Life as We Know It (2011)

Hollie and Messer, set-up by best friends Allison and Peter, meet, share a disaster of a non-date and develop an intense hatred for each other. Then Allison and Peter get married and have a baby, forcing Hollie and Messer to be subjected to each other often. Glimpses of Hollie and Messer and their interaction flash on the screen as this relationship that ties them together unfolds. Finally, a laughing moment is shared at Baby Sophie's 1st birthday party where a picture is taken with "Godparents," Hollie and Messer, who don't understand exactly what that term means.

Fast forward several weeks and Hollie and Messer meet up at the police station to discover that Allison and Peter have died in a horrific accident and that Sophie needs them. They discover how much as the rest of the story unfolds.

I really liked this film. I watched it with four friends and we all agreed that it was worth the investment. The main characters are three-dimensional and well-cast. Though not laugh out-loud funny in most scenes, there is enough humor thrown in to make the subject matter less intense. Not pure comedy, or drama, also not pure chick flick. Enough deep issues and emotions play out that the movie grabbed my emotions and heart.

A few cheesy moments make their way into the movie...one in particular is a drug thread that ends up falling flat, though it likely supposed to play as a light-hearted moment. There are a group of neighbors that add annoyingly funny moments throughout the film. Language is minimal, the F-Bomb makes few appearances, the most memorable is a whispered fight. Messer is a new-girl-a-night kind of a guy so there are plenty of comments about his tom-catting ways, though the sex scenes are minimal and primarily off-screen. Hollie is an uptight business owner who's rigidity makes for a few annoying minutes throughout the film as well. But overall the relationship between them ends up being respectful of families and love and this one will end up in my DVD library.

From my wife Sarah: From the previews I expected a silly slapstick romance, but found that this was a drama, romance and comedy rolled up into one movie. It had surprising depth, character and story development. It was kind of a believable story. There were times I was touched enough to be tearful, and there was some decent chemistry between the leads. There were some laughs as well.

It was good, but was it fantastic? Not so much. Honestly, it wasn't strong enough for me as either a comedy, romance or drama to be terrific. Regardless, it was entertaining, moving and worth seeing.

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At first I watched it because of the casts. But as the movie flows, I really think it has some depths in it. Not just some other romantic/comedy, this one we can actually relate to (and finally for once no sexual context, well just a little maybe. Which I find it refreshing). How new parents are behaving and adapt with their first child, is sometimes funny to watch but also heartfelt. Overall, this movie has some laughs, tears, and of course love. Can't wait for the DVD to come out!

Read Best Reviews of Life as We Know It (2011) Here

This movie has received more than its fair share of bad press. I went and saw this movie when it was in my local theater last summer. I think the major reason people are giving it bad reviews is that they are expecting the whole movie to consist of a mismatched couples attempt to raise a child to yield roll on the floor laughing moments. However, to truely understand this film, you have to look deep for the hidden meaning. I found that when you discover that the movie truly revolves around a child who's parents are killed and is left to be raised by two different people who really didn't want to be together, much less raise a child together, then you get the true spirit of the film. Once you understand this point of view you will truly enjoy this film for what it is, a coming of age story.

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I've read the negative reviews here and I really don't understand them at all... to each his/her own I suppose. I really enjoyed this movie, yes it is similar to other romantic comedies of the same formula (girl and guy despise each other initially but love grows out of it), but sometimes having the same recipe isn't a bad thing. Its like enjoying a chocolate chip cookie recipe like your Mom used to make, you can have them over and over and you still love it. This movie still made me laugh and cry, and I will continue to like romantic comedies even if they use the same formula. If you want a sweet, endearing, funny and yet emotional movie, this is the one for you. The chemistry between Katherine and Josh is fantastic.

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WORLD AIRPORTS : Sexy St Maarten (2011)

I almost don't know what to say about this one. The Blu-Ray quality is excellent. They alternate between airport views of takeoffs and landings, and in air footage, which is unique for Just Planes. And, they do what I have wanted them to do for a while in the Blu-Rays, which is take us on whole flights from one angle, instead of cutting in and out. So we fly in Twin Otters from island to island, sometimes in the cockpit view, sometimes hanging outside the aircraft, sometimes in the cabin. All good.

We get every Boeing jet model except early 737 and 777. Lots of 737 variations, 717, 727, 747-400, and 767. Airbus 320, 330, and 340. Brazilian too. Plus many different prop planes including a former Eastern Air DC-7, and a former Western Air as well. All good.

The runway ends at the beach, as in you could throw a shot put from the beach to the runway, the aircraft pass less than 50 feet over the beach on landing, and the jet blast on takeoff literally blows people away.

Try this:

to see a photo of what you'll see. The aircraft landing: good, particularly the KLM 747-400 landings and takeoffs.

On the other hand, we get lame classical music instead of ATC on the cockpit portion of the in flight. And, about half the time the runway video is watching the fools on the beach. Fun the first couple of times, but mostly a waste as the video goes on. Bad.

And the ugly. There are numerous cheap shots of women in and out of bikinis on the beach, and fat guys in speedos. There is actual nudity at least three times, and not of Playboy model cute women, this being a topless beach. There is a gratuitous shot of a bent over woman from behind with small bikini bottoms. You might not want to show this video to your kids. It's at least PG-13 if not R rated.

kimi ni todoke -From Me to You- Volume 3 Premium Edition (2012)

Kimi ni Todoke (From Me to You) is one of the best romantic comedies out there. Sawako (the main female character)adorable for her kindness and honesty, despite the fact that she has always been feared and looked down upon by her fellow students, who believe that she can see spirits, place curses on people, and that being near her brings bad luck. It's wonderful to see how she grows after she meets Kazehaya, the first person to treat her like a normal person. Anyone who likes romcoms should watch this series!

Out of allot of Anime I have watched this has to be within the top 20. But the reason it ranks so high out of all of the other more sentimental anime's is because it it does everything it sets out to without taking forever but dos not happen in one or two episodes like other anime it almost completely perfect. Also just to frank every frame looks like it was panted so that's really nice.

art-5

music/sound track-4.5

story and character Development-5

NOTE.I didn't like the opening for the 2nd season as much.

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Beerfest (Completely Totally Unrated) (2007)

You have to love any comedy that throws up a warning screen before the opening credits in this case, it's a warning to leave the serious beer-drinking to the professionals (or else you will die). Mr. Big Man on Campus may be able to drink his frat buddies under the table, but he probably wouldn't last five minutes at Beerfest. It's much more than a contest to see who can drink the most beer in the shortest amount of time. Beerfest is a veritable mini-Olympics of brewsky, with such games as beer pong, quarters, and the formidable Das Boot helping determine the overall champion team. This is truly where the big boys play.

Upon the death of their grandfather, Jan (Paul Soter) and Todd Wolfhouse (Erik Stolhanske) travel to Munich to carry out his last request having his ashes scattered in his homeland during Oktoberfest. There is nothing somber about this occasion, though, as an abundance of beer and women's breasts quickly extinguish whatever grief they may have been feeling. Then their guide takes them to Beerfest, and they think they've died and gone to heaven at first. All that changes when their German cousin, Wolfgang von Wolfhaus (Jurgen Prochnow) orders them to leave and attacks their family honor by accusing their dead grandfather of stealing the renowned family beer recipe and fleeing to American with his prostitute of a mother. Being humiliated by a bunch of pansy Germans with their Hans and Franz accents and tight little lederhosen doesn't sit well with the Wolfhouses. Upon returning home, they vow to form a team and return to Beerfest next year so that they can have their revenge on the Germans

As far as team members go, the guys fall back on some old college drinking buddies. "Landfill" (Kevin Heffeman), still bitter about having lost his job at a brewery for drinking too much of the outgoing beer, is an easy sell to join the team and they don't call him Landfill for nothing. "Fink" Finkelstein (Steve Lemme), now a scientist spending most of his time masturbating frogs, doesn't look like a beer drinker, but you know how those wiry guys can fool you and he's smart, hopefully smart enough to figure out the trick of conquering Das Boot, Beerfest's ultimate tie-breaking contest. Fink's not too high on the idea of participating at first but his reluctance disappears completely when he learns that the enemy is German (never underestimate the power of the "eye of the Jew"). Then there's the somewhat controversial choice of Barry Badrinath (Jay Chandrasekhar, doing triple duty as actor, co-writer, and director). Barry is really down on his luck nowadays, and there's also the fact that he slept with Jan's (or was it Todd's) girlfriend back in college), so there's always some underlying friction there. As the guys begin their training, though, they all come together putting their health, their jobs, their families, even their own lives on the line, super-focused on winning the championship. The German team, especially Wolfgang von Wolfhaus, has some dirty tricks up its sleeve, though, making their play for the long-lost family beer recipe weeks before the contest. Their sneaky blitzkrieg tactics threaten to break up the American team, but these guys are playing for everything they hold dear the long-lost family beer recipe, their Great Gam Gam (Cloris Leachman), all underdogs, each other, as well as for America. And so this becomes a story of the underdog daring to dream and trying to make that dream a reality.

I thought this movie was pretty hilarious. The whole Beerfest atmosphere is a hoot, the guys' training regimen produces many a funny moment, the dialogue holds many a good joke, and the actors really gel together quite well despite their obvious differences. Yes there's nudity and a fair amount of toilet humor (sometimes literally), but what else would you expect from a film of this type? And don't go thinking it's a completely cookie-cutter plot either, as Beerfest introduced a couple of story elements I never expected (starting with the end of the very first scene). Not since Strange Brew have I been this entertained by a movie about beer and the men who drink it.

Beerfest begins with a funeral for the two main characters' grandfather. Jan and Todd Wolfhouse are charged with the task of taking their grandfather's ashes to be settled in the family plot in Germany. Little do they know, the family plot is actually Beerfest, "the ultimate test of a beer gamer's mettle." When they get there and are accused by their German cousins of having stolen the family beer recipe, they are quickly humiliated in a drinking contest and sent back to America with their tails between their legs. They vow to have their revenge and come back next year to win the Beerfest competition.

