Georgia

Starring:Jennifer Jason Leigh, Mare Winningham, Ted Levine, Max Perlich, John Doe, John C. Reilly, Jimmy Witherspoon, Jason Carter, Tom Bower, Gregory 'Smokey' Hormel, Jimmy Z., Tony Marsico, Jamian Briar, Rachel Rasco, Nicole Donahoo, Aisleagh Jackson, Colleen O'Hara, Bruce Wirth, Thomas Kuhn, Bill Johns
Director: Ulu Grosbard
Studio: Miramax
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

Arguably the greatest of American films, Orson Welles's 1941 masterpiece, made when he was only 26, still unfurls like a dream and carries the viewer along the mysterious currents of time and memory to reach a mature (if ambiguous) conclusion: people are the sum of their contradictions, and can't be known easily. Welles plays newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane, taken from his mother as a boy and made the ward of a rich industrialist. The result is that every well-meaning or tyrannical or self-destructive move he makes for the rest of his life appears in some way to be a reaction to that deeply wounding event. Written by Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz, and photographed by Gregg Toland, the film is the sum of Welles's awesome ambitions as an artist in Hollywood. He pushes the limits of then-available technology to create a true magic show, a visual and aural feast that almost seems to be rising up from a viewer's subconsciousness. As Kane, Welles even ushers in the influence of Bertolt Brecht on film acting. This is truly a one-of-a-kind work, and in many ways is still the most modern of modern films from the 20th century. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

Citizen Kane.......2007-06-21

Perhaps the greatest debut in movie history, "Citizen Kane" remains one of the most influential American films of all time, thanks to the genius of Welles, who constructed this brilliant, elaborate puzzler at the tender age of 25. See it for Gregg Toland's lovely, pathbreaking deep-focus photography, Herman Mankiewicz's witty dialogue, and Welles's legendary performance as the enigmatic Kane. The film also marked the auspicious debut of several actors, including Cotten, Everett Sloane, Ruth Warrick, and Agnes Moorehead, superb as the mother who abandoned the future newspaper magnate as a boy. A peeved Hearst tried to block the film and nearly ruined Welles' career in the offing, but thankfully, art prevailed. "Citizen Kane" is a must-see.

no film snob here, but neither do I care for Star Wars.......2007-06-21

Am I the only one? I don't care about Kane, his life, or his sled. Get it? The character did not interest me. Period.

You want to call this "the greatest film ever made?" Go right ahead. Only it means zip to this viewer. I can think of a few other films that worked way better (for me.)

The best thing about this much hyped film..........2007-06-21

The best thing about this much hyped film is the "Kids in the Hall" skit it inspired...

You don't tneed hese reviews to tell you what to think.......2007-06-14

You don't need these reviews to tell you what to think.

Watch this movie and see for yourself -- not whether you think "it was the greatest movie of all time" whatever that means -- but rather whether you connected with Kane, a man with a life in search of meaning.

Born anonymous Kane's life was dramatically altered when his mother found herself in possession of great fortune. How would the existence of this fortune affect Kane? Would, could money buy him happiness?

Or was happiness something more elusive?

On the one hand this story is sort of the ultimate counter factual for all of us: that if given the money, our lives would not have any more meaning than they otherwise would have. On this hand Kane is like George Bailey from "It's a Wonderful Life" and we all come away realizing that money can't buy happiness and that all was, at the end of the day, for the best.

On the other hand, this story is the ultimate lie: Of course money can't buy happiness but it can secure possession of condos and cars and things and with it the kind of experiences that all too often accompany happiness. In this view, Kane's problem isn't the human condition but simply his lack of imagination.

What ever your views you certainly have a couple hours to sit and view this movie.

Yes, there are the officiandos who know the identity of the camera guy or how many hours it took Welles to prepare for filming or what they served each day for breakfast but those things don't make a film enjoyable.

Watch it for yourself and just see if you connect.

That's what matters.

A TRUE WORK OF FILM ART!.......2007-06-05

When wealthy media magnate Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles) dies, he utters the enigmatic word "Rosebud". An obituary newsreel documents the events in his public life. The producer of the newsreel asks a reporter, Thompson (William Alland), to find out about Kane's private life and personality, in particular to discover the meaning behind his last word. The reporter interviews the great man's friends and associates, and Kane's story unfolds as a series of flashbacks.

First, Thompson approaches Kane's second wife, Susan Alexander (Dorothy Comingore), who refuses to tell him anything. Thompson then goes to the library of Mr. Thatcher (George Coulouris). It is there that Thompson learns about Kane's childhood. In the first flashback, Kane as a young child is abandoned by his mother (Agnes Moorehead) when he becomes suddenly wealthy, and sent to live with his banker, Mr Thatcher, despite the misgivings of Kane's father.

Other flashbacks show Kane's entry into the newspaper business and his profit-seeking with low-quality "yellow journalism". He takes control of the newspaper and hires all the best journalists (which he gets from the Inquirer's rival, The Chronicle). His attempted rise to power is documented, including his first marriage to a President's niece and his campaign for the office of governor. A "love nest" scandal ends both his marriage and his political aspirations. Kane remarries, but his domineering personality destroys his relationships and pushes away his loved ones.

Despite Thompson's numerous interviews with the people in Kane's life, he is unable to solve the mystery; he concludes that "Rosebud" will remain an enigma. However, the camera pans over workers burning some of Kane's many possessions. One throws an old sled, with the word "Rosebud" painted on it, into the fire, the same sled that Kane was riding as a child the day his mother sent him away. There is a shot of a chimney with black smoke coming out. After this twist ending, the film ends as it began, with the "No Trespassing" sign. The closing shot shows the "K" on top of the iron fence.

Susan with a symbolic jigsaw puzzleCitizen Kane has inspired myriad interpretations over the decades. In Orson Welles: Hello Americans, Simon Callow argued that Citizen Kane should not just be understood as a fictional work but also as a post-fictional piece: a piece where the audience is drawn in to view themselves in the process of watching the film. In a 1941 review, Jorge Luis Borges called Citizen Kane a "metaphysical detective story," in that "... [its] subject (both psychological and allegorical) is the investigation of a man's inner self, through the works he has wrought, the words he has spoken, the many lives he has ruined..." Borges noted that "Overwhelmingly, endlessly, Orson Welles shows fragments of the life of the man, Charles Foster Kane, and invites us to combine them and reconstruct him." As well, "Forms of multiplicity and incongruity abound in the film: the first scenes record the treasures amassed by Kane; in one of the last, a poor woman, luxuriant and suffering, plays with an enormous jigsaw puzzle on the floor of a palace that is also a museum." Borges points out that "... At the end we realize that the fragments are not governed by a secret unity: the detested Charles Foster Kane is a simulacrum, a chaos of appearances."

The film combines revolutionary cinematography (by Gregg Toland, with whom Welles shared a title card, which was a gesture of Welles' appreciation for Toland's overall contribution to the film, much like John Ford previously shared credit with Toland for The Long Voyage Home) with an Oscar-winning screenplay (by Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz -- though most film history circles consider Mankiewicz's contribution to the screenplay to be far greater than that of Welles), and a lineup of first time film actors, associates of Mr. Welles from his stint at the Mercury Theatre, such as Joseph Cotten and Agnes Moorehead.This a true work of film art and many have tried to unsuccessfully emulate the camera angles and the methodology of the angles and pathos.

