The Jungle Book (Two-Disc Diamond Edition: Blu-ray / DVD + Digital Copy)

I love the movie but this DVD is seriously flawed
I picked this DVD up today and got it home to find that Disney had altered the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1 to make the movie "fit" on widescreen TVs. They did this by chopping off the top and bottom of the image. This results in the loss of a good deal of character animation (at least the tops of their heads and their feet). Trust me, I own the original Limited Issue DVD of this film and I did a side-by-side comparison as soon as I got the new Platinum Edition home. If you are a purist about original aspect ratios, please avoid this release and petition Disney to start a free disc replacement program. We should at least have the option of watching the original unaltered film the way that it was meant to be seen.
***NOTE: There are now user images that can be viewed for this product that illustrate the cropping discussed in my review.

A �Bear Necessity�
This movie is more than just another Disney masterpiece. The Jungle Book is a great tale of friendship and adventure. Although almost every animated feature that was created during Walt Disney's life is a classic, this one in particular holds a special place in the heart of many men (and now thanks to video and DVD, boys) who saw it while growing up. There isn't a boy alive who can see this movie and not want to be Mowgli. What a life it would be to live in the jungle, with friends like Baloo and Bagheera. It is every young boys dream to be so free.

That is not to say that only boys will love this movie. As with all Disney films, this one will be enjoyed by all members of the family, young and old. I saw it growing up, and never forgot my memories of the movie, and the days afterward, singing the songs and dreaming of adventure.

The music in The Jungle Book is some of the best in any Disney movie. "The Bare Necessities" is simply one of the best songs ever...

Disney's The Jungle Book - Limited Issue DVD
When it comes to DVDs, I would probably be the first in line to complain about releases that have mediocre supplements. But I felt like I had to make an exception when it came to Disney. All of their "Limited Issues" seem to have little or no extras at all, but the actual animated classic that the disc holds, for me anyway, more then makes up for it.

"The Jungle Book" is one of the first Disney Movies that I watched as a kid. I bought the DVD, and I saw the movie today for the first time in around 12 years. The entertainment value is suprisingly still there, and more over, as a grown up movie fan, I can appreciate the film more as a classic in animated films from Disney & not just a 'cartoon' to pass the time, like I considered it to be as an adolecent.

The picture and sound is satisfying for the film's age and genre; the Spanish Dubbing is an excellent addition, for some of my family anyway. But it pales in comparison to the English vocals; The animation...

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The Christmas Toy

Kermit is GONE!
Kermit's opening sequence and his introduction to the cast have been edited out. Gone, too, is the entire "Old Friends, New Friends" song finale, in which Kermit shows up and joins the cast singing the song. All that's left is a brief chorus heard over the closing credits.

For those who have never seen the 1986 original, this will make no difference. For myself and my kids, who fell in love with the original version, this Kermit exorcism is quite sad. Plus, the song finale was an important closing celebration of the show.

The DVD transfer is pristine, but one star is missing, in tribute to the missing green frog dressed in a Santa suit. I'm sure there are purist Henson fans who will not be as generous as I.

There should be a lump of coal in Disney's stocking this year.

Jim Henson is in tears over this DVD
Studio Lyons should be ASHAMED of this DVD release. No extras. Missing opening by Kermit and closing finale of Old Friends, New Friends. This is one of the best Christmas films ever made and they do it no justice. To add insult to injury the disc is labeled as CC closed captioned for the hearing impaired and our friend who is hearing impaired came to watch and we assured her it has subtitles so she could enjoy the film. She was so heartbroken being a big muppets fan that she could not follow the film because there IS NO CLOSED CAPTIONING. Luckily I already own the VHS release and it has closed captions and no missing scenes. DO NOT BUY THIS DVD!!!!

Meteora!
How sad is this...? My sister and I, who are 27 and 30 respectively, think this is the most fun Christmas movie to watch together around the holidays! When our mother taped it off the TV (and we still have that...and every single commercial is for some kind of margarine, which they don't do anymore [that is, run only one product's commercials during a program]) we watched it over a few Christmases and then forgot about it. In high school we rediscovered the tape and thought the story was really stupid and childish...but then, despite ridiculing the idiocy of the stinking mouse "Mew" and the wide-eyed vacuousness of "Apple" the doll (maybe Gwynnie Paltrow liked this movie too and named her poor daughter after that character...?), we ended up watching it every Christmas since. And of course the busty Meteora, who is as close to a villain as this show has, is particularly worthwhile, with her outrageous "outer space" breastplate and diva-esque song. In truth the songs are memorable,...

