The Visit

Starring:Obba BabatundÃ©, Rae Dawn Chong, Marla Gibbs, Hill Harper, Phylicia Rashad, Billy Dee Williams, Talia Shire, David Clennon, Glynn Turman, Efrain Figueroa, Amy Stiller, Jascha Washington, Christopher Babers, Jennifer Freeman, Tim De Zarn, Charmin Lee White, Terrell Mitchell, Enoh Essien, Hugh Dane, Jordan Lund
Director: Jordan Walker-Pearlman
Studio: Hbo Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Any fan of Richard Lester's A Hard Day's Night won't want to miss the documentary The Beatles: The First U.S. Visit by Albert and David Maysles. The Maysles brothers were given extraordinary access to the Beatles during their first trip to the U.S., in February 1964, for several concerts and their seminal first appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. Like Hard Day's Night, which came out later that year, this film (also known as What's Happening! The Beatles in the U.S.A.) shows lots of spontaneous cheekiness with the press and fans; the Beatles' wide-eyed bemusement at the hysteria they caused; as much cutting up as a tiny hotel room allows; and even specific scenes--goofing off on a commuter train, mod dancing in a nightclub--that would later appear in Lester's film. The only thing missing is Paul's grandfather.

The performance segments alone are a must for fans. The three Ed Sullivan appearances show a great cross section of their hits at the time, including "All My Loving," "I Saw Her Standing There," a beautifully delivered "This Boy" by John Lennon, and a wobbly "I Saw Her Standing There" so out of tune George Harrison nearly cracks up as he listens to Lennon and Paul McCartney struggle for harmony. The blurry, badly mic'd footage of the concert at the Washington Coliseum shows the Beatles acting as their own roadies, setting up their instruments; the platform Ringo Starr drums on lurches ominously with each downbeat. It was a more innocent, exuberant time, to be sure, and this sweet documentary lets the Beatles phenomenon speak for itself. --Anne Hurley

Customer Reviews:

You Need this Dvd !.......2007-05-21

This is the original film documentry by the Maysles brothers, of the Beatles' first American visit. When the boys came to our shores in February 1964, the Maysles were commisioned to follow them around with cameras, detailing their every move during the entire brief tour. The result is now on dvd, fully remastered and really fun fun fun to watch.

A visual diary of Beatlemania unfolding for the first time, in America, the cameras follow them from the minute they descend the steps of the aircraft until they ascend again. In keeping with the cinema verite' style, there is no narration, only diologue, and events captured as they unfold. The camera captures the fan hysteria at the airport, in front of the Plaza Hotel, and of course in the Ed Sullivan studio, during the live taping of their historic appearances. It even eavesdrops on Murray the K as he counts down on his WINS radio show, the minutes to their arrival. But of course, 99% of this film is the Beatles themselves, just being themselves. (Or as natural as you can be if you have a camera in your face all the time.) You see them in the car going to the hotel, in the hotel , in Central Park, at the Peppermint Lounge,... everywhere, including their excursion to Miami Beach.

It's fun to note their excitement as they witness their impact on America, and realize that they are the first British act to actually win the hearts of this big, intimidating country. Their excitement is obvious and unrehearsed, especially Paul's. When I first watched this dvd, I hadn't seen The Beatles for a long time, and I was so overjoyed to see and hear them again. I had forgotten how young they were. I was also surprised that Paul comes across as the most natural, and the one who wears his heart on his sleeve (so to speak) more than the others. He can barely contain his excitement, and happiness in this film, and he doesn't bother trying. I was really surprised by how funny he is. In almost every scene, he is doing a funny accent or impersonation of someone, and he's really good. People seem to associate John with this sort of humor, but Paul was just as funny. John on the other hand, plays the cool man, putting a check on his excitement. In the car going to the hotel, John and Ringo look on with affectionate amusement as Paul,barely able to contain himself, practically bounces out of his seat, waving a transister radio around. George and Ringo are seen doing some slapstick on the train going to Washington D.C. but it isn't as funny as the droll one liners that both of them became known for as time went on. And in this particular film, they are not as fun to watch as dear Paul...and ultra cool John. The extras offered with this treasure of a dvd are also worth it. They contain out takes from the original film which include more clowning around,more McCartney craziness, ( in one scene with Murray the K, and later by the Plaza elevator, Paul almost seems,dare I say it,...high.) They had just left the Peppermint Lounge so who knows? Also of interest, are interviews on the street with snobby music students as they pontificate about the Beatles. If you're over a certain age (or you've seen the movie, Animal House), you know the type. Those early 60's folky type girls, with long hair,very well spoken, intellectual, and talking about how they don't normally listen to pop music, only folk and classical. Yeah yeah yeah. Anyway this is a very important addition to the Beatlephile library and I cherish it for it's historical and entertainment value. You will too.

Back in the day............2007-03-25

Awesomely nostalgic. Lots of stuff that you most likely haven't seen before. Definitely recommended for anyone who lived the experience "back in the day"

The Beatles - The First U.S. Visit.......2007-02-10

This was great! We all loved it! If you are a Beatle fan, it is a must.

