Michael & Me

Starring:Michael Moore (II)
Studio: Non-Fiction Films
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Michael & Me is as impassioned--and just as loaded--as Michael Moore's Oscar-winning documentary Bowling for Columbine, a film to which nationally syndicated radio and TV talk show Larry Elder takes great exception. Through interviews with gun-control critics, Second Amendment proponents, and just "normal" and "responsible" people, Elder makes an emotional and provocative case for "personal responsibility" and an ordinary citizen's right to own a gun for self defense. There are several through-the-looking-glass stories that may give gun-control advocates pause (a British man is sentenced to life in prison for shooting and wounding one intruder, and is sued by another he wounded). Elder scores some hits in challenging Moore's questionable methodology, but it's overkill to accuse him of being "anti-American." A lame animated sequence, in which Elder ambushes a speechless Moore (that'll be the day!) on "The Woprah Infrey Show" is a total misfire. Both men are seen to better advantage in clips from an actual Elder-Moore confrontation. Elder, to his credit, allows dissenting voices to state their beliefs without making them look foolish. --Donald Liebenson
Description
Michael Moore is a talented, provocative filmmaker, who challenged America's so-called gun culture in "Bowling For Columbine." Television and radio talk-show host Larry Elder tried-for a year-and-a-half-to interview Michael Moore. Larry wanted to ask him one basic question: "You tell us how many gun deaths there are in America, but how many Americans are alive because they were able to use a gun for self-defense?" Moore concludes that America has "too many guns." But does it? Larry made this film in an attempt to answer that question. Political pundits divide the country into blue states and red states. The red states feel alienated by the likes of liberal demagogues like Michael Moore. Many Americans own firearms, don't support additional gun control laws, live in one of some 34 states that allow citizens to carry concealed weapons, and support the Second Amendment. This film speaks to them. For these people, this film might be "The Passion"of the Second Amendment.

The Secret (Extended Edition)
Average customer rating:

Inspirational and life-changing

Highly Recommend

the Secret DVD very good

Very Dissapointed

Specifics to Life's Success

The Secret (Extended Edition)
Starring: Rhonda Byrne , Paul Harrington , Rev. Dr. Michael Beckwith , and Neale Donald Walsch
Director: Drew Heriot
Manufacturer: TS Production, LLC
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

New Age | Health | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video
Self-Help | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video
General | Religion & Spirituality | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video
Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video
( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Extended Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Used DVDs | Stores | DVD | Video | Action & Adventure | African American Cinema | Animation | Anime & Manga | Art House & International | Classics | Comedy | Cult Movies | Documentary | Drama | Educational | Fitness & Yoga | Gay & Lesbian | Horror | Kids & Family | Military & War | Music Video & Concerts | Musicals & Performing Arts | Mystery & Suspense | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Special Interests | Sports | Television | Westerns
Similar Items:

The Secret

You: On A Diet: The Owner's Manual for Waist Management

What the Bleep!? - Down the Rabbit Hole (QUANTUM Three-Disc Special Edition)

An Inconvenient Truth

Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don't

Product Features:

The Internet's #1 Smash Hit -Law of Attraction- Movie

New Extended Edition

Experience The Secrets discussed on Larry King & Oprah

Behind the Sceens, Outtakes and Commentary

ASIN: B000K8LV1O
Release Date: 2006-10-01

Product Description

The new "extended edition" of this ground-breaking feature length movie presentation reveals The Great Secret of the universe. It has been passed throughout the ages, traveling through centuries... to reach you. This is The Secret to everything - the secret to unlimited joy, health, money, relationships, love, youth: everything you have ever wanted. In this astonishing program are ALL the resources you will ever need to understand and live The Secret. For the first time in history, the world's leading scientists, authors, and philosophers will reveal The Secret that utterly transformed the lives of every person who ever knew it... Plato, Newton, Carnegie, Beethoven, Shakespeare, Einstein. Now YOU will know The Secret. And it can change your life forever.

Amazon.com

Not really a movie or documentary, The Secret is more of a video seminar, a presentation featuring a series of authors, philosophers, doctors, quantum physicists, entrepreneurs, and spiritual practitioners expounding on the powers of The Secret (probably the most well-known of the presenters is Jack Canfield, author of Chicken Soup for the Soul and The Success Principles). What is The Secret, exactly? "That principle can be summed up in three simple words: thoughts become things," proclaims writer Mike Dooley, author of Notes from the Universe. Put it another way, it's The Power of Positive Thinking and how it can be applied to attracting more money, better health, and relationships; in short, happiness. (There is a rundown of topics on the DVD Chapters menu).

Most of the material here is given in a straightforward manner, with the presenters simply talking into the camera to address the audience directly, which is good because it avoids the trap of pretense. On the other hand, the quick edits between presenters (would it hurt to let them say more than one sentence at a time?) don't help because it reduces many of their points to palatable sound bites and aphorisms. To many viewers, this may make the program come across as a series of nice ideas not rooted in reality. Plus it's somewhat spurious to claim that The Secret was well understood and practiced by specific individuals like Plato or Shakespeare (it's well known that some of the historical figures noted didn't exactly live happy or even prosperous lives, despite their achievements). But still, the primary message is one of positivity and hope for everyone. So what to make of it? In the end, programs like this generally find an audience that is open to the message, and many will probably find it to be a source of inspiration. Others will approach it with a good deal of skepticism or dismiss it as another way of marketing happiness the masses. It simply won't resonate with everyone, but if it resonates with you, you're likely to enjoy it and get a lot out of it. Those looking for more on The Secret might want to check out the companion book by Rhonda Byrne. --Daniel Vancini

Customer Reviews:

Inspirational and life-changing.......2007-07-05

The first few minutes of the DVD could have been deleted, and I would have given this a 5 star. Quite boring in the beginning--almost like a sci-fi movie, but it became much more interesting after the prologue. Great motivational speakers and good use of descriptive scenarios. I bought several DVDs and I give them to friends as gifts. They too have been inspired by the law of attraction.

Highly Recommend.......2007-07-04

This movie was such an awakening. For the people who bash it, its ok to have your opinion but just to let you know my brother is Jose Vallenilla AKA Funky Joe famous in puerto Rico. He had cancer in his tongue, brain, stomach with an 5% percent chance of living. He told me that he visualized himself living in the future and over the time through intense treatment after a year he was cancer free. He said this on television "I will not die of cancer i might slip and break my neck but cancer will not end my life. Now he is one of the most repected man in puerto Rico. He enwealthy and happy and he recommended this movie to me. Im glad i watched it.

the Secret DVD very good.......2007-07-03

I thought this was a very good review of the book however I would recommend reading the book more than just looking at the DVD.

Very Dissapointed.......2007-07-03

I was informed by someone that this movie would help a person with bipolar and was suffering with depression very seriously, such as me. There was nothing to help me with whatsoever. I am disabled and cannot work, so all I did was spend a great deal of money that I do not really have, and learned nothing in order to help my problem. I just pray that no one else makes the same mistake.

Specifics to Life's Success.......2007-07-03

This movie is well worth your time and effort if you are "serious" about learning how to better your life in general or specifically. It is the information that we all learn,or are offered to learn, in increments as we go through life but it is given here all at once.

Average customer rating:

The End of an Era
Good show comes to an end
Help me out...
More real then most
The right time to end a fantastic show

Stargate SG-1 - Season 10
Starring: Ben Browder , Amanda Tapping , Christopher Judge , Michael Shanks , and Claudia Black
Manufacturer: MGM (Video & DVD)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

Sci-Fi & Fantasy | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Television | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Stargate Atlantis - The Complete Second Season
Stargate SG-1 - Season 9 Boxed Set (Thinpak)
Stargate Atlantis - The Complete Third Season
Babylon 5 - The Lost Tales
Heroes - Season 1

ASIN: B000PMFRTC
Release Date: 2007-07-24

Description

The final Season comes to DVD! In season 10, Vala, a former Goa'uld host turned freedom-fighter, joins SG-1 in their battle to defend the galaxy from the holy war of the Ori. Meanwhile, relations between the Jaffa and Earth continue to be strained. It all comes to a sizzling end on the finale.

Customer Reviews:

The End of an Era.......2007-07-02

I remember the original Stargate SG-1 movie and while it was good, I think Richard Dean Anderson and Daniel Shanks made a better team than Kurt Russell and James Spader. Stargate offered an exciting journey to distant lands in a blink of an eye and the journey was usually quick, saving more time for adventure.

