Traditional Boat Geometry

Excellent overview of developing boat geometry.
This guy really spent some time on this, he explains very thoroughly how to develop the geometry for setting up to build a carvel plank boat. It's very high quality too, it doesn't get grainy or degrade when you make it full size on a big screen. I must say, this video is the most comprehensive explanation of lofting and developing boat geometry that I have ever seen. I have almost every boat building book there is and it's hard to understand lofting in a book. This is not a video that you watch once and then it just sits on a shelf. This video is going to keep me learning for a long time because there's so much information in it. This video is worth a lot more than 30 dollars. Five stars for this video.

Just ok
If you want to learn how to draw up a boat (lofting) in CAD then this video might be helpful to you. One third to half of this video is spent explaining how to use the software and another 20% is probably dead silence. There are so many pauses where nothing is going on in this. Not to mention it would not play on a regular dvd player for me or in windows media player, I could only get it to play in VLC media player, and the entire video is split into 9 segments with an intro and conclusion, except it won't play from beginning to end, one must start each segment separately.
Now I must say that I am far from a "boat builder" and this video may be of more use to someone that already has a good deal of knowledge in boat building but to a beginner this video was not very helpful at all.



Click to Editorial Reviews

On Singing Onstage, Acting Series - Full Set of 6 DVDs

A Lot to be Learned from David Craig
When I was starting out as a vocal coach, I learned a great deal from the late David Craig, who became a friend and colleague. As far as I know, he was the first person to create a specific method for connecting acting, movement, and singing. Your time would be well-spent watching him in action.





Click to Editorial Reviews

Theo Church Edition: Foundations of the Christian Life

Wonderful
Although I do not have the "Church Edition", I do have the first two Theo DVDs and they are wonderful. I was able to purchase mine at a local bible store for $9 a piece. They are short, but packed full of great teaching and wonderful animation. They are excellent intro into our family discussions. I wouldn't pass these up.

Very useful!
Excellent resource that we are using to introduce our children to Christ. Teaches sound doctrine, they come in short stories and the quality is very good. The DVDs are also in Spanish. As a parent and as a pastor, these resources are very helpful.



Click to Editorial Reviews

Spies Among Us

Rare Footage of Conference Topics Usually Kept Classified
If you missed this August 2011 Raleigh Spy Conference, at long last it is now here in seven and a half hours of remarkable presentations by senior officials, top-rung intelligence historians, a Canadian counterintelligence pro, a CIA counterintelligence expert, and others, on a variety of topics but mainly the history of Soviet and Russian Federation "illegals" [hidden spies who enter country as normal visitors or emigres with a secret mission to conduct espionage]. Includes presentation by Michael Hayden, former director of NSA and CIA, describing the capture of Usama Bin Laden [Osama Bin Laden] - giving behind-the-scenes insights to the planning, strategy, and approach used for this dangerous, successful mission. Mike Sulick, former Director of CIA's National Clandestine Service, gives an historical accounting of prior espionage illegals discovered in the U.S. in prior decades. Dan Mulvenna, former RCMP/Intelligence Officer, explains how the Russians used illegals in Canada (often...





Click to Editorial Reviews

Private Tutor - Your Complete SAT Writing Prep Course with Amy Lucas - DVD 2

Great product!
Putting SAT tutoring on DVD is a great idea... really helpful for students trying to get a better score. DVD allows you to skip the areas you're confident about and replay/review the areas where you still need help. Very good teacher/host.





Click to Editorial Reviews

A-Channel Complete Collection

A-Channel
Tohru is an introverted girl who has had one best friend for as long as she can remember. Her friend, Run-chan, is older than her and went to middle school a little sooner. When the series begins, they are finally reunited, but Tohru finds out that Run as become close to two other girls. Now Tohru is faced with a difficult decision. Become part of a larger social clique, or chase Mugi and Yuko off with a baseball bat.

This is funny and cute. It sometimes flows like a number of newspaper strip panels forming a loosely connected story. I'd say it's good for fans of K-on, Azumanga Daioh, and Charlie Brown.

Tohru is a quiet loll with a dark sense of humour. What redeems her dark streak is her obvious affection for Run (It's so obvious, the creators might be trying to bait fan fiction writers.) Tohru looks young for her actual age. Sometimes Tohru becomes depressed, thinking the the slightly older Run will eventually outgrow her. This is the closest the show...

If you liked K-On or Azumanga Daioh, you will love this...
I thoroughly enjoyed this series; it is kind of like a cross between K-On and Azumanga Daioh, except that the characters are not musicians!

The series follows the life and friendship of four high-school girls; Run, Toru, Nagi and Yuko (as seen from left to right in the cover picture). Run and Toru have been best friends since forever, and Toru thinks of Run as her big sister; Toru is one year behind the other three, and very small for her age (she is 15, and describes herself as 'scrawny'; indeed, she is so skinny, her thigh-highs regularly fall down), but she is feisty, cute as a button (she even has a 'fan club', set up without her knowledge by her classmates, who all want to take turns hugging her!), and a top student in academic terms. She also has a cute kitten called 'Carbonation' (Lit. 'Tansan'; Japanese for 'carbonic acid', used in fizzy drinks); you'll have to watch the series to find out why he is called that. Run is totally bonkers, but cute and harmless - she...

Just A Great Anime
A Channel is just a great Anime. Its hard to pin down what really makes you like, but you'll like it if you enjoy having fun. Sometimes the comedy will run dry, but it all made up with some sort of cute scene. If you like Slice-of-Life and Cute-girls-Doing-cute-things then it'd be a great buy. If your not into that kind of stuff then I says its okay if you wanna burn 6 hours watching an anime that you may be able to relate to your own high school experience.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Carlos Kleiber - Traces to Nowhere [Blu-ray]

Good documentary on Carlos Kleiber
On one level, this film must have been a nightmare for the filmmakers to make, because Carlos Kleiber never gave interviews or ran the PR-gamut that musicians now do. Thus the only footage of him in action is the rehearsal footage (also featured on another, separate DVD from another company), or still photographs, including rare shots of him with his wife just as regular folks on the street.

However, where the film scores is in getting people like Kleiber's sister, Veronika Kleiber, to reminisce about her brother, where her memories are quite touching. Likewise, orchestral musicians and opera stage collaborators who aren't big names get to lend their voices, in addition to more celebrated people like Placido Domingo, Brigitte Fassbaender, and Manfred Honeck. There isn't much in the way of criticism or sniping, as one might expect (except perhaps the one gentle allusion that he was quite the ladies' man, even when married). But that is a measure of the huge esteem in...

Carlos Kleiber "Traces to nowhere"
Carlos Kleiber (and also his father Eric) were absolutely great conductors and I always enjoy very much Carlos' recordings (DVD and CD). There is,for me, one unanswered question:
Why did he conduct and record so little? Maybe the answer would be similar to the same question about Glenn Gould. Did "we" not always understand their "souls"? Both biographical DVD about Carlos Kleiber (Traces to nowhere and I am lost to the world) are very good but somewhat repetitive. And their prices are steep if we consider there is relatively little music.

Traces to Nowhere
Generally, this document is accurate and those interviewed are interesting. The whole film seems quite good about not painting a strange picture of the maestro. The photography is excellent. It's a very slim film on a fabulous conductor.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Chaos to Healing

Fantastic introduction to therapeutic parenting
An amazing and important resource for parents with children who have experienced early childhood trauma and/or have attachment disorders. It teaches an outside-the-box way of responding to these childrens' incredibly challenging behaviors that isn't punitive or shaming. It is based on some of Daniel Hughes' work on using playfulness, acceptance, curiosity and empathy as the basis of parenting hurt children, but builds upon it in a way that is healthy and healing. It also teaches some of the basics of attachment and how the normal attachments formed in early childhood are broken or damaged for many of our kids. A must-have for any adoptive or foster parent. I found out about the DVD through House Calls Counseling's amazing conference called Parenting in SPACE for parents of kids with trauma. It happens every year in the Chicago area. The therapist and therapeutic parent in this DVD are both involved in teaching and leading this conference.

wonderful and easy to watch
I have used this with clinicians to help them learn the language to discuss working with families struggling not just with RAD but other childhood presentations needing the SPACE approach.
Thank you ..



