Fog and Crimes: Series 1

Very good with a few reservations
The highs: Luca Barbareschi totally looks the part as Soneri and lends his unique flair to the role. He is a gifted and versatile actor who's as comfortable displaying the typical masculinity expected of an inspector as he is showing his softer side (although not very often). The Po river area and Ferrara are mysterious and magic, almost ethereal, and really add to the series' atmosphere. The script is captivating and holds your attention throughout each episode. This series also does a great job at capturing the rich Italian culture (the food, general habits and customs, mentality, sense of humor, etc.) and has the added merit of exploring some of Italy's social problems. The sense of humor, which is always in good taste and well-timed, brings a sense of balance to the story. Soneri's humanity in dealing with criminals and suspects is also refreshing and touching, as he often tries to relate to them in a way that goes beyond his role as a cop. Ultimately, Soneri's many-sided and...

More please!...
After Maigret, Brunetti, Montalbano and (yes!) Coliandro, MHZ Networks is bringing us Inspector Franco Soneri, in Ferrara near the Po (province of Emilia-Romagna, between Bologna and Venice). Soneri is just as good a detective as his colleagues, and his investigations are just as interesting (he is better-looking too). There is no bad language, no gratuitous violence (no machine guns!), and no obvious sex although there is some romantic interest and love-making (artistically blurred in the bed scene). You can allow your children to watch it, especially if they are learning Italian. The picture quality (at least on my TV) is not quite as good as that of the Brunetti DVDs and, except in the fourth episode, there are not many views of Ferrara (look for the massive castle and moats of the Este family; also the cathedral). The next series (six episodes on 3 DVDs) will be available from Amazon at the end of September. I am looking forward to it, and I hope it gives us more views of...

EXCELLENT POLICE SERIES
Without the usual rampant violence that appears in many of the recent cop shows this Italian police series rises above and simply shows the complete dedication and non-stop investigation by a detective who is both charming and dramatic. He latches on to a case and does not quit until he has succeeded. P.S. The English subtitles are quite satisfactory

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Strike Witches - Complete First Season (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Very fun, very much rewatchable, and kinda funny.
Strike Witches is a story based on Earth(Naturally) about a group of witches known as the Strike Witches that defend their planet/homes from a mysterous enemy called the Neuroi.

The focus is on a young girl called Yoshika Miyafuji, an average normal girl who one day learns of her fathers past and is drawn into the conflict with the Neuroi, she comes accross as a somewhat shy girl but at the same time she has the detirmation to help others around her and better herself, and as shown in this series she demonstrates this by showing courage and conviction in the face of the enemy.

This is mostly a slice of life story centering on the various girls that serve in the Strike Witches, that also contains some drama and some mild character conflict between the battles, and the team bonding that occurs during them.

Initially one might look at the cover thinking that this series is perverted, it can be but it simply isn't the direction the show takes, the...

charming
This is a very sweet, charming anime with some solid action. It is NOT porn despite what the other review says.. there IS some fan service and some yuri undertones. If that's something that bothers you, this probably isn't the anime for you.

Experienced anime fans will love it
While it has many of the trappings of a typical light fanservice title, strike witches has more spark than you would think. Varied and memorable characters, quality design elements (the series if derived from a collection of figurines produced by a popular designer where elements of classic WWII aircraft are blended with kawaii teen girls), a decent storyline and good pacing. If you enjoyed "Sky girls" this series is, IMHO, better. Strike witches is on my short list of series which deserve more recognition than they get.

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Olly Olly Oxen Free

Okay/Goofy movie, but...
This was an okay/goofy/fanasty movie, but it was not very well made. I only bought it to add to my Katharine Hepburn collection. It made me sad to watch one of my favorite actresses stoop to the level of this movie. Kids might get a kick out of it, but Hepburn fans will probably experience the sadness I felt.

A movie for all ages
This is essentially a children's movie, but it will delight anyone at any age. The only adult on screen is Katharine Hepburn in a fantastic performance at the end of a stellar career. The story is an engaging one in which a 8-year-old boy and his friend attempt to fly a hot air balloon that had belonged to his granfather, in honour of his birthday. I highly recommend this little-known film for all viewers.

Olly Olly Oxen Free - a little known Katherine Hepburn film you should see
Katherine Hepburn and her supporting cast especially the two boys, are superb. She is the perfect actressi
in a perfect for her amazing talents.

The balloon adventure will carry you away, as it di me, I believe! The Musical score is wonderfuland captures and underscores everything in a charming manner.

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Somewhere in London

A must-have for any respectable rock fan of the 21st Century
This is how rock concerts should be - genuine music and adequate visual effects that do not distract.

Marillion have changed quite a bit from the early 80's. Some fans jumped ship as Steve Hogarth replaced the departed Fish. I like the vibe of both versions of Marillion. To be honest,I could not imagine the Fish-fronted Marillion in 2008 - so both Fish and Marillion gained from the separation. So what's Marillion's music like in 2008? Genuine, adventurous, atmospheric, intelligent rock music with touches of everything else. Actually, it's quite difficult to describe Marillion - but the closest you can get is a combination of Radiohead and Coldplay, still better.

Starting with 'Anoraknophobia' in 2001, the band finally started to spark again following two disappointing albums. 'Marbles' released in 2004, is a masterpiece - the songs 'The invisible man,' 'Neverland' and 'Angelina' to name but a few, are real gems. 'Somewhere else' released in 2007 got mixed...

Discover Marillion and Here's How. Any rock fan should have this release!
If you don't know Marillion, you're not alone. But you're missing out.
If you remember them, but haven't checked them out lately, you're in for a huge surprise.

Drawing comparisons with Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Coldplay, Keane, Crowded House and other varied artists, nothing seems quite satisfactory in defining this highly emotional and dynamic rock outfit. I discovered them over 20 years ago with their former frontman, and in the last 2 years have rediscovered the amazing back catalogue with the charismatic Steve "h" Hogarth at the front mic.

Whether you remember Marillion from the 80's heyday or have never heard of them, take a small risk and order this disc post-haste. The best concert video the band has ever put out, it boasts excellent production values, an excellent performance and a great introductory setlist. I've probably watched my copy at least 30/40 times, and the depth of the tracks and the intensity of the performances is up there with the best...

A lesson in independence
Few bands have achieved a status where they pretty much can do whatever they want, just taking its fans in consideration, without submitting themselves to contracts with record companies. Marillion is on this road for quite a long time now and its releases are as constant as they are superb.

Somewhere in London is a celebration of independence, where the band was able to fill 2 DVDs with material that may not be relevant to "the market", but it is relevant and eagerly anticipated by the fanbase.

DVD1 is a mix between two nights at the Forum, giving preference to the latest album back then (Somewhere Else). It is quite a contrversial album among the fanbase, with some love/hate reactions, but as far as the songs present on this DVD go, the band raised the bar with incredible live versions, with highlights being Somewhere Else and The Other Half.

For the rest of DVD1, quite an...

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In the Footsteps of Vivaldi

Ah Vivaldi...
A good thorough exposition of this brilliant composer....and the efforts of the library and researchers in Venice to preserve his works. I appreciated all the fine details of his life and the culture in Venice when he was present.





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Celibidache Conducts Bruckner: Symphony No. 4

The best Fourth
Celibidache is one of the best directors in playing Anton Bruckner. His reading of the Fourth Symphony is accurate, meditative, majestic. Other directors can interpret either Bruckner, but in a hurry. With Celibidache, Bruckner is as it should be: unhurried, infinite. With this Fourth Symphony there are few who are close to the height of the director, as Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic in his recording for EMI in 1971, or Karl Bohm with Vienna Philharmonic recording for Decca in 1973.

critque
Bruckner is, or can be, a tedious composer who repeats passages for no reason known to those who listen. His symphonies are long and are soemtimes slowly presented to the point of tension. Celibidache is interesting to observe as he milks measures for content that, after having been repeated in rehearsals over and over again, seem to have little, if any, audio effect to anyone else. He is a master of knowing the music. Bruckner is one composer who brass players should adore. Frankly, the brass effects are the most compelling and most interesting and without them there would be no need to sit through the works.