But after season 8, Stargate got too familiar, always fighting the Gu'ald. The addition of Ben Browder and Claudia Black seemed too reminiscent of Farscape. But the addition of the Ori as a new formidable opponent made the series sizzle again!

Season 10 continues Stargate SG-1's battle against the Ori, one of the most powerful enemies ever concocted. The search for Merlin's weapon against the Ancients that would also destroy the Ori leads one on a quest where even the Gu'ald team up with the SG-1 team to help defeat the Ori. The Ori can transform humans into their oracles and spokesmen and it is interesting to see Daniel Jackson as an Ori. But buy the DVD and see what happens next!

Stargate SG-1 may not be the cleverest series, but it offered quality entertainment to the family for 10 years. I doubt if StarWars could continue as good a series for 10 years. Even though the 100th and 200th episodes were campy and goofy, the 200th episode did have references to Farscape and a tongue-in-cheek view of the show. Stargate offered a look inside each character and although we hoped something would happen between Jack O'Neal and Samantha Carter, it was nice to see Daniel Jackson and Vala as a couple. The show's ending was bittersweet but it's nice to know that there will be movies following.

The series finale did not go out in a bang, or a whimper. It was tastefully done and unexpected. There was a LOT of loose ends and I hope the movies will resolve these. I will get Season 10 to finalize my box set collection. You should too because it will become a SciFi classic!

Good show comes to an end.......2007-06-18

This is one of the best of the seasons that I have seen. If there was one problem than it was that they pushed the losing a team-mate thing too far and the need to drag Vala's father into this particular season was really unnecessary. There were some really good episodes in this one my particular favorite was when they were dealing with the cloned Ba'als and the camping trip that they took. But all in all this was a good season. Seeing it come to a close is hard, but it'll end with a bang and I look forward to those two movies when they come out.

Help me out..........2007-06-16

Someone will have to help me out here. I have watched the first two seasons of this series, and frankly, it is not good. Do they get better as the seasons go on? Compared to others in this genre, and other TV Series of any genre, this series, the first two years, at least, are infantile. The acting is bland at best. The story set-ups are done without any imagination. The premise is very quickly worn out. This actually went for ten seasons?! I'm sorry, I cannot figure out the target audience. The same folks who like other stuff like this cannot like this one.

More real then most.......2007-06-15

This show was the best scifi show ever, I am not one for science fiction, it's boring and unrealistic; however Stargate was something of anomaly it was actualy entertaining and seemed realistic. I think it had a lot to do with the Air Force's influance on the show and how the characters were writen. Stargate SG-1 will be missed Immensely by many people including me. I hope that the dvd movies are a success so there will be more in the future.

The right time to end a fantastic show.......2007-06-14

As much as I would love SG-1 to go on forever, I know that ending at the landmark tenth season is the right thing to do in order to make sure such a wonderful series goes out with the dignity and respect that it deserves. SG-1 broke the mold in terms of special effects, production values, and sheer entertainment. It was able to look at the sci-fi genre in a different light, much like Farscape was able to do. It could make fun of itself while retaining its integrity, and it wasn't so dark and self-righteous as shows like Battlestar Galactica that it couldn't have a goofy episode here and there.

With the promise of at least two movies and the open door for more, the tenth season ends quietly and perfectly. Looking back, I realize that after O'Neill left, it just wasn't the same show. It was a lot of new characters, a new enemy, and a completely different angle. And while this did a lot to freshen up the storylines, it just wouldn't have held past two seasons of Mitchell leading the team. What was wonderful about the tenth season was Vala. She was a truly unapologetic character with a great storyline, and even though her bombastic character had the potential to be a scene-stealer, the amazing Claudia Black knows how to give as much as she takes. Her relations with each member of SG-1 and General Landry are incredibly entertaining and brought season 10 up to a whole new level.

Overall, the stories remained entertaining and meaningful, and the wonderful characters that we've know for ten years remained true to themselves while the newer characters remained true to the Stargate universe. Season ten feels like a good time to wave goodbye to an old friend without ever regretting a single moment of it.

Average customer rating:

What made the action movies from the 80s so memorable?
Guns...lots of guns
Simply awful "adaptation" of Hunter's "Point of Impact"
Okay, but just okay
No Sniping About This One!

Shooter (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Mark Wahlberg , Michael Peña , Danny Glover , Kate Mara , and Elias Koteas
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Ghost Rider (Two-Disc Extended Cut)
Breach (Widescreen Edition)
Deja Vu
Mel Gibson's Apocalypto (Widescreen Edition)
Blood Diamond (Two-Disc Special Edition)

ASIN: B000Q6GUTI
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Amazon.com

A movie that would not have been out of place in the run of paranoid-political thrillers of the 1970s, Shooter works an entertaining variation on the assassination picture. Mark Wahlberg, carrying over good mojo from The Departed, slides neatly into the character of Bob Lee Swagger, master marksman. Swagger has retreated from his duty as an off-the-books hired gun for the military, having become disillusioned with his government (switching on his TV at his remote mountain cabin, he mutters, "Let's see what kind of lies they're trying to sell us today."). Ah, but the government needs Swagger to scope out the location of a rumored attempt on the life of the president, so a shadowy government operative (Danny Glover) begs Swagger to use his sniper's skills to out-fox the assassin. From there--well, spoilers are not fair, since the movie has a few legitimate shocks and a very nice wrong-man scenario about to unfold.

A novel by the Washington Post's Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic Stephen Hunter gives the movie a logical spine, even if the premise itself is the stuff of conspiracy theorists. Wahlberg gets support from Michael Pena, as a skeptical FBI agent; Kate Mara, as a trustworthy widow; and Ned Beatty, trailing along memories of Network, as a supremely cynical Senator. Along with the well-executed action sequences (the previously unreliable director Antoine Fuqua gets it in gear here), the movie includes a few potshots at the Bush administration. No, that doesn't put Shooter at the level of The Parallax View or All the President's Men, but it provides some tang along with the flying bullets. --Robert Horton

Beyond Shooter

More Sniper / Hit Man Movies on DVD
More DVDs with Mark Wahlberg
The Novel

Stills from Shooter (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

What made the action movies from the 80s so memorable?.......2007-07-06

**No Spoilers**
What made the action movies from the 80s so memorable? It's an easy question. The muscle-hero macho superstars, "revenge" themes, big guns and explosions are trademarks from that golden decade of movies. Shooter brings back all those feelings from that era by emulating most of the classics (Rambo and Commando comes to mind). Is shooter a bad film? We'd think so, but it's not boring--we enjoyed most of the cheese. Despite the silliness, Shooter gets a "passing" grade due to the action scenes and some unintentional laughs.

Story:
A US military mission goes wrong in Ethiopia when skillful US sniper Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg) looses his partner and best friend Donnie (Lane Garrison) by enemy fire. After that terrible incident, he retires from service to live a peaceful life in the woods with his dog. Suddenly, a group of government agents led by Colonel Isaac Johnson (Danny Glover) informs him that there is a sniper out there ready to kill the president within days--the president will have three appearances. The Colonel wants to recruit Bob to give some professional advice of how it can be done by thinking as a sniper and he agrees. After studying the locations where the president will appear, Bob thinks that there is only one place this can be done and he is right.

Philadelphia is ready for the president's speech. Our snipers, special agents, and police are in place. Bob, Colonel Johnson and other agents are hiding in an abandoned building nearby looking by the window at the outdoor stage. Fear is in the air. When Bob tells the agents that the conditions are right for the shooter to strike, a remote control rifle--from another location--fires, but kills an Ethiopian representative right on the stage. The president is unharmed. Suddenly, a police officer shoots Bob and he falls off the building and runs away bleeding--literally. The whole thing was a set up from the get-go and now they blame Bob for a crime he did not commit. As he hides from the law, he makes new friends along the way that will help him to clear his name and start his revenge--he will also find truths about what really happened in Ethiopia.

Review:
Most of the people looking for action are going to get just that in Shooter. It delivers mindless action sequences, bad dialogue and campy humor--those pretty girls on screen don't hurt either. Big guns and explosions are cool, but the "references" from other movies like Rambo are very noticeable. In other words, the film is not original. It seems like director Antoine Fuqua wants to bring the 80s back because we see our hero running around, showing some muscles, falling for the girl, killing hundreds of soldiers and even destroying a helicopter--A Team anybody?