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You've Got Mail (Deluxe Edition)

Hanks and Ryan Shine in a Slick But Charming Internet-Based Romance Ten Years Later in a Deluxe Edition DVD
A 10th Anniversary DVD seems a bit vaunted for this familiar 1998 romantic comedy since it continues to play repeatedly on TBS and other cable outlets. It's no wonder since Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan have the kind of ingratiating rapport that makes it easy to slip into one of their movies no matter what part you find yourself watching. Directed by the acerbic Nora Ephron, who helmed 1993's Sleepless in Seattle with the same pair, this movie gleams with the same kind of good-natured, Hollywood-style gloss that made the previous outing a hit. However, the pieces fit a little too perfectly for me, so much so that it feels packaged for maximum audience appeal. It really takes the combined skills of Hanks and Ryan to make this palatable, even likable, but it's not without its challenges.

As with Sleepless in Seattle, Ephron, along with her...

Bouquets of sharpened pencils, indeed
Here's the main and completely irrelevant reason to love this movie: New York City in the fall. Honestly, it should have no bearing whatsoever on the plot, but it does -- and it's impossible not to fall in love with the bright, sunshiny, orange-leaved sheer beauty of the city encapsulated in this movie. Without even resorting to shots of Central Park in all its glory (and really, who can resist that?), "You've Got Mail" takes you on a lovely scenic tour of the Upper West Side, Starbucks and all. Who can resist the street fairs, the parks, the stores, the dock? It's picture-perfect, and if it's a bit surreal, I won't admit it: New York really is rather lovely in the fall.

Aside from making me want to run away to the Big Apple and work in the children's section at Fox Books, "You've Got Mail" also features Meg Ryan at her most adorable ("Aren't daisies just the friendliest flower?"), Tom Hanks at his most charming, and a terrific supporting cast (Greg...

Love this!
Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks shine in this romantic comedy. This is the second time this duo have performed together (Sleepless in Seattle). Perhaps that helps create the smooth natural tone of the interactions between the two. Ryan plays a bookstore shop owner...a tiny little store first run by her mother. Hanks company is building a huge bookstore chain in the same neighborhood. The two cannot stand each other. Besides their business lives, the two are both chatting with an interesting person through the internet and believe they are falling in love with the person. Little do they know, it is really each other! Will they meet? And if they do, will they fall in love or be shocked and disturbed? Watch the movie to find out what happens!

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Moneyball

Back Office Baseball: A Smart Screenplay And Grounded Performances Showcase The Business Of The Game
Every year, I get wary of the inevitable film set in a sporting arena where an underdog player or team must triumph against adversity to become unlikely heroes. As accomplished or heartwarming as many of these films can be, they never seem to be able to break free of the conventions that we've all seen a hundred times. While I can't say that "Moneyball" isn't inspired by the genre, I will say that it looks at the phenomenon from a decidedly different angle. Based on Michael Lewis's non-fiction account of the same name, this is actually an intriguing story ruled by the business of baseball as opposed to the emotions the game elicits. As such, it seems like something entirely new. Director Bennett Miller (Oscar nominee for Capote), along with heavyweight screenwriters Aaron Sorkin and Steve Zaillian, has created one of the brainiest and least sentimental baseball films you're likely to see. "Moneyball" tells the true story of how the Oakland A's GM Billy Beane rebuilt the team for...

Inexplicably great movie, even for baseball dummies
I really don't understand baseball. Like it, but don't really understand it. I can watch the game and understand superficially what's happening, but I don't get the strategy and, of course, it's all strategy. So, I went to see this in the theater and loved it and then just rewatched the blu-ray. Loved it, and only partly understand why. One thing: You can't take your eyes of Brad Pitt. Not because of his good looks, but because he's just utterly charismatic and engaging. Jonah Hill is an unexpected but perfect casting choice. But, overall, it's a tribute to the filmmakers that a movie that shouldn't work this well works this well.

The business of baseball
"Moneyball" is based on true events, and provides valuable insight regarding the on-field and off-field dynamics of the Oakland A's Major League Baseball Club.

This film has the capacity to engage viewers who are familiar or unfamiliar with the sport, based on the avant-garde approach to managing resources that is utilised by Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), which any person in business can appreciate.

The narrative is also inspiring, as the viewer is presented with what seems like impossible circumstances for the A's to be successful, yet through innovative thinking high performance is achieved.

Brad Pitt provides a solid performance, as does the entire cast, and the viewer is entertained with plenty of humour and quality drama.

This movie is a win for baseball, as it has the capacity to introduce new people to the game from all over the world.

Nicholas R.W. Henning - Australian Baseball Author

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Step Brothers (Single-Disc Unrated Edition)

I wasn't ready!
I don't understand how people didn't like this movie.... I take that back. I expect that people didn't like this movie because they expected something smarter. For the record, don't expect this to be an intelligent comedy. It's not. At the same time, I think it's absolutely hilarious. I'm a firm believer in setting our own expectations. If you expected Twister to be some amazing, epic film, then you were probably disappointed. If you expected it to be a movie about a tornado, you were most likely entertained. The same applies to this film. Don't go in expecting an artistic masterpiece. It's crude, rudimentary comedy, and it's nice to be spoon-fed ridiculously "insipid" humor from time to time. I. Loved. This. Film. It's ridiculous, just don't expect too much.