A Must See For Even The Casual Beatles Fan.......2006-09-18

The Beatles' First U.S. Visit is, behind "The Compleat Beatles" and their self-produced "Anthology", the most entertaining and revealing about this musical group of four doing what they were born to do, on the way to the crest of their musical creativity. The performances on the American "Ed Sullivan Show" are entertaining for fans and interesting as historical documents, but the true gems are the sequences of non-performance documentary footage of all four members of the group, Brian Epstein, and (briefly, hush-hush ;)) Cynthia Lennon. This footage provides a window into The Beatles' emotional state during this life-altering point in their career. They balance organized professionalism (largely achieved by Brian Epstein, often under-appreciated in that he was managing a musical act achieving unprecedented popularity with no precedented business or professional model) with their excitement of their success in America. Then and now, largely the Holy Grail of success in entertainment. Paul, as would seem to be his role in their entire career together, acts as a conduit between George, John, Ringo and their handlers, like encouraging Ringo to pack his suitcase thouroughly in a "mother hen" voice. Watching them listen to themselves on the radio in America, seeing footage of car-mobbing people from the INSIDE of their car, seeing John tease instrumental DJ Murray The K (none the wiser) with pervy English slang, and The "Ed Sullivan" performances themselves is priceless. Though by February 1964 they were well versed in Hotel Room culture, their upbeat moods reveal their happiness (and reported surprise) at their reception from the moment they stepped off the trans-Atlantic airplane. Seeing this week of pivotal events in rock n' roll history from is a wonderful peek behind the Beatles' curtain on par with their "Anthology" and not to be missed by any casual or greater fan. Probably, if purchased, one of the Beatles-related home media films you will find yourself repeat watching more than others. Well shot by the Maysles brothers, directed and edited. Highly recommended.

Really great stuff.......2006-03-22

This is a great documentary that a fan can watch over and over again. Although my favourite Beatles' era is their middle period (RS through MMT), followed by their late period (1968 to the end), there's a charm and sweetness to their early years as well, even though their songs were more lightweight and poppish. They also looked so alike in this period, and it's charming to see how naturally they conducted themselves in front of the camera, just four innocent boys who had recently made it big and were having a great time on their first visit to America (although George had already been on his own in 1963 to visit his sister). Nothing was faked or staged, and nothing is boring either. The wit and charm was just so natural. The documentary of outtakes is also very good, and serves to give a fuller picture of what went on during the filming.

However, as others have said, this documentary contains footage of their performances on 'The Ed Sullivan Show' and at the Washington Coliseum, footage which is already available on other DVDs (although since I'm not one to nitpick over minor technical details in lieu of the big picture, I won't go into which has better audio or visual quality). It seems as though they could have put in the unused scene they shot when they went into the nearest apartment to watch the show with a family, instead of putting in footage already available elsewhere. I also found the audio commentary to be rather lacking. There were way too many long pauses and not nearly enough comments or observations. How hard could it have been to fill up the nearly 90 minutes with practically nonstop comments and observations, particularly when we're dealing with The Beatles?

Average customer rating:

Fantasies, Truth, Justice, and Redemption
A lovely film
A royal dream comes true
Excellent Film
Great Movies

Her Majesty
Starring: Sally Andrews (II) , Anna Sheridan , Mark Clare , Alison Routledge , and Geoff Snell
Director: Mark J. Gordon (II)
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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The Thief Lord
Lassie
Akeelah and the Bee (Widescreen Edition)
Water
Duma (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000FUF7BM
Release Date: 2006-08-29

Description

In this charming and inspirational story, a young girl's unusual friendship with an old woman outcast from society transforms an entire community. As a rural New Zealand town excitedly prepares for a visit from the Queen of England, the townspeople pressure Hira, an elderly Maori woman (Vicky Haughton, Whale Rider), to sell her rickety shack that has long been an embarrassment to the town. No one is more excited to meet the Queen than 13-year-old Elizabeth, but when she meets Hira and hears her compelling stories of her tribe's history and culture, she is forever changed and moved by the old woman's great wisdom and kindness. Now the friendship sends troubling repercussions through the rest of her life and could cost her everything she has long cherished. A touching drama for all ages, this endearing, bittersweet coming-of-age tale about one young girl's struggle for justice will leave you cheering!

Customer Reviews:

