MOVIES WORLDS

Bandit Pal Jerry Reed Dies

2008-09-02T16:00:00.000-07:00

Jerry Reed helped fuel Smokey and the Bandit.

Reed, the laid-back singer/songwriter who became a movie star courtesy Burt Reynolds, and whose banjo-picking tune "East Bound and Down" drove their hit Smokey movies, died yesterday of emphysema. He was 71.

Reed's association with Reynolds began in the 1976 good-ol' boy comedy W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings.

Reed would go on to appear in five more Reynolds movies, including all three Smokey and the Bandits, in which Reed rode shotgun, figuratively if not literally, to Reynolds' law-evading interstate trucker. Throughout the CB-radio-celebrating trilogy, which produced films from 1977 to 1983, Reed's handle was Snowman; Reynolds' was Bandit.

Reed furthered Bandit's cause by producing country-fried driving music, including "East Bound and Down," off the original Smokey soundtrack.

Reed also acted with Reynolds in 1976' s Gator and 1983's Stroker Ace. In television, he put in appearances on two Reynolds series, B.L. Stryker and Evening Shade.

Long before his association with Reynolds, Reed was a Nashville notable—a songwriter whose songs were recorded by Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash, and a musician whose prowess earned him the moniker "The Guitar Man." Reed's first big hit as a performer would, in fact, be the article-free "Guitar Man."

In song as on screen, the Atlanta-born Reed was a chatty, casual presence. His other signature songs include the divorce rap "She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)" and the Grammy-winning, motor-mouthed "When You're Hot, You're Hot."

In all, Reed won three Grammys, including two for collaborations with fellow guitar great Chet Atkins.

Reed last acted in a movie in the 1998 Adam Sandler comedy The Waterboy.

Nashville's Tennessean said that, in recent years, Reed's health had been in decline, and his attitude in ascendance.

“For 50 years, all I’d done was take, take, take,” he told the newspaper last year. “I decided from now on it is going to be giving. And I’m way behind. We’re all way behind. We live this life like what’s down here is what it’s all about. We’re temporary, son, like a wisp of smoke.”

JUNO Trailer

2008-02-02T17:06:00.000-08:00

The Dark Knight Trailer - The Batman VS The Joker

2008-02-02T17:04:00.000-08:00

Iron Man

2008-02-02T16:54:00.000-08:00

RAMBO - Now Playing

2008-02-02T16:52:00.000-08:00

Star Wars - Episode IV - Trailer (original 1977)

2008-02-02T16:50:00.000-08:00

OFFICIAL Sweeney Todd Trailer!

2008-02-02T16:46:00.000-08:00

Freddy Krueger

2008-02-02T16:44:00.001-08:00

Ratatouille Teaser

2008-02-02T16:33:00.001-08:00

Final Spider-Man 3 Trailer

2008-02-02T16:27:00.000-08:00

There Will Be Blood

2008-02-02T16:25:00.000-08:00

Captain America Teaser Trailer

2008-02-02T15:48:00.000-08:00

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly trailer released

2008-02-02T15:46:00.000-08:00

Julian Schnabel: Reasons for making "Diving Bell"

2008-02-02T15:45:00.000-08:00

CLOVERFIELD, New Theatrical trailer!

2008-02-02T15:41:00.000-08:00

Transformer

2008-02-02T15:38:00.001-08:00

I am Legend

2008-02-02T15:36:00.000-08:00

Michael Clayton

2008-01-24T16:01:00.000-08:00

Starring: Tom Wilkinson, Michael O'Keefe Director: Tony Gilroy

Product Description
Attorney Michael Clayton is a "fixer," the go-to guy when his powerful New York law firm wants a mess swept under the rug. But now he's handed a crisis even he may not be able to fix. The firm's top litigator in a $3-billion case has gone from advocate to whistleblower. And the more Michael tries to undo the damage, the more he's up against forces that put corporate survival over human life--including Michael's. George Clooney portrays Michael, backed into a career corner that offers little room to fight free in this suspense- and star-packed thriller written and directed by Tony Gilroy (writer/co-writer of the Bourne movie trilogy). Keep your eyes on Michael Clayton. He has some life-or- death decisions to make. Fast.

No Country for Old Men (2007)

2008-01-24T15:55:00.000-08:00

buy at this product

Amazon.com
The Coen brothers make their finest thriller since Fargo with a restrained adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novel. Not that there aren't moments of intense violence, but No Country for Old Men is their quietest, most existential film yet. In this modern-day Western, Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) is a Vietnam vet who could use a break. One morning while hunting antelope, he spies several trucks surrounded by dead bodies (both human and canine). In examining the site, he finds a case filled with $2 million. Moss takes it with him, tells his wife (Kelly Macdonald) he's going away for awhile, and hits the road until he can determine his next move. On the way from El Paso to Mexico, he discovers he's being followed by ex-special ops agent Chigurh (an eerily calm Javier Bardem). Chigurh's weapon of choice is a cattle gun, and he uses it on everyone who gets in his way--or loses a coin toss (as far as he's concerned, bad luck is grounds for death). Just as Sheriff Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), a World War II vet, is on Moss's trail, Chigurh's former colleague, Wells (Woody Harrelson), is on his. For most of the movie, Moss remains one step ahead of his nemesis. Both men are clever and resourceful--except Moss has a conscious, Chigurh does not (he is, as McCarthy puts it, "a prophet of destruction"). At times, the film plays like an old horror movie, with Chigurh as its lumbering Frankenstein monster. Like the taciturn terminator, No Country for Old Men doesn't move quickly, but the tension never dissipates. This minimalist masterwork represents Joel and Ethan Coen and their entire cast, particularly Brolin and Jones, at the peak of their powers. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry (Widescreen Edition) (2007)

2007-12-15T06:33:00.001-08:00

Starring: Adam Sandler, Kevin James

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Bee Movie (2007)

2007-12-15T06:25:00.001-08:00

Superbad

2007-12-15T06:25:00.000-08:00

Unrated (Two-Disc Special Edition) (2007)
Starring: Jonah Hill, Michael Cera Director: Greg Mottola

Fantastic Four

2007-12-15T06:14:00.001-08:00

Rise of the Silver Surfer (The Power Cosmic Edition, 2-Disc Set) (2007)
Starring: Jessica Alba

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Rush Hour 3 (Two-Disc Platinum Series) (2007)

2007-12-15T06:14:00.000-08:00

Starring: Chris Tucker, Jackie Chan Director: Brett Ratner

Knocked Up - Unrated (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) (2007)

2007-12-15T06:11:00.001-08:00

Starring: Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl

Wild Hogs (Widescreen Edition) (2007)

2007-12-15T06:11:00.000-08:00

Starring: Tim Allen, John Travolta Director: Walt Becker

Ratatouille (2007)

2007-12-15T06:07:00.001-08:00

Starring: Ian Holm

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Two-Disc Special Edition) (2007)

2007-12-15T06:07:00.000-08:00

Starring: Timothy Bateson, Helena Bonham Carter

Shrek the Third (Widescreen Edition) (2007)

