He is instantly likeable as a father figure and the viewer never doubts that his intention for the girls is honorable. As for Haden Church, he has never been as appealing as he is in this role. Gruff and flawed, he softens when he exchanges shy glances with Sun Foy. The trek is long and hard and the unlikely band of travelers will face much hardship. If not as satisfying as the rich, detailed Lonesome Dove, Broken Trail makes up for it with a wonderful storyline and some fine acting by all involved. As for the conclusion, it may surprise some viewers who are expecting a more traditional version of the happy ending. –Jae-Ha Kim

Lost: The Complete Seasons 1-5 Description:

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2238 in DVD
• Released on: 2009-12-08
• Format: NTSC

Customer Reviews:

GRRATE SHOW!!
LOST ROCKS!! however, in the amazon store, if you buy every season separate, it comes out to be about $40 cheaper. You end up with the exact same product in the end.

LOST rocks!
I don’t agree with the first review. It’s a lot to easy just to define LOST as an ongoing mystery-TV-show that does not answer questions!

First of all, one of the most important questions “dude, where are we?” that was asked in the pilot, has not been answered yet and this is so for a good reason (we know what happened with TWIN PEAKS when the murderer was revealed…).

Second, LOST has always been from Season 1 about mysteries. Very often answers were given, but the fans sometimes didn’t even appreciate the answering of questions (or maybe it was not the answer they expected). Personally, I cannot think of any other TV-show that changes so dramatically from Season to Season. Normally TV-shows are really repetitive and have the same themes everey season. In LOST however, and this is true for all seasons (except maybe the fourth one) the audience can’t actually tell when, where and how the show is going to continue. We didn’t really know the content of the hatch, we didn’t know what would happen to Desmond at the end of S2, how did the Losties get back to the main land? Why did John Locke die (we got the answer to that, but many fans didn’t appreciate that answer!), where did the Island go? And now after Season 5: What happened to Jacob? Where did the Losties go? Now if you don’t like to think and if you prefer some lame and boring TV-show then LOST is simply not your thing. Quentin Tarantino once said: You don’t go to a metallica concert and tell the fu…rs to turn the volume down.

We must not forget that the producers of LOST wanted to tell a very specific story from the very beginning. The two skeletons are absolutely crucial, Carlton Cuse stated in an interview that when LOST will be told the Skeletons in Season 1 will be the proof that they knew from the very beginning what the story was going to be they wanted to tell and they did not make it up while telling! I think it is not fair to judge theoverall quality of LOST when the story is not told to the end. Let’s just wait and see how they are going to blow us away with Season 6. I can’t tell you why, but from the bottom of my heart I know that Season 6 ist going to be the most awe-inspiring and breath-taking Seson in the overall history of LOST. When LOTS has ended the greatest TV-show in the history of television will have ended!

Great show, beware of the sellers
This is a great show and worth buying. However, be sure of what you are ordering. I ordered this set from someone I thought was a trustworthy seller here in the Amazon Marketplace. But when I got the DVDs I had been sold some international edition of the show. They were not the U.S. DVDs. The episodes seemed to be the same and in English but the box art was not. And the season 5 DVD menu was in some Asian language. I didn’t even know how to start the DVD because I couldn’t read anything. It took an e-mail to the seller demanding a refund and some help from Amazon to resolve the issue. My point is, be sure to communicate with the seller to make sure you are not getting some bootleg or international edition. It seems more commonplace now and it has happened to me twice here on Amazon. The show itself is worth buying and watching. Just be careful who you buy from.

Amazon.com
Lost: Season One

Along with Desperate Housewives, Lost was one of the two breakout shows in the fall of 2004. Mixing suspense and action with a sci-fi twist, it began with a thrilling pilot episode in which a jetliner traveling from Australia to Los Angeles crashes, leaving 48 survivors on an unidentified island with no sign of civilization or hope of imminent rescue. That may sound like Gilligan’s Island meets Survivor, but Lost kept viewers tuning in every Wednesday night–and spending the rest of the week speculating on Web sites–with some irresistible hooks (not to mention the beautiful women). First, there’s a huge ensemble cast of no fewer than 14 regular characters, and each episode fills in some of the back story on one of them. There’s a doctor; an Iraqi soldier; a has-been rock star; a fugitive from justice; a self-absorbed young woman and her brother; a lottery winner; a father and son; a Korean couple; a pregnant woman; and others. Second, there’s a host of unanswered questions: What is the mysterious beast that lurks in the jungle? Why do polar bears and wild boars live there? Why has a woman been transmitting an SOS message in French from somewhere on the island for the last 16 years? Why do impossible wishes seem to come true? Are they really on a physical island, or somewhere else? What is the significance of the recurring set of numbers? And will Kate ever give up her bad-boy fixation and hook up with Jack?

Lost did have some hiccups during the first season. Some plot threads were left dangling for weeks, and the “oh, it didn’t really happen” card was played too often. But the strong writing and topnotch cast kept the show a cut above most network TV. The best-known actor at the time of the show’s debut was Dominic Monaghan, fresh off his stint as Merry the Hobbit in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films. The rest of the cast is either unknowns or “where I have I seen that face before” supporting players, including Matthew Fox and Evangeline Lilly, who are the closest thing to leads. Other standouts include Naveen Andrews, Terry O’Quinn (who’s made a nice career out of conspiracy-themed TV shows), Josh Holloway, Jorge Garcia, Yunjin Kim, Maggie Grace, and Emilie de Ravin, but there’s really not a weak link in the cast. Co-created by J.J. Abrams (Alias), Lost left enough unanswered questions after its first season to keep viewers riveted for a second season. –David Horiuchi

Lost: Season Two

What was in the Hatch? The cliffhanger from season one of Lost was answered in its opening sequences, only to launch into more questions as the season progressed. That’s right: Just when you say “Ohhhhh,” there comes another “What?” Thankfully, the show’s producers sprinkle answers like tasty morsels throughout the season, ending with a whopper: What caused Oceanic Air Flight 815 to crash in the first place? As the show digs into more revelations about its inhabitant’s pasts, it also devotes a good chunk to new characters (Hey, it’s an island; you never know who you’re going to run into.) First, there are the “Tailies,” passengers from the back end of the plane who crashed on the other side of the island. Among them are the wise, God-fearing ex-drug lord Mr. Eko (standout Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje); devoted husband Bernard (Sam Anderson); psychiatrist Libby (Cynthia Watros, whose character has more than one hidden link to the other islanders); and ex-cop Ana Lucia (Michelle Rodriguez), by far the most infuriating character on the show, despite how much the writers tried to incur sympathy with her flashback. Then there are the Others, first introduced when they kidnapped Walt (Malcolm David Kelley) at the end of season one. Brutal and calculating, their agenda only became more complex when one of them (played creepily by Michael Emerson) was held hostage in the hatch and, quite handily, plays mind games on everyone’s already frayed nerves. The original cast continues to battle their own skeletons, most notably Locke (Terry O’Quinn), Sun (Yunjin Kim) and Michael (Harold Perrineau), whose obsession with finding Walt takes a dangerous turn. The love triangle between Jack (Matthew Fox), Kate (Evangeline Lilly) and Sawyer (Josh Holloway), which had stalled with Sawyer’s departure, heats up again in the second half. Despite the bloating cast size (knocked down by a few by season’s end) Lost still does what it does best: explores the psyche of people, about whom “my life is an open book” never applies, and cracks into the social dynamics of strangers thrust into Lord of the Flies-esque situations. Is it all a science experiment? A dream? A supernatural pocket in the universe? Likely, any theory will wind up on shaky ground by the season’s conclusion. But hey, that’s the fun of it. This show was made for DVD, and you can pause and slow-frame to your heart’s content. Just try and keep that.—Ellen Kim

Lost: Season Three

When it aired in 2006-07, Lost’s third season was split into two, with a hefty break in between. This did nothing to help the already weirdly disparate direction the show was taking (Kate and Sawyer in zoo cages! Locke eating goop in a mud hut!), but when it finally righted its course halfway through–in particular that whopper of a finale–the drama series had left its irked fan base thrilled once again. This doesn’t mean, however, that you should skip through the first half of the season to get there, because quite a few questions find answers: what the Others are up to, the impact of turning that fail-safe key, the identity of the eye-patched man from the hatch’s video monitor. One of the series’ biggest curiosities from the past–how Locke ended up in that wheelchair in the first place–also gets its satisfying due. (The episode, “The Man from Tallahassee,” likely was a big contributor to Terry O’Quinn’s surprising–but long-deserved–Emmy win that year.)