Fantasies, Truth, Justice, and Redemption.......2007-06-08

This 2001 film shows off the beauty of New Zealand, and recreates the grace and charm of its society in the 1950s when it hosted the newly coronated Queen Elizabeth II.
In some ways, I view this fictional story of a fantasy-prone teenaged girl as a counterpart to the tragic true-to-life story of two fantasy-prone teenaged girls in need of a reality check, portrayed in Peter Jackson's "Heavenly Creatures", which took place in New Zealand around the same time. But Director Mark J. Gordon's tale is heartwarming and triumphant.
With her large eyes and crooked smile, Sally Andrews gives a sincere performance as Elizabeth Wakefield, a dreamy 13-year-old living in Middleton, New Zealand in 1953, with her cheesemonger father (Mark Clare), mother(Alison Routledge), delinquent brother Stuart (Craig Elliott), and dog, Kupe (Hercules).
She is a civic-minded young girl who enjoys school, being part of the marching squad, time spent with her best friend, Annabel Leach(Anna Sheridan), and determinedly writing letters to the Queen, enthralled by the pomp and splendor of the recent coronation.
The postman, Nigel Osgood(Geoff Snell), left mute in battle during World War II, empathizes with her plight. He will come through for the young girl at a very critical moment, and will receive a miracle of his own.
Elizabeth also has a schoolgirl's crush on her handsome young marching instructor, Ian Dixon (Cameron Smith), and the audience is treated to a cute dream sequence involving that issue. But realistically, she will experience a disappointment there.
When her brother throws a brick through the window of a the small shack where an old Maori chief's daughter resides, Elizabeth smashes his piggybank, and accompanied by a frightened and reluctant Annabel, leaves money for reparation of the window.
When she goes back later to retrieve her shoe, the old woman, Hira Mata ("Whale Rider's" superb Vicky Haughton)angirly confronts her about the breakage of her window, and Elizabeth gradually finds the answer for her brother's conduct. The young girl gradually begins to spend time talking to Hira and is given a different perspective on local history from the one she normally hears. Later, after the two discuss the new Queen's scheduled visit to Middleton, Hira tells the young girl about a tragedy that befell her family and tribe at the hands of locals in the wake of a previous Royal visit.
Sobered by Hira's story, Elizabeth must find a way to reconcile the old woman's teachings with the desires of the local White population, as well as those of her family--who have a connection to Hira's tragedy--and her own dreams of meeting the Queen.
The pompous, vain, arrogant, and immoral Virginia Hobson (the late Liddy Holloway), President of the Rhododendron Trust, and chairwoman of the Royal Welcoming Committee (who had intially scoffed at Elizabeth's letter-writing campaign inviting the Queen to Middleton)and the ladies' club to which Elizabeth's mother belongs, creates difficulties for Hira and the Wakefields as the big day approaches. But one redeeming aspect of that situation is that Mrs. Wakefield is not one of Mrs. Hobson's brownnosers, unlike her fellow committee members. In due time, Mrs. Hobson's mysterious influence over the Mayor(David Stott) and decisons about what the Queen will see in the town, will be exposed.
Elizabeth displays a lot of moral courage in standing up on behalf of Hira, even the wake of her father's admonishments about visiting her, harassment by her brother and schoolmates, and the near loss of her friendship with Annabel.
The great day in question will find one more major obstacle in Elizabeth's way, which she overcomes partially with advice from Hira, and help from Kupe and Annabel.
It will prove to be a day of justice, and redemption in more ways than one as the young Queen (Rachel E. Wallis)and Prince Phillip (Andrew Bolton) arrive,and a young girl's dream comes true, proving to be beneficial to Hira as well. To everyone's suprise the Queen's--and consequentially the town's-- attention will be drawn to a part of town that many had shunned, but which was wholly deserving of attention on that grand occasion.
As the Royal party depart, there is a wonderful spirit of alacrity among the townspeople, and a sense of satisfaction from the visibly moved Hira that the past has been reconciled in the present, and a sense that two young friends will have glowing memories to share with posterity.

A lovely film.......2007-05-22

Set in the 1950s, a young girl named Elizabeth is enthralled by the recent coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. She daydreams about meeting the Queen and begins a letter writing campaign to invite Elizabeth II to visit. The town is thrown into a frenzy when the news comes that the Queen has placed Middleton on her itinerary for the upcoming royal visit to New Zealand.

An old Maori tribeswoman soon becomes the target of many of the leading citizens' rage because they consider her ramshackle house, a blight on the parade route.

Elizabeth befriends the old woman and learns about the history and culture of the Maori people which puts her at odds with the rest of the town and even her own family.

A very sweet and entertaining story with one of the most odious older brothers I've ever encountered in a story.

A royal dream comes true.......2007-04-18

This is the story of a precocious, day dreaming school girl who never gives up hope. It's a treat to watch a great family movie inspired by true events. Thirteen-year-old Elizabeth has a quest to convince the Queen of England to visit her small town in New Zealand. In the midst of this quest, she meets a reclusive native who is being pestered by her troublesome brother and his friends. Vicky Haughton is incredible as the elderly Maori woman, Hira. Hira gives young Elizabeth a lesson in how history books often make up their own version, rather than the truth. She also teaches Elizabeth to find her own personal courage in standing up for what she believes in, even if it makes her 'stand out' from the crowd. This is enlightening entertainment that is well-suited for younger audiences.

Chrissy K. McVay
Author of 'Souls of the North Wind'

Excellent Film.......2007-03-25

My husband, 11 year old daughter and I saw this film in the theater and all of us liked it. Inspired by true events, the story gives a bit of insight into New Zealand history and attitudes toward the Maori people. The young and recently crowned Queen Elizabeth II of England is coming for a visit to New Zealand. Elizabeth, a 13 year-old school girl, repeatedly writes the Queen inviting her to come to her hometown. Her persistance pays off. The Queen is coming. However, the townsfolk decide that Hira, an elderly Maori woman whom Elizabeth has befriended, needs to sell her rickety shack so it can be demolished and thus not embarrass the town. Elizabeth defends her friend with difficult results. It's a heartwarming and inspiring film.

Great Movies.......2007-02-20

This is an historical type of story WITHOUT cursing or sex!!! Whew! It is filmed in New Zealand and the photography is outstanding. If you like old fashion stories like we had in the 40s, this is a wonderful watch. A tremendously happy ending which seems rare these days. There is the usual "naughty kids" type of escapades, but the history stories from the old Mouri (sp?)/native woman are wonderful. I am 67 years old and gave this movie to my friend for his 90th birthday. We both like that we were born when we were and had the upbringing that is apparently missing today.

Average customer rating:

"A theorem is a proposition that has been or is to be proved on the basis of explicit assumptions...,
I'm Still Not Sure What I Just Watched
all depth and no surface
The "Plan 9 from Outer Space" of Art-House Films
Important Italian Film of the Late Sixties

Teorema
Starring: Luigi Barbini , Laura Betti , Adele Cambria , Andrés José Cruz Soublette , and Ninetto Davoli
Manufacturer: Koch Lorber Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Conformist (Extended Edition)
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ASIN: B000A7BQRY
Release Date: 2005-10-04

Description

The Controversial Film Condemned by the Vatican!