2007-12-15T06:02:00.000-08:00

Starring: Eddie Murphy, Justin Timberlake

Transformers (Two-Disc Special Edition) (2007)

2007-12-15T06:01:00.001-08:00

Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox Director: Michael Bay

Spider-Man 3 (Two-Disc Special Edition) (2007)

2007-12-15T06:01:00.000-08:00

Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst Director: Sam Raimi

Amazon.com

How does Spider-Man 3 follow on the heels of its predecessor, which was widely considered the best superhero movie ever? For starters, you pick up the loose threads from that movie, then add some key elements of the Spidey comic-book mythos (including fan-favorite villain Venom), the black costume, and the characters of Gwen Stacy and her police-captain father. In the beginning, things have never looked better for Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire): He's doing well in school; his alter ego, Spider-Man, is loved and respected around New York City. And his girlfriend, Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), has just taken a starring role in a Broadway musical. But nothing good can last for Spidey. Mary Jane's career quickly goes downhill; she's bothered by Peter's attractive new classmate, Gwen Stacy (Bryce Dallas Howard); and the new Daily Bugle photographer, Eddie Brock (Topher Grace), is trying to steal his thunder. Enter a new villain, the Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), who can transform his body into various forms and shapes of sand and who may be connected to Peter's past in an unexpected way. There's also the son of an old villain, Harry Osborne (James Franco), who unmasked Spidey in the previous movie and still has revenge on his mind. And a new black costume seems to boost Spidey's powers, but transforms mild-mannered Peter into a mean and obnoxious boor (Maguire has some fun here).

If that sounds like a lot to pack into one 140-minute movie, it is. While director Sam Raimi keeps things flowing, assisted on the screenplay by his brother Ivan and Alvin Sargent, there's a little too much going on, and it's inevitable that one of the villains (there are three or four, depending on how you count) gets significantly short-changed. Still, the cast is excellent, the effects are fantastic, and the action is fast and furious. Even if Spider-Man 3 isn't the match of Spider-Man 2, it's a worthy addition to the megamillion-dollar franchise. --David Horiuchi

The Simpsons Movie (Widescreen Edition) (2007)

2007-12-15T05:55:00.001-08:00

Starring: Dan Castellaneta

Live Free or Die Hard (Unrated Edition) (2007)

2007-12-15T05:55:00.000-08:00

Starring: Bruce Willis, Timothy Olyphant Director: Len Wiseman

Amazon.com

Twelve years after Die Hard with a Vengeance, the third and previous film in the Die Hard franchise, Live Free or Die Hard finds John McClane (Bruce Willis) a few years older, not any happier, and just as kick-ass as ever. Right after he has a fight with his college-age daughter (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a call comes in to pick up a hacker (Justin Long, a.k.a. the "Apple guy") who might help the FBI learn something about a brief security blip in their systems. Now any Die Hard fan knows that this is when the assassins with foreign accents and high-powered weaponry show up, telling McClane that once again he's stumbled into an assignment that's anything but routine. Once that wreckage has cleared, it is revealed that the hacker is only one of many hackers who are being targeted for extermination after they helped set up a "fire sale," a three-pronged cyberattack designed to bring down the entire country by crippling its transportation, finances, and utilities. That plan is now being put into action by a mysterious team (Timothy Olyphant, Deadwood, and Maggie Q, Mission: Impossible 3) that seems to be operating under the government's noses.

Live Free or Die Hard uses some of the cat-and-mouse elements of Die Hard with a Vengeance along with some of the pick-'em-off-one-by-one elements of the now-classic original movie. And it's the most consistently enjoyable installment of the franchise since the original, with eye-popping stunts (directed by Len Wiseman of the Underworld franchise), good humor, and Willis's ability to toss off a quip while barely alive. There was some controversy over the film's PG-13 rating--there might be less blood than usual, and McClane's famous tag line is somewhat obscured--but there's still has plenty of action and a high body count. Yippee-ki-ay! --David Horiuchi

The Bourne Ultimatum (Widescreen Edition) (2007)

2007-12-15T05:53:00.000-08:00

Starring: Matt Damon, Joan Allen Director: Paul Greengrass

Amazon.com
The often breathtaking, final installment in the Bourne trilogy finds the titular assassin with no memory closing in on his past, finally answering his own questions about his real identity and how he came to be a seemingly unstoppable killing machine. Matt Damon returns for another intensely physical performance as Jason Bourne, the rogue operative at war with the CIA, which made him who and what he is and managed to kill his girlfriend in the series' second film, The Bourne Supremacy. Now looking for payback, Bourne goes in search for the renegade chief of CIA operations in Europe and North Africa, partnering for a time with a mysterious woman from his past (Julia Stiles) and constantly--constantly--on the run from assassins, intelligence foot soldiers, and cops. Directed by Paul Greengrass (United 93) with the director’s thrilling, trademark textures and shaky, documentary style, The Bourne Ultimatum is largely a succession of action scenes that reveal a lot about the story’s characters while they’re under duress. Joan Allen, Albert Finney, David Strathairn, Scott Glenn, and Paddy Considine comprise the film’s terrific supporting cast, and the well-traveled movie leads viewers through Turin, Madrid, Tangiers, Paris, London, and New York. Overall, this is a satisfying conclusion to Bourne’s exciting and protracted mystery. --Tom Keogh

Planet Earth - The Complete BBC Series (2007)

2007-12-15T05:50:00.000-08:00

Starring: David Attenborough

2007-11-23T14:16:00.001-08:00

Frankenstein Conquers the World / Frankenstein Vs. Baragon (1966)

2007-11-02T08:25:00.000-07:00

Starring: Tadao Takashima, Nick Adams Director: Ishirô Honda

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All Monsters Attack! (2002)

2007-11-02T08:23:00.000-07:00

Jefftowne/Trailer Town

2007-11-02T08:21:00.000-07:00

Cheezy Horror Trailers, Vol. 2

2007-11-02T08:16:00.000-07:00

High School Musical 2 (Extended Edition) (2007)

2007-11-02T08:08:00.000-07:00

Casino Royale (2-Disc Widescreen Edition) (2006)

2007-11-02T08:06:00.000-07:00

Blood Diamond (Widescreen Edition) (2006)

2007-11-02T08:03:00.000-07:00

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Leonardo DiCaprio puts a handsome face on an ugly industry: In parts of Africa, diamond mining fuels civil warfare, killing thousands of innocents and drafting preteen children as vicious soldiers. DiCaprio (The Departed) plays Danny Archer, a white African soldier-turned-diamond-smuggler who gets wind of a large raw jewel found by Solomon Vandy, a native fisherman (Djimon Hounsou, In America) recently escaped from enslavement by a brutal rebel leader. Archer offers a deal: He'll help Vandy find his war-scattered family if Vandy will share the diamond with him. Drawn into this web of exploitation is journalist Maddy Bowen (Jennifer Connelly, Little Children), who agrees to help if Archer will tell her the details of how conflict diamonds make their way into the hands of the corporations who sell them to the Western world. DiCaprio is compelling because he never flinches from Archer's utter ruthlessness; Archer ends up doing the morally justifiable thing, but only because his desperate greed has led him to it. Hounsou and Connelly, though saddled with all the moral and political speeches, rise above the cant and keep the movie's treacherously formulaic plot rooted in human characters. But in the end, the story won't stick with you as much as the dead stillness in the child soldiers' eyes; the horror of African civil strife refuses to be contained by Blood Diamond's uplifting message--and the movie is all the more potent as a result. --Bret Fetzer