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Marvel Anime: Blade - Complete Series

This series was way better than X-Men or Iron Man
I have watched both the X-Men series and Iron Man series and I really thought this one was the best of the three. I thought X-Men series had no action at all and should not even been called X-Men series. It was more of them just standing/sitting around and talking about their enemies and who is behind all of this events happening. If they weren't doing that than they would be standing/sitting around and playing mind games with each other. The "actually fighting" would last about 30 seconds or so for each show. Not an action pack series at all. Iron Man was much better than X-Men, but not as good as Blade.

What makes Blade better than the other two series? It has the right storyline, action, and characters mix all in one. In every show, you will get to see Blade "actually fighting" and he is kicking butt at it. He also knows how to fight and talk at the same time. Amazing!

The series has rememberable characters and are used well to make a great story. They really...

awesome anime
The Japanese have out did themselves. Blade the anime is a great one. Too bad its only 12 episodes. Wish they made more.

DVD Review: "Blade" Anime Series
I've never been a big fan of Marvel Comics. I don't read any of their titles on a regular basis. I enjoy all the movies, but fancy myself more of a DC guy. The Marvel characters I gravitate towards seem to be the anti-heroes and darker ones like Ghost Rider, the Punisher, and Blade.

I like all the Blade films and the short-lived TV series. What's not to like about watching a half-vampire / half-human who uses his namesake to eradicate the evil bloodsuckers of the world? Now we get to enjoy an anime version of the vampire hunter's adventures thanks to Marvel and Japan's Madhouse.

The "Blade" Anime Series includes all 12 episodes on 2 DVDs. The show takes off when Eric Brooks, known in the vampire world as Blade, goes on the hunt for Deacon Frost. Frost is a rare four-fanged fiend that killed Brooks' mother. Blade partners up with several interesting characters in his quest for vengeance. He even runs into Wolverine in one of the episodes.
The animation for...

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Winchell

A Great Portrayal Of A Complex Man
Recently while accepting his Emmy award for this film, Stanley Tucci sheepishly told the audience "This is a mistake". Well, wrong, Stanley, because you were absolutely fantastic portraying Walter Winchell, king of the gossip columnists for many decades. Luckily last year when it was on HBO I taped it, & I've watched it 3 times since then, it's that good! Highly recommended, and if you've not yet seen Stanley Tucci's work, this is a great way to get started. Highly recommended.

A riveting story of one of the most unforgettable characters
Stanley Tucci's portrayal of Walter Winchell is nothing short of brillant. It's no small wonder why he won an Emmy for this movie. The story and natural flow of Winchell's life, spanning over sixty years, was both eye-opening and gripping. The clothes, sets, and supporting actors all added to this interesting and factual story, and one not to be missed and enjoyed.

Stanley Tucci's Emmy winning turn for HBO as the journalist Walter Winchell
Stanley Tucci won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie in 1999 for "Winchell," which is a testament to his skills as an actor because in this HBO movie he has to play Walter Winchell. The problem is when the biopic gets to the point in Winchell's career when he went on the radio and did the "Good evening Mr. and Mrs. North America and all the ships at sea. Let's go to press" bit. His high speed staccato delivery (clocked at an average of 197 words per minute), is ripe for caricature, and the way Tucci and screenwriter Scott Abbott ("Introducing Dorothy Dandridge") play it and write it Winchell on the radio is not the way he normally talks because he is so uptight about being on the radio that as soon as the broadcast is over he always runs to the men's room to be sick. Consequently, Tucci is able to refrain from having to talk like that for the entire movie (you might remember Winchell as the narrator of "The Untouchables" television series)...

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Autism Enigma

Hope for Autism
Very well done documentary, only about 50 minutes long. It states that Autism is the FASTEST RISING developmental disorder in the world. I thought that Autism is a life-long condition, but this shows the advances to lessen, or even lead to a cure! I highly recommend it.

informative dvd
My son was diagnosed with autism a year ago at age 2 &1/2 so I am learning all I can about it. This DVD was very informative

Popular video
This video was purchased to replace one at our library that had been lost. Judging by the number of people asking to borrow this, I have to say it is informative, respected and for us, a worth-while purchase.
Librarian at the WGBY Video Lending Library, Springfield, MA

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Johnny Cash Music Festival

Fund Raiser
There was some very good music on this CD but it came across more like a local fundraiser than the star powered music fest i expected. Okay but not great.

Tribute To Johnny Cash
This is a benefit concert from 2011 to restore the old homeplace of Johnny Cash. Therefore his extended family, including daughter Rosanne and son John Carter former son-in-law Rodney Crowell among others and musical friends Kris Kristofferson and George Jones performed songs written or associated with Johnny Cash. Other artists who perform in this concert are Tommy Cash, Joanne Cash-Yates, Dailey & Vincent, Gary Morris, Bill Miller and Chelsea Crowell.
The arrangements are close to the originals. If you prefer a more "modern" approach to the songs check out the "We Walk The Line" Tribute DVD/Blu-Ray, which was released about the same time with different artists. Both are highly recommended.
Siegfried

GOOD BUY
Loved it Well worth getting,Many of the extended Cash famiy,Roseanne excellent.Bob Miller does a great version of Ira Hayes .Peter H

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The Proposal

The best ever
I think Dynasty tops all the series I have ever watched. It is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the best series every produced in my books. Dallas, Falcon Crest, Knot's Landing: all of those are good, but Dynasty was my favorite. I wish they would do a second one like they are doing wth Dallas.

Love it
I remember my parents watching Dynasty when I was in my early 20's but I was never home to watch it. I can see why it got so much attention back then. It's a great show with awesome fashion shows every episode.



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Future Tense

The "switch" season
I think of season 4 as the one where Dawson's Creek began to transform itself into Joey's Creek.

The very first scene already hints at this switch by showing Joey and Pacey returning from their boat trip after escaping a broken-hearted Dawson and inquiring friends. The trend of having Joey in the opening scenes of new seasons would continue for seasons 5 and 6. Season 6 even more blatantly so by having her do a voice-over. It was not a bad change, but I would have appreciated a memo.

Most of this season focuses on how Dawson, Joey, and Pacey could ever go back to being friends. Dawson must somehow accept that both of his best friends are now an item. Dawson and Pacey are proud, they won't admit they're wrong, and Joey is caught between her boyfriend and her best friend. It's a great conflict that in real life could have destroyed a friendship for good. But there's a reason why the audience roots for Dawson and Pacey to be friends again and that's because we know...

Two guys, a girl, but no pizza place
Dawson's Creek was not a show that I watched during it's regular network airing. Friends of mine recommended that I check it out, but it was never something that interested me. Then one evening while watching another show on The WB, I saw a commercial for the reairing of the very first episode of the show, prior to the final episodes as the series wound down. I watched the reairing of the Pilot and from that moment on was hooked on the lives of Dawson, Joey, Pacey and Jen.

The fourth season of Dawson's Creek is mostly about the relationship between Pacey and Joey and the problems and issues it causes among their friends. While Dawson and Joey have long considered themselves soul mates, they spend much of this season questioning that as Joey explores her relationship with Dawson's former best friend Pacey.

This season was also the final season for the group in Capeside, Mass. The kids graduate high school and move on to other things. In some cases, college is the...

The Reason I Ended Up Here...
I have to say that this season is the best out of the whole series. Katie Holmes and Josh Jackson captured an on-screen emotion that seemed so much more like love than anything I've seen on TV or in a movie before. In fact, I have to say that their relationship is the reason I'm a hopeless romantic. I know that the end of the season isn't the way that I would want it to be...but we know how the series turns out, so I'm not too sad. Plus, once this DVD is released there's only 2 more until we have the complete series on DVD. That'll be the longest marathon ever...

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Carnivale: The Complete First Season

The first steps to trading away wonder for reason
"Carnivàle" is part of small but growing number of quality television shows that are committed to the sort of lengthy and complex story arc that was once the province of the mini-series. But shows like "Wiseguy" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in the past and current offerings such as "24" and "Lost" have paved the way for television shows that emphasize the big picture rather than the more traditional episodic approach. As such, "Carnivàle" is most similar to "Lost," in that we are pretty sure we know what will happen at the end of the journey, but we have no idea how many seasons down the road that end game will be played out. Does creator Daniel Knauf ("Wolf Lake") have an ambitious five-year plan similar to what J. Michael Straczynski had in mind from the start for "Babylon 5"? We will have to wait and see.

