Kakaku：300 saved$3.00
Kultur Video
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Strauss Capriccio) 『Te Kanawa and entire cast is superb. I especially enjoyed the servants gossip about the guests. And of course the final scene is glorious.』
(What a wonderful find!) 『I didn't know this existed until a little while ago. Dame Kiri is in fabulous voice here, and Tatiana Troyanos shows no sign of her illness. I believe this was Ms. Troyanos' final opera before her death. The whole opera is very, very well done here.』
(Made in Heaven) 『Every once in a lifetime comes a performance so rich and so sublime that one shouts yes ..there is a God!!. A deft hand that created such wonderous music and this Capriccio is one of them. A real gem in every aspect from great performances to production value. A great ensemble cast in an opera that is most often considered a 'connoisseur's piece'. The real hero behind this, besides Strauss the composer, is Te Kanawa- giving us what is perhaps her most quintessential performance esp. in the Monologue scene. The way she interprets the work and handles the music puts even the great Renee Fleming to shame- not that Fleming is a lesser artist but comparing Te Kanawa's and Fleming's performances highlights a world of difference of what is tasteful and what is arched. There is something very mannered about Fleming's singing that distracts and her acting is below par- she parades around not knowing what she is singing about and sounds exasperated. Te Kanawa on the other hand is nothing less than spectacular-beautiful stage presence, exquisite voice (without a note out of place), clear diction, deep characterisation and floating legatos- this is a desert island performance and the totality of the performance comes from a singer who has managed to put the philosophies of music and opera of a lifetime across in about 25 minutes. This is truly God-sent!!!』
(Exceptional!) 『This an impressive performance of an opera that can be hard to get right. The ensemble cast is extraordinary, with nary a weak link. As expected, Te Kanawa (as the Countess) is radiant and beautiful in voice and appearance. Keenlyside (as Olivier) has a handsome baritone voice and it's unfortunate that he hasn't made more recordings. Braun (as La Roche) is exceptional too, with a stage presence that is properly suggestive of his character's vast experience. I've never been a fan of Troyanos's voice and I'd prefer von Otter in this role (whose diction is remarkable; see the Opera Paris production on TDK DVD) but she has the technique and the dramatic presence to pull it off.
The sound is excellent overall but there are a couple audio issues that are minor annoyances. When Kiri hits her high notes, there is some distortion as if the levels were set a bit high (I've played it on a couple systems just to be sure it wasn't my own hardware). And because it is a live performance and people are scattered all over the stage, some voices are too far back in the mix in the large ensemble pieces.
The staging is traditional and in line with Strauss's wishes. All things considered, this is one of the best opera DVDs I have and it remains to be one of my favorite.』
(Capriccio's beauty and subtle music in a masterful performance!) 『Capriccio is a difficult nut to crack as some critic commented somewhere but in a performance like this, the opera becomes a delight and worthy of all our attention. Te Kanawa is in radiant voice becoming Madeleine in voice, drama and acting. Troyanos, already seriously ill at the time, is a masterpiece of vocal wit and charm as the actress Clairon. Kuebler and (Flamand) Keenlyside (Olivier) bring purpose to their endless discussion about music vs. words and their importance in opera with their faithful and engaging voices and acting. Hagegard is an excellent La Roche bringing life and passion to his looooong monologue. All the beautiful singing and living characterizations almost prepare us for the orchestral intermezzo and radiant final scene. The music is wrapped in moonlight and velvet violins as Madeleine appears gowned regally for the evening supper. Accompanying herself on the harp she sings of her dilemma with an unwitting charm and love of words and music. Strauss waited a long time for the performance of his dreams』 『Richard Strauss's last opera, includes some of the composer's most elegant and sumptuous music. The deftly woven vocal ensembles, detailed orchestral writing and light-handed parodies of eighteenth century music show the hand of the master. Stars Kiri Te Kanawa, Hakan Hagegard, Tatiana Troyanos, and Victor Braun.』 『The last and most subtle of Richard Strauss's operas gets a finely nuanced interpretation in this San Francisco Opera production. A generally excellent cast is highlighted not only by the radiant presence of Kiri Te Kanawa but by the deceptively robust performance of Tatiana Troyanos in her last operatic appearance before her untimely death from cancer.