Terence Stamp stars in Pier Paolo Pasolini's award-winning and controversial film as a strange visitor who suddenly drops into the lives of an extremely bourgeois family. He plays both God and the Devil as he proceeds to seduce each member of the house including the maid. His divine and diabolical interaction with each character causes them to re-evaluate their belief systems and just as suddenly as he appears, he's gone.

WINNER:
Venice Film Festival, Volpi Cup, Best Actress

"…it has the power to remain in your memory long after you think you've dismissed it." - Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

"a series of cool, beautiful, often enigmatic scenes that flow one into another with the rhythm of blank verse." - Vincent Canby, The New York Times

Customer Reviews:

"A theorem is a proposition that has been or is to be proved on the basis of explicit assumptions..., .......2007-04-08

..Proving theorems is a central activity of mathematicians. Note that "theorem" is distinct from "theory". (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Pier Paolo Pasolini's "Teorema" (1968) is a fable that tells how a handsome young man (extremely attractive Terrence Stamp "with the eyes of an angel and the grin of the devil") stays as a guest in the house of a wealthy factory owner and seduces one after another all members of the household - the maid, the teenagers son and daughter, the wife, and the father (in this order). When released in 1968, the film had divided believers and atheists as much as critics. Some of Pasolini's comrades-Marxists were also infuriated by this attack on their ideology. Many viewers were disturbed by its removing sexual taboos even though sex is handled very tastefully. It is more a symbol of connection and closeness to God (or it could be to Devil, we may only guess). Made almost forty years ago, "Teorema" seems to be simple and puzzling at the same time. It reminded me Ingmar Bergman's movies from his "Trilogy of Faith" which sums up Bergman's own philosophy regarding religion and God - "God has never spoken because He does not exist". In Bergman's world where God does not exist, communication and understanding are not possible and everyone is locked in their loneliness like in a cage. In Pasolini's film, God sends his angel to a chosen family. He has spoken to them and known them but then he left them. Did they become happier? Is that possible for a human to keep on living like nothing happen after the encounter with God?

I watched "Teorema" for the first time few weeks ago but I still think about it trying to understand what "theorem" Pasolini tried to prove? I also was thinking about the films that were inspired by or reminded me a lot about "Teorema". I've mentioned Bergman already. Luis Bunuel with "Nazarin", "Viridiana"," Belle de jour" (1967) - the mother's transformation in "Teorema" reminds about the film immediately, and "Le Charme discret de la bourgeoisie"(1972) come to mind. I was also reminded of Andrei Tarkovsky. The visual style, camera work and the use of music in "Teorema" seem similar with Russian Master's. His last film, "Sacrifice" may be the one closest to Pasolini's film.

I would never say that everyone must watch "Teorema". It is a very unusual film that could be easily dismissed as ridiculous and dated or it would be thought of as absolutely brilliant and mysterious. I have not decided yet but I can't forget it.

P.S. April 7, 2007 - It's been several months since I saw "Teorema" and now I believe that it is brilliant and belongs to the the best films ever made. One can meditate forever on its depths and mystery, and that's the sign of a great work of Art for me.

I'm Still Not Sure What I Just Watched.......2006-11-16

I saw Teorema because I've long wanted to see Pier Paolo Pasolini's "Salo" a movie I've still yet to see. After watching Teorema (a movie I've simultaneously heard great things about and terrible things about), I find myself wondering what it is I've just viewed? The movie is like a run-on sentence. A series of scenes that don't seem to end, but merely flow into each other. There's less dialogue than there was in Vincent Gallo's "The Brown Bunny." Oddly enough, that movie has more haters than this film. I'm not giving Teorema 4 stars because I liked it enough to give it 4 stars, but only because I plan on reviewing it again once I've seen it again. I don't want to give it a bad review, but I don't want to give it a shining one either. Had I started watching this movie, having read no reviews of it or the synopsis, my mind would be an even bigger blank. There's no character development and, oddly enough, there's not even much sex. The movie is, really, about sex.
There's actually no female nudity and only brief shots of male nudity (which I assume is probably due to writer/director Pasolini's homosexuality). The movie is about a man (Terence Stamp) who is either God or Satan. He drops into the lives of an upper class Italian family and precedes to have sex with every member of the family. Then suddenly, without warning, he's gone. And the family is left to deal with his absence in increasingly weird ways. The weirdest of these ways comes from the father, who leaves us with one of the strangest (and hauntingly beautiful) ending scenes that I've ever seen. What's occurring, I might add, is not beautiful...How it's filmed is. When I say that God/Satan drops in and then disappears just as quickly is no exaggeration. He's not introduced; he's just there. And he doesn't depart. He's just gone. Pasolini, I've read, viewed himself not as a filmmaker but as a poet. That's very clear when watching the film. He uses images over story to tell his story. This can work depending on what you're doing. It worked on The Brown Bunny, because it was (among other things) a way to underline the loneliness of the main character. In this film, a straightforward narrative might've worked better because of the intriguing premise of the film. I think anyone can admit that the premise is intriguing. God or Satan has sex with all the members of a family. Pasolini's way of telling this story works in the effectiveness of the man appearing and disappearing, but it doesn't work so much in getting us to connect with the characters. Who knows? Maybe Pasolini didn't want us too anyway. This 4 stars is not my final grade for the film. I'm not even going to say that I liked it or disliked it. This is merely my view of the film; After another (or a few more) viewings, I'll bring back a more detailed review.