Unfortunately, you do have to sit through a lot of aforementioned nuisances to get there. Season 3 kicks off with Jack (Matthew Fox), Kate (Evangeline Lilly), and Sawyer (Josh Holloway) held captive by the Others; Sayid (Naveen Andrews), Sun (Yunjin Kim), and Jin (Daniel Dae Kim) on a mission to rescue them; and Locke, Mr. Eko (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), and Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick) in the aftermath of the electromagnetic pulse that blew up the hatch. Spinning the storylines away from base camp alone wouldn’t have felt so disjointed were it not for the new characters simultaneously being introduced. First there’s Juliet, a mysterious member of the Others whose loyalty constantly comes into question as the season goes on. Played delicately by Elizabeth Mitchell (Gia, ER, Frequency), Juliet is in one turn a cold-blooded killer, by another turn a sympathetic friend; possibly both at once, possibly neither at all. (She’s also a terrific, albeit unwitting, threat to the Kate-Sawyer-Jack love triangle, which plays out more definitively this season.) On the other hand, there’s the now-infamous Nikki and Paulo (Kiele Sanchez and Rodrigo Santoro), a tagalong couple who were cleverly woven into the previous seasons’ key moments but came to bear the brunt of fans’ ire toward the show (Sawyer humorously echoed the sentiments by remarking, “Who the hell are you?”). By the end of the season, at least two major characters die, another is told he/she will die within months, major new threats are unveiled, and–as mentioned before–the two-part season finale restores your faith in the series.

The extras are as well-stocked as a Dharma Initiative food pantry on this seven-disc set. Commentaries by producer Damon Lindelof, show writers, and numerous cast members reveal a whole lot of juicy trivia; plus, the DVDs even provide a subtitle track for the commentary (rarely seen other than on foreign-language director’s commentaries) so you won’t miss a thing. “Lost Book Club” goes through the parallels between what characters are reading and the show’s storylines (The Wizard of Oz and Stephen King are heavily referenced). “Lost: On Location” gives a lot of insight to some of the biggest episodes, and “Lost in a Day” gives a 24-hour glimpse at the drama’s arduous production. If you’re a Lost fan who gave up during this season, the bonus features alone might lure you back for the next round. –Ellen A. Kim

Lost: Season Four

Season four of Lost was a fine return to form for the series, which polarized its audience the year before with its focus on The Others and not enough on our original crash victims. That season’s finale introduced a new storytelling device–the flash-forward–that’s employed to great effect this time around; by showing who actually got off the island (known as the Oceanic Six), the viewer is able to put to bed some longstanding loose ends. As the finale attests, we see that in the future Jack (Matthew Fox) is broken, bearded, and not sober, while Kate (Evangeline Lilly) is estranged from Jack and with another guy (the identity may surprise you). Four others do make it back to their homes, but as the flash-forwards show, it’s definitely not the end of their connection to the island. Back in present day, however, the islanders are visited by the denizens of a so-called rescue ship, who have agendas of their own. While Jack works with the newcomers to try to get off the island, Locke (Terry O’Quinn), with a few followers of his own, forms an uneasy alliance with Ben (Michael Emerson) against the suspicious gang. Some episodes featuring the new characters feel like filler, but the evolution of such characters as Sun and Jin (Yunjin Kim and Daniel Dae Kim) is this season’s strength; plus, the love story of Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick) and Penny (Sonya Walger) provides some of the show’s emotional highlights. As is the custom with Lost, bullets fly and characters die (while others may or may not have). Moreover, the fate of Michael (Harold Perrineau), last seen traitorously sailing off to civilization in season two, as well as the flash-forwards of the Oceanic Six, shows you never quite leave the island once you’ve left. There’s a force that pulls them in, and it’s a hook that keeps you watching.

Season four was a shorter 13 episodes instead of the usual 22 due to the 2008 writers’ strike; nonetheless, the set comes with two discs of extras. One of the best features is “LOST in 8:15,” which is a rapid-fire summation of the series thus far in eight minutes, 15 seconds. Narrated by a hilariously droll female, it includes lines such as “Jack meets Kate. Kate stitches up Jack. They bond.” and “They see Jack play football with Mr. Friendly. Mr. Friendly throws like a girl.” The featurette “The Right to Bear Arms” takes a fun look at the prop masters responsible for supplying the castaways with guns–and keeping track of who has one and who doesn’t (best here is Sawyer’s (Josh Holloway) assertion that characters often cock their guns just to look cool). Cast members Lilly, Garcia, Yunjin Kim, and Daniel Dae Kim provide a few of the commentaries, and the set even comes with an amusing safety guide for Oceanic Airlines. (Example: “if you notice black smoke emanating from the plane, please alert the captain. It is either a problem with the engines or a mysterious creature.”) Finally, for those who bought the standard-def DVD, take a closer look at the front cover after you’ve removed the O-sleeve; you’ll notice the entire cast has been blacked out save for a few: the Oceanic Six. –Ellen A. Kim

Lost: Season Five

Since Lost made its debut as a cult phenomenon in 2004, certain things seemed inconceivable. In its fourth year, some of those things, like a rescue, came to pass. The season ended with Locke (Terry O’Quinn) attempting to persuade the Oceanic Six to return, but he dies before that can happen–or so it appears–and where Jack (Matthew Fox) used to lead, Ben (Emmy nominee Michael Emerson) now takes the reins and convinces the survivors to fulfill Locke’s wish.

As producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse state in their commentary on the fifth-season premiere, “We’re doing time travel this year,” and the pile-up of flashbacks and flash-forwards will make even the most dedicated fan dizzy. Ben, Jack, Hurley (Jorge Garcia), Sayid (Naveen Andrews), Sun (Yunjin Kim), and Kate (Evangeline Lilly) arrive to find that Sawyer (Josh Holloway) and Juliet (Elizabeth Mitchell) have been part of the Dharma Initiative for three years. The writers also clarify the roles that Richard (Nestor Carbonell) and Daniel (Jeremy Davies) play in the island’s master plan, setting the stage for the prophecies of Daniel’s mother, Eloise Hawking (Fionnula Flanagan), to play a bigger part in the sixth and final season.

Dozens of other players flit in and out, some never to return. A few, such as Jin (Daniel Dae Kim), live again in the past. Lost could’ve wrapped things up in five years, as The Wire did, but the show continues to excite and surprise. As Lindelof and Cuse admit in the commentary, there’s a “fine line between confusion and mystery,” adding, “it makes more sense if you’re drunk.” Other extras include deleted scenes, featurettes, a “lost” episode of Mysteries of the Universe, and commentary from writers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz on “He’s Our You,” a reference to Sayid, who tries to change the future by changing the past. –Kathleen C. Fennessy

Fight Club Two-Disc Collector’s Edition Product: Buy Fight Club Two-Disc Collector’s Edition At Amazon! List Price: $26.98 Amazon Price: $26.49 Click Here To See Amazon Sale Price Add to cart to see low price@ Availability: In Stock Usually ships in 24 Hours Free Shipping Available

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“‘Fight Club’ pulls you in, challenges your prejudices, rocks your world and leaves you laughing” (Rolling Stone). Brad Pitt (”12 Monkeys”, “Seven”), Edward Norton (”Primal Fear,” “American History X”) and Helena Bonham Carter (”Mighty Aphrodite,” “A Room With A View”) turn in powerful “performances of which movie legends are made” (Chicago Tribune) in this action-packed hit. A ticking-time-bomb insomniac (Norton) and a slippery soap salesman (Pitt) channel primal male aggression into a shocking new form of therapy. Their concept catches on, with underground “fight clubs” forming in every town, until a sensuous eccentric (Bonham Carter) gets in the way and ignites an out-of control spiral toward oblivion.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3587 in DVD
• Brand: PITT,BRAD
• Released on: 2000-06-06
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Collector’s Edition, Dubbed, DVD, Subtitled, THX, NTSC
• Original language: English, Spanish
• Subtitled in: English, French
• Dubbed in: French
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: .50 pounds
• Running time: 139 minutes

The most underrated film of the last year
When I’m looking at the Top Ten list’s of America’s critics and the nominations of the DGA,WGA and all the other guilds and press associations, I terribly miss David Fincher’s outstanding film “Fight Club”, which is possibly the best film of 1999.

Not only is the film visualy stunning, it is also very thought-provoking, wickedly funny and, above all, extremely entertaining. Only few films managed to be so many things at once. David Fincher, in my opinion one of the most exciting directors of the decade, fills his movie with so many ideas that it would be sufficient for three more movies, and they are not just gimmicks for their own sake, they all mean something. Edward Norton and Brad Pitt are brilliant in the leads and the soundtrack by the Dust Brothers fits perfectly to the images.

Many reviewers thought the film was fascist. I think you can only call this ridiculous, since that assumes Fincher sympathizes with Tyler Durden’s project mayhem. In fact, he invites us to form our own opinion, like Stanley Kubrick did in “A Clockwork Orange”. “Fight Club” hands over the resposibility to the viewer. This may be uncomfortable to some, others (like myself) will embrace this.