Click to Editorial Reviews

One Shining Moment - 1987 to 2011

Not actual TV versions
If you are looking for the actual versions of the music that were played at the end of the tournament, they are not. Most are, but the Luther Vandross years are not. Although the video clips of 2003-2009 are the actual clips, it is not Luther Vandross singing, it is Teddy Pendergast's recorded version. In addition, in the original clips, you can often hear the announcers comments and they are cut out from this DVD in many cases. Again,mainly 2003-2009. If it is the video clips you are truly interested in, then it is a great compilation, but if it is the actual clips that aired, you will not be seeing some of those.





Click to Editorial Reviews

Meanwhile

Solid late-period Hal Hartley.
This is the first Hal Hartley movie i've seen where the story overtly contains reference to himself as an off-screen character so it seems at times as if he is veering towards the super-weird like some of those french dudes (Goddard, cocteau) who did similar things in their later careers. This movie definitely has a soul though, is refreshingly brisk and ultimately a positive tale. It deserves mentioning that the millenial New York cinematography is some of the finest in recent years.





Click to Editorial Reviews

Die Entfuehrung Aus Dem Serail

A Very Serious Abduction
This most recent taping of Mozart's Die Entfurung aus dem Serail is radically different from all previous investitures. The director, Christof Loy, has opted to include all the dialogue that in all previous recordings has been trimmed-- in varying degrees. Further he has directed his actors to speak in a more conversational level with pauses--as if were a play. Considering that his audience is Spanish..........

Additionally conductor, Ivor Bolton, has adopted tempi that are slower than usual. What this performance has that previous editions have lacked is a Konstanze who is truly up to the vocal and dramatic task, a very difficult one. It should be added that all the singers in this production are able to meet the challenges. Blonde needs a high Eflat in her arsenal; Belmonte needs agility (Ich baue ganze) and a sweetness and lyricism but enough metal in his voice to differentiate him from Pedrillo who shares similar requirements. Konstanze, though is faced with the...

Mozart is always the best
Very good cast and orchestra. Fortunately the original spirit of the opera is manteined and Diana Damrau is a great singer and actrees

Diana Damrau is the best!!
Great Opera!!! Christoph quest is Great as well. Sound quality is top notch. One of Mozart's greatest operas a joy to listen and watch!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Rossini: La gazza ladra [Blu-ray]

Good production even if the BD not as good as it should be
There's an air of familiarity to Rossini's La Gazza Ladra (The Thieving Magpie), and it's not just the famous overture (reputedly dashed off the evening before the first performance) that is second in popularity only to the composer's overture to William Tell, nor in this case is it anything to do with the composer's habit of reusing his music for other compositions. What is familiar to the point of predictability in La Gazza Ladra (written in 1817 between la Cenerentola and Armida) is the manner in which its opera semiseria melodrama plotline plays out. What differentiates this opera from other lesser examples of the style is the fact that - obviously - it's by Rossini, and being Rossini, the music is always melodically thrilling and inventive. The hook in this particular opera is of course that thieving magpie theme that flits through the opera musically, as well as the recognition of it as a playful dramatic theme, a deus ex machina element, that pops in now and again to move the...

An Excellent Product
This is a superb production from Pesaro. It is presented in the highest technical standards of audio and video, which set Dynamic in a class of its own, a notch or two above all competitors. I have both the DVD version and the blu-ray of this issue. Last night I finished watching the blu-ray and made a comparison with the DVD. I observed no motion artifacts on any of my 3 displays, as long as both players and TV's were set up correctly (it ain't so simple anymore, there are too many features and variables). The video resolution of the player has to be set on 1080i, not auto, source direct or anything else. LCD's with a motion enhancer feature will benefit from having it on. If you look obsessively for motion artifacts you will find some subtle ones on more than half of the discs of live performances when watching LCD's, but if it's not a ballet they are so subtle and infrequent that it's insignificant (I suppose depending on the quality of your equipment). Both the DVD and the blu-ray...



Click to Editorial Reviews

Princess Jellyfish: The Complete Series (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Clara Here with This Week's Top Things you Don't Ask the Sisterhood.
Tsukimi is a shy and timid girl obsessed with jellyfish, living with her friends in an old-style apartment they refer to as the Nunnery. Not only do they have issues with mingling with the outside world, they have a fear of "The Stylish" that turns their resolve to stone. One day Tsukimi finds herself in quite the predicament, seeing two jellies that might harm or even kill one another in a pet store window, mixed in one tank. As she tries to intervene, a Stylish comes to her aid. This intervention turns into a whole lot more than she bargained for.

This is a nice release, tried out an advanced copy and I loved it. not only is the image crisp and the sound superb, but i was a bit surprised by the fact that both languages tracks are done well. Normally, the English is not worth watching but it is done pretty good - as well as dubbing goes anyhow - with this. Also included on the set is the Jellyfish Field guide, some commentary, and a few basics you get with many other sets...

Hail to the Geeks
Tsukimi Kurashita is an eighteen year old young woman living in an old apartment complex with the rest of "The Sisterhood" - a group of female otaku (nerds in the presumably worst sense of the word) with varying obsessive hobbies, Tsukimi's being a love of jellyfish. One day, a beautiful, confident young woman helps her rescue a jellyfish from the uninformed local pet shop and bunks in her room after they return to the apartment complex and see to the jellyfish. In the morning, however, Tsukimi is shocked and dismayed to find that the new pal she just had a sleepover with is actually a trannie.

Little does she know that the young man, Kuranosuke Koibuchi, is about to become the best friend of her life - and the best thing that ever happened to the apartment residents.

The dub ranges from good to excellent. Maxey Whitehead, best known for the stir she made upon taking over the role of Alphonse Elric in the Fullmetal Alchemist franchise once Aaron Dismuke had to...

Perfect for Every Hidden Princess!
Review by my daughter:

I live by the thought that every girl is a princess. So right off I loved it. I also am a "social outcast" and I freakout when I see really pretty girls or guys. (Also, like Mayaya-san, I'm a Three Kingdoms fan since I was very little.) The Sisterhood is a very likeable and quirky group that you can't help but cheer for! Kuronosuke is a great male lead and when he puts on his bra and wig it's like he has super powers! I adore him to death! All in all I would call this a great, heart-warming, feel-good anime. I've just started watching it but I can't wait to buy since it makes me feel so good and glad to be ME every episode!
Kyaa~! I'm going to start squee'ing and gushing now, so taa-taa all you darlings!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Catholicism Series 5Set - Blu-Ray Version

Very informative ...
I'm not Catholic and am not likely to become Catholic. However, that doesn't take anything away from this series. I have only watched the first hour so far, but that segment shows how close Christianity is in its many flavors. The central theme of Christianity is Jesus! That applies whether your faith is Catholic or Protestant. Either Jesus is who He said He is or else he is a liar or deluded. There is no middle ground here, no way to call him a good man if he isn't God. Jesus said "I and the Father are one". No 'good' man would ever make that claim. The first segment centers on the Catholic beliefs concerning Jesus and even if you are a Baptist you will find yourself saying "Amen!" all the way through. I know that as the episodes progress I will find areas of difference, but if believing in Jesus is the key to eternal life then Protestant and Catholic alike will be in good shape.

Now with respect to the blu-ray presentation, the picture clarity is wonderful! I haven't seen...

Understanding Catholicism
This is an excellent visual presentation underscored by intelligent commentary on the true meaning and practice of the Catholic Church. Highly recommended for those interested in learning about the faith, whether of a different faith or practice. Equally important for those who have fallen away, often because of exposure to previous poor teaching or misinterpretation of the basics.