Bible

2007-11-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

The Departed

2007-11-02T07:51:00.000-07:00

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon Director: Martin Scorsese

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Martin Scorsese makes a welcome return to the mean streets (of Boston, in this case) with The Departed, hailed by many as Scorsese's best film since Casino. Since this crackling crime thriller is essentially a Scorsese-stamped remake of the acclaimed 2002 Hong Kong thriller Infernal Affairs, the film was intensely scrutinized by devoted critics and cinephiles, and while Scorsese's intense filmmaking and all-star cast deserve ample acclaim, The Departed is also worthy of serious re-assessment, especially with regard to what some attentive viewers described as sloppy craftsmanship (!), notably in terms of mismatched shots and jagged continuity. But no matter where you fall on the Scorsese appreciation scale, there's no denying that The Departed is a signature piece of work from one of America's finest directors, designed for maximum impact with a breathtaking series of twists, turns, and violent surprises. It's an intricate cat-and-mouse game, but this time the cat and mouse are both moles: Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) is an ambitious cop on the rise, planted in the Boston police force by criminal kingpin Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a hot-tempered police cadet who's been artificially disgraced and then planted into Costello's crime operation as a seemingly trustworthy soldier. As the multilayered plot unfolds (courtesy of a scorching adaptation by Kingdom of Heaven screenwriter William Monahan), Costigan and Sullivan conduct a volatile search for each other (they're essentially looking for "themselves") while simultaneously wooing the psychiatrist (Vera Farmiga) assigned to treat their crime-driven anxieties.

Such convenient coincidences might sink a lesser film, but The Departed is so electrifying that you barely notice the plot-holes. And while Nicholson's profane swagger is too much "Jack" and not enough "Costello," he's still a joy to watch, especially in a film that's additionally energized by memorable (and frequently hilarious) supporting roles for Alec Baldwin, Mark Wahlberg, and a host of other big-name performers. The Departed also makes clever and plot-dependent use of cell-phones, to the extent that it couldn't exist without them. Powered by Scorsese's trademark use of well-chosen soundtrack songs (from vintage rock to Puccini's operas), The Departed may not be perfect, but it's one helluva ride for moviegoers, proving popular enough to become the biggest box-office hit of Scorsese's commercially rocky career. --Jeff Shannon

300

2007-11-02T07:47:00.000-07:00

Actors: Gerard Butler, Lena Headey
Directors: Zack Snyder

Editorial Reviews
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

Heroes - Season 1

2007-11-02T07:42:00.000-07:00

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Arguably the most talked-about television show of the 2006-2007 season, the Emmy-nominated fantasy Heroes gives viewers blends comic book-style adventure with plotting and characters as rich and layered as any graphic novel or drama series. Creator Tim Kring's premise is deceptively simple – ordinary individuals in locations around the globe discover that they have, for lack of a better term, super powers, and wrestle with this reality while facing challenges both global (the destruction of New York City, for one) and personal (indestructible cheerleader Hayden Panetierre has family issues – serious ones, as the true identity of her adoptive father reveals; Milo Ventimiglia's Peter Petrelli, who absorbs other powers, must overcome his own insecurities). Add to this mix a terrific villain – Zachary Quinto's Sylar, who hunts and kills people with extraordinary powers like our heroes – and viewers have a riveting series that exhibits an almost-perfect balance of cliffhanger thrills (the action and special effects are truly impressive for a network program) and genuine drama that sets the show apart from most speculative fiction (save, perhaps, the revived Battlestar Galactica, which it compares too favorably). The seven-disc set of Heroes: Season One offers a wealth of extras for fans, who may be familiar with some of them through the NBC.com website, especially the cast commentaries, which are featured on half of the episodes. Kring is featured on the 73-minute uncut pilot episode, which for some viewers, may be even better than the network version; the main difference is the degree of character development, including an entire storyline for D.L. Hawkins that isn't featured in the broadcast version. Also on deck are some 50 deleted scenes from the episodes, several by-the-books making-of featurettes, including coverage of the special effects and stunt work, and a profile of artist Tim Sale, whose illustrations are used for Isaac Mendez's prophetic artwork. Prospective buyers should note that while all of these supplemental features are included on the HD-DVD version of this set, the special Web-connectivity elements are not available here. -- Paul Gaita

Battlestar Galactica - Season One

2007-11-02T07:32:00.000-07:00

Starring: Edward James Olmos

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com

Battlestar Galactica's Edward James Olmos wasn't kidding when he said "the series is even better than the miniseries." As developed by sci-fi TV veteran Ronald D. Moore, the "reimagined" BG is exactly what it claims to be: a drama for grown-ups in a science-fiction setting. The mature intelligence of the series is its greatest asset, from the tenuous respect between Galactica's militarily principled commander Adama (Olmos) and politically astute President Roslin (Mary McDonnell) to the barely suppressed passion between ace Viper pilot "Apollo" (a.k.a. Adama's son Lee, played by Jamie Bamber) and the brashly insubordinate Starbuck (Katee Sackhoff), whose multifaceted character is just one of many first-season highlights. Picking up where the miniseries ended (it's included here, sparing the need for separate purchase), season 1 opens with the riveting, Hugo Award-winning episode "33," in which Galactica and the "ragtag fleet" of colonial survivors begin their quest for the legendary 13th colony planet Earth, while being pursued with clockwork regularity by the Cylons, who've now occupied the colonial planet of Caprica. The fleet's hard-fought survival forms (1) the primary side of the series' three-part structure, shared with (2) the apparent psychosis of Dr. Gaius Baltar (James Callis) whose every thought and move are monitored by various incarnations of Number Six (Tricia Helfer), the seemingly omniscient Cylon ultravixen who follows a master plan somehow connected to (3) the Caprican survival ordeal of crash-landed pilots "Helo" (Tahmoh Penikett) and "Boomer" (Grace Park), whose simultaneous presence on Galactica is further evidence that 12 multicopied models of Cylons, in human form, are gathering their forces.

With remarkably consistent quality, each of these 13 episodes deepens the dynamics of these fascinating characters and suspenseful situations. While BG relies on finely nuanced performances, solid direction, and satisfying personal and political drama to build its strong emotional foundation, the action/adventure elements are equally impressive, especially in "The Hand of God," a pivotal episode in which the show's dazzling visual effects get a particularly impressive showcase. Original BG series star Richard Hatch appears in two politically charged episodes (he's a better actor now, too), and with the threat of civil war among the fleet, season 1 ends with an exceptional cliffhanger that's totally unexpected while connecting the plot threads of all preceding episodes. To the credit of everyone involved, this is frackin' good television.