Despite Shooter's entertaining moments, we find things that just don't work at all. We are still trying to figure out why Danny Glover talks like Don Vito Corleone from The Godfather. Perhaps the US government is like the mob that will destroy anybody who is against it--it's funny that all the evil ones are republicans, very cliché. We also see a goofy FBI agent that Bob teaches to be a sniper in just few days, and then starts shooting soldiers like a pro. We also got confused about all the terminology about the rifles used in the story. It sounds cool, but leaves the audience scratching their heads.

Mark Wahlberg's acting is acceptable--he is not overdramatic and carries the movie all by himself. He is just much better than Stallone at least. Unfortunately, we cannot say the same thing for most of the cast who are nothing more than cardboard characters.

The Verdict:
All of this will look familiar to you. Shooter keeps the Rambo's tradition alive by following the same "Betrayed by his Government" formula that made Stallone famous back in the 80s. If you enjoy action movies from that era--as we do--by all means go see this film.

Guns...lots of guns.......2007-07-06

Normally, I am a peaceful man. I try to stop and look both ways before driving across a crosswalk just in case. If a feeble animal gets lost in my tent, I free it. But cross marky mark....forgetttttabbout it!!
Marky plays a brash, take no guff, prisoner of the state. Entombed in the jail cell of his mind, from which no light (or love ((will get to that later))) can escape.
The man who emprisoned him is no other than samuel jackson of lethal weapon fame. Lets just say sam traded mel gibson in for a retainer and a slick suit!!
Anyways, I think Marky plays a young soldier trying to get revenge or something. The plot was really confusing at the time, because I was also pretty out of it. It was around 105* degrees out and I had just taken some cold medicine. Bad head cold, we've all been there right?
Anyways, I'm pretty sure marky ends up winning.

Simply awful "adaptation" of Hunter's "Point of Impact".......2007-07-05

"Shooter" is the grotesque adaptation of Stephen Hunter's excellent novel "Point of Impact" to the paranoid delusions of Antoine Fuqua and the producers. Fuqua has taken Hunter's perennial Bob Lee Swager from his traditional values, Vietnam Marine scout/sniper background, and rural Missouri/Arkansas heritage and transposed him into a shallow and unbelievable GWOT veteran betrayed by international butchers and various old fat white men stereotypes. Wahlberg is entirely unbelievable as a principled Marine Scout/Sniper veteran and the other characters suffer from miscasting and horrible development in the screenplay. Fuqua's GWOT misrepresentation as an unequal conflict between "haves" and "have nots" is nothing more or less than Michael Moore redux. Technically, a movie centered around precision long range shooting should provide a treasure trove of interesting detail, as Hunter does in "Point of Impact". Fuqua, however, concentrates on demonstrating firearm and ballistic ignorance, favoring big guns and ludicrous details and tactics. Continuity is on vacation here, with close ups of muzzles of one rifle flashing to entirely different rifles being actually fired. The real tragedy here is that in Hunter's "Point of Impact" Fuqua had a clear and detailed blueprint for an excellent movie. Instead Fuqua and his producers made a hollow travesty of the original story. The most that can be said is that "Shooter" serves as a complete and detailed bad example.

Okay, but just okay.......2007-07-05

It can be fun to watch if you've never read the Stephen Hunter novel and can overlook some technical inaccuracies. Or, if you can just forget about the novel and watch the movie for itself.

For fans of Hunter's novel the disappointment can be that Wahlberg's character is not the Bob Lee Swagger that Hunter wrote about - a retired Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant, Vietnam Veteran, and ol' squirrel hunter type from Blue Ah, Arkinsaw.

Hunter's Swagger seems to ooze a Scotch-Irish type of rural Southernness from the nineteen-fortysomething era. Wahlberg's doesn't.

No Sniping About This One!.......2007-07-04

Mark Wahlberg is great in this movie about a sniper who worked for the government being called out of retirement, allegedly to do a job in the interests of national security. Something goes awry, and suddenly Wahlberg's character (Swagger)is a fugitive. There is a nice plot here with a well-timed twist. There is also plenty of action with car chases, gun fights and explosions galore. It ends in a most satisfying way. Danny Glover and Michael Pena also star, and give solid performances.

300 (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)

Average customer rating:

I love 300
amazing adaption
I loved 300
Amazing!
A masterpiece of film making.

300 (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition)
Starring: Gerard Butler , Lena Headey , David Wenham , Dominic West , and Vincent Regan
Director: Zack Snyder
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Special Editions | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Ghost Rider (Two-Disc Extended Cut)
Mel Gibson's Apocalypto (Widescreen Edition)
Zodiac (Widescreen Edition)
Hot Fuzz (Widescreen Edition)
The History Channel Presents Last Stand of the 300 - The Legendary Battle at Thermopylae

ASIN: B00005JPLW
Release Date: 2007-07-31

Amazon.com

Like Sin City before it, 300 brings Frank Miller and Lynn Varley's graphic novel vividly to life. Gerard Butler (Beowulf and Grendel, The Phantom of the Opera) radiates pure power and charisma as Leonidas, the Grecian king who leads 300 of his fellow Spartans (including David Wenham of The Lord of the Rings, Michael Fassbender, and Andrew Pleavin) into a battle against the overwhelming force of Persian invaders. Their only hope is to neutralize the numerical advantage by confronting the Persians, led by King Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro), at the narrow strait of Thermopylae.

More engaging than Troy, the tepid and somewhat similar epic of ancient Greece, 300 is also comparable to Sin City in that the actors were shot on green screen, then added to digitally created backgrounds. The effort pays off in a strikingly stylized look and huge, sweeping battle scenes. However, it's not as to-the-letter faithful to Miller's source material as Sin City was. The plot is the same, and many of the book's images are represented just about perfectly. But some extra material has been added, including new villains (who would be considered "bosses" if this were a video game, and it often feels like one) and a political subplot involving new characters and a significantly expanded role for the Queen of Sparta (Lena Headey). While this subplot by director Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead) and his fellow co-writers does break up the violence, most fans would probably dismiss it as filler if it didn't involve the sexy Headey. Other viewers, of course, will be turned off by the waves of spurting blood, flying body parts, and surging testosterone. (The six-pack abs are also relentless, and the movie has more and less nudity--more female, less male--than the graphic novel.) Still, as a representation of Miller's work and as an ancient-themed action flick with a modern edge, 300 delivers. --David Horiuchi

Description

The epic graphic novel by Frank Miller (Sin City) assaults the screen with the blood, thunder and awe of its ferocious visual style faithfully recreated in an intense blend of live-action and CGI animation. Retelling the ancient Battle of Thermopylae, it depicts the titanic clash in which King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and 300 Spartans fought to the death against Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his massive Persian army. Experience history at swordpoint. And moviemaking with a cutting edge.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Director Zack Snyder, Writer Kurt Johnstad and Director of Photography Larry Fong
Deleted Scenes:with Introduction by Zack Snyder
Featurette:The 300- Fact or Fiction? (RT: 24:31 Historians, authorsÂ and filmmakers reveal how much of the film was based on fact.); Who Were The Spartans: The Warriors of 300 (RT: 4:24 Touches on the customs and ways of life of the Spartan that werent explicitly shown in 300 but were used by the actors and filmmakers Ã,Â to help build their characters.); Frank Miller Tapes (RT: 13:00 Ã,Â We'll show how the outspoken Miller continued to push his limits to realize his epic graphic novel in the world of film
Other:Webisodes: Behind the scenes peeks on the set of 300 (RT 20:00)
Photo gallery:RT 3:39 Rapid fire stills from the first day of production to the last.

Customer Reviews:

I love 300.......2007-07-05

I really love 300. I went to see the movie twice. I didn't get up once when the movie started. This movie was fun from the beginning to the end. I really loved the way the movie looked, it looked like nothing I have ever seen before. If you want a movie that has great action, and great fun. Buy this movie you will not regret it all.

amazing adaption.......2007-07-05

FIRST OFF: before you read any of the other reviews, please let's clear up a few facts.
1. This movie is based on a graphic novel. The extreme colors and strong graphic visuals are in many cases very much based on exact pages from the book.
2. This movie was NEVER supposed to be historically accurate. Again, it is based on a graphic novel, itself *very* loosely based on the Battle of Thermopylae, but that's about it.
3. The novel was released in 1998, 3 years before the most recent film adaptation of Lord of the Rings, so please spare me any direct comparisons.

I give this review 4 stars based on the fact that the DVD is not actually out yet so I can't really comment on it. The movie itself was one of the most amazing adaptations of a graphic novel I have seen to date. Read the book then watch the movie, the way certain shots are matched are amazing. Sure there are a lot of scenes that could have been handled differently, but this is still a Hollywood action movie - if you want historical accurracy (nothing wrong with that) go watch the History Chanel.

