Rear Window (Collector's Edition)

Amazon.com essential video

Like the Greenwich Village courtyard view from its titular portal, Alfred Hitchcock's classic Rear Window is both confined and multileveled: both its story and visual perspective are dictated by its protagonist's imprisonment in his apartment, convalescing in a wheelchair, from which both he and the audience observe the lives of his neighbors. Cheerful voyeurism, as well as the behavior glimpsed among the various tenants, affords a droll comic atmosphere that gradually darkens when he sees clues to what may be a murder.

Photographer L.B. "Jeff" Jeffries (James Stewart) is, in fact, a voyeur by trade, a professional photographer sidelined by an accident while on assignment. His immersion in the human drama (and comedy) visible from his window is a by-product of boredom, underlined by the disapproval of his girlfriend, Lisa (Grace Kelly), and a wisecracking visiting nurse (Thelma Ritter). Yet when the invalid wife of Lars Thorwald (Raymond Burr) disappears, Jeff enlists the two women to help him to determine whether she's really left town, as Thorwald insists, or been murdered.

Hitchcock scholar Donald Spoto convincingly argues that the crime at the center of this mystery is the MacGuffin--a mere pretext--in a film that's more interested in the implications of Jeff's sentinel perspective. We actually learn more about the lives of the other neighbors (given generic names by Jeff, even as he's drawn into their lives) he, and we, watch undetected than we do the putative murderer and his victim. Jeff's evident fear of intimacy and commitment with the elegant, adoring Lisa provides the other vital thread to the script, one woven not only into the couple's own relationship, but reflected and even commented upon through the various neighbors' lives.

At minimum, Hitchcock's skill at making us accomplices to Jeff's spying, coupled with an ingenious escalation of suspense as the teasingly vague evidence coalesces into ominous proof, deliver a superb thriller spiked with droll humor, right up to its nail-biting, nightmarish climax. At deeper levels, however, Rear Window plumbs issues of moral responsibility and emotional honesty, while offering further proof (were any needed) of the director's brilliance as a visual storyteller. --Sam Sutherland

Customer Reviews:

Suspenseful, but..........2007-08-17

Despite some fine acting by James Stewart, Grace Kelly and Thelma Ritter, there were quite a few improbables in this story that unsuspended my suspension of my disbelief. The "characters", if you want to call them that, did things that no normal person in those circumstance would do, unless there was something wrong with the character which compelled this but which the audience was not privy to know.

I found the movie cluttered with many unrelated bits--scenes--that had neither plot nor character significance and which were just time wasters--they didn't advance the plot or suspense one mite. I found the music terrible, too jazzy and breezy for the suspense that was trying to be evoked--it did the very opposite.

Yes, there were some smart lines in the dialogue, especially Thelma's and Jimmy's, which you rarely get today. All in all the film was entertaining but hardly believable. Do not be fooled by the name Hitchcock--there are many better directors than he, director's whose work is far less contrived and manipulative--but the glamour and iconistic pizzazz of his name often blinds critics to his obvious flaws--flaws that they would and have condemned in other lesser known directors.

By the way, Vertigo is far better than this movie--I found it highly believable and recommend it.

Excellent movie!.......2007-07-29

It's Hitchcock- what else? This movie is on the slower-moving side, but it still works well. It's very craftily put together and keeps your interest. I can't wait to watch it again! I love the apartment community and layout and the main character's apartment as well as the side story of him and the woman as well.

Slow in parts, but I still liked it..........2007-07-08

This movie is interesting from the beginning, despite some slow banter between some of the characters. Jimmy Stewart's character is temporarily in a wheelchair with a broken leg, and Grace Kelly is his girlfriend. He spends a lot of time in his apartment watching the neighbors through their windows. He sees a woman dancing in her underwear throughout the film--very funny. He also sees something more sinister--a man who might've killed his wife. He tries to convince his friend, a cop or detective, to check it out, but he refuses. His girlfriend takes matters into her own hands, as does his therapist. Then he's discovered, and the man comes after him. The end is a nailbiter. I can't say whether or not this is the best Hitchcock movie, because I haven't seen many of them. But I can tell you that this is definitely worth seeing again and again. The actors and their characters are likable, and despite a few slow parts, it's a good movie that makes people think--a quality which today's movies just don't have.

Rear Window.......2007-06-26

One of the most celebrated films in history, this classic takes its time, but once the tension starts building, it doesn't stop until the heart-pounding conclusion is upon you. A new peak for Hitchcock in blending the story of a crime that may have happened with the dark side of human obsession--in this case, voyeurism. The movie marks a high point for James Stewart, who would be remembered as Hitchcock's most human and vulnerable hero. And who can resist the bewitching Grace Kelly?

Brutally...Boring!!!!.......2007-05-21

Alfred Hitchcock made approximately zero good movies in his life except maybe The Birds, which I liked a lot. But most of his movies, including and especially Rear Window are just two hours of people sitting around talking about suspenseful things. I know because they're old these movies are supposed to be so great, but you can't tell me that Rear Window is as exciting as a movie like Disturbia!!! I guess you can tell me that, but I don't plan to listen to you.

Here's what happens in Rear Window:

No, I didn't make a mistake in that paragraph. I was proving a point that nothing happens (by leaving a lot of blank space after the colon). It's a movie about Jimmy Stewart sitting in a wheelchair and watching real action happen through binoculars. Guess what, Alfred Hitchcock? Maybe it would have been a better movie if we had been watching whatever was going on in that other building and not wasted our time watching the guy who was watching all the cool stuff go down!