The year’s best satire
FIGHT CLUB arrived in the US with a blaze of publicity stressing its violence and nihilism; some critics (and those close to the production) countered this with the suggestion that it was an anti-materialist jeremiad. On a second viewing, it seems like neither — it’s easier to see it as a smart, committed and complex piece of filmmaking. David Fincher once again dazzles with his direction, which is as intelligently energetic as the acting of Brad Pitt and, especially, Edward Norton. What’s really impressive, however, is the way that the film manages to flirt with an anti-materialist, hyper-masculine primitivism even as it suggests that we’re all a little too sophisticated to buy it (as it were).

FIGHT CLUB may hold that we’re not the clothes we wear, or the credit cards in our wallet, but it’s savvy enough to realise that our paths of thought and modes of organisation are almost entirely contaminated by the world we’ve created. Is the solution to destroy that world? Well, that’s an option — but watch closely in the movie’s second half and see how subtly and hilariously Fincher undermines this: the anarchists begin to chant management-speak, to dissolve into a collective identity, and to form franchises as if they were selling frappucino rather than revolution. Norton is especially horrified at all this, and his wonderful reactions to the disintegration of ‘Project Mayhem’ are the calm (and moral) centre of the film. Rather like ANIMAL FARM, Fincher tells us that we can have our revolution, but it’s going to cost us dear; perhaps even the individuality and reason which we’d hoped to gain from our actions.

This Movie is Why “Professional” Critics Must Go
I didn’t see this movie in the theaters because it had gotten very mixed reviews from the so-called professional movie reviewers. But, when it hit the local vidoe store, I thought I would give it a try. WOW, what a kick in the teeth, interesting, and fast moving journey into one man’s mind. The path this movie takes is fantastic.

Norton and Pitt are perfectly cast, and supported by a crew of fight club members that make for a well-acted show. Meatloaf, Ed Gil, Jared Leto, et. al. are great in support as the members/followers of the leads. Helena Bonham Carter has the only real female role in this film and is perfectly cast. But as much as the acting, this movie is made by the story. Unconventional, with a great twist at the end, the whole movie kept me on the edge of my seat. As with many great movies, it is hard to classify the genre (action, comedy, drama), as there is a sampling of all in this film. In the end, I would just classify this as a great film.

Much was made of the violence of this movie when it first hit the theaters. Those critics overstated the case. There is blood and violence in the movie, but it is not excessive and it serves the plot well.

If you missed this in the theater, see it now. If you saw it once, see it again. I will.

American Beauty Widescreen Edition Product: American Beauty Widescreen Edition Sale-$12.49! List Price: $12.99 Amazon Price: $12.49 Click Here To See Amazon Sale Price Add to cart to see low price@ Availability: In Stock Usually ships in 24 Hours Free Shipping Available

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AMERICAN BEAUTY (DVD) DOLBY DIGITAL 5.1 & DTS 5.1

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2794 in DVD
• Brand: Universal Studios
• Model: 85382
• Released on: 2000-10-24
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, Special Edition, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 122 minutes

Features

• ISBN13: 9780783241234
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

BLOOD AND ROSES
I read somewhere that the overwelmingly red look of American Beauty is a symbol for blood and roses. Represented in the film by the flower petals in Lester Burnham’s fantasies, and the blood spilt when the sadness that hovers beneath bears its face. The title of American Beauty does not refer to the pretty surfaces that hide the anguish of these people, but the beauty of their souls when dealing with that anguish. Many reviewers have considered the title to be ironic, it isn’t. I’ve heard Kevin Spacey say that this film is about context, because taken out of context the behaviour of these characters seem bizzare and even phsycotic, but out with in the context of their messy lives or indeed anybody’s life, it seems natural. If I tell you that Kevin Spacey plays a character who is obsessed with the idea of sleeping with his daughter’s best friend, a daughter who constantly anounces her hatred of her parents, a woman so obsessed with appearances that happiness is but a memory to her, a loner who makes his living as a drug dealer with a firm rigid father living in denial about his son and himself, you would guess that there would be no one to like in this film. You would be wrong. This film is magical in the way it lets identify with these characters, care for them and worry about their outcome. Infact the ideas of American Beauty are nothing new. The persuit of happiness through the abanodoning of materialistic possesions and the satisfaction of primal, animal and natural desires was the exact same premise for Fight Club. This could be a middle aged version of that film. The family turmoil closely resembles Ang Lee’s The Ice Storm 1998, and like that film, American Beauty ends in tragedy. But as with all masterpieces its not the “point” that counts, but how you get there. Just like the fact that anything new you learn in life is the history you don’t know, most originality in movies is the movies you haven’t seen and the novel’s you haven’t read. The fact that the film remains a masterpiece is a credit to the execution of those ideas, not their originality. Our hero is Lester Burnham a man who goes quits his job, black mails his boss, and goes wild for a year. His journey of self-discovery is not what your average citizen would call moral, yet we still sympathise. My favourite scene in the film is where Lester meets Ricky(Wes Bently) outside a part. Ricky sells marijuana for a living and makes a lot of money. Lester tells him that when he was his age he “flipped burgers all summer long” for very little money. “That sucks” says Ricky, “No actually it was wonderful.” The heart of the film is this scene, Lester’s yearning for those years where his whole life was ahead of him, when he believed he coul do anything, when he wasn’t such a “loser”. This purity is the Beauty to which the title refers. Ricky Fitts is the boy next door, a loner who likes to film people. His father is a rigid military man. Both Wes Bently and Chris Cooper who play father and son respectively give monumental performance equal to Kevin Spacey’s oscar winner. Their family is a contrast to Lester’s, and in its tragedy, emotional complexity and heart break exceeds it. Ricky’s catatonic mother is perhaps what Lester would have become had he not taken charge of his life. I have tried to define this film, but its not a film that can be defined. It is one to be experienced. If I tell that the sight of a paper bag blowing in the wind will amaze you, you find it very silly indeed. Acredit then to this film that when Ricky show us a video of a paper bag blowing in the wind, it is indeed a breathtakingly beautiful sight.

“…And in a way, I am dead already.”
“American Beauty” is a pure cinematic triumph that is both funny and sad. It’s disturbing… and yet, it’s extremely provocative and deep. The film is an extraordinary achievement that reveals a tragic and realistic story about a family that is anything but ordinary. It’s a film with so many layers that it is almost impossible to dissect them all in one single thought.

Meet Lester Burnham; a man who feels like he’s completely dead inside. His wife and daughter despise him and do not show him any signs of respect. On the surface, the family seems like a picture-perfect family that everybody dreams about–but inside is a completely different matter. His wife is obsessed with material possessions and doesn’t care for “petty” things like love or life, while his daughter resents herself because she isn’t “perfect.” Lester’s mental coma is rudely interrupted when he meets his daughter’s friend and starts fantasizing about her. The awakening might be due to a disturbing thought or feeling, but the wake-up call changes Lester and allows him to realize that there’s always time to erase his “forced-image” and be the person he really is. This is all a set-up for a funny, disturbing and tragic movie.

I don’t know about everybody else, but my mind was literally racing around when this movie was playing before my eyes. It’s one of those films that allows you to pick up on something different upon each viewing. As I said in the beginning of the review, this film has a number of layers to it. There’s so many different meanings and points to the film that it is nearly impossible to describe them all in one little review. Besides, the fun part of the movie is discovering these meanings and points for yourself. You know a film is successful when you totally lose yourself to it and allow it to challenge you in every way. The film is crafted flawlessly and doesn’t have a wasted minute in it.

The acting from Kevin Spacey is really a sight to see. He gives his character all of the right needs and feelings that is necessary for the authenticity of his role. You don’t even look at him as an actor–but as the real person he portrays. It is certainly a milestone in his acting career that will continue to be remembered throughout all cinematic history. Annette Bening is also superb in her role and brings life to her character, as well. Everybody in the film should be applauded, as they all make the film what it is.

The DVD has some neat features to offer. The picture quality is fantastic and the sound is more than great. You have the option of watching the movie in DTS if your system is able to play it. Extras included are commentary from the director and writer, a behind-the-scenes featurette, cast and crew biographies, trailers and more. While I wouldn’t had mind a Two-Disc edition of the movie, this is a pretty impressive package overall.

“American Beauty” is a breath-taking masterpiece with a very high replay value. It’s a terrific film on every front and does not disappoint for a single second. While it’s not a movie that everybody will like, it’s most certainly one to check out if you are a lover of films. If you’re looking for something that isn’t so ordinary, then this may be the chance that you are seeking. I feel that it is a unique and superb film that is very hard to express in words–you’ll just have to experience it for yourself. -Michael Crane

Thought-provoking
My initial reaction, “That was weird,” has changed to “How thought-provoking.” What happens when characters who struggle to live authentically cross paths with those who struggle to do anything but?

Lester Burnham and the oddly compelling boy next door both discover the ability to see the true beauty in life, even in the most unlikely or mundane circumstances. Who is to be pitied more: Lester, whose life is snuffed out at the moment of pure joy and contentment, or his wife, who buys into the mantra that one must first attain the appearance of success in order to BE successful? She fiercely shuts down any intense emotion lest she be overwhelmed, and even her sexual encounters are comically farcical. “When did you become so joyless?” the soul-searching Lester asks his wife in a touching moment.