Outstanding Series
My family has enjoyed watching this series tremendously! There is so much wisdom packed into each and every episode that one can learn something new every time the series are viewed. Fr Barron is an amazing priest!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Learn Argentine Tango with Alex Krebs Volume 1: Beginning

Excellent
While this won't teach you how to dance the tango (you really do need an instructor and someone to dance with), it does cover the basics in a very clear manner. Alex gives you a lot of excellent advice and information which you may or may not hear in a class. I'd say it's a must not only for beginners, but those with some experience as well. Alex is one of the best teachers I know (and I've had classes with many), and every word is a pearl. The moves and information on this DVD, and a little practice can get you on the dance floor without embarrassment.

Neat video
Neat video to watch and very helpful in learning the basic tango. Dancers were very good and helpful in instructing.



Click to Editorial Reviews

The Art of Character Design Volume 2

An Excellent Addition to the Art of Character Design
The Art of Character Design Volume 2 is an excellent addition to the Art of Character Design Volume 1. David offers rare insight into Shape Exploration and Shape Breakdown. Capturing Expression even has a live popular model named John Tucker. Narrative Costume Design is about the "who" not just the "what" while rounding it off with Visual Storytelling or what Mr. Colman calls Character Staging and Setup. All David Colman's art books and DVDS offer a high level of design training. His books showcase his approach and philosophy while his DVD demos are step-by-step in Mr. Colman's own unique style of teaching!





Click to Editorial Reviews

The FBI: The Second Season Part One

DVD-R at $49.99??? What A Rip-Off!!!
I can't understand how a classy TV show like this could get the treatment that it is getting. DVD-R release for such a show? It is really a disgrace and at the same high price that the original one's got. As much as I love this show I wont be getting these anytime soon, at least not until the price drops.

It's so nice to come home to retro tv.
I LOVE looking into television's past to see how it has been shaped through the generations. Living in a heavily digitised world today my work day is spent primarily in front of a computer screen, and whilst I appreciate the incredible capabilities of technology, it is sometimes nice to go home to television's past. "The FBI" is certainly one show that I have been enjoying immensely. Both Amazon's CreateSpace and TV MOD technology bringing us the good fortune of reliving our old TV favourites is nothing short of spectacular. BIG BRAVOS go out to all participating Studios and Amazon for enabling this to happen.

PS. Warner Archive Collection has just announced the availability of "The FBI" Third Season. Great work guys!!!!

Please sir, we would like some more
This is a great series to own, as there is lots of action and the episodes are fun to watch. You will see many guest stars you recognize from the past making the ten most wanted list. The price is kind of high, but what isn't these days. Also to consider, lots of episodes.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Training in Thailand DVD with Lumpinee & Rajadamnoern Champions

Great To Start
Breaks techniques down in easy to learn segments. a Great Place to start if your just gettin into Muay Thai and want to build fundamentals.

Excellent coverage of Muay Thai basics
If you're looking for a solid understanding of the basics, this DVD is a good buy. It's broken down very well to show the movements precisely, everything is covered from punching and kicking to knees, elbows and clinching. The picture quality is also very high since it was filmed in full HD on location in Thailand.

Great instructional DVD
This DVD is very comprehensive and easy to understand. I learned a lot about the basic moves and how to string them together. I would recommend this to anyone interested in Muay Thai or MMA style fighting.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Schizo

love it
very cool for their first movie, i cant wait for their next movie. bobby and cindy, i love you guys!





Click to Editorial Reviews

Olympus E-PM1

Good information but.....
The tips and hints were nice, but i constantly felt like they were stalling for time by re-saying everything they just said over and over again, plus a useless segment about backing up memory. If this had been ten dollars I don't think Id've minded but at $25 you owe me my full hour's worth.

A good Beginners guide
A good beginners guide. It will save hours for someone trying to grasp this kind of camera for the first time.



Click to Editorial Reviews

5th Dimension

Should be free or 99 cents...way over priced...way...
Dated material from 1990's. Video tape of seminar lecture. Rented for $2.99 or $3.99, should have been free or $.99. Very happy not to have purchased. Will do more research some day to see where Dr Milanovich ended up.

I wasn't quite sure if it was a joke or not.
This shows to be a recent video and yet the Dr (of psychology, BTW) who is speaking is dressed as though it were the 1950s. I thought I was getting into a legitimate discussion regarding the scientific data regarding crop circles (saw "Dr" and immediately thought Doctorate in Astrophysics) but ended up in a new agey discussion involving a woman who talks to the mother ships.

If this isn't your cup of tea (and, for some people it is, I just prefer facts, not feelings) avoid at all costs.

Helpful hard to access knowledge
This video was informative, easy to understand, and down to earth. It depended my understanding of things more, and I understood the information better by speech than by reading it.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Training to Endure! Arches National Park, Moab Utah. BLU-RAY EDITION. Indoor Cycling Training / Spinning Fitness and Workout Videos

Arches Nat. Park Video Demo


Challenging and Beautiful packed into one.
I love the Paul Gallas videos!!!! I love the new things that he has incorporated into his most recent videos such as being able to see where you are on the map at the bottom of the screen and on the grade bar etc. To me what makes a video great is the scenary and the difficulty level.

I also like that he suggests a gear to put your bike into. I have some virtual videos from Hawaii, that although I like the scenary, they don't tell you what the grade is etc. I like Paul's videos for that and because by the time you are done, you have done what I refer to as a TKO (Total Knockout Workout) Workout.

I started doing Paul's videos last winter and was able to prepare myself well for a metric ride in Palm Springs, CA. We unexpectantly hit a truck load of wind the first 15 miles and although many people took the Sag support back, I was not only able to finish but also pass some people on the way. I only only 4'8" so that truely does say something about how these videos...

Good Workout
I am training for my first century ride and live in a snowy winter climate so training indoors can get really boring. This DVD helped with that. I like the narrative between Paul and his guest. They have good discussions about cycling in general and I have learned things that I didn't know prior. It starts out going uphill so you should warm up prior to starting as there is no time for that on the DVD. The scenery is beautiful as well. I would recommend this to help break the monotony of indoor training.

Click to Editorial Reviews

X-Men Quadrilogy (X-Men / X2: X-Men United / X-Men: The Last Stand / X-Men Origins: Wolverine) [Blu-ray]

Excellent packaging idea, excellent movies, excellent service!
First of all I was shocked that I could find a collection of ALL the four X-Men movies I was looking for in one set. I was assuming all this time that I would have to buy Wolverine separately. Each movie looked fantastic in its blu-ray transfer, and it has renewed my interest in the X-Men series. The boxset was delivered to me lightning fast, not to mention it was a very reasonable price for all four of these movies. The only thing I was slightly dissappointed about was that the casing for Wolverine was the slim casing while all the others were standard blu-ray design. I would've preferred them to be all the same size. But whataya gonna do? That's up to 20th Century Fox! ;) Overall, I'm quite happy with this experience.

What an AMAZING BOX SET: ALL FOUR MOVIES!
What a great box set. This is a great Blu-ray set for anyone who is a fan of the X-Men series.
Picture Quality and Audio Quality shine; worth a buy, but not all of the discs are region-free!

X-Men - Region ABC
X-Men 2 - Region ABC
X-Men : The Last Stand - Region ABC
X-Men Origins: Wolverine - Region AB (not C)

Great Deal!
Bought this set for my boyfriend for Christmas. He was very happy to see the 4 discs in one set, as we had not seen that anywhere else. All cases were the same size, one disc for each movie. Haven't had any issues playing the movies, will update the post if any arise. Overall very pleased with the purchase.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Blu-ray Audio Club Sampler - Over 120 7.1 DTS-HD Blu-ray Audio Music Titles for Low Cost Yearly Subscription (Sampler Only)

7.1 DTS surround music
the disc sounds great in 7.1 surround sound. The only problem is it leaves you wanting more music. And for some of you you'll need to upgrade from 5.1two 7.1

Short Sampler
I am taking off one star for the time of music, barely 30 minutes. And another star off for not having any booklet to read what's in it.