Seriously under rated
This movie is a real sleeper. The first time I watched it I thought it was funny, but after watching a few more times I think it is great. These two portray the base element of every man. The "forever 13" humor that almost all men love, even if they don't like to admit it. Mary Steenburgen is also hilarious. Some people who are too uptight to laugh at juvenile humor will trash this movie, but it is funny. The casting throughout was perfect.

Step Brothers rocks!
This movie was one of the funniest movies I have ever seen in a long time. These two actors are great together, they pack a laughter punch like no other. I'm definitely buying this movie.

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Thomas & Friends: Engine Friends

Great Stories of Friendship from Thomas & friends..
Another great DVD from Thomas & Friends. In this DVD, 20 episodes on a 2 disc set. This DVD set doesn't have any CGI episodes on it, but the great stories from the classic series & television series. There are 4 episodes on this DVD set that are new and never released on DVD. Plus, the DVD has the storytellers of Ringo Starr, George Carlin, Alec Baldwin, and Michael Brandon narrating these stories. some of these stories were seen on HIT TV show "Shining Time Station". The best story in my opinion on the DVD was a 2-part episode about Duke, the lost engine. Also on the DVD, there are bouns features which are Games & a scrapbook. In my Opinion, I rate this DVD 6 out of 5 stars. This is a great DVD set and is a MUST HAVE dvd for Thomas fans & train lovers. Great to see few new stories on the DVD. Hope more DVDs come out soon with new-to-DVD episodes. Thomas & his friends are really useful in this new DVD collection of adventures & friendships :)

Gotta love Thomas
Was so happy to find this on DVD as many of our classics were on VHS, and then on separate DVDs. Wonderful to be able to kick back and relax and soak up the lovely world of Thomas sans blood, gore, stress, violence, backstabbing, cursing, one-uppage, and generally spiritually lacking shows of today. Bonus: don't have to get up and down as much - you can just relax and enjoy!

The Ultimate Collector's Gem!
This is where your looking at classic Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends. This has 3 episodes never released on DVD and 2 Never on video! Trouble in the Shed was on "Tenders & Turntables". But "Saved from Scrap" and "A New Friend for Thomas" are from the original Shining Time Station airings. Yes, these are the USA Ringo Starr narrations. Season 1-4 are ALL restored. This is one Giagantic Plus for me!

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Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

3D Review by a 3D Connoisseur
My ratings are based mainly on the QUALITY OF THE 3D, not the video content.

There are a large number of out of screen effects that extend 10% of the way, from the screen to the viewer. 6 OOS effects reached 25%. The best two for Longevity & Depth are Skrat and his lady friend in tar bubbles reaching 25%, lasting for about a minute and very short lived anteater punching bag reaching an impressive 40%.

*** Funny with an enjoyable story line. Excellent graphics add to the 3D ***

MY 3D RATING = EXCELLENT (poor, fair, good, very good, excellent)

Note: As far as the percentages go, everyone's eyes are different. What I see at 25% you may see at 15% or 35%. To fully realize how far something is out of the screen for you, pause on an effect and direct a partner with an extended finger to the tip of what you are seeing. You may be surprised.

Click on `See all my reviews' for the lowdown on other 3Ds

Great movie!
Took my nephew to see it and he loved it. I thought it was hilarious as well. Why can't some of you people just enjoy the movie for its entertainment? Is there a need to pick everything apart? Wahhh waahhh just another sequel to make more money. Ok? Who cares. I thought the dinosaurs were extinct in the first one. Again who cares!! Enjoy the freakin movie!

Hilarious animated film
I have to disagree with reviewers who try to "see" too many things in a movie made mainly for (young) kids. This movie made my child and me laugh many,many times. In fact I think it is even funnier than Ice Age 1+2. It is just "clean" family fun. In this age of over-hyped animation from Walt Disney and Pixar, how refreshing to watch something without too many pretensions and not too much relation to today's world. Let the kids be kids,please.

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The Wolverine Extended [HD]

For adults, just as it should be!
Wow! This is just a review of the difference brought by the Extended cut. Let me just make one thing clear, there's no version of Wolverine that's acceptable for children. I don't know why Hollywood even tries. A PG-13 berserker killer is still a berserker killer. With that said, this extended version has more cussing. I'm talking F-bombs and S-bombs here. The violence is turned up to the point where Wolverine stabs one of the Yakuza and his blood (or guts) splatter onto the screen (Yes!). There are other scenes with blood in them that I didn't notice in the theatrical version, but nothing too gory except maybe for the ninja scene. Speaking of which, there's a a whole scene with the ninjas that was cut out of the theatrical cut that is so deliciously bloody and violent that it reminded me of Sceptic Avenger, only with blood (Saints Row 2 fans will know the reference). If you're a Wolverine fan, don't even bother with the PG-13 version. What's the point? This guy is a...