That would be like if Steven Spielberg decided to make E.T. a story about a scientist in a lab coat who does nothing for 2 hours and then at the end he gets to poke and prod a little alien fella for about a second. Hey, Steven Spielberg: thanks for not making that movie!!!

Anyway, Rear Window is not recommended for the young or the young at heart, but maybe for the young at brain.

Understanding the Canon Speedlite 580EX / 430EX

Average customer rating:

Good Intro to Complex Products and Techniques
Excellent Photography Resource
Time and money well spent
Fantastic
Great guide

Understanding the Canon Speedlite 580EX / 430EX

Manufacturer: Blue Crane Digital
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000CQM2LM
Release Date: 2005-12-03

Product Description

New owners of Canon Speedlites are sometimes bewildered about how to use the flash unit effectively to produce the type of shots they want. Although the supplied manual does provide some technical assistance, Speedlites have been, and remain a mystery for many owners. This DVD sets out to change all that. With a running time of just over an hour, your host, professional photographer Tim Mantoani, takes the mystery out of these flash units and shows you how to use them to their best advantage. Whether you own one or several of these speedlites, Tim walks you through real world situations that can be made better with repeatable techniques. He not only tells you HOW the flash operates, but WHY the engineers designed the flashes with their current set of features.

Customer Reviews:

Good Intro to Complex Products and Techniques.......2007-08-05

Flash lighting is a complex subject which I'm sure is why so many flash photos come out looking as they do. Highlights blown away, backgrounds dark as a cave and not much in between.

Some of these problems are due to equipment, but more are directly related to a poor understanding of how modern flash units work and what it takes to get the most out of them.

The Canon 580EX II and 430EX are marvels of technology and will enable you to produce studio quality images every time.

The manuals the come with these units are very detailed and will explain every button, switch, and function on the units. What they don't do is tell you when you use these features and what else you need to know to get to best results.

This one hour long CD fills this gap and more. If you follow along, take the time to do the exercises, and review your results you will see a startling improvement in your flash photography.

You will no longer look at these units as just bright lights, but a real creative tools.

The CD is not perfect. Some sections are passed over too quickly or not discussed at all. But for the most part you will get the information you need to make your investment in your Speedlight pay off for you

The 580EX II is not specifically covered as I guess it was too new at the time this CD was produced. But the basic information you will require to use it is there.

Excellent Photography Resource.......2007-07-31

Understanding the Canon Speedlite 580EX/430EX is an excellent resource for photographers of any skill level, but particularly for beginning/novice photographers. While geared mostly towards portrait photography, many of the concepts presented can be easily translated into other photography styles (nature, photojournalism, etc.). The video does a good job of going through some basic theories of flash photography and does an excellent job of explaining and demonstrating the functions of the 580EX/430EX flashes. At around an hour runtime, this video was designed to be watched multiple times as the photographer practices the concepts explained during the presentation. While I enjoyed the video and will watch it again to reinforce the concepts I learned, the one knock against the video I have is that the author did not go more into use of the flash in a less-controlled environment (i.e., outside of the studio), which is how I use the camera a majority of the time. Still, as I said before, this video is an excellent tool for understanding how to use the excellent Canon flashes.

Time and money well spent.......2007-07-10

Watching this DVD was time well spent. In just over 1 hour, I understood more about lighting in general and using the Canon Speedlite 580EX or 480EX than I could have ever got from the manual or another book. The production quality of the DVD is quite high and it has chapter marks so that one can easily rewatch any section desired. It was worth every penny and more!

Fantastic.......2007-05-12

I am really happy I purchased this product, it got me up and running in no time. I would certainly recommend getting this.

Great guide.......2007-03-23

I'm somehow new into photography, have a Canon 5D and a Canon 30, several lenses and of course the 580EX...this dvd simplify my learning process a lot

Average customer rating:

Sterling debuts all around

Red Road
Starring: Tony Curran , Martin Compston , Natalie Press , Kate Dickie , and Andrew Armour
Director: Andrea Arnold
Manufacturer: Tartan Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000Q7ZKX4
Release Date: 2007-08-28

Description

Jackie (Katie Dickie) works at a video-surveillance firm that is in charge of protecting people who live on a single block of Red Road in urban Glasgow. When she sees an ex-con (Tony Curran) from her past appear on her monitor, she is compelled to confront him for his crimes and begins to stalk him. What mysterious history do they share, and why is Jackie so determined to punish this man? Filmmaker Andrea Arnold keeps the audience guessing and the tension building as Red Road crescendos to an explosive finale.

Customer Reviews:

Sterling debuts all around.......2007-09-03

This is a first film by the director, Andrea Arnold, and the lead, Kate Dickie, and the first of an intended series by a group of Scottish film makers to be set around the same group of characters. I have no idea where it will go from here, but this film presents a complete picture, a circle of tragedy that closes.

This is the type of film where a story starts in the middle and progresses without any setup exposition, you have to figure out on your own where it's going. Sometimes films like this drive me crazy, but it works in spades here, particularly during a stunning sexual encounter where all you can think is, what the heck is this woman doing? Why is she letting this happen? There could be more than one answer, it could just be lonely lust, that possibility exists, and then . . . well, the answer is revealed, and while it was hinted at, there is no way to anticipate what happens, nor how it all turns out.

