Nashville (Criterion Collection) BLU-RAY/DVD DUAL FORMAT EDITION

Criterion Takes On Altman's Seminal Masterwork: Special Features Announced
Of all the Criterion announcements this year, the arrival of Robert Altman's "Nashville" is the one that has excited me the most. I've owned the film on a clunky two cassette VHS format and on a rather unimpressive DVD presentation. One of the seminal films of the seventies, this is an important work that has demanded a more worthy distribution. When I saw that Criterion had picked up the title, I rushed over here to see what features would be included on the release. Alas, there was nothing yet listed. I thought that other "Nashville" enthusiasts might also be chomping at the bit in anticipation, so I thought I'd give a shout-out to the announced pre-release features. This is for informational purposes only, I have not previewed this edition. I can say with confidence, however, that any restoration can't help but be a noticeable improvement over the poor quality discs currently on the market.

The "Nashville" release will be in a Blu-ray/DVD Combo pack having one...
Robert Altman is a 'genius'
As have others, I too am excited beyond belief that Criterion is honoring NASHVILLE to be part of its series. I will never forget when I first saw the film in New York City. I was stunned by it and stood in line a second and third time. It became one of the most astonishing metaphors of our political climate at the time. The film, created in Altman's improvisational style, is flooded with truthful work: Lily Tomlin, Keith Carradine, Ronee Blakley, Henry Gibson, Shelley Duvall, Geraldine Chaplin, Karen Black, Ned Beatty, and the list goes on --- all contributed enormously to the mosaic. With echoes of the Kennedy assassination, the film marches on as a panorama of the sixties. The film almost ridicules Nashville and I can understand why the country capital was not celebrating its perspective The plot occurs in five days with intertwining story lines and the Grand Ole Opry as a backdrop. The finale is a political rally for one Hal Philip Walker, a radical conservative, a kind of Ted...

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Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History Of Friday The 13th (Blu-ray + DVD Combo)

Excellent Documentary for Friday the 13th Fans!
This 4-disc (2 BD & 2 DVD) combo pack showcases the extensive retrospective F13 documentary which runs almost 7 hours (400 minutes). It is almost 3 hours longer than Never Sleep Again (of course there are more films in the F13 franchise). Corey Feldman (star of Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter) narrates Crystal Lake Memories, which features interviews with approximately 150 cast and crew members from all twelve Friday the 13th films and the syndicated television series, many of whom have never before appeared in on-camera interviews. Interview subjects include Kane Hodder, Robert Englund, Tom Savini, Danielle Panabaker, Sean S. Cunningham, Derek Mears, Betsy Palmer, Wes Craven, Robert Shaye, Alice Cooper and many more. Crystal Lake Memories is written and directed by Daniel Farrands and produced by Thommy Hutson (Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy). The focus is mainly on the films. Merchandise such as novels, comic books, and memorabilia don't play a large role. There are...
There is no CONFUSION
There is, in fact, a 5th disc that is ONLY available when directly ordered through 1428 Films. So there shouldn't be any confusion here. You don't get the 5th disc with the bonus interviews unless ordering directly from 1428 Films.
Great in-depth documentary!
As a long time fan, it was only natural for me to pick this up. The book was great, so of course this comes as a great companion. Its not perfect by any means, it can never be the "complete" history of Friday the 13th, but it does have amazing insights from many of those who were involved with the franchise.

First, I must mention that the documentary, "His Name Was Jason" was saddening. I was truly disappointed by how goofy it was with its loud and silly background music, interviews from people I don't care about (fanboys and hipsters who run websites), and by how it seemed to make a joke of the series. Then, these guys create "Never Sleep Again", disappointing me more since it seemed they took Nightmare much more serious than Friday the 13th.

But then we get Crystal Lake Memories, which of course, blows both documentaries away. I have watched this 7 hour long documentary twice (once with commentary) and also watched the 4 hour bonus disc that came with the set...
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Caddyshack [Blu-ray]

A welcome HD upgrade
A welcome HD upgrade to the classic comedy. I don't think I need to go into the plot for Caddyshack and as such I'll review the Blu-ray disc itself. The new Blu-ray has a good HD transfer, it's not the cleanest print but I don't think it's going to get any better. The sound has also been remastered to a DTS Master Audio 5.1 lossless track which is nice and expands the sound stage from the previous mono only offerings. Although strangely the original mono track is missing.

The extras are included are the Theatrical Trailer (480i) and "Caddyshack: The 19th Hole" (480i) is ported over from the previous 20th Anniversary DVD. But the real highlight is "Bio - Caddyshack: The Inside Story" (HD 1080i), this new documentary is very informative and goes for over 80mins.

Overall an HD excellent upgrade over the older 20th Anniversary DVD.
Caddyshack = Comedy Classic.....But we need more extras!
Hey, if you're reading this, you probably already know how hilarious Caddyshack is. I've gotta say I was disappointed when I purchased the 20th Anniversary DVD and it was the same thing as the 19th Anniversary VHS! I've never had the pleasure of seeing the TV version of this film, which from what I've read on other posts, has a lot of deleted footage. Why wasn't this footage included in the 20th DVD? In the trailer alone there's a bunch of scenes that aren't included in the film. How about including them? The bottom line is, while the film is great, we're starving for ALL the extra footage! I feel like I'm Spaulding and Warner Brothers is Judge Smails. "I want a hamburger, no...a cheeseburger, I want a hot dog, I want potato chips" -- "You'll get nothing and like it!" Give us more!
One of the Funniest Comedies of All Time!
Y'know, I get rather disgusted when I read reviews of movies like Caddyshack which describe it as "no-brainer" and "low-brow" (see the Amazon.com review, for example). The fact is that many so-called critics really don't have a clue when it comes to comedy movies of this type. Disrespect and irreverence for the establishment has been a staple of comedy movies for years. Are the only good comedies the light-hearted drivel that the likes of Grant and Hepburn made in the 30's? Of course not!

