Home Movie Reviews

They are neither movies or videotapes; they are cleaned up, digitally remastered, original kinescopes (the archival film made from the flickering image on the monitor) to show you what type of free, no-holes-barred theatre you could watch in the infancy of television. Because these were live productions done a few years before videotape (roughly between 1953 and 1957) these films are the only record of the performances- dramatic exhibitions with Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, and Ralph Bellamy; character studies from James Dean and William Shatner; and intoductions to future stars like Warren Beatty, Edward Asner, and Steve (called 'Steven') McQueen. Especially poignant is an annoyingly short documentary on the 10-year show hosted by some of its guest actors: Charlton Heston, Jack Klugman, and Cloris Leachman (who makes an especially heartbreaking commentary that many of the actors never got to watch their performances because the kinescopes were burned in their vaults years ago). There is also a marvelous sound byte from the late great John Frankenheimer (who reveals he would've continued to direct television theatre but *had* to turn to movies when the network's president decided to unilaterally cease doing the live play and concentrate on the filmed sitcom). The CBS "f-stop eye" logo is shown, along with original show bumpers (including a 1956 presidential election preview) and the legendary Betty Furness Westinghouse commercials (one of which demonstrates the new, UHF-channel plug-in adapter!!).

For a decade (1948-58)in early television, Studio One was one of the stalwarts of live drama, producing some truly classic television, along with a few monumental duds. This set (available separately as well) brings together some very interesting examples. Nostalgia buffs will get a kick out of seeing actors like James Dean, James Coburn, Warren Beatty, Steve McQueen, and William Shatner, to name a few, in VERY early roles (look for Ed Asner as "background"). But there is much more than nostalgia at work here. "The Defenders", "Laughmaker", and "The Night America Trembled" hold up as good, even, "Defenders", great, drama. "Sentence of Death" has some fascinating things to say, even if it says them less than perfectly. And "The Square Peg" shows why live comedy was often so hard to do. The picture quality is, at best, watchable (these are kinescopes, after all) and some of the goofs live TV was prone to are "preserved". An added bonus is the inclusion of all the old Westinghouse commercials which are hilarious! (Imagine! A dishwasher that can do a whole days worth of dishes...at once! A guaranteed good time for those who know what they are watching.

I feel that by focusing her aim on 5 major "laws" of money, Suze Orman has created a reference that is timeless. It was wonderfully produced, and enjoyable to watch.

She hardly takes a breath in this video. It's action packed. Well worth [the price]. I read the book, red cover. It follows it almost exactly. Motivates you to follow the plan. Truth, Have, Your Name, Know, Power. I hate DVD movies, but this video makes me want to go out and buy one of those portable dvd players... so I can worship this queen of finance. My other finance heros are Clark Howard, The Dolans, Bob Brinker, DAve Ramsey... Suze is the hardest working. Catch her on QVC too. (I'm just a fan, not an employee of any org that would profit from my statements.)

Theodore Roosevelt--lover of the limelight, ambitious to the extreme at times, pain in the rear for anyone who got in his way or opposed him--externally, this man doesn't seem like much of an American icon. Yet icon he is, for he stands for everything the ideal American should: Ambition, the drive to do what it takes to accomplish your dreams, the courage to stand up to the bully (in his case, big business) who no one else will stand up to. Call him what you will, Roosevelt was an incredible man.

This documentary is beautifully done. Richard Dreyfuss is perfect as the voice of Teddy--I couldn't imagine a better match. Clips of video, photographs, and splendid views of gorgeous scenery make this documentary pleasing to the eye, and superb editing and dubbing, coupled with relevant commentary and quotes from Teddy himself make it enjoyable to listen to as well. These features combine to make Teddy a REAL person, with insecurities and fears to match his ambitions and acheivements, and serve to endear him to almost any viewer.

I have studied almost nothing on Theodore Roosevelt, so I can't really comment on how accurate this is. It is possible (it wouldn't be the first time) that the History Channel is a little hazy on some of the facts, but for all I know this film is accurate. This is definitely one of the best new documentaries I have seen in a long time.

TR is like America's favorite uncle - sure he was President but wow was he cool. I saw this new, sweeping biography on cable and immediately pre-ordered it. Technically innovative and thoroughly accurate, it presents a moving portrait of a man you can't help but like. Stunning in the use of camera angles, dissolves, pans, edits and re-creations, the action is riveting. Rare film clips abound, perfectly edited. We see, for example, TR chopping down a tree, galloping on horseback, flashing his famous grin; troops landing and horses swimming onto the Cuban shore for the Spanish-American War; TR in "his" Panama clambering, clad in white suit, onto a giant bulldozer. And much more indeed.