Noel Serrano
Gala Foundation

Average customer rating:

Please enter a title for your review
Heartwarming.
"Catch & Release?" I say just let go!
Pretty bad sorry to say
Catch & Release

Catch & Release
Starring: Jennifer Garner , Timothy Olyphant , Sam Jaeger , Kevin Smith , and Juliette Lewis
Director: Susannah Grant
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005JPF3
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Amazon.com

Jennifer Garner's lips grow more Angelina-esque every year. In the romantic comedy Catch and Release, Garner (Alias, 13 Going On 30) plays Gray Wheeler, a young woman whose fiance dies unexpectedly before the wedding, leaving Gray unable to afford her home--so she moves in with her fiance's best friends, Sam (Kevin Smith, director of Clerks and Dogma) and Dennis (Sam Jaeger, Lucky Number Slevin). But the presence of another old friend named Fritz (Timothy Olyphant, Deadwood) leads to the unveiling of a secret: Gray's fiance had a child with another woman. Catch and Release lacks the clear story structure that most romantic comedies are built on, but trades it for a richer sense of the ambiguities of human relationships. Garner, though lovely and personable, is a bit bland--fortunately, she's surrounded by actors with all kinds of edges, including Smith (who shows an unexpected and uncloying earnest side), Fiona Shaw (from the Harry Potter movies) as the fiance's grieving mother, and Juliette Lewis (Cape Fear), who demonstrates once again her powers as a fearless and surprising actress. Catch and Release is an uneven movie, with a remarkably elegant visual style that sometimes clashes with the workmanlike dialogue, but it can't be written off as the same old Hollywood claptrap. Though a happy ending is inevitable, the path it takes has some surprising turns and flashes of unexpected emotional depth.-- Bret Fetzer

Stills from Catch and Release (click for larger image)

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Customer Reviews:

Please enter a title for your review.......2007-07-04

One of the least engaging movies I've ever endured. It's hard to know how to criticize it when I can't see anything it was attempting. The biggest problems are how little of a sense you get of who the characters are to each other and the cryptic way the plot unfolds without containing any interesting mysteries. As a Kevin Smith fan I don't understand why he thought this movie was worth his time. Even his part didn't make me laugh. I'd give four stars to his commentary track that goes a fair way to redeeming the overall product though.

Heartwarming........2007-07-04

I really enjoyed this movie. I am a Jennifer Garner fan and she plays a great role in this movie. Timothy Olyphant, Sam Jaeger and Kevin Smith are very convincing in their roles as grieving friends even though they share a very odd sort of kinship.

The movie shows the different ways these individuals grief for their deceased friend and how they emerge on the sunnier side of life at the end of the film via different paths.

There are some very funny moments in the film but mostly it leaves you with a very warm fuzzy feeling....even the hubby enjoyed it !

"Catch & Release?" I say just let go!.......2007-07-01

Boy, am I bored. I can't think of anyone who I'd like to recommend watching this, except for some uptight teenage girls. I just finished watching it. The main plot isn't all that bad. It could have had its niche. But the director managed to make a slow-moving,lifeless piece of work which I think most viewers would find it hard to sit to the end. The only thing that got me to watch this in the beginning,like some other viewers,is Kevin Smith. I love to have a chance to see how he acts in other people's movies. But I can only say even with that, the movie is boring like hell.

Pretty bad sorry to say.......2007-06-28

I watched this movie because I'm a Timothy Olyphant fan. My husband and I loved his work in DEADWOOD. And we enjoyed the tv series ALIAS with Garner. However, this film took a long time to get going and then went nowhere and fell flat with a little thud. There was some chemistry with Olyphant and Garner, but it wasn't well-demonstrated. I don't mean to be cruel, but Garner played just about the worst drunk I've ever seen in a movie. That's not her strongpoint. Her wardrobe was hideous. But just getting back to the movie it was not something we'd recommend. We recommended HOLIDAY recently with Cameron Diaz & Kate Winslet - that was adorable. But a couple high points of "CATCH" were Grady's mother coming round at the end and Kevin's character getting together with Juliette Lewis (she WAS great!). As a romantic comedy it was horrible. As a romance it was very so-so. As a drama it was light. I wanted to see something exciting happen with everyone, some windfall of money Grady'd left to all of them, or some sizzling emotional scenes with Olyphant & Garner. Garner does deserve credit for portraying a miss-perfect waspy princess very well. I felt much of the plot was unrealistic. A woman like Gray would never jump into bed with Fritz so fast.

Catch & Release.......2007-06-27

This movie was terrible, It did not hold my interest, there seemed to be no plot to it.. I was bored and wish I had never bought it. A total waste of my money.

Average customer rating:

Some plays should just remain in the theater
Rubbish (Well, it is an English movie!)
Excellent film--but let's clarify something
Love it!
Although DVD is no subsitute for live theatre, this is still a gem

The History Boys
Starring: Samuel Anderson , James Corden , Stephen Campbell Moore , Richard Griffiths , and Frances de la Tour
Director: Nicholas Hytner
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
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ASIN: B000NIVJFO
Release Date: 2007-04-17

Amazon.com

The play's the thing in The History Boys. Unlike most stage-to-screen transitions, Nicholas Hytner assembled the entire original cast for the celluloid version of Alan Bennett's award-winning work. (The two previously joined forces for The Madness of King George.) As in Hytner's National Theatre production, a group of Sheffield sixth-form boys, Timms (James Corden), Lockwood (Andrew Knott), Rudge (Russell Tovey), Scripps (Jamie Parker), Crowther (Samuel Anderson), Akhtar (Sacha Dhawan), Posner (Samuel Barnett), and Dakin (Dominic Cooper)--the latter two standouts--spend an extra term in 1983 preparing for their Oxbridge exams. Hector (Richard Griffiths) and Dorothy Lintott (Frances de la Tour) are their regular instructors (both performances garnered Tony Awards), while Irwin (Stephen Campbell Moore, Bright Young Things) is the enigmatic new history teacher. The Headmaster (Clive Merrison) brings him on board to lend the precocious lads "polish." Irwin, however, is more interested in encouraging them to think creatively--not merely to recite facts. The boys just want to get into Oxford and Cambridge. If that means withstanding the occasional grope from Hector and harsh word from Irwin, so be it. In the end, which boy gets in where isn't insignificant, but Bennett's greater concern is what they learn along the way. If Hytner isn't always successful in reconciling the intellectual with the more earthbound, The History Boys is one of the funniest films yet about Britain's educational system--and education in general. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Stills from The History Boys

Description

From award-winning playwright Alan Bennett (The Madness of King George) comes this delightfully witty comedy of eight boisterous-yet-talented schoolboys hoping to gain admittance to England's most prestigious universities. They're aided on their quest by two teachers, a shrewd young upstart and an inspiring old eccentric, whose opposing philosophies challenge the boys to confront the true meaning of education and the relative values of happiness and success.

Adapted from the original Tony Award winning play and starring the original Tony Award winning cast, The History Boys is an engaging, thought-provoking, and wickedly funny look at history, the pursuit of knowledge, and the utter randomness of life.