Caddyshack features fine performances from Bill Murray, Rodney Dangerfield, Chevy Chase, Ted Knight, and of course, the gopher. This motion picture is replete with sight gags and one-liners that to this day are repeated by afficianados of clever satire.

You don't have to be a lowbrow to like this movie, and just because you think it's funny doesn't mean there's something wrong with you. Caddyshack and Animal House withstand the test of time as two of the...
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The Monster Club [Blu-ray]

"Monsters Rule O.K."
Back in the mid 60's to early 70's, Amicus Productions (The Studio That Dripped Blood) rivaled the famous Hammer Studios and its' horror films, and the releases from the two English studios were often confused as they often used many of the same actors and directors. Amicus Productions was most famous for its' creepy horror anthologies, including The House that Dripped Blood (1970), Tales from the Crypt (1972), Asylum (1972), The Vault of Horror (1974), and From Beyond the Grave (1975). Amicus, formed by a partnership between producers Milton Subotsky and Max J. Rosenberg, dissolved in the mid 70's, as did Amicus Productions. While many fans mourned the passing of this wonderful and short-lived institution, Subotosky did go on to form Sword and Sorcery Productions, which released The Monster Club (1980), bringing back some of the magic of a time since past.

Directed by Roy Ward Baker, who also did Asylum and The Vault of Horror, along with numerous Hammer films, The Monster Club,...
SIMPLY AMAZING..
I cannot recommend this disc enough. The picture and sound quality are fantastic for a film of its age and the extras are spot on as well, including the films soundtrack as a stand alone audio is a nice touch.

The only slight glich is the commentary from Beavis and Butthead (the actual people who released the dvd) who try there best to slag the film off in the most horror film nerd cliches of all time.

A brilliant budget disc that i have been waiting on for years.

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah its cornball nonsense i know but.....

MONSTERS RULE OK!
Pure campy fun
Curious horror anthology is loosely based on the works of horror novelist R. Chetwynd-Hayes, portrayed by John Carradine as an active partaker in his own tales. The author is invited by a smooth vampire (the fabulous Vincent Price) to go with him to The Monster Club, where he bears witness to the secret social customs of various monsters, which evidently include drinking, dancing, and watching undead stripping Go Go Ghouls. He is also educated to the mating patterns of these creatures, whose tendency to inter-breed creates such new strains of monsters. All of this is interjected by short stories featuring campy yet fun monsters running amok. A fun side note is that the movie features music by pop-reggae band UB40. Have no sense of humor? Avoid this film. Love campy fun? Don't miss out.
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The Big Lebowski (Limited Edition) [Blu-ray Book + Digital Copy]

I'm rating the bowling ball special edition DVD, NOT the movie!
The Big Lebowski is on my top ten list of all time best films. I've seen A LOT of films by the way. I don't need to explain to anyone why this movie is so brilliant, and why it continues to be a cultural phenomenon. I mention these things first because I don't want people to feel like I'm giving the film one star. If I could I would give the movie 100 stars. What I'm giving such a poor review for is my distaste for movie studios pumping out special editon dvd's every few years because they know a film has a huge following. This new "bowling ball" edition of Lebowski is further proof that Universal has nothing but contempt for the fans of Big Lebowski. They wrap it up in a nice big package and make it look slick, but that's as far as the creativity goes into supplying anything new in terms of extras. Does anyone remember the terrible repackage they gave it a few years ago with a towel and coasters? No actual extras existed, but they still put it out as a revamped "deluxe...
One of those change-your-life movies
"The Big Lebowski" is just perfect. Everything about this movie is a laugh riot, even the bits of dialogue that aren't punchlines. The cast is perfect, the writing is perfect... this movie has both Julianne Moore and Flea in it, what other movies can you say that about? Well, there was the Gus Van Sant "Psycho" remake, but that doesn't count. I found this movie by accident and I haven't let go of it since. I may not be a stoner but I will say I've found more happiness since I embraced my inner Dude.

Every time I go back to "Lebowski" I come away with something new that wasn't there before. Like the realization, this time around, that Jeff Bridges is not seen to throw a single bowling ball in the entire movie. And that Steve Buscemi's character rolls a strike every time we see him... except for the very final scene, for reasons that become clear a few moments later.

The rest of the cast is just superb. Remember Philip Seymour Hoffman as an unctuous PR man...
The Coens And 'California Crazy'!
In what has to be the most brilliantly disjointed and anarchic look at the alienation, apathetic stupor, and pedestrian self-absorption of the pathetic Southern California lifestyle ever filmed, the two Coen brothers (`Fargo') produced and directed this near `cult' film to explore the plethora of cultural cop-outs parading as lifestyles in this zany yet affectionate look at a totally burned out and yet eminently likeable basket case by the name of Jeff Lebowski, who is played masterfully by Jeff Bridges, in yet another of his consistently underestimated character portrayals. Lebowski prefers to go by his street name of "Dude", and seems to be the ultimate California case of a one-time fairly intelligent `n'er-do-well' now perpetually down on his luck and reduced to only occasional flashes of clarity and full functioning after way too many years of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, and then some more drugs tossed in on the side.