With a show like "Carnivàle" it is easy (and fun) to play with various antecedents that explain the series in simple but readily understood...

A brilliant program
In a short period of time, "Carnivale" has grown into my favorite television show. Structured like a dense, epic novel, the production values are sumptuous, the acting uniformly ingenious, and the central mysteries complex and involving. The series, ostensibly about the final battle between good and evil, as wonder gives way to reason, is so firmly rooted in a three-dimensional, realistic world with three-dimensional realistic characters that I would classify it as more magical realism than science-fiction or fantasy. The characters drive the plot, rather than the other way around, which is a difficult feat to accomplish in such a complex narrative that includes shadowy symbolism and prophetic dreams. There have been complaints that the first season did not wrap up any loose ends, but why should it? Season 1 is but the prologue to this novel-for-television, and narratives are never concluded in the prologue. Be forewarned, though, if you are looking for a television show that does not...

The Best HBO Has To Offer
Some may complain that "Carnivale" leaves too many loose ends. I would argue that these people are entirely missing the show's point. If you are the sort of person who likes things to be wrapped up all neat with a little bow, turn back now... Otherwise sit back, and let the pure magic of this show suck you in.

"Carnivale" has a plot that begs to be questioned, mysteries waiting to be theorized upon, and characters that you will truly love (or love to hate). It is a show you can discuss for hours on end. The joy of it is not discovering the answers through the plot itself, but by your own deduction.

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GOT to Make You A Superstar

I realy enjoyed this one
I enjoyed filming this episode It was cool the way the cops got them with the false fire outside the room. That and I enjoyed doing the reenactment of it.

Great episode
I really enjoyed watching this episode. One of my friends was in the first half, so of course it made watching it even better. The only thing I would have liked to know is what happened with Peaches. Did she get out of jail, did she make any positive changes? Since she was not interviewed during the episode like Clowner was, all you saw was how she was portrayed in the reenactments.

excellent
Excellent. Love it very intresting stuff Like to watch over & over again the story. Tell true these people. Make you wonder about some human no sole. What to ever

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Thou Shalt Not.... February 2, 1974

A terrible thing to do to a wonderful series
I am reviewing this DVD set, not the series, which is one of my favorites.

I pre-ordered this DVD set as soon as I possibly could, so that I could replace my not-very-high-quality, copied-from-TV episodes on bulky VHS tapes with clean copies on a few DVD's. It had been a while since I had watched the episodes, so I didn't notice anything wrong until I reached "Good Morning, Peoria." When Chick and Rachel were dancing that romantic dance, all I could think was, "Huh? What the heck happened to the music? Wasn't there a *real* song there before?" So I did some digging on the Internet, to make sure my memory wasn't playing tricks on me, and was absolutely horrified to discover that the music in various episodes had been changed. Most especially I was flabbergasted that they messed with the soundtrack of "M.I.A." That is one of the best episodes in the series, and the music felt as much a part of the story as the words. I played the final scene from the DVD, and it was...

A lot more than "Georgia On My Mind" is missing
If you do an internet search with the words "Quantum Leap: The Definitive Music List" you can find a complete list of all the songs that have been removed, along with the episode they were originally in, and also the famous songs that were not removed. Here's a quick rundown of the songs that are missing:

DISCO INFERNO:

"That's the Way I Like It" by K.C. & The Sunshine Band; "Kung Fu Fighting" by Carl Douglas; "Do The Hustle" by Van McCoy & The Soul City Symphony.

GOOD MORNING, PEORIA:

"All Shook Up" by Elvis Presley; "Maybe Baby" by Buddy Holly & The Crickets; "Yakkety Yak (Don't Talk Back)" by The Coasters; "Jail House Rock" by Elvis Presley; "Shout" by The Isley Brothers.

THOU SHALT NOT:

"Locomotion" by Little Eva; "Killing Me Softly" by Roberta Flack.

ANIMAL FRAT:

"Louie, Louie" by The Kingsmen (even though you can see characters mouthing the words in the episode); "Surfin' USA" by The Beach...

Don't buy this, buy the Region 2 version!
As some of the other reviewers have mentioned, this US release has replaced the original source music. But the Region 2 version has been released without these cuts, so for everyone with a multiregion player, I'd suggest using amazon.co.uk to buy a copy there instead!

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Day Care Crisis

So disappointed
I am so disappointed in this latest "season" of IMOTD. The blatant Kit Kat ad placement borders on being offensive, and the producer's deliberate attempts to make more money by selling half-seasons that people will have to pay double for is outrageous.

But more importantly, the show's content is really declining. The show used to be about dog training. Now we see very little training happening, and instead Victoria just yells at each family for being morons. Three times in this season alone (only six episodes have aired) Victoria has walked out on the client, having a hissy fit at their incompetence. The problem is that she is starting to sound like a nag, and comes across as an emotionally immature crybaby rather than the strong, patient individual she appeared to be in seasons 1-2. I miss the old Victoria! I miss the old show.

Focus on the training. The human drama is boring. This is Animal Planet after all!

Jumped the Shark
I want to preface my review with the fact that I am a professional dog trainer with over 30 years experience. I have run my own dog training business since 1986, and I do only private, in-home instruction such as Victoria Stillwell (and Cesar Millan) do, only I have been doing it twice as long as they have. So I am well aware of the dynamics of working with families and their dogs, and the parameters of a dog trainer's responsibility in doing this work.
.
This series started out, in Season One, as classy, informative, interesting and entertaining. I liked Victoria's approach to training, as it is very much like my own, her rapport with her clients reminded me of my own, and since we never stop learning, I was even able to pick up some helpful tips from watching the show. I agree with most of her techniques and philosophy, although I think she goes overboard when it comes to her melodramatic aversion to invisible fences, which work out well in most cases and have saved many...

Positive Dog Training
I am a huge fan of Victoria Stilwell. She is an excellent trainer. She comes up with some very interesting ways to deal with various issues. I love that she is a positive dog trainer as well. She really is terrific. The series is entertaining as well. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone interested in dog training and behaviour problems.

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The Mission

Season 7
Like a visit from an old friend from the 1980s. Not as enjoyable as seasons 3-5, but if you're a fan this season is a must watch.

Love the show, quality and options for viewing limited
Finally an option to expidate watching this series. I am a bit disapointed I am not able to download them and view without having to rely on a wifi connection. Happy that I can watch all the seasons without waiting for the studios to release the DVDs. All in all a good value for this Dynasty junkie!

Excellent
The rich with plenty of issues. A great television program of glamour and intrigue. Best drama program on television. I absolutely love it.

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Picture Perfect [HD]

BEST EVER!!!
This product is amazing! I recommend this season for any Kendra fan. I will be buying more in the future! I loved watching it!!

Much Better Than Previous Reality Series
Kendra is something else! She really makes me laugh with her not at her antics and I like her approach many times in dealing with her life challenges. You can feel the love and warmth she shares with her family. I hope she and her family have continued success and look forward to watching future seasons. I also noticed that now she executive produces her own show. It is absolutely wonderful that she is in charge of how she and her family are portrayed and I think that is why this show is better than her previous reality series, in my opinion.

Kendra, "you go girl."



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The Ring Bear-er

Not EVER worth watching!
I must preface this review by stating I am no fan of the Palin family. My politics runs counter to their spoken ones.
But my instincts tell me that some of their belief system may just be for show. So with this said---I watched Life's A Tripp
when it came on Lifetime with as open a mind as I could under the circumstances. I always want and try to be fair. Also I was
the designated "watcher" for my group of friends. They wanted a FAIR assessment.

Nightmare.

The premise of this series is laughable. Single, struggling mom (who owns a couple of homes, has a ghostwritten book to her credit, numerous magazine
spreads, and was a paid spokesperson for Candies )with a toddler moves to L.A. into a mansion to work for a non-profit.
Then Bristol brings her underaged sister out to care for her child and whines constantly about how hard everything is for her.
Why isn't Willow in school? If it so hard for Bristol--- who is caring for her...

cute show
I can not imagine being in her shoes. It amazes me the adventures she has ahead of her. I enjoyed the show and wish the best for her.