Jan and Todd assemble a team of their best friends and former drinking buddies:

Landfill an overweight eating champion recently fired from his position at a brewery for drinking on the job

Fink a well-respected scientist at the National Institutes of Health, who is also Jewish and participates simply to get back at the Germans

Barry an all-out beer gaming champion who has since fallen on hard times and resorted to prostitution to make a living

The journey that these five men embark on is nothing if not funny, but if you didn't like the other Broken Lizard movies, I don't think you will like this one. It's in the same vein as movies like Old School and Super Troopers--a buddy comedy with plenty of T&A. The humor is a bit over the top at times and balances precariously on the edge of crass. For instance, there were at least five topless women within the first fifteen minutes of the film and there's a running joke that Jan and Todd's Great Gam Gam is a former whore.

Still, I found parts of Beerfest extremely funny and there were definitely moments I laughed out loud. This movie evoked memories of college with its references to beer pong, quarters, card games, chugging contests, and funnels. It would be fun for a guy's night out, but be forewarned that all the drinking in the movie may make you decidedly thirsty. The first thing I did when I left the theater was head to the pub.

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A priest tries to extort money using violence....a man chugs three beers before killing himself by pulling the plug at his own funeral....women tear off other women's clothes while pouring beer on each other....a kid gets run over by a barrel, and I can't really remember after having a few too many but I believe the meaning of life and the key to enlightenment are revealed...and that's all in the first five freakin' minutes.

Maybe once or twice have I laughed harder at the movies than I did when I saw BEERFEST, which deserves print in ALL capital letters. My only regret was that I didn't smuggle in a sixer of 2 by 4s to drink with the mates. Broken Lizard regains the fine form of SuperTroopers.

As another reviewer put it: "The sage and bountiful Loveables who run Time Warner made this incredibly benign, sagacious and wise movie full of acute acting and takes a hardy approach to drinking, which can make family functions bearable, lives worth living and toasts to one's health. The studio should be commended for making this Oscar caliber film."

Read Best Reviews of Beerfest (Completely Totally Unrated) (2007) Here

I feel I get the full blu-ray experience from Action/Sci-Fi type movies rather than comedy, but I had just gotten my PS3 and was on a Blu-Ray binge when I bought this. I am not disappointed though,

I had not seen the movie and got it cheap, The video quality is good and as I said if you liked Super Troopers, you'll like this.

Want Beerfest (Completely Totally Unrated) (2007) Discount?

Who doens't love their grandparents (and beer) so much that they *won't* train for an entire year to enter a beer drinking contest and win back their family honor....plus a brewery? I would!

"Beerfest" is the type of film expected of the 'Broken Lizard' guys. These are the same guys that brought us the much loved "Supertroopers" (still their funniest one to date), in addition to "Club Dread" (not as good), and "Puddle Cruiser" (exact same type of comedy seen in 'Supertroopers', only half as funny). Either way, the teens-30's age demographic (especially college coeds) will get a kick out of this film.

Obviously the amount of beer consumed during this movie would kill the average person via alcohol poisoning, however, if the audience can suspend reality and forget that tiny detail, this film ends up to be fairly entertaining.

If you like to see boobies (attention all men) then you'll *definitely* like this film. There's a lot of them. All over the place. There's even a scene in which girls accidentally fall into each other and "accidentally" rip each other's shirts off. Due to language and a lot of nudity, this film is definitely not for young children. Other than that, enjoy!

Bottom line: It's an entertaining, beer-guzzling good time if you don't expect too much. If you're wanting to purchase this film, definitely get the unrated version, as opposed to the rated one (which I think might have less boobies).

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Breakfast at Tiffany's (50th Anniversary Edition) (1961)

Excellent!

A word that can describe the Centennial Collection release of the 1961 film "Breakfast at Tiffany's", the classic romantic comedy starring Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard.

Having reviewed previous versions of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" before on DVD, I'm sure many Audrey Hepburn fans are probably wondering how else can Paramount improve from the 2006 45th Anniversary Edition on DVD? Well, I can tell you right now... plenty! Please read on.

A film that stars quite a bit of talent, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" remains not just one of the most memorable romantic films of all time but a film that exemplifies the beauty of Audrey Hepburn, the chic style of the times and more (which I will discuss more in the special features portion of my review).

VIDEO & AUDIO:

The film is presented in widescreen format, enhanced for 16:9 TV's. A lot of the Centennial Collection releases have been remastered for high definition and having the previous DVD's, I can tell you that the DVD looks great. But I can only imagine how this film would look in 1080P if released in Blu-ray.

Audio is featured in Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround/English, Restored Mono, French Mono and Spanish Mono. The film of course is dialogue-driven but sure enough, the music of Harry Mancini is alive and well when blaring through your speakers.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

As mentioned before, there have been several releases of "Breakfast at Tiffany's" prior to this Centennial Collection, the older DVD's really hardly came with anything but the trailer until the 2006 "Special 45th Anniversary Collector's Edition" which came with a good number of special features and a commentary by producer Richard Shepherd.

Well, what I can tell you is that the Centennial Collection contains all of the special features from the Anniversary DVD release but also adds quite a few new lengthy featurettes as well. On the first disc, the first disc contains the movie and the same commentary from the Anniversary disc by Producer Richard Shepherd. You can tell that Shepherd gets drawn in to the film and doesn't speak in the commentary until he feels necessary.

So, for those wanting a verbose commentary, Shepherd doesn't do that. But it's actually quite fine because when he does speak, you learn a lot of things from him about the filming. For example, the opening shot featuring Audrey Hepburn in front of Tiffany's in Fifth Avenue. Where the place is typically packed with cars and people, for that time... there was hardly any traffic and no people. So, a very lucky time in filmmaking for the crew.

Also, Shepherd is quite apologetic about casting Rooney as Mr. Funiyoshi and he does that quite a bit in the commentary. You realized he didn't want the yellow face routine (Caucasian actor looking like an Asian stereotypical character) but it was kept in. Also, commenting of how certain scenes worked then but would never fly now. But most of all, his continued feeling of Audrey Hepburn as a class act. Overall, a very good commentary that you learn a lot from.

The special features on disc 2 are as follows:

* A Golightly Gathering A 20-minute featurette that reunites the talents who were in the cocktail party scene from "Breakfast at Tiffany's". One of the coolest parties ever on film, it's great to see the talent from the film reunite and discuss their experiences of filming that part scene 40-years later. I had no idea the party-scene took 8-days to film but it was great to hear everyone talk about their scene, working with Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard and Blake Edwards. But what a great featurette and so happy of it's inclusion.

* Henry Mancini: More Than Music This nearly 21-minute featurette is a wonderful featurette that features interviews with Henry Mancini's wife, daughter and son. Seeing private photos and even videos of Henry and having their family talk about him and what they remember about him, winning the two Academy Awards for "Moon River" and working on other films is just wonderful.

* Mr. Yunioshi: An Asian Perspective A 17-minute featurette. Despite the popularity of the film, the black cloud that has lingered on this film was the casting of Mickey Rooney as "Mr. Yunioshi". A talented actor, the "yellow face" role was just wrong and acknowledge by the director, producer and a cast member was just terribly wrong in casting Rooney for that role. This feature has interviews with representatives of the Media Action Network of Asian Americans. I'm glad that Paramount did include this featurette on this collection.

* The Making of a Classic Originally from the Anniversary release, this segment features interviews with Producer Richard Shepherd and Director Blake Edwards. A 16-minute featurette and you definitely learn a lot about the film, especially from Blake Edwards. One could image how his director's commentary would have been if included, especially with what he had to say on this featurette.

* It's So Audrey: A Style Icon An eight minute featurette with interviews with designers, Hepburn's son and companion. How Audrey Hepburn made simple things quite sexy. How Audrey never thought of her body proportions that sexy but she did have a good eye for style and how she became a fashion and style icon.

* Behind the Gates: The Tour This 4 minute featurette gives people a look behind the gates of the Paramount lot. A good promotional for those who would like to tour the Paramount lot.

* Brilliance in a Blue Box A six minute featurette about the history of Tiffany's. Originally featured on the Anniversary DVD.

* Audrey's Letter to Tiffany A two minute featurette about the letter Audrey wrote for the preface of the 150th Anniversary book for Tiffany's.

* Original Theatrical Trailer The original two minute trailer with its dust, scratches and all.

* Galleries Featuring production stills, movie stills and publicity shots for the film.

The Centennial Collection also comes with a booklet that features information of facts of the film, from how Capote wanted Marilyn Monroe for this film, information on Orangey the cat and how the "New York Site" that was filmed at the Paramount lot is now forever lost due to the big Paramount fire back in 1983 that destroyed historical sets.

And the DVD is just classy with it's black and gold packaging (which most of the Centennial Collection are packaged) and ditching the pink and white packaging.

I absolutely love this film. From the memorable dialogue, that first scene with Holly standing in front of Tiffany's, the cocktail party, Holly Golightly singing "Moon River" on her guitar, the cat and of course the final scene between Holly and Paul.

"Breakfast at Tiffany's" is a classic Audrey Hepburn film that is a must-own. I know that the film has been re-released many times on DVD and the 45th Anniversary was just a pleasure when it first came out and at the time, it was a definitive release. But now, with this "Centennial Collection" featuring a remastered version of the film and the new (and quite lengthy) featurettes that is included on this collection, this is the definitive version on DVD.

Personally, I can only imagine how this would look once it becomes available on Blu-ray but for now, these Centennial Collections from Paramount are just wonderful. Especially "Breakfast at Tiffany's", I'm really amazed how far Paramount went in order to make this release much more special.

The addition of "A Golightly Gathering" featuring the actors who took part in that cocktail party was awesome, the Henry Mancini featurette for those who just love his musical work will love this featurette and of course, for those who have felt the pain of the "yellow face" segment in the film, Paramount going the extra step by including a featurette dedicate to that on this DVD.