The Coens' penchant for offbeat characters is having a...
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Notting Hill [Blu-ray]

Pleasantly, not what I'd expected!
Let me just say that I'm not particularly a Julia Roberts fan. So when my wife asked to go see Notting Hill in the theater, I politely declined... but I figured that I'd give her a suprise and buy the DVD for her. Well, I sat and watched it with her, and was pleasantly suprised, myself!

Set in the real-life Notting Hill section of London, this VERY fairy-tale story is filled with moments of true belly-aching laughter, painful heartbreak, and one delightful "car chase."

Julia Roberts portrays Anna Scott, a fifteen-million-dollar per picture movie actress who gets tangled in the trappings of love with William Thacker, a bumbling, but likeable book-shop owner convincingly played by Hugh Grant. Notting Hill wastes no time in setting up this premise and rockets off from there. The film moves along at a good pace and only has one noticible slow spot. The music chosen to accompany the film is beyond perfect. Watch the screen closely when you hear "Ain't No Sunshine"...
About a girl, asking a boy to love her.
Hugh Grant's role as Travel Book Shop employee William Thacker reprises the same shy, humble, lovable, but lonely character with a small group of friends that made him a star in Four Weddings And A Funeral. That may be because Notting Hill, like FW&AF, was written by Richard Curtis. "And so it was another hopeless Wednesday when I walked a thousand yards to work, not suspecting that this was going to be the day my life would be changed forever." In two words, that catalyst is Anna Scott, currently one of Hollywood's biggest stars, who is promoting her latest film Helix, a sci-fi film whose costume design and one interior setting owes a nod to Kubrick's 2001. She happens in his bookshop, but that first meeting sets off a series of meetings where they spend time with each other.

Eccentric barely describes Spike, his Welsh roommate with a shock of wild blond hair. Never have I seen a more comical opposites since Felix and Oscar of the Odd Couple. Spike is clearly...
Charming,lite romantic comedy
I was hesitant to see this film at the theater.I enjoy Hugh Grant but never cared much for Julia Roberts.Well,being a DVD and home theater nut,I decided to check this out..PLEASENTLY SURPRISED! ..First Hugh Grant is just fantastic.In a way,his character can be discribed as the thinking mans Mathew Perry.Actually,their humor derives from similar delivery of lines..This is a delightful tale of the ever so polite,but aloof, British male,winning over the, seen to many shallow male actor movie star..Julia pretty much plays herself,with both touching honesty and charm..Tired of the world that incorporates her hollywood life,on a trip to England she finds herself drawn to Grants simple yet honest and gentle sincerity...Along the way,the typical trials and tribulations that would surely plague such a relationship appear..Yet,this movie demonstrates that regardless of our superficial world around us,something as age-old as love can lead to true inner happiness...A great British...
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The World's End, Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead Trilogy [Blu-ray]

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Father of the Bride (20th Anniversary Edition) / Father of the Bride: Part II [Blu-ray]

Great movies, not so great DVDs
These are both wondeful movies, probably among my favorites, but I'm very disappointed with the DVDs. There are no special features. Is it really worth the money for the movie alone? This 2-pack is a great deal but I'm hesitant to buy it because I wonder if they'll be following up shortly with new special edition versions that include some features. That would be much more worth the money. With the feautures that are now included in most DVDs (even just deleted scenes would have been better) this is very disappointing.
Blu-ray: Fun and delightful! Both popular Steve Martin comedies in one Blu-ray release!
In 1950, the American comedy "Father of the Bride" directed by Vicente Minnelli and starring Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett, Elizabeth Taylor was a big success in the box office and nominated for several Academy Awards. The film would inspire a sequel titled "Father's Little Dividend" in 1951.

Fast forward over 40-years later and a remake of the film co-written and directed by Charles Shyer ("Alfie", "The Parent Trap", "The Odd Couple") and starring Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Martin Short was released in 1991 and earned over $89 million in the box office. And like the original film, would also inspire a remake of the sequel titled "Father of the Bride Part II" featuring the original cast and would go on to earn over $76 million in the box office.

And now both films will be release together on Blu-ray courtesy of Touchstone Home Entertainment.

VIDEO:

"Father of the Bride" and "Father of the Bride: Part II" were...
Great family fun.
These are the modern remakes of 2 classics, yet I actually like these more. I don't seem to ever tire of seeing them. Both are heartfelt and very funny, well made entertainment. Steve Martin does his best work here. Martin Short is hilarious. The Banks' are the kind of family every girl (or boy) wishes they had. Even the inlaws are fun. For a good time, I recommend them. Enjoy! :-D
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The Monster Squad [Blu-ray]

Meeting adjourned...
I've been waiting for this DVD to come into print for years, and now the wait is finally over. Thanks to Lionsgate for finally stepping up, straightening out the rights issues, and putting together a nice 2-Disc special edition of this classic 80s kids flick.