If you love film, you must see this, and support these individuals. Their instincts for what appears on the screen are spot on, and I look forward to their next effort. Two small warnings; the sex is graphic, and the Glasgow accents pretty thick, English subtitles are not necessarily out of place.

Lights! Camera! Elvis! Collection (Blue Hawaii/Easy Come, Easy Go/Fun in Acapulco/G.I. Blues/Girls! Girls! Girls!/King Creole/Roustabout/Paradise Hawaiian Style)

Average customer rating:

Movies, Movies, Movies
excellent
NO improvement over previous editions...just packaging change

Lights! Camera! Elvis! Collection (Blue Hawaii/Easy Come, Easy Go/Fun in Acapulco/G.I. Blues/Girls! Girls! Girls!/King Creole/Roustabout/Paradise Hawaiian Style)
Starring: Elvis Presley
Manufacturer: Paramount Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Musicals & Performing Arts | Boxed Sets | Stores | DVD | Video

ASIN: B000QUU7LQ
Release Date: 2007-08-07

Customer Reviews:

Movies, Movies, Movies.......2007-08-31

Paramount has a new box set out on Elvis and its called Lights! Camera! Elvis! Collection The movies you will receive is (Blue Hawaii/Easy Come, Easy Go/Fun in Acapulco/G.I. Blues/Girls! Girls! Girls!/King Creole/Roustabout/Paradise Hawaiian Style). There are 4 thin cases in the box with two DVD's of Elvis' movies. If you don't like the 2 movies in one case deal, then you can buy them individually. As a collector, I love to put my Elvis Movies in Chronological order. So this type of packaging kind of cramps my style. But at the same time this box set is a cool way to collect a good bit of Elvis movies at one time. The only thing that is negative I can say about this box set which has the same issues as the individual DVD's you can buy, is the Disc are the same artwork on the 2000 releases. The graphic and font on the disc don't match with the 2007 cases, but the cases are much better and it has a darker, colorful, and creative look to them. I would buy this Box set if they threw in a Bonus disc of cool documentaries or great movie performances. Another reason would be that I would love to have to this cool blue suede box set. Meanwhile, I'll enjoy my 2007 individual remastered Elvis movies from Paramount. The Artwork of Elvis is bigger and I can go back to putting them in Chronological order.

excellent.......2007-08-31

I actually got this for my mom, she LOVES it!!! Thanks for a great product!

NO improvement over previous editions...just packaging change.......2007-08-08

This is just a slimline repackage of movies already available by Paramount on DVD from the King , Elvis Presley. If you don't own them its a handy way to get them in one pop...but it could be a bit cheaper when you consider NON of these movies sells for more than $10 new in its own case etc...which Is why I am deducting a star. If you can pick it up at Costco for $44 its a much better deal. Nothing has been done to upgrade the quality of the movie presentations from previous editions.

fun / stupid movies with Elvis dancing and singing..and ONE GREAT MOVIE...perhaps his best..King Creole. Girls Girls Girls features the always worth watching Stella Stevens, and GI Blues has its moments. most of the rest are nice traveloges....from Mexico to Hawaii..

Average customer rating:

Dealing With Tragedy
Amazing
thoroughly depressing ...
Everyone Carries a Piece of the Truth.
powerful reminder that this sort of thing still happens in USA

The Laramie Project
Starring: Kathleen Chalfant , Laura Linney , Peter Fonda , Jeremy Davies , and Nestor Carbonell
Director: Moisés Kaufman
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
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ASIN: B000067D0Y
Release Date: 2002-06-25

Amazon.com

Even though The Laramie Project has been edited down from almost three hours (the original length of the play) to a lean 96 minutes, the harrowing nature of the subject matter--the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard--and the clarity of the voices of the inhabitants of Laramie, Wyoming, give this film a remarkable emotional power. The Laramie Project was created from over 200 interviews conducted with Laramie residents before, during, and after the trials of the two boys who killed Shepard; the interviews create an amazing cross-section of American views on homosexuality, religion, class, privacy, and so much more besides. Even though it features an all-star cast--Steve Buscemi, Janeane Garofalo, Christina Ricci, Peter Fonda, and Laura Linney are only a few of the recognizable faces--the material has not been glamorized and the performances are both honest and intimate. Even abbreviated, it's a remarkable piece of work. --Bret Fetzer

Description

In October 1998, 21 year-old Mathew Shepard was found savagely beaten, tied to a fence and left to die in Laramie, Wyoming. "The Laramie Project" is the portrait of a town painfully forced to confront itself in the reflective glare of the national spotlight, responding with love, anger, sympathy, support and defiance.

Customer Reviews:

Dealing With Tragedy.......2007-05-21

Read the first-hand accounts of those on scene after the death of Matthew Shepard. This collection of notes is a real eye-opener.

Amazing.......2007-03-26

I was aware about Matthew's story but never thought in those ones who actually meet him and talk to him. Even they are not the real one this work was well done and allow us to remember that this happend almost 10 years ago and it's still hapening everywhere. I think it's an excellent film to see with teenagers and people in general who needs to know about tolerance and respect of everyone's lifestyle.

thoroughly depressing ..........2007-03-06

This film, which is really just a series of re-enacted interviews, is a dismal portrayal of a community in agony. It's natural when someone you know dies to feel sad, miserable, angry and outraged. But the producers of this film dwell on the community's misery and suffering, and any opportunity to learn from this crime is lost in the raw emotions of the town's residents.