Interesting
I enjoyed the series and would love to see a second one done. Tripp is adorable and I love to see how other people live.

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Use Your Disillusion

Better than it gets credit for...
Ignore the haters, Season Five is one of the series' best. While nothing will touch the freshman year of Seasons One and Two, Season Five benefits from a welcome change of scenery. Capeside was getting tired by the end of Season Three, and Four seemed like the same old conflicts reiterated again. The series needed to breathe, and it found new wind in sending Dawson off to California and the rest of the clan off to Boston.

Throwing the characters into the new realm of post-secondary adds freshness to the series, as the gang is able to experience new and more age-oriented conflicts, like fraternity angst, career-path uncertainty and the perils of being away from home. The series would even stretch itself creatively with the new location change, with an interesting two-parter with Joey and a life-changing situation.

Not only is the change of scenery rife with interesting new experiences, but the actual subject matter of Season Five has much more dramatic weight than...

I don't want to wait for our lives to be over
One of the biggest reasons I enjoy television so much is because it allows me to escape the incredible boredom that passes for my life, and for a little while anyway, take in somebody else's problems and live in their lives.

This is certainly the case with Dawson's Creek. I never watched the show when it was on the air until the last few episodes, but I have enjoyed the first four DVD sets and was interested to see how the show changed once the kids left Capeside for college.

As season five begins, we find Dawson at film school in California, Joey at Worthington College in Boston and Jack and Jen close by at Boston Bay College. Pacey, fresh off his summer working on a yacht, is living in a boat in Boston Harbor and as the season begins, only Jen knows he is there.

Things change quickly for everyone as the season gets under way. Dawson realizes that he misses being with Joey and decides he wants to move to Boston to be near her. But the sudden death of...

Another great season of DC
I know there are many disappointed fans out there when it comes to the decline of momentum in the fifth season, but I really loved this season. We have already seen all of Capeside and its inhabitants at this point. We already know the in depth history of each and every one of the main characters. We have already seen the same people thrown into the same situations again and again (Not saying that I didn't love every minute of it). It is just nice to see how they react to a new environment and new people. Also, the fifth season has some of the most heartbreaking storylines of the entire series, including the episode where Mitch dies and the one where Joey gets mugged. For anyone questioning whether or not to buy the disc set, let me just tell you that the previous four were well worth it for me. I do have to say that I was a bit disappointed by the change in music. I understand why certain songs had to be changed, but it just isn't quite the same when you see the opening credits come...

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Going for Gold

Showcases true grit and determination
I love inspirational stories and this credible portrayal of real-life events was an engaging watch. The drama focuses on the true story of Bert Bushnell (Matt Smith) and Richard "Dickie" Burnell (Sam Hoare), British sportsmen who became partners in the double sculling event at the 1948 Olympic Games. The backdrop is post-war Britain, a country and nation that had suffered much devastation. I found it interesting that in the drama, it is insinuated that the Americans were eager to help out England by hosting the games, but the powers that be in the British government decided to go ahead and host the Games, even at great cost because the bureaucrats and politicians believed the Games could bring in much needed revenue for the country's rebuilding efforts.

At heart though the story is about two young men, both from very different backgrounds. Bert is a boatbuilder's son, and finds himself under pressure from his father to qualify for the Olympics. Once Bert accomplishes this,...

An Olympic Period Piece With Its Heart In The Right Place: Uplifting, But Conventional
Capitalizing on the Olympic fever that surrounded London this year, BBC showcased this uplifting underdog story in July. It originally aired under the title of "Bert and Dickie" but as it makes its North American debut (both on TV and on the DVD market), it has conveniently been reborn as "Going For Gold." Now that's much more evocative and in keeping with Olympic branding! Set at the 1948 games, this unassuming picture has the innocence and appeal of a movie that had been made in the fifties. It is styled as an old-fashioned melodrama and plays out exactly as you might expect. While it appears that the movie has its ardent supporters, it is hardly a revelatory film experience. At best, this is a pleasant movie that lets the audience sit in comfort as it moves toward the predestined and rousing finale. Sure, it's easy to get caught up in the sweetness and the spirit. Heck, who doesn't love a story of human triumph? As others have pointed out, the template of "Going for Gold" has been...

`You don't win if you don't pull together!'
This bright and shining little film was made by BBC as a docudrama of sorts, likely produced to gain the attention of a story from England's history with the Olympic Games: it is a true story of an event form the 1948 Olympic Games but it is far more than that, and as such it deserves wide audience recognition as an exceptional, touching film about sportsmanship, friends, commitment, and father and son relationships. As written by William Ivory and directed by David Blair, this little BBC special, known in England by the title BERT & DICKIE, is a quiet homage to all that is good about human interaction.

The time is postwar 1948 London where despite lingering rationing and austerity measures the first Olympic Games after the war is to be held. The members of England's government quibble about not having sufficient funds to host the event while the treasury's public relations officers see the Games as a potential source of tourist income and a chance to demonstrate to the...

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Suitable for Framing [HD]

Suitable For Viewing
I have never been a huge fan of murder mysteries, niether book, TV or movie form. I figure them out too soon or in the cases where I don't, the resolution is a severe let down. I'm not an amateur genius detective or anything, I just have a good memory and tend to keep certain aspects of the mystery catalogued as I watch. Columbo, however, is a murder mystery show of a different animal. Quite frankly, no show of its type has been more original in presentation, format or style before or after its initial launch in the 60's.

The reason for this bold claim? Peter Falk and the innovative idea to reveal the murderer at the start of the tale. The enjoyment, and I'm sure many of you have heard this time and time again, in watching a Columbo episode is; a. the interaction between Columbo and the suspect; b. the personal mannerisms of the Columbo character; c. following Columbo as he uncovers every facet of the crime committed and pieces them together and; d. the satisfaction...

There IS Just One More Thing...
Peter Falk's Columbo ranks as one of the greatest TV detective characters ever created. His ability to capture the kirky Los Angeles Lieutenant has captivated decades of viewers and is sure to also capture younger fans with this long-awaited DVD release.

Created by Richard Levinson and William Link, the series debuted in 1971 with "Murder by the Book," which was actually the third appearance of Falk's Columbo (there had been two previous two-hour NBC World Premiere Movies prior to the series launch.) Interestingly, "Murder by the Book" was directed by a then unknown talent: Steven Spielberg.

Columbo was unique in so many ways, the first was that the viewer learned the killer's identity in the first few minutes of every episode. Up until then, detective shows and mysteries had tried to keep the audience guessing "Who Done It?" until the very final scene. Levinson and Link turned that formula upside down, letting viewers in on the intracacies of the crime from the killer's...

T.V.'s Most Famous Detective Finally on DVD
It's great to see Lt. Columbo is finally going to make it on DVD! For those familiar with the cigar-smoking detective in the rumpled raincoat only through the specials produced in the 90s, the originial 1970s episodes show Columbo in his prime.

Most people are familiar with the Columbo formula: guest star plots murder; guest star kills victim (a series trademark - we know all along who the killer is); Columbo appears on scene; Columbo investigates - "Ahh, just one more thing, maam/sir"; just as it looks like guest star will get away with it, Columbo discovers piece of evidence that seals the case; Columbo nails guest star with evidence; guest star is led away to jail. A formula, yes, but a formula that worked incredibly well for over 40 episodes in its original run.

The first season contains two of my favorites: "Death Lends a Hand" - Robert Culp plays a private investigator who kills a client's wife, then is hired by the unknowing client to help Columbo with the investigation;...

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The Decision

Dynasty fantastic as always
What can I say? Dynasty is brilliant as usual. Somewhat cheesy but that was the 80s and we loved it. The bling, the sparkling jewelry, the fake Rita pretending to b Krystal, the Alexis and Krystal catfights.

Even a lot v straight men loved this show. I hope the Shapiros make good on their promise and bring out another Dynasty.

I think Shapiro shud get the writers from Gossip Girl and ex writers from bold and the beautiful to work w her this time.

one of the best
I love it then when it is first showed, I love it even more now because no todays primetime series could match it.

