SETI Movie Reviews

This show has been off the air now for 3 years, and I still lament the idiotic cancellation of that brilliant show to this day. So the NBC execs were INSANE...they can make up for their oversight by releasing the one and only season on DVD. I mean Sports Night is on DVD for crying out loud. And this was one of the most unique, under appreciated shows EVER! A next generation Wonder Years; just as witty and smart, with characters that you never forgot and really cared about. That's a rarity in TV today, and no show like this has and probably will, come again. So give us fans what we want! I read in EW that the producers are really trying to speed things up, and want a Spring 04 release...that would be really great.

All this time later, I am still sick about the cancellation of F&G. I was so looking forward to seeing where future episodes were going to take the characters. At the very least, I am looking forward to getting my hands on the entire season as soon as it gets released. I don't even own a DVD player yet, but I will certainly buy myself one as soon as I am able to own FREAKS AND GEEKS. Rarely has a show or movie been able to capture the 70's as perfectly as F&G did. I GOTTA HAVE IT MAN!!!!

i remember when i first saw this in the eight or ninth grade. i thought this show was the best show out there i just cant believe people didnt watch this therefore destroying the best show by canceling it!!!! i hope i pray that this show will come out onto DVD....!

Knowing Warners, it will be made on cheap DVD disks with zero bonus features. Which is okay because it's a terrible show anyway.

I started watching this show when it first aired and I've been a fan ever since. I enjoy the perspective of another high school student (now college) about life. It has always been very enjoyable to be able to get away from the stress of my life and watch this witty and entertaining show. I recently even got my boyfriend in it. I tried to make him watch the 3rd season with all the drama and he didn't enjoy it, but he loves watching the new season with Rory in college because of the humorous story lines. I fully recommend this show to anyone and everyone!

For all of who love the witty banter that happens in Stars Hollow, you will be so exiceted. Warner Brothers is going to release the first season on dvd. This show rocks. It reminds me of me and my mother's relationship, and the relationship that i would love to have for my future daughter. It is truly fab.

i must say that i am not the only one looking for the set, or just any type of movie. i havent found one yet and i have been looking for quiet a while. i love the show. so please someone tell whom ever it takes to get charmed to dvd or vhs which ever. it would be get to have it out before christmas. thanks and please help out all of us charmed fans

The seasons 1-5 of Charmed is not yet out on DVD but I personally know that many people are waiting. So for the past 5 weeks I have been looking but never found it. So today I lokk for it on on about 4 diffrent websites on no good. Although I did see someone who had it on BAYOU.com but I am stumped on how they got it????????????? So if anyone reads this and decides to talk to the producers about this tragedie than maybe they could complain forall of us Charmed lovers too.

All the Charmed fans out there- you rock! All the people who are thinking 'Charmed?' you really need to get a life 'cause a life without Charmed is a life not worth living! Brilliant and stunning actors (male and female), amazing storylines, inspiring and insightful- Charmed is a must have DVD! I don't think I can wait for so long without buying the DVD or VHS. Any series will do! Just hurry up and release it in the UK will ya????

At the end of the last episode, we find that Aina and Shiro are alive and well...and Aina looks to be pregnant (gee, who saw THAT coming?)
The first two espiodes is a two-parter and is the final battle between the Federation and the Zeon. I either didn't see the very last espiode ("Last Resort") on Cartoon Network or they didn't show it at all. On the Cartoon Network version, it isn't clear in Aina and Shiro survived the battle, as Miguel (spelling?) tells us that he never saw the two again. However, i am very happy for Aina and Shiro. Love knows no bounds (or sides in a war). A great ending to a great series!

I am a seasoned Japanese Anime watcher, being an avid follower and collector since childhood. With so many anime titles from the '70s, '80s, '90s, and up to the present for comparison, Gundam 08th MS Team is, without a doubt, rated among the very best of the best.

As a Gundam series, it is without equal. Forget about the recent hyped and fanciful Gundams such as Gundam Wing, or Gundam 0083. For these series may have the best looking Mobile Suits, they are actually being cleverly marketed alongside their plastic model franchises. But for those of us who are looking for a good anime with good storyline, 08th MS Team is the best bet.