The stills are also revealing: his father's honest face ("the best man I ever knew"); Alice, his lovely first wife (dead on the same "cursed" day as his mother: "the light has gone out of my life"); his comely childhood sweetheart and wife, Edith; TR in a dandy's cowboy outfit complete with Tiffany knife; his favorite son Quentin, later to die in the Great War, with head cocked lovingly on TR's shoulder. Richard Dreyfuss as TR proves the value of a good actor's voice and Edward Hermann's narration is richly textured. Presidents Bush II and Clinton, numerous TR descendants, and scholars galore are nicely picked and interwoven into the narrative. Though TR was the first American to win the Nobel Prize (settling the Russo-Japanese War) and the only president to earn the Medal of Honor (charging up San Juan into a hail of bullets), these awards seem almost incidental to his simple humanity. We are left wondering if there are men like him today, warts and all. But we are grateful for what one writer calls "this largest of American characters". (Also recommended: McCullough's classic "Mornings on Horseback"; Morris' Pulitzer-winning "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt" and his meticulous second volume, "Theodore Rex").

Orson Welles plays the grey bearded and portly God-like father, Anthony Perkins the rebellious son, and Marlene Jobert the young & sexy stepmother in this metaphysical Oedipal mystery which is based(only very loosely)on an Ellery Queen novel. Chabrol only uses the Ellery Queen novel as a kind of foundation, what he actually builds from that foundation has little to do with Ellery Queen. Be warned: If you're looking for a straightforward mystery this is not for you. However if you are looking for a film that plays with the mystery genre in creative and unexpected ways then this may just well be your kind of cinema as Claude Chabrol's is a subversive cinema and in his early to mid 1970's films he boldly re-invents each genre of filmmaking to accomodate his own ironic world view. Chabrol always has fun with the bourgeoisie in his films but here he expands that ridicule to include every kind of authority figure(and every kind of truth). Each authority figure tries to exert their influence, and force upon others their way of perceiving things but the truth slips through their grasp. In this film made in the very riotous year of our lord 1971, authority figures have lost their grip on "truth" and "reality". Claude Chabrol wrote a book about Hitchcock and is often compared to that master filmmaker but his films only resemble Hitchcock films on the surface, below the surface the two have nothing in common. Chabrol casting Anthony Perkins as the central conscience around which this mystery revolves is just another bit of Chabrol irony. In Hitchcocks Psycho Perkins was the psycho son of a dead mother. Here he is the confused son of a domineering father. As filmgoers who have all seen Psycho we expect Perkins to once again play the psycho but in Chabrols world expectations must be cast aside. This story takes some getting used to as there are so many things going on but if you stick with it you will be rewarded with a singular kind of film experience. Chabrol gives you lots of irony(lots of cinema in-jokes, including references to Welles films) but his ultimate vision is a unique & compelling one which will especially appeal to those restless minds out there who will find a real compatriot in Chabrol. His filmic re-formulations are highly literate & sophisticated and yet unlike Godard his interest in form never becomes merely formal exercises. He is one of those rare experimenters whose films are fun. I would recommend many of Chabrols films including La Rupture which was made in the same year as this one but also: La Femme Infidele, Le Boucher, Que la Bete Muere, Wedding in Blood, La Ceremonie.

Not for nothing Claude Chabrol is one of the best film makers. He goes unraveling the movie slowly to an impossible-to-grasp ending. An absolut black thriller, full of excitement. The cast is also brilliant, from the troubled Charles Van Horn (played by Anthony Perkins in a superb role), to his doctor and friend Paul (Michel Piccoli), to his father (Orson Welles, always good! ). Don't miss this movie!

The 2 Tighter Assets workout are innovative and fun. The Cardio Blast workout incorporates aerobic moves that are not hard to follow. It contains several sections and the moves are not repetitive. It is over before you know it. I prefer the Weight Loss workout which includes more stregth training.
There is one negative about these DVDs -- it takes about 1-2 min to go over the introduction. I was not able to fast forward to start the workout right away. For people who want to do both workouts at the same setting, you will need to wait for the introduction section on your second workout.

This 2 volume set is great for those who really want to focus on your core and strengthening your lower back by using your core. I have been a Tamilee fan for 12 years, and as in the past, has challenged me again.

The first DVD, Cardio Blast (30 minutes) requires alot of core movements and balance. You will also need a lot of room so that you can "Cardio Blast" some of the moves. It definetly takes several attempts to get some of the moves down, however it does get your heart pumping and you are sweating by the end. A bonus feature on this DVD is a 10 minute bun workout that incorporates lunges and squats while utilizing your core. Very good for those who don't have time for the 30 minute cardio or her 40 minute buns of steel tapes.