This is, quite simply, a film with an agenda. It is intended to incite anger and promote hate crime legislation. Dwelling on this crime is not going to do anyone any good.

Everyone Carries a Piece of the Truth........2007-02-26

One of the most powerful speeches witnessed in this film are those by Laura Linney, who tries to create a similarity between the death of Matthew Shepard and the accidental death of a Wyoming State Trooper that same night. It does create a moment of thought in your mind that links the power of the death of Shepard to that of the power of the media, but it is just for a fleeting moment as we are whisked back into another voice, with another opinion. That voice is both the strength and weakness of this film. As a viewer, new to this story and type of storytelling, I felt a bit over biased. I realize that instead of focusing on the death and life of Matthew Shepard, Kaufman, focused on the collective voice of the town, which was nothing but a bag of mixed messages. As I sat, thinking about this film over the course of several days, that is the only issue that I had trouble grappling. This was an emotional film, chalk full of actors giving surprising monologues about their personal opinions as we collectively watch the aftermath of such a horrid crime. We even get the chance to see how the death of Matthew Shepard caused an ill fate to another person within the community. Again, these side stories were powerful to watch because it gave a living soul to the town, but where The Laramie Project went a bit too far was the over-dramatic nature of the characters.

While I would agree that there was probably some emotion behind those that chose to take part in the interviews, I don't believe you would find such a doctor, with such a dramatic "umph" saying, "We take offense to this murder", like no other than Peter Fonda could say it. Christina Ricci, in my eyes, was the embodiment of my last statement. Perhaps Kaufman, would have benefited more by placing unknowns in the roles instead of these name Hollywood players. While they were not A-grade actors, they each did a phenomenal job in this film - but oddly, this was the problem. Steve Buscemi speaking about his relationship with Shepard made me see Buscemi being Buscemi. I didn't see the character that he was playing. I didn't see Fonda's doctor's character. I didn't see anything of value behind Ricci's character (outside of a definite Ricci being Ricci) - and while I realize that this was not a work of fiction, without the development of a known character, they were just actors speaking powerful lines. The lines stood on their own, and it was those lines that continued my attention through the film. Alas, I could not see Joshua Jackson (from Dawson's Creek) as the actual bartender or Dylan Baker as the head of the hospital because I knew these actors. I wanted better from them. The most emotional speeches came from those that I was not fully familiar with. Those like the man who watched the parade route, or the actor that played Matthew Shepard's father. These smaller, unknown bits, was what made The Laramie Project stand out and break a tear out of even the strongest wall.

I want to express again that I thought that this was a very powerful film; there were just certain moments that were using cliché elements to heighten the emotion of the story. This wasn't needed in the least bit. While I know that having the media attention when the residents of Laramie walked out of the courtroom was surprising, the film technique used to demonstrate this seemed cheap, and nearly like a low blow to the story. The glossed effect of when Ricci's character, and her mother, made angels to block the words of protestors, seemed fake on screen - while perhaps actual footage of this event would have strengthened the emotion. Perhaps I am asking too much, but when Ricci walks out with those angel wings flying high, I just expected Will Smith to come out of nowhere, screaming a line that would surely demonstrate to those protestors who was in control here. It came out a bit too Hollywood. As well as the scene where Dylan Baker cries, which I felt was the better of all the cinematic moments. It was powerful, yet subdued. It could have used more realism. Am I complaining too much? Nope, because I thought this was a brilliant film with how unique it was with its portrait of storytelling. I liked hearing the voices, in fact, if this were a story on CD, it would be a personal favorite, but because we were distracted by images of famous actors speaking in their own voice as well as unclimactic cliché scenes, it softened the blow. I was still teary at the end, but this could have been a film to rival that of Angels in America had it just tried a bit harder to avoid the Hollywood influx and paint a more vivid portrait of your average American town.

Overall, I must admit, it took me several days for this film to settle, but I think I could view it again. I especially would like to see Amy Madigan's performance, which I thought, her struggle with what happened, nearly overshadowed what happened to Matthew Shepard. I could have watched an entire film based solely on her. It is amazing what the media chooses to cover, and what they choose to ignore. I like what this film demonstrated. I like that it didn't depict this Wyoming town of rednecks and hillbillies never quite understanding what was wrong with the murder of Shepard. I am glad that we were able to see humanity break through the barriers and show emotion, show sadness, and look beyond the lifestyle to see the human being that was wrongly sentenced. I do think, nonetheless, that liberties were taken with certain actors and certain camera shots, but overall that can be overlooked. By throwing in some unknowns to this picture, I think the drama and the intensity of the event could have been heightened. This is a sad thing that happened, and I am glad that Hollywood chose to open the envelope, but they just didn't give it that final seal of approval. Actors were actors and cliché moments were used to build emotion. You already had a sad story; we didn't need the charades to improve it. I strongly suggest watching this film, if anything, to see that there is compassion within a town burdened with such a horrific crime. It is sad, and will surely bring a tear to anyone's eye.