Click to Editorial Reviews

Opening the Treasure Chest to Your Dreams Part 1

Part 1- Opening the treasure chest to your dreams
After taking a few courses from the Virtues, ACP and past life healing, I have been growing more interested in watching this course from Melissa Virtue since the angels seem to be talking to me more and more in my dreams. I really enjoyed part one, however, it did take awhile for me to relax at the beginning since Melissa Virtue seemed a little nervous the first 20 or so minutes of the DVD. Eventually she did relax and I was able to enjoy the rest of the video no problem.
In this Video, Melissa talks about some basic information on different types of dreams, different crystals that can be used to help in dream-time, and the meaning of some dream symbols, followed by a short meditation to meet your dream guide. I gained good insight and knowledge from this course and am very interested in watching part 2.





Click to Editorial Reviews

Poirot: Series Three [Blu-ray]

Every Poirot is excellence in performance & writing
REissued, hard to find episodes, with visual upgrades. Any POIROT set is just plain GOOD murder mystery. Agatha Christie suspense perfect. David Suchet acting excellence. Combined they make any British Mystery viewer salivate. Add top guest stars in each.
SUBTITLES for the hearing and dialect challenged.

Episodes on disc one:
The Mysterious Affair at Styles-Hastings finally joins Poirot on a case
How Does Your Garden Grow?-it's a murder case
The Million Dollar Bond Robbery-going international on this bank case
Disc 2
The Plymouth Express-it's intrigue, it's romantic, it's also death
Wasps' Nest-camera work by Hastings give Poirot the edge in this case
The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor-an author's plot to solve
The Double Clue-jewel theft, but is that a romantic Poirot?
Disc 3
The Mystery of the Spanish Chest-Guess who's corpse is coming to dinner
The Theft of the Royal Ruby-Prince of Egypt knows not where to turn;...

Agatha Christie's 'Styles' and more style
The Mysterious Affair at Styles (September 16, 1990)
"Hercule Poirot's ability to crack the thorniest criminal cases with unparalleled savoir faire has made Dame Agatha Christie's brilliant sleuth the most-watched detective in the history of the PBS Mystery! series and a resounding hit on A&E. Set in the summer of 1917, The Mysterious Affair at Styles follows the war-wounded Hastings (Hugh Fraser) to the Styles St. Mary estate of his friend John Cavendish. The Cavendish household is wrought with tension due to the marriage of John's widowed mother to a suspicious younger man. In the village, Hastings runs into his old friend Hercule Poirot (David Suchet), a famous Belgian detective. When the estate's trouble turns deadly, the friends unite to solve a most baffling case."

2. How Does Your Garden Grow? (January 6, 1991)
"Poirot comes up smelling sweet when he looks to the garden for clues in a murder case."

3. The Million Dollar Bond Robbery (January 13,...

EXCELLENT - want more
Great value, great shows! David Suchet is the BEST Hercule ever, and we cannot get enough. Looking for more at these great prices.

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Town (Blu-ray/DVD Ultimate Collector's Edition)

Honor (As Well As Romance, Retribution and Remorse) Among Thieves
Ben Affleck returns to his old stomping grounds--the working class neighborhoods of Boston--for his second directorial effort "The Town." A solidly constructed crime thriller, "The Town" is at its most successful when it's exploring the specific dynamics of the area in question. Affleck has a sense of the place, the language and rhythm of its inhabitants, that lend an authenticity to the film that elevate it beyond typical genre fare.
That's why he has achieved success working in an area and with characters identifiable to his own upbringing. His previous Boston efforts include "Good Will Hunting" (a screenplay Oscar for Affleck) and "Gone Baby Gone" (Affleck's acclaimed first feature as a director). "Gone Baby Gone," in many ways a standard detective plot, was a huge revelation for being surprisingly hard edged and cynical (it helps to be adapted from a Dennis Lehane book with similar qualities)--and it is that cynicism that made it one of my favorite films of its year...

Applause
I went into this movie knowing absolutely about it, there was little advance hoopla that I can recall, that usually accompanies a major motion picture.

The idea of mask wearing, semi automatic toting nuns at once seems invigorating and slightly surreal, but the viciousness, and sloppy impulse control of one of the robbers played brilliantly by Jeremy Renner (of Hurt Locker) immediately brings us crashing into the reality of what's happening.

These hardened ruthless criminals hide behind a funny mask, and will eliminate anyone who gets in their way. So they kidnap the attractive female bank manager played adorably by Rebecca Hall for leverage, and let her go.

Upon checking her drivers license, and discovering she lives in their neighborhood, the psycho wants her eliminated to cover their tracks. Ben Affleck's character takes the card and decides to investigate her, and discover what she knows. One thing leads to another, and the lives of everyone...

A Crime Thriller With Depth!! Go See It!
I've wanted to see The Town ever since I saw the first previews of it. First, the story seemed quite intriguing: what happens if a man falls in love with the woman he anonymously took hostage while robbing a bank? Another thing that made me want to see this film is that, unlike many crime dramas, this one seemed to escape the artificially polished Hollywood-ish feel. I had to see it.

...And I was correct on all counts! The Town, which was co-written, directed, and features by Ben Affleck, was every bit of what I thought it would be. The directing was very "real" feeling (especially capturing the working-class feel of Charlestown, MA very well). The script was quite good, not once seeming over-the-top or under-developed. The cast and acting was very good.

But I reserve a separate paragraph for talking about the plot and its execution. This film is somewhere between a crime thriller, a character study, and a romance. It has enough teeth to excite those who like car...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Bobby's World: The Complete Series (18 Disc Collection)

Wasn't prepared for how badly this set was done
As a fan who grew up watching Bobby's world on Saturday mornings, I ordered this set knowing fully well that this would be a series of episodes burned on DVD-R media. What I wasn't prepared for was just how poorly the set was made.

First up, as I said, I knew full well this would be a set of DVD-Rs, but I didn't expect nearly every disc to have circular scuffs as if there was a piece of debris on the burner that scratched nearly all the discs. There were maybe a total of 4 discs out of the set of 18 that weren't scuffed. On top of that, it looked like the person doing the burning was eating at the time and left a series of greasy fingerprints on a number of the discs. Fortunately, I haven't run into a disc with playback issues yet, but I'm only a few discs in.

That leads me to the second issue, the video/audio quality. There seems to be a huge range of quality from the handful of episodes I've seen from really poor, to acceptable. A good number of episodes look...

OK product.
For one, the sound quality could be a lot better, it looks like it was transferred from a youtube clip, meaning it's fuzzy and grainy, also completely understandable that season 7 only contains 3 episodes but make it clear that you are combining season 7 and 8. Bought this as a gift and it could have been a cleaner gift, i think. Product still good enough for personal viewing, and Bobby is still the best! :)

Decent quality... Not sure why all the hate for the set
Ok first off yes I bought the complete series, but i didn't buy it for 99.99 I waited until it went on sale and bought it for 31.99. Now on to quality both sound video and overall presentation of the set, overall the sound is good for the most part, but I did notice the opening theme music is sped up a bit, but no big deal. Also some episodes are louder than others but overall they are all pretty much equal. Now video quality is a little bit grainy and fuzzy, BUT REMEMBER IT IS AN OLDER 90's CARTOON ITS NOT GOING TO LOOK ALL THAT GOOD!!! Too many people expected it to be remastered or somehow better quality and give it bad reviews when back in the 90's it probably looked that way anyway, so please take that into consideration before writing a negative review and saying to quote one review I read "Stop making this set."

Presentation is meh at at best I thought it was going to have an outer box of some sort but nope all 7 seasons come in there on DVD case. Which...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Dance Hip Hop Now! Clean Style with Mike Peele

Are these reviews real?
Does anyone find it strange that all the reviews were written in the spring of 2012, a few days apart, and they are all roughly 2-3 sentences long and have the same sort of generalized positive tone about them? No one breaks the video down or offers any real personal input about the video as people typically do in reviews. I'm still interested in the DVD, and watched Mike Peele on Youtube and liked his moves. Still, these reviews seem sketchy and I wish someone would give a genuine, in-depth review.