The Transformers - The Movie

2007-10-31T06:39:00.000-07:00

(20th Anniversary Special Edition)

Gilmore Girls - The Complete Seventh Season (2006)

2007-08-22T00:23:00.000-07:00

Starring: Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel

Reviews:
Not too badly done, August 15, 2007
By A. Anderson (Portland, OR)
I wish shows would end while they are ahead instead of limping off sadly leaving fans with a bittersweet taste in the mouth. Season 7 had a lot to clean up and I think it was not too badly done, overall. As a rabid lover of GG, I can still say, with criticism of something I love, that this show took a horrific nosedive around the end of Season 5 and Season 6 was cringe-inducing at best. The LL relationship was sweet and satisfying in Season 5 and Rory's life was interesting enough, until we got that horrible moment that revealed Rory cannot deal with life unless she's being lavished with praise. The Mitchum freak-out never got called by its right name. Instead we had a season 6 of "poor little spoiled rotten brat Rory got yelled at by a meanie." Not only was Rory impossibly self-centered and obnoxious and disagreeable during season 6, but the LL relationship was BAD! That relationship was borderline emotionally abusive. I started violently disliking Luke (after he had been sweet for 5 years) and I just wanted Lorelai OUT. So, yes, Season 7 had a lot to do. They had to clean up Luke's personality and Rory's personality, make them likeable again, and they had to somehow bring us back our happy escapist show that once was.

The new writers succeeded in making me like Rory and Luke again. Rory had gotten so selfish that the only thing to do was just stop and rewrite her character, ignoring previous "character growth." Which is what they did. Instead of stomping and sulking around, fighting with her mother and grandparents, and making wild accusations like, "the only reason you want your son to get a job is to separate him from me," suddenly she was sweet and modest again. She reconnected with friends. Maybe this sudden turn-around of character should be completely unrealistic, but I didn't care. I was glad to be able to like Rory again. On the other hand, rather than pretending that Luke had never been a jerk, the writers wrote in a very believable realization of faults on his part and regret over his behavior. I liked when he threatened Kirk, "If you do anything to hurt that sweet girl . . ." And eventually he even apologized to Lorelai. That needed to be done. I am grateful to the Season 7 writers that characters become nice and loveable again.

However, I don't think we ever got that special Stars Hollow feeling back again. Season 6 took us away from our favorite charming alternate universe to a painful, unwatchable world of fracturing relationships where the old Lorelai and Rory did not even exist anymore. Season 7 was not so harsh and so cold, but it continued along like a soap opera. The show never slowed down (I mean in plot, not dialogue) and recaptured that perfect balance of family, work, romance, and cat funerals, swan attacks, biscotti-ballroom-dance-a-thons, etc. In the early seasons, Lorelai's and Rory's romances, fun as they were, did not get center-stage. There would be a Jess-heavy episode, and then an episode about the inn, and then about a fight with the parents, and then college applications. GG, at the end, turned into your average 90210--One Tree Hill--Dawson's Creek type of show, and, while I am not knocking those shows, GG had always stood out because it was different. Boys were important, but so were friends, family, literature, a work ethic, self-respect, and those wonderful little moments that make up life, like getting a cup of coffee with a friend. The beauty of Gilmore Girls was in the details. Season 7 did not have that. We just got drama every week. I find all that drama exhausting. I prefer to watch the girls chatting about clothes or homework while strolling down the street.

Season 6 was just plain bad, Season 7 was better than that, but still sub-par. The older seasons are the best. Since they had evidently lost the ability to create that kind of magic, it was time for the show to end. I wish they had ended it before we suffered through Season 6. But since we weren't that fortunate, I'm glad Season 7 wrapped things up as nicely as they did.

(No I'm not actually a kid, this is just easier) Hmmm..., August 6, 2007
A Kid's Review
This season, without a doubt was a disapointment. Fans of the show could have written the storylines better than the actual writers who did. I mean the sense that I got from the show (and I'm assuming other viewers did also) was that the writers had been sitting in the corner of the table reads and chewing on their pencils- they had absolutely no idea how the characters should act or even how they shouldn't(I'm of course talking about the impromptu marrage to Christopher...) This marrage totally ruined the flow of things, i mean when i saw the end of season 6, i thought to myself that it was the worst thing i'd ever seen come out of such an intelligent show, but that just set me up for more disapointment and now, after seeing season 7, I have to say that season 6 looked pretty good. Now that's not to say that there weren't any magical Gilmore moments that we've all come to know and love, but there were way less than any other season. Even the Finale felt off- i mean it was a good SEASON finale, but as a show finale, i felt like i was watching 7th Heaven- and that's not the show I set to my Tivo... The show is the dialogue and without it how can there be a show? Well... Anyway- giving a bad review for this season you may wonder why I gave it 3 stars- Because even though this season lost me and it needed an extra 13 eps. to tie up loose ends, it's still my show, I love it, I love the characters, I love everything about it, and I will miss what I have grown up with and what has taken me out of my stressful life to a place where, although real, I can be in the lives of my friends and always feel welcome, and I feel if a show can do that alone, it's incredible. Gilmore Girls did so much more over the last 7 seasons that I have to say it will always be my favorite and I would like to thank Amy and Dan for giving me that. So if you've been a fan of the show like me, I know this season was sad for us all, but I really do feel that they are all worth getting... THANK YOU GILMORE GIRLS FOR THESE 7 YEARS!

What do i get to watch now :(, July 21, 2007
By Ashna Singh "litz" (usa)
This season was great. Lots of changes and happenings. I hated Luke and Lorelai's break up , but i also loved the fact that Luke did so much for her during the Goodbyes :( Awww ! I am surely going to get this season and so should you.

Pirates of the Caribbean - At World's End (Two-Disc Limited Edition) (2007)

2007-08-22T00:22:00.000-07:00

Starring: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom Director: Gore Verbinski

Review:
The best P.O.T.C. movie yet, August 21, 2007
By chidi casmir "uluru" (New York, U.S.A)
There is nothing more to say, this was the best p.ot.c movie yet. And it also had the best villain in movie history Davy Jones

Surprised, August 21, 2007
A Kid's Review
I saw this in the theater and thought it was great. I was thinking that I wasn't going to like it since I wasn't too thrilled with the first, and hated the second. The action was good, but this movie was too confusing, and very long. But it was fun and entertaining. For that reason, I will buy it when it comes out on DVD.

Pirates 3, August 21, 2007
By liesse00 (North Central Illinois)
I loved it, I thought it was great ending to the franchise. Yes it's long but if you're a Pirates fan it's worth it. You definatly get youre monies worth with the final battle scene, I didn't think it would end! Go Pirates!

Sails Proudly Off Into The Sunset., August 16, 2007
By Underground Reborn "gnome" (ny)
After an ending like the one seen in 'Dead Man's Chest' whp wasn't excited to see this final instalment? In 'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End' We are taken into the relms of the bizzare, haunting and exciting. The crew of the Black Pearl now lead by the resurected Captain Barbosa has two missons. To find our hot star Johnny Depp and to bring this fantastic story to a close.

'At World's End' gave us exactly what were were looking for, by tying up all the loose ends of the story with all the characters, but also broadening the horizons of the pirate world. We now see the uniting of the 8 Pirate lords and strangley enough Jack Sparrow is one of them. The pirates go into an all out battle at sea against the East India Company and Davy Jones in a fight to the finish that only Jerry Bruckheimer and Gore Verbinski can do.