Customer Reviews:

Some plays should just remain in the theater.......2007-06-29

I thought this movie was okay and could have been better even with its funny and touching scenes (brief encounter!). Set in Yorkshire, England in 1983, and centers around a handful of boys in their final year of high school. The boys represent a rather interesting and eclectic mix: there's one who's gay, another who loves sports more than school, and another who is the valedictorian but who acts more like the class bully. Nevertheless, they're all brilliant students who are particularly apt scholars of history and the French language. When news circulates that they have a chance at getting into Oxford and Cambridge, the headmaster (Clive Merrison) hires a young Oxford graduate (Stephen Campbell Moore) to temporarily teach the kids for the "big test" and make them more well rounded students and optimum choices for acceptance, all while intruding upon their favorite History teacher's (Richard Griffiths) class time.He's obese, challenging, and eccentric. He also rides a motorcycle and endlessly quotes great poetry. He firmly agrees with A.E. Houseman who wrote: "All human knowledge is precious whether or not it serves the slightest human use." If Hector were around today he might be on the endangered species list. But Hector also has a dark side. He seems to get a sexual charge out of taking students out for intimate rides on his motorcycle, and his inappropriate behavior eventually becomes an issue in the film. His job is to prepare some promising but uncouth students for Oxford. He uses creative teaching methods and actually encourages them to think for themselves.

"The History Boys" is also very hip to British pop culture, with numerous '80s rock songs throughout, and very intellectual, with poignant poetry found in nearly every scene. Those two points alone should give anyone a solid idea what to expect going in. There's even a metaphor about relationships and sex in relation to war in history. The focus of the film is purely on the linguists and dialogue in order to drive the story and does not call on any physical or visual imagery at all; this is great on stage, but ineffective on film. The film winds down by telling a lengthy story instead of ending when it should have. Although it gets into the lives of the students and teachers well, it is not as deeply gripping as a film like this should have been.

This film does feature some incredible performances such as Rudge (Russell Tovey), who is the one with the most troubles and breaks the most bounds, also stands out the most. He's supported strongly by Posner (Samuel Barnett), an incredibly talented actor and singer who plays the homosexual boy, and Dakin (Dominic Cooper), who is the cigarette-smoking, sporty, attractive guy you don't want to mess with. The rest of the boisterous cast of students have amazing chemistry, but look like they are acting on stage and not for the camera. One last thing--I really have to mention Frances de la Tour (plays Mrs. Lintott), is practically the only woman in the film with a speaking part. She adds a lot--even more acerbically in the film. Her character has a lot to say--and anyone seeing the film would be wise to listen very closely to her precise words. Other then that, "The History Boys" should have been left untouched in its natural on-stage format and not converted to the screen.

Rubbish (Well, it is an English movie!).......2007-06-25

This movie was totally, mind-numbingly, boring! The movie was a study in character (and motives), and the relationship between teacher and student. I get that. Please don't high hand me with your intellectual reprovals. The movie was littered with references to high brow literature and poetry (most of which I have read and enjoyed) to the point that it came off sounding like an intellectual version of name dropping. I don't think the comparison to Dead Poets Society is accurate. Dead Poets Society was a much better film, in my opinion.

Anyway you slice it, though, the movie was long, laborious, and boring. I won't even go into the weird sexual overtones.

Excellent film--but let's clarify something.......2007-06-16

I've watched this film twice and enjoyed every minute of it and the finely tuned performances. Still, I feel compelled to respond to the reviewer here from England. Your review is well written and astute--until you get to slamming Dead Poets Society. To be blunt, you don't seem to grasp the reality of that milieu any more than the Americans who don't "get" History Boys. DPS presents a very accurate depiction of the claustrophobic environment at an all-boys boarding prep school in the East in that period of American history. The film accurately depicts the obsession with control and tradition at snobby, East-Coast prep schools and the teenagers' rebellious, atavistic response. It is NOT a Hollywood fabrication. We have a suicide at the end and the loss of the boys' only inspiring teacher--made a scapegoat by the administration and parents: if you think that only happens in Hollywood, you're sadly mistaken. Also, while I like History Boys a great deal, Weir has crafted a much more artistic work in DPS; it has a beautiful, at times haunting, aesthetic. The druidic scenes in the woods alone are worth the price of admission. And it may be a vehicle for Williams but even he is real, the inveterate performer loved by the students but resented by his colleauges. At the end he too is nothing but a victim of the school's warped value system and inabilty to progress. Two fine films--very different--each capturing a moment in history and both doing an excellent and entertaining job of it.

Love it!.......2007-06-06

This is truly a brilliant film, I have not watched the stage version although I have read the play (and screenplay) and the stage version does seem more fleshed out, but that does not mean that the film is 'lousier' in any way. I won't bother with the usual themes of homosexuality, education etc. as I feel that most reviews have already mentioned this. Rather I have been reading a lot of reviews about this film (I love this show) and I thought I'd just share my opinion of some of the problems that others have raised about The History Boys.

One thing raised was the apparent lack of direction in the film. If you're looking for a film that raises questions about education, or homosexuality etc. etc., forget this show. I don't think this is Alan Bennet's objective in writing the film. Unlike, say, Top Girls by Caryl Churchill which she wrote to raise questions about feminism and socialism (just an example), The History Boys isn't so much raising points about controversial issues but experiencing it. This isn't a show with a definite objective, it does not seek to judge but rather, ponder. Something like an intellectual bildungsroman.

Many people were also offended by the apparent nonchalence at Hector's indecent groping. I think to be hung up over this issue is to fail to see what the story is driving at. This isn't really a play about homosexuality. Homosexuality within the context of the film is really just another one of life's problems and issues, not much different from socially disadvantaged boy trying for oxbridge. I don't think the boys were ever 'exploited' by Hector, in fact they seem to have the emotional upperhand over him. They treated his groping of them with disinterest, boredom and an attitude of couldn't somewhat care less distaste.

Apart from Posner I don't think the other characters are truly 'homosexual' in the context of the word. Hector is just plain lusty. Irwin and Dakin are really more pansexual than homosexual. They're attracted to one another because of the chemistry they spark off one another, gender was never really a consideration.

The film though, is set in a rather unbelievable context and has the characters spout lines that you don't hear spoken on a normal basis by normal people, but that shouldn't detract you from enjoying the show. However if you're not the typical anglophile this show may be quite hard to follow due to the multiple cultural references and the wry british wit (the latter of which seems very unappealing to americans, although I can never understand why, slapstick never seemed funny in the least.) I remember reading an article where Samuel Barnett said most of the audience at broadway didn't understand the part about sheffield (when Posner is confiding in Irwin).

Lastly the cast had an excellent chemistry and camaraderie. I'm a bit sorry I never had the chance to watch the stage play with the original cast so it would be nice if the producers release a DVD of the original stage play.

Although DVD is no subsitute for live theatre, this is still a gem.......2007-06-04

There are a few things potential viewers, particularly American viewers, need to know about this movie. It focuses on a class of young men who are trying to get into some of the finest British schools. I note this only because there are key differences between British and American schools as well as teaching methods and this may be confusing to some viewers.

I would suggest focusing on the themes of this movie as you watch it, particularly various teaching styles, the role of history in education and, specifically, what a "good education" is. Among other things, the film grapples with issues of
what the students produce, both in their written work and in their classroom discussions. Should an original paper, which is full of cleverness but not much depth, be rewarded more than a solid paper which rehashes conventional wisdom? Those are the types of dilemnas that come up, among others.

If this review hasn't led you to the conclusion that this movie is thought -provoking and geared to making one think about the role of education and styles of learning and teaching, I apologize - because that is what this film does.

Having said that, I think this film suffers from not being presented live, on stage.Often film enhances a Broadway play but I didn't find that the case here. Some of the "students" seemed to be too old and a certain intensity and spontaneity was lost. I would strongly suggest getting a copy of the play in book form and doing a comparison. Better yet, see a live performance.