Pretty good
Pretty good workout with pretty good choreography. I wouldn't say it was worth the price, I would rather attend a hip-hop class in-person.

produced very poorly
I just bought the instant streaming version of this... and will prolly never complete it - simply because the vocal - where mike is screaming out the commands to his class... is about 4 times as loud as the music.... awful awful awful

Click to Editorial Reviews

Gilmore Girls: The Complete Seasons 1&2

Smart Series
If you can revisit a town full of smart colorful, quirky characters every single week, you would watch the Gilmore Girls. If you missed any of the episode or would like to watch the episodes over and over again (like I do) so you can catch the witty dialogue, you would get this DVD collection covering the first two seasons. And it is well-worth getting the DVD just to be able to feel transported into that small town cozy banter anytime you feel like it rather than wait for a rerun.

great show, cheap packaging
I love this show, can't say enough good things about it. The review I wanted though, was how the packaging was! So here it is. The show itself gets 5 stars, 2 thumbs up and a big smile from me.
The packaging needs improvement. It's thin, and one of my cases has already broken. I was hoping for a quality case so my new disc's don't get messed up but I guess I'll have to go buy those myself.
The outside cover is beautiful. It comes in a box, which is a decent sized thickness, and the insert booklet is beautifully done. Then you get to the rather thin plastic, which flips on hinges to reveal the 6 discs. The hinge is the biggest problem, because your sleeves come out of it. The dvd's themselves are wonderful, not a problem with any of them -- and yes, I checked every single disc before I would review.
So, excellent show, great dvd's, needs new packaging.

Smart and Funny.
This is a fantastic show. And, the last review was not true. The daughter is in college and just slept with one guy. The mom slept with the daughter's Dad, then her fiance, Digger, and now Luke in all the years that it has been on television. The mom does not have a different guy each week!!! It's a smart, funny, and entertaining show. A+

Click to Editorial Reviews

Mi-5: Volume 10

MI-5 in It's Tenth Year - Still a Home Run
It's hard to believe that it's been ten years since MI-5 first began in 2002, and what a ten-year run it has been. MI-5 has over this decade consistently shown itself to be one of the most intelligent, exciting, and thought-provoking shows ever put on television, and I can say without hesitation that Season Ten continues squarely in that tradition. And without giving any spoilers and without trying to reminisce too much here in this, I can say that I, like millions of people around the world, will now sorely miss being able to watch the latest MI-5 productions as they came out each year.

MI-5 is the government agency in the UK that is designed to deal with domestic security, perhaps roughly analogous to the FBI in the US. "5" is made up of normal people who join the agency "in defense of the realm," and deals with the threats and personal sacrifice each person makes while fulfilling their role in the organization.

Season Ten is the shortest season made during the...

One of The Best Shows Ever Made
Like other reviewers have said, this season is quite intense. What I have always loved about Spooks is that they really keep you in suspense for quite a long time. And no one is safe in the cast from being cut. When you think about it, it's better than typical American shows, because in the end, you know the cast will stay together. Not so with Spooks, which made it refreshing.

Part of me was hoping Harry and Ruth would end up together, but in the frame of things and in the vein in which this show was made, the ending did make sense. I just can't believe it's over. I really can't.

The BBC is amazing, and constantly does things of real substance. I rarely watch television in America; can't stand all the reality crap that TV has become, but every once in a while, a series like Spooks comes along and shows you not all TV is bad.

The Final Season
I have to say I just watched the entire season in one day. It's only 6 episodes that are packed with intense emotions throughout. This is probably the most intense season of them all. So many surprises that you'll be asking for more even when it's over. Lots of shocking surprises to see and tears to be shed. BBC has done a great job with this show and definitely a phenomenal job with ending it. I hope everyone enjoys this as much as I did. Truly wonderful, will truly be missed and thank god I have all the seasons on DVD...lol!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Bleach Uncut Set 12

A Decent end to a Decent Season but...
So this dvd has the end of the New Captain Arc. That is not exactly a bad thing and I actually found the season to be enjoyable. It wasn't as good as the main story line but I did like it more than the Bount Arc. There is a lot of action and parts of it remain funny too. They've struck a nice balance between serious and light-hearted, so in itself it isn't a bad season. If you wanted to you could skip over it of course but...

Episodes 190-193 are not part of the New Captain Arc!!!!!!!!! They are the continuation of the main story line!
The last four episodes in this set are the beginning of season 10. Now one could always say that Bleach does enough recaps during the episodes that one could continue the story when they come out with uncut box set 13...but these are not filler episodes. They are quality great episodes, and shouldn't be missed.

Bottom line: decent season, but if you want to follow the story you need to see the last 4 episodes on this set. I...

Great Set/Series, but....
I love the series and have bought every set up to this point, but the aspect ratio disappoints me on this one. From episode 190 onward, these episodes should be in 16:9 format, and why no blu ray? Even the extras for 190+ have widescreen, but they choose to crop to 4:3 for the episodes themselves. Why is this now being produced as though it's 2002? In 2012, just make a 16:9 release in HD.

The filler gets really good.
The best Bleach story arc yet is what you get if you buy box set 12. The story about Rurichiyo gets hotter. The new Captain of squad 3 is actually the mastermind behind Rurichyo's assassination attempt. He has a grudge against Head Captain Yamamoto. Ichigo goes after the new captain to stop him from killing the Head Captain. This is a very cool story arc. We get a little bit of insight into the past of Yamamoto and a good look into the man's character. This is not a box set that you want to miss.

Click to Editorial Reviews

The FBI: The Second Season Part Two

WORTH EVERY CENT I PAID!
CAN'T WAIT FOR THE REST OF THIS SERIES.CAN'T WAIT FOR THE REST OF THIS SERIES.CAN'T WAIT FOR THE REST OF THIS SERIES.

LOVE IT! Way before my time and FABULOUS
This is a really awesome show!. It may be way before my time but I have loved every single episode in season 1 and 2. Luckily I got the last 3 as gifts because I am against half seasons because they are ripping off fans on purpose and taking up double the space necessary on my shelves. I bought S1P1 myself because it looked like a great late-night crime show and it was on sale for a steal. But then I wanted more and refused to spend the money on half seasons. I am blessed with family who knows what I like, so I got the others as bday/Christmas gifts and haven't tired one bit of the show. It's one of those shows that I have to pace myself with 2 before bed or I'll end up watching the whole series in 2 days!

Great crime stories, crime solving, FBI glory days type of show with great acting and really great visual and audio quality, especially given the age. You reallt cannot tell the difference in quality from a current DVD. Some of the old shows, before the 70's...

A Great Representation of the Early Bureau
I remember watching this series as a kid and I'm glad these quality shows are showing up on disk. The accuracy of the Hoover Bureau and its Special Agents is right on the mark. The Director of this series reminds me of the attention to detail Jack Webb put into making his famous Dragnet and Adam-12 series or Joseph Wambaugh's Police Story series. If you are interested in knowing what the Bureau was like under Hoover, the series is an excellent representation. The FBI is an elite law enforcement agency and this series really drives the point home.

Click to Editorial Reviews

The Ragtime & Blues Guitar of Big Bill Broonzy

Not quite what I expected
Let me start out by saying that Ernie Hawkins is probably a good guitar player, but his instruction borders between horrendous and non-existent. He'll zip right through most parts of any given song without explaining what he's doing, then he will just stop playing and start talking about a something totally off subject. There were many points throughout these DVDs where I actually questioned if I was using the same tabs that he was. For best results, put these DVDs in your computer to print out the tabs and learn it on your own.....this guy will only confuse and frustrate you.

This DVD was worth the money merely for the tabs and videos of Big Bill.