Did not expect to like this movie as much as I did. Wow!
After X-Men: The Last Stand, I kind of fell out of love with the X-movies. Then X-men: First Class got me excited again, but I had completely lost interest with the modern storyline. X2 is the best of the originals, but it still has it's hokey moments and general kid-friendliness. Xmen 1 is decent, but not my favorite. I never really loved an X-men movie until first class.

So when they announced The Wolverine, I didn't get too excited. But then I heard that they wanted to do it in Japan, Mangold was a good director, but I still didn't really feel the motivation. And then I read that Mangold said he had an extended and R-rated version of his movie. That had me curious. The trailer for the movie didn't sell me at all, but I'm a cinephile, so I figured I'll wait and see the unrated version, although I assumed it would be indistinguishably different.

Having just watched The Wolverine, I can say this is the best X-men film yet. Better than X2 and better than First...

Extended cut is great!
The extended cut is an improvement on an already interesting and fun movie. The Wolverine is definitely one of the better comic book films of the past few years!

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A Gingerbread Christmas

Will no watch again
Poor graphics and ennoying voices. More like pictures of a book than annimation. Plot was silly and not engaging. Will not be a family favorite

Review
Because I have children and it is the time of year one has them watch this type of show of course

Not for childern
This movie is not good for children; the characters have mean and scary voices and the plot is also mean and rude.Definitely, not for children

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Ultimate Force

Worst movie EVER! Yes, I said, "EVER!"
Do not buy this POS on ANY format! It is without a doubt the worst acted, worst directed, worst written and worst filmed so-called movie I have ever seen in my life and I have seen alot of bad movies. It's a travesty that this was even released on Blu Ray at all. The PQ on this is horrendous! I just wish I could give this zero stars because I surely would.

Trust me, instead of wasting your money on this thing, put gas in your car or go buy yourself dinner. There are way better things to do with 90 minutes of your life than submit to this.

Ultimate Farce aka Disappointment of the year
This movie has the biggest delta between the description on Amazon and the actual content of the movie. Unlike Hong Kong B movies, this title has not only poor acting, poor lines, and crappy camera work, but also surprisingly bad picture quality. I kept thinking that I could have done a better job with an analog video camera from 1988.

The "action" in the movie is bordering on the ridiculous. For example in the opening scene the main character easily overwhelms a half a dozen guards with a suppressed pistol, even though all of the guards were within ten or so yards of each other. This is followed by an execution scene that borders on the comical. And it doesn't get any better.

Short version: save your money.

I sure expected more...
The acting, plot and direction made me stop the movie after 15 minutes. The action was good but even that could not pull me through...

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Disney's The Princess and The Frog

Wish upon a star. Then get to work!
Bam! It's appropriate that Emeril Lagasse plays a (bit) character in The Princess and the Frog, voicing Marlon the `gator. This film proves that Disney's once-vaunted hand-drawn animation is back with a vengeance.

The film has gorgeous visuals, engaging characters, a palpably evil villain and gags galore. Randy Newman's New Orleans-influenced score perfectly complements the story. It is laugh-out-loud funny. The romance between leads Tiana and Prince Naveen is touching and believable. The film's strong, down-to-earth message: You can't just wish upon a star for your dreams to come true. You'll have to work. Hard.

Folks looking for a quality, old-school Disney film will not be disappointed. Like all the best Disney classics, The Princess and the Frog adapts a classic fairy tale and adds twists and wit. This story of hardworking Tiana, aspiring New Orleans restauranteur, and her froggy adventures will engage children and charm their parents. It's a movie that both...

The Disney Magic is Back!
I don't understand why people complain about the lack of good family fair and then shy away from going to see "The Princess and the Frog", the new traditionally animated film from Disney. This is a good film and the lack of business it is creating may cause Disney to rethink their current change in course.

A few years ago, John Lasseter, the force behind all of the Pixar hits, was promoted to oversee many different aspects of Disney. He did something I don't think a lot of people expected. He restarted production of traditionally animated, hand drawn feature films, a type of filmmaking all but abandoned (due to cost; computer animation is a lot cheaper) at a studio now making digital animation. He hired the team behind "The Little Mermaid" and they chose to make "The Princess and the Frog", the first Disney film featuring an African American heroine.

New Orleans, the 20s. Tiana (Anika Nani Rose, "Dreamgirls", "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency") is a practical...