At the end you will be left a bit confused wondering where the story will go from here and the same time happy with how this story ended. This unforgettable franchise now sails proudly into the sunset officially completing its goal going down as one of the greatest trilogies. (Part 3 of 3)

Desperate Housewives - The Complete Third Season (2006)

2007-08-22T00:10:00.000-07:00

Starring: Teri Hatcher, Marcia Cross

Review :
Who's the best? Felicity Huffman of course!, July 25, 2007
By ADRIENNE MILLER (TENNESSEE)
Desperate Housewives - The Complete Third Season was another solid and juicy season of the prime-time soap. I thought Marcia Cross stole the show the second season and Felicity Huffman had the best year the third. She is such a great actress, glad to hear she's nominated for an Emmy. Teri Hatcher is still annoying to watch and Eva Longoria is as vain and spoiled as ever as the newly-divorced Gaby. Even Nicolette Sheridan got a chance to shine this season as she took over for Cross who was on maternity leave. Some weird plots like Orson and his creepy and very botoxed mother played by Dixie Carter. My favorite episode is defintely Bang! the episode where Laurie Metcalf held up the neigborhood grocery store in Fairvew. Well just another day in Wisteria Lane for these desperate mama's. I highly recommend buying season three as well as the other seasons. Enjoy your dirty laundry!

A Luster Restored, July 17, 2007
By Timothy T. Ward
Season Two of Desperate Housewives wasn't all that bad, but it did suffer from a few noticeable mistakes-mainly the storyline with the Applewhites and how the writers made them suddenly disappear in the middle of the season(and subsequently killing off any remaining interest viewers once had with the story). The first episode of Season Three was fair but a forgiven fairness as it was an opener to tie up loose ends and see where the characters might go next. One factor that helped make Season Three so good was how it became as intriguing and as witty as remembered from the early days. The pace and flow had also returned. You wanted to tune in each week to see Susan deal with Mike's memory loss while dealing with Edie's manipulation at the same time, Bree having to contend with the lack of morality in her children as she also learned about Orson's past, and Lynette finding patience with Tom while finding tolerance as she dealt with the psycho from hell in the form of Nora. Some of the best episodes are from this season such as Episode #3 with "A Weekend in the Country," and #6 in "Sweetheart, I Have To Confess," an episode that was most entertaining and funny. The scenes with Lynette, Susan, and Gabby getting drunk while Bree was trying to win the attention of a former friend at an upscale country club were classic. Also included is the memorable "Bang,"(episode#7). This episode was believeable and emotional right down to Lynette finding closure with the death of Mary Alice. Laurie Metcalf(Roseanne)was superb as the jilted wife who snapped. Next came Episide #8 with "Children and Art," in which Lynette discovers a chilling secret about the new neighbor. The writers handled this story with brilliance and bravery for tackling a taboo topic on network television. Felicity Huffman gave a magnificent portrayl. Also first rate was Episode #10, "Miracle Song," and with the first 10 episodes, Desperate Housewives was as bold as ever and was once again filled with the offbeat drama and dark comedy we know and love. The glaring mistake with this season was in Episode #13, "Come Play Wiz Me." This episode was awful and filled with ridiculous storylines. The plot involving Orson's ex-wife drugging him into the bed with the help of Gloria made me think the writers were wishing for a daytime television slot. Then we had the return of Zach-very pointless and off the mark. Also, it was an insult to viewers to make us think that Gabrielle would even consider a date with Zach under any circumstances. Lynette's decision to quit the firm was touching, but then the whole scene with her faking her pain in front of her boss just came off as plain stupid. Episodes #14 & #15 is where the mystery involving Orson's past and the murder of Monique is solved, and this conclusion was just as good and just as surprising as the mystery involving Paul and Mary Alice and a baby named Dana from the first season.

continual twists and turns, July 13, 2007
By Myrna Weinstein "bead crazy" (Mount Laurel, Nj)
You never know or suspect where the story line is going. Great acting, great fun and fascinating. One of my favorites of all time.

Prison Break - Season Two (2005)

2007-08-22T00:04:00.000-07:00

Starring: Prison Break

Review:
I LOVE THIS SHOW!!! , August 20, 2007
By Lanae (Alexandria, VA)
I love this show it has everything I want in a show to keep your curious, interested and lots of suspense and action! I liked the 1st season after getting into it half way through the year (wasnt a big tv watching person)and now I am hooked. I am so happy they FOX is airing Prison Break season 3 and its supose to be even better! I can't wait, you can't go wrong with this DVD. Easy 5 stars.

Over the Wall Doesn't Mean They're Free, August 15, 2007
By Jeffrey Clinard "Jeffrey" (Las Vegas, NV USA)
In season one, the break team pulled an impossible escape from a maximum security prison. A death row inmate, his brother, a mob boss, a serial rapist/killer, a mental patient, a small time armed robber, a pickpocket, and a transporter of stolen goods have made it over the wall - but that wall isn't the only thing between themselves and freedom.

A high-ranking conspiracy is willing to stop at nothing to capture and kill these men, and as they run for their lives, they are also running towards something. Freedom, money, safety, family, revenge... these forces direct their lives as they try to ultimately find the road to redemption. Plus, as the forces of law and order chase those who broke the law, it becomes less and less clear just who are the good guys in a manhunt that spans the United States - and well south of the border.

One Of The Best Shows on TV Today!!!, August 14, 2007
By Ernie R. McHone (Carlisle, Ohio)
With a great cast and action, Prison Break has emerged in it's two years on the air, as a superb thrill ride.

If you thought season one was great, you'll love season two as it ups the ante in all areas.

Give Robert Knepper an emmy!

Smallville - The Complete Sixth Season (2006)

2007-08-21T23:58:00.000-07:00

Starring: Tom Welling, Kristin Kreuk

Review:

Best Show on TV, August 19, 2007
By M. Bowman (Portland, OR)
The sixth season of Smallville is entertaining, exciting, and touching, sometimes all at the same time. This show has something for everyone. The lead charactor of Clark Kent, played so ably by Tom Welling, has been cast perfectly. He has grown as an actor over the past six years to the point where one look can bring tears to my eyes. My only gripe about the series is that Clark doesn't use all of his superpowers yet. I want him to fly! Other than that I love the show.

Kryptonian Excellence, August 7, 2007
By Derek Rodgers "BLADE" (Hammond , IND)
This is the constant struggle over good versuses evil and with this being the struggle between Clark and Lex.... Season 6 is the best. If you know the true story of Superman he had the constant struggle of wanting to be normal but having to except the difference of him being more than that and Season 6 embodies all the development of the characters in the Superman chronicles. We are watching Clark battle his father's nemisis ZOD who wanted to rule Kryton and then we are seeing the evil in Lex develop as well as we got a glimpse from the episode combat where the character was somewhat of the character DOOMSDAY who killed superman in the comics. The introduction of PIZARO was excellent and has set the stage for even more magnificent season 7. The love affair of Clark and Lana is great and will end the right way which will lead Lois Lane, hot shot reporter for the daily planet. Do not try to overbuild the hype of the series for it is very hard for the writers to capture the moment in a heroes life but they have done this excellently. I am hoping that when the series ends will see him enter and leave the fortress of solitude where he completes his training and comes back to metropolis when he is 30 to be roving reporter Clark Kent. The series is excellence!!!

