Andy Williams: Best of Christmas

Christmas shows at their best
This brings back memories of wonderful Christmas TV shows that the whole family could enjoy together. Andy Williams shows were always the best. Wish they would bring more of these shows back for this new generation to enjoy. I just wish this DVD was of a complete Christmas show and not segments from various shows. Still entertainment at its best though!!!

Andy Williams Christmas Special
What a special treat to revisit this "kinder, gentler" era when wonderful musical variety shows provided wholesome entertainment! This video will be part of our Christmas tradition each year!!

They don't make 'em like that anymore!
When I was little, I remember my Mom and Dad watching the Andy Williams Christmas Show. My Mom loved seeing the kids and how much they had grown. This collection is great! I never realized he had brothers who sang also. I love all the Christmas skits and it is wild to see Donny Osmond as a little kid. The music is great and really puts you in the mood for Christmas. It is neat how he talks about different things and then we watch the show. I really recommend it. You don't see a show like this anymore - just a good family Christmas!

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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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The O.C.: The Complete Series

A big sendoff
This is a not a review of the O.C.; you've probably already seen that and know what it's all about. If not, there are other reviews that can tell you all about the content. This is a review of "The O.C.: The Complete Series Collection." What a beautiful send off for those who were sad to see the show end too soon.

The packaging is really unique. One thing that is not conveyed by the stock photos is the size--it's really big, about twice as big as I expected. This is not going to fit easily on your average DVD shelf. The outer case is solid and the book packaging itself is really well done. There are some images from the original box sets' booklets as well as some new pictures that I haven't seen before. The book contains a mix of glossy pages with the episode descriptions and Atomic County excerpts and the thicker cardboard pages holding the discs. On these pages, there are discs on one side and a photo on the other.

The sleeves for the DVDs are...

Welcome to the O.C., B*tch
Much like "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Dawson's Creek," "The O.C." is one of those series that is a true time capsule from the years of their broadcast. The show was made for the generation of teens and young adults growing up in the beginning of the new millennium. But unlike it's predecessors it wasn't aimed solely at teens, but at their older siblings and parents. This is what set the series apart from the competition, and why it's first season was FOX's # 1 series. Creator Josh Schwartz (almost fresh out of USC film school) created essentially a John Hughes-isq television show (if Molly Ringwald was 30lb thinner and had a no-limit Amex Card). But the pop-culture quirks, loveable characters, and rich/beautiful sets was what made "The OC" the place to be.

The First season starts when Sandy Cohen (a Public Defender) brings his newest client, Ryan home for the weekend to his posh Newport Beach House. After a series of random events Ryan is adopted by the Cohen's and the...

A Nearly Perfect Set
Most people know all about the show (which is why they're looking at this product in the first place), so I'll get right into discussing the presentation. For more information on the case, you can see the pictures I've included above.

Inside:
- Each season is color coded.
- Each season has every episode listed, along with the writers and directors of the episode, the date aired, and a plot sypnosis.
- Also included are promotional cast pictures for each season.
- Each season has an "extras" DVD which has all the gag reels, sneak peaks, introspectives, etc., that correspond to the season. However, some season discs have additional content that is not included on the extras DVDs. -- For example, the 1st disc of Season One has commentary by the creator, "A Look at the O.C. Music Guide" and "The Model Home" as extra features which are not found on the extras disc.

Discs:
- There are several discs for each season.
- There is a little...

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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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Small Victories

SG-1 Season Four -- A Clear Triumph
I must say that Stargate SG-1 Season Four is, by far, my favorite season of them all. The year opens with a terrific conclusion to the climactic cliffhanger. "Small Victories" shows us just what a mess the Replicator bugs can be for Earth. "Window of Opportunity" is a delightful tale of time-travel with a unique twist where Jack and Teal'c can't get out of the same ten-hour cycle! "Tangent" shows us just what we get if we "slap a USAF sticker on the side of a death glider" and call it ours. Great acting by Richard Dean Anderson and Christopher Judge, though they are sitting down most of the time. Other top episodes from this season include "The Curse," "The Serpent's Venom," "Chain Reaction," "The First Ones," "2010," "Absolute Power," and the ultimate blowout for Apophis in "Exodus," which sends our heroes hurtling into their next adventure for a new year! Season Four is a definite triumph for the Stargate legacy, where stories are followed up and new ones are born. At this point the...

Crossroads
Overall, I think Stargate SG-1 is some of the best TV ever made. Having said that, the season 4 dvd also has many of its own merits...

I think season 4 is a crossroads between where Stargate SG-1 is coming from (original team, Apophis is the major bad guy, etc.) and where it is going to (different bad guys, metaphysical themes, etc.). As such, it is highly recommended for fans and longtime viewers. I don't want to give away material in this review, in case you haven't seen the series, but I think you'll enjoy a few of the surprises and the season finale which will require you to get the season 5 dvd also.