Grade: **** out of *****

powerful reminder that this sort of thing still happens in USA.......2007-01-22

It is important to see this compelling and horrifying story because it is a powerful reminder that this sort of thing still happens in the US. What makes the film unique is that all of the dialogue was taken from actual interviews with residents of Laramie, Wyoming, the city where Matthew Shepard was murdered.

Average customer rating:

Inspirational
heartwarming
where the heart is
A Great Movie
I Love this Movie!!!

Where the Heart Is
Starring: Natalie Portman , Ashley Judd , Stockard Channing , Joan Cusack , and James Frain
Director: Matt Williams (II)
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00004WI5F
Release Date: 2000-09-26

Amazon.com

Not to be confused with the 1990 comedy flop featuring Uma Thurman, this Where the Heart Is boasts a winning performance from Natalie Portman. Novalee Nation (Portman), a pregnant teenager from Tennessee, is bound for California with her worthless boyfriend, Willy Jack (Dylan Bruno). A pit stop at an Oklahoma Wal-Mart proves fateful when Willy Jack abandons her there. She secretly sets up camp at the megastore and spends her days meeting with kindly booster Sister Husband (Stockard Channing) and eccentric librarian Forney Hall (James Frain). Her life takes another turn after she gives birth in the store (clean up, aisle six!) and finds a best friend in sassy nurse Lexie Coop (Ashley Judd). Meanwhile, Willy Jack has found a talent agent (Joan Cusack) and tries to make some life changes of his own.

Where The Heart Is offers charming, folksy fun; homespun wisdom; and an obstacle course of plot development (if the Wal-Mart angle weren't enough, there's also a kidnapping, a tornado, and at least half a dozen other major events thrown in). Director Matt Williams, who produced the popular sitcoms Roseanne and Home Improvement, takes television's cut-to-commercial route to make giant leaps in space and time from scene to scene. It's disorienting, but the remarkable female cast (which includes Sally Field in a cameo) lends plausiblilty to the muddle, even when you don't think anything more could possibly happen. --Shannon Gee

Description

Ashley Judd and Natalie Portman shine in this offbeat, delicious slice of life about a down-on-her-luck Southern teen. After gaining 15 minutes of fame for giving birth to "The Wal-Mart Baby", Novalee Nation (Portman) begins to put her life together with the help of the kind, quirky strangers who become her surrogate family. It's an inspiring celebration of love, friendship and self-worth that delivers "quality, emotionally satisfying entertainment" (ReelViews).

Customer Reviews:

Inspirational.......2007-07-15

This is one of those horrific stories that makes everyone realize that it could be worse. Natlie Portman did an amazing job portraying a southern under educated girl who over comes every obstacle that is literally thrown in front of her.

heartwarming.......2007-05-09

I really like this movie, it is a movie about overcoming whatever horrible things life throws at you. Natalie Portman does a great job as a pregnant teen with a loser boyfriend. After been left in a strange town she meets people who will forever change her life for the better.

where the heart is.......2007-03-28

Jade Rioux Book review 3/25/07

"Where the heart is", is a book about a girl named novalle, who finds herself in a difficult but common situation. She has to deal with many battles and struggles all because of one man. When everything is going right and all is good something always seems to go wrong. Until one day when novalle meets a women "sister husband" who supports and comforts novalle through this difficult era in her life. From then on novalles life was never the same.
Novalle goes through some terrible times. But there's always that one person who is uplifting and trustworthy to her, named Forney. As novalle goes through tough times he is always there getting her through them. Novalle gets so caught up in her own issues that she fails to give credit or reconciliation to him. Forney is constantly making an effort to impress novalle, but novalle just doesn't seem to get what he is trying to do.
I would recommend this book to everyone. This book was amazing and has such a strong true story line. "Where the heart is" will show you a girl who is in need for much help and reaches out for someone to be loved by. The story was so real to me and I think that when you read it, it is easy to put yourself in Novalles shoes, which helps you understand her situation more in depth. It will show you its ok to ask for help and someone will always be there to love you no matter where you are.

A Great Movie.......2007-03-12

This is a real keeper! It's quirky but sentimental. A great job was done adapting from the book to the screen. Natalie Portman & Ashley Judd are terrific in it. Have watched it a number of times (borrowed from library) and finally purchased a copy for my very own.

I Love this Movie!!!.......2007-03-10

This is a nice story with a lot of angles.

I was watching tv late one night and saw Sally Field as I
was flipping through the channels. Her range playing mothers is incredible. In the early 80s, she played the rugged individualist widow in the very excellent "Places in the Heart." She also played the assertive and supportive mother in "Forrest Guamp." In this movie, she showed she has a spectrum of roles. It was a nice contrast.

There isa sort of Cinderella aspect to this movie also that puts it in the same class as "Fried Green Tomatoes."

Average customer rating:

Even More Crude than Jackass

Dirty Sanchez -- UNRATED
Starring: Susanne Bier , Matt Pritchard , Ning Cai , Michael Locke , and The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Director: Jim Hickey
Manufacturer: Weinstein Company
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000Q7ZL2Y
Release Date: 2007-09-11

Description

In their debut feature-length comedy, the Dirty Sanchez team travel the world on a real-life quest to commit the Seven Deadly Sins. The boys never cease in their tireless pursuit to destroy the bounds of taste and decency while performing stunts that are unsuitable for print. Unrated and uncensored, DIRTY SANCHEZ "makes Jackass look like The Teletubbies" (Maxim).