Still, I think this is worth seeing on DVD, especially since it has extra commentary by Nicholas Hytner and Alan Bennett. There are a couple of featurettes about making the movie and the History Boys around the World.

I can't give a top flight rating to this because it fell short of what I'd experienced of this play before....but it shows effort, is far above the typical fluff shown in theatres and is certainly timely, focusing on education and its role in one's entire life. It is also an excellent introduction to comparing one educational system (British) with other systems, changes and all. The History Boys: A Play

Open Season (Widescreen Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

Plenty of fun and laughs for the entire family
Kids love it!
BETTER THAN I EXPECTED! FUNNY!
Ok, ok.....
Don't forget your family.

Open Season (Widescreen Special Edition)
Starring: Martin Lawrence , Ashton Kutcher , Gary Sinise , Jon Favreau , and Jane Krakowski
Director: Anthony Stacchi , Jill Culton , and Roger Allers
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000L22SG6
Release Date: 2007-01-30

Amazon.com

Growing up can be a confusing journey fraught with difficult choices. Boog (Martin Lawrence) is a domesticated Grizzly Bear who leads a perfectly happy life inside of Park Ranger Beth's (Debra Messing) garage, but a chance meeting with an overly energetic mule deer named Elliot (Ashton Kutcher) quickly changes everything and lands Boog high in the forest a few days before the opening of hunting season. Devoid of even the most basic survival skills, Boog and Elliot stumble through the woods and find themselves at the mercy of every forest animal from skunks to chipmunks as well as an evil hunter named Shaw (Gary Sinise). After unintentionally inciting and endangering an entire forest full of clever animals, Boog and Elliot come to the realization that only by banding together do the forest animals stand a chance of outsmarting the hunters and ensuring their own survival.

This first animated film from Sony Pictures Animation takes its inspiration from cartoonist Steve Moore (In the Bleachers) and features animals with human-like intelligence, a vibrant color palate, and skilled animation that makes everything from the wind blowing Boo's fur to the animals' wild trip down the falls simply breathtaking. While it doesn't quite live up to Over the Hedge, Open Season is an entertaining production that explores the difficult process of maturation, the universal need for acceptance, and the true value of friendship. Special features include a 15-minute featurette about the animation process at Sony Pictures Animation and Image Works, a 7-minute look at the recording sessions featuring the voices behind the characters, two deleted scenes, three short animated cartoon strips, a short "Boog and Elliot's Midnight Bun Run" that's an extension of the trailer scene in the movie, art gallery, beat boards, humorous commentary from the animals' point of views, and a full length commentary by Producer Michelle Murdocca, Directors Roger Allers and Jill Culton, and others. Activities include a "Voice-A-Rama" where viewers can hear specific lines spoken by alternate voices and a trivia "Wheel of Fortune--Forest Edition" as well as a DVD-ROM link to more online fun. (Ages 3 and older) --Tami Horiuchi

Meet the Critters of Open Season (click for larger image)

Boog (aka Martin Lawrence),
hear Martin Lawrence, "On Boog":
high bandwidth

Elliot (aka Ashton Kutcher),
hear Ashton Kutcher, "On being Elliot":
high bandwidth

Shaw (aka Gary Sinise),
hear Gary Sinise, "On Shaw":
high bandwidth

Stills from Open Season (click for larger image)

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The Art of Open Season Book

Meet The Chubbchubbs!

For a limited time, purchase Open Season (Widescreen Edition) on DVD and receive a complimentary copy of the Academy Award winning animated short, The Chubbchubbs!, exclusive to Amazon.com.

Amazon.com Review
When it was briefly shown in theaters with Men in Black II, the delightful animated cartoon The Chubb Chubbs had the awkward distinction of being funnier and more inventive than MIIB. The six-minute film won the 2003 Oscar for best animated short. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

In Open Season, the odd are about to get even. Boog (Martin Lawrence), a domesticated grizzly bear with no survival skills, has his perfect world turned upside down when he meets Elliot (Ashton Kutcher) a scrawny, fast-talking mule deer. When Elliot convinces Boog to leave his cushy home in a park ranger's garage to try a taste of the great outdoors, things quickly spiral out of control. Relocated to the forest with open season only three days away, Boog and Elliot must acclimate in a hurry. They must join forces to unite the woodland creatures and take the forest back.

Customer Reviews:

Plenty of fun and laughs for the entire family.......2007-06-08

Plenty of laughs and some really impressive animation make Open Season a film that just about anyone, young or old, will enjoy watching. The only problem is the fact that it really has nothing to make it stand out from the crowd. Boog and Elliot are great characters, but they just remind me a little too much of Shrek and Donkey, and Martin Lawrence and Ashton Kutcher are pale imitations of Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy. I actually had a little trouble with the voices. Sometimes Boog sounded like Martin Lawrence, and sometimes he didn't; on the other hand, Elliot never sounded very much like Ashton Kutcher to me (which is actually a good thing). The two make for a good team, but the chemistry between them doesn't always seem to come naturally. The supporting cast of voice actors is pretty impressive, though. It's always a kick to hear Georgia Engel's unique voice, but Billy Connolly absolutely steals the whole show time and time again as the voice of McSquizzy, the leader of the squirrels (who is always itching for a fight).

Boog is a grizzly bear living the life of an ursine Riley, having been raised by Park Ranger Beth (Debra Messing). Then a deer named Elliot, desperate to escape the clutches of an evil hunter (Gary Sinise) shows up, and he has a rather destabilizing effect on Boog's life. Suddenly, Boog finds himself rooted out of his idyllic, pampered existence and left in the forest to survive on his own. It doesn't go well, as he and Elliot find themselves chastised and laughed at by all manner of woodland creatures (especially McSquizzy and the squirrels). Then things take an even more dramatic turn for the worst, as hunting season officially opens. Eventually, Boog faces the most obvious of moral choices: return home on his own to try and reclaim his old life of leisure or turn around and help the other animals band together and fight the hunters at their own game.

Don't expect any real surprises with the story, as it plays out pretty much according to formula. That's okay; after all, the old formula still works pretty effectively. You won't bust a gut laughing, but you will laugh. The film also imparts good lessons on friendship and teamwork, which is another mark in its favor. I just hope the film helps to inspire at least a few young people not to become hunters when they grow up.

Kids love it!.......2007-06-04

My little girl loves Cinderella, so this was just a bonus for her. Would buy again.

BETTER THAN I EXPECTED! FUNNY!.......2007-05-26

Alright.... I know they're churning out these CGI eye candy animation fest like there's no tomorrow, but truth is, this is a pretty darn good animated flick with some very funny characters. The DVD looks great and there are quite a few extras. If you like animated films, go for it! You won't be disappointed.

Ok, ok............2007-05-18

Pretty cool movie! Kinda funny....but don't know if I will watch it over and over again or anything. Bought out of curiosity....fun kids movie!