I like a few of the featuretttes on the DVD box-set, esp. the special effects and "legacy of the gate" featurettes. Every disc also features an audio commentary option as part of the "Special Features" menu, which is also good for committed fans.

I'm really enjoying this.
The worst thing about the series on dvd is that one must wait a heck of a long time before you get to see more. But I'll whine later, in private, where it won't annoy anyone.
The dvds are great quality, and I haven't had any reading difficulties with them since the Season 1 set. *NOTE: I'm using my PS2 to view these, so if you have a dedicated dvd player, you might have different results. If you're using a PS2 also, well, it'll work fine after Season 1.
For light sci-fi, SG-1 is really hard to beat. The characters are entertaining, the dialogue is interesting without being exceptionally simplistic, and Rick Anderson and Christopher Judge give great comedic relief.

*SPOILER* The exploration of Jack and Samantha's relationship, and why they aren't pursuing it, is a GREAT change from the tired Remmington Steele/X-Files "we're in love but won't admit it because it would be weird" shtick. I was glad to see them admit how they felt (albeit under duress) and come to...

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Blue Bloods: The First Season

One of the Best New Shows Out There
Picture is clear on this DVD release. Several extras are included in a good looking sturdy box that will nicely protect the DVD's. Episode guide included on the sleeve. Box design is fairly slim and won't take up too much space on your shelf.

This is one of the best new shows out there. The whole cast is fantastic, especially Frank (Selleck) and Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg). The episodes have been well written, the plots are excellent, great shots of New York City.

This show offers a nice mix of a police drama and a family drama. Each week the show just seems to keep getting better.

Looking forward to the Season 1 release!

Selleck successfull, again !
This is one of the best new programs on the air this season ! The selection of parts for actors fits each character, and they blend personalities with the story line lending a dramatic portrayal of respect, duty, and honor to the reputation of any police department portrayed on television today.

Tom Selleck plays top cop for the NYPD
I was drawn to this series by Tom Selleck. It looked stronger than other series coming out of the starting gate, incorporating elements of Charles Bronson's Family Of Cops as well as Hill Street Blues, one of the best police series ever. The dialogue and acting will become more natural as the cast and crew gain experience. Some of the police work is absurdly miraculous. One senses that the original scripts called for a couple hours per episode, and someone gave the order to snip them down to twenty minutes, thus robbing stories of smoother development. This feeling is particularly strong in an episode that pays tribute to officers affected by the tragedies that occurred on 911.

I like the inter-generational aspect that touches on issues pertaining to the changing nature of police work. If you like police drama with some "police humor," check it out!

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The Way

A Modern Canterbury Tales
Crossing the Pyrenees and Basque country, then winding their way across northern Spain to the tomb of Saint James in Santiago de Compostela, pilgrims have walked the 800 km Camino de Santiago for over a thousand years. The reasons for undertaking such a journey are as varied as the pilgrims themselves. Most of them are seeking something that has little or nothing to do with religion, yet taps into a deep, nameless yearning for connection to the mystery.

In "The Way," four of these pilgrims find themselves thrown together by chance. As their stories unfold we meet Tom, played by Martin Sheen, completing the journey begun by his estranged son who died in a sudden mountain storm shortly after setting off. He is joined by: a jovial bear of a Dutchman, hoping to regain his wife's affection; an acerbic Canadian woman, trying to exorcise the anger built up in an abusive marriage; and an Irish author who masks his writer's block by talking nonstop.

The acting is superb,...

Beautiful and Special. See It.
My eyes were wet and I laughed out loud in the first fifteen minutes of "The Way," and I continued laughing and crying throughout. I left the theater feeling the generous glow that a good movie inspires. I'll now be telling everyone I know to see this film, on a big screen, and I'm already looking forward to seeing it again.

I was a bit anxious about "The Way." I anticipated so many ways a movie that features backpacking, pilgrimages, and religion could go wrong. Would it be excessively pious and maudlin? New Age-y and Christophobic? Simply a bad movie? There is a reason so many films focus on graphic, intimate scenes and explosions: those are easy to shoot and they arouse viewer interest. "The Way" rapidly calmed my anxiety. It's a honey of a movie.

Tom (Martin Sheen) is a sixty-something ophthalmologist. His son Dan (Emilio Estevez) dies in an accident. Tom travels to France to retrieve his son's body. Learning of his son's attempt to walk the camino, Tom...

Superb!
I had no real idea of what the movie was about aside from something about a pilgrimage, but I felt like giving it a chance. I heard from some reviewers that it was good.
So I was unprepared for the emotional impact the film had from the beginning. The screenplay was wonderfully written, the characters were all flawed as each of us are. I don't want to provide too much details, because too much is described already.
I will say that the journey was an emotional one as well as a scenic splendor. As the viewer gets to accompany these pilgrims from diverse walks of life, you see their flaws and qualities up close.
The visual beauty of The Way cannot be overlooked. The innkeepers and fellow pilgrims all looked like regular human beings from everywhere. The music that accompanied the film was well chosen.
A deeply touching film.

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