O8th MS Team was released with very modest publicity. It did not not have a lavish budget to warrant fluid animation. And its Mobile Suit designs were very plain and workman-like. Many new generation Gundam fans scoffed at its down-to-earth reputation. They should watch the series once again.

What 08th MS Team lacked in its franchise department, has been compensated with a very well developed and mature storyline. Each character has different, and very well defined personality. They will grow into you. They were skillfully drawn to reflect their looks with their behavior. For instance; Eledore the music lover has a punkish look; Michel the day-dreamer is made to look like a nerd; Karen the tough Sgt. is a burly sort of woman who has brownish skin; Ginias Sakhalin was drawn to look like a handsome aristocrat but with greedy self-centered eyes. Aina Sakhalin is my favorite character. She has those dreamy eyes as any young girl in love would have. The tone of her looks was made to match well with Shiro Amada. One can see clearly the two lovers were not meant to be painted separately. One should pay tribute to the sensitivities of the character designer and the artists who had used the savviness of their skills to retell a version of Romeo & Juliet in the form of anime cells.

Action sequences? Believe me, episode 11(Shaking Mountain, Part 1) will take your breath away. If you think the battles between Kou Uraki & Anavel Gato, and Heero Yui & Zechs Marquis were great, check this one out. It is not just a case of two guys brawling and ripping each other's circuits out. It was an intense street battle, staged with both cunning and guile. It makes much more sense this way, and clearly defines what fighting on Mobile Suits is all about.

08th MS Team is a touching and moving chronicle. It is like a brilliant prose that pulls you heartstrings. It is such an egrossing experience watching this series.

Often when an anime series becomes wildly popular, it spawns several sequels, spin offs, and other such things. The "mobile Suit Gundam" series is one of those series. It's been around for 20 years and shows no signs of stopping. But can an anime so amazing transcend through time and still manage to keep the same themes without becoming cliche and also be fresh? Yes, yes it can. And "Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team" is proof.

"8th MS Team" is one of the many Gundam titles that Bandai has released as part of it's Gundam invasion. The 12-episode OVA series came out in 1996 and takes place in the year U.C. 0079 of the Gundam Timeline. The story chronicles the story of Fedearation pilot, Lt. Shiro Amada and his team of Mobile Suit pilots as they try to survive the remainder of the One-Year War. But Shiro's fate is altered by the war when he falls in love with a Zeon pilot named Aina Sahalin. How can love survive in a battlefield filled with hatred? Watch and see.

Unlike other Gundam series, that often involve dynamic battles that take place on both Earth and in space, "08th MS Team" strictly remains within the imposing environments of South-East Asia. Also, unlike the wildly popular "Gundam Wing," the Mobile Suits in this series are not shown as celestial gods, but what they were originally intended to be; war machines. The Gundams in this series are treated more like tanks and airplanes rather than "the ultimate harbringers of death" like in many anime series featuring giant robots, a staple theme in the Gundam series.

The story is well-done and brings a new-light on the Gundam story from 20 years ago. The events in this story take place at roughly the same time the events in Mobile Suit Gundam take place. Having the story take place on the neglected Earth battlefield allows for a perspective that does not screw up the Gundam history (*cough cough* Stardust Memory *cough cough*) and at the same time allows for something new.

The characters are very interesting. As with most of the Gundam series, watching the characters interact with one another is just as amazing as watching the Mobile Suits battle. Each character has his or her own dillema and manages to develop themselves as better characters through out the entire series. This is possibly one of the best cast acts seen in any anime, almost surpassing that of "Fushigi Yuugi's" and "Patlabor's," and that is a lot.

The animation is also extraordinary, there is rarely a dull moment in the action portrayed on screen. And since the series is only 12 episodes long, it allows for animation that can rival most Hollywood movies. It also allows for no re-used scenes in any of the action sequences, which anime like "Dargon Ball Z" and "Ronin Warriors" has become so fond of doing.