The Monster Squad, much like the Goonies and the Lost Boys, is a kid's flick at heart, but it doesn't come off as if it were written and directed down to children. The flick stars Andre Gower, Ryan Lambert (of Kids Incorporated fame), Brent Chalem, Michael Faustino and Robby Kiger as a group of kids that have a secret Monster club where they pontificate on all things monster related. Quick, two ways to kill a werewolf? Stumped? That's right, everyone knows you need to shoot `em with a silver bullet. Anyway, the group runs into trouble when unbeknown to them the all too real rouges gallery of the classic Universal monster movies are converging on their town looking to destroy an amulet that can prevent them from...
Wolfmans Got Nards & I Can't Wait For The DVD To Be Released
This is a great scary movie for kids and adults alike...
This little-known GEM of a film & one of my favorites with mostly a cast of unknowns. Stephen Macht (Graveyard Shift& many other stephen King films) & Jason Hervey (older brother, Wayne on Wonder Years) are familiar faces. A great kids frightfest that has the Creature From The Black Lagoon, Mummy, Wolfman, Frankenstein & a really hot & sexy Dracula with his female coven!

A passel of oddball kids fight the dark forces of evil in their small neighborhood with the help of Frankenstein & Scary German Guy (an old Germanic man that is a neighbor). Great plot, cool special effects, some excellent one liners & some wonderful child acting all make for a terrifc family frightfest! Check out the teacher in the beginning of the movie. The kids call her "Meow Mix" because her head is shaped like a cat's head! Great oddball writing in this movie makes it scary & funny!

Wonderful story! I just can't wait for this to come out on...
A forgotten gem.
With all the Universal films being released and re-released on DVD, in addition to Stephen Sommers' VAN HELSING, I'm shocked to see that THE MONSTER SQUAD isn't being given the credit it is due. Some of the special effects may seem a bit dated by today's near-flawless CGI standards, but this is a really enjoyable movie that transcends time as much, if not more so, as all the black-and-white favorites that inspired it.

The story centers around a small band of pre-teens who are devoted fans of the Classic Monsters. The group soon learns that the evil Count Dracula is lurking nearby, and has gathered a small band of his own: Frankenstein's Monster, the Wolf Man, the Mummy, and the Gill-Man (aka, the Creature From the Black Lagoon). Their goal: to obtain a mystical amulet that will shift the balance of power in their favor and plunge the world into total, chaotic darkness.

What follows is a series of chases, terror-filled encounters, and unforgettable one-liners...
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CLUE [Blu-ray]

The funniest UNpopular film of the 1990s!
Clue is Paramount Pictures' comedic film rendering of the classic Parker Brothers board game of the same name. But don't let that dissuade you from seeing this one. Although you'll recognize the chromatic character names, unlikely murder weapons, and Victorian mansion settings, tracking down the murderer in the movie version of Clue requires a good deal more than a deck of cards and a notepad. (It's a lot more fun this way, too.)

Involving the talents of seven of Hollywood's funniest funny people, including Madeline Kahn as Mrs. White, Christopher Lloyd as Professor Plum, and Tim Curry as Wadsworth, the requisite butler, the film is guaranteed to keep you laughing. The script is packed with sparklingly witty exchanges, such as this one between Wadsworth and an angry Colonel Mustard (Martin Mull):

Mustard: Are you trying to make me look stupid in front of the other guests?

Wadsworth: You don't need any help from me.

Mustard: That's right!

Later in the picture,...
A Laugh-A-Minute
This is one of my favorite films of all time. It's loaded with outragous, silly slapstick humor and the entire cast is superb! You'll be amazed at how many of the lines and gags get stuck in your head. I'll never be able to forget the flusterd looks of Mrs. Peacock, the wit and charm of Wadsworth or the subtle facial expressions of Mrs. White. Thankfully I'll be able to see all this and more as Clue is finally presented in anamorphic widescreen! The picture is the best yet of this film since it's initial release, but there are moments when the image appears too soft and the entire presentation leans to the dark side (no Star Wars pun intended). The darkness though, does help to heighten the mystery/suspense aspect of Clue. From a purists point of view it's good that the soundtrack is kept in it's original mono, still I'd greatly enjoy hearing a stero or, even better, a surround sound version in the future. Unfortunately there are only 13 chapter stopsincluded on the DVD. Any...
One of the funniest movies you've probaly never seen
Almost everybody has played the game Clue. We all have heard of Mr.Green, Professor Plum, Miss Scarlett, Col.Mustard, Mrs.White, and Mrs.Peacock. Now we actually get to see the game on screen.

The story to Clue is a great mystery. Six individuals Mr.Green(McKean), Mrs.Peacock(Brannen),Col.Mustard(Mull),Mrs.White(Kahn), Miss Scarlet(Warren), and Pro. Plum(Lloyd) have all received invitations to a mysterious house. They all have been invited to dinner and have no idea while they are there. When they reach the house they discover that the master is not there, but his butler Wadsworth(Curry) and Maid Yvette(Camp) are the only poeple there. The guests are informed that they are there by the invitation of Mr.Boddy. Mr.Boddy is blackmailing them all and thats the only thing in common the six people have. Then people start dying in the home and now it's up to the whole group to see who is doing it and to see if they can get out alive.

This really was a great cast. It had a bunch of big...
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Airplane! [Blu-ray]

Shirley would be pleased
A clever, funny parody of disaster movies (bad melodramas such as "Zero Hour" and "The High and The Mighty" along with "Airport" were the prime targets here), "Airplane! The `Don't Call Me Shirley' Edition" manages to combine silliness, puns and with topical humor in a style that recalls something out of an alternate off-kilter universe. Filled with melodramatic, over-the-top music, deliberately bad acting and every cliché about plane disasters you can imagine, "Airplane!" aims wildly and accurately most of the time taking the wind out of the sails of bad (and some good ones, too such as "Jaws")movies everywhere. Evidently the writing/directing team of Zucker, Zucker and Abrahams (who wrote "Kentucky Friend Movie" for director John Landis and later went on to crate "The Naked Gun" films) caught "Zero Hour" on TV and realized that this overripe melodrama was just right to be plucked and served up as comedy (something it verged on anyway).