The composer describedCapriccioas a "conversation piece for music in one act," and he put a lot of effort into it, not only the music but the words, on which he collaborated with conductor Clemens Krauss. His verbal input was particularly appropriate in this work, because the real subject (symbolized by a conventional love triangle) is the competition (and alliance) between words and music in opera, a subject naturally close to the composer-librettist's heart. The conversation runs through the whole opera in various forms. It begins immediately after the curtain goes up, with a quarrel between the poet Olivier (Simon Keenlyside) and the composer Flamand (David Kuebler) over the respective merits of their arts. They are rivals for the hand of the widowed Countess Madeleine (Te Kanawa); she is to choose between them (i.e., between poetry and music) but she is still undecided as the final curtain descends. The intervening two hours are rich in artistic shop talk and backstage situations that will enchant sophisticated opera-lovers, as well as the love interest for the rest of us.
David Runnicles conducts with a sure sense of Straussian style; and Mauro Pagano's 18th-century set creates the right atmosphere. Keenlyside and Kuebler are eloquent and believable, Te Kanawa sweet, regal and ambiguous. Håkan Hagegård and Victor Braun give particularly vivid performances in supporting roles.--Joe McLellan』
Kakaku：998 saved$9.98
Big Vision
Usually ships in 24 hours 『
SHIMMER is the United States’ #1 ALL FEMALE pro wrestling organization which gives the MOST SKILLED women wrestlers a forum to truly shine as ATHLETES and perform at the most competitive level. In SHIMMER, it's not a modeling contest, it's an athletic contest. It's TOUGH talented women wrestlers delivering ACTION PACKED, HARD HITTING pro wrestling. You want a true alternative? Look no farther - SHIMMER has arrived!
Volume 3 Features: Rain vs. Nikki Roxx Cindy Rogers vs. Amber O'Neal vs. Tiana Ringer (Three Way Elimination Match) Lorelei Lee vs. Malia Hosaka Lexie Fyfe vs. MsChif Shantelle Taylor vs. Cheerleader Melissa Allison Danger vs. Rebecca Knox Sara Del Rey vs. Daizee Haze
Kakaku：1196 saved$11.96
Criterion Collection
Not yet released IPhone 3G used's review (Great set--but keep the old disc, too!) 『The Criterion 2-disc Bottle Rocket is outstanding, but don't toss your original disc just yet... the new edition is a slightly different edit that loses one laugh and adds another. I couldn't find any reference to these changes in the supplementary material at all.
MISSING: Originally, during the book store robbery, Anthony grabs a random book off the shelf and opens it, revealing the title page "Job Opportunities in Government - 1995" which always gave me a little chuckle. Now for some reason the book opens to a black and white photograph of a military plane (it goes by so fast you'd have to freeze frame to make it out.)
ADDED: Originally, when Bob hands his earnings over to Future Man to cover his attorney fees, he asks if he can keep a few bucks for gas, and the scene ends. Now the scene plays a few seconds longer, and we hear Future Man's reply: "No, you can't."
In addition to these minor (and somewhat baffling) changes, I was also unable to find any images of the one-sheet art or logo anywhere on this set (as appears on the menu page and sleeve of the original release).
So if you're a hardcore Bottle Rocket fan or completist, hang onto your old disc and buy this set as well. In addition to a beautiful transfer, commentary track, documentary, the original short film, and other extras, the booklet insert is a miniature replica of Dignan's 75-Year Plan notebook, along with reproductions of Anthony's drawing of Inez on horseback, the book store heist plan schematics, etc.』
(Believe it or Not - It Feels Rushed) 『I saw "Bottle Rocket" at my local indie cinema upon its release twelve years ago and have rewatched it again many times since on DVD. Naturally, I was really looking forward to the Criterion version. Overall impression - disappointing. The commentary provided little insight into the actual making of the movie aside from comments like "Remember when we filmed there?", "That guy was a friend of ours" and "The movie tested badly" (over and over again). The phone call thing between Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson didn't work (in twelve years they couldn't get these two guys together in the same room for an hour and a half?) Wes seemed game but Owen seemed a little out of it (or at least, his voice was flat and disinterested). He had a lot more enthusiasm on the commentary for "Rushmore"; even "Wedding Crashers". The making-of documentary was really bare bones (25 minutes?) and again didn't shed any real light on the film. (Watch the "Iron Man" DVD for a REAL making-of documentary.) The high point was Laura Wilson's behind-the-scenes photos. The deleted scenes were okay and it was great watching the short film without the choppiness of YouTube. So - some nice features but the hastily put-together feel of the commentary and the documentary really put me off. It's too good a movie and it's been too long a wait for those involved not to have put their best efforts into all of the features on this disc.』
(Rocket away) 『 Taking a trip into Wes Anderson's head is like going into a parallel universe where most things are the same, but the nature of reality is just slightly warped.