The music is also well-orchestrated and paced in quite well with the rest of the series. True, although it's not the amazing pieces created by Two Mix for "Gundam Wing," it's still something you would want to hum to when in the car.

My only gripe with this series is that it leaves a few things up in the air as far as backgrounds go. Sometimes, I wondered more about the deeper stories the characters have to tell, I'm quite sure they are as interesting as the main story. Well, it IS a 12-episode OAV so there is not enough time to dive into every one's stories, but it's still a wanted addition that would have probably enhanced the series.

Also, if someone doesn't know what a Zaku or a Gouf is, then they will be left in the dark as to some of the terminology used in the series. Luckily, DVD's 2, 3, 4 have bonus clips and MS Encyclopedia's under their extras that will turn a beginner in the Gundam universe into a Mobile Suit Master.

In the end, "The 08th MS Team" is a highly reccomended anime, and a must-have for any fan of Gundam, as well as a must-have for anyone who fancy's themself a Gundam-head. This series will want you to suit-up...again...and again...and again...

-RW

Charles in the above review was completely wrong. Big O is much more deep than he make it out to be. At times it can be so complex that its confusing and begs to be watched again to understand it.(thats not a bad thing) As the members of the Adult Swim show blok on Cartoon Network will attest to on their message board. But Charles says "the stories lack plot depth and characterization" but then later says the plot is complex. He nneds to take a side and stick with it. The reason that most of the characters are not imediatly understandable is because You see more of them as the show goes on and additional information is revealed. In a city shrouded in mystery, it only makes sense for the characters to have the same qualitites and not just be readily apparent. It is a show that is worth watching and now that season 2 is out, more is explained and the show is pretty much resolved.

The Amazon review is out of date in one major aspect. The second season of Big O was finally produced in a joint venture with Cartoon Network and is now being aired. If it turns out to be as popular as the first season, then a third will be jointly produced as well. So we'll be getting our answers about the story.

When The Big O first premiered on Cartoon Network's Toonami, I dismissed it as being "just another mecha show". It wasn't until it aired on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim that I actually sat down and watched the entire series, realizing how great the series truly is.

At first glance, Big O seems like just another giant robot show. However, if you dismiss it, like I did, you will be missing out on one of the greatest animes I have seen in a long time. In fact, it is very different from many mecha series in that each episode plays out as a sort of mystery, making it popular to compare this series to the animated Batman series.

The story of the series is very dark, telling of Paradigm City, a metropolis much like a run-down New York, where every inhabitant lost their memories 40 years prior to the events of the series. "Memories" have become precious commodities in the "city of amnesia". Fragments of these memories are the Megadeus's, giant robots that seem to have minds of their own. Roger Smith, the show's protagonist, pilots one such Megadeus, the powerful Big O.

The story may be dark, but the characters are certainly colorful. Roger Smith is a negotiator (think private investigator) who pilots the Big O. R. Dorothy is a female android who becomes Roger's sidekick and maid. Beck is a small-time criminal who seeks vengeance for Roger humiliating him. Many more characters appear and play important roles in the series.

The animation, voice acting, and musical score are supurb. The animation is very fluid, but the colors are often drab but help to convey the mood of the series. The voice actors all do an excellent job, and they may be familiar to the avid anime viewer. The music is epic and helps to draw you into the show. The opening theme is somewhat strange, but I grew to like it over time.

All in all, Big O is one of my favorite series ever. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who enjoys giant robot anime or just anime in general.