The Second DVD, the weight loss (30 Minutes) is a killer. I viewed the dvd first before doing the exercises and thought it was going to be easy. HA! This again incorporates a lot of core, balancing and also weights. I have a step and follow her but you can do the exercises on the floor. She starts on one leg focusing on that leg for about 12 someodd minutes before you go into 2 sets of free weights. Then you switch and do the other leg, followed by 2 more sets, then finish with some very effective abs. Let me tell you by the time you are done with the leg portion, your leg is quivering from the slow tap up, tap downs and flying leg holds (don't do this then try to do lower body yoga moves, it kills your thighs). This DVD has a 10 minute ab section that is great. You use a ton of obliques and it varies from you standard crunch.

Both DVDs have the nutrition plan and give good advice. Tamilee is informative without being annoying. The only downside is that it might be a little frustrating for those lacking balance. But after serveral tries it does get better.

It seems like these classics (although I wouldnt consider vegas a "classic") have all been around the dvd world for quite some time, but in FULL SCREEN with zero extras! Finally someone got smart and decided to make em widescreen (the way it should be), and give us extras, although not much, like commentary, is still better then what we had!! I give...

Vacation 1- 5 stars easily
European 2- 4 stars
Christmas 3- 5 stars!!!
Vegas 4- 3 stars..pretty funny, but not as good as the originals!

These are the best movies for Families who have ever had a absolutely terrible vacation, or just want to see the worst case scenario of the perfect vacation. The original Vacation with Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo have great chemistry and always have laughs. I am personnally glad Warner Brothers got smart and put all four in a box set in WIDESCREEN format(the best format because full screen takes 50% of the picture away;why do you think WIDESCREEN televisions are so popular?!?!?)

I hope these movies are digitally remastered, and in jewel keep case boxes this time.

A definite buy for anyone who has ever had a vacation to an amusement park across the country, European countries where your ancestors once lived, a Christmas vacation with all the grandparents, or to the wonderful city of Las Vegas. It doesn't matter, all through and through these movies are and remain funny because of their comedy, and all comedy is funny because it has a little truth, like having Grandparents over for Christmas.

Esther represents a slight departure for the VeggieTales crew. In focusing on the retelling of this story from the Bible, some of the traditional humorous elements from previous videos are gone. Instead, the video focuses completely on the story of the girl picked to be queen who discovers God has placed her there in order to save her people. But will she have the courage to follow through?

Big Idea did a good job of packing all the twists and turns of the story from the Bible into 35 minutes while still making it appropriate for kids. My favorite change was "The Land of Perpetual Tickling." I completely missed the references to "The Godfather," but I've never seen those movies to begin with. Still, this explains the reference to "family" and not "the Jews" in the story line. While I missed the "Silly Songs with Larry" segment, it would have broken the flow and tone of the story, and I'm glad it was left out. Instead, we have the hilarious "Lost Puppies" song from the audition scene. And Esther gets several great songs. They might not be the bouncy, upbeat songs we're used to hearing, but they are beautiful songs of God's protection that fit the video well.

This movie was visually the most stunning and complex they had tried to date, and this transfers well to the new DVD release. As always, the DVD contains a behind the scenes featurette and some Easter eggs that give a better idea of what went into the production of this episode. There are some fun things for kids to do (even I enjoyed the maze). But the highlight is the audio commentary with Phil and Mike. This seems to be one of the better ones. They talk a lot about the leaps forward they tried with this episode and what they learned from it. Plus we get to hear why using vegetables is a blessing and a saddlement.

Always searching for ways to expand the series, Big Idea hit the mark with this excellent video. It's a little different then the others, but if you'll give it a fair chance, you'll see it just might be their best yet.

Besides the sing-a-long video, this is my kids favorite veggie-tale movie. Of course this is one of my favorite Bible stories anyway. The songs are great and funny as usual. Even my 1 yr. old has learned how to sing them! It has even prompted discussions with my 9 & 11 yr olds as to the similarities & differences between the Bible version & the veggie tale version. Even though veggie tales makes their stories fun & silly, they still keep the meaning & principles intact. P.S. Essie has a pretty voice (that was from my 4 yr. old). :)

I really liked this episode. It's not my favorite Veggietales episode, but it is a great one. Archibald tries to run the show for once and is frustrated as things don't go his way. Kids learn how to share.

This Veggie Tales video is our 16 month old daughters favorite. It has all of her favorite things: Bob, ducks, baths, hats (Bob's toupe), and peas. She is too young to understand the moral to the story just yet but as she gets older we appreciate the positive influence of the Veggie Tales series. Good thing we bought the DVD rather than the VHS because a tape would have been worn out by now.