Click to Editorial Reviews

Basketball Wives: Season 3 (3 Disc)

Glad This is on DVD
I know that Basketball Wives gets a bad rep for the way things are carried out on the show, but I have to admit I'm a sucker for drama. BBW is a guilty pleasure of mine that I can find myself watching again & again. Glad this was available to add to my dvd collection.

Love this season also !!
OMG ! I'm addicted, but I was hooked after the first season. Hate Royce, Love Tammy. Just Can't stop watching.

Love the SHOW:)
Wow i love this show soo happy it's on dvd... I was able to catch up on all the ones that i missed..I give it 5 stars~~

Click to Editorial Reviews

Kimikiss: Pure Rouge Complete Collection

An Overlooked Gem: One of my favorite Romance anime series!
I'll admit it: I'm a real sucker when it comes to a good love story. Maybe that's the romantic in me. I've seen my fair share of great romance anime series, such as Ah! My Goddess, Love Hina, Toradora, and Ai Yori Aoshi. "KimiKiss" definitely deserves a spot among those ranks as one of the best romance shows that anime has to offer. It's a sweet, honest, and pleasant watch from beginning to end. If you're looking for a romance series that's a nice, light watch, be sure to give this winner a try.

A great, if bitter-sweet, story
Kimikiss (Japanese for First Kiss): Pure Rouge is a story about a group of high-school friends and their relationships. The two main male characters, Kouichi Sanada and Kazuki Aihara, both have a couple of girls who really like them, and the story revolves around the way these relationships develop over time.

The story begins with Kouichi being re-introduced to childhood friend Mao Mizusawa, whom he calls 'Mao-nee-chan' (big sister Mao) as they were always like brother and sister back when they were kids. Mao has blossomed into a beautiful young woman, and things get complicated when she moves in with Kouichi and his family, when she starts school with him as a transfer student. Other characters are Yuumi Hoshino, Kouichi's love interest (who is a total sweetheart; I loved her!); the tomboyish, but very pretty and lovable Asuka Sakino, who plays on the school soccer team, and has fallen for Kazuki. Then there is the very beautiful, but bizarre and stony-faced Eriko Futami,...

Great Romance Anime
I first watched this anime last year, and I personally really enjoyed it. It was one of the first Anime's I've ever seen and watching the first 2 or 3 episodes I was hooked. I found myself glued to my computer watching all the episodes within the next 42 hours. I loved the show and all of the great charterers. Each one ha so much depth to them. I don't want to say much to prevent spoilers but I will say for any otaku or normal anime fan who can appreciate A great romantic story with some great twists here and there should defiantly get this anime to their collection

Click to Editorial Reviews

Vladimir Horowitz: The Video Collection

Poor quality production betrays Horowitz's memory
This six DVD set gathers most, but not all, of Vladimir Horowitz's filmed and videotaped performances. The timeline for these performances is brief: 1982-1987 - along with a few snippets of Horowitz playing in 1974 for an abandoned documentary. So, we only see Horowitz in the late stages of his career.

Paradoxically, the earliest of these is the weakest. Horowitz's May 22, 1982 recital from London's Royal Festival Hall (billed as A Royal Concert), is little short of a regal disaster. Horowitz had recently begun taking the anti-depressants that would suspend his career in 1983, and it shows. The Scarlatti Sonatas are lacking the grace he usually brought to these gems. Both Chopin's Polonaise-Fantasie and G minor Ballade are fragmented, incoherent, and technically sub-par - the Ballade's coda is just plain banged. There's little sense of childhood - even a memory of childhood - in the Kinderszenen, with fussed phrasing and drawn out ritardandos that border on the...

Fan of Horowitz
I have enjoyed every minute of it. I don't care about technicalities. i just love to see him playing and I lo ve learning more about his personality and character. What a great pianist!

Thanks for the technology of our age!
No doubt Horowitz was one of the incredible artists of all times. It is our luck that technology permits us to see and hear him. If we only could see or at least hear Liszt!!!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Secret Pleasures: Four Asian Films about Love, Longing and Fishhooks

Four Eclectic Asian Films Have Little In Common But Play To An Art House Aesthetic
The movie compilation "Secret Pleasures" is one of the more bizarre collections that I've encountered in quite a while. The films are so eclectic, so different. Many times the selections of a box set are focused by country of origin, or director or star, or through similar themes or genres. Very little draws these disparate films together except for the tenuous branding that they are "Four Asian Films About Love, Longing, And Fishhooks." The set is more likely to appeal to someone with an art house aesthetic, however, with the quirky choices being experimental, even avant-garde, and strikingly personal. Within "Secrets Pleasures," there is a disturbing psychological puzzler, a lesbian piece of lost love, a wry exploration of the singles scene, and an old-fashioned multi-generational melodrama. Independently, they each have their strengths, but grouped together they have a random eccentricity that struck me as a bit odd.

The Isle (4 Stars): This South Korean entry from...





Click to Editorial Reviews

Hetalia: Axis Powers - The Complete Series

Chibi!!!!
I've never read the comic, but my sister got me hooked on the anime with the words "chibi Italy". (chibi are tiny cute versions of a charater with biiiggg eyes)

The premise of the show is simple: countries are personified as bishonen (cute boys), and historical events are played out on a personal level (such as the allying of Italy and Germany, or the interaction of Italy and The Holy Roman Empire). The episodes are about 5 minutes in length.

I don't know too much about World War II, so I didn't have any problems with historical inaccuracy, on the contrary, I probably learned some things (I feel dumb, but I had never heard of the term "Axis Powers" before watching this show).

It is easy to be offended by this show, as the characters (countries) are stereotypical- i.e. Italy is a cute, but totally dumb bishonen, who occasionally dresses up in a maid outfit and looks just like a girl. So, for example if you are Italian, you might object to your county's...

Very Funny
I'll begin with this: this show was NOT intended for those that are easily offended or upset by stereotyping, historical inaccuracies, or the trivialization of major historic events (also, homophobics beware this is not the show for you).

Other then that this show is a funny 5 min episodes of pure fun and enjoyment.

With the dubbing of "Hetalia" you would fear that it would be stripped of everything not PC (which is literally the entire show). However, in the English version, the jokes are more offensive and the innuendo more rampant. The Japanese version skirted around any Nazi references, but the English version throws one in no more than a 2 minutes into the first episode.

While this show is rated TV-MA Trust me your teenage kids will most likely seen and or hear of everything that this show lets out (but it is not a show for the super young). The rating is mainly for language (trust me there are a lot of cussing).

This is a wonderful...

Awesome DVD!
This was a great series! It was so funny to watch and made me happy on even the most depressing of days. It came very quickly, and was in great condition. I'm planning to buy the rest of the series soon!

Click to Editorial Reviews

LA Law: Season One

Finally!!! On DVD at last!
Back in February 1987, ITV started to screen the first series of a new US legal drama LA LAW. Screening at 9pm every Thursday through until July, LA LAW quickly became a ratings hit. Previous courtroom drama on ITV had been provided by John Mortimer's Rumpole of the Bailey. LA LAW was something different.
This first series introduced us to the characters played by Harry Hamlin (Michael Kuzak), Jimmy Smits (Victor Sifuentes), Susan Dey (Grace Van Owen), Jill Eikenberry (Ann Kelsey), Richard Dysart (Leland McKenzie) and Corbin Bernsen (Arnie Becker) among others.
This UK release of LA LAW is a worldwide first. Fans in the US have been waiting for a long time for a release there without success.
Episodes on this set -
1 Pilot
2 Those Lips, That Eye
3 The House of the Rising Flan
4 The Princess and the Wiener King
5 Simian Chanted Evening
6 Slum Enchanted Evening
7 Raiders of the Lost Bark
8 Gibbon Take
9 The Venus Butterfly...

Patience has paid off
It was a long, long wait for LA Law fans, who didn't know if or when the seminal series might ever be released, either on DVD or streaming.
Both NYPD Blue's later seasons and all of The Wonder Years were released on Amazon Prime's amazingly-price streaming service, last year, which was a terrific development. Now comes LA Law Season 1.