Customer Reviews:

Even More Crude than Jackass.......2007-09-16

Dirty Sanchez Unrated is an extremely crude DVD that would be great for the collectors of the CKY video series, Jackass, and Steve-O. Some of the extreme stunts includes inflicting painful stunts for people in exchange for money, drinking games to the extreme, and some very interesting tattoos.

Be aware that this film is not recommended for anyone under the age of 18, cannot tolerate frontal male nudity, and heavy swearing.

Average customer rating:

EXCELLENT EDUCATIONAL DVD
Great Learning tool
Great ABC Video
May not be perfect, but my [...] is finally learning to talk.
My TWO year old knows his letters, but he's learning the sounds wrong!!

Brainy Baby - ABC's
Starring: Brainy Baby
Manufacturer: BRAINY BABY
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Birth-2 Years | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

Numbers & Letters | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000063UYO
Release Date: 2002-08-12

Amazon.com

Mastering the alphabet involves much more than recognizing capital letters. Brainy Baby: ABC's offers a healthy dose of phonics and lowercase letter study as well, treating 2- to 5-year-olds to a lesson that proves equally entertaining and educational. The key to this delightful show's appeal stems from an engaging, interactive approach to learning. Vocally introducing each uppercase and lowercase letter pair, sharing each letter's sound (or sounds, as in the case of vowels and certain consonants), and showing examples of words beginning with each letter, a friendly narrator encourages viewers to repeat what they see and hear. Throughout the 40-minute program, playful review sessions help enforce each lesson. Upbeat music and exceptional camera work add to the package, making yet another positive contribution from the award-winning Brainy Baby Company. Favorite extras on the DVD version include a video sing-along and a read-along storybook narrated by a child. -- Liane Thomas

Customer Reviews:

EXCELLENT EDUCATIONAL DVD.......2007-04-15

I am so thankful to these reviews. They help so much in determining if a product is right for us. After reading all the reviews, I decided to purchase this DVD for our 20 month old son. He had been watching The Letter Factory (which is great) and I wanted to offer him something new. At first, I was worried, as he wanted to watch The Letter Factory, but after sitting through the DVD with him ONCE, from then on, he has been very interested in watching the video. I like it because it's not all hyper. It's taught in a relaxed calm method. No regrets. I LOVE the way they repeat over and over the sounds of the letters. It's an excellent video for learnig the alphabet and letter sounds. A++++ We bought ours directly from Brainy Baby. We didn't want to wait. We received our order within a week.

Great Learning tool.......2007-01-25

If your gonna let your kids watch TV atleast let it be educational. It's a great video. I'm sure it reinforced my son in learning his ABC's.

Great ABC Video.......2007-01-04

My 2 1/2 y.o. loves this video and asks for it often. He now knows all his letters and I believe this video has really helped.

May not be perfect, but my [...] is finally learning to talk........2006-08-25

I agree with most of the other reviewers regarding MOM OF MANY MUNCHKINS review. She was way too critical! For hating the dvd so much, she has it memorized. She is correct about the "uh" sound, but my son has started talking so much since we got this dvd from our local library. He has even started saying complete sentances! Brainy Baby may not be perfect, but they are obviously doing something right. He also watches it from beginning to end without getting bored, and even giggles when the babies giggle. It is very cute! I think they did a great job. We have to remember that this video was made for babies and toddlers, not grown up adults.

My TWO year old knows his letters, but he's learning the sounds wrong!!.......2006-04-06

This review was very difficult for me to write as I have mixed feelings toward the video. As a first grade teacher, I am very critical of anything that requires the very particular and accurate use of phonemic awareness. Unfortunately, as the mom in the last review pointed out, this video has many inconsistencies when the narrator and little girl say their letter sounds. First of all, when saying letter sounds, one NEVER wants to add the sound -uh after any letter!! For example, when saying the sound for "T" we don't say "TUH", we simply whisper it by dropping our tougue from the roof to the bottom of our mouth. Or, we say "W" not by saying "WUH" but by forming the W with our lips, then holding the W sound like wwwwww. Though most of the sounds in this video are correct, they occasionally slip into the "-uh" trap! How on earth are our children supposed to read if they add -uh to every consonant....tell me....for instance, what the heck is puh-a-tuh! (translation without the -uh and you get the word "pat"!)
Now, looking beyond the inconsistencies in pronounciation, I have to say that my 2 year old son LOVES the video!!! I am completely in awe and amazed that within one time of watching it, he repeats EVERY letter as it drops onto the screen. Though I find it terribly repetitive and boring, he is COMPLETELY engrossed!! And you know, HE IS the one who is supposed to love the video (not me!) so I suppose Brainy Baby has hit the mark on that aspect! He sits through the seven minute introduction and is totally aware as each written letter comes on. He enjoys the kids and babies on the screen and it doesn't seem to bother him that there is no real "action" or fun puppets like they have in the Baby Einstein videos. So, as a mother, I am overjoyed that he is enjoying the video, learning his letters AND gaining a nice vocabulary. He is slightly speech delayed, so anything that will help to improve his language awareness is a blessing.