But in the end, this DVD is indeed a special tribute to Audrey Hepburn. Hepburn is just an icon of style and elegance and this DVD does a great job of giving special attention to such an incredible film. And after seeing this film so many time times, I still have not grown tired of it. It's one special film that I highly recommend

"Breakfast at Tiffany's" is flawless blend of a crowd-pleasing star-vehicle for the effortlessly charming Audrey Hepburn and a bittersweet, painfully beautiful look at love, life, and happiness. Director Blake Edwards, the man behind "The Pink Panther" series, "The Party", "Operation Petticoat", "Victor/Victoria", etc., has crafted a truly timeless film based on the novella by Truman Capote. Though numerous elements of Capote's story were altered, the film still has a strong core and message that urges audiences to examine their own lives, loves, and happiness.

Everything about this film is classic. You have the timeless Hepburn and her defining performance as Holly Golightly, a sophisticated, sassy call-girl with a secret past who is ultimately one of the most vulnerable characters Hepburn ever played. Then there's George Peppard, a vastly under-appreciated actor who manages to hold his own next to Hepburn while playing a struggling writer living off an older married woman. Peppard's boyish good looks and surprising depth make him the ideal match for Hepburn's Golightly.

Then of course there's Henry Mancini's wistfully romantic score and the tremendously popular theme-song, "Moon River", a true gem of a song that capture's the film's essence perfectly. In addition, you have Hepburn's fabulous, style-setting wardrobe courtesy of her lifelong friend Hubert de Givenchy. In this one film alone, Hepburn and Givenchy practically invented the "little black dress", popularized ballet flats, and introduced capris as a stylish alternative to regular pants.

My favorite quote:

Holly Golightly: You know those days when you get the mean reds?

Paul Varjak: The mean reds, you mean like the blues?

Holly Golightly: No. The blues are because you're getting fat and maybe it's been raining too long, you're just sad that's all. The mean reds are horrible. Suddenly you're afraid and you don't know what you're afraid of. Do you ever get that feeling?

Paul Varjak: Sure.

Holly Golightly: Well, when I get it the only thing that does any good is to jump in a cab and go to Tiffany's. Calms me down right away.

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I love this film despite two major flaws. 1.) they toned down the fact that Holly Golightly is a call girl (probably to maintain Audrey Hepburn's sweet image) and 2.) the awful inclusion of Mickey Rooney as an Asian. Both blunders make me mad. However, they didn't hide the fact that George Peppard's character was a kept man by the icy Patricia Neal. Nonetheless, the film succeeds as one of the most romantic stories ever filmed. Hepburn is utterly charming and her performance would have had a more interesting shade had Holly's true means of support not been practically erased. But when we learn she's run away from a very sad family situation---we see a glimpse of the true Holly. It's also an interesting note that two people living off of others for different reasons should find each other and fall ROMANTICALLY in love. The theme "Moon River" pulls every drop of poignancy from the tear ducts as does the scene with the kitten in the rain. I'm as jaded as they come and that scene gets me every time. I always choke up. This is a great film but could have been greater if the more adult aspects of the story had just been played out. Still I recommend this for lovers of shamelessly romantic movies. You really can't go wrong with this charmer.

Read Best Reviews of Breakfast at Tiffany's (50th Anniversary Edition) (1961) Here

"Breakfast At Tiffanys" is the vintage romance classic based on the novel by Truman Capote that pits the elegant Audrey Hepburn (Holly Golightly) against stoic George Peppard (Paul Varjack). He's a would be writer, being kept by a rich, married lady. She's the lost soul runaway who's abandoned her husband and family after her beloved brother dies while serving his country in the military. This is vintage Capote. Even with the glaring omissions to the text and Mickey Rooney's garish, over-the-top performance as a Japanese landlord, this is still one of the all time great date flicks.

Unfortunately, Paramount Home Video hasn't done a very vintage job on this DVD. They've presented the film in its original VistaVision widescreen process (anamorphically enhanced) and remixed the sound to 5.1. That's a start. But the visual characteristic of the transfer on this DVD is digitally harsh, suffering from edge enhancement, aliasing, shimmering fine details, pixelization and digital grain.

Colors are generally well balanced but there are several instances where flesh tones appear a little bit on the yellowish side. Contrast levels are weak with black levels usually registering a dark gray instead of black. There's an excessive amount of chips and scratches in the opening title sequence as well as some general color fading associated with film stock of this period. As for the 5.1 surround, it's strident and not very natural. Dialogue is forward sounding. The Henry Mancini score is nicely presented, particularly Moon River, but over all this is a mono soundtrack with very few scenes that engage any of your other speakers.

NO EXTRAS! What a shame!

BOTTOM LINE: This is vintage Hollywood presented at bargain basement quality. Decide for yourself. I'd wait in the hopes of a complete digital restoration.

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Because of the fact that I'm only 17 years old, I just got around to watching this movie. I'd always heard about it but I never knew what it was about. And, to be quite honest, I didn't even think about watching it because I thought it was in black and white! (Eh, I didn't know when it was made!)

My dad made me watch it this past weekend and I fell in love with it! Unlike most romantic comedies made today, both main characters are broke. It doesn't follow the mold of: poor/average girl falls for rich guy blah blah blah or the other way around. It was funny (Mickey Rooney's character was HILARIOUS!) and sad (when Holly finds out about Fred) and sappy (the last 20 minutes) all at the same time.

This movie is great for anyone, whether you saw it the first time around or you're a "late viewer" like me.

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Angels & Demons (Mastered in 4K) (Single-Disc Blu-ray + Ultra Violet Digital Copy) (2009)

Other reviewers have adequately commented on the motion picture itself. This review pertains to the so-called Two-Disc Extended Edition. While most two-disc editions provide the viewer with hours of additional features on the making the motion picture and the cast and crew, this edition provides the viewer with only three ten-minute featurettes, that easily could have been included on the feature disc, and about 20 "previews" for other motion pictures. At typically a 50% premium in price over the single-disc version, the three featurettes are not worth the price. Buy the single-disc version instead and enjoy the movie.

Very briefly, I would like to begin by addressing some of the criticism concerning this movie.

Some are unhappy because the movie does not closely follow the book. This happens to be true but how many book-based movies do? For the sake of movie-making, Dan Brown's book was not followed to the letter or even closely. However, it may be worth knowing that Dan Brown was the movie's executive producer and he absolutely approved all the major plot changes. If fact, he confesses to actually suggesting some of the major changes. Perhaps those who read the book should treat the movie as work 'related' to the book but not THE book illustrated. It's still Dan Brown's work but this is cinematography that was inspired by his book, to be appreciated and enjoyed as a movie.

I heard statements that the book was somehow anti-Christian or anti-Catholic. I disagree. I will not reveal the plot by providing substantial details but the movie concludes in a way that suggests respect for religious faith and the Catholic church, in fact, comes out looking pretty good.

Angels & Demons besides being a feast to the eyes, it succeeds in arousing the viewer's curiosity in more than one area: contemporary physics, Rome's landmarks, the Vatican. And those who watched the movie and may find themselves in Rome and at the Vatican are more likely than not to actually look for some of the landmarks featured in Angels & Demons. In fairness, Angels & Demons does not come close to The DaVinci Code's Earth-shattering scope, depth of research and sophistication but it's still unmistakenly Dan Brown and those who enjoyed the Code will probably love A&D. Those who hated the Code are likely to hate A&D more. To me, Dan Brown's works are not art and they aren't science but they are great, well researched entertainment that often challenge the reader's/viewer's preconceived opinions and stimulate further research and investigation and this is a good thing.

When it comes to acting Tom Hanks does not disappoint as Robert Langdon but Ewan McGregor lacks the gravitas we would expect from an acting Pope. All others are up to the job but I didn't see any Oscar-quality performances and didn't expect to.

The special effects when it comes to the recreation of St. Peter Square and parts of the Vatican are nothing short of amazing. Like I said, the movie is a feast to the eyes and, for all intents and purposes, what you see is always Rome and the Vatican, even when the cameras were filming some California parking lot.

PACKAGING AND PRESENTATION

Sony is totally throwing the kitchen sink at us with this Blu edition. As the Blu standard bearer and main promoter, they want to show us what Blu can do to make our lives a little more interesting. Everything that you can think of when you think Blu-ray and more 'is in there'.

Everything is good quality, starting with the Blu case which is not the cheap, perforated, almost falling apart kind that some of the lesser editions are using these days.

The decision to include both the theatrical version AND the extended cut on the same disc is responsible for this being a 3-disc set with a second disk carrying the special features and a third dedicated to the digital copies.

Technically speaking, the picture is, of course, a sharp 1080p and the two available sound tracks are both DTS-HD Master Audio in English and French. Surprisingly, the bonus features are shot in high-def as well with 2.0 stereo for the soundtrack.

SPECIAL FEATURES BLU-RAY

Besides BD-Live, a number of interesting Blu-specific features are available with this release.

The Path of Illumination emulates a trail through Rome, following Robert Langdon's through 5 Roman landmarks. It has high visuals, interviews, footage from each location, even a dictionary where dozens of terms are explained. Anyone passing through Rome could walk the path with the Path of Illumination feature serving as a travel guide.

CineChat is another Sony attempt to promote more interactivity. It allows those watching the movie to organize themselves into a viewing party and actually have their chats displayed on-screen as the movie is playing.

The movieIQ option is a BD-Live powered option. It logs into and checks some online database and provides up-to-date information about the movie and specific chapters while watching the movie. Pretty cool actually and not over-distracting, especially considering that this is not information 'burned' into the disc and it is updated, at least in theory if not in practice.

The digital copy, if this can go under Blu-ray specific features, is available for the PC, PSP (via PS3), Mac and iPod. Expires on 2/12/2010.

THE OTHER EXTRAS

Not as interactive as the BD-specific ones, they are also shot in hi-def for the Blu version, there are lots of shorts about the 'making of', actors, special effects, as expected. The featurette titled 'Writing Angels & Demons' should be of special interest because it's there where Dan Brown confesses to his specific agreement and cooperation on altering the story. Another interesting extra is on the CERN. Finally, we actually get to see and hear the real-life John Langdon, the person who served as the inspiration for the Robert Langdon character he specializes in 'ambiagrams', of course.