Don't forget your family........2007-05-15

I buy these movies for my grandchildren and they enjoy them so much. It makes them remember that it is fun to have friends but remember you also have family that is just as important. This makes it so clear to kids.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show - The Complete Fourth Season

Average customer rating:

Season Five! Season Five! Season Five! Where are you??
When will we see Season Five?
A Real Gem
Please release the remaining three seasons!
Asking Oprah for help to release the remaining seasons

The Mary Tyler Moore Show - The Complete Fourth Season
Starring: Cloris Leachman , Georgia Engel , Joyce Bulifant , Nancy Walker , and Betty White
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Television | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Mary Tyler Moore Show - The Complete Third Season (1972)
The Mary Tyler Moore Show - The Complete Second Season (1971)
The Mary Tyler Moore Show - The Complete First Season
The Bob Newhart Show - The Complete Third Season
Bob Newhart - The Complete Fourth Season

ASIN: B000EXDS02
Release Date: 2006-06-20

Amazon.com

The multi-Emmy-winning fourth season of The Mary Tyler Moore Show showed us the sassy side of Betty White and the softer side of Ed Asner's Lou Grant. Cast against type, White makes a memorable first impression in the season-opener as steely "Happy Homemaker" Sue Ann Nivens, who makes Martha Stewart look like June Cleaver. The episode "The Lars Affair" earned an Emmy for Cloris Leachman, and it is arguably her finest half-hour, as the ill-equipped Phyllis tries to domesticate herself after her husband has an affair with Sue Ann. Consider the bee, a dejected Phyllis tells Mary and Rhoda (Valerie Harper). "Once the male bee has... serviced the queen, the male dies. All in all, not a bad system." Sue Ann's debut is but one of this superb season's historic moments. The other is when "Ted Baxter Meets Walter Cronkite." "The big question," Murray (Gavin McLeod) asks, "is where do I sit to get the best view?" The event even exceeds the anticipation. "Let's talk shop," Ted (Ted Knight) tells the speechless Cronkite. "What words do you have trouble pronouncing?" The character who goes through the biggest changes this season is Lou. In the Emmy-winning episode, "The Lou and Edie Story," Lou is heartbroken when his wife moves out, leading to one of the season's funniest episodes, "Lou's First Date," in which an unwitting Mary sets Lou up with an 80-year-old woman to bring to an awards ceremony. Lou's difficulty handling displays of affection is put to the supreme test in "Happy Birthday, Lou!" in which Mary ill advisedly decides to throw him a surprise party.

Speaking of disastrous parties, the classic episode, "The Dinner Party" (the one with the Veal Prince Orloff) firmly establishes one of the series' best running jokes: Mary's disastrous track record as a hostess. That's Henry Winkler as an extra, unexpected guest forced to sit at his own table. Moore was honored this season with an Emmy for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy. No doubt her Emmy reel included "Best of Enemies" (co-written by Albert Brooks collaborator Monica Johnson), in which Rhoda's tactless revelation of one of Mary's secrets threatens their friendship, and "Two Wrongs Don't Make a Writer," in which Mary and Ted take the same creative writing class and Ted plagiarizes her story. Mary may be a bust as a hostess, but season 4, this classic series' best to date, is a real party. --Donald Liebenson

Description

WJM NEWSFLASH: MORE LAUGHS IN STORE WITH SEASON FOUR!

Classy, smart, funny, and confident? Mary Richards is the very embodiment of the independent career woman of the 1970s. As news producer for WJM-TV, Mary, along with her eclectic and hilarious cast of friends and co-workers, confronts some of life's biggest challenges head on: career advancement, dating, marriage, death and divorce? All with varying degrees of success, but always with a sense of humor and an optimistic outlook. Season Four of The Mary Tyler Moore Show shows why this endearing and enduring TV classic was the inspiration for a young generation who discovered that they, too, were "gonna make it after all."

Customer Reviews:

Season Five! Season Five! Season Five! Where are you??.......2007-07-02

It's ridiculous. It's been more than a year since this terrific season was released. There was once a L-O-N-G wait before the Season Two DVD set was issued, due to slow sales of the first MTM season. (and that was due to the hefty price and elaborate packaging) THEN, the powers that be at Fox realized they could slim down the packaging, not make it so fancy, and make more sales, and they did a fantastic job of issuing seasons 2-4 every 6 months! It was perfect.

And now? Dead quiet. What gives?? This has happened to the Bob Newhart show as well. By posting here on Amazon, fans of MTM can cite our grievances. We want Season 5 and beyond!!! Even with slight sales, there MUST be some profit made. It doesn't cost THAT much to manufacture these DVDs. There are no music rights to clear. There are no promotional costs any longer. I'm certain there are no major residuals paid to the cast...so why not just finish up the seasons? Don't tease us with just 4 seasons. We want to complete our collections.

We, the fans, WANT the remaining seasons! Let's hope they hear our pleas!

When will we see Season Five?.......2007-06-25

I had fun watching the fourth season. I have a feeling that Season Five will come out the same time as Rhoda, but I hate the wait.

A Real Gem.......2007-05-16

My boyfriend introduced me to this show and I can't thank him enough. I never knew that sitcoms could be this good! Before I had only heard of Mary and Rhoda as a joke on Romy and Michelle. I've seen all four released seasons now and it has become my favorite sitcom of all time.

Mary has to be one of the most endearing characters in television history. And the supporting cast is amazing. Valerie Harper, Cloris Leachman, and Betty White being my personal standout favorites. Not one episode of this series disappointed me. I only wish that more people would discover this treasure. Then perhaps the remaining seasons would be released.

Please release the remaining three seasons!.......2007-05-13

It'sso frustrating. This is one of the great shows of all time and all we have are the first four seasons. This show ended 30 years ago! What is taking so long to get these released?..same with The Bob Newhart Show and Taxi..which ran five seasons and only three have been released.

When the production studios start putting out complete seasons of their shows, shouldn't they follow through with ALL of them? There are a lot of fans of MTM who would dearly love to have the entire series on DVD,extras or not..and yet to come(if it ever does)is the classic "Chuckles Bites the Dust"

Please...release the final three seasons!

Asking Oprah for help to release the remaining seasons.......2007-05-11

I know this may seem like a strange thing to do, but I contacted the Oprah Winfrey show by e-mail and told them that there are fans like us here on Amazon who are really upset that FOX has stalled release of the remaining seasons.

Oprah is a HUGE fan of the Mary Tyler Show and has said on previous shows how much of an inspiration the show and Mary was to her when she started off in the News business in the seventies.

I thought if we let Oprah know what was happening with FOX and this delay that maybe she could do something to help the frustrated fans out there. Perhaps have a "Mary Appreciation" show and fill the audience with fans of the show, maybe bring Mary and the rest of the cast on, have them reminisce about the show and use that show as an opportunity to implore FOX to stop being ridiculous and release the remaining episodes, maybe even sign a petition by audience members and send it to FOX.

It might all sound crazy, but I love this show, and we the fans deserve to have the remaining seasons released!!!! I'm sure Mary Tyler Moore herself would be frustrated if she knew how much her fans were behind the show.

I have a question for FOX. How does a show with 29 Emmy wins not get a full series release on DVD???!!!!!!!!

The Mary Tyler Moore Show - The Complete Second Season (1971)

Average customer rating:

Why can't sitcoms today be this good?
MTM 2nd season
MTM
One of my all-time favorite sitcoms!
Moore of the same, please!