Dynasty Season 6
For many months I waited for Netflix to get this season and it never happened. There were scads of fans requesting it and still they did not deliver, and one day I decided to search on Amazon and there it was the entire season for purchased. Not just for purchase but I could watch it instantly! I was elated, thank you Amazon you guys are amazing.

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Colorado Roulette

Amazon, please put up all of the seasons of Dynasty, Falcon Crest & Knots Landing!!!!
Great season. Awesome show! I absolutely loved Dynasty, Dallas, Knots Landing & Falcon Crest growing up. So having the ability to watch Dynasty through Amazon Instant Video is wonderful!!! Thanks Amazon!!! (Please keep adding seasons!!!!!)

Why no discs?
When your only (Amazon) option is direct streaming, you either take it or leave it. Would rather have the discs for convenience and quality. Picture far inferior to Netflix.

Can't Wait for Season 9 to be available
Always Loved this show wish Amazon Instant Video had all the seasons! Don't think they make drama like Blake & Crystal Carrington anymore!

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Boyfriend from 27,000 B.C. / Voyage to the Bottom of Buford

fun the way your kids see the world
my 5 and 7 yr old love this. Each adventure is wacky, in a fun and defying-reality sort of way. e.g. Let's build a monster truck rally stadium in the backyard so our sister can practice driving to get her license. They build it, and it simply exists without consideration of where the neighbors' houses are. It just is.

The boys' pet Perry the platypus, a.k.a. Agent P, seeks each week to find and derail Dr. Dufenschmertz's evil plan to take over the tri-state area. Perry is some bizarre Picasso-esque teal platypus; Agent P is a teal anthropomorphized fedora-wearing platypus. [That was my 5 yr old's halloween costume last year.]

It's NOT: violent, sexualized, or patronizing. The cut-off younger age is likely just a matter of a child just not being able to relate to it, not any inappropriate material. Agent P keeps get caught by the evil scientist, which might be disturbing for a 2 yr old, I suppose. I find it amusing and the stories are different than run...

Phineas and Ferb ROCK!
Don't skip P&F just because it's animated. This is one of the best written cartoons out there! Great laughs for all ages - especially the parents that get ALL the jokes!

Great show for kids and grownups
Our family does not watch much TV and we're very selective about what our kids watch. While it's not an educational show, it's about 2 brothers using their imagination and ingenuity to create something totally awesome in each episode. Us grownups find ourselves watching it with our kids more times than not because it's so entertaining! There's lots of adult humor to make it fun to watch for the whole family. Highly recommend!

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The Perils of Show Business: Proceed at Your Own Risk

You may already own these...
These bonus workshop DVDs already appear in the "Expanded" version of Gibson's Learn & Master Guitar. Check to see that you don't already have them (or haven't already ordered them in a different product) before making your purchase.

Best Way To Improve Your Guitar Playing
I've taken lessons off and on over the past 30 years. I have never learned as much with those instructors as I have with this system. If you want to learn how to read music, understand music theory, and play properly BUY it!

Don't order these from a m az on!
The publisher includes these extra discs for free. Buy it there instead and save yourself the money and get all 20 discs for less than you'd spend here.

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4-1-1 [HD]

excited
i just love love love this show can you guys just please put season 5 up i am dieing to see wht is going to happen !

The Secret Life of American Teenager Season 4
I would rate this more than 5 stars. I like the story of Ricky and Amy in the Season 4. I would recommend to others to watch this.

Excellent series
This is one of the best shows on television. The acting is excellent and the characters are so well-developed that I feel like I know them. I also like the fact that there are life lessons in practically every episode. We need less reality show trash and more high-quality shows like TSLOTAT.

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Transformers: Prime - One Shall Stand

One Shall Stand
This disc contains a total of seven episodes. Yes, four have been previously released on the Season One DVD/Blu-ray box set but the other three are yet to see a release in any home media format! On top of that, they are edited together to form a movie. So this makes it a totally different experience to watch -- just like the previously released Darkness Rising set.

For the record, the episodes are:
"One Shall Fall"
"One Shall Rise, Part I"
"One Shall Rise, Part II"
"One Shall Rise, Part III"
"Orion Pax, Part I"
"Orion Pax, Part II"
"Orion Pax, Part III"

Now, the "Orion Pax" episodes will be included on the Season Two set, but who want to wait until 2013?! And even then they won't be presented as one feature-length experience with the preceeding "One Shall..." episodes. This set's a bargain!

ravage 24/7
Transformers Prime:One Shall Stand is a thrill ride of transformer action!There are plenty of twist in the storylines in this awesome DVD.Optimus and Megatron battle it out with awesome intensity while earth hangs in the balance.Unicron plays the wild card role in these episodes.The battle scenes with Unicron are amazing with Optimus,Megatron,and the rest of the Autobots getting involved.Optimus shows his true character of bravery and honor while Megatron shows his greed for power in that he will be the only one to conquer earth and call it his own.Arcee,Bumblebee,and Bulkhead are amazing as well while backing up their leader with heroism like only the autobots can.The other 3 episodes are of Orion Pax.Optimus must find himself again persay while trying to figure out who he can trust and believe.Megatron shows how manipulative the Decepticon Leader can really be when implimenting project iocon.Arcee and Jack really show what they are made of while kicking some major ass along the way...

A truly epic adventure for Team Prime
"And it was written in the Covenant of Primus...that when the 47 spheres align a perpetual conflict will culminate upon a world forged from chaos. And the weak shall perish in the shadow of a rising darkness."

With these ominous words recited by Optimus Prime, a truly epic adventure begins for the brave Autobots who defend the Earth from Megatron and his minions, the Decepticons in "Transformers Prime: One Shall Stand," a special DVD release from Hasbro Studios and Shout! Factory. This disc offers the final 4 episodes of Season One of the "Transformers Prime" TV series as well as the 3 premiere episodes of Season Two, but showcased in an edited form for the viewer to enjoy as a 150 minute feature-length tale. The original episode titles were:

"One Shall Fall"
"One Shall Rise (Parts 1,2,3)"
"Orion Pax (Parts 1,2,3)"

"One Shall Stand" marks a critical time in the ages-old conflict between the opposing "robots in disguise." The malevolent...

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Bully And Billy

Revisit the 80's
I loved this series when it was on TV originally. I am glad it was available on Amazon now. My children liked it when it came out and both started looking for things in the library thanks to this show. I wish that some station would remake the series.

One of my favorite shows when I was a kid.
I loved this show when I was a kid. It combined history with adventure and was mildly educational without being preachy. I showed this show to my 10 year old son and loved it.

Nostalgic.
Great show for kids has a lot of history lessons mixed with entertainment it was a great show when I was a kid now as an adult its a little corny but I can watch it with my kids.

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Mr. and Mrs. Witch

EXCITING LAST SEASON !
I LOVED THAT THE WRITERS KEPT YOU ON YOUR TOES THE WHOLE SEASON, YOU NEVER KNEW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT, THE BEST THING IS THAT IN THE LONG RUN, IT'S A HAPPY ENDING. I THINK ALL SHOWS SHOULD HAVE A HAPPY ENDING.

LOVE this episode!
This is my favorite episode of Charmed, and for $1.99, it's worth buying. This ran a bit slow on my computer and occasionally the dialog fell behind the picture, but you still get the overall story.

Waste of money
This DVD is misleading it is actually the final season. I had season seven and final season I got this thinking I would complete my set. Now I have to go through the pain in the butt of sending it back.

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Another Proposal [HD]

A good start to the second season but a DVD that doesn't have much tSLotAT-related special features
NOTE: There is confusion in regards to the seasons of "The Secret Life of the American Teenager". The second volume was marketed as "Season Two" but abc Family has confirmed that it was a production mistake and the last volume marketed as season two is in fact, the second half of season one. This volume three release is the first half of season two.

The ABC Family series "THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER" received a lot of attention during its first season as the series was critically acclaimed and also how ABC Family didn't sugarcoat the challenges of teenage pregnancy. Showing us the ramifications of being pregnant as a young teen but also the responsibilities and difficult choices one needs to make. The series was also popular for its portrayal of teenagers of today. Again, nothing sugarcoated and despite it being on ABC Family, the series shows us the real-life challenges that teenagers are facing. These characters are just regular people, not upper class and...