And while the world of "Bottle Rocket" -- Anderson's first collaboration with actor Owen Wilson -- is a little rough around the edges, the absurdist crime caper is a jewel. And while it sounds like yet another goofy comedy, Anderson's signature quirkiness is already in place -- a heavy dose of his dry, erratic, clever wit and some lovable misfit characters.
After being treated for exhaustion ("You haven't worked a day in your life. How could you be exhausted?"), Anthony (Luke Wilson) has just been released from a voluntary mental hospital.
His "rescuer" is his idealistically weird pal Dignan (Owen Wilson), who has decided to become a master criminal. To this end, he has created an elaborate 75-year plan of theft and heists. You can guess where that's going to take them. After an absurd first heist, they recruit the timid Bob (Bob Musgrave) as the getaway driver, as he is the only one who has a car.
And so the odd little trio practice for a while on smaller-time burglaries, such as robbing a bookstore and Anthony's own house -- then hiding out at a motel, where Anthony falls in love with the pretty South-American maid (Lumi Cavazos). However, the guys find themselves in hot water when they bump into a REAL master criminal (James Caan), and Bob bails out on them. The hot water is rising.
Comedic crime caper movies are hard to make, because of the need for balance between the criminal activities and the comedy... without making any of it too stupid or over the top. Wes Anderson solves this dilemma by making this a caper carried off by affluent young slackers who could easily do stuff other than thieving their way through life. And that's half of "Bottle Rocket's" comedy appeal right there -- the unlikely criminals.
The other half is handling humor that would be stupid and forgettable in another auteur's hands. Wes Anderson's uniquely quirky touch is a little rough in his full-length debut, but it's that slightly unpolished touch that makes his offbeat style such a delight here -- as an example, Anthony "escapes" from a hospital that he can leave anytime he wants. That unnecessarily complex opener sets the tone of the rest of the movie, of thrill-seeking young men who are just a little out of sync with the rest of the world.
And "Bottle Rocket" shares the dry, funny, erratic humor of Anderson's later movies, albeit in a slightly more energetic manner ("Here are just a few of the key ingredients: dynamite, pole vaulting, laughing gas, choppers..." Dignan explains). And the scripting is peppered with a thousand funny little lines ("Which part of Mexico are you from?" "Paraguay"). Anderson and Wilson avoid being self-consciously cool, in favor of being earnestly quirky.
And the Wilson brothers -- Owen and Luke both -- are in fine form here as the Odd Couplish friends, especially when interacting with one another. Anthony is calmer, more laid-back and thinks a lot, while Dignan is idealistic and wacky almost to the point of mental illness. This pair have a certain innocence despite their illegal ambitions, and while they're goofy misfits, they're not the kind you laugh at.
Since most of Wes Anderson's work has been released in a Criterion deluxe edition, it's about freaking time someone gave similarly loving care to "Bottle Rocket." Both the forthcoming double-disc DVD edition and the Blu-ray edition are going to have a wealth of extras for fans of Anderson's, and it's hard to imagine that there's any more it would need. Criterion has apparently not only put in everything it needs, but actually slightly more.
In particular, it has newly restored picture, eleven deleted scenes that were left on the cutting room floor, actor/director commentary from Anderson and Owen Wilson, a new documentary about the making of the film, screen tests, storyboards, behind the scenes photographs, and a booklet with essay by James L. Brooks and "appreciation" by Martin Scorsese. As an extra bonus, it has some short films as well -- a 1970s half-hour film called "Murita Cycles" about a bicycle repairman/philosopher, and the 1994 short film "Bottle Rocket" that served as the basis for the full-length one.
"Bottle Rocket" is a bit erratic and rough around the edges, but it's also fresh, weird and delightfully zany. Anderson should try his hand at this sort of stuff again, because he has a rare talent for such films.』
(I CAN'T WAIT) 『I am a huge Criterion fan and a newly discovered Blu ray addict. To find the greatest distributor contributing to the world of HD is so fantastic. It allows me to start at the beginning of the collection and gradually build up with them. I absolutely love this film. I can't wait for Rushmore to come out on Blu Ray. The new Criterion Blu rays I have to pick up our Chungking Express, The Wages of Fear, The Third Man, The Man Who Fell to Earth, The 400 Blows, Walkabout, Contempt, and El Norte. I can live without the others. The Last Emperor will look great on Blu ray but there is no way I could watch that all the way through again.
Taxi Driver is going Blu soon, not through Criterion but excited to see what they can do to it.』
(Rocket away) 『Taking a trip into Wes Anderson's head is like going into a parallel universe where most things are the same, but the nature of reality is just slightly warped.