all depth and no surface.......2006-10-26

This film is very difficult to warm up to because the symbols have revolted and knuckled the poor narrative under--the story is bullied by its own symbols. Whatever sparse narrative there is is written in terse, disjunctive emily-dickinsonisms. The constant flashing of smoking desert sand is too "waste land". The final scream, is well, you guessed it, Edvard Munch. In contrast, in a movie like Antonioni's "L'Avventura," the images are integrated into and organic with the narrative--you could never predict nor repeat the wholeness of Antonioni's movie, whereas Teorema seems a smattering of prefabricated material, most of which produces an intellectual reaction but no emotional resonance: rosary beads in the hands of an atheist.
I admire Pasolini's intent, and there is much in this movie I admire, but the admiration is cold and detached.
An ideal movie if you find yourself locked in an igloo over the weekend.

The "Plan 9 from Outer Space" of Art-House Films.......2006-09-14

Unintentionally hilarious; so pretentious and poorly made that I was strangling with laughter several times. Jesus/God/Satan has sex with every member of a cartoonish bourgeois family and ruins their lives in various side-splitting ways. The maid becomes a saint who eats nettle soup, cures scarred children, and floats in the air. The wife bites the side of her finger, has sex with random strangers, and screams with all the authenticity of a teen in a slasher flick as Mozart's Requiem thunders in the background.

The movie is technically inept and badly written. Any randomly chosen film of Bunuel or Almodovar will have more to say about sexual politics than this Pasolini fiasco. Recommended only for connoisseurs of the atrocious.

Two stars for the "So bad it's good" factor.

Important Italian Film of the Late Sixties.......2006-08-30

This 1968 Pasolini film directly addresses issues of Marxism, sexuality and religion through a haute bourgeois Milanese family. Silvana Mangano stars as the wife and mother, and Terence Stamp appears in the first half of the film. The film's tone, both intellectual and shocking, is likely to be difficult for contemporary American viewers, but clearly Pasolini intended absolutely everything in the film. To best appreciate it, it is necessary to regard it in the context of the late sixties. The DVD has few 'extras' but the quality is fine.

Follow Jade! Learn Chinese: Let's Visit Chinese Kindergarten

Average customer rating:

Fantastic dvd.
best available
Good for toddler
Good for Chinese word acquisition
"ages 2-6, approx. 30 min."

Follow Jade! Learn Chinese: Let's Visit Chinese Kindergarten
Starring: Jade Qian
Manufacturer: Master Communications, Inc.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0002XHB34
Release Date: 2004-08-20

Description

Award-winning Follow Jade! Learn Chinese: Let's Visit Chinese Kindergarten introduces Mandarin Chinese to children in an engaging and interactive way. Kids will spend the day with children at a Chinese kindergarten, while they learn greetings, numbers, counting, colors, songs, and more. Children learn while having fun, through Jade's engaging and interactive teaching style. Key vocabulary words are shown on screen with Romanized Pinyin spellings, and each section completes with a special review to enhance learning. DVD contains chapter marks and interactive menu. Follow Jade Series have won Dr. Toy Award, Dove Foundation Seal of Approval, Kids' First Endorsement, Creative Child Seal of Excellence, and Telly Award.

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic dvd........2006-06-15

We have both of the Follow Jade DVD's. They are fantastic. She repeats the words alot and in different settings. Too bad that they are only the words, and she doesn't teach you how to ask for it in a sentence. Hopefully, she will expand and create more dvd's.

I also recommend the Mei Mei dvd's, too. They're great, too. The songs are very catchy.

Plus, we also bought this gorgerous "ASIAN AMERICAN BERENGUER GIRL DOLL" from EBAY, and my daughter absolutely loves to play with the beautiful doll and watch her Chinese dvd's.

best available.......2006-01-05

I bought this for my nearly 19 month old son. He loves it. He stood still and watched all 30 minutes of it the first time I put it in the DVD player. We have other language tapes in German & Russian (languages that we speak at home and that he is learning) but he's never repeated new words while watching those videos as he has with this one. In comparison to the cartoon Billy & Benbu video for learning Mandarin, this video lets you also watch the teacher's mouth as she correctly pronounces words. While my son likes the low budget cartoons in Billy and Benbu, he is much more captivated by the real, older (school age) children in this video. Two areas for improvement: (1) I find it too short (30 minutes) for the money. I wish it were 45 minutes long with a bit more content. (2) The video includes some children's songs that are used only as a transition between learning segments (not to be confused with the other songs that are a separate learning section toward the end of the tape). These transition songs are useless for the non-Mandarin speaker as there is no translation/explanation of them for the student. That said, I would not let these two issues stop me from purchasing this DVD. My son likes to watch it and is repeating words; his grandparents and I like it too, and we're all learning Mandarin!

Good for toddler.......2005-10-12

I purchased this video for my 2 year old. [...] it could've included a bit more, but I haven't seen anything better out there for young Tots. My daughter loves the "1,2,3,4,5,6,7 where is my friend" song. Very catchy. I figured if she learns all the vocabulary introduced, it would've been worth the price.

Good for Chinese word acquisition.......2005-09-09

This is a good video, I recommend you get the first Jade video first, colors and numbers and drinks. This one seemed a little less good, seems a bit rushed through. I wish someone would pay attention to the details of language learning.