"Capturing the Friedmans" is a documentary about a suburban Long Island middle class family and their struggles to band together in a time of chaos and bewilderment. Everything hits the fan when Arnold Friedman, a well-respected teacher, father, musician and community figure is found to be distributing and receiving child pornography. The authorities are alerted, and an investigation follows, upon discovering that Friedman has held private computer lessons for young children in his basement for years.
Madness ensues, accusations are made, and eventually Friedman's middle son Jesse is also pinpointed by witnesses to be a molester himself. Countless molestation and sodomy charges are brought against both Friedmans, who adamantly proclaim their innocence throughout the film. The Friedman family is torn to shambles, with blame being passed out like wildfire and former trusts broken.
The characters are colorful, mostly because of their adamant stances towards Arnie's and Jesse's claims of innocence. The cynical humorless wife and mother Elaine thinks they are lying, while the oldest brother David stands undeniably behind them 100% and therefore despises his mother. The flamboyant brother of Arnie, who was allegedly repeatedly raped by him as a child, ironically cannot possibly fathom his brother being accused of such horrendous crimes.
What makes this film so undeniably compelling is the roller coaster ride you experience, when one moment you are convinced of their guilt and the next have a strong sense of reasonable doubt. Did Arnie plead guilty in attempt to save his son, or to assuage his guilt for prior sex crimes? As the past unfolds, Arnold's tendency towards pedophilia is brought to the surface, citing cases back to when he was 13 years old and raped his 8 year old brother. This alone would make you normally have no doubt of his guilt, however Arnold admits to having pedophiliac thoughts, claiming to have had his problem under control for years. Also, throughout the film, the children (now adults) who accused the Friedmans back during the trial speak of the alleged incidents in the computer class. Astoundingly, over half of them eventually admit that they do not remember anything really happening, but simply wanted the police to stop asking questions. The only witness who remembers anything vividly had to be hypnotized to do so, and his story lends itself to be contradictory and full of holes. There is also absolutely no physical evidence of the crimes, nor any complaints from children prior to the police investigations. It is very possible to me that the police, upon finding Arnie's kiddie porn, did everything in their power to lock this pervert up, even if it meant pushing for falsified testimony from children. Honestly, even if a jury felt that the testimony was forced, who is going to let an admitted pedophile who enjoys child porn to roam their streets?
Hence the questions arises: should pedophiles and other sexual deviants be locked up regardless of their actions? Although it may not be legal, I am sure most parents would agree to this measure. Then where does society draw the line? If a man that has inappropriate thoughts about children ends up in prison, and there is no physical evidence that he ever acted upon those thoughts, is justice truly served? Does our legal system exist for prevention or for punishment?
This is a must-see, simply because everyone should be given the chance to draw their own conclusions about the fate of the Friedmans. You will no doubt leave with a feeling of distrust and disillusionment, wondering what is really going on beneath the surface in your very own neighborhood.

If the Friedman's hadn't been obsessed with capturing their own lives on 8mm (and video tape and audio tape), this riveting documentary wouldn't exist. I won't rehash the case under scrutiny here, except to say that it is pretty lurid, and absolutely not for children to be hearing about and watching.

The amazing thing about the film is that while we are presented with the "facts" of the case, we realize that we're seeing a sort of real life Rashomon. Everyone has their version of events,and as each version is peeled away, we become angry at a different person and sympathetic for someone we never thought we'd feel sympathy for.

For example, at one point we hear the "testimony" of one of the victim's of the molestation. He gets our sympathy, naturally. Later, when we his interviewed some more and we know a little more about the case, extreme doubt is cast on his story and we begin to feel suspicious towards the investigators. But, just as we might begin leaning towards believing in the innocence of the Friedmans, another bombshell is dropped on us. Towards the end, we really don't know who to believe. It's frustrating not to know anything for sure, but by God, I bet no one leaves this movie not ready to spend a lot of time talking about it and running over it in their heads. It is the most satisfying frustration you can have.

The movie is also a fascinating study of the disintegration of a dysfunctional family. We see the collapse right in front of us, and we see its aftermath many years later. Wow! It's simply amazing to witness the things that were capture by the Friedmans.

The movie is occasionally funny, often aggravating, often strong enough to make our blood boil or run cold...but it is never, ever dull. Truly a wonderful achievement...no review I've read captures the unusual power of this film. IT'S A MUST SEE FOR ADULTS!!!!