Disappointing Season , August 7, 2007
By S. Nemati
I love Smallville, but this season reached some new lows. The Lex and Lana triangle started off strong in season 5, with some well written tension between the characters. This season begins with Lana moving in with Lex: a drastic step considering how long it took her to settle down with Clark. Lana undergoes too many personality changes, going from angry, self confident, and downright manipulative to trapped, scared, and helpless in the course of her relationship with Lex. The character seriously needs some kind of consistency. Also, the 5th season hinted at a new and exciting romance with Chloe... why then did they decide to bring back the old and rotting Lana and Clark relationship again?

Additionally the first half of the season was entirely taken over another superhero. Really? Are the writers so plumb out of ideas that they have to make another show? Green Arrow was a good character, but he was a bit over-used. The other new character is Jimmy Olsen. Jimmy is an affable, fun character, but never seemed close to Chloe's intellectual equal.

The plot itself never seemed that fresh and interesting. Last year, we had a dastardly, manipulative alien who acted as Clark's teacher and mentor. This year we get more cookie cutter villains and a somewhat lame plot about aliens from another dimension. Lex's 33.1 plotline about collecting 'freaks' is only slightly more interesting, but strays further out into the bizarre... a bit too far for my taste.

The few highlights included "Zod" (great season opener), "Nemesis" (finally highlighting Clark and Lex), "Justice" (fun comic book fare with many future superheroes), and "Labyrinth" (Clark's life is a lie). For me, these were the only really solid episodes. I hope Smallville can fix season 7, but honestly I think the show has gotten stale and should come to its end.

Lost - The Complete Third Season (2006)

2007-08-21T23:56:00.000-07:00

Starring: Matthew Fox, Evangeline Lilly

Review:
Begins with a blast and ends with a whimper...that you'll never forget, August 15, 2007
By Rottenberg's rotten book review (nyc)
Another masterful season of "Lost" has come to a crashing, and enigmatic end. For fans (like me) drawn to the show's thrills and riddles, Season 3 didn't disappoint. Like Season 2, you can't just get into the show, but "Lost" more than rewards those who can start from the beginning.

ARE YOU LOST: "Lost" follows the trauma-filled lives and back-stories of the survivors of Oceanic Ft. 815, which crashed on a mysterious island enroute from Sydney to LA. As time passed, and hopes for an immediate rescue dimmed, the survivors realized that they would have to come to terms with their new home, even as (we see in flashbacks) none have proved capable of coming to terms with their flawed lives. We met jack Shepard, a doctor obsessed with fixing whatever's broken, except for his own family. We also met Sawyer, the conman and heroic anti-hero. Kate is the woman between the two of them, a criminal on the run for murder. Locke (Terry O'Quinn) is a man with a long and complicated past - one that crippled him physically as well as emotionally, until he came to the Island, and found himself mysteriously bonded to it.

Then there are The Others. Hinted at until the end of the 1st season, we find by the end of Season 2 that the others inhabit an organized commune on the island. Their purpose and the bizarre strains of their society are slowly pealed away like an onion. At the climax, the Others blackmailed Michael into helping them kidnap Jack, Kate, Sawyer and Hurley. (Hurley was released with orders to warn the rest of the survivors to keep away from their half of the island.) Who are the others, and what is their connection to the shadowy "Dharma Initiative"? And what about "Fake Henry Gale"? Revealing himself as Ben Linus doesn't quite begin to explain his knotty soul - Ben proves to be as trustworthy, a politician of sorts adept at using fear and hatred to manipulate others. (For politically minded viewers, the opening scene of Season 3 will raise disturbing parallels with 9/11, and its principal players.) But in the end, the Others are perfectly drawn because, like the Island, they have a perfectly maintained air of mystery.

In Season 3, Jack must confront the others, find out why he was singled out, and maneuver between them to get Sawyer and Kate to safety. New characters get the Lost treatment, with flashback episodes for Ben, Desmond (the crazy guy found by Locke in The Hatch) and Juliet, a doctor among the others used by Ben to manipulate Jack. We see Locke struggle through a crisis of faith over the island, while Hurley attempts to defeat "the numbers curse" (another great Hurley episode). Returned to the good graces of Claire, Charlie learns that he is marked for a grim fate. These and many other character plot twists abound in Season 3, as "Lost" shows that it's lost none of its momentum. The inertia continues right up to the end of the season finale, which has all the thrills and mystery of the rest of the season and something that the other shows don't - a flash-forward.

Twin Peaks - The Definitive Gold Box Edition (Seasons 1 & 2, Pilot) (1990)

2007-08-21T23:55:00.000-07:00

Starring: Kyle MacLachlan Director: David Lynch

Review:
Finally! A complete set of one of the most important series in the history of TV, August 20, 2007
By Robert Moore (Chicago, IL USA)
It is almost impossible to overemphasize the importance of TWIN PEAKS in the history of television. Although the eighties saw enormous strides in Quality Television, beginning with HILL STREET BLUES and continuing with series like CHINA BEACH, ST. ELSEWHERE, and L.A. LAW, none of these series took television took TV to the next level. To be honest, neither did TWIN PEAKS, since Season Two failed to deliver on the almost dizzying potential shown in Season One, but it clearly revealed television as a medium with more potential than anyone had ever imagined.

In my own take on the history of television, the full maturation of serial narrative television comes in four stages, each one represented by four key television series. Stage One was the debut of HILL STREET BLUES, with its intertwining of multiple story arcs. Previous to HSB, there had been no critically acclaimed series to leave conflict unresolved each week. Series worked exclusively in episodic format, wrapping up every major plot detail by the end of each episode, and with all the characters magically forgetting everything that had happened in the week before. There were multiple reasons for this, one of them being that the pure episodic format allowed networks to repeat episodes in any order, since together they did not tell a story. But HILL STREET BLUES, while it did not tell very long stories, always had multiple arcs that took 3 to 6 episodes to resolve. It was a dramatic improvement on previous television narrative. Stage Two came with TWIN PEAKS and the idea that you could use a series to tell a very, very long story over the course of one or more seasons. Unfortunately, despite an inconceivably exciting and very short Season One, TWIN PEAKS fell apart in its second season as unresolved mystery was piled on top of a series of other unresolved mysteries. By the end of Season Two viewers had been given few answers but had been presented with a staggering number of questions. More on the consequences of this in a bit. Stage Three was represented by THE X-FILES, which like TWIN PEAKS took a very long story arc over the course of several seasons, as over six years the series told a story of alien colonization and government collusion. Unlike TWIN PEAKS, the series provided answers, but like TWIN PEAKS it succumbed to internal contradictions and narrative confusions. As X-FILES creator Chris Carter admitted, they were more or less making up the mythology episodes as they went along. Also, while Mulder and Scully were riveting characters, the series was insufficiently concerned with character development and more concerned with plot. The correct blend had not yet been found. Stage Four came with BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, which perfectly blended long-term character development with very long story arcs. In developing the series LOST, Damon Lindelhof has stated that their writers would watch TWIN PEAKS and THE X-FILES in order to be aware of the pitfalls befalling long narrative serial dramas and BUFFY to observe the correct balance between narrative and character development.