I loved 300.......2007-07-05

I've seen this movie twice and can't wait to own it. Gerard Butler had the performance of his career in this film. It made $300 million in 22 days. I recommend it to all action fans.

Amazing!.......2007-07-05

I've seen this movie three times in the theater and I've been waiting to pre-order it. If you accept that this movie is based on a graphic novel and that it's main purpose is to provide eye candy (not historical accuracy), then you will love it. There is no real plot or dialog, but that isn't the purpose of this movie. This is just pure eye candy. Watch it and be awed by the cinematography.

A masterpiece of film making........2007-07-05

One of the most breathtaking movies that I ever seen. A visual treat with a fine cast. This movie makes you want to stand and cheer to it's last minute. The 300 Spartans last stand at the pass in Thermopylae is movie making at it's best!

Average customer rating:

This one truly broke new ground, even for the bold frontiers of cable television!
Western history
South Dakota
A Dissapointing End To A Critcally Acclaimed Show
TV Redemmed

Deadwood - The Complete Third Season
Director: Michael Almereyda , Davis Guggenheim , and Timothy Van Patten
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

Television | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Westerns | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Deadwood - The Complete Second Season
Rome - The Complete Second Season
Deadwood - The Complete First Season
Mel Gibson's Apocalypto (Widescreen Edition)
Rescue Me - The Complete Third Season

ASIN: B000NVI2GU
Release Date: 2007-06-12

Amazon.com

The final complete season of HBO's remarkable Deadwood series is full of surprises and devastating experiences as the nascent, dangerous town prepares to join Dakota territory in 1877. As in the previous two seasons, the question of who will control the town's resources, assets, and people drives much of the drama, affecting all manner of relationships and alliances, often between the most unlikely people. The dominant storyline in Deadwood: The Complete Third Season concerns upcoming elections for mayor and sheriff of the mucky, gold-mining town. The real juice, however, is not so much between the individuals running for office as between two power brokers each trying to steer the results toward their own purposes. Saloon owner and Deadwood's puppetmaster, Al Swearengen (Ian McShane sustaining his brilliant peformance in the previous two seasons), works closely with incumbent lawman Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant) on retaining the latter's seat. But Bullock himself has difficulty surrendering his penchant for taking unambiguous action and relying on few words, especially when he has to act like a politician and deal with people such as George Hearst (Gerald McRaney, playing the real-life father of William Randolph Hearst). Swearengen's rival, Hearst--a self-made industrialist who gained his fortune through mining--has every intention of overtaking Deadwood, with his eye particularly on the lucrative mine owned by Bullock's former lover, Alma (Molly Parker). (The violence Hearst employs to get to Alma's claim will stun many Deadwood fans.)

Meanwhile, Bullock's old friend, Sol Starr (John Hawkes), runs for mayor against the feckless E.B. Farnum (William Sanderson), and tries to navigate through his difficult relationship with Trixie (Paula Malcomson) as she grows enraged by former lover Swearengen's manipulation of her and everyone else. Calamity Jane (Robin Weigert) is encouraged to become a public speaker, telling of her misadventures with General George Custer, and she commences a lesbian relationship with Joanie (Kim Dickens), the saloon owner who is becoming increasingly despondent and suicidal. Bullock's relationship with his wife, Martha (Anna Gunn) continues to deepen and become more of an influence on him, Wyatt Earp comes for a visit, and a newcomer to town, Jack Langrishe (Brian Cox), an old friend of Swearengen, attempts to open a theatre. As expected, the season finale concludes with the long-awaited election, but HBO's decision to bring Deadwood to an end required creator David Milch to wrap everything up in a pair of two-hour movies. Still, The Complete Third Season is very satisfying on every level, and will always be, along with the rest of the series, a television landmark. --Tom Keogh

Description

(Rolling Stone) "The Best Drama on Television" is back with the third season on DVD! Timed to coincide with Father's Day, HBO will release Deadwood: The Complete Third Season DVD on June 12, 2007. Watch as the lawless era of Deadwood comes to an end. This DVD is loaded with bonus features including two featurettes, audio commentaries and more.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
Audio Commentary
Audio Commentary
Audio Commentary
Featurette

Customer Reviews:

This one truly broke new ground, even for the bold frontiers of cable television! .......2007-07-04

I'll state up front that I never did get used to the one word that got thrown around like water in this series but that was offset by so much that was good about Deadwood. For one thing, who would ever have thought a Western series would use language reminiscent of Shakespeare? The dialogue actually had me thinking about language and its power, pretty deep stuff for a show that depicted life in the late 1800s. Ian McShane, playing the heavy, was my absolute favorite in this series but other actors certainly were nearly as memorable- including a nearly unrecognizable Robin Weigert as Calamity Jane, pulling out all the stops.

I expect this series will remain a cult favorite and, in time, become even more of a collector's item. I doubt we'll see the combination of skillful dialogue, great characters and interesting plot developments - and in a Western, too!

Western history.......2007-07-04

This was a unique program. I don't know how the writer, producer etc saw this in the beginning but by the third season it had become a testimony to how the west was built. This season takes us to the very edge of civilization. Two forces fighting for control of a town that is just beginning to taste civilization. Violence - yes, graphic sex - yes, bad language - loads of it, but tremendous acting and a story worth the telling. Which force, good or evil, will triumph determines whether the town will survive or die. Perhaps the greatest picture of this development is the children walking through the muddy street to a new shcoolhouse. Alas, we do not know how the tug of war finished, just as the walk of the children was not finished, but we can hope. This is one of the best depictions (maybe the only one) of how a western town developed. It ended, one supposes, because the gold (the audience) petered out, or at least some company guru thought it did. The town was shot in the back while still holding aces and eights.

South Dakota.......2007-07-04

This is such a great series that it's too bad it's coming to an end. It brings western's back for us to enjoy.

A Dissapointing End To A Critcally Acclaimed Show.......2007-07-02

Deadwood has quickly become a cult classic with its endeering characters, riveting plot, and colorful language. Season one and two were awe inspiring representations of the Deadwood camp and the lives of those who lived in it. From the first episode of Season one I was entralled in the story of Sheriff Bullock, Ale Swearenger, and Wild Bill Hickock. I have eagerly awaited the third and possibly final season of Deadwood for almost five months now. Having watched it, in its entirety, I am horrendously dissapointed in the quality of its character, direction of its plot, and incompletness of its story especially in its later days. There were rumors on there being two additional movies made in order to "wrap up" the series. The ending of this season was so unbelievably dissapointing that I coudnt think of how a movie could finish what was always, until now, an amazing cinematic adventure.

TV Redemmed.......2007-06-29

Perfect, wonderful, gripping, not one bad second in the entire series. Buy it, watch it, watch it again. I am truly sorry the series is over. You don't need me to go over the plot details and historical accuracy - I just want to recommend it.

Average customer rating:

BE WARY - jms has a poor track record with these "stand-alone" stories
Real Potential and good news for B5 fans
I've seen a bit of it
75 minutes ?
New Babylon 5!

Babylon 5 - The Lost Tales
Starring: Bruce Boxleitner , Tracy Scoggins , and Peter Woodward
Director: J. Michael Straczynski
Manufacturer: Warner Bros.
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

Stargate SG-1 - Season 10
Babylon 5 - The Legend of the Rangers
Heroes - Season 1
Babylon 5 - The Movie Collection
Ghost Rider (Two-Disc Extended Cut)

ASIN: B000PHX8RA
Release Date: 2007-07-31

Description

Times change. Dangers remain. 10 years after he became President of the Interstellar Alliance, Sheridan prepares for a fateful Babylon 5 reunion that could prevent Earth's impending doom...if he will also compromise his core principles. Meanwhile, commander Lochley confronts an unexpected interloper on the way station - a being whose presence makes the B5 freeport the crossroads between heaven and hell. In Voices in the Dark, Series creator J. Michael Straczynski reunites with stars Bruce Boxleitner and Tracy Scoggins in two richly imagined stories set after the events of the original series. Richly imagined, too, is Straczynski's vision of the 23rd century (including a dazzling New York City) - a vision made more spectacular via filmmaking technology unavailable during the original series.