The Secret Life of a American Teenager
The Secret Life of the American Teenager: Season 1The Secret Life of the American Teenager: Season TwoThe Secret Life Of The American Teenager: Season 3
I think this is a great show for all teens to watch. It has alot of real life problems, some of it may be a little unreal but I bought all 3 for my daughter and it helps her thinking ALOT!! I think a parent should watch the shows together as a family and talk about it!! Great family time

Perfect as promised
My daughter loves this series & was excited to get the series.. The buying process here on Amazon was easy & fast.

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Essential Robots Collection

It is what it says it is
Not especially educational, but it has some good information. Makes a good filler for a day when I have a sub

Good
Well worth the low price and good overview of progressive technologies in the computer robot fields as well as others etc.

Exactly What I Expected from the Discovery Channel
Very good movie. Very happy with my purchase and the company I purchased it from.

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Olsen & Chic Johnson - Fireball Fun-For-All (1953) / Chopsticks (1950)

Olsen & Johnson, American Humor at its zaniest!
In the 1930's, Olsen and Johnson were one of the most successful comedy teams in America. They'd paid their dues with Vaudeville in the 1920's, and by 1936 had a Broadway Review called "Hellzapoppin'" that ran over 1400 shows, and was a major-release film in 1941.

This is a long episode of the old "Fireball Fun-For-All" TV show in 1949 that features Olsen, Johnson, and 50 members of their then touring review. Lots of prop humor, sketch humor, you'll see where both Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In and Hee Haw Collection got a lot of their inspiration. Musical numbers, trained dogs, jugglers, unicycle stunts, and fun, fun, fun!





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Mike Donavanik's Extreme Burn: Metabolic Conditioning

Intense cardio, sculpting, and abs
Mike Donavanik's "Extreme Burn: Metabolic Conditioning" is intense, for the intermediate and advanced exerciser. It emphasizes cardio, with a lot of jumping and some complex moves, along with sculpting and abdominal work.

Mr. Donavanik works with 2 ladies and 2 gentlemen, with one of the ladies usually showing an easier modification. You need 2 sets of dumbbells, one heavy and one light.