Robert Hays plays Ted...
Classic satire
Anyone who has ever seen one of a host of abysmal 1970's disaster flicks could have predicted that they were ripe for a satire, but I doubt anyone could have predicted that "Airplane" would have set the gold standard for the spoof. In addition, since it appears on TV so often, seeing it on DVD is almost a new experience because all of the scenes that were cut for content seem like new jokes.

I can't imagine anyone is unfamiliar with the plot (such as it is), but by way of a brief summary, a passenger jet is in trouble when the entire flight crew, and many of the passengers, fall ill from the in flight meal. It's up to Ted Striker to bring down the plane safely; but there's just one problem, he hasn't been able to fly since his last abortive raid during "the war". Oh, and his estranged girlfriend is one of the stewardesses. However, where a disaster film would turn this into an overwrought melodrama, absolutely nothing, and I do mean nothing, is taken seriously in...
The Plane Wreck That Is The Shirley Edition!
Like many fans of this movie, I'd waited for this bells & whistles edition then quickly snapped it up on the first day of rerelease. Well....though it's nice to see this film again, it did come with it's lil' bit o' surprises.

The Print: Most rereleases that I've seen tend to have a newer transfer...at least one that outshines the previous and doesn't make us feel we're watching an 'OK' print. This one here has a liveable, but still noticeable amount of scratches and mystery objects that appear in the frame. I was expecting a bit better considering this is the day and age of restoration. Here, they didn't seem to do much of, if anything to the print, so we're left with one that is slightly better than a good TV quality picture. Hardly a 'special edition' copy of this film.

Features: I noticed immediately when I played the film alone, that it stopped or sputtered in the framerate at times. I'd stopped counting at about five, but still managed to finish the movie...
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Sister Act: 20th Anniversary Edition - Two-Movie Collection (Three-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Great movies, but new DVD editions are sorely needed.
It seems as though lately, nearly all movie studios are jumping onto a new trend in DVD releases - double, triple, even quadruple features which consist of taking ever-so-slightly related catalogue DVD releases and packaging them together. These are executed in several ways, ranging from simply packaging existing DVDs together, in the case of Buena Vista Home Entertainment's releases, or putting existing DVDs onto flippers, in the case of some of Warner Bros.' releases. Some sets put all the DVDs into one case, while others use a box with slim DVD cases inside. No matter how they're executed, these sets can usually be found for fifteen dollars or less in stores such as Wal Mart.

On one hand, I kinda like this trend. It's a great value for your dollar, and who isn't looking for THAT these days? On the other hand, I feel like if they're going to do this, they could update some of these DVDs.

Take this Sister Act 2-Movie Collection DVD. I picked this up because I...
Goldberg Gold
I have no idea how long since I first watched this movie. Even though I generally lean towards drama and true crime rather than comedy, I fell in love with Sister Act and Whoopi Goldberg. Like her character, Deloris, I also enjoyed music from the 60s and enjoyed the opening act. When she was talked into hiding out at the convent, the action slowed down a little, though certain parts were funny, such as when she, and Sisters Mary Patrick and Mary Robert entered a bar. However, the action took off when she became head of the choir and introduced a bit of deep shoulder action to the nuns. Out of respect for those who still have not seen this movie, I won't say more about the contents. The DVD, which I bought in a set with the sequel Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, it played beautifully with no pausing as sometimes happens. It was very easy to remove the disk from its holder and replace after viewing the disk. I enjoyed the brief look at how the movie was made in the special features,...
great bargin - 2-in-1
These are great movies (I particularly like Sister Act 2 with Lauryn Hill) and I was thrilled to find they were released on DVD as a set!

For those not familiar with the movie, Whoopi plays Delores Van Cartier, a Las Vegas/Reno showgirl (can't remember which town) who witnesses a murder. The cop in charge of the investigation (Bill Nunn) puts her in protective custody (not sure of the term, sorry) at a convent. Delores's lifestyle clashes with the convent life, but she adapts somewhat, but she's a rebel against their strict rules. She is put in the choir, which is awful, and is elected the new choir director and the rest of part 1 revolves around that and her differences with the convent's reverend mother. Part 2, Whoopi is a Las Vegas headliner and is asked by the reverend mother to return, this time to St. Francis Academy in San Francisco as a music teacher. Lauryn Hill plays a conflicted student who wants to sing, but her mother really looks down on it and pulls her...
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Moonrise Kingdom (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet)

Stirs the memory of adolescent first love
Set in 1965, Moonrise Kingdom is a stylized coming of age film that delivers on its promise to bring the viewer of any age back to the intensity of just-entering-adolescence love. That alone makes this an extraordinary film. In addition, the music and imagery are beautifully orchestrated to delight the senses. The casting, characters, and acting are superb. It is rare to have a film that puts together this much talent and then taps it to the fullest.