{spoilers}

this is the story of father and son homosexual pedophiles who have been lying their whole lives, and the codependent in-denial enablers in their family who continue to back them. as such, they are able to convince those who already have an anti-police bias that, notwithstanding the voluntary, uncoerced confessions of guilt by both defendants in open court to being homosexual child molesters, somehow it is the police that deserve to be censured here, not the perpetrators.

what to do about the fact that the wife believed her husband was guilty from the outset? demonize the wife, of course. what to do about the fact that the father's lawyer and the son's lawyer insisted that both were guilty? mum's the word.

contrary to anything you may have read to the contrary, both lawyers were sharp as a tack. in the most damning evidence of all (besides the little matter of the confessions), Arnold's lawyer says he went into pre-trial discovery confident that he could get the witnesses to contradict themselves. (after all, they were children who had supposedly been brainwashed into making the accusations -- not exactly the most difficult witness testimony to break.) he came away shaken by the fact that he couldn't get them to trip up. after that, he knew that a plea bargain was Arnold's only viable option, as a trial was out of the question.

in this supposedly even-handed film, this particular segment lasted perhaps 20 to 30 seconds. i could tell that the audience i watched it with was barely affected by it. but, if you know anything about criminal defense, this was devastating.

Jesse's lawyer got a lot more time on screen. he said that Jesse had told him that his father had molested him from an early age and that as he got older he helped his father molest children. he blubbered about how sorry he was as he entered his plea of guilty in court. he has since recanted. which time would a reasonable person infer he was lying?

so far, not one other commentator here or on imdb.com has mentioned one word about the statements made by either lawyer.

Now I Know what all you are thinking. Who cares 'bout the plot? Well I will tell you about the technilogical side of "MobileSuit Gundam:The 08th MS Team Vol.2"(I'll call it"MS08v2".

When you first load the cd on your player it will show some of the companies that made it then go to the main menu. When you'r at the menu it will play the clip from the first episode on the disk showing the Apsulus firing at the 08th Team. It also has four icons on the bottom.

1) a movie camera that plays all three episodes.
2) a magnefied glass that is the scene access. Inside that there are five scenes you can play which says "opening, partA, part B, closing and preview". You can also chose witch episode to do that on.
3) a sound icon witch allows you to chose English Dubbed Version, or the original Japanese audio. (NOTE:the music in the dubbed is the same as in the Japanese) You can also chose to put the subtitles on or off. (Note:subtitles only say the Japanese script)
4) a clipboard that acceses the Bounus Materials menu. A)Trailers of BigO, PioltCanidate, AngelLinks, and MobileSuitGundam 0079. B) BonusClips that talk about Colinization, How the "One Year War" started, and about the Zeon and Earth federation Mobile Suit development Project. C) MS Encyclopedia that decribes the federation's Gundam, GM, GM sniper, Bustertank, and The HoverTruck. D) DVD Credits.

Overall This series is the best that Gundam, and Anime, has to offer. If you get this DVD I highly (on a scale of one to ten, 30) recommend you buy Volumes 3 and 4, THEY ARE THE BEST. The animation, music, sound effects, plot are all A+ quality! I ordered them on a thursday night and got them the next thursday! Thank you Amazon!!! Once you get those you should look into Gundam 0083! I'm getting that next from ONLY Amazon.com! Peace...

ps. I'm not saying not to get it, but, I heard "Miller's Report" (witch is the movie that summurizes the first half of the MS08 seires) got a very low rating from some reviewers.

This is beautiful. The 08th MS Team is in my opinion the 2nd best series in the gundam saga. The animation and dubbing is great, and it has a really military atmosphere. One little problem: this is not for little kids. My friend told me there was a scene involving brief frontal nudity in the credits, and there is profanity. Recommended age: 13-14(my opinion)

OK I would like to proclaim myself an antigonist lover, i allways seem to side with the bad guy, but by the end of the series OOPS THEIR DEAD AND EVERYONE IS GLAD. I loved this series because it shows the zeon in a different light, they are not the evil, maniacal, bloodthirsty tyrants they are in The original and its other sequels. They are human, they care about others, and are just seeking independance, at the cost of the feddies lives and their own. I believe this is the best Gundam of all

Now I Know what all you are thinking. Who cares 'bout the plot? Well I will tell you about the technilogical side of "MobileSuit Gundam:The 08th MS Team Vol.2"(I'll call it"MS08v2".