"ages 2-6, approx. 30 min.".......2005-03-25

From the back cover: "Ages 2-6. Approximately 30 minutes." Generally OK, but not much material. (Hello, you/me, what-is-your-name/my-name-is, numbers 1-10, colors, milk/juice/water, sun/moon/rain. Oh yeah, and butterfly/spider, so they can do half-English, half-Mandarin songs, including "itsy bitsy spider" with the sun/moon/rain! Little bit of culture, e.g. yogurt but no milk at the market, and different counting on your fingers.) Six native and non-native kindergarteners speak (and sing), besides teacher Qian. The tones seem fine, though of course Jade doesn't make a big deal out of them because: first lesson, little kids, etc. (A VHS reviewer made much of the "total physical response" with motions for the kids to make corresponding to words; yet this is used only twice -- once for "I" which requires NO physical anything to memorize. Lame at best, but not problematic.)

I gave it three stars because it (like some foreign-language-instruction items) was kind of expensive for what you get. Thirty minutes for thirty dolla seemed intentionally priced-up for library purchase. As does splitting two Follow Jade episodes, at 30 min. each, onto 2 DVD's instead of just 1. (On the other hand, the Annenberg/CPB "Dragon's Tongue" Chinese videos are dramatically more expensive than their "Destinos" Spanish videos, too.) Ask your library first, or if you purchase it yourself, be sure to donate it to your library after your child learns & outgrows it!

Quick comparison & recommendation: Follow Jade for 3-5 years. (Light on material, and games a litle slow-paced. But has humans, not cartoons, moving their human mouths, which helps a lot at first.) Billy & Benboo for 6-7 years. (More material, a little too fast for the rank beginner, but has a booklet, and hanzi characters. With repetitions, sooner or later you get it all. Crummy slide-like "animation".) At age 8 and up, your child (and you) will probably get more from the regular adult Pimsleur audio course, which sort-of has a story line.

Loves of a Blonde - Criterion Collection

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Loves of a Blonde
Simple and Touching Story,
Classic Czech film about young love
One for filmmakers
Milos Forman enters the spotlight.

Loves of a Blonde - Criterion Collection
Starring: Hana Brejchová , Vladimír Pucholt , Vladimír Mensík , Ivan Kheil , and Jirí Hrubý
Director: Milos Forman
Manufacturer: Criterion
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The Conformist (Extended Edition)

ASIN: B00005UQ7R
Release Date: 2002-02-12

Description

With sixteen women to each man, the odds are against Andula in her desperate search for love-that is, until a rakish piano player visits her small factory town and temporarily eases her longings. A tender and humorous look at Andula's journey, from the first pangs of romance to its inevitable disappointments, Loves of a Blonde (Lásky jedné plavovlásky) immediately became a classic of the Czech New Wave and earned Milos Forman the first of his Academy Award® nominations.

Customer Reviews:

Loves of a Blonde.......2007-06-28

Director Forman's breakthrough feature in his native country portrays a warm, affecting humanity even as it lampoons the inherent awkwardness and mystery of relations between the sexes. In all, this deceptively simple, charming story tackles the complex question of how love can function in a dysfunctional world. Both young leads are enormously appealing, particularly Brejchova, and those parents of Milda's are also worth the wait. All in all, this is one blonde that's easy to love.

Simple and Touching Story,.......2007-04-15

Milos Forman's "Loves of a Blonde" which he made in Czechoslovakia in 1965 way before "Cuckoo Nest" and "Amadeus" tells a very simple bitter-sweet tale about a teenaged girl who works in a shoe factory in a small town. With sixteen girls to one man - her chances to find a man of her dreams were not very high. One evening, she meets an attractive and young piano player who tells her about Prague and compares her to a guitar that could've been painted by Picasso. After they spend the night together, he leaves and she travels to Prague to find him. The film has been one of my favorites for many years and my opinion did not change after I saw it again recently - funny, sad, tender, and realistic film about searching for love, broken promises, shattered hearts, and universality of hope.

4.5/5

Classic Czech film about young love.......2005-11-27

A comedy of sorts about first love, though ultimately a sad movie, too, as befitting the subject. A factory town outside of Prague has a mismatch of 16 girls for every boy, so a group of army recruits are sent to liven things up. Only they're a wash-out, and the scene with the girls trying to get out of having to go with these duds and vice-versa is pretty funny.

At a dance, Andula (Hana Brejchova) falls for the piano player Milda (Vladimir Pucholt) and spends the night with him. He is just interested in a one-night stand and uses all the come-on lines he can think of to get her to spend the night with him, including his wish for her to come visit him in Prague and meet his parents. Andula naively falls for all this and goes to his house in Prague, where Milda's parents bully her for being there (they bully Milda, too). He does nothing to defend her and she leaves - but tells all her friends back home what a great time she had.

The movie is very comical in spots and very honest, but Andula is so naive and used, and so accepting of the abuse dished out to her, that we feel sad watching her and pity her greatly. It's this mixture of humor and pity that makes the movie so remarkable. We also pity Czechoslovakia, which appears utterly depressing a place as depicted here. An excellent movie, the one that made Milos Forman a highly respected director.