So how do I rate this?? As a teacher, probably no more than a 3. As a mother, I'd have to give this a 5 since my own child is rapidly developing his language awareness just by watching a simple DVD! I haven't watched any other letters video, so if anyone has any suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

Average customer rating:

Useful addition to owner's manual

Introduction to the Nikon D40 / D40x
Starring: Graham Sterling
Director: Blue Crane Digital
Manufacturer: Blue Crane Digital
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

ASIN: B000NY114W
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Product Description

Take great pictures with your Nikon D40! All you need is this training DVD and about 2 hours, and you will have the knowledge and the confidence to create the images you want. The topics are arranged in chapters, so you can move at your own pace, and return later to individual subjects.

Customer Reviews:

Useful addition to owner's manual.......2007-08-01

This DVD is a step-by-step guide to fully exploit the vast potential of this great new Nikon camera. Covers most topics a beginner as well as an intermediate user would like to see. Be sure to have your camera handy when you watch it!

Average customer rating:

The Soldier's Perspective
War From the Inside
real war by real people
The soldier's perspective of the Iraq war
The Real Lives of Today's Soldiers

The War Tapes
Starring: Steve Pink (II) , Zack Bazzi , Mike Moriarity , Ben Flanders , and Duncan Domey
Director: Deborah Scranton
Manufacturer: Docurama
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

ASIN: B000O76ZOY
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Amazon.com

Reduced from some 800 hours of raw footage to one compelling, 96-minute film, The War Tapes, while not the first documentary about U.S. soldiers deployed in Iraq (cf. 2006's Off to War, which covers similar ground), is unusual insofar as it was shot entirely by men on active duty in Iraq--specifically three National Guardsmen (or "citizen soldiers," as they call themselves) from New Hampshire who served in that benighted country in 2004. The three are by no means alike. Spc. Mike Moriarty is a patriot who, much to the dismay of his family, re-enlisted after 9/11 and frankly hopes to be "someone's hero." Sgt. Steve Pink is motor-mouthed wiseacre who grows increasingly cynical as his tour plays out. Sgt. Zack Bazzi, a Lebanese-American who speaks fluent Arabic, reads The Nation and doesn't much care for George W. Bush, but is nonetheless ready to fight. Yet despite their differences, their experiences are similarly grim. After some training at home, we see them arrive in the Mideast, where the first words they hear are, "Welcome to Iraq. Only one year to go," followed shortly by a mortar explosion near Camp Anaconda, their base. Thereafter, we see them in a variety of settings: in Baghdad and Fallujah, on the road (their duties include escorting truck convoys), fighting insurgents (several of the battle scenes are very intense and fairly graphic), in the camp cafeteria (where one of them excoriates Halliburton, who seems to have a hand in every aspect of the war effort, for charging the government $28 for a single styrofoam plate), in their quarters (their idea of recreation is staging a death match between a scorpion and a spider), and so on; we also visit their families back in New Hampshire. What emerges from all of this is a striking portrait of bitterness, resignation, and outright hostility, especially towards Iraqis on both sides. Moriarty perhaps sums it up most succinctly when they return to the States: "I'm so glad I went. I hated it with a god-awful passion, and I will not go back... I've done my part... It's someone else's turn." Nearly two hours of bonus material includes extended outtakes and extra footage, follow-up interviews with the three soldiers, and more. --Sam Graham

Description

Directed by Deborah Scranton, and produced by Robert May (The Fog of War) and Steve James (Hoop Dreams), THE WAR TAPES is Operation Iraqi Freedom as filmed by Sergeant Steve Pink, Sergeant Zack Bazzi, and Specialist Mark Moriarty. Steve is a wisecracking carpenter who aspires to be a writer. Zack is a Lebanese-American university student who loves to travel and is fluent in Arabic. Mike is a father and resolute patriot who rejoined the Army after 9/11. These soldiers captured over 800 hours of footage, providing a glimpse of their lives in the midst of war. The result is a raw portrait of three men--and their families--as they face, and struggle to understand, their duty.

Customer Reviews:

The Soldier's Perspective.......2007-08-05

Having grown up in a career military family, I must applaud this film. The fact that it was commissioned and sponsored by the U.S. Army National Guard is a positive sign that the military is attempting to ease the transition of fighting troops back into normal civilian life.

What are the messages of this film? According to the Extra Features:

1) Understand what we soldiers have been through in service to our country.
2) We were sent to Iraq to kill people. Right or wrong, that was our mission, and we did it to the best of our ability. Judge us on that basis.
3) Support our troops without asking whether the Iraq War was necessary. That question only demoralizes us and makes our job more difficult.
4) Don't blame us the way you did the Vietnam veterans. We are all wounded warriors, emotionally if not physically. Welcome us home as heroes.

I served in the Army as a medic during the Vietnam conflict. When I returned home from overseas, I was confused and depressed for six months. I needed to talk with my family about what I had experienced, but no one seemed to understand or even wanted to listen. The soldiers in this film said it was very helpful for their families in understanding "why I am the way I am since I returned."

This film may not be considered a true "documentary" in the sense that the cameramen said all the tapes were turned over to Command for their editing and approval. The sergeant described that when he started thinking of himself as a photojournalist and asking other soldiers what they thought about apparently inane orders on camera, his commander called him in and warned him these were actions unbecoming a non-commissioned officer.

If you are looking for a film that says "The Iraqis are real people and they are suffering too," this is not it. But this film supports the troops without question, helps their families to understand what they went through for us, and they deserve this and a lot more from the American public.