Revelation Films is a British -based company that has produced many lesser-known TV series and movies.

This Season One set is superb. The great theme song and all of the episode. Quality is great, considering how old the series is. And here's the best news for LA Law fans. I wrote to Revelation and they got back to me quickly, that they plan on releasing ALL of the LA Law seasons as the year goes forward. I hope people will look past the fact that this is an independent production house, without a big marketing budget and have confidence to purchase Season One.

This is not some cheap, Pacific Rim knock off. This...

LA Law Finally Out on DVD
I have been waiting for this classic TV program to come out on DVD and I was pleased to see it on Amazon. I was concerned about the DVDs playing in the US as they come from a publisher in England. I contacted the seller by email and received a prompt reply that the discs did not have a Region and would play on US machines.

My package arrived yesterday (one day early) and I opened it immediately. I did note that the back of the dvd slip cover shows PAL and the number two in a circle but I had been told that there was no region so I proceeded to remove the plastic wrapping. The six-disc set is contained in a plastic case with a colorful slip cover. The plastic disc case itself is a little difficult to open and close but the discs are securely held in compartments inside. The discs themselves are professionally made with screen-printed labels. The discs are single-sided.

The quality of the transfer to disc was very good in both video and sound. I noted a small...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Transformers: Prime - Season One (Limited Edition) [Blu-ray]

ravage 24/7
Transformers Prime is one of the best!I have been a transformer fan since the beginning in the 1980's and this takes me back to that time with how great of a series this is.This series is as good as any from the G1 days with amazing action and solid storylines from the first episode to the final episode.One thing I will agree with from another review is that I would have rather seen Ironhide in the series instead of Bulkhead,but maybe they will bring him into the action in season 2.Also I would have liked to see Bumblebee actually talk again,but this is a minor detail compared to how awesome an all around series Transformers Prime is.This series is a vast improvement over the earlier animated series with better looking transformers,characters,and quality overall.The main character transformers are amazing looking whether in robot or vehicle modes.Optimus has a G1 touch along with a new millenium look all wrapped up into one for a cool appearence all around.Megatron is menacing as ever...

The best Transformers animated series to date
To start off, I grew up watching the original Transformers. I have watched all the shows that came after. Robots in Disguise, Beast Wars, Beast Machines, Armada...I've seen them all. Through the good and bad. So one can say Transformers has a special place in my heart. Transformers:Prime is absolutley mind blowing. The story lines are amazing, character designs are spectacular, the music score is simply beautiful, and the voice talent is second to none. Peter Cullen returns as Optimus Prime with Frank Welker also returning as Megatron including a special guest appearance from Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson.

I don't believe in spoilers therefore you will get none from me. Transformers:Prime makes a for a great investment for children and adults alike. You will not be disappointed.

"Mom, meet my science-fiction club."
If you've got a bone to pick with Michael Bay and his live-action, senses-shattering (but not in the best way) TRANSFORMERS film franchise, then why not tune in to Hub's marvelous CG-animated TRANSFORMERS: PRIME? The first season is out on DVD. It's a better reimagining than Bay's own robots in disguise.

This incarnation plonks the Autobots in the desert outskirts of Jasper, Nevada, as they make do with a remote bunker as their base of operations. The series opens with the five-part "Darkness Rising" arc as our heroic 'bots deal with the Decepticons' reappearance after three years of hunkering down. A driven Megatron, returned from years spent in outer space, is obsessed with harvesting dark energon, that bent element which creates zombie Transformers (the 'con leader means to raise an army of these undead). Megatron's quest is a recurring sub-plot which pays off huge in the season finale. But to demonstrate that this series isn't messing about, an Autobot falls very early...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Combat Hospital - Season 01

Great tv!
I really liked this show. The cast is great and I thought the episodes were really well done. The only thing I didn't like was running out of episodes to watch.

Nobody Rocks a Set of Combat Fatigues Like Michelle Borth!
Once dubbed as "the nakedest person in TV history." But I digress. This Canadian produced drama provides a realistic look at a front line combat hospital.

I wouldn't call Combat Hospital (CH) "Mash" for the next generation, as while there are comedic moments, CH is much more of drama where doctors of multiple nationalities, deal with patients, family back home, being in Afghanistan and each other.

In my opinion the production value and cast is excellent. CH appeared on ABC as a late season replacement and slipped under my radar. I caught up with CH thanks to my "on-demand" during the TV "dog days" of the summer.

Truth be told, I don't particularly gravitate towards medical dramas. Watch CH for the storylines, casting and production values. Lusting after Michelle Borth is just an ancillary bonus =:)

Combat Hospital
I was a civilian medic a few miles North of this hospital at Kandahar Airfield. I took my patients there and did some training of the medics that staffed the Emergency Department. This will be a nice reminder of the folks I worked with there. I met and worked with some wonderful Dr's, physician assistants and medics there.

Click to Editorial Reviews

Despicable Me [Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy] (Universal's 100th Anniversary)

Fun Movie With a Positive Message
I went to this movie reluctantly, mostly because my ten year old talked me into it. I had only seen the trailers and I was expecting an extended version of Spy vs Spy, which I have never really loved. This movie suprised and delighted me. Far from being a sad 3D version of silly one-upmanship, this movie had a lot of heart, and a lovely message.

I especially enjoyed how the main character struggled with the growth he experiences throughout the movie. We get to see him struggling with the difficulty of giving up his old behavior patterns and goals, even though he clearly sees that he could be happier if he let them go. And the difficulty that Groo's only friend has with the changes he experiences as he lets three little girls into his life, and how his friend tries to prevent him from changing, are a great reminder that sometimes when we make positive changes in our lives the people around us aren't always as supportive as they should be.

My son loved the movie...

Surprisingly Good!!! Worth watching once.
Okay, first let me be clear. I in no way wanted to go and see this movie. Why did I go? Well that is what you have to do when you have a 10 year old brother and the parents don't want to take him to see it. Anyway, twenty minutes into the movie I started to think that the movie was okay for younger children, because it was quite a silly plot line (the main aim in the plot is that they want to shirink the moon) and was maybe lacking in some emotion. However, I have to admit by the end of the movie I quite enjoyed it, you really get to see Gru (our villian turned dad),on his journey and see the changing emotions he has to go through, not to mention the decisions he has to make. Some of the scenes our quite touching and some of the dialogue is quite humerous.
Now I just want to mention the cast, there is a very good cast including the very funny Steve Carell, Jason Segal, Julie Andrews, Russell Brand leading the cast but of course I have to give credit to the actresses who played...

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

There are about 32 out of screen effects that extend about 10% of the way, from the screen to the viewer, another 11 around 25% and 4 more that exceeded 25%. At least 10 of the 32, 10% effects were just a nose sticking out. The in-screen 3D is fairly consistent but has a SLIGHTLY shallower depth of field compared to other 3Ds. All in all, well worth watching multiple times.

*** Entertaining with a comical & a feel-good story line - Crisp graphics ***

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

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

Click on `See all my reviews' for the lowdown...

Click to Editorial Reviews

Robot Chicken Season 1 - Season 5

Bought this as a gift
Our middle daughter really enjoys Robot Chicken. The look on her face was all I needed to see to know I had given her the perfect (and very much wanted) Christmas gift.

From what I gather, Robot Chicken is a compilations of wild cartoon's that are most certainly geared for the late teen to adult crowd. Listening to her howl in delight as she saw the entire boxed set let me know that I had indeed given her exactly what she wanted.

(Disclosure: Our daughter is 26. An appropriate gift imo for her age. I have no watched this program and could not recommend for ages 18 and below.)