Disney's first American classic fairytale
The Disney Studio has made a return to its hand-drawn roots (with the aid of some computer technology of course) with its first hand-drawn animated fairy tale in many years. It is also the first time the studio has set one of their fairytales in America. Tiana (voiced expertly by Anika Noni Rose of Dreamgirls[Blu-ray]) is a young girl in 1920's New Orleans. She is focused on making her late father's dream come true of opening her own restaurant; this leaves no time for love or fun. Enter Naveen of Maldonia, a handsome prince who has been disinherited by his family for his laziness. Tiana and Naveen are brought together even though they are polar opposites because of the black voodoo magic of the evil Doctor Facilier. The two are forced to journey together to get what they both think they want...which naturally changes along the way. No plot spoilers here...this rich movie needs to be experienced personally...

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Battle For Terra [HD]

Great animation Blu, and a good film too....
This Blu has been screening nicely in the store as sadly no one got to see this with that joke of a theatrical release slate.

Plenty to dissect here regarding both the subtle and overlaying future of humanity themes, but in the end the positive outcomes shine through as does the awesome animation, both preserved beautifully on the Blu. This recent trend of 5.1 Uncompressed PCM on Blu is a nice change, and it bodes well for an action filled finale like this. The clarity, colors and style of animation look great here, and I bookmarked the last 17 minute battle scene for customers and that alone has sold itself. The supplements are a bit mismanaged and include:
* 4:45 minute making-of. Way too short for what this film took to make, and most of the other extras should have been spliced into this selection.
* 4 deleted scenes totaling 7 minutes. For what this film was they all should have been left in their respective sequences.
* 25 second quip on a storyboard to...

Thoughtful & Emotional
Seldom do animations of this quality and creative imagination also elicit thoughtful and emotional responses from the viewer. But such appears to be the case as many other reviewers have expressed similar thoughts. So! Praise to the director, writers and animation crew for an exceptionally crafted story.

Diamond in the rough
This movie was great. It was the first 3-D movie I ever went and saw. Due to the horrible job done promoting this movie not many people even saw it. Which is fine because my friend and I had the whole theater to ourselves. A private screening at a public movie theater of one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. Most people won't like this movie because it makes us humans out to be the bad guys. The movie was great. Animation for being made with the money it was made for is excellent. The message great. If you are one of the ones who didn't get to see this in theaters, which I'm sure most of you reading this are aside from a few scary moments which may disturb younger viewers this movie truly is a diamond in the rough.

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The Matrix

Blu-Ray Transfer Is Fantastic!
With over 2,000 reviews, there is no sense discussing the movie so I will just address this to readers wondering if the Blu-Ray transfer is as good as they, perhaps, have heard.

Yes, it is - it's incredble. I am not a particular fan of the film, especially the sequels, so I say these remarks with no bias. I just rented this first "Matrix" to see how it looked. Well, it Blu (pun intended) me away!! At this point, I've seen around 50 Blu-Ray DVDs and this is as good as it gets. I can't imagine how you could make it any better. It's so sharp, I just sat there mesmerized by it. The sound also is outstanding....another upgrade. I've seen this movie three times now and I swear I heard a lot of background talk and stuff I never heard before.

So....if you read that the audio and visuals are 5-star caliber - believe it; it's true.

Movie's Great...This Package, Not So
The Matrix is an excellent movie that combines science fiction, shoot-em-up action, and philosophical questions about the nature of Reality. If you are plugged in to a computer, and that computer presents you with a reality that is completely indistinguishable from your own, is it any less real?

This movie has exceptional special effects, beautiful cinematography, an excellent soundtrack, well-crafted dialogue, and respectable acting. Keanu Reeves may be a lousy actor, but I think that the Matrix is probably his best performance to date.

The Platinum Limited Edition isn't really worth the extra money unless you're an absolute, die-hard, take the red pill, freak. I wish I had known that before ordering this product. It comes in a box about as thick as an encyclopedia, and is fairly large, so it won't fit on the shelf with the rest of your DVDs. Opening it up, I was rather disappointed -- most of the volume is filled with a cheap plastic tray that contains a celluloid clip of...

Beyond Anything You've Seen Before
(What is the Matrix). In 1977, George Lucas changed the landscape of cinematic Science Fiction forever with "Star Wars," taking the genre light years ahead of all that preceded it. Such a momentous advancement would not be seen again for over twenty years, when, in 1999, the Wachowski Brothers raised the bar again, taking the genre at warp speed to an unprecedented level with their astoundingly innovative film, "The Matrix." Co-directed, written and produced by Larry and Andy Wachowski, it is an allegory of salvation and redemption filled with symbolism and metaphor (the Biblical references alone should keep theology students debating this one for years to come); a thinking man's action film, accentuated with moments that are no less than profound. In a world of the future, things are literally not what they seem, where it's Man versus Machine, Reality versus Fantasy, and few who know the truth; among those who do, is Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), who has long awaited the...