Ricky’s character as the boy next door is haunting. He sees life as an artist and a poet; his serenity contrasts with the stark repression of his military father and soulless mother, and intrigues Lester’s daughter Jane, who possesses Wednesday Addams’ moon face and dour disposition. Her struggle of self-discovery contrasts with that of her best friend, the beautiful and perfect cheerleader Angela, whose insecurities are masked by sexual bravado.

This is a movie worth seeing . . . worth thinking about long after it’s over . . . and a gentle reminder to live life authentically.

Pumpkin Scissors: The Complete Series Box Set S.A.V.E. Description:

Studio: Funimation Prod Inc Release Date: 08/25/2009 Run time: 600 minutes

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5510 in DVD
• Brand: Funimation
• Released on: 2009-08-25
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Box set, NTSC, Color, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Original language: Japanese, English
• Number of discs: 4
• Running time: 600 minutes

Features

• PUMPKIN SCISSORS - COMPLETE BOX SET (DVD)

Customer Reviews:

“Pumpkin Scissors” is one of those rare gems that flies under the radar. Definitely an anime series worth checking out!
In 2006, anime production studio GONZO and AIC adapted Ryotoro Iwanaga’s manga “Pumpkin Scissors” to a 24-episode anime series.

The series would be directed by popular 80’s anime director Katsuhito Akiyama (”Sol Bianca”, “Thundercats”, ” Gall Force”,”Bubblegum Crisis”), screenplay by Yuuji Hosono (”Guyver: The Bioboosted Armor”, “Ray” and “Trinity Blood”), series composition by Atsuhiro Tomioka (”Samurai 7, “Vandread”, “Eat-Man” and “Berserk”), character designs by Chizuko Kusakabe (”Trouble Chocolate”) and mechanical designs by Shuichi Hara ( who worked on “Armitage: Dual Matrix” and “Solty Rei”).

“Pumpkin Scissors” takes place during a time where war has ravaged the country. But a ceasefire has ended the war between the Royal Empire and the Republic of Frost. But since the cease fire, the country is not in the best of shape. The Empire is now plagued with starvation, crime, pestilence and even the soldiers have become bandits.

With corruption also residing in the ranks of the military, a division called Imperial Army State Section III was created. Section III is also known as “Pumpkin Scissors”. A name given to the group by 2nd Lt. Alice L. Mavin. As way of the pumpkin being the layers of corruptness being trimmed by the blade of a scissor.

The series focuses on the Section III team and their mission of helping people and eliminating the corruption in their own military but also helping the public in other areas who have suffered from corruption.

But within the Section III is a mysterious soldier named Corporal Oland who is a member of the secret anti-tank group known as “The Invisible 9 who seems to get them out of a jam when the going gets tough.

Section III consists of the following individuals:

Captain Hunks - The commanding officer who is rather calm, always smoking and gives out the orders to the team.

2nd Lt. Alice L. Mavin - Leads the team on their missions and also a member of the royal family. But is dedicated to her job and passionate about the goals of Section III. Always hot tempered when angered, she carries a short sword.

Corporal Randel Oland - The mysterious soldier known for his height and his facial scars. When things get tough for Section III, Oland turns on his blue lamp and becomes a member of the “Invisible 9. A man who is vicious in battle and gets the job done with his 13mm anti-tank gun. Able to take on massive hits and injuries while in this mode. A secret military group of individuals that took on tanks. Not much is known about the “Invisible 9 but there members of the Section III accept him without asking any questions about his past.

Warrant Officer Martis - Graduated on the top of the Academy but transferred to Section III to uncover corruptness in his former unit.

Warrant Officer Oreldo - The playboy who seems more interested in drinking and women but the cool, clever and resourceful member of the group.

Sergeant Major Lili Stecchin - An aid to Captain Hunks who works in the office and is responsible for the dog named Mercury (the messenger for Section III).

“Pumpkin Scissors - The Complete Series” features 24 episodes on 4 DVD’s. Here is a spoiler-less summary of each episode:

DISC 1:

* Episode 1 - The Invisible 9 - it’s merely an introduction to the characters but how many soldiers have turned corrupt and using tanks to hurt people. In this case, shooting a chemical weapon against the people in the village, leaving it to PUMPKIN SCISSORS to obtain the antidote.
* Episode 2 - War Relief Unit - Episode 2 features a corrupt noble who is willing to give a lot of money to a resident who can survive a game of cat and mouse. In rough times, many villagers take part in the game to hopefully win the money but because the noble uses a tank to catch the villagers, no villager has survived the game. Section III is called to stop this man but instead, the team are forced to be part of the game as mouse.
* Episode 3 - For That is a Precious Thing - Section III must convince a group of villagers to work on a tunnel.
* Episode 4 - The Cracked Portrait - Martis is suspicious about Oland and does his own investigation on him.
* Episode 5 - Shallow-Minded Men - Oreldo learns from Martis about his suspicions about Oland being a member of the “Invisible 9.
* Episode 6 - A Fruitful Time - Oreldo finds an abandoned baby and Section III looks for the mother.

DISC 2:

* Episode 7 - The One Who Leads and the One Who Follows - Alice goes to meet her fiance, while the three go to look for squandered supplies.
* Episode 8 - Burn in the Snowfields - Section III is given a mission to go out in a snow area to make a delivery.
* Episode 9 - The Woman in the Morning Mist - Oreldo helps a woman deal with her fiance.
* Episode 10 - Pumpkins and Scissors - Stecchin explains to Oland how Section III got their “Pumpkin Scissors” name.
* Episode 11 - The Quiet Quickening - Alice is kidnapped and the kidnappers want her to publicize documents about a top secret military group known as “Invisible 9.
* Episode 12 - Unseen Pain - Someone has taken the “Invisible 9 documents, now people are ending up dead and the Section III team are in the middle of all of it.

DISC 3:

* Episode 13 - Crude but Elegant - Martis must accompany a princess for the day and protect her.
* Episode 14 - The Flame Still Burns - Section III takes on a group of drug dealers.
* Episode 15 - Decisions Run Astray - While Section III takes on drug dealers, Oland confronts an enemy who may be part of the same mysterious group that he was once part of.
* Episode 16 - The One Who Slashes - Section III continues their fight against the drug dealers but the military has sent out Section I. Leaving Alice to take them on alone while Oland and Martis go after Hans.
* Episode 17 - The Darkness that Cannot Be Saved - Oland confronts Hans and Alice continues her fight against the Section I soldiers.
* Episode 18 - A Small Military Power - Stecchin tries to finds a way to make Oland happy once again.

DISC 4:

* Episode 19 - A Sweet Trap - Section III distributes food to the homeless, while Alice attends a ball. But Section III doesn’t know that the commoners have planned to murder the nobles at the ball.
* Episode 20 - Enter the Performers - A furious crowd of commoners invade the ball that Alice has attended and want blood.
* Episode 21 - The Puppet and the Idol - Alice challenges the Marquis bodyguard who is an expert with a machete, meanwhile Oland must take on the other. But with Oland out of it and doubting his role in Section III, he might wind up dead.
* Episode 22 - Lonely Scales - Alice’s duel begins but also having to be careful due to the angry mob wanting to interfere.
* Episode 23 - And Then, An Alluring Trap - Everyone at the Ball watches Alice’s duel against her opponent.
* Episode 24 - The Military, The Commoners and the Nobility - Section I is planning to make an attack but Section III tries to find a peaceful solution and avoid bloodshed.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

“Pumpkin Scissors” is featured in 16×9 and for the most part, the animation and artistic backgrounds retain the quality you would expect from GONZO. For the most part, the animation is action-based and the artistic backgrounds tend to reveal the war-torn country. Character designs by Chizuko Kusakabe (”Trouble Chocolate”) and mechanical designs by Shuichi Hara ( who worked on “Armitage: Dual Matrix” and “Solty Rei”) are well-done and it’s a series that focuses on a core group of characters but features a lot of characters as the group tends to visit villages that are in need of help.

So, you see a lot of anguish and fears in the face of the commoners and of course during battle, the fight scenes are also well-done and enjoyable to watch. But also striking are the violent imagery depicted on the animation and design of the characters of the “Invisible 9 group. Definitely cool character designs and artistic style.

As for audio, “Pumpkin Scissors” is presented in English 5.1 Dolby Surround Sound and Japanese stereo. Dialogue is clear and understandable through the front and center channels but with all the action, I was hoping to hear a more immersive soundtrack especially coming from the surrounds. But the series is primarily front and center-channel driven and felt that my best setting was to set my receiver to all channels on stereo.