One for filmmakers.......2005-11-22

This Criterion edition includes an interveiw with Forman that sheds a lot of light on how this film was constructed. The use of long singles, especially when the pianist's mother and father are in dialogue, was undoubtedly influenced by budget constraints, but Forman makes an aesthetic choice to linger on the mother while she wears down all around her with her world-weary nagging. The effect is that you get to share what the husband, son and protagonist are going through; "Get me away from this woman, please!" The expressions on the faces of both the professionals and amateurs in the cast tell the story not only of drudgery under an oppressive political regime, but the hopes and despairs that people suffer in the kind of fraught romantic episodes the story is woven around. Andula's story is not quite compelling enough to justify the price tag on this DVD - there is a whole episode involving a missing ring and an enraged suitor that pops up and disappears without much relevance. Modern cinema-goers expect more meat to a story, I think. However, budding filmmakers will learn a lot about pacing, reaction from actors, not moving the camera, and the difference between directing professional and non-professional actors (in the Extras interview).

Milos Forman enters the spotlight........2004-09-21

This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

Loves of a Blonde, with the original Czech language title of "Lásky jedné plavovlásky" is another important film of the 1960's Czech new wave movement. The film gave director Milos Forman his first Academy Award® nomination. The Criterion edition is also fully approved by the director.

The film is about a young woman desperate for a boyfriend. when a pianist comes to town she thinks she found the man of her dreams, but will the relationship last?

The Criterion edition contains only two special features which are a deleted scene and an interview with Milos Forman.

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The history you thought you knew
a personal journey into the heart, mind and land of Ali Farka Toure

A Visit to Ali Farka Toure
Starring: Ali Farka Toure
Manufacturer: Kultur Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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Savane
Boulevard de l'Independance
Africa Live: The Roll Back Malaria Concert
Vieux Farka Touré
In the Heart of the Moon

ASIN: B000FC2HOA
Release Date: 2006-05-30

Description

Winner of a Grammy Award for the album Talking Timbuktu, on which he played with Ry Cooder and other American luminaries, the legendary African singer and guitarist Ali Farka Touré now declines most offers of international tours and recording sessions. Feeling that it was weakening the link between his music and its source in deep Mali, Al invests much of his time, energy and resources towards improving conditions in his homeland, whilst never diminishing his passion for music. This film visits the charismatic Ali in Niafunké, a village on the banks of the River Niger, where he goes about his daily business, checking crops and water pumps, and fulfilling his role and responsibilities as an important local figure. Music is an integral part of this encounter and live recordings include: Mali Dje, Gomni, Chanson sur Niafunké, Keito and Tulumba. Deep, mysterious and utterly compelling, his playing lights up this striking documentary. With Samba Touré, Afel Bocoum, Oumar Diallo Barou, Oumar Touré, Djénéba Doukouré, Hamma Sankaré, Concano Yatara, Souleyman Kané

Customer Reviews:

The history you thought you knew.......2006-11-08

While most people do recognize that the Blues and Rock & Roll have West African roots and origins, the profundity of this fact is often underestimated. This DVD does a lot to present a type of African music not commonly thought of (i.e. not drumming). In following Ali "Farka" Toure around and in interviewing him, it is plain to see how integral this music is to the culture it emerges from. I would recommend that any fan of American music procure a copy of this film so that they may attain some completeness in their knowledge on the subject.

a personal journey into the heart, mind and land of Ali Farka Toure.......2006-08-15

The vast majority of musicians perform through a crafted persona. Very few entertainers are genuine enough to be the same person both on and off stage. Johnny Cash was such a music maker and another was Ali Farka Toure. As Marc Huraux's film shows, Ali Farka Toure was the same man when recording in Europe, touring in the US and attending to his mayoral duties in Mali. Not a biography, this film documents Huraux's brief time with 'the African John Lee Hooker.' Toure acts as a guide, taking Huraux everywhere from a boat ride on the [...] River to the recording location of the Niafunké (1999) album. The film showcases a healthy helping of live performances. At its heart, "A Visit to Ali Farka Toure" features many revealing conversations. At home or in bush bars, riding in cars or boats, Toure shares many of his life experiences and aspirations. Occasionally, the director injects insightful commentary while helpful subtitles translate Toure's words into English. This DVD will satisfy those who wanted to spend more time with Toure after watching Martin Scorsese's "The Blues." "A Visit to Ali Farka Toure" is a personal journey into the heart, mind and land of the now departed King of Desert Blues.

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very strong film
hill harper is so intense
A story for any family dealing with forgiveness
Bear's take on The Visit
Transformation

The Visit
Starring: Obba Babatundé , Rae Dawn Chong , Marla Gibbs , Hill Harper , and Phylicia Rashad
Director: Jordan Walker-Pearlman
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
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Love, Sex & Eating the Bones

ASIN: B00005NRNH
Release Date: 2001-10-23

Description

When Alex is sent to prison for a crime he swears he didn't commit, his family at the insistence of their brutally strict father abandon the boy to his fate.

Customer Reviews:

very strong film.......2007-02-08

this film is very real as it deals with a Prisoner played by Hill Harper who is dying from Aids. Harper is a Very Good Actor. Billy Dee Wlliams does a very Good Job playing Harper's Father in the film. Phylicia Rashad does a strong job as well. very Good Writing, Directing, Pacing&overall chemistry on a film that is a must see.

hill harper is so intense.......2006-11-27

get this, do not watch it alone, it so emotional!

hill harper is so intensely understated it gave me goosebumps. very rare a film goes along that its subject matter is so lost in the fine writing and directing and acting. originally a stage play, this was set to the big screen but it only played the film fests.

critically acclaimed, hill lost weight to look like an aids-infected prisoner estanged from his father billy dee williams. coming to terms with an emphathetic phylicia rashad reconnecting with obba and rae dawn, this movie was just what the doctor ordered.

a fine cast assembled, great directing/writing, excellent story, couln't ask for more

A story for any family dealing with forgiveness.......2005-03-18

Dealing with family and forgiveness is one of the hardest and most humbling things we all, as humans, go through in life. This story shows how this one man, who is dying and is in prison, not only tortures himself because of anger, love and forgiveness, but how his family and friends support, and at times don't support his journey. If you are looking for a story with raw emotions, hard cold truths, and saving love, this is the story for you. It applies to us all as humans as it erases the differences of race or color and deals with the heart.