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Bed & Breakfast

Dean Cain at His Romantic Best
'Bed and Breakfast' has Dean Cain doing what he does so well- showing off his boyish smile and nice guy personality! This is a quality romantic comedy with all the usual elements. Of course, it's predictable; they all are. If you want a fun romance with a bit of conflict between the love interests, quirky but likeable characters, beautiful scenery and a happy ending, here you go.

Dean's character is fixing up a huge home that he inherited from a friend. His dream is to open a B&B. He's married and still longs for his good-for-nothing and unfaithful movie star actress/wife who left him high and dry and is now filing for divorce.

Now in Brazil, of all places, a sales supervisor(Paes) struggles to support her worthless brother, put up with a fun loving, self-center fiance, and try to keep her job. She suddenly finds herself loaded with a huge debt now left by here recently deceased father. Her friend and lawyer discovers she does have a deed to a property in...

Pleasantly Entertaining
This is a different kind of romantic movie in that it has a number of scenes in Brazil early in the movie but then moves to the United States. There are extended sections in Portuguese and later in English but sub-titles are provided for the Portuguese sections which move by very quickly; we discovered we had to pause the movie in order to read the English translations.

The movie is adequately paced and has some lovely scenery in both Brazil and later in California. The acting is satisfactory and the characters are of sufficient interest that one begins to care what happens to them.

This is a chick-flick with a South American twist that is generally entertaining and fun to watch.

Best I've seen in years!
If you have the chance to buy or rent this B movie, do so in confidence, that it will bring 90 minutes of pleasantry to your life, and leave you feeling good!

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Stargate: The Ark of Truth

The Truth
This review is spoiler free!!

I have to preface this review with the statement that I am an avid Stargate fan, and as such, my review may be biased (but I think not!)

After enduring season 4 of Atlantis this year, it is nice to get back to the show I truly love, Sg-1. Opposed to Atlantis, SG-1 takes place on earth, spends time on the explorations, and takes into account ancient mythologies, opposed to Atlantis, which is more action oriented, with dumbed down dialog, and shooting anything that moves.

I have been awaiting this release since it was announced, it finally came to my home yesterday, I watched the movie, then the extras (comic con conference which was really cool! and a behind the scenes which was great as well (this is almost 1 hour of material), I then watched the movie again, this time with commentary (again, I love SG-1).

This dvd has a "prelude" which basically goes over everything you need to freshen up on to fully enjoy and...

Good Production, Not so good script
SPOILERS AHEAD....

Stargate has always had its homages to other genre shows and they are clearly on display here -- the opening caption paraphrasing "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away", the peak-to-peak aeral shot just beging for Gondor outposts to light the signal fires, a Terminator-like rise from an explosion, ... (I'm sure folks can spot more).

The visual effects were lovely, and there were some really good bits of characterization. The converation between Teal'c and Tomin was wonderful, as was Tomin's final scene with Vala.

As for the rest...
While many a Stargate villain comes direct from Central Casting, Marrick (the IOA guy) is particularly ill-written in a series that brought us Senator Kinsey, Colonel Maybourne, and even the briefly-referenced Mr. Woolsey. In prior episodes where the IOA, NID, or Senator Kinsey were challenging the SGC often they had a legitimate PoV, even if they were wrong. Here, they are just wrong and...

Good but Utilitarian
I've watched every episode of Stargate. I even paid for Showtime just so I could see it, before it gated over to Sci-Fi. I very much hated the last episode for reasons I won't go into here. This should give my review a context.

Ark of Truth was good. Not great. I really like the actors and the characters they portray. The effects were up there and the interesting Ori story arc was closed nicely. HOWEVER, there was nothing new here. It was an extended episode. What was worse was the whole plot thread that seemed to be added by a fan of the Terminator. It was cheap and a waste. I can only guess their reasons for it but it was insulting to have to watch that to get to the real story.

The ending hints at more adventures to come and I'm glad for that. Maybe they can take the Ark over to the Pegasus galaxy...

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Bells of St. Mary's, The

Bing's Tones, Ingrid's Charms,Remastered on DVD....Heavenly!
This review refers to the Silver Screen Classics Edition(Republic Pictures)DVD.......

A beautiful sequel to "Going My Way", is now a beautifully transfered to DVD. "The Bells of St.Mary's" is funny, poignant and will tug at your heartstrings.Father O'Malley(Bing Crosby) has now been assigned to a parochial school that is in dire need of repairs. The school has no money and O'Malley's job is to assess the possibilites, of perhaps sending the children to another school.He meets with some tough oppostion though, in the form of one Sister Benedict(Ingrid Bergman). She is the no nonsense type,and right away the two have some very different ideas on what's good for the kids.There is also the problem of a businesman(Henry Travers) who wants the building condemned so he can put up a parking lot for his own employees.Sister Benedict prays for miracle, will she get it?