And while the world of "Bottle Rocket" -- Anderson's first collaboration with actor Owen Wilson -- is a little rough around the edges, the absurdist crime caper is a jewel. And while it sounds like yet another goofy comedy, Anderson's signature quirkiness is already in place -- a heavy dose of his dry, erratic, clever wit and some lovable misfit characters.
After being treated for exhaustion ("You haven't worked a day in your life. How could you be exhausted?"), Anthony (Luke Wilson) has just been released from a voluntary mental hospital.
His "rescuer" is his idealistically weird pal Dignan (Owen Wilson), who has decided to become a master criminal. To this end, he has created an elaborate 75-year plan of theft and heists. You can guess where that's going to take them. After an absurd first heist, they recruit the timid Bob (Bob Musgrave) as the getaway driver, as he is the only one who has a car.
And so the odd little trio practice for a while on smaller-time burglaries, such as robbing a bookstore and Anthony's own house -- then hiding out at a motel, where Anthony falls in love with the pretty South-American maid (Lumi Cavazos). However, the guys find themselves in hot water when they bump into a REAL master criminal (James Caan), and Bob bails out on them. The hot water is rising.
Comedic crime caper movies are hard to make, because of the need for balance between the criminal activities and the comedy... without making any of it too stupid or over the top. Wes Anderson solves this dilemma by making this a caper carried off by affluent young slackers who could easily do stuff other than thieving their way through life. And that's half of "Bottle Rocket's" comedy appeal right there -- the unlikely criminals.
The other half is handling humor that would be stupid and forgettable in another auteur's hands. Wes Anderson's uniquely quirky touch is a little rough in his full-length debut, but it's that slightly unpolished touch that makes his offbeat style such a delight here -- as an example, Anthony "escapes" from a hospital that he can leave anytime he wants. That unnecessarily complex opener sets the tone of the rest of the movie, of thrill-seeking young men who are just a little out of sync with the rest of the world.
And "Bottle Rocket" shares the dry, funny, erratic humor of Anderson's later movies, albeit in a slightly more energetic manner ("Here are just a few of the key ingredients: dynamite, pole vaulting, laughing gas, choppers..." Dignan explains). And the scripting is peppered with a thousand funny little lines ("Which part of Mexico are you from?" "Paraguay"). Anderson and Wilson avoid being self-consciously cool, in favor of being earnestly quirky.
And the Wilson brothers -- Owen and Luke both -- are in fine form here as the Odd Couplish friends, especially when interacting with one another. Anthony is calmer, more laid-back and thinks a lot, while Dignan is idealistic and wacky almost to the point of mental illness. This pair have a certain innocence despite their illegal ambitions, and while they're goofy misfits, they're not the kind you laugh at.
Since most of Wes Anderson's work has been released in a Criterion deluxe edition, it's about freaking time someone gave similarly loving care to "Bottle Rocket." Both the forthcoming double-disc DVD edition and the Blu-ray edition are going to have a wealth of extras for fans of Anderson's, and it's hard to imagine that there's any more it would need. Criterion has apparently not only put in everything it needs, but actually slightly more.
In particular, it has newly restored picture, eleven deleted scenes that were left on the cutting room floor, actor/director commentary from Anderson and Owen Wilson, a new documentary about the making of the film, screen tests, storyboards, behind the scenes photographs, and a booklet with essay by James L. Brooks and "appreciation" by Martin Scorsese. As an extra bonus, it has some short films as well -- a 1970s half-hour film called "Murita Cycles" about a bicycle repairman/philosopher, and the 1994 short film "Bottle Rocket" that served as the basis for the full-length one.
"Bottle Rocket" is a bit erratic and rough around the edges, but it's also fresh, weird and delightfully zany. Anderson should try his hand at this sort of stuff again, because he has a rare talent for such films.』 『Wes Anderson first illustrated his lovingly detailed, slightly surreal cinematic vision in this witty and warm portrait of three young middle-class misfits. Fresh out of a mental hospital, gentle Anthony (Luke Wilson) finds himself once again embroiled in the machinations of his best friend, elaborate schemer Dignan (Owen Wilson). With the aid of getaway driver Bob (Robert Musgrave), they develop a needlessly complex, mildly successful plan to rob a small bookstore then go on the lam. Also featuring Lumi Cavazos as Inez, the South American housekeeper Anthony falls in love with, and James Caan as local thief extraordinaire Mr. Henry, Bottle Rocket is a charming, hilarious, affectionate look at the folly of dreamers. Shot against radiant southwestern backdrops, it s the film that put Anderson and the Wilson brothers on the map.
DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL BLU-RAY EDITION FEATURES: New, restored high-definition digital transfer supervised and approved by director Wes Anderson and director of photography Robert Yeoman DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack Commentary by director/co-writer Anderson and co-writer/star Owen Wilson The Making of Bottle Rocket : an original documentary by filmmaker Barry Braverman featuring Anderson, James L. Brooks, James Caan, Temple Nash Jr., Kumar Pallana, Polly Platt, Mark Mothersbaugh, Robert Musgrave, Richard Sakai, David and Sandy Wasco, Andrew and Luke and Owen Wilson, and Robert Yeoman The original thirteen-minute black-and-white Bottle Rocket short film from 1992 Eleven deleted scenes Anamorphic screen test, storyboards, location photos, and behind-the-scenes photographs by Laura Wilson Murita Cycles, a 1978 short film by Braverman The Shafrazi Lectures, no. 1: Bottle Rocket PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by executive producer James L. Brooks, an appreciation by Martin Scorsese, and original artwork by Ian Dingman』
Kakaku：246 saved$2.46
E HOME VIDEO
Not yet released 『Take a look, if you dare, into what drives our deepest fears. Explore the fears of being buried alive, drowning, being burned alive and more. Examine the roots of each fear, how the fear has changed over time, and how the fear has been manipulated to create mass hysteria. Discover the science of how the body reacts to fear and the physiological cause of death. Listen to the stories of those who have survived a near-death experience. Doctors, historians, psychologists and scientists will give viewers perspective on our most primal fears.』 fetish『 Chocolate Mocha Beauties 』
Kakaku：1000 saved$10.00
Miramax
Not yet released IPhone 3G used's review (Entrancing) 『I vaguely recall seeing snippets of the television series of "Brideshead Revisited" a number of years ago. I never really liked it. I have also never read the book by Evelyn Waugh. I was thus less than enthusiastic in going to see this film. Regardless, to my great surprise, I found the film to be totally enthralling.
Charles Ryder (Matthew Goode) travels from London to Oxford where is enrolled to study history. He immediately comes within the orbit of Sebastian Flight (Ben Whishaw), a very gay dilettante. Although Ryder gives no real clue to being gay, he enjoys the company of Flight. They become close friends. As part of thisprocess, Ryder goes with Flight to the vast family estate, Brideshead, where he meets the very Catholic Flight family. Ryder is an atheist but comes to be more intrigued than repelled by the obsessive faith of the Flights. I might add that I could empathise with Ryder to some degree as I am an atheist too and have married into a family of Catholic fellow travellers that includes a priest!
As time passes, Ryder becomes entranced by Sebastian's sister, Julia. However, she carries religious baggage that prevents her from becoming involved with Ryder. They meet I later life but, again, faith intervenes to hinder matters. Faith can be a hard master.
This is a wonderful film. The acting is beautiful with all the main characters being thoroughly plausible as members of that condescending English ruling class. The settings too are marvellous as we are drawn across London, Oxford, Venice and Morocco. I can thus recommend this film unconditionally.
』 『Inspired by the best-selling novel,Brideshead Revisitedis a riveting drama of love, power and betrayal, featuring stunning performances by Academy Award(R) winner Emma Thompson (Best Actress,Howards End, 1992) and Matthew Goode (The Lookout). When the charming aristcrat Sebastian invites Charles Ryder to his family's estate, Charles becomes seduced by the opulent lifestyle of the Marchmain family, and by Julia, Sebastian's sister. As their romance deepens, repercussions follow, and Charles discovers that at Brideshead, love, money and power come at a price. It's a spellbinding story you'll want to revisit again and again.』
Kakaku：250 saved$2.50
Strand Releasing
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (The Hawk is Flying) 『The Hawk is Dying was an incredible movie - austere, honest, powerful, involving, dynamic, and real. Do yourself a favor, if you are into film that has artistic merit, watch this film.』
(A must for Harry Crews fans) 『Transferring a Harry Crews novel to the screen is no easy feat, but director/writer Goldberger and his cast and crew have done an admirable job here. Crews fans should take note that the DVD includes a revealing 20-minute interview with the author (recorded recently at his home in Gainesville) as well a brief excerpt from Gary Hawkins's fine documentary THE ROUGH SOUTH OF HARRY CREWS. A must for the true Crews devotee.』
(Ignore the lesser reviews--one of the most compelling films I have ever enjoyed) 『This movie is truly extraordinary, and the principal actor, who also starred in Big Fat Liar (Full Screen Edition) combines brilliant acting with a very capably trained hawk to provide one of the most satisfying 90 minutes of "tuning out" that I have enjoyed in some time.