Mark E. Olson
Citrus Heights, Ca

It is Robot Chicken
What can you say? It is full of sick and twisted dark comedy. Sometimes I laugh and other times I just watch it while thinking " These guys are messed up".

are you that dumb
paying $107 for this is about as crazy as amanda bynes it can easily be bought for around $60 if bought individualy

Click to Editorial Reviews

West Coast Swing 101 (Shawn Trautman Dance Instruction)

First Rate
I recently made a decision to learn West Coast Swing. I have taken a few basic lessons but was still having some problems with the basic steps and moves. This video solved that problem. Shawn and Joanna's presentation of the basics is very understandable and easy to follow. They very effectively demonstrate the steps and moves they are teaching and how it should look when you are on the dance floor. The video can be used as the sole source of instruction or as a way to review and reinforce what is covered in any lessons you may be taking. I recommend this video to anyone who either has made the decision to go for it and learn West Coast Swing or to anyone who may be thinking of giving it a try but wants to learn more about the dance before making the leap. This video will provide a great start.

Super Duper!
My husband and I picked up this video hoping to better learn West Coast Swing. Despite my husband's background in swing and receiving professional instruction, we never were able to get our our proper timing together. We would dance together and have fun but not without frustration! The methods and techniques shown in this video have brought the correct rhythm and steps into view for the both of us! The instruction starts at a very basic level so one can understand the fundamentals and true roots of West Coast and allows you to move on, step by step, at the pace you are comfortable with. It's very similar to math...if you don't understand the very first beginning steps, you will soon become very overwhelmed and LOST! Not here! Both Shawn and Joanna show the woman's and man's steps while you are moving though the steps with them creating lots of confidence for the both us. I definitely would recommend this video to anyone who is interested in learning how to West Coast or even...

Great Way to Learn West Coast Swing!
The Shawn Trautman West Coast Swing 101 dance video really helped me to learn this dance from the very beginning. I've been trying to learn this dance for a long time. These instructors have a great method of teaching the steps by introducing the counting in a clear and easy way so that there is a good understanding of how the rhythm sequences are used later in the dance. I especially liked the transition from the basic walking steps to the step counting in more complex combinations. Before I even realized it, I was actually dancing these steps confidently through each section of the video. This is a great lesson and the best part is that it can be taken again and again just by playing the video for review and practice!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Waltz 101 (Shawn Trautman Dance Instruction)

Dancing Success DOES Start Here!
Fun and Friendly! Perfect for all the right reasons! Whether you only have a few minutes a day to learn and polish for a specific event, or you want to invest significant time to build a great base for regular, ongoing dance sessions...Waltz 101 is PERFECT. No matter what your style or reason, Waltz 101 is perfect for Country or Ballroom, formal social events, "date nights" out, or intimate evenings at home.... Waltz 101 gradually builds you up AT YOUR PACE from the basics to many of the finer points of posture, position, timing, leading, following, etc., without overwhelming... I can not recommend this disk enough! I also highly recommend the 2 hour Dance 101 DVD, which shows the basics and beyond of 8 popular dances....learn these and you've got the basics to do it all! Country, Club, AND Country Club! http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Lessons-101-Basics-Beyond/dp/B000X1GTCO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337697243&sr=8-1

Is an Elegant and Romantic Waltz - Fun?
Yea! Thanks to the Trautmans we can now add another dance step to our growing collection as we climb up the beginning dancers' learning curve. Waltz 101 is our fifth Trautman Dvd and it is every bit as good as the other four we've used.

I especially like the organization of instruction(intro/rhythm-timing/connection-style/lead-follow/review)that they have employed across all their 101 Dvd's. It makes for a very clear and easy progression to learn the dance step, and it has proven very useful for easy returns to specific sections of the dvd for repeated study.

Their combined instructional comments are extremely helpful for both partners and are well balanced for both the leader and follower. I enjoy the tasteful decor of their dance studio, the excellent video quality, the nice balance of music audio with their voice instruction, and the excellent camera tracking of their moves with respect to what is being taught at the moment. View it on a large screen tv and...

I learned to waltz!
Shawn & Joanna Trautman's Waltz 101 dance lesson video is perfect for beginners and also for anyone who just wants a review of these dance steps. I especially like the way these instructors actually show you and your partner in close-up view exactly where to position your feet and hands during each step of the waltz. I realized while taking this lesson how important these tips are for the overall gracefulness that you see when you watch people do this dance. The way this waltz lesson is presented makes you feel very confident during the learning process. I truly appreciate this encouragement as a beginner!

Click to Editorial Reviews

Kojak: Season Three

5 Reasons Why Kojak Will Remain One of the Best Detective Series
Season Three opens strong right out of the gate with "Questions & Answers" (2 parts) and concludes with "A Grave Too Soon." 24 hard hitting episodes which include: A savage murder of a priest, a car theft ring, an 18 year old homicide cold case, a cop killer and a mob hit on Kojak.

Here are my 5 reasons why Kojak will forever remain ONE of the best television detectives series of the 70s:

#1 Telly Savalas as Theo Kojak

He IS Kojak. The intelligence, charm and wit of Telly Savalas are irrepressible and inimitable. Savalas was a trendsetter. He takes his place in the pantheon of TV and Cinematic movie Detectives such as Humphrey Bogart. Clint Eastwood. Peter Falk.
Simply Unforgettable.

#2 The Scripts/Stories

These are tight-as-a-drum, flawlessly well-written episodes indicative of cinema. Suspenseful, gritty crime writing with purpose and heart. Fantastic one-liners that are quote-worthy to this very day. Crime writer Joe...

The real NYC of the 70s and 80s.
One of the best police series of all times. It presents the crude reality of the "big apple" from 30 years ago.

Great TV series
I watched the whole third season. Print quality: excellent. The third season is better than the second. That is: it's great! Watch for Sly Stallone in an ambiguous/bad guy role. Jerry Orbach is great, too. It's like Gene Hackman's "Conversation" meeting Harvey Keitel's "Copland." And Telly rules!
PS The music is very good too. It would deserve a CD. Maybe a bonus, for season 5. I would pay extra money for it. Like what they did for M Squad.

Click to Editorial Reviews

ef: A Tale of Melodies - Complete Collection [Blu-ray]

This is a tale of "The Will"
Ef a tale of melodies is more complicated than the first season and very tragic. I'd call it a mix of inhumane and beautiful. I won't spoil the ending, but its good at the best (Clannad After Story still beats them all), especially for a psychological thriller like this. If you havn't watched ef a tale of memories yet, I'd give that a go first or else you won't understand anything that's happening in a tale of melodies. I actually played a fan translation of the visual novel before I watched this season and there are many differences included in the series than what is seen in the game. Most of the cast from Clannad is here playing the English dub, there's EVERY textless opening and ending clip as the bonus features, DVD credits and Sentai previews, advertising Clannad After Story (even though that was released last year), A-Channel and four others. The music in this anime is very deep and beautiful and fits perfectly in tragic scenes. The art is breathtaking and has a unique style of...

Second Part, Ef Tales!
This Second Part of the series, The first story takes place in the past. Himura Yuu meets a girl, Amamiya Yuuko who seems to know him, but he doesn't know her. However, he soon remembers that she was a girl whom he knew from long ago. Yuuko then tells him something which he never knew. He was her first love since then, and her first love has not ended yet. The second story takes place in the present, just after the events of ef a Tale of Memories. Shuuichi Kuze meets the cousin of Aso Renji, Hayama Mizuki and spends a lot of time with her. Unknown to Mizuki, Kuze had contracted a fatal illness and has little time left to live. Kuze had decided to break all romantic ties, but things go bad when Mizuki tells him that she loves him. Is great series, part 2 just got better can't wait to watch it again ^^

Fantastic; especially for fans of the series
I read the visual novel and enjoyed it quite a bit, so I got this and the first season and after watching both they stay true to the spirit of the novel. There are certain things changed that make it so you don't instantly know everything that is going to happen, and the stories are tied up together better in the anime than in the novel, but otherwise it stays very true to the original novel. I must complain that two of the episodes are kind of bad at one part (you'll know when you see it) but if you're a fan of the visual novels you should definitely not second guess yourself when it comes to supporting the creators and getting yourself a nice no click-version of the novel. Awesome awesome, and more awesome; although if the dubs are terrible but you probably already knew that

Click to Editorial Reviews