As for the voice acting, I watched the series in both English and Japanese and both feature solid voice acting. The main difference is that the English version tends to change a few things in dialogue and also utilize more profanity and familiar Western terminology for the English dub. Also, Oland sounds a bit more oafish in the English dub but in a way it does make sense. But for the most part, I felt that the voice acting was well done and enjoyed both vocal tracks.

Subtitles are only in English.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“Pumpkin Scissors - The Complete Series” comes with very few special features on disc 3 and disc 4 containing trailers for upcoming releases:

DISC 3:

* Textless Opening and Ending Themes

JUDGMENT CALL:

“Pumpkin Scissors” is definitely an anime that people shouldn’t judge by its DVD cover. Or even its name. I suppose I was a bit skeptical with the references to a pumpkin and scissors on the cover did not exactly generate any enthusiasm on my part but after watching the entire series, I can tell you that the series is definitely exciting, clever and for the most part, highly entertaining!

I enjoy the series because the “PUMPKIN SCISSORS” are always looked at as an underdog military/intelligence group that is not too important to the empire. But the group shows its strength by tackling corruption and accomplishing missions which are not easy by any means.

Lt. Alice L. Malvin is quite interesting because she is a daughter from a noble family but instead of living a life as a noble, she learns how fortunate she is to have food on her table but at the same time, because of her beliefs, she wants to see right with the people in the ravaged villages who feel that they have no voice when it comes to the Empire and Alice wants to be their voice and really wants to help people.

But what is interesting is that you see her character develop especially when you get to the final seven episodes. She’s a changed person and her beliefs start to change.

“Pumpkin Scissors” also shows the side of post-war and how villages all over have been destroyed or people left to die by starvation and sickness. It was really good to see how animators captured the anguish of those who are suffering.

I did feel that the humor at times felt a bit kooky especially when you enjoy the violence and the action sequences for the series and some episodes go from dark but then you’ll have a character like Oreldo flirting with a woman or cracking a joke.

But I really like the characters in the series. Anna has a pure heart of wanting to help the people, as does the corporal who despite seems to be lost because all he did was kill the enemies during the war and now that there is no war, trying to evaluate what peace is about and also trying to figure out his existence and his part of being in a group like Section III.

The show also does a great job in focusing on character development and granted there are not many characters on the Section III team, but you see each and every one of them overcome adversity someway and also with the help of each other.

An enjoyable series that is full of action, intrigue and suspense. A good balance of violence and a touch of zany and kooky humor. From start to finish, you’ll find yourself feeling that “Pumpkin Scissors” is indeed a hidden gem amongst many anime titles being released right now. But it’s a series that is worth checking out.

I highly recommend “Pumpkin Scissors - The Complete Series”!

Don’t Let the Strange Name Throw You
Every now and then there comes along an anime title that makes even the most open-minded individual pause and think surely this one has to be a case of mistranslation. Such is the case with Pumpkin Scissors; a show with a title that seems made up of two completely unrelated nouns. I mean could have it worked just as well if it were called Zucchini Shears, Squash Clippers, or Cucumber Nose Hair Trimmers? Guess we’ll never know but who cares? The fact is, as indicated by the insignias on the character’s uniforms, Pumpkin Scissors was indeed an intentional collaboration of symbols used to identify a certain military brigade within a surprisingly rich tale.

This anime release represents but another gem created by Gonzo that Funimation wisely picked up in their collaborative deal with ADV Films. Labeling this specific release The Complete Series, it contains episodes 1-24 of the show across 4 dvds. Packaged within a pair of thin packs (each holding two discs) within a very nicely decorated cardboard sleeve, the total runtime comes in at 600 minutes-even.

The show wears an appropriate TV 14 rating due to its grandiose themes of violence and militaristic operatives. There is no nudity or particularly offensive language, and some sequences, though violent in nature, seem to avoid indulging in gore.

Language options consist of both the original Japanese dialog track (stereo) or English dub (Dolby 5.1 Surround) and the choice of English subtitles for either vocal track.

Extras are limited to texless songs and two crops of Funimation trailers.

The story goes something like this: We pick up at the conclusion of a long and grueling war between the Empire and the Republic. It’s a period where a forced peace treaty struggles to find its footing and soldiers, who were accustomed to the thralls of battle, now find themselves on war relief duty in lands that have been ravaged by battle.

We follow the young female character Alice, an idealist heir to nobility and Second Lieutenant in Military Intelligence Section 3 (aka Pumpkin Scissors). While she’s expected to obey commands and do things “by the book”, our protagonist makes it her own personal mission to fight for what’s right, even if it means taking out rogue soldiers who refuse to follow the peace treaty or exposing corrupt, power-abusing nobles.

The show is an interesting blend of action and strategy and its pacing makes no apologies for failing to favor one element over the other. The themes are quite ambitious, some might even say too ambitious, but the major story arc is broken up pretty evenly by the minor day to day trials and tribulations of the characters involved. Credit is definitely due to the show’s artists and production teams for managing to combine bright, clean visuals and cutesy moments with an underlying sense of ominous that builds without drawing too much attention to itself. Comic relief is sprinkled about to break up the potential monotony of what boils down to a brash female soldier who decides to reveal the corruption of the power-crazed nobles who dictate her society.

In the end, a whole plethora of minor battles and grand conflicts serve as the catalyst to reveal the mysteries surrounding a covered-up super soldier program (kind of like a bunch of Captain Americas with eerie lanterns) known as the Invisible Nine.

This is one of few shows out there that can genuinely boast the ability to appeal to a pretty broad fan base. Some will find attraction to the military-themes, antiquated technology, and action sequences while others will just as successfully cling to the character development of the interesting and likable cast. Finally, there could just as likely be a devotion to the visual style and crisp animation presented here as it’s definitely got the type of class that Gonzo seemed to be able to extract time and time again in their works.

The vocal tracks are just about equally solid in either language option. One would suspect that the depth of talent in the Japanese track would overshadow the efforts of the English dub but the fact is that each take of the script has its own merit. Occasionally it even sounds as though the English actors may have had a little more fun getting into the characters than their Japanese counterpart!

In all, Pumpkin Scissors could very well earn the award for the strangest anime title to reach our shores but the material itself is solid enough to warrant serious consideration. Some may argue that the pacing is just a tad bit inconsistent and sure, there are episodes that tend to drag on with little overall plot progression, but in the end a rich story is cleverly weaved here through a group of honest characters unwilling to accept a corrupt society. A majority of the bits and tangents that pop up along the way ultimately lead to a satisfying conclusion that’s worth the effort of following along (even if little of what’s happening makes sense at the time). Multiple viewings reveal subtle overlooked details that slipped past the first few times through. In all, a definite winner that will surely spend very little time collecting dust on a shelf.

Enjoyed immensely however be warned! ending frustrating
Enjoyed the characters and plot development immensely. HOWEVER it truly seems to end at a SEASON end, with no story wrap up what so ever. Therefore, while the ’story’ thread that ends is satisfying, there’s no attempt to ‘finish’ the whole story as it was clearly still in process. It’s not a bad wrap up. There IS no wrap up.

I’d hate to say don’t see it. It was worth the watch. Just be prepared to be angry that you’ll have to dig for the manga to see what happens next.

Makes me sad that there are some truly crappy animes out there that have had a much longer run. This one was well worth at least one more season. Sigh.

Phil Mickelson: Secrets of the Short Game Product: Phil Mickelson: Secrets of the Short Game-Retail $49.99! Sale Only $46.49! List Price: $49.99 Amazon Price: $46.49 Click Here To See Amazon Sale Price Add to cart to see low price@ Availability: In Stock Usually ships in 24 Hours Free Shipping Available

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Genre: How To - Golf
Rating: NR
Release Date: 7-APR-2009
Media Type: DVD

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1116 in DVD
• Size: N/A
• Brand: Paramount
• Released on: 2009-04-07
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Color, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 105 minutes

Warning: only for scratch golfers!
While I enjoyed the video and the production quality was excellent, I have tried the “method” and it fails the “amateur test”. Obviously Phil can do what he is demonstrating but I think he should have tried these ideas on real average golfers first to see if they could learn them. I am an average 14 handicaper with a decent short game already but I can’t copy his results after hours of trying. I even think I know why: his hinge and hold has a fatal flaw. If you hinge and come steeply down to the ball you have to be pretty accurate to catch the ball consistently well. There is just too little room for error and average golfers don’t typically hit thousands of balls a week to perfect these moves. Everything else about the chip technique is fine and it is fun to hit his flop shots but I don’t trust it to use during play. The bunker technique is supposed to be rhythmical but you have to hinge up close to your body and then swing outwards towards the pin at about 40 degrees while maintaining a firm wrist and extension. Sound easy? Now do that so consistenly that you land within the 3 foot circle. Nope - still in the sand. Now that I have tried his method I think he is a little hypocritical in saying his is the only correct method. Perhaps for pros, but not for Joes. Stick with Pelz’ more forgiving technique with a shallower approach. The putting has the same problem. He promotes a rotating clubhead that is timed just right and takes a lot of feel. Again, stick with his teacher, Pelz, and use a straight putt move. Kind of mechanical but hard to screw up. I was really hoping this would be good, especially with Pelz in the background. I suppose we will now have Tiger telling us how to get 120 mph swing speeds “the easy way”!