MY RATING

I found this movie to be entertaining and to carry sufficient 'substance' to merit watching maybe more than once. The quality of the Blu rendition is nothing short of exquisite and the extras, both Blu-specific and the regular ones are worth watching and interacting with.

Angels & Demons is a keeper and, as a work of entertainment, it's a 5-star in my book.

Buy Angels & Demons (Mastered in 4K) (Single-Disc Blu-ray + Ultra Violet Digital Copy) (2009) Now

This is one of those movies that was truly better than its predecessor. The good thing is you don't need to see Davinci Code to understand this movie. Its like Ron Howard took it to heart what people were saying regarding the DaVinci code, it was good but needed some more action to keep you interested.

Angels and Demons does this perfectly. Still a great story line, but tons of action, and a great score.

I left the theater after seeing this with a huge smile on my face. In plain words...

It was awesome!

-Jack

Read Best Reviews of Angels & Demons (Mastered in 4K) (Single-Disc Blu-ray + Ultra Violet Digital Copy) (2009) Here

I rememeber when I first saw The DaVinchi Code in the theatre. I thought the movie was good but it didn't do the book justice. I thought the book was far better. Then Angels and Demons came out in theatres and was leary about going to seeing it because of the first movie. But I did go to see Angels and Demons and I loved it. The movie had my full and complete attention for the entire two and a half hours. In fact, I loved the movie so much, I walked with a smile on my face and bought another ticket and walked right back and in and saw it again!

This movie has it all. It follows the book but strays when necessary, but not to the point of where it ruins the movie. It is chalk full of action and suspence, a total on the edge of your seat movie. The choice of music complements the movie beautifully. I could go on and on.. but one of the things that really made me catch my breath was the portrayal of the passion and history of catholicism. The cardinals in conclave, climbing the stairs to enter the Sistine Chapel in the Apostolic Palace, St Peter's tomb, exc.

I highly recommend this movie. No movie since had captivated me in a way such as this one. Enjoy!

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Ron Howard's new film is set mainly in Rome. However, the movie starts off at CERN, which is the largest particle accelerator in the world located in the suburbs of Geneva on the Franco-Swiss boarder. Anti-matter is stolen from facility which will supposedly blow up once the batteries of its container die out. In real life, over ten years, the facility has only made enough anti-matter to light a light bulb for about three minutes. So as long as we remain ignorant of this little detail we're in for a bit of a heart pumping ride, sort of. This film looks great, but it becomes a bit tiresome as the cops, and Tom Hank's character (Robert Langdon), are always just a little late in the pursuit of the killer. And unfortunately, the danger doesn't seem so much for them, as for the Cardinals, who we are never made to empathize with anyhow. This may be the real flaw of the movie. If there was more inherent danger to Robert, or those close to him, then this film might actually be suspenseful. When the killer does meet Robert head on, in a basement, the killer simply says that his business is not with Robert, as long as Robert doesn't pursue him. That's a sure way to deflate any suspense from a movie! If it wasn't for the great scenery and wonderful direction it doesn't seem like there would actually be too much here to rave about. The movie feels contrived, and silly, with its treasure chest like chase around Rome after an anonymous killer.

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The Lion King Blu-ray Trilogy (The Lion King / The Lion King 2 : Simba's Pride / Lion King 1 1/2 :

So I recently watched the Lion King in the theatres, and it was still as magical as I remember it was growing up. After reading some of the reviews on here, there seems to be a little mix-up as to what you get, so I would just like to clarify in case someone is interested in this amazing trilogy, which by the way has a beautiful outer wood box.

The Lion King comes with the 3D blu-ray, the standard blu-ray, the standard DVD, and digital copy.

The Lion King 1.5 comes with the standard blu-ray and the standard DVD.

The Lion King 2 comes with the standard blu-ray and the standard DVD.

As you can tell, only the original Lion King comes with 3D and digital copy, so it is basically the same thing as the regular 4 disc 3D pack you can get. The other 2 movies only have the standards of each format, so you can treat them as basic combo packs. I hope this helps clarify a few matters and whatever you do, definately pick this movie up.

(This review is for the films only.)

Yes, I said trilogy. This set includes the Disney classic The Lion King and its two sequels,The Lion King II: Simba's Pride and The Lion King 1 1/2. All three are great films, which is surprising, due to Disney's history with doing sequels.

The Lion King is the classic story of a young lion club named Simba who is next in line to become king of the Pride Lands. As he gets older, his uncle Scar begins to despise him and Mufasa, Simba's father and Scar's older brother. Mufasa is king, which makes Scar furious, and he makes a plot to kill them both. The plot is proven to be a success. Mufasa is killed and Simba, believing it to be his fault, runs off. He leaves the Pridelands and meets Timon and Pumbaa, a meekat and warthog who eats bugs. Simba soon joins the two and adopts their "Hakuna Matata"(it means no worries)lifestyle. Soon, Simba grows up and one day comes across his old friend Nala, who tells him that Scar is destroying their home. Simba at first disagrees about doing something about it, but after meeting with a old friend of his father named Rafiki, a wise mystic baboon, Simba gets back on track and decides to challenge Scar and become......The Lion King.

This movie is truly one of the best animated movies ever made. With some amazing voice-overs(including James Earl Jones, Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, Whoppi Goldberg, and Jonathan Taylor Thomas) and a engaging story, The Lion King is truly a classic to behold. Five Stars.

While probably the least interesting of the set, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride is still one amazing sequel. The story revolves around Simba's and Nala's daughter named Kiara. Kiara one days ventures into the territory of the lioness named Zira. Zira is the wife of Scar and she wants revenge on Simba. Zira has a young lion club named Kovu and while Kiara is in Zira's territory, she and Kovu get to know each other. Soon, the two parents show up and Simba takes Kiara home. At her home, Zira comes with a plan: she will train Kovu to kill Simba by getting to Kiara. Years later, they are now grown up and while Kiara is on her first hunt, a fire, set off by Zira's other children, is burning the pridelands. Kiara barely makes to high ground and Kovu arrives just in time to save her. Simba sees him and Kovu tells him to give him a chance, while truly trying to kill him. Meanwhile, Rafiki is trying to get Kiara and Kovu together, beliving it could stop the feud between the two families. It proves to be a success as Kiara and Kovu fall for each other. Soon Simba tries to get to know Kovu better and finds out the truth about Kovu plans for Simba, which Kovu now doesn't want to go through with, due to his feelings for Kiara. Kovu gets banished and Kiara runs off to find him. Zira now decides to take on Simba's pride by force and kill Simba by herself. Now, Kovu and Kiara must stop this before the worst happens.

Better than most sequels, Simba's Pride brings back all the characters from the original and introduces fascinating new characters. The story, while less interesting than the first, still works for this film and the voice-overs are good as well.

Four Stars.

The newest addition to the series is The Lion King 1 1/2. This is the first film's story, told from Timon's and Pumbaa's point of view. The story begins with Timon and his life before he took on his Hakuna Matata lifestyle. He makes tunnels for a living, but always screws them up. While Timon's mom beleves he just hasn't found his place yet in the clan, Timon, along with his Uncle Max and the other meekats, believe he is just a klutz and he isn't gonna get better anytime soon. Timon decides it's time to find the home of his dreams and sets off with his mother's permission. While on his quest, he meets Pumbaa and the two form a "aquaintship", which soon becomes a friendship. They soon find their dream home and everything seems perfect until one day they find Simba and decide to raise him until that fateday when Nala arrived. When they hear Simba has gone back to the Pridelands to become king, Timon and Pumbaa must now help Simba regain his right to become the rightful king of the Pridelands.

This one is incredibly funny and also, very clever. The idea of seeing the story from Timon and Pumbaa's point of view is delightful and the laughs are plenty. Overall, a new addition to the series that is fresh and fun. I give the Lion King 1 1/2 five stars.

I hope this review was helpful. I hope you enjoy this set of movies as much as I did.

Buy The Lion King Blu-ray Trilogy (The Lion King / The Lion King 2 : Simba's Pride / Lion King 1 1/2 : Now

This three movie, six disc collection is definitely worth the price paid. This collection contains Disney's The Lion King, Lion King 1 ½ and Lion King 2: Simba's Pride. The Lion King is a much beloved Disney classic. And while the Lion King 1 ½ and 2 are not nearly as good as the original they are funny and enjoyable in their own right.

The special features, frankly, are not that good. There's some games on them and some short montages on the characters. But mostly, I just watched the movies.

Read Best Reviews of The Lion King Blu-ray Trilogy (The Lion King / The Lion King 2 : Simba's Pride / Lion King 1 1/2 : Here

I love The Lion King trilogy, I have no complaints about the movies. This review is reviewing the box set it comes in.

The outside of the box is very lovely, with wood-like carving imagery on the outside. But once you open the case it comes in, you are in for a disappointment. The discs are in thin cardboard! There are no cases to hold the discs. You just slide them out of their "file" type thin cardbard. I can see this set getting very scratched in the near future if you watch these a lot. I only bought this set because I wanted all 3 movies. I suggest everyone wait and buy each separately in a appropriate blu ray case release. I would have rather had all three movies in actual blu ray cases inside this nice box, than this cheap, crappy drum. I expected much more, Disney...

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The Lion King is one of Disney's animated "golden age" films (along with little mermaid, alladin, etc.), and it really is a timeless classic.

for the pre-order price of about $75, it's a great value considering the 4 disc blue-ray set alone is going to run you at least $30, Lion King 2 around $20 and 2 1/2 maybe $15. Shell out a few more bucks and you get a nifty box to keep everything in and you know that you have the complete collection, special features and all.