Sure, this movie has every corney bit from the special child to the sexed up teen-ager to the idiot father that ran, but it kept my complete interest throughout. The hawk, and the man, came of age together, the man found love, and the hawk soared.
This is a GREAT movie.
Some others featuring animals as wildlife that I have enjoyed: Dances with Wolves (Widescreen Edition) The Edge Black Beauty The Snow Walker A Man Called Horse』
(The Hawk Really IS Dying) 『This is a movie about a man with personal issues who is obsessed about taming a hawk. The characters interact in unusal ways (the main character sets up his love interest with his mentally challenged nephew for sex!) I have to say this was a hard movie to endure. The story line is very unusual and the conversation hard to understand. The actors should have been coached to enunciate! I had to rewind over and over in a few spots and never did figure out what the actor said, so I just gave up and went on. One thing that was interesting about this movie was the insight to taming a hawk, but I wasn't really sold on why the main character would want to do that. Nice packaging and filming, but entertaining? No.』
(not for all audiences but intriguing nonetheless) 『***1/2
At what point, in a person's mind, does obsession finally turn to madness? That seems to be the question raised by "The Hawk is Dying," a grimly depressing yet strangely compelling film about a man possibly being pushed towards insanity by the bizarre, sudden death of the mentally retarded nephew he helped to raise.
The always intriguing Paul Giamatti plays George Gattling, a single man who lives with his sister and her teenage son near Gainesville, Florida. Gattling is determined to capture a wild hawk and train it to do his bidding, despite the fact that all his earlier efforts in that direction have resulted in tragic failures. After his nephew somehow drowns in his own waterbed when he is with a local prostitute (whom Gattling set him up with), Gattling begins to slip further and further into apparent madness, cutting himself off from family members and friends and becoming ever more obsessed with taming the hawk he has captured.
This is no easy film for the casual moviegoer to sit through. It is harsh, grim and depressing, and we're not always sure what the overall purpose of the film is at any given moment. Still, paradoxically, it is this very air of enigma, coupled with Giamatti'a bravura, tour-de-force performance, that most gives one reason to check the movie out. Giamatti is totally riveting as a man driven by an almost manic need to establish control over another living creature, even if that means relinquishing the hold on his own sanity a bit to do so. He receives superb support from Rusty Schwimmer as his good-hearted but dimwitted sister, and Michelle Williams as the prostitute strangely embroiled in the boy's mysterious death. And writer/director Julian Goldberger, basing his work on the novel by Harry Crews, makes the most of the rural, exotic setting to help create an otherworldly mood for his bizarre little tale.
"The Hawk is Dying" is not for every taste or audience demographic, but for those searching for something a little different, out-of-the-mainstream and challenging, this one just might fit the bill.』 『When stricken with a family tragedy george becomes obsessed with taming a wild red-tail hawk. In a tour-de-force performance he locks himself into a battle of wills with a fierce creature that would rather die than succumb. Studio: Strand Releasing Release Date: 05/29/2007 Starring: Paul Giamatti Michael Pitt Run time: 106 minutes Rating: Ur』
Kakaku：196 saved$1.96
Calm Baby
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (love it!) 『can't say enough good things about this dvd. my more fussy twin will instintly quite down as soon as it starts and this has been since she was 2 months. it really is a piece of mind to know that when all else fails, i can put on the dvd and she will be a "calm baby"』
(Calm Baby will calm your baby!) 『I found this video indispensable when it came to a fussy baby. We used this video several times for that fussy transition period in the evening following play time with Dada after work and heading into time for sleep. It helped my son to wind down and relax instead of just screaming because he was over-tired. But mostly, I found this DVD the best thing for those times in the middle of the night when my son just wouldn't go back to sleep and literally nothing else worked. We would watch this video and sometimes both fall asleep, then I could put him back to bed relaxed. I'm happy to say my toddler has never slept in our bed, which is fine by both me and my husband!』