Phil Making it Easy for us All!
So I have just finished watching Phil’s first video and he just makes the short game shorts all make sense. Of all the golf DVD’s I have watched this one makes the most sense. Now as a disclaimer I am a PM fan, but I also love to play the short game shorts well when I am out playing. Phil has found a method that just simplifies everything in regards to the short game. His ideas for putting are very simple and as for his thoughts and teachings in chipping both short and long chips he teaches a method that works the same for both types of shot. There is nothing complicated about his methods and with practice we can use his methods to have more fun with our own short game. I highly recommend this video.

Buy it now..
This is the best golf instruction dvd I have ever seen. Both of them that is, since it is a 2 part dvd set. Phil is not holding much back. This is not a puff video like so many other pros have put out. He is not holding back. Tells great info on putting, chipping, sand, and the lob shot he is so well known for. Some things were shared in these videos I have never seen before and I have studied the game for nearly 2o years and bought many dvds and even more books. Great job on the production of these dvds. Very professional quality.

The Devil Wears Prada Full Screen Edition Product: The Devil Wears Prada Full Screen Edition Discount. List Price: $14.98 Amazon Price: $12.49 Click Here To See Amazon Sale Price Add to cart to see low price@ Availability: In Stock Usually ships in 24 Hours Free Shipping Available

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Based on the hilarious best-selling novel, this sinfully funny movie starring Academy Award(r) winner Meryl Streep* and Anne Hathaway is “sensationally entertaining in every way” (maxim). As assistant to impossibly demanding New York fashion magazine editor Miranda Priestly (Streep), young Andy Sachs (Hathaway) has landed a job that “a million girls would die for.” Unfortunately, her heaven-sent appointment as Miranda’s personal whipping girl just might be the death of her!

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5977 in DVD
• Brand: TCFHE
• Released on: 2006-12-12
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Subtitled, NTSC
• Original language: French
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish
• Dubbed in: English, French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .30 pounds
• Running time: 109 minutes

The Devil Wears Prada
While this film highlights how a college student makes the leap from school to professional life, I also believe that it highlights Meryl Streep’s enormous talent although she is not the lead character. She gives such a commanding performance as the dominant impossible boss. In fact there are several outstanding supporting characters such as Stanley Tucci. He is priceless as the guy you love to hate. A really good script, plus great actors equal a great movie!

One of the years best (but it’s not all about Meryl my friends)…
My wife and I, huge fans of `America’s Next Top Model’ and `Project Runway’, were very excited about seeing this film. Why it took us this long still baffles me, but as of Friday night we had the pleasure of seeing `The Devil Wears Prada’ and let me just say that it was quite the pleasure. Now, most if not all the praise has been heaped on the shoulders of Meryl Streep, and while she was outstanding, this film is more than just a Meryl painted canvas. There are four brilliant performances in this film and they all are deserving of praise.

First is Anne Hathaway who plays Andrea Sachs, a young aspiring journalist who takes a job working as Miranda Priestly assistant at `Runway Magazine’. Anne Hathaway proves with her performance that she’s all grown up. No, that’s not to take away from her more adult roles in more adult films like `Havoc’ and the masterpiece `Brokeback Mountain’, but here Anne proves that she can do adult comedy, not falling back into her teen goofiness that made her famous in `The Princess Diaries’ but keeping everything smart and mature. She has enough poise and grace to match wits with Miranda, and she does so elegantly.

Next up is Emily Blunt who plays Emily, Miranda’s first assistant (there are two, Andrea being the second). Emily has worked her butt off to get to where she is, slaving for the unruly Priestly and it’s all about to pay off with a trip alongside Miranda to Paris. The only thing standing in her way is Andrea, for if Andrea fails miserably then it reflects poorly on Emily. Emily Blunt turns out I think the best performance of the bunch for she has enough sass, enough attitude and enough wit to make her pop out from the screen and stand out no matter who is sharing the screen with her.

Stanley Tucci also does wonderfully here as Nigel, Miranda’s second in command. He is there to make sure everything is perfect, and also help Andrea adjust. Stanley always has done great backup work, playing second hand man to just about everyone, but here he really makes his performance his own and owns it. He delivers some of the funniest lines in the film but he never feels like the `token gay guy’…he’s needed in this film, not filler, and he commands his scenes and really stands out amidst the crowd.

And then, of course, we have Meryl Streep who plays the ruthless tyrant known as Miranda Priestly. What I was most impressed about was the way Meryl underplays every word, every emotion, every scene, which is not what I expected. I really expected her to go all Glen Close and reincarnate Cruella but she didn’t (thankfully) and instead turned out one of the most inspired performances of the year. She must have had fun playing the snooty self absorbed and above all selfish editor-in-chief of `Runway’. She lets us see inside her character briefly (when crying over another failed marriage) but her character is more about shutting off feeling in order to succeed and so we don’t get to see the real Miranda because we’re not supposed to.

Carried by these four brilliant performances `The Devil Wears Prada’ is a fabulous film that will make you laugh and make you smile and will impress almost anyone. The script is brilliantly adapted from Lauren Weisberger’s novel, and while it’s not an exact replica (are any adaptations these days?) it carries the same wit but smoothes things out to make it more approachable and, in my eyes, more enjoyable. Bravo!

Clever, funny and somewhat original…
This could easily be dismissed as another “little-fish-in-a-big-pond” story, but the wonderful script and fine acting by all sets it high above the rest. Meryl Streep was terrific, though she was allowed to show a soft side a few times, which took away from the “bite” that may have been implied by the title. (I had a boss like that, but mine was meaner and showed less sensitivity). Streep is not the main character, however, and Anne Hathaway shows command in the central role. There’s excellent support from Adrian Grenier, Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt. The shots of New York City (and of Paris) are grand and impressive, and, as one would expect, the costume designs are stunning, though few are original for this film. David Frankel’s direction kept things moving at a swift pace, and the DVD extras are entertaining and informative. I enjoyed “The Devil Wears Prada” very much.

Up in the Air Blu-ray Description:

Corporate downsizing expert’s life is turned upside down.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #211 in DVD
• Brand: Paramount Home Video
• Released on: 2010-03-09
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Original language: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese
• Dubbed in: French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 109 minutes

Features

• ISBN13: 0097360789447
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Customer Reviews:

Incisive Look at Life’s Emotional Baggage Through the Journeys of a Corporate Hatchet Man
As someone who has both laid off staff and a year later, became the victim of a layoff after twelve years with the same company, I had a personal interest in seeing how director/co-screenwriter Jason Reitman (Thank You for Smoking, Juno) was going to adapt Walter Kirn’s smart, unsettling 2001 novel. Even though eight years have elapsed since the book’s publication, the filmmaker - along with co-writer Sheldon Turner - manages to deepen Kirn’s themes in this wry, emotionally resonant 2009 dramedy and make them even more relevant with the pervasive downsizing of corporate America. The movie also manages to surprise even when certain plot turns seem evident before they occur. Initially, there is a veneer of cynicism that makes you think the story will be an abject lesson in the impermanence of life, but instead, it evolves into one man’s journey into the heart of the emotional turbulence he had been careful to avoid. Toward that end, Reitman seems to be inspired by Alexander Payne’s equally perceptive road movies, About Schmidt and Sideways, films that reflect a similar storytelling style.

The plot focuses on laser-sharp corporate layoff consultant Ryan Bingham, a man who regales in the impermanence of life by traveling 322 days on the road, informing targeted employees that they are about to lose their jobs. There is a necessary callousness in his approach, but he knows it’s necessary to be present and honest when it comes to conveying the unpleasant news. Bingham is also a motivational speaker who espouses unburdening one’s life of possessions and fitting everything essential within the confines of a backpack. Proving his case, he lives in hotels, airplanes, and airport terminals with his one life goal being the seventh person to collect ten million frequent-flier miles. If you can get past the Spartan one-bedroom apartment he keeps in Omaha for the 43 days he is forced to be at home, the hatchet man appears to lead a charmed if rather solitary life. Complications, however, ensue on both personal and professional fronts.

Bingham meets a fellow transient traveler named Alex Goran in an airport lounge and assesses that he may have found his soul-mate, so much so that he invites her to come to his estranged sister’s wedding in Wisconsin. Meanwhile, Bingham’s boss wants to introduce a new strategy proposed by a fresh-faced, post-grad school upstart. New hire Natalie Keener suggests using remote teleconferencing to perform the layoff notifications. Since the new technology is the antithesis of Bingham’s one-on-one method, he brings Natalie along on the road to show her how it can’t possibly work. In a role that feels custom-tailored to all his strengths, George Clooney plays Bingham with an emotional precision that complements his charismatic persona which pivots between swaggering and self-effacing. On one hand, it’s his most definitive movie-star role, and yet Clooney has never revealed as much about himself onscreen.