Customer Reviews:

BE WARY - jms has a poor track record with these "stand-alone" stories.......2007-06-26

The original 5-year-story was fantastic. Mysterious aliens, a war between the various races, and mythology/allegory. One of my coworkers described it as "shakespearean". If you haven't seen it, you should buy it NOW. Best sci-fi ever produced for television. (If you're short on cash, season 2 is a good place to start.) (Season 2 has lots of action & probably the best writing of the whole show.)

But.

When J.Michael Straczynski started writing stand-alone stories like "Thirdspace", "River of Souls", and "Legend of the Rangers" what he produced was pure drek. It was watchable, but only just barely. I have no reason to think "Lost Tales" will be any better than those poorly-conceived, poorly-written stand-alones.

If I'm wrong, I'll update the review to reflect a higher score.

Real Potential and good news for B5 fans.......2007-05-19

This is a great concept that allows JMS to directly market to B5 fans. It gets the broadcasters out of the way which is great. This works because B5 has such a large established fan base. However we need to wait and see how well it was implemented. Personally I am waiting with bated breath.

I really hope it works because there is so much more to do. I would love to see the Centauri trilogy and the continuation of Crusade in the following sets. The one regret I have is that Andreas Katsulas is no longer around so no more G'Kar. He was such a major character and a great actor that his loss will be felt dearly. If this was BBC they would just get someone who vaguely looked like him and add the makeup but am not sure that would for either JMS or the fans. As for Girabaldi's hair, I am not too worried, after all that is what wigs are for :-)

I've seen a bit of it.......2007-04-30

At the New York Comic Con in February, JMS showed a couple of versions of the opening sequence. Once was with completed CGI but no music. Once was with music but incomplete CGI. It wouldn't be right to give a detailed description but I can tell you that the CGI is excellent and that the opening sequence is wonderful, pure Babylon 5 and even manages to give a 'nod' to Andreas Katsulas. The music is also great.

To correct a previous review, the disk does only have two stories - one on B5 and the other on the Presidential starship. Galen, as I undertand it, will be in some key scenes in both stories but doesn't have a segment of his own.

Oh, and the Director's Blogs are a hoot.

75 minutes ?.......2007-04-28

Run time: 75 minutes.

Are they kidding? For two stories? That means each one is less than the length of an episode.

As Ivanova once said in a classic episode of Babylon 5, "I'll wait in the car."

Rather than assume its going to be good, I'll wait to hear if someone whose opinion I respect gives it a thumbs up.

New Babylon 5!.......2007-04-27

Although I can't deny I wish JMS had chosen not to start things out with a Lochley story (Pretty much any other main character would have been preferable) I am really looking forward to this disc. New B5 for the first time since the failed Legends Of The Rangers movie. How cool is that?! The release date is still over three months away and Lost Tales is already at number six in Amazon's sales rankings. Hopefully high sales will mean more Lost Tales in the future.

Average customer rating:

Oh, Grow Up...
"I aim to cure you of your wickedness"
Hot, Sticky, Slimy, Gooey
The Best Film I've Seen in 2007
Different and Refreshing

Black Snake Moan
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson , Christina Ricci , Justin Timberlake , S. Epatha Merkerson , and John Cothran Jr.
Director: Craig Brewer
Manufacturer: Paramount
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Shooter (Widescreen Edition)
Ghost Rider (Two-Disc Extended Cut)
The Fountain (Widescreen Edition)
Smokin' Aces (Widescreen Edition)
Mel Gibson's Apocalypto (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000PY52EU
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Amazon.com

The lurid scenario--a nymphomaniacal white trash nymphet (Christina Ricci) is held prisoner by a bitter bluesman (Samuel L. Jackson)--gives way to an affecting tale of redemption in Black Snake Moan, writer/director Craig Brewer's follow-up to the acclaimed Hustle & Flow. Lazarus (Jackson, Jungle Fever, Pulp Fiction) finds Rae (Ricci, Monster, The Ice Storm) beaten unconscious on the road in front of his backwoods house. After bringing her inside, he learns of her wanton ways and decides to exorcise his own demons by curing Rae of her sexual compulsion. Black Snake Moan could have been terrible, but Brewer takes his story seriously enough to dig into the genuine emotions of such a situation (though along the way he certainly flirts with sexploitation overtones--several scenes look like they were plucked straight out of a hitherto unknown 1970s trash classic). Ricci, Jackson, and the supporting cast (including pop star Justin Timberlake, giving a surprisingly good performance as Rae's boyfriend) treat the characters with respect, honesty, and humor. The result is off-kilter and maybe a little too fond of its sleazy cinematic forbears to truly hit the emotional notes it's after, but Black Snake Moan has considerably more substance than its marketing would suggest. --Bret Fetzer

Beyond Black Snake Moan

The Soundtrack
More Music Stars on DVD
More DVDs with Samuel L. Jackson

Stills from Black Snake Moan (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

Oh, Grow Up..........2007-07-04

It's like a bright 12th-grader, having read a little Welty, O'Connor and Faulkner, somehow snagged a budget for a Hollywood film. The images are all there, but there's no feeling for what they really mean, so it's all surfaces, explicaton and cliches. We get Nobody Grows Them Butterbeans Like Ol' Lazarus, Who Don't Play Them Blues No More, and a gaggle of characters wanting to seem deeper than they really are.

Just for starters, Samuel L. Jackson is a foot taller than Christina Ricci. One of his button-down shirts would cover her up, but that doesn't happen for more than an hour, because this is a film, landscapes only go so far, and there needs to be some eye candy to set against all that preachin' and standin' around. Okay, fine, it's a fable--I mean, after all, that chain is over the top, and it would never, ever happen that way--but then in the extras, Craig Brewer, the writer/director, asserts that the radiator is a metaphor for basic values that ground us.

Um, no. Mixing fable with dirty realism isn't new, but it doesn't work here, because Brewer hops lazily between the two genres rather than fusing them together. Brewer might have wanted more, but to the viewer, the radiator is just the radiator, and for all the staging, the attempt at a story of love and redemption really doesn't lift beyond a fairly creepy madonna/whore redemption fantasy. For better examples of what Brewer was trying to do, take another look at two Jim Mangold films: Walk The Line, which merged fable and biopic, and Heavy, which essentially takes Black Snake Moan north to New York state, and packs a bigger punch.

Lots of aspirations in Black Snake Moan, some good acting, and very good cinematography, but immature writing kills the film.

"I aim to cure you of your wickedness".......2007-07-04

Read it an weep, and with that one line of absolution spoken by Sam Jackson, Black Snake Moan takes you on a journey of faith, salvation and redemption of the two main characters Lazarus and Rona, two people who have suffered and endured hard times throughout their lives. Lazarus is trying to come to terms with his wife of 12 years leaving him for his younger brother. Rona is a woman who has suffered unmentionable sexual abuse since her childhood and therefore acts out the part for others to prey upon her. One night after a night of hard, careless partying she is beaten and left for dead on the road near Lazarus's house. Not knowing what to do but help her, Lazarus takes it upon himself to bring Rona back to health, only to discover that she has far deeper scars and problems than the physical ones left on her face. He is then determined to make her well, and through faith and the belief that "God saw fit to have us cross paths" he does so the only way he knows how. The two ultimately develop a friendship under unusual circumstances, and through music which Lazarus has sworn off for so long, the two heal one another unknowingly. The cords struck by Sam Jackson playing "Black Snake Moan" will resonate through you and send chills down your spine, which also turns out to be the turning point between the two characters in the film. This was a fantastic film I thoroughly enjoyed with Sam Jackson and Christina Ricci. My only disappointment was that Justin Timberlake was cast in this film, but fortunately with his roughly 10 minutes of screen time I can tolerate it. The soundtrack is phenomenal, and if you are as big a blues fan as I am, both the soundtrack and DVD are well worth purchasing. Black Snake Moan delivers superb acting by Jackson and Ricci, a fantastic and originally written story with a soundtrack to carry it every step of the way. I highly recommend this film, seeing is believing.

Hot, Sticky, Slimy, Gooey.......2007-07-04

"Black Snake Moan" is a sticky, gooey, sizzlingly hot erotic mess that doesn't make a lot of sense, but its raw sexuality is so rare in movies that it's damned welcome. This is a movie that brings new meaning to the expression "Chain her to the kitchen".
Samuel L. Jackson has to fight the temptation to guzzle demon whiskey and play even more demonic slide guitar, Christina Ricci has to fight the temptation to bang anything in pants and Justin Timberlake has to fight the temptation to act badly.
I enjoyed the silly Jim Thompson-styled pulpy vibe of the film and loved the dirty electric slide guitar playing in the bar scene. Jackson isn't a bad blues singer, not bad, he's alright. I thought this was one of the best films with blues taking center stage. Excellent!