The great thing about the 4 disc blu ray combo pack for the ORIGINAL Lion King, is that it includes:

the regular 2D movie dvd & blu-ray disc, a 3D blu-ray disc, (this ensures that whatever technology you are currently using, you will be able to watch the movie, regardless. and if you are using DVD now, you will have blu-ray for later when you upgrade. or you can always give away whichever one you don't want/need.)

and the digital copy which I always love as an option. Digital copies allow you to upload to mobile devices (especially easy for itune users although it might restrict usage to apple devices), such as your phone, tables (great for keeping you or maybe your kids entertained on trips or when waiting for stuff), and of course, your laptops and computers.

for the other 2 movies, Lion King 2 and Lion King 1 1/2, there is a DVD & Blu-ray copy for each.

The set also includes all the bonus discs for all three movies, which of course has all the bonus features: deleted scenes, commentary, shorts, new songs, etc etc.

It's a great value and would make a great gift for anyone who enjoys Disney Animated Movies.

(if you dont need/want all the bells and whistles or the other movies, then another version might be better for you. the 2disc DVD/blu-ray also has the special features, just not the 3D or the digital copy)

BARFI HINDI BLU RAY WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES FULLY BOXED AND SEALED DIRECT FROM MANAFACTURER (2012)

Some may say this movie stole some famous scenes from classics. But this movie is full of love and humor, which we can't find in Hollywood movies any more. They didn't steal but quoated those scenes because it seems too obvious if you call it plagiarism. All the actors and actresses are very attractive and lovely. After watching whole this movie once, you will want to watch some lovable scenes again and again.

Civilization (1969)

If you have never seen this series before and are interested in art history, you just landed in a honey jar. Clark takes us on a 1,500 year journey through Western Civilization starting roughly at the end of the Roman Empire and ending in mid 20th century. He tells us straight out that his aim was to follow the history of Western European civilization as seen through the eyes of its artists. Why the limitation to only Western European civilization? Apparently, Lord Clark wanted to keep the series to a manageable length. The series is over 13 hours long as it is, and one can only wonder what it would have gone on to become had he included the Egyptian, Greco-Roman, Byzantine, Islamic, Asian, African and Pre-Columbian cultures. The mind boggles. With Civilisation, Clark has done an incredible job of showing us the amazing cultural legacy left by our European forebears. And at the end he reminds us that this is only a fraction of what was actually achieved. You will recognize many of these works. Others will not be so familiar. But they carry the weight of historical significance, and everyone with at least a four year college education should be aware of the general drift of Clark's presentation. He finished this program for the BBC in 1969. It was an immediate success and you can also find the book of the same name which was a popular spinoff of the series. I recommend it also. The series came along in the midst of some of the most tumultuous scenes of civic strife of the last 50 years. Against this background, Clark laid out his thesis that Western civilization has consisted of a series of catastrophes and rebirths. He indicates that our depression over the events of the twentieth century should not lead us into abandoning the cultural legacy which has been bequeathed to us. For example, if the Black Plague of the 14th century were to strike us with the same force it did before, over a hundred million Americans would die. The Thirty Years war devastated parts of Europe even worse than World War 2. And yet, the will to survive and rebuild society was always there. It is a prescient reminder for the current generation of thoughtful people.

Lucid, engaging, and comprehensive does not adequately describe Sir Kenneth Clark's magnificent survey into Western Civilization. For a series over 40 years old, the audio is remastered, the transfers are remarkably clean, and the content and opinions of the host hardly seem dated. Clark effectively interweaves music, art, science and architecture into a broad sweeping portrait that defines Western thought. For those critics who find Clark's praise for Western art either superficial or superfluous have probably been watching and listening to the typical PBS tripe directed to an audience with a junior high vocabulary with an attention span to match.

Clark is a splendid presenter and teacher whose enthusiasm for his work clearly shows. It's all here, from the ancient Greeks to the modern age (well actually, circa 1969 when the series was made), while "Civilization" is a wonderful introduction to the "humanities"--something that they used to teach in college, but now supplanted by courses and programs of dubious relevance and replete with politically correct content.

If you snoozed during your mandatory art or humanities courses in college or just found them as an opportunity to catch up on some other homework during lecture, let Sir Kenneth Clark explain to you why these things still matter today and help to define our culture and our lives. For slightly more than what you would pay for one class at a local community college, you can enjoy a most superlative achievement in truly "higher education."

Unlike the virtually unletterd commentators and hosts on the "History Channel" who apparently utter a profound "Wow, cool!" every time they are confronted with some architectual wonder or historical artifact, Clark's presentation, scholarly but never "stuffy," is a refreshing and welcome antidote.

Clark's remarks and insight are as on target as they are illuminating--see the installment featuring Michaelangelo and the Renaissance and you will understand why. Now, if only the BBC would release Alistair Cooke's "America" with Region 1 encoding for all of us to enjoy on this side of the pond...

Buy Civilization (1969) Now

In March 2001 I reviewed the VHS version of this classic. In recent years, I have lobbied for its release in the US in DVD. I joined Steve Lubetkin's blog last year to lobby the BBC, and now it is here. It is remarkable that this work of art about works of art has stood tall all these years against the plethora of programming that has sought unsuccessfully to surpass it. For all of us who know this series so well, it is not just a program; it is a document that families should pass on as necessary for a liberal education. Since it first came to America in the late '60's, nothing has married art, music, literature and a literate world view in the way Lord Clark showed us it was possible to do. That you may not share all his "personal views" is irrelevant. What matters is that what he puts before you will change and enlarge you. This must not be missed.

Read Best Reviews of Civilization (1969) Here

"Civilisation, A Personal View" by Kenneth Clark

Created in the 1960,s, this series continues to be a classic television series for those who want to be informed and entertained by a highly, knowledgeable and respected art historian, Kenneth Clark.

Mr. Clark does assume that he is talking to a viewer, who is educated, well-read, and has passionate interest in the history, issues, and flow of western civilization from the end of ancient Rome until the 1960's. As the subtitle, "A Personal View" and his commentary makes perfectly clear, he is presenting his knowledgeable view of the history of western civilization. Drawing upon his years of study and experience, his presentations are carefully crafted to have balance as well as clearly presenting his own personal analysis and conclusions as others. It is obvious that he is not in the entertainment business, but his manner is one of a learned host who is presenting an overview of western of civilization from the point of view of its art. The breath and depth of the subject matter is excellent and is highly recommended today as it was 30 years ago.

Finally, this excellent series is now available on DVD. On the technical side, the image quality DVD is in general very good but it is unfortunate that there are some scenes that do not have the quality that this series deserves.

(At bit of trivia One of the supporting actors in a brief scene from Hamlet is none other than Patrick Stuart.)

----------> Blu-ray Version Update (March 21, 2013)-Did NOT work.

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Australia (2008)

I did not see this in theatres on release as the trailers made it look like a big, overly wrought romance... a la Gone with the Wind meets Cimarron and not my cup of tea. Nor am I a fan of Nicole Kidman, so no appeal there. And when I finally saw it, I found it nothing like I expected nor was it much like many of the other reviewers have portrayed. Yes, it used broad, almost stereo-typed characters to carry the "Anglo" story line, and yes, there were actions in the movie that required the "willing suspension of disbelief"; that hardly seems unusual.

However, the thing that made the movie unusual in a most positive way was the telling of the story from the point of view of the racially-mixed "outcast" little boy, Nullah. This introduced an entirely different point of view, signficantly, at least for Americans, of the characters and the story line. While I do not pretend to know much about aboriginal culture, the concepts and importance of "singing" and "stories" were presented sufficiently well to open up the ideas to the large portion of the American audience which likely is unfamiliar with this. A number of strong and appealing cultural ideas were referenced or illustrated either in the dialog / actions of the aboriginal characters or occasionally the brief comments of "The Drover": the geographical mapping of the aborigines through "singing" (music); the importance of one's story and how one connects to the "tribe" / ancestors / universe through "singing" (stories). In fact, the word "sing" as used by Nullah and The Drover in the movie clearly has a richer meaning in this aboriginal context, one which cannot easily be translated directly into American English and which is worth exploring.

I thought Jackman did well in a role that called for a man's man--in American movies cowboys are not too chatty, either...men of action, mostly defined by showing up and doing, so I remain puzzled that other reviewers thought Jackman was too silent. However, the actors that stole the show were the aboriginal actors. Uncle George was marvelous and mystical throughout--totally elegant, grounded, and convincing as the shaman "singing" (guiding with knowledge) his charges through the desert. The Drover's brother-in-law was excellent, playing his role with a quiet dignity.

But this movie was Nullah's story, from beginning to end, and the beautiful Brandon Walters is a revelation as to what a pure talent can produce when given the right chance; for that we can thank Mr. Luhrmann's effort to get that key role right. I do not know who actually did the singing (humming, chanting) which seemed to eminate from Nullah--if it was dubbed or done by Brandon Walters. But this movie has indelibly burned in my mind the earnest, trusting face with huge brown eyes in and the pure, musical tones of the child-mystic when Nullah utters this simple line (and variations on it): "I sing you to me." For this line alone, whether taken as a simple plot facilitator or as a greater metaphor, I would see this movie again and again.

I love Howard Hawks' films...Bringing Up Baby, His Girl Friday, Red River, and Rio Bravo are amazing pieces of entertainment. As I was watching Australia, the new Baz Luhrmann movie with Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman, I kept thinking...man, Baz must really love Hawks' movies, too.

As evidenced by the films above, the mismatched couple who fight and fight until they realize they're perfect for each other (see Much Ado About Nothing, Taming of the Shrew, and Moonlighting as other examples of the form) and the group of underestimated misfits who come together to fight evil are two big elements used again and again by Hawks. Throw in a bit of John Ford's The Searchers and its hard look at racism leading to inhuman deeds and mix well and you have...Australia.

The problem modern audiences may have with Luhrmann's new movie is it's very, very earnest. This is straight ahead epic storytelling with its heart on its sleeve and hat and boots with never a wink to the crowd in the theater to say "ain't these people quaint". You either buy in or you don't. If you do, like I did, you're in for a hell of a ride.

This, I feel, is the flip-side to The Dark Knight. Good and evil are trapped in something akin to a battle and an embrace in Nolan's Gotham City. You root for Batman, but he does stuff that is on the wrong side of freedom and civil rights. The Joker is pure crazy, but he's the most mesmerizing character in the film. In Australia, there are good guys and bad guys and you are either really good or twirl your mustache evil. The main villain actually may be a bit too two-dimensional in that aspect, but it didn't hurt my overall enjoyment.