Heavy hitters include the brilliant Edward Norton (for once watching his language and holding his temper) as an anal but dedicated troop leader, Bill Murray who in stark contrast to the young stars in this film, fails to find any joy whatsoever in his work in the law profession, wealth, family or beautiful surroundings. His dissatisfied wife (Frances McDormand who was the psychiatrist in Norton's first film Primal Fear), is also an attorney (the lawyer banter are some of the funniest lines in the film). Bruce Willis (who plays...
Swept away by style and story
IN A WORLD WHERE films must shock, where films must employ impossible stunts, extreme violence and outrageous characters, comes Moonrise Kingdom - with none of it. This is a real STORY, with real characters, in which everything that happens is actually possible. What a concept. Told with humor and compassion, the film sweeps you along without the dreaded need for suspension of disbelief. The story is pure Americana - life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Some do it better than others. Not everyone is a winner. Its stars - seven of them! - are all totally out of character. This is not a Bill Murray vehicle or an Edward Norton vehicle or a Bruce Willis vehicle. The stars fit in, almost as afterthoughts. It's the story that counts. Most impressively, it has style. From the opening shots of Susie, face on with her binoculars in various rooms of the house, you know this film will be stylish. And understated. It is worthy of any screen in the world, in a world where American films...
"REMARKABLE IN EVERY WAY!"
It's 1965, and this mystical-magical story will tug at the heartstrings as it entertains with delight for the entire family. Sam and Suzy are both age twelve, neither one of them is popular and they both have their own issues outside of their charming relationship. However, they are appealing to each other in a unique friendship when they decide to run away together in their own great adventure. Bruce Willis can play the role of just about anything, and in this captivating story, his acting performance is excellent, along with all the other characters. The heart-warming story is touching, enjoyable from start to finish, and very funny. A Magnificent fun-filled movie for the entire family. Highly Recommended!
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Love Actually (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet + Collectible Ornament)

"Love actually is all around..."
"Love Actually" is just the right mix of romantic comedy and drama to leave you with that warm, fuzzy feeling as you leave the theatre. It's an ideal Christmas movie for moms and dads who want to see something else while the kids venture into more PG films.

Writer/director Richard Curtis enlists a plethora of some of the finest British actors (and a few noteworthy Americans) to tell several different love stories. While it seems that there may be a few too many characters at first, the overall flow of the film allows the viewer to keep track quite easily. The cast is led by the ever-so-charming Hugh Grant as the British Prime Minister. While some critics have called this casting unbelievable, Grant actually pulls it off by portraying a more human, but yet stronger PM that we would all love to have leading us. His dance to the Pointer Sisters' "Jump for My Love" borders a bit on ridiculous, but it is nevertheless fun to watch. In the film, the PM is caught between leading his...
The Perfect Stocking Stuffer
This is the perfect Christmas gift to get any member of the group of free-loading moochers you call your friends. It's the perfect excuse to have a movie night at THEIR house, and make them ante up some wine, cheese, grapes and lots of chocolate, then hunker down for an evening of cornball romantic comedy with a difference.

Chances are, with Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson and Alan Rickman on show, you won't even notice that the storyline is hardly Pulitzer Prize material, but you do stand the chance of busting a seam when Hugh does his Footloose/Saturday Night Fever/Risky Business impression at Lot 10 Downing Street, and Bill Nighy makes like Robert Palmer for a video shoot of the worst ever chart topping Christmas song. There's also the incomparable Rowan Atkinson, making like Mr.Bean at appropriately inopportune moments.

In case you think it's all about the guys (it is - but one can't take sides) there's a brilliant performance by Emma Thompson, and...
(4+) Actually Quite Entertaining but Definitely Deserves "R"
My rating is based on my enjoyment of this film. It has both major strengths and serious weaknesses, and as other reviews indicate has fostered very strong reactions, both positive and negative. Its format is somewhat disconcerting if you are not prepared for the methodology of the director. It contains nudity, profanity, sexual situations, and several situations that are very suggestive and some moviegoers may consider to border on the obscene. However, the situations that some people may consider offensive actually serve a purpose in developing the overall theme of the film.

Love, in all its manifestations - wonder, joy, pain, happiness, passion, grief... is the theme of the film. A very talented ensemble cast is utilized to tell several somewhat interrelated stories concerning the emotional lives of the various characters. The cast includes Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Laura Linney, Kiera Knightley and Alan Rickman. There are also telling cameos by Billy...
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Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (Unrated) [Blu-ray]

UNRATED- was uncalled for.
I LOVED this movie when I saw it in the theatre over the past summer- so I was pumped to see an "unrated" version come out on DVD.

Whomever was in charge of putting this DVD together yanked a huge chain on this release. I had expected the "unrated" version to be funnier than the theatrical version which I thought was one of the year's funniest movies, because in general, "unrated" cuts have been better than the "regular" release.