(Years of sleepy time satisfaction) 『My son is five now and I originally recevied a used VHS from another satisfied parent with a glowing recommendation. I am now buying the DVD to replace my worn out VHS copy for all the little ones that are frequently in my home. This video does exactly as advertised it calms baby down and puts often puts them to sleep. While Baby Einstein does that for me it doesn't do it for an infant and isn't supposed to. Baby Einstein keeps them awake and engages their interest, not a calming influence. For excellent baby and toddler learning videos I recommend Babyscapes over Baby Einstein. For language learning I recommend Signing Times videos over everything. They say the word, show the picture, say the word, show the hand sign then say the word again. But if you want to calm you child down and have them sleep this is the Video to use.』
(Calm Baby and Calm Parents) 『Very similar to the Baby Einstein videos. We use it occasionally during the "witching hour" before bedtime. Calms everyone down. Worth the money.』
(Best Investment Ever!!) 『Calm Baby has been a life saver!! My daughter would watch this movie over and over...if we would let her. She has liked it since she was a baby and still likes it. The water and bright colors captivate her attention and keeps her interested until the end. We have also purchased other "learning" movies and they don't even compare to Calm Baby. It is truly our best investment and I would suggest it to everyone!!』 『The Calm Baby™ DVD is a collage of brightly colored toys and objects put to the calming sights and sounds of water along with favorite nursery songs and classical music. Because water has been used as the primary visual source, the DVD will help soothe a baby. In addition, because of selected classical music,the DVD can be used as a developmental tool that will help stimulate the child's mind. An audio CD of the program, with additional tracks of the nursery songs, is also included with the DVD. Calm Baby is the winner of Parenting magazine's Videos of the Year Awards 2002 and iParenting Media’s 2003"Great Holiday Product Awards."』
Kakaku：598 saved$5.98
Good Times Video
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Not as enchanting as other trips I've taken into Lewis Carroll's Wonderland...) 『Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" is one of my favorite books of all time and thus, it is hard for a movie adaptation to live up to my expectations; it has been done, though, and I'll explain later. This particular animated version of "Alice in Wonderland" was produced by Jetlag Productions in 1995 and released to DVD in 2002 by Goodtimes Entertainment. I've never been too pleased with the animated versions I've seen of "Alice in Wonderland", not even Walt Disney's 1953 classic, and unfortunately, Jetlag Productions' takes the cake as the worst I've seen so far and one of the studio's weakest titles. Most animated films from Jetlag Productions have a balance between strengths and weaknesses, but sadly, "Alice in Wonderland" fits the category in which weaknesses outnumber its strengths. The film is simplified to appeal to children's tastes, but I think they went overboard, as I doubt children will find the film entertaining enough. The weak storyline moves along ungracefully and slowly, generating a lot of yawns from scene to scene, and the characters are not on screen long enough to be too memorable. Even with its many weaknesses, the film has one or two good points, too.
Based on Lewis Carroll's timeless literary masterpiece, "Alice in Wonderland" follows the adventures of Alice. Her story begins when she is sitting alongside the riverbank with her cat Dinah listening to an uninteresting history lecture from her older sister. Just when she could not be any more tired of listening to passages from a book without pictures, a strange white rabbit with clothes and a pocket watch appears and seems to be in a great hurry. Burning with curiosity, Alice follows the strange creature down its rabbit hole which turns out to be a deep tunnel leading, it seems, to the center of the earth. When she reaches the bottom of the tunnel, Alice finds herself in a brand new world; Wonderland. In this enchanting place, Alice discovers a tiny door leading to the most beautiful garden she had ever seen and thus begins a journey to find this beautiful place. In her journey, Alice stumbles upon many strange creatures, all of which seem to be just plain mad. Alice attends a mad tea party with the March Hare and the Mad Hatter, and plays a silly game of croquet against the fearful Red Queen. When the poor Knave of Hearts is accused of stealing the queen's tarts and taking them quite away, Alice attends his trial and confidently, stands up against the unfair tyrant and her pack of playing card-warriors. Discovering at the same time that the whole enchanting world of Wonderland was just the works of her wild imagination.