The always watchable Vera Farmiga (The Departed, Down to the Bone) is sexy and confident as the woman who seems perfect for Bingham, even though their adroit compatibility could not possibly sustain an actual commitment. Their interplay is fun to watch because there is a Cary Grant-Rosalind Russell-level rapport that keeps both on their toes. Anna Kendrick (Twilight) is winning as Natalie even if her character’s naiveté feels a bit manufactured at times. Jason Bateman has a field day playing Bingham’s smarmy boss, while Amy Morton, Melanie Lynskey, and Danny McBride (Pineapple Express) plays their accustomed types with aplomb as members of Bingham’s immediate family. In cameos, J.K. Simmons (Juno) and Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover) sharply play two of the victimized employees, but for the rest, Reitman uses non-actors replaying their recent experiences of getting laid off. As usual with Reitman’s films, it boasts an eclectic soundtrack that works really well with the storyline.

Hands down the best film of 2009.
Hard to understand how a movie that manages to make you feel down in the dumps in many instances can have you laughing out loud the rest of the way. Perhaps because UP IN THE AIR is a movie so very full of surprises and complete knowledge of its main subject (I swear the next time I go through security in an airport I’ll be looking for the oriental businessmen and avoid babies at all costs).
All throughout the movie I was expecting the obvious conclusion (the firer being fired) and was surprised to get something completely different in return, but even UP IN THE AIR’s schocker scene, managed to make so much sense it’s hard for me to understand how I didn’t see it coming.
There’s no question in my mind UP IN THE AIR will be the movie future generations will look back in trying to understand this particular era we live in. It is quiet simply a classic.

A refreshingly different story
When I first heard about this movie, all I knew was that George Clooney plays a character who spends most of his time traveling. Consequently, I couldn’t imagine why it got so much critical acclaim. After seeing it, I agree completely with the acclaim and highly recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys a great and interesting drama/comedy. The acting is wonderful, the writing is engaging and witty, and the story is a little unusual.

Ryan Bingham (Clooney) works for a company whose business is informing people they’ve been fired by their employers. Personally, I didn’t know such a business existed, but I can see how some bosses might actually hire other people to do their firing for them. Ryan clearly has been doing his job for many years and while he doesn’t enjoy firing people, he knows how to handle it well. The part of his job he actually enjoys is the constant travel; he’s only in his own apartment for a few days a year. Then along comes Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick) who’s almost fresh from college and sells the company on the idea of firing people remotely instead of traveling to do it in person. Ryan and Natalie end up traveling together to allow Natalie to see how things are currently done and to test the new system. Natalie developed this new idea without ever being involved personally with firing someone before.

Relationships - and the avoidance of them - are integral to the story. Ryan makes additional money doing speeches on how not to weigh yourself down, an idea which includes keeping some distance from others. He meets Alex, who seems to be his female counterpart in many ways, while traveling and they begin a casual relationship. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Natalie has a boyfriend and cannot understand Ryan’s approach to life. It’s clear Ryan even keeps his family at a distance when his sister’s wedding comes up. Still, he does care for his family and even begins to connect more with Alex, so he asks her along as his guest.

With a story quite unlike his previous success “Juno”, Jason Reitman has again done a superb job balancing drama and comedy. It even includes a couple of unexpected twists which will leave you thinking. The theme of layoffs is naturally especially relevant today, but the story doesn’t get so bogged down as to become too depressing.

Amazon.com
Up in the Air transforms some painful subjects into smart, sly comedy–with just enough of the pain underneath to give it some weight. Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) spends most of his days traveling around the country and firing people; he’s hired by bosses who don’t have the nerve to do their layoffs themselves. His life of constant flight suits him–he wants no attachments. But two things suddenly threaten his vacuum-sealed world: his company decides to do layoffs via video conference so they don’t have to pay for travel, and Bingham meets a woman named Alex (Vera Farmiga, The Departed), who seems to be the female version of him… and of course, he starts to fall in love. Writer-director Jason Reitman is building a career from funny but thoughtful movies about compromised people–a pregnant teen in Juno, a cigarette-company executive in Thank You for Smoking. George Clooney has a gift for playing smart men who aren’t quite as smart as they think they are (Michael Clayton, Out of Sight). The combination is perfect: Bingham is charming and sympathetic but clearly missing something, and Up in the Air captures that absence with clarity and compassion. The outstanding supporting cast includes Anna Kendrick (Rocket Science), Jason Bateman (Arrested Development), Danny McBride (Pineapple Express), Melanie Lynskey (Away We Go), and others, each small part pitched exactly right. –Bret Fetzer

2012 Single Disc Version Blu-ray Product: Buy 2012 Single Disc Version Blu-ray At Amazon! List Price: $38.96 Amazon Price: $24.49 Click Here To See Amazon Sale Price Add to cart to see low price@ Availability: In Stock Usually ships in 24 Hours Free Shipping Available

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From Roland Emmerich, director of THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW and INDEPENDENCE DAY, comes the ultimate action-adventure film, exploding with groundbreaking special effects. As the world faces a catastrophe of apocalyptic proportions, cities collapse and continents crumble. 2012 brings an end to the world and tells of the heroic struggle of the survivors. Starring John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Woody Harrelson and Danny Glover.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1442 in DVD
• Brand: SONY PICTURES HOME ENT
• Released on: 2010-03-02
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
• Formats: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French
• Dubbed in: French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 158 minutes

Features

• ISBN13: 0043396347076
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Oh swell, when the world ends, we’re gonna save *all* the politicians.
So, when the world ends, it’s the politicians and bureaucrats that we’re gonna save, and the writers and the artists and the spiritual leaders are left behind to deal with the apocalypse. That was the most depressing element of the movie. What will the world look like if we only save the “important people” in Washington? Heaven help us. Seriously. If the future world is to be populated with the slimy-dog politicians and their ilk, I think I’ll take my chances with eternal life, thank you very much.

Sitting in the darkened theater watching 2012, I was reminded of “The Bunker” at White Sulphur Springs (in West Virginia). Construction on the 110,000-square-foot bunker was started under Eisenhower’s watch, when we were worried that the USSR might blow us up into lots of radioactive pieces. Turns out, our beloved elected officials were prepared to push The Red Button that’d end the world as we know it, and then turn-tail and run into their bunker, slam the blast-proof door behind them and emerge 90 days later when the danger had passed. And the most amazing part: The Bunker is outfitted with gee-whiz features that’d lead the unsuspecting public to believe the lawmakers were still comfortably ensconced in Washington, DC. In other words, The Bunker was *designed* to perpetrate a fraud on the American people.

Watching “2012″ I thought about The Bunker and realized, this movie is probably right. If and when the world ends, it’ll be the politically important that are given seats on the lifeboats. And it’s probably right that if there is a cataclysmic event, the Powers That Be will not tell the unwashed masses what’s going on, lest they try and steal one of those seats on the lifeboat.

That’s just depressing on so many levels.

But I digress.

This movie is definitely impressive on the big screen, and the soundtrack has plenty of bass (which I like). But the script and the writing was a little sappy for my tastes. And as to believability - well - this movie fell short on that score, too. I don’t want to spoil the plot, but NO ONE can drive a limousine *that* well. On the plus side, the graphics are truly amazing and scarier than anything I’ve ever seen before. I had to turn away from the screen to avoid some of the scary-as-hell images. It’s a pretty intense flick, and it does a good job of drawing you in.

A nice side effect: After watching this movie, I’m a lot less worried about getting those pesky credit cards paid off. Does make you think a little more about enjoying every day, and appreciating the simple beauty in our world.

In conclusion, it’s an interesting flick with awe-inspiring graphics, and it’ll hold your attention - if you can suspend disbelief for a couple hours.

This is why we go to the movies
I think people judge these movies very unfairly. It surprises me when a movie like 2012 comes along and it’s ripped apart before it’s even released. “This movie’s gonna blow, it’s two and a half hours of things blowing up.” I have to play back the sentence in my mind and figure out what was negative about that concept. These movies are meant to be fun, and usually nothing more than that.

I say “usually” because sometimes you get a movie that has absolutely no other reason to exist than to make things explode and momentarily lower your IQ (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Single-Disc Edition) is out now. Fun movie.) but occasionally you get something like 2012, which not only offers the calculated mayhem that fans of the action genre desire, but it also offers a surprisingly deep philosophical undertone. Go figure, right?

The movie opens with a fifteen minute montage that sets up the events that will eventually transpire on 2012, and gives us a look at the backroom dealings that occur in the wake of this disturbing discovery concerning the fate of humanity. Once that’s over with, the movie picks up rather quickly, introducing us to the main character, Jackson Curtis, his more-than-dysfunctional family and a grab bag of supporting characters. After a botched camping trip, things kick off rather quickly.