The Mary Tyler Moore Show - The Complete Second Season (1971)
Starring: Cloris Leachman , Georgia Engel , Joyce Bulifant , Nancy Walker , and Betty White
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

Comedy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Television | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Mary Tyler Moore Show - The Complete First Season
The Mary Tyler Moore Show - The Complete Third Season (1972)
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The Bob Newhart Show - The Complete First Season

ASIN: B00096S480
Release Date: 2005-07-26

Amazon.com

The Emmy-winning first season was an auspicious beginning. By its second season, the classic theme song "Love is All Around" has been revamped with an even more optimistic outlook: "You're gonna make it after all." In the sophomore season of this instant gold-standard sitcom, the ace writing staff and peerless ensemble begin to flesh out the iconic characters. Gruff Lou Grant (Ed Asner, enjoying his second Emmy-winning season) reveals his more loveable side when he discovers his son-in-law out with another woman in "The Six-and-a-Half-Year Itch." Vain Ted Baxter (Ted Knight) becomes a more sympathetic character in "Cover Boy," featuring the hilariously preening Jack Cassidy as Ted's competitive brother, and "And Now, Sitting in for Ted Baxter," in which a substitute anchor earns higher ratings than the vacationing Ted. Mary, the sweetheart of prime time, is still something of a pushover (in "Feeb," she feels compelled to write a letter of recommendation for an extraordinarily incompetent secretary), but she develops the backbone to stand up to an anti-Semite who disapproves of Rhoda in one of the season's best episodes, "Some of My Best Friends Are Rhoda." The indelible friendship between Mary and Rhoda (Valerie Harper, also earning her second consecutive Emmy) is sorely tested when they become temporary roommates in "Where There's Smoke, There's Rhoda." As with the most enduring shows, The Mary Tyler Moore Show eschewed topical humor that would date the series, and instead, mined its more universal and timeless humor from the wellspring of the characters. More than 30 years later, there is still, as ever, something about Mary. --Donald Liebenson

Description

Mary and the gang from WJM-TV return in another award-winning season. No longer the new girl in town, Mary has come to think of the newsroom staff as family. But along with the good times and close friendships come the often trying—and ultimately hilarious—situations every family faces. From Mary explaining the facts of life to Phyllis' daughter to going on a blind date (set up by Lou!) to attending her disastrous high school reunion, it's clear why this TV classic is one of the most beloved comedies of all time.

Customer Reviews:

Why can't sitcoms today be this good?.......2007-04-12

I can remember watching the Mary Tyler Moore show as a kid and I always enjoyed every episode. To now have the first four seasons on DVD means that I can pop in a DVD anytime and enjoy what is probably one of the best sitcoms every made.

Season Two finds the WJM newsroom staff developing their styles. Ted is still annoying (but Lou can't let him go no matter what) and Murray and Mary continue to develop their friendship. The episodes are always funny especially when Ted is forced to take a vacation only to find out his temporary "replacement" has WJM's ratings going sky high. Rhoda's mother plays a role in the season with her visits while another episode has Ted trying desperately to impress his brother by pretending to date Mary. Another episode has Ted interviewing a local City Councilman who is actually less intelligent that Ted!

You can't go wrong with the Mary Tyler Moore DVDs. They are family friendly, funny, well written and are an example of top notch sitcom writing that, for whatever reason, we just don't see anymore.

MTM 2nd season.......2007-03-18

Like the first season DVD, I never get tired of seeing it. It's better than any sitcom currently running on TV.

MTM.......2007-03-08

This show is a classic. It's funny and realistic. Great to see fashions from the 70's.

One of my all-time favorite sitcoms!.......2006-12-01

Although the show ran throughout the '70s, its appeal is still lasting today, in the story of Mary Richards and her eclectic co-workers in the WJM newsroom...

In the pilot, 30-year-old Mary has just moved to Minneapolis, eager to start a new life as a single careerwoman after her breakup with her fiance. She answers an ad seeking a secretary, and finds herself associate producer of the six o'clock news at WJM. There, she works for Lou Grant, a tough guy with a soft exterior and a ready bottle of booze, and alongside kindhearted news writer Murray and self-centered, idiotic reporter Ted Baxter.

On the home front, Mary decides to rent an apartment in the home of her college friend Phyllis Lindstrom...incurring the wrath of New York native Rhoda Morgenstern, who had her heart set on moving in. Despite their rocky start, the two opposite personalities quickly become best friends, creating the basis for much of the show's humor.

In Season 2, several episodes center around Bess, Phyllis' precocious adolescent daughter; Mary's dating hijinks; newsroom mishaps; and visits from Rhoda's stereotypically Jewish mother.

If you've never seen this show, I urge you to give it a try! You'll soon be looking for the rest of the seasons.

Moore of the same, please!.......2006-11-05

In the golden years of Television - indeed in the golden years of Entertainment - quality was important. Performers on TV had honed their skills, during years of endeavour in halls and theatres across the country, perfecting their work. Musicians - of all forms of music - played proper instruments with virtuoso ability. Lyrics could be understood and the musical sound replicated - because it was written down and 'scored'. Actors, musicians, dancers, etc., all had 'great ability'.

Even in this milieu, some performers stood out as exceptional. When thoroughly competent TV directors and skilled television technicians were able to work with these outstanding performers, shows of exceptional quality and were produced.

Mary Tyler Moore had an ability and an aura about her that was rare. The 'situation comedy', a long cherished and much loved TV art-form, seemed to have been made for her and her many skills. Moore's first great TV success was in the Dick Van Dyke Show. Then, when she starred in her own shows, Moore was magnificent.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show was produced and directd by consumate experts. Add to this a particularly high standing of casting, which ensured only the best supporting actors,and the Mary Tyler Moore Show was destined to be in the 'Top Flight' of its gendre.

Importantly however, unlike the crass and peurile content of so much 'entertainment' today, the Mary Tyler Moore Show ( and other great shows of the era) contained no gratuitous violence, no explicit sex or nudity, and no foul or blasphemous language. The show was humourous without being coarse and was, truly, a delight to watch.

Madea's Family Reunion (Full Screen Edition)

Average customer rating:

Family Reunion
Tyler is the man.
great
Hillarious
New Perry Fan

Madea's Family Reunion (Full Screen Edition)
Starring: Georgia Allen , Lisa Anderson , Afemo Omilami , Cicely Tyson , and Blair Underwood
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Madea Goes to Jail (The Tyler Perry Collection)
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Last Holiday (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000F9SO0O
Release Date: 2006-06-27

Amazon.com

Tyler Perry, impresario of the gospel theater circuit, brings his gun-toting granny-drag persona Madea back to the big screen in Madea's Family Reunion, a sequel to the surprise hit Diary of a Mad Black Woman. In addition to being saddled with an unruly foster teen (Keke Palmer, The Wool Cap), Madea has two troubled nieces: Lisa (Rochelle Aytes, White Chicks), who's engaged to an abusive and controlling investment banker (Blair Underwood, Something New); and Vanessa (Lisa Arrindell Anderson, The Second Chance), who can't open herself to the affection of a bus driver/artist (Boris Kodjoe, The Gospel) because of childhood abuse. Wreaking havoc on both of their lives is their mother Victoria (Lynn Whitfield, Eve's Bayou, in delirious wicked witch mode). Like Madea's previous outing, Madea's Family Reunion may induce mental whiplash--the movie zips from a discussion of flatulence to a jazz-backed poetry reading to domestic violence (Underwood, perhaps eager to leave his bland good-guy image behind, is genuinely scary), or from an act of horrific revenge to a staggeringly gaudy wedding. Though schizophrenic and morally questionable (beating an adult women is clearly wrong, but whipping a child with a belt in the name of tough love is apparently good), the movie is definitely unpredictable and never dull. Also featuring Cicely Tyson (Because of Winn-Dixie) and the poet Maya Angelou. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews:

Family Reunion .......2007-06-07

Tyler Perry hits the bullseye again. This item has been given by me to 6 of my friends. We can all learn something from writing of this quality and scope.