The acting in this movie is superb. Hill Harper and Billy Dee Williams have outdone themselves again.

Jordan Walker-Pearlman has taken this play and has shown us all this valuable life lesson on film. I expect great things from Jordan in the future and anxiously await them. You have my support.

Bear's take on The Visit.......2005-01-31

I am a Black African from South Africa and like movies in general but I am an avid supporter of Black Amarican movies. This was a very good movie with superb acting by all. This movie for me was a fresh change from movies like Boys 'n the Hood, Best Man, Love Jones etc. Don't get me wrong, these movies hold their own in their respective genres and I love them. It's just that seeing Hill Harper giving such a powerful, convincing portrayal of inmate Alex Waters dying of AIDS made me respect him even more as an actor. In fact i regretted buying his other movie Loving Jezebel. I know the genre is different but I still think that The Visit is a better movie both in terms of material and Hill Harper's acting. Having said that, the performance by the entire cast (Rae dawn Chong, Obba Babatunde, Phylicia Rashad, Marla Gibbs and Billy Dee Williams) was excellent.
I really welcome movies like this, movies that tackle social issues experienced by real people and at the same time provide actors with serious roles with depth. Keep up the good work

Simangele Mkhize, Westville, South Africa.

Transformation.......2005-01-01

Although I missed the beginning of The Visit ,I found it filled with powerful acting and a story of transformation. How did I miss this? It was released in 2001. What else is out there?

Lonely Planet Six Degrees Series 1: Mumbai

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Lonely Planet Six Degrees Series 1: Mumbai

Manufacturer: Beyond Entertainment Limited
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Lonely Planet Six Degrees Series 1: Kuala Lumpur
Lonely Planet Six Degrees Series 3: Bangkok
Lonely Planet Six Degrees Series 1: Singapore
Lonely Planet Six Degrees Series 2: Tokyo
Lonely Planet Six Degrees Series 2: Berlin

ASIN: B000LP66P2
Release Date: 2006-12-05

Amazon.com

"The best way to explore a new city is to connect with the people who live in it. Join jetsetting presenters Toby Amies and Asha Gill on a radical urban adventure as they plug into city after city with the help of its most colourful and clued-in residents.

Mumbai

Determined to fulfill her dream of being in a movie, presenter Asha Gill gets the lowdown on Bollywood's raunchy moves from acclaimed choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant.

Asha meets street photographer David de Souza chronicling the itinerants that work on Mumbai's streets and grasps the chance to understand who these people are before they disappear by helping in a studio shoot of a traditional flagellant.

Product Description

Visit Fun Park: --------------- A ream of free ride tickets given to Mama at the supermarket prompts the Bear family to go the amusement park. Brother boasts to friends and fmaily that he'll fearlessly ride the legendary Thundary Thunderbolt roller coaster. However, when Brother sees how scary the ride actually is, he spends the rest of his day desperately trying to avoid it. The moment of reckoning for his boastful behaviour comes as Brother is about to board the dreaded ride and backs out at the last moment. Includes 5 stories: ------------------- - Visit Fun Park - Go to the Movies - Gotta Dance - White Water Adventure - Papa's Pizza DVD Features: ------------- - Episoide Index - Kid-Friendly Auto Play - 10 Second countdown to automatically play the whole program from the main menu!

Lonely Planet Six Degrees Series 1: Havana

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Lonely Planet Six Degrees Series 1: Havana

Manufacturer: Beyond Entertainment Limited
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Lonely Planet Six Degrees Series 2: Mexico
Lonely Planet Six Degrees Series 3: Istanbul
Lonely Planet Six Degrees Series 3: Dublin
Lonely Planet Six Degrees Series 2: Tokyo
Lonely Planet Six Degrees Series 2: London

ASIN: B000LXH4GO
Release Date: 2006-12-14

Amazon.com

Havana

Presenter Toby Amies hooks up with fixer Flacco who gains him entrée to a rehearsal for an Afro-Cuban Santeria rite and a seat in the bleachers at a rollicking Havana rodeo.

Street photographer Leslie Sinclair takes Toby on a photographic assignment in the city's cramped camel buses. Surreal artist Damian Aquiles invites Toby to witness how Cubans celebrate the coming-of-age of their daughters by inviting him to his home town to experience a quinze. Toby wangels his way into the studio of hip-hop producer Pablo Herrera to find out why Cubans have had enough of the Buena Vista Socia Club and are now fusing traditional Latin rhythms with American hip hop beats.

Enjoying the Havana high life at a Cuban fashion show, Toby falls head over heels for actress Yoandra Suarez. After going to a concert of Havana's hip-hop finest, Toby has a disastrous encounter with Yoandra on the set of her latest film..."

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DVD

Pam Grier: Uncaged [4 Discs] (REGION 1) (NTSC)

DVD: Enigmas of the World the Ghost of Ame

Der letzte Mohikaner