[Usually at this point a BABYLON 5 fan will interject that B5 also introduced a long, character-based narrative into television. My reply is always that B5 took place in its own little universe, no pun intended. While THE X-FILES and BUFFY were changing the way TV envisioned the way to handle narrative, B5 was on, but it apparently had little or no influence on any other shows. I've never been able to discover another series that seems to have been indebted to B5, not even FARSCAPE, which seems to owe far more to BUFFY. So B5 aside, my point stands.]

TWIN PEAKS represented both TV at its best and its worst. Season One of TWIN PEAKS might be the most perfect season in the history of television. It was only a few episodes long, but each episode was more exciting than watching most movies. Prior to TWIN PEAKS all television was about talk. The focus of every show was on people standing around talking. Ironically for a visual medium, the visual was curiously unimportant. MIAMI VICE had anticipated many of the achievements of TWIN PEAKS by bringing the purely visual and aural elements of television to the forefront and by making silence -- mainly through the long, pregnant, almost overwhelming pauses of Edward James Olmos -- a significant part of the surface of television. But TWIN PEAKS made the specifically visual and aural elements of the show critically important in a way never before seen on TV. It was more like watching ballet than viewing anything else that had ever before appeared on the small screen. Unfortunately, all the magnificence of Season One was rapidly destroyed by the increasingly incoherent and self-indulgent second season. Not that there were not some wonderful moments in the second season, but more and more as the season went on, at least toward the end when Lynch and Frost seem to have realized that things had gone too far, the show devolved into chaos. Still, the genie was out of the bottle. Regardless of what the show became in Season Two, Season One had already altered the history of television.

TWIN PEAKS is also, more than any other series, responsible for introducing surrealism into prime time. Although NORTHERN EXPOSURE (which was filmed only a few miles away from where TWIN PEAKS was -- the two series in fact featured opposite sides of the same mountain range in their background shots -- NORTHERN EXPOSURE also made an explicit shout out to TWIN PEAKS near the end of its first season) started off odd, it didn't become truly surreal until after TWIN PEAKS enormous success. Without the magnificent strangeness of TWIN PEAKS we might never have gotten the oddity that we found in shows like ALLY McBEAL.

Famously, the reason we have never seen a complete collection of TWIN PEAKS before was that the rights to the pilot was held by a different production company. An oddly truncated edition of Season One was briefly available, but without the initial, and utterly glorious, pilot, it just didn't seem right. The pilot was available separately, but the quality was so low as to be more irritating than satisfying. Now we will finally get the entire series together in one wonderful set.

Grey's Anatomy - The Complete Third Season (2006)

2007-08-21T23:50:00.000-07:00

Starring: Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey

Review:
Not as good as it used to be., August 16, 2007
By C. Barlow
I became interested in this show because I just happened to catch the "code black" episodes and the finale of season two. I didn't become a fan until after watching both the first and second seasons on dvd and by then, the show was about a month or so into the third season. I watched faithfully almost every week (even the repeats), but this season was much different from the last two.

Part of the reason that I loved Grey's Anatomy so much was that it was able to make me laugh, cry, and think, especially about the relationships in my own life. Unfortunately there isn't a lot to laugh about in season three. I don't recall any particularly inspiring moments either. The show has become a soap opera. A very well written and acted out soap, but it is what it is. In addition to that, the fact that some of our most beloved characters either won't be (or appear to not be) returning, and the whole Isaiah Washington business that no one would just let blow over have soured me towards the show even more.

I'm sure there will be a lot of new faces next season, but I haven't yet decided if I'll continue to be one of the faithful.

The Office - Season Three (2005)

2007-08-21T23:42:00.000-07:00

Starring: Rainn Wilson, Steve Carell

Review:
Wow...just wow, August 9, 2007
By Denise Herrick (Seattle, WA)
It is pretty close to perfection the way The Office balances over-the-top hilarity, moments so awkward you have to watch them through your fingers, and poignant, subtle reflections of insecurity, inertia, regret and tenderness. All of this is framed documentary style during a mundane day at the office or at an event of forced "funtivities." It is bleak, and compelling, and tear-inducingly funny. Attention to every tiny detail in direction, an amazing cast and unbelievably great writing make this the best comedy on television right now.

Heroes - Season One (2006)

2007-08-21T23:31:00.001-07:00

Starring: Hayden Panettiere, Masi Oka

Review:
Gripping from beginning to end, August 21, 2007
By N. Norris

What a fantastic series! It really had you hooked from episode to episode. The cliffhangers were great! The diverse cast, the amazing powers and the drama was to notch.

The only complaint I had was in the season finale. I was a bit disappointed about Sylar. It shouldn't have happened so easily. With all the powers he absorbed he could have done serious damage!!

I'm eagerly awaiting the second season.

Dark Shadows: The Beginning Collection 1

2007-08-21T23:31:00.000-07:00

Starring: Joan Bennett

Review:
My Name is Victoria Winters.........., August 7, 2007
By Music Fan-atic "Glen" (Hogwarts)
The immortal words that began a legacy of fandom for one of the most bizarre, much-loved ground-breaking gothic soap operas ever made....it became most known for one of the first horror/fantasy series to introduce the idea of a guilt-ridden vampire, a tragic hero that broke ground for those who followed...like the popular Angel character in the Buffy series.

Herein lies the more maligned, first year of the soap which was only in its barest means, a gothic soap made in the image of Jane Eyre....volume one begins with the first 35 episodes or seven weeks of the show, beginning with the arrival of young orphan cum governess in Collinsport, a strange Maine coastal town headed by the bizarre, dysfunctional wealthy Collins family. She has been commissioned to work at the ancestral home, Collinwood, as governess to the emotionally troubled ten year old, David Collins(played by David Henesy) by matriarch, Elizabeth Collins-Stoddard (played by Hollywood veteran actress, Joan Bennett)to benefit her alcoholic brother, Roger (played wonderfully by over-the-top actor, Roger Davis) Victoria (Alexandra Moltke)is also to be companion to Elizabeth's wild teenage daughter, Carolyn (Nancy Barrett).....these people bring a whole new meaning to skeletons in the closet! Other noteworthy characters to the cast are coffee shop waitress, Maggie Evans (the beautiful Kathryn Leigh Scott), Carolyn's boyfriend, Joe Haskell (Joel Crothers) and Sam Evans (David Ford) Subplots include the return of once falsely accused Burke Devlin (Mitch Ryan) who insists Roger Collins committed the manslaughter and the nearly psychotic episodes of the more than troubled young David Collins. Although many dismissed this early year as pointless drivel, many die-hard fans (I count myself as one!) were rabid for these early installments....there are strong character developments here and good acting....although production values are sometimes strained, lines forgotten, sets falling apart, this is an enduring classic of gothic suspense. The early episodes are a bit drawn out but I believe the stotylines that preceed the eventual addition of Dracula-like family member Barnabas Collins are a must have for all committed fans of the far-out fantasy soap.....with the fantasic prices Amazon has been shelling out on these, snatch them up now!!!