Tyler is the man........2007-05-31

The moive was generally good fun and the message pretty clear. I personally still prefer Diary of a Mad Black Woman but I am certainly looking to seeing Daddy's Little Girl.

great.......2007-05-20

i enjoyed every single moment of this movie and it got here in a very timely manner

Hillarious.......2007-05-14

Perfect "chick flick". It makes you laugh, then you get mad, then you cry, then you're happy again. The movie makes fun of some old worn out sterotypes, then it breaks them by showing people who are more true to life than people's perceptions.

Perfect to the very end. I rarely like a movie well enough to purchase it. I'm so glad I bought this one.

New Perry Fan.......2007-04-16

After seeing Diary of a Mad Black woman, I decided to give this movie a spin and I'm glad I did. The number one thing I'm surprised by is Perry's deep subject matters and at the heart of his message about the power of forgiveness. This is not some hammy Lawrence movie like Big Momma's house. It's a drama and a comedy and I don't think it was unbalanced at all. Whenever things get too serious, Madea would show up and deliver the message with a laugh. For me it was great to see Cicely Tyson, Dr. Maya Angelou and Lynn Whitfield working together. Perry has found a good thing and I wish him nothing but continue success. Highly Recommended.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show - The Complete Third Season (1972)

Average customer rating:

Let's Start a Petition to get 20th Century Fox to free the last three seasons
Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 4
I'LL TAKE RHODA ANY WAY I CAN GET HER!!!!!!!
One of the Greatest shows!
Love Mary!

The Mary Tyler Moore Show - The Complete Third Season (1972)
Starring: Cloris Leachman , Georgia Engel , Joyce Bulifant , Nancy Walker , and Betty White
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

( M ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

The Mary Tyler Moore Show - The Complete Fourth Season
The Mary Tyler Moore Show - The Complete Second Season (1971)
The Mary Tyler Moore Show - The Complete First Season
The Bob Newhart Show - The Complete Third Season
The Bob Newhart Show - The Complete Second Season

ASIN: B000BOH8YQ
Release Date: 2006-01-17

Amazon.com

In this third season, Mary Richards (Mary Tyler Moore), she of the "bright smile and infectious vivacity," got to display some of that celebrated "spunk" of hers. In the season-opener, "The Good-Time News," she demands to be paid the same amount of money as her predecessor. In "The Georgette Story," she defies her boss, Lou Grant (Ed Asner), and vainglorious anchorperson Ted Baxter (Ted Knight) by counseling Ted's new girlfriend, whom he takes for granted. And in "Romeo and Mary," she finally stands up to an overzealous suitor (guest star Stuart Margolin), which hilariously backfires on her.

The Mary Tyler Moore Show endures because its timeless comedy is drawn from the wellspring of its fully drawn characters, who were allowed to grow beyond one-note caricatures. Mary's best friend, Rhoda (Valerie Harper), who was in danger of becoming this series' Sally Rogers, really blossomed this season. In "Rhoda the Beautiful," the slimmed-down Rhoda is empowered to enter a beauty contest, and in "My Brother's Keeper," she catches the eye of Phyllis' (Cloris Leachman in an Emmy-nominated performance) brother, which devastates Phyllis, setting the stage for yet another disastrous Mary Richards party (and a dénouement that must have been daring in 1973). Wise-cracking Murray (Gavin McLeod) reveals new depths in "Murray Faces Life," in which he sinks into depression after hearing that a former college classmate has won the Pulitzer Prize. Even Ted manages to surprise. In "Operation: Lou," a hospitalized Lou Grant finds a new appreciation for Ted, who graciously and uncharacteristically, presents him with an expensive bottle of scotch. Moore, Harper, and Knight were each honored with Emmys this season. Joining this august core ensemble is Georgia Engel as Georgette, who makes a delightful first impression in "Rhoda Morgenstern: Minneapolis to New York." Even hard-boiled Lou softens in her presence. "You're a real cutie, you know that?" he tells her in "The Georgette Story." Despite Lou's insistence to the contrary in "The Good-Time News," The Mary Tyler Moore's job was to make people laugh. But it could also be surprisingly moving, as in the laugh-free dramatic climax of "Remembrance of Things Past," in which Mary is reunited with an ex-boyfriend (Joseph Campanella), who has broken her heart in the past. This three-disc set contains no extras, but any of these episodes can take a nothing day and suddenly... well, you know the rest. --Donald Liebenson

Description

TURN THAT DIAL TO WJM-TV FOR A THIRD SEASON OF LAUGHTER! In its third season, this groundbreaking comedy explored topics previously taboo on network television. Deftly woven in with the hilarity of the busy newsroom and repeated outrageous attempts by Mary's friends to set her up with Mr. Right came episodes dealing with divorce, meddling parents, self-esteem, and the inevitable mid-life crisis when one fears that life has somehow passed them by. But this classic comedy pulled off these subjects with humor, style and wit, reminding viewers why they identified with—and loved—the WJM-TV gang so much.

Customer Reviews:

Let's Start a Petition to get 20th Century Fox to free the last three seasons.......2007-04-14

or to at least give up the rights to Nickelodeon or some company with competent marketing staff who'll give proper treatment to this classic television sitcom.

It says more about the quality of Fox marketing staff than about Mary Tyler Moore that the first four seasons apparently were not big sellers. They did not effectively promote them (from the poorly designed covers to the almost total lack of extras). The MTM show is considered one of the top TV comedies of all time and has the number one ranked episode of all time in a TV Guide poll ("Chuckles Bites the Dust") in Season 6.

The MTM show is so enmeshed in culture that the theme song is in use in two commercials right now and the cast got a standing ovation at last year's Emmy Awards. But the Fox marketing "experts" dump the nearly bare bones first four seasons onto DVD with no promotion and then apparently kill the last three seasons because of "poor sales."

The quality of the actual video is very decent at least. The first four seasons are well worth buying here on Amazon. But people have been expecting some participation from Ms. Moore and other cast members, I think. There are also obviously people out there who will also wait and buy the whole set when it's released collectively.

Consider writing the editors of DVD review sites (there are many) and urge a petition to get Fox to relent and release the last three seasons or at least give up the rights to Nickelodeon or someone who knows how to do DVD correctly. Show some respect, Fox!

Mary Tyler Moore Show Season 4.......2007-03-09

This season was not as enjoyable as the previous two or the fourth season, but still a nice addition to the collection.

I'LL TAKE RHODA ANY WAY I CAN GET HER!!!!!!!.......2007-02-26

I have to admit that I bought the MaryTylerMoore show because I simply adore Valerie Harper as Rhoda! She absolutely stole every scene she was in and was the perfect gal pal for Mary. I'm so glad I started with purchasing season 3, considering MaryTylerMooore looked so much better with her hair cut shorter, the storylines were alot funnier, and Rhoda was finally set free from the dowdy plain jane look to a sensational chic beauty of the 1970's!!!

The MaryTylerMoore show set the standard of a truly great sitcom, which included a great cast (Loved Phyliss, Murray, and Georgette!), solid writing, and Rhoda!!! I just loved her colorful apartment, fashion style, and quick wit!!! I hope the executives in charge of dvd releases at Fox wise up and release the remaining seasons of the MTM show and bring out Rhoda!!! I wonder if Twentieth Century Fox realizes there are web sites selling bootleg copies of the complete series of Rhoda, MTM, and many other shows? Probably not, but I'll just wait in vain for the shows to become available on the open market, considering it's the safest way to purchase directly from retailers and Amazon!!!