Once again, though the story is pretty much the same as with most other adaptations of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland", this version really does lack much of the charm that made others so grand. The film suffers from an artistic crisis; Jetlag Productions films have never been high on quality of background art and animation, but this is them at their worst. Most of the drawn sceneries suffer from poor choice of color, though much of it might be due to an unbalance in the DVD's colors, but still, the coloring is anything but appealing. Then there's the character design; once again, very poor. The protagonist is very badly designed, especially her face. She suffers from that typical eye design seen also in "Jungle Book" (1995). The rest of the characters have too simplistic or awkward a design to be visually likeable. The animation is not much worse than I've come to expect from this studio, but it still seems to be one of the weaker efforts. Voice acting is also a problem here; the characters speak in a way in which it sounds like a kindergarten play, with little emotion and very unrealistically. The same thirty-one voice actors from other Jetlag Productions films are listed in the credits, so of course, that means we're once again listening to the boring same voices from other films from the studio. In fact, seeing Jetlag Productions' films dubbed in other languages usually improves their appeal altogether. One thing I missed in this particular version of "Alice in Wonderland" is the moral; all other versions of the story I have seen resulted in some sort of lesson learned by Alice after her long journey. For example, in Walt Disney's 1953 version, Alice learns that too much curiosity can be a very bad thing and that it often leads to more trouble than one can handle. In the 1988 Burbank Films Australia version, Alice had been bored of reading her book, "The Principals of Logical Calculus" and arrived in Wonderland to search for the beautiful garden, only to wake up and discover the beautiful garden that was her very own, as well as appreciation for anything that was "logical". Finally, in the wonderful 1999 Hallmark version, Alice learns to have confidence in herself, and to enjoy, not fear, the fun of performing . There was nothing of the sort here, other than a few hints that curiosity was not a good leader. On the bright side, there are a few cute sequences, such as the Mad Hatter's drawing scene. The songs are rather nice, especially the first song, "Anything Goes in Wonderland", which opens, and closes, the film nicely with a soft melody and a catchy tune. The second song, "The Caucus Race" plays during one of the most repetitive and completely dumb sequences in the film. Finally, "M is for Me" is played during the Mad Hatter's drawing sequence of things "that start with the letter M"; catchy, but not too great. All things considered, Jetlag Productions' "Alice in Wonderland" may or may not be a hit with the children, but for Lewis Carroll's fans and older viewers, I recommend the other three versions I mentioned, especially the 1999 Hallmark version, which is my favorite film of all time.』
(Non-Disney version) 『Similar, but more kid focused than the Disney version. And a bit closer to the actual book.
The Caucus race song drags on far too long however but my niece is usually glued to the screen during the Mad Hatter's coloring song.
This was done in an Asian lab and has the distinctive animation similar to Heathcliff and other afternoon cartoons.』
(Not Really a Review as Such....) 『I haven't seen any versions of "Alice" that match up with what is in my mind. Disney tried vewwy hard and it is a nice, clinical and somewhat sterile interpretation (with some early celebrity flavor in it, as we would see come to blossom in the 1960's with the movies from "101 Dalmations" on up). However, I am not reviewing that movie, nor THIS! I am putting in a teeny vote for the 1930's (1933, I think...or maybe '35) version, which had (actually, mebbe it was '36?) W.C. Fields, Cary Grant, and some udder people whose names X-Cape me as of this moment. After all, as the whole piece is highly dependent on rather dreamlike and nonsensical shtuff, I tawt I'd pass dis on to youse all. Someone should make the 1930's version available on DVD or VHS. I stayed home from school in 1975 to watch this film because I had read so much about it in my books on Cary Grant and also WC Fields [plus some other starz!whoze namez! ezcape!me]). Ok, enough. Suffice to say, the 1930's version was pretty neat, and had many of the best special FX guys of the 30's working on it. Put in a vote for the early 1930's version to be released at least on DVD. I'll write a G-D(goofy-demented) commentary, if I needs must!』 『Lewis carrolls literary classic sends a spirited girl on the wildest adventures imaginable. Studio: Gaiam Americas Release Date: 12/03/2002 Rating: Nr』
Kakaku：699 saved$6.99
Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
Usually ships in 24 hours IPhone 3G used's review (Enjoyable Action Film for the Easily Entertained) 『"Crash Landing" is yet another direct to video action flick from director Jim Wynorski(who also uses the alias Jay Andrews). Like most of his other films, this makes for good entertainment for the non-discriminating viewer. Also like most of his other films this one has a pretty solid second-string cast. "Crash Landing" boasts Antonio Sabato Jr. and Michael Pare as the top billed stars(though Pare really isn't given much to do). The plot is pretty straightfoward. Sabato is given the job of escorting a billionaire's 22 year old daughter and her equally ditzy friends on a private plane to her birthday party. Before the flight departs, hijackers kill off the crew one by one and secretly take their places. Scarily enough no one notices until after the plane has already taken off. The hijackers plan on holding the billionaire's daughter for ransom, but unfortunately for them they didn't know Antonio is on board. He's not willing to give up without a fight. Although "Crash Landing" is full of plot holes, it's still entertaining. The plot moves along nicely and is filled with just enough twists and turns to keep your interest. If you can look past a few unconvincing visual effects of the plane(and I've seen much worse) you might find "Crash Landing" to be exactly what it was meant to be: an hour and a half of harmless entertainment.』 『An Explosive Action-Thriller with the Edge-of-your-Seat Intensity of "Air Force One". Includes Spanish Subtitles.』