The DVD contains 2 workouts. Here are the details.

~~~

#1

Workout 1: Total time is 47:03 which includes warm up and cool down.

Warm up

Jumping jacks
Squat
Side lunge
Reverse lunge
Forward twist
Jumping jacks

Circuit 1

Hanging squat, to pop up
Pop up with shoulder press
Alternating curl
Commando

Donkey kick
4x4 jacks
Dynamo lunge with kick
Donkey kick
4x4 jacks
Dynamo lunge with kick

Circuit 2

Front lunge...

Awesome workout!
Wow is this one tough workout!!! Exactly what I was looking for... I have been doing Cathe Friedrich, Insanity, P90X, turbofire... you name it... this workout seems to be giving my body the push it needs.. after just 2 weeks of doing this workout and Mike Donavanik's previous workout I have lost 3 pounds already! The scale was not budging before... so glad I purchased this and can't wait for more from Mike Donavanik!!

Great Workout!!
Really challenging. A step up from his first dvd. Mike keeps you motivated and sweating throughout. I would recommend this to anyone looking for something challenging and different.

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The Magic School Bus: Blast Off! From Space to Sea

Fun and Educational
I watched a few episodes of this show when it still aired, and even though it was aimed at a younger audience (I was a teenager at the time), I remembered it being fun enough that I thought our 3-year old daughter would enjoy it. She simply LOVES this show!

The length is perfect (about 25 minutes per episode), and the characters are a good range of nationalities and personalities. Ms Frizzle is the teacher we all wish we had, and the humour in the show keeps even my husband and me amused (especially the last segment of the show, featuring The Producer). Quite a lot of accurate information is presented in an easy-to-understand and very attention-capturing manner.

I particularly like that this dvd offers the shows in English and Spanish, as we are raising our daughter to be bi-lingual and it is often difficult finding shows in Spanish. The Spanish-speakers are definitely native speakers; for someone who is trying to learn Spanish, it may be a bit too fast-paced,...





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Dora the Explorer: Dora's Fantastic Gymnastics Adventure

Dora and Ribbons, Need I say More?
My boys (4 and 5) love Dora and "Dora's Fantastic Gymnastics" came at a perfect time. The girls next door are in gymnastics and my boys were curious about why the girls were wearing "bathing suits" (leotards.) They loved watching the three episodes on this disc, over and over of course! The first is the gymnastic one where Dora twirls around a ribbon and of course includes an adventure including Swiper. My boys especially love Swiper because he is sneaky and mischievous. The other two episodes are classic Dora and friends. I love Dora in general because it gets my boys up and moving, they talk to Dora and learn all sorts of new things. This DVD would be perfect for any child, especially one though in gymnastics!

Three adventures, a lot of ribbons, and some lessons
"Dora's Fantastic Gymnastics Adventure" contains three episodes from the seventh season of the long-running Nick Jr. program. The titular episode features Dora as a gymnast, whose purpose is to perform gymnastics while spiraling a rainbow ribbon. Unfortunately her rainbow ribbon gets lost (you can probably guess why). Throughout their journey, the song "Fantastic Gymnastics" is sung repeatedly, and it is quite catchy. This episode teaches the important of physical fitness, and that engaging in physical activities is not only beneficial, but can be fun!

The second episode is a western-inspired "A Ribbon for Pinto". It features Dora having to travel across the desert to deliver ribbons for a pony show. And incidentally, her pony Pinto is to compete in this show. This episode teaches organization and counting while at Benny's sheep barn! The episode's climax features a classical western-style chase down, against a certain swiping fox. At the end of the episode, a lesson is...

Darling Doll
My granddaughter is in gymnastics and wanted this doll. It is really a cute doll and looks like it will live up to
her expectations!

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Melrose Place: The Seventh and Final Season, Vol. 1

"A Show Canned Way Before It's Time"
I was a huge fan of FOX's "Melrose Place" in the nineties. That series alone help make the FOX network what it is today. So, it wasn't surprising when the new network, The CW, decided to bring "Melrose Place" back this time with an entirely new cast as well as some old favorites the fans hadn't seen since the original.

The new "Melrose Place", unfortunately, wasn't given a chance to survive in today's television market. If the series had been back on FOX I am sure the soap wouldn have survived. Having the series air on The CW, a network that has been struggling for survival, really killed its chances of gaining an audience of any kind.

The series was extremely well-done with beautiful actors and good scripts. And the fact that it took place in the same apartment building made it a must-see TV show. I found these new inhabitants even more interesting than the old characters on the original. The two best characters were Ella (Katie Cassidy), a beautiful bisexual...

A Worthy Successor
Oh, Melrose Place, how I missed you. I missed Amanda's b*tchiness. I missed Kimberly "wigging" out. I missed Michael turning from good to evil. I missed Brooke falling and hitting her head on the side of the pool. I missed Sydney sleeping with everybody.

When I heard that they were bringing back Melrose with some of the original characters, I was ELATED. It was the must-see show for me for the Fall 2009 TV season. Unfortunately, it didn't last long, being cancelled after one season. And just when I was getting to know (and love) all of the new characters. As the season went on, the plotlines got a little wackier and reminded me of Melrose Place of yesteryear. And the guest appearances by some of the former cast members of the old series made me absolutely giddy. Melrose Place was again a guilty pleasure for me.

Before the show was aired, I had read about some of the casting...

Why do the good ones get cancelled?
The star of this has to be hands down Katie Cassidy as Ella Simms. Watching her brought back many fond memories of the original Heather Locklear character Amanda. I completely agree with what one reviewer said about Ashlee Simpson, which was, heard she was on it and said UGH! but then watched it and said OOOOH. She was great as violet, the seemingly nice girl with a dark twist. It was also so great to Laura Leighton aka Sydney Andrews again; I still can't get the opening scene of the series out of my head (you will have to watch it). They really did a good job of combining the old and new characters without feeling forced. The only obvious leap was bringing back Amanda, and let me just say, Bravo to that. You knew ratings were low when they finally brought back the queen b***h, and all I have to say is they should have done that in the beginning, however the series would be called Ella vs. Amanda rather than Melrose Place. The series ended too quickly; they were just about to finish...

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A Call to Arms

Captivating!!
Real television. Not reality television (YAY!) but real television! This DVD brings back all the memories of the most iconic television shows, movies and miniseries that we all wish would be on all stations at all times of the day in order to step away from an age that seems to be filled with nothing but `Real Housewives' and silly competitions.

This DVD set is all about the Brits - the `best of the best' when it came to the BBC - and offers clips, interviews, backstories, behind-the-scene looks and a history of images that are still embedded in our minds. Remember Jeremy Irons in Brideshead Revisited? Not only was this one of the most romantic and best-written tales, as well as the first that actually opened the door to `gay' characters, it was also a story that offered pure sophistication, stunning locales and fashion that the world absolutely fell in love with.

From The Adventures of Robin Hood (the first show that was ultimately aimed at young boys who wanted...

Keeley Hawes tells about UK period war historical romance costume dramas
Entertaining informative docu- series about UK miniseries. All costume genres, romance to war. Star interviews. Feature clips. Behind-the-scenes, like a mini-series of bonus material that is a history book of the UK TV costume drama existence. This DVD's as astounding as the drama epics themselves. Keeley Hawes (Upstairs, Downstairs) narrates all 5 episodes, but you hear directly from stars, writers, & directors. Hours of footage behind and in front of the lens. I've watched dozens of the covered epics, but found 19 `new to me' and likely future purchases.
SUBTITLES are provided

=====1 The Greatest Stories Ever Told
A history. Learn the history of the genre, from `Robin Hood' to world-wide hits like Upstairs, Downstairs; Forsyte Saga, I Claudius & more, so much more.

=====2 The Stars
See how 1000s of UK & US stars evolved due to their association to period costume epics. Helen Mirren, Alex Kingston, Keira Knightley, Jillian Anderson, Jeremy Irons,...

a really wonderful documentary as only brits can do
this is a wonderful documentary and brings back lots of superb memories. While it doesn't cover all the shows it COULD, it is well done and has interesting info for fans of all the major shows. It's just too bad it was done just before Downton Abbey, which brought in far more fans than Cranford.

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Verdi: Falstaff

A great falstaff.
This is not done,but I am going to suggest you read my long review on this fine opera on Amazon.co.uk. I do not know why Amazon.com does not put Brit reviews on new releases on this site. We have yours. Dont miss this bluray,it is very good.

I felt this rather missed the point
I have seen many recordings of Falstaff and always feel the key to success is to somehow imply the Elizabethan ENGLISH nature of the story. Verdi made this wonderfully possible in his score despite it all being in Italian and a number of notable singers have brought the meat of the opera to the fore brilliantly, notably Geraint Evans all those years ago! The role of Sir John Falstaff is of course critical.
I compared this with the Glyndebourne recording with Christopher Purves and felt this production was too Teutonic. Falstaff was depicted as a grubby slob, a schmock, which of course he was but he still had those false illusions of being an English Lord. This production gave little or no hint of being English at all and just trundled out the score, well sung but without any English character. Sir John could have been anyone. For me it fell flat. It could just as easily have been set in Zurich, (which it was of course) and it looked like it. I blame the production and the...



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Episode 2

great!!
I was thrilled to find this on my kindle, and to be able to catch this last show...that was covered over by a ballgame or
something when I had it recorded, it was the last in the series, and well worth it to pay a price to be able to see it, after
watching this series for 2 or 3 months, and then having to miss the last one.
Will be delighted to share this information with others, because I'm sure this happens to others as well...thank you!!

Not merely a 'Pad', but instead a "Sanctuary" for the cereberally enhanced...
Yes, dear reader, the title which I spent minutes painstakingly crafting to asign to this here review is, though truthful, maddeningly inadequate. If your psyche has yet to be rocked by what is, in my estimation, the most visceral, most riviting, most (dare I say) Machiavellian tour de force to have rocked my Monday evenings since my earliest memory in which I bust forth from my beloved mama's uterus back in 1973. Though that experience alone left me cold, confounded, and wailing out emotions I knew not how to verbalize at the time, it was as insignificant as an errant fruit fly hitting your pick up truck's dashboard on a balmy summers morn. In short, this here program has completely rewired my clearly heretofore naive understanding of the ignoble species 'mankind' that is woefully my ilk.

Yes, this program has affected me to the point of transcendentence. My first awakening of the spirit came BAM right as the premiere episode flashed from my humble TV set. Members from...

Shocking!!
Such a shocking twist at the end! Perfect ,as it gave you something to think about and consider just how you would have dealt with the situation. These episodes are always full of drama and this one did not fail in that category.

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Sacred Blacksmith: The Complete Series

Not bad, but needs a 2nd season
Caught this as it was airing. The setting and characters are rather interesting as well as the fight scenes. The ability for swords to become people and then back again is rather unique along with the sword forging process that the main character does during big fights. There is some light fan service attempts and the series seems to teeter on being either serious or light hearted, but in the end it leaves you hoping for a 2nd season. Really right now thats the only reason I could give for downing this series is that when it ends, the storyline is just picking up and getting good.

If you are looking for a fun, action-packed anime series that doesn't require too much of your time, definitely give "The Sacred