This "unrated" version skips a couple really great monents from the theatrical version, one instance is when Carell's character "Brick" utters "I ate a big red candle" during the party hangover sequence and they replace it with a joke that's nowhere near that great non-sequitor. Near the end of the film they edited out Ferrell's lines just before he picks up the phone in the bar (something about "once being an anchorman")which was more in line with the film's plot/angle than the new scene of Burgundy eating cat poop. A TERRIBLY UNFUNNY...
ferrels best comedy
This limited edition version which is only at sale at a certain retail chain and here evidently features a interesting box with a 'diary' of Ron Burgundy and trading cards. The package has two blu ray discs with a unrated version of the movie and a made for dvd flick as well. I don't know if they will release this modern classic comedy on a regular blu ray without the extra film but certainly the packaging will be different after this edition sells out. Making it a collectors edition. This imo is a modern classic comedy, the movie just does everything right , it's funny and has great acting from everyone involved and it features the golden age of news anchorpeople the seventies, that was the decade when women really made inroads into the field and laid the groundwork for all the top anchors that would follow. The seventies too are always a great decade to have a comedy in, it's the predigital age (1980's-) and things were in someways better than today for sure, others not. but at...
I'm.....Ron Burgondy?
Lets be real. This movie is good, and I mean really good. Don't act like your not impressed. Will Ferrell is a genius, honestly. If you disagree with me I will fight you. Simple as that. I will fight you. This movie is rich and compelling. Bottom line. You won't regret watching this movie. Bottom line. I mean who cares if he doesn't speak spanish? He looks really good in this movie. He makes Sinatra look like a Hobo. This movie is also very informative. It could be a documentry. You learn alot about things you probably wouldn't have known before you watched this movie. For instance, did you know diversity was a old old wooden ship that was used in the civil war era? I'll be the first one to say I did not know that. I also was unaware of the meaning behind the name San Diego. I also didn't know that the germans discovered San Diego. Suffice to say, I learned a lot while watching this movie. Go watch it now.
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Let Me Explain [Blu-ray]

Tinsel & Tine - Let Me Explain
My brother introduced me to this comedic diminutive, dynamo back in 06, with his first special "I'm a Grown Little Man" we watched that bootleg several times, laughing hysterically at the story where Kevin and a friend piss off an ostrich with a pen. Alright alright alright. You're gonna learn today! became a catch phrase from his 2011 special "Laugh At My Pain", where Hart talks about his coke addicted father stumbling into his spelling bee, wearing sweatpants with no underwear - just swinging in the breeze.

The trick of a good comedian is to make the worst s*** funny. Hart's now been through a divorce, which he admits ended mostly due to his cheating, he's anticipating despising his kids eventual step-father, he was held at gun point, and fears the possibility of a bum bump, all of it delivered with side splitting, stupid, hilarity in this latest special.READ MORE [...]


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Step Brothers (2-Disc Unrated Edition) [Blu-ray]

I wasn't ready!
I don't understand how people didn't like this movie.... I take that back. I expect that people didn't like this movie because they expected something smarter. For the record, don't expect this to be an intelligent comedy. It's not. At the same time, I think it's absolutely hilarious. I'm a firm believer in setting our own expectations. If you expected Twister to be some amazing, epic film, then you were probably disappointed. If you expected it to be a movie about a tornado, you were most likely entertained. The same applies to this film. Don't go in expecting an artistic masterpiece. It's crude, rudimentary comedy, and it's nice to be spoon-fed ridiculously "insipid" humor from time to time. I. Loved. This. Film. It's ridiculous, just don't expect too much.
Seriously under rated
This movie is a real sleeper. The first time I watched it I thought it was funny, but after watching a few more times I think it is great. These two portray the base element of every man. The "forever 13" humor that almost all men love, even if they don't like to admit it. Mary Steenburgen is also hilarious. Some people who are too uptight to laugh at juvenile humor will trash this movie, but it is funny. The casting throughout was perfect.
Step Brothers rocks!
This movie was one of the funniest movies I have ever seen in a long time. These two actors are great together, they pack a laughter punch like no other. I'm definitely buying this movie.
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Forrest Gump [Blu-ray]

Hanks is Brilliant
Forrest Gump is a rare movie that succeeded on all levels. It was a box office smash ranking among the top five highest grossing movies of all time. But it was also a critical darling, garnering across the board praise and a truckload of awards. The movie became a cultural phenomenon, spawning cook books, quote books, a top ten soundtrack album and lines like "stupid is as stupid does" and "life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get" have permeated our dialect. The movie has a nostalgic, feel good vibe thanks to the dimwitted Forrest's trek through 60's and 70's touchstone events. Underneath all those warm feelings lies a darkness. Bad things happen to just about everyone Forrest comes in contact with. His best friend Bubba is killed in Vietnam, his other friend Lt. Dan loses both his legs, his mother dies of cancer and his beloved Jenny dies of AIDS. Even the famous people Forrest comes across meet with disaster, President...
A movie you don't get to see nowdays.
Forrest Gump is one of the best film of all time. Definitely the best Zemeckis's work so far and he has put so much soul and depth to this 1994 Academy Award winning Best Picture. This movie portrays the life of a slow-witted character who gets embroiled in various ridiculous situations. He was a Vietnam war hero, received a congressional medal of honour, shook hands with many US Presidents and was a successful owner of a shrimp company. We get to see many world events through the eyes of a supposedly "dumb" character. The flow and pace of the movie was perfect as we ride through various historical events like the Vietnam War, assasination of JFK and the Watergate Scandal. Tom Hanks gave an undeniably wonderful performance as Forrest and truly deserves the Oscar that he earned. Gary Sinise gave a superb performance as Lieutenant Dan in the movie. Even though he was only nominated and did not win anything, I felt he really deserves the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. The...
Forrest Gump is a magical, moving, and funny film
1994 featured the two most interesting central characters to ever grace the silver screen. They were Andy Dufresne (The Shawshank Redemption) and Forrest Gump, played respectively by Tim Robbins and Tom Hanks. Both films from which the characters originate I consider to be in the top five best movies of all time and it's the actors that makes the characters come to life that makes the films so magnificent.

Forrest Gump is a drama and a comedy. It tells the tale of a mildly retarded man who becomes involved accidentally in the biggest events of the sixties, seventies, and eighties. All throughout his life since he was a child, Forrest has been in love with a girl named Jenny (Robin Wright Penn). However, she refuses him only because she loves him too much and doesn't want to hurt him.