Nip/Tuck - The Complete Fourth Season (2006)

2007-08-21T23:24:00.000-07:00

Starring: Dylan Walsh, Julian McMahon

Review :
Its Still Nip/Tuck, August 15, 2007
By Michael Buonaspina
I will say this season was a little more watered down than the others have been it seemed like. I think I speak for a lot of fans when i say i didn't like michelle at all but other than that still by far the best show on tv with the best two main characters.

Two and a Half Men - The Complete First Season (2003)

2007-08-21T22:27:00.000-07:00

Starring: Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer

Review :
Charlie Sheen Saves His Career, August 8, 2007
By Patrick Muldoon "Patrick Muldoon" (Beverly Hills)
Charlie Sheen saved his career with this show....This show is hilarious mostly due to the comic timing of Sheen and Cryer.....Sheen is basically playing a version of himself (minus the drug abuse that has plagued him in the past) Cryer does the whole neurotic thing to a T, showing why the producers of Friends were wrong to pass over him for the role of Ross (yes, true story) The only negative is the kid..There is no need for him..The show could be an all out R rated comedy similar to Married With Children in edginess but the kid is not a fit..He cant act and is out of place..He should be on Hannah Montana as Hannah's dorky fat friend and not on this show......It will be funny in a year or two to see what the writers and producers do when the kid is 14 years old and 200 pounds all those cutesy fart jokes just wont cut it....More Charlie, more Jon, more of the mother, LESS of the kid

The Lookout (2007)

2007-08-21T22:25:00.000-07:00

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jeff Daniels Director: Scott Frank

Review :
Heist Story with a Human Twist, August 20, 2007
By Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States)
THE LOOKOUT, written and directed by Scott Frank (who also wrote 'The Interpreter', 'Minority Report', 'Get Shorty', 'Dead Again', etc.) is a clever story of a bank robbery but that is really a secondary plot to this excellent drama that deals with characters with impairments and how they cope with the world at large. The cast is superb and the film ranks with the fine 'sleepers' of the year. It is a movie that is not to be overlooked.

Chris Pratt (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, rapidly becoming one of the top screen presences) is one year post automobile accident that has left him with altered memory function. Once a banner boy in athletics and scholastics, he is now reduced to living his life with the aid of a pocket notebook that 'reminds' him to 'wake up, shower with soap, get dressed etc'. He lives with a blind roommate Lewis (Jeff Daniels in another fine performance) who works with Chris, helping him adjust to his handicap by teaching him to work backwards in his thinking as an aid to progressive memory capture. Chris carries a card with him that informs people he is brain damaged and for the most part people are kind and help him go about his daily routine: he works as a janitor in a bank with the hopes of becoming a teller one day. Chris encounters an old acquaintance Gary (Matthew Goode) in a bar and after a conversation Gary sees Chris as a perfect foil for a planned robbery of the bank where Chris works at night. The mounting frustrations of Chris' handicap bring him to the point where he will do anything for change and he hesitantly agrees to be the lookout for the back robbery. When the night of the robbery arrives and things go awry, Chris reverses his decision to participate and the traumas that occur bring Chris' memory back and a surprise resolution to the story is very successful on many levels.

The script is beautifully crafted and impeccably delivered by Gordon-Levitt, Daniels, Goode and the supporting cast. The DVD featurettes are almost as exciting in the information they offer, especially from Gordon-Levitt, as the film itself. This is an example of a low budget film that is smart, classy, addresses human issues in a straightforward manner, and has more depth than the majority of films that have come out this year. It is a film that is highly recommended viewing on many levels. Grady Harp, August 07

Wild Hogs (Widescreen Edition) (2007)

2007-08-21T22:20:00.000-07:00

Starring: Tim Allen, John Travolta Director: Walt Becker

By N. Fares (California)
Going into watch Wild Hogs I had low expectations. Thinking this was the type of movie that had a bad storyline with good actors in it to sell it. Boy was I wrong. This was definately a movie that I laughed out loud in and quite frequantly at that. A great movie to see with your kids who are preteen ages and up because of some crude humor. A great movie!

Justice League - Season One (DC Comics Classic Collection) (2001)

2007-08-21T21:54:00.001-07:00

Starring: George Newbern, Kevin Conroy Director: Bruce W. Timm

Worlds Finest, May 24, 2007
By MD-4-Christ
What can I say. This is a great show. I absolutely love Batman's new look. I think it's the best look he has had so far. Slimmer, pointier ears, black and blue-shaded cape and cowl, heels, the whole nine. I don't like Superman's new Jaw lining however. I heard it was made to make him look older. Right. Dumb idea. Glad they got it right in the next season. This is a great show I say again. Green Lantern (the soldier), Flash (Who's Hilarious) Wonder Woman (Gorgeous), HawkGirl (Fiesty) and the Martian Manhunter (the loner). Get every DVD like I did and you definately will not be dissapointed. As good as JL Season one is it just gets better and better with JL Season 2 and even better with JLU Seasons 1 and 2. The WW2 finale at the end is also great. So what are you waiting for!? Get it! Now!!

E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial (Widescreen Edition) (1982)

2007-08-21T21:46:00.000-07:00

Starring: Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace Director: Steven Spielberg

Review :
By Ryan Rogers (Memphis, TN)
This is a fantastic film. I don't know when it became cool to diss Spielberg and his movies but I see why it was included as the 24th greaest American movie on AFI's 10th Anniversary list.

Such a powerful movie. It works on so many levels and Henry Thomas gives a wonderful performance.

But the first disc ruins the classic. CGI takes away that realistic feel to movies. No matter how wondeful the advancements are, there's something about CGI that ruins a classic when it's retouched in an unneeded way.

E.T. did not need retouching. It's a perfect film. One of the best I've seen.

Night at the Museum

2007-08-21T20:57:00.000-07:00

By Christopher Hivner (Dallastown, PA USA)

Ben Stiller's character is an inventor whose ideas never quite work out. In order to provide more stability for his son, and to prove to the boy that he isn't just a loser, he takes a job as night watchman at the Natural History Museum. He discovers on his first night that after sundown, everything in the museum comes to life. Just as he's learning to control the ensuing chaos, he finds out he's being framed by the three guards who are being forced into retirement because they don't want to retire.

This was a very inventive movie with a great cast. It was a treat to see Dick Van Dyke and Mickey Rooney again and they played their parts with gusto. Stiller did a nice job as a good guy who just needs something in his life to go right. The effects are good and there are laughs throughout, many of them from Owen Wilson as a cowboy in a diarama who has delusions of being more. Robin Williams is excellent as Teddy Roosevelt who tries to help Stiller cope with the madness around him. I also loved the T-rex who just wanted to play fetch with one of its rib bones. I wasn't really expecting much from Night at the Museum, but was pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed this film.