Why? Well, epic melodrama is hard to pull off...I'm talking about the real stuff here. The recent BBC production of Bleak House is a great example. There are very good and very, very bad people in that story, but the acting is so fantastic you rarely if ever catch yourself rolling your eyes (like whenever I've watched Smallville...see: bad epic melodrama). Kidman and Jackman sell their characters...the displaced Englishwoman and the rough-hewn "Drover". They are thrown together just to, initially it seems, thwart a nasty cattle baron from monopolizing the beef industry in the country. But the other big story, the main one in fact, centers around Australia's "lost generation". These were Aboriginal children who were fathered by white men who didn't claim them. They were taken by the government, the mothers had no rights, and handed over to the church to be taught to "act white" and then work in the servant class. Nullah, played by the fantastic child actor Brandon Walters, is one of these "creamies" who has been hidden on the ranch now owned by Lady Sarah Ashley (Kidman). Lady Ashley discovers what is going on, is horrified by the law, and works to keep him hidden as well. Why the Drover cares so much about Nullah becomes clear later in the film (no, it's not what you think...that would be too easy) and Jackman's experience with stage and musical work does him proud here. He can do earnest better than almost any actor alive when he needs to and his later use of the f-word (the only curse I can remember from the entire film) hits so hard, in just the right emotional moment, that it kills. Russell Crowe was originally cast as the Drover but backed out. If Crowe had done the film, and I have liked him in other things...the Napoleon-era British navy film that I can't remember the name of right now, it would not have worked. Crowe never loses that bit of edge and the Drover, at one point, really has to fully break down and become completely vulnerable. Jackman shines at that point.

Anyway...a warning, the movie is long 2 hours and 40something minutes, but I didn't realize that until I had left the theater. I saw it alone...I was out of town at a pediatrics meeting...and that's a good thing. I didn't have to hide from Holly the few times the movie hit me a bit too hard and do that cough-throat clearing thing we dudes do to cover up a stray tear.

Buy Australia (2008) Now

I was looking forward to seeing this movie when it was release late last year given all the hype, and was not dissappointed!

Director, Baz Luhman, has served up a slab of nostalgia ala Australian style with all those beautiful elements we love from films of the 40's and 50's, breathtaking, sweeping landscapes, gorgeous costumes and two fine actors in Kidman and Jackman who get the essence of the film. It nostalgia in every sense of the word, in every frame. The acting style reminds us of Bogart, Grant, Bacall and Dunne. The story is epic in every way and just lovely. I loved the salute to "The Wizard of Oz"a really nice touch!

Of course we all know how it's going to end. Watching Australia was like eating a box of Quality Street chocolates. Sure I know what I'm getting, but I still love it.

For those of you who want to spend a few hours (and I mean a few; it's almost 3 hours) being completely entertained then thisis the movie for you. I only wished they had inserted an interval on it's theatrical release and made the whole event at the movies a real nostalgic experience.

I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't like this movie, unless you just aren't up for a feel good picture. I want to see more movies being made like this!!!! Well done to all!!!

Read Best Reviews of Australia (2008) Here

I know what Baz Luhrmann was attemting to accomplish with Australia. He even hinted at it himself with regards to Gone With The Wind. He wanted a glorious epic of mass proportions but what he really created was a long, beautiful, but sometimes dull film. He strived for perfection but clearly didn't quite make it.

I am a HUGE fan of Moulin Rouge. I love everything about it-the music, the acting, the costumes and the story. I can see some of that shining through in Australia as well. The beautiful array of colors, just splendid choreography and direction, there is no question about that. The problem lies with the script and the plot.

This movie did not need to be over 3 hours long. I do not mind sitting through a film that longI have done plenty of times before. But there were obvious parts that just dragged and some that were not necessary at all. The parts with the cattle drive were especially tedious, and that was most of the film...

The 'magic' aspect didn't really fit into this. It worked in Moulin Rouge but for obvious reasons. This to me, is more of a serious film with serious issues. Stealing aborigines children and removing them from their home is something that should have been the main aspect of the plot. But it was muddled along with the other, less important subplots. Of course there is a bad guy-nicely played by David Wenham, and a hero-Hugh Jackman.

Jackman is the true gem in this film. He carries basically the entire film and at least makes it more interesting to watch. Nicole Kidman, usually a huge favorite of mine, seemed somewhat lost in this. She appeared to overdo most of her lines and while she looked lovely in her part, it just didn't suit her all that well. I was a bit surprised at that. The little aborigine boy, played by Brandon Walters was a heartwarming surprise. His acting, I thought, was extroadinary.

The climax of the film was more anticlimatic than anything. Just a tad predictable. I am indifferent with how it played out, though the very end gave me a slight lump in my throat...

All in all, a worthy and well-made film. Clearly it took a lot of time and effort on everybody's part and should be commended. It's just not the sweeping epic Baz of the rest of us were hoping for.

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This movie was by far my favorite of 2008, even with such crowd-pleasers such as The Dark Knight and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. It's story is well formulated, honest, and believable. The acting is superb, with Hugh Jackman stealing his scenes and Nicole Kidman has the most developed character of any film she has ever done. Sprinkled intermittently with comedic moments, Australia is presented in a raw, emotional format with a hint of epic provided by the sweeping wide-angle shots of Australia's scenery. This film deserved more ratings and awards than it has won, and it's Baz's best movie yet. Yes. Better than "Moulin Rouge!". Best of 2008!

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Chicago Cubs: The Heart & Soul of Chicago

Great combination of Soul of the Second Citys Beloved baseball team! The Music and Interviews enhance the experience of the heart being the Chicago Cubs!

we are delighted with the Vidio, even my 10 year old grandson who is a great cubs fan with his Dad enjoyed it.

the leave in Minnesota and i gave them the vidio for Easter, i know the will always treasure it,special the Chicago history and the segment on Ron Santo,a great ball player and so much more.

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I lived about 20 miles north of Chicago for many years. I now live in Indiana and a dear friend lives in Colorado. I sent my friend a copy of this and she loved it. Then she loaned it to her daughter ... well, you know how that goes, then it's loaned to someone else and before you know it, it's mia. During the course of the coming year, I would like to get one for my friend, one for each of my grown children and one for me. I feel like just about anybody would enjoy this one.

Read Best Reviews of Chicago Cubs: The Heart & Soul of Chicago Here

My hubby is an avid Cubs fan and he was so excited about this. He said it was amazing and a great bday gift.

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As a Chicago native, I know a good history when I see it and this is without peer. Came on time and in great condition. Thank you very much.

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Dragon Ball Z Double Feature: The History of Trunks / Bardock

I can remember when "THE HISTORY OF TRUNKS" was shown on TV in Japan back in 1993 the buzz on the anime BBS at the time was just message after message of excitement and shock by "DRAGON BALL Z" fans. That excitement was followed by the large attended screenings at anime fan clubs for "THE HISTORY OF TRUNKS", the second special of "DRAGON BALL Z". Seeing the shocked faces of everyone who watched it will always be a lasting memory and this special would become a favorite of mine.

Now nearly two decades later, the first two specials have been released together on Blu-ray Disc courtesy of FUNimation Entertainment.

VIDEO:

If there is one thing that is important to remind everyone is that these two animated specials are twenty years old. It's a general known fact that a lot of older anime films, specials and even TV series have not been preserved well. There is only so much that can be done with the original master source, so let's start with the good and the bad. The good is that this is probably the best we are ever going to see "Dragon Ball Z". It's on Blu-ray, hi-def and the picture quality was great for that time and the colors are nice and sharp with it's 1080p transfer. The video was remastered in High Definition and digitally restored and you get a nice wide screen 16×9 transfer. Colors look good for two anime films that are twenty years old.

With that being said, the good news is that the specials fared quite well in its translation to Blu-ray. Because these two were shown on television, you don't get as much scratches or dust. In fact, I saw very little of any scratches or dust which was great considering how old these two specials were. Also, the colors were quite vibrant and was very pleased with the video transfer.

AUDIO:

Like the treatment they have given to their TV season box sets of "DRAGON BALL Z", this Blu-ray disc features Dolby TrueHD, English 5.1 with Japanese or U.S. Music and the original 2.0 Japanese track. I love having been given the choice and although I grew up watching "DRAGON BALL Z" with its original Japanese language, I have to say that the English dubbing for the US "DRAGON BALL Z" is terrific and perfectly cast.

The Dolby TrueHD English 5.1 track is where you are going to hear the difference because of the utilization of the rear channels during the battle scenes. So, it's great to have FUNimation really work the 5.1 track for the Blu-ray release.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Surprisingly there are no special features included on the Blu-ray but there are a good number trailers for a lot of the recent FUNimation DVD and Blu-ray releases.

I may sound a bit biased towards these two specials because I was there to see the excitement by anime fans not long after the special was shown in Japan and to see the anime club viewings in the US so packed with people watching it in Japanese (without understanding what is going on) and to see anime BBS message boards with long threads from "DRAGON BALL Z" fans just discussing their shock after watching the special. It was one of those rare times I can remember so many fans coming together to watch a film that was not subtitled in English (the other was the first "Street Fighter" animated film) and no one really knew what was going on but because the special featured so much action, it was just worth watching.

I've purchased many incarnations of "THE HISTORY OF TRUNKS" and to watch it on Blu-ray and to see how vibrant the colors were and how good it looked for an anime 16-years old, was quite nice.

The same can be said in regards to "BARDOCK, THE FATHER OF GOKU". A special that I watched nearly two decades ago and again, to really enjoy because rarely do the "Dragon Ball Z" storyline go outside of main core of characters and focus on another group.

Not much was known about Bardock but it was great to watch this special again. And again, for something that came out so old, and in this case 19 years ago to look so vibrant in colors and looking so great in Blu-ray is a major plus.