The Best Film I've Seen in 2007.......2007-07-03

From the writer/director of "Hustle & Flow" comes "Black Snake Moan," the best film I've seen in 2007. It's a unique film that features two terrific performances by Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci, both delivering their best performances in years. It also features another star-making performance by Justin Timberlake (who recently impressed me in "Alpha Dog"). The film stars Ricci as Rae, that girl that lives in every city in America and is usually referred to as "the town slut." After her boyfriend Ronnie (Timberlake) leaves her for a stint in the Army, she begins getting more and more destructive; eventually, she is almost raped, beaten, and tossed out in the road. Lazarus (Jackson) has recently been left by his wife for his brother and when he finds the young girl lying in the road he takes responsibility for curing the "sickness" she has.
So, naturally, he chains her to his radiator. When she finally wakes up, she's shocked at first but eventually grows to love Lazarus...And soon, they realize that Lazarus is not just helping her but they're helping each other. This is a great film and, as a result, it's been hailed around the world as such...But it hasn't quite garnered commercial attention and this is sad. It may not sound like the kind of movie that will appeal to a massive audience, but it's a movie that I think people will find themselves enjoying. It's a fable about love, redemption, and sex...The story could've gone in many different directions, but writer/director Craig Brewer keeps it all together and takes what could've been a completely meaningless story and makes it almost life-affirming. Jackson is an actor who never fails to impress, but he's an actor who has made more bad movies than good ones. Here, I'm not going out on a limb by saying it could be his best performance (and maybe even his best film) since "Pulp Fiction." Ricci has always been an actress that's impressed me, but she hasn't done much worth noting over the past 5 years. That makes her comeback here all the more impressive. She combines all the right notes of vulnerability and sexual animosity to make this performance incredibly believable. As for Timberlake, he didn't impress me as much here as he did in "Alpha Dog" but he definitely leaves me asking where he got his acting chops? If he chokes a pretzel and ruins his vocal cords or something, acting could definitely be a fall back for him. Brewer is quickly joining the ranks of great writer/directors and his 2nd film is even stronger than his first.

GRADE: A

Different and Refreshing.......2007-07-03

Black Snake Moan sure has a weird hook. Setting: Deep South. An older black man who plays the blues keeps a white nymphomaniac on a chain to cure her of her horniness. About half-way through, my husband turned to me and said "And why exactly did you think I would like this movie?" I winced and said I thought it would have blues as more of a central theme. But guess what, he stayed around and pronounced it a good movie after all! His summary is the best: "everyone has their struggles, and you are never really free of them."

The performances are exceedingly strong, the setting of Tennessee bucolic and beautiful. You really feel as if you are in this small, rural town where everyone knows each other.

Black Snake Moan is bold, and really gives you a sense of empathy for the different characters. Most importantly, it provides hope that if you have your own struggles, someone will be out there for you as well, not to judge you or cure you, but to love you.

Average customer rating:

An Excellent Movie
Must See
Boring - not what I expected
The Royals Side of the Death of Diana Saga
Great film, good performances, but not fully true to history

The Queen
Starring: Helen Mirren , Michael Sheen , James Cromwell , Sylvia Syms , and Alex Jennings
Director: Stephen Frears
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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

The Last King of Scotland (Widescreen Edition)
Notes on a Scandal
Dreamgirls (Two-Disc Showstopper Edition)
The Good Shepherd (Widescreen Edition)
Night at the Museum (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B00005JPAO
Release Date: 2007-04-24

Amazon.com

Helen Mirren reigns supreme in The Queen, a witty and ingenious look at a moment that rocked the house of Windsor: the week that followed the sudden death of Princess Diana in 1997. Diana's death came at just the same time that Prime Minister Tony Blair (played by the bright Michael Sheen) was settling into his new government--and trying to figure out the delicate relationship between 10 Downing Street and Queen Elizabeth II (Mirren). A large portion of the British population was trying to figure out the Windsors that week, as Elizabeth remained stiff-upper-lip and largely mum about the death of the beloved princess. In Peter Morgan's skillful script, we watch as Blair grows increasingly impatient with the Royals, who are sequestered in their Scottish estate while the public demands some show of grief. Prince Philip (James Cromwell, in good form) clumsily decides to take Diana's sons hunting, while a sympathetically-treated Prince Charles (Alex Jennings) displays some frustration with his mother's eerie calm.

None of this conveys how funny the film is, or how deftly it flows from one scene to the next. Director Stephen Frears (Dirty Pretty Things) deserves great credit for that, and for the performances, and for the movie's marvelous sense of well-roundedness; you could see this movie and groan at the cluelessness of the Royals and their outmoded existence, or you might just sympathize with showing reserve in a world that values gross public displays of emotion. But either way, you'll marvel at Mirren, who makes the Queen far more alert and human than one might ever have imagined. --Robert Horton

Beyond The Queen

The British are Coming! Kings & Queens on DVD
Helen Mirren Essential DVDs
The Queen: Music From the Motion Picture by Alexandre Desplat

Stills from The Queen (click for larger image)

Description

Winner of the Academy Award® for Best Actress, Dame Helen Mirren gives a spellbinding performance in THE QUEEN, the provocative story behind one of the most public tragedies of our time — the sudden death of Princess Diana. In the wake of Diana's death, the very private and tradition-bound Queen Elizabeth II (Mirren) finds herself in conflict with the new Prime Minister, the slickly modern and image-conscious Tony Blair. THE QUEEN, also starring Academy Award® Nominee James Cromwell (Best Supporting Actor, BABE, 1995), takes you inside the private chambers of the Royal Family and the British government for a captivating look at a vulnerable human being in her darkest hour, as a nation grieving for its People's Princess waits to see what its leaders will do. Suspenseful, heartfelt and riveting, it's a fascinating story you won't soon forget.

Customer Reviews:

An Excellent Movie.......2007-07-05

For the performance she presented in The Queen, Helen Mirren absolutely deserved to win the Oscar for Best Actress as she did. She was convincing in one of the most difficult roles any British actress could be called upon to play, and it was also courageous of this former Bond girl, often noted in American memories for being cast as great beauties and occasional seductresses, to lose herself as completely as she did in the Queen's stately contained matronly presence. Also deserving of note is Michael Sheen's chameleon-like transformation into Tony Blair. Sheen should have gotten more acclaim than he received for the skill with which he brought a still-relevant political figure so deftly to the screen. James Cromwell was great as always as the cantankerous old tyrant Prince Phillip, and only the casting of Alex Jennings as the Prince of Wales puzzled me, as Jennings, though a sound actor, did not seem to fit the part as well as many others could have. The Queen was, I thought, a riveting take on events that remain fresh in the collective minds of people around the world, and it managed to disarm cynicism and capture a convincing account of what would ordinarily be the private moments of highly public figures. In my opinion The Queen was so much better than anything nominated against it as Best Picture at last year's Academy Awards that it represented in its loss in that category the greatest mistake in Academy voting since Shakespeare In Love displaced Saving Private Ryan to take home top honors. See this film. It's a work of cinematic art.

Must See.......2007-07-04

What can I say that hasn't been said about this wonderful film? I was surprised at how narrow it was in it's scope; no Fergie or Andrew, not much else but the immediate royal family and the Blairs. That's what makes it great--it's a glimpse into the tiny world that they live in every day. Even the princes were more "background" than characters. Loved the whole "hunting" metaphor and the emotional reaction of the Queen to the stag. Ironic. All performances are spectacular; I personally thought Blair's wife was hysterical. The real footage that was interdispersed throughout the film was wonderful and brought back so many memories. Sniff. You'll love this film.

Boring - not what I expected.......2007-07-03

Everyone seems to truly love this movie - I was bored to tears. Although it gave a nice overview of the events of the week of Diana's death and was very informative, I found the acting to be dreadfully boring and the direction was lacking. James Cromwell is one of my favorite actors and even his performance was abrupt and overall did not flow well. This movie could have been a million times better if it had a better director.