According to a mail that Diney Consumer Services sended me, the following are the contents of this set:

"The following information is tentative for MICKEY MOUSE IN LIVING COLOR 2.

BONUS FEATURES:
Disc One:
***Leonard Maltin Introduction***
***"The Sorcerer's Apprentice" with Introduction***
***Deleted Animation from "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" with Introduction***
***"Mickey and the Beanstalk" with Introduction***

Disc Two:
***Leonard Maltin Introduction***

***Mickey's Cartoon Comeback***
***The Voice Behind the Mouse***
***Mouse Mania with Introduction***
***Mickey Cartoon Physics from "The Plausible Impossible" with Introduction***
***Mickey on the Camera Stand from "Tricks of Our Trade" with Introduction***
***Mickey Meets the Maestro with Introduction***
***Color Titles from "The Mickey Mouse Club" with Introduction***
***The Making of "Mickey's Christmas Carol"***
***Publicity & Memorabilia Gallery***
***Story & Background Art Gallery: ***
- The Little Whirlwind
- The Nifty Nineties
- The Pointer
- Symphony Hour

______________________________________________
PROGRAM:
Disc One:
***Society Dog Show***
***The Pointer***
***Tugboat Mickey***
***Pluto's Dream House with Stereotypes Introduction***
***Mr. Mouse Takes a Trip with Stereotypes Introduction***
***The Little Whirlwind***
***The Nifty Nineties with Uncharacteristic Behaviors Introduction***

***Orphan's Benefit***
***Mickey's Birthday Party***
***Symphony Hour with Stereotypes Introduction***
***Mickey's Delayed Date***
***Mickey Down Under***
***Mickey and the Seal***
***Plutopia with Uncharacteristic Behaviors Introduction***
***R'Coon Dawg***
***Pluto's Party***
***Pluto's Christmas Tree***
***The Simple Things***

Disc Two:
***Mickey's Christmas Carol with Introduction***
***The Prince and the Pauper with Introduction***
***Runaway Brain with Introduction***"

In other words... yes!, it will contain "Runaway Brain" (tentatively, of course)

Disney has already released a collection of Mickey Mouse shorts on DVD. This is the long anticipated sequal that will hopefully contain everything the first DVD missed. The one cartoon i would most like to see is "Runaway Brain" which was released in theaters with "A Kid in King Arthur's Court". Sadly Runaway Brain has yet to be released in any format to the public. Disney has really been doing a great job with digitally remastering it's finest works and making them available to the public. If this DVD is any foreshadowing of whats yet to come from Disney fans should not be dissapointed.

It's ok. I would've rather seen the August 25th Show at Slane. With highlights like A Sort of Homecoming and Dancing in the Moonlight (by Thin Lizzy, who U2 opened for 20 years ago at Slane).

This is the Full Track List/Features for DVD case edition. (Be aware the 'jewel case' edition may not contain same contents.)

Tracklisting:
- Performance from Slane, 1st September
1. Elevation
2. Beautiful Day
3. Until The End Of The World
4. New Year's Day
5. Out Of Control
6. Sunday Bloody Sunday
7. Wake Up Dead Man
8. Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of
9. Kite
10. Angel Of Harlem
11. Desire
12. Staring At The Sun
13. All I Want Is You
14. Where The Streets Have No Name

15. Pride (In The Name Of Love)
16. Bullet The Blue Sky
17. With Or Without You
18. One
19. Walk On

- The Unforgettable Fire documentary (28 minutes)

The DVD includes a bonus track ("Mysterious Ways"), and DVD ROM special features include U2 calendar, screensavers and weblinks plus three songs shot on 'Spincam' allowing the viewer an interactive, 360 degree view of the concert. U2 Go Home is presented in PCM Stereo, DTS and Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound. Aspect ratio 16:9.

I liked the Elevation DVD from Boston a lot, but this one from Slane Castle had a much more concert-like feel. The sound is better, and the set list is better too. It includes U2 staples "One" and "Pride" which were taken out of the Boston DVD. You definitely feel the energy from the 80,000 fans that were at the Slane show. I like the interactive features on the DVD too. The only songs that I would've liked to see the band do are "Stay(Faraway, So Close)" and "Bad", but other than that, it's a great way to spend two hours. My favorite songs on this DVD are "Sunday Bloody Sunday", "All I Want is You", "Streets", "With or Without You" and "One". I think over all this DVD is better than Boston's, though I liked "Streets" from that one better, and "With or Without You" is not as good as it is in Rattle and Hum (but not many performances are). I also think perhaps the band could've changed the set list even more from the Boston shows. Besides "Stay" and "Bad", they could have included more songs from Pop. I expected this DVD to be very similiar to Boston, but it's got it's own feel to it. I'd definitely recommend it to all U2 fans.