FUNimation Entertainment did another fantastic job on this Blu-ray and it may have a bit of the dust and scratches but it was very minimal. But as a longtime "DRAGON BALL Z" fan, "THE HISTORY OF TRUNKS" is one of those must-own releases. For DBZ fans, these two specials would be a fantastic addition to your anime collection and for a Blu-ray, the price for both one Blu-ray disc is great.

Overall, another action-packed release that is definitely recommended!

I highly recommend buying this. I enjoyed this movie the two movies plots are very well written. If you are a fan of DBZ you will love this.

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I'm not commenting on the quality of the 2 movies that come in this set that are totally awesome, but instead i'm going to talk about the presentation. It comes in a beautifully designed steelbox, that you will fall in love immediately, with two dvds of the 2 films and in the background comes a DBZ extraordinary art design.

Read Best Reviews of Dragon Ball Z Double Feature: The History of Trunks / Bardock Here

Any die hard DBZ fan will buy this movie; both features have a great back story and is nice to add to your collection... however:

This review is pretty much copy/paste on my review of: Dragon Ball Z Return of the Cooler / Cooler's Revenge (Double Feature) [Blu-ray]

"Unless you're upgrading it from VHS then don't worry about buying a blu-ray version if you already have the DVD.

Having watched the original DragonballZ on DVDs and despite their best attempts at restoring the original films, the blu-ray version doesn't seem to offer any real advantage to the DVD versions.

You will still notice the film grain throughout the film.

Another issue is given that the original version was made for 4:3 the up scaling to 16:9 didn't really do anything for the film and feels like a cropped/stretched version of the original."

Something I'll add to this review that I didn't mention in the other is as with the picture quality the audio does sound better, but like the picture quality it really isn't that noticeable.

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History of Trunks is a great movie all around, a good tragedy ending in hope (or HOPE!! if you know what I mean). Bardock however seems to have been a subpar dub. I watched both and the details that were omitted or changed in his lines are quite unnecessary. This includes details about him talking about his son (changed to something unrelated like 'Oh I better not waste time'). That's coming from a long time fan of the dub, they just botched this one up. But the original is still there, so it gets credit where due. Oh again for the faint of heart: cropping unnoticeable.

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Paul (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) (2011)

I was a bit hesitant about seeing Paul from the critical reviews and from the trailer, but found myself enjoying it quite a bit when I took a chance and saw it. There's a lot to see in Paul, and much like Galaxy Quest (1999), Paul both mocks its subject matter while at the same time treating it with both understanding and great affection. A lot of talent went into Paul and it shows. Directed by Greg Mottola (Superbad, Adventureland, TV's Arrested Development) and written by Simon Pegg (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead, TV's Spaced) and Nick Frost, Paul hits all the right comic notes, skewering its target audience knowingly and lovingly.

What makes Paul work is that, at its heart, it's the ultimate scifi road trip. Graeme (Simon Pegg) and Clive (Nick Frost), two major scifi/comics/UFOs fanboys from the UK, are visiting the US on a pilgrimage of sorts, hitting the biggest scifi/comics/gaming convention on the West Coast and making the grand tour of all the famous UFO-lore sites (Area 51, Roswell, 'The Black Mailbox', etc) in a huge honkin' RV. While on the road out in the desert, they witness a car spin out of control and crash. When they hurry to see if they can help, they come face to face with the classic little green alien with huge head and enormous oval eyes. Except that he's smoking a cigarette, introduces himself as 'Paul', and talks like Seth Rogen (mainly because he's voiced by Seth Rogen, absolutely the perfect choice for this role). Paul tells Graeme (Clive's fainted) of his need to escape the government people coming after him and the road trip is on.

The cast is great. Pegg and Frost are perfect in their roles as fanboys who've been buddies since childhood and have never really grown up, Frost's Clive hoping to finish his breakthrough novel and Pegg's Graeme doing the illustrations for it (the triple-breasted alien woman on the cover is a running gag that keeps getting funnier). Rogen gives Paul his personality, quite literally, making him a fairly unique creation: the stoner/slacker alien who's gone native in a lot of ways but has decided it's time to phone home (largely because the powers that be have apparently decided to quit merely picking his brain and remove it instead). Jason Bateman is great as the deadpan Agent Zoil, the 'man in black' hot on Paul's trail. Bill Hader and Joe LoTruglio are excellent comic foils as his low-grade backups, Agents Haggard and O'Reilly. Jeffrey Tambor is a scene-stealer in his role as the arrogant fanboys' icon, Adam Shadowchild. Kristen Wiig adds a lot to the comic mix as Ruth Buggs, a repressed Christian fundamentalist (she wears a t-shirt with Jesus shooting Darwin through the head) whose close-encounter with Paul ends up liberating her in a completely over-the-top way (think Jessica from True Blood, just with aliens instead of vampires). And there's a major cameo that's held in reserve until the climactic scene, but once it's revealed, your reaction will be "Of course! Who else?"

Another fun part of Paul is picking up all of the movie references, and Paul contains a _lot_ of them, sometimes in lines that are either quotes or parodies of quotes, sometimes in scenes or visuals, from just about every major scifi movie imagineable. Star Wars, Star Trek, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Aliens, Back To The Future, E.T., Predator, Starman. You name it, it's probably in there somewhere. My personal favorite is a scene with a country & western band in a biker bar, playing their version of about the last thing you'd ever expect to hear in that context. I really want to get the DVD when it comes out so I can go back and catch all the ones I missed the first time.

There are a few places where things do drag a bit, usually where the toilet/grossout humor (it's Seth Rogen after all) goes on a little too long. But for the most part Paul keeps things going fast and furious, and the cast are so into their roles that even when you can sense the joke coming, it's still funny when it hits you.

Highly recommended for anyone who loves sci-fi/alien films and for anyone who's ever been a fanboy of anything.

So heads up

If your christian faith in god is so weak that you cannot handle a computer generated alien making jokes and presenting logical facts regarding your faith and its almost complete lack of science.... this movie is not for you.

If you cant handle a smart ass little alien who drinks, smokes dope, and tells dirty jokes...this movie is not for you.

If you have no humor at all and find things in a "comedy" offensive...this movie is not for you

if you find two gross British nerds taking the trip of a lifetime and doing what they love un funny or offensive...this movie is not for you

If you find large explosions or the men in black overly scary and offensive... this movie is not for you.

However,

If you enjoy crude humor, atheist overtones, large explosions, smoking dope, telling dirty jokes AND some nerdtastic adventures... this movie is for you.

I went into this flick not expecting much but I left happy and I cant wait to buy it!

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As of writing, this film isn't out in Canada, however a CAM version of the UK release is out, so I am reviewing it based on the version I saw.

When it comes to Brit comedy, nobody does it quite like the Frost/Pegg duo. Both are phenomenal actors and seeing them on screen is a charm. So when I saw the trailer for "Paul" with The Green Hornet,, I must say I was very excited. And I must say, the film didn't disappoint. Is it quite on the same level as the Blood and Ice Cream movies? Definitely not, but it's a great piece of brain popcorn and I believe you will definitely love it.

This movie is basically the plot of E.T. with the humour of Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead, and it works! Of course you can't go wrong with that combination. Although Edgar Wright didn't direct the film, and the film feels very different from the mentioned two, this film actually manages to have the same level of charm and entertainment as those two. Also, the film has a wide range of good actorsincluding Jason Bateman, Jane Lynch, and even David Koechner!

Two British nerds, Graeme and Clive, are on a road trip across the US, which they have been dreaming of as kids. They've been dreaming of this as kids, and the highlight so far has been Comic Con San Diego. They

even have met Adam Shadowchild. One night, while in Area 51, Nevada, they witness a car crash, and come across the foul-mouthed alien slacker Paul. But this ain't no District 9 or E.T. Paul is, as mentioned above, is a slacker, and a loud/foul mouth. He is being chased by US government agents, and Graeme and Clive have no choice but

to take them with him. Along the way, they pick up a religious chick, an old lady who was wronged by Paul, and it all becomes one wacky and zany adventure.

This is definitely an adults-only version of E.T., and one that manages to entertain all the way through. Tonnes of gross moments and WTF moments as well as belly laughs and crude humour. Seth Rogen is

surprisingly great as the said alien Paul, his voice is surprisingly fitting. He was great in his past year's The Green Hornet, and he does amazingly well here. Pegg and Frost are their usual charming selves,

and manage to make a great team. But the highlight of the movie was Kristen Wiigshe was HILARIOUS!!!! Every line from her mouth was gold, and she definitely stole the show. This movie also had lots of heart too, and there is a VERY touching scene near the end I will not spoil.

Overall, this definitely is not Wright material, but if you go into it with an open mind, you will enjoy this movie like I did. Definitely recommended for sure.

Read Best Reviews of Paul (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy) (2011) Here

I love this movie, the witty, dry, silly comedy from Hot Fuzz and Shawn of the Dead were back in full force. A great no brainer movie with a lot of heart, just like summer movies should be. Although I agree that if you are offended by movies that question religion, steer clear of this one.

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Simon Pegg + Nick Case = Sheer magic. All the time. This movie is hialarious, despite having a cast full of comedic stars, it's believable and is basically every Con fan's dream come true. I can't watch it enough, it always makes me laugh.

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Treasure Planet (10th Anniversary Edition) (2002)

*** Spoiler Warning this review might reveal surprises in the movie ***

First off for a frame of reference, I'm a 30-year old male and a sucker for Disney movies in general.

When this movie came and went to the theatres in a flash, I heard so much bad about it, how it was the worst Disney movie ever, that I actually didn't go see it in the theatre. I regret that now. First time I actually saw this movie was on a 14-hour flight from Los Angeles to London, and I fell heads over heels in love with it!

I adored the original Novel "Treasure Island", and I believe that Treasure Planet lives up to it. The central theme of Treasure Planet, in my mind, is the boy, Jim, who grows up with only a vague recollection of his father who in the movie appears like a shadow in Jim's faded childhood memories.