Underrated by audiences, Forrest Gump is simply an amazing film. I was surprised by how hilarious and moving it was. The film generates many big laughs that involve how Forrest...
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Return of the Living Dead [Blu-ray]

I am not amused
Before we start. I want to affirm that I love this film. Great script, great performances, great soundtrack, great directing.
Also, regardless of the negative feedback I give this DVD, we are unfortunately obligated to buy it, if we ever want to see a special edition DVD.
Ok, here goes. Yeah it looks great. But it just felt wrong. I couldn't place the reason. I thought maybe it was a visual matter. But I quickly realized that what was bugging me was the soundtrack. It was inexplicably, utterly mangled.
Will someone tell me why? Why were the vocals for whole songs removed? I am sorely disappointed and angered by this. I am outraged by the George Lucas style of re-working your film for DVD, and abandoning the original theatrical cut. If you feel the need to improve your film, fine, provide an alternate cut, or additional scenes, or whatever, that's great. Give me the option on the menu to see the "improved version, or the regular cut. But don't alter a...
A Classic Horror Film Returns at Long Last!!!!!!
After over a decade of being out of print (do to legal wrangling in regards to the film's punk rock soundtrack that is prominently featured throughout the film) the classic 1980s zombie film that turned heads with it's dark humor, witty script, and original zombie design is now available on DVD!

Freddy is a typical early 1980s punk rock fan who, on his first day at work at UNEEDA Medical Supply, learns that the movie "Night of the Living Dead" was based on an actual event involving zombies and that UNEEDA one day came into possession of one of the zombies which is now being held in a cylinder in the basement. A non-believing Freddy is shown the container just as it explodes, filling the supply company's building with a toxic green gas. The gas causes the sole human body in the body to come to life (as well as freeing the zombie from it's cylinder prison) and after failing to destroy the zombie the tradition way (cutting of it's head) they take it to the local crematorium to be...
"It worked in the movie!"
Re-animated corpses, swearing, blood & gore, full-frontal female nudity, iconoclastic jabs at American culture, and lots of gallows humor--what more could a horror fan ask for?

Any genre fan who has a morbid sense of humor is sure to enjoy 1985's THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD. In the same vein as other tongue-in-cheek horror shtick such as the Chiodo Brothers' KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE and Sam Raimi's ARMY OF DARKNESS, this one's specifically a spoof of George Romero's classic and highly revered zombie film NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. Director/Screenwriter Dan O'Bannon, probably best known for having penned the original ALIEN movie, does a fantastic job of lovingly poking fun at the Horror and SF genres while at the same time satirizing everything from the U.S. Military to Punk Rock. This movie is not only funny, it's got plenty o' "brains"!

And you can't beat the financial value of the DVD edition. Not only does it cost less than a lot of other full-length,...
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Red (Special Edition) [Blu-ray]

Great actors goofing off...resulting in good time for all.
RED is the action-comedy about a small group of retired CIA field operatives (Retired, Extremely Dangerous...R.E.D.) who are targeted for elimination by nefarious government groups and must team up to fight off the threat and reveal the culprit.

RED is a silly but very fun movie. It is the sort of movie that would not work, however, if we didn't already have pretty strong impressions and feelings about its stars. If we didn't already think of Helen Mirren as the classy actress who won an Oscar for THE QUEEN...we wouldn't laugh simply at the sight of her wielding a machine gun. If we didn't mostly think of Morgan Freeman for playing God or the President or the silky-toned narrator of MARCH OF THE PENGUINS...we wouldn't chuckle at his antics. Quite frankly, if you enjoyed the trailers for RED, you'll enjoy the movie. They give you an almost complete sense of the tone of this film. If you thought the trailers looked merely silly and made you roll your eyes...then the...
Howling good fun
I mean, anything that features Dame Mirren, an elegant evening gown, and a .50 cal machine gun can't be all bad. Once you stop taking it seriously (something sure to happen early on), it's a riot.

The basic message is a boomer ego-stroke: "Don't mess with the old guys." Unfortunately, that's what happens. Retired CIA agents start dying at an alarming rate. It turns out that the decedents all worked on the one particular mission - one that Our Heroes worked on as well. So, when the hit men come after the hit men, the chase is on. And, as it progresses it reaches higher and higher into the halls of government. You know, the usual.

In this movie, the fun is all in getting there. Bruce Willis's wise-cracking plays well against John Malkovich's slightly deranged character, Morgan Freeman's easy-going character balances them both, and Helen Mirren adds a touch of class. Then there's Mary-Louise Parker's character, Sarah, in a role like Diaz's in...
Fun, exciting, entertaining!
This movie has it all. It's got:

- Lots of action. Even though Bruce Willis is playing an older, retired guy, he's still got the goods. He's completely convincing. The rest of the cast delivers as well.

- Funny moments - While it's not a continual thing, there are plenty of funny and light moments, with a few of laugh out louds. Willis is the master of action flick funny, and John Malkovich was surprisingly hilarious. The rest of the cast contributed well as straight guys.

- Romance - Bruce Willis and Mary-Louise Parker really work. I don't want to ruin any surprises, but lets say it starts out and ends in a surprising way, and they had good chemistry.

- Character development - Surprisingly well done for an action flick. Each character was really defined, and you get to care about them.

- Suspense - It was really a good story, and well written. It was full of twists and surprises, with plenty of "edge of your seat" moments...
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