"The Sacred Blacksmith" anime series makes its way to the US courtesy of FUNimation Entertainment.

Based on the Japanese light novel series by Isao Miura, with original character designs by Luna, a total of nine volumes have been published by Media Factory under their MF Bunko J label (targeted towards young adult males, the J stands for juvenile). Meanwhile a manga adaptation began its serialization in 2009 in the monthly manga magazine "Monthly Comic Alive" and in October 2009, a 12 episode anime series by Manglobe aired on AT-X through December.

The anime series is directed by Masamitsu Hidaka ("Linebarrls of Iron", "I Dream of Mimi", "Pokemon Advance"), a screenplay adaptation by Masashi Suzuki ("Hell Girl", "Shuffle!", "Akane Maniax") and character design by Jun Nakai ("Tokyo Majin").

"The Sacred Blacksmith" takes place in a land that was once ravaged in the great Valbanill War. During that time, humans sacrificed their bodies to become powerful...

Good but unfinished.
Cecily is a knight. Unfortunately she ends up getting saved more than she ends up saving people. On one such occasion she is saved by the blacksmith, Luke. She becomes friends with Luke and begs him to forge a magic katana for her. An mystery man is unleashing demons on the land. Cecily and Luke must fight to protect their country from the evil demons.

This series is well made. It has good animation, voice actors, and a good soundtrack. There are plenty of good characters, laughs, and action. The story is pretty solid as well. It doesn't finish though. It was released in 2009, so there may be a possibility for a 2nd season. I liked this series and I recommend it to any anime fan. I believe it's worth 4 stars b/c it leaves ya hanging. However, if they finish it it'll probably get 5 stars. I can't give 5 stars to an unfinished work. Even so it's still worth watching.

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Young Justice: Dangerous Secrets

Episodes
Disc 1
Alpha Male
Revelation
Humanity
Failsafe
Disordered
Secrets
Misplaced

Disc 2
Coldhearted
Image
Agendas
Insecurity
Perfromance
Usual Suspects
Auld Acquaintence

What they should have done from the start...
One of either two things happened... Warner Bros. figured out that we weren't happy with the outdated "singles" release format and decided to just be done with it and release the remaining 14 episodes in one dvd set or they really did care and genuinely wanted to release it this way (which doesn't match with the first three single dvds already out). Young Justice is a great show, it's been plagued by delays but by the time of this dvd's release all of season one will have already aired on Cartoon Network's DC Nation. The show has great storytelling in a great mash-up of original source material (Teen Titans/Young Justice). The voice acting is superb with some veterans and newcomers doing a nice job of establishing the characters we've known and loved. In my opinion it is one DC's best animated shows of all time, it certainly looks better and sharper than a lot of their original animated flicks. Hopefully they'll release the whole season on Bluray, I'd certainly double dip...

Great Show
I highly recommend buying this show. It has gotten better with each episdoe, and can't wait for Season 2 to be released once it's finshed.

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Mozart: Idomeneo [Blu-ray]

Great Performances
Great performances: orchestra, conductor and soloists. Glyndebourne productions are always fascinating. Trevor Nunn's direction first-rate.

DVD quality is fine. Video and audio quality excellent considering this is a 1983 analogue source.

Good performances, but very old fashioned presentation.
For reasons unknown, Amazon has linked Mr. Nine's outstanding review of the Munich production of Idomeneo to this 1983 Glyndebourne production.
The performance under review was staged in London in 1983, conducted by Bernard Haitink, Philip Langridge in the titlerole, Jerry Hadley as (tenor-version)Idamante, Yvonne Kenny as Ilia and Carol Vaness as Electra.
The sets are period and the tempi is rather stolid (alas, Haitink could have been more enlivened in all the lengthy recitatives), but the performances are otherwise very solid, and in many places on the exalted side.
In the title role, seasoned British tenor Philip Langridge did not own the timbre required of Idomeneo (like Richard Croft for Jacobs), but here he sang in great style with impeccable acting skills. The arias are uncut, including the great 'Fuor del mar', with a great delivery by Langridge. However, Langridge was rather tame in the lengthy recitatives and this was not assisted one jot by Haitink's...

Dull staging but fine performances
Mozart had already written twelve operas by the time he was commissioned to write Idomeneo for Munich in 1780 (his earliest opera written when he was just eleven years old), and although many of those earlier works show moments of the talent and genius that would flourish in later years and are often astonishingly accomplished considering the age of the composer, they are mostly conventional in nature. It's generally accepted that Mozart's mature opera works commence with Idomeneo, composed when he was 25 years old, but written to the dictates of the opera seria style that was even then considered outdated, the implication is often that it's among the composer's lesser works. Viewed rather as the peak of the youthful Mozart rather than the beginning of his maturity, Idomeneo is however remarkably innovative and thoroughly unique in its treatment of the opera seria style with that distinctive graceful character that the composer brings to the work.

What is fascinating...

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Dead Season

Not Bad - Would have appreciated a slower pace and more innuendo
I was pretty excited about this one. I watch just about every zombie movie that comes out from the big budget ones down to things made for a hundred bucks. What i can tell you is that along THAT continuum, this is by far above average. But does that mean its GOOD? I'm not sure - but its not BAD. As far as the technical aspects go, this film is lovely. The cinematography is excellent (i'm going to assume it was filmed on DSLR - looks like a 5D or 7D?) and everything is wonderfully framed. The acting is above par for a film of this budget. The "bad" guy is the strongest performance, with maybe the most unsteady of all coming from the male "lead" - though not to a degree that takes away from anything. I use quotation marks because there isn't really a lead or a villain, just people that NEARLY take that role. Now, i don't have a problem with not filling standard archetypes of film - its just that these characters could have been so much deeper. The pacing of this film was so fast that...

HOTDOGS AND PANCAKES
During the zombie apocalypse, shortwave dating will replace Internet dating. A viral outbreak has created zombies which are called "walkers" with second generation zombies known imaginatively as "runners." It appears canned peaches will be the main food staple/currency in the post apocalyptic world (Dead Season, The Road, Hell, Soylent Green...no wait that was strawberry jam.)

Elvis (Scott Peat) meets Tweeter (Marissa Merrill) while shortwave dating. They opt to go off to the proverbial zombie free island, only in this film they actually do it. Once there, they discover the island is controlled by a paramilitary group. Walkers will wash up on the beach and have to be re-killed. There is also a very limited food supply as the government has contaminated the soil.

The island is run by Kurt (James C. Burns) who keeps is 17 year old daughter locked up in her room (Corsica Wilson) where every dad wants to keep his teen daughter. Elvis is a paramedic who kills walkers...

Yet another bad video reviewed by people who worked on it
I suspect the two people here who have one review, this movie, which they rave about, are the same folks who left the rave reviews at the IMDB too (where there they also have one review - this one). Once you see the actual movie, you'll understand. This is not good - it's essentially a rip off of Day of the Dead - with amateur actors, bad direction and a bad script. Not the "tremendous" movie you read other "reviewers" writing about. And what is it with folks who've worked on a movie who come in here and praise it - they ALWAYS say "it wasn't what I expected." Do they get these lines out of a "how to pretend to be someone else praising your own movie" book? I've said it before, I'll say it again- people who work on the movie should NOT be allowed to write pretend reviews in Amazon and the IMDB. It's unethical to see someone talking about how great it is when clearly it's not. Then you get folks like me who are even more angered and make sure to let the public know the truth - so the...

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Slipknot: (sic)nesses [Blu-ray]

A Great Concert on Blu-ray!!
this review is for the Blu-ray of this concert only. i'm probably not as big of a Slipknot fan as other people out there, but i picked up this disc after finding it in the store and am very pleased at how great of a job the producers did putting this together. the video is full 1080p high definition, and the audio quality is just as great featuring both a DTS-HD Multi channel track as well as a high resolution LPCM Stereo (uncompressed audio) track as well. special features included in this release is a 45 minute documentary and music videos from the album All Hope Is Gone. i'm very pleased with this release and would recommend it to anyone considering purchasing this.

All Hope Isn't Gone
With this live dvd, Slipknot prove they can pull what they do off live without seeming like a cheap immatation of themselves. The sound and picture quality makes you feel like you were there in the middle of the crowd with them. The only complaint I really have is the show itself isn't long enough. The bonus features, though interesting, but seem like they go on longer than the actual show itself. Hopefully, they will rectify this the next time they decide to do another one of these. Otherwise, I say, get this, sit back, turn it up and FARGING ENJOY!

AWSOME
This is one of the best concerts I've seen on blu ray, slipknot is a great live and studio band ever but that'sy opinion so anyway anyone that's a slipknot fan this is a must have . This is a great show and not to mention this is shot before the death of Paul their bassist which was great to see him play for one last time . A must have!!!!

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The Bastard

American History Mixed With Pulpy Melodrama: Some Of TV's Most Familiar Faces Bring The First Three Kent Novels To Life
Between 1974 and 1979, author John Jakes introduced America to the Kent family in eight wildly popular novels. Originally conceived to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the books follow different members of the Kent clan around the time of the American Revolution. They start with the immigration of the original patriarch, Phillipe Charboneau (he changes his name to Phillip Kent) and proceed through history many generations later. The timing of the series couldn't have been more perfect for a television interpretation. Network TV was just discovering the possibility of EVENT programming with offerings like "Roots" in 1977 and "Centennial" in 1978. So in 1978 and 1979, the first three novels in the Kent Family Chronicles were aired for a public looking for the next big thing.

Two things need to be mentioned about any television production of this time. First, they are very much a product of their era. They will invariably...

iconic historical trilogy-watch them all
US history drama. A who's who of 1970s-1980s TV. The first NYTimes triple best-sellers adapted (but not closely) to television and now it's debatable which is best, books or miniseries? John Jakes authored the novels. A stellar cast in each of the 3 adaptations, so huge it's impossible to list all. It is `70s TV filming with SUBTITLES added. The music is good, sets and locations quite believable. It's a walk through America beginning in 1771 up to and past 1814. A lot of history, pioneer life, war, political change, and more in America's beginning steps leading to world prominence. The story is all seen through the eyes and lives of the fictional Kent family.

Over 3 hours for each episode. Action, adventure, history, romance, violence, & sexual situations make it for mature youth and older. So nostalgic to see all the stars, for those who lived in the 1970s.

The BASTARDS: 1771-1772
Philip Kent started as the illegitimate son of a Duke. Troubles led him to...

Blast from the past.
I was rereading "The Bastard" and thought I'd follow it up with the movie. Um, well, what can I say except it's a product of 70s television! The acting really is pretty pathetic and the sets were sad, but they did try to stay close to the spirit of the story. (Which wasn't as well written as I had remembered. Shows me how faulty my memory can be sometimes!)

For the price, it was okay. I paid to view it and it was a couple bucks. No big deal. But if you aren't looking at it as a piece of nostalgia (70s TV mini-series nostalgia) I'd just look for something else to watch. There are better shows from the 70s!

If it's free (I would think that sometime soon it would be free on Prime), then go ahead. It's a way to kill time and you might laugh (at the wrong moments) as I did. It's got quite a bit of bad acting, bad accents and just off moments that tickled my funny bone.

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