The Royals Side of the Death of Diana Saga.......2007-07-03

I think the movie is fair and reasonably balanced. with the exception of Helen Mirren and James Cromwell the rest of the film is horribly mi-cast. I remember in 1997 during " that week " wondering how the British people could turn on the Queen given Diana's antics from 1993-1997. My heart really went out for her when she had to come back to Buckingham Palace and read the silly notes left on flowers by people. After all her years of service from the age of 15 fixing British army trucks during the blitz during WWII to the hard resconstruction years after the war, devoting herself 24 hrs a day to the British people , what was going through her mind as she faced those crowds that day and had to hear their applause for making her come down from Balmoral I can only guess. I think what Tony Blair says about Diana & the Queen in this film was awesome, How could The Queen lead the world in mourning of a woman who threw everything she offered to her back in her face and in recent years has spent 24/7 trying to destroy all those things she holds dear ?. I think Christopher Hitchens documentary "Princess Diana: The Mourning After", hit the nail on the head. One thing I did not like about this movie was the way the Queen Mother was portrayed. Every Royal book written about her portrays her as 100% opposite the way this movie showed her. The producers of The Queen need to read some WWII history.

Great film, good performances, but not fully true to history.......2007-06-29

Love Helen Mirren, (and loved her as a younger Elizabeth I in the HBO 2-part series as well, look for it!)and all the cast is excellent as well. But after reading Tina Brown's Chronicles of Diana and YES I know its' a rehash of what we all "know" of those years and that particular soap opera, but the last chapters of the book after Diana's death, are fascinating in that they are the same time period shown in "the Queen". According to people who were there, servants, officials and the like, the emotional sense of how the family reacted toward the young princes, William and Harry, has none of the coldness and emotional "lets just get on with life" attitude implied in the film and in the review, top, which says "Prince Phillip clumsily tried to help by taking the boys hunting." (paraphrased). Well, these boys had spent their summer vacations riding and hunting at Balmoral all their lives, and this is what they thoroughly enjoyed. It wasn't something their stuffy old grandfather forced them to do. The book describes the entire Royal family rallying around the boys---Princess Anne, Charles' sister, brought her 20 yr old son and 16 yr old daughter, to help entertain their cousins, and she herself made a project of taking the very emotionally fragile Harry under her wing, and taking him riding and hiking out in the Balmoral hills alone. Charles pulled out family albums and spent time going over the past good times the family had had. Prince Phillip their grandfather, in particular, was very protective, showed "gruff tenderness" and did make sure they hunted,rode and kept active, as opposed to brooding and staying glued to the maudlin TV coverage. Actually, for the benefit of the boys, the Queen ordered all TVs and radios removed in the castle. The outdoors life is one the family is used to and enjoys. Those who criticised the Royals for having the boys there in Balmoral instead of exposing them to the hysterical crowds in London...well, I don't know which would give them more nightmares in years to come but I can guess. Also, other little tidbits in the book of that week were once when Prince Phillip came on the intercom when the decisions about the State funeral were being made and broke in, shouting, "those boys have just lost their mother...they are not a commodity..." Brown, the author quotes her source as saying "you could hear the voice of a real grandfather." Later, it was Prince Phillip, not Charles who talked the princes into walking in the moving spectacle of the royal men behind the cortege. He told the sobbing William, "If I walk, will you walk with me?" And during the long walk to the Cathedral, spoke quietly to the two boys of the famous sights they were passing, speaking softly the whole way there. All these vignettes, which would have made all the Royal more human, were left out of the film, good as it was, there was an agenda, that doesn't have to be spelled out. The Queen could admire a royal appearing stag, later shown beheaded...but her love and her husband's love for the grandsons was never shown, nor was the love of the whole family for the boys or for each other, despite all Diana had done to blacken the reputation of that family in the press. Not that they're perfect, just human.

Average customer rating:

Promise
Please don't make Lex a wimp
Great but missing something.
The Good, The Bad, and The Bizarre
This show never stops giving.

Smallville - The Complete Sixth Season
Starring: Tom Welling , Kristin Kreuk , Michael Rosenbaum , Annette O'Toole , and John Glover
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

Television | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

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

Heroes - Season 1
Supernatural - The Complete Second Season
Smallville - The Complete Fifth Season
Stargate SG-1 - Season 10
Lost - The Complete Third Season

ASIN: B000N6SE4U
Release Date: 2007-09-18

Customer Reviews:

Promise.......2007-07-04

Season 6 started out as a disappointment...it had the feel that the characters were 'pulling away' or 'dis-interested' as most shows do that are spinning their final season. The Episode Promise, however, seemed to kick things back into place and go from there. I am biting my nails down to the bone waiting for season 7, and have pre-ordered season 6 already. yea!

Please don't make Lex a wimp.......2007-07-01

Hmmm....I kindof agree with most of the negative comments of the show I have read, although I did like subterranean, well at least the last 3 minutes of Lex in his dark suit walking the aile of 33.1.

I have to admit that I'm beginning to like Lex more than Clark since he has more dimensions to his character, especially when he saves Clark when he was caught under metal in the underground base. I was hoping that Lex would have built his army but was extremely disappointed in the last episode where that last phantom destroyed his army in the lab...what was that all about? Just when I think that Lex is so smart and cunning, something stupid happens to ruin his carefully, intelligently-plotted, laid out plans to take over the world.

I do like Lana, she seems hotter now than ever, but I too am getting tired of Clark holding on to her. A man of steel with a fragile heart?...Time to kill her off, or at least put her on the sidelines, being Lex consort again in the future.

I thought the Justice League formation was cool, but having Peter Pan, no-power Green Arrow leading it, just didn't do anything for me. I'm glad they forgot about him in the last ending episodes.

I also am wondering how they are going to pull off putting Clark with the cape and nobody recogning him. Is Clark going to kiss all of them and make them forget (like in Superman II)? I also agree with some comments about having more flight and fight scenes. I didn't care too much about Bizarro at the end...With so many cool, evil characters superman fought, they had to take that one?

Also, time for Lex to know about Clark's powers. I know he knows, but might as well make it official.

The only last recommendation (my point of view) is to stop tearing down Lex's character just when he's making great strides. What's up with the wedding scene when he breaks down when he kills the doctor because he wants not to lose Lana. Please... If Lex is to rule the world, he has to have a 'darth vader' like character, some weakness sure, but not a total breakdown (no, I'm not a Star Wars fan). His character is great, and the actor is fabulous, but please don't turn him into a wimp.

Overall, I think the writers/producers are doing an excellent job with the series.

Great but missing something........2007-06-19

To begin, I like this show. Can't help it. This is one of the few television series I actually watch with any kind of frequency or deliberation. I enjoy the story, charaters, special effects, and a dozen other things...But like any real fan, I find myself discussing futilely with my family (who are also hooked) what should be changed. The series has gotten progressively darker and unlike in other seasons, the sixth season doesn't seem to have any feel-good episodes to releave the intensity. And also, this close to donning a cape and no one is going to recognize Clark? Time to pick up those glasses! And considering all the powers Clark has now, I wonder why the Robin Hood copycat (aka...) and his team weren't a little more impressed. I mean, he should be so out of their league! Still, I intend to buy it. Though there may be some episodes I woudn't care to watch too many more times, I especially enjoyed "Sneeze", "Rage", "Subterranean", "Tresspass", and "Noir" (Tom Welling does a great Clumsy Clark). I think "Justice" could have been worked a little more but it was good, too. Then there was "Combat" which was tough but amazing. All in all, definitely worth owning.

The Good, The Bad, and The Bizarre.......2007-06-12

This season for me was disappointing. To me this was not ventage Smallville. The season premiere, the season finale, the wedding, and an episode here and there, were actually ok. But to me it seems like when Smallville moved to The CW, the graphics weren't even close to last season's. In this season, the focus was actually more on the supporting characters (Lex, Lana, Chloe, etc.) rather than Clark. Which is fine, but I just think they should have given them better storylines than what they had. And I know that The CW network had to have budget cuts, but even the shows they showed in high definition (Smallville, Gilmore Girls, etc.) just looked better last year on The WB than they do on The CW. I brought that up because the graphics on Smallville just seemed to be used more towards the season premiere and finale and not the rest of the season. I mean bottomline, this season was disappointing with some of the storylines and the development of the characters wasn't up to the level it should have been. I mean if it was up to me, I would just download the episodes I enjoyed, and not buy the season 6 box set. But if you are a die-hard Smallville/Superman fan, then this set is for you. I was just hoping for something more concrete this season than what they put out.

This show never stops giving........2007-06-11

I have all of the previous seasons on DVD and granted some shows I skip more often than others but as a whole this show probably has the best short-tern and long-term story arcs of any show I've watched on Television. Even the most boring shows keep my attention and wanting to see next weeks episode to find out what happens. This season like others finished up some old story lines and started created some new ones. Lana's "birth" and Chloe's metor power is probably the most interesting and will probably be explored next season. Can't wait to get this boxset!