One of the Greatest shows!.......2007-02-21

Mary Tyler Moore's show was one of the best TV has had to offer! I enjoy having the DVDs and knowing I can sit down and watch them whenever I like as the show would never grow old for me!

Love Mary!.......2007-01-28

If you are a Mary Tyler Moore fan, you can't pass this up!

Average customer rating:

A fun, family-friendly movie!
Pure Fun!
Good Movie
NUN TOO GOOD
excellent

Sister Act
Starring: Whoopi Goldberg , Maggie Smith , Kathy Najimy , Wendy Makkena , and Mary Wickes
Director: Emile Ardolino
Manufacturer: Touchstone / Disney
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

All Disney Titles | Disney Home Entertainment | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit
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The First Wives Club

ASIN: B00005KAQP
Release Date: 2001-11-06

Amazon.com

Whoopi Goldberg plays a Reno lounge singer who hides out as a nun when her villainous boyfriend (Harvey Keitel) goes gunning for her. Maggie Smith is the mother superior who has to cope with Whoopi's unorthodox behavior, but the cute script turns the tables and shows how the latter energizes the stodgy convent with song and attitude. A real crowd-pleaser and a perfect vehicle for Goldberg, this is a happy experience all around. --Tom Keogh

Description

Relive all the fun, laughter, and irresistible music of SISTER ACT -- the inspired comedy hit that packed pews everywhere! Whoopi Goldberg stars as a sassy, low-rent lounge singer forced to hide out from the mob in the last place on earth anyone would look for her -- a convent. While she's there, her irreverent behavior attracts a flock of faithful followers and turns the nuns' tone-deaf choir into a soulful chorus of swingin', singin' sisters. But when the group earns rave reviews, her sudden celebrity jeopardizes her hidden identity. Harvey Keitel and Kathy Najimy join a heavenly cast in this habit-forming comedy bursting with '60s Motown hits.

Customer Reviews:

A fun, family-friendly movie!.......2007-06-17

If you're looking for a fun, family-friendly movie to watch on a lazy Sunday, this is it. Whoopi Goldberg was made for this movie with her great acting and quirky lines.

So what's this movie about? A lounge singer named Delores has to go into hiding when her (ex)boyfriend comes after her after shooting someone in front of her eyes. Delores must become the complete opposite of what she is. She must disguise herself as a nun. While dealing with the extremely early wakeup times, the crazy nuns, and not being able to do things she's used to doing, she finds herself as the leader of the church's choir. She ends up turning the once awful choir into a spectacle (even the pope has to see it for himself!). This movie shows Ms. Goldberg having to cope with her life as a nun while staying away from the man who is trying to kill her.

So what's to like about this movie? It's just a fun, little movie to watch that'll pass a couple of hours leaving you entertained. I wasn't expecting much going into it because it's not meant to be an Oscar-worthy film but you'll be really surprised that the storyline is actually decent and original. The nuns are funny and kids will get a kick out of them.

What's not to like? Not much. As I said above, it's not supposed to be a ground-breaking movie so don't expect much out of it.

Be sure to watch this movie (along with the sequel) and add it to your movie collection!

Pure Fun!.......2007-02-09

This movie is Fun, Fun, FUN! The music is irresistible and it delivers laughs every minute. The story follows a low-rent casino singer, Deloris Van Cartier (Whoopi), who witnesses her mobster boyfriend, Vince LaRocca (Harvey Keitel) muder an employee. She goes straight to the police, who hide her from Vince in a convent while preparing for his trial. The Mother Superior (Maggie Smith), puts up with Deloris's unorthodox behavior long enough for her to turn the convent's chior into a swinging, soulfull hit. But when the group gets rave reviews, Vince and his goons go hunting for Deloris. Will they find her?
This movie is purely halarious! Whoopi and Maggie Smith are brilliant, and all of the acting is awesome! The music is toe-tapping (you must buy the soundtrack), and the story is fun! You must watch this movie!

Good Movie.......2007-01-18

I love to see Whoopi in some good movies. This is a clean and funny movie and it is a movie that families can watch and not have to worry about it being bad. I like this movie very much. Thanks

NUN TOO GOOD.......2006-12-17

This past November, I was in Reno, Nevada. Mrs. Van Owen, the shuttle driver who picked me up at the airport (women are always picking me up) pointed out the Saint Thomas Aquinas Cathedral as she was pulling into my hotel's parking lot, and she said, "That's the church they used in the movie SISTER ACT." Had it been ANY other church, I would have thought, Great, now how much do the video poker machines pay out on four deuces here? But it just so happens that when I was in Reno on August 12, 2001, Jesus sent me to the Saint Thomas Aquinas Cathedral (although I'm not Catholic) where I was the only White person to be found in the pews, and where I observed a Catholic mass delivered entirely in Spanish. (The only Spanish I know is "Si", "No", and some words that Ricky Garcia called me in junior high school.) I kept thinking, Nice music, Lord, but why did You send me here? It wasn't until the mass ended and I exited the church, that He revealed His purpose: On the steps of that very cathedral, Jesus, with a "miraclette", answered an important and troubling question that I'd been praying about for an entire month. (That's a story for another review.) So when my shuttle driver mentioned that particular church being used in the movie SISTER ACT, I determined to rent the 1992, WHOOPI GOLDBERG vehicle upon my return to Airheadzona. I'm back and I did.

Now, I grew tired of Goldberg's sassy, mononote thing a long time ago ("You want me to do WHAT?! Uh-uh. You got the WRONG woman, fool!"), so I wasn't expecting much, and my expectations were met but not exceeded. I knew this thing was going to be nun too good when I saw Harvey Keitel mentioned in the opening credits. (I have a rule of thumb: "Avoid EVERYTHING with Harvey Keitel in it." But since there's an exception to almost every rule, I'll add, "except maybe TAXI DRIVER.")

SISTER ACT's bad habits started immediately: It opens with a scene at "Saint Anne's Academy in 1968" (with the Saint Thomas Aquinas Cathedral playing the part of Saint Anne's Academy in one brief shot. Boo! I rented THIS movie for THAT?) Here we find Deloris Van Cartier (later played by Goldberg) as a youngster being asked by a nun to name the apostles. She gives a "Fabulous" (but incorrect) answer. Cut to Van Cartier many years later performing as the leader in a girl group retro act at a Reno lounge, and showing great unhappiness at being ignored by the nearby boozers and gamblers. Is it really unusual for free entertainment on a casino floor to go scarcely noticed? Would this REALLY upset a longtime lounge singer? Wouldn't she be used to the lack of attention while on stage by now? It would be the norm; just another day, just another paycheck. We've got nonsense right out of the chute, I thought.

The two-bit Reno nightclub singer, Van Cartier, accidentally witnesses her boyfriend, Vince LaRocca, orchestrate a young man's murder. (HARVEY KEITEL plays the evidently sight-challenged mobster. He couldn't find a more attractive two-bit nightclub singer in all of Reno? Please!) Now Van Cartier is (a soon-to-be nun) on the run.

Until LaRocca's murder charge comes up for trial, Lieutenant Eddie Souther (BILL NUNN, who must have gotten the part based only on his last name) places Van Cartier in a convent under the Witness Protection Program. The hulking Nunn is horribly miscast and gives a downright embarrassing performance as a lawman. Trying to pass this guy off as a street-hardened, high-ranking law enforcement officer is like trying to pass off Garfield the cat as a police dog! Nunn plays most scenes with this goofy "oh-you-kid" grin. (Sit down Lieutentant before you hurt yourself!)

Meanwhile, gangster La