War From the Inside.......2007-07-04

In 2004 Deborah Scranton was invited to join a New Hampshire National Guard unit being deployed to Iraq as an imbedded journalist. She and producing partner Charles Lacy had a different idea: why not provide the soldiers with miniDV camaras and let them record what they experienced. What resulted was some 800 hours of footage that was edited into the brillant 97 minutes of the War Tapes.

The story follows the day to day lives of three soldiers from training to return from duty one year later. Mike Moriority is a hard line patriot who wanted to be deployed to Iraq as a result of what he saw at 9-11. Steven Pink is a wise cracking college graduate who thinks service will make him a better man. Jack Bazzi is a Lebanese emigre who uses his knowledge of Arabic to give us a unique view of the culture.

Through these men we see the horror of war close up. The footage is graphic and haunting and is not always easy to watch but it is essential. There is more to be seen and talked about here than in 10 conventional war films. Whether you are pro war or antiwar there is something here that you can take in and discuss with others. The essential question is the age old one:why are we fighting. To some it is to bring democracy to the Iraqi people to others the ony real reason is for the oil and to make money for corporations like Haliburton.

Do yourself a favor and seek this one out and make the choice for yourself. Excellent and well recommended.

real war by real people.......2007-06-09

John Burns, the Baghdad bureau chief for the New York Times, calls this film "the single best document (book, film, or article) you could see on the war in Iraq." Director Deborah Scranton taught three soldiers from New Hampshire's National Guard --Steve Pink, Mike Moriarty, and the Lebanese-American Zack Bazzi who is fluent in Arabic --how to use a camera, then edited their 800 hours of war footage down to 97 minutes. The result is a first person visual narrative of the war in Iraq. It's probably about as close as you can get to experiencing war vicariously-- the chaos, bravado, feelings of helplessness, fear, vulgarity, boredom, and cynicism. Endless rows of charred vehicles in an equipment vehicle. Security escorts protecting convoys of Halliburton trucks carrying septic waste ("follow that shit truck!") or cheese cake. Children everywhere. And yes, IEDs and daily mortar attacks lobbed into Camp Anaconda. The film documents the stories of the three soldiers from their deployment to their return to their families and post war symptoms, including several takes with their wives back home interspersed throughout the film. Parts of this film are very hard to watch.

The soldier's perspective of the Iraq war.......2007-05-17

`The War Tapes' is a unique documentary recorded by 3 soldiers in the New Hampshire Army National Guard during their one year deployment in Iraq. Using cameras mounted on vehicle turrets, dashboards, and helmets along with utilizing night vision devices and thermal imagers, this compilation is assembled from over 800 hours of footage. Sergeants Steve Pink and Zack Brazzi, along with Specialist Michael Moriarty are the central characters that carry the cameras and capture the images.

Almost from the first day on the ground in country, powerful and unsettling footage is shown from mortar attacks, ambushes, firefights, explosions, and injuries sustained from soldiers and civilians alike in Iraq. The video is graphic and intense and it leaves a serious impression about what soldiers have to endure in Iraq. You can get a sense of the underlying tension and anxiety experienced by these soldiers as they narrate what they've seen and felt. Also shown are their attitudes and thoughts regarding why America is in Iraq and the consequences of the war.

In-between segments of the documentary, footage is shown with Michael Moriarty's wife, Zack Bazzi's mother, and Steve Pink's girlfriend. They all put on a brave face but you can sense the emotional turmoil of having loved ones so far away in such a dangerous environment. The families at home also share their mixed feelings about the American involvement in Iraq and the difficulties of being on their own. Upon re-deploying back to the United States, there are physical and emotional changes evident in the returning soldiers and it is significant in how this affects a person's lifestyle and relationships.

`The War Tapes' is a well produced documentary, in my opinion, and delivers a thought provoking, important, and sometimes disturbing look at many aspects dealing with the war in Iraq. To compliment the main program, there are 2 extra features on the DVD that are worth checking out. One is a collection of interviews lasting just under 30 minutes and the second is 80 minutes of additional material covering several different and interesting topics.

The Real Lives of Today's Soldiers.......2007-04-30

`War Tapes' is a great documentary because it is made and narrated by the soldiers fighting in Iraq. Three men from New Hampshire share different backgrounds but one purpose: To win the war in Iraq, but each states his own personal motivation well. The film has three different aspects: the battles, the family life at home, and life in the army in Iraq. There are three main participants: Steven Pink, who has most of the cameras and a girlfriend, Lindsay, waiting for him at home; Zach Bazzi, a Lebanese émigré, whose mom is devoted to her soldier son; and Mike Moriarity whose wife and children wait on pins and needles for his return. At times the documentary is composed. We hear the thoughts of loved ones, torn by separation anxiety, pride, and love. The soldiers testify to their sense of purpose. Then, we get harrowing battle scenes with tanks going through the unstable streets of Fallujah. We hear them work as a unit fighting the insurgents with appropriately shaky cameras and thundering ammunition. Their candor is almost groundbreaking. The disdain for the enemy and the opportunism of war purveyors KBR and Halliburton are telling. Seeing soldiers train Iraqis, sorely needed recreation, and the aftermath of the men's sacrifices are key highlights. Whether or not you support the war, this film shouldn't be missed for supporting and understanding the soldiers. Sometimes funny, often unsettling, but always interesting, 'The War Tapes' is a rewarding and informative film.

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