Average customer rating:

Messing around with a winner
Class Reunions, Rock Concerts, and Shock Jocks
Mr. Monk and the Really Cool Review
Once again Mr. Monk shines as the fifth season starts
Obsessive...Compulsive...Detective...

Monk - Season Five
Director: Jerry Levine , Stephen Cragg , Michael Nankin , Adam Arkin , and Kevin Inch
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
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

Monk - Season Four
Columbo - Mystery Movie Collection, 1989
The Dead Zone - The Complete Fifth Season
House, M.D. - Season Three
Monk - Season Two

ASIN: B000OHZKZ4
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Description

It's time to tidy up for another season with Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe winner Tony Shalhoub in all 16 Season Five episodes of Monk, television's most fresh and funny series. Gumshoe Adrian Monk would never actually have gum on his well-polished shoes: in addition to intellect and instinct, he also has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Though his eccentric traits bewilder his colleagues Natalie Teeger (Traylor Howard), Captain Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine) and Lieutenant Disher (Jason Gray-Stanford), Monk's attention to detail keeps crime—and grime—off the streets. Included in this highly collectible, 4-disc set are both the black & white and color versions of the noir-style episode "Mr. Monk and the Leper," obsessively good bonus features and the pilot episode of the hit comedy-drama Psych. Follow the clues to Season Five of Monk, the quirky and original show TV Guide hails as "alternatively hilarious and touching."

Customer Reviews:

Messing around with a winner.......2007-07-03

Why is it in recent years that the producers of successful television shows frequently allow writers to screw around with the successful formula which gave them a winning in the first place? We are big fans of this series, which we only view on DVD since it is the only way we can get it. We eagerly awaited the fifth season, and have gone through it one episode after the other since we received the set. It was a big letdown compared to the previous four years. There may be more to it, but it seems the major problem is a significant drop in the quality of writing. While our view at this point is that "bad Monk is better than no Monk at all," that's not much of a recommendation. It would be good if the people in charge of this show could clean up their act and get interested in it again, or turn the show over to better handlers. This show could be a cash cow for many more years in the right hands, assuming loyal followers are not driven away.

Class Reunions, Rock Concerts, and Shock Jocks.......2007-07-02

Season five of Monk continues to bring us the cases and struggles of Adrian Monk (Tony Shalhoub) as he struggles to solve crimes despite his OCD and many phobias. This season finds Monk facing new issues in the same old way.

When the city garbage workers go on strike, it's up to Monk to solve a murder to get everything cleaned up. His assistant Natalie (Traylor Howard) convinces Monk to strike out on his own and open a private eye business. Monk's 25 year class reunion at Berkley involves a painful stroll down memory lane and the murder of a nurse. When Captain Stottlemeyer's (Ted Levine) son skips school to attend a rock concert, Monk finds a dead man in an outhouse. And in a "Wings" reunion, Steven Weber plays a shock jock that may have killed his wife. He just has the perfect alibi; he was on the air at the time.

This season featured two episodes at aired during the hiatus between parts of the season. In the first, Monk finally meets his dad, a trucker who needs Monk's help to solve a murder. The second is very interesting. "Mr. Monk and the Leper" was originally shown in black and white and color. It's a very noirish tale, and the black and white color scheme really adds to the episode. Both versions, including their original introductions are included in the set.

As always, this season provided many fun character moments and some hilarious situations. At times, the characters can become cartoonish. This felt especially true near the beginning of the season. But the actors do a great job of keeping things believable and human.

Since the set has both the black and white and color versions of the one episode, there are 17 episodes in this four disc set. Extras include an audio commentary (a first for the series) on the black and white version of "Mr. Monk and the Leper." Disc four contains some hilarious "webisodes" that premiered on line. I know I've seen at least one used as a promo on TV, however. Finally, there's the pilot of "Psych," a similar comedic mystery.

Monk isn't for everyone. But anyone who is a fan will love the latest set.

Mr. Monk and the Really Cool Review.......2007-06-30

Since I refuse to schedule my life by television, I had to wait until this season came out on DVD to enjoy it. Plus, watching the DVDs gives you so many more features than waiting each week for the next episode. I pre-ordered this season and waited anxiously for it to arrive, and wasn't disappointed.

Oddly enough, I was surprised again at how much more Natalie (Mr. Monk's assistant) suits the part than did his previous assistant/nurse, Sharona. I think it's her background, and a good bit of personality. Like Monk, she has lost a spouse tragically, which enables her to empathize with him a bit more whenever the subject of Trudy, his deceased wife, comes up. I hope she stays with him for a long time.

I was glad to see Ted Levine's character, Captain Stottlemeyer, move on after his wife left him in the previous season. She caused irritation in every episode she appeared.

Other than those observations, season 5 is as good as any previous season, and shows no sign of slowing down. If they keep making them like this, I'll keep buying them and highly recommending them. It has to be about the best TV out there today.

Once again Mr. Monk shines as the fifth season starts.......2007-06-27

I have always been a big fan of the USA original series, Monk. So when Monk season 5 was released I immediately set out to purchase it and trust me, you will not be disappointed with this season. Season five comes on 4 disks and 16 episodes, including:

Mr. Monk and the Actor:
A famous actor plays Monk in a movie about the obsessive compulsive detective. However, the more he spends time with Monk, the more Natalie grows concerned about how the actor's behavior takes a weird turn. He also gets too involved in a murder case Monk is currently trying to solve.

Mr. Monk and the Garbage Strike:
When a union boss' death threatens to prolong a city-wide garbage strike in San Francisco, it's up to Monk to help end the strike by determining whether the boss' death was suicide or murder. It also is very funny to see Monk try to clean up the city by himself.

Mr. Monk and the Big Game:
Julie and her friends hire Monk to look into the suspicious death of their basketball coach. Monk isnt too sure and soon realizes the case may have one twist even he wouldnt have seen coming.

Mr. Monk Cant See and Thing:
Mr. Monk looses his eyesight after a bizarre altercation with a murder suspect in a fire station. Determined not to let it disable him, he continues on to solve the case.

Mr. Monk, Private Eye:
When Natalie convinces Monk to go into business as a private eye, his first case is a small fender bender that leads to a far more dangerous investigation that involves plenty of twists.

Mr. Monk and the Class Reunion:
Monk attends his college reunion and uncovers a complex murder plot against one of his former classmates. Pretty cool episode in my opinion.

Mr. Monk Gets a New Shrink:
When Dr. Kroger retires after his cleaning lady is killed in his own office, it's up to Monk to solve the case and get Dr. Kroger back to work as soon as possible, or Monk may not make it.

Mr. Monk Goes to a Rock Concert:
Monk goes to a rock concert to look for Captain Stottlemeyer's son and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation.

Mr. Monk Meets his Dad:
One of my favorite episodes in this season. When Monk's truck driving father rolls into town at Christmastime, Monk joins him on the road, where they stumble across a mystery that even Monk may not be able to solve.

Mr. Monk and the Leper:
A missing millionaire suffering from leprosy comes out of hiding to hire Monk, who soon finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation as well as realizing different stories may have one common, mysterious, factor.

Mr. Monk Makes a Friend:
An easy going guy named Hal bumps into Monk at a grocery store, and the two become fast friends. For the first time in his life, Monk appears to have a buddy. However Hal may not be all that he appears to be...

Mr. Monk is at Your Service:
When Natalie suspects foul play in the deaths of her parents' wealthy neighbors, Monk goes undercover as a butler to investigate

Mr. Monk is on the Air:
In one of the better episodes Monk goes toe to toe with a popular radio shock jock who is suspected of killing his wife.

Mr. Monk Visits a Farm:
When Lt. Disher inherits a farm from an uncle who committed suicide, he decides to quit the police force and start a new life in the country. But Disher soon suspects that his uncle was murdered, so Monk joins him on the farm to investigate.

Mr. Monk and the Really, Really Dead Guy:
When a dangerous criminal named the "Six Way Killer" strikes in San Francisco, Monk has to match his detective skills against the flashy forensic technology of a federal agent as they both pursue the murderer.

Mr. Monk Goes to the Hospital:
Monk goes to the hospital with a bloody nose, but when a doctor in the hospital turns up dead, Monk joins the murder investigation, and soon his own life is in grave danger.

This is definately worth your money. Adrian Monk is awesome to watch and some of the episodes are really very clever and all are completely original. Highly recommended...