The story and Ingrid Bergman are charming and delightful and will have you praying with her for that...

An often underrated classic
Don't believe the Amazon reviewer, whoever she is. Crosby's performance in this picture is astonishing; the fact that he holds the screen with the great Ingrid scene after scene, as he did with Barry Fitzgerald in Going My Way, tells you that; very often he steals their scenes, not with any two-bit mugging but with the forcefulness he brings to the character. Also, that's nonsense about it being an ode to sentimentality; there is a difference between sentimentality and sentiment, and the latter is what makes this film to compelling no matter how many times you watch it. Leo McCarey and Bing Crosby were both schooled by the Jesuits and they incorporate incidents and characters they knew in their youths. Also, McCarey was THE master of improvisation before John Casavetes and some of the finest sequences--Bergman teaching a boy to box; the children's pageant; Bing and the cat in the hat--have the timeless enchantment of spontaneous invention. And if there is a musical scene in...

ESSENTIAL in any collection!
The first time I saw Leo McCarey's THE BELLS OF ST MARY'S was on Christmas Day of 2002 when it aired on TCM. I was blown away from the moment the Main Title rolled across the screen. I've always been a sucker for sentimental movies of the 40s and BELLS fits the bill to the "t". I picked up a copy of the DVD this past holiday season. I've seen the movie complete a number of times and never tire of watching it. This is the epitome of 40's motion picture entertainment.
An excellent cast turn in equally excellent performances. Bing Crosby is Father O'Malley. Crosby is the only actor ever to have been nominated for a Best Actor Oscar twice for the same role, having also played Father O'Malley in GOING MY WAY the previous year. Ingrid Bergman plays Sister Benedict, the Sister Superior of St. Mary's. Henry Travers plays Mr. Horace P. Bogardus... you will recognize him as Clarence from IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.

The film earned eight Oscar nominations in the following categories:...

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Awesome Adventures Vol. Two: Races, Chases & Fun

Movie
My son loves this movie. We watch it almost every day. It's the cartoon versions... The newer ones... Not the old claymation and we love it!

Really cute adventures.
My two and four year old grandsons just love these three characters so having all of them on the same DVD is great.

A Great DVD!
This was a great DVD that had episodes from some great shows that my youngest really enjoyed! I have to say as a parent I am always looking for value, and for me, having a DVD with multiple shows on it makes sense, especially if you are already a fan of the shows on the DVD which we were! I know that this is volume 2, but I am looking forward to volume 3 too! At the same time, I am also looking for shows with educational and overall value, which this DVD definitely has as well. So kudos for a great DVD, and I encourage all fans to look at this DVD as it becomes available on June 12!

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The Emperor's New Groove / Kronk's New Groove (Three-Disc Special Edition) [Blu-ray / DVD]

Funny as all git out
This may be my favorite Disney movie ever. (I normally prefer Pixar.)

The reviewers who did not like it clearly expected something for small kids. It is not. It is very abstract in places, especially the art, which is really quite amazing. Watch for the design of the panthers, and the bats. And the landscapes. Wonderful stuff.

And the dialogue and the delivery especially is just hilarious. How you can get such delivery in an animated film is beyond me.

Warmly recommended for mature viewers with an edgy sense of humor.

Hilarious Film, Great DVD
THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE is the funniest movie that I have seen in years. I initially had passed on watching it in the theater because I thought it looked childish, but was convinced to give it a try now that it was out on video. Boy, was my initial impression wrong.

The story revolves around a selfish prince who is turned into a llama by one of his subjects. With the help of a kindly peasant he attempts to regain his throne, and in the process finds there's more to him than he previously thought or wanted there to be. While the moral is a good one, it really plays a secondary role to the comedy, which is literally non-stop. GROOVE takes the rapid-fire humor that Disney perfected in Aladdin and combines it with cartoon-style hijinx, the wit of David Spade, and a hilarious lack of reverence for the traditional Disney animated genre. Spade plays his role to perfection, and luckily never crosses the line into being obnoxious. Seinfeld fans are in for a treat, as Puddy plays a very...

The Forgotten Disney Film
"The Emperor's New Groove" is a unique film in the vaults at Disney. It plays with the audience instead of in front of the audience, and the burning sarcasm of the emperor's character isn't found in any other Disney flick. Unfortunately, this movie seems to be cursed by the idea that any Disney movie has to be done on a grand scale and end with some great moral truth. Why can't a Disney movie just be fun?
"The Emperor's New Groove" doesn't seem to draw as much attention as other Disney fare. It just kind of quietly appeared and then went away. That's a shame. It got the same treatment from Disney that a lot of their direct-to-video/DVD movies received. At least "Hercules" got headlines for its bad, although undeserved, reviews. "Hercules" has always been erroneously treated like a red-headed stepchild compared to other Disney movies, "The Emperor's New Groove" is treated like an abortion. You rarely here anything about this film. Like "Hercules," it doesn't fit the bill...