I think this particular "flashback" scene was very powerful, it featured the absolutely brilliant "I'm still here" track by Johnny Rzesnik, and led the viewer to fully understand Jim's childhood, and to share his teenage frustration and delinquency that stems from his father abandoning the young Jim and his mother. Possibly, I might a bit biased in this respect, since I can strongly identify with this situation as my own father was "married to the sea" when I grew up, and i can admit that i blubbered like a baby during the flashback sequence.

This is right in line with the core message of the film. A young, reckless and frustrated boy who is taken under the wing of the Old Salt, who becomes his new father figure. He learns how to take orders, work hard, grow, face adversity, and eventually become a man by making tough choices. An excellent message in this day and age, if you ask me.

I also loved the theme the producers chose. A type of anachronistic retro-futuristic design, where we in the future still use old, creaking, wooden, pirate ships, but with ultra futuristic systems. The movie also suspends the viewer from reality in many flavorful ways for instance when the spaceship travels through the universe, it encounters a pod of whales. Or how Jim takes a dhingy "comet surfing".

I think this film provides excellent entertainment, suspense and has a great message for kids. But as an adult, I think I also got a kick out of this GREAT and CLEARLY UNDERRATED Disney flick.

SEE IT!

Treasure Planet was not a blockbuster hit like its predecessors, through no fault of its own. It is one of Disney's rare cult classics, gathering a small but rabid following of fans who praise its beautiful, revolutionary art direction, including the use of fully-mapped CGI environments upon which the characters were animated, and the fun, genuine voices of the all-star cast including Emma Thompson, David Hyde Pierce, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It is a true Disney story with its young protagonist, Jim Hawkins, growing from a sullen teenager to a brave, hard-working young adult in one amazing adventure through space.

The story was pulled from Robert Louis Stevenson's swashbuckling masterpiece Treasure Island, in which the young Jim Hawkins grows to care for his mentor John Silver and is therefore devastated to learn that his teacher is in fact a pirate in disguise, looking to mutiny along with the rest of the crew. The story is translated to sci-fi amazingly well, using a 70-30 ratio for the mise-en-scene of the whole thing. 70% is true to its original tale; characters wear 18th century fashion, the architecture of the spaceport is all Georgian, and the ship on which they travel is a beautiful three-mast schooner with a few modifiers for the journey. 30% is sci-fi, with laser guns, giant holographic treasure maps, and a crew of exotic aliens ranging from cute to downright scary.

(Detractors of the movie quickly point out that the ship is not closed, and how could they be breathing in space anyway? The directors, Ron Clements and John Musker, revealed in the 'Art of...' book that the universe where they live does not work with the same properties as ours. There is air and weather in space, as well as nebulas and dying stars to make the journey treacherous.)

Treasure Planet as a whole deserves more credit. It features all the basics of a Disney classic: a handsome, sympathetic main character; a diabolical antagonist who you come to care for as much as the heroes; a bumbling sidekick and his leading-lady love interest; and the slightly-annoying Third Act Addition character. The story carries as much heart as, say, Lion King or Pinocchio. The art is truly stunning; just sit back and watch the colors of space swirl across your TV screen, or the subtle-but-perfect facial expressions of the characters. Clements and Musker admit much time and thought was put into the eye movements of the characters, trying to make them look as real-life as possible.

Last but not least, I need to mention and rave about the score. James Newton Howard really seemed to throw himself into making the soundtrack as beautifully classic as possible, with a full orchestra really setting the mood for a pirate tale set in the 1700's. It has several moments of pure adrenaline, pure bittersweet happiness, and pure longing for your own ship and crew to take to the stars.

The picture quality for the Blu-ray is sound. The transition up from standard def did not result in the sparkling white of the drawn lines that afflicted the Beauty and the Beast Blu-ray; everything here is crisp and clear and smooth, and the upscale resulted in the most vibrant colors I've ever seen from this movie. The background of space in its swirls of blues and purples and the warm and cool colors of the digital lighting from fire to nighttime are better than they've ever been. The CGI parts of the movie were also upgraded with the release; one of the detractors of the film was that the brand-new computer graphic technology looked janky or amateur. Not anymore. Now it fits seamlessly into the 2D world and you barely notice it.

The sound of the movie blew me right out of my living room. Granted, I do have Bose speakers, but I've watched my DVD of Treasure Planet plenty of times, and never before has it sounded so grand and clear. It was clearly tinkered with, to give even more life to this movie. I heard background noises that I've never noticed before, like the conversion had made them better.

The ONLY, ONLY ONLY ONLY, problem I had with this release was that the special features have all been seen before. The only new parts were introductions to each section of feature (art direction, characters, animation, development, etc.) by Laurie Metcalf, the actress who voiced Jim's mother Sarah Hawkins. The interviews with the creators and directors were all on the DVD, and they're included on the Blu-ray in standard def, with black borders and pixellated images reminding you that you're watching featurettes from 10 years ago.

Regardless, this is a Blu-ray worth buying and treasuring forever. Since I never, ever believed it would come out in 1080p glory, I'm about to fall to my knees and kiss Disney's boots. You will not regret giving this larger-than-life movie a chance, and I'm willing to bet you will find it a welcome addition to your Disney Blu-ray collection.

Buy Treasure Planet (10th Anniversary Edition) (2002) Now

Leave it to Disney to come up with a way to update Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale "Treasure Island" into a science fiction epic. The studio that brought you the unforgettable live-action film version returned to the source material once again with the idea of taking the adventure into deep space and to other worlds. Unfortunately, moviegoers weren't interested in "Treasure Planet" when it came out in 2002. The film underperformed at the box office but was still nominated for a 2002 Academy Award in the category of Best Animated Feature.

Thanks to every movie on the planet receiving the high definition treatment, audiences get the chance to give this entertaining film another chance with the release of "Treasure Planet: 10th Anniversary Edition." It's hard to believe the movie came out 10 years ago. It was the first to be released in IMAX and regular theaters on the same day. The movie is also of importance as a shining example of 2D hand drawn art used on top of 3D computer animation.

Not much changes in "Treasure Planet" as far as story and characters go. It still revolves around Jim Hawkins (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who discovers a holographic treasure map that supposedly leads to a pirate's loot on a far-off planet. Hawkins and his mentor Dr. Doppler (David Hyde Pierce) embark on a trek across the stars on a ship whose crew is made up of dangerous aliens led by a mutineering cyborg named Long John Silver (Brian Murray). Can Jim and the rest of the loyal crew of the ship find the treasure and collect it before the traitorous buccaneers do?

This will relate to fans of sci-fi both young and old. It takes the great classic tale and successfully makes it relevant to kids in the 21st century used to watching "Star Wars," "Star Trek," and other movies and TV shows that take them to other worlds. The pacing of the film is good and the story will keep the viewer's attention.

The high definition transfer of the film is magnificent. The picture is crystal clear and filled with bright and vivid colors that keep your eyes glued to the screen. The 5.1 surround further brings to life James Newton Howard's musical score and the anthemic pop songs of Goo Goo Dolls' John Rzeznik. The explosions, laser shots, and flying ships will jump out at you from all over your home entertainment center with this great audio mix.

Special features for the film include 43-minutes of production featurettes introduced by actor Laurie Metcalf and a "behind-the-scenes" one entitled "Disney's Animation Magic." There's also comprehensive feature commentary with co-directors/co-writers Ron Clements and John Musker, producer Roy Conli, and supervising animators John Ripa, Ian Gooding, and Glen Keane. Three unfinished deleted scenes are included with introductions by directors Ron Clements and John Musker. A 17-minute "R.L.S. Legacy: Virtual 3D Tour" and the six-part "DisneyPedia: The Life of a Pirate Revealed" featurette are here as well.

The "Treasure Planet: 10th Anniversary Edition" gives movie lovers a second chance to see this excellent example of how hand drawn and computer animation can co-exist. The story is complex enough for adults yet simple enough for children to take in. A great feature film and plenty of bonus material make this a recommended buy for Disney and sci-fi fans alike.

Read Best Reviews of Treasure Planet (10th Anniversary Edition) (2002) Here

Walt Disney was fascinated with the story of Treasure Planet and had actually opted to do it as the first full length animated film. He then realized it didn't need to be animated and did Snow White. He kept thinking about a way to do Treasure Island as an animated movie and eventually made it as the studios first live action film. Now, the Disney team has come up with a brilliant way to do it as an animated film. They set it in space and it is my favorite film version of Treasure Island. I know it did horribly at the theaters, but so did Cinderella and look at how well known that is. You will love Treasure Planet if you liked the book or the live action version. The best part would have to be B.E.N, a crazy robot on Treasure Planet who is clearly missing a few pieces and is voiced by Martin Short. Plus the ending was so cool and original! Definately not the typical cute musicle Disney is known for doing in the past.

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It's always a gamble when you adapt a timeless classic like Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island." It's even especially dicey when you take the story out of its original setting and time. In this case, Walt Disney studios try to give the old swashbuckler a futuristic sci-fi spin in TREASURE PLANET, a film that partially succeeds in that task. Set in a future time on a far off planet, the familiar story of heroic cabin-boy Jim Hawkins and the charming pirate Long John Silver is given the space ace treatment. Instead of the one legged pirate we know, Long John is now a cyborg. The Squire and Doctor characters who lead the treasure expedition are combined into one eccentric type (David Hyde-Pierce), while the ship's captain is a no nonsense feline voiced by Emma Thompson. Finally, the castaway Ben Gunn is reimagined as a run-at-the mouth robot (Martin Short), who has lost his memory chip. The animation is stunning and many of these characterizations work for the most part. The one exception is the cyborg Silver. Played with an Irish brogue and charm, I found it hard to really see this character as being totally capable of evil, as is his counterpart in the original book. Indeed, it's hard to take this softie seriously at times. Part of the attraction of the Long John Silver creation is that he is a balance of good and evil. He becomes a character we like, even as we loath his deeds.

Other than that, this film is suprisingly faithful to the book in the basic plot, and it deserved better than what the critics gave the film when it was first released. Overall, this is a version that I would recommend, despite the fact that there are better adaptations and better portrayals of Long John Silver elsewhere.

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