When you first load the cd on your player it will show some of the companies that made it then go to the main menu. When you'r at the menu it will play the clip from the first episode on the disk showing the Apsulus firing at the 08th Team. It also has four icons on the bottom.

1) a movie camera that plays all three episodes.
2) a magnefied glass that is the scene access. Inside that there are five scenes you can play which says "opening, partA, part B, closing and preview". You can also chose witch episode to do that on.
3) a sound icon witch allows you to chose English Dubbed Version, or the original Japanese audio. (NOTE:the music in the dubbed is the same as in the Japanese) You can also chose to put the subtitles on or off. (Note:subtitles only say the Japanese script)
4) a clipboard that acceses the Bounus Materials menu. A)Trailers of BigO, PioltCanidate, AngelLinks, and MobileSuitGundam 0079. B) BonusClips that talk about Colinization, How the "One Year War" started, and about the Zeon and Earth federation Mobile Suit development Project. C) MS Encyclopedia that decribes the federation's Gundam, GM, GM sniper, Bustertank, and The HoverTruck. D) DVD Credits.

Overall This series is the best that Gundam, and Anime, has to offer. If you get this DVD I highly (on a scale of one to ten, 30) recommend you buy Volumes 3 and 4, THEY ARE THE BEST. The animation, music, sound effects, plot are all A+ quality! I ordered them on a thursday night and got them the next thursday! Thank you Amazon!!! Once you get those you should look into Gundam 0083! I'm getting that next from ONLY Amazon.com! Peace...

ps. I'm not saying not to get it, but, I heard "Miller's Report" (witch is the movie that summurizes the first half of the MS08 seires) got a very low rating from some reviewers.

This is beautiful. The 08th MS Team is in my opinion the 2nd best series in the gundam saga. The animation and dubbing is great, and it has a really military atmosphere. One little problem: this is not for little kids. My friend told me there was a scene involving brief frontal nudity in the credits, and there is profanity. Recommended age: 13-14(my opinion)

OK I would like to proclaim myself an antigonist lover, i allways seem to side with the bad guy, but by the end of the series OOPS THEIR DEAD AND EVERYONE IS GLAD. I loved this series because it shows the zeon in a different light, they are not the evil, maniacal, bloodthirsty tyrants they are in The original and its other sequels. They are human, they care about others, and are just seeking independance, at the cost of the feddies lives and their own. I believe this is the best Gundam of all

I have only seen it twice in New York at SONY IMAX and I wished I could have it in 3D on DVD ... but I guess I will still have to wait for that.
Although a tv-screen can't display all the great - and I mean: GREAT - impressions that you can get from the IMAX screen I guess with a good sound-system at home you can at least experience the greatness of the movie that so much reflects the image of New York.
Along with the 3-D stills it's more than today's New York sight-seeing but also a splendid look into the past, when the city was still growing.
So please dear producers: make it available on DVD in 3D as well as 2D.

This was a wonderful introduction to IMAX films, and the first film I saw on my first visit to New York (and the USA) in 1999. I could empathise so easily with the boy as he saw so many new and wonderful aspects of the city, and it also gave a sense of the history of European immigrants to the New World in byegone days. I visited many of the sites shown in the film during the following two weeks, which the film had helped me to recognise in advance. The film itself was awesome in its scale and the sound track was first class. However, I sincerely doubt that this is material for the small screen, for the very reasons I have given previously, although I recommend it heartily as a theatre experience.

I just saw the movie today in IMAX 3D and it was AWESOME!! I loved the storyline and the soundtrack is great! This is a touching story that is deffinitely a must-see movie for anyone who wants a new adventure. It was my first 3D movie and my 2nd IMAX and it was an amazing experience!

One of the worst shows that I've ever had the mispleasure of catching. Horrible acting and Tom Selleck shows many racist tendencies towards blacks, asians, and mexicans throughout the series. There are several episodes in which his character shoots and kills people! I sure hope this is one series that stays off dvd!!!!!

Come on! There's a whole new generation of women that need to see this!

This a great series ....whats the hold up on putting it on DVD.
The combination of great scenery and good acting makes the series pretty entertaining.