What follows are two hours of absolute chaos. The CG in this movie is astounding, and I cannot stress this enough. The action is relentless, creative, and satisfying on the whole. The LA sequence alone will have you smiling, then you will realize you still have a lot more movie to go, and it never disappoints. The pacing is excellent in this regard. I was in awe the entire way through.

That’s the bottom line: If you love action movies or a good old fashioned thrill ride, the disaster sequences alone are worth the price of admission (unless you’re an astrophysicist, in which case you might be crossing your arms and groaning at this film all the way through).

But what I liked the most about this film was its underlying religious theme. People might be quick to pick up on the major references to this, such as (POSSIBLE SPOILER, though it’s in the trailer): the crack forming between Adam and God on Michelangelo’s “Creation of Adam” at the Sistine Chapel, the destruction of Christ the Redeemer, Vatican City, and the Buddhist temple. With these and other biblical references that you will miss if you blink, Emmerich seems to postulate a world in which you don’t need God for miracles, and where everyone is back on even ground again.

Another theme that Emmerich sets up is the social borders that divide us more than we think. In a world that is coming to an end, it’s not the strong who survive, only the smartest and the wealthiest. The film argues against utilitarianism on several fronts, going so far as to say that to embrace such a concept to an outrageous extent, even to save mankind, would result in a race of humans deprived of its humanity.

Now, I could be wrong. I’m not saying that my interpretation of the movie is spot on, but the movie did make me think, and that’s what I found remarkable returning home from watching a film in which I thought I was just going to watch things blow up for two hours.

I walked in knowing that no one makes disaster movies better than Roland Emmerich, but I ended up watching something that entertained me immensely, made me think, and spurred on a very long conversation between my friends and I. THAT’S how a movie more than earns the price of admission.

Earth cracks, billions die, split family is together again (ahhh….)
There isn’t a lot to say about 2012 so, let me start with the Blu-ray single disk version features and virtues. I will then say a few words about the movie itself.

CONTENTS

This release comes with:

- an alternate ending (not very interesting)
- a picture-in-picture commentary - every now and then a little window opens in the lower right section of the screen and team members discuss various aspects of movie making
- alternate sound track commentary
- MovieIQ - a feature seen in other Sony Blu-ray features, offers access to an online movie database that displays information related to the scene playing. One neat feature allows you to get the MovieIQ info synced in real time and have it displayed on your computer or iPhone.

- 1080p HD at 2.40:1
- 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio sound is available in English and French
- Subtitles in English and French

TECHNICAL MERIT

Regardless of the movie’s artistic merits, the audio-visual execution is impeccable. Anyone into disaster/destruction thrills should seek this movie. The CGI is realistic to the minutest of details and the surround sound engineers made sure that you will feel the collapse of the Earth’s crust pounding in your tummy - if you play it loud enough.

THE PREMISE

As it was the case with ‘The Day After’ - global warming triggers a new ice age - the 2012 science ranges somewhere halfway between implausible to plain ridiculous. The idea that neutrinos coming out of the Sun “mutate” into a different particle and heat up the Earth’s core (but not, let’s say, the scientists who came up with the explanation) would cause most physicists to either pull their hair in frustration or laugh uncontrollably. And I won’t even touch the mystical aspect (Mayan predictions) which make it all so much confusing: was there some supernatural force that forced the Sun to produce ‘mutated’ neutrinos? We don’t know.

A lot of the movie’s science is ridiculous beyond belief. Overnight thousand-mile shifts of Earth’s crust or the magnetic pole moving to Wisconsin would be outcomes of changes so catastrophic, we would see not mile-high tsunamis but watch (so to speak) the entire planet break into pieces. My impression is that the script writers either had no idea of what they were writing about or maybe they underestimated the audience’s ability to detect nonsense when ’scientific words’ were used. Quite depressing.

THE STORY

Well… we have two main threads. It’s the end of life as we know it, with billions dying and, equally important, the story of Jackson’s (John Cusack) family that starts as ’split’ (divorce?) but, by the time the Himalayas go under water, they are reunited and it’s reasonable to assume that they won’t separate again, at least not before the children grow up or another disaster affects the family’s inegrity.

RATING

I will give this movie 2 stars for the picture and the sound effects. And these are not ‘cheap thrills’ given the $200 million budget. Sadly, there’s not much more there. A little bit of humor when portraying a Russian tycoon and an end of the world enthusiast living in a tent at Yellowstone (they both die) and John Cusack’s reliably good performance and not much else.

I’m afraid that many viewers may find watching this movie a waste of their time.

Hawaii Five-O: The Seventh Season Description:

Filmed entirely on location in Hawaii, the show followed Jack Lord as he played Steve McGarrett, head of an elite state police unit investigating “organized crime, murder, assassination attempts, foreign agents, felonies of every type.” James MacArthur played his second-in-command Danny (”Danno”) Williams, with local actors playing members of the Five-O team.

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9561 in DVD
• Brand: Paramount
• Released on: 2009-10-20
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Box set, Color, Dubbed, DVD, Full Screen, Subtitled, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, Portuguese
• Dubbed in: Spanish
• Number of discs: 6
• Dimensions: 1.20 pounds
• Running time: 1209 minutes

Features

• ISBN13: 0097368939844
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

Customer Reviews:

Another great season, another great DVD set
I’ve recently completed watching HAWAII FIVE-0: THE SEVENTH SEASON, and highly recommend it to all fans of this classic cop show.
This season, the first complete season produced after creator Leonard Freeman’s death, maintains the fine mix of stories (featuring great guest actors of the time including Leslie Nielsen, Bruce Boxleitner, Sam Elliot, William Windom, Ossie Davis, Vic Tayback, Frank Gorshin and many more)and the usual wonderful performances by Jack Lord, James MacArthur, and crew. The guys battle art thieves, a computer hacker, a wealthy rancher who becomes a vigilante, a terrorist threatening to set off a volcano, a bomber, mobsters, a serial killer and more, including another caper with Steve McGarrett’s arch-nemesis Wo Fat.

So how does this season stack up against previous seasons? While it doesn’t have quite the ratio of excellent episodes that a few of the previous seasons had (namely seasons 3 and 6, my favorites), it is still packed with many solid and entertaining stories, with only a few mediocre ones in the bunch. The show is still about 3 seasons away from starting it’s decline.

As for the DVDs themselves, CBS-Paramount has done fine job of presenting these episodes in digitally-remastered quality, looking better than they ever did when they originally aired on the network, and much better than their grainier syndicated, chopped-up versions. There is the usual disclaimer on the box about some episodes possibly being edited, but based on the run times of the episodes and comparisons with my uncut VHS recordings, these episodes all appear to be complete.

Once again, HAWAII FIVE-0 on DVD continues to entertain and remind us why it is one of the greatest cop shows of all time. All fans should do themselves a favor and order this set and enjoy another 24 adventures in paradise. Please keep them coming, CBS-Paramount!

Long-Running Series Deserves DVD Release
Nothing lasts 12 years without having something going for it. In the case of Hawaii Five-O, it easy to dismiss it as a typically television crime drama that got lucky by finding its audience and keeping it. The same could be said for Law and Order. Except, in television years, luck usually runs out after two or three years. Gimmicks get old, the formula is figured out, and sharks are jumped so often they don’t even complain.

But shows that last five years, much less 12, have to have something besides luck, gimmicks, and great scheduling. Hawaii Five-O had a number of things going for it. First of all, let’s be honest. The setting was, and still is so lush and exotic that it is easily intoxicating. Hawaii is beautiful, and most people either live there or want to live there. Filming on location has always been a blessing when it’s been done, and probably no more so than on this series.

Next, Jack Lord, playing Five-O chief Steve McGarrett, was one of a long line of no-nonsense law enforcement figures. The strength, integrity, and dedication of these kinds of characters cannot be overstated, and these characters will always have lots of fans rooting them on, not unlike Law and Order’s Jack McCoy.

Finally, watching shows like this is always a treat because you see so many stars that were either big stars enjoying a working Hawaiian vacation, or lots of up and coming stars before they got their big break. Hawaii Five-O was a natural draw for both categories, and it’s fun to watch them and remember when.

It’s also fun to remember when you could look forward to hearing one of the best and most recognizable theme songs in television history. Not a small thing when you add it with the other factors. Hawaii Five-O had a lot going for it then, and it has a lot going for it now.

70’s TV
These shows from the 1970’s are quite fun to watch!There are so many character actors guest starring,you may not know there name but remember the face from Columbo,Barnaby Jones,Rockford Files and so on.These shows where much more REAL than the so called reality shows that sadly have taken the place of REAL entertainment.You sit back,relax and forget about everything else and enjoy a actor like Jack Lord and his crew as they created one of the great shows that had a 12 year run.I say thank you to these great REAL actors and entertainers.Don’t hesitate to buy these awesome 70’s shows,there fun to watch,put away and pull back out and watch again and again,Jay - Colorado.