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Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (Theatrical) [HD]

This is Actually the third version of Star Trek VI.
Let me explain

-Spoiler Warning-

The first version of the film was shown in theaters.

The second version was shown on all home video formats. This version includes a couple of additional footage to certain key scenes, and a few new scenes all together.
- Spock has more Dialogue in the top brass meeting.
- A scene taking place in the President's office where Col. West presents his plan to sneak into Klingon territory and rescue Kirk and McCoy.
- Spock and Scotty checking the torpedo inventory before Valeris informs them that the Chancellor's Daughter is now the current klingon chancellor.
- The klingon assassin at the climax of the film turns out to be Col. West.

The Third version of the film is shown on this Special Collector's Edition DVD. This version includes all the material from the second version, and a few minor changes to certain scenes and effects.
- When Martia gets shot, a disruption sound effect is removed to make her scream more...

A great sendoff!
Star Trek VI The Undiscovered Country, no better way to finish the movies with all of The Original Series characters. In my opinion, this was the best of their movies. The writers and producers really did a wonderful job with this one. It was great to see Sulu become Captain Sulu and get his own ship. Which later helped Voyager do an anniversary episode with Lt. Cmdr Tuvok having been a member of his crew. Kim Cattral as a Vulcan. Michael Dorn (Lt. Worf), playing his grandfather. Rene Auberjunous (Odo) as Col West, a couple years before Deep Space Nine. Many other notable Star Trek names making appearances in this great movie. Everything was great about this movie, from the state dinner with the Romulan ale, to the search of the Enterprise for the assassins. The space battle was one of the best treks ever put on screen. If you're one of the ten or less people on the planet who've not seen this, buy it, rent it or borrow it. This is the finest example of what Gene...

Star Trek gives Kirk, crew, a fitting sign-off.....
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, released in 1991 a few months after the Silver Anniversary of the original television series and the death of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, is a suspenseful and adventure-packed "final voyage" for Capt. James T. Kirk and the Starship Enterprise.

Coming on the heels of the less-than-stellar Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and the resignation of Harve Bennett as producer of the feature films, Paramount turned to actor/producer Leonard Nimoy and director/screenwriter Nicholas Meyer (Time After Time, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan) to save the foundering franchise and give fans something worthy of a 25th-anniversary celebration. After looking at various options, they decided on a Star Trek version of the end of the Cold War.

The Undiscovered Country (the title is a Shakespearean reference to death and was Meyer's first choice for the title of Star Trek II) capitalizes on the similarities of the U.S.-Soviet standoff to the long-standing...

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The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Four-Disc Special Extended Edition)

Finally! A fantasy masterpiece for the cinema!
A cinematic version of Tolkien's THE LORD OF THE RINGS ranks up with the hope that Lucas will indeed make another Star Wars Trilogy, and, I think I can safely say, this is one of the most anticipated films in the movie industry's long and checkered history. You would think it's movie paradise, considering Lucas has been in the midst of another Star Wars trilogy and LORD OF THE RINGS has finally got a cinema deal (live action!), but PHANTOM MENACE proved something of a disappointment (Mesa Jar Jar Binks!), and I think quite a few people will enter into the theatre with a certain amount of trepidation.

There's a reason for that. Three animated Tolkien films have been released with very problematic results. The 1978 Bakshi release is just embarrassing; the film is both incoherent and confusing.

Rankin & Bass's two movies are fine for little kids; those two films are Tolkien for Saturday Morning cartoons. They proved my introduction to Tolkien and for that I am thankful, but...

NEVER WATCH THE ORIGINAL AGAIN!
I just finished watching the extended version and it was like watching a whole new film! In every way, this version is superior. The thirty extra minutes are not wasted. The characters are fleshed out, the battles seem more desparate and the agony of the journey both to Rivendale and beyond is made plain. I urge anyone who hasn't already purchased the theater version to skip it and get the extended one instead. Anyone who already has the theater version.....well this one is definately worth forking out the extra dough to get.

Excellent Addition to your DVD Library!
If you saw and loved the theater version, you won't want to miss this extended edition. I won't go into detail about the theater version; instead I'll assume you've seen it and write about the new scenes.

I was very excited to learn that these new scenes weren't going to be a "special section" of the DVD. Instead the extra scenes were added into the movie, edited and polished to blend perfectly. There were some scenes which were altogether new; at other times a familiar scene would include added dimension.

Every added minute (I believe there were about 30 altogether) was thrilling and illuminating! For example, I enjoyed learning more about Hobbits and life in The Shire! This extended opening to the movie gave a broader foundation to those of us who knew nothing about Hobbits before seeing this movie.

Though there was some great battle footage added, a great deal of the added footage included conversations amongst the